The Administrative Decisions Tribunal in Sydney upheld a decision by the Commissioner of Police to refuse the granting of a security licence under section 16 of the Security Industry Act 1997. The Commissioner of Police claimed that the Caringbah man posed a risk to society due to his close association with the Rebels Motorcycle gang and his poor driving record that included driving while disqualified. Ian Mathie 43 from Caringbah spent over One thousand dollars on a security licence course because he wanted to turn his life around adding "it seems to me that you get painted with a brush and it dries, all I want is a second chance". Mr Pisani who represented the Commissioner of Police asked the tribunal to weigh up the interests of the public against the interests of the individual arguing that the public would not appreciate it if the tribunal were to grant the license to Mr Mathie. In deciding the case judicial member Ms Yvonne Grant had to decide if Mr Mathie was a so called "fit and proper person" to hold a security licence adding "the position of a security Officer is one of trust and a very important one". So as not to incriminate himself during proceedings Mr Mathie was asked to speak in confidence in relation to activities while a member of the Rebel Motorcycle gang. The licence was refused. Mr Mathie brought up a good point during proceedings stating that Colleges offering courses in Security Operations should disclose that there are strict guidelines into the issuing of licences and anyone with a past criminal record may have difficulty in obtaining a security licence.
The NSW Law Society has cancelled the practising certificate of a Sydney Solicitor claiming that the Solicitor misappropriated client’s money and also breached several rules under the Legal Profession Act 2004. The now barred Solicitor Ms Marilynn Ong has applied to the Administrative Decisions Tribunal in Sydney to have the decision reviewed but it is unlikely that the ex-Solicitor will be able to practise in the future and may even have her name struck off the roll. The Law Society’s representative My Boyd claimed in evidence that Ong was spending client’s money at the Casino in Star City where withdrawals of up to one thousand dollars per day were made. According to Bank records spending sprees at Parramatta’s Westfield Shopping Centre also took place. The disqualified Solicitor was forced to close her business Ong & Co in Parramatta after several clients complained of irregularities with payments after the Solicitor failed to pay them the correct proceeds of property sales. One client lost up to eight thousand dollars and had to be reimbursed by the NSW Law Society fidelity fund. During cross examination Deputy President Karpin became irritated at Ong when the disqualified Solicitor made excuses for the serious and inexcusable accounting mistakes. When it was revealed that Ong failed to disclose that she had been suspended to practice as a Solicitor in NSW to her new employer and was still working in the legal profession the hearing was adjourned so that the employer could immediately be notified. The hearing continues in July.
It is currently in pre-production, but reports say that the movie may start shooting as early as next month - It's called Wrong Girl and it's about the controversial Sydney gang rapes that took place in 2000 by brothers Bilal and Mohammed Skaf.
There are those who support the release of such a film because it makes people aware of the issue of rape and furthermore, it makes an example of those who commit the crime.
But there are also those who strongly oppose the film and I believe that their arguments carry more weight.
According to the NSW Rape Crisis Centre the film will only generate traumatic emotions amongst those who are already victims of sexual assault and violence.
NSW police spokesman Mike Gallacher has called the movie a "waste of money" and he's right. News.com.au reports that the filmmakers have already received $51,000 in state and federal funding. That's a lot of money that could be better spent, I think, on educating people at school and in the wider community about the whole issue.
I realise that not everyone may agree with me on this point, but I am of the opinion that anything that makes it to the big screen, regardless of its content, attracts a sense of glamour and I don't think that this horrific occurence should be glamourised or even worse, popularised in any way.
Would you go and see this movie?
And now for another example of why Big Brother sux and Celebrity Big Brother sux even more.
Jade Goody was recently evicted from the UK Big Brother house. Little did she know that when she left her little abode, she would have to face hundreds and thousands of people complaining about her racist attitudes towards fellow Indian housemate, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty.
Yes, a celebrity role model, made derogatory comments about Indian people, on national television. Comments were specifically made about Miss Shetty's accent and cooking. And oh yeah, that she was a "f***ing Paki" who should "f*** off home".
And it wasn't just said once or twice in a joking tone of voice. These racist words were repeated over and over again to the point where Miss Shetty has been reduced to tears.
