That UK Visa Wall !

Tony Abbott's decision to make the Queen's consort - Price Phillip - an Australian knight has tended to throw the spotlight on the relationship between the two countries.  Australians entering the United Kingdom find themselves in a queue to go through a gate labelled "Foreigners " - while citizens from the EU can freely move between it's national borders.

In particular, many young Australians seeking a European experience have difficulty getting a visa application with a work permit approved, and those that do are subjected to restrictions and time limitations.  The dice is severely loaded against travellers from the old "Commonwealth " countries  and that has been the subject of debate in Westminster.   This "Visa wall " seems to be an artificial barrier against citizens from Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

This was a concern when the United Kingdom was thinking of joining the EU.  One of the other EU rules demanded that imports into Britain from other EU countries be protected by tariffs imposed on goods from non EU sources, hence Australian apples would face a tariff barrier while Spanish apples would flow into the UK duty free.   The British entry severely damaged the trade balance between the UK and all Commonwealth countries.

Britain has promised it's citizens a referendum vote on continuing to remain in the EU and negotiations are under way to ease some of the edicts coming out of Brussels.  That seems to be a chance to clean up this Commonwealth Visa mess once and for all.

It is certainly an aim of the EU to create a borderless society with a common currency and no restrictions of movement between member countries, but allowing entry into Britain by those citizens who recognise the Queen as their head of state should be a purely British internal matter.  Gaining a Visa and entering the UK confers no right to visit other EU countries without the usual Visa approvals.

Granting entry rights to visitors is a matter for decision by the parliament of the country concerned, and here in Australia that decision is made in Canberra.     If the EU has enacted an over riding control over visitor protocol for all it's member states, that should be a prime subject for revision.  If Britain opts to allow free entry to Commonwealth citizens - as was the case before it entered the EU - then restoration in no way clashes with the lack of entry restrictions to those from other EU countries. Such an entry relates only to England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales - and goes no further.

This Commonwealth of Nations is a unique institution that has survived in an era of great change.  That the head of state for a number of nations lives in a far country is unusual and serves as the backbone of the Westminster system of government.  In many parts of the world, countries have adopted a Republican style of government and appoint a head of state by electing a president.  A change to this type of governing has a latent presence in Australia.

The UK should remind itself just how it lost it's American colonies about the same time as the first fleet arrived in Australia.   The issue at that time was taxation without representation, but in essence it was more a matter of failing to nurture the bonds between the two countries.  It would be very easy for the bonds linking the Commonwealth countries to the Mother country to fray unless they were constantly renewed and irritants removed.    This Visa issue is such a constant irritant.

Regulating " Backpackers " !

We are a hospitable nation and we welcome visitors from the other parts of the world.  The tourist industry is an integral part of our economy and servicing it's demand provides jobs for a significant portion of the workforce.  Unfortunately, at the height of summer it also delivers an aspect that many people find very unpleasant.

We rely heavily on backpackers to bring in the Australian fruit and vegetable harvest.  Many enjoy a seaside holiday before the crops are ready to be picked and it is traditional that new arrivals purchase a van or station wagon for both transport and accommodation once they start doing the rounds of the farms when the picking season starts.

Every season - at the height of summer - our beach and coastal suburbs are inundated with backpackers living out of these vehicles.  Suburban streets and picnic areas become a virtual ghetto of young people slightly moving their vehicles on a regular basis to comply with parking laws, but generally hogging all available parking spots.  This inevitably brings complaints from resident householders.

Not all of our summer guests are neat and tidy people.  It is not unusual to see rubbish - including discarded fast food containers - strewn amongst the vehicles and public amenities are often used to wash cooking equipment - and to be used for personal ablutions.  In some cases, ornamental structures and shrubbery serve as makeshift toilets.

Bylaws differ suburb to suburb, but generally sleeping in parked vehicles is not permitted, yet most councils are lax in enforcing their regulations.  Noisy parties bring the attention of the police.  This is a scene that poses a hygiene risk and yet we are reluctant to crack down heavily and enforce all the bylaws that apply, despite agitation by permanent residents who see their way of life being threatened.

Seaside suburbs are usually the venue for another regular event that brings criticism.  The outgoing crop of tourists returning to their home countries usually try and sell their vehicles to the new arrivals eager to obtain cars or vans that have been outfitted as "mobile homes ".   Vehicles offered for sale tend to be concentrated in a small area which quickly takes on the appearance of a car yard - to the exclusion of access by other residents.

Fortunately, both these phenomenons peak for a short period each year but in recent times change has become apparent.  Not all of our backpackers are interested in fruit picking and the season seems to be extending steadily.  In particular, those whose main interest is surfing tend to make a seaside suburb home on a full year basis - and that presents an entirely new problem.

The lure of Australia for many young visitors is not only the fantastic climate and beach scene, but the opportunity to have a very cheap holiday living al fresco.   If we are to set aside an area for backpacker parking it will inevitably carry a cost - and more importantly - the cameradie that is an integral part of the present holiday experience will be lost.   It would be unfortunate if the very attraction that makes Australia a Mecca for young people was denigrated by over regulation.

It seems that councils have a difficult task ahead of them.  Balancing just the right amount of  restrictions to keep the locals happy and yet not implementing some draconian regime that drives backpackers out of Australia.

It seems that our fruit crop hangs in the balance !

Term Deposits !

The Commonwealth bank has sent a curious letter to all it's customers who have money invested in the form of a term deposit with them.   It gives notice of new banking regulations that came into force on December 8, 2014 under which those people wishing to make an early withdrawal must give the bank thirty-one days notice.

A term deposit takes the form of an offer by the bank for a certain amount of interest to be paid on an agreed sum of money left with the bank for the nominated period of time.  At the expiration of such terms, it is usual for the account holder to contact the bank and peruse the varying offers of interest rates that apply to differing deposit periods and make a fresh renewal choice - or withdraw the funds.

Early withdrawals have in the past been a matter of negotiation with the bank.  The length of time the deposit is held is regarded as a contract and some banks readily allow early withdrawal, but either reduce or entirely cancel the interest earned as the penalty for breach of contract.  At lot depends on the circumstances for the early withdrawal request.   In the event of the death of the depositor, some banks waive penalties to allow the settlement of the deceased estate to be concluded promptly.

This new banking regulation seems designed to lock in funds and make those needing to vary a term deposit wait a minimum of thirty-one days before they can access their money - and it makes no mention of what penalty may apply for an early withdrawal.   The money market is volatile and it may be that this new regulation is mainly aimed at the big end of town, hedge funds and major investors who are prepared to forego short term interest loss to enable their investment to take a new direction.   This measure will certainly give the banks more direct control of their liquidity.

Term deposits are a sore point with many bank customers.   When the term is nearing expiration they usually receive a letter from the bank which gives them seven days notice each side of the termination date to renew or withdraw funds.   It advises that if no instruction is forthcoming, the capital will be reinvested for the same time term as the original investment - and nominates an interest rate that will be paid.

Invariably, this interest rate is on the lower end of the scale offering, and often they have the temerity to offer differing interest rates for exactly the same term and scale, but each with a differing name applied to the offer.   A customer taking the trouble to call at the bank and discuss what is offering can usually obtain a better interest than contained in the bank's letter.

This is a ploy that is common across the entire financial spectrum - banks, building societies and credit unions.    That letter of automatic renewal disregards the claim that such institutions are always "working in their customer's interest ".   The unwary will find that the proposal for automatic renewal will be very much in the lenders favour.

At this stage, the new regulation only applies to those seeking early withdrawal before the term maturity date.   Some will wonder how long before the banks require thirty-one days notice of intention to withdraw - before the actual term comes to an end !

The "Desperation " Vote !

The people of Greece went to the polls and made a "desperation "choice.   They handed 36% of the vote to the left wing anti-austerity party, Syriza, giving it 149 seats in the Greek parliament, just short of the 151 seats needed to govern in it's own right.

Syriza is led by Alexis Tsipras ( 40 ) who is vehemently against the harsh economic conditions imposed by a troika of the IMF, ECG and EU led by Germany as part of a $ 342 billion bailout to save Greece from default - and economic oblivion.  As a result of this forced cut back on services and pensions Greece has been mired in recession with youth unemployment at critically high levels. This has seen a passing parade of Greek politicians of short duration - until Mr Tsipras burst onto the scene with the promise of restoring the Greek economy by renegotiating this imposed austerity - and threatening to withdraw Greece from the EU and abandon the Euro currency unless his conditions were met.

A "Grexit " as this has been labelled has been a nightmare for the EU, but it is now less of a threat since the overall recession has been stabilized and some EU leaders think the Syriza plan is a bluff. Tsipras has muted the exit call and is talking about a drastic renegotiation of the terms of the loan, probably extending the term to reduce repayments so that more money can be used to revive the Greek economy and put young people back to work.

