The last week or so we've all been 'assaulted' by the media, of the death of Michael MURPHY, one of the five (5) individuals convicted of the cruel Anita COBBY slaughter (murder).

In my thirty-two years in the job, we all need to accept we're required to deal with a host of disparate people, many of them, not exactly the paragons of society. Both the Police and their Prison Officer colleagues during their parallel careers, have to manage and contain some truly awful people. My own, was Archie Beattie McCAFFERTY, an insane, multi-killer of four souls, who left an indelible mark on my own emotions and consciousness.

I'll not go into what McCAFFERTY did, 'Google' it if you wish. But considering you spend hours in their company listening to the horrors as they espouse them 'ab initio' (from the start), to a horrific conclusion. The same would apply to the five convicted of the Anita COBBY murder. I know the MURPHY bros. And that 'TRAVIS' creep (the ringleader), well, all of 'em are 'boob rats.' TRAVIS especially loved to torture cats, by methods, too dreadful to describe.

If ever there was a case for the reintroduction of Capital Punishment, these individuals might well be ideal candidates. Enumerating from the bottom for their horror & depravity - (i) Archie McCAFFERTY; (ii) John LUTHWAITE (positively evil); (iii) MURPHY bros, & TRAVIS & Co; (iv) and the very worst of the lot; Alan BAKER & Kevin CRUMP (the Virginia MORSE slaughter & torture). The latter I was only on the edge of the investigation, but I and a couple of others were required to 'protect' them both, from other *police*, by keeping our own hands deep within our pockets. Believe it or not?

Is there an emotional drain on law-enforcement personnel? You can betcha life there is, even though I've retired and shifted Cities.

o sung wo, lived in Blacktown at that time
Was one of hundreds who would have lynched him and them
Know still a great now ex cop who worked on the Moree rape torture and murder
He carries the scar still
A good cop is worth far more than we can ever pay
Our courts [see MacDonald set free today] betray us and the police too often

yeah o sung su. I am convinced Singapore is the closest to getting it right. Some people do forfeit their right to exist on earth although I must admit I would hate to be the one making that decision. I have certainly met some pretty cold unrepentant murderers in my time although obviously never experienced anywhere near the depth of garbage you blokes went through. Personally having faith that in the end justice will be done helps me immensly although this side of death we don't see it.

After watching that policeman last night having his head repeatedly banged on the ground by what was rightly called by a senior officer an animal, I am amazed that any young person wants to join up. On the news, we see police in America approaching dodgy people, guns drawn. It should be the same here. No police officer should have to accept being assaulted for doing his job. Batons, sprays and tasers are simply not enough protection. If any one has to be hurt, it should not be a police officer doing his job.

Everything you've all said is so right. I'm an old man, soon to meet my maker daresay, but if a young bloke were to ask me whether he should join the job, my answer would be an unambiguous no.

I'm neither superstitious nor religious, but staring into the eyes of either Archie MCCAFFERTY, Alan BAKER or Kevin CRUMP, I believe you're looking into the actual manifestation of pure evil, here on earth.

I'm a big bloke, and I've boxed professionally back in the day, so I would contend I can 'hold my hands up' with most boofheads. But I genuinely fear McCAFFERTY, ever managing to get behind me, and me not being aware of it. He would surely attempt to take you out.

Whereas BAKER & CRUMP are more predictable but just as dangerous. It's the very essence of their brutality that sets this pair apart - worth a 'Google' if you're so minded

o sung wu,

Over the years I've done a fair bit of 'counselling' of veterans (mainly lending the sympathetic ear of someone that they can unload to), and the blokes that have been the worst affected have been diggers that joined the police force, all the terrible things that they went through in war never prepared them for some of the things that they had to deal with as policemen.

I've had a listen in, (mostly), at the 'watering hole' upstairs in the Crystal Palace Hotel years ago and heard a lot of detectives open up after a few drinks, 99% of what I heard cannot ever be repeated, suffice to say there were some horror stories and all these blokes really wanted was to talk it out with somebody rather than bottle it up.

Dear o sung wu,

Whenever the murder and rape of Anita Cobby is mentioned my thoughts automatically go to her father Garry Lynch.