The public reaction to Goody's comments along with those of Danielle Lloyd's was so intense that producers of the show had to prompt the two contestants to apologise to Miss Shetty.
Britain's television regulatory office has received over 38,000 complaints not only about the program but also about the clear racial abuse that is being broadcast for everyone to see. A further 30 of those complaints have been passed on to the Hertfordshire Police for investigation.
As the chair of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights put it, "what we are seeing is a noxious brew of....bullying, ignorance and quite vicious racial bogotry."
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Get this stupid show off the air before the entire world is dumbified by its content.
Naomi Campbell recently admitted that she chucked a mobile phone in a fit of rage because her employee had lost a pair of her designer jeans. Hey, they weren't just any designer jeans - they were the ones she had specifically chosen to wear for her appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show.
Meanwhile, the mobile phone unintentionally hit employee Ana Scolavino in the head. She needed four stitches and was given a rather hefty medical bill.
Judge Robert Mandelbaum who presided over the case in the Manhattan Criminal Court has sentenced the 36-year-old supermodel to pay Scolavino's medical bill, to spend 2 days in an anger management program and to do 5 days of indoor community service.
Yes, you'll note the word indoor was inserted in there. Perhaps they didn't want a rerun of the Boy George incident. He had to sweep the streets as part of his community service and was bombarded with paparazzi the entire time.
But going back to the sentencing issue - does anyone else think she got off pretty light? I mean, this isn't the first time Ms Campbell has lost it.
With all due respect to the judge, I think that maybe sentencing Ms Campbell to a few hundred years in anger management programs would have been more appropriate, no?
28-year-old Jennifer Strange wanted to win a Nintendo Wii for her three children. So she entered the KDND 107.9 radio competition called "Hold Your Wee For A Wii".
Just as it sounds, the point of the competition was to drink loads of water and then whoever could hold on to their wee for the longest would win a Wii.
After competing in the Wii competition, Ms Strange finished up her day at work and returned home complaining of a headache. She was found dead later that day.
In a preliminary investigation, the Coroner has indicated that Ms Strange's death was due to water intoxication.
So who is to blame?
One competitor has issued a statement saying that all contestants were warned of the health risks by the radio station and were advised not to put their health in danger.
I suppose no one ever thinks that drinking too much water could be dangerous, but clearly it is. Remember Leah Betts who died in the early 90's after consuming 7 litres of water in order to rehydrate herself following the effects of an ecstasy tablet?
Matthew Newton, the son of Aussie TV Royals Bert and Patti Newton, was recently charged with the assault of his former girlfriend, actress Brooke Satchwell.
The blue-eyed rising star faces a number of charges including assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he faces court this Wednesday.
According to Leichhardt Police, the entertainer assaulted Satchwell on two occasions in September and October 2006 as well as making several threats to her and her family.
After spending 11 hours in police custody, Newton was freed until his court hearing on strict conditions. He must comply with an Apprehended Violence Order, stay well away from Satchwell and avoid all contact with her.
Police are currently questioning Satchwell's make-up artists in order to support evidence of bruising allegedly caused by Newton at the time of the alleged assaults.
Reports say that Satchwell was initially reluctant to press charges as she did not want the burden of taking on such a high-profile showbiz family. Indeed, it seems to be a David and Goliath battle with even some of the newspapers providing biased accounts...
Has anyone noticed how the media keeps talking about what a gentle person Matt is and how his new girlfriend's family is sooooo shocked that such allegations have surfaced? Has anyone noticed that bail was initially refused or that he has previously been involved in a number of violent incidents?
He may be TV royalty, but hey, no one is above the law. Not even Bert Newton's son.
Whether or not he is convicted, I think Brooke Satchwell has done a good thing standing up for herself.
The people of Sydney were recently devastated with the news that well-known restaurant owner and gelato maker, Mario Acquaro, was murdered in broad day-light outside his popular Crows Nest business by a former employee.
31-year-old Gordon Szeto was today charged with one count of murder and will undergo a mental assessment before attending his next hearing on February 6.
As no bail application was made, Szeto will remain in police custody until that date.
Mr Acquaro, known to his customers as simply "MarIo" ran Bravo's Trattoria for over 12 years.
