Indonesian Police Set Free After Torturing West Papuan Students to Death

If you thought Schapelle Corby got a raw deal from the Indonesian justice system, spare a thought for the West Papuan students who survived a vicious attack by police as they slept in their dormitories in Abepura, West Papua, in the early hours of 7 December 2000.

After nearly five years of waiting for the case to conclude, the students were in a Makassar court last week to hear judges hand down a "not guilty" verdict to two police officers accused of perpetrating the violence.

One West Papuan student was killed in the raid, two others later died as a result of beatings while in police custody, and over a hundred others were harassed or tortured in the attack. The case is the first to come before the Human Rights Court newly established under Law 26/2000, which, as an initiative was widely viewed as a positive step toward addressing Indonesia's appalling record on human rights.

However, the verdict sends an ominous message not only to West Papuans, but to all Indonesians, that Indonesia's legal system cannot be depended on to deliver justice, and is a reminder of the ongoing impunity of Indonesia's security forces.

Shortly after 1am on 7 December 2000 a group of unidentified persons attacked the Abepura police station. A policeman, Petrus Eppa, was killed in the melee. In a separate attack on the Autonomy Office in Abepura, a security officer, Markus Padama, was killed. Around 2:30am then police chief Daud Sihombing and then police superintendent Johny Wailan Usman ordered that the attackers be "hunted down".

The police launched a retaliatory attack against a group of mainly highland students who, according to subsequent investigations by a number of high profile legal aid and human rights associations, had nothing to do with either the attack on the police station or the attack on the Autonomy Office.

Over the following twenty-four hours, Brimob (Indonesia's mobile paramilitary police brigade) raided a series of nearby West Papuan student dormitories. Ninmin Hostel was the immediate target. The BTN Puskopad Abepura housing complex home to residents from Kotalima, Mamberano and West Wamena the Yapen Waropen hostel, and the Illaga University Students hostel, were also targeted by police.

One student, Elkius Suhuniap (male, 23-years-old) was fatally shot by police during the raids. Over a hundred others, including pregnant women and children, were rounded up by police and taken into police custody where they were systematically beaten, tortured and taunted with racist remarks.

One West Papuan student recalled the police beating him and spitting on him, saying "your mother eats pig and you have the brain of a pig " even with your college degree you won't get a job " You Papuans are stupid; stupid and yet you think you can be independent."

Two students, Ori Ndoronggi (male, 19-years-old) and Johny Karunggu (male, 20), died in police custody as a result of injuries sustained during torture. Another student, Agus Kabak (male, 19) was permanently incapacitated while a fourth student, Arnold Mundo Soklayo (male, 32), was crippled and later died in Jayapura as result of his injuries.

The students were tortured and beaten to death in the presence of Swiss journalist, Oswald Iten who had been arrested and detained previously for photographing an independence demonstration. The police told Iten that such violence was "normal" when a policeman had been killed.

Iten later wrote: "What I saw was unspeakably shocking. About half a dozen policemen were swinging their clubs at bodies lying on the floor and, oddly enough, they did not cry out; at most soft groans issued from them. After a few long seconds a guard saw me looking and struck his club against the bars of the cell block door.

I quickly went back to my usual spot, from where I could still see the clubs, staff and split bamboo whips at their work. Their ends were smeared with blood and blood sprayed the walls all the way up to the ceilings. Sometimes I saw the policemen hopping on the benches, continuing to strike blows from there or jumping back down on the bodies below."

Indonesia's national human rights commission, Komnas HAM, conducted an independent investigation into the attack. Twenty-five suspects were identified by the commission but only two were ultimately ordered to face trial by the Attorney General's Office. The Office gave no explanation why the remainder of suspects escaped prosecution. The two accused, however, were not arrested, and not only were they allowed to remain in their jobs, they were actually promoted. The Attorney General's Office obstructed investigations by the survivors legal team, and delayed the case well beyond the time limit stipulated by Law 26/2000 on Human Rights Courts.

When the court handed down their verdict last week, the survivors and their families broke into hysterics. One woman climbed onto a chair and yelled in disbelief that the judges had been unfair. In contrast, the group of Brimob soldiers who packed the courtroom cheered and started singing the Brimob anthem. Prominent Human rights defender, Todung Mulya Lubis, who is based in Jakarta, says the verdict will only add to Papuans feelings of alienation from the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.

Inside the court, representatives of Peace Brigades International accompanied the survivors, their families and friends, many of whom had received threatening phone calls and text messages or had been intimidated 'by persons unknown' in the lead up to the trial. Indonesian human rights advocates say they have been told by insiders that the judges involved in the case had been pressured by the authorities to deliver a not guilty verdict, and to refuse compensation to the survivors and their families. Also witnessing the proceedings were representatives of the European Union and the New Zealand and Canadian governments. No one from the Australian embassy was present.

Br. Budi Hernawan from the Catholic Office of Justice and Peace in Jaypura says "the Abepura verdict shows that human rights violations in West Papua are not taken seriously by the central government. The verdict demonstrates that there is no political will to deliver justice to the West Papuan people. The state is not even willing to protect the right to life for West Papuans."

The verdict was handed down just weeks after the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at Sydney University released a report on the human rights situation in West Papua entitled Genocide in West Papua? The role of the Indonesian Security Services Apparatus.

The report, which took four years to compile, details a systemic policy of human rights violations of West Papuans, including the burning of entire villages, extrajudicial killings, rape, and torture at the hand of the Indonesian security forces. Both the Indonesian and Howard government questioned the veracity of the findings.

Democrats Senator Natasha Stott Despoja spoke to the Genocide in West Papua? Report in parliament, urging the Australian government to pursue a relationship with Indonesia that is based on being honest and open, on having a mutual respect for human rights and on recognising dignity and the importance of human life. Senator Stott Despoja also called on the Australian government to revisit our role in the internationally discredited 1969 Act of Free Choice under which Indonesia seized control of West Papua. Greens Senator Bob Brown then put forward a motion that notes the release of the report and calls on the Australian Government to investigate the claims in the report and report back to the Senate. Senator Brown's motion was opposed by Labor.

In recent years human rights violations in West Papua have steadily worsened. Jakarta's inconsistent policies, military operations,unwillingness to fully implement Special Autonomy legislations for the province, moves to partition the province into two, and lack of political will to address the core causes of the conflict, have all made matters worse. Jakarta now plans to send military forces withdrawn from Aceh to West Papua, where a new military command will be established.

The increase in troop numbers shows the central government's fear of the nonviolent movement that is challenging Jakarta's legitimacy and whose grievances are beginning to capture the attention of a growing transnational moral community.

The brutality of the Abepura case illustrates the gravity of the dire human rights situation in West Papua. Last week's verdict will only fuel West Papuan nationalism and strengthen West Papuans determination to be free from what is widely considered by West Papuans to be an illegal and illegitimate colonial occupation by Indonesia.

It's not hard to understand why. And Jakarta only has itself to blame.

Alex Rayfield is a researcher and activist working with the Australian West Papua Association.

