A Deadly Threat !

We are living longer and the health system is consistently conquering old diseases, but we are also teetering on the edge of a return to the dark ages where a mere scratch delivers a death sentence.
The wonderful world of antibiotics has been our shield against infections but now the bugs are gaining immunity and only a handful are left - and even those are at risk.

The discovery of Penicillium just before the start of the second world war saved us from the horrors of wound infections that killed so many during the 1914-18 conflict.  New discoveries seemed likely to open a new frontier of public health and they quickly gained the reputation of the " wonder drug ".

Unfortunately, many patients failed to take the full course of the drug prescribed by their doctor.  When they felt a little better, they discontinued and this allowed a residue of the bacteria involved to survive - and these survivors quickly gained a degree of immunity to that particular drug strain.


Another problem was the fame antibiotics quickly gained.  They have no healing properties against a virus, but some patients with the common cold demanded antibiotics and some doctors issued a prescription to keep the peace.   They quickly became " over used " !

The problem exacerbated when agriculture discovered that giving antibiotics to animals helped them gain weight quickly and assisted with other health problems.  Agriculture absorbs a huge quantity in this precautionary manner, again assisting to the spread of immunity.

We are fast reaching the stage when bugs that infect our hospitals - such as " Golden Staph " will be untreatable.   Operations which are now common such as hip replacements will be high risk and transplants will be impossible.   Even a common scratch while gardening may turn to sepsis - and take a life.

We need to keep one step ahead of this immunity race and that requires the pharmaceutical industry to be producing new drugs - but that is not happening.  Drug development can cost billions and the developer only gets a return during the years that the new drug is under patent protection.   From discovery to approval for general use involves years of testing and field trials and that profit window is ever shortening.   Few of the big drug companies are prepared to take those sort of risks, particularly when counterfeit copies are likely to siphon off sales in third world countries.

Another problem is tailoring an older drug to treat some of the rarer diseases that only affect a small number of patients.   Because the market is small, the cost of the drug must be high to cover development costs and often the patient can not afford treatment and it will not be covered by the national health insurance scheme.   That is a positive disincentive for this type of research.

Perhaps we need to restate the patent laws and start the time clock ticking from the operational date of a new drug rather than from the date of its discovery.   Perhaps we need to offer a given discovery award for effective drugs that treat a disease that has low patient numbers to make it financially attractive to researchers.

Making drugs that have the ability to replace those suffering immunity problems might be wise to be made unavailable to the farming industry.   Perhaps a new coding - For human use only - with strict enforcement.

Unless we take decisive action there is a real probability that health may revert to the standard of a past century !

A Disgruntled " Mob " !

This weekend several thousand placard waving people marched through the Sydney CBD to voice their opposition to a strange litany of causes.  Some were protesting about land resumptions to make way for the West Connex road corridors that will improve the traffic flow, while others were complaining about the necessity of tree removal to enable this city's new light rail network to become reality.

That seemed to bring " opposites " to the same rally with protests that are hard to align.  The Greenies want to stop all forms of road widening and force everybody onto public transport, while the motoring public are tired of the ever lengthening daily commute - and want better roads.   The fact that massive new public transport structure is being put in place and a new and better road network is being created - with both projects running in tandem - seems to please nobody.

Judging by the signs carried, the range of issues under protest  was simply opportunistic.  The coal seam gas deniers were prominent and the new Sydney airport at Badgery's Creek opposers were sprinkled through the crowd.    There were signs protesting that the Powerhouse museum was to be moved from Darling Harbout to western Sydney, although the people of the west are enthusiastically supporting this move.

The pot smokers were out in force trying to ban drug sniffer dogs and the party crowd was complaining about the " Lockout " laws that have cleaned up Kings Cross.   The motoring lobby was against speed cameras - and a lot of very angry people were having a say about the forced merger of many Sydney councils.

There is something about an election that brings forth the worst tantrums in many people, despite    the fact that this is a Federal election and many of the issues under complaint are matters decided by the state government.   This seemed to be a disgruntled mob inflamed by the usual political activists and encouraged  to seek change by noisy public chanting and disturbing the routine of the city.

Fortunately there was no violence.  No shop windows were smashed and no parked cars set alight.  Most people probably went home with a feeling of satisfaction, happy that they had " done their bit " to bring about change - although what was achieved was tenuous.

Sydney is Australia's biggest city and there is the expectation that it will have to provide work and living accommodation for a lot more people as its expansion continues.  That means that change is necessary - and it is inevitable that some citizens will be inconvenienced by the effect that such change will have on their lives.   Usually this produces what is called the NINBY effect.   They agree that this change is necessary - but they want it to happen someplace else.

In the distant past , protest was usually limited to writing an angry letter to the local newspaper, but today we have an ever expanding social media.   There is an opportunity to join with others to express an opinion and those with a political interest see an opportunity to collate this anger and fan the flames to seed open rebellion.   Hence this weekend saw thousands of people of very different views delivering a mob scene that lacked a common thread.

A decade or so from now what was being protested this weekend will be forgotten.  The West Connex will be delivering better commute times and the light rail and driverless trains will be speeding commuters to their destinations. Newer, quieter aircraft will be using Badgery's Creek and these bigger councils will be delivering services more efficiently.

But people will have new issues to complain about.   It seems to be part of the human psyche to resist change.   Hopefully, letting off steam in this way resolves the matter peacefully !

That " Zika " Decision !

One hundred and fifty of the worlds most eminent medical people have written an open letter calling for the Rio Olympics to be postponed - or moved to a safer venue.  They fear that the concentration of people from all over the world at this sporting event holds the risk of spreading the Zika virus and creating a world epidemic of newborns afflicted with Microcephaly.

They do have a valid point.  The Zika virus is carried by the aedes aegypti  mosquito which is also responsible for delivering both Malaria and Dengue fever when it bites a victim.  It is this same mosquito that is common in the worlds tropic and sub tropic regions and once Ziva takes hold it can spread rapidly and become a communicable disease of epic proportions.

The main victims are pregnant women.  Infection with Ziva increases the risk of babies born with Microcephaly - an affliction that manifests itself as children born with a smaller head, resulting in lesser brain function.  The full extent of the danger is not yet known and it seems likely that men affected by the virus may transmit this disease to a partner during sex.   Warnings have been issued urging caution against pregnancy for those in the area where this disease is rampant..

Unfortunately, Zika is becoming a pandemic in the very spot where this years Olympics are scheduled to be held.  There is a fear that athletes and the vast crowd of visitors may bring Zika back to the rest of the world and spread the infection amongst the host regions  aedes aegppti mosquitoes.

The very idea of disruption to the Olympic games presents immense problems.  Huge amounts of money have been spent in Brazil to prepare the venues and contracts have been let for television rights and associated services.  Brazil is experiencing recession and the government is in crisis.  The commercial community is depending on the games to restore fiscal balance.

The practical side of postponement or moving the games to a different world city are daunting. Rio has launched a massive spraying attack on the mosquito breeding cycle and all forms of stagnant water where they breed have been targeted.   The disruption of a postponement would be immense. Many visitors plan a games visit years ahead and a postponement would throw booking schedules for transport and accommodation into chaos.  Visitor numbers would dwindle - and blight the success of the games.

Moving to another venue would be equally problematic - to the point of impossibility.  Former host cities retain the site facilities but the Olympic village is either dismantled or put to other uses and the vast transport network required is returned to normal levels.  The facilities to hold games at short notice no longer exists.

This open letter will be met with denial from many quarters.  Some will argue that holding the games will only increase the risk that exists with existing travel between between Brazil and the rest of the world - and it is likely that a vaccine against Zika will shortly become a reality.  It is also obvious that the financial fall out will heavily influence whatever decision is made on medical grounds.

One thing is certain.   Many women of child bearing age will make certain that they are protected against pregnancy during their visit to Brazil !

Incompetence - in Command Ranks !

The enquiry into the seventeen hour Lindt siege in December 2014 is revealing clear evidence that both the police command structure and the necessary protocols that should be in place to bring such an event to a successful conclusion - were sadly lacking.

There is no doubt that the lesser ranks - the marksmen deployed as snipers and the assault team that put their lives on the line when they rushed the cafe - did their job bravely and deserve credit, but behind the scenes there was absolute chaos.   There was uncertainty about who had the authority to give the order to send in the assault team and exactly what was happening in the cafe was subjected to very different interpretations.

One of the problems was that the police command post was setup in a vastly unsuitable building.  It was allocated a small room, devoid of whiteboards and serviced by a single landline phone.  That - and a mobile phone - were totally swamped with the deluge of calls coming in as the hostages were able to use their mobile phones freely.   Many calls from the hostages were diverted to other parts of the building - or went unanswered.   This valuable form of intelligence mostly went unrecorded.

Incredibly, earlier the Federal government had  spent hundreds of thousands of dollars gifting every state with a huge truck equipped as a mobile command centre for just such emergencies.  It was spacious and had whiteboards to plan strategies and very importantly it delivered state of the art communications and recording equipment.   We now learn that the New South Wales vehicle was damaged in a weather event and not repaired.  In 2011 is was disposed of by auction - and not replaced.

