Editor sacked for ‘unacceptable’

comments on shot police officer

THE editor of a regional newspaper has been stood down after allegedly posting insensitive comments on the killing of a young policeman on his Facebook page.

The publishers of the Glen Innes Examiner, a Fairfax-owned newspaper, released a statement today (Friday) saying editor, Matt Nicholls, had been stood down following the incident, Sydney media report.

Mr Nicholls is alleged to have written on his personal page that Wednesday evening’s killing of Constable Will Crews, who was born and bred in Glen Innes, would boost circulation of the paper.

He is also alleged to have suggested the Glen Innes Examiner would “make the most” of the tragedy in which the 26-year-old officer was shot dead during a drug raid in south-western Sydney.

The ninemsn website has reported that Mr Nicholls denied making the posts, but the publisher of the Examiner announced today he would be stood down as editor.

“The actions of Matt Nicholls, editor of Glen Innes Examiner newspaper, were totally unacceptable and we deeply regret any hurt caused to the family and friends of Constable Bill Crews and the Glen Innes community,” Allan Browne, the CEO and publisher of Australian Regional Publishing, Fairfax Media, says in a statement issued today.

“Mr Nicholls has been stood down from his position as editor, effective immediately.”

Students put Collarenebri

on the national rap map

A GROUP of student rappers has won national acclaim for a small school in the north-west of New South Wales.

Collarenebri Central School, north of Walgett, won a Red Cross Harmony Day Award for its rap song Harmony Rap featuring the refrain “you plus me equals us”.

School principal, Adrian King, says winning the award is “very exciting” for the 90 students at the small, isolated school that has an 80 per cent Indigenous student population.

The song features lines such as “create a culture of trust” and “this is a Dreamtime track bring harmony back”, and combines didgeridoo and modern instrumentation.

Mr King says the song was developed after a visit by two members of the community arts organisation Desert Pea Media.

Toby Finlayson and Matthew Priestly from Desert Pea shared their recording and writing skills with a group of students.

“The kids connected with Matt and Toby and engaged with the learning. They got to show off their talents through the rap,” says Mr King.

Along with the Harmony Day award, the school won a prize pack that included a digital video camera, a Red Cross first-aid kit and a party pack.

Mr King says the award win was warmly received by the school and wider community, which had been hit hard by the drought.

He says the community was proud of the students’ achievement which helps to “build bridges between the school and community”.

The key to success was having high expectations of Indigenous students, Mr King says.

Two new magistrates for

the Local Court of NSW

A BARRISTER from Orange and senior solicitor with Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS) have been appointed as magistrates of the Local Court of New South Wales.

David Day is a highly respected barrister and Caleb Franklin is one of the ALS’s most senior solicitors, says Attorney-General, John Hatzistergos.
Mr Day began his career as a solicitor in Sydney and has been based in Orange since 1989, where he has practised primarily in the state’s Central West and other parts of regional NSW.
“Mr Day has been a highly respected legal practitioner for more than a quarter of a century and his elevation to the bench of the Local Court is well deserved,” says Mr Hatzistergos.
Mr Day has appeared in most courts in NSW, including the Local, District and Supreme Courts, practising in criminal, civil and family law.
Mr Day became a barrister in 1997 and is currently on the NSW Bar Association Bar Exam marking panel.
Mr Franklin is currently principal solicitor for the largest zone of the Aboriginal Legal Service in NSW and the ACT, supervising its operations in Sydney, Canberra, Wollongong, Nowra and Moruya.
As a criminal lawyer for the ALS, Mr Franklin has appeared regularly in courts in the Sydney metropolitan region, including the Local Court, the Children’s Court, the District Court, the Supreme Court, the Coroner’s Court and the State Parole Authority.
During his 10 years at the Aboriginal Legal Service, Mr Franklin has also co-ordinated a 24-hour legal advice and welfare hotline for Indigenous people taken into custody.
Before joining the ALS, Mr Franklin worked for a private law firm and appeared as an advocate in a range of civil court matters.
“Mr Franklin’s ability to manage a large and varied workload will place him in good stead to serve on the bench of one of the nation’s busiest courts,” Mr Hatzistergos says.
“I congratulate Mr Day and Mr Franklin on their appointments and I look forward to them making valuable contributions to the judiciary of NSW.”
Mr Day and Mr Franklin will be sworn in as magistrates on October 11.

