Since May 2008, Derryn Hinch, a controversial publisher and broadcaster, has been a popular campaigner at GoPetition. Never out of the news, Derryn's latest protest comes in the wake of a prison sentence for his refusal to pay a $100,000 contempt of court fine. Indeed he emerged from prison on March 7 after spending 50 nights locked up for failing to pay the fine incurred after breaching a suppression order about Melbourne woman Jill Meagher’s killer.
Derryn Hinch waves the petition in front of Parliament House. Picture source: Tony Gough
The irrepressible Hinch, far from being destroyed by his circumstances, turned the tables and intensified his narrative that sex offenders and killers must face justice, and the community must be protected from them. Hinch who has incredible popular support decided to express his angst about our "justice system" by organizing a "Jail to Justice Walk". The walk commenced from Langi Kal Kal Prison, where Mr Hinch spent his 50 days behind bars, and journeyed 160km to the steps of Parliament house in Melbourne where a petition of nearly 130,000 signatures, calling for a public register of convicted sex offenders, was handed over to the State Government.
The last 5km leg of the 160km walk, held on May 26th, ran from Brunswick — where Jill Meagher was murdered in September 2012 — and finished at Parliament House. Mr Hinch was joined by Bruce and Denise Morcombe, parents of murdered 11-year-old Daniel Morcombe; Noelle Dickson, mother of murdered Bacchus Marsh woman Sarah Cafferkey; Rosie Batty, mother of murdered Luke Batty; and George Halvagis, whose daughter Mersina Halvagis was murdered by serial killer Peter Dupas.
Addressing a crowd of 200 walkers on the steps of Parliament House, Mr Hinch said: “I guess I sound ungrateful but none of you should be here,” he said. “In an ideal world, none of us would be here but it’s not an ideal world. I’m here for your kids and I just hope the people (politicians) behind me are here for your kids too."
The petition is still available for signing and can be viewed and signed here.
Thanks to the following text and pic source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/murder-victims-families-join-derryn-hinch-on-jail-to-justice-walk/story-fni0fee2-1226931998534