Pearls and Irritations

A healthy civil and democratic society depends on citizens’ ability to weigh up diverse views, to re-frame issues and to consider the dangers when powerful people make claims without any obvious evidence.

NSW MP Shaoquett Moselmane has served communities, selflessly, generously and with distinction.

An atmosphere of xenophobia and Cold War tactics is being compounded by what seems to be scapegoating this MP, and by the cowardice of some members of major parties who have joined the “sack him from parliament” chorus. Their behaviour contains an obvious irony and lesson. They display the same intolerance of dissent common in Communist China.

Serious commentators, including some News Corporation newspapers, acknowledge that Shaoquett has not been accused of any wrongdoing, in which case we seek a return to openness and fairness before we are all consumed by this dangerous rush to judgement. Fair process is required and if there is any substantive evidence produced it needs to be tested.

We the undersigned call on NSW MPs to desist from their attempts to hound Shaoquett out of the NSW parliament. We still live in a democracy. The integrity of the NSW parliament should be upheld.

Adams, AO Phillip, journalist & broadcaster

Barns , Greg, SC Barrister
Barrowclough, Nikki, journalist, author
Paul Barratt AO, former Secretary, Department of Defence
Bartlett, Andrew, former Senator
Boyce, Philip, Professor of Psychiatry, Westmead
Boyle, Peter, journalist
Britton, Dr. Sue GP
Broinowski, Alison, former Australian diplomat
Broinowski, Richard, former Australian diplomat
Brophy, Dr. David, historian, Univ. of Sydney
Browning, Bishop George
Casey, Jim, former State Secretary FBEU
Connelly, Sister Susan, human rights advocate
Deane, Nick, Independent and Peaceful Australia Network NSW
Greenland, Hall, author and journalist
Haigh, Bruce former Australian diplomat
Hale, Sylvia, former NSW MLC and publisher
Heywood-Smith, Paul QC
Jones, Dr. Evan Univ. of Sydney
Hil, Professor Richard, Ngara Institute
Karkar, John QC
Kazak, Ali, former Palestinian ambassador
Kostakidis, Mary, journalist
Levy, James, academic former UNSW
Levy, Valerie, academic former UTS
Macnab, Dr. Kenneth, Peace Studies, Univ. of Sydney

Manning, Dr. Peter, Journalist, Author, Prof. media Studies, UTS

Mitchell, Alex, journalist, author
Murphy, Peter, Media, Entertainment, Arts Alliance
Palmer, Don, Aboriginal Affairs CEO
Paul, Dr. Erik, author, Peace Studies, Univ. of Sydney

Polya, Dr. Gideon, Scientist, Biochemist

Rees, AM Professor Stuart
Rhiannon, Lee, former Senator
Riemer, Dr. Nick, Univ. of Sydney
Stilwell, Professor, Frank, Univ. of Sydney
Svirsky, Dr. Marcelo, Univ. of Wollongong
Shboul, AM Professor, Ahmed
Slezak, Associate Professor, Peter UNSW
Vlazna, Dr. Vacy, Author
White, Judith, author, journalist

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