New royal hoax phone records twist

A student of a nursing college places a candle in front of a picture depicting nurse Jacintha Saldanha, during a candle-lit vigil. Picture: AP Source: AP

THE London nurse who took her own life after being pranked by Austereo for royal baby news is believed to have kept secret more phone calls from the radio network in the days before her suicide.

While details of the hoax call made to Saldanha in December 2012 made headline news around the world in the wake of her death and outrage over the hoax, it has emerged the Australian radio network has confirmed a number of follow up calls were made by the 2DayFM show responsible for the controversial prank.

The station says the calls were to ask permission to air the call.

A London Sunday Times investigation has claimed Southern Cross Austereo will present phone record evidence of four calls to the hospital, which previously denied it had been contacted for permission to air a controversial stunt, where DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian were given details on the condition of a newly pregnant Duchess of Cambridge after pretending to be Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles.

Michael Christian and Mel Greig interviewed on national television after the prank call. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

An inquest into Ms Saldanha's suicide death is scheduled for September 12 and 13 where at least one of the presenters, Greig, has committed to testifying about her role in the prank.

The hospital had held that there had been no further calls beyond the recorded material put to air by 2DayFM of another hospital staffer revealing private details on the morning sick princess.

But phone records may now allow for the possibility the 46-year-old nurse had received the calls but was too embarrassed to report them.

Mel Greig (R) and Michael Christian (L) leaving the 2Day FM radio office in Sydney's World Square. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

A 2DayFM spokesman said "we can confirm that four follow up calls were made to seek permission to air the call within an hour of the (prank) being made. Telstra has verified the calls coming from our Sydney studio and all being received at the same number in London (at the King Edward VII's hospital where Saldanha was night sister in charge).

"Because the calls were placed overseas, there was some debate about whether permission was needed. After the fourth call, we were advised internally we didn't need permission because (Saldanha) was not a resident of Australia."

Husband of late Jacintha Saldanha, Benedict Barboza, reacts as he and his son Junal, 16, left and daughter Lisha, 14, speak to the media. Picture: AP Source: AP

The newspaper report suggested this may have added to her distress and ultimately triggered her decision to hang herself in her nurses' accommodation quarters three days later.

"One of the calls was ended abruptly, but three others were long enough to have been a conversation. They were not made by the DJs, but members of the `Hot 30' show's production team.''

The additional calls were not recorded but the phone log confirms the destination number and the duration of the calls.

The Times said it is "highly likely the calls were answered by Jacintha and that she never disclosed these calls to another person before she hanged herself."

Ms Saldanha left behind three suicide notes and while two were left to her family, the third clearly implicates the two radio presenters, stating: "I hold the Radio Australians Mel Greig and Michael Christian responsible for their act. Please make them pay my mortgage. I am sorry, Jacintha."

The Times investigation also revealed details of Saldanha as a deeply troubled woman who had attempted suicide in late 2011 and may have again in early 2012.

After being diagnosed with a depressive disorder, she was referred to psychiatrist "in view of suicidal risk."

When she was discharged three days later, a doctor's note in her file read: "there is a risk of deliberate self-harm and the need for 24-hour supervision."

In the wake of Ms Saldanha's death and the scandal, Greig has been battling her own anguish and is also taking legal action against her employers.

###

21.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Millipedes 'blamed' for train bingle

HUNDREDS of tiny millipedes could be behind the collision of two trains on the Joondalup line that left six people injured this morning.

Two Perth trains collided at the Clarkson Station this morning. Source: PerthNow

Hundreds of Portuguese millipedes squashed on the tracks are suspected of causing a low-speed train collision at Clarkson. Picture: Berrington Kerris Source: PerthNow

HUNDREDS of tiny millipedes could be behind the collision of two trains on the Joondalup line that left six people injured this morning.

The two trains collided at the Clarkson train station about 6.40am. The collision occurred between a moving train and a stationary train which was taking on passengers going to Perth.

PTA spokesman David Hynes said the transport body was talking the matter very seriously and a full investigation into the incident was already underway.

"It was low speed (the collision)," Mr Hynes said.

"The stationary train was loading passengers at Clarkson and the other train was coming up behind it, as it would do being the next cab off the rank and it just hasn't been able to pull up in time.

"We don't know why.

"We are obviously looking quite seriously into that. We are very keen to find out what the circumstances were."