Communications between those observing the siege and the command centre differed badly.  When the gunman fired his shotgun as hostages escaped there was the disparity of whether the shot was fired " at " the hostages over their heads as a warning.  Clearly, that issue of clarity was crucial to making a decision of immediate intervention.    Unfortunately, just which senior officer had that decision responsibility was not clear at the time.

Perhaps this debacle was needed to jolt the upper echelon of our police service to put in place a a siege command structure that is clear to all concerned, and that it's commander has the authority to decide whether the police or special forces from the military are best suited to do what needs to be done.  This is not the time for turf battles.

That lack of a mobile command centre is a disgrace.  Are we to believe that police vehicles are not covered by insurance ?  How apathy could let such a vital piece of equipment rot unrepaired and then be casually disposed of at auction is unbelievable.  It's value was clearly illustrated in the Lindt siege and a replacement must be urgently provided.

Past sieges have mainly been caused by the breakdown of relationships between people, often  exacerbated by alcohol or drugs.  Many have been of a domestic nature and the passage of time has cooled tempers.  This Lindt siege was the deliberate action of a relgious fanatic who intended to end the lives of his hostages and hoped that his own death would confer immortality as a martyr.

There is a high probability that this may be repeated.  Suicide bombing is a tactic employed in what has become a holy war and adherents are encouraged to launch attacks on perfect strangers.  It is important that our reactive forces are clear on their line of communication and action ability to end sieges with the least loss of innocent lives.

Lessons from the Lindt siege must be learned - and put into action immediately !

Credit Card " Fees " !

At long last the Reserve Bank of Australia has cracked down on a form of extortion where surcharges apply to those paying for services with a credit card.   This is widespread across industry and in particular it is used as a flat rate charge to inflate the price of low cost items to deliver a higher profit margin.

This RBA ruling requires any credit card surcharge to be limited to the actual cost imposed by the banks and this will come into effect in two stages.   From September 1 this year it will apply to major merchants such as airlines,taxi companies, ticket booking agencies and hotel chains.   Twelve months later it will come into force for all credit card transactions, nomatter the size.

The saving is illustrated by comparison with air fares.  Domestic journeys paid for with a credit card at present attract a credit card surcharge of $7 per passenger by Qantas, $ 8.50 by Jetstar and Tiger, and $ 7.70 by Virgin.  All of those will drop to about 65 cents.

The time delay for general application of the new rules will enable notification to seep through to the myriad of small merchants applying a surcharge and give them time to adjust their charging rates accordingly.  Such surcharges are widespread and apply to many hair styling salons, carpet cleaning firms, electronics repair shops and across the entire service industry.   Enforcement will follow - and punitive fines will apply.

This surcharge has been used to supplement the profit margins in highly competitive industries where low advertised rates have been used to attract customers.   In particular, the airlines fill seats by attractive pricing but the final ticket price is much higher when that surcharge is taken into account.  From September, the advertised price will be exactly what the customer expects to pay.

Originally, credit card surcharges were a legitimate cost imposed by industry to guard against fraud. Those were times when the accepting merchants simply checked the bearers signature against the signature specimen on the card as the means of acceptance.  Stolen or counterfeit cards often resulted in financial loss to the merchants and this surcharge was seen as introducing a competing risk factor.

Today, in this electronic age credit charge are no longer reliant on signatures and the card checking regimen in place is more stringent.   We have also seen a clear divergent in the type of card in use. Many cards still add to the debt that the cardholder is expected to pay off over a period of time, but there is greater use of " debit " cards - in which the customer is simply accessing their own money. Merchants no longer have to wait to bank the days cash takings or suffer the delay of having personal cheques cleared.   The electronic world is one of instant availability as funds are simply transferred automatically from one account to another.  In the future, it is predicted that most small transactions will be processed by swiping a card over a terminal rather than exchanging coins and banknotes.

Now the final frontier in this age of "plastic " awaits attention.  Despite interest rates being at a historic low, the interest charged across the credit card spectrum is uniformly about twenty percent because the " scattergun " approach applies.    Lending authorities make little attempt to regulate credit worthiness and instead impose a high rate that evens out the losses.

It seems that the competition for market share is more important than servicing the quality of the customers attracted !

Playing the " Race " Card !

When the political parties began seeking advantage by candidate selection for the 2013 Federal election, the Northern Territory was represented in the Senate by efficient Labor Senator Trish Crossin.   Julia Gillard made a tactical move and replaced Trish Crossin with former Olympian Nova Peris.    It was clear to most observers at the time that Gillard was pandering to the Northern Territory's Indigenous residents - by dumping a white woman and replacing her with a person of Indigenous heritage.

Nova Peris was not even a member of the Labor party.  Gillard claimed the authority for her choice as a " Captains pick " and it was certainly a blow in the face for all those Labor functionaries who slog away cheerfully in the branches in the hope that they may eventually get a chance to run for office. Gaining selection usually means gathering a following and carefully articulating the right policies to fit in with the electoral leaning of both the party and the branch.

Unfortunately Nova Peris did not make much of an impression in her role as a Senator and now - three years later - she has quit and will not seek reelection.   It is rumoured that she will take a position as " Head of Diversity " with the AFL, which is making great strides to attract Indigenous players to the game.   It is clear that whoever has that post will be a person of Aboriginal background -  of necessity.

At the time Julia Gillard intervened in the selection process there was a lot of sympathy for Trish Crossin, who had served her party well and was a popular Senator in the Territory.  The harsh reality of politics clearly placed wining the numbers game well ahead of personal loyalty.

Playing the race card is a dangerous practice and it can have unintended results. The withdrawal of Peris brings into contention the selection of a new nominee for the Senate job.  Some will claim that it should be offered to Trish Crossin - if she is still interested - on the grounds that she was callously cast aside for political advantage.   She has a good track record and a nomination would seem a case of a wrong righted.

Others may contend that the position of Labor Senator for the Northern Territory is now a reserved tenure for a person of Indigenous background because Indigenous population numbers in the Territory far outnumber those of white people.   That is a predictable outcome when the race card is so prominently used to deliver a message.

There is another outcome that may damage the vast improvement in race relations that has taken place in this country.  An old stereotype may emerge that casts our Indigenous people as " unreliable ".    Being a Senator is an elevation on the totem pole of life and yet this Senator has chosen to walk away from it when the going got tough.   Some may insist that Senator Peris went " walkabout "  !

Selecting a nominee for the July election will be a task that creates acrimony - whatever the choice !

Defence " Fragmentation " !

The head of the Australian National Security College  has warned that we are suffering fragmentation in forward planning of our foreign affairs stance in a fast changing world.   In particular, it is thirteen years since the last " White Paper " on this issue was tabled in parliament. It seems we have adopted a piecemeal  reaction in place of forward planning.

Worryingly, the political debate preceding the coming July 2 election is entirely concerned with economic and social issues.   One of the biggest outlays to reinforce the navy with twelve modern submarines has had hardly a mention and yet that is vital to the defence of this country.  Prior to the election being called, what  seemed more important was the matter of jobs and location than the defence capability the subs will provide.   The last submarine acquisition delivered sub standard results.

Much of this election debate is descending into sniping on social issues.  We need to put time and effort into being ready with cyber security defence because this will be a new warfare frontier.  Industry, communications and commerce are entirely reliant on computers and the Internet and the capacity to shut these down would send this nation into paralysis.

We live in a risky part of the world.  To our north the South China Sea is heading for a confrontation over the ownership of assorted rocks and shoals - and the undersea oil and minerals that go with ownership.  That brings with it the bigger issue of the security of shipping and air routes.  World commerce is vulnerable to " choke points " and it is understanding with other nations that is required so that collective action makes an aggressor think twice.

Many of our neighbours have at least a small issue with religious terrorism.  Islamic State has become a reality in the Middle East and now controls territory in Iraq and Syria.  It has established cells in Australia and the future is unclear.   We have seen the chaos that a subversive " third force "  can inflict in conflicts in Ireland and more recently in Britain, France and Belgium.   In many parts of the world limited civil war has raged for decades.

Then there is the matter of changing technology.   The computer displaced thousands of clerical jobs and a new age of robotics is leading to a dwindling manufacturing workforce.  Some see artificial intelligence as the new age of enlightenment, but others see it as simply making humans redundant - and perhaps changing society as we know it forever.

It seems strange that all these issues are missing from the election debate between those seeking to represent us in parliament.  The politicians insist that what the public are interested in are " bread and butter " matters.    The " national interest " is being swept under the carpet and the vote is being solicited by thinly disguised appeals to " greed " !   The planners and bean counters behind each party machine are juggling figures and forming promises of action that they hope will convince a majority of voters that what they are offering will bring a bigger personal reward that what is being offered by the other parties.

Sadly, the real issue of a better, safer Australia is not part of the debate !

