The " Childcare " Enigma !

That word - " Childcare " - means different things to different people.  Sixty-five years ago it probably meant asking Grandma to look after the little ones while a woman did her grocery shopping, or sometimes having the nice lady next door keep an eye on the children while mother did a few errands.

Childcare went hand in hand with the emancipation of women in the work force.  Australian society morphed from wives serving as " homemakers " to the start of the two salary family which initially got their feet on the rungs of the home ownership ladder more quickly and then became envied because they enjoyed holidays that were out of reach for the rest of the herd.

Today - the word " married couple " has been replaced by the word "partnership " and it is absolutely essential that both contribute to the financial pool that results in eventual home ownership and the accumulation of assets towards a comfortable retirement.  The problem is fitting having and caring for children in that work mix - and that has been gradually absorbed within what is called the childcare "National quality framework " !

Federal, State and even local government regulations govern what this industry provides and it is fast devolving from a industry tasked with "child minding " into what is now regarded as the field of "early education " - and the people employed in that capacity need qualifications that are just as rigorous as the school teaching professions.

From January 1 of this new year the childcare industry will be required to adjust it's workforce to meet new regulations.   The staff ratio has been adjusted to require one qualified person for every five toddlers between the age of two and three in care, and this replaces a requirement of one worker for every eight toddlers.

There is a degree of panic by all those using childcare services.   Obviously the industry will need to add to it's workforce numbers and this will have an impact on the cost of running such centres.  It is anticipated that fees will rise by an average of five dollars a day.

Childcare costs are deep in the mix of government subsidies balanced against the needs of lower paid jobs and the affordability that goes with working women and the hours that childcare provides.  It is still an industry heavily yoked to that old nine to five, five days a week work syndrome.   A  few centres are moving towards longer hours and trying to balance towards the 24/7 work cycle but getting a place in a childcare centre close to home is an ongoing battle.

There seems no doubt that this mix of costs and shortage of supply has created a shadow industry which is quietly bubbling away out of sight.   The law of supply and demand ensures that there is an unregulated arrangement in place whereby children are being accommodated in private homes by unqualified carers - who charge for that service.

The danger is that as childcare as a regulated industry strives for added levels of professionalism and refines it's rules both the cost and number of places available close out lower paid workers and enhance the number of shadow operators offering.   There seems an uncertain line between the merits of "child minding " and "child education " that will not be apparent to those who have children and also need a job to financially survive !

A Missed Opportunity !

The Australian economy boomed when China's ever expanding manufacturing sector was devouring iron ore and coal and sending prices skyrocketing. Now that China has turned towards a services economy our resources sector is not delivering big tax dividends and there is gloom and doom in Treasury statements.

A newspaper headline this week tells a story of missed opportunity.  A Federal government authority seized a sixty tonne shipment of baby formula destined for China and we have the situation where our supermarkets are rationing baby formula for Australian families because shoppers are panic buying to serve a buoyant shortage of this product in Chinese cities.  A tin of Australian baby formula which sells here for $25 brings a black market extortion price of $ 84 in Shanghai !

Why is this so ?   Way back in 2008 a scandal in China destroyed confidence in the local baby formula industry.  It was discovered that some Chinese factories were substituting Melamine for milk and this led to the death of several babies and widespread illness in others.  Chinese mothers turned to imported products for safety - and milk formula from Australia and New Zealand quickly became the gold standard.  Demand quickly outstripped supply.

Chinese mothers appealed to Chinese students studying in Australia to buy and ship formula and this profit opportunity saw demand snatching formula off supermarket shelves and creating shortages. Individual supermarkets rationed the product, but seven years later an Australian mother is still not assured of getting her needs without a fight and this sixty tonne seizure illustrates how the black market has risen into overdrive.

When are we going to learn that market forces are there to be harvested - and if we are a "  Clever Country "' we must seize opportunities and exploit them to our advantage.

The most populous country in the world demands our baby formula - and they are about to abandon their one child policy forced on Chinese families.  It is nothing short of a scandal that we are not manufacturing formula to meet this demand and responding to the new opportunity that is going begging - and forcing actual formula shortages in our own country.

The Australian dairy industry has been decimated and we are seeing both Coles and Woolworths offering milk for just one dollar a litre, having used their monopoly status to force down the price at the farm gate to it's lowest level.   The demand for baby formula should see the dairy industry booming as we revert from digging things up and sending them overseas - to a more sustainable economy of producing goods that are in short demand.

Seven years is an eternity for an unsupplied market to be left stagnant.   Opportunity is not just knocking, it is raining hammer blows on our export door - and it seems we are deaf to this opportunity.   How can formula manufacturing be still at a level when Australian mothers are having to search from shop to shop to buy this product and yet unfulfilled demand in China is forced to pay extortionate prices.   It is not Chinese regulations limiting our exports - it is manufacturing apathy that has not risen to demand.

If we do not act to seize this opportunity, entrepreneurs in Europe and the rest of the world certainly will !

National Pride !

When it is an "Ashes series " year Australians are glued to their television sets because it is the combined team of our best cricketers - drawn from all the states and territories - which is doing battle with the Poms.  Nothing stirs national pride and sets the Aussie flags waving around the famous state venues than a contest involving one of our national teams

The 2000 Sydney Olympics was a success that drew praise from the world body, who   declared them "the best ever " !   Sydney solved a problem that had bedevilled other world countries.  The sheer logistics of moving the vast crowds attending Olympic spectacles required vast numbers of country and interstate bus drivers - and without an intimate knowledge of the host city - many of them got lost and threw transport into chaos.

Aussie ingenuity marshaled retired bus drivers, cabbies, couriers - all those folk who knew the city intimately - and put them on the buses as navigators, and gave them a microphone to act as tour guides and make the trips interesting for visitors.   That has become standard practice across the world - and the idea originated right here in Sydney.   For a country with a small population by world standards, we punch well above our weight !

World events have transformed into what some would call a "National showcase ".   Many remember the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies of the London Olympics which illustrated the progress of that world city as it stood on the world stage while the centuries slipped by.   That was sheer ingenuity and set a high standard for others to follow.   There is now an expectation that every world event will attain even greater heights.

Australia is looking forward to the 2018 Commonwealth Games which have been awarded to our Gold Coast.   The best and brightest from all the Commonwealth countries will gather for this event and the world will watch the medal tallies with awe.   Central to our Australian role will be both the opening and the closing ceremonies and these will present us to the world and hopefully put us high on the list of those planning an overseas holiday.   There is an expectation that tourist numbers will peak as a result of such events.

It is essential that we get the presentation right.  It needs to be a mix of what is unique about this country, presented in such a way that it intrigues and attracts.  It seems astounding that the games organization - known as Goldoc - has seen fit to hand the planning of both events to an American company to both plan and implement.   How can a bunch of foreigners hope to put together a spectacle that is uniquely Australian  ?

We have both the skill and talent  - and a past history of successful presentations - that has been ignored for these Commonwealth Games.   This American company will no doubt create a colourful show and it will probably be very spectacular, but it is highly unlikely to be other than the type of event we would expect to see if the games were being held in the United States.   National outlook and national thinking must colour the base theme.

There is also the disadvantage that American minds - trying to gain an "Australian " insight may stray into something "gawky " or inappropriate in trying to capture the essence of another nation's culture.  It is quite possible that what appears as an Australian themed event may make viewers here cringe. Australian humour does not translate well when copied by other nationalities.

There is still time to set the scene right - and return both the opening and closing ceremonies into Australian hands !

Troubling Medical Decisions !

Two molecular biologists - one from the University of California, Berkley and the other from from the Max Planck Institute in Germany, made a medical breakthrough which allowed any DNA malfunction that would later lead to a developing disease in a foetus to be snipped from the genome.

This procedure became known as CRISPR-Cas9  - or just Crispr as it's shorter version - also allowed a treating scientist to reinsert other desirable components of DNA into the genome, in which case it would become an integral part of that persons genome that would repeat endlessly in future generations of that persons bloodline.

It got a mixed reception in the ethics world.  Some hailed it as the miracle that would prevent a whole host of inherited diseases from ravaging society while others saw it as allowing science to play God and interfere with the basic building blocks of the human body.

It is a fact of life that once something has been invented, it is not possible for it to be un-invented.  Many people today would wish that the Manhattan project had been unsuccessful in inventing the atomic bomb that ended the second world war - and some would even wish that many centuries earlier in China that the mixing of charcoal, saltpetre and sulphur had not led to the creation of gunpowder.   It would have been a safer world without both of those inventions.

The world of science is mulling over ethics and as usual there is disagreement on how and when Crispr should be used.  The biggest fear seems to be pressure building to use it to produce what some call "designer babies "- offspring that differ from the undesirable traits of the parents and replacing those with height, hair colour, eye characteristics and generally the attributes of a more attractively proportioned person.