WWW.FREEWESTPAPUA.COM

Indonesia: Do you even think of us Papuans as human beings?
By West Papua posted 16 September 05

As Indonesian police get acquitted for murder and brutality again, what are you going to do in Australia to stop the Genocide on our next door neighbour?

Dear all friends around the world,

Please distribute my statement all over world and to the Indonesian embassy nearest you.

Let the world know what the Indonesian government is doing to my people today.

BW

Indonesia: Do you even think of us Papuans as human beings?
Statement by Benny Wenda, Oxford, England. 12 September 2005

Have you seen photos of the bruised and battered faces of my people, kicked and beaten by Indonesian Police in their student hostel in Abepura in December 2000? I didn't just see photos.

I saw some of my brothers and sisters with my own eyes. Their faces were so mangled I could hardly recognise them. I saw their blood mixed with their tears. I also spent time with the families crying for their loved ones murdered by the Police on that horrible day.

Now Indonesia has added yet another injustice and insult to my people. Over the past few days we Papuans have heard that Indonesia's so-called justice system has acquitted the two senior Indonesian police officers responsible for the Abepura massacre because the brutal killing of three unarmed Papuans (two while already in police custody) and the cruel beating of at least 99 other innocent Papuan students do not meet the necessary criteria for "gross human rights violations".

Amnesty International has issued this strong condemnation, which the world's democracies must listen to:

"Today's verdict means that not a single member of Indonesia's security forces has been convicted of these horrific crimes after nearly five years of investigations and legal proceedings. The verdict also denied victims any compensation.

Despite the Indonesian government's overtures of reform and the establishment of Human Rights Courts, this verdict sends an alarming message to the victims of grave human rights abuses.

These failures to deliver justice and combat impunity illustrate both a flawed system and a lack of political will, which sets an extremely worrying precedent for other cases of grave human rights violations currently under investigation.

Today's verdict also risks giving a green light to future human rights violations by the Indonesian security forces."

When the judge announced the verdicts, my people cried with anger. At the same time, Indonesian police in the court room cheered the two criminal policemen and sang marching songs with contempt for the suffering of the Papuan people.

Surely Indonesia can never think that we Papuans will ever want to be part of Indonesia? Indonesia: Do you even think of us Papuans as human beings? We have seen during 42 years of illegal occupation that Papuan lives mean nothing to Indonesia. We know that Indonesia just wants our land, our trees, our gold and our oil but not us human beings.

We Papuans know that full independence is the only sure way to save us from Indonesian colonial greed and the annihilation of the Papuans as a people.

The name 'Abepura' should be known as the site of one of our Papuan universities, training my people for their futures in a Free West Papua, but Indonesia has made Abepura infamous around the world as a place of Indonesian state violence and contempt for the Papuan people. But Indonesia has made another big mistake. By letting these two police criminals go free, Indonesia has put into all our Papuan hearts an even greater yearning for FREEDOM.

God Bless our struggle. Papua Merdeka!

Benny Wenda
Chair of DeMMaK (The Koteka Tribal Assembly)
International Lobbyist in the UK for a Free West Papua
PO Box 1409 Oxford OX4 1UN England UK
Mobile: +44 (0) 7791629782
Email: bwe-@infopapua.org
Web: Web:
Richard Samuelson
Free West Papua Campaign
Oxford, U.K.
E-Mail: samo-@aol.com
Tel: +44 (0)1865 241200

By Alex Rayfield posted 15 September 05

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On page19 of the BRISBANE "SUNDAY MAIL" there was an article entitled "CORBY VIDEO HELP REBUFFED". IF it is true, (the article which follows) it PROVES (IN LAW) the claim that OUR GOVERNMENT HAVE WITH-HELD EVIDENCE FROM THE LEGAL DEFENCE OF A CITIZEN.

It was me! 'New Corby trial'
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Corby lawyer pleads for Australian help
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POSSESSION? OR INVASION?
UK: This absolutely preposterous idea/theory of allowing a person/s to be possibly charged with 'possession', if found to have a drug substance within their bloodstream, just goes to prove such hypocrisies which certain hierarchies feel justifies passing legislation, is another blow for democracy!

PLANNING TO TRAVEL OVERSEAS? BEFORE YOU GO, READ THIS!
Currently, 214 Australian citizens are languishing in prisons around the world. The majority of these having been convicted of drug-related crimes.

Study links student debt to tax evasion

UK: Graduates with student loan debts are more likely to become tax evaders later in life - particularly if they don't feel their degree course was very good - Australian research suggests.

Australia was a key model for the tuition fees and loans introduced at English universities and its Higher Education Contributions Scheme (Hecs) is well established.

In a study of the taxpaying habits of 447 recent Australian graduates, Eliza Ahmed and Valerie Braithwaite of the Australian National University were surprised to find that a student's dissatisfaction with their university course played a key role in directly triggering tax evasion.

"When graduates did not feel that they had received quality training for their investment, this discontent was expressed through shamelessness about not paying Hecs and willingness to evade tax," they said in a study published this week.

One graduate told them: "I think that Hecs should only be repaid if the education received has been of value in gaining employment".

Another complained: "The one thing that I did find annoying was paying Hecs for one or two units where the tutors were hopeless and basically didn't teach us much at all. I realise it is more the responsibility of the universities to ensure that their tutors are competent, but it is in cases like this that people resent having to pay Hecs, that is, when they didn't learn anything new."

Loss of future tax revenue as a knock-on effect of student loans would be bad news for the chancellor. The UK government is already collecting student loan repayments via the tax system and intends to collect billions of pounds from graduates in years to come.

While there have been vocal protests about top-up fees, both ministers and opponents have assumed that collecting the money in this way will be efficient and reliable.

And in one important respect the UK government is more vulnerable than the Australian authorities to graduate tax evasion because it is faced with collecting repayments from graduates throughout the European Union who are entitled to the same loans as students in England.

The Australian researchers found graduates repaying student loans were more likely to evade taxes by being paid cash in hand, exaggerating the deductions or rebates they were entitled to, or not reporting all the money they earned.

Some of the graduates argued that the Hecs scheme was socially unjust as justification for avoiding payment. Australian families have the option of paying contributions upfront but this is not practical for poor families and one graduate pointed out that this puts them behind when they begin work. They added: "When you start working (often on a low wage) there are a number of debts you face. Adding Hecs makes it all the more difficult. I was repaying Hecs as a sales assistant because the rate was lowered to $21,000."

Another told the researchers: "The government should realise that investing in tertiary education is investing in the country's future. By raising fees, introducing up-front fees ... they are encouraging people not to study and not to help educate the country. Education should be free, after all people in the army get paid to be educated!"

These are familiar arguments in the UK too and Drs Ahmed and Braithwaite warn that the legitimacy of the tax system and the legitimacy of higher education institutions are interconnected.

"If universities are unable to provide quality tuition at affordable prices for all those who wish to pursue tertiary education, then a new generation of taxpayers will be entering the labour force with a negative attitude not only to their university experiences, but also to the government and the tax system.

"Most importantly, universities and government need to work cooperatively in working out their differences and responsibilities. Through blaming each other, and allowing perceived injustice to fester and spread, they are damaging the system that supports them both," they conclude.