Shocked family, friends and restaurant-goers have left candles, flowers and loving messages for the man who made dinner outings fun again. One message said that Mario can now make "pizza and gelato for everyone in heaven".
For those who have attended the restaurant (and I believe there are very few people in Sydney who haven't), you will know what I'm talking about when I say that it was a pleasure to meet such a charming and charismatic man. His taste in wacky t-shirts was certainly unique and even more so, his love for life.
He will really be missed and my deepest sympathies go out to his family, his fiancee and his beautiful daughter.
Detectives in Ipswich, England are currently facing a race against time as an anonymous serial killer strikes again.
The naked body of a female prostitute was found today in scrubland just a few hundred yards away from Old Felixstowe Road. Her body is the fifth one found in the space of two weeks.
Police are yet to confirm the identities of the last two victims but believe them to be 24-year-old Paula Clennell and 29-year-old Annette Nicholls.
Only a few days ago, Ms Clennell made an appearance on national television speaking out about the earlier murders. She admitted that the horrific news would not deter her from continuing to work the streets because she needed the money but it made her wary about getting into strangers' cars.
She was last seen on Saturday 9 December at 1am in Rendlesham Court.
The police raised awareness of a serial killer targeting the area's prostitutes after the body of 25-year-old Gemma Adams was found on December 2 and just several days later, the body of her 19-year-old friend, Tania Nichol.
Now the murderer has taken the lives of 5 women. Detectives are investigating the matter with urgency so as to put the perpetrator behind bars before he or she strikes again.
One of Australia's favourite faces of Channel Ten News is planning to take legal action after being sacked just 6 weeks after returning from maternity leave.
Tracy Spicer, who has served as the face of the 11am News Bulletin and a number of evening bulletins for over 14 years, will be alleging a breach of the Sex Discrimination Act.
After taking some time off for the birth of her daughter, Ms Spicer was informed by email that her contract with Channel Ten would not be renewed next year. Reports say that Channel Ten had requested Ms Spicer to return from maternity leave early but she refused.
Ms Spicer's agent says he was "extremely disappointed and surprised at Ten's decision....in view of the highly respected standing (Tracy Spicer) enjoys as a newsreader and journalist" and that he has "not received a single complaint from Channel 10 regarding her performance."
Meanwhile, Channel Ten has simply thanked Ms Spicer for her years of service and has wished her the best of luck.
You can forget all about capital punishment, mandatory sentencing and longer prison terms. There’s a new means of encouraging crime prevention and I like it. A lot.
Believe it or not, authorities in Aurangabad, India have decided to paint the entire town pink. Pink buildings, pink houses, pink shops, pink everything! It’s like they crept into my brain, pulled out my thoughts and sprinkled it all over the city….
You see, there has been a recent uprising in Maoist views in the town causing clashes and violent conflict between the townsfolk. So the authorities wanted to do something to ensure that everyone would keep their cool and the colour pink is, hopefully, going to do just that.
Rather than enforcing tougher penalties on those already imprisoned to deter future criminals, the people of Aurangabad are tapping into their spiritual beings and utilizing the power of the mind.
Town officials believe that the colour pink will generate positive moods and a generally pleasant environment. To use the words of Arvind Kumar Singh, a town officer, the colour pink “symbolizes good mood, soothing sight and good feelings.”
So far, most of the city has been painted and magically transformed into a vast array of fairy floss. Only 20 % of private homes are yet to be painted, but they are expected to be completed within the week.
And you know what? I think it’s going to work. When you surround yourself with beauty and goodness, all that can come out of it is more beauty and more goodness, right?
President Katsav of Israel has been accused of rape, sexual assault, fraud and improprieties during the pardons process. A lengthy investigation has been underway over the sex scandal for months and last night, the Israeli Police finally made a recommendation that the President face the various charges.
The recommendations were made based on the evidence of 10 female employees who alleged misconduct whilst the President was in office. 5 of those complaints were dismissed because they did not fit within the statute of limitations.
So what happens now? The Attorney-General, Menachem Mazuz, must decide whether or not President Katsav should stand trial. If so, the President will still be immune from any form of prosecution, unless of course the Israeli Parliament decides to impeach him - the first stage of a two-stage process in which a government official is removed from office without that official’s agreement.