There seems no doubt that Crispr will find use in eliminating the inherited disease of Hemophilia where the failure of blood to clot in a wound leads to an early death and there are many other inherited diseases that could be curtailed prior to the birth of an infant.   The problem is that this procedure has the potential to return rich rewards when used without ethical restraint and the lure of money is the incentive that seems to drive the excesses of the human race.

What is not lost in the thinking of many people is the fact that DNA is not restricted to us human beings.   It is the basic building blocks of all plants and animals and this breakthrough opens a Pandora's box of opportunity.  Genetic engineering could produce entirely new animals with attributes that suit the food chain and the same applies in the plant world.  Crispr presents the opportunity to do in a single generation, what science has been achieving over centuries by the selective breeding of animal stock and plant varieties to gradually improve the output yield or meat distribution for commercial gain.   The big difference is that with Crispr there are no absolute limits.  The basic building blocks can be rearranged to create an outcome that is far removed from even the wildest imagination.

What frightens many people is the fact that ethical control is not possible.  No doubt responsible scientists will lay down a manifesto of ethics and most responsible governments will enact laws to give them credible force, but we have both disreputable national regimes in some countries and scientists working in unregulated laboratories in others who will disregard all forms of control over how this procedure will be applied.

It seems that the genie is out of the bottle - and it looks unstoppable !   Like it - or hate it - Crispr is probably the greatest genetic change that this world has ever seen, and we will have to learn to live with the consequences in the years ahead !

Hospital " Private Cover " Dilemma !

The whole purpose of taking out private cover health insurance was built around the notion that it was better to be able to choose the doctor of the patient's choice and have whatever procedure that was involved attended to in a private rather than a public hospital.

In the public hospital system, patients were attended by whichever doctor was rostered for that shift and apart from the ever present dilemma of waiting for a bed to become available, the amenities were far less than catered for in the private system.  Many private hospitals touted the " luxury " aspect of their facilities and promised a private room rather than accommodating patients in multi-bed  wards.

It comes as something of a shock to learn that today one in three privately insured maternity patients are choosing to have their babies in the public system, simply because the out of pocket expenses between what the private funds pay and the charges now applicable have ballooned out to ridiculous levels.   It is not uncommon for a woman giving birth in a private hospital to pay between $ 2,000 and $ 5,000 on top of the fund contribution.   Even in the best circumstances, a debt of at least five hundred dollars seems to be the bare minimum.

Maternity costs seem to be the lynch pin at the apex of this cost pressure and many health funds are discreetly encouraging women to drop maternity cover to make their policies affordable, and simply rely on the public system.  In 2005 the percentage of women giving birth in the public system was 69.8%  - today it is 72% - and rising.

It is quite apparent that many women are abandoning private maternity insurance cover and opting for policies that exclude this form of cover, and once again statistics tell a story.  In 2012 62% of combined hospital and extras insurance included maternity cover.  In 2015 this has dropped to just 31%.

It is impossible to accurately track costs across the private hospital spectrum, but generally a birth in a private hospital should be somewhere close to $ 8,500.   On top of that will be the charge by an obstreprician and doctors who have achieved fame in their field have been known to present a $ 10,000 bill, but that would be an extreme case.

Another influencing factor is the vast improvements that have been made to maternity services in the public system.  Old, archaic systems of yore have been brought up to private hospital standards and innovations such as water birthing are now common.   Most women of child bearing age are hearing complimentary stories from other women who have used the public system and this is reducing the incentives to risk a huge dent in their finances when a completely acceptable alternative is available - for free !

Unfortunately, this depletes the very reason that the government encourages private health insurance.  The fact that the public system is without charge means that is must cover a vast number of people and that would be an unsustainable load without the private system diluting this patient stream.
The whole concept of private health insurance was based on those who could afford the premium being rewarded with the choice of an attending doctor and being accommodated at a luxury level not possible in the public arena.

In maternity care, an imbalance has occurred.  Both the government and the medical profession need to urgently confer to get maternity costs back onto an even keel !

Rethinking the Death Penalty !

The last man executed by hanging in Australia was Ronald Ryan who met his death on the scaffold of Pentridge prison in Melbourne on February 3, 1967.  His crime was the killing of prison warder George Hobson and ending capital punishment was a growing national sentiment in that era. All later murder convictions were downgraded to life imprisonment and the death panalty was finally revoked in this nation in 1985.

A century ago many people believed in "a life for a life "concept of punishment for willful killing of another person.  To satisfy this revenge motif in outrageous murder cases the judges sometimes decreed a life sentence "with no possibility of release ", hoping that would dispel public outrage that could not be satisfied by imposition of the death penalty.

Over the intervening decades, the attitude to murder has softened. Today's trials delve deeply into the emotions involved and whether the killing evolved from a planned intent or a sudden burst of rage.  Age and the influence of drugs or alcohol are taken into account and psychiatric illness sees the murderer taken to a hospital ward rather than a prison.  The maximum sentence for most murders is now twenty years, usually shortened by parole granted earlier for good behaviour.

We have created what is called the SuperMax, a prison within a prison at Goulburn with advanced security to hold the worst of the worst of this state's dangerous prisoners.  We are also experiencing a new phenomenon whereby a sect of Sunni Islam developed the Wahabist doctrine that urges it's followers to inflict murder on all who do not convert to this extreme outlook.  It calls itself "Islamic State "and has carved out a caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq and urges young Muslims to fight to force it's notion of Islam on the entire world.

Islamic State has cleverly used social media to it's advantage to radicalize new followers and train them to launch terror attacks in western countries.  Terror cells have formed and delivered mass killings in a number of venues and while our security forces have deterred most Australian attacks it seems inevitable that eventually such a mass killing will happen here.  The question that arises is precisely how do we deal with such people who indiscriminately kill our citizens ?

Rehabilitation is the aim of our prison system but that is an unlikely outcome on those who have been brainwashed to believe that killing an "infidel " will be rewarded by instant access to Paradise as an honoured elite, to be feted and served with countless luxuries.  It seems inevitable that we will be housing an ever growing number of highly dangerous people in the SuperMax with the intention of a mass breakout to achieve widespread killing as a religious duty.

This is a form of fanaticism that will not retreat with time and in essence these people consider themselves soldiers in a war with the rest of the world.  They wear no uniform and are prepared to sacrifice their own life by detonating explosives on their body or being killed in a shootout with security forces. They come here posing as peaceful settlers and accept the oath of citizenship but in reality they are legally mercenaries in mufti who can be executed under the rules of war.

Perhaps it is time to rethink the death penalty.  There is no more gross a crime than the deliberate killing in mass of men, women and children simply because the killer has hate for their way of life and wishes to impose a dogma that they are unwilling to follow.   The cost and risk of incarcerating growing numbers discovered prior to launching such attacks is to create what amounts to a prisoneer of war camp within the SuperMax.   They are soldiers of a foreign power which has declared war on our country and they do not deserve the protections afforded to uniformed combatants under the rules of war.

This is not a war that will eventually end with a peace treaty.  It is an attitude of mind to which some zealots subscribe and it has existed in one form or another over many centuries.   When such an enemy engages in conduct that delivers mass murder on a grand scale perhaps it is time to rethink the whole question of ethics and outcome !

Voodoo Economics !

Today - Christmas Day - is a holiday but all permanent employees will get their full pay packet on pay day.   Legislation ensures that they have the day off on full pay on publicly gazetted holidays and that is a normal accounting practice for those running a business.  Casual employees are on a different basis.  Many are rostered for work when demand for services is at it's peak and often they get the call at short notice, and when their employer decides not to open, they get no work and consequently - no pay.

It seems that a very different view prevails in many child care centres.   They close on public holidays, but continue to levy their usual charge despite providing no service.  The parents who are employed in industries that continue to work on public holidays have no option other than to take the day off themselves, or take their children to work with them - or find other services.

Many child care centres close their doors at noon on Christmas Eve and reopen on January 4, but continue to charge their usual rate of $86 a day on all public holidays within that time frame.  Their reasoning is that they are required by legislation to grant their permanent employees a paid public holiday, hence this cost is being passed on to the public.

This seems to be a line of thinking that is way out of step with the world in which we live today.  It seems to assume that the parents of the children who attend day care are all employed as permanent employees and will therefore be having that public holiday - and will not need the day care service because they will be enjoying the holiday with their children.   That is drawing a very long bow to pass on the cost of an enforced holiday for their staff to the end customer.

It is also doubtful if that is legal and it needs immediate attention from Fair Trading and the statutory authorities that govern work practices.   Child care is fast becoming an essential service and without it a substantial section of the workforce could not continue to be employed.  It is a mix of the public and private sector and consequently the rules that apply vary widely at the whim of individual proprietors.

It is a fallacy that child care centres exclusively cater for the needs of women.  In this age of divorce there are many men who have care of their children and both men and women work in a host of industries such as nursing, the police, the electrical industry and railways that require rostered work of a 24/7 basis.   Unfortunately, child care seems to be an industry working in lockstep with the old traditional  nine to five, five day a week time frame.