By Donald MacLeod posted 24 August 05

Global Alliance for Justice Education: Regional Conference

We are writing to you as a member of Global Alliance for Justice Education (Australasia) to determine the interest in a regional conference to be held during 2006.

Background to GAJE

Global Alliance for Justice Education (GAJE) (Australasia) is part of a worldwide organisation which brings together legal academics, law students, jurists, advocates and legal practitioners from around the world with the common goal of achieving justice through legal education. More information on GAJE can be found on its website.

Aims of a GAJE Regional Conference

There exists significant research and activity on social justice and legal issues in the Asia-Pacific region. However what is lacking is the opportunity for advocates, lawyers, students and communities to connect over these issues and develop new ways of working together. A GAJE regional conference can provide a forum where crucial issues can be discussed from a legal and social justice perspective.

We are currently in the early stages of planning and would greatly appreciate any thoughts you may have on possible conference themes. If you could complete the attached questionnaire and return it to us as soon as possible, that would be of tremendous benefit.

If you would like more information or have any questions, please feel free to contact us at the Kingsford Legal Centre
Phone: +61 2 93986366 (Monday) or (Wednesday)
Email: a.hartree@unsw.edu.au

Yours sincerely

Anna Hartree Tina Lian & Melissa Chu
KLC Coordinator Student law clerks

GAJE REGIONAL CONFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Would you be interested in attending a regional GAJE conference? Yes / No

2. Are you able to assist with the organisation of a regional GAJE conference?
Yes / No

3. If you have attended previous GAJE Conferences, please provide us with some feedback. (e.g. strengths and weaknesses)
___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

4. What important social justice issues in the Asia Pacific region do you think
could be the themes for a regional conference? Eg
a. Immigration _________
b. Refugees _________
c. Anti-terrorism _________
d. Environment _________
e. HIV/AIDS _________
f. Womens rights -Violence against women _________
g. Indigenous justice _________
h. Taxation reform _________
i. Regional governance _________
j. Social security and welfare _________
k. Globalisation _________
l. Peace and security _________
m. Economic empowerment _________
n. Changing role of women _________
o. Other _______________________ _________

Please indicate your preference in the order of 1-5.

5. If a Conference was to be organised with a focus on the areas you have indicated above as your important issues, would you be interested to participate?
Yes / No

6. What would like to participate in during a Regional GAJE conference? (eg training, networking, debate and discussion, key note speakers
_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

7. Please provide contact details of any other individuals or organisations who may interested in attending a regional conference?
_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

8. Please indicate your preference for the location of the conference
a. Sydney _________
b. Melbourne _________
c. Brisbane _________
d. No preference _________
e. Other _________

9. Would you require assistance with any of the following to attend the conference:

a. Accommodation expenses Yes/ No
b. Travel expenses Yes/ No
c. Details of other assistance ________________________________

10. Any other comments?
_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

By Anna Hartree, Tina Lian, Melissa Chu posted 26 April 05

Student Arrested For Terroristic Threatening

Student says, "Incident A Misunder-standing."

US: CLARK COUNTY: A George Rogers Clark High School junior arrested last Tuesday for making terrorist threats said Thursday that the "writings" that got him arrested are being taken out of context.

Winchester police say William Poole, 18, was taken into custody last Tuesday morning. Investigators say they discovered materials at Poole's home that outline possible acts of violence aimed at students, teachers, and police.

Poole said that the whole incident is a big misunderstanding. He claims that what his grandparents found in his journal and turned into police was a short story he wrote for English class.

"My story is based on fiction," said Poole, who faces a second-degree felony terrorist threatening charge. "It's a fake story. I made it up. I've been working on one of my short stories, (and) the short story they found was about zombies. Yes, it did say a high school. It was about a high school over ran by zombies."

Even so, police say the nature of the story makes it a felony. "Anytime you make any threat or possess matter involving a school or function it's a felony in the state of Kentucky," said Winchester Police detective Steven Caudill?

Poole disputes that he was threatening anyone.

"It didn't mention nobody who lives in Clark County, didn't mention (George Rogers Clark High School), didn't mention no principal or cops, nothing," said Poole. "Half the people at high school know me. They know I'm not that stupid, that crazy."

Last Thursday, a judge raised Poole's bond from one to five thousand dollars after prosecutors requested it, citing the seriousness of the charge?

Poole is being held at the Clark County Detention Center?

By Voodoo Priest posted 21 March 05

Picture: Zombies

A zombie is a corpse that has been brought back to life by a voodoo priest. Usually they are created as an act of revenge, but are often made as cheap and uncomplaining labor. They can only move around at night and must return to their graves before sunrise. Once a corpse has become a zombie their only way out of this state is to taste salt. Once they are aware of their fate, they will return to the grave forever.

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Would-be nurses miss out on uni places, Labor says

The Federal Opposition says thousands of students are missing out on nursing degrees because the Government has not funded enough university places.

Labor's education spokeswoman Jenny Macklin says some universities are reporting strong demand for nursing places that they are unable to meet.

Ms Macklin says one university in Sydney received more than 3,000 for about 560 places.

She says the nation is suffering from a critical shortage of nurses.

"It's an ageing profession, there's already a shortage of nurses and unless we substantially increase the number of places to educate more nurses we're going to have a bigger crisis in the future," she said.

"We need to act right now to take more students into our universities, students who want to be nurses, [to] educate them so that we can get them into our hospitals."

By Sick 4 February 05

Uni chiefs see no point in Nelson's plan

The Australian Vice Chancellor's Committee says it does not see the point of putting the regulation of universities solely in the hands of the Federal Government.

Education Minister Brendan Nelson is proposing that the states and territories hand control of Australia's universities to the Commonwealth.

Dr Nelson says there would be less bureaucracy and red tape for universities if they were regulated solely by the Federal Government.

But the chief executive officer of the committee, John Mullarvey, says the Federal Government's recent changes to the sector showed otherwise.

"Unlike what the Government said it would do, and that is it said it would reduce red tape, it has increased red tape through the crossroads review," he said.

There's no guarantee that by moving it under federal legislation there would be a reduction in the red tape."

Mr Mullarvey says vice-chancellors are not convinced that the plan offers any benefits to universities.

"We welcome the debate on this issue, but I'd have to say at the outset we're not convinced that there is any real benefit in it for the university sector, or for the students, or the broader Australian community, from proposing this change," he said.

Funding

Dr Nelson says he would not expect the states to withdraw the $200 million they spend on universities if they were brought under the Commonwealth's control.

"I would be surprised if any of the states were to retreat from what they currently invest in universities," he said.

But Queensland Premier Peter Beattie is not impressed.

"Fee increases of up to 25 per cent putting unis out of reach of some students, why would we hand over these important institutions to the Commonwealth?" he said.

Dr Nelson says the states will not be forced to accept the plan.

Labor's education spokeswoman, Jenny Macklin, says centralising control of universities will not solve the more pressing problems facing universities.

"Right now we have about 20,000 qualified people who can't get into to Australia's universities," she said.

"Brendan Nelson's proposals won't do anything to create more places at our universities for those students who want to continue their education."

By Educate Don't Incarcerate 20 December 04

A Call to Action: re election of John HoWARd?

