If you are reading this, thank a Teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a Soldier
“If they feel I have committed any offence or done any wrong, they know where I am – let them take action against me,” he told the Seven Network. “What I have done is perfectly legal, perfectly ethical.”and perfectly politically motivated. Not being legally qualified I have no comment on the legality of his actions other than in my opinion I think they are a bit doubtful. Stephen Keim is also an ex President of Queensland Council for Civil Liberties, he is, or was, a paid up member of the ALP and has a track record of speaking out against the establishment, particularly when it’s a conservative establishment Just for once I like one of these accused terrorists or supporters to be defended by a lawyer whose sole motivation is the defence of his client. And pigs might fly. Chris Merritt in the Australian argues that authorities are over reacting to the leaking of the documents;
It matters not at all that Keim, like all leakers, had a barrow to push. What matters is the veracity of the information he has placed on the public record.It does matter that he has a barrow to push – it taints his motives. Which barrow is he pushing? His clients or his own? I watched him on TV last night and deduced he was more into civil liberties than responsibilities and that he considered he was striking a blow for these liberties in attacking a government that had the temerity to charge suspected terrorists or supporters with charges under the new anti-terrorist laws. The leaked documents record the interviews between Haneef and the AFP only. They do not relate what the AFP have been told by their British counterparts and what they know from their own intelligence. This AFP intelligence may amount to not much at all but but it might be significant; whatever the case, time alone will tell. The litany of agendas and opinions rolled out by the media means little at the moment Both Sheridan and Steketee are predictable in their responses. Sheridan writes about everyone being outraged at the length of incarceration;
Imagine if the authorities had someone in custody who was genuinely a terrorist and the terror plot was in the 36,000th piece of encrypted information on his computer. And imagine if they released this terrorist after getting through 10,000 such pieces of information and a terrorist outrage occurred that they could have prevented. Every citizen would be outraged at such fecklessness.Reasonable point. We need to accept that this is the case. The AFP work overtime trying to sort through confiscated computers knowing full well that the internet is the chosen means of communication for the terrorists. Miss and encrypted email and people die. The case against Mohamed Haneef, based on guilt by association, points to a slippery slope, says Mike Steketee The entire terrorist concept is a slippery slope and I for one accept that the rights we defend are at risk. They are put at risk by the terrorists not us and while the authorities only apply the anti-terrorist laws to people suspected of being terrorists or on the periphery of such organizations then I’m not alarmed. What is wrong with “guilt by association” if it’s tested in court and proven? It’s been around for hundreds of years and generally referred to as “Consorting with Criminals” If you lay down with dogs you get fleas…if you consort with criminals you are most probably heading that way and if you associate with people who blow up innocent citizens then there is a case to answer. I’d rather the authorities spend their energies guaranteeing my right, and those of my fellow citizens, to live without being subject to suicidal killers, before any other rights.
WHILE I accept Mike Steketee’s arguments (“Tax the no-go zone in debate over housing”, Opinion 12/7) that negative gearing in its present form and capital gains tax have contributed to the high cost of housing, I am surprised that he did not mention the contribution of state governments and local councils to this situation. In an article in The Australian in March last year, it was reported that government charges in my shire, Redlands, in outer Brisbane, had risen 583 per cent in five years to $135,700. This has to be paid up front on top of the cost of the house and land. In Sydney’s north west, 35 per cent – or almost $200,000 of the price of a new home – was eaten up by government charges. The buyer of a typical Sydney house and land package would pay $1,455 a month over the life of a mortgage just to cover the taxes. The interest alone on these taxes would total $230,000. The naked greed of state Labor governments’ stamp duty grab contradicts their claims of representing the battler. I derive no pleasure from the vastly increased value of my home. In fact, I am deeply saddened how many children are waiting for their parents to die before they can buy a house. C.A. Bond Cleveland, QldState Governments, Councils and Shires are on a roll here. They have found a new milking cow that they will never let out of the yard. They must be standing around the dairy yards in a state of uncontrolled mirth as the media and the ALP sheet the blame home to Howard and away from the real culprits. Sting the punter and have someone else blamed – the perfect scam.
