Now look what I've done :(

BD, West it was a joke, settle down.

Rainer, I don't want to spoil Christmas for you (and don't want to tell a lie). Isn't it a lovely day.

R0bert

This situation needs to be compared to Beattie's recent statements about due legal process without political interference regarding the killing of Aborigines by the police

Why is it Beattie is so concerned for our international reputation - that we should be perceived as fuddy duddies for stopping a rock star from smoking?

Why is he not equally concerned about our reputation as corrupt racist murderers? - or at least a community and law that tolerates corrupt racist murderers?

but on another issue

Who are Robbie Williams fans?
I suspect many young people are

Who do tobacco companies target in their advertising - making smoking look like the cool thing to do?
Young people

Who are the anti-smoking campaigns mainly targeted at?
young people to stop them taking up the habit

What is Beatties message to young people?

Smoking is a cool thing to do - even if there is social (and legal) pressure not to do it

Yeah, rock stars obeying all the rules...we're partying now!

My guess is it would have been too much trouble than it was worth to make Robbie pay the fine, so making the problem go away was probably the most practical thing to do. If he refused to pay, even just for a little while, he's a hero rebel (and therefore imitated more) and Australia looks even stupider and stuffier than normal (which is saying a lot).

Does this send a message? Not really. It just says that there are more important things to devote energy and resources to. Which is absolutely true.

A rock (and I use the term 'rock' loosely) star smoking? Is this really what qualifies as an important issue? It's not like he had a needle in his eyeball. Thats a real rock star.

King Canute writes;

“This situation needs to be compared to Beattie's recent statements about due legal process without political interference regarding the killing of Aborigines by the police.”

Absolutely. The contradiction is extraordinary. Beatty upholds the decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions not to charge a police officer over a death in custody on Palm Island, even though this decision has received just about universal condemnation and is extremely damaging for black-white relations and for confidence in and respect for legal process. He upholds the principle of law (which in this case has got to be seen as highly flawed), and asks everyone to respect the umpire’s decision… and then he goes right ahead and pays someone else’s fine following deliberate and brazen flouting of the law, which ensued immediately after a warning, thus making a very clear statement that the law is secondary or irrelevant and doesn't have to be respected in some situations or by some people.

I am absolutely appalled. My formerly high level of respect for Peter Beatty has been seriously eroded.

Beattie is not flouting the law, the punishment is the fine, Beattie is paying the fine. I personally dont find it appropriate but there is no good reason why Beattie must not pay the fine.

The issue seems to be that of punishment and goes beyod the Robbie Williams smoking affair. What is the worth of punishment if parents, friends, spouses and lovers are paying fines?

I have a young relative who has had numerous parking and speeding fines and each time her parents simply pay it as if they aresimply just another bill, no skin off her nose. Her parents could possibly be more responsible as speeding is dangerous and racking up parking fines is poor financial management. This sort of issue is obviously more common than has been regarded by fine managers and policy makers.

Peter Bettie is making Joh style reactionary mistakes.

Even the Barnaby Joyce wing of the Queensland National party are moving in from left field making it appear that Beattie's ALP has lost touch with common people. Will Greens voters put preferences to the Nationals at the next federal election? I mean, Rudd and Beattie do appear to be in bed with each other. The sheets really stink.

Was it not Peter Beatie who defended the sexual abuse incident in the Big Brother household because he was more interested in Gold Coast tourist money? That one was a real Casino Royale.

After the rock concert, a politically sensible idea would have been to make a public invitation for Robbie Williams to pay a visit to willing cancer or oncology patients, and say hello to those in hospital in the process of painful death due to cigarettes. Dare him to refuse the offer.

They could be his fans too. The ball would then turn back into the Rock Star's court. The little smart ass! I wonder which tobacco company sponsored his tour.

Millionaires can afford fines. Whether it is Williams, Big Brother, both foreign companies, are actually forced to pay the fines is up to the Queensland Government. The principle of right and wrong should have remained. What was the name of that tobacco company? That could have surfaced in a court case. Oops!

Oh, that's right, they sponsor the ALP too. The "Smart State"? Indeed.

You better pray Rudd, you better pray read good: bible boy! Your sponsors: your tobacco company: is your god and it is watching you as well as this ruthless Premier.