That is very comfortable from an organizational point of view, but where there is demand there is opportunity for the entrepreneur.  There is also the expectation that the work time frame will continue to widen. It seems evident that from sheer necessity many children are exposed to child minding situations that are far from ideal, and in particular - older children are sometimes tasked with the care of younger siblings that is beyond their maturity level.   Unless professional care is available, such situations will continue to pose danger.

It seems that the fragmented nature of the child care industry is one of it's weaknesses.   This peculiar charging pattern for public holidays seems to have evolved and is totally inconsistent with other industries.   The time has arrived for the whole question of need and supply to get a fresh appraisal and be fine tuned to the needs of the market place.

Sunday Pay Rates !

Anyone confused by the argument about reducing double pay rates for those working on Sunday to the time and a half rate that applies on Saturdays would do well to have a chat with an "oldie " who remembers the world we lived in when this form of compensation for weekend work first came into force.

Those were the days when the shops opened at nine in the morning and closed at five thirty, Monday to Friday, and opened for a half day on Saturday.  A new phenomenon - Supermarkets - arrived and opened seven days, but they could not sell you red meat after one PM on a Saturday nor at all on Sunday.  The people tasked with working in them were paid time and half rate on Saturday and double time on Sunday in compensation for giving up their weekends.

Now - about those weekends.  The opening hours for the pubs saw the bars close at six in the evening and they were fully closed all day Sunday.   If you intended to party on Saturday night you needed to buy your booze before that six PM deadline and Saturday afternoon was the traditional time for sport -  Aussie rules in southern states and Rugby League in NSW and Queensland.

Sunday was the day nothing opened - except the churches !   No picture theatres. No Pubs.  In most suburbs the only sign of life might be the local milk bar and that was usually family owned - and staffed.  Perhaps a brass band playing in the park if Sunday was a bright, sunny day.

Compare that with the life we live today.  We expect to shop on all seven days and we expect to eat out way into the evening and be entertained at no extra cost just because the day we choose happens to be in the weekend.  The modern work cycle can be anywhere in that twenty-four hour spectrum,  A lot of people choose night work because it frees up their days if they are passionate surfers and those doing study like a mix of hours that accommodates both activities.   We have become a 24/7 society.

This pay issue is grinding out as a fight between the dogmatic unions and their scare campaign and the punishing drag on costs that see a lot of businesses fail to open and trade on a Sunday because it is impossible to make a profit.   The businesses that do open are prone to be understaffed - often just the proprietor and his or her family - to keep costs under control.  Dropping double pay rates to even time and a half would see a host of new jobs created and many businesses that now close on Sunday open their doors.

The unions tactic will be to claim that any alteration to pay rates is a return to "Work Choices " but deciding the issue is in the hands of the independently setup Fair Work Commission and the government has promised that any policy change will be taken as a policy plank to the next election. Unfortunately, we in Australia are out of step with the rest of the world.   This weird preoccupation with isolating weekend work from the rest of the work week has long been abandoned in other countries and when Australians travel overseas this must be glaringly apparent to them.   We are clinging to a past regime that makes no sense in a modern society.

Of course those seeking Sunday work - with it's double pay - would like it to continue.  Much of the workforce is employed on a casual basis and that extra Sunday money makes up for reduced shifts but there is no advantage to the unemployed - and many of them do not have a job because their labour is too expensive because of these penalty rates.   Shops that open for longer hours and trade again on a Sunday create more jobs and widen the employment pool to the advantage of everybody.

Deciding this issue will be pure politics.   It is a tactical battle for hearts and minds - and the decisive factor will be way of thinking the winning side attains in the minds of the masses.   It will be impossible to implement without public acceptance, but it is inevitable in the long term because it runs against the tide of change that has been relentlessly changing this nation.   Everything from the end of the six O'çlock pub swill to Sunday trading happened against fierce opposition to maintain the status quo  !

An " Unworkable " Law Change !

Cycling has long been the "un-policed " aspect of traffic management.  Car drivers repeatedly encounter cyclists not wearing the helmet required by law, running red lights and weaving in and out of traffic with total impunity.  Now the Roads Minister has announced a law change that is supposed to reign in common practice by upping the fines ante.

The fine for riding without a safety helmet will increase from the present $71 to $ 319 and a host of offences - running a red light, failing to stop at zebra pedestrian crossings,  holding onto a moving motor vehicle - will all now attract a $425 penalty and a new law will require all bicycle riders to produce some form of photo identity, but the penalty for that failure has not been stated.  The lawmakers squibbed the decision for bicycles to carry some sort of identification plate and have third party insurance cover, as applies to motorists.

Four wheel motor traffic now have new obligations when it comes to encountering cyclists within the road system.   They are required to keep a minimum one metre distance when passing a cyclist at or below 60 kph speed, and this increases to 1.5 metres at any speed greater than 60 kph, and this law will be enforced with a charge of "driving dangerously close to a bike rider " - with a fine of $319.

At best, this is a knee jerk reaction to be seen as responding to drivers complaints.  Cyclist behaviour is totally ignored by the police for a very good reason.  It is far easier to gain a conviction on a motorist because he or she is driving a vehicle with a clearly identifiable number plate and must produce a photo license on request.   In contrast, the cyclist can give a false name and address with impunity or fail to answer.  The only option would be for the copper to make an arrest and put the offender in a cell until identity was proven - and that is simply not worth the effort for what the police consider a very minor matter.

No doubt the police will make a great show of implementing this law on cyclists when it comes into force, but it will most likely quickly revert to the present practice of officers being "blind "to cycling offences.  Trying to impose a fine on a cyclist will be seen as a big hassle and time waster with limited reward, which will have to survive the usual appeal processes embedded in the court system.

Lawyers will have a ball with that photo identity requirement.  The average person may have a credit card or a debit card or any manner of club membership cards, few of which would carry a photograph.  It is possible to obtain a photographic non driver identity card from the motor registration people, but at the enquirers expense.   No doubt the legal fraternity will suggest to a sympathetic magistrate that this is a gross financial imposition on the poor who must rely on a humble bicycle for transport.

Of course that safety measure on motorists passing cyclists will be hard to actually measure but will deliver a new bonanza for achieving fine quotas.   It will certainly create problems where there are cyclists mixed with cars in the daily morning commute and several lines of traffic are doing the stop/start tango.   Then there is the issue of cyclists riding through stopped traffic in clogged freeway conditions.   Surely parity would require that they observe that same safety margin.

None of the Australian states have seen fit to grasp the nettle and take cycles to task for the danger they pose.  They are quite capable of elevated speeds and are often recklessly ridden on footpaths and on shared cycleways which also legally serve pedestrian traffic.   The elderly and small children are often the casualties and injury can be severe.

This new legislation is merely an expression of "good intention " rather than a serious attempt to reign in bad cyclist behaviour.   That will not happen until the conditions that apply to other road traffic - registration, insurance and a license to legally use - apply to this two wheel form of road traffic !

Musical Chairs !

Ministers holding portfolios in the New South Wales parliament must be holding their breath and awaiting the outcome of the latest bombshell to emerge from the mess that is the ICAC anti corruption body.   A High Court ruling on the Margaret Cunneen fiasco has ever widening ripples and it seems that Michael Gallagher is about to have charges hanging over his head dissipated.

Gallagher was Police minister when ICAC accused him of of being part of an illegal donations scandal.   He denied this accusation, but relinquished his role as Police minister and in 2014 resigned from the Liberal party and has since sat on the cross bench. ICAC has revealed that it will be unable to present any actual evidence of wrongdoing and the charges will not proceed.

Michael Gallaghers's fate is now in the hands of Premier Mike Baird and justice demands that this wrong against him be righted - and that he return to a ministerial position.  Of course, for that to happen someone has to move sideways to make a vacancy happen, and in many ways the state cabinet is now playing a game of "Musical chairs "!

What riles many people in New South Wales is the inertia in settling accounts with ICAC.  Exactly the same people are in positions of power and this power has been clearly abused and misused to run vendettas and distort the notion of justice.   As a concept, ICAC has clearly failed and needs to be legislated out of existence to make way for a new body more carefully constructed with checks and balances to avoid the same mistakes.

Sadly, the sins of ICAC are also reflected in the lack of finality within the police structure where the misuse of power resulted in over a hundred senior police suffering harassment by having their homes and offices bugged and being subjected to false accusations.   In the public mind, it seems that retribution is powerless at the highest levels because both a public enquiry and the role of the Ombudsman proceeded for over a decade - and ended in a whimper with no clear result.  It seems that this disaster has been filed away somewhere in the depths of the bureaucracy - to never again see the light of day.

The successful sale of components of our electricity industry has released a torrent of money that will see a vast improvement in the road system and new rail and light rail additions to the public transport system.   The years ahead will be exciting and we will probably experience a surge in job growth as a result, but lingering in the background will be the ghosts of the justice system, rattling their chains and throwing a shadow that false accusations are still possible to ruin productive lives.