" Ownership " Rights !

When most Australians hear the term " Ugg " they think of footwear.  In particular, they think of boots made from sheep hide with the wool on the inside to keep the wearer's feet cosy and warm. This was an iconic Australian invention and it probably evolved when the early settlers had little choice than to improvise in a raw new country.

Now ownership of the word  " Ugg " is heading into court in the United States.  Back in 1990 the giant Deckers corporation bought a small firm that manufactured Ugg boots from Australian surfer and entrepreneur, Brian Smith.   They then proceeded to register " UGG " as their trademark in a hundred and thirty countries, including Australia.

"Ugg" boots are made and sold here by Australian Leather, a firm with just nine employees and about thirty contractors.  Deckers claim that Australian Leather is infringing their copyright and demands that they desist.   They are playing hardball by insisting that this little Australian firm not only pay damages, but ship their remaining product to the US so that Deckers can have it destroyed.

It looks to be a " David and Goliath " contest.  A very rich American corporation doing battle in a foreign court system with a small competitor whose very existence is at stake.  At issue is whether " Ugg " is a generic name - which it is impossible to protect with personal  ownership.   The law is very strict on preventing generics being converted to trade symbols which prevent their common use to describe a type of article.

There is pressure building for the Australian government to intervene.  If the Australian manufacturer lacks the financial muscle to take on a rich corporation in a very expensive court action it could lead to an  Australian heritage item being permanently lost to this country.   It can be argued that " Ugg " was clearly a generic term and therefore not the property of any person to sell.

Some years ago a clash between a giant corporation and a small business gained media attention when it made its way through the courts.  The brand name " Target " was expanding its empire and it created a new store in Launceston, Tasmania.    There was already a store selling a similar range of goods that had been operated there by a family named Target and the giant corporation demanded that they change their name - because it infringed their Trademark.   This little store had traded under the Target name for generations.

The court outcome was in favour of the little, family owned store and this set a precedent that could be decisive if this " Ugg " matter is to be resolved by court action.   Clearly, Ugg boots were made and sold in Australia many years ago and the term is a " Trademark " of this country. The archives reveal celebrities that include Pamela Anderson, David Beckham and Sarah Jessica Parker were photographed  revelling in this form of footwear.

Perhaps a good time to examine other iconic Australian terms that could suffer a similar fate and include them on a register of protected generic names !

" Public " Health !

Analysis of the way public hospitals in New South Wales are serving the public disclose a curious anomaly of how the charges are allocated.   Every Australian is entitled to free care in a public hospital, but on presentation they are asked if they wish to be treated as a " public " or a " private " patient !

It all depends if the patient has private health insurance - and if they wish to use that for any extra benefits it may deliver.  A public patient will be treated by whatever doctor the hospital rosters but a private patient may select a doctor of his or her choice - and receive a bill for that persons  services.  That will be a separate claim on the patient's health fund insurance.

Some hospitals are able to offer private patients a private room instead of the usual shared ward, but in the majority of minor cases both public and private patients receive precisely the same treatment in our public hospital system.  In fact, many patients with health insurance opt to be classed as " public " because they fear getting bills for items that are not covered by their insurance - and by going public the entire service is guaranteed to be without charge.

This analysis indicates that public hospitals in New South Wales have the highest percentage of patients billing their health insurance for their hospital stay.   Royal North Shore bills 35%, Sutherland hospital 41% and St Vincents another 35%.   It is evident that this state's hospitals are more meticulous in persuading insured patients to avail themselves of their insurance cover to keep costs down.

This comes at a time when the premium for health insurance is steadily rising and there is fear that many families may discontinue their cover.  The bean counters estimate that if the rules changed to prevent insured patients billing hospital stays to their health funds the annual premium would drop by $250 a year - and this would deliver a saving of a billion dollars.   It would - of course -  also deliver a sharp increase in the cost of running the hospital system.

Initially, the whole point of private health insurance was to elevate health care for those who could afford it.   The thinking was that such patients could select a leading surgeon of their choice and avoid the spartan conditions of a public hospital for the luxury provided in the private hospital system.   To some extent, that choice exists in major cities but in lesser centres the choice is to receive basically the same care in the local public hospital, hence many choose to avoid any extra bills and opt for " public " care.

This seems to be a conundrum that will face health care providers in the future.   We are making great strides in the treatment of diseases and the wonder medical equipment that delivers miracles cost a mint of money.   The public purse is not bottomless -  and insurance seems the obvious way to share costs between the public and private sectors.   The sticking point seems to be leaving the decision in the hands of the patient.

If the health providers fail to get their sums right, that may resolve itself.  If the cost of private health insurance moves out of reach the vast majority will automatically become " public " patients !

An " Unexpected Ally " !

Australia has been meticulous in its doctrine of separating state from religion.   There was friction between Protestants and Catholics in the early days but the authorities made it clear that there was no state religion and all settlers were free to follow the religion of their choice.   This has been enshrined in law and today most of the world's religions are practiced in this country.

There is a wise maxim that has its origin in the sands of the Middle East.  " The enemy of my enemy is my friend " !    It encompasses the changing loyalties when the tribes making warfare against one another seek alliances that run against tradition.

This pearl of wisdom is now influencing our crime fraternity and it is religion that is both threatening harm to this country and at the same time providing a shield to prevent attacks.  In its early days the great religion of Islam suffered schism.  There came a parting of the ways and Islam divided into those called " Sunni " and those called " Shi'a " !

It is the Sunni branch of Islam that has attracted followers of a new caliphate that has declared war on the western world. It has fielded an army in Syria and Iraq under the black flag of Islamic State and it recruits followers in western regimes with orders to slay those that is terms " infidels ".   Its aim is to bring terror to western cities.

Australia has strict gun laws.  Despite this, there is a flourishing gun trade and we have almost daily street killings that involves criminal gangs eliminating competitors.  Fortunately, this gun culture seems mainly restricted to bikie gangs and Middle East crime syndicates who deal in drugs, and it seems that these are mostly followers of Shi'a Islam.

Our Shi'a criminal brethren show revulsion to the pointless killing that is a hallmark of Islamic State.  Radicalized  young men seeking to buy guns to carry out IS orders are turned away and in many instances discreetly brought to the attention of the security authorities.    It seems that " the enemy of our enemy " is helpful in refusing to profit by arming radicals.

It seems that we are fortunate that in our criminal fraternity the followers of Shi'a Islam predominate.  They have very good reason to regard Islamic State as their enemy.  Sunni followers regard the Shi'a as infidels and where IS has captured territory it has killed Shi'a prisoners - usually by beheading. There is no affinity between these two followings of Islam.

This is to our advantage in the war being waged against Islamic State.   The great masses of both Sunni and Shi'a living in Australia are not militants but they have their ear to the ground and things are apparent to them than non Muslim Australians would certainly miss.  In the past they have chosen not to get involved and some have incorrectly interpreted this as partisan support for the terrorists.

That maxim that " the enemy of my enemy is my friend " is certainly a truism !  During the second world war Italy was part of the Fascist Axis and yet when the invasion of Sicily was planned the Americans had no hesitation in sitting down with the Mafia in New York and enlisting their aid. As a result, on the eve of the invasion massive sabotage of facilities and breakdowns in communications harassed the defence - and saved many of the invaders lives.

A similar mixing of interests is evident where Islamic State is concerned.   We would be unwise to turn away on the grounds that this help is being offered by criminals.  Cooperation between erstwhile enemies to achieve a common good - is as old as this earth itself !

An Unacceptable " Risk Factor " !

Once again the subject of online gambling is in the news.    It seems that a troubled League star undergoing rehabilitation in Queensland checked out and flew to Sydney late last week.  In a two hour online betting splurge he lost $ 75,000.

We have come a long way in this state since the only legal betting option was to go to a race meeting on race day and place cash bets with the bookmakers licensed to trade there.   This unmet desire to place bets off course was illegally serviced by starting price bookmakers who held court each race day in the back bar of the local pub.

Eventually the state government tired of unsuccessful attempts to stamp out the SP bookie trade and decided to license the TAB.  This created a new form of revenue by way of gambling taxes and popular TAB betting shops sprouted in most city suburbs.  They were deplored by the anti gambling movement but the fact that they required cash to place a bet put a limit on losses.

Today, gambling has extended its reach in a vast number of ways.  The TAB welcomes account betting and bookmakers compete with the TAB in the account  betting field, and the Internet has opened up a new field of virtual casinos.   We now have risk factors that some people think are becoming unacceptable.

The betting experience of this troubled League star disturbs many people. He was placing bets of $ 15,000 and $ 30,000 on horses and greyhounds and his losses would have been above $ 150,000 if TAB betting supervisors had not intervened and reduced acceptance by half.   Algorithms are in place to sound the alarm when betting splurges indicate abnormal levels.  Supervisors need to use their discretion when losses amount to dangerous depths, far outside the customers usual betting pattern.

