Man acquitted of murder seeks $5.5 million from police

The fragrant Queensland cops again. I can never get over the Barry Mannix case, where the Queensland cops pressured a kid to confess that he had killed his father. See here:

https://lylawyers.com.au/blog/false-confessions/

and more details here

http://www.tony-koch.com/index.php?page=detail&id=585

The kid got off only because someone else confessed to the crime!

My own experience with them was also not impressive. When my car was stolen I gave them a piece of evidence that identified one of the thieves. They "lost" that piece of evidence and made no further enquiries. The officer who "lost" the evidence, Constable Turgeon, appeared to suffer no consequences for her "negligence". I wrote to the police minster, Rob Schwarten, about the matter at the time but the response was effectively, "So sad, too bad". More details here:

https://memoirsjr.blogspot.com/2008/07/schwarto-and-queensland-police.html


A man who was jailed for six-and-a-half years and later acquitted of murder is suing two police detectives for $5.5 million, claiming he was subject to malicious prosecution.

Steven Mark John Fennell, 64, filed a statement of claim in Brisbane Supreme Court in late December alleging the two detectives who arrested him engaged in misconduct during the investigation.

Liselotte Watson, 85, was found dead on November 13, 2012 in her home on Macleay Island about 30km southeast of Brisbane.

Mr Fennell then aged 56, was convicted in the Supreme Court in March 2016 of murdering defenceless grandmother Ms Watson by using a hammer to inflict horrific head injuries.

"(The detectives) took steps to embellish, manipulate, misrepresent or deliberately conceal aspects of the evidence," the lawsuit claims.

Mr Fennell's lawsuit also alleges the detectives engaged in misfeasance in public office by using the Crime and Misconduct Commission to force him to answer questions.

The two detectives and the Queensland government, which was also named in the lawsuit, are yet to respond to the claims.

The prosecution in 2016 told court that Mr Fennell, who delivered junk mail at the time, murdered Ms Watson in order to steal her money and offset his gambling losses.

The jury rejected Mr Fennell's denials and reached a guilty verdict after deliberating for almost two days.

The High Court of Australia unanimously ruled in September 2019 that Mr Fennell's convictions be quashed and he be acquitted.

Mr Fennell spent 2373 days in pre-trial custody and prison and has claimed damages for "false imprisonment" and loss of income.

He claimed the two detectives did not give him the required warning before interviewing him in the days after Ms Watson's death and recorded his answers without telling him.

The lawsuit also claimed the case was taken to trial without any direct or forensic evidence connecting him to Ms Watson's death or the alleged murder weapon and relied on flawed accounting to determine he could not afford his gambling.

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8482599/man-acquitted-of-murder-seeks-55-million-from-police/

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Antisemitic madness is everywhere now

It makes the brainless and the losers feel smart

For many, it was to be a respite. An escape. A place to unwind and be among nature, music, dance, yoga – a sanctuary of sorts. A safe space. The website promised an experience based on inclusivity. This promise was undoubtedly fulfilled for many Woodford Folk Festival goers, unless, of course, you were Israeli or Jewish.

Israeli backpackers flocked to Woodford keen to, at least temporarily, leave the massacre of October 7 behind them.

‘We came because we heard that it’s an amazing festival,’ said Ami, a young Israeli.

‘I went with a friend whose boyfriend was kidnapped and then killed in Gaza. Our goal was to clear our minds and leave the city – be in nature. Instead, the experience turned out to be very triggering.

‘The people there had no idea what they’re talking about. One girl on stage in shorts was holding an Aboriginal and Palestinian flag, yet if she dressed like that in Gaza she would be shot straight away.’

And for local Jewish residents, the experience was not much different.

‘As a person who’s been going to Woodford since my early teens, I’ve always found it a place of refuge and I felt safe. Each time I’d go to Woodford it felt like coming home,’ said Penny. ‘Yet this year was different. It was filled with extremely distressing experiences. It was disheartening to see casual one-sided references to the war in an inflammatory way.’

