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1. NT News Article - Mum says she is glad son is in jail |
| Mum says
she's glad son is in jail
Northern Territory News 04oct03 A mother who wanted her son jailed after he invaded the NT Parliament got her wish yesterday. Luke Masters, 20, was sentenced to 15 days in jail after he failed to complete a community service order for his role in the invasion of Parliament during a drug protest. His mother, Sue St James, 44, told the Northern Territory News in June after her son was fined $500 and ordered to perform 120 community service hours that she wanted him to go to jail. ``Luke needed jail,'' she said. ``Not just a slap on the wrist.'' Last night Ms St James said Luke was a changed man. She said the change had happened just as she had spoken out about his sentence. ``He's getting on with his life, he's a changed kid _ he's got a job waiting for him now when he gets out,'' she said. ``After the Northern Territory News article _ he wanted to change his life, he knew he'd done the wrong thing. I think it did give him a shock. I think he realised he had to change his life or he'd lose his family.'' Ms St James said the reason Masters did not complete community service was because he had got a paid job. But Ms St James said she still believed her son deserved his jail term. ``He's serving his time. He knows he's done the wrong thing,'' she said. ``He told his younger brother (aged 18) not to break the law because he doesn't want him to end up in jail like he is.'' Masters was one of seven people who invaded Parliament during a sitting in Darwin in May last year. But he took only a small part. Masters came before Magistrate Dick Wallace for re-sentencing, admitting the breach of community work order and pleading guilty to three instances of driving the same unregistered and uninsured car without a licence in July this year. ``Three sets of traffic offences shows he is more interested in his own convenience than the ... law,'' the magistrate said. He imposed fines totalling $2300 and victim levies of $360 for the traffic offences. He revoked the community work order of 120 hours and on the basis of eight hours a day sentenced Masters to 15 days' jail. |
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The Editor NT News Re: Luke Masters Dear Sir I write to you with regards to the recent incarceration of Luke Masters. Luke’s crime was to enter the chamber of the NT Legislative Assembly holding a banner calling for drug law reform, he remained in the chamber for less than ten seconds. He is serving 15 days. It is shocking that Luke has been incarcerated for this minor offence, particularly when he played such a minor role in the protest. Luke was just one of a group of people who felt that the NT Government’s “drug house” legislation would be a retro-grade step. Most of the group have seen the impact of the so called “war on drugs” on the day to day lives of drug users. It seems that their stance has been vindicated by the recent Federal Government report on Hepatitis C, withheld by the previous Federal Health Minister Kay Patterson for at least 6 months before its release. This report found that the Federal and State/Territory Governments have increased the rate of Hepatitis C infections among injecting drug users, through the use of zero tolerance approaches to illicit drugs. Hepatitis C is now an epidemic in Australia and this report estimated that 500,000 Australians would be Hep C positive by 2020. The report also found that prisons play a substantial role in the spread of Hep C. Hepatitis C and other blood borne viruses are just one area of harm that many Australian’s are exposed to because of a head in the sand approach to drug issues. Thousands of young Australians are incarcerated for victimless drug offences. People are forced to spend more and more on drugs as zero tolerance policing increases the price of drugs. These are just a few examples. Sooner or later, governments will need to realise that a pragmatic, realistic approach to drugs is the only way to reduce the harm associated with substance use. For many people in the community, especially drug users, we can clearly see that the prohibition of drugs is causing more harm than the actual drugs. It seems un-Australian that a 20 year old Territorian could be forced to spend 15 days in jail after an attempt to convince the NT Government that they were making a mistake. The parliament invasion occurred in true Larrakin style, and was simply a dramatic way of getting an important message across. Yours truly Gary Meyerhoff Network Against Prohibition *part of this letter was published in the NT News on the 8th Oct 2003 |