Any restrictions to gambling bring accusations of a " Nanny state "  mentality, but there are instances where we need to save troubled people - from themselves.   It is not uncommon for those suffering personal trauma to be irrational .  Sometimes this is combined with the excess use of alcohol and in such a state a bad betting spree can deliver absolute financial ruin.

There is also the problem of those in a disturbed state of mind disclosing their password which would allow another person to activate their betting account.   Perhaps it is necessary for the betting agency to phone the account holder and require an authority check on the amount wagered ?   This is a tactic used by the banks when an unusual credit card purchase raises a scrutineers suspicion - and it is very effective as reducing fraud.

It would be useful if an embargo could be enacted on account betting whenever a person is undergoing rehabilitation at a clinic or is under the direct control of a psychiatrist.  That is a time when the risk factor is at its highest.  It would probably be an automatic obligation required at the time of accepting the patient for treatment.

Gamblers know that the odds are not in their favour.   At least being of sound mind should be a requirement of undertaking that risk !

Civic Duties !

We are one of the few countries that require every citizen from the age of eighteen to register on the electoral roll and at least front up and record their presence on election days.   This applies to Federal elections, choosing state governments and even whenever there is a poll for the local council.

Citizens are entitled to put their ballot in the box blank or even write a rude message instead of placing a number, but to avoid a fine they need to have their name crossed off the roll on voting day. Way back at the time of Federation it was decided that selecting the form of  government to run the country was a civic duty and this would not be optional.

We are seeing the wisdom of that decision in countries where voting is optional.   This coming presidential election in America looks like a contest between two very unpopular front runners and the decision may rest in the hands of the smallest number of voters ever to record a vote - or it may send a record number to the polls to simply stop the most unpopular person getting the job.

When the votes are tallied up at the close of the election here we will at least have the satisfaction of knowing that the result is the forced decision made by a majority of voters.  We - the people - made a choice - and so we get the government that we deserve !

There is one other civic duty that most citizens dread - getting called up for jury duty.  From time to time the Sheriffs office in each locality draws a list of citizens of both genders and it is from this that people receive a summons to appear at a court at a given time and hour.   Few exemptions are granted.

It is the luck of the draw as to which particular trial will apply.  Selection may be life changing.   Those with the misfortune to be selected for contentious cases may face sittings that run for months and if there is even a suggestion of jury tampering they may be " sequestered " -  prevented from contact with family and friends and housed in a hotel for security.

The death penalty no longer applies in Australia, but making a decision that locks an accused away for life can be harrowing for many people.  Serving on a jury is not without risk.  When the person on trial has gang connections or the charge is terrorism colleagues may try and sway the decision by threats against a juror's family - or threaten later harm to that juror if the decision goes a way they do not like.

Jurors receive compensation for each day they serve but often this amounts to an income loss for those who run a small business.  If a juror is a pensioner, this benefit must be declared and may result in a temporary pension reduction.  It has become the custom in contentious cases to empanel a reserve number of jurors so that if illness forces a juror to withdraw that gap can be filled without the necessity of a mistrial and starting the proceedings again from scratch.

Being called for jury selection does not automatically mean that person will serve.  Both the prosecution and the defence have the right to " challenge " and reject individuals.  Often this is on the basis of hoping for the type of individual that will suit their tactics and rejecting those of an age or background likely to have an opposite opinion.

It seems that the only escape from that dreaded jury duty - is for those who have a criminal record.  Such people are expunged from the selection listing when this is being drawn up by the Sheriff.

Easy Money !

Australia has been captivated by the trial of two young men put before the court on a charge of "insider trading ".   It opens the door to the world of secrets that we ordinary mortals can not access, but which are capable of delivering incredible rewards for those bold enough to take the risk.

A friendship from their schooldays continued as they commenced their commercial life with one young man securing employment in a commercial banking firm.  The nature of his work was confidential because he was aware of merger and acquisition moves as financing arrangements were being put in place.  From that it was possible to deduce what moves would occur with stock market prices when these plans proceeded to public announcements.

It seems he "leaked "this information to his friend, who made investments accordingly.  In some instances he made as much as a hundred thousand dollars profit a day and readily confessed in court that it was "the easiest money they could possibly make "!

It became a game and they egged each other on - and the rewards were spent on a lifestyle worthy of the rich and famous.   Travel - entertainment -holidays - and a penthouse that would overlook the best views in Sydney.   Of course this rich lifestyle caught the eye of regulators and eventually they came undone.

The man who betrayed his firms secrecy received a three year prison sentence, with fifteen months to be served before parole and this constituted a ten percent discount because he agreed to give evidence against his co-accused.

All up this insider trading delivered a profit of $5.8 million and only $ 1.59 million has been recovered by the authorities.  That is a point that will not be lost on those in a position to profit from the use of commercial information, even if so doing is against the law and could result in a prison sentence.

It is also evident that these two young men were unwise to engage in such an extravagant lifestyle which would draw attention to how their wealth was being accumulated.  We are accustomed to unexplained price bubbles in stock prices that seem to occur from time to time and it is quite possible that some of these may be attributed to "insider trading" by more discreet operatives.

The commercial world involves an amazing number of people who of necessity must play a part when a major move is planned.  When a titan of industry plans an acquisition the ramifications will be explored by the minions of one of the firms described as a "consultancy " and the method of finance will certainly be discussed with one or more merchant bankers.  Low key workers required to collate the information needed will quickly gain a clue of the likely outcome by the nature of the information they process.   The pool of knowledge is ever widening.

This case before the courts was opportunistic - and blatant.  It is also a crime that is lightly punished in relation to the rewards gained.  In this age of low interest rates, those with valuable knowledge must be tempted to try their luck !

Living Dangerously !

Most people try and limit the risks that prevent us reaching old age.  Each year more people quit smoking and we constantly promise to exercise more and maintain a healthy diet.  Like new year's good intentions, many don't last the distance but a surprising number of hazards await us as we go about each days routine.

A year after it was discovered that an air bag fault could deliver a burst of shrapnel from even a minor car crash over 1.2 million cars on Australian roads are still unrepaired.   This covers a range of makes and models and the constant factor is that a single manufacturer managed to capture a very big share of the entire air bag market.  This has resulted in one of the biggest recalls in motoring history - and the task can only be managed by bringing in cars to a regular monthly quota plan.   The present replacement rate is five thousand cars a week.

It is not helpful that every driver of an unrepaired car is playing "Russian Roulette "when they get behind the wheel.  There is a chance that if the air bag deploys it will deliver shards of sharp metal components directly into the face of the driver.  Much like facing down the barrel of a loaded shotgun. This recall will last well into 2017.

Of course,we would have ripped out those air bags if there was a hundred percent certainty of that happening - and the odds are very much in our favour.   This fault has so far resulted in just twelve deaths globally, and faulty air bags removed from cars have been subjected to artificial crash tests to determine the risk factor.   Of 30,000 tested - just 265 delivered shrapnel.    The chances of dying from a faulty air bag is much less than one percent.

That old perennial - Legionnaire's Disease  - is again cutting a swathe through people merely breathing the air on city streets.   It takes between two and ten days for the symptoms to appear and it is a disease that tends to strike both old people and young children.   At the moment there are thirty-nine victims recovering  - and there has been one death.

It is believed that Legionnaires has a connection to the cooling towers that supply water to the air conditioning of major buildings.  Spores of bacteria are generated and these float free and settle onto surrounding streets.  Pedestrians become contaminated by breathing in this contagion, but the health authorities can usually pin point the general area and search out the source of infection.

This present outbreak is predictable.   We have had one of the hottest summers on record and it has persisted to almost the start of winter.   As a result, the Sydney air conditioning systems have been working relentlessly at maximum capacity and this has generated stress.  Many management teams would be reluctant to close down the system on a very hot day for routine maintenance.  High rise buildings would be impossible for workers and customers - and maintenance delays would be common.

There has also been a gap of many years since the last Legionnaires outbreak.   It is important that the water in cooling towers is serviced regularly and the unrelenting pressure to contain costs may have  pushed out time schedules.  Testing has revealed the sources of some infections and that raises the possibility of both fines by the health department and liability claims from victims.

This infection cycle will quickly end.  All the city cooling towers will get urgent maintenance and the air conditioning systems will ease back as the cooler weather arrives.   The danger is that with the passage of time cooling tower maintenance will relax - and somewhere in the future we will have a repeat of this epidemic.

Just one more of the risk factors that are beyond our ability to control !

The " Syndicate " Wars !

It is a familiar ritual in thousands of workplaces across Australia.   During a tea break someone suggests the group pool a couple of dollars each week and buy a chance in the weekly Lotto draw. It is all very informal.  There is always a volunteer who has the job of collecting the money and buying the ticket - and from time to time this gamble delivers a few dollars in small prizes - which is usually ploughed back into more chances whenever there is a jackpot draw.

Sometimes miracles do happen !  Last weekend a group of people working at a cable manufacturing company found that their ticket was the sole winner in a Lotto Jackpot draw and it delivered a prize of forty million dollars.

