Having reported on crime extensively in South Africa, I was quite interested to read an article in my local newspaper this week.
The front page headline read...
DEFIANT
Bullet won't stop the presses
NOTHING will stop the presses of the Chinese newspaper
Epoch Times -- not even a drive-by shooting. "If anything
we might expand," says the defiant manager after the
Sunnybank newspaper was targeted.
Shew, I thought, bullets flying. That's quite something to happen in a local neighbourhood.
I duly turned to page 3 to read the story...
I had to read to the third paragraph to come across the following:
"A projectile, which police said may have come from an air rifle or BB gun, was fired at the Epoch Times' Mains Rd office, splintering a window only metres from where staff were meeting inside."
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Friday, November 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Bits and Bobs: Life in Australia
Used to the sight of street children, begging adults holding children at traffic lights, and South African debates about how to best deal with street children and beggers, I found the following article in our local newspaper interesting: Our local McDonalds (or Maccas, as it's known here) recently called the police when a mother sat down with her children (boys aged one and four) on the median strip in a busy road after buying food for the children from the fast food outlet. The McDonalds staff were concerned and called the police, who found the 32 year old woman was doped up on valium, having taken the drug just before their outing. She pleaded guilty to two counts of endangering the life of a child.
Cash toll booths have been closed on two of our nearby motorways. We have a tag inside our cars that registers as we go through the toll, and when we reach a minimum amount of credit, the next instalment is charged to our credit card. Although the tags have been available for some time, it is only in the last month that the cash toll booths have been closed. There are now various ways to pay -- either using the tags as we've got, or using a video system which enables you to have an account and the video of you going through the toll to be matched to your account and your toll fee deducted. You can also charge your credit card for a period of travel (between one and 30 days) -- included in the charge is a video matching fee. While the system is still being phased in, if you don't have any of these systems in place when you go through the toll, you'll have three days to go into a centre and pay your toll! (By the way, there was also an advert in the local paper thanking the toll collectors that had made a significant contribution to Queensland Motorways for the past 23 years. The advert states: "With less than a week to go before the toll booths close on 22 July, we encourage you to take the opportunity to farewell your favourite toll collector as you pass through the toll booths." How nice is that?
The Lord Mayor of Brisbane Campbell Newman refers to the problem of dumped shopping trolleys that I mentioned in a previous blog. Relatively speaking, of course, this is a really serious problem. Writes the Lord Mayor: "These abandoned trolleys are smashed into cars by vandals. They are pushed into creeks or left in the middle of the road to be struck by unsuspecting motorists. It will now be an offence to walk down the street with a shopping trolley without a good reason." Talking about other by-law type legislation, the Lord Mayor says that the council will also be going after people who litter the city with unauthorised billboards and posters. "These new local laws will allow us to target the people who authorise the distribution of these posters and not just the poor mugs who get paid a pittance to put them up, unaware of the legality." Newman concludes by writing: "I want each and every one of you to be fiercely proud of your local suburb but it's hard to be proud of your local suburb when it looks like a garbage dump."
Residents of Holland Park, a suburb covered by the community newspaper that we receive, are being offered free one-way screws to secure their car registration (number) plates after a recent spate of licence plate thefts. What a crime prevention initiative! The crime prevention police launched Screws on Crime enabling residents to secure their licence plates with one-way screws. The plates were being stolen by thieves wanting to commit 'petrol drive-offs' or other crimes. The police said that in the current economic climate registration plates are often stolen and fitted to another vehicle so the vehicle can be filled with fuel and driven away without paying. Of course, the stolen registration plate makes it difficult to track down the responsible person.
Footpaths are another issue that were raised in a recent magazine column written by Lord Mayor Campbell Newman. This financial year Brisbane council will spend at least $23million on footpaths -- about $9million more than last year. Newman writes: "Believe it or not, footpaths are one of those issues that split communities -- like traffic calming. Many people don't want a concrete footpath. They prefer grass, while others want sure footing as they walk down the straight. Those who do want a footpath would prefer it goes on the other stide of the street and so on and so forth. It's a real balancing act." Whew. Not being used to the general availability of footpaths, we've just been really appreciative to have them at all!