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Stop Press: Luke Masters has served 2 weeks at Berrimah Jail and has been released! Write a letter to the editor of the Northern Territory News, click here to email the NT News. The Network Against Prohibition has written to the administrator of the Northern Territory, John Anictomatis, and asked him to pardon Luke. Click here to email John. Protest letters can be sent to the NT Justice Minister Peter Toyne his email address is minister.toyne@nt.gov.au NAP would appreciate it if you could send us copies of any letters. Scroll down for NAP letter to NT Administrator. |
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NAP letter to NT Administrator Dear Sir I am writing to you regarding the incarceration of my friend Luke Masters. Luke has committed no offence serious enough to justify his imprisonment at taxpayers’ expense. The 120 hours of community service he was sentenced to was itself an excessive penalty for his minor part in the Parliament action, particularly given that he pleaded guilty and expressed contrition for his actions. Luke had managed to find gainful employment. He is a young man with his life ahead of him . Imprisonment could turn out to be counter productive, just when things were coming together for Luke. Prison has been shown to be criminogenic—that is, it CAUSES crime—by producing maladjusted and dysfunctional individuals who have trouble reintegrating themselves back into the community. I urge you to rise above the dirty politics of the War on Drugs and to take the magnanimous option of granting a pardon to Luke. This will enable him to be once again a productive member of our community Yours Sincerely Stuart Highway, for the Network Against Prohibition. Government house also has a website http://www.nt.gov.au/administrator Note: for those of you who are not sure, the Administrator is the Northern territory's version of an Australian State's Governor. This person is not elected but has been appointed by the NT Labor Government. Ted Egan does not take on this role until November. Currently, John Anictomatis has the position. |
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Parliament Invasion - Resources 14th May 2002 – entry by NAP and PARIAH activists into the NT Legislative Assembly. 9 people charged by summons with "deliberately disrupting the legislative assembly whilst it was in session." One activist also charged with assault. Those charged: Rob - 1 charge, found guilty in Darwin Magistrate’s Court by Magistrate Dick Wallace, sentenced to 21 months jail suspended after 5 months. On Appeal. Unrepresented. Gary – 1 charge, found guilty in Darwin Magistrate’s Court by Magistrate Dick Wallace, sentenced to 21 months jail suspended after 5 months. On Appeal. Unrepresented. Stuart - 1 charge, found guilty in Darwin Magistrate’s Court by Magistrate Dick Wallace, sentenced to 18 months jail suspended after 5 months. On Appeal. Unrepresented. Ema - 2 charges, found guilty both counts in Darwin Magistrate’s Court by Magistrates Dick Wallace and Loadman, sentenced to 21 months jail suspended after 5 months and a suspended sentence for second count. On Appeal. Unrepresented most of the time with some recent Legal Aid representation. Mick -1 charge, found guilty in Darwin Magistrate’s Court by Magistrate Dick Wallace, sentenced to 14 months jail suspended after 4 months. On Appeal. Unrepresented. Luke – sentenced to community work order. Imprisoned for 15 days for not completing order in time. Unrepresented at first but represented by Legal Aid at the end. Aaron – sentenced to community work order. Unrepresented at first but represented by Legal Aid at the end. Andrew – pleaded guilty after legal aid told him they wouldn’t represent him otherwise. Sentenced to good behaviour bond. Scott - extradited from Tasmania. Still before the Darwin Magistrate's Court. Unrepresented. Appeals will be heard in the Supreme Court between the 24th and 28th of November 2003. Handy NAP links: ABC News Online - with NAP comment 14th May 2002 Melbourne Indymedia 15th May 2002 Deconstruction of NT News articles on the Parliament Invasion - part 1 Deconstruction of NT News articles on the Parliament Invasion - part 2 NAP member considered potential terrorist by Magistrate NAP's sponsor a subpoena campaign Jail my son - NT News 4th June 2003 Melbourne Indymedia Chronicles - reports on the parliament invasion hearing NAP's resident Journo gives his slant on the hearing Supreme Court Judgement for Andrew's appeal This judgement was handed down by Justice Sally Thomas: |
