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ALA applauds rejection of Police Costs Bill (SA)
29th Nov 2012
The Australian Lawyers Alliance applauds the Upper House Independent Members and the Liberal Party for standing up, yet again, for the rights of the innocent.
“The Government’s budgetary attempts to inhibit, modify and restrict the ability to recover costs in failed prosecutions should now be done away with for good,” said Patrick Boylen ALA (SA) President.
“The right to costs stems from the presumption of innocence and if you are acquitted of a charge you should, subject to principles, established over many decades be entitled to your costs.
“The debate as to whether that right should continue to exist has been heard and won now three times. Surely, this Government now gets the message that some rights are, and should remain, untouched by legislative zeal which does not see the bigger picture.
“The ALA hopes that the issue has now been put to rest for good for the reasons that were aired in the Upper House debate in particular.
“The ALA will continue to advocate for the retention of such rights across the board. The rights of the individual in the community appear to be continually at risk through political process."
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