Friday 12 October 2018
The past two months have not been great for NSW Police public relations
The Daily Examiner, 8 October 2018, p.3:
Two police officers have
been served with future court attendance notices for alleged offences related
to the use and access of a NSW Police Force computer system.
Police said the
43-year-old male senior constable and the 40-year-old female leading senior
constable, both attached to Northern Region, are alleged to have modified data
in October, last year.
The woman has been
charged with unauthorised access of restricted data and the man has been
charged with unauthorised modification of restricted data.
They are both due to
appear at Coffs Harbour Local Court on Tuesday, November 23.
The
West Australian,
6 October 2018:
A Sydney police officer
has been stood down after allegedly making sickening threats towards a Greens
Senator’s young daughter.
Sarah Hanson-Young was
targeted by what she calls vile, cowardly and intolerable threats at the height
of her public stoush with Senator David Lleyonhjelm.
But Ms Hanson-Young says
the threats went further, targeting her 11-year-old daughter in a call made
five days after her joust with Mr Lleyonhjelm.
“I have spoken to her
about it,” she said.
“Of course it’s a
difficult thing to explain.
“I was very shocked to
know that it was a police officer.
“It's disgusting and no
child deserves this, no young woman deserves this and to do it is not just
cowardly, it's vile.”....
Federal police charged
the 56-year-old cop with using a carriage service to menace, harass, offend
after raiding his south-western Sydney home.
The senior constable has
since been stood down and his employment is under review….
The officer will face
court next month and faces up to seven years’ in prison if convicted.
RELEASE
OF REPORT ON LECC OPERATION BALTRA
The Law Enforcement
Conduct Commission has found that a Leading Senior Constable engaged in serious
misconduct after he punched an intoxicated woman (Ms Z) in police custody on 15
September 2017.*
The Commission’s
Operation Baltra held private hearings to determine whether the officer
involved (Officer A):
1. Used excessive force
when he punched Ms Z to the head with a closed fist whilst her hands were
handcuffed behind her back.
2. [blank]
3. Breached NSWPF
policies and guidelines when he recorded the CCTV footage of the incident on
his mobile phone and subsequently shared that footage with a Snapchat group,
which comprised other police officers from Police Station X.
The Commission has found
that the punch with a closed fist by Officer A to the side of Ms Z’s head was
an unreasonable use of force and that Officer A engaged in serious
misconduct as defined in section 10 of the LECC Act.
The Commission is
satisfied that Officer A was in breach of the NSWPF policies and guidelines
with respect to his filming of the CCTV footage and that the dissemination of
it to other police officers via Snapchat was unauthorised.
Notwithstanding this finding, the Commission is satisfied that Officer A genuinely
believed that he was not breaching any policies or guidelines by sharing the
information with other police officers in his team.
The Commission’s
recommendation, outlined in its Operation Baltra report presented to Parliament
today, is that consideration should be given to the taking of action against
Officer A with a view to dismissing the officer pursuant to section 181D of
the Police Act 1990.
The Operation Baltra
report and associated footage can be found on the Commission website.
Background
The Law Enforcement
Conduct Commission is an independent statutory body. The principal functions of
the Commission are to detect, investigate and expose serious misconduct and
serious maladministration within the NSW Police Force and the NSW Crime
Commission.
The Commission is
separate from and completely independent of the NSW Police Force and NSW Crime
Commission. The Commission will treat all information confidentially and has
powers to protect persons who provide information to it.
* Codenames have
been used in the report to protect the identities of the involved
persons.
The Northern Star, 21 September 2018, p.1:
The Law Enforcement
Conduct Commission has found a police officer who inflicted multiple baton
strikes on a naked 16-year-old boy in Byron Bay used excessive force and should
be considered for prosecution.
The commission’s Operation Tambora arose
out of events involving the arrest of the teenager by four police officers in
Lateen Lane on January 11 this year.