I am fed up with the political apathy of the majority of Australians and depressed about the outcome of the election. I need to do something about it. Does anyone want to help me.

My name is Mimi Zilliacus, I am a student studying history and politics at the University of New South Wales in Australia. Today I am very depressed. Yesterday my fellow citizens re-elected, [war criminal], John Howard, a man who has lied to the Australian people on numerous occasions on issues of much more importance than his sex life.

Why you might ask would the Australian people want this man back in Parliament? Well that's a very good question. The reason is the money.

He has claimed to be responsible for the growth in the economy and for lower interest rates, and on top of that he has promised to bring in tax cuts for a select few. What the general public fails to understand is that the growth in the economy and interest rates are also dependent on what is going on in the global market place. They fail to see that a "free trade" agreement with the US is going "F" us over, we will be the underdogs and America will be free to benefit at great costs to us, the Australian people.

I believe in human rights and that Australia should be fulfilling its obligations under international law. I believe that war is never going to create less of a terrorist threat, it creates more. I believe that Australia should not be stealing oil from a country which has risked so much to become democratic and which is struggling to re-build itself.

I believe that there is no justification for locking up children. I believe that these things are more important than the state of the economy.

Prior to the election I went to a rally against the lies of the Howard government. It was fantastic, 7,000 people marched through the streets of Sydney. There was a great atmosphere. I don't know anyone who voted for Howard. And here in lies the point, we need to find a way to educate the masses, those people who didn't go to the rally, and don't go to any rallies.

The cab drivers, labourers, and ordinary Australians who are just trying to make a living and don't really care, or don't have the time to care, about international politics. Those who read only main stream media and believe what they read. We need to be able to communicate to them; to say to them we are not all a bunch of tree hugging hippies and actually what happens in international politics does affect their everyday lives.

That in the broader perspective a tax cut and lower interest rates are not going to help when we no longer have free health care. The cost of medicines triples, our pharmaceutical and agricultural industries cannot compete with America, even in our own backyard. And when only the elite can afford to go to university.  

Actually the cost of mandatory detention is far greater than any other alternative. Even if every one who is currently in a detention centre were in the community and being given welfare, [social services], it would still cost less than detention.

I need to do something, but at the moment I don't know what to do, I feel powerless, but there has to be something that I can do. Got any ideas? I am not sure who I am going to send this to, but to anyone who wants to help me all assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Australia is supposed to be a democracy but democracy doesn't work without a well-informed public. With this in mind I want help to come up with a way to educate the public, and especially those people who see "left" as being a bad thing. Because I cannot live through another three years of Howard without some hope that we can change things, and because I think that this is a similar problem in many other countries.

By Mimi Zilliacus 12 October 04

Anyone who wants to help me combat the political apathy of this country please contact me via my email address: z3128807@student.unsw.edu.au.

COMMENTS:

Subversion
We need to up the frequency of graffiti, street art, billboard improvements and so on. We need messages where people will see them. that's just one idea.

Reform the Senate
There is no point to a complete over haul of government, but there is change that would make all the difference to how the government behaves. It is time we rearranged the SENATE, or upper house. The elected senators should be independent of all and any political party that inhabits the House of Representatives, or Lower house.

These Senators must plead allegiance to the people who elected them, or sign a contact of service to the people. They need to posses the relevant qualifications to assess, on its merits, each bill presented by the lower house in regard to the public benefit. People, who have been nothing but politicians all their life, are not qualified for this task, as they will vote for a bill to benefit the party, not the people. The Senate then becomes a real house of review, not the rubber stamp it currently is. It would also be able to launch truly independent inquiries into government business when the need arose, rather than the white wash institute it is now. Then the public has a real chance of being informed of the whole story, not the selective government version.

As it stands now, there is no point to these expensive, time consuming PR exercises that produce findings like "We were wrong about the intelligence, but we did the right thing". The people cannot make informed choices when this is what they get for information. The Senate must also be empowered to penalize or to demand dismissal for Ministers who act in breech of the Law, Australian Constitution, International law, the Geneva Conventions or any other Laws or treaties we are signatory to. Our Governments must be accountable to a truly INDEPENDENT Senate, with the powers I have outlined. That is how a real Democracy functions. The only people, who would object and obstruct the transition to a reformed Senate, would be the sitting government.

Pythagoras of Samos: Born: about 569 BC in Samos, Ionia Died: about 475 BC.....Pythagoras of Samos is often described as the first pure mathematician.

Pythagoras said, "we are all chained together looking forward." One day when we break free from those chains we will notice that, "what we are looking forward to was actually what was projected from behind us", all the days of our life, that is "unless we break free from our chains". Why do I tell you this?

Because it appears that only after people have been "directly affected" in other words "broken free from their chains" that the political landscape will as well. And it seems the more people who are directly affected the more it will change.

Some people have not had to change because they have not been affected.

A cause worth fighting for
If you want people to transform the world they need to know that their dreams - and not that of some politician - can shape that transformation. "Any revolutionary who is to be counted on can only be in it for himself (sic)...." Disarm Authority, Arm Your Desires!

Related:

Nervous wait for SA candidates
Democrats leader Meg Lees was not re-elected and counting is continuing to determine her replacement. Several marginal seats in South Australia remain in limbo today, as the counting of postal and pre-poll votes continues. Labor leads in Adelaide, Hindmarsh, and Kingston have been whittled away slightly, while in Makin and Wakefield, the Liberals are in front and confident of victory.

Greens hopeful of gaining more Senate seats
Greens leader Bob Brown believes that with preferences his party could win more seats in the Senate following Saturday's election.

War criminal Howard govt eyes control of Senate
War criminal Prime Minister John Howard "the rodent type" has begun his fourth term in office with a quiet day in Sydney after the Coalition's victory in the federal election.

Minor party could decide two NSW seats
The preferences of the minor party, Liberals For Forests, could play a part in the Federal Government losing two seats in New South Wales that remain in doubt.

Lennon says policy to blame for Tasmanian losses
Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon says Federal Opposition Leader Mark Latham knew all along that the ALP's forestry package was a "high risk strategy" when it came to its potential effect on five Tasmanian seats.

Neo Liberal Coalition holds off on Family First talks
Federal Treasurer, [war criminal], Peter Costello says the Coalition will not hold talks with the Family First party until counting is completed in the federal election.

Nothing will save us from gullibility and greedy self-interest
A small book turned up last week entitled How to Kill a Country. It was written by three Sydney academics about our "free trade" deal with the United States.

Prospect of Family First senator
1) The ABC's Antony Green is not taking for granted a three (3) Liberal Senators outcome for SA.

REPORT: AUSTRALIAN PRISONERS' ELECTION NEWSPAPER
There was high drama as the only state prisons department in Australia to refuse The Australian Prisoners' Election Newspaper, was challenged in an emergency hearing before the NSW Supreme Court.

Australia Must Change Nation: Community
Federal Opposition Leader Mark Latham is entitled to raise comments about what Prime Minister John Howard the "rodent type" made in relation to Asian migrants 14 years ago because the Coalition has been campaigned on his past.

