Queensland’s Weapons Licensing Branch today showed up to the Queensland Civil & Administrative Tribunal with Glocks, capsicum spray, handcuffs and other general duties apparatus on their work belts.
Is Police Minister Mark Ryan asking Police to attend the Tribunal armed?
The applicant holds pistol and longarms licenses in full force. There’s no dispute about his license. He was there to argue a purely legal/technical case on new products. Weapons Licensing Branch – who normally appear at the Tribunal in dress uniform without weapons just like any normal person coming to argue their case in court – decided to wear weapons. Weapons Licensing Branch police coming to QCAT aren’t out on the beat busting down doors. There’s no genuine reason to wear utility belts with Glock 22s. Presumably thought they’d do it because they like to swing all their mighty power.
To top it off, the Weapons Licensing leaders expressed concern over whether their statements and behaviour (virtually all of which are unreported here because the proceedings themselves are ‘without prejudice’) would be reported on this website. Of course, if you show up in a public place with guns, its hard to argue your guns are a secret. There’s nothing ‘without prejudice’ about wearing firearms to court.
Has Mark Ryan, as Labor’s cardboard cut-out of an actual Police Minister, asked the troops to present armed to legal proceedings to try and dominate licensed, law-abiding applicants? “In uniform, we are the law. You will worship us!”
We wonder how Tribunal members, as experienced lawyers, feel about the showmanship. Whatever the legal issues, playing dress-ups is unlikely to cut much ice.