Both the ICAC disaster and that Police imbroglio are deeply mired in the competing depths of politics and taking the necessary action would disturb the status quo and cause ripples in unexpected places.  Unfortunately, if left unattended it has the capacity to reappear on a regular basis.  If we want this state to progress with investment that brings prosperity we need to make the wheels of justice squeaky clean.   That has yet to happen !

It seems that the public are good at reading vibes and there is an expectation that the era of cheap money is about to end.   The trickle of home owners locking in their mortgages to a fixed interest rate rose from just 13% in the five months to June and reached 38% in the period to November.   If that continues, there is every chance that it will become self fulfilling !

Present Danger !

The big day is about to arrive and on Christmas morning a lot of children will awake and eagerly rush to see if Santa Claus left them presents.   For many parents the selection of appropriate gifts for each family member has become an ordeal.   Fashion and children's expectations are shaped by massive advertising campaigns and making choices appropriate to mixed age groups can be a trap.

There are clear dangers lurking in this year's crop of "must have " items.   Top of the list for many teenagers would be a "Hooverboard " and users would be wise to wear both a helmet and other protection when using one.  Basically, this is a version of the Segway and the rider changes direction by moving body weight in the desired direction.   It will take practice to master and there is the expectation of many falls during that process.

Unfortunately there is another danger that is not clear to those making a purchase decision.  Top of the range models cost somewhere near the five hundred dollar mark, but many cheaper versions are on offer and these toys depend on battery power for locomotion - and there is a distinct danger of some rechargeable batteries catching fire if they are overcharged or suffer a malfunction.  There have been warnings of instances when such items are stored in a child's bedroom for recharging - such a malfunction causing a house fire.    Extreme care should be taken in establishing a safe recharging
protocol.

Another toy that will have very wide appeal for girls - is a "Mermaid Swim tail "!   This is virtually a body suit that fits over the legs and extends to the torso and has a fish tail at it's end.  The user adopts an undulating leg motion to power the tail up and down and gain traction to move through the water, but the feet are held together and in the event of a problem the user can not restore balance as is the case when the feet are unencumbered.   It is really only suitable for strong swimmers.

This should only be used when an adult is present to intervene where necessary, and there is a danger that younger children may demand to have a turn or sneak use without the parents knowledge.  It is an appealing toy, but it's dangers are not apparent on casual inspection.  It seems certain to be a major seller this Christmas season.

Drones will also be high on the list of presents and that delivers retrieval problems.  It takes skill to control a drone by remote control and during the learning process it seems inevitable that these units will become stranded in trees, power lines and on neighbours roofs.   Just as happened when kites were all the rage, teenagers tend to undertake dangerous climbs to retrieve their toys - and most resent the presence of an adult to supervise the use of drones.

There is no doubt that Christmas is an expensive time of the year.  Some psychologists claim that many parents over indulge their children with expensive gifts to compensate for the lack of time spent with them during the year because of work pressure.   There is also the problem of peer pressure.   The young are equally socially competitive as the adult world and if one teenager is the recipient of a wonder gift that far outclasses that of others it tends to lead to envy - and in some cases the start of class warfare.   Kids can be very imaginative - and cruel - in levelling the scoreboard.

When the festivities subside there will be the inevitable attempts to return what some consider unsuitable gifts or duplications and policy will vary from store to store.   Then there is the warranty question.   Many items come with an expressed warranty - usually twelve months - but many leave that unstated and the buyer must rely on the implied warranty that all goods must be serviceable and perform the task intended.

In this age of Online trading that adds a new dimension.  In New South Wales the law requires a faulty item to be returned to the point of sale - for Refund - Repair or Replacement - at the customers option.   No doubt Consumer Affairs will be kept busy sorting out that problem in the aftermath of this Christmas !

Beating the Rap !

The law in most English speaking countries is derived from the legal system that evolved in England during that country's journey from the days of occupation by Roman Legions.  It encompasses basics such as "Magna Carta "and it can be tweaked by the highest judicial bodies of Australia, America, New Zealand and other lands which are governed by the rule of law.

The law contains many safeguards and broadly accepts the notion that " It is better that a hundred guilty men go free than even one innocent man is convicted for a crime he did not commit "!  To this end, an accused is put before a judge and a jury of twelve of the accused peers are empanelled to consider the evidence and decide on his guilt or innocence.   For centuries, this required a unanamous decision by that jury - and at that time the punishment for murder was usually a death sentence.  In recent times, a majority verdict has been accepted in some cases.

One of the tenets of this law was that the hazard of "double jeopardy "should not apply.  An accused could only be tried for the crime of murder once, and should the jury deliver an acquittal, that person could not again face a retrial for that same crime.    Even if the trial decision was based on a technicality - the accused was home free and had successfully "Beaten the Rap " !

The death penalty is no longer on the books in Australia and in most murder convictions the term of imprisonment is usually twenty years and often a lesser term is actually served before parole considerations come into play.   The fact that those accused of murder no longer face the death penalty has caused fresh thinking to apply now that scientific advances are enabling compelling new evidence to become available long after trials are concluded.   In particular, the presence of DNA collected at a past murder scene may now be positively connected to the accused and prove guilt and that connection may not have been possible when that trial was conducted.   Pressure has been building to dispense with double jeopardy in exceptional cases.

This is a conundrum that splits the legal fraternity.   It is galling to think that a murderer is walking free in the community now that evidence is available that clearly proves that he or she committed that crime, but at the same time we are seeing convicted felons released from prison and compensated from the public purse where this same compelling evidence has proved their innocence.  The courts do get cases wrong - and perhaps double jeopardy has outlived it's mandate in this increasingly technical age.

Double Jeopardy laws are still in place in New South Wales and new evidence has emerged which could be applied to three murders that saw an accused walk free some years ago.   Just days before Christmas, this state's Attorney General has decided that there will be no change and this form of protection will prevail and prevent any retrial.

A lot of people will be greatly relieved.  Justice does come at a cost.  We presently have an accused waiting for his fourth trial scheduled to begin early next year and it seems  likely that lack of money will prevent him having the legal representation engaged for the first three trials, all of which were abandoned because of technicalities or the failure of the jury to deliver a verdict.   It seems that while double jeopardy will apply once a trial reaches a verdict, the accused may face an unrelenting succession of trials - indefinitely -  until that happens.    So far, as an unconvicted person - this man has spent four years locked in a prison cell.

The creaky wheels of justice turn slowly.  It seems that we tamper with them at our peril  !

Changing the System !

Mike Baird has really rattled the roost with his plan to force the merger of NSW's forty-one local councils to create just twenty amalgamated "Super Councils " to achieve economy of scale and even out the cost structure.  At present, many of the existing administrations are tottering on the brink of bankruptcy.

What many did not anticipate is that this merger may also come with a complete reversal of the way council rates are calculated.   At present the basis is the unimproved land value.  Now it is proposed that rates be directly linked to the value of whatever has been built on that land, and that will have a dramatic effect on the rates mix from one area to another.

For instance, 87,000 people live in the inner City of Sydney council - and 75% of them live in multi story apartments.  The ratio of land value multiplied by the number of apartments in a high rise building means that on average they pay only $430 a year in rates, but if the rating changes to the value of the apartment itself, that will probably bring in an extra seven million dollars a year.  It seems inevitable that the rates for apartment living would rise sharply.

People living on the city perimeter where most new housing is located would see an opposite effect. The resident who builds what are often termed "McMansions "would see a hike in rates in comparison with a resident living in an old style fibro "cottage " next door - and there would be a real reason to avoid improving the property value because that would hike the rate demand.

Some of the other states already calculate rates on this improved value basis and those with a long memory may remember the rorts that occurred after the end of the second world war.   In that era, many people bought a quarter acre block of land and promptly build a garage - and lived in that while they either accumulated funds to finance a house or did the building work themselves as owner/builders.

Councils levied an interim rate, awaiting the end of construction to apply a valuation and set the rate on that basis, hence there was a huge incentive to delay final completion - and in many cases that persisted for decades.  It became familiar to see a nice little home still awaiting a concrete path to the front door and missing any form of front fence, but otherwise complete - and with no intention of having that final work happen because to do so would see a rate hike.

In the distant past it was common for many families to have a holiday home in a small town somewhere near a beach.  In many cases the term "shack " would be an adequate description and it probably relied on a tank for water - and in some cases it was not even connected to the electricity supply - and it attracted just nominal rates.

The boom in land prices saw many of these either put on the rental market to defray costs or sold to those in the search for affordable permanent housing.  Country  land approximated city prices and should this improved value basis apply, many of those former holiday shacks will see a sharp drop in council rates.

You can be sure that the calculators are clicking away in council offices and the Mandarins up there in Treasury are furiously estimating how such a change will work out in delivering the bottom line of incoming revenue.   Obviously there will be winners - and losers.   It seems we are considering the greatest change in the way our economy works for the average householder since Federation !