And then there’s Hagar, who has been travelling in Australia for close to a year. She is a Nova festival goer and has many friends who lost their lives on October 7, as well as friends who have fallen while serving in the army in this current war. The Nova music festival is where more than 350 young Israelis were murdered. Others were raped, tortured, or kidnapped and taken into Gaza. Some are still being kept hostage.

It was the first time, she said, during her travels in Australia that she had encountered such anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish sentiments from the other people in attendance.

‘The people they [the protestors] are supporting killed my friends and reminded me of the horrible events of October 7,’ Hagar said.

‘It [Woodford] is not an experience which I will remember as being good, [with some festival goers] supporting murder and rape in a modern society and it felt like our side wasn’t heard or given a chance to tell our story.’

The Woodford Folk Festival near the eponymous South East Queensland town has been and gone for another year. The festival is held annually over six days and six nights, following Christmas through to New Year’s Day. More than 2,000 local, national, and international, artists, musicians, and presenters put on over 500 acts. Around 125,000 people flock annually from around the globe to the event. The festival is run as a non-profit organisation supported by corporate sponsors as well as receiving state and federal government sponsorship. The festival organisers tout the event as a festival ‘based on a vision of inclusive and creative community and culture…’ and ‘…kindness, empathy, goodwill and generosity are collectively extended to all’.

For a certain minority, this year’s festival was anything but ‘inclusive’ or filled with ‘kindness, empathy, and goodwill’. Instead, it was marred by pro-Palestinian supporters high-jacking the festival, turning the event into mass political grandstanding.

‘I’m a regular attendee at Woodford Folk Festival and have worked there multiple times,’ said Imogene, who is neither Jewish nor Israeli.

‘This festival holds a very special place in my heart and is definitely considered to be one of my favourite festivals in Australia. However, I was really disappointed this year by the insensitivity towards the large Israeli and Jewish community who have supported this festival for many, many years.

‘I understand that this art and musical festival always has a hint of politics, however, this year’s festival was heartless and very inappropriate. It was incredibly unfair towards the Jewish community to have people protesting about Gaza and Palestine with signs like ‘From the river to the sea Palestine will be free’ during such a sensitive time. In festivals you should feel a sense of belonging, instead people were parading the extinction of Israel with no real understanding of the depth of their words. There were groups of people gathering at the village green with flags, and posters, and wearing Keffiyeh (which is culturally inappropriate in itself), and then parading these around the festival. People even put ‘Free Palestine’ stickers on Israeli food trucks and signs. Can you feel the suffocation? Musicians and artists praying for the people in Gaza with no remorse or prayers towards Israelis who are sitting right in front of them. It was absolutely heartbreaking!’

Imogene shared that throughout the festival her Jewish friends came up to her in tears and shared how unsafe they felt – in a festival that should be bringing nothing but love and light, she said.

‘After the horrific events that happened on October 7, in particular at the Nova festival, you can imagine the hurdle Israelis and all affected had to overcome to even bring themselves to this festival, to then feel suffocated, unsafe, and to be reminded of these events by people dressing up like the ones who brought this terror in the first place.

‘While I love this festival and all that goes into it, I was very disappointed and disheartened by the large number of beautiful people who were torn apart from all of this – including me.’

Israeli-born Australian Sivan attended the Woodford Folk Festival with her two children, aged 6 and 9. Sivan had never been to Woodford and was looking forward to spending the day at a festival that she thought would be a peaceful, welcoming, and inclusive environment. As a Jewish Israeli, what she experienced was quite the opposite. She felt unsafe, not welcome, and her children felt scared, threatened, and fearful from what they experienced.