That man was an absolute saint in my eyes and there aren't too many in that category. He helped set up a victims support organisation but it was in working with prisoners that put him so high in my esteem. He helped rapists and murders in jail even apparently coming face to face with one of his daughter's killers.

"After Nick Greiner, then NSW premier, decided to bring a civilian onto the Serious Offenders Review Council, Lynch served there between 1990 and 1995, bearing the burden of his daughter's murder with dignity and composure. He could not forgive the men who killed her, but nor did he hate them. He locked eyes with one of the murderers, John Travers, when visiting another prisoner, but no words were exchanged."

"He even helped change for the better William Munday, jailed for life on more than 40 charges, including murder, rape and armed robbery. Munday was feared and disliked by staff and fellow prisoners but Lynch took an interest in his progress, Munday responded and took his visitor as a guide to a normal, caring life. Graham Egan, the review body's executive officer, said in a letter to the Herald yesterday that Garry Lynch had touched the lives of many prisoners."
http://www.smh.com.au/national/courage-in-the-utmost-grief-20080917-gdsv8t.html

Cont..

Cont..

I am absolutely certain I do not have the capacity for that level of empathy and forgiveness. I heard him interviewed before he died speaking about how so many serious offenders in NSW were graduates of the Tamworth Reform Institution for Boys. The stories of just how consistent that juvenile prison was in turning out deeply brutalised people who then went on to brutalise and murder others is deeply shocking. That is not to say there were not some who would likely have been irredeemable whatever the treatment but the system churned out so many with an understandable hatred for both the system and those who supported it. The way he spoke in that interview just showed how measured and thoughtful he was. It seems he battled the demon drink later in life but there wouldn't be too many who would judge him harshly on that count I wager.

I'm wondering if you ever got a chance to meet Mr Lynch in your job?

Hi there RUNNER...

Your post was quite telling, in so much, as the faith you have. And in the end, justice will be served and metered out, not by man, but something much higher and more significant than man. You look into the mouth of hell long enough; you see yourself staring back. What people take has been hard or immune, or whatever, is purely illusionary; just a coping mechanism; otherwise you'd go crazy.

G'day there TTBN...

I couldn't watch it I'm afraid. To see a copper get bashed senselessly like that is an anathema to me. The trouble is, if the perpetrator does boob, he'll be considered a hero among some of them, that's until he crosses the wrong crowd, then it will be him who yells for protection from those he sought to beat senseless. It's a funny world ol' mate eh? As an aside - you could almost charge this meathead with attempt murder, by what's been described to me?

Hi there IS MISE...

Yeah, they like to empty their locker every so often. Years back me and my squad used the Parramatta Leagues Club as a venue in which to salve our woes. After a decent bit of 'pis.' on board, the guys would open up and drain the dirty water from their respective chests. Say what you will of the evils of alcohol, it helps to get a bloke to loosen his 'mainspring' after being wound tight for hours. I reckon you would've done an excellent job too IS MISE, being a Vet yourself.

You're right on the money to BELLY - Good coppers are like gold, that is until they have the 'good' knocked out of them by crook bosses and the whinging public who do nothing but criticize them, from dawn 'til dusk, making their job much harder to accomplish.

Hi there STEELEREDUX...

You seem to be well across the Anita COBBY murder, and her Dad Garry LYNCH. I didn't have anything to do with the matter myself, other than knowing well the five maggots found guilty of her awful slaughter.

All three MURPHY brothers could only be described, as O2 thieves. Whereas Michael MURDOCH was silly as a cut snake, and the evil ring leader John TRAVIS...well what can I possibly say of TRAVIS, other than he was not born of a woman's womb, but dropped out of the arse of a dog!

I sense you have a great deal of admiration for Garry LYNCH? It's for this reason, I wonder whether he employed the forgiveness mechanism as a way of helping his own rage, and emotional well being, in coping with the whole dreadful ending of his beloved daughter's life? My own thoughts and agony, really extend to her entire family, her husband, and her many friends. To think that this 'thing' TRAVIS, actually physically touched that beautiful human being, pushes every one of my buttons STEELE. This is the same piece of human debris, who delighted in skinning alive felines, and other small animals, in his youth.

All I can tell you now STEELE, the remaining four of these 'larvae' are still very much reviled in gaol, to this very day.