Police unite for blitz

on drunken violence

POLICE across Australian and New Zealand have joined forces again for a blitz on alcohol misuse, violence and anti-social behaviour this weekend.
Following the success of last year’s Operation Unite, a strong and focussed police presence will flood the streets of every Australian state and territory, and across New Zealand, targeting those breaking the law in relation to alcohol-related crime.
Operation Unite demonstrates the joint resolve of police commissioners to change Australia and New Zealand’s culture of binge drinking in public places and challenge the drinking public to take greater responsibility for its behaviour, says New South Wales Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione.
“This large-scale, Australian and New Zealand-wide operation aims to send a strong and clear message – police will not put up with alcohol-related violence, drunken behaviour and other related crime,” says Commissioner Scipione, who is spokesman for Operation Unite.
“Alcohol misuse and related violence, and anti-social behaviour, are problems across Australia and New Zealand.
“That is why police jurisdictions across both countries have come together to make a stand with Operation Unite.
“But tackling this issue is not something that police can do on their own.
“Police are looking for the community to also make a stand and to push for a change in culture and acceptable standards of behaviour.
“To truly address this issue, we must all say no to excessive drinking and drunken, violent and anti-social behaviour.
“What police want, and what I believe we all want, is safe communities for everyone to enjoy at all times of the day and night.
“According to a report released last month by the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation, the total cost of alcohol misuse to communities across Australia is estimated to be $36 billion each year.
“All we are asking is that you take responsibility for your own actions as well as those of your friends, family and workmates.
“Officers too often have to take intoxicated people back to police cells because they are too drunk to remember where they live,” the Commissioner says.
“This operation is not about restricting choices and freedoms of the law-abiding majority but about instilling in everyone, a sense of personal responsibility.
“There is no fun in ending the night in a police cell or a hospital bed . . . poor decision-making fuelled with alcohol can result in a life changing experience – usually for the worse.”
The police action will involve overt and covert licensing operations, random breath testing, mounted police, the dog squad and other specialist commands.
The two-day trans-Tasman operation starts tomorrow (Friday).

AFP hosts global missing

children’s conference

THE Australian Federal Police (AFP), with the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), is hosting the 2010 Global Missing Children’s Network Conference beginning today (Wednesday) in Sydney.

The conference will conclude on Friday. It is the first time it has been held in Australia.

AFP Commissioner, Tony Negus, says the 2010 conference, the third of its kind, will focus on global issues facing countries when dealing with missing persons cases.

“The issues for discussion include cross border investigation and resource tools, technology assisting in the recovery of missing children, global research and working with and supporting families,” Commissioner Negus says in a statement.

“Statistics show that two to three children are abducted from or into Australia each week and about 650 parental child abductions occur in Australia each year.

“We are not conditioned to living with uncertainty, but for families of missing children they live with this heart-breaking uncertainty every day until there is a resolution or location of their child.”

The Global Missing Children’s Network (GMCN) was established in 1998 in response to a need to share technology, resources and information between agencies internationally in relation to recovering missing children.

In 2008, the GMCN conference was hosted by the United States, with Germany hosting the event in 2009.

The GMCN also participates in a global campaign for International Missing Children’s Day held in May. The AFP, in partnership with ICMEC, drives this campaign, says Commissioner Negus.

The focus of the 2010 campaign was on the growing number of parental child abduction cases and the emotional and physical implications on a child who is taken by someone they trust.

Nine GMNC members participated in International Missing Children’s Day campaign in May this year.

Toxic waste gamble costs

bogus contractor $36,000

A CENTRAL Coast man has been fined a total of $30,000 and ordered to pay $5940 in costs after pretending to be a legitimate collector of toxic dry-cleaning waste and then illegally dumping it to support his gambling habit.
Gerald Parry was convicted by the Parramatta Local Court on Monday of six charges of unlawfully transporting and disposing of toxic waste and fined $5000 for each offence.

The court heard that between 2006 and 2008, Parry was paid about $15,000 for unlawfully disposing of 3000 litres of toxic dry-cleaning waste at a facility which was not licensed to take it or in general waste bins.

Parry came up with the scheme as a way of making money to gamble with, the court was told.

In sentencing, Magistrate Betts described Parry’s behaviour as premeditated, dangerous and deceitful.

Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water director general, Lisa Corbyn, says Parry acted in a reckless and dangerous manner.

“Mr Parry used his role as a salesperson for a legitimate waste storage and recovery facility to pretend he was lawfully able to collect and dispose of waste from dry cleaners,” Ms Corbyn says.

“Dry-cleaning waste of this kind must be handled carefully and disposed of properly to avoid damage to human health and the environment.

“Mr Parry profited from behaviour which was reckless and potentially dangerous to the environment and community and I welcome the penalty handed down . . .”

Dry cleaning waste includes perchlorethylene, a dry cleaning solvent which is a suspected carcinogen, toxic to ecosystems and is a major source of ground water contamination.

By wearing his work uniform, driving a work car and supplying his work business cards and invoices, Parry was able to continue the pretence for about 18 months between 2006 and 2008, the court heard.

He was not authorised to collect the waste by his employer or any other waste facility.

Three arrested over alleged

bikie tattoo shop extortion

THREE men – two of them alleged members of the Rebels bikie gang – are in police custody on extortion-related charges following their arrest yesterday (Tuesday) in the Newcastle area.

Gangs Squad detectives formed Strike Force Crinan to investigate the alleged extortion of tattoo shops in Port Stephens and surrounding areas by members of the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang, police say.
About 11:15am yesterday, police arrested the men aged 48, 44, and 41, following a vehicle stop at Bennetts Green.
The 48- and 44-year-old men are apparently members of the Rebels, police say.
All three men were taken to Belmont Police Station and charged with knowingly deal with the proceeds of crime, participate in criminal groups, and demand money with menace.
Each was refused bail to appear in Newcastle Local Court today (Wednesday).
Police also raided four locations, at Kahibah, Kitchener, Hamilton South and a clubhouse in Wickham.
Police allegedly located and seized items including hydroponic plants, cannabis leaf, crystal methamphetamine, prohibited articles, and relevant documents and clothing.