Sivan’s best friend, Danielle, lived on Kibbutz Oz – one of the kibbutzim massacred on October 7. The parents of Sivan’s friends, Orly and David, were both gruesomely murdered by Hamas. What makes these slayings particularly grotesque is that the terrorists filmed the murder and sent the footage of this horrific act to their daughter, Danielle. Sadly, this experience is not unique to Sivan. Many Queenslanders have a close connection to the horrors of October 7.

As Sivan strolled around the Woodford grounds, she encountered a group of Palestinian protestors sporting Palestinian flags and signs. The group chanted ‘Free, free Palestine’ and ‘Genocide’. She asked this group whether they knew what had happened on October 7.

They did not respond and avoided engaging in conversation with her. She asked again. No response. She then asked them to close their eyes and imagine terrorists breaking into their houses, murdering families, slaughtering babies. One of the protestors responded with: ‘That never happened.’

Sivan said her children were left extremely scared after the encounter. Sivan said she came to the festival to enjoy the shows, the workshops, the music, and dancing: the putative community spirit of the festival. Yet the reality of the festival was anything but enjoyable. A little later, she was confronted by yet another protest.

Jewish friends of Sivan had flown up from Melbourne with their daughter to attend the festival. They had paid for two days but after the first day did not feel comfortable returning to the overtly anti-Israel environment.

An Israeli backpacker, while watching a performance, was confronted by a Palestinian flag and a mentioning of all ‘the murders in Gaza’ during the show. Another Israeli backpacker went to order some food from an Israeli food truck. A sticker had allegedly been stuck to the van: ‘Warning: Do not buy this product. Supports Israel. A country that is exceedingly violating international law, the 4th Geneva Convention, and fundamental human rights. Stand up for human rights. Boycott Israel until it respects international law. #BDS.’ Not only is this incorrect, as many international law experts will confirm, but one has to ask what a locally owned/run business has to do with Israel? Just like every other Aussie, they were there to enjoy the festival and, hopefully, make a quid while they’re at it, not to be subjected to boycotts and acts of antisemitism. The IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Association) defines what constitutes antisemitism, including: holding Jews collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.

Prior to the start, both Israelis and Jews had shared their concerns with Woodford management. According to them, these concerns were allegedly met with justifications of free speech. Festival organisers provided assurances that they would respond quickly and decisively to any incitement of hatred.

The Woodford Folk Festival is a partly state and federal sponsored event and as such ought to be wholly exempt from politics and expressions of controversial opinions. Furthermore, it runs directly counter to Woodford’s stated aim of ‘love’ and ‘coming together as humans’ etc. etc. It is indeed incumbent upon the festival organisers to ensure that no festival goer is offended, but is instead able to enjoy the music, dance, art, the natural environment, and workshops.

‘I left Israel 2 months after the war started,’ Yasmin says. ‘In the first 2 months, I have not experienced any negativity from people here, even the opposite, people whom I interacted with were very supportive and understanding in conversations when I told them I am from Israel.

‘During the Woodford Festival, I was exposed to the most Palestinian and pro-Palestinian content so far in my trip. On the first day, there were Palestinian flags on the main stage at an event, which made me feel very uneasy and unsafe. They then set up a stand with their propaganda. It was the opposite to feeling welcome and at home; it was very uncomfortable. We tried to talk to the management about our feelings to no avail.

‘We talked to the police about how this makes us feel but they informed us that this was authorised by the management.

‘People at the festival asked me why don’t I go to another country and live there? What they don’t understand is the connection we have to our country, our land. It is where I live, where my cultural heritage is.

‘In my eyes that flag [Palestinian] is a symbol of Israeli annihilation, which was attempted on October 7. When I see that flag I feel my life is in danger. I did not enjoy this festival. I would have liked to have something to represent how we feel and what the Israeli side has been through. It felt like very one-sided opinions and views.’

One Israeli backpacker summed up the general sentiment: ‘If I knew it would be such an anti-Israel festival I would never have gone. I thought it was supposed to be a peaceful, welcoming festival. I came to escape – to experience positive, good vibes and be among nature – to have a good time. Yet it felt violent, aggressive, toxic.’

