Judge paid boys for sex, claims MP

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By Phillip Hudson, Darren Gray

Canberra

March 13 2002

An Australian judge used taxpayer-funded cars to pick up boys for sex, Federal Parliament was told last night.

Cabinet Secretary Bill Heffernan said he had Commonwealth car records that showed the judge used the cars to visit a notorious part of Darlinghurst in Sydney known as The Wall.

Senator Heffernan said the car was illegally used by the judge "who regularly trawled for rough trade at the Darlinghurst Wall, who according to police statements and interviews regularly played out his fantasies in a fee-for-service arrangement".

Senator Heffernan, one of Prime Minister John Howard's closest advisers, called for a royal commission on the sexual abuse of children.

Senator Heffernan also said homosexual High Court judge Michael Kirby was not a fit and proper person to sit in judgment on alleged paedophiles and was subverting the law to push a cause of homosexual rights.

Senator Heffernan used the protection of parliamentary privilege to make a series of allegations, listing four examples where he believed a judge had been compromised.

He said the judge had:

Made a speech to Kings College School of Law in London in 1999 in which he said gay men faced suicide, blackmail, police entrapment and hypocrisy before NSW decriminalised homosexuality in 1984.

Had shown "bias" in a decision to grant special leave in the case of Catholic priest Vincent Gerard Ryan, charged and found guilty of buggery and sexual abuse of altar boys.

Made a speech to "impressionable young men" at St Ignatius College in Sydney in February, 2000, when he said it was OK to be gay and that homosexuals deserved acceptance.

Used taxpayer funded Comcars to pick up boys for sex.

"They have all confirmed through their words and actions that indeed judicial legitimacy is a myth without federal judicial commission - because they are all one and the same person," he said.

Senator Heffernan did not name Justice Kirby throughout his speech, but at the end of his comments said he wanted to table a speech "to the Kings College School of Law in London by the Hon. Justice Michael Kirby".

Earlier in the speech he said: "I believe that most Australian families would have the view that this judge fails the test of public trust and legitimacy as set out by the Chief Justice of the High Court (Murray Gleeson) in his New York speech and clearly is not fit and proper to sit in judgment of people charged with sex offences against children."

Justice Kirby could not be contacted last night.

Senator Heffernan called for retrospective legislation to protect high-profile "political, judicial, legal and media figures" who lead double lives. This would protect them from the risk of "blackmail, entrapment, compromise and hypocrisy" and help break the code of silence.

Senator Heffernan, who has waged a crusade against child abuse, has previously used the protection of the Senate to make controversial comments about public figures.

Last June he named Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission figure Terry O'Shane as the alleged abuser of the daughters of Aboriginal activist Evelyn Scott. He also said that ATSIC deputy chairman Ray Robinson had been convicted of rape in the 1960s.

The Age

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	Government News Index site index HOME Judge paid boys for sex, claims MP By Phillip Hudson, Darren Gray Canberra March 13 2002 An Australian judge used taxpayer-funded cars to pick up boys for sex, Federal Parliament was told last night. Cabinet Secretary Bill Heffernan said he had Commonwealth car records that showed the judge used the cars to visit a notorious part of Darlinghurst in Sydney known as The Wall. Senator Heffernan said the car was illegally used by the judge "who regularly trawled for rough trade at the Darlinghurst Wall, who according to police statements and interviews regularly played out his fantasies in a fee-for-service arrangement". Senator Heffernan, one of Prime Minister John Howard's closest advisers, called for a royal commission on the sexual abuse of children. Senator Heffernan also said homosexual High Court judge Michael Kirby was not a fit and proper person to sit in judgment on alleged paedophiles and was subverting the law to push a cause of homosexual rights. Senator Heffernan used the protection of parliamentary privilege to make a series of allegations, listing four examples where he believed a judge had been compromised. He said the judge had: Made a speech to Kings College School of Law in London in 1999 in which he said gay men faced suicide, blackmail, police entrapment and hypocrisy before NSW decriminalised homosexuality in 1984. Had shown "bias" in a decision to grant special leave in the case of Catholic priest Vincent Gerard Ryan, charged and found guilty of buggery and sexual abuse of altar boys. Made a speech to "impressionable young men" at St Ignatius College in Sydney in February, 2000, when he said it was OK to be gay and that homosexuals deserved acceptance. Used taxpayer funded Comcars to pick up boys for sex. "They have all confirmed through their words and actions that indeed judicial legitimacy is a myth without federal judicial commission - because they are all one and the same person," he said. Senator Heffernan did not name Justice Kirby throughout his speech, but at the end of his comments said he wanted to table a speech "to the Kings College School of Law in London by the Hon. Justice Michael Kirby". Earlier in the speech he said: "I believe that most Australian families would have the view that this judge fails the test of public trust and legitimacy as set out by the Chief Justice of the High Court (Murray Gleeson) in his New York speech and clearly is not fit and proper to sit in judgment of people charged with sex offences against children." Justice Kirby could not be contacted last night. Senator Heffernan called for retrospective legislation to protect high-profile "political, judicial, legal and media figures" who lead double lives. This would protect them from the risk of "blackmail, entrapment, compromise and hypocrisy" and help break the code of silence. Senator Heffernan, who has waged a crusade against child abuse, has previously used the protection of the Senate to make controversial comments about public figures. Last June he named Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission figure Terry O'Shane as the alleged abuser of the daughters of Aboriginal activist Evelyn Scott. He also said that ATSIC deputy chairman Ray Robinson had been convicted of rape in the 1960s. The Age Index