The right to remain silent must not be changed or challenged. This is one of the basic tenets of Criminal Law. It stands right along side the presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
Uncategorized
I came across this post at Doohan It This Way in which Andrew make reference to an article by Phillip Blond which makes excellent reading. I would invite you follow the links.
This was my comment to him:
After reading the article, I’m left with the feeling that the ideal that Burns is suggesting however admirable, I’m just not sure that it’s achievable! My gut tells me we’re likely for a lot more of the same old, same old. Australians (and Americans, for that matter) are very reluctant to go outside the two party system. And with that in mind, look who you’ve got to choose from…..the “Bird from Barry” or “Billy Big-Ears!” Australian politics will be down in the gutter for some time to come. We also really need to lose the preferential voting system. Only in Australia is it possible that the vote you gave to candidate X will actually go to candidate Y. Political bankruptcy? I see it more as political “amorality!”
I have commented on this in earlier posts, as has my fellow blogger in Doohan It This Way. I am referring the amount of poor press that the Australian Olympic team has received from Australian sporting commentators. They have suggested that somehow Australia’s althetes have “failed”, “let their country down”, “disgraced the green and gold” and other terms of derision. As Australia’s “expected” haul of medals is ever decreasing, this criticism has gone into overdrive.
Now I read in The Daily Telegraph of August 4th, 2012, with a headline “Stoush over failures in pool”, that Australia’s swim boss Leigh Nugent has now blamed Australia’s poor performance in the pool as “the nation’s easy life”. When forced to offer an explanation for Australia’s worst swimming performance in 16 years, Nugent could only say “we live in society where people look for the easy way”. He went on the say that “most of our girls, the Aussie girls, are carrying too much weight”. Nugent also stated “We had a team of stars a few years, ago!”
I am personally disgusted that the head of the swim team has had the audacity to utter this absolute drivel. Australia has presented it’s best swimmers for these Games. If somehow they have not performed, it’s because they competed against faster swimmers from the US and China or wherever. There is no disgrace in being beaten at this level of competition. They have NOT failed, they have NOT let their country down and they have NOT disgraced the green and gold. Rather, they have simply done their best, given their all and should be applauded for doing just that.
In other sports, if a team does not win, they sack the coach/manager. Maybe that’s what is needed here!
In an associated story, London 2012 has been referred to as the “Twitter” Games with our athletes being subjected to repetitive and numerous vile and offensive Tweets. Emily Seebohm was particularly targeted for crying after her sliver medal performance in the 100m backstroke. Twitter has been described by a sports counsellor, Matt Bulcher, as “a poisonous medium where people for no reason fire off the most ascerbic barbs” He further suggested to athletes that they “leave Twitter alone”. He also warned athletes that “if you must go on Twitter, you must understand that there will be a lot of hatred directed towards you”.
What are we coming to as a society?
There once was a saying “Only in America”, but over recent times that thought is equally true about Russia!
AP reports that in February the Russian female punk band “Pussy Riot” – dressed in tight neon dresses and knitted balaclavas – performed a “punk prayer” in the Christ the Saviour Cathedral. The song included lyrics condemning the Church’s open support for the state and called on the Virgin Mary to “chase Putin out” of power. Three band members were arrested and could face up to seven years in prison if convicted of “hooliganism.”
Russian president Vladimir Putin has gone on record as stating he does not favour a tough punishment for the members of an all-girl punk band who performed a song against his rule in Moscow’s main cathedral, but he did add “There is nothing good in what they did.” He added “Nevertheless, I do not think that they should be judged too severely for this.”
Christ the Saviour Cathedral – Moscow
Mr Putin has developed a history of issuing carefully phrased comments about high-profile trials that end up coinciding with the final verdict issued by the court. He once noted that “a thief should be in prison” and a Moscow court controversially extended the jail stay of Yukos oil company founder Mikhail Khodorkovsky in 2010. Yet Mr Putin has stressed that the court will have the final say in what happens to the three band members, who are already have been detained in prison for five months.
“It is the court that issues the final ruling,” Putin said.