In my opinion, the organisers of the Woodford Folk Festival have failed miserably in their mission, vision, and values of inclusivity, kindness, empathy, goodwill, and generosity collectively extended to all. They have allowed what is one of the great festivals of ‘human connection and love’ on the annual calendar to descend into something else entirely.

‘It was the first time I felt unwanted and rejected because I am Israeli,’ Amit said. ‘I felt minimised – like someone is pointing a finger at me because of where I am from.’

I wonder if this was the experience event sponsors had hoped for…

https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/01/a-festival-of-exclusivity/

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Landlords’ human rights at stake, says lobby group, as fight gears up over renting rules

The peak lobby group representing real estate agents in NSW has warned the Minns government that its proposed rental reforms, including an end to no-grounds evictions, could breach the human rights of landlords, in a concerted push to water down the proposed laws.

Labor is facing significant pushback to its proposed rental reforms from industry groups that vehemently oppose the changes and has delayed their introduction as Premier Chris Minns concedes there is “more to do” on the legislation.

In submissions to a consultation paper on the reforms released last year, the Real Estate Institute of NSW warned the Minns government that the changes were “not fair” to landlords and would “drive away existing investors from the property market”.

The institute, which serves as the state’s lobby group for real estate agents, raised the spectre of Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that people have “the right to own property” and “no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property”.

It argued that the proposed reforms “unjustifiably impede on a landlord’s right to make choices about their asset” and warned that the government “would need to be confident” the changes were not in breach of the 1948 declaration.

Barry Johnson, president of the Real Estate Institute, said ending no-fault evictions would mean the right of landlords to make decisions about their property would be “restricted”.

“Investing money into buying a property is a big cost,” Johnson said. “Stamp duty is a big cost, interest is a big cost. So if you didn’t feel as though you could control that investment, you probably wouldn’t have made it in the first place.

“For a government to start changing the rules about what you can do with your property after you’ve made that investment in good faith … it is removing the rights of that individual.”

While Labor intends to keep its commitment to ending no-grounds terminations, the breadth of the pushback from the industry has complicated the reforms.

The government previously said that a bill would be introduced by the end of last year, but Minns could not give a timeframe on the new laws on Friday.

A particular sticking point is what model of no-grounds reform will be adopted.

In 2022, Victoria introduced laws banning the use of no-fault evictions for both periodic and fixed-term leases after the first lease cycle. In Queensland, no-fault terminations can occur only at the end of a fixed-term lease.

Minns conceded there had been “mixed views” on the proposals, and said the government had not decided on which model it would adopt. “We’ve got to make a decision, in all candour, about that,” he said.

“One of the good things about looking at the other states and how their programs have rolled out is you can assess their impact on the market and what it’s done for rental prices. So there’s more to do there, I’m not going to lie.”

In 2021, the Queensland government walked away from an earlier plan to end no-grounds evictions on all types of leases because, as Housing Minister Leeanne Enoch argued, it would breach the state’s Human Rights Act.

Leo Patterson-Ross, the head of the NSW Tenants Union, a renters’ advocacy group, said the argument was spurious, pointing out that, at the time, the Queensland Human Rights Commissioner disagreed with the government.

“Asking you to give a reason for ending a contract is not an arbitrary deprivation; it’s just saying you need to tell the person what the reason is,” Patterson-Ross said.

“Reforming no-grounds evictions is not about arbitrary. It’s removing arbitrariness by asking you to give reasonable grounds.”

Across the property industry, stakeholders have been lobbying the government against introducing a new tenancy framework that, they say, will exacerbate housing supply shortages by discouraging investment.

Property Owners’ Association of NSW president John Gilmovich said the reforms would “take more control over owners’ property” and encourage “investors to leave the market, which is making the situation worse not better”.