That recent attack on Police officers by the 25 year old female Childcare worker & her three male companions should send a sober message to Magistrates on how to deal with those indisciplined morons that roam the streets. Alas, the 25 year old was actually given bail ??

No one should lose any sleep over the death of Michael Murphy. I've just finished a book 'Black Snake' The Real Story Of Ned Kelly, by Leo Kennedy the great-grandson of police Sergeant Michael Kennedy, who along with Constables Lonigan and Scanlan were brutally murdered by Kelly and his gang at Stringybark Creek October 26th 1878.

Today many Australians venerate Ned Kelly as a hero, a larrikin, a good bloke. The truth is he was nothing more than a coward, a thief and a murderous outlaw, up there with the likes of Murphy. Sometimes we choose to not get it right.

Paul,

Is that the same Ned Kelly who risked his life to save a drowning boy?

I saved two very young boys in a canal 40 years ago & I have had my eyes opened to the rorting & connivery of the Leftist elite & it's insipid followers but I don't blame the two boys for it.

Hi there INDIVIDUAL; PAUL1405 & IS MISE...

I don't know why the judiciary is soft on crimes committed against the person. Sure, with property crime, even crimes committed against, community property (vandalism) I understand. But a violent attack on a living human being, I would've thought the judiciary, DPP, the Appellant Court(s), everyone would be in lockstep, in coming down proportionally hard, upon offenders. But they don't. Why?

Ask the average copper their opinion of Ned KELLY, generally, it won't be too complimentary. As you said PAUL1405, most view his crimes as abhorrent and cold-blooded. I've heard tales, that Ned KELLY & his gang, had been badly done by, by the police of the day. Fact or fiction, I dunno?

Saving people's lives, isn't the sole preserve of outlaws either, far from it. Look at yourself INDIVIDUAL you saved two youngsters forty odd years ago. And you too IS MISE, speaking as you did, with the off-duty 'jacks' in the Crystal Palace Pub, by managing to relieve their tension & anxiety, by merely listening to them, and needless to say, by caring.

And you PAUL1405, I recall you telling us, you've helped countless young blokes over time. I think the greatest skill that we as adults can employ when dealing with adolescent's problems, it to be a good listener. Often all our youth, and young people wish to do is to be heard. I can't tell you the number of times I've had a young bloke locked-up say '...me ol' man never listens to me...'. The primary cause of a severely dislocated family - the inability to communicate. Thanks, fellas.

I cannot ever see it happening but I would agree with capital punishment for those convicted of heinous crimes. I believe these criminals have given up their right to live in our world.

Some have been mentioned and there are more. The murders of Laurern Barry and Nicole Collins come to mind, as does the murder of little Ebony Simpson.

What about the serial murderers, Catherine and David Birnie in Perth. Then there was another pair that butchered a teen girl on the Sunshine Coast, in Qld. Ivan Milatt has to get a mention.

When recalling these atrocious acts I always seem to leave one or more out that I should not. But I certainly do not envy coppers their job.

Hi Issy,

That is indeed the same Edward (Ned) Kelly who saved a boy from drowning. Its also the same Edward (Ned) Kelly who hung by his neck till dead 11th November 1880 for his crimes.

I, like most Australians, I believe, was rather ambivalent towards the Saga of Ned Kelly until I read Leo Kennedy's book, it is certainly not a sloppy work of fiction, a couple of hundred pages of facts. As some can attest I am not an apologists for the police when I spy injustice. Ned did have some legitimate beefs, but they were nothing out of the ordinary. The fact is he was born into a criminal family and easily fell in with the wrong crowd. That is not my gripe as far as the story goes. I am disgusted more so with the fact that three good men, actually four Constable Thomas McIntyre barely escaped with his life, have for 140 years been very much wrongfully maligned by many, and as a consequence their families have suffered. There is also the Ned Kelly industry which some people profit from. For example Leo Kennedy was disgusted at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics, a Ned Kelly impersonator, dressed in the infamous body armour and all, was part of the action. There was no Sargent Michael Kennedy as part of the joyful festivities only his murderer.

Issy, do I detect a modicum of sympathy from you, for the long dead Ned? I'm making the point that at time we as a society don't always get it right.