On February 6, Channel
9’s A Current Affair aired mobile phone footage showing police
apprehending the boy in the early hours of the morning. The footage showed at
least one officer using a baton repeatedly to subdue him.
The teenager, referred
to as “AO” in the commission’s report, had been holidaying with his family in
Byron Bay at the time of the incident.
The investigation was
primarily concerned with the conduct of the police officers when attempting to
take AO into custody. This involved consideration of whether the decisions by
the police officers to use OC spray and a taser were justified in the
circumstances. There was also a significant issue as to the need for the use of
a baton on AO and, in particular, the number and force of baton strikes that
were administered to AO, particularly those administered by “Officer E” at a
time when AO appeared to be restrained.....
Labels:
Byron Bay,
Coffs Harbour,
law,
New South Wales,
police
Thursday 11 October 2018
Religious Freedom Review Report: a curate's egg in the hands of an Australian prime minister who doesn't understand the definition of secular or why there is a separation between Church and State
"Australia
is not a secular country — it is a free country. This is a nation
where you have the freedom to follow any belief system you choose.” [Scott Morrison,
2007]
“Secular
[adj] of or pertaining to the world or things not religious, sacred or
spiritual; temporal, worldly.” [Patrick Hanks & Simeon Potter, Encyclopedic World Dictionary, 1971]
On 22
November 2017 then Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the
appointment of an Expert Panel to examine whether Australian law adequately
protects the human right to freedom of religion.
The Panel’s Religious
Freedom Review Report was delivered on 18 May 2018, accompanied by a statement
that the report was now in the hands of the Prime Minister any government
response was a matter for him.
The
prime minister of the day is now the Liberal MP for Cook - a nakedly ambitious man
who uses his public profession of Christian Pentecostal faith as a political tool.
Until this
week the national electorate had no idea what the report might contain. It remained a closely guarded secret.
Which leads
one to wonder if the leak which came Fairfax Media’s way is in fact Morrison
preparing voters for what at best is highly likely to be proposed legislation which
attempts to extend the exemptions religious institutions enjoy when it come to obeying human rights and
anti-discrimination law and at worst an attempt to insert church into the heart of
state.
Religious schools would
be guaranteed the right to turn away gay students and teachers under changes to
federal anti-discrimination laws recommended by the government’s long-awaited
review into religious freedom.
However the report, which
is still being debated by cabinet despite being handed to the Coalition four
months ago, dismisses the notion religious freedom in Australia is in “imminent
peril”, and warns against any radical push to let businesses refuse goods and
services such as a wedding cake for a gay couple.
The review was
commissioned in the wake of last year’s same-sex marriage victory to appease
conservative MPs who feared the change would restrict people’s ability to
practise their religion freely.
The contents of the
report - seen by Fairfax Media - are unlikely to placate conservatives and
religious leaders, and will trigger concern within the LGBTI community about
the treatment of gay students and teachers.
The report calls for the
federal Sex Discrimination Act to be amended to allow religious schools to
discriminate against students on the basis of sexual orientation, gender
identity or relationship status - something some but not all states already
allow.
“There is a wide variety
of religious schools in Australia and ... to some school communities,
cultivating an environment and ethos which conforms to their religious beliefs
is of paramount importance,” the report noted.
“To the extent that this
can be done in the context of appropriate safeguards for the rights and mental
health of the child, the panel accepts their right to select, or preference,
students who uphold the religious convictions of that school community.”
Any change to the law
should only apply to new enrolments, the report said. The school would have to
have a publicly available policy outlining its position, and should regard the
best interests of the child as the “primary consideration of its conduct”.
The panel also agreed
that faith-based schools should have some discretion to discriminate in the
hiring of teachers on the basis of religious belief, sexual orientation, gender
identity or relationship status…..
The panel did not accept
that businesses should be allowed to refuse services on religious grounds,
warning this would “unnecessarily encroach on other human rights” and “may
cause significant harm to vulnerable groups”.
The review also found
civil celebrants should not be entitled to refuse to conduct same-sex wedding
ceremonies if they became celebrants after it was was legalised.