Union tells workers not to abandon Labor
TOGETHER UNITED, WE'LL NEVER BE DEFEATED!!! Tasmania's main union body has implored the state's blue-collar workers not to abandon Labor in tomorrow's federal election. Unions Tasmania's secretary Lynne Fitzgerald says workers should not be seduced by the Coalition's forestry policy, which she describes as a "con".

ALP ahead thanks to the Greens
Liberals chances of victory tomorrow slipped away as a desperate John Howard continued to play the rat card after weeks of what Mark Latham describes as false advertising and lies about the history of his political career.

Howard's Tasmanian Chainsaw Massacre
JOHN Howard yesterday promised to lock up an extra 170,000ha of old growth forest in Tasmania, a pledge he claimed would not result in one job being lost. Releasing his long-awaited policy to a timber worker rally in Launceston, the nervous Howard was soon bowled over when he received a rousing applause from more than a 1000 chainsaws.

Villawood detainees go on hunger strike
A refugee advocacy group says up to 200 detainees at the Villawood Detention Centre, in Sydney, have begun a hunger strike to draw attention to their situation ahead of the federal election.

Afghan children lose High Court battle against detention
Lawyers have lost their constitutional challenge to the detention of four children at a South Australian immigration centre. Four siblings from Afghanistan, aged between seven and 15, have been in detention since they arrived in Australia in 2001.

HOWARD NO REMORSE!
Australian caretaker Prime Minister, [war criminal], John Howard 'a rodent type' does not need to apologise for the illegal and degrading war in Iraq despite a new report that has found Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction at the time of the US-led invasion.

Nothing fair about more lies, fear, terror and war!
Who's going to be sacrificed? for HoWARd's illegal and degrading war in Iraq and Australia's current foreign policies that are morally bankrupt?

Allies 'planned' Iraq war despite denials
The United States, Australia and Britain started to plan the invasion of Iraq months before the conflict, according to a report Wednesday quoting a leaked Pentagon document.

Critics attack Howard's forests policy
Caretaker Prime Minister John Howard's "the rodent type" announcement that a re-elected Coalition government would protect an additional 170,000 hectares of Tasmania's old growth forests has been criticised by unions, environmentalists, the Greens and a pro-logging member of the Labor Party.

GREEN REVOLUTION, REVOLUTION THINK!
Federal ALP''s Leader Mark Latham's forest policy with a promise to protect Tasmania's old growth forests and rainforest is a revolution. REVOLUTION THINK?

If crime don't pay, why is John Howard still in Canberra?
When Labor and the Liberals took away many prisoner's right to vote. The Greens stood up for your rights.

'Medicare Gold' policy needs examination: Democrats
But leader Andrew Bartlett says his party would look closely at the detail if the plan reaches the Senate to make sure it delivers benefits to the public rather than the private health insurance industry.

Medicare Gold is fully funded: Latham
The federal Labor leader has hit the airwaves this morning to sell his plan to provide free hospital care for every Australian over the age of 75.

Allies 'planned' Iraq war despite denials
The United States, Australia and Britain started to plan the invasion of Iraq months before the conflict, according to a report Wednesday quoting a leaked Pentagon document.

Potent strike into Howard's heartland before it's too late!
HOPE, urgency and Medicare Gold constitute Mark Latham's now formidable assault on The Lodge. In his first campaign launch Latham has unveiled a mega-initiative -- free hospital treatment, public or private, for all Australians aged 75 and over.

Pension claims valid: Opposition
The Federal Governments secret agenda to cut pensions, including the disability and single parent payments while 'spending billions on military hardware' is just too much for most disabled people to accept.

Poverty cycle must be addressed: Ridgeway
The Democrats' Aden Ridgeway says Prime Minister John Howard should stop beating up on people who are on welfare, and focus on solving the national Indigenous unemployment rate.

Democrats to keep up pressure over asylum seekers
The Australian Democrats will maintain their pressure on the next federal government over Australia's treatment of asylum seekers, if the party can retain its strength in the Senate.

AUSTRALIA: VOTING PREFERENCES
Greens Senator Kerry Nettel's reasoning: A vote for Labor or the Democrats in the Senate is now potentially a vote for right-wing Christian candidates is beyond rhetoric.

Glenn Million: Why Neo-liberals are set to implode (again)
AS if the Neo-Liberal Coalition didn't have enough trouble. A quick re-cap: under John Howard they embrace a GST - a move that eventually forces the Democrats and Greens against him. That's followed by a collective act of dictatorship they jail Pauline Hanson. They dump One Nation leaders in jail - as racist, unworthy and flawed - but above all criminal, right at the time when the Liberal party is running to the last election, and desperate to stay in power.

TIME TO GO JOHN SYDNEY PREMIERE...
I hope fully that some of you can make it to the Sydney premiere of TIME TO GO JOHN, 15 X 5min films by filmmakers from around the country Fabio & I produced A MOMENT OF SHAME, one of the segments. Hope to see you Wed night Sept 29th at 7.30pm.

THE HILLSONG'S ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF 'NEO-LIBERALISM'
The Hill-Songs Church are alive with the sound of neo-liberalism. With songs they have sung for for the Federal Election....

Community demands Ruddock voted out!
Caretaker Attorney General, war criminal, Phillip Ruddock should have his portfolio seized by the community who have declared he has links to terror group the Neo-Liberal Coalition.

Hill primed for war!
Australian Caretaker Defence Minister Robert Hill has announced a multi-million dollar upgrade of the Pearce Air Force base in Western Australia. Hill says $87 million would be spent on a major upgrade of the base, which is Australia's main flying training facility.

Annan tells world leaders to respect law
United Nations (UN) secretary-general Kofi Annan has made an impassioned plea to bring about the rule of law across the globe today. Mr Annan told world leaders to respect international law at home and abroad.

CO-OFFENDERS DO NOT REBUFF UN ON 'ILLEGAL WAR'
The 'coalition of the killing's' complicities - the US, Britain and Australia - have insisted that their countries' military action in Iraq was legal after they have committed war crimes against humanity.

Iraq war illegal, says Annan
United Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan says the United States decision to invade Iraq in March 2003 was "illegal". Australia was a key supporter of the war on Iraq and sent troops to join the United States-led invasion last year.

Opp calls for Cooperation: Rudd
Imron Cotan says 10 ambassadors and High Commissioners from South East Asian nations were told comments by Prime Minister John Howard about pre-emptive strikes were part of an internal debate and the idea was still being developed?

Defence people need to vote for the Greens
Caretaker Prime Minister John Howard will today unveil a plan to step up the fight against terrorism in the region, using specialist teams of Australian Federal Police (AFP) that could be sent to work in neighbouring countries.

Australia will not Save Your Soul
The Federal Government will not Save Australian Soul's? Even if you're an innocent bystander caught up in it. Despite a group claiming to have kidnapped two Australian security guards? The alleged group, which allegedly calls itself the Horror Brigades of the Islamic Secret Army, allegedly has given the Prime Minister John Howard 24 hours to end Australia's involvement in Iraq.

Trust John Howard like you can trust George Bush...
Once again Prime Minister John Howard unleashed his "politics of fear" to win his election campaign trying to scare ratepayers.

