Campbell Newman says he did not ask Queensland's solicitor general to resign
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Version 0 of 1. The Queensland premier, Campbell Newman, has said he didn’t ask the state’s solicitor general to resign. News of Walter Sofronoff’s resignation came on Wednesday as the United Motorcycle Council prepared to lodge a high court challenge against the government’s anti-bikie laws. Sofronoff helped write the laws but the government said his resignation was not linked to the challenge. Newman praised Sofronoff’s contribution and said he didn’t seek his resignation. “His resignation is a matter for him, you can go and ask him,” the premier said when asked for the reason behind it. “I simply thank him today for the great support he’s provided to the government. “He’s been absolutely terrific. He’s provided advice personally to me, the attorney general and cabinet and has helped us with a number of laws passed in recent times.” Newman said he was not surprised the challenge to the laws had reached the high court. “We always said they would be challenged,” the premier said. “Of course, criminal enterprises would seek to keep their criminal operations – extortion, stand-over tactics and drug distribution – going.” The challenge is being led by the United Motorcycle Council, which represents 17 Queensland clubs. Hells Angels member Stefan Kuczborski is the public face of the challenge, which will argue the laws are an attack on personal freedom and undermine the power of the judiciary. The laws, introduced in October, impose mandatory prison sentences on gang members convicted of offences and restrict their ability to meet in public. Jailed bikies are also forced to serve their time in solitary confinement and wear pink jumpsuits. The laws ban bikies from working in a range of industries and make it a crime for three or more patched members to gather in public. The high court challenge will also contest the retrospective nature of the laws, which apply to any Queenslander who has ever been a motorcycle club member. Thousands of Rebels bikies around the world were asked to chip in $50 each for a $500,000 fighting fund to pay for the challenge. Kuczborski, barrister Wayne Baffsky, council spokesman Mick Kosenko and librarian Sally Kuether, who’s been caught up in the anti-association laws, are talking to the media about the case. But they’ve had to stagger their appearances to avoid being charged. Earlier, a spokesman for attorney general Jarrod Bleijie said Sofronoff was ready to move on after nine years in the job and his departure had nothing to do with the court action. But opposition leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said she wanted a full explanation. “It seems highly unusual he’s suddenly resigned,” she said. “He is highly regarded, not just in government but the wider legal community. “With the current attorney general we are stuck with, we cannot afford to lose our best and brightest minds in this state.” |