Academics blame law for fall
POLITICAL and legal commentators yesterday came to the defence of Gympie MP in the wake of his shock resignation as Police Minister.
Former University of the Sunshine Coast lecturer, now Professor of Public Police at the Australian Catholic University, Scott Prasser, said Mr Gibson should not have had to resign.
"It's not official corruption - it's not corruption at all," Prof Prasser said.
Queensland University of Technology legal expert Alastair MacAdam said many people were surprised to find themselves facing charges of unlicensed driving, without having realised they were committing the offence.
Mr MacAdam, who is a QUT Law Faculty visiting Fellow and a practising lawyer, said people were caught every day "driving while being unaware that their licence had been suspended".
"It comes as a complete shock to people," he said.
He said the practise was that people were notified by mail, but "the trouble is these letters often go astray".
"People don't receive them and if drivers are pulled over by police they then have to face the serious issue of driving without a licence. Queensland Transport deem that once a letter has been sent it has been received. This is nonsense," he said.
