By ERWIN CHLANDA
Has Gary Hall, who says he is the spokesman for a paramilitary group in Alice Springs ready to commit violent acts, broken the law with statements he made yesterday?
“That depends on how he said it and what steps he has taken to go down that path,” says Attorney-General and Minister for Justice John Elferink (pictured).
“There is an offence to counsel and procure the commissioning of a crime. However, having made that observation, it is possibly more than a mere nebulous assertion.
“What I can say is that the police are fully aware of Mr Hall’s public statements and, I imagine, are keeping a very close eye on him, as I would expect they do.
“If any person suffers any form of harm as a result of the conduct of persons associated with Mr Hall, or relying on his public commentary, then he may well find himself in position where he has to answer some very awkward questions to the authorities,” says Mr Elferink.
In the absence of any violent actions having taken place in the past, can what Mr Hall has said be regarded as an incitement to criminal behaviour?
Says Mr Elferink: “Once again, it’s a question of degree. As I said, I imagine the police are keeping a very close eye on him and at the moment he oversteps the boundary then they will act, and act promptly and decisively.”
Do you think that with what he has said already he has overstepped the boundaries?
Mr Elferink: “It’s not up to me to pronounce innocence or guilt. That remains a matter for a court. Whether or not a prima facie case exists is a matter for investigating police and I am not going to preempt or second-guess the police in their work.”
Mr Elferink says he reminds Mr Hall of his “legal responsibilities and duties to the community in which he lives” and he urged him “to stop behaving like a prat”.
Meanwhile Assistant Commissioner of Police in Alice Springs, Jamie Chalker, this morning declined to answer questions about the issues. He referred to a brief comment on the police Facebook site (pictured above), posted on Wednesday, two days after Mr Hall posted two reader’s comments in the Alice Springs News Online.
Saturday, April 20, 2024
The freedom of the press still furnishes that check upon government which no constitution has ever been able to provide – Chicago Tribune.
Quote: “It doesn’t take a massive lot of training to shoot someone in the back of the legs. What is does take is balls.” End of quote
Does Gary Hall hold a firearm licence ?
Does he belong to a shooting club?
Does he lives on the land?
The Northern Territory Firearms Act requires that a person must have a genuine reason, and in some cases, a genuine need as well to qualify for a firearms licence (…) any applicant for a firearms licence must meet the following criteria when applying for a licence.
The approved genuine reasons are:
1. sports shooting
2. recreational shooting / hunting
3. primary production
4. vertebrate pest animal control
5. business or employment
6. occupational requirements
7. animal welfare
8. firearm collection
9. museum display
10. inheritance
There is no 11 stating: use a firearm in town to shoot someone running away.
There is no aiming for the legs in the eyes of the law. Firing a gun at someone is deadly force no matter where you are aiming at.
If they are running away and you shoot them in the back it means you are a coward in the top to be stupid. Aiming for anything other than the centre of seen mass could endanger the lives of others in the area.
How is this man still walking around the community after acknowledging to media that he has a history of past paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland?
Have the immigration laws changed? If this was not declared on entry – I would be more interested in Minister Elferink and the polices’ confirmation that an investigation of whether someone who holds this proclivity should be afforded the right to reside in the country… I am particularly disgusted that with the current heightened national awareness of counter terrorism, and the shock we all felt at Christmas time when we watched in horror as events at the Lindt Cafe unfolded – that this person throws out talk of being involved with a terrorist organisation (the IRA) as if it’s a badge of honour.
Does no one recall that this organisation was responsible for the murder of innocent Australians back in 1990???
Australian tourists Stephen Melrose and Nick Spanos, were shot dead in the Netherlands by the Provisional Irish Republican Army, who claimed to have mistaken them for off duty British soldiers. The attack was part of the IRA campaign in mainland Europe.
Wow Mr Hall – not even a month after we have celebrated ANZAC day – and the service of men and women that defend our country, you are making media comments re your affiliations with a terrorist group that has killed our citizens… To gain street cred !!!!
And, just as bad is that the other members of this vigilante group have elected him as their spokesman based on his ‘experience’ in terrorist activity. Does that not make them complicit?!?!
Shame on the lot of you. I hope our men and women in blue are taking full advantage of the new counter terrorism laws by looking into ever facet of this groups activity – and all associated with it.