Mr Hynes said an ambulance was called to the scene to treat several people for stiff and sore necks.

"We have since had a couple of (injured) people put their hand up who continued on into Perth…I think we've got up to about five or six people who have reported they've got a stiff neck," he said.

Millipedes are being investigated as one possible cause, after the tiny arthropods were spotted in their hundreds on the tracks.

Drivers had previously been warned about the bizarre occurrence, with an infestation of Portuguese millipedes thought to have caused train tracks to become slippery when crushed by the wheels of a passing train last year.

The problem was reported in Rockingham and Kwinana, and on the freight network, with the PTA spraying insecticide in and around the tracks last September.

In 2009, a plague of the millipedes - latin name Ommatoiulus moreletii - overran railway tracks at Tallarook in central Victoria, causing several trains to be cancelled.

Services on both the Joondalup and Mandurah lines were delayed for about 15 minutes as a result of the incident. Services are now back to normal.

21.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rejected ticket brings $1m lotto luck

A PERTH mother has won a million dollars in Monday Lotto after taking home the ticket a customer in front of her decided they didn't want.

She bought the lucky ticket at the Yanchep Central Newsagency.

"For some reason they didn't want the ticket anymore, so I bought it along with some others. It was just fate, we were meant to have the million dollar ticket," the woman said.

The family is planning to pay off their mortgage, set their children up for the future and reduce work hours to spend more time as a family.

"There's even some left over for me to buy my first Harley-Davidson motorcycle," the father said.

Lotterywest is still waiting to hear from WA's three weekend Division 1 Lotto winners who each picked up a prize of $715,471.

21.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Deluge doesn't deter school protest

WA's education chief has congratulated schools for not letting today's stop-work meeting affect students, saying the "disruption was minimised."

Hundreds of education assistants and cleaners have walked off the job to protest at Parliament House.

United Voice members protest against planned education funding cuts which could cost up to 500 jobs in WA state schools. Picture: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow

Federal Education Minister Bill Shorten address WA teachers at a rally at Parliament House. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: PerthNow

United Voice members protest against planned education funding cuts which could cost up to 500 jobs in WA state schools. Picture: Kerris Berrington

WA's education chief has congratulated schools for not letting today's stop-work meeting affect students, saying the "disruption was minimised."

Education Department director-general Sharyn O'Neill said she was "disappointed" that education assistants had walked off the job for today's rally at Parliament House.

Education assistants walked off the job and braved wet weather and strong winds for the 12.30pm rally. Teachers and principals also took part in an after-school rally at Parliament House at 4pm.

PICTURES: Teachers and education assistants rally

The rallies were called to protest over cuts to education including 500 staff and 30% of special program funding, which will also mean about 350 teachers could lose their jobs next year as student numbers rise.

Ms O'Neill also claimed that education assistants who work with students with disabilities, along with cleaners and gardeners also took part in the rally – despite not being affected by the cuts to the education budget.

Join our LIVE forum and have your say on the issue

 "When a significant number of people leave their workplace, there is always an impact, but I congratulate school staff for the professional way they managed the situation to ensure programs continued as normally as possible," Ms O'Neill said.

"There was some modification to learning programs at some schools but staff rallied around to ensure that any disruption was minimised.

"I am disappointed that this situation has occurred during school hours and I thank parents for their patience today."

She said the 4pm rally organised by the State School Teachers Union, attended by over 1000 teachers and principals, had not affected classes.

Union demands

Resolutions passed at the meeting included a demand that the cuts be reversed by the close of business, Friday 6th September.

Failure to do so would result in further campaigning, including a stop work meeting before the end of the current term.

Following the rally, SSTUWA President Anne Gisborne met with State Education Minister Peter Collier to discuss the cuts.

"I took the opportunity to explain the impacts of some of these cuts on the most disadvantaged schools and students," she said.

"I also suggested that the Minister should call a meeting with the Premier, Brendan Grylls and Treasury officials to find a way out of this situation without ripping the heart out of education in this state."

Ms Gisborne said she had agreed to meet with the Minister again next week.

However, she said that while the union would be happy to continue to talk to the government, it would not be backing down on its threats for further industrial and political action.

Shorten addresses teachers

FEDERAL Education Minister Bill Shorten says it's "dreadful" that education has become a "political football" in the west.