To be exact, it came to $40,465,165 and this was to be divided between the fourteen members of the Syndicate.  The joy was almost unbelievable.   Fourteen very ordinary people were incredibly rich and their lifestyle was forever changed, but that was just the start of what can happen when a substantial win is credited to " a Syndicate " !

This opens the door to endless acrimony and often this leads to protracted legal action.  So it is with this forty million dollar win.   There is a claim by a fifteenth employee that he is legally part of that syndicate and entitled to a share of the money.  He has engaged a lawyer and it is likely that there will be an application to a court to delay the release of the funds until the ownership issue is settled.

The problem is that Syndicates are usually run on very casual lines.  Membership is usually by a nod of the head around the table and people tend to lose interest and drop out from time to time.  Some are reluctant to pony up their contribution on pay day, and it is rare for the arrangement to be consolidated by any written agreement.

Jealousy can be a motivating factor in many claims for a share of the prize.  Sometimes a Syndicate is restricted to a hard core and new employees are not offered a chance to contribute.  There is also a question mark hanging over a syndicate member who is on long service leave and not contributing to the pool.   Usually the entire transaction boils down to whatever verbal arrangement is in place - and depends heavily on " hear-say " !

No doubt the public will be interested as this claim wends its way through the courts.  With that sort of money at stake the best legal minds will be doing battle.  It is quite possible that the number of claimants may widen if the arguments used suggest new opportunities.

It certainly should deliver a wake-up call to the organizers of other syndicates.   The chances of winning such a motza are at incredible odds but they do happen - and with a little care the ownership of such a syndicate can be made watertight.

Having the paymaster deduct the syndicate contribution from each syndicate members pay would require each contributor to sign such a request - and authenticate syndicate membership.  Should that person withdraw, that would require a similar written authority, and end membership from the date of activation.

Without such a scheme, really good fortune seems doomed to end in acrimony !

Funny Money !

Wollongong and the south coast of New South Wales is undergoing a surge of counterfeit banknotes in circulation and the quantities involved make it obvious that this is a " sting " operation, probably master minded by a bikie gang.

In particular, fake $50 notes are being used to either make small purchases which generate a lot of change, or to buy expensive items of clothing which can be later turned into real cash at Sunday markets.  The area has been inundated by a host of shoppers of both genders and a range of ages to gain the element of surprise.

One of the problems is that these counterfeit notes are of very good quality.   It takes a careful examination of the watermark to detect the difference from the real thing and often these forgeries make their way into banks before they are detected.  Unfortunately, the unlucky shopkeeper suffers the financial loss because the notes are seized by the police.

This south coast raid is probably now over.  The tactic is to pass a lot of notes very quickly - and to disappear once the alarm is raised.   At the moment, anybody offering a fifty dollar note in this area would be viewed with great suspicion.  It is also likely that those scammed may remain silent, tuck the counterfeit notes away until the fuss dies down - and then try and make good their loss by quietly easing them back into the market to unsuspecting shoppers.

The problem is that this age of ever increasing technology is giving forgers an edge.  The quality of printing equipment linked to the power of the computer is capable of delivering a very reasonable facsimile at an incredibly low cost.  These latest notes are even printed on polymer paper and they have a crude watermark.

The fine line between the safety features woven into banknotes by the mint and the expertise available to forgers is ever closing.  It is even possible that should a clash of nations occur, an enemy may seek to discredit the currency of a nation they oppose by flooding the market with fake banknotes.   That was certainly a tactic that made an appearance during the second world war.

All this is grist to the mill of those economists who seek to do away with printed money.   There is a school of thought that suggests that our biggest banknote should be the five dollar bill, and that  and coins be used for those small everyday purchases over the counter at the corner store.  All higher value purchases would be by way of one of the payment systems encrypted in the cards we carry or embedded in our personal Smartphone.  The reality of exchanging money from one mobile phone to another is already knocking on the door.

That would strike a mortal blow to the " black " economy.   The amount of GST tax dodged in the cash economy is legion and once those transactions are forced onto an electronic circuit - they leave footprints !   There seems no doubt that Treasury would welcome the withdrawal of banknotes above five dollars and the tax bonanza that would deliver.

In the interim we are faced with a dilemma.  Stolen credit transaction cards are a risk but effective countermeasures are coming into force.  Should a suspicious transaction trigger alarm a text message is sent to the card owners phone - requiring validation.  Risk will never be totally eliminated, , but the march of technology is closing the gap.

Sadly, what we thought to be the ultimate safety - paying in cash - no longer delivers the certainty of a gentler age !

Turning Full Circle !

There is a truism that says " You can take a horse to water but you can not make it drink " !   It is equally relevant that you can not force an education curriculum on a student who does not want to learn - and yet that is one of the proposals being touted in the runup to this coming election.

An extra billion dollars is being promised to schools but it will only be allocated where teenage pupils are forced to complete an English and Humanities subject or study Maths and Science to receive their ATAR.

This is opposed by both the State government and the Teachers Federation who see it as filling classrooms with disengaged and unruly students who disrupt the routine and make it impossible for staff to teach the hard core who are serious about going on to further education.

Perhaps we are failing to relearn the lessons that were so apparent in the distant past.   There was a time when education for many ended with primary school and only the gifted went on further.  Those were the days when ambitious people went to Technical Colleges - at night and in their own time - to gain skills that improved their earnings and career prospects.

Over many decades the hallowed " Tech  has had many name changes.  It was more recently known as TAFE but it somehow went out of fashion.  The subjects taught retreated and the money was cut and today it is a mere shadow of itself, where it still exists.   The glamour careers are the people who construct algorithm codes in the computer industry or go on to earn a degree which comes with a license to make money.   This is the age of the entrepreneur.  Some of the richest people in the world are drop outs who started their own business - and Facebook comes to mind.

We seem to be looking back on the " one size fits all " mode for education - and clearly that will not work.  It is an ever changing work place and today the old " learn on the job " careers require at least a basic university entry level.   At the same time, the traditional " Trades "  are now so in demand that they command earnings that rival many professional career returns.  Employers are training lesser numbers of " apprentices " and there is a danger of a skills shortage across the entire Trades spectrum.

Unfortunately, this whole " Education " issue has become ensnared in politics.  It is an emotive subject that can be exploited from many angles and once political parties declare their intentions the masses tend to dig in behind the political barricades.   There is a very real danger that in the heat of the political fracas the intent of what is hoped to achieve may be forgotten.

This diktat to herd the masses into compulsory English and Humanities - and Maths and Science - is a recipe for disaster.  It fails to recognise the disparity of human nature and the objective seems to be to churn out cookie cutter graduates who will go on to carve out professional careers.

In the life of the average person there comes a turning point.  Some are destined to work with their hands - and some will work with their head.  In education, that fork in the road needs to be clearly recognised - and accommodated.   That can not be achieved by a single level of learning applied to all.

Call it " Tech " or " TAFE ", providing the type of training for those not academically suited to Maths and Science is essential, both to prevent a disruptive element forced into unsuitable courses and to provide the type of training that will allow a rewarding career to be achieved.

Perhaps education strayed off course - and is now needs to return to come full circle !

Guarding " Home Turf " !

The enquiry into the Lindt Cafe siege is tippy toeing through the minefield of whether the police or the ADF should have ultimate authority to make decisions in this type of crime situation.  It is fast developing into a " Turf Battle  ".  Unfortunately, world events indicate that we may see more of these armed intrusions onto the civilian domain as Islamic State and al Qaeda settle in to bring their ideology war to the streets of western cities.

That siege in a cafe in inner Sydney was both unexpected and deadly efficient.  A man with a backpack suddenly produced a gun in a crowded coffee shop and in declaring a siege threatened customers with the news that he had a bomb in his backpack and more were scattered about the city. The police acted  quickly, clearing pedestrians and setting up a command centre.  It became evident that terrorism was involved when Man Monis ordered an IS flag to be displayed in the cafe window.

The police are trained to handle sieges. Special negotiators try and calm the situation and well oiled procedures slip into place, but most of the cases police encounter are based on the alcohol or drug culture, the breakdown of family relationships or cornering a felon who refuses to surrender.  This was entirely different.  Monis expected to end his own life and take a great number of victims with him.

Police snipers were put in place and it was encouraging that groups of hostages were managing to escape. There were shortcomings in police communications and there is controversy over when the decision to end the siege was made.  Shots were fired at escaping customers and many think that was the time for an armed intrusion.   That only happened later, when one of the hostages was brutally murdered.

There is no doubt that the police raiding party was brave.  They went in with superior fire power, but with the prospect that a bomb was in the cafe with the capacity to kill everybody involved.  In the shoot out that followed, Man Monis was killed, but unfortunately one of the hostages also died from a police richocet.

Now we learn that under the siege protocols in place the ADF had liason officers at the forward police command post and early in the siege special forces had constructed a mock-up of the cafe at an army base to sharpen any intrusion team on the best tactics to use.