“The latest reforms serve to cloud the issue about how to solve this critical problem and paint property investors as the villains, when investors are actually a very big part of the solution,” Gilmovich said.

But Patterson-Ross pointed out that other jurisdictions had stricter rules around a landlord’s ability to end tenancies and had “much greater density” than NSW.

“I think if you use common sense you can understand that basically since the 1970s there has been progressively a more consumer-protection focus on the rental system, and there are more landlords than ever,” he said.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/landlords-human-rights-at-stake-says-lobby-as-fight-gears-up-over-renting-rules-20240111-p5ewlw.html

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Over 300 Endangered Eagles Killed or Injured by Wind Turbines in Tasmania: Study

Over the past decade, wind turbines and transmission lines have led to the deaths or injuries of 321 endangered eagles in Tasmania, according to a study.

More cases are believed to be unreported due to a lack of systemic research on wind farms and public information.

Published in Australian Field Ornithology, the study looked at Australia’s two largest raptors, the wedge-tailed and white-bellied sea eagles.

It found that from 2010-2022, wind farms caused the deaths of 268 eagles and injured 53, with state-owned power company TasNetworks reporting 139 deaths, and eagle rescuers witnessing 91 deaths and 50 injuries.

Study author Gregory Pullen said the number of eagle deaths was a “stark reminder” that an urgent solution was needed to mitigate further harm to the vulnerable species.

“The real number can only be higher since surveying at wind farms is incomplete,” Mr. Pullen noted in the study.

“Specifically, it is only close to turbines, is periodic, and does not involve all turbines or all habitat around each turbine, scrub often being excluded.”

Of great concern is that 272 deaths involved the endangered Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle, and 49 of the vulnerable white-bellied sea eagles.

Future of Birds Unclear

Both species could face further risk as the expansion of wind turbine construction continues amid the federal government’s net-zero push.

“Accelerated deaths of the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle and white-bellied sea-eagle are a grim reality if thousands of new wind turbines and hundreds of kilometres of transmission lines are erected across Tasmania to meet a legislated doubling of renewable energy production by 2040,” Mr. Pullen said.

The study estimated that less than 1,000 Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles remain and emphasised ongoing monitoring to ensure the species does not become extinct.

It includes observing the number of eagles, stability of breeding pairs, nesting success and surviving chicks, presence of juvenile birds, and whether disruption to the natural habitat causes dislocation.

While the Tasmanian government has guidelines in place to protect threatened eagles, Mr. Pullen found that these have not contributed to real-life decisions regarding wind farm placement.

For instance, despite great differences in eagle densities across Tasmania, there are currently no designated “no turbine zones.”

Some researchers have suggested Tasmanian eagles be fitted with GPS trackers, but the concept has been slow to establish and has yet to be used in wind farm planning.

The study comes as Tasmanian authorities continue their push towards net zero, recently inking a deal with the German city Bremen.

State Energy Minister Guy Barnett said the collaboration was evidence of the state’s plan to become a leader in large-scale green hydrogen production by 2030 to meet both domestic and international demand.

“This joint declaration demonstrates the opportunity the rest of the world sees in Tasmania and confidence in the government’s renewable energy agenda,” Mr. Barnett said in a statement on Sept. 17.

“Tasmania is well placed, with our 100 percent renewable electricity, abundant water supplies, and excellent port infrastructure to seize these important opportunities with international partners.”

Scientist Questions Wind Power Reliability

There are concerns, however, over the viability of large-scale renewable energy generation.

One Oxford University mathematician and physicist has criticised wind power saying it is historically and scientifically unreliable, noting that governments are prioritising “windfarm politics” over numerical evidence.
Professor Emeritus Wade Allison made the assertion in response to the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, where the “instinctive reaction” around the world was to embrace renewables.

“Today, modern technology is deployed to harvest these weak sources of energy. Vast ‘farms’ that monopolise the natural environment are built, to the detriment of other creatures,” Mr. Allison said in the report, published by the Global Warming Policy Foundation.