Cash toll booths have been closed on two of our nearby motorways. We have a tag inside our cars that registers as we go through the toll, and when we reach a minimum amount of credit, the next instalment is charged to our credit card. Although the tags have been available for some time, it is only in the last month that the cash toll booths have been closed. There are now various ways to pay -- either using the tags as we've got, or using a video system which enables you to have an account and the video of you going through the toll to be matched to your account and your toll fee deducted. You can also charge your credit card for a period of travel (between one and 30 days) -- included in the charge is a video matching fee. While the system is still being phased in, if you don't have any of these systems in place when you go through the toll, you'll have three days to go into a centre and pay your toll! (By the way, there was also an advert in the local paper thanking the toll collectors that had made a significant contribution to Queensland Motorways for the past 23 years. The advert states: "With less than a week to go before the toll booths close on 22 July, we encourage you to take the opportunity to farewell your favourite toll collector as you pass through the toll booths." How nice is that?
The Lord Mayor of Brisbane Campbell Newman refers to the problem of dumped shopping trolleys that I mentioned in a previous blog. Relatively speaking, of course, this is a really serious problem. Writes the Lord Mayor: "These abandoned trolleys are smashed into cars by vandals. They are pushed into creeks or left in the middle of the road to be struck by unsuspecting motorists. It will now be an offence to walk down the street with a shopping trolley without a good reason." Talking about other by-law type legislation, the Lord Mayor says that the council will also be going after people who litter the city with unauthorised billboards and posters. "These new local laws will allow us to target the people who authorise the distribution of these posters and not just the poor mugs who get paid a pittance to put them up, unaware of the legality." Newman concludes by writing: "I want each and every one of you to be fiercely proud of your local suburb but it's hard to be proud of your local suburb when it looks like a garbage dump."
Residents of Holland Park, a suburb covered by the community newspaper that we receive, are being offered free one-way screws to secure their car registration (number) plates after a recent spate of licence plate thefts. What a crime prevention initiative! The crime prevention police launched Screws on Crime enabling residents to secure their licence plates with one-way screws. The plates were being stolen by thieves wanting to commit 'petrol drive-offs' or other crimes. The police said that in the current economic climate registration plates are often stolen and fitted to another vehicle so the vehicle can be filled with fuel and driven away without paying. Of course, the stolen registration plate makes it difficult to track down the responsible person.
Footpaths are another issue that were raised in a recent magazine column written by Lord Mayor Campbell Newman. This financial year Brisbane council will spend at least $23million on footpaths -- about $9million more than last year. Newman writes: "Believe it or not, footpaths are one of those issues that split communities -- like traffic calming. Many people don't want a concrete footpath. They prefer grass, while others want sure footing as they walk down the straight. Those who do want a footpath would prefer it goes on the other stide of the street and so on and so forth. It's a real balancing act." Whew. Not being used to the general availability of footpaths, we've just been really appreciative to have them at all!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Crime
I found it really interesting (especially after writing extensively about crime in South Africa) to read a round up about the local crime in a community newspaper recently. It was for the bay area which is west of where we live. The report showed individual incidents that had occurred. This is a summary:
The main story was an appeal for witnesses to an assault that took place outside a hotel/bar recently.