There is also contention over the police use of assault rifles for the siege take down.   The army warned that 5.6 mm rounds are likely to shatter on impact and exacerbate casualties - and that is precisely what happened.   Man Monis was armed with a twelve gauge shotgun with a five round magazine and twenty-two police bullets were fired during the assault on the cafe.

The ADF special forces employ different weapons for different situations.  In such sieges they are likely to use a Heckler and Koch nine mm  MP7 and they are famous for their noted " double tap " of placing just two hits on the target.   The purpose of this enquiry is to establish a clear command structure and determine what protocols are put in place whenever a similar situation arises in the future.

In the past, the civilian scene was clearly the domain of the police and the Army was our force to serve on overseas battlefields.   Today - events are not so clear.   We are facing a declared war from a stateless armed identity seeking to recruit a "  Fifth Column " from within our ranks by using social media.    We can no longer tolerate turf battles over command rights.   It is important that the lines of command are clear and that whoever is best suited to achieve a successful conclusion to whatever we are facing is employed to do that task.

That should be the outcome whenever this enquiry ends !

Public ? Or Private ?

The Inspector looking into the operations of the Independent Commission Against Corruption in New South Wales ( ICAC ) has handed down his report and he recommends that future hearings be closed to the public and the media.  David Levine is concerned that the media hoopla that goes with public hearings has the capacity to tarnish the reputations of those unjustly accused - and justice can be equally served by handing the findings of the enquiry to prosecutors when the facts have been determined at the end of the inquisition.

It is clear that ICAC has operated well outside its charter and used its powers in ways that were not intended.   The spark that finally lit the fuse was the Margaret Cunneen case. Improbably ICAC suggested that this senior Crown prosecutor was guilty of subverting the course of justice when her son's girlfriend was involved in a minor car accident.  Cunneen is accused of advising this girl to plead chest pains so that she would be taken to hospital instead of having a breath test administered roadside.  All who are brought to a hospital emergency department receive an automatic blood test which records blood/alcohol levels.  Such was the process in this case and the result cleared the driver of any impairment.

What became clear was the intent of ICAC to gain a conviction by relentlessly pursuing the matter. Mobile phones were seized in questionable circumstances and the reputation of one of this state's most successful prosecutors was torn to shreds.  Margaret Cunneen took the matter to this country's highest court - and was exhonorated.   She risked her job, future and bankruptcy to have ICAC's findings set aside - and yet this supposed crime fighting body refused to back off.

It is a question of allowing power to rest in the hands of those who may seek to advance hearings as personal vendettas - and the tendency of ICAC to play to the media by sensational enquiry tactics. Another of Levine's findings was that witnesses should have advance notice of questions that will be asked "except in"exceptional circumstances."    It seems that ICAC revels in "ambush "tactics - often involving matter not directly related to the enquiry.

These findings will not get universal approval.  Some may feel that open enquiries drag wrongdoers into the spotlight and that closed sessions will be used as a "cover up ".  Justice is a two edged sword !  The tactics used by ICAC hint of the tactics of long past centuries when an accused was publicly imprisoned in what were called "the stocks "to be publicly shamed.   Their head and hands were secured in a framework in the public square and villagers were free to pelt them with eggs and rotten vegetables.   Being put on the witness stand during an ICAC enquiry seems to be a similar experience.

One of the tenets of justice that we drew from the British court system that arrived with the first fleet was the maxim that "It was better that a hundred guilty men go free than one innocent man serve time in a prison ".   The benefit of the doubt should always be of benefit to the accused.   In a public hearing the power of innuendo and malice can be unleashed on the defenceless.

Perhaps ICAC is failing to understand the purpose for which it was formed.   It is an enquiry body to determine if a law has been broken - and to pass such a finding on to a judge and jury to decide guilt.
Courts are open to the public and the media and their deliberations are scrutinised in the public realm.
As the Margaret Cunneen case clearly showed.   ICAC has usurped the role of the courts and set itself up as judge, jury - and executioner !

The " Fear " Factor !

The thought that you may soon be sharing public transport or rubbing elbows in a supermarket with a notorious  murderer or a rapist is going to throw a chill through many hearts, but it has been part of the release system when prison terms end for many years.

What is new is that such prisoners will not be under the care of professional prison guards.  They will be given a high degree of freedom in the care of a civilian "sponsor ", and so far what criteria applies to choosing people to serve in that capacity has not been made clear.

The very idea of violent criminals walking free creates a "fear factor "in many minds, but it stands to reason that when a prison sentence ends the prisoner walks out the gate a free person.  For that reason, most are given "early release " because that allows special terms to be imposed.  In exchange for earlier release the offender must accept regulation by a parole officer.   This allows felons to be "eased back into society " under careful supervision.

The sticking point is going to be those prisoners who committed a crime that shocked the public and drew immense public attention throughout the trial and the inevitable appeals that followed. Many think of that person as a "monster " - and because of the publicity they are easily recognised on a public street.  There is the danger that the public response may make it impossible for such a person to be integrated into society.   The crime will be rehashed in the media and sometimes this leads to a vigilante posse of citizens forming.

The whole array of specialists who regulate the release of prisoners insist that it is essential that the release mechanism is graded to reduce the shock factor.   The prison system totally removed the option of free choice in prisoners lives.   They eat - sleep - live to the prison timetable and they can quickly become "institutionalized "" - incapable of making decisions on their own.

There is also the ever changing society in which they will emerge.  For those serving long sentences, the Smartphone and it's Apps will be an entirely new experience.  The world has turned many times since they were locked away and regaining liberty can be a bewildering experience.  Just imagine what life was like - before Facebook ?

It is inevitable that this learning experience will end badly in some cases.  There will be obvious restrictions when prisoners are in the care of their sponsor, but the lure of alcohol or drugs will still be strong in some people and for those convicted of sex crimes, mingling with women once again may renew temptations.  At least deviant behaviour can result in day release privileges being withdrawn.

The real dilemma faced by both the courts and the prison authorities is what to do with those who have served their full sentence and are obviously uncorrected.  They can not be held in prison indefinitely because they have fulfilled the penalty imposed and the state has no option other than to let them walk out the gate.

They will probably be quickly arrested for fresh criminality, but that is cold comfort to the victims of that crime.    We live by the rule of law, and the law insists that when a prison term is served that person is released.   Perhaps we have less to worry about those on supervised day release - and more to fear from the criminals who are counting down the days till the end of their sentence !

Railway Ticket Rorters !

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal has give the green light to annual railway fare increases of 4.2% over the next three years.  One of the reasons for this fare increase is the number of passengers who refuse to buy a ticket and consistently travel free on our rail system. It is estimated that fare evaders cost the New South Wales Treasury a whopping twenty-two million dollars last year.

Since the days of steam trains, the railways have waged an ongoing war to make sure every traveller has a valid ticket.   Unfortunately, it seems that the fare evaders are always one step ahead of the measures in place to enforce the regulations.

A decade ago the wheeze from those detected was to give a false name and address when caught.  At that time, inspectors could not enforce the requirement to produce personal identification and as a result the state debt recovery office was inundated with uncollectable fines for people named " Mickey Mouse " or " Donald Duck " - who seemed to live at street numbers which were vacant blocks of land.

Fare evasion was often very blatant. At peak times barrier jumpers simply hurdled that obstacle in full view of railway staff - and quickly melted away into the crowd.  The response from the railways was a sharp increase in the number of inspectors checking passenger tickets on trains but often the transgressor was aggressive - and those inspectors lacked the legal ability to make an arrest and this led to civilian staff being replaced by uniformed police.

The introduction of ticketing machines exacerbated the fare evasion problem. With passengers no longer needing to front a ticket window to buy a paper ticket, it was easy to purchase a child or pensioner fare from an anonymous metal machine - and travel for a fraction of the legal cost.

Then came the Opal card, based on the very successful " Oyster " card used on the British rail system. It had initial teething problems but it opened a new era of compatibility between rail, bus and ferry travel.   Very quickly it extended to the numerous private bus companies feeding into the government system, but even this is falling victim to rorting.

We are now seeing vast numbers of people accessing concessions to which they are not entitled. Those buying concession Opal cards are required to prove their bona fides but it seems that many such cards end up in the hands of people who do not meet that criteria.   It is simply impossible to check more than a small percentage of travellers to detect those making use of bogus concessions.

Our system of law and order seems to be a mix of relying on the good nature of most people to obey sensible laws, and implementing fear to convince those who are of an opposite persuasion that such actions bring unpleasant consequences.   Usually that fear is in direct ratio to the serious nature of the crime.

The fine for travelling without a valid ticket or with the use of an improper concession is two hundred dollars.  The number of fines imposed increased to 134,000 from just 97,500 last year.  Obviously, the revenue loss is being taken seriously by the government.

Poverty will force some people to travel without paying the fare, but for many others it is a mix of a spirit of bravado or the contention that such services should be for free.   The measures put in place to ensure the correct fare applies is in direct ratio to it's cost of implementation - against the expected improvement in revenue gained.

