ZEG

In his latest offering, conservative Australian cartoonist ZEG is very derisive about Kevvy's latest stunt




Man dies as ambulance searches for spare beds

Isn't government-run healthcare great?

A SUNSHINE Coast man died of a heart attack after his ambulance was diverted to a less crowded hospital that was further away, the Queensland Ambulance Service's union said. Paramedics resuscitated an elderly cardiac arrest patient, who had a significant medical history, at Mooloolah on Friday and transported him to Caloundra Hospital. However Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union organiser Kroy Day said the ambulance was advised that if they ramped at the Caloundra Hospital there would be a "significant wait" until the patient could be unloaded onto a bed.

He said the ambulance was instead diverted to the Nambour Hospital, which is 10 to 12 minutes further away. "Unfortunately the patient was declared deceased upon arrival," Mr Day said.

Mr Day, who has 20 years' experience as an ambulance officer, said he backed the paramedics 100 per cent as they were forced to make an almost impossible decision. "What we do know is that in cardiac arrests, literally seconds make the difference," he said. "They made the decision on good faith but unfortunately the patient was declared deceased upon arrival. "All I can think is thank god I wasn't the one who had to make that decision."

Queensland Health has argued that QAS did not advise the hospital the man was a Category One cardiac arrest patient and would have accepted the patient had they known.

However Mr Day said Queensland Health were stooping to a new low when it came to excuses. "I am absolutely appalled and disgusted at that excuse," Mr Day said. "The ambulance was travelling to Caloundra Hospital with its lights and sirens on and they knew that. "The paramedics also called the hospital and told them they resuscitated the man. "If nothing else happened the hospital should have worked out that this was a Category One."

Mr Day said Queensland Health was in need of a serious overhaul, citing that in the 2007-08 financial year there were more than 27,000 cases of ambulances waiting to unload their patients for more than 30 minutes.

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Girl dies because of bureaucratic bungling

So much for the government "child safety" agency. This is just another in their constant record of failures

WARNING signs about the welfare of a girl starved to death by her parents were missed because NSW authorities did not work together effectively, the state Government watchdog has found. The girl, who can be known only as Ebony, was a mere 106cm tall and weighed just nine kilograms when she died aged seven in squalid conditions at the family's Hawks Nest home, north of Newcastle, in November 2007.

Her mother was sentenced in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday to life in jail for her murder. Ebony's father was convicted of her manslaughter and will spend at least the next 12 years in prison.

At the age of five, Ebony had been a "chubby little girl" but by the time she died her face resembled skin stretched over a skull and she reeked of urine and faeces, the court heard. Several doctors testified she suffered from the most severe case of malnutrition they had ever seen.

NSW Ombudsman Bruce Barbour examined the actions of the Department of Community Services, the departments of Education, Ageing, Disability and Home Care and Housing as well as NSW Police. His findings were today released in a report. "My investigation shows these agencies did not work together effectively when dealing with Ebony's family," Mr Barbour said. "This lack of coordination meant vital information was not shared and warning signs went unnoticed. "This in turn led to missed opportunities for appropriate intervention to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Ebony and her siblings."

Following Ebony's death there was an inquiry into child protection services, headed by retired Supreme Court justice James Wood, which called for a major overhaul of DoCS.

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Crooked NSW police thugs cost the taxpayer $40,000

A LAWYER has won $40,000 in compensation after NSW police wrongfully arrested her and then falsified official documents, alleging she had committed a terrorist act. Andrea Turner, 57, was arrested on December 30 last year when a senior constable mistakenly believed Ms Turner had taken a photograph of her conducting a routine patrol of a train with a junior colleague. Ms Turner, a practising criminal lawyer, had been on her way to a bushwalk in the Royal National Park.

None of the police officers involved has been reprimanded over the incident and there has been no internal investigation.

''Don't take my photo. If you take my photo I will put you on your arse so fast it will not be funny,'' the junior officer had said. The other told Ms Turner: ''You're obviously a bloke.'' Ms Turner was asked for identification and when she refused, was told to get off the train at the next station or be ''dragged off''. The senior constable told her she was being arrested for taking a photograph of an officer in the execution of her duty.

Ms Turner denied taking a photograph and pointed out it was not an offence to do so. As was her legal right, she again declined to provide identification. She was then detained for 30 minutes in front of a crowd of onlookers at Kogarah station.

Ms Turner successfully sued the state of NSW for wrongful arrest and false imprisonment in the District Court, telling the Herald: ''How could I have backed down when I tell my own clients, 'That is thuggery, that is unlawful behaviour and you can't let them get away with it'?''

The state had admitted liability for the incident, but did not accept it should pay aggravated or exemplary damages. Awarding Ms Turner $20,000 in aggravated and exemplary damages, Judge Anthony Garling found she had displayed no signs of aggression during her arrest and there was no suggestion that the officers had needed to use force. Yet three police officers were called in as back-up before she was escorted off the platform. Another five - including two detectives - also arrived on the scene.

