由說不得說起

今天是甚麼日子? 

說不得。

是的, 長官。

My Lord, My Lady, Your Honour, Your Worship, 各級法院對法官的中文稱謂在97後已去尊卑化, 去奴才化, 由「法官大人」改為 「法官閣下」, 但英文版卻沒有明顯改動, 除了前列4個不同官階的稱謂外, 去英式的稱謂可以是"Judge", "Sir" , 但在法律介定而言裁判官不是"judge" , 因為"judge"基本上對區域法院或以上法官的稱謂, 這方便將來怎修改是很有趣的事, 不是"Yes, Sir"改為中文, 「是的, 長官」那樣簡單。

棄我去者昨之日不可留, 亂我心者今日之日多煩憂。今天煩憂說不得, 就讓我談昨天的事吧。昨天新南威爾斯省ICAC舉行論壇, 對政治分肥(pork barrelling)作公開論討, 我收到的電郵說議題有下列3項:

• the practice of pork barrelling is lawful or unlawful, and whether it is ethical
• the conduct associated with the practice of pork barrelling could constitute corrupt conduct under the provisions of the ICAC Act
• ministerial discretionary power in relation to grant funding is at large, or whether it is subject to constraints and conditions by operation of the Rule of Law and, if so, the circumstances in which constraints or conditions exist or operate.

我沒有在網上看直播, 3項議題在表面看都會屬非法行為, 不違反成文法, 也會違反普通法。新省政府是明目張膽, 公然分肥, 理直氣壯, 直認不諱的。前些時有這報導有關(前)省長Berejilian對豬肉桶(分肥)的看法:

When repeatedly pressed, Ms Berejiklian said there was no issue with using taxpayers' money to help the Coalition win seats.

"It's not an illegal practice. Unfortunately it does happen from time to time by every government. I don't know any political party that at some stage hasn't made commitments to the electorate," she said.

"That is what our process rightly or wrongly is part of ... it's not, unfortunately, unique or uncommon to my government."

(Premier says pork barrelling 'not illegal' as she defends council grants program)

昨天參與論壇的法律學者都不齒這種分肥行為, 應邀為ICAC撰寫看法的憲法教授Anne Twomey有此評論:

“It was appalling on two levels. One, it was an indictment in the integrity of governmental behaviour, but secondly – I say this as a former public servant – it was appalling, just in terms of terrible public administration,” she told the hearing.

“Like many people I have been infuriated by ministers at both the state and the federal level, asserting that they have an unfettered ministerial power, and that there’s nothing illegal or corrupt about pork-barrelling. In my view both propositions are wrong.”

(Pork-barrelling at an ‘industrial scale’ in NSW, ICAC forum told)

Industrial scale與工業無關, 只是用來顯示數量很多, 像工業生產一樣。從這次聯邦大選投票率也看到選民唾棄兩大黨, 改投綠黨及獨立候選人, 其中一個理由就是不滿政府腐敗, 所以用投票來發聲。 另一不滿是對上屆聯邦政府面對全球暖化的不作為而吭聲。全球暖化成為中澳(包括美國在內)最近在太平洋群國的博弈扮演重要的角色。王毅外長鎩羽而歸, 撤回原本擬好的多項合作協議書, 天朝大國為何會吃了悶棍? 太平洋諸國太不識抬舉了, 不為重金打動, 說也奇怪。個別政客當然見錢開眼, 但太平洋諸國最擔心和關注的是太平洋的水位, 而不是眼前的雪花銀, 而且不要少覷這些看似土頭土腦的島國住民, 你兩國博弈, 他們就兩家茶禮都一起吃。所以澳洲的黃外長到訪, 他們對她也熱情得有過之而無不及。(黃英賢外長, Penelope Wong, 一般都稱她Penny Wong, Penelope這名字太古典了, 要由荷馬史詩Odyssey說起。黃外長是女同性戀者, 2002年出櫃的)。

天朝大國為何看上太平洋10國呢? 他們除了天然資源蘊含豐富, 海產也非常多外, 戰略地位也十分重要, 若能簽訂防衛協議及駐軍, 就可以箝制美澳之間的軍事支援,  他日武統台灣, 戰略地位才會凸顯, 那都是後話。十流分析今天講夠了。