Jolanda, I agree with most of what you've said in the recent post. I think though that it is worth considering the impact those those who try and "play" issues to suit their own purposes have on honesty. If a small percentage of the lebanese population has significant issues and some use it as an excuse to villify all people of middle eastern origins or all muslims that is a strong motivator for some to try and brush the issues under the carpet. I disagree with that choice but I can understand it. Parts of PC are spurred on by the sheer unwillingness of others to deal fairly with the realities of life.

I certainly am opposed to the high level of taxpayer funded child raising (as a single dad I find it very offensive that my ex gets more money if she grabs more residency). I'm not convinced that those unable to support themselves and their dependants are the ones we should be providing the largest motivation to have kids to.

I'd agree with the view that a playground of children should have been properly supervised. That is maybe a place for the metaphore to get strained, most adults don't want to be supervised as strongly as we expect children at school to be supervised. From what I have read on the issue the gangs should have been dealth with a long time ago but beyond that! Many of the posters most outraged at the gangs are ones who also were very upset when christian pastors were prosecuted for saying things deemed harmfull - they didn't want that level of supervision in their lives. Our society only functions reasonably when most of us operate within the law most of the time without close supervision, these gangs have failed to respect that as have those who incite violence, hatred and misplaced suspicion.

R0bert

Here are the current Acts and Regulations (Legislation) in force (official NSW Parliamentary Counsel's Office website):

http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/maintop/scanact/inforce/NONE/0

David, you may find the Crimes Act you are looking for under 'C', in the first section 'Acts in force'.

Also for the benefit of users of this forum, in addition to the Legislation index above, here is the official and comprehensive list of links to the Attorney Gerneral's Department:

http://www.australia.gov.au/portfolios#attorneygenerals

It has the following title:

'The Attorney-General's Department serves the people of Australia by providing essential expert support to the Government in the maintenance and improvement of Australia's system of law and justice.'

I would encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with the laws that they feel are relevant to them. The more people that know about the laws that govern them, the more stable and progressive our society will be. I believe that to be absolutely true.

I wish everyone who is interested in the laws that govern them good luck with their research.

In addition, below is a link to the 'Media Alliance Code of Ethics' (official website). Most media journalists in Australia are bound to this code, via their membership of the Australian Journalists Association.

http://www.alliance.org.au/content/view/17/60/

Also of interest, an extract from the Canterbury City Council's Community Protection Committee minutes from Febuary 2005:

'Canterbury Drug Action Team

Ms Field advised the Premier's Department annual funding contribution will be $1,500. With such limited funding not many options exist for new projects and past projects cannot be re-run. Current projects that will be continued include youth drug prevention project (gym/nutrition workshops at Riverwood Community Centre), Fatiha 2005 (drug prevention forum for Arabic speaking/background residents) and the methadone program research project's report is currently being finalised. The Premier's Department resource of taking minutes of Team meetings may also be discontinued. Correspondence on behalf of the Committee will be forwarded to the Premier's Department expressing disappointment at the level of funding provided to the Team.'

(original source: http://www.canterbury.nsw.gov.au/council/comm_prot/2005/comp0702.htm)

And finally, the NSW Premier's Department:

http://www.premiers.nsw.gov.au/premiers/contactus.asp

Almanac

It's true what you say about tribal violence in Sydney but I believe that the recent violence is somewhat different. I grew up in Cronulla and was fully aware of the gangs in the area, the westies and surfies.

I was hassled about three times in 25 years to 1990, no violence, it seemed the gangs kept it among themselves and largely left others alone. Left for Europe in `90 returned in `96 to a much different story. Mid East gangs harrassing all and sundry.

A few years back some local women were setting up for the RSL xmas party in Gunnamatta Park. A group of mossies, twenty and thirtysomethings, men with families arrived and said 'this is our place, get out' They refused and were physically assaulted, that's 'mature' mid-east men beating up fifty and sixty year old women in front of their own kids, great role models boys!

It was reported in the local paper, the Leader but no where else I could find.

There was also a shooting, a carload of mid-east youths opened fire on a group of locals hanging out in Munro Park, also only reported in the local paper.

It's been going on for years, I don't condone what the mob did that Sunday but the locals are sick of it. If the law doesn't do anything about then it then the mob takes the initiative.

