Rudd, Bush talk troop withdrawal

Labor leader Kevin Rudd has met US President George W Bush, who is in Sydney for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Yesterday Mr Bush gave a hearty endorsement to Prime Minister John Howard and said he should not be counted out, despite trailing badly in the opinion polls. But Mr Rudd could be the prime minister soon, with an election due very shortly. Mr Rudd has made his case to Mr Bush about why he believes that Australian combat forces should be withdrawn in stages from Iraq.

Meanwhile Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile says he does not know whether Mr Bush's enthusiastic endorsement of Mr Howard will help the Government in the coming federal election. Mr Bush yesterday said he believed Mr Howard could come from behind to win the election. Mr Vaile says the impact of Mr Bush's endorsement will be different on different voters. "At the end of the day, that's a decision that voters will ultimately make, whether the relationship between our two countries and our two governments has been a good thing or a bad thing," he said.

Source





Tasmanian police sue Greenie protesters

FORESTRY Tasmania will continue to seek compensation from protesters who cost it money. Yesterday, the Government-owned company said there was nothing unusual or unprecedented about its claim for compensation from "Weld Angel" protester Allana Beltran for blocking access to the Tahune Airwalk. Forestry corporate relations general manager Ken Jeffreys said that, while the company had no specific policy to pursue costs, action had been taken before and, if necessary, would be taken again. "We retain our rights to use whatever redress is available to us. Who else is going to pay for it?" Mr Jeffreys said. "Nobody should be above the law; the law should apply equally whether you are a forest protester, a forest contractor or angelic artist."

In March, Ms Beltran blocked access to the Airwalk, sitting on a tripod in the road to protest against logging operations in the area. On Tuesday, Tasmania Police lodged an application for Ms Beltran to pay $2870 to compensate police for lost time spent at the protest. They also filed a claim for almost $6200 in lost revenue on behalf of Forestry Tasmania.

The Tasmanian Greens yesterday asked Police Minister David Llewellyn to explain why Tasmania Police were attempting to recover costs from Ms Beltran, but did not take such action against other offenders. "There are plenty of criminals who have been convicted of heinous crimes in Tasmania, yet have not been billed for police costs, while someone who did not harm a hair on anyone's head has been singled out, how can this be fair or reasonable?" Greens deputy leader Nick McKim said. "Can Tasmanian motorists who pay a speeding fine expect to receive a bill for police time, and if not, why should a forest defender?"

Mr Llewellyn said: "Prosecutions and claims of this nature are matters for the Commissioner of Police." Police prosecutor Insp Julian Whayman said all victims were eligible to claim for compensation for financial loss suffered as a consequence of the actions of a convicted criminal or offender. "There must, of course, be made a distinction between opportunistic crimes/offences, spur of the moment offences and offences caused by inadvertence/inattention by persons, as opposed to deliberate and planned offences designed to make a statement," he said. "It could be suggested that the person concerned was aware that significant wastage of financial and physical resources may result."

It was now up to the Police Commissioner to decide, he said. Police Commissioner Richard McCreadie declined to comment yesterday.

Source





Lazy cops again

They are "too busy" so often that they are of very little use in general. A pity someone has to die to draw attention to that

A TOP-LEVEL probe is under way into why police failed to respond to an emergency call from a Gold Coast home where a teenager allegedly later murdered his mother. The police Ethical Standards Command launched the investigation after the death of a woman, 36, at her Southport home late on Monday night following two violent arguments. It is believed her 16-year-old son telephoned three hours earlier threatening to kill his mother but police failed to respond - a failure Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson last night said was "of great concern".

A Queensland Police Service spokesman last night confirmed the police communications centre at Broadbeach received a call at 8.21pm on Monday, requesting that police attend the Southport address. "It is also clear that no police officers attended as a result of that call," the spokesman said in a statement. "A further call was subsequently made from the house at approximately 11.28pm and police attended soon after and located the deceased 36-year-old woman."

Mr Atkinson said the matter was being investigated by the Ethical Standards Command and would be monitored by the Crime and Misconduct Commission. "Appropriate action will be taken in due course and as soon as possible," he said. "The full circumstances of the Queensland Police Service lack of response will be made available at an appropriate time. However, those details are also likely to form part of the legal proceedings in this matter."

Source





Etiquette queen less than impressed

Men are misunderstood, women treat men badly, Germaine Greer is old and sad and we eat like animals. That's the word from etiquette queen June Dally-Watkins who told The Daily Telegraph basic manners were in "total, total decline".

Miss Dally-Watkins, who has four children and seven grandchildren, started her deportment school in 1950 after a successful modelling career took her from the state's northwest to mixing with the Hollywood A-list, including a romance with Gregory Peck in Rome. More than 300,000 Aussies have passed through her doors and undergone gruelling lessons in how to be a lady or a gentleman, including Channel 9's Catriona Rowntree and Seven's Sonia Kruger.

But Miss Dally-Watkins, aged in her early 80s, was yesterday scathing in her assessment of where we are heading. "There is a total, total decline in manners," she said. "It is a great sadness, we are back to the barbarian age. It is the 'me generation' which interestingly, is across all age groups." She said the rise of the working parent had contributed to the decline, with schools being left to pick up the slack and teach children the basic do's and don'ts in surviving elegantly in a modern world.

Acid-tongued feminist author Germaine Greer also copped a serve for giving women the idea they don't need a man to change a lightbulb or open the car door. "Women don't understand men are very sensitive and very deep," Miss Dally-Watkins said. "Women need to show more understanding to their men.

Source