The ball is squarely now back in Syriza's court.  They have clearly won power and it will only take the defection of a couple of uncommitted politicians to give them full reign to implement whatever policies they choose to save the Greek economy.   One of the stumbling blocks could be Germany's Angela Merkel's  insistence on austerity as the only answer to the EU's problems.  If Germany is the holdout to a softening of imposed conditions Alexis Tsipras may take the fateful step of taking Greece out of the EU and establishing it's own currency again by abandoning the Euro.  He could then impose a drastic devaluation, improving the prospect of Greek exports and making Greece a bonanza of a European tourist destination.   It could also set in train a similar move by other struggling members of the EU community.

A lot of world leaders will be holding their breath and waiting to see just how hard the Syriza demands will be to meet.   The world economy is not fully recovered from the 08 recession and Europe seems to be faring worse than the rest of the world.  There is every chance that Britain may face a referendum on continuing EU membership and the stability of this trading block is having troubles integrating the edicts from Brussels with the customs of it's member states.  It seems that Brussels is favouring a "United States of Europe " agenda - and that is clashing with the autonomy that the citizens of many member states desire.   Many people have misgivings about how far a concentration of power in Europe should extend.

The Greek problem arose because Greece failed to bring it's economy under control.  Weak parliaments fragmented power and as a result no measures were implemented to bring spending into line with income.  Taxation in Greece became something of a joke.  The national debt expanded exponentially as borrowings propped up annual deficits - until the eventual day of reckoning arrived.  The level of income was fast approaching the point where it was insufficient to service the needs of past borrowings - and the spectre of default hovered over Greece.

That is a lesson that Australia needs to consider.   Every day we pay $ 30 million in interest to service our debt of $ 245 billion, and a balanced budget is nowhere in sight.   The problem is that the parliament is more interested in playing politics than seriously passing the measures necessary to bring income into line with outgoings.

There seems no prospect of our parliament reaching a reasonable compromise and enacting the legislation necessary to curb spending and balance that against a rise in revenue.   Any cuts in spending will be vigorously opposed - and any increase in taxation will be howled down.   There is an implacable line across which those in government and those in opposition refuse to cross.  The result is political stalemate - and an ever increasing debt riding on the shoulders of every man, woman and child in this country.

Exactly that same scenario brought Greece to it's knees - and it now awaits the decisions of a contentious form of radical government - handed power as a matter of desperation.   Perhaps the same fate awaits Australia unless the people we sent to parliament start making decisions for the good of the nation rather than just enhancing political point scoring.

Disability Parking !

Having a disability parking sticker on a cars windscreen allows the vehicle being used to transport the holder to park in specially designated zones and shelters that person from parking time limits and the need to pay parking meter fees.

Getting such a permit is at the discretion of that persons doctor.  Basically, the doctor will authorise an application if the patient uses a walking frame, crutches, has calipers - or is detrimentally affected by any condition in walking a hundred meters.

Unfortunately, the scarcity of parking has caused many able bodied drivers to park in designated zones reserved for those with a disability and the fines have been steadily increasing in all Australian states.  They now exceed five hundred dollars as a bare minamum - and recently the loss of demerit points has been added to the penalty.

All councils are required to provide designated disability parking spots kerbside in areas with restricted parking and similar requirements are imposed on public parking at hospitals, near schools, in shopping centres and in all the wider public domain.   We are now seeing increasing use of these restricted spaces by able bodied drivers because the only policing seems to take place when there is misuse on public streets.

It is now common for the disability parking places near fast food outlets to be occupied by able bodied shoppers making a quick purchase, safe in the knowledge that this seems to be immune from the orbit of both police and council rangers.   It has become so prevalent that a "shame "movement has appeared on Facebook and we are now seeing vast numbers of pictures appearing of illegals occupying parking spaces reserved for the disabled.   There are mutterings that these provide sufficient evidence for a successful prosecution.

Of course, there are offenders on both sides of this parking debate.  That disability parking sticker only applies if the named holder is being carried in the vehicle at the time that it is parked in a disability parking space.  It is not uncommon for the sticker to be permanently displayed and parked in disability zones when being used by other members of the family, and this attracts an even bigger  misuse penalty.  These stickers specifically name the holder - and he or she must be present when the parking privilege is being used.

In particular, there seems to be abuse of disability parking by sections of industry involved in making numerous deliveries.  It is noticeable that often an able bodied driver in a vehicle with a disability sticker seems to be constantly moving from one disability zone to another - and often their trade can be identified as a courier or someone moving medical specimens from doctors rooms to pathology. That form of illegality solves what is otherwise an intractable parking problem.

When this legislation came into force it contained a provision that few seem to have taken into consideration.   It specifically allowed a time extension to less than fifteen minute restrictions by allowing double the posted limit.   For instance, some postal areas have a two minute limit and some drop off or pickup areas have a ten minutes limit - both of which are doubled for disability permit holders, few of which seem aware of this provision.

If a fine and loss of demerit points fails to deter those imposing on the disabled, perhaps the seizure of the offending vehicle for a period of time will bring a change of heart.

Fixing the "Electricity " Problem !

It seems that the three instrumentality's responsible for providing the electricity we use all have different agendas and therefore coordination is lacking in putting together a working plan to ensure we have both sufficient supply and a base price that is affordable.

The big problem seems to be peak loads.   We need sufficient power generation to meet demand when users hit the switch but for most of the day this is laying idle.  Add a few facts to the picture and the situation becomes much clearer.

Last year was the hottest on record in Australia.  Most people now accept that global warming is a fact of life and there is the expectation that the years ahead will be even hotter.  As a result,millions of  Australian homes now have air conditioning and the rate is New South Wales is presently at 64%.   A lot of the late afternoon peak can be directly attributed to people cooling their homes in summer and warming them in winter.  This move to air conditioning is expected to continue on an upward graph.

The solar industry now has panels on the roof of 1.3 million Australian homes and that pace of installation is accelerating.  Each solar collector comes with a smart meter that records unused electricity generated that flows backwards through the meter and becomes the property of the power company - for which they pay a miserable 6 c a kwh.   Many households are self sufficient in their electricity needs  - just so long as the sun is shining.   They draw from their power supplier on overcast days - and during the night.

It should be the aim of both Federal and State governments to have a solar collector on the roof of every home in Australia - and to achieve that it should be mandatory for one to be installed as a matter of course on every new home or whenever a major renovation is planned.  The extent of surplus electricity generated by such a national grid would go a long way to supplying industry and the overall daily demand.

Originally, the supply of electricity was a government function and if it were still a government owned industry fixing this problem would be a lot simpler.   It has now passed into the private sector, and the main objective of the new power companies is to make a profit for their shareholders.  What is required is a completely new working plan to integrate both commercial and domestic power generation within a cost framework that will be profitable for the power company and acceptable to the public.

Simply getting electricity from the point of generation to each user is costly.  That involves "poles and wires "and since 2005 $8 billion has been spent upgrading services.  Poles and wires must be maintained, irrespective of whether the load delivered is large - or small.

New thinking is required on the part of the power companies.  A huge extension of the solar grid would present an opportunity to balance a mix of cheaper generating options.  Obviously there would still be peaks on hot but overcast days and these could be filled with gas turbine generators - costly to run, but cheap to acquire - and the price charged to customers should reflect that whenever they are needed.  The power companies have every right to provide their services at a profit.

Smart meters allow price variables to apply at different times of the day - and the option to use power when it is most expensive rests with the customer.   The media would alert when a peak was approaching that would see a price increase and customers would decide whether to delay doing the family washing or putting on the air conditioner at their discretion.  Power pricing needs to be variable -  and each customer can then make a personal decision on how much to use now - or wait until it is cheaper at a later time.

It is quite possible to introduce a generating and pricing regime that balances the requirements of both levels of government and the profitability of the power companies.  It just requires new thinking to take account of the realities of both weather and the technology available !

A Saga Ends !

The residents of Boonara Avenue, Bondi must be popping champagne corks.  Waverley Council is enforcing the auction of a house in their street to recover a debt of $ 180,000 resulting from the constant cleanup of rubbish hoarded by it's owner, a mother and her two adult daughters.

Since 1990 this has been an ongoing saga.  Perhaps a compulsive disorder syndrome but for some strange reason this trio has collected every imaginable type of rubbish and stored it in the rooms of their home - and the overflow consumed the entire garden and surround of a normal suburban house.

Not only an unsightly mess, this became both a fire hazard and a health threat.  The smell was obnoxious and it was an attraction for vermin.  It certainly reduced the appeal and value of nearby properties.  Entreaties for moderation were rejected and the council was forced to send in it's workforce and remove truck loads of garbage on a regular basis - and immediately the property was clear restocking began again.

Many Boonara Avenue residents will be holding their breath.  The auction is scheduled for February 17, but the family has the option of repaying the money and retaining ownership of their home - and they will probably then continue to collect rubbish.   Any new owner will also proceed with caution.  The property will be sold with the present high pile of rubbish intact and it will probably take a legal eviction order to remove the residents - and that could be both messy and expensive.

The house is certainly dated and will most likely be demolished and replaced with a modern home, but any buyer would be well advised to take all the legal obstacles into account, and while public opinion should be on any buyers side, the plight of three elderly women being forced to relinquish their home could result in some peculiar reactions.  The formation of a sympathy group with a "Save the Hoarders "message would not be out of the question.