Apologise to children abused in care: report
A Senate report on children placed in institutional care has called for the Federal Government to apologise to those who were harmed by their experience.

Costello, Howard's Disciple
JOHN HOWARD AND PETER Costello lost their vision for Australia from the time they were elected and embarked on a vision for the neo-Liberals.

Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel?
Well praise the Lord the light is Hell bent here on Peter Costello, treasurer of the Howard Government who now has his own "flock" of onward Christian Soldiers.

Gillard stirs Liberal leadership pot
The federal Labor Party claims Peter Costello has relaunched his leadership bid, after the Treasurer gave a wide-ranging interview outlining his support for an Australian republic.

Australian Govt human rights record 'worsening'
Community groups have given the Federal Government five out of ten for its record on human rights this year. Mr Purcell said the Government was also marked down because of the policy of holding children in immigration detention centres.

Australian Federal Government complicity in war crimes
Complaint to Australian law officers about Australian Federal Government complicity in war crimes.

Don't rock the Boat Howard!
PRIME Minister John Howard today denied the children overboard affair had swayed the 2001 election? Mr Howard has spent the week defending himself against claims he had been informed that nobody in Defence believed children had been thrown overboard by asylum seekers.

Australia an unfair nation, say young and all!
Young people and older people think Australia is undemocratic and unfair. Young people cite their teachers as having the greatest influence on their political thinking, according to a provocative new national survey funded by the Government. Older people cite "injustice" amongst other things as a "bent legal system" favouring hi profiled superstars, corporations and politicians.

HOWARD'S LIE DETECTOR TEST
But most voters have already decided that former ministerial adviser Mike Scrafton has contradicted Mr Howard's recollection of conversations just days before the 2001 election and says he has been vindicated by a lie detector test.

Not happy, John
Valder's alarm whistle effort 'let love be thy weapon' indeed Prime Minister John Howard is also the subject of a stinging attack in a Sunday feature this week, from the man who first engineered his ascent to the Liberal leadership in the mid-1980s former party president John Valder.

Howard 'unfit to lead'
The Federal Opposition says John Howard is not fit to be Prime Minister after new revelations about the children overboard affair.

Howard's war crimes, Turnbull, at least he's honest
HIGH-profile Liberal candidate Malcolm Turnbull has told voters the Iraq invasion was "an unadulterated error".

Alexanda Downer guilty of war crimes!
The agreement for going to war on Iraq carried with it and incentive and that was free trade with the US. The Howard Government knew about it and went along with it with the US under the guise of Iraq's WMDs. In criminal law this is commonly know as collusion to commit a crime.

John Howard's war crimes blameworthy
General Peter Gration is the spokesman for a group of 43 ex-military leaders, diplomats and departmental heads who have criticised the Government, saying involvement in Iraq has put Australia at greater risk of a terrorist attack.

Auditor Generals damning defence report
The Defence Department computer system upgrade has cost Australia tens of millions of dollars in a gigantic bungle, according to the Federal Opposition. The Commonwealth auditor-general has issued a damning report into the project.

Court reserves decision on 'no war' protest appeal
Two men have asked the Court of Criminal Appeal to accept that they painted "NO WAR" on the Sydney Opera House, to defend people in Iraq and Australia from war.

PM's Fox Defence? Less the evidence?
The Fox went out on a chilly night. He prayed for the moon to give him light. For he had many a mile to go that night....

Australians to be sacrificed: Howard
Howard vowed hostages wouldn't sway policy? The Federal Government say they would not negotiate with terrorists if an Australian were taken hostage in Iraq.

PM Howard Morally Bankrupt
Prime Minister John Howard insists the war in Iraq was justified despite his British counterpart Tony Blair's concession that weapons of mass destruction might never be found.

Howard 'should be tried for war crimes'
Former Liberal Party federal president John Valder says Prime Minister John Howard should be tried and punished for war crimes over Australia's involvement in the Iraq conflict.

Troop deployment not a deepening of effort: Hill
Deploying an extra 30 troops to Iraq was not a deepening of Australia's involvement because they were being sent to protect those already there, Defence Minister Robert Hill said yesterday.

War on terrorism' could take a generation: Downer?
Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer has launched the Government's terrorism white paper, saying the "war" could take a generation.

JUDGEMENT: HOWARD'S WAR CRIMES
Howard Vs Regina in Canberra the Capital Territory of Australia- Friday January 30 2004.

'FACTOPHOBIA' HOWARD, BLAIR AND BUSH
Well think about this! Australia's intelligence agencies look set to receive a substantial funding boost in this year's Federal Budget, with the Prime Minister saying it is an obvious step to take.

Howard, where's your head at?
Australians living on the edge! Seems each time the bombs go off overseas Australians are living on the edge.

Should John Howard be locked up indefinitely?
Australian convicted mock terrorist John Howard is seriously considering appealing the precise time limit on detaining terrorist suspects.

Daily Terror rolled-over for Howard's war games
The DAILY TERROR is suspected of being the source of the news this morning that Willie Brigitte is a terrorist and that Sydney faces a bomb attack.

Calling police 'slimy, lying bastards' no offence: court

The High Court today ruled in favour of a Queensland law student who handed out pamphlets at his local shopping mall declaring local police were corrupt and slimy lying bastards.

While the High Court found in favour of Patrick John Coleman by overturning a charge of insulting police, it found against him for charges of violence involved in resisting arrest.

He locked his arms around a power pole and struck and kicked police officers during the struggle to put him in a police van.

Mr Coleman was convicted in the Townsville Magistrates Court of two counts of serious assault, two of obstructing police, one count of insulting words and one count of publishing insulting words.

The Queensland District Court dismissed an appeal and the Queensland Court of Appeal allowed an appeal only against conviction for publishing insulting words.

Mr Coleman appealed to the High Court which focused on construction of a section of the now repealed Queensland's Vagrants, Gaming and Other Offences Act.

Mr Coleman argued that his implied constitutional freedom of communication concerning political or government matters was being infringed.

The court heard he was arrested in Townsville Mall where he was distributing pamphlets alleging four police officers were corrupt and referring to local police officers in Townsville as "slimy, lying bastards".

He stood in front of a placard which read, "Get to know your local corrupt type coppers, please take one." When Constable Brendan Power - one of those named in his pamphlet - approached, Mr Coleman loudly accused him of being corrupt.

He then resisted arrest, locking his arms around a power pole and striking and kicking at the officers as they attempted to put him in a police van.

By a 4-3 majority, the High Court allowed the appeal in relation to the conviction for using insulting words.

Six judges held that the relevant section of the Vagrants Act was not invalid. But three members of the majority held that its operation was limited to situations which could lead to violence.

Justices William Gummow and Ken Hayne said the legislation created an offence which restricted freedom of speech, but in the legitimate public end of keeping public places free from violence.

They said police by training and temperament should be expected to resist the sting of insults directed to them.

"The use of such words would constitute no offence unless others who hear what is said are reasonably likely to be provoked to physical retaliation," they said.

A majority of the Court dismissed appeals against convictions for obstructing police and assaulting police but not resisting arrest.

