FACTS DON’T LIE…OR DO THEY?
Last month I was invited to speak at the Restoring the Presumption of Innocence Conference in Sydney, Australia.
The idea that the presumption of innocence needs “restoring” should not sit comfortably with any of us. It was clear though, from those who spoke, both in an academic capacity and a personal one, that we are dangerously teetering on the cusp of significant changes to a cornerstone of the criminal justice system. For some that reality has already happened, to devastating effect.
It is not just a problem in Australia, where the conference was held, but across the world, where a now not so silent anti-male movement, is being rolled out.
The concept of “innocent until proven guilty”, once the cornerstone to many a criminal justice system, a principle that underpins the very essence of a fair and just legal system, is being eroded.
The presumption of innocence, often referred to as the “golden thread”
of criminal law, is a principle that presumes a person accused of a crime is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This fundamental principle is enshrined in numerous laws, including international human rights instruments and Australia’s legal framework.
The principle of the presumption of innocence has deep historical roots.
It can be traced back to Roman law, where the maxim “the burden of proof is on the one who declares, not on the one who denies” was a foundational concept. This idea gradually found its way into English common law and became a fundamental aspect of the legal systems in countries influenced by English jurisprudence, including Australia.
In New South Wales, where the conference was held, the presumption of innocence is legislated in Section 141 of the Evidence Act 1995, which states, “In a criminal proceeding, the defendant is presumed to be innocent of the alleged offence until the prosecution proves the defendant’s guilt.” This provision reflects the long-standing commitment of the Australian legal system to uphold this principle.
Anyone listening to the speakers on 31st August 2024, well anyone of a fair disposition that is, would be hard pressed not to be moved by overwhelming statistics that proved the mainstream anti-male rhetoric was misleading. The stories of families ripped apart, lives lost, careers destroyed and reputations ruined, by misguided legal processes and false allegations more akin to countries like North Korea, should put the fear of god into any parent of a son.
Due process, and indeed, common sense, have clearly been cast aside by our police and courts in favour of a form of state control.
One speaker, who’s presentation I found very disturbing, was Professor Augusto Zimmermann (PhD, LLB cum laude, LLB (Hons), a former WA Law Reform Commissioner. During his tenure at the WA Law Commission he had been assigned to investigate statistical information relating to domestic violence orders, and to do that he had sat through numerous interviews and investigations. At the end, when he presented his conclusions to his superiors, they responded (to summarise) by saying his conclusions did not fit what they wanted to say.
Professor Zimmermann had heard stories which affected him so deeply that during his presentation he was literally moved to tears - a grown man standing on stage in front of 200 people crying about the stories he had heard and the way his work had been ignored, presumably because it did not meet a pre-conceived feminist agenda.
You can re-watch Professor Zimmermann’s speech here:
As with all these changes in society, they are enacted by stealth. If you are not involved in family breakdown or are not on the end of domestic abuse or false allegations yourself, you will be oblivious to the horrors that can be bestowed on innocent individuals.
Of course those guilty of any such crimes should face the full force of the law, but the numbers of people facing false allegations, are increasing, and any form of resistance and counter claim quickly becomes toothless.
That is why conferences such as this are so important. At a time when the feminist movement has taken over the narrative, to the point that if you even raise an alternative view point you are labelled an abuser, we must make a stand and continue to speak up for the innocent and maintain every and all aspects of “innocent until proven guilty”,
As a mother myself, unless more people speak up and out, I fear for the future of our children, in particular our sons.
You can view my speech here:
You can view all the speaches from the Conference now individually at:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD6S_qXKGHrJz1RHChHHERCT2pAPX8QNT