This case should also raise questions in medical circles.   The fact that three adult women should embark on a course of action that is not only illegal, but seems to be a form of compulsion that is beyond their ability to control suggests a need for medical intervention.   The problem seems to be that when a person with medical difficulties does not seek voluntary help, the right of medical authorities to arbitrarily take control is at best opaque.  In this instance, the only action possible seemed to be from the council in enforcing its own and health bylaws to protect both the owners of the home - and the public.

There is another aspect of this case that should send a chill through all Sydney suburbs.   If this forced auction goes ahead the purchase price will be far in excess of the $ 180,000 debt owed to Waverley council, and the surplus will be handed to the owners of that notorious home in Boonara Avenue.

What if they decide to buy another home - and continue to collect rubbish  ?   What an unnerving thought to all those people who live in a street where another house has a "For Sale "sign on it's front lawn !

What if they " Got it Wrong " ?

On September 12, 2014 a three year old boy in a Spiderman suit went missing from his grandmothers home in Kendall, sparking days of massive searching by police, SES and an army of civilian volunteers. No trace of him was found and the police admitted that they were considering that this may have been an abduction.

This week police Homicide and Forensic divisions descended on a home at Bonny Hills and searched the property.   Heavy equipment was brought in and the perimeter was covered in police tape.  A septic tank was drained and searched and areas of the yard dug up.  Bags of evidence were taken away for forensic examination - and at the end of the search the police tape was removed - and the media waited for an outcome.

This was the home of a 63 year old grandfather who makes his living repairing whitegoods.  It seems that he had repaired a washing machine at the home from which the boy disappeared and in the earlier investigation the police had taken a ten page statement from him - and there is the suggestion that some discrepancies were apparent. No charges have been laid.

We expect the police to thoroughly investigate all and any serious crime but this investigation took place in the full glare of the media.  All three television channels carried this story as the main item of their nightly news and the public was treated to scenes of machinery conducting searches and a veritable army swarming over the property.   The sight of police tape isolating a search area from the public presents the inference that this is a crime scene - and in the eyes of many people there is an automatic association with "guilt "!

There is a distinct possibility that when the forensic laboratories conclude their investigation they may come up empty handed.  It certainly seems that this police search was inconclusive because no charges were laid.  In such circumstances, the police usually either refuse to comment or simply state that "Their investigation is still proceeding ".   The stigma that this search laid on the person investigated remains !

That is impossible to remove.  Even if at some later time a bushwalker comes across the remains of that little boy and they conclude that he simply wandered away and became lost, the subject of that investigation will remain "guilty "in many people's minds.  Deep in their subconscious a doubt has been sown and that persists long after the reason for it's presence is forgotten.

This man earns his living repairing whitegoods.  Because of the publicity the case has received there seems no doubt that families with young children will be reluctant to call him to visit their home and do a repair.  He may well be ostracised in his local neighbourhood and he will certainly be the subject of speculation by those with differing opinions.

This seems to be the classical "Catch 22 " situation.  We expect the police to do their job without fear or favour, and yet in so doing they can wreak enormous damage on individual reputations.  The fact that this investigation was carried out in the full glare of the media contrasts the public's "right to know "with the individuals "right to privacy ".   Even if the media were prevented from airing search footage, it would be apparent on the local scene and quickly become public knowledge.

Our law is quite clear.  We are innocent - until proved guilty.   Unfortunately that guilt no longer rests on the decisions made in a court of law.  We seem to be in the era of "Trial by Media " and making that decision has verged into the area of public entertainment.  This search has been fully covered on television and no doubt it will be the subject of intense speculation on talk back radio - and the opinion of people totally lacking facts will influence public opinion.

Whatever the outcome, the life of the person under investigation will be forever changed.  Obviously, the guilty should receive the full force of the law, but what if they got things wrong ?   What they set in motion this week with that public search can never be undone !

Unmarked Graves !

This week the body of Lindt cafe gunman Man Haron Monis was quietly buried in an unmarked grave.  The authorities are not prepared to divulge in which state this took place and the people involved have signed confidentiality agreements.  It throws the spotlight on an aspect of the funeral industry that remains out of sight - and out of mind - Pauper's funerals !

Every year there are vast numbers of people who have no assets and no bereaved relatives to pickup the tab for a funeral.   They include the homeless and many families where divisions run so deep that even death will not bridge the gaps.  Every death requires a doctor's certificate to determine the cause of death and unless this is forthcoming the coroner must hold an enquiry.   When all that is said and done, there remains the matter of disposal of the body.

The vast funeral industry competes on price to provide this service to the government.  In many cases the funeral cortege going to the cemetery actually contains two coffins.   The ornate, varnished one topped with flowers on the raised dias hides a plain particle board coffin beneath simply as a matter of economics.  When the public funeral is complete, this second coffin is discreetly buried in a less affluent part of the cemetery and the position recorded in case at some later time there arises a need for an exhumation.

Disposing of the remains of Man Haron Monis presented a unique problem.  There was intense revulsion that this man who migrated to Australia in 1996 and who had fanatical religious beliefs had caused the death of two innocent victims.  Sydney's Islamic funeral industry refused to have anything to do with his burial and the authorities feared that his grave site could become a shrine if it became known to others with similar religious beliefs.  It was decided that he would be buried in an unmarked grave.

Monis  (50) had no living relatives in Australia and his girlfriend, Amirah Droudis  was in a remand prison awaiting trial for the murder of his former partner, Noeleen Hayson Pal.  As a result, he was afforded a pauper's burial.

It is simply a matter of health and hygiene.   The dead need to be buried and it seems that there are no legal responsibilities to force that task on friends or families.  In the vast majority of cases, loved ones willingly see to the disposal of their relatives but where this is missing the task falls back onto the government.  Naturally, that is delivered at the lowest possible cost to the public purse.

We are rapidly running out of room in the public cemeteries of our major cities and costs are rising.  Cremation is a cheaper option, but cremation clashes with some religions and in many cases the religion of those having a pauper's funeral is unknown.   To be safer, the government has chosen to stick with burials.

At least the death of Monis has served some purpose.   Pauper funerals have remained unchanged for well over a century.  Now would be a good time to review procedures.

The Price of " Fame " !

How strange that politicians - and even ex-Politicians - claim the right to hog the headlines with their opinions on any subject that happens to attract their attention.  Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett is complaining that some survivors of the Lindt Cafe siege in Sydney have sold their story's to the media for big sums of money.   It is rumoured that Sixty Minutes paid $ 300,000 for one survivors account of events during this drama - and Kennet branded this " just plain grubby "!

Sometimes "luck "reaches out and taps someone on the shoulder.  All those that survived that cafe siege were "lucky " and the ones with the ability to describe the events in an entertaining manner deserve a reward if the television news people are prepared to pay.  Not all the survivors got such an offer.  Appearance - voice quality - believability - all played a part in the selection.

Fame - is fleeting.  Sometimes it is a matter of being in the right place at the right time - to witness an event that is "newsworthy ".  A truck driver toying with his new video camera managed a shot of Concorde taking off with flames pouring out of the aircraft - and that earned him a lot of money.  That is the reason that the paparazzi hound celebrities.  They seek that "special " shot that they can trade for pots of money - and the more embarrassing for the subject, the greater the reward that they will earn.

The news media is in the business of satisfying public "curiosity "!   Vast numbers of people want to know what it was like being held captive by a fanatic with a gun, and the best people to satisfy that curiosity - is one who survived the ordeal.   It all comes down to - supply and demand.  Just a limited number of people have the ability to satisfy that curiosity - so they have something to trade in exchange for money that will vastly change their lifestyle.

It's a bit like winning Lotto.  Most of us buy a ticket on a regular basis, but few really expect a big win, but when luck taps us on the shoulder - our moment has arrived !

Another politician delivering a comment that will upset some people is the Reverend Fred Nile, a New South Wales upper house MP.  He has chosen to describe day care respite for working mothers as "Day Orphanages "!

There seems to be an insinuation that mothers that work are dodging their responsibilities of child raring and being selfish.  This completely disregards the fact that the Australian economy has evolved to the mode of both parents working to provide the basics of life.  It is a simple fact of life for those earning the average wage that a single income will not service the needs of providing a home and a standard of living that we consider to be basic.  In many cases, underemployment and low wages leave families where both parents work barely making ends meet.   Women joining the workforce is not a matter of choice.

Nile's comment is an insult to both working women and the vast array of professionals who care and educate children entrusted to their supervision.  Many people believe that care facilities play a big part in advancing the social mobility of children.  A child at home in the care of it's mother lacks the integration with others that develops the social skills that are so important in a harmonious lifestyle.

Perhaps this penchant to comment that seems to be a part of being a politician is woven into the fabric of public life.   If the media is having a slow day, shoving a microphone in the face of a politician is usually a way of gaining some sort of a story - and with a bit of luck it may be controversial and take on a life of it's own.

No doubt Fred Nile will take flak  for his " orphanage  " tirade and Jeff Kennett's comment will probably get a mixed reception.   The one thing certain about politicians is that they live or die by the media coverage they command.   Thats why we rarely have a "No Comment " reply to any subject offered to a politician !