The Attorney-General is expected to make his decision within the next two weeks, but as pointed out by the President’s lawyer, the AG normally dismisses recommendations by police to put senior officials on trial.
Until then, I can do nothing but fume. About what? About people in positions of power who take advantage of their situation and think it’s ok to do whatever the hell they want. This isn’t the first time government officials have been caught up in such a mess. No, no, no. A former defence minister has been convicted of sexual harassment. Several former Prime Ministers have been accused of financial crimes.
And that’s just in Israel alone.
The sad reality is that this is a worldwide phenomenon. Just think about it. Former US President Bill Clinton. Former Lithuanian President Rolandas Paksas. Former Venezuelan President Carlos Andres Perez. Former Paraguayan President, Raul Cubas Grau.
The list goes on…
September 15th 2006 07:27
Prime Minister John Howard has recently announced a plan to toughen citizenship laws in Australia. Before becoming eligible for citizenship, it is proposed that migrants will have to do the following:
1. Live in Australia for at least 4 years.
2. Pass an English language test.
3. Pass a knowledge test on Australian history.
4. Pass a test on Australian customs and values.
There have been a number of different reactions to these proposed changes. One is that by instituting such tests, our country is slowly stepping back towards the “White Australia Policy”. According to Senator Brown, from the Greens, “it simply means it’s going to become harder to come to Australia if you don’t have an anglo background”.
So I started thinking…
Are we really all about being “anglo” and speaking perfect English? What about those who are illiterate, aged and as a result, have learning difficulties? If they can’t learn the language as well as Mr Howard would like, do they not have a right to become part of this society too? What if some people just don’t have the opportunity or the money to learn English before they get here? And do we really need to have an in-depth knowledge of the history of our nation? If so, what are we going to teach them? That indigenous Australians were massacred? That we enacted laws to keep the Chinese out? That there were recent racial riots in Cronulla? Can we really instill customs into people by making them sit an exam? And what values are we talking about here? Are Aussie values so different to the rest of the world’s human values?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this country about the delicious mix of cultures that’s made this country one of the top destinations in the world? Isn’t it about driving your friends nuts on Saturday nights on Crown Street in Sydney not being able to choose between some Greek souvlaki and a tasty Italian pizza? Isn’t it about going to the Vietnamese markets and the Lebanese grocery and trying something different once in a while? Isn’t it about learning how to Latin dance and belly dance and cook like the sweet Indian lady next door? Isn’t it about open-mindedness and acceptance? Learning from one another and growing together? Isn’t it? ISN’T IT??
September 14th 2006 03:21
What was that? Can you hear it? Listen…
It’s the sound of people everywhere breathing a 14-year sigh of relief. The tumultuous marriage between Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown will soon be over.
When they wed in 1992, everyone knew it would be a disaster, but no one ever thought it would last this long. Afterall, she was the beautiful, best-selling r&b/pop artist who touched our hearts with songs like I Will Always Love You and The Greatest Love of All. She made us cry in The Bodyguard and made us soar in Waiting To Exhale. She constantly stunned us with her elegance and beauty – hell, even Osama Bin Laden thinks she’s hot.
And Bobby? Well, he was the rough guy who was always getting into legal trouble. In 1995, he was arrested for biting off someone’s ear at DisneyWorld. The same year, he was charged with beating up a hotel security guard. In 1996, he smashed Whitney’s Porsche and was charged with drunk driving after being 2 times over the legal blood alcohol level. In 1997, the media accused him of domestic violence. In 1998, he was arrested for sexual assault in Beverly Hills. And in the last few years, he’s been busted for cocaine and marijuana possession on several occasions.
But don’t get too excited just yet. According to Bobby’s lawyers, it’s presently just a legal separation, so there may be some chance of reconciliation.
And to that I say – Whitney, get out now girl. You think you Almost Had It All? No, dear, no. Don’t Save All Your Love For Him, it’s not The Greatest Love Of All, it’s just So Emotional, he’s not All The Man That You Need and if you’re wondering Where Do Broken Hearts Go, try the Heartbreak Hotel. Maybe you’ll get to Dance With Somebody Who Loves You. Shoop Shoop.