The review does not
recommend any changes to the Marriage Act. Nor does it recommend a dedicated
Religious Freedom Act - championed by several major Christian churches - which
would have enshrined religious organisations’ exemptions from
anti-discrimination laws.
“Specifically protecting
freedom of religion would be out of step with the treatment of other rights,”
the report found.
However it did recommend
the government amend the Racial Discrimination Act or create a new Religious
Discrimination Act, which would make it illegal to discriminate on the basis of
a person’s religious belief or lack thereof.
The panel said it had
heard a broad range of concerns about people’s ability to “manifest their faith
publicly without suffering discrimination”.
This included wearing
religious symbols and dress at school or work, communicating views based on
religious understandings, obtaining goods and services and engaging in public
life without fear of discrimination.
The report also
recommends federal legislation “to make it clear” that religious schools cannot
be forced to lease their facilities for a same-sex marriage, as long as the
refusal is made in the name of religious doctrine.
Prime Minister Scott
Morrison last month told
Fairfax Media new religious freedom laws were needed to safeguard
personal liberty in a changing society.
“Just because things
haven’t been a problem in the past doesn’t mean they won’t be a problem in the
future,” he said.
While the panel accepted
the right of religious school to discriminate against students on the basis of
gender identity or sexual orientation, it could see no justification for a
school to discriminate on the basis of race, disability, pregnancy or intersex
status.
“Schools should be places of learning, not breeding grounds of
prejudice. This looks and feels like a vindictive attempt to punish LGBTI
people for achieving marriage equality." [just.equal spokesperson Rodney Croome, 2018]
As is usual for this prime minister, Morrison fronted the media with half-truths and misdirection about the Religious Freedom Review Report, implying that the contentious matters within the report were already uniformly codified in law across all the states.
This is far from the truth.
As is usual for this prime minister, Morrison fronted the media with half-truths and misdirection about the Religious Freedom Review Report, implying that the contentious matters within the report were already uniformly codified in law across all the states.
This is far from the truth.
INVITATION FOR PUBLIC COMMENT: Proposed 19.4ha subdivision at Hickey Street, Iluka. curently being assessed as a controlled action
This proposed development of 19.41ha of forested land adjacent to World Heritage Gondwana coastal rainforest in Iluka, NSW, was first sent for public consultation in December 2015.
This is probably the last chance that community members have to offer their opinion on the plan for a 141 lot subdivision on the lot.
The Stevens Group has issued an Invitation for Public Comment which reads in part:
The preliminary
documentation for the proposed action is on display and will be publicly
available, to be viewed or obtained by download from the online facility
without charge, from the 24 September 2018 until 4:30pm (AEST) on the 2
November 2018, at the following locations:
§ Clarence Valley Council
Administrative Centre – 2 Prince Street, Grafton, NSW;
§ Clarence Valley Council
Administrative Centre – 50 River Street, Maclean, NSW;
§ Iluka Library – Corner Duke Street
& Micalo Street, Iluka, NSW;
§ NSW Office of Environment and
Heritage – NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Level 4, 49-51 Victoria
Street, Grafton, NSW;
§ Online at /www.stevensgroup.com.au%20– a link
to the preliminary documentation will be available by selecting the
‘Residential’ page, then by choosing the “Iluka Subdivision – Invitation For
Public Comment” tab.
Deadline for submissions is 2 November 2018.
Wednesday 10 October 2018
Community unhappy about Tweed Shire Council water mining consent at Rowland Creek
Image: Onthehouse |
Echo NetDaily, 6 October 2018:
Around 100 protestors
made their point before council ignored them by voting 4–3, to reject Mayor
Katie Milne’s rescission motion in regards to the September vote, where
the majority of Tweed Shire councillors gave the thumbs up to a water mining operation
at Rowlands Creek.
Councillor Katie Milne
moved that a DA for a bulk loading/delivery of extracted water and roadworks at
Rowlands Creek Road be deferred for several reasons including that NSW Water’s
response to the pumping study was a brief email, not a formal review.
