Many will disagree but Australian TV plays a huge role in the mentality depreciation of people here.
The average legal Bogan won't know any better but those with some sense will eventually find themselves cornered to beyond the ability of coping with so much stereo idiocy . They're the ones who tend to snap !

ttbn,

You don't live in NSW where the prosecution, in self-defence cases, has to prove that the victim was not in fear of their life.

PAUL,

Paul,

AS far as we know the offender in Darwin was not licenced, had an illegal firearm, was on electronically monitored probation etc., etc.

Fortunately, it was not a massacre by Australian standards, so the gun laws are working!!

Whenever I had to deal with similar situations to this - elderly people feeling unsafe in their own homes, I would advise them to make a few external security modifications to their home, to a standard they could afford, and that alone would make them feel that much safer than usual. A bit of psychology, as well as adding to the external security of their house.

Unfortunately, some OAP are renting, and their Landlord would not permit any physical modifications to his property, either internally or externally - on pain of a complete loss of their deposit, which in some cases amounted to circa $1,500 - $2,000 Bond. Which I thought was most unreasonable given the circumstances. One fellow, I went to bat for, finally relented and allowed a monitored intruder alarm to be installed. On the understanding, when the tenant decided to vacate the premises, he relinquished ownership of the System when he departed? Well, that's fair isn't - Not!

These poor buggers, as well as feeling unsafe, they have to comply with draconian Landlords who were taking every spare $ they could, from these older people? Their only crime was getting old. I've got to admit there's only so much the coppers can do for the elderly renters. It's the Landlords who hold all the cards, and even when the police intercede on behalf of these elderly folk, if the Landlord won't budge, well there's not a great deal the police can do, without making it a lot worse, for the helpless tenant, in any future dealings with the owner.

Of course Issy, if we took away all the guns then we would have no gun problem.

Would you support efforts to remove ALL guns from society?

Issy, how do you prevent a deranged killer from stealing a 12 gauge shotgun and going on a murderous rampage killing four and seriously injuring one.

Can't rely on incompetent coppers! The Darwin killer was fitted with a tracking device, yet it took the cops an hour to locate him in the relatively small city of Darwin. That's one they are going to have to explain.