Well, any Magistrates that haven't attended Uni ?
No, I didn't think so.
It's time the Uni culture of dumbing down people who aspire for higher office is being investigated.

This is always an emotive issue. The extreme will call for tougher penalises for offenders in virtually all cases, there is no evidence that tougher sentencing reduces crime. Sometimes the extreme seem more intent on wanting to satisfy their own blood lust than anything to do with justice. There often is community outrage with sentencing, unfortunately not being in passion of the full facts in the matter, getting it from a 30 second grab on the 6 o'clock news is generally talking from a point of ignorance. Not forgetting there is the Crowns right of appeal in most cases, if the sentence appears to be manifestly inadequate.
No justice system is perfect, but ours appears to be better than most.

'there is no evidence that tougher sentencing reduces crime.'

I am sure some peered reviewed study says so. Singapore shows repeating such dogma is nonsense.

Do try to grow up Paul.

When locked up, people don't commit offences against the general public.

A nice big prison camp, in the middle of the Simpson desert, with all three strikers locked up for a minimum of 10 years would have a dramatic effect on the crime rate. It might even have some deterrent effect as a fortunate side effect.

Done properly it would also massively reduce the breeding of the next generation of criminals.

Paul please consider
VOTERS are people,most, yes most are not committed to any party
MOST are unhappy with our justice system
We ignore them at our peril, we chanted our unhappiness with Howard's boat people lies
Voters adopted them,we of the center and left of it say ScoMo is dog whistling on terrorism, it costs us votes
Far more agree with him,we will never ever, win as many voters as we see lost, by embracing policies voters will never want
Tell that seven year old girl, her mum and dad, me, police the law courts, our justice system did not let he down in fact betray her
Room exists in politics for reality, even unwanted truths

Penalties do work-if they're applied !