Doomed !

Last weekend Indonesia ended the lives of five foreign men and one Indonesian woman when they were executed by a firing squad.   They had been convicted of drug smuggling and the regime of new Indonesian president Joko Widowo has signalled that he intends to enforce his country's strict crackdown on drugs.  He has made it clear that he will not be granting any appeals for clemency.

That is bad news for two Australian men on death row.   Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan were convicted and sentenced to death in 2006 when they were the ringleaders of a group attempting to smuggle drugs taped to their bodies.  This was clearly a commercial quantity and the penalty is posted on billboards for all to see.  There is no ambiguity about the penalty for drug smuggling in our near neighbour.

Both of these men appear to have been model prisoners.   It is claimed that they have undergone rehabilitation and the Australian government has appealed on their behalf, but it seems inevitable that the death penalty will be carried out as soon as a last appeal for clemency from Andrew Chan receives a formal reply from the Indonesian president.   It is Indonesian policy that those convicted together face execution together, and Myuran Sukumaran's appeal has already been formally rejected.

The Australian government has made it quite clear that while it will ask Indonesia to spare our citizens from execution it will not let the issue unsettle the good relations between  the two nations.  We will not recall our ambassador or take any action that would be detrimental to trade.  While Australia no longer applies the death penalty it accepts that crime and punishment is an internal matter for other countries to decide.  It is not a matter in which we have a right to become involved.

Perhaps the publicity surrounding executions in Indonesia may help to persuade some reckless young people that the risk of getting caught is simply too great - and cause them to desist from making foolhardy attempts to smuggle drugs out of that country.  It is quite possible that the long running Shapelle Corby imprisonment convinced some people that the death penalty was really a bluff. Shapelle became something of a celebrity in Indonesia, constantly on the cover of Australian magazines and leading a prison lifestyle that many saw as glamorous.   It was big news when she escaped the death penalty - and eventually she gained release and seems to be living a luxury lifestyle in paradise.  It helped that she was an extremely attractive young woman !

It may also have helped to soften the image by the time factor between getting caught and facing that firing squad.  In some countries, that can be a matter of days - and sometimes just hours, but in Indonesia the court system and various appeals to higher courts has resulted in prison time that has run into years.  As a result, elections in that country has installed a new president - and consequently a new outlook on how justice will be administered.  The prospect of clemency has been dangling just out of reach - until now !

It is totally unreasonable to expect the Australian government to do more than make a formal application for clemency.  There is no doubt that the two accused broke Indonesian law and that the penalty for that breach was made clear to all who enter that country.   Now that the execution of others from foreign countries has taken place, it would be out of step for Indonesia to make an exception for Australians.

Sadly, it seems that the fate of these two young men is sealed !

Return To The Past !

The first attempt to create a police force took place in London in 1742 and the Constables walking the beat were called  " Bow Street Runners ".  It proved ineffective and was cancelled, until Sir Robert Peel revived the idea in 1829 and created what became known as London's famous  "Bobbies "!

One interesting aspect of early policing was the display of an individual badge bearing a number on each police uniform.  It was deemed important that Constables carry some form of individual recognition and this became common across the world's police forces, until the need for better relations between police and the public saw the numbers replaced by name badges.

Here in New South Wales permission has been granted for officers to replace name badges with numbers because of an alarming rise in threats being made to them and their families by both the criminal and the jihadist elements of our society.   It is common for serving police officers to be harassed by phone calls and emails threatening death and other forms of harm because of the jobs they are doing.

Changes in technology makes it easier for an affronted criminal to gain the name and home address of individual police.  It is common for police to be depicted on television news footage and face recognition technology is freely available - and cheap.  Couple that with Google, Facebook and Twitter and an amazing amount of data is forthcoming.   A cop wearing a name badge is giving the criminals a head start.

It seems likely that this identity replacement is just the first in many changes about to take place in the policing culture.   News footage of overseas raids on terrorists commonly show police wearing balaclavas to mask their faces.  In the interests of security, the news media is prevented from showing the faces of our armed forces who serve in elite squads.  There seems to be a growing tendency to direct harm personally against those who serve both the military and civilian branches of the services that protect this country.

This is illustrated by warnings to servicemen to avoid wearing their uniforms in public.  Even school cadet corps are advised not to travel in uniform and it is noticeable that many police change into civilian clothes at the end of their shift.  We seem to be entering a new age and where once the sight of a police uniform was comforting to the public, now it places the wearer at risk from attack by elements seeking to do this nation harm.

This raises another issue that is a logical outcome.  All New South Wales police officers in uniform carry a firearm.  If there is a risk of attack because of the job they do, then the right to carry a firearm when off duty would be entirely reasonable.  The precise ruling that presently applies is unclear - but many suspect that such precautions already apply.

Policing has always been a dangerous job.  Some form of physical combat is usually a regular part of duty and the widespread use of Ice is turning normally rational people into totally unpredictable animals capable of inflicting mayhem.  The threat of reprisals against individual police and their families is an emerging menace that needs counter measures.

Unfortunately, the probable outcome will be deteriorating relations between the police and the public.  If the police fear attack by the public, it is highly likely that their stance will result in the public having a fear of the police.   The replacement of name tags with numbers - seems to be a return to "Square One " !

Migration !

What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object ?  That seems to be the situation building in Europe where war, religious conflict and famine are sending millions fleeing across national borders and seeking refuge in the settled countries of the old world.

The exodus from Africa is particularly unsettling.  The images we see on TV of boats crammed with people standing shoulder to shoulder as they try to cross the Mediterranean are being replaced with steel merchant ships packed in similar manner, but abandoned at sea by their crew and left to proceed on auto pilot until they crash onto the receiving countries shoreline.

Of course, their refugees carry Smartphones and they call up the rescue services.  The Coast Guard comes to the rescue and these refugee ships are brought safely into port and their cargoes unloaded, processed and taken to overcrowded refugee camps.  The inflow is fast overwhelming the capacity of the nations along the Mediterranean shoreline to absorb their numbers - and there is a reluctance by those more distant to play a part in resettlement.

The tide of politics is turning and disenchanted voters are embracing new parties with a manifesto to turn back this immigration stream.  In particular, Christian Europe is in revolt against the inflow of mostly Muslims and what some see as the "Islamization "of Europe.   What were once splinter parties are gaining in strength and will probably gain the balance of power in future elections.

In earlier centuries, Americas need for settlers proved to be the safety valve for the world's unwanted. Millions passed through Ellis island and created the nation that became the pinnacle of world wealth, but today new settlers are being discouraged - and this at a time when the world population has topped seven billion.

Here in Australia we have a problem that nags the national conscience.  People smugglers were making fortunes crowding desperate people on rickety fishing boats and dumping them at Christmas island.  This flow only stopped when we enacted counter measures that included the promise that any further arrivals would never be settled in Australia.

The people smugglers tried to call our bluff and sent more boats, and those arrivals were processed offshore at Nauru and Manus island.   The message got through - and the boats stopped, but we now have miserable men, women and children in what are really detention camps with no prospects of a better life as legal Australian citizens - and the cessation of this people smuggling trade depends heavily on our keeping our promise and disallowing permanent settlement in this country for those in political limbo.

Some have given up and voluntarily returned to their original country.   Cash dividends have been offered to get others to make that decision and the ending of wars and better living conditions are lowering perceived risks, but we have a hard core that believe they will not survive if they ever again cross their old borders.

The only logical solution is to settle this remainder in another country - and Cambodia has been a suggested recipient.   Unfortunately, it is seriously third world and recovering from genocide and it is hard to see new arrivals making more than a subsistence living under the conditions that prevail.

All is not well in our resettlement camps.  As time drags and processing of refugee claims proceeds at snail's pace the refugees are resorting to self harm to try and prick a national conscience.  Relations have deteriorated with both their guards and the native population of their offshore islands and there have been riots and arson of facilities.  It is essential that we find a solution - and reach some sort of final settlement that sees these facilities closed.

Finding a formulae that fits that bill has proved elusive.  Perhaps the greatest difficulty is reaching a consensus that all the political factions can give a seal of approval !

The Failed " MoPed " Era !

Just after the end of the second world war what became known as the "MoPed " burst onto the scene in America.  It was an ordinary bicycle with a small, built in petrol engine that could help propel it up a hill and take the hard work out of a lengthy ride to the shops.  This engine was so small that the rider needed to pedal to assist on even moderate grades and it was totally incapable of any sort of high speed.   In the United States, it's users required neither a license to ride nor any form of registration.

A few were imported here, but the Australian authorities took a very different view. All states insisted that a rider would need a full motorcycle license to use one, and it would need to be registered and display a license plate - and have adequate insurance cover.  That killed the MoPed stone dead in this country.

Sixty-five years later the MoPed idea was resurrected when small petrol motors reappeared on push bikes and this time the state authorities gave them a cautious approval, just so long as the propulsion remained limited.   Electric bikes joined the offerings and motorised bicycles became a common sight on Australian roads - until the petrol engined types were again banned in New South Wales from last October.