That is a balance governments measure against the public reaction to the action taken !

NAPLAN Deemed " Invasive " !

This week 352,368 New South Wales kids will sit they NAPLAN tests which will give an overall picture of the level of education that  has been achieved in years 3, 5, 7 and 9.   Strangely, there will be some absentees because many teachers fear the tests and parents have been hoodwinked to believe that making kids sit and concentrate on a dreaded " exam " will mentally exhaust them and that the fear of failure will disturb their mental balance.

As a result, there is a distinct movement to sabotage NAPLAN.   Some parents are encouraged to pretend sickness and have their child miss school on testing days.   Many teachers dislike NAPLAN because they see it as a way of  grading their professional performance - something that is anathema to the teachers unions.   To achieve a better result they encourage weaker students to abstain from the tests.

Unfortunately, the Australian education system does not compare well with that of our Asian neighbours.  The hours of schooling are longer in other countries and generally parents are keen to have their children achieve higher levels so as to attain elevation in a very demanding job market. In comparison, our schools fall far short of Asian expectations.

These NAPLAN tests occur over several days and contain simple quizzes on maths and English. They set out to determine the level of reading attained and each pupil is asked to construct a few sentences to show how well they understand spelling, grammar and punctuation - and the use of nouns, verbs and adjectives.   Other tests explore the level of numeracy gained and the objective is to determine what help is needed to elevate a class falling short on standards to bring it to an acceptable level.

Both parents and teachers are selling our kids short if they pretend that there is nothing wrong with the Australian education system.    We are churning out many who are unacceptable to employers because they lack the ability to do simple arithmetic or to construct an intelligent sentence to word a report.  Some kids leaving school can not even determine the correct change involved in a simple financial transaction.

Education authorities despair that the abbreviations used in texting tend to destroy the ability to construct a normal sentence and the fact that just about every person on the planet is holding a Smartphone removes the need to do mental arithmetic - because that phone contains a calculator.
In the minds of some people being articulate and proficient with numbers is no longer necessary in this electronic age, and at the same time the learning process that was enhanced by reading books for entertainment is in sharp decline.

Worst of all, this contention that children should not be exposed to testing of their learning abilities because that imposes a harmful mental strain flies in the face of reality. They will certainly face a demanding examination at the end of their schooling if they hope to attain the Higher School Certificate and life delivers constant evaluations which involve both mental and communication skills.   Obtaining a driving license is just one such example.

Leaving school with a good basic education should be the ambition of both the teaching profession and parents in preparing their sons and daughters for the challenging job market - and the prospect of earning a comfortable living.   It will also determine Australia's standing in the competitive world ranking of trading economies.    Our future will rest in the hands of those who today are in training to be tomorrow's leaders !

A Conflict of Choice !

Many will  remember the rowdy demonstrations over a year ago when it was proposed to sell derelict public housing in Sydney's Millers Point and use the money to build a vastly greater number of new public housing homes to shorten the queue.

It quickly became an argument between those with a pragmatic outlook and left wingers demanding that those at the bottom of the social pyramid should not have to lose their magnificent views of Sydney Harbour.   It was argued that the poor were being displaced - to make way for the rich.

From a practical point of view, there was no contest. The dilapidated housing at Millers Point was over a hundred years old.  The plumbing and wiring was shot - and as any builder will know it is cheaper to demolish and rebuild than to renovate. That is why demolish and rebuild is legion in the private sector.

The Socialist left demanded that this public housing remain at Millers Point simply because the poor were entitled to live in suburbs with high social prestige and million dollar views.  The pragmatists cited straight mathematics.   Turning each of these Millers Point sites into cash would have the capacity to finance five new public housing homes elsewhere in Sydney - and help shorten the sixty thousand families waiting for public housing accommodation.

The mathematical argument won out and these old homes have been selectively offered on the market.  One recently sold for $ 7.7 million and so far sales have generated $ 215 million, resulting in a rash of new contracts to build new public housing stock.  We no longer cluster public housing in a large group and today public and private housing is interspersed to create a more convivial social mix.

This argument over Millers Point highlights one of the problems faced with getting the best out of the existing public housing stock.   The tenants at Millers Point and their supporters cited their " entitlement " to remain at Millers Point and demanded that the old housing stock be renovated. This belief in " entitlement "  runs contrary to public housing practice.

The needs of people change dramatically over the period of their lifetime - and consequently their housing needs also follow a changing pattern.   What suits a young couple is obviously inappropriate when the family extends with children, and then in older age this need again contracts sharply.  To get the best use out of housing stock, that family would need to change several times.  Unfortunately, many resist change and we often have an aged couple clinging desperately to possession of a three or four bedroom house.

This resistance to change is understandable.   People put down roots.  They have friends nearby and they are known in the local shopping centre.   Unfortunately, it is often impossible to provide the type of accommodation they need nearby - and change means a break with the past - with all the dislocation that brings.

Unfortunately, governments have to be pragmatic.  Public housing depends on the availability of public funds to create a bigger housing pool and to do that requires a constant churn to take advantage of the popularity of established suburbs and upward price movement.   Older housing stock needs renewal to keep renovation costs under control and generate the money to widen the housing pool.

The Millers Point outcome illustrates this practical renewal policy !

A New Charity " Battlefield " !

Many charities conduct aluminium can drives because they can cash in the aluminium content at metal recycling stations.  All the other types of drink containers have no cash value and consequently we see them discarded on beaches, parks and in a host of other places.   So far, only South Australia has implemented a very successful cash bounty return on all forms of drink merchandise.

Next July that sort of scheme will be rolled out in New South Wales.  It will apply to glass bottles, steel, aluminium or plastic drink containers for any type of liquid which carry the CDS logo - standing for " Container Deposit Scheme ".

The government envisages that the cash return point will be the metal recycling industry but expect there will be numerous " reverse option " machines in shopping centres.  That will probably involve each container passed into the machine activating a count and issueing the customer a receipt - to be redeemed  through the banking system.

It is expected that the price of all take away drinks will increase by at least ten cents, but the drink manufacturing industry may need to recover administrative costs and that impost may be higher. Participation is not optional and the legislation will be all embracing.

It is hoped that this scheme will bring a welcome social change.  Perhaps we will curb our habit of littering when each drink container has added value, but many people will continue to dispose of what they term " trash " in the yellow topped recycling wheelie bins - and that will certainly get the attention of local councils.

Often the sorting and recovery of the contents of wheelie bins is at best marginal.   The bonus of ten cents from each can or bottle recovered may tip the balance.  Even needy families may continue to dump drink containers in the wheelie bin rather than go to the trouble of cashing them in and it seems certain that the charity industry collecting aluminium cans will widen their scope to take advantage of the new opportunities offering.

We may be entering a new " battlefield " situation where a host of competing charities vie to enhance their funds and at the same time the council recycling system gets new life because the injection of drink container deposits makes them profitable.

This " cash for cans and bottles " scheme in this state comes at an opportune time.  Many householders are experiencing " donor fatigue " at the avalanche of letters appealing for donations passing through their letterboxes - and this at a time when the postage cost has just jumped to a dollar a letter.

It seems that the charity appeal industry has engaged professional marketing people to use their skills to upgrade presentation and in many cases include a gift to soften hearts.   The sheer volume has caused many to question what amount of any donation made goes to " administration " to fund the appeal campaign, rather than finding it's way to what the charity is hoping to achieve.

Perhaps this bonus from cans and bottles will be divisive, separating those charities that sit back and send out mass letter appeals from those prepared to lose a little sweat to actively earn the funds that they need.

Turning yesterdays trash into tomorrows fortune opens up a whole new world.   To the clever and innovative - it spells  " Opportunity   !

For Want Of A Leader !

The civil war in Syria reached new heights this week.   War planes - either Russian or from Assad's air force - bombed a refugee camp in Idlib, huddled up against the Turkish border.  The aftermath was brutal. The charred remains of tents that had housed desperate people and the ground strewn with the bodies of men, women and children sheltering from a war that seems to have no end.

What is unsettling the world that looks to America for leadership is the unchallenged  aggression of Russia. What can only be described as the " invasion " of Crimea was followed by Russian soldiers with identification removed fighting in Ukraine, and now Russian military forces are blatantly waging war to prop up the Assad regime in Syria.

All we are hearing from the White House is that America " deplores " this criminal act in killing civilians.  It seems that President Barak Obama has turned away from America's role as the worlds " policeman " and is concentrating on fixing the internal problems that plague his country.   This has started a new arms race in countries that have long sheltered under the American " nuclear umbrella " - and now doubt that America would go to war if they were threatened.

The turning point was when Obama warned Assad that the use of chemical weapons would " cross a red line " !   Assad deployed chemical weapons with impunity - and Obama simply walked away and did nothing.  America lost face - and that has never been recovered.