She asked that council
seek additional consideration and hydrological testing from the applicant as
outlined in a report by Professor Peter Cook (Potential Impact of Groundwater
Pumping on Rowlands Creek) and that a suitably qualified university review the
applicant’s report and subsequent response as well as NSW Water’s response and
Professor Cook’s reports.
The motion also argued
that the costings of road damage (referred to in the report but not provided)
be publicly released; that the Rowlands Creek / Kyogle Roads intersection
problem (which has been acknowledged and considered by the applicant’s traffic
engineers but remains unresolved) should be referred to an independent expert
for an opinion on the best practice approach; that council refer the problem of
the Rowlands Creek Road / Mitchell Street intersection to the same independent
expert for opinion on a best practice solution; and, that Council staff report
whether they have investigated previously claimed discrepancies in the road
width on the straight close to Uki – if not, to do so and if the Bitzios report
is incorrect propose appropriate corrective measures.
The motion also asked
that council seek independent legal advice on whether its public interest
assessment meets Council and other legal obligations.
The 4–3 vote went Crs
Cherry, Cooper and Milne for the rescission, and Cs Byrne, Polglase, Allsop and
Owen against.
Cr Milne told Echonetdaily that
this is not the end of the issue as far as she and council are concerned. ‘The
developer has to gain final sign-off from councillors that the roadworks
required are properly completed before he can commence operations,’ said Ms
Milne.
‘There is another
application in the system for Dungay, the court judgement for the Urliup
expansion, and numerous applications for amendments required to rectify
non-compliances of other existing operators as well as whatever else comes in.’
The mayor added that
some of her greatest concerns include the safety of local residents, the impact
on Rowlands Creek, the viability of the State Significant Farmlands adjacent,
and the viability of locals’ stock and domestic water bores as well as the
enormous costs expected for residents for these ongoing road repairs.
The Tweed Water Alliance
submitted a hydrology report which suggested the water mining should not go
ahead yet council still voted to go ahead. Ms Milne says the report was
unequivocal and absolutely convincing. ‘It was done by one of the world’s
leading groundwater scientists. There are always councillors who put
development before the community. Unfortunately the Labor councillor
joined them this time.
‘This is an issue that
affects the whole community across the Shire. Apart from the water
security issues, I’m sure our residents and pensioners would not be keen on
subsidising ongoing road damage from these heavy trucks.’
Tweed Water Alliance’s Facebook page suggests that direct community action is now being
contemplated.
Labels:
people power,
Tweed Shire Council,
water wars
Tuesday 9 October 2018
"North Coast Voices" Turns 11 Today!
On Tuesday 9 October 2007 North Coast Voices published its first blog post titled "A genuine Howard hugger".
Eleven years and over 10,102 posts later it is another Tuesday and this blog is still publishing.
For that, heartfelt thanks are due to all our readers.
Labels:
anniversary,
blogs
Assistant Treasurer Stuart Robert follows unofficial Liberal Party guideline: Don't get caught but if you do pay it back
Image: The Sydney Morning Herald 2017 |
This time
over the excessive costs associated with his taxpayer-funded 4G home Internet
connection.
He has been
charging taxpayers more than a $1,000 a month for Internet access since 2016 and
by 2018 the cost had risen to over $2,000 a month.
The reasons being
given by Robert for why he didn’t avail himself of cheaper alternatives don’t really
stand close scrutiny.
Given this
Liberal MP’s history (see below) one immediately wonders if a third party individual/
corporation signed his contact with the Internet Service Provider (ISP) and
this increased the cost to taxpayers or whether Robert has a pecuniary interest
in that particular ISP.
Prime
Minister Scott Morrison has
requested that these expense claims be investigated by Special Minister for
State Alex Hawke who himself is under
a cloud when it comes to parliamentary expense claims.