This author suggests that the former KGB polkovnik still has too much of his old ways about him.
I noticed with amusement this post from fellow blogger Andrew Doohan, And It’s Pronounced…? when he touches on the strange way that parents of children choose to spell (or mis-spell) their names. I certainly agree with his sentiment, but then again I never did like George! Please call me Angus!
The British Prime Minister, David Cameron is prepared to ignore Britain’s obligations under EU residency treaties and impose strict border controls that aim to block Greek citizens from entering the United Kingdom, if Greece is forced out of, or exits, the single currency.
The prime minister addressed MPs and stated that ministers have examined legal powers that would allow Britain to prevent Greek citizens of their right to free movement across into the UK, if the eurozone crisis leads to “stresses and strains”.
In an appearance before senior MPs on the cross-party House of Commons liaison committee, David Cameron confirmed that ministers have drawn up contingency plans for “all sorts of different eventualities”.
The worst-case scenario will cover a Greek exit from the euro. This action would have the potential to trigger further contraction of the already collapsed Greek economy and the resultant flight of hundreds of thousands of Greeks citizens who are currently entitled to settle in any EU country, seartching for a better life.
The prime minister said Britain is prepared to prevent a major influx of Greek citizens. “I would be prepared to do whatever it takes to keep our country safe, to keep our banking system strong, to keep our economy robust. At the end of the day, as prime minister, that is your first and foremost duty.”
David Cameron added, “I hope it wouldn’t come to that,” he said. “But, as I understand it, the legal powers are available if there are particular stresses and strains. You have to plan, you have to have contingencies, you have to be ready for anything – there is so much uncertainty in our world. But I hope those things don’t become necessary.”
What response may be taken against the UK as a result of this descision being actioned? The other interesting fact here is that Britian never adopted the one currency principle. Euros can only be used in the UK in limited locations, mostly ferry and airport terminals around the country.
Those of you who know me, will know my occupation as a manager in the provsion of paramedical services. You may not be aware however, that I still like to work at the coalface and do on-road shifts as the opportunity arises.
So it was that I worked a 12 hour night shift at a station about 90km from my usual workplace recently. Moreover, I tend not to wear my rank when I’m doing these shifts so as better to fit into the team and to put the other person at ease. My partner for the night was a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, who I knew fairly well and we felt quite comfortable in each other’s company. Being a former serviceman myself, there was a certain understanding and comfort between us.
The phone rang at 0200, and off we went to call 75km from the station we were based at. It was going to take us an hour to get there!
Imagine this. Two ex-serviceman, a long drive along a country road in the early hours of the morning. The conversation turned to that of military service. As stated my partner had recently completed a 9 month tour of Afghanistan and we got to talk about what it means to serve one’s country, the effect that active service has on a soldier, and what happens upon their return from active service, and so on.
I asked him what were his biggest observations after serving in Afghanistan as a reserve member of Australia’s elite special forces. His reply was three-fold.
- After being “in harm’s way” for the duration of his tour, and putting life and limb at risk for the service of his country, he was dismayed at how many people of his own age were happy to “ride the welfare state” here at home. It perhaps called him to question the reason for doing what he had done to serve his country. Before becoming a paramedic, he thought that “pensioners” were all old people.
- He was possibly equally critical of his fellow servicemen who upon their return from active service were also happy to “milk” the system for all the benefits available for returned veterans, whether thay were entitled or not.
- Most importantly, he stated that he found it difficult to fit back into his “day” job, and to talk about his his experiences, because not many people (mostly other servicemen) can appreciate or understand what he had experienced during his tour of duty.
As we travelled, he opened up somewhat and we talked about many things to do with service and the ongoing effects that service can have on the individual. I listened a lot, with a comment here or there, and offered support wherever I could. He seemed happy to talk, as I was happy to listen. He confided that he was seeking professional assistance and had recently resumed service as a reservist with the Army. He was NOT seeking further tours of active service.
I felt privileged and honoured that he had confided in me, and I hope I was able to offer that which he sought. At the end of the shift we parted with a firm hand shake and an unspoken understanding of what had taken place.
Words, By George! 