Thanks for acknowledging the problem Tanveer, you're not completely right, young mossie men of diffent origins do much the same all over Europe and their parents are often shocking role models.

Tanveer Ahmed is a great spin doctor. His motive is to downplay the self evident cultural divide between Australians and “Muslims”.

Notice how he subtly points the finger of blame for the Cronulla riot at Australians by calling us “drunken louts”? No direct mention is made of “Muslim” behaviour at Cronulla at all, other than to say that there a “Lebanese” problem, which is not related to Arabs in general, or Muslims in particular.

He then goes on to find excuses for this “Lebanese problem.”

But it is funny how other ethnic groups within Australian society have experienced exactly the same conditions that “Lebanese” people have experienced, but those ethnic groups are not known for their disgusting behaviour. People born in Japan are so law abiding that they do not even rate on the Australian Bureau of Statistics “Prisoners in Australia.”

Mr Tanveer pretends that the serious problems of violent criminal behaviour in Sydney is primarily a “Lebanese” problem. But most people in Sydney would dispute that. While “Lebanese” appear to be the worst of the lot, “Arab” and “Muslim” behaviour has been less than exemplary. An example of how crime prone Muslims in general are is the situation in France. According to ex Sgt. Tim Priest, 75,000 of the 150,000 inmates of French jails are Muslims. Most of these Muslims are Algerians and Moroccans who make up only 7% of the French population.

If 7% are responsible for 50% of the crime, then Muslims are seven times more prone to serious criminal behaviour than the rest of the people who make up the population of France. The Frogs had better thank God that they did not import many Lebanese.

The question then begs. Why should Australia continue to import such crime prone people who are notorious for their behaviour and who are now causing serious social unrest?

Redneck ,I think you are being a little harsh on Tanveer.If Tanveer is indeed Muslim,then this is a monumental step,since they finally are admitting that there is a problem.Basically we just brought out too many people of low intelligence and poor education that came together in enclaves,that now want to resume their tribal and religious battles here.We can't send them back because most were born here.

Don't forget there are many successful people of Lebanese origin who are good citizens, feel equally repulsed and aren't religious fanatics.

When the Muslim community as a whole admit they have a problem,perhaps we can make some headway.The religious bit is the real worry,since common sense and logic seems to have little bearing on their actions.

I don't know what the solutions are,but have it on good authority that our gaols are going to be full and a lot more will be built.

It means you and I will be paying far more tax.If we can keep the hand wringers and the PC brigade out of negiotations,perhaps real headway can be made.

Apparently the French leaders are still in denial and are waiting to see how it all pans out.Probably a gradual process of devolution through more compromises.They are probably better off confronting the problem head on now,while it can be managed with present numbers,rather than their poor grandchildren suffer invasion by chaos and stealth.

All we can do is to encourage the positive signs coming from the Muslim community and be honest about what goes against our values, standards and implement the law.The struggle has just begun.

Robert. It’s true that people don’t like being supervised, but it’s a well known fact that if you don’t get it right when children are young, then it is very difficult to change when they grow up, especially teenagers when all the attitude and testosterone is abundant.

Our youth are not learning about respect. How can our young people learn to respect themselves or others when they are exposed to so much bullying, violence, terrorism, hatred, war, alcohol, drugs and sex and worse still when nobody cares enough to take action to change things and to protect the children? Where is the respect in that?

Parents play a major role here but many parents are caught up in the problems and issues and for many it consumes them so they don’t have time or the energy to watch their children and many feel bad for their children so they tend to spoil them and not discipline them so the children just take it all in and they learn.

Schools also do not discipline children, they have the same softly softly no blame approach to problems that our Government uses and that many parents now use. This gives power and protection to those that do the wrong thing.

Our Leaders are not good role models for our children and our system is not providing a safe, supportive and caring learning environment and the result is what we are seeing today.

Our children learn by example. Look at our current Labor Government, it appears that those that do the wrong thing – GET PROMOTED!. Adults in power take no responsibility for their actions or lack of action. Children are not stupid, they can see what you need to do to get ahead and many of them have learned that “It doesn’t pay to be good”.

The Justice system wraps itself around the guilty to protect them – the victims are usually ostrasized and discredited! We have to change the balance of power. It shouldn’t matter where you come from or who you are we should all have equal PROTECTION from the law.