Obama certainly has internal problems.  As a Democrat president he has to deal with a Republican majority Senate, but he now has just months remaining of his term in office.  In November, America will select a new president and the options offering scare the rest of the world witless.

When Donald Trump announced that he would run for office most people thought that was some sort of a joke !    This billionaire was more of a media personality with a long list of successes and failures in the business ventures he had established.  His electioneering was brutal and direct. He threatened to deport all the illegals in the country and erect a fence along the Mexican border - and force Mexico to pay for it.   Many of the items on his agenda are totally impractical, but they make people who have suffered job losses from globalization feel good - and he has certainly gained a faithful following.

Now it comes of something of a shock to many to find that he is almost certain to be the Republican presidential nominee, and this is despite the elders of the Republican party predicting that he will be rejected by the vast majority of the American voting public.   His standing as the Republican nominee seems to hand the presidency to Hilary Clinton - and many staunch Republicans even concede that would be preferable to Trump in the White House.

This thinking seems to highlight the bombast and threats sprinkled through Trump's stump speeches. The thinking is that Hilary is less likely to " gaffe her way into a nuclear war with North Korea " - and so would be the safer option.

The world will follow this American election with wonder.  Already there are signs that divisions between those in the Republican party are massive.  No less that the speaker of the Senate, Paul Ryan and two former presidents, George W Bush and his father, have indicated that they will not attend this years convention.

There is now an uneasy possibility that Donald Trump may become the next president of the United States of Americas.    It seems that the rest of the world should tighten it's safety belt.   It seems we are in for a very rough ride !

The " Good Life " !

Back in 2014 a twenty-one year old Malaysian student studying chemical engineering in Australia opened a savings account with Westpac.   To her surprise, she found that the bank had accorded her a $ 4.6 million overdraft facility - and so she went on a spending spree.

Between July 2014 and April 2015 she spent $ 3.3 million, renting an upmarket penthouse in Rhodes, purchasing designer handbags, going to the best social events - and generally " living the good life " !

That all came crashing down this week when the police arrested her as she was getting on a plane to return to Malaysia.  She has been charged with " dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime ".

Put before a court, the magistrate observed that " It will be difficult to prove that her spending was illegal.   She didn't take it from them,.  They gave it to her " ! - and granted her bail.

What an interesting can of worms this has opened.   No doubt there will be an investigative witch hunt amongst the minions who process the bank's dealings within Westpac.   It will probably boil down to a simple matter of a misplaced digit in an account number or a mouse click on the wrong document, but whatever the cause nearly five million dollars of the banks money found it's way into the wrong customers account - and was undiscovered for almost a year.

This also looks like becoming a " lawyers picnic " !  That astute magistrate issued a clear warning that the student did not feloniously seek an overdraft by giving false information.  She did not seek to obtain " financial advantage " by any action on her part.  The provision of that overdraft was entirely an unasked " gift from the bank " !

"Knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime "  also looks a bit dodgy.  Someone will have the task of " defining the crime " and that is certainly open to interpretation.   In this case it seems that the bank simply awarded one of the many overdrafts it grants to worthy customers - to the wrong person. It could be argued that this student now simply has a debt to the bank - and that the bank needs to pursue the usual recovery procedures where payment default occurs.

It all depends if the bank decides to play hardball !  Technically it could pursue that student legally for whatever time is allowed under the statute of limitations, but it is unlikely that a student will amass that sort of money in the early years of her commercial life.  The banks money will probably end up written off somewhere in that portfolio titled " under-performing loans " !

Surprisingly, this is not a totally isolated incident.   Some years ago the proprietors of a struggling petrol station found several million dollars credited to their account.   They promptly withdrew it in cash - and ducked off overseas.   This created a media storm and later they negotiated a settlement with the bank, returning to Australia and giving back what was left of the money.  It is uncertain if any punitive court action followed.

This present case will be followed with interest by most people.  Getting rich by winning Lotto is a common dream, but finding unexplained wealth suddenly appearing in your bank account could become a nightmare.  The insane amounts of money flowing through the banking system means that this sort of SNAFU is not unusual and the folk who process computers are far removed from concern at the immense value of the transactions they handle daily.

How this case turns out will shape the course of action likely the next time someone checks their  bank statement - and gets a pleasant surprise !

The " Punishment Lottery " !

Magistrates and Judges have an amazing amount of " discretion " when it comes to deciding what punishment will apply in cases appearing before them.   Whatever the outcome, it will probably be subject to appeal to a higher court if it is considered too harsh by the person convicted, or by the prosecution if it falls short of the usual standard for that type of crime.

From time to time there are calls from the public for that discretion to be limited and fixed penalties to apply to categories of crime.  The lawmakers wisely choose not to apply that option. Different nuances and backgrounds make each case an individual puzzle to be teased apart and in the end the issue of rehabilitation is a major factor to be decided.

One case this week will certainly have tongues wagging in legal circles.   A very presentable thirty-one year old man appeared before a magistrate to face a charge of being in possession of Cocaine.  As often happens, he presented a character reference to be taken into consideration by the court.

That character reference was written by the magistrates former boss who is now a retired Federal court judge.   It seems that the defendant works in the legal profession and in fact holds the prestigious position of a " Judges Associate " - a job that entails assisting a judge with the examination and interpretation of the law in reaching a decision.

That magistrate faced a dilemma.   Of all people this young man should understand the impossible  legality of getting caught in possession of an illegal drug.   In fact, a conviction would probably kill his legal career - and waste years of time at university and climbing the rungs of the legal ladder.  Yet in most respects this was a " victimless crime ".  Those that imbibe in Cocaine usually only do damage to their own health.

Was it worth throwing someone who probably would achieve an illustrious legal career on the scrapheap for this one minor indiscretion ?   The option that exists for all those sitting in judgement was there - to give that person a " second chance ".    That was the verdict given and the young man walked free without a conviction recorded.

Unfortunately, events of this nature have a habit of coming back to haunt those who administer the law.  It is inevitable that this magistrate will face a similar case where someone has been caught with Cocaine - and that person does not have access to a highly placed person who will write a glowing character reference.   It may also be inevitable that conviction and sentencing will end some sort of low paying job and send this felon back onto the dole queue.  It is also possible that this person will appear unrepresented - and may not be impressive as a witness delivering an understandable defence.

It does tend to make a mockery of the maxim that we are " all equal before the law " !  A reference to Orwells " Animal Farm " comes to mind - that some are " more equal than others ".   Such is the nature of our system of the law and we change that at our peril.   We can only hope that the appeals system evens out the worst anomalies !

Salary Caps !

All is fair in love and war - and football !   Once again a leading Rugby League club is being punished for shenanigans to circumvent the salary cap under which the entire team of players must contain their accumulated salaries.  The Parramatta Eels have been fined a million dollars and have had the twelve competition points they have won in this year cancelled.   They will gain no new points until they restore the correct balance under this salary cap and that means it is inevitable that some players face the sack.

This is not the first time that a club has been caught "fiddling the books " !   Both the Canterbury/Bankstown " Bulldogs " and the Melbourne " Storm "  were similarly disciplined in past years and it seems a vast temptation to arrange for commercial sporting supporters to supplement official salaries with " under the table " goodies - such as providing a free car or picking up an accommodation tab.

It does raise the question of why we have a salary cap in this sport ?   That goes back a very long way - to the days when Manly on Sydney's north shore was deemed to be a " rich club " that could use its wealth to snare the absolute cream of the talent pool.   Poorer clubs from the less affluent suburbs were at a disadvantage and the salary cap was seen as the measure needed to " level the playing field ".

Of course, Newtons law applies.  To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  All clubs have at least one star player and to keep that talent requires a disproportionate level of reimbursement to the weakest player on the team.  Accordingly, lesser players are not paid what they are worth but restricted to what the club can manage and still keep under the salary cap.   The star grabs the lion's share of the money and the battlers get the crumbs.

Consequently there is a huge gap between Australian Rugby league rewards and the fabulous money that players receive in the world Soccer competition.   The stars are household names and they are bartered between clubs for sums that approach the national budgets of many small countries.  It really is a pay grade without limits.   If you have the talent, the world is at your feet and you live a life that outshines even the movie stars of Hollywood.

Not that many decades ago, playing Rugby League - and that also applied to Australian Rules - was a past time where players also held down a job in the workforce to earn their living expenses.   Today, this has morphed into teams of " professional sportsmen " who are the darlings of both the media and the sporting fans.   They are " celebrities " - and they act accordingly.

Some may think that the days of salary caps impede the rewards that should apply in Australian sports.   Once again, Soccer is the example that is often quoted when this subject comes under discussion.   In every Soccer division there are a few clubs at the top of the table and their players are household names - and these players receive the richest rewards.  But there are lesser clubs in that same competition, striving to break into the top echelon and their players are paid less - until they attract attention and get recruited by a famed team.

The big question is whether " salary caps " have outlived their application to sports that have outgrown the days when suburban clubs played what were really " social " games in state competitions.   These are now " national " sports - and perhaps the pay issue should be open ended !