Other incidents were listed per area
Alexandra Hills
1. Car broken into. Swiss army knife stolen
2. Camper trailer stolen from driveway between 8pm on May 31 and 3.30pm on June 2.
3. Attemted break and enter at a house
4. Window of a classroom at the state high school broken. A fluoro light bulb and covers stolen
5. Car parked at shopping centre damaged between 11pm on June 5 and 1am on June 6
6. Brick used to smash 13 windows at high school. Soft drinks stolen from canteen.
7. Closed circuit camera stolen from sports club. Offender was on a bicycle.
Birkdale
1. Glass panel of door at primary school broken
Cleveland
1. Four hubcaps stolen from car parked in underground car park of shopping centre between 11am and 1pm
Capalaba
1. Two number plates stolen from car
2. Car broken into and property stolen
3. Two registration plates stolen from car
4. Rocks thrown at a car parked in a school car park
5. Business broken into and unsuccessful attempt to open a safe
6. School broken into. Furniture and other items thrown out of the window
7. Welding equipment stolen from business
8. People seen throwing rocks and breaking panels of a bus shelter
Mount Cotton
1. Graffiti vandalism to a sign
2. Sledge hammer or crowbar used to open a locked wooden door of a convenience store, but nothing stolen
Thornlands
1. Car stolen from driveway. Keys were left in the ignition
Victoria Point
1. Purse and mobile phone stolen from outside a supermarket after the owner left them behind and returned to find them gone
Wellington Point
1. House broken into. Jewellery, household items, keys to car, and the car stolen
2. House broken into. Jewellery stolen
Coochiemudlo Island
1. House broken into. Alcohol stolen
2. House broken into. Money, alcohol and mobile phone stolen
The main story was an appeal for witnesses to an assault that took place outside a hotel/bar recently.
Other incidents were listed per area
Alexandra Hills
1. Car broken into. Swiss army knife stolen
2. Camper trailer stolen from driveway between 8pm on May 31 and 3.30pm on June 2.
3. Attemted break and enter at a house
4. Window of a classroom at the state high school broken. A fluoro light bulb and covers stolen
5. Car parked at shopping centre damaged between 11pm on June 5 and 1am on June 6
6. Brick used to smash 13 windows at high school. Soft drinks stolen from canteen.
7. Closed circuit camera stolen from sports club. Offender was on a bicycle.
Birkdale
1. Glass panel of door at primary school broken
Cleveland
1. Four hubcaps stolen from car parked in underground car park of shopping centre between 11am and 1pm
Capalaba
1. Two number plates stolen from car
2. Car broken into and property stolen
3. Two registration plates stolen from car
4. Rocks thrown at a car parked in a school car park
5. Business broken into and unsuccessful attempt to open a safe
6. School broken into. Furniture and other items thrown out of the window
7. Welding equipment stolen from business
8. People seen throwing rocks and breaking panels of a bus shelter
Mount Cotton
1. Graffiti vandalism to a sign
2. Sledge hammer or crowbar used to open a locked wooden door of a convenience store, but nothing stolen
Thornlands
1. Car stolen from driveway. Keys were left in the ignition
Victoria Point
1. Purse and mobile phone stolen from outside a supermarket after the owner left them behind and returned to find them gone
Wellington Point
1. House broken into. Jewellery, household items, keys to car, and the car stolen
2. House broken into. Jewellery stolen
Coochiemudlo Island
1. House broken into. Alcohol stolen
2. House broken into. Money, alcohol and mobile phone stolen
Monday, January 12, 2009
In the News
Being a journalist I find it interesting to see what is in the news -- the community newspapers especially, have some really quirky stories every now and then. I guess it is the case everywhere, but I thought it would be fun to record some of the stories that appear in the news here.
Our local newspaper has a story this week about on-the-spot fines for offences such as public urination or offensive, disorderly, threatening or violent behaviour, where there is no need to arrest the offender. Basically the new system enables police to issue fines between $75 and $300 for public nuisance offences. These fines are issued in the same way that people are given a traffic ticket.
Quite an innovative idea and it is hoped that it will free up the courts. There has been some cricisim though that certain people could be unfairly targeted. Those mentioned: People with prostate and kidney problems, the homeless, and even those who urinate in the ocean.
Our local newspaper has a story this week about on-the-spot fines for offences such as public urination or offensive, disorderly, threatening or violent behaviour, where there is no need to arrest the offender. Basically the new system enables police to issue fines between $75 and $300 for public nuisance offences. These fines are issued in the same way that people are given a traffic ticket.
Quite an innovative idea and it is hoped that it will free up the courts. There has been some cricisim though that certain people could be unfairly targeted. Those mentioned: People with prostate and kidney problems, the homeless, and even those who urinate in the ocean.
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