I was very pleased to receive a personal invitation from the Premiere of Queensland Anna Bligh to participate in Community Cabinet Meeting and formal deputations with Minsters on the Gold Coast on Sunday, 28th of February 2011. Accordingly, I submitted Deputation Request Form requesting formal deputation with the Queensland Attorney-General.

In response, on the 14.02.2011, I had been advised by Linda Paton, Community Cabinet Coordinator, that she would contact me with an appointment time. On the 23.02.2011, Linda Paton had confirmed that she would contact me with an appointment time. Nevertheless, this has never happened.

Instead, on the 24.02.2011, I had received a phone call from Terry Ryan, Acting Deputy Director-General, Justice Services, Queensland Department of Justice. He advised that the Attorney-General will not meet with me as the matter, which I intended to discuss, is “in hands of the courts” and “the Attorney-General is not in a position to discuss it”. However, when pressed, Mr Ryan admitted that the Attorney-General has the certain power to intervene in such matters. When asked why the Attorney-General is not willing to meet with me personally that to hear my concerns and, in response, explain to me his position, Mr Ryan had failed to provide any explanation. When asked why the Attorney-General Paul Lucas has chosen such a bureaucratically arrogant method of dealing with an ordinary citizen instead of meeting with him for a 15 minutes of formal deputation as it was proposed, Mr Ryan had failed to answer.

I do find this situation significantly discrediting Queensland Premier's initiative of Community Cabinet Meetings and formal deputations and hope that Anna Bligh will give this appropriate treatment.