What we're talking about

Christine on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' isn't it funny how DHS don't recognise the psychological effects of domestic violence on children and continue to allow ... more
Warrior princess on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' There is a family In the Cairns Area who are Foster Carers.Atherton Child Safety have threatened the carers and own ... more
duncan on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' i have spent time with this family. it is a house full of love. "mum", grandfather and older sblings.this cannot be an issue ... more
Tracey on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Family Law is different from the rest of the law in this country.. Ie. Family Law is based on probability: ie if it might ... more
carol annetta on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' having known this family for some time i am disgusted with the treatment she has received. it seems more of a witch hunt ... more
Maureen Hillary on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Derryn,I have counselled traumatized parents as a result of DHS staff.There are great staff workers who care but they ... more
Janet Tavener on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I am a visitor to this country.My attention was drawn to the case of these children and their foster mother by a relative of ... more
sam on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Happening in Tasmania also.Wewon a court case over 8 months ago and due process still hasn't been done.We spent 17,000 ... more
Anne Glover on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I just cannot believe what the DHS has put the Foster Mother, and the children through - I thought the DHS was supposed to ... more
Tracey on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' DHS are the most disgraceful organization I have ever had the displeasure of becoming involved with. They are so ... more
Vicki on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Hi Derryn,I have known this carer since primary school, she has always put others above herself. Being a carer myself I know ... more
Gran'ma Pam on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' As any of us with any sense know, these children should NEVER have been taken from this lady (mum) in the first place, they ... more
Dominic Lombardo on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' I see my daughter every six months DHS are conducting a vendetta against me I have not been told why I can only see her ... more
cassy houghton on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Hello Derryn,Firstly i would like to thankyou for your support and the willingness to help this beautiful family.I ... more
Warrior princess on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Im a carer also in Qld. I see this happen way too much from our Government. They are starting to use Carers own children as ... more
paul on "I'll pay the fee," says Hinch I believe what Liberal Party has done is stupid. But I feel for candidates like Joh Bauch and James Buonopane who want to ... more
Andrea on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Why are these public servants allowed to blatantly flout the law without the same consequences the rest of society faces? I ... more
birth mother on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' i am the birth morther of these 4 children and i just want to say dhs dont care they just want the kids in care so they can ... more
Frances Goff on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Derryn, Firstly, Happy BirthdayHaving worked in a primary school for 15 year I have seen some terrible things regarding DHS ... more
Karen on Help Hinch fight DHS 'pinheads' Hi Derryn, I have known these children through "the system".for all of their lives. I have had regular contact with them ... more

Hinch: Now to Canberra

Posted by: Derryn Hinch | 30 July, 2010 - 4:06 PM

It’s been a long journey and we’ve got a few kilometres to go yet but the next stop is the High Court of Australia. Today I won the right to be heard in the High Court in my battle –in layman’s terms –to make our courts more transparent. To make our courts more open. For evidence to be heard in public and the reasons given in public. To make our courts, especially County Court judges, genuinely consider the public interest when they order the suppression of the name of a serial rapist or a paedophile.

As it stands a law called an Extended Supervision Order protects criminals more than it protects the community. More than it protects you and your kids. It started out as a good law but it has been corrupted and more than 25 serial rapists and paedophiles are walking around the streets, living amongst you, and you cannot know who they are or what they look like. And this year we had the ludicrous and dangerous situation where a man removed an electronic ankle bracelet and escaped and police could not alert the media or the public until they had received court permission.

I have called Melbourne Suppression City and with good reason. Judges are virtually running secret courts: suppressing names, suppressing evidence, tossing orders around like confetti.

To understand where I am coming from and why I am so passionate about this you have to go back a couple of years to a rally I held on the steps of Parliament House.

Several thousand people were there. And I said at the time:

I looked out over a sea of faces, many tear-stained. Faces, old and young, faces that variously showed pain and anger and frustration and determination and hope.

An unlikely crowd of protesters drawn together by a common, often tragic cause. People like the Halvagis family and the Irwins who had lost daughters at the hands of killers who had been given chance after chance by the legal system.

And others whose children had been raped twice. By child molesters and then by the courts as paedophiles walked free. And some of their children, robbed of their childhood and their innocence, couldn’t take the pressure any more and killed themselves.

There was the case of a woman whose sons were among seven victims of the family doctor. In court his lawyer argued that ‘no actual harm had been done to the boys’. And both her sons committed suicide within 15 months of each other.

There were middle-aged victims who had suffered in silence with their secrets and who had never had a skerrick of justice. They came from a time when you didn’t talk about such things and the local priest couldn’t possibly have done those dirty things to you.

They came to protest against a terrible law that allows convicted rapists and serial child sex offenders to rejoin the community incognito. Their names and images censored by court suppression orders. And more than 7000 people worldwide have signed my petition at Namethemshamethem.com.

And so we now head to the High Court. And just one more thing. This is not about me. This is not case of somebody using legal tactics to avoid a criminal trial. I face five charges that could bring a total of $60,000 in fines and five years in jail. I can handle that whatever happens. That is irrelevant when compared to the big picture: a bad, unconstitutional law that I believe demeans the very courts designed to serve justice and protect the community. A law that inhibits open justice. While it remains on the books justice is not being done and is certainly not being seen to be done.

Footnote: Getting this far in this case has consumed a lot of time and effort and expense by a lot of people. And I want to thank my senior counsel, David Bennett QC, my barrister Geoff Slater and from HWL Ebsworth my long time friend and lawyer Nic Pullen and Andrew Thompson. All working pro bono because they believe in the cause. Heartfelt thanks guys.

Blog comments

Thank you Derryn for having the integrity, courage of your convictions and the fortitude to name these people who, by way of an immoral law, are able to blend into communities and continue their lives unhindered, often reofffending and leaving more broken lives in their wake.
I have long admired your dedication to truth and justice and pray that you will be successful in all you endeavour.

Christine Tuesday 10 August, 2010 - 9:00 PM
These judges have no empathy
and could not possibly understand the ramifications of rape, incest and paedaphilia.
The souls and mental health of these victims are destroyed and it takes a lifetime for most of them to feel free of these hideous crimes...if they ever do at all.
Go for it Derryn!!!on behalf of all those innocent children and adults.

Caz Friday 30 July, 2010 - 10:29 PM
I hope this case will totally change a stupid law that protects vile sex offenders. Derryn, you are fighting for all of us and our children by taking such a serious stand in this matter. Thank God for you, and all your behind the scenes people who have the guts and where-withall to publicly name and shame the disgusting gutter-slime responsible for unspeakable acts against innocent victims. The Pen is always mightier than the Sword. Wishing you all the best in this fight for Justice, Derryn.

Wendy Muller Friday 30 July, 2010 - 5:37 PM
Hi Derryn, I am not a person who usually listens to commercial radio or TV so I am burdened by the ABC "world" but extract much information out of it. I have never communicated with you before,but for years and years I have admired you and your tenancity, your bravery and your ethics. Nothing I can do or say can help you really but you are a true warrior, going forward to fight the battles no-one else wants to fight. Thank you Derryn for who you are, for your realising the gifts you were borne with and having the courage to follow them through. You are exceptional and I bet life doesn't treat you well because you put many others before yourself. Hail Kerryn - not as Hitler, but as the Romans saluted Ceasar because he was believed to be the best of the best and I believe you are the best of the best. Thank you for helping Colin and his supports and the dugong and turtle.

Alexis Friday 30 July, 2010 - 4:47 PM