Speaking at today's rally outside Parliament House, Mr Shorten said "some issues should be above politics".

"What is the political gain for the Coalition in taking out of schools education assistants who are helping with literacy, numeracy, helping kids with special needs?" he said.

"Parents of children with significant impairment are often made to feel like bullies in schools because they try and get scarce resources for their own kids.

"How dreadful is it that all of a sudden properly funding schools is a political football in Western Australia, where we see the Liberal Party cutting funds, cutting staff, cutting the future of children in Western Australian schools."

Mr Shorten also warned that the education of every child in Australia was "at stake" at this weekend's Federal election.

"If you have a child at a school in Australia, please understand if you want to see what Tony Abbott will do after September 7th, talk to any child's parents or any teacher or any education worker in Western Australia what Tony Abbott's role model, Colin Barnett, is already doing to education," he said.

"On September 7th, you can choose cuts to education, job losses, reduction in the chances of a great future for kids – or you can vote for Labor's costed, six-year positive vision which sees the best possible support going to every child in Australian schools."

EARLIER, hundreds of striking Education Department staff braved awful wintry conditions to protest planned funding cuts which could cost their jobs. 

United Voice members, many of them education assistants, joined a rally at Parliament House to voice their anger at the Liberal Government's funding cuts.

Earlier today, Education minister Peter Collier defended the cuts, saying WA public secondary schools are "amongst the most inefficient in the nation" in student-staff ratios.

Speaking on 720 ABC Radio this morning, Mr Collier defended the cuts that have been made to the education budget, as State Parliament prepares for two rallies protesting the move today.

The 150 people who will lose their jobs at the Education Department's central and regional offices will directly affect the classroom, the Community and Public Sector Union warns.

United Voice members protest against planned education funding cuts which could cost up to 500 jobs in WA state schools. Picture: Kerris Berrington Source: PerthNow

CPSU branch assistant secretary Rikki Hendon said teachers working in WA's public schools need the support of experienced departmental staff.

"Our members do a valuable job in supporting the participation of Aboriginal children in education, assisting schools to manage their finances, developing programs, writing curriculum, sourcing and cataloguing educational resources, providing administrative assistance and many other functions in both the central and regional education offices but much of this work is going to disappear," Ms Hendon said.

"These people provide the support that keeps teachers in classrooms and ensure they have the resources they need to effectively educate our children.
 
"When these positions are taken away the teachers will be spending less time in the classroom as they will have to do more administration, find their own educational resources and deal with things like information technology problems all on their own.
 
"The latest cutbacks are another example of the Barnett Government running down essential services such as education.
 
"These staff provide a range of support services to students and schools that help them work to their optimum and abolishing the jobs will be a major blow to the quality of education in Western Australia."

Ms Hendon said the specific head and regional office cutbacks will be in Aboriginal Education (3), Digital Curriculum (12), Finance and Administration (20), Financial Management (2), Goldfields regional office (2), ICT (9), Innovation, Performance and Research (4), Kimberley regional office (1), Midwest regional office (2), North West regional office (5), Early Childhood (3), Office of the Director General (7), South Metropolitan office (3), South West regional office (4), Statewide Planning and Delivery (29), Statewide Services (8) and Workforce (8).

Mr Collier said the new student-centred funding model, along with the cuts, would ensure a "more equitable distribution of teachers throughout our education system".

"I think principals and teachers are very professional people - they do understand what the situation is with regard to changes," he said.

"Change in education is difficult…

"I reinforce the point that in terms of ratios, particularly for secondary schools, we are amongst the most inefficient in the nation."

Mr Collier also said "a week is a long time in politics" as he claimed he was "confident" that a Federal Liberal Government would be willing to negotiate with WA over Gonski.

He said "teachers in WA are the highest paid in the nation" and "that is something to be applauded". But he said there were savings that needed to be made to ensure a fairer public education system.

The Barnett Government announced last week a new student-centred funding model for 2015, along with cuts to 500 jobs and reductions in programs that tackle behaviour, literacy and numeracy.

There is also a hiring freeze on teachers for 2014 and the prospect of school amalgamations and closures.

United Voice WA assistant secretary Carolyn Smith says industrial action is a last resort, but the education system has reached crisis point and members are angry.

Mr Collier isn't surprised by the reaction.

``Of course, when you have changes such as these, they cause a degree of anxiety and unrest,'' he told ABC radio.