In April 2005, 9 Aussies were arrested in Denpasar, Bali for attempting to smuggle approximately $4 million worth of heroin into Australia. Until recently, two of them were facing the death penalty. These were the so-called “ringleaders” of the operation, 25-year-old Myuran Sukumaran and 22-year-old Andrew Chan. The others were initially all sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking. But today everything has changed.
It has now been confirmed that four more members of the Bali Nine will face death by firing squad. How did this happen?
It seems that after Matthew Norman, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen and Si Yi Chen won their appeals to reduce their life sentences to 20 years in prison, prosecutors were not happy. They appealed the new decision wanting the life terms re-instated. But instead the Indonesian Supreme Court decided on the death penalty.
Similarly, when Scott Rush appealed to the court, he hoped that his life sentence would be reduced by a couple of years. But, his hopes seem to have backfired as the Indonesian Supreme Court again decided on the death penalty.
Chief Judge, Iskandar Kamil was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald to have made the following comment to AAP:
This narcotics problem is a very heavy criminal act and is very dangerous for the people and the country, not only Indonesia, but also other countries.
And although most of us, if not all of us, would wholeheartedly agree with such a statement, for many Aussies, the sentences handed down are unjust and excessive.
What do you think?
Earlier this year, a 5-year-old girl was in her stroller at a pedestrian crossing at Seaforth when an elderly driver hit her with his car. She remained in a medically induced coma for 10 days and several weeks in the intensive care unit as the nation prayed for her survival.
An 80-year-old man from Frenchs Forest today pleaded guilty to dangerous driving occasioning bodily harm to the little girl we have come to know and love as Sophie Delezio.
Little Sophie first caught our attention in December 2003 after she experienced horrific burns to over 80% of her body. She had been hit by a car and trapped under it whilst at a day-care centre in Fairlight. Not only did Sophie lose both her legs, but also several fingers, an ear and most of her hair.
The person responsible was again, an elderly driver. But he was cleared of negligent driving because medical experts found the man had experienced a seizure which caused him to lose control of his car.
Sophie’s story has prompted much public debate about elderly drivers on our roads. Should there be an age limit? Should there be more frequent mandatory testing of elderly drivers? Should they be driving at all? Are we being discriminatory?
The NSW government has announced that it will investigate the possibility of reducing the age for mandatory medical checks. Currently, the checks regularly occur for those who are 80 and over. But is this enough?
Forget the slender, golden-winged statuette that we’ve all come to know as the “Emmy”. There’s a new award in town and he’s a real bastard.
Every year, hundreds of women from all different backgrounds gather in the NSW Lower House of Parliament to judge the year’s most sexist remarks. The “winners” are booed, jeered and best of all, profoundly insulted by being given an “Ernie” award.
And from the sound of things 2006 has been an amazing year for chauvinism. Read on, I think the statements all speak for themselves…
1. The Celebrity Ernie went to Tom Cruise for saying, "I've got Katie tucked away so no one will get to her until my child is born ... [Katie's] life from now on was going to be about being a mother. I'm not giving her the chance to turn into another Nicole."
2. The Political Ernie went to Federal Liberal MP Bill Heffernan for saying of fellow female MP, Julia Gillard, "Anyone who chooses to remain deliberately barren ...they've got no idea what life's about."
3. The Judicial Ernie went to lawyer Chrisovalantis Papadopoulos who was heard saying at a rape trial that “it was only brief and at the very bottom of the scale of seriousness.”
4. The Media Ernie went to journo Jeff Corbett who did a report on NASA ensuring that “male engineers were on board in case things went wrong.”
5. And the most prestigious award, the Gold Ernie, which symbolises the most derogatory, chauvinistic and outrageous of comments went to none other than P&O Cruises for the infamous advertisement that surfaced during the Dianne Brimble inquest – “Seamen Wanted”.
Really boys…
In late 1996, six-year old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey was found dead in the basement of her parent’s Colorado home. For years, the circumstances surrounding this little girl’s death have remained a mystery. Some believe her parents were involved. Others believe it was the work of a professional killer. Ten years later, a new suspect has been charged but still no one is able to answer the question - Who killed JonBenet Ramsey?