By Just Us 1 September 04

Ed: Seems clear that why a person resists arrest is because they don't think that they did anything wrong, yet police can still say that that person resisted arrest, even if that person has beat the base charge. Not fair!!

At all material times people cannot win against bullying police, in their institutions with their rule of law. Seems the police Trifecta card always wins, resisting arrest, offensive language and assault police. If you beat one of those charges they just hit you with the other two. Not fair at all!!!

Just remember that there are more ways to skin a cat. Don't let them cheat you. If first you don't succeed that way then try another way to prove your point. For instance: by posting your material where they can't get to you directly. On the street people are reasonably fair game.

Why is it an offence to convey the message that police are corrupt? Because the government is the problem!  

Related:

Federal police harrass local anarchist at request of FBI
My name is Marisa Sposaro and I am a human rights activist and prisoner support advocate. I am also a radio broadcaster at 3cr radio. The Federal Police came to my home unannounced and interrogated me about my Anarchist activities in Anarchist Black Cross, Australia.

ICAC review: Do the watched now want the watcher?
Acting Supreme Court Justice, Jerrold Cripps, QC has been appointed by the Carr Government to review the ICAC. This will be a "wide ranging review", don't choke or splutter...

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.

Fremantle police at centre of missing cannabis claims
Western Australian Police Minister Michelle Roberts says cleaning up the Fremantle Police Station will be a big test for new Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan.

The filthy NSW Police Integrity Commission!
Ten years after a royal commission exposed the corruption extending to the heart of the NSW Police there has been no change in police culture, and any change would be difficult to bring about because the government is the problem.

Anti-crime watchdog needed in Victoria: Opposition
Victorian Opposition leader Robert Doyle says the latest claims of police corruption need to be investigated by an independent crime and anti-corruption commission.

Victorians want corruption commission, poll finds
Warning: This poll does not reflect Victorians who have been directly affected by police corruption and therefore it cannot be said that Victorians believe corruption in Victoria is "limited to a few bad apples". The same as the propaganda on Four Corners [Walls?] The only bad apples handpicked and dropped on Chris Masters desk. Corruption Inc...

The words out! The government is the problem
The Federal Government says it wants to establish an independent national anti-corruption body to improve accountability in organisations like the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Crime Commission because they're corrupt. The body would have royal commission powers and be permitted to intercept phone calls.

Gangland target? Or police decoy? Refuses protection
Victorian Assistant Commissioner of Crime Simon Overland says the man who was the target of an alleged planned gangland killing has refused police protection.

Vic police chief moves to sack officers
The Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, Christine Nixon, has moved to dismiss two police officers as part of a crackdown on corruption and says up to 20 more dismissals could follow.

Vic prosecutors to drop corruption case
The Office of Public Prosecutions in Victoria will drop drug-related charges against a suspended police officer tomorrow after an informer due to testify in the case was murdered last month.

Vic flop cop warns there's more corruption
Victorian Police Chief Commissioner, Christine Nixon, says Victorians should brace themselves for more evidence of police corruption.

Vic police corruption report tabled in Parliament
The Victorian Ombudsman's report on the Ceja Taskforce and drug related corruption in Victoria police has been tabled in State Parliament.

GIVE A DOG A BONE?
When the Ombudsman investigates police in most States and Territories of Australia they set about asking the police to investigate themselves to see if there is any validity to a complaint.

Victorian Ombudsman's power boosted
The Victorian Government has reacted strongly to continuing allegations of police corruption, with the Premier announcing a big boost to the State Ombudsman's power and resources.

Police silent on witness protection breach claim
Victorian police have been forced to defended the Witness Protection Program again, after an alleged incident involving a police informer.

Former Vic drug squad head working for NSW
It has been revealed that the former head of the disgraced Victorian drug squad is now a senior investigator at the New South Wales Police Integrity Commission (PIC).

Penalty given to police officer in corruption case under fire
The Victorian Opposition has criticised the penalty handed down to a Victorian police officer who tried to find the home address of an officer investigating corruption.

Bracks crime team 'not up to job'
Steve Bracks was "fiddling while Melbourne burns", a respected senior crimefighter said yesterday, as the state Ombudsman was attacked for being ill-equipped to tackle entrenched police corruption.

Vic corruption fighter tells of intimidation
A senior Victorian police corruption investigator says fellow officers have intimidated and threatened him.

Vic police corruption 'worst ever', former judge says
A former Federal Court judge last night described corruption in the Victoria police force as the worst ever.

Bullet threat won't stop corruption probe, police say
The Victorian police force says threats against internal investigators will not stop it from weeding out corrupt police and bringing them to justice.

Police corruption linked to underworld slayings
The chairman of Victoria's Ceja police internal corruption task force has admitted there is a link between police corruption and Melbourne's gangland killings.

Redfern drug dealers: Who is Mr Big?
A senior Redfern police officer says a flourishing illegal drug trade is the main cause of problems in Redfern's Aboriginal community, known as The Block. But just like Kings Cross it doesn't get cleaned up and the Mr Big's are living like pigs. Ha ha. That's right someone supplies and someone accumulates large sums of money and someone has targeted Redfern and allows it to flourish there.

Victoria's top cop needs a watchdog?
The Bracks Government is expected to announce new powers of investigation for the Victorian Ombudsman today. So what are they trying to say? The dog never had the power?

Bulldogs simply not the best!
SIMPLY NOT THE BEST AND DEFINITELY NOT BETTER THAN ANYONE, ANYONE I'VE MET.

Why the Bulldogs rape case failed?
AFTER two months of turmoil, the rape case against six Bulldogs rugby league players has collapsed, with police saying there was insufficient evidence to press charges. IT is the moment any investigator dreads. [Just plain rubbish and a cover-up.]

NSW Police seizing assets to bolster budgets?
Seized assets to bolster police budgets is going to place crime solving into the corporate arena. Why should they go after a common criminal who is poor? Instead they'll be searching for assets and then solving crime. After all, police budgets will depend on it.

Court accuses police of planting evidence
A magistrate in the south-western New South Wales city of Wagga Wagga says police there nearly beat a man to death, fabricated evidence about him, and later lied in court about the incident.

NSW ex-Inspector Gadget claims credibility again
Just how credible is this former cop? Small's claim on Four Corners [Walls, a government propaganda machine], tonight, [that], the Government warned about Redfern problems before the riot. Like he's Mr squeaky-clean? Bad news more like it, Small was the say anything, do anything, ex-cop from hell for Bob Carr and his cronies.

Gang-rape, police, disparity and the law..
The young woman and her friend have told police they met the players in Coffs Harbour on the evening after the Bulldogs played a trial match there and went back to the team's hotel with them.

Cops Leak: Bulldogs accused of rape at Coffs Harbour
Police are warning media outlets they may face criminal charges if they release confidential information about investigations. The call comes after the details of an assault on a woman at Coffs Harbour were read on a commercial radio station in Sydney yesterday morning.

Capsicum spray killed Brisbane man
Remember one "Flick" and they're gone. A 26-year-old man has died in Brisbane after a scuffle with police in the inner-city suburb of Highgate Hill. Police say they went to a unit complex just after midnight to speak to the man. Inspector Ian Robinson says police used capsicum spray and the man collapsed and died.