The problem was the appearance of conversion kits that increased the power ratio to the point that the difference between a motorised push bike and a legal motorcycle became impossible to determine, and the usual misuse brought them to the notice of the police.

Typical was an incident in October 2013 when police noticed a rider of a motorised bike without a safety helmet weaving through night traffic at high speeds and without lights.  This rider refused orders to stop and tried to escape by riding through heavy traffic against the traffic flow, and collided with a vehicle, resulting in his death.   The coroner is recommending that the sale of enhanced engine kits for bicycle conversion be banned to choke off such illegal high speed uses.

MoPeds became almost a fad in the United States just after the war because this was just before the era of the second car family.  In particular, women found them a healthy and enjoyable way of getting to the shops.  What we need to ensure is that the power of electric bikes is not increased to the point where they become a hazard - and also face a ban.

It is unlikely that the government will succeed in eliminating petrol engines that can be converted to powering bikes.  Such engines have other legitimate uses and the resourceful always find ways to circumvent the law.  Mini motorbikes are still openly sold, despite their use on any public road being illegal - but they are permissible on private property.  That option is also available to those with illegal petrol powered bicycles.

A lot of public money has been spent trying to encourage bike use and we have installed bike paths in most cities.   Those promoting cycling as a health initiative will be appalled at the exercise benefits being reduced by powered bikes, but cycling from home to work often involves great distances which puts questions on human endurance.  The true "MoPed " option has a lot to recommend it.

The way to regulate this growing form of transport is to totally ban any sort of conversion and only allow a manufacturers product to be legally used on public roads.   All manufacturers would need to have their product approved and display a certification that the propulsion - either petrol or electric - met the standard required by the state government in  regard to it's speed capability.

If the regulators are seeking to remove over powered bicycles from moving at excessive speed on our streets, that would seem a logical way to achieve their objective !

Saints ? Or Sinners ?

Newly appointed New South Wales Opposition leader Luke Foley has been very careful to publicly clear the decks prior to leading Labor to the polls this coming March.  He has freely admitted that his past is not squeaky clean - and shocked many people when he revealed that he has twice been caught behind the wheel on drink driving offences.

He blew .07 when he was twenty three years old, and .08 more recently when he left a Labor function in 2007.  These matters were not known to the rank and file when they elected him leader, but Foley claims that they were known to the ALP's head office.   At the time of these revelations he also admitted "experimenting "with Marijuana as a young man, and claimed that his twenty-six years of driving was marred by just a single speeding conviction.

This was a wise decision on Foley's part.   The election campaign is about to get under way and what politicians most fear is a revelation hitting newspaper headlines and drawing attention away from the message they are trying to deliver.   That dreaded word  "Scandal " can make or break a successful campaign and it is far better to have it out in the open before the sniping begins.

Politicians are not the most loved creatures on planet earth and their standing in the eyes of many ranges somewhere between real estate vendors and used car salespeople, and yet we trust them to navigate through parliament the laws under which we live.  In recent times, their record has been consistently tarnished.   It is likely that retribution will still be progressing through the courts for the next decade for some of the outright scams that have been perpetrated on the public purse and many have left parliament with their reputation shredded.

We pay our politicians a decent salary and they get a range of hefty "benefits " in one form or another - and when they finally retire they get a pension we other mere mortals can only wish for in our dreams.   The sitting days of parliament are short in comparison with most other jobs - and they get the prefix  "Honourable "to preceed their names.   No wonder these are jobs that many seek !

Unfortunately, despite what individuals promise on the election trail in the vast majority of cases the candidates vying for our vote are simply party "hacks ".   They are subjected to political party discipline and when it comes to a vote they invariably toe the party line.  This makes the utterances of people like Luke Foley important.  As the party leader, Foley should be indicating the policies his party would follow if it were elected, but of course circumstances can change and there is no legal obligation that any election promise will be met.   We therefore take the utterances of politicians with the proverbial "grain of salt "!

From time to time, laws are enacted that try to clean up parliament and bring the personal affairs of elected members into open view.  We expect our representatives to list their holdings and personal wealth - and withdraw from voting where a conflict of interests arise.   The very nature of parliament puts information in the hands of those elected to office that could be used to generate personal wealth - but that would be considered "insider trading "and is strictly against the law.

On the other hand, can anyone remember an ex member of parliament down on his or her luck and sleeping under a bridge somewhere ?   It is not uncommon for those who have been former members of parliament to morph into elevated positions in the business community - and sitting on boards of directors is common.    They bring with them that valuable list of contacts and the inside knowledge that turns wheels and achieves results.  In particular, ex ministers are highly sought as "technical advisers " to chart the course ahead for business.

In this state, the campaign to present a vision of how the next parliament will govern is about to get under way.  A large percentage of the voters will cast their ballot along traditional party lines and the emergence of various "special interest "parties may lead to coalitions of unlikely bedfellows, but such is the trend that has emerged in Australian politics.

We are one of the few nations in this world which insists on every eligible voter at least presenting at a voting booth and having their name ticked off - and be handed a ballot paper.   How - or even whether we lodge a valid vote is a matter of personal choice, but at least when the results are tallied - we get the government that we deserve.

If it fails to deliver what we hoped for, we can only blame ourselves !

Chickens coming home to Roost !

Australia is getting a lesson on what happens when "conpetition  " disappears from commercial activity.    Older Australians will remember the days when just about every street corner in a city had a "bank "- and we had more than a dozen banks competing for our custom. Mergers and acquisitions reduced that number to just four - and now they march in lockstep with fees and charges that reap them profits counted in billions.

The decade just after the end of the second world war saw a frenzy of new petrol stations.  There were many more oil companies seeking market share and those were the days when attendants checked tyre pressure, oil levels and washed the windscreen as well as filled the gas tank.  It seemed that in suburbia there was a petrol station on just about every street corner.

The number of oil companies reduced by way of mergers and acquisitions and the number of petrol outlets serving the public condensed and became "convenience stores "- that also sold petrol.  It was a fast changing world and we were assured by the ecology people that the world oil supply was rapidly diminishing.  The price of petrol was steadily rising.

In the past decade all that changed.  An amazing number of countries have found new oil fields and America has gone from an importer to an exporter with the development of tar sands and fracking to revive old depleted oil fields.  As a result, we have an oil glut and the price has dropped from well over a hundred dollars a barrel to more than half that figure.

Here in Sydney, motorists are having a petrol price bonanza.   We have actually seen petrol sold as low as 99 c a litre.   Competition is rife and discounting is widespread.  Unfortunately, a totally different picture emerges in country areas.

Petrol has always been more expensive the further away from Sydney we travel and that is usually blamed on transport costs.  Price analysis now shows a widely diverging margin on prices charged in the city as opposed to the country - and that has become evident the more the base price at the terminal falls.

The city of Tamworth in rural New South Wales gives a price picture that is duplicated in most other country areas.  In July, when oil was more than a hundred dollars a barrel - the differential between Sydney and Tamworth prices was 6.3 c a litre.     Today - that margin has expanded to 25.3 c a litre.
Filling a fifty litre gas tank will cost the average motorist an extra $9 in that city.

It seems that the smaller number of outlets in country areas has reduced the need for discounting and proprietors are enjoying a better profit margin.  Petrol is not subjected to any form of price control and like all commercial goods the price charged is entirely a matter between the seller and the buyer.

Naturally, this price discrepancy is drawing flak in the media  and there are calls for intervention from anti monopoly bodies, but it is hard to see where there is scope for action - short of imposing some sort of price control.   Country petrol resellers serve a much smaller customer base and consequently sell much lower volumes of petrol - and yet their fixed costs for electricity, council rates and staffing must fit within their profit margin.   There is no compunction to force them to lower prices when the price from their supplier delivers a profit bonanza.

On the other hand, country people are more reliant on their cars because there is usually a lack of public transport.   They tend to have bigger vehicles and travel greater distances.  This is an impost that seriously erodes the cost of living balance between city and country residents.

This poses a dilemma for the state government - and there is an election looming.   The key to this puzzle is probably the groceries duopoly and their entry into the petrol market.   If they are maintaining a huge profit deferential between city and country the authorities can point the finger and accuse them of profiteering and not serving the best interests of their customers - and if they lower the price their competitors will be forced to follow to remain competitive.

Country people will be watching with more than passing interest to see how this battle evolves.  The duopoly seem stuck between a rock and a hard place.   Having established petrol outlets to service their chain of supermarkets country wide they are now the element that dictates prices in most country towns.

An uncomfortable choice - between taking advantage of a profit opportunity or burnishing their public accountability credentials !

Jobs Go Begging !

Here we are at the cusp of the fruit picking season and the nation's food bowl is desperately short of pickers, and at the same time the youth unemployment situation in western Sydney is stuck at seventeen percent.

The Hunter Valley needs people to bring in the grape crop and in the Riverina and the MIA the citrus crop will soon need busy hands if it is not to rot on the trees.  Months of work is available as the various crops ripen and many people earn their entire years living during the fruit season - and have a long holiday for the rest of the year.