On 26 December 1996, Patsy Ramsey, mother of the tiny beauty queen, was hit with a horrible reality. She had found a ransom note demanding US $118,000 in exchange for her daughter. She reported this to the police and under 8 hours later, her daughter was found dead.
The autopsy report showed that JonBenet had been strangled to death. There was also indication of a fractured skull and possible sexual assault.
The evidence pointed in lots of different directions. Firstly the ransom note was analysed by experts. There were no fingerprints but the writing resembled the handwriting of Patsy Ramsey. Secondly, the note demanded $118,000 which authorities believed was extremely low for a ransom note. Strangely, when police searched the crime scene they found that a bible owned by JonBenet’s father, John Ramsey, had been turned to Psalm 118. Thirdly, footprints were found in the wine cellar near the basement where JonBenet was found. These footprints did not match any of the suspects’ footprints. And finally, there was blood on JonBenet’s underwear that also did not match that of any of the known suspects.
Eventually, forensic investigators were able to establish a DNA profile from the blood samples they obtained. They said the DNA belonged to an unidentified male and when this info was entered into the FBI database, still there was no match.
Throughout the years, JonBenet’s family has maintained that this was the sick work of an outsider. Right up until the end, when Patsy Ramsey died of ovarian cancer on 14 June 2006, she fought to find the person responsible. The Ramseys pleaded with the community on national television to help find their daughter’s killer and hired their own investigators to take on the case.
For some time following the murder, the media was in a frenzy over whether or not the Ramsey’s could do this to their own daughter. But the grand jury never convicted them of any crime and the family won a number of defamation law suits as a result.
Then on 16 August 2006, the media found themselves in a frenzy again. This time it was over a new suspect – John Mark Karr. He was arrested in Bangkok after a string of emails regarding JonBenet’s murder were traced back to him.
On arrest, he allegedly confessed to being with JonBenet when she died but said that it was an accident. However, since his arrest, doubt has been cast over his role in the murder. Karr’s ex-wife has said that she was with him in Alabama at the time, making it impossible for him to be the one responsible.
So who exactly is this man whose face is plastered all over our newspapers and TV screens? He’s a 41-year-old former school teacher who grew up in Alabama. At age 19, he married a 13 year old girl then divorced her 1 year later. At age 24 he married a 16 year old girl. They also divorced 12 years later, when Karr was charged with possession of child pornography.
After being deported from Thailand to US, Karr is now facing charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and sexual assault of a child.
Did John Karr kill JonBenet Ramsey? We’ll soon find out.
A lot of young drivers are complaining that the NSW licensing procedures are overly restrictive. For those of you unfamiliar with the rules, it goes a little something like this:
You have to fill in a log book and show that you have undertaken at least 50 hours of supervised driving in different weather conditions when you are on your L’s. Then you do an on-road driving test with a grumpy member of the RTA to get your red P’s. After you’ve had your red P’s for 12 months you have to do another computer test to get your green P’s and then when you’re grey, old and wrinkly, you get to do ANOTHER test to obtain your full license.
Stuff up along the way, and you may have your license suspended, you may be fined or you may even have to start from the top.
In the state of Indiana, USA, they’ve come up with a slightly different approach. After you obtain your license, should you commit a traffic offence, you could be sentenced to…are you ready for it… transport by school bus only!
Recently, Judge Julia Jent decided she was fed up with young traffic offenders who don’t take their actions seriously. Her Honour now orders any school students who come before her, to take the school bus to and from school and also warns parents that if they drive their children to school, they’ll be in contempt of court.
And here come my motherly words of wisdom: In whatever form they may be, these laws are making our roads safer for everyone. Especially young drivers. There are many reports and studies that show drivers under the age of 25 are the most at risk of being involved in motor vehicle accidents. In particular, it is the 17 and 18 year old school boys and girls who seem to have this idea in their heads that it won’t happen to them.
The reality is, they’re not invincible. No one is.
Gotta STORY you'd like to hear more about? Write to Legally Brunette at legalherald@hotmail.com
If you ever start up a conversation with me about Members of Parliament, I will probably give you a filthy look and banish you to the corner of the room to think about what you’ve done.
