Community disturbed by riot violence?

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!

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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
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Redfern police 'need to be made accountable'
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"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.

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Carr Govt dramatic increases in the NSW prisoner pop...
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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.

Work for the dole is legal slavery

Work for the dole is legal slavery! Smash this abuse by Howard and his bosses!

Work for the dole was originally sold to us by Howard as a warm and fuzzy light work project. We would be working for nothing but we would be enjoying giving back something to the community, so it was reckoned.

Some projects do fit this rosy image. But over the past year it has become clearer that the government's agenda is much more sinister. Nothing was said about the paid workers whose jobs we would be taking over for no pay other than the pittance they give us to live on called the dole.

They want to replace a large section of the work force with unemployed slave labour. With the unemployed doing their work, for instance, Lidcombe TAFE does not have to employ gardeners.

Campbelltown council does not have to employ gardeners to plant trees either. All they have to do is find a compliant "work for the dole" provider to deliver unemployed labour. Courtesy of sharks like H and H (full name please), the Wesley Mission and the exploiters: schools, hospitals, parks, community centres etc receive bargain basement unemployed labour to carry out painting, carpentry, concreting, land-scaping and even nursing and teacher's aid work. For an extra ten dollars on top of normal dole payments - hardly enough to compensate us for the extra fares involved!

This is not job creation it is job destruction. The people whose work it normally is are deprived of their livelihood. Unemployed labour is being used to undermine working conditions so the work force, threatened with replacement by work for the dole "unemployed", will have to work harder for longer hours and with less pleasant working conditions. Does this provide jobs by making unemployed more employable?

A survey commissioned by ACOSS finds that it doesn't! Unemployed doing work for the dole are less likely to find employment and not more!

StandUp! Wants to know about your experiences on work for the dole. We want to raise many issues. The work that is demanded, the treatment by supervisors, whether you have been informed of your rights, whether there is adequate safety and any issue that you feel that is important to you.

We wish to build an ongoing campaign against work for the dole. To do this we must be visible so they can't deny we are angry about this blatant exploitation and sweep us under the carpet.

Come to our meetings, join our campaign, abolish work for the dole!!!

MTC MARRICKVILLE OLDER UNEMPLOYED REVOLT

Under current legislation, older unemployed do not have to do work for the dole we think no one should. But one job network agency has tried to bridge the gap by underhandedly trying to impose it on their clients over fifty.

They were all assembled and told that they were going to be offered "work experience" meaning each of them would do free labour for a boss for a number of weeks.

The unemployed weren't impressed. MTC were challenged on various areas.

Firstly they assured that there would be adequate insurance but this assurance was not that convincing, as they couldn't give details.

Secondly, they were forced to admit that they couldn't make it compulsory, as it wasn't CentreLink approved.

Thirdly they were forced to admit that the participants would not receive the ten dollars per week extra that normal work for the dole participants usually receive.

They had to admit that this scheme was voluntary so understandably, they didn't get many takers. We think that this was just one more desperate measure by a struggling job network agency desperate to show the authorities that they can get some sort of result which they need to guarantee continued operation for their agency.

The private job network agency system demands results and agencies will go to desperate lengths to get them - at our expense!

DEFEND CRAIG JHONSTON - JAILED FOR DEFENDING WORKERS RIGHTS.....

In 2001, Craig Johnson, then leader of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Manufacturing workers Union was charged along with others for taking militant action against Skilled Engineering, a dodgy company which takes advantage of those who find it difficult getting full time work.

Craig was defending older long term workers at a tile factory who were being displaced by part time workers provided by Skilled. Skilled was the first of the notorious labourhire companies who use part time workers to undermine the wages and conditions of full time workers. Initially, eighteen were charged.

This was reduced to six. Now the prosecutors are concentrating on Craig. He faces nine months jail for damage to property, affray and abusive language. The damage Craig did is minimal yet he is facing a long-term prison sentence. His real crime is militant unionism. His real crime is that he challenges Victoria's premier Steve Bracks cosy relationship with the bosses.