It seems that the unemployed young people of western Sydney are just not interested.  They say they want a job - but demand that it be in the city and just a short bus ride away from home. They cling to their nice warm bed and Mum's cooking - and of course they will not be separated from those computer games and hanging out at the Mall with their mates.

Sadly, this nation's food supply rests in the hands of backpackers who come here on a holiday and have a working visa - and this has been extended for an additional three months for those who choose to work in rural areas.  It is not unusual for a picker to earn $ 250 a day and for many overseas people that is a big reason to visit Australia.

We need to enforce the principle of the unemployed travelling to where jobs are available.  We are no longer a country predominantly engaged in manufacturing.  The jobs spectrum is widening and we can not afford to ignore job opportunities because they are in an inconvenient location to the unemployed.

Those taking up this challenge need to be prepared.  Fruit pickers are paid by the amount of fruit they pick.  What they turn in is weighed and they are reimbursed at a stipulated rate per kilo. Many travel farm to farm in vans and use these as their travelling home, but most farms have "pickers quarters ", although these range widely in quality.  At least they provide a dry roof over the visitors head and it is usual for itinerant pickers to have their own sleeping bag.  Communal cooking facilities are provided and these working groups usually have a welcoming cameradie.

It is easy to see why Sydney's unemployed are timid about taking the plunge.  Many have never spent a night away from their homes and this seems a big step into the unknown.  Many parents will not welcome the idea and some will insist that it is too big a risk, but most will benefit from a "growing up "experience that will make them much fitter for their life ahead.

Unfortunately, there is a down side.  Groups of young people far from home are attracted to alcohol and those earning big money can be tempted by the ever present gambling.   Over half a century ago many young people sought their fortune by travelling to north Queensland and finding work cutting cane.   It was dirty, back breaking work and it paid big money, but few returned with a big stash of money.  The various vices that cling to wherever big money is present took it's toll.

Perhaps we are criticising the unemployed of western Sydney unfairly.  Maybe we should be setting up information and training clinics to present the opportunities offering and  give details of exactly what is involved.  It would be helpful if they could determine what skills are needed for fruit harvesting and what kit they will need to take to create their living conditions.  If we expect young people to take the big plunge they are unlikely to step into the unknown without the wealth of knowledge that goes with taking up any new job - and at present that does not exist.

There is also an opportunity to schedule work so that they are heading to a confirmed job and it should be possible to chart progress from farm to farm and from crop to crop as it ripens and needs picking.   It is a big ask to expect young people to travel to a distant district on the promise that work may be available, but with no certainty - with the hope that there will be accommodation if work is offered -  and with little knowledge of what will be expected of them if all this eventuates.

Centrelink - The Farmers Federation - the Employment Bureaus - need to combine their talents to marshal this lucrative work stream of young people to where they are needed.  They need the right information to make the right decisions, and they need a degree of certainty to take up what is a vastly different lifestyle.

What seems to be lacking at the moment is the cohesion between the government and agriculture to present the fruit picking package as a going concern to a work force that badly needs work.  Not all the unemployed will be suitable for this measure, but with the right presentation we could quickly fill this labour deficient void !

A Legal " No Man's Land " !

Later this year a new car will come on the Australian market with the ability to drive itself in stop/start commuter traffic conditions.  The Audi Q7  SUV has an advanced camera and radar system that is linked to it's navigation screen and controls acceleration, braking and steering in relation to surrounding cars - up to a speed of sixty kph.

Theoretically, a driver in the morning commute can sit back and read the newspaper and let the car take care of the usual gridlock.  The only problem seems to be that Australian law is completely lacking the protocols to enable this new innovation to fit within the legal system.  It even raises the question as to whether a " self driving car " can be legally registered to operate on our road system.

This is probably the first baby step in robotics becoming a feature of automobiles.  Each new model will have a tendency to improve on it's predecessor and different brands will strive to be more advanced than competitors.  At the moment, there are absolutely no safety standards that apply to this technology.  How - where - and to what extent it can be used is in legal limbo !

In the past, the advancing design of the automobile increased slowly. Engines became more efficient and technical advances installed improvements.   Automatic transmissions replaced the manual gear shift.  Anti skid braking made cars safer.  Intentionally structured crumple zones in the passenger shell protected humans in a crash accident.  New car designs were tested by the government and awarded crash ratings for safety improvements.   Car safety became the gold standard.

Now we are about to take one giant step further forward.   We are at least partially replacing the human mind with artificial intelligence.  At the core of this self driving technique will be a computer loaded with the best human thinking that can be loaded into it's memory circuits.  Unfortunately, it is inevitable that there will be an instance when that computer is confronted with a situation that does not fit within it's area of knowledge.   Humans may live to fear the moment when their car computer freezes and stops working - because it has faced a situation that " does not compute " !

The age of the driverless car needs to go hand in hand with limitations that are only removed when all the kinks have been ironed out of that particular system.   There will be a tendency for the car industry to quickly duplicate another manufacturers innovation because it has become a "must have " in the sales race - and that spells danger.   The last thing we need is a welter of different systems to create confusion in users minds.

It is also important that we establish a proper legal framework to encompass this new technology.  It is obvious that the future will involve a mix of semi automated and manually driven cars on our roads and the laws that apply will have to take this into account.  Areas of responsibility need to be made quite clear - for both the operator and the manufacturer when an inevitable point of legal friction arises.  At the moment, all interpretations seems to be in "No Man's Land " !

This new Audi Q7 SUV has a price tag of around $ 100,000 which will tend to restrict sale numbers, but past experience has shown that our modern manufacturing world is quite capable of sharp price reductions when quantity becomes the issue - and this new innovation can arrive with frightening speed.

There is a danger that bringing the law into focus may become a case of shutting the stable door - after the horse has bolted !

A Deafening Silence !

It seems that all is not well within the upper echelon of the New South Wales Police force.  Over a decade ago the police conducted what has been known as a "Witch Hunt " which involved the bugging of the homes and offices of over a hundred serving police officers.  This was conducted by the Internal Affairs division and involved the handful of seniority at the very apex of this state's police force.

In a cloak and dagger move a corrupt policeman was instructed to wear a wire and try to compromise 114 serving police at a social function, and so far nobody has shed any light on the reasons given for conducting this probe.   It appears that the reasons that supported the application for warrants of search to proceed are mysteriously absent.

Internal enquiries came to nought and for the past two years the Ombudsman has been tasked with clearing up the matter.  This has so far cost $ 3 million - and still no report has been forthcoming.  Now the whole affair is being sent to a new Parliamentary enquiry, which will commence sittings on January 28.

Internal Affairs has always had a murky reputation.  It is essential that the inner workings of any police force be squeaky clean and it is the job of this section to root out corruption.  It is often claimed that the methods used by Internal Affairs are deliberately contentious and the worst possible outcome is attributed to even a minor indiscretion.  They are also a prime medium for settling scores.

That seems to be the presumed intention of this extensive bugging scandal.  A jockying for power at the highest level of policing may have seen a move to discredit competitors and gain an advantage when promotions became necessary.   The fact that no evidence of the reasons for seeking broad ranging search warrants seems to exist is troubling and raises the suspicion that personal motives were involved.

It would be expected that such a juicy morsel of scandal would have the politicians baying like a wolf pack, but both sides of politics have been keeping a low profile.   The other identity expected to show interest would be the police union, but again there seems to be little activity - and yet this matter remains an irritant that refuses to go away !

While ever it continues to simmer just under the surface it is doing damage to the relationships necessary to run an effective police force.   If there is high tension between the forces's top leaders this will be reflected in day to day policing decisions - and produce an undercurrent of personal loyalty to the various combatants.   This loyalty will influence decisions taken.

It is essential that this Parliamentry enquiry break the nexus and deliver a finding.  If senior police have deviated from legal procedures they must be held to account and appropriate action taken.  If that involves early retirement and a reshuffling of the top ranks, then so be it !

An Unwinnable War !

We are seeing a new phenomenon emerging as young people become disenchanted with the traditional pathways of life.  A growing number are leaving school with no intention of applying for a job and earning a weekly pay packet.  Jobs scarcity and low wages are a disincentive but the prospect of easy money is evident judging by the flashy lifestyles of those already supplying drugs in their community.

If they start young, they know that the laws are in their favour.  They can count on numerous warnings if they get caught carrying a small quantity of drugs when they are below age eighteen, and even after attaining their majority it is most unlikely that they will receive even a small prison term after numerous convictions.   They may have many trips to a police charge room - but avoid time in a prison cell with impunity.

One of the problems is that supplying drugs is very profitable.   They are a sought after commodity and there are big numbers of willing customers at any music festival or gathering of young people.  The police have stepped up detection at entrances with sniffer dogs and body searches, but that is just the normal risk of doing business.  Inventive minds find new ways to overcome obstacles.

Parents despair but many entrants to the drug trade make it quite clear that a life of crime is their choice and they have no intention of becoming a "wage slave " doing a boring job for little money. The profits from drugs tend to validate that option.  It is all a matter of contacts.  The safest course is to be a "middle man - far away from the source of manufacturing or imports, which bring serious penalties, but handling just sufficient a quantity to service a client base and produce a rich and steady income.