Getting Tough on HECS.

Education fees lay deep in the heart of the political divide.   The Socialist left believes that all forms of education should be free and many holding that conviction seek ways of dodging repayment of what were once knows as HECS and which have been renamed HELP.  These are the fees accrued from attending Australian universities and earning degrees which move the qualified into higher earning brackets.

Basically, HELP is a government loan issued on the basis of repayment being deferred until the salary earned reaches a level when reducing that loan becomes affordable.  Of course, audit on earnings is within the orbit of the Australian Tax office, hence a person with HELP debts is continually evaluated wherever they are employed within this country.

There seems to be an ever increasing backlog of unpaid HELP debts and much of this can be attributed to those gaining academic qualifications moving overseas to work, and avoiding the scrutiny of the Australian Tax office.  Now the ATO has signalled that it will use data matching technology to identify the culprits and that existing complimentary tax arrangements with many other overseas tax regimes may force debt repayment compliance.   In extreme cases, the Tax office may issue a "Departure Prohibition Order " to prevent a debtor leaving the country until a satisfactory repayment agreement is in place.

Many people have the strange notion that HELP debt only applies when a person is successful in gaining a degree.   Those that fail or simply discontinue a course took up a place at a university that could have been used by others and attracted the same costs of course provision that applied to successful students - and their debt accrued is equally repayable.   Just because a person achieves a HSC at a level that entitles them to enroll at a university does not ensure they will be successful in attaining a qualification.   Many are better suited to a less academic career in the various trades, which are now delivering pay packets at professional levels.

There will always be a shortfall in recovering HELP debt.   Many leave school with high aspirations and quickly find that university does not meet their needs and drop out, and their future earnings never reach the level that enforces repayment.   We encourage prisoners in the jail system to rehabilitate themselves.  Often they earn higher qualifications, but continue crime on release and their earnings remain in the cash economy, safe from audit by the ATO.

Women are now the major gender studying at University but most professions maintain an imbalance between the salaries paid to men with women earning a lesser amount.  It usually takes women longer to reach the salary level of automatic debt repayment and in some cases they drop out of the workforce to raise a family, and later return on a part time basis and never attain repayment salary level.

Then there are what are termed "professional students ".  Welfare in generous to those undertaking study and some people continue to attract qualifications over a lifetime without ever applying them to any form of employment.

What is becoming increasingly clear is that university debt is going to tighten and the days of frivolously taking on a university course on a whim are coming to an end.   Serious money is involved and the economy will enforce repayment to keep education costs under control. Students will find that finances in future will be on a much tighter leash !

Competition !

Since the days of the " Silk Road "  caravan route bringing exotic goods for sale in Europe a form of commerce has been in place where merchants compete with each other to attract customers by offering lower prices.   That still exists in the great cities of today.   Shoppers visit shop after shop to inspect the merchandise and compare prices - and usually the sale goes to the merchant prepared to accept a lower profit margin.

Australia is an open economy and we do not have price control.   The government does influence the level of what some services cost by imposing limits, and this is evident where councils have an upper limit on how much they can hike their rates each year, but generally the competition in the market place ensures a form of price stability acceptable to the public.  In today's world, on-line commerce is locked in a price battle with the bricks and mortar stores.

One commodity stands out in how we accept the price on offer - and that is the petrol we need to operate our cars.  War in the Middle East, the invention of " fracking " to access more oil from old oil fields, the development of ethanol from grain and the processing of oil from tar sands in Canada has created price turmoil.   From over a hundred dollars a barrel, crude has slumped to thirty dollars recently, and we expect the price at the bowser to be lower accordingly.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ( ACCC ) keeps track of petrol prices and it has revealed that the profit margin of Sydney resellers averages fourteen cents a litre and that is six cents higher than enjoyed by resellers in Melbourne.   This has resulted in outrage - and claims that Sydney motorists are being " ripped off ".

The oil industry is dominated by a handful of major companies which not only get crude out of the ground but also own the giant refineries that turn it into petrol, and we are fast losing the ability to perform this function in Australia.   Refining is the choke point at which the price is set and once again there is no form of price control to reign in excess.

A long time ago it seemed that there was a petrol station on almost every corner in Australia.  In the 1950's the oil companies fought for market share and constantly opened new outlets featuring brands that have long disappeared.  These were leased to operators who usually also provided mechanical services.

Today, that number has dwindled and the vast majority of outlets are more of the Seven Eleven type which offers no mechanical services and simply sells petrol as general merchandise.  They are a mix of oil company owned and independent petrol resellers - and offer motorists an ever changing range of prices.   We are told that this is the " discount cycle " and that there are usually cheaper days of the week to fill the car's tank.   In country areas, smaller reseller numbers charge higher prices because of lower sales volumes and consequent higher business costs.

In Australia's major cities the petrol market is slewed by two giant grocery chains which own their reseller outlets and offer discounts to those who shop for groceries in their supermarkets.  Because they have captured a major share of retail petrol sales the price they choose to charge becomes the base for independent outlets - and it seems that in Sydney they have chosen a higher profit margin than in Melbourne.

The independents price range varies wildly and some people think that this is influenced by " additives " such as paint thinner and solvents that are not as heavily taxed as petrol, used to " pad " the product and increase the profit margin - or allow a more attractive retail price.   We now have a mix of independent transport firms who buy from the oil company terminals and negotiate petrol supply to independent outlets.   Once again, their profit margins also vary widely.

No doubt the ACCC will probe deeply and look for the emergence of cartels engaged in price fixing and it does seem suspicious that retail prices have a habit of simultaneously  increasing in tandem across the city without a clear reason, but as any canny motorist knows - there are always outlets where petrol is substantially cheaper than offered by competitors.   Choosing wisely and within the discount cycle brings it's own price rewards !

COMMON SENSE NEEDED !

Drones have steadily developed their role as a military weapon.  They are a lot cheaper than humans flying expensive jet aircraft in delivering precision bombing of targets in the Middle East war and the operators are safe from harm, sitting at a console an entire continent away from the action.

This Christmas, toy drones are sure to be high on the list of expectations for not only kids, but perhaps also their Dads.  A full page advertisement in many newspapers advertised an advanced drone equipped with a built-in camera.  The operator would have the view from the drone on the control console and could zoom in for closer shots and generally use this function to navigate with extreme accuracy.  This model is advertised at a mere ninety-nine dollars.

Obviously, the functionality of drones will not be lost on our criminal fraternity, and the terrorists in the Middle East have good reason to fear a Hellfire missile coming out of a clear blue sky and opening the door to Paradise.  That ninety-nine dollar toy is quite capable of being converted to a tool of the crime world.

Goulburn prison is our most secure penitentiary and it houses the "Supermax " which holds the worst murderers, rapists and terrorists.   This week at night  a warden noticed a drone hovering above the prison.  When he shone his torch on it it's detection caused it to rapidly leave the area and a search by police and warders failed to locate the operator.   What seems amazing is that there are no laws in place to prevent drones from flying in the air space above prisons.

The only law applicable to zones concerns their use near airports and bars them from flying anywhere within a five kilometre radius, and all drones are not permitted to fly above four hundred metres to avoid collision with light aircraft and helicopters.

It is not hard to envisage the purposes that drones could play in delivering contraband to prisons, or how they could be instrumental in enabling a raiding party to break out prisoners.  A video on social media has demonstrated a Glock pistol being successfully aimed and fired by a remote operator when it was combined with a drone.   It is quite possible that terrorists aiming to free colleagues would not hesitate to use this method to kill warders on sentry duty.

Our prison system is under constant attack by smugglers introducing drugs - and the "must have " item sought by most prisoners - mobile phones.   The almost silent drones, equipped with cameras - have the capacity to fly into prison grounds at night and deposit contraband for prisoners to recover.  There is a very real danger that this could also be the conduit for arms smuggling, leading to an internal breakout.

Common sense dictates that we need an urgent law to protect the air space above prisons and a lot more thought is needed beyond just passing a law that may be broken by the elements determined to penetrate prison security.    Our military are well aware that all sides in conflicts use drones and methods to detect them have been developed.   It may be that very sensitive prisons such as the Supermax may need close proximity radar to instantly warn of a drone approach.

That intrusion at Goulburn prison is probably the forerunner of what is yet to come.  The capacity of drones will continue to develop and there are very enterprising people amongst the criminal and terrorist regimes that seek to do us harm.   We would be wise to consult our military planners and use their advanced knowledge of how best to thwart the drone menace.  Otherwise, it will be a case of trying to plug gaps after a successful penetration has caused havoc !

The " Education " Bonanza !

There are breathtaking stories of rorts in the higher education system in use in Australia.  The government has licensed a number of "For Profit "" private colleges to offer courses and these are subjected to HECS style arrangements where the government pays and the student start paying back their course costs only when their earnings reach a level that makes that payment kick in as an obligatory requirement.