But he said the education budget in WA was higher now than before the Liberals came into power, and the funding model needed an overhaul because it was ``complex, unwieldy and doesn't necessarily provide for the best educational outcomes''.

The Sunday Times revealed at the weekend, that principals and senior staff are threatening to strike over cuts to the education budget, which they warn could cost large senior public high schools up to $1 million next year.

As the teachers' union said the cuts could drive some of the state's most experienced school leaders out of the system, WA's education chief said "it is not sustainable to operate as we always have under the current outdated system".

State School Teachers' Union president Anne Gisborne said industrial action would be considered at a meeting called for principals and deputy principals on Wednesday.

Ms Gisborne said she feared experienced school leaders would walk out on the public system because their "professional integrity" would be compromised as a result of the cuts.

"We will certainly be looking at a range of strategies. We will be engaging in some discussions with the other unions," she said.

One principal, who did not want to be named, said the cuts would cost large senior high schools between $400,000 and $1 million.

"This is the biggest hurt to public education in the many decades I've been involved in education," he said.

"There is all sorts of talk about downing tools. We will be running a very strong campaign. I am very seriously willing to (strike over this). For a lot of people, this will be the first time they have ever downed tools. People are saying that they have never been willing to down tools for pay rises and so on, but for this, they would be willing to.

"There is a lot of anger, frustration, almost depression around this because we're being asked to do more at the same time, but with a huge amount less." - See more at: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/wa-principals-threatening-to-strike-over-cuts-to-the-education-budget/story-fnhocxo3-1226703412534#sthash.ueNOTlP2.dpuf

One principal, who did not want to be named, said the cuts would cost large senior high schools between $400,000 and $1 million.

"This is the biggest hurt to public education in the many decades I've been involved in education," he said.

"There is all sorts of talk about downing tools. We will be running a very strong campaign. I am very seriously willing to (strike over this). For a lot of people, this will be the first time they have ever downed tools. People are saying that they have never been willing to down tools for pay rises and so on, but for this, they would be willing to.

"There is a lot of anger, frustration, almost depression around this because we're being asked to do more at the same time, but with a huge amount less."

Ms O'Neill said that although students with disability who currently receive education assistant support are not affected by recent funding changes she understood some education assistants who work with these children may be considering taking part in the action.

"These schools have some of our most vulnerable children so parents will want to know as soon as
possible if their child's school may be affected by this action," she said.

She said change was needed to bring about reform to school funding to give every child a fair go, and to ensure budget sustainability.
 

21.51 | 0 komentar | Read More

Buddy rubbed out of final

Franklin's decision to bump will lead to sleepless nights for Hawks fans going into September

Lance Franklin celebrates one of his three first-half goals against the Kangaroos. Source: Getty Images

HAWTHORN goalkicking ace Lance Franklin is out of Friday night's qualifying final against Sydney unless he can overturn a one-match suspension.

Franklin was hit with the one game penalty for rough conduct against Swan Nick Malceski in Sydney last Friday night.

He will risk missing another final if he challenges at the AFL Tribunal tomorrow night and fails to convince the jury to either downgrade or throw out the charge.

WE CAN WIN WITHOUT BUDDY: HAWKS

WEEK 1 FINALS BAROMETER

IF YOU DON'T MIND, UMPIRE

The bump was assessed as negligent, medium impact and high contact - a total of 225 activation points.

Franklin can cut that to 168.75 and a one-match ban by pleading guilty before 11am Wednesday.

He had no carry-over points despite a lengthy rap sheet.

While Hawthorn has won 11 of its past 12 games without Franklin, only three have been against top-four sides.

Franklin's captain Luke Hodge has been fined $1950 for making contact with an umpire.

The panel also assessed an errant elbow by Franklin that bloodied the nose of Swans defender Heath Grundy.

The panel deemed the contact to be incidental and as a result of Grundy hanging on to his arm as he led for the ball.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson is confident that he has the personnel to replace Lance Franklin,with the forward at risk of missing one or more matches for his bump on the Sydney Swan's Nick Malceski.

In other incidents from Round 23, Essendon's Jake Melksham will sit out the first two rounds of next season for a forearm to the face of Richmond's Daniel Jackson.

His penalty was impacted by a poor record.