The truth is, MP’s bore me to tears. I have no interest in them. I do not want to know about them. I flick to another channel if I see them on TV.
But today, some Aussie MP’s finally caught my attention.
During a recent debate on technical colleges, Western Australian Senator Glen Sterle was heard using the words “drongo” and “pork chop” to describe a fellow Senator.
The President of the Senate is now being asked to rule on the use of these words when describing an MP. Are these words too offensive?
Hmm...
Off the top of my head, I can think of a lot of words much more crude and insulting than “drongo”, to describe some of our politicians. But I guess the question is, should THEY be using it to describe each other?
Sure, using colourful language can sometimes give a person more character, but when an MP calls someone a pork chop? Well, it just sounds silly.
They are meant to be the intelligent, articulate representatives of our country. And using such words only renders them childish and immature.
Forget the eye shadow, lipstick and colourful hair extensions because over the next few days, Boy George will only be allowed some gloves, a garbage bag and an unattractive uniform from the New York Department of Sanitation.
The singer, song-writer and 80’s icon will have to sweep the streets and pick up garbage in Manhattan this week as he carries out his court ordered community service. The 45 year old, whose real name is George Alan O’Dowd, is being punished for falsely reporting a burglary in his home to New York Police.
At the time, the police found there had been no break-in but did find a stash of cocaine and charged him with possession. The drug charges were subsequently dropped in exchange for a guilty plea regarding the false report.
On top of it all, Boy George was due to appear in court earlier this year but never showed up. As a result, on June 17, a Manhattan judge issued a warrant for the singer’s arrest.
In addition to the community service, the former Culture Club member had to pay a $1000 fine for wasting police time.
And Boy George’s response to it all?
“I’ve always been a scrubber...”
Reckless and dangerous actions will only lead to further bloodshed and instability, inflaming an already highly volatile region. - Ibrahim Gambari, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, United Nations.
Under the international laws of armed conflict, States not only have an obligation to respect the principle of proportionality when responding to violent attacks, but they are also required to avoid attacks against civilians.
Yet most of the victims in this ugly conflict ARE civilians. The latest figures show that in addition to the thousands of people who have been displaced and injured, about 250 people in Lebanon and 25 in Israel have been killed so far during the intense violence between the Israelis and the Hezbollah. And whilst countries such as Australia are currently attempting to get their own citizens out of the war zone safely, there are still thousands and thousands of others who are living in this violent hell.
The United Nations Security Council recently convened an urgent meeting at the request of Lebanon, to discuss the conflict and means of diplomatic resolution, if any. Understandably, everyone will have different views on this situation. Here are just a few of those views expressed by the representative members of the Security Council at its 5489th meeting:
Lebanon
The Lebanese government declares that it was not aware of the initial Hezbollah attacks on the two Israeli soldiers, it does not approve of it and it does not take responsibility for it. They condemn Israeli aggression aimed at their civilians and are completely willing to negotiate through the UN and any initiative the Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, may propose.
Israel
Israel’s actions were in direct response to the kidnapping of two of its military soldiers and the killing of several civilians. They are doing the right thing by defending themselves and helping the Lebanese people to achieve democracy. Israel believes that the Hezbollah in Lebanon was also acting for Iran and Syria.
Russian Federation
Retaliations by Israel are causing the deaths of innocent civilians. Similarly, the Hezbollah are inflicting harm on the Israelis. The Russian Federation condemns this violence but also thinks that Israel’s actions are disproportionate. They believe that the Hizbollah should release the captured soldiers and efforts should be made to achieve a ceasefire.
Argentina
All parties need to cooperate with the United Nations forces and the Lebanese Government should do all it can to control the Hezbollah in the south. Further, Israel has a right to defend itself but it has no right to target civilian infrastructure. These are disproportionate responses and they must cease immediately. Argentina also calls on all leaders of the Middle East to help prevent this situation from worsening.
Qatar
Israel is waging a barbaric war against Lebanon. They are disproportionately attacking innocent civilians and Lebanese infrastructure. Both sides must exercise restraint in violence.
China
Both sides have responsibilities: Israel must stop the military action and lift the blockade whilst the Hezbollah need to release the captured soldiers. History has taught us that violence for violence achieves nothing. Diplomacy is the best means of resolving this conflict.