StandUp! Unconditionally defends Craig Johnston. We want him released unconditionally. Those who whine about "damage" should consider the damage companies like Skilled do to the lives of workers. Those who lost their jobs at Johnson Tiles will never be able to work again - especially as most bosses refuse to employ older workers.

StandUp! Wants unionists to fight in solidarity with the unemployed people, to defend us. Therefore we want militant unionists out of prison. We therefore urge every unemployed person and unionist to come to the defence of Craig and release him from prison! Together we can unite and fight the bosses offensive, which are attacking all of us.

StandUp! Is a social and unemployed activist grouping. We campaign against attacks on unemployed people (including all those on benefits) and for the right to a decent living for all! You are welcome to contact us by phoning 9599 1727 on Friday between 10am and 4pm or by coming to our meetings every second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 6pm South Sydney Leagues Club Charmers St Redfern.

By StandUp! News posted 13 September 04

standup@hotmail.com
Phone 95992717
Fridays Mobile 0423 670 417

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Out where the river broke. The blood wood and the desert oak. Holden wrecks and boiling diesels Steam in fourty-five degrees..

The Un-Australian: "Mark Latham bundled his young family into the car and drove about an hour from his home in Campbelltown, in Sydney's southwest, to Peter Garrett's house in the NSW southern highlands.

The weekend lunch in mid-February was the first opportunity the two men had to size each other up. Latham had heard the former Midnight Oil frontman and outspoken environmentalist might be interested in joining the Labor Party. Garrett was impressed with the energy of the new ALP leader.

It was a gathering that kick-started months of delicate behind-the-scenes manoeuvring and resulted in Garrett this week being handed the safe Sydney seat of Kingsford-Smith in a major pre-election coup for the ALP."

The time has come to say fair's fair. To pay the rent, to pay the share. The time has come a fact's a fact. It belongs to them let's give it back.

The Un-Australian: "But, despite the intense efforts of party officials, it almost didn't happen. Garrett has been flirting, on and off, with a political career from the time he ran as a Nuclear Disarmament Party candidate for the Senate in 1984 -- and was squeezed out by Labor preferences directed against him."

How can we dance when our earth is turning? How do we sleep while our beds are burning? How can we dance when our earth is turning? How do we sleep while our beds are burning?

The Un-Australian: "NSW Premier Bob Carr sounded out Garrett about a seat before last year's state election. Before Latham, Simon Crean had tried to recruit him. Senate Opposition leader and NSW Left powerbroker John Faulkner -- a key player in the defection of Cheryl Kernot to Labor from the Democrats -- also was working hard to get Garrett to Canberra.

But months before Latham and Garrett first met face to face, rank-and-file preselections had been completed across NSW. And none of the candidates would budge to make way for the man Latham described yesterday as a "tremendous asset" to the Labor Party.

"There was always a risk that this was going to be a mission unaccomplished," one ALP source said. Then came Laurie Brereton."

The time has come to say fair's fair. To pay the rent to pay the share, Four wheels scare the cockatoos From Kintyre East to Yuendemu. The western desert lives and Breathes in fourty-five degrees.

The Un-Australian: Brereton is the politician's politician, with a parliamentary career stretching back to the NSW parliament in 1970. Like Paul Keating, the mate he grew up with in the Labor Party, Brereton is astute, Machiavellian, and a key player in major political events, including Latham's elevation to the leadership.

The idea of Garrett as a Labor MP was not Brereton's, but he provided the opening. Brereton does nothing without calculation.

He looked at his options last year before deciding to renominate for another term."

The time has come to say fair's fair To pay the rent to pay the share The time has come a fact's a fact It belongs to them let's give it back

The Un-Australian: "It was a time when federal Labor was in the pits and all sorts of alternatives were being canvassed to Crean as leader - including Carr moving to Canberra. Brereton checked with Carr to see whether he wanted the seat, but Carr said no.