And Saint Leigh Montagna was handed a one-match ban for striking Fremantle tagger Ryan Crowley.

Brisbane defender Matt Maguire can accept a reprimand for striking Geelong forward Steve Johnson while Demons Jack Viney, Jordie McKenzie, Max Gawn, Colin Sylvia and Dean Kent face fines for taking part in a melee along with Bulldogs Will Minson, Lachie Hunter, Jordan Roughead, Ryan Griffen and Jarrad Grant.

Toby Greene, Matt Priddis and Sam Jacobs were also fined for making contact with umpires in Round 23 matches.

21.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tourist stalked by huge crocodile in Kimberley

A New Zealander has had an amazing escape after being trapped on a remote WA island for two weeks by a huge crocodile which would not let him leave.

CLOSE ENCOUNTER: A tourist was reportedly stranded on an island in the Kimberley - terrified he was going to be attacked by a 6m crocodile. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

A NEW Zealand kayaker has reportedly had an amazing escape after becoming trapped on a remote WA island for more than two weeks by a huge crocodile which would not let him leave.

The man, known only as Ryan, was last month exploring the northern WA coast near Kalumburu, which is between Derby and Kununurra.

Having been left on the remote Governor Island, the Kiwi realised he didn't have enough supplies and attempted to paddle the four kilometres or so back to the mainland.

View Larger Map
But he immediately caught the eye of the six-metre saltwater crocodile who has lived in the area for years.
Every time he attempted to leave, the crocodile would make his presence felt, leaving the adventurer stranded for a fortnight.

On Saturday, local Don McLeod spotted a light on the island, and when he checked it out, the hatless, shirtless and desperate visitor approached.

"When I came round through Red Bluff opposite Governor Island I saw a flash in the scrub,'' Mr McLeod told ABC radio.

"I went across and Ryan came out looking a bit distraught.

"He came down the beach, he had no hat on and no shirt on.

"He was relieved and shocked, and thankful someone had come along because he was running out of options pretty quickly.

"He is a very, very lucky man.''

Ryan's passage to WA was an incredible story in itself, having travelled from Queensland to the Kimberley on a yacht whose owner was then jailed in the Northern Territory, leaving his passenger stranded for two months.

After hitching a lift with a solo yachtsman from the Territory to WA, he was dropped on Governor Island with 160 litres of water, some flour and dry stores.

But after realising he was unprepared for the Kimberley wilderness, his first attempt to reach the mainland was thwarted by the massive crocodile.

Mr McLeod said the story was incredible.

"He said every time he got in his little kayak, which was only 2.5m long, this crocodile - who has lived there for many years and is a monster - has chased him,'' Mr McLeod said.

"He was desperate for water when I trotted up.

"We gave him a cold beer, which was probably the wrong thing, and then he went to sleep about three-quarters of the way home.''

The New Zealander has been given a bed at a mission on the mainland as he recovers.

Attempts to contact him have so far been unsuccessful.

21.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

ALP about-face a blow to WA Nats

TIGHT CONTEST: National Party leader Warren Truss says the ALP decision to preference the Liberals had made it harder for the Nationals in what was seen as the party's two most winnable WA seats. Source: TheAustralian

THE NATIONAL and Liberal parties are squaring off for a showdown in two of Western Australia's biggest regional electorates, that of O'Connor and Durack.

As the battle for the bush continued in the red dirt of Kalgoorlie today, federal National Party leader Warren Truss said Labor's shock decision to help its arch rivals the Liberals in the seats had been a blow to his party.

"I'm not gobsmacked by anything Labor does now,'' he said.

Labor is preferencing the Liberals over the Nationals on how-to-vote cards being distributed in the electorates ahead of Saturday's poll.

The two electorates are among five both of the parties are contesting in WA.

Mr Truss said the ALP decision had made it harder for the Nationals in what had been seen as the party's two most winnable WA seats.

But he hoped Labor voters would make up their own minds about preferences on the day.

Mr Truss was in Kalgoorlie campaiging with the party's O'Connor candidate, mining executive and geologist Chub Witham, who is locked in a hard-fought battle with Liberal candidate, farmer Rick Wilson.

The massive electorate of O'Connor includes the rough-and-ready mining town as well as the south-west centres of Albany and Esperance.

Asked if the contest would be closer to call than the Melbourne Cup, Mr Truss replied:"`Some Melbourne Cups aren't that close, but we believe we're competitive.''.

