Catholic World News News Feature
Cardinal Pell leery of adopting Australian charter of rights April 30, 2008
Cardinal George Pell of Sydney has argued against the adoption of a bill of rights for Australia, saying that he fears the eruption of "culture wars" that would be settled by arbitrary court decisions rather than the normal democratic process.
In an address to the Brisbane Institute, the cardinal pointed to the controversial judicial decisions that have given rise to fierce political divisions in the United States and Canada. "We don't have a culture war here in Australia in the way the United States does, but a bill or charter of rights could help provoke one," he said, according to a report in Western Australia.
Court rulings on human-rights issues have frequently thwarted the popular will, Cardinal Pell observed. "Rights are best protected by the common law and by parliament when the people are equally aware of their responsibilities," he argued.
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