Another reason Brereton decided to run again was to make sure his arch enemy within the ALP, state secretary Eric Roozendaal, did not try to grab his seat.

It was Roozendaal who organised two years ago to move Brereton's sister, Deirdre Grusovin, out of her state seat of Heffron.

With Roozendaal subsequently taking a NSW upper house vacancy, Brereton decided it was safe to go."

How can we dance when our earth is turning? How do we sleep while our beds are burning? How can we dance when our earth is turning? How do we sleep while our beds are burning?

The Un-Australian: "To make sure Roozendaal would have no say in his successor, he waited until after last Friday's regular meeting of the NSW ALP's administrative committee - which has the power to take over preselections - before announcing his decision to his local branch members that night. It was a time of Brereton's choosing but it also was a huge favour for Latham.

Brereton's reward will come when Latham becomes prime minister, perhaps with a plum posting such as Australian ambassador to the United Nations in New York. But Latham maintains he was genuinely surprised when Brereton, his closest ally in parliament, rang to tell him of his decision.

That was Sunday night, May 30 - the night after Brereton's 58th birthday and five days before he broke the news to the Kingsford-Smith federal electorate council, and Roozendaal heard it on the Labor grapevine.

Among those who were surprised were the virtual Melbourne Cup field of local members and branch officials in Kingsford-Smith who have spent years lining up the numbers to replace him. It took only until Sunday's newspapers for the news to break that Latham wanted Garrett in the seat. The locals were outraged."

The time has come to say fair's fair. To pay the rent to pay the share. The time has come a fact's a fact. It belongs to them let's give it back

The Un-Australian: "By Monday, Latham had made a strong public endorsement of Garrett, effectively pinning his leadership on a decision that, as far as the prospective candidate was concerned, still was not final. "It was genuinely only in the last few days that Garrett made up his mind 100per cent," one ALP source said.

Garrett himself admitted yesterday that things really started moving only in the past week, and suggested he was wavering until the very end. "We have had some informal discussions but really it's only been in the past week that we have actually talked. It was difficult for me to make that decision," he said.

"I could've thought about the Greens, I could've stayed as president of the ACF, but I do want to make a contribution to the life of the nation and the only way I could do that effectively was by joining the Labor Party."

How can we dance when our earth is turning? How do we sleep while our beds are burning? How can we dance when our earth is turning? How do we sleep while our beds are burning?

The Un-Australian: "Not that he was in completely unfamiliar territory: his mother was a Labor supporter and as a boy he helped her hand out how-to-vote cards.

Garrett's recruitment is particularly valuable for the ALP at a time when the green vote is growing and the party desperately needs to attract back Left-leaning voters who deserted during the Tampa election of 2001.

Expect to see Garrett wheeled out as the ALP's election weapon in seats such as Cunningham in the NSW Illawarra region - which Labor lost to the Greens in a disastrous by-election. National Party seats such as Richmond in northern NSW, held narrowly by Larry Anthony, and Gippsland in eastern Victoria, held by Peter McGauran, are other possible targets.

Garrett is well aware of comparisons between his recruitment and that of Kernot, and has told officials he understands the need for solidarity in the Labor Party.

On Wednesday night, after the deal had been sealed, it was Garrett's turn to go to Latham's house.

The two men, as well as ALP national secretary Tim Gartrell, Faulkner and adviser David Britton, talked tactics over Thai takeaway. The next day was Latham and Garrett's first public appearance together.

Latham, new generation Labor leader, and Garrett, star recruit, will be spending a lot more time together in the lead-up to the federal election campaign.

Two years ago, Brereton fought tooth and nail to allow his sister to contest a ballot of ALP members in her electorate rather than have Roozendaal impose a candidate. Now he has stepped aside to allow Garrett to walk into his own seat without a local ballot. That's politics."