A bit off topic, but who are our real folk heroes, Don Bradman to name one, a true sporting (folk) hero. Phar Lap, a Kiwi horse, and that fails him on two counts.

Paul1405,
Yes, sad indeed about this Ned Kelly folk hero stuff. You ask about true Australian heroes,
well, they're swept under the carpet & never heard of again. The ones that go above the call of duty for low pay day in & day out & then go out & do volunteer work.

Paul,

"...were brutally murdered by Kelly and his gang at Stringybark Creek October 26th 1878."

The police were armed and according to some accounts went on the search for Kelly with gear for bringing back bodies.
As the police were armed and chose to fight rather than surrender then their killing was hardly brutal murder, don't seek to play on emotions.

I wonder why the author chose 'Black Snake' as a title?

Hi Issy and o sung wu,

By the account of his great-grandfathers death, actually an execution style murder, when the man was begging for his life for the sake of his wife and children, I haven't got the book with me (in Sydney at the moment), Ned made the other three take part in the actual killing of Sargent Kennedy, and bullets were pumped into the corps long after death. I find all murder brutal, the hanging of Ned was brutal in my opinion. Ned did claim it was a fair fight in his rambling 'Jahidera letter', but Ned's version of all these events did change many times.

A couple of points, the police were not in disguise wearing civvies, a common practice in those days to preserve the one and only uniform they had, and other than the helmet, paid for by the officer himself from a very mega pay, often taking up to two years to pay it off. The police were poorly armed in comparison to the bushrangers. There were no body bags (they didn't even exist at that time) or such like in the polices possession to transport the dead bushrangers. There was never any talk of bring them in dead or alive, beforehand. Ned through informants knew much more about the police strength and their movements than did the police know about the bushrangers. At Stringybark Creek the police thought the gang were miles away, when in fact they were very close. We don't know what was the police intention was, if they actually encountered the gang, bring them in, establish their whereabouts, its not that clear. Its a very good story, and worth a read.

"Black Snake", a title given to Ned Kelly by the bushranger Harry Power, whom Ned was "apprenticed" to at a young age. Ned gave Power up to police in return for amnesty for himself, Powers hated Kelly, and was pleased that he hung.

cont

cont

o sung wu, how do you thing you would have went as a bush constable back in the 1870's. Under paid, under trained, under resourced, up against an influx of ex-convicts, miles of territory to police, on your own, suffer isolation at some out in the bush location. A miserable life for many.

When you make a major bust, like a horse thief, grateful law abiding citizens might pass around the hat for you, to help you out. Sargent Kennedy was known as one who would share those gifts with others in the community who had helped him, some did not.

Hi there PAUL1405...

I reckon I would've gone pretty poorly actually, being a one-man show, up against some of these wily bushrangers with years of cunning eluding both police & troopers alike. Moreover, the lack of appropriate remuneration, inadequate training, and almost no vocational leadership, would remove any real incentive of trying to apprehend any of these fellows.

Especially at the risk of being wounded, or losing your life in some lonely tract of the backblocks, where the likelihood of being found (if injured), was remote?

Somehow, given all the pressures, and diversions police face today, I'd much rather remain in present times, with all the modern gizmo's available to us. As opposed to trying to tackle a group of tough men in the personages of these shrewd Bushrangers.

My knowledge of this branch of Oz history is lacking - However, didn't the police play 'dirty pool' with many of these Bushrangers? I don't know the circumstances, but there's something in the back of my mind? Instances of double-crossing, false promises, etc. Some might aver, nothing's changed with the coppers - The still play 'dirty pool' with the accused person, even today!

Don't forget why many decent people become criminals.

Paul,

You seem to have a new bible, best of luck.

But characterizing Ned with the likes of Murphy is a tad far fetched.

"...coward, a thief and a murderous outlaw, up there with the likes of Murphy"

Now Ned was not a coward, he did save a boys life at some risk to himself and was a pugilist of some note, he was certainly a thief and on a grand scale, but he was never a murderous outlaw, as he became an outlaw because of the murders.
The police are said to have had the equipment used for strapping bodies to pack horses.

As you say Ned was better informed about the police than they were about him, one wonders why, if he was not held in esteem by the locals?

