I love Nick Cowdrey, the Director of Public Prosecutions in NSW

I do admit that I find him a bit of a stuffed shirt in SBS forums. But then he is defending against cynical reason of the tabloid media. Why do I love him? Because he gives stick to the politcians. He takes them on. He exposes the way they standardly use law and order issues to create fear amongst citizens that crime is spiraling out of control, and then engage in bidding wars with one another about who has the toughest penalties. He exposes the deceits, spins, and political whoring in in the name of truth; and he does so without fear or favour.

See Stop the fearmongering on crime, DPP tells parties

And he takes on the shock jocks and the tabloid media in Sydney for dealing in one sided views, dealing in sensational stories and treating crime as entertainment.

This is a legal reason as a critical reason that intervenes into public debate on the name of truth to prevent the manipulation of public opinion. Cowdery does so even though the state Lib/Lab politicians may pay him back by nobbling him. Cowdery has political courage in spades.

And, did you know that the ABC has a weblog on the NSW elections run by the delightful Mathew Liddy. Have a look.