Marcus Einfeld was a judge. He knows how seriously the courts view perjury. So far there has been no explanation at all as to why he chose to lie about a speeding offence. Speeding is stupid. It is irresponsible. A lot of people do it.
Einfeld would have been given a severe rap over the knuckles. He would have been fined. He might have lost his licence. Instead of that he has lost his reputation.
He has always been a fairly high profile figure but he probably ranks along with certain QCs and SCs in terms of legal excellence - and now every decision he has ever made has to be suspect. The presiding judge will have a difficult decision to make. Do you give a custodial sentence to one of your former colleagues?
Friday, 27 February 2009
Thursday, 26 February 2009
A little light stirring
My letter in support of Andrew Bolt made it into the 'Tiser this morning. I suspect tomorrow there will be some criticising me. There were a few criticising him this morning but most came out in support.
Those who do criticise will obviously not mind stealing from future generations. I still think we could work our way out of a recession but union demands will prevent that. Chesty Bond is going to Asia. This is understandable. Labour is cheaper there and there is more of it. Australians will unionise themselves out of jobs again.
Despite this the union movement wants the right to access the health and safety files of workers whether they belong to a union or not....clearly a ploy to enter the workplace and put pressure on non-unionists to join or rejoin the union. If they get this then more jobs will go.
Those who do criticise will obviously not mind stealing from future generations. I still think we could work our way out of a recession but union demands will prevent that. Chesty Bond is going to Asia. This is understandable. Labour is cheaper there and there is more of it. Australians will unionise themselves out of jobs again.
Despite this the union movement wants the right to access the health and safety files of workers whether they belong to a union or not....clearly a ploy to enter the workplace and put pressure on non-unionists to join or rejoin the union. If they get this then more jobs will go.
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Andrew Bolt
Andrew Bolt's column in today's 'Tiser is sure to raise some comments. The idea of taking responsibility for oneself or having anyone other than 'the government' pay will not be popular with many.
With the largesse it is currently spreading around it is little wonder that the government is so popular at present....and of course the Opposition will be blamed for failing to stop them spending all that money - just as it is currently being castigated for trying to prevent them now.
Do all those people putting their hands out realise that the money needs to be earned in the first place? Probably not.
With the largesse it is currently spreading around it is little wonder that the government is so popular at present....and of course the Opposition will be blamed for failing to stop them spending all that money - just as it is currently being castigated for trying to prevent them now.
Do all those people putting their hands out realise that the money needs to be earned in the first place? Probably not.
Monday, 23 February 2009
Long service leave
It seems we have about $31bn in yet to be claimed long service leave. Long service leave is a left over from the 18th and 19th century. It is something that is nice to have - like any holiday - but it is not something we can afford to continue with. Like maternity leave and holiday leave loading and a raft of other measures which give advantages to the employed without any return to the employer it needs to be removed from the Australian psyche of rights.
I can imagine the howls of rage and screams of outrage at this suggestion. The 'Tiser will almost certainly not publish such an inflammatory letter tomorrow. We will see.
I can imagine the howls of rage and screams of outrage at this suggestion. The 'Tiser will almost certainly not publish such an inflammatory letter tomorrow. We will see.
Sunday, 22 February 2009
Cultural literacy
My father came back from church this morning delighted because of two things, one he had been able to greet some acquaintances from nearly 50 years ago by name, two he had been able to share an AAMilne poem with another adult.
The first was made easy because someone said, "Did you know so-and-so is here?" The second is much less easy. The first made the other person feel good, the second made both people feel good. There is a certain thrill in coming together through a poem, in both being able to remember something just for the sheer pleasure of remembering it.
Do children get poetry to memorise now? What sort of poetry do they get? I have seen some of it and it is verse rather than poetry. Some of it is most certainly fun but it does not capture the imagination of the soul. It is not evocative.
The first was made easy because someone said, "Did you know so-and-so is here?" The second is much less easy. The first made the other person feel good, the second made both people feel good. There is a certain thrill in coming together through a poem, in both being able to remember something just for the sheer pleasure of remembering it.
Do children get poetry to memorise now? What sort of poetry do they get? I have seen some of it and it is verse rather than poetry. Some of it is most certainly fun but it does not capture the imagination of the soul. It is not evocative.
Saturday, 21 February 2009
Transport woes
Why did he have to complicate things? My old tricycle did not have a differential. This one has. It failed me yesterday. Something went crunch and I had great difficulty getting home. I am now without transport until it is fixed.
This is all very well but, in a car-free-too-far-to-walk-anywhere household, this is a problem. I should be going to a meeting this afternoon. One person who might have given me a ride has conjunctivitis - and I feel for her as it has apparently been exacerbated by the hot dry weather which she hates as much as I do. The other has to be at the meeting early as she is on 'door duty'.
I really would not be too fussed but as "shelf-elf" (lbrarian) I have new books to put on the shelf and I really need to do some work on the new catalogue. The formal part of the proceedings on the third Saturday is always very short and I would have plenty of time to work on it. Oh well, there are plenty of other things to do.
This is all very well but, in a car-free-too-far-to-walk-anywhere household, this is a problem. I should be going to a meeting this afternoon. One person who might have given me a ride has conjunctivitis - and I feel for her as it has apparently been exacerbated by the hot dry weather which she hates as much as I do. The other has to be at the meeting early as she is on 'door duty'.
I really would not be too fussed but as "shelf-elf" (lbrarian) I have new books to put on the shelf and I really need to do some work on the new catalogue. The formal part of the proceedings on the third Saturday is always very short and I would have plenty of time to work on it. Oh well, there are plenty of other things to do.
Thursday, 19 February 2009
On not getting 'the Marj'
So Media Mike (aka our Premier Mike Rann) has apparently given in to Marjorie Jackson-Nelson and decided to keep the Royal Adelaide Hospital name. The "RAH" also needs to be kept.
Adelaide does not need a super-size hospital in the middle of the city. It needs smaller hospitals further out and specialist hospitals at the RAH and the Flinders Medical Centre. This would be better for the young doctors in training.
Mike Rann cannot see beyond being remembered for a large, unwieldy and inefficient hospital over the railway tracks. It is typical of his entire premiership - it has all been about big in-your-face projects. It is time he thought about what is actually needed instead of tramlines to nowhere and other like projects. He could have done far more on water and sustainable power projects.
The other interesting thing however is that the RAH has 'Royal' in the name - and nobody, not even the most rabid republicans, have suggested changing it for that reason.
Australia does not need to become a republic. It is already a crowned republic but the lack of comment on "Royal" may be more significant than republicans would like.
Adelaide does not need a super-size hospital in the middle of the city. It needs smaller hospitals further out and specialist hospitals at the RAH and the Flinders Medical Centre. This would be better for the young doctors in training.
Mike Rann cannot see beyond being remembered for a large, unwieldy and inefficient hospital over the railway tracks. It is typical of his entire premiership - it has all been about big in-your-face projects. It is time he thought about what is actually needed instead of tramlines to nowhere and other like projects. He could have done far more on water and sustainable power projects.
The other interesting thing however is that the RAH has 'Royal' in the name - and nobody, not even the most rabid republicans, have suggested changing it for that reason.
Australia does not need to become a republic. It is already a crowned republic but the lack of comment on "Royal" may be more significant than republicans would like.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
