ZEG

In his latest offering, conservative Australian cartoonist ZEG rejects the view that we have to accept Muslim terrorism




Black madman gets off lightly

Looks like an African

A MAN who went on a violent rampage through a suburban shopping centre while affected by an undiagnosed mental illness will spend the next 32 months under close supervision.

On Wednesday, the Adelaide Magistrates Court imposed a mental health limiting term upon Baryea Billy, warning he would be taken into custody if he disobeyed its conditions.

Magistrate Maria Panagiotidis told Billy his unprovoked assault on six shoppers was “very serious offending” borne not of criminality, but illness.

“It’s clear that you behaved violently, but it’s also clear that was due to your mental condition,” she said.

“Now that your condition has been diagnosed and you are getting the treatment you need, I’m releasing you under licence.
CCTV footage from Baryea Billy’s attacks at the Regency Plaza shopping centre.

“You are being allowed to stay at home with your mother and family, and live your life, but you need to take your medication.

“If you don’t, the licence will be revoked and you will find yourself not at liberty and back in custody.”

Billy, 20, was found not guilty of multiple assault and violence offences over incidents in January and May last year.

The second of those incidents was the most serious — Billy assaulted six people at the Regency Plaza shopping centre.

He was recorded on CCTV dragging one man along the floor before inflicting a series of kicks, and assaulting a woman, before pizza bar owner Adam Lobb intervened.
Pizza shop owner Adam Lobb went to the aid of people attacked, in the Sefton Plaza Shopping Centre, by Baryea Billy. Picture: Bianca De Marchi.

Mr Lobb used his walking stick to fend Billy off, resulting in the younger man’s arrest.

In August, the court accepted a specialist’s “clear diagnosis of schizophrenia” and ruled Billy not guilty of the offences.

That left him subject to the imposition of a limiting term — a period under community mental health supervision equal to the jail term an unafflicted person would receive.

On Wednesday, the court heard Billy had spent four months in custody at Mount Gambier Prison and a further three months at the secure James Nash House mental health facility.
CCTV footage from Baryea Billy’s attacks at the Regency Plaza shopping centre.

He had been on home detention bail since his release from James Nash House, following diagnosis and stabilisation of his illness.

Prosecutors asked Billy receive the maximum 36-month limiting term, due to the seriousness of his conduct, and defence counsel agreed that was appropriate.

Ms Panagiotidis told Billy his actions had “particularly affected” those he had attacked.

“One of them was so frightened, her life has basically been put on hold now ... I will make it a condition of your licence that you are not to go back to that shopping centre,” she said.

“There are going to be very strict conditions — you will have to report to the Department of Community Corrections, take your medication and make appointments as required.”

She deducted four months from the maximum term to reflect his time in custody.

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Big new coal mine starting up, despite Greenie threats

ADANI has given the green light for work to start on the $21 billion Carmichael coal mine in Queensland’s Galilee Basin but critics are already slamming the decision as a “stunt”.

After almost seven years of legal battles and delays, Adani’s chairman announced in a statement Tuesday he had signed off on the project.

“I am proud to announce the project has Final Investment Decision (FID) approval which marks the official start of one of the largest single infrastructure — and job-creating — developments in Australia’s recent history,” Gautam Adani said.

Pre-construction work on the project is expected to begin in the September quarter.

However, the Federal Government will still need to pass changes to the Native Title Act, and to make a decision on whether to provide a $1 billion concessional loan to the project.

It’s also unclear whether Adani has secured finance to build the mine.

Queensland Greens Senator Larissa Waters said the announcement was a “PR stunt to squeeze a $1 billion handout from Australian taxpayers”.

Adani is still waiting for a decision from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility on whether it will be granted a $1 billion concessional loan funded by taxpayers. The loan would help pay for a new 189 kilometre rail line to link the mine to the coal terminal at Abbot Point.

“This so-called final investment decision is meaningless, Adani is still broke, and 19 banks have refused to fund their deadly mega-coal mine,” Ms Waters said.

“Today’s announcement does not mean the mine will go ahead, it’s a grab for a $1 billion handout of public funds from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.

“This is desperate PR stunt from a desperate company trying to squeeze even more freebies from their mates in Labor and the Liberal Nationals.”

The fight over the Adani mine has been described as “the environmental issue of our time” by former Greens leader Bob Brown, amid concerns the mine will contribute to climate change and hurt the Great Barrier Reef.

But Mr Adani hit out at environmental activists who have long challenged the project.

“We have been challenged by activists in the courts, in inner city streets, and even outside banks that have not even been approached to finance the project,” he said.

“We are still facing activists. But we are committed to this project.”

The company says the project will create 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, though opponents have challenged that claim.

If it goes ahead, the $21.7 billion Carmichael mine near Rockhampton will be one of the biggest in the world.

It will include six open-cut pits and five underground mines across an area five times the size of Sydney Harbour. Coal mined at the site will be sent to India via the waterfront coal terminal at Abbot Point.

