No real lawyers, says Franks

Labour is clearly bereft of practical lawyers with experience, ACT Justice spokesman Stephen Franks said today.

"The foreshadowed appointment of Michael Cullen as Attorney-General shows what happens when school teachers and trade unionists dominate a political party," Mr Franks said.

"The Government has plenty of MPs with law degrees, but none it can trust not to lead them into constant crisis, such as the prison compensation debacle and the Ahmed Zaoui saga.

"Justice Minister Phil Goff has been far too distracted by foreign affairs to deal with justice problems in time. For example, he hasn't been able to get his lawyer de-regulation bill through - seven years after he introduced it in 1997.

"Now we will have a very part-time Attorney-General with much more pressing business. I predict further costly stuff-ups like the seabed and foreshore failure by the Crown.

"Officials will try to run cases and policies on the basis of Labour's politically correct agenda. Michael Cullen won't have time to tell them he wants it only to be lip service," Mr Franks said.

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