Now we are finding that a mere fraction of those enrolled at some colleges even commence their courses - and even fewer emerge with a degree.  The weakness seems to be that the government shells out their obligation for the course when a student is enrolled, and this opens the door for rorting on the part of the sales force - who are usually working on a commission basis.

One tale would be hilarious - except that it reveals a blatant attempt to recruit people in the low social/economic category who would never have a hope of understanding the type of course offered. It seems that a recruiter sought students from the drinkers in the bar of a country pub and was offering a free laptop computer - and a fifty dollar note - for those who signed on the dotted line - and many did !

Of course these "students " hadn't a hope of working a computer, but they probably imbibed a lot more beer on the strength of that fifty dollar note, and the college gained an input of a lot of government money from that days recruiting drive.  These "Phantom students "also have their HECS fees steadily mounting against their names, and should they ever reach a pay level commensurate with their repayment obligation, they will receive a very unpleasant visit from the tax man !

These rorts even extend to the prison system as "rehabilitation " becomes the catch-cry and every effort is being made to improve prisoners ability to reform their lives on release.  A forty-three year old Muslim street preacher serving a sentence in the ACT prison for stabbing a victim, resulting in paraplegia has accrued a $ 70,000 HECS debt while seeking four degree qualifications and a PhD.  He is also owing a $30,000 restitution debt arising from that stabbing - and all of these are unpaid, despite him earning a regular $ 35 a week as a prison janitor.

This prisoner is now sueing the ACT government because he claims that he needs a computer in his cell to enable him to seek legal references, and he claims to be unable to afford the $5 a week hiring fee.  His main claim is that he has been discriminated against - because he is a Muslim.

The answer to the problem so glaringly obvious in the private college system would be the type of arrangement that is common in normal business practice.   Payment is made progressively - as the service is delivered within it's time frame - and that is usually in arrears.    If we arrange for a contractor to cut our lawns we do not usually pay a year in advance.  We pay on the basis of each individual service, and it seems strange that the government pays up front for a whole years tuition - which may or not actually happen.

That is what is known as "risk management " !   The risk would transfer to the college which would only be paid on the basis of the attendance of students to weekly sessions, and there would be the expectation that continuation would come under scrutiny on the evaluation of test scores attained at regular reviews.

Some colleges would claim this is unworkable, but this whole education concept relies on matching students genuinely hoping to gain money earning qualifications with institutions capable of delivering that outcome.      In this hard old world, only the efficient survive !

When is comes to prison tuition, the game changes.   At least attendance is guaranteed, but time wasters could be expected to attain at least an acceptable level of course competence or be refused further tuition.   The money applicable to education is finite -  and the present regime is not delivering value for money spent |!

A Lesson Learned !

Last weekend was the tenth anniversary of what was called "The Cronulla Race Riot " that made world headlines and branded Australia as a racist country.  There was talk of it being celebrated with a beach march and when this was banned an anti-Islam group decided to hold a "Non Halal " BBQ and roasted a pig.   Anti Racism zealots carrying their signature hoardings gathered to make their point and both groups were outnumbered by a big police presence - wearing riot gear.

Basically, the anticipated clash was a non event.  The attending numbers were small and confrontation led to just a couple of arrests, but what was striking was the fact that this demonstration was totally ignored by the residents of Cronulla.   Those who attended were the zealots from both sides of the racial debate who journeyed to Cronulla from other parts of Sydney.

Much has been written about that fateful day when an excited mob turned on anyone of Middle Eastern appearance, but the real reason for the tension was air brushed out of the story.  It was very much a matter of political cowardice that let a situation develop that got completely out of hand.

Cronulla became the favourite beach destination for western Sydney because the rail station was just across the road from the beach.  Groups of Muslim youths began to congregate at Cronulla at weekends and initially they were just annoying, kicking soccer balls amongst sunbathers and leering at the girls in their bikinis.   Complaints to the police were ignored.  The police obeyed the commands from their masters to "avoid trouble that could arise from confronting Muslims " - and did nothing. The Muslim youths interpreted that as a license to misbehave and so sexual adventures became the norm.  A group of youths would surround a girl - and to use a colloquialism - some would "cop a feel ".   If the girl was accompanied by her boyfriend and he intervened, he would be beaten up by members of the group.

On one occasion a girl broke free and ran to the lifesavers for protection.  Enraged, this mob beat up the crew on duty, sending them to hospital.  A red neck type spectator went on talk-back radio and made an empassioned plea to "take back our beach "and this was endorsed by radio shock jocks.  The fact that our hallowed lifesavers had been attacked went viral and the numbers swelled on the day that a protest was planned.

Initially, this was very peaceful.  Many brought BBQ's and beer but the mood changed when a red neck element harangued the crowd.   The mix of alcohol and a "cause " became electric and incidents got out of hand, provoking a backlash that night from western Sydney.   Many senior police simply switched off their mobile phones and became "uncontactable ", leaving the police response to very junior ranks.   That "day of infamy "became a stain on this city.

Probably the most profound change after this so called "Cronulla Race Riot " was from the rank and file Muslim diaspora in Sydney.   The hard core Islamist minority who support Islamic State continued to roar defiance and threaten disruption, but the wise moderates who simply want to practice their faith and live in peace cracked down on their youth and the behaviour that sparked such a response.

Ten years later - and a lot has changed.   There are no restrictions on the police keeping order in Cronulla and Muslim youths who continue to use Cronulla beach are well behaved.  The fact that this ten year anniversary could have become the focal point of a bitter confrontation shows that lessons have been learned on both sides of the religious divide.

There will always be a hard core of Wahabist leaning Muslims who despise the Australian way of life and we will always have an element which opposes any religion that is not Christianity, and both are usually both vocal and inclined to confrontation.   It probably takes an occasional event like what happening at Cronulla for the majority to take control and sort out the problems.

That is just part of the mechanism of Australia becoming a multi racial society !

Public Protection !

This week a 51 year old male school teacher was sitting on a seat at a bus stop in the Sydney suburb of Camperdown, waiting for a bus when a psychotic 29 year old man emerged from a block of apartments holding a twenty centimetre kitchen knife.  In a completely unprovoked attack, he stabbed the schoolteacher numerous times, bringing about his death.

A young woman tried to stem the victims bleeding and the attacker turned on her, but another resident armed himself with a baseball bat and forced this man to drop the knife, whereupon other residents subdued him and held him until the police arrived.

There was a further incident when he was later put before a court.  The attacker jumped from the dock and tried to escape, causing additional police and Sheriffs officers to run to the court and apprehend him.  The magistrate learned that this killer was taking five types of medication, some of which were described as anti psychotic drugs.   He was remanded in custody.

At a time when the public are at risk from radicalized Islamic zealots seeking martyrdom by indiscriminate killing of complete strangers, we also have the problem of those suffering severe mental illness who refuse to take their medication and threaten public harm - as this killing clearly  illustrates.

How the law system reacts is quite predictable.  This man will be held on remand and subjected to a psychiatric evaluation.   The DPP will eventually announce that he is unfit to stand trial because of mental illness and he will be forcibly detained in a hospital -   " Until he is deemed safe for release "!

No doubt his drug dependency will be strictly maintained while he is in care and he will revert to being a rational human being, and our hospital system is vastly overloaded and under stress.   In due course - when he has behaved in a "normal "manner for a period of time - he will be approved for "day release " and may even find employment.   It seems inevitable that eventually all forms of restraint will be removed.

A century ago we had medical facilities which some referred to as "Lunatic Asylums ".  They were certainly grim places little different from the prison system and that was where those deemed a danger to the public were incarcerated.   The need to trim the health budget saw them closed with the quaint idea that mental health could be better served by clinics in the community, but sadly these did not eventuate.   The care of the mentally ill was dumped back onto the public hospital system,  which is not not ideally suited for that task.

The majority of mental health sufferers do achieve near normalcy with modern medication - just as long as they continue to take it, and that is the glaring deficiency in  today's mental health regime. Families and loved ones constantly despair that those within their care have discontinued the vital medication prescribed and they are powerless to force them to comply.   This is not a task for the police and the hospital system can not intervene.   The entire health system is paralysed - until a law is broken - and then the damage is too late to repair.

What is missing is an intervention mode.  Usually a psychiatric patient is released on the condition that he or she resides with a carer.  A medication lapse negates the condition which led to release within the community and on advice that medication has stopped that patient should be taken back into care - until the medication routine has again been reestablished.

It is highly likely that this Camperdown stabbing involves medication cessation.   The missing link in psychiatric stability seems to be intervention to ensure that the medication regime is being maintained.  Put that power into the carer's hands - and many more tragic incidents such as Camperdown may be avoided !

The Yuan comes in from the Cold !

Balancing the world's money supply is achieved by using a basket of currencies as a unit of account and the International Monetary Fund  ( IMF ) will from next year add the Chinese Yuan to the existing mix of dollars, Euros, Pounds and  Yen.   This was probably inevitable, given the rise of Chinese commerce on the world stage.