The giant mine will generate so much extra coal, the terminal south of Townsville will need to be expanded to accommodate it.

But there are concerns the extra coal exports may damage the Great Barrier Reef as the terminal is located on the coastline of the heritage area. Emissions from the burning of the coal will also contribute to climate change, which is the biggest threat to the reef.

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Minimum wage increases to $18.29 an hour, cuts to Sunday penalty rates to still go ahead

$A18.29 = 13.50 USD

MINIMUM wages are set to rise by $22.20 a week starting next month. The Fair Work Commission this morning ruled the country’s lowest paid workers should have their wages increased 3.3 per cent to $18.29 an hour.

That is compared to price rises of 2.1 per cent for everyday goods and services for the year ending March, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures. The new minimum weekly wage is $694.90, the commission said.

In its ruling, the commission said that “modest and regular wage increases” didn’t have a significant impact in slowing growth in jobs.

The minimum wage increased by $15 per week last year, while the Australian Council of Trade Unions had been pushing for a weekly $45 rise this year.

It comes a day after the commission ruled cuts to Sunday penalty rates should be phased in over three to four years.

Sunday pay for retail workers will be lowered from 200 per cent to 195 per cent of their regular pay beginning next month. That will fall to 150 per cent by July 2020.

But retailers have already expressed unhappiness at what they say is an “excessive” phase-in time, while unions have vowed a campaign against the Turnbull government.

“Penalty rates will allow retailers to extend staff working hours and increase employment across the board, therefore these sluggish arrangements will unnecessarily delay the creation of new retail jobs,” Australian Retailers Association boss Russell Zimmerman said.

Hospitality workers will have their Sunday penalties cut from 175 per cent to 170 per cent next month, falling to 150 per cent by July 2019.

ACTU secretary Sally McManus said the cuts were “simply cruel”.

“We need a government that stands up for working people. Instead we are being told lie after lie about how these pay cuts are going to boost the economy,” she said.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash sought to head off a backlash about the changes, which are expected to affect about four per cent of the workforce.

“It is a direct consequence of the review process put in place by Bill Shorten as workplace relations minister in the previous Labor government in 2013,” Senator Cash said.

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Peta Credlin believes Australian police would fail to handle London-style attack and shoot terrorists dead in eight minutes

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott's chief of staff Peta Credlin has slammed Australian counter-terrorism forces and said there should be a review into giving the military more power.

Speaking to right-wing commentator Andrew Bolt, Ms Credlin said she does not have confidence in the ability of Australian police to handle a situation similar to Saturday night's terrorist attack on London Bridge.

'The Prime Minister said today he has all confidence in the police,' she said during her segment on Sky News.

'I don't.'

She continued on to say she had no confidence that Australian officers could have contained Saturday's attack on London Bridge and Borough Market as efficiently as UK forces were able to do.

'I do not think the Australian police counter terrorism units in each of the states could have attended an incident and shot dead the perpetrators within eight minutes. I honestly don't Andrew,' she said.

Police were first called to reports of a vehicle hitting pedestrians on London Bridge a 10.08pm.

Three terrorists got out of the car and ran through Borough Market stabbing people.

At 10.16pm - only eight minutes later - the men had been shot dead by police.

Britain's 'Blue Thunder' squad -  an elite Special Forces unit which can be scrambled at a moment's notice - was dispatched to join in the hunt for the attackers on Saturday night.

Soldiers in the Blue Thunder unit - which is nicknamed after its unmarked helicopter - were supported by an Apache helicopter gunship which uses powerful cameras to relay live pictures to commanders on the ground.

Ms Credlin also used her time on air to call for stronger military powers so Australia could be more prepared for a similar attack on our own shores.

'There is a discussion about whether or not we should have a review or at least stronger call out powers for the military and the engagement of commandos and the SAS should we have a similar attack in Australia,' she told Mr Bolt. 'I think that is sensible and it should happen.'

On Monday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australian counter-terrorism forces were 'absolutely the best in the world'. He said procedures were in place to enable the SAS to be bought in during a siege situation at the request of the government.

However it may soon be easier for commandos - Mr Turnbull said current procedures and protocols were under 'active consideration' - but police already have a lot of power.

'There is a view being put around that police do not have an ability to shoot-to-kill,' he said. 'That is quite untrue. The practice of cordon and contain, which had been used for many years, is not applied by police in situations where there is an active armed offender, an active shooter or someone with a knife, such as you saw in London.

'And the Australian police, presented with a situation as you saw in London, would respond quickly to disable, to shoot in other words, the assailants, just as the police officers in London did.'

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Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).    For a daily critique of Leftist activities,  see DISSECTING LEFTISM.  To keep up with attacks on free speech see Tongue Tied. Also, don't forget your daily roundup  of pro-environment but anti-Greenie  news and commentary at GREENIE WATCH .  Email me  here