Noel Pearson made a real goose of himself during the recent federal election campaign and lost much of his credibility, when he used every opportunity to buttress the Howard Government and uttered statements regarding the Labor Party such as "Understand the heartless snake here. If you harbour any hope that these buggers are going to do anything courageous in relation to Indigenous affairs, then you're living in an illusion."
ABC News Noel Pearson on election eve:
The Australian and Pearson on Kevin Rudd:
The Howard Government's subsequent resounding electoral loss left Noel Pearson out on a limb.
It is sad to see him in the media attempting to use the tragic circumstances of a rape case in order to revive his own political agenda concerning 'passive welfare' and reassert his influence with federal government. It may have been wiser to do a little quiet, behind the scenes fence building with the new Rudd Government instead.
There has been extensive media coverage of the Court's judgment in the Arakun rape case.
The Australian on edited sentencing submission in The Queen v Names Withheld:
The Courier Mail on Indictment No.146 of 2007 Cairns District Court;
Just for the record, this snap shows Chris Gulaptis (middle), who was the National Party's unsuccessful candidate for Page in the 2007 Federal election, providing 'advice' to the current State MP for Clarence Steve Candsell (left) and the former Federal MP for Page Ian Causley.