Of course, drugs are a competitive business.  Suppliers guard their turf jealously and a newcomer can expect hostilities - and often that has the backing of serious criminal gangs which "own "certain areas of the city.   There is little honour amongst thieves and most dealers recount instances where they have had "stashes "stolen, or been roughedup to persuade them to seek a new avenue to operate.

Like most businesses, running drugs produces it's crop of successes - and failures.  Some become addicted to the product they are selling and others fall under the control of "standover "types who cream off the profits and leave them to take the risks.   It is a risky business, but those with the gumption to overcome adversity and the skill to negotiate with their supplier can become a "somebody "driving a flash car and with money to spend to attract admiration.

Few young people making drugs their lifetime decision realise how quickly they become locked in to that criminal lifestyle.  Their total lack of other types of job experience isolate them from the traditional workforce and their accumulation of a police record will see them shunned by employers should they wish to turn over a new leaf.   Their lack of a clear earning history makes them unattractive in the economic world - and getting a home mortgage will be near impossible - and then there is the "reputation "discredit that follows them through society.

Unfortunately, it is a proven fact that drugs are an unwinnable war.   As long as there is demand, supply will follow and as long as drugs remain illegal prices will reflect the risk involved by the supplier - and deliver profits to the bold and adventurous.

It seems that the lure of easy money is resulting in a lost generation !

Controversial " Chase " Policy. !

The death of a seventeen month old little girl will reignite the controversy over police car pursuits. The public expect the police to protect them from bandits but in many cases high speed police chases under lights and sirens delivers casualties - and even deaths - to innocent members of the public.
This unfortunate incident highlights the uncertainty of outcome in even the most clear cut cases.

The police received reports of a stolen Audi being used in armed robberies of several businesses in the Constitution Hill suburb of Sydney.  Several police cars located this Audi and gave chase and they expected a successful outcome when the car turned into a culdesac.

Apparently, the Audi driver had local knowledge because the house at the end of the culdesac had a park on the rear side of the property.  He gunned the car at full speed through the metal fence and scattered children playing in the yard, crashing through the opposite fence and into the park, where a further group of young people were playing cricket, and made a successful escape.

A seventeen month old child was innocently playing with other children in the yard when this car deliberately crashed through and caused her death.  It seems that one of the pursuing police cars followed the Audi through the yard, but precisely what happened will have to wait until the coroners enquiry.

The police have constantly revised their pursuit policies and they now require initial permission from a central control to commence.  Safety conditions are constantly monitored and if the risk factor increases the pursuit is ended.  A new law was added to the law books to inflict heavy punishment on those who instigate a police pursuit.  This was named "Skye's Law " to honour a child killed when a car being pursued crashed into a family vehicle and caused the death of this child.

This latest death will increase the conflict that applies to police pursuits.  On the one hand, the public expects the police to intervene in cases of armed robbery and there would have been every expectation that the chase must end when a car becomes trapped in a culdesac.  The danger factor would involve the possible use of firearms.  If the driver refused to surrender and capture developed into a fire fight there is the chance that members of the public could be harmed - but the public would expect the police to take down the gunman to prevent future risk.

What was not expected was the decision to ram the car through two fences of a property to access a park and use this method to make an escape.  No consideration was given to the safety of those likely to be in the yard by the driver desperate to escape and this action led to the tragic death of an innocent child.

Some sections of the public want a total ban on all forms of police pursuit and clearly this is impractical.  It would be a clear indication to the criminal fraternity to rob and plunder with impunity. The police must be allowed to do their job, and any pursuit also delivers a risk factor to those doing the pursuing - and policing is a high risk job.

It is worth considering that the police who stormed the coffee shop siege in Martin Place did so in the expectation that the hostage taker had a bomb in his backpack.   Should he detonate such a bomb - or should a stray bullet set it off -  the survival of the rescue party would be doubtful.  It takes a high degree of courage to lay your life on the line in such circumstances.

The passenger in that Audi has been arrested and the driver is known to police.  Arrest is inevitable and he will be called upon to atone for that fateful decision.   What we do not need is a knee jerk reaction that applies impractical restraints to what is really a freak incident.   No law change can cut the risk factor to zero !

A world of revulsion !

We have been constantly warned that returning terrorists from the Islamic State ( IS ) battle zone in the Middle East will bring religious war to the cities of the west and this weeks attack on Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine in Paris brought just that reality.

There have been a number of terrorist incidents world wide carried out by civilian supporters of IS.   The brutal murder of a British soldier. An attack on the Canadian parliament and the shooting of an honour guard at the Canadian war memorial.  Our own hostage drama in Martin Place.  In each of these radicals have armed themselves with a variety of weapons and seem to have been motivated by their religious beliefs rather than being directed by some outside source.

This Paris attack is completely different.  It was carried out with military precision on a building with a history of previous attacks and which was being guarded by armed police.  The two police within were killed - and one of them was a fellow Muslim.  The killers called the names of those they sought and killed with precision the twelve people named - and then unhurriedly drove away when their mission was accomplished.

It is a fact of life that a dedicated attack by those with military training will usually penetrate a target building despite it being under guard.  The attack will contain the element of surprise and in the Paris case one of the victims was forced at gunpoint to key in an access code.  The killers were armed with automatic weapons and may have been wearing bullet proof vests.  Twelve people died in that armed raid.

This was probably the first time radicals returning from the Syrian war zone have been directed by IS to extend it's war to western cities - and it is unlikely to be an isolated incident.  The jihadists use a compelling message of Muslim suffering to recruit impressionable young men and they are brutalised by the methods used on the battlefield against surrendering prisoners and the indifference to the fate of the civilians they over run.

It seems that the command structure of IS is missing a very important point.  They think that bringing death and destruction to the cities of the west will make the people afraid and have them cave in to their demands.  What they are achieving is the exact opposite.

The sea of flowers that filled Martin Place and the seemingly unending tide of people paying respect to our two dead was a new phenomenon.   Crowds not only gathered in Paris after the Charlie Hebdo attack, but similar scenes were enacted in cities across the world and it brought in a mood of sheer defiance - and many in those crowds were Muslims.   IS inspired terrorism is forcing both Sunni and Shia Muslims to make a choice - and clearly they are rejecting the radical cause in droves.

It all boils down to personal freedom.    In a secular western country each person is free to follow a religion of their choice - in the way they decide suits their outlook.   The aim of IS is to force all those under their control to follow precisely the edicts they issue - and to punish to the point of death any deviation.   The rank and file of the Muslims of the Muslim world are turning their backs on this dogma.

Regretfully, we seem destined to take further casualties from time to time.  IS will use it's brainwashed young men to sow death and destruction and this will only serve to alienate the Muslim masses who see this as a perversion of their religion.

Dangerous Overcrowding !

The New South Wales prison system is at breaking point.  It presently holds 10,800 prisoners and these numbers are expected to swell to 12,500 by the end of March, when new bail laws come into affect.  Experience in other parts of the world illustrate the danger that prison overcrowding has for both prisoners and those who are tasked with guarding them.

As usual, the state is locked in a battle to find the money to pay for it's prison system and recently gaols at Parramatta, Berrima and Kirkconnell were closed - with the loss of 900 beds.  There is a plan to replace this prison accommodation with temporary demountable cell blocks, as and where necessary.   These will be built by prisoners - and staffed by "casual "officers replacing full time officers who retired when the closures took effect.

"Temporary "is a term that causes many people to shudder.  Decades ago we solved our shortage of school rooms by installing temporary "demountable " class rooms and most of those are still housing students, hot as hell in summer and freezing in winter.   If what happened to our education system is transposed to the prison population it can only be at the expense of security - and breed serious prisoner discontent.

Prisons are often termed the "University of Crime ".  Dumb prisoners are sent to prison by the courts and in due course much smarter criminals emerge and commit more serious crimes, using the knowledge they have gained from their associates.  It takes seasoned prison officers to keep the lid on the lurks and perks that prisoners engage to communicate with the outside world - and in many cases continue to run their crime activities from behind bars.   The move to use "casuals " to be the guards must fill senior prison governors with dismay.

Prisons are a necessary evil.    In the Scandinavian countries a much more relaxed attitude to locking up people has evolved.  Only those who have committed the most heinous crimes find themselves locked away behind steel bars.  Most prisoners leave the prison for their day job and only sleep in a cell overnight - and usually for a short sentence by our standards.

In other parts of the world, prisons are notorious hell holes.  Riots are frequent - and human life is cheap.  A career as a prison guard is perilous and we often view the nightly news to hear stories of hostage taking and payback murders.

Up until now New South Wales prisons have been grim places, but very civilized by world standards. The measures being implemented to provide more accommodation are retrograde steps that will lead to overcrowding and reduced standards, and in particular - the replacement of professional  prison officers with lower paid casual staff will be a disaster in maintaining prison discipline.

Sadly, what is proposed within our prison system is a knee jerk reaction to criticism of our bail laws. There has been public disquiet because some crimes have been committed by people who many consider should not have been given bail freedom and this has caused the politicians to amend and tighten bail laws.  At the same time, our contrary drug laws see many casual users locked away for short periods - and there is a constant population of " remand " prisoners waiting for inordinate periods of time for their case to come to court.  In some cases, this remand can run to years and be far greater than the sentence imposed if the offender is deemed to be guilty.