Retired Nationals MP Tony Crook wrested the seat of O'Connor from the Liberals at the last Federal election, ironically on Labor preferences.

He became the party's first WA member of the House of Representatives in 34 years.

Mr Truss, who stands to become deputy Prime Minister should the coalition win government, conceded that competition for seats between the Nationals and Liberals in the lead up to the election was fierce.

``We're competitive during election time,'' he said.

But he downplayed a recent spat between the Nationals and Liberal shadow treasurer Joe Hockey.

He said comments made by Mr Hockey -- which referred to Nationals candidates as a ``protest movement'' -- were the result of a misunderstanding.

"We've been good friends for a long time,'' he said of Mr Hockey. ``I'm sure he'll make a very good treasurer.''

Meanwhile, in the electorate of Durack, which stretches from Kununurra in WA's north to Geraldton, the Nationals candidate Shane Van Styn, a business owner, is locked in battle with the Liberals candidate, lawyer, Melissa Price.

Other WA electorates being contested by both parties include Canning, Forrest and Pearce.

21.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Eagles star Kerr set to retire

West Coast coach John Worsfold addresses the media after his side's heavy loss to Adelaide.

Eagles ... Daniel Kerr may retire due to ongoing injuries. Source: News Limited

WEST Coast Eagles coach John Worsfold has revealed that champion on-baller Daniel Kerr is set to retire.

Kerr, 30, is believed to have told his Eagles teammates on Sunday that he would hang up is boots.

He joins other 2006 Eagles premiership stars Andrew Embley and Adam Selwood who announced retirements from the game late last month and played in send-off games in Perth on Saturday night against Adelaide.

Eagles face blowtorch after thumping

Kerr has not played since the Eagles Round 13 loss to Essendon in Perth when he racked up 19 possessions and looked set to revive his accomplished career that has been riddled with hamstring and knee troubles over the past four seasons.

"He indicated today that he is really not confident in his body holding up at all going into next season," Worsfold told Channel Seven News in Perth.

"Right at this moment we've got to work through all of that and what it means for us as a club and what it means for Daniel.

Woosha worry for 'fragile' Kerr

"At this stage he has lost confidence that he can go possibly on.

"So we've got to look at that (retirement) option." 

And an embattled Worsfold indicated for a first time that he might have coached West Coast for a last time.

Worsfold has been Eagles coach for the past 12 seasons and won the premiership in 2006, but has been under siege with declining finals hopes in 2013 and missing the finals this season with just nine wins after being roundly touted as flag contenders this year.

Future ... John Worsfold still hasn't made up his mind. Source: Getty Images

West Coast limped to the end of the season with three successive horror beltings from Geelong, by 11 goals, Collingwood (61 points) and then a humiliating 86-point defeat to Adelaide in Perth on Saturday night.

"I say it with players and it probably goes with coaches, it's always a possibility," Worsfold conceded.

"Right at the moment, I'm still contracted to West Coast until the end of October.

"I'm looking forward to letting our board know some of the lessons that we've learned throughout this year and I will present that to them and we'll keep pushing forward."

Worsfold's future is destined for a presentation of plans for a West Coast finals revival for next season when he meets Eagles board of directors within a fortnight.

Kerr met with Worsfold in Perth on Monday and the star play-maker indicated doubts that his weary knees will tolerate the hectic hurly burly of AFL requirements next season.

Kerr is contracted for 2014, but managed just 11 games this year in another injury-ravaged season and reluctantly decided to hang up his boots

He has played 220 senior games and was twice runner-up to the covet6ed Brownlow Medal in 2005 and 2007.

21.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cops lose on-call car

WA Police Commisioner Karl O'Callaghan. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: PerthNow

ON-CALL detectives have been told they can't take work cars home any more and have to find their own way back to the office before attending serious crimes such as sex assaults or homicides.

WA Police Union president George Tilbury said detectives were wasting precious police time waiting for a taxi or using public transport to return to work to collect a vehicle before attending a crime.

Mr Tilbury said it had always been standard practice for on-call detectives to take vehicles home so they could go straight to a crime scene if required.

He wanted the "nonsensical" directive to be scrapped immediately.

"This directive from the agency makes absolutely no sense," Mr Tilbury said.

"Surely, it would be more logical for the on-call officer to take a vehicle home and attend matters direct from his/her current location."