United Kingdom
Blaming each other does not achieve anything. This is a situation that must be resolved through diplomatic means. The UK believes that it is necessary for the Lebanese government to exercise its full authority throughout its territory and take control of the militia.
Congo
The Congo condemns all acts of violence regardless of who committed the acts and what the motive was.
Denmark
Condemns the actions of the Hezbollah but also warns Israel that it must comply with international law in its response to the initial violence. Denmark is especially concerned about Israel’s attack on Beirut airport.
France
Although the Lebanese government dissociates itself from Hezbollah, it must restore its authority throughout the country and in accordance with Security Council Resolutions, disarm the militia. Israel’s response to the situation is destroying Lebanon’s efforts to restore the stability of its nation.
You seem to be a forthright person of good fame and character, said the lawyer to a witness on the stand.
If I wasn't under oath, I'd return the compliment, replied the witness.
So, you think your lawyer is a greedy, dishonest bastard.
Well, despite what the average person believes, most lawyers are good people. They are hard-working, intelligent men and women who base their lives around assisting and representing others. Sure, you might get a bad grape in the bunch, but that’s the same with any profession.
Luckily, there is a mechanism in place to deal with the bad grape. In NSW, the Office of the Legal Services Commissioner receives complaints about lawyers and may either investigate it or refer it to the relevant Law Society or Bar Association for investigation.
A client can therefore make a complaint about his or her lawyer in writing, outlining the alleged conduct being complained of and the particular practitioner it applies to. Complaints can be made at any time but it is best to do so within 3 years after the conduct occurred otherwise the process of the complaint involves a lot more paperwork, time and effort on the part of the complainant.
If the complaint provides insufficient detail, or is frivolous, it will be dismissed without any investigation. On the other hand, should the complaint have substance and investigations reveal there was some sort of misconduct by the practitioner, the matter may either be referred to mediation, concluded by way of cautioning the lawyer, reprimand or by making a compensation order.
In cases of serious misconduct and breaches of the professional code, the Commissioner will commence proceedings in the Administrative Decisions Tribunal. The Tribunal then has the power to strike off the practitioner from the roll, cancel, suspend or restrict the lawyer’s practising certificate or make other relevant orders.
So there you go. If your lawyer really is a lying, greedy bastard, let the Commissioner know. He’ll do something about it.
A beautiful soul.
Those were the words used to describe Sofia Rodriguez-Urrutia-Shu at her funeral today. The 8 year old schoolgirl was found dead in a toilet cubicle at a popular Perth Shopping Centre last week after she had been beaten, raped and strangled by a young male.
The entire world was and still is both shocked and deeply saddened by her tragic death. When someone so young and innocent has her life taken away so unfairly, one can only feel disgust towards the person responsible.
The young male is currently charged with wilful murder and sexual penetration of a child. These are offences that generally result in life sentences.
The question I put forward to all my readers is this: if convicted of the crime, what punishment do you think would be appropriate?
Fan of the OC? The lavish lifestyles, excessive wealth and plastically enhanced Julie Cooper types? Well, here’s a story about the real OC very different from the one you see on TV...
A former school teacher, currently locked up in an Orange County mental ward, has applied to the Supreme Court for an early release. How did he get there in the first place? It’s a sick and twisted story, (even sicker than Julie Cooper getting it on with her daughter’s ex boyfriend) not for the faint hearted.
Albert Fentress murdered a teenage student over 27 years ago. He tied Paul Masters’ body to a post in his basement and sexually mutilated him. And as if that weren’t enough, he then shot the 18 year old twice in the head before cooking parts of his body and eating him. Yes. He ATE his victim. Fentress was found to be insane and was consequently sent to a psychiatric ward.
Now, almost three decades later, he believes he is ready to move up to a non-secure psychiatric unit. His case was supposed to be heard in early July. However, resident psychiatrists protested that Fentress is still suffering from a number of mental conditions and should not be released as of yet.
Meanwhile, all I can do is breathe a huge sigh of relief, turn on the tele and think that Julie Cooper doesn’t seem as screwed up as I thought.
Craig Hill
KC Hill
Paladin
Oracle of Delphi
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