Once his
parliamentary expenses drew media attention Robert was quick to commit to
paying back Internet charges reimbursed by the Dept. of Finance. At a quick estimate that would be somewhere in the vicinity of $25,000, although reportedly he puts the estimate as a little over $20,000.
Parliamentary expense claims are not the only issue for the Member for Fadden.
On 6 October 2018 The West Australian reported that:
Parliamentary expense claims are not the only issue for the Member for Fadden.
On 6 October 2018 The West Australian reported that:
A company run by a Federal minister who charged taxpayers $2000 a month for internet access lodged documents removing him as its director only after the matter was queried by The Weekend West.
Until late yesterday ASIC records showed Assistant Treasurer Stuart Robert was a director of an alternative health franchise business, despite Mr Robert telling Parliament a month ago he quit the board of Cryo Australia when he returned to the ministry.
In February
2016 Stuart Robert was sent to the backbench in disgrace after just three years
as a federal government minister.
It is barely six weeks since he returned to the ministry on the back of Scott Morrison’s politically bloody ascendancy and it appears that there has been no lesson learned.
It is barely six weeks since he returned to the ministry on the back of Scott Morrison’s politically bloody ascendancy and it appears that there has been no lesson learned.
A Brief History
10 FEBRUARY
2016 In
which then Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott gives the nod for then
Assistant Defence Minister Stuart Robert to help smooth the way for a big
Liberal Party donor and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull inherits a problem
12 FEBRUARY
2016 Minister
for Human Services & Minister for Veterans' Affairs showing his contempt
for the Australian electorate
14 FEBRUARY
2016 Liberal
MP Stuart Robert's resignation as Australian Minister for Human Services raises
more questions than it answers
21 FEBRUARY
2016 The
Liberal Member for Fadden - drowning not waving
20 MAY 2016 Federal
MP Stuart Robert channelled $70,000 from his Liberal Nationals Party campaign
fund to three local government candidates
27 SEPTEMBER
2017 Australian
Politics in 2017: Financial Fog Unlimited #2
Monday 8 October 2018
Whitehaven Coal’s Vickery mine extension community consultation has farmers up in arms
Whitehaven Coal Vickery Forest coal mining operation, 2018 |
Maules Creek section of coal mining operation, 2018 |
Whitehaven Coal Limited is seeking
planning permission to extend its existing mining infrastructure footprint approx. 22kms north of Gunnedah in
north-west NSW, by adding a coal processing hub with an on site coal
handling and preparation plant (CHPP), train load-out facility and rail spur
line to service its open cut mines at Tarrawonga, Rocglen and Werris Creek.
Quite
naturally local rural communities are concerned…….
The
Northern Daily Leader,
5 October 2018:
The Greens have
condemned NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts and called his decision to
ignore the plea of drought-stricken farmers “the height of arrogance”.
The spraying follows
comments Mr Roberts made to The Leader yesterday, where he referred
to the 4000-page Vickery coal mine extension report as a
“relatively short document”, as he knocked back the request of farmers for
more time to read the submission.
Farmers say they are struggling to find time to read and understand the
massive document, let alone write a response to it, when they are hand
feeding cattle.
Greens resource
spokesman Jeremy Buckingham wrote to Mr Roberts in September, seeking to extend
the public consultation time from 42 days to 90 days, however is yet to receive
a response.
“Minister Anthony
Roberts has displayed the height of arrogance in ignoring local farmers and
communities and failing to give them a fair chance of responding to a 4000-page
document on Vickery coal mine,” Mr Buckingham said.
“Minister Roberts has
failed to acknowledge that many local folks are flat out keeping their
livestock and farms alive in drought conditions.
“Local farmers and
community members have asked for an reasonable extension of time to read
thousands of pages of documents and make a considered response, but the
Minister won’t listen.
“What does the NSW
Government have to hide on this Vickery coal mine proposal?”...
Labels:
Berejiklian Government,
Bogabri,
coal,
consultation,
farming,
Gunnedah,
mining,
sustainable food,
water wars
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