Don't blame it on the social mix, don't blame it on the housing estate, don't blame it on the dysfunctional community but blame it on the Police Force!Workers from the Campbelltown City Council, which covers the Glenquarrie Estate in Macquarie Fields in Sydney where the weekend riots took place, will spend this morning cleaning up the streets.
The Mayor of Campbelltown Brenton Banfield says his community is disturbed by the violence.
"I'd say very concerned - people that I've have spoken to are just appalled about what's been happening there," he said.
"I can understand that there's a real sense of tragedy I suppose, that two young people have been killed in a car accident but as to their [fleeing] the police I think that it is just inappropriate."?
He says the Glenquarrie Housing Estate, owned by the Department of Housing, is an area that is being looked at the moment by the department to try to change the social mix of that area.
"That part of the broader community is dysfunctional - that's how I'd describe it.
"The most disadvantaged people live there and they've became dysfunctional communities."
But no matter how inappropriate that is, it's not worth dying for? And the fact that it happened in Glenquarrie Housing Estate does not mean that it doesn't happen anywhere else in Australia? And I am sure that does not make that area dysfunctional opposed to other locations.
Brenton Banfield says housing estates are generally in poor condition.
"This was an estate that was developed probably 30 years ago by the Department of Housing and during that time the condition of houses have deteriorated," he said.
"We have in Campbellton a lot of housing estates that need a lot of money and work done on them - they've became degraded because of the passing of time.
"Those houses are now old or either in need of demolition or renewal."
But poor and disadvantaged people with, low socio-economic backgrounds do live in these estates no doubt.
And they may be more likely to take what opportunities they haven't got by taking a joy ride in someone else's car, instead of taking fewer risks and using fewer resources by buying their own car. But until they get caught and learn the difference like I did, it's not worth dying for otherwise I wouldn't able to write this article.
Nor is it worthy to blame the housing estate.
As for 'dysfunctional people' most communities that stand up for human rights opposed to the brute force dished out by police would be in good stead unless you think teaching and learning is all about 'killing' and 'dying'?
Police pursuit death toll rises: 61 killed in 10 years
At least 61 people have died during police pursuits in NSW over the past decade, a higher toll than previously revealed.
A Herald investigation last year found that 54 people had been killed in high-speed police car chases over the 10 years since November 1994, but five more deaths have been exposed through figures obtained under freedom of information laws.
Deaths in Custody
Indigenous 27 7.4
Non-Indigenous 88 0.5
Total 115 0.7
Source: Australian Institute of Criminology, National Deaths in Custody Program 1990-2003 [computer file]
By Just Us 28 February 05
Ed: Give up the Chase and Stay Safe!
Related:
OUR STORIES MUST BE TOLD. THEY HAVE TO BE
On Sunday 13th February, a Community gathering will be held to enable all people to remember the death of one of our young Community members, 'TJ' Hickey.
Whitewash over Hickey's death
The New South Wales coroner has cleared police of any responsibility for the death of Aboriginal teenager Thomas 'TJ' Hickey.
Redfern police need education not weapons
NSW police want new offensive equipment including long-range capsicum spray guns and modified armoured vehicles capable of spraying tear gas following a damning report on the Redfern riots in Sydney earlier this year.
Carr defends Redfern riot fallout
But such is the fact that police can do no wrong according to authorities that one wonders what benefit to the community this report would be other than to protect the police again.
The Young Man From Kamilaroi
On Monday, 5 July 2004, the Hickey Family and their supporters will come together in the Glebe Coroners Court with the Redfern Police, the same police, specifically unknown at this time, who pursued the Young Man to his death by impalement.
Police stalkers set to escape
The real issue was posted it read "Wanted child murderers"!
Payback over Redfern riot after death in custody
A 37 year-old woman will appear in court today charged over her alleged involvement in a riot in Redfern on Sunday night.
Riot in Redfern over death in custody
The reported claim that 50 police were injured during rioting in Redfern over a death in custody is nothing more than a counter claim required to balance the argument that Thomas Hickey wasn't chased to his death by police.
Redfern police 'need to be made accountable'
POLICE have no right to demand increased support to patrol Redfern in the wake of one of the worst death in custody cover-ups by police in Australian history.
"If I Could Turn Back Time" Daily Terror, CH/7
THE real cause of last month's violent Redfern riots was the death of teenager Thomas "TJ" Hickey but perhaps only one element of the racism, harassment and bullying by the New South Wales police force and in this case Redfern police at the Block.
Was Thomas Hickey payback?
Yesterday it was alleged police faced a potentially deadly confrontation with locals of a redfern housing block last week when a gun was grabbed from an officer's holster and held to his stomach.
TJ HICKEY MEMORIAL MARCH AND VIGIL
Gather at the Block at 9am March to Phillip Street Redfern, "Turanga Block" vigial at site of "TJ's" death. March to Redfern Police Station to leave list of demands regarding the enquiries into his death.
The ALP's fascist police states
Welcome back Sid-in-knee. Old Falangist Samaranch would surely feel right at home in any number of fascist police states around this wide brown land today. Who needs Franco when you have Beattie, Rann, Carr, Bracks and co. Flamin' fascist fucks the lot of them.
Carr Govt dramatic increases in the NSW prisoner pop...
Following the opening of the 500 bed Kempsey prison, and a new 200-bed prison for women at Windsor the Council of Social Service of NSW (NCOSS) and community organisations specialising in the rehabilitation of prisoners, have expressed concern....
The Australian Institute of Criminology has released the National Deaths in Custody Program annual report for 2002 Between January and December 2002, there was a total of 69 deaths in custody in Australia. There were 50 deaths in prison custody and 19 deaths in police custody and custody-related police operations.