Clive Small, NSW Inspector Gadget
NSW Police has revived controversial plans for a specialist discriminative squad to tackle the wave of violent crime that has plagued Sydney's south-west for more than a decade.

Man wrongly imprisoned awarded $1m
A Sydney man who was acquitted of murder has won more than $1 million in damages for wrongful arrest and imprisonment. The New South Wales Supreme Court has agreed with Garry Raymond Nye's said that the charge was maliciously laid. Acting on a tip-off, [?], police arrested and charged the 51-year-old with the shooting murder of Roy Thurgar at Randwick in Sydney's east in 1991. He spent 16 months in custody before he was acquitted by a jury.

NSW Police Force: Bent cop Cribb should be treated no different
34-year-old police inspector Shane Cribb, who shot a man shouldn't be treated differently than any other person charged with the same offence. The Daily Telegraph this morning is calling for special consideration for the cop.

One arrested in random raids: Police
NSW Police said more than 200 officers raided homes in the largest operation ever conducted by Task Force Gain, set up to investigate gun crime in Sydney's south-west.

Random police raid terrorised residents
A police task Force randomly targeting gang warfare [and criminals green lighted by police themselves], is investigating nine murders and one disappearance, including a shooting death that sparked a dramatic random dawn raid in south-western Sydney yesterday.

Drive-by shootings: test your political IQ?
What if since the Wood Royal Commission into police corruption the drugs moved from Kings Cross to Cabramatta. Then since the the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Cabramatta the drugs moved to Bankstown/Greenacre. Giving police more power might just be more fuel on the fire.

NSW drug wars: family feud not responsible for shootings
New South Wales Shadow Police Minister Peter Debnam says he does not believe recent shootings in Sydney's south-west are the result of a family feud. And he's not on his own.

Police WarLords set to take over Sydney again
Police warlords are set to take over Sydney's suburbs because police are not being supervised properly.

Jailed man's conviction to be reviewed
The New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal will today review the conviction of a man, after claims in the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) last year that police planted weapons and faked suspects' confessions.

Who is bad?
Super Rat? M5? M11? K8? N2? So I trust that some people who, with the photos and guns guessed that a jury would quickly establish a case against a profiled person whom, you just had a picture and a history of. Common knowledge? The government knew their victims would take the blame. Not just chess in court, 'moving around the pieces', but 'putting false evidence, or not enough evidence before the jury."

2,500, crooked detectives? Or a corrupt Government?
The Wood Royal Commission into police corruption. Where did the police learn their trade skills? Led by example perhaps?

How to become corruption resistant in NSW
Don't trust those who cannot prove themselves with the little amounts of trust you give them. Just because they have a letter of perceived trust doesn't mean they can be trusted.

This is not how you eat 'antisocial behaviour'
Process corruption, perjury, planting of evidence, verbals, fabricated confessions, denial of suspects rights, a solicitor to induce confessions, tampering with electronic recording equipment, framing. Generally green lighting crime, and I say Murder, including the kids who overdosed on heroin. No doubt.

Black Knight - Long way to go home
In line with the current climate of police corruption and the demise of the reform unit set up by Wood, these facts ought to have been a good reason to leave Moroney out of the package as Commissioner.

Bob down and sniff my arse
These are serious invasions of privacy and draconian laws? Where are our democratic soldiers, the lawyers and the barristers who need to take on the government in the courts? Are they plastic? Or to busy feathering their nests? Or have they been cleverly purchased by this black government. Drug test police and politicians, and have the tests independently accessed.

Come in spinner? Or Come in sinner?
"You don't have, in my view very vigilant processes. I suppose it's akin to the problem of corruption within the police," he told the ABC radio. " People say there's corruption with the police (but) do you get the police to investigate problems within their own ranks?

Deeds
I am disturbed by Governments 'actions' in relation to shuffling the police service. Clive Small seconded into Parliament like a cocky in a perch. A breach of the fundamental Separation of Powers Doctrine does not in my view allow the thought of intervening, planning, or shuffling to stack the deck of our police service. The one that suppose to be autonomous according to Lord Denning. Where the Parliamentary Secretary can ask the commissioner of police to 'report' then sack him if he is not satisfied with such report.

Truth
Who is telling the truth? Well I guess Dr. Ed. Chadbourne or Mr. Peter Ryan may have the answer to that. Dr. Chadbourne sacked by Peter Ryan and more specifically in my view because he elected deputy commissioners Dave Madden and Andrew Scipione as the best men in the service in relation to his qualifications to make a recommendation in his capacity as human resources.That is if you believe that a Dr. can be corrupted.

Honesty
What is happening between the Police Service and politics is quite extraordinary at the moment. If stand over tactics don't work tell half the truth honestly and follow the example of sheep. Another word for it is sleaze, yeah. Another word for it is workplace harassment. Another word for it is bribing a Police Officer. Another word for it is misleading Parliament.

Tele Tales
Most people I know don't buy the Daily Telegraph. Why? Because of the lies and propaganda purported by them.

Lord Denning
Interesting how a member of the Police Board Mr. Tim Priest would hold grave fears for his safety from dangerous senior police but fails to name them or have them sacked. Rather Priest resigns as if he had no powers. Could that mean what he was saying is that the Governments are also corrupt?

Corrosive
Clive Small is Bob Carr's choice for the new Police Commissioner. It could only be the case considering his, Small's special appointment into Parliament House. Small who suffers from the little person syndrome is the ideal bend over boy who gets shuffled through his corrupt actions. Rolling the legal system for him after the fact, just like his predecessor Roger the dodger Rogerson.

Black Nexus
The Separation of Powers Doctrine is nowcontaminated witharangeofcolours, now leaving us with a black shirt on a once blue bridge that crossed that thin blue line. The 'Amery and Woodham show'.

Same boat
The Premier, Bob Carr, relies on a militia. A gang of bikies and our Police Service, to show all of us he is no murderer. He should be taken to the task along with his partners in crime like Clive Small to account for those people who like my self have been maliciously assaulted and who have complained, without any service and those who cannot speak for themselves who were murdered, like Terry Falconer. Terry murdered in custody.

Good Cop
Why have our democratic institutions broken down? It's not just the criminal justice system. The Anti-Corruption Network webmaster@anti-corruption-network.org exposes the same issues. A group of white-collar workers who say they have suffered as follows:

Dangerous
I refer to the Daily Telegraph article 22 March 2002 under the heading Priest quits advisory job.

Partners in crime - history!
Roger Rogerson, the old hero, who never faced a result in the Lanfranchi, or Huckstepp murders, was let off in my opinion when the New South Wales Government rolled the legal system (deciding what evidence to give the police prosecutor) to have the jury believe the illusion they (the Government wanted to create).Similarly, Peter Ryan facing the Police Integrity Commission for questions about his involvement in the demise of the dysfunctional reform unit. Chess in the court (rolling the legal system).

Police Chronology 1994-2001
View events in the NSW Police Force since the Wood Royal Commission began in 1994. 1994 May Justice James Wood is appointed Commissioner of the Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service ('WRC').