This includes evidence that Dr Haneef’s attempt two weeks ago to leave Australia for India on a one-way ticket after the terror attacks in Britain was not linked to family issues, as his relatives have claimed. Authorities believe Dr Haneef knew of the British plot, but have yet to determine whether he played an active part.At the very least, whatever happens in the coming trial, after it’s all over and he has done his time, if indeed that is the result, then I would expect my Government to send him back to India – just in case. Melbourne barrister and former National Crime Commission chief Peter Faris QC gave Mr Andrews’ decision his full support.
“The truth is, we don’t want anyone here, coming into this country, who we suspect is a terrorist. That’s different to saying we can prove they’ve committed terrorist offences,” he said.Faris QC is a conservative type of chap and believes in maintenance of the system, not in bringing it down as many of his cohorts try to do. The Magistrate in this case, Jacqui Payne, has an anti-police track record and whereas I wouldn’t have accepted the surrendered passport as proof-positive that Haneef wouldn’t fly the coop, she has and I’m sure it’s a legally supported stand. It’s just not a smart stand A side issue…. Haneef is here on what is known as a 457 visa and I note there are at least 4000 foreign doctors working in Queensland, most after being granted 457 visas. 4000! What on earth is going on Beattie?
I don’t know about others but pretty woman in RAN Whites always grabs my attention. A spokeswoman for Mr Garrett yesterday said: “We confirm Daniel Johns’ statement saying that it was a joke.” Kate Pasterfield later quoted her boss Mr Garrett as saying: “I tried a bit of dope in my 20s but I haven’t since.”Yeah – right Peter. Mind you, the anti-drug campaigners suggestion that Peter undergoes drug testing is pointless. Garrett’s pretty thick but even he wouldn’t turn up to a drug test with residue in his veins. It was just a joke. Oh well, that’s OK then.
Went fishing with the lads a couple of weeks ago. Chartered the boat out of Southport for a full days fishing. The boat cost $140 each but worth it – the crew were pleasant, switched on and we caught mobs of fish. When we eventually got back to port I found a $120 parking ticket on my windscreen. We had parked, like sheep I guess, where everybody else parked but didn’t read the bit that mentioned ‘vehicles with boat trailer only‘.
Ah well, such is life.
On the drive back I dropped in at my son’s place (new baby – couldn’t go fishing) and gave him some of the catch. As I reversed out of his driveway the new fangled mirrors on the RR angled down so I could see the curb, but I would rather have seen the shiny new BMW parked on the other side of the street.
I didn’t, or I was overtired or….s..c..r..a..p..e. The price of fish is escalating!
I got the bill yesterday – $690 for bad driving plus the $140 boat charter plus the $120 ticket = $950!
Less $60 from my passenger (half of the parking ticket- thanks George!) – comes to $890 for the day
Ten kilo of fish caught at best = $89 a kilo.
Ah well, such is life.
Hope I didn’t run through a speed camera on the way home – that would make me cranky.
Cpl Apiata’s patrol came under attack from machine gun and grenade fire when it had taken cover for the night, setting two vehicles on fire, his citation notice said. During the fight, Cpl Apiata found himself isolated with two of his comrades, one of whom was badly wounded from shrapnel.
Cpl Apiata carried his wounded comrade 70m to where the rest of his patrol had taken cover, despite being clearly visible by the light of the burning vehicles.Well done Corporal.
He has sought advice from the Medical Defence Union and plans to resist any attempt to force him to provide the file. “I’m happy to give it to the AAT, but not to the Government. I’m not prepared to hand it over, in effect, to ASIO, because that’s where it would end up — in the hands of Mr Habib’s enemies,” he said.I don’t know about the good doctor but Habib’s enemies are my friends. Marvelous isn’t it. a digger suffers from PSTD occasioned by fighting enemies of Australia and eventually gets to see a garden variety psychiatrist; a guy who trained with al-Qa’ida claims PTSD and gets Emeritus Professor Chris Tennant. Strange world!
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