Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Hot start to Summer

CLA have stepped up the pressure on police services around the nation this month, as a non-lethal weapon became lethal(p.10) in Sydney and was used to move-on a juvenile tending to a sick friend in sunny Queensland, and in WA, where Coronial recommendations following the lethal arrest of 2 non-lethal men have failed to be effectively implemented or accounted for. The group also brought to the attention of the Magnet the reason why our web traffic stats are always so high.

All our readers will be greatly relieved to know they can now learn how to track corruption. I think it may be as easy as following the sirens down to the local pub at lunchtime on payday, but for those of you who like to do things the hard way, the International Center for Journalism has a step by step manual for following & nabbing the real baddies. Don't forget your stack hats & Kevlar knee pads kiddies!

It would seem with the passing of an innovative new bill in Qld that made prisoner re-integration schemes redundant, and whinging by the new WA Corrective Services Minister about the prison over-crowding problems keeping him up at night, that the work-camp concept is being revamped and trundled out as a modern alternative. With a daily Indigenous incarceration rate in WA almost double the national average, the Ministry of Justice could always just not lock people up for minor traffic infringements such as speeding fines or driving without a licence, but hey, why start using logic instead of systemic discrimination now?

Some people have a problem with spiders. Personally I think these are a little bit more substantial and formidable, but in this clip Samurai Jack is having a slight phobic moment...

Monday, December 01, 2008

Gee(Q) Tom


Runner-up to Hugh Jackman as Man of the Year Tom Calma, the HREOC Social Justice and Racial Discrimination Commissioner, seems to be attaining a new status.

In a recent Close-the Gap meeting in country town that's beleaguered with racism, Mr Calma fearlessly declared on the troubled streets that any victimization of complainants would be tended to swiftly & efficiently...
It would have come as no surprise to see him dash off to a phone box to strip down to his Super-Man(-of Inspiration) long-johns, an act the affable eye-candy Wolverine would have to try hard to beat.

Sillyness aside(just this once), it's a great sign that the work of seeking equality and preserving human rights is finally being looked upon with respect and admiration, especially by a readership like GQ's(?!).

In the last week, COAG allocated an additional $806 million over 4 years, with the states and territories also contributing matched funds of $772 million totalling $1.6 billion. Commissioner Calma said 'the funding for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer would more than dent the surface in the chronic disease crisis dogging Indigenous communities around the country.'

“This is a watershed moment in our efforts to close the life expectancy gap. Never have we seen such concentrated and determined effort from all governments working together. We applaud the emphasis from COAG on preventative health and access to primary care,” Mr Calma said.




I did originally have a simply delightful Salt n Peppa track here, but due to the heightened risk associated with such widespread cardiovascular disease - here's a more stade tune...