I wondered about the appellation 'Black Snake' as the common red bellied black is the least venomous of our 10 most venomous snakes and has never, as far as is known, killed anyone (made them very sick, though), this particular snake is actually a useful bloke to have around as he eats other snakes and is usually not aggressive.

Okay, Issy I'm not trying to characterise Ned Kelly as a Murphy or a Milat, he was not that. I don't want to make comparisons, nor do I want to score murderers on some phoney scale, that's not me.

What I brought up was the fantasy about Ned Kelly being some kind of folk hero. That in my view is undeserving. He was party to four murders, two attempted murders, a long, long list of other crimes. He had a detrimental impact on the lives of many law abiding citizens.

As for informers, the family connections were extensive in Kelly country, as was the criminal connections with the Greta Mob. BTW the word larrikin had far worse connotations then, than it has today. A larrikin was a real a-hole in those days.

o sung wu, the police were poorly armed, Sargent Kennedy was fortunate to borrow an old rifle from a doctor friend to take along, as the police expedition had only one rifle, along with the officers service pistols, and limited ammunition. No such thing as target practice, ammunition for such things had to be paid for out of ones own pocket. Ned personally had a shotgun and four pistols, and the rest of the gang were also well armed with a good supply of ammunition. The poor bloody coppers were totally ambushed, they had not even posted a lookout, as they thought the gang was miles away, and there was nothing to worry about, they didn't stand a chance.

Issy, I did enjoy that book, I always like a good story with lots of facts. I'm now reading a book on Australian larrikins and rough nuts, also very interesting.

The way ordinary people were treated by authority in those days (& even now) just for their natural instinct to survive didn't make them criminals morally, only technically.
A few Ned Kellys let loose on the dodgy authorites would actually be of good use these days.

Paul,

The Kelley mob were poorly armed before Stringybark Creek, they were much better armed after they took the police weapons.
That said they probably had little knowledge of firearms otherwise they'd have used their ill-gotten gains to buy some modern firearms.

Such as are available today from the period.

Hi Issy, they were all licenced at the local gun club, past the test and all LOL. Sorry wrong again, the Kelly Gang had raided properties and were well armed. On the point of body bags, or straps or such things to bring in the dead bushrangers, there is absolutely no evidence to support that at all, where is your evidence, a link or two will do. There is no evidence that the police party was given any brief to shoot on sight, then why a small party of four if that was the case

At Glenrowan the police numbered, along with spectators, more than 50. I think the Chief Inspector brought his wife along for the picnic. Now there's another terrible act, it was Kelly's intention to derail the special police train near Glenrowan and kill every last one on board, the bloke was a terrorists!

Ned was the instigator of the murder of police informer Aaron Sherritt as well as the three officers. Kidnapped people and held them hostage, robbed banks and farms. His charge sheet was terrible.

I can't resist, you do it to me! BTW, there was no "Kelley mob" you need to get Spell Check, Grammarly and the Oxford dictionary. That is atrocious, that is terrible, you put and "e" where there should be no "e". I'm mortified, horrified and any other fied you can think of. This will live with you for the rest of your days! Our friendship will never be the same, this could be the beginning of WWIII, I'm going outside and up chuck, I'm that sickened! Anyway have a good day my friend, we'll trade insults again later.

And just to carry the conversation on Ned Kelly's, and the rest of his gangs, body armour was STUPID! and that's a fact.

Paul,

I couldn't care less about the Kellys, it was only your very unfair comparison with Murphy etc., which caught my interest.
As regards weapons, Ned's favourite was a chopped down Enfield carbine that made a very unhandy single shot muzzle loading pistol.

He also had a Colt percussion revolving rifle, a gun decidedly out of date even by that time; I suggest that you read more than one book.

The existing Kelly weapons (with some provenance) are all technically inferior to what was available new at the time.
Ned Kelly guns are like Cobb and Co shotguns, more numerous as the years go bye!!

Come on Issy, involvement in four murders, two attempted murders, that's up there with the worse criminals. Ned Kelly was a professional criminal from an early age, leader of an organised crime gang. My point is he never was a hero, as he has been portrayed. In fact, today I would expect Ned Kelly would get the same sentence as Murphy got, and in those days Murphy would have got the same sentence Kelly got, hanged, the law would treat them the same.
The difference is Kelly has been portrayed as a folk hero, Murphy will never be that.