“Developments are made regardless of the damage wrought. Hydro-electric schemes, enormous turbines, and square miles of solar panels are constructed, despite being unreliable and ineffective.”

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/over-300-threatened-eagles-killed-or-injured-by-wind-turbines-in-tasmania-study-5496558?ea_src=au-frontpage&ea_med=top-news-australia-top-news-1-large-top-news-australia-top-news-title-0

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Make Australian civics education great again

The 2019 National Assessment Program Civics and Citizenship (NAP-CC) results, published in 2021, indicate that only 53 per cent of Year 6 students and 38 per cent of Year 10 students (notably, girls outperformed boys in both year levels) met the benchmark in civics and citizenship education.

This trend is alarming, especially considering Year 10 is the last year civics is taught in schools.

The decline in civic understanding among young Australians underscores the need for education resources that are not only informative but also engaging.

The history of bipartisan efforts in civics education in Australia is noteworthy.

For instance, the Hawke government’s establishment of a parliamentary committee led to the recommendation of incorporating civics and citizenship lessons into history and social science curricula.

Following the 1993 election, Paul Keating initiated the Civics Expert Group to enhance young Australians’ political understanding and engagement.

Subsequently, John Howard introduced the ‘Discovering Democracy’ program in 1997, which extended beyond traditional school settings to higher education and vocational training.

These government measures demonstrate the cross-party commitment to strengthening Australian civic knowledge and participation since the 1980s.

In this context, prime ministerial libraries situated within or affiliated with Australian universities play a pivotal role. Housing rich collections of historical documents and personal letters, these libraries provide tangible connections to the past, making the study of political history more relatable and engaging for young learners.

Such libraries surpass their role as mere archives, functioning as dynamic hubs of education and civic interaction. By hosting exhibitions, conferences, and fostering scholarly publications, the libraries bring historical documents to life, connecting past political decisions to contemporary discussions and learning.

Last month’s 5th anniversary of the official opening of the John Howard Prime Ministerial Library at Old Parliament House underscored the critical role of these institutions in public education.

Other prime ministerial libraries, like the John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library at Curtin University, the Whitlam Institute at the University of Western Sydney, the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre at Adelaide University, and the Robert Menzies Institute at the University of Melbourne, act as gateways to Australia’s recent past.

They are more than repositories; they are vibrant educational platforms. Yet, their full potential in engaging new generations in political history remains largely untapped.

Expanding their reach and impact, particularly in making historical knowledge accessible and engaging to a broader audience – including younger Australians – is crucial.

At the very least, they could provide a wealth of teaching resources with a simple online search.

This expansion requires a holistic approach involving a solid national framework, substantial support from both government and private sources, and strong leadership.

Only with unwavering backing from all parties – including national cultural institutions – can these libraries truly thrive and fulfil their mission.

Despite the longevity of civics education in Australia since Federation, its relegation to the back corner of a classroom is a serious oversight.

Neglecting this fundamental aspect of education raises a real risk of depriving future generations of the skills needed for informed democratic participation.

As emphasised by UK educator and political biographer Sir Anthony Seldon, an understanding and respect for the past are vital for making better decisions and fostering better individuals.

This principle is essential for imparting a comprehensive understanding of Australia’s political heritage and its ongoing relevance to the younger generation.

https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/01/make-civics-education-great-again/

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Also see my other blogs. Main ones below:

http://dissectleft.blogspot.com (DISSECTING LEFTISM -- daily)

http://antigreen.blogspot.com (GREENIE WATCH)

http://pcwatch.blogspot.com (POLITICAL CORRECTNESS WATCH)

http://edwatch.blogspot.com (EDUCATION WATCH)

http://snorphty.blogspot.com/ (TONGUE-TIED)

http://jonjayray.com/blogall.html More blogs

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