From Monday, people who do not have a disability parking permit displayed on their windscreen - but park in a disability parking reserved space will face an automatic loss of one demerit point as well as a hefty fine. In some cases, that will be enough to tip the balance and bring a driving license cancellation.
The extension of the demerit point system to what is really a social outrage opens an interesting can of worms. When an able bodied driver deliberately deprives someone with a physical disability of a form of relief proscribed by law it is an offence not only in the eyes of the law, but an affront to most fair minded people - who see it at crass and anti social. Up until now, the only punishment has been to make the offender pay a fine. Now that punishment has been extended to both a fine and the possible withdrawal of what could be called " a social privilege "!
There is another insult to the way of life that we hold sacred that seems to occur now on a regular basis. Offenders who are brought before a court to face a charge refuse to stand and plead before the magistrate, claiming that as a religious obligation. It is inferred that the only law they recognise is the law of the deity they worship. In particular, that seems to be a tactic used by those born overseas and who have gained citizenship in this country by swearing an oath that they will obey the laws of this nation.
Many people think that deliberately refusing to obey the law that they have accepted as the "deal "in getting the safety of citizenship should enable that protection to be withdrawn, but it seems that this contravenes covenants we have signed with the United Nations. It is very much a "one way deal ". The moment the Commonwealth hands over that citizenship certificate we have granted lifetime rights to the named person - and they in turn may completely renege - without penalty - on all and every obligations they have just made. In particular, they may refuse to obey Australian law and claim only to obey religious law - as they interpret it.
Perhaps it is time that Australia started to play that sort of devious game - and make the retention of entitlements open to law abiding citizens conducive to them meeting their citizenship obligations. If someone refuses to stand and plead to a charge in court, perhaps that may be a good reason to withdraw their driving license or strike them from the waiting list for public housing. Many things we do or wish to attain require some sort of license or permit and most of these contain various conditions. A health standard is required to hold a drivers license. Criminal convictions bar many from holding some sort of public office - such as a Realtors license or being a JP. Would it not be reasonable to add non-compliance with the law as the basis for many such cancellations ?
It all comes down to what is a "right "- and what is a "privilege " ! We do not have a right to climb into a car and drive on the road. To do that, we need to obtain a license and prove that we have the ability to understand the law and manage the control of the car correctly, and we need to renew that license on a regular basis. Our hold on such a licenses is tenuous. Some law breaches will bring instant cancellation. It is therefore a privilege and not a right.
Our law requires a person taken to court to answer a charge to stand as a form of respect for the court and plead to the charge. Refusal to so so is therefore a serious breach of the law and could be punished by a term of imprisonment for "contempt of court ". Perhaps the withdrawal of any form of license granted under the law would be a more suitable punishment. What the law gives - the law can take away. Such would be the outcome of disrespecting the law.
As things stand, the granting of citizenship is devalued when the obligations involved only apply to the party making that gift !
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