What it means is that the Yuan has now become a reserve currency - a safe asset in which foreign governments can park their wealth.  It is a form of symbolism and status and the Yuan will become part of the mechanism for valuing "Special Drawing Rights " which is a growing method of settling international accounts.   Ships that pass through the Suez canal pay their dues by way of SDR's and they are finding favour in other areas of commerce.

Gaining access as a world currency unit brings with it new responsibilities.  When the trading bell rings each day on world stock exchanges the value of the various currencies commences trading at precisely the level at which it ended the previous days trading.  In the past, the value of rhe Yuan was entirely at the whim of the People's Bank of China ( PBOC ) and it could vary widely from the day before, depending on the mood in Bejing.

China has often been accused of manipulating the price of the Yuan to it's advantage to maintain the outflow of exports and there have been complaints that it is kept artificially low.  That may explain why the PBOC last August sent money markets into a spin when it suddenly announced a two percent devaluation.    The PBOC reasoned that as it was about to lose the ability to manipulate the Yuan rate it needed to bring it into line with other currencies.   Becoming a reserve currency ring fences the Yuan from PBOC control.

There are signs that events may see the Yuan strengthen sharply because of a surging American dollar.    The United States economy is showing signs of shedding the world slow down in trade and unemployment rates are improving, along with hints from the Fed that interest rates are about to start a climb back to normalcy.   That could introduce a new stress on the Mandarins of the Chinese Communist party because a form of control, is passing out of their hands with the Yuan's elevation as a reserve currency.

The Chinese economy has long been at crossroads.  Communist dogma of state ownership has given way to a degree of private enterprise and yet a huge array of state owned enterprises are suspected of being deeply in debt and receiving patronage to keep their doors open.  Chinese banks have a heavy load of non performing loans being constantly renewed because to close them down would significantly increase unemployment.   Losing control of the Yuan may be the imperative needed for China's government to bite the bullet and reform it's publicly owned sector.

China has taken a huge gamble.  It maintained a de facto peg to the American dollar which can no longer be sustained and it is likely that we will see the SDR mechanism extend further into the commodities field, hence an ever increasing influence on the Chinese economy will be the value set by that basket of currencies.   The Chinese Communist party will no longer have their hands on the control mechanism.

China is now forced to play by the rules that govern the rest of the world. Xi Jinping has emerged as a pragmatic leader who has gathered power in his own hands from a former collective leadership. He is sending mixed messages - purging the rampant corruption by those in power and at the same time cracking down on all forms of dissent.   Hopefully, he will have the strength to make the hard decisions to reform the state ownership question and allow China to establish a market economy  !

" Lemon " Laws !

Thousands of Australians have been chuckling at a video clip going viral on Facebook and other social media urging people to " not buy a Jeep  ".   It seems that the owner of a 2013 Grand Cherokee Jeep had the misfortune to get what is termed in the trade - a " Lemon " !  The vehicle was constantly breaking down and even catching fire and was constantly in the dealer's workshop for lengthy warranty repairs.    This catchy little video was cleverly produced by an amateur who even put his complaint to music - and no doubt it had influence on those considering making a vehicle purchase.

The makers of the Jeep brand - Fiat Chrysler - has since made an offer to buy back this offending vehicle for $61,000 and the complaining owners has rejected the offer, because it is conditional on the video clip being withdrawn and a cessation of " disparaging the brand " !   What this owner wants is laws similar to those that apply in other countries to clearly set out the protection available to buyers when a motor vehicle fails to deliver reasonable reliability.

This seems to be a gray area.  There is no doubt how they apply when the merchandise is electrical goods or all manner of other consumer items, but when it comes to motor vehicles the steps for redress are vague.  Another owner of a Fiat 500 complains that her car has spent five and half months under repair and has had two replacement gear boxes fitted, plus other parts - and she is still awaiting adjudication on her claim.   The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ( ACCC ) agrees that adjudication is two years in arrears.

Somehow, the fact that motor cars are a big ticket item seems to be hindering a reasonable solution.  After home purchase, buying a new car is often the second biggest outlay the average person makes in a lifetime, and yet if a customer experiences a faulty toaster the famous " Three R's " comes into play.   Return it to the point of purchase and make the choice.  Refund - Repair - or Replacement. Strangely,  this problem solving mechanism does not seem to apply to motor vehicles.

The motor vehicle industry is a powerful political lobby and the vast dealer network across the country has influence.  Fortunately, the chances of getting a " lemon " are remote because cars move down a precision assembly line with strict tolerances, but it is a fact of life that from time to time the factory spits out a car which is nothing but a Pandora's box of trouble.   In many cases, getting a permanent fix seems beyond the capacity of the dealer network - and the unfortunate owner is deprived of it's use for an inordinate period of time.

Solving this problem simply requires applying a simple formula to the warranty period. Should the vehicle require repair presentation above a determined number of times and be out of service for a determined number of days, the owners would be entitled to hand the vehicle back with the option of deciding on either refund or replacement.   Those numbers should be mandated by the ACCC and apply to all makes of motor vehicles.

That is not even particularly onerous on the car manufacturer.  The handed back vehicle constitutes a monetary loss that can be partly recovered when it is repaired and resold as a second hand vehicle, and it is reasonable that the manufacturer pick up that tab because the product did not meet manufacturing standards.   That is the very purpose of the warranty and it is of little value if the faults remain uncorrected - and the owner is deprived of the use for which he or she made the initial purchase.

This Jeep owner is continuing the campaign for consumer laws with actual teeth, even though this tempting offer would reduce personal hardship and let him get on with his life.  It seems that the car industry will fight better consumer laws, but these are long overdue.  The car industry has had a form of protection it certainly does not deserve !

Deadly Air !

Bejing, the capital of China has a population of twenty-two million people, slightly less than the entire population of Australia.  While we enjoy clear blue skies the air in most Chinese cities is heavily polluted and it is customary for citizens to wear face masks to filter the microscopic solid particles that can harm their lungs.

This week Bejing is having what they term a " Red Alert ".  The World Health Organization ( WHO ) considers air pollution at the rate of twenty-five micrograms per square metre safe, but the reading in China's capital reached 634 micrograms per square metre and scientists conclude that it probably results in the untimely death of 1.4 million people annually.

The Chinese government slapped emergency controls into place to try and reduce pollution levels.  The schools were ordered to close and the worst polluting factories told to shut their doors on a temporary basis, and all car movements are now restricted to use only each second day.  No doubt the pollution count will be lowered, but the people in many parts of China will still live in a grey atmosphere of reduced visibility - and the sure knowledge that what they are breathing is far outside the WHO guidelines.

All this at a time when world leaders are meeting in Paris and trying to work out a way to stop global warming.  The Communist Chinese government imposes a strict censorship on the country but it must be abundantly clear to the average person that China's " manufacturing miracle "  is unsustainable if it comes at the cost of unbreatheable air.  China is trying to change focus from a manufacturing economy to a consumer model that will concentrate on becoming a " consumer society "  with emphasis on services.

China is probably the only country able to impose the unpopular measures that will be needed to make that happen.  It's one party rule is backed by military force and it rules by diktat that would not be possible in a democracy.   The only problem is that to achieve a pluralistic society that can widen it's economy it must relax the strangulation of control - and that runs contrary to Communist ideology.   The final outcome of what happens in China is yet to be decided.

This Chinese enigma awaits duplication in many other nations stuck in a time warp of where China was half a century ago.  India - with a similar sized population - is still poor and agrarian and most of Asia is yet to experience it's potential.   There is the expectation that will follow the same course as China and expand manufacturing to achieve a richer economy - and if that creates a similar level of pollution we seem destined for a murky world.

That is the problem world leaders are grappling with in Paris.  As the rest of the world plays catch-up there is the expectation that agrarian economies which lack electricity will opt for coal burning electricity production because it is the cheapest model.   If the west reduces pollution by replacing coal with renewables the gain will be lost if emerging economies replicate what the west is abandoning.

Probably the only way forward would be for the rich world to bite the bullet and pick up the tab for electricity production in these emerging nations - and the only practical way would be to build nuclear power generators.  That is the only way possible to create a sustainable base power load - with a total lack of pollution.

That is certainly something the boffins in Paris need to mull over !

The Ultimate Nightmare !

It is a thought that goes through the mind of many people just prior to presenting at hospital for an operation.  That magical  " What if ? " that conjours up all sorts of diabolical mishaps that may go wrong during the procedure.

A thirty-four year old man had just that happen when he went under the knife to have his Tonsils removed.  He found himself awake and experiencing the cuts of the scalpel, but unable to communicate because he had first been given a neuromuscular block as the first part of the anaesthetic.    The terror caused him to twitch and his blood pressure elevated, causing the surgical staff to check for a cause.

