我一向對澳洲的法律及政治不感興趣，所以比較少深入去看及評論。星期一那用公款召妓的前國會議員Craig Thomson 60多條定罪判刑，我省了氣也不去評論，違反誠信的行為，只判了12個月監，其中9個月還只是緩刑，即時監禁只有3個月，現時保釋等候上訴。這判刑與我預期的落差很大，所以寫也無謂。
講倒退是指另外兩件事，其一是回復封爵。這復古的舉措頗為可笑，老英國有其亙古未滅的傳統，是迂腐是雅興，始終會有人眷戀這種殖民地宗主的賜予，給你一個封邑的虛銜，除了空氣中的虛榮，還有甚麽？澳洲脫離殖民地獨立已久，已沒有君主子民關係，再頒就更沒有味道，何況是澳洲自己頒給自己，十分趣怪。自己從來都沒有君皇制度，怎頒？是否等如一間公司也頒個榮譽博士學位給別人，我想，要頒榮譽學位，起碼都要是一間野鷄大學才有資格嗎？總理頒了個Dame給剛卸任的名義上代表英女皇的澳洲總督Quentin Bryce，隨手又頒個Knighthood給接任的Peter Cosgrove。如果女皇頒個勲章給香港揮舞龍獅旗那一夥，可能更適合，起碼他們具實際行動去勤皇。總理算是甚麽，可以頒爵？
另一倒退是聯邦政府在國會提出修改種族歧視的法例，現階段正在國會激烈辯論，修例的原因是要平衡言論自由及個人的徧見自由，修例要把原本難以檢控的種族歧視罪行，進一步修改到無可能提出檢控的程度。如果是過往的檢控窒礙了言論自由，引致法庭的批評，我還可理解，在檢控近乎零的情況下無端白事提出修改，社會又不是進步到毫無種族歧視的和諧，這不是倒退，還是甚麽？
I have always wanted to ask you this. If a person uses the title "Sir" or "爵士" in Hong Kong, for example by distributing name cards with the name "Sir Bill Siu" printed on them, but he has not in fact been knighted by any monarch anywhere, has he committed any crime? And what about the use of the title "Dr" or "博士" on name cards or websites. Is it regulated in anyway in Hong Kong? Thanks!
回覆刪除I suppose if the person creates some self proclaimed titles and holds out to obtain advantage, it will be an offence under the Theft Ordinance. Otherwise the bogus claim has no effect at all. The self proclamation simplicitor is not an offence.
回覆刪除Using false titles is a crime in Germany. Common law countries don't really care about that. On discrimination, I believe hate speech would be an acceptable limit of freedom of speech.
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