Where is your (reliable) evidence on the guns?
Where is your (reliable) evidence on the body bags?

I don't believe anyone could deny, there was a depraved level of evil, deeply entrenched into the souls of the five COBBY killers viz. John TRAVIS (ringleader); Michael MURDOCH, & Michael, Leslie, and Gary MURPHY. I have very little knowledge of the KELLY Gang, other than reading a few brief outlines of Ned's exploits, in Newspapers.

Nevertheless, (I stand to be corrected), never have I read any accounts of crimes, occasioned against a helpless woman, anywhere near the brutality & ruthlessness that finally took the life of Ms. Anita COBBY? I again state, I was not part of that investigation either. That said, somehow I couldn't imagine for a moment, a murderer of the calibre of Ned KELLY would engage in such rank barbarism against a defenceless woman. I may well be wrong, but I don't think so?

There was only one crime that had eclipsed what was done to Anita COBBY? It was the slaughter of Virginia MORSE of Moree, in NSW. I was not involved in the investigation either, but I had quite a bit to do with the two perpetrators Alan BAKER & Kevin CRUMP. I'll not go over old ground. Other than to say, I would doubt very much, whether any Bushrangers of that time, would murder a woman with the same degree of viciousness as that which had terminated the lives of both, Mrs. MORSE & Ms. COBBY respectively There are indeed, monsters lurking among us, every day of our lives.

o sung wu

Its difficult to compare levels of depravity. You can be sure though that many men and women involved with ISIS are just as depraved if not more. And to think so many are still in our country. The way some of the Lebanese muslims treated aussie girls in Sydney in the early 2000's was atrocious.

Hi there RUNNER...

You're not wrong my friend, though I've seen more than my share of savage bashings orchestrated by Muslim men, it's not above them to inflict 'over the top' injuries to their victims. Among their favourite methods, is to put the old Julies MARLOW in, when the victim is unable to defend themselves. Another favored tactic is to align their victims mouth on the edge of the gutter, and then 'stomp' down on the back of the recipient's neck, inflicting massive injuries to; the mouth, teeth, jaw, and eye cavities. AKA the 'Lebanese Kiss'! Resulting in many months of Hospital admissions & treatment.

Please don't misunderstand me, RUNNER, I'm not in any way, singling out Muslims or Lebanese per se. It's just this group's usual pattern of violence - is quite closely aligned, with what I've just described herein. Thanks RUNNER.

Paul,

"Where is your (reliable) evidence on the guns?
Where is your (reliable) evidence on the body bags?"

Just Google the Kelly guns there's plenty on there, as for the number of 'real' Kelly guns, anyone can carve or burn a 'K' into a wooden grip.
Likewise "Cobb & Co" burned into shotgun stocks.

As you said earlier, they didn't have body bags back then; so no evidence for something that didn't exist.

Have a look at this
http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/long-sought-after-kelly-gang-gun-hid-rocky-112-yea/1632281/
now tell me why he would have preferred it to this,
http://www.taylorsfirearms.com/hand-guns/cartridge-revolvers/1875-army-outlaw-revolver.html

The Remington and the more famous Colt of 1873 were available in Australia as were numerous other makes of revolving pistols.

I'd like to meet the bloke who bought Dan's pistol; I've got some gilt-edged shares in the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House that I'm willing to sell.

Not quite on the topic but relevant to the mentality of Law enforcement.

Reporter’s question:
“How can President Trump claim to represent all U.S citizens, regardless of sexual orientation, when he banned transgenders from joining the military? Isn't that discrimination?”