It seems that the machine tasked with delivering ongoing sedation - was simply not switched on at the power point.   The anaesthetist was multi tasking and admitted that he had also been checking messages on his mobile phone. He was found guilty of unprofessional conduct and ordered to complete a day long course of anaesthesia safety.

Unfortunately this professional had a history of similar incidents.  On one occasion he had given the wrong blood to a patient.  In another he had fallen asleep on the job - and it emerged that he had once botched a caesarean procedure.

It is a fact of life that in all professions the range of skills of those that provide services curves in a wide arc from the brilliant - to the barely competent.   When we need a motor mechanic to fix our car there are people who enjoy our trust - and others we would employ only as a last resort.  The medical profession has had it's share of such incompetents and many have left a trail of death and misery in their wake.

One of the problems is the collegiate nature of medicine.  When criticism emerges, there is a tendency for the profession to close ranks and protect a colleague who falls short on standards.  This is critical when it involves letters of reccomendation to support an application for a senior medical post.   One such doctor facing criminal charges got the job because he had glowing testimonials from elevated colleagues, but when questioned the writers admitted that they had never met this man and knew nothing about him.   It was simply etiquette within the profession to provide a positive response when asked for a testimonial.

Patients are generally safe when they need to undergo major surgery.  Mishaps seem more likely when the procedure is quick and common and a host of similar operations are scheduled for the same day, often involving anaesthesia that merely dulls perception rather than the need for a deep sleep.  There is the lulling " routine " nature of this type of work that often leads to procedures not being closely followed.

Fortunately, we now live in the " information age " !   When booking for surgery of any nature the patient would be wise to require the name of all and every professional who will be tasked with providing the service.   Then running those names through Google will reveal if any dark incidents are lurking in that persons history !

Home Schooling !

The number of children being withdrawn from the traditional school system and given education by their parents under a " Home Schooling " regimen is rapidly increasing.  At present there are 3,300 in this state who do not attend traditional schools and they come from 1,964 families.  The Sydney Home Education Network ( SHEN ) reports that the main reason this is happening is because of " unresolved bullying issues " !

Children can be cruel !  A child who is shy or has unusual features can be quickly singled out and subjected to both intimidation and outright physical harm and bullying may not be restricted to the schoolyard.  We live in the age of social media and it is not uncommon for a group of students to " gang up " and relentlessly pursue their victim on Facebook.  In many cases, thoughtless parents either ignore the attacks their sons or daughters are delivering, and sometimes even encourage them.

There is no doubt that extreme bullying can be life threatening.  Withdrawing a child from school, is usually done in desperation if the bullying is driving depression and self harm, or the victim is entertaining thoughts that are suicidal.  Despite action by counsellors and school authorities, their mediation is not guaranteed to bring relief.   Juvenile suicide and " runaways " are an ever present reality in the juvenile world.

Unfortunately, home schooling is unlikely to deliver the balanced experience that prepares children for the working world that awaits them.  Mixing with others is part of the process of gaining " socialization " skills and accumulating the friendship network that is so important in " fitting in " to society.   Without those skills, a growing child is easily intimidated.

There is also a big question mark over the quality of education delivered by home schooling. A parent may be able to adequately teach basic reading, writing and arithmetic, but the schooling system rotates children across a range of specialist teachers who cover in depth subjects, and home schooled children are not eligible to sit for the Higher School Certificate ( HSC ) , hence the opportunities for University are closed to them.

Failing to achieve the HSC is a huge handicap.  The era of " learning on the job " has closed in many professions - and that includes teaching and nursing - and in the future more will require a degree of university.   Those fenced off from higher education are doomed to a life of unskilled jobs - and the lower pay and prospects that delivers.

The biggest deficiency of home schooling is that the pupil is limited to the skill knowledge of the parent/teacher.  Even if that person is highly skilled and a university graduate it is unlikely that he or she will have the broad spectrum covered by the range of teachers to which children are exposed in the formal education system, and it is even more unlikely that the parent would have kept updated on the progress that is constant in each of those academic areas.

All the more reason to make home schooling an absolute last resort.  We need to increase the effort to seek out the source of social bullying in the school system and take steps to shut it down.  That is time consuming - and expensive, but unless we grasp the nettle and give it high priority the numbers involved in home schooling will quickly spin out of control.

The Jab - Or No Money !

When the New Year fireworks fade and the clock ushered in 2016 the people who refuse to have their kids immunized against childhood diseases will have a choice.  If they persist with their illogical claims that immunization is a health hazard it will cost them a range of government benefits worth thousands of dollars a year.

From January 1 all children up to the age of nineteen years who are not fully immunized will become ineligible for the Childcare rebate, the Family Tax Benefit Part A end of year supplement - and be refused enrollment at most early learning facilities.

There will be a sixty three day period of grace to allow parents to get their children compliant with the law and these jabs are free.  Those in the 10 - 20 age group can also obtain catchup jabs at no cost and the aim is to complete the " herd effect " that relegates Mumps, Measles, Chicken Pox and a whole range of dangerous diseases to history.

This has been a long and frustrating fight.  We have successfully eliminated polio in Australia and in fact it now only exists in three world countries, all of which are wracked with a form of terrorist activity which results in polio vaccination being shunned - and the doctors and nurses who deliver this life saving treatment being brutally killed.

All forms of immunization deliver a tiny risk, but the benefits of stopping the spread of childhood diseases which deliver some deaths is overwhelming.  Medical science if adamant and yet some opponents manufacture scare stories out of thin air and create a " fad " which sees some followers refuse vaccinations - and open an opportunity for diseases to gain a new foothold.

This law does not compel parents to have their children immunized, but it delivers a choice.  If they persist with pointless opposition, it simply means that benefits worth a great amount of money are no longer available and will be withdrawn.    There is the expectation that when it comes to a choice between what is really an unsubstantiated rumour dismissed by medical science - and a very handy government benefit that helps with family finances - a very obvious decision will be made.

It is important that immunization delivers immunity to not only tiny little kids.  Teenagers who miss out on full protection become adults at high risk if they journey overseas and visit countries where health laws are lax and childhood diseases are endemic.   If these diseases are caught later in life they often become chronic - and in some cases - fatal  !

Unfortunately, even with wide publicity it is likely that some people will be unaware of this change in the law and will find the cessation of benefits a shock when it takes place sixty-three days into the new year.   In some instances that will be because they are not proficient in the English language and in others because of apathy and simply not finding the time to visit a clinic and bring jabs up to date.

They can rest assured that their benefits will be instantly restored, just as soon as they present certification that their children are fully immunized !

Unsustainable Debt !

It all started back in 1974 when Australian banks showered their customers with Bankcard - and set off the credit card revolution.  Before that access to money was restricted to store cards available to more affluent customers and the ever present moneylenders at pawnbroking shops who lent money in exchange for chattels.

In those days we had a lot more banks, but their numbers have now constricted to just the "big four " and Bankcard has been replaced by the international Visa and Mastercard networks.  We Australians now owe a whopping $ 50.7 billion in plastic card debt with an average interest rate of seventeen percent applied to the balance.

That is very profitable to the banks, considering that they earn somewhere about five percent on home mortgage debt secured against real estate.  Of course this is unsecured loan money and they do have some bad debt problems, but the vast majority of people are honest and eventually pay off what they owe.   The required payment on monthly balances is just two percent and that delivers a bonanza to the banks.   A customer who only pays the minimum payment each month would probably take up to twenty-two years to eliminate the debt - and pay many times the amount owing in interest.

It is a fact of life that some people are just not good at managing money !  Christmas can be a time of great danger to the uninitiated and putting the festive season " on the card " can deliver bill shock early in the new year.  With that in mind, the government coerced the banks to include a warning about how long it would take to repay the balance and what interest would accrue if only the minimum payment was made each month.   Now pressure is mounting to raise that minimum payment - to at least five percent.

What is owing on plastic credit cards is frightening.  The average debt is now $ 4350 and consequently there must be many people seriously in hock and who need to be saved from themselves.  Some may have fallen victim to offers of transferring their debt to a new credit card, interest free for a long period.  Unless they adopt a repayment regimen an even higher interest kicks in at the expiration of the grace period, and if their overspending habit continues they will quickly amass unsustainable debt.

That offer of an interest free period for transferring to a new provider is simply pure arithmetic.  The write off rate for bad debts, balanced against the return at a high interest rate on the total debt on credit cards delivers a positive profit that contributes to the billions banks earn each year.  That is also the reason that obtaining a credit card is so easy and credit limits are constantly raised.   The banks make it easy for you to owe money.

It also poses a headache for the regulators.  Any attempt to increase the monthly repayment on outstanding balances will tighten credit and send the retailers into a spin. The economy is finely balanced and still recovering from the 08 crash and interest payable on bonds and term deposits are at a historic low.  The " bricks and mortar " retailers are painfully adjusting to Internet shopping and any disruption to the money chain would have disastrous consequences.

It seems that any measure to level the playing field when it comes to credit will be slow and measured.  It is the inequalities that are now an integral part of the national economy  !