Despite several phone calls to their superiors, none of them knew which offence, if any, Ms Turner had committed. ''It was an unjust arrest, it was a wrong arrest,'' Judge Garling said. Without explanation, Ms Turner was freed without charge.

But what happened next was even more serious, with Ms Turner falsely accused of a ''terrorist act'', Judge Garling found. Police had decided not to pursue the matter or formally record the incident in the police COPS system. But later the same day Ms Turner called the police station to complain about her treatment. ''The police officer then decided to lessen whatever complaint could be made against her by falsifying a public record, that is, by alleging that the plaintiff committed an offence which is related to railway property, not to photographing the police officer,'' Judge Garling said.

The senior constable had written in the falsified COPS entry: ''It should be noted that at the time of dealing with the person of interest police were unaware of the exact offence. It is an offence to take photos on railway property under the new terrorism laws.'' The judge said: ''This lady was sitting on a train going for a bushwalk when the police mistakenly did what they did. In no way could [it] be suggested that it related to terrorism.'' He criticised the police force for not removing or amending the falsified COPS entry or apologising to Ms Turner.

In a statement NSW Police said it would treat the judge's comments seriously. ''The matter will be investigated and any issues identified as a result of that investigation will be addressed.''

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Deniliquin Ute Muster fans set world singlet record

I wear a blue singlet myself sometimes in summer. It's the traditional summer garb of the Australian working man generally. Wharfies (dockers; longshoremen) often used to wear them before they became mere crane operators. The dark blue colour hides a lot. For American readers: A "ute" is a pickup truck

DESPITE wind and rain, 2230 ute fans stripped down to singlets at the Deniliquin Ute Muster to set an official world record for the largest gathering of people in blue shearers' singlets. Deniliquin, in southern NSW, has staged a blue singlet count at its annual ute muster since 2004, but this year organisers decided to make it an official Guinness World Record attempt.

Guinness Book of Records Official Chris Sheedy said it was an iconic Australian record. "I met a guy here today who drove here from the far reaches of Western Australia to be in the blue singlet count," he said. "They came from all parts of Australia to be here today, and that's what made what happened today such a fantastic thing."

The Deni Ute Muster is one of the largest rural themed festivals in Australia. Last year the event attracted 7242 utes and brought more than $13 million into the Deniliquin town and region. This year, ticket sales indicate about 25,000 attendees. Event organisers are quietly confident they'll break their second record during the festival's second day tomorrow when they attempt to create the largest parade of legally-registered utes in the world.

Festival-goers also have the opportunity to vie for the National Circlework Championship, participate in whipcracking competitions and compete for prizes such as Ute of the Year, Best Sound Audio Ute and the Ultimate Chicks' Ute. The entertainment line-up includes performances by rock band Powderfinger, along with country music artists Troy Cassar-Daley and Adam Harvey.

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Fraudsters raiding our garbage bins

MEMBERS of highly organised crime syndicates are rifling through rubbish bins and letterboxes in the dead of night to feed a black market demand for stolen identities. Authorities say most people would have no idea their identities were being used to open bank accounts, apply for credit cards and even obtain drivers licences until it was much too late.

Crime Stoppers chairman Peter Price says identity fraud is Australia's fastest-growing crime. "It's very much under the radar, well organised and a very black market," he said. "We're seeing organised groups of people who understand the value of getting someone's identity." He said people would hit the same address over and over until they had enough documents to create a fraudulent ID. "What they do is put a whole lot of pieces to the puzzle together until they have enough to commit a fraud," Mr Price said. "They go through your letterbox or recycling bin one night, then come back a week later until they have enough bits and pieces of your identity to commit a fraud. It is not something you can be complacent about."

Mr Price said bills, credit card statements, tax documents and even junk mail with the person's name and address could help fraudsters put together a stolen identity. "It is the fastest-growing crime in the world and a very serious business, and yet people generally take a very apathetic approach to it," he said. "We want to teach people to take more care with their personal information by doing things like shredding documents, putting a lock on your letterbox or even using a post office box."

It was also a good idea to use a separate credit card with a low limit to purchase items online.

A recent study found 84 per cent of recycling bins contained credit cards and other documents that could be easily used by ID thieves. The study, which involved searches of 180 domestic rubbish bins and 237 recycling bins across Australia, was put together for National Identity Fraud Awareness Week (this week). "It is almost beyond belief what people throw out," Mr Price said. "We found an online banking card and letter complete with account name, number and access code as well as an unsigned credit card. "Every time we put our bins out, most of us put ourselves at risk of identity theft."

Even the head of Crime Stoppers was not immune, with thieves using a cheque book stolen from his letterbox to obtain a driver's licence in Mr Price's name - which was in turn used to cash cheques.

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