The time has come to say fair's fair. To pay the rent to pay the share. The time has come a fact's a fact It belongs to them let's give it back.

By Gregory Kable, The Oils and The Un-Australian Newspaper 11 June 04

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Refugee advocates look set to protest in Sydney this Easter instead of the Baxter detention centre near Port Augusta in South Australia's north.

Zimbardo on US Soldiers and Iraqi prisoners
My former colleague in the Psychology Department at Pace University in Pleasantville, NY forwarded this letter to me. It was distributed via the Social Psychology e-network. I think you will find it enlightening, and possibly disturbing, but I believe it is important information for us to be aware of.

Steve Stefanowicz: Adelaides new torturer!
Is the U.S. citizen Steve Stefanowicz going to be allowed to resume his working entry visa to Australia, given the revelations in the Weekend Australian May 8-9?

Hicks interrogator features in CBS broadcast
An American television program has broadcast an interview with a man who interrogated Australian terror suspect, [scapegoat for the Coalition of the Killing's resource war's in the Middle East], David Hicks at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

NSW health system 'in crisis'

The president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) says it will take more money and cooperation from all sectors of the community to fix what he has described as a crisis in the New South Wales health system.

AMA president Bill Glasson says a new report on the time it takes for patients to move from the emergency department into a general ward shows things are getting worse.

He says alleged cases of mistreatment at Camden and Campbelltown hospitals and funding shortfalls for the Westmead Children's hospital are further signs that current strategies are simply not working.

But Dr Glasson says extra money for hospitals is not the key to a solution.

"It will take extra funds, but I think it will also take a profession and a community and on behalf of the bureaucrats, a much smarter system, to make sure we try to address the needs of an ever-aging population and also a system that can deliver much more in the way of improved quality of care than we could 20 years ago," he said.

The Opposition's health spokesman, Barry O'Farrell, says with at least four separate investigations underway into the health system, the Government has shown it will not deal with the crisis as a whole.

"We have the very limited Walker Inquiry, we have a number of inquiries before the ICAC, which of course has no medical experience, we have the Coroner's Court undertaking some investigations, and we have the New South Wales police service," he said. "The allegations about the hospital system, about adverse patient care, are coming so thick and fast that it needs a system-wide response."

Health Minister Morris Iemma says he would not be surprised if more allegations emerge, but he as assured that any suspicious cases that are uncovered will be investigated. "New management teams, in the interests of transparency and getting to the bottom of what has happened at Camden [and] Campbelltown, are going through the files and sending off anything that raises an issue or causes a concern," he said.

"They'll be sending them off to the coroner or Walker or both."

By The Coroner 20 January 04

Related:

Dying to get to the Opera? Or the Hospital?
There is to be increased funding for security at the Sydney Opera House while people are dying trying to get into a hospital bed. In NSW you have more chance of being shot in the street so the priority should be hospitals not Opera Houses.

NSW Libs call for health royal commission
The New South Wales Opposition wants a royal commission into what it is calling a crisis in the state's health system after more revelations of patient deaths due to alleged malpractice.

NSW health complaints head rolls
The head of the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) Amanda Adrian has been sacked after a damning report into malpractice at two Sydney hospitals.

Nurses tell of 'malpractice' deaths
Whistleblower nurses claim there are hundreds more deaths from malpractice that warrant investigation at two south-western Sydney hospitals.

Nurses tell of 'malpractice' deaths

From left to right, Valerie Owen, Vanessa Brag, Sheree Martin, Nola Fraser and Yvonne Quinn

Whistleblower nurses claim there are hundreds more deaths from malpractice that warrant investigation at two south-western Sydney hospitals.

The New South Wales Government set up a special commission of inquiry to investigate suspect deaths at Camden and Campelltown hospitals.

An official inquiry into alleged malpractice at the two hospitals was today declared deficient and the head of the health watchdog sacked.

