Political Assassinations ?

In many parts of the world, politicians live in almost a state of siege - under constant fear of an assassin waiting to strike.   Most people remember a day in November, 1963 when President John F Kennedy fell victim to Lee Harvey Oswald, ending the practice of US presidents riding in open topped cars.

Australia has a much more benign relationship between those who hold political office - and they that they govern.   We often curse and revile them for their decisions, but only very rarely do we shoot them !

This nation reacted with horror, when in June 21, 1966 then opposition leader Arthur Caldwell was shot in his car by Peter Kocan, a nineteen year old student.    Fortunately, the low calibre bullet deflected off the window glass and did Caldwell no harm - and Kocan received a lengthy gaol sentence.

September 5, 1994 brought our first political  murder for gain.   John Newman was gunned down in front of his fiancee in an attempt by a political rival to gain his parliamentary seat.   Eventually the assassin was run to earth and the man who ordered the hit identified.   Phong Ngo is still serving a life sentence for that murder.

It is chilling to hear that life threats are being made against Queensland Premier Campbell Newman.   Newman is battling bikie gangs who are engaged in open warfare against one another for control of the lucrative drug trade.  Draconian legislation is coming through the pipeline - and this has enraged the computer hacking group who wear Guy Fawkes masks - and term themselves " Anonymous ".

It is more likely that Anonymous will use it's hacking skills to cause loss and damage to Queensland government revenue sources than engage in violence, but there is a higher risk that a new bikie group - the Mongols - will cross the line and target politicians to make their point.

It would not be a huge change of course.   Here in Sydney we are seeing almost daily shootings and most of these are in broad daylight between rival gang members.  Those that survive stick by the criminal code of silence.   New South Wales is obviously watching the Queensland legislation and pressure is building to enact uniform laws across all Australian states to curb the bikie menace.

Many citizens are disturbed to see the change that is taking place in our methods of policing.   Police now wear body armour and the sight of cops toting assault rifles and backed up by " Bearcat " armoured vehicles with a machine gun mounted on a roof turret have become features when a drug house is raided.

At the moment, Campbell Newman is the most aggressive premier tackling crime in his state and if an assassination threat emerges, he would be the most likely target.    The bikie wars have raised the risk level by quite a few notches.

What the future Australian lifestyle looks like will depend heavily on which side wins the coming bikie wars !