This plan to embrace both demountable cell blocks and staff them with untrained casuals will lead to disaster.  Far better to sit down with the prison administration, the police and the judiciary and rework the entire justice system, lock, stock and barrel.   The old approach is not working - and now would be a good time to bring new thinking to the problem !

The " E-Cigarette " Issue !

In Queensland, the E-Cigarette is subjected to the same laws that apply to the tobacco product. In New South Wales it is still legal, but a variety of health professionals are urging Mike Baird to follow the Queensland lead and apply a ban.

There are two distinctly different claims made and vested interests are closely watching and waiting for an outcome to emerge.   Some people claim that E-Cigarettes help those wanting to quit the evils of tobacco by offering a harmless alternative, and others claim that they introduce a conduit by forming a smoking habit that leads to tobacco use.

So far, science has been silent on any form of declaration either approving or declining health risks associated with E-Cigarettes.   The only statement forthcoming has concerned "long term health risks "- and those are undetermined.

The basic principle involved raises no obvious threat.   A battery provides the power to heat Propylene Glycol and various "taste "chemicals to form a vapour that can be inhaled.  The  "E-Cigarette "is a permanent structure which can be restocked with Propylene Glycol packs and new batteries when required.   It usually sells somewhere in the $ 20 cost range.

One of the obstacles to quitting smoking are the habits that surround the handling and puffing on tobacco products.   Proponents claim that by simply replacing a lit cigarette with an innocuous replica that delivers no medical harm this obstacle is overcome.  Many former smokers claim that E-Cigarettes have enabled them to either quit completely, or at least cut down on tobacco use.

There is absolutely no doubt that that this new product eliminates one of the greatest dangers smokers pose to other people - sidestream smoke inhalation. That is a consideration that should be taken into account when evaluating this new product.  In particular, a smoker who indulges that habit at home is subjecting both partner and kids to a serious health risk - which E-Cigarettes can eliminate.

The problem is that the anti-tobacco crowd tend to be fanatics.  E-Cigarettes will not get an unbiased evaluation and any scientific paper that finds in it's favour will be dismissed and ridiculed.  Anything that even remotely looks like a cigarette will bring on the full firepower of the anti smoking lobby.

The fact that Queensland has rushed legislation into place to subject E-Cigarettes to the same prohibitions that apply to tobacco will increase pressure on the other states to follow suite.   If E-Cigarettes are a means of helping smokers quit their habit we will be doing health a serious disservice by applying a blanket ban.    We encourage the production and sale of anti smoking aids such as nicotine flavoured chewing gum and various inhalers - and the only valid reason given for banning E-Cigarettes seems to be the similarity in appearance to cigarettes.

Every year the number of Australians that smoke decreases.  The health message is getting through and the ever increasing price of continuing the smoking habit is having an effect.  Nicotine is probably as addictive as heroin - and just as hard to quit.  If  E-Cigarettes are so effective in reducing the compulsion to light up as some smokers claim, slapping on a ban just to satisfy the anti-smoking lobby would be counter productive.

Making that decision should wait until the boffins give us a real reason to proceed !

Crime Families !

Macquarie street would probably top the list as the most opulent address in Sydney.  Not only does it house the building where this state's parliament sits, but our most famous medical specialists proudly have their consulting rooms along this street - and upper crust apartments cost a fortune.

This week it also became the scene of a gun battle when a member of a leading crime family survived an assassination attempt by two gunmen.    Several shots were fired and one bullet lodged in the victim's shoulder.  He is being treated in hospital and the wound is not considered life threatening.

Hollywood made a fortune from the battles between Al Capone's gang and the Chicago police.  Crime movies drew big audiences all through the "Depression "years, and they still do today.   Only the villains change - to keep up with the times.  "The Godfather "series portrayed the Mafia in America and today the genre has changed again - to terrorists.

What doesn't change is the ongoing battle to tear down and replace whoever is "King "of the city crime empire.  In this city, that "Kingdom " revolves around Kings Cross and it's nightclubs and gambling joints.    Sometimes the supremo is a single individual who has risen to the top of the heap, and at present it is a "family "whose head is ably supported by several brothers.  Whenever they travel, they are usually surrounded by a posse of "minders "who serve as bodyguards.

Our chief gangster is also a celebrity.  He is stalked by the media and he is usually on first name terms with senior police.  Usually there is an "understanding " that the criminals will maintain a code of conduct when conducting their affairs so as to not alarm the public.  Occasionally, excesses occur when less sophisticated rivals try their hand at violence - as evidenced by this unsuccessful attempted assassination.

Unfortunately, it is now inevitable that there will be retribution.  This has been one of several similar attacks on the crime family presently controlling Kings Cross and it can not go unchallenged.  Most likely the victim will maintain silence and give the police no help in identifying his attacker, but the "foot soldiers " will be tasked with delivering a message to those responsible.  Most likely, the outcome will be a body on a street somewhere in this city.

From a policing point of view keeping the dialogue between law enforcement and crime on a civil level is very important.  The city crime boss rules his troops with a rod of iron and the first aim of any criminal enterprise is to keep the profits rolling in without interruption.   That is possible only if crime and policing exist within a tight framework of rules that both strictly obey.

One ambitious competitor to the crime crown has been smashed by police.  This gang wore it's name on their T shirts and was open with it's ambitions.   One by one it's members were taken down, but not before violence on a grand scale created newspaper headlines and alarmed the public.  Now it seems that another competitor is seeking that elusive crown and we may again have a period of violence during the sorting out process.

There will always be crime in this city - and there will always be a strong person in charge of that crime.  Crime is big business and we constantly see cash money amounting to millions changing hands - and buying favours that impede successful policing.   The best we can hope for is that the balance can be maintained so that violence does not spill over and harm innocent people.

At present, the people in charge of crime here are relatively "civilized ".    It is best if the police aim to keep it this way and keep violent competitors at bay.

That " Strike " Weapon !

There has been an aftermath to the funeral of slain Police officer Rafael Ramos in New York last week.  Arrests have dropped by sixty-six percent and on the spot fines are not being issued for minor offences but which are vital for city finances.  The Police are showing their displeasure at a remark made by Mayor Bill de Blasio when an assassin shot two Police officers dead in a revenge attack for Police shootings of unarmed black people.

The Mayor had called for an "emergency summit "with the five police unions which cover the city - and the cops bristled at the implied suggestion  that some sort of change was needed.  This goes to the heart of the problem which is poisoning relations between the police and citizens in America - and in many other parts of the world.

The police know that they are an essential service.  They do a dangerous job and they refuse to concede that any change is necessary in the way they do their policing work.   One union  representing police sergeants has called for the Mayor to "humble himself " and there are demands that he "change his philosophical views on policing ".   It seems that the police are implacably opposed to any review of police responsibilities.

Policing has come a long way since the days when the first police "Bobbies "walked the streets of London.  A century ago, most police were unarmed, but today officers have access to personal side arms and heavier weapon backup - and many wear body armour.  The biggest change is in the area of attitude.   Where police were once there to "help "the public, now most consider they are there to "control " the public.

This manifests itself in attitudes.    The police expect the public to obey their orders and some are accused of arrogance.  " Power "is in their hands and they are quick to make that clear when they are dealing with the public.  The suggestion that police wear cameras on their uniforms to provide independent verification of contact between police and the public does not find favour with police. They see that as a restriction on their right to control situations as they think fit.  Most regard it as a move to reduce the powers of the police.

In some parts of the world the police are completely out of control - and little better than the gangs that maraud city underworlds.  Often the interaction with residents is heavy handed and many citizens have good reason to fear any sort of contact with the police.  That is not a situation that we would want to happen here in Australia.

Unfortunately, that same sort of division between the public and police power has been steadily eroding trust as we see instances of police excesses swept under the carpet and not adequately investigated - and in each case it is the threat of intervention from the police union that stifles proper investigations.

There has only ever been one police strike in Australia - and the memory of that puts fear into the heart of any government.   In 1923 twenty-four constables at Melbourne's Russell street police headquarters refused duties and about half the state police walked off the job.  Criminal elements in the city went on the rampage, rioting, breaking into shops and looting.   The state government's call for the army to be sent in to restore order was rejected, and consequently five thousand "special constables " were recruited and sworn in - and armed with pick handles.   Order was quickly restored.

From time to time acrimony between the government and the police here in New South Wales have seen the same tactics now being  used in New York applied.   The uniformed police presence remains, but they are on an unofficial work strike and have ceased handing our traffic fines or fines for other offences, crippling the cash flow to treasury.  In a matter of days, the government caves in.   Thus the threat of a police strike remains like the proverbial "Sword of Damocles " - hanging over the head of parliament.

Eventually, a situation will arise that forces the hand of the government.  A police excess that is so blatant that it sends mutiny spreading through the public and makes confrontation between the judiciary, parliament and the police inevitable.

Every time controversy is swept under the carpet and not fully investigated, it brings that day closer.