Nineteen patients' deaths have been referred to the coroner for investigation but whistleblower nurse Nola Fraser says it is the tip of the iceberg.

"In reality we're talking hundreds of deaths and thousands of cases of people who received gross negligence and gross mismanagement in their cases, and they're lucky to be alive today," she said.

The State Government has set up a special inquiry to investigate health care at both hospitals, but the Opposition and nurses are demanding it be broadened to examine claims of bullying by the former health minister.

Health Minister Morris Iemma is under pressure to comply after today praising the whistleblowers for pursuing their claims.

By Corrupt Government 11 December 03

THE DOG: Before you kick the watchdog sack Bob Carr and the former health minister Craig Knowles. These people were ultimately responsible for making sure more people died through lack of acknowledgment of whistleblowers complaints and for dictating to the Health Care Complaints Commission's policies and practices in order to shelve concerns bought by consumers to the Commission for political purposes.

What hope with reporters like ANGELA KAMPER and VIVA GOLDNER from the Daily Terror!

Do us favour, have babies and stay home and look after your own kids!

Daily Telegraph: Angela Kamper and Viva Goldner "What hope with parents like these."

"THEY went for a joyride and now will face court. But after three teenagers were stopped in a stolen car which led police on a two-hour chase across Sydney's west yesterday, their parents didn't seem too concerned."

But did these reporters have more time and no children to look after?

They go on to say, "One parent was telephoned and said they couldn't make it to the police station. "

Wow, everyone has time to visit the police station I suppose.

Most people would make it last on the list even if they got into trouble.

"Another said they didn't want to come at all."

Just like most of the population!

"The parents of the third child could not be contacted."

And that speaks for itself.

Instead the children aged 13, 14 and 15, were bailed and sent on their way.

It came after a police helicopter, the dog squad and a convoy of more than 20 cars followed the van until it was stopped at 4am yesterday.

The car was stolen at 10.30pm Easter Sunday.

They were dressed just like a thousand other teenagers in Sydney.

Too young to hold a drivers' licence, the ride came to an end when the stolen Toyota Tarago was stopped on Bringelly Rd, Rossmore, by road spikes the police laid.

They were arrested surrounded by a trail of highway patrol cars which had grown as the pursuit passed through suburbs from Seven Hills to Toongabbie, Blacktown, Penrith and Wallacia.

Police allege the teenagers took the car from the driveway of a house in Toongabbie.

The teenagers were taken to Green Valley station at 4am after the marathon pursuit.

They were charged with stealing and being a passenger in a stolen car.

Mum and dad were nowhere to be seen.

Police said the parents of the three children were contacted and asked to attend the station where the youths were held.

The youths went home with a local community worker.

The teenagers will appear in Campbelltown Children's court on May 26.

A number of young males have been killed following a series of high-speed chases involving stolen cars because police have chased them to their deaths.

In February a 19-year-old died instantly after crashing a stolen Holden Monaro into a tree in Campbelltown.

In December, a 20-year-old died when he crashed a stolen Subaru WRX in Camperdown at up to 130km/h.

In October an 18-year-old passenger died and two other teenagers were seriously injured when the stolen Subaru WRX Impreza they were travelling in crashed during a police pursuit at Rozelle.

A police spokesperson said the stolen vehicle was not driven at high speeds.

However, the chase was at one point terminated when police cars involved were not authorised to deploy road spikes.

Polair continued to track the van until they were given permission to resume the pursuit before the spikes were used.

Highway patrol cars set up roadblocks at several points along the M4 Motorway, and up to 20 vehicles were stationed when the tyres of the Tarago were deflated and the youths were finally apprehended.

By Mindyour Own Business 22 April 03

THE ONLOOKER: And its about time Polair did some real police work. Stop high speed police pursuits over 60 kilometers and save our children. Make Polair do real police work and track the vehicle when it has stopped.

Give up the chase and stay safe!