Congressman Trey Gowdy's response:
“Nobody has a right to serve in the Military. Nobody. What makes people think the Military is an equal opportunity employer? It is very far from it... and for good reasons. Let me cite a few.
“The Military uses prejudice regularly and consistently to deny citizens from joining for being too old or too young, too fat or too skinny, too tall or too short. Citizens are denied for having flat feet, or for missing or additional fingers.”
Clearly annoyed by the reporter's attempt to trap him with the question he went on to explain:
"By the way, poor eyesight will disqualify you, as well as bad teeth. Malnourished? Drug addiction? Bad back? Criminal history? Low IQ? Anxiety? Phobias? Hearing damage? Six arms? Hear voices in your head? Self-identification as a Unicorn? Need a special access ramp for your wheelchair? Can't run the required course in the required time? Can't do the required number of push-ups? Not really a ‘morning person’ and refuse to get out of bed before noon? All can be legitimate reasons for denial.
"The Military has one job: Winning War. Anything else is a distraction and a liability. Did someone just scream, ‘That isn't Fair?’ War is VERY unfair; there are no exceptions made for being special or challenged or socially wonderful.
“YOU must change yourself to meet Military standards... not the other way around. I say again: You don't change the Military... you must change yourself. The Military doesn't need to accommodate anyone with special issues. The Military needs to Win Wars.. and keep our Country safe... PERIOD!
“If any of your personal issues are a liability that detract from readiness or lethality.. ‘Thank you for applying and good luck in future endeavours’.
“Any other questions?"

In my post above the link doesn't have a photo of Dan's strangely unsinged pistol, one would think that the wood would have burned a bit in the fire.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/9692200/Gun-used-at-Ned-Kellys-last-stand-set-to-fetch-82000-at-auction.html

Did anyone mention that one of the females arrested and charged over the assault on police works in CHILD CARE? How could anyone trust their kids to a creature like that?

ttbn,

Nothing surprises me; she'll keep her job, a bit of counselling perhaps by a sympathetic soul mate.

"Kayla Potts was bailed after allegedly punching a police officer."

ttbn //works in CHILD CARE? How could anyone trust their kids to a creature like that?//

Is Mise //Nothing surprises me; she'll keep her job, a bit of counselling perhaps by a sympathetic soul mate.//

Judge Issy, in what court of law did you find her guilty. And yes ttbn if found guilty in a properly constituted court of law, we may not want her working with children, in NSW she would most likely lose her accreditation.

ttbn, its not like your "Pell: Disgraceful Decision" obviously Ms Potts is not one of your favourites. BTW has Pell still got a working with children accreditation? Has his boss in Rome defrocked him yet?

Paul,

I got "Black Snake" from Inverell library and I must say that I'm impressed by the little that I've read so far.
The author comes across as a caring bloke, as I've known some of the "outlaw" family members for some 50 years, I liked that he also mentions what they have had to put up with as well as the police families.

More as I read more.

Hi Issy, Frank Gardiner the bushranger was an uncle of my grandfather, on my mothers side. Some mystery about the bushranger himself, they didn't get to hang him, one of the few. The great-grand mother moved from the Barwang/Harden district in the last quarter of the 19th century and purchased 250 acres of good pastoral land in the Wellington district. She brought with her two young sons, unusual for that time that a woman would have the means to make such a purchase, and have two children in toe. My grandfathers birth was registered as being at Barwang NSW in the name of Gardener, a name my grandfather always denied was his. He used the name of his step-father from the Wellington district whom his mother had married after the death of her husband?, who was never in the Wellington Shire, he also gave that name to his 13 children. The older brother took up property near Wellington on the step-fathers death, and my grandfather being the younger son inherited the 250 acres from his mother. Its still in the family.
My romantic cousin, she likes to believe that Frank Gardiner was the great-grandfather, and some of his hoard was passed on to his wife, before he fled Australia, and she moved to the Wellington district to wait for his return, which never came. Frank Gardiner died in San-Francisco in about 1880.

When you have read Leo Kennedy's book, let me know what you think. The main thrust of the book is the myth that is the Kelly story, and the on going lies and falsehoods, but worse for him is the way his ancestor and the others names have been blackened, when in fact its clear they were decent human beings, and Ned was the bad guy, who is now touted as the good guy.

Paul,

I'll definitely let you know.
Interesting link to Frank Gardiner, I have to go further back for my 'baddies'!

O Sung Wu- Your stories make me want to roll up my sleeves and go to work. But the point of this mafia style is to terrify the opposition. The left say don't fight back... this is evil. When the good do nothing... Maybe we should just all move to NT where we only have to worry about the crocs.

Individual- Yes thanks for your application... good point.

Hi there CANEM MALUM...Both INDIVIDUAL & RUNNER speak a lot of common sense. The difficulty arises when the public seek to position themselves in a more combative role with the police. Very often driven by a 'beat-up' by the media! The media are the greatest critics of the police, in fact, all Governments. Departments. As is their right just as long as there's evidence of wrongdoing. Whereas the police are always on the side of the people. Superficially, the police force is the muscle the public demand, whenever they see criminality occurring.

Many years back I attended a fulltime (mandatory) promotion course. One of our outside lectures held the Chair of Criminology at one of Sydney's leading Universities. He made a fantastic statement which when articulated, immediately brought the entire classroom from a sleepy reverie to a sudden alert - He said, among other things '...the public get the police force they deserve...'?

I spoke with my colleagues soon after, as to what precisely he meant by it. Or was it, as a few of them believe, some esoteric statement that had previously been assigned, to the dusty shelves of academia? Who knows? I'm much more pragmatic. I believe the essential duty of police, is the protection of life. It is followed then by the protection of property, with all that gives rise to. And the rest of it merely follows-on, depending entirely on its importance. Simplistic, maybe; pragmatic definitely.

O Sung Wu said- the essential duty of police, is the protection of life. It is followed then by the protection of property

Answer- Sounds correct to me mate- once in a while the pollies like to interfere with this from what I see.

Even though I understand why these "terrorists" put someone's mouth over the gutter- I think of the parents and families of these people. We shouldn't allow people from parts of the world where this is considered acceptable behavior. I guess it's easy to treat someone as a piece of meat when you are different enough. What is truly evil is those that allow it to be done to their own.

Hi (again) CANEM MALUM...

Fortunately, the 'Lebanese Kiss,' isn't nearly so prevalent as it was in my day when we had various Task Forces interdicting with these Islamic gangs in Bankstown & environs. The advent of bringing loads of Lebanese refugees to our shores was the responsibility of one of the worst, Liberal leaders in my living memory, one Malcolm FRASER.

At the time, the Lebanese civil war was in full swing, and FRASER decided to make himself a hero, by allowing many of these Lebanese refugees to enter Australia, without the benefit, of the full suite of checks, that should've been done!

Checks that were vital to Australia's security. Foreign Affairs; ASIO; ASIS; State & Federal Police; and the most important of all, ONA ('Office of National Assessments') very much a taciturn branch of the Military. In my book, Malcolm FRASER was probably the worst, and the most negligent politician we've ever had! Consequently we 'unwittingly' permitted hundreds of hardened Lebanese criminals, into our country! Just what was needed?

O Sung Wu- Interesting to see how history repeats itself- never quite the same but in interesting tedious ways. The do gooders can create problems. Charity starts at home...

Reminds one of Steinbeck- Mice And Men and the putting down of mad dogs- you can't save the world- you may be able to help little pieces of it- if you understand the pieces.

My solution to such things favours quick and decisive action. I admire the police that would see many of these incidents and still maintain relative composure despite the horror. When they try to get the hierarchy to deal with the underlying problem it must be extremely frustrating. I can understand why some can't stop the pictures in their heads.

These events are not as common as the public perception perhaps but there are other events that occur above communities standard of acceptable behavior but below the threshold of law. It's fascinating the interaction of cultures and how the dominance submissive dichotomy plays out. Novelty is not stability.

Hi there CANEM MALUM...

You're right when you say, Society changes its standards and moral acceptabilities, occasionally below that which we see in our Statutes. Invariably, the community may demand amendments to the law, and it can take some years before those amendments are passed & written into Statute. Interestingly, Australian jurisprudence, like Great Britain's, take some time before you see them come into fruition. Something like the tectonic plates that cause havoc with the Earth's crust. They 'rumble' about making noise and letting off steam etc., 'til finally there's an eruption, and up she goes!

The police and their political masters, don't always make good bed-fellows. That said the politicians invariably win in any contest between the two. Their sworn duty still shackles the cops, so any thought of mounting any industrial action is seen as an empty threat nothing more. Police cannot go on Strike.

One thing my friend, the police force en masse, have very long memories. Any politician silly enough to make them their enemy is incredibly stupid and naive in the extreme. I could cite many an instance where some political opportunists, have erred, and only through the good graces of the police, they can be saved from themselves. CANEM MALUM, after over 32 years in the job, I've had more than enough. I still speak occasionally with a few former Colleagues who've yet to retire, but not too many, given my age. Thank you very much indeed for your insightful contribution. I do appreciate it.