Mr Tilbury said the policy was hindering the work of detectives and their ability to "respond to the community in a timely manner".

Opposition police spokeswoman Michelle Roberts said the directive was clearly about trying to save money.

"The Government can try to dress this up whichever way it likes, but officers at the front line know the facts," she said.

A spokeswoman for Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan said the vehicle policy had not changed, but was simply being enforced.

"It recently came to the attention of the senior executive that the policy wasn't being adhered to and an instruction was issued for officers to comply," she said.

"On-call detectives can remotely provide advice and instruction to attending officers or make arrangements to return to duty in the case of a major incident. However, other 24/7 police resources are also available for additional support."

The policy states officers can take a vehicle home if they are on "close call", which requires them to stay at home.

"The issue is that nobody is ever placed on 'close call', meaning nobody has been taking a vehicle home," Mr Tilbury said.

"Cars are available and because of internal policy by the agency, it won't let detectives take cars home even though they might have to return to duty."

Police Minister Liza Harvey said the policy was introduced under the Labor government.

"The Police Commissioner has advised me that police are enforcing their vehicle commuting policy, which was introduced under the previous Labor government," she said.

21.52 | 0 komentar | Read More

Praying for a purple jackpot

Tessa Jachmann (21) and Lauren Miller (21) both have supported Fremantle as long as their can remember and are very excited about the finals campaign. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: The Sunday Times

THE Fremantle Dockers will carry more than just the expectations of their fans as they head into the finals.

The entire port city is looking for the right catalyst to spark a revival of its fortunes.

Some are hoping the Dockers' finals march will provoke a much-needed morale boost similar to the legendary yachting triumph in the America's Cup during the mid-1980s.

Report: Freo smashed by St Kilda

Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt this week launched a Go Freo campaign, which will see retailers decking out their shops with purple Dockers paraphernalia.

"This is just what the city needs," Dr Pettitt said.

"The city has been like a ship floundering at sea for the past two decades due to economic changes and an underperforming strategic plan by the city."

The Go Freo campaign is a joint venture between the Fremantle Chamber of Commerce, the city council and the Fremantle Football Club.

It will be a colourful ray of hope on a landscape that has increasingly become like a ghost town. The streets are littered with For Lease signs in shopfronts.

Dr Pettitt said getting business owners involved  with the chance to win a signed photo of the team for the best decorated outlet  had been a good bonding exercise.

"The city has faced a decline in sales by High St retailers as shoppers moved to big-box retail," he said.

"The global financial crisis and the surge in internet shopping were other factors."

Fremantle Chamber of Commerce chief executive Tim Milsom agreed.

He said the success of the Dockers was a timely reminder that the city needed to start focusing on the positive, not the negative.

"We have something like 60-plus empty shops in Fremantle," he said. "We can't compete with shopping centres like Booragoon, but what we can do is alert people to the things that Booragoon can't do.

"We can champion things like the tall ships coming to Freo, the Indonesian naval cadets marching through the city and we can get excited about our team reaching the finals."

Long-term Fremantle business owners agreed the city was long overdue for a positive shot in the arm.

Domenic D'Alessandro, a veteran of the cappuccino strip and part owner of Gino's Cafe, was a child when America's Cup hysteria took over the town. And he's experienced the decline in pedestrian traffic in the past 26 years.

"We need something like the America's Cup all over again," he said.

"The feeling here is palpable after a Dockers' win.

"People come back here from Subiaco to Gino's to celebrate. The players come in sometimes and it creates a good vibe. It would be great for Fremantle if they won the Grand Final. Even getting into the finals is fantastic for the city."

Eleni Kakulas, owner of another Freo stalwart business Kakulas Sister Grocer, is a dyed-in-the-wool Dockers fan and so are her staff, who have not stopped at just decorating the shopfront.

They have decked themselves out in purple for the finals.

"There are a lot of shops closing down so there is a bit of negativity out there," she said.

"It is really hard for small business at the moment."

But Robert Bodkin, owner of Bodkins Bootery, is not so sure.

He is neither a Dockers' fan nor a true believer that purple power can save the town.

He has the world-weary approach of someone who's seen it all before.

"I saw it with the America's Cup," Mr Bodkin, who opened his High St store in 1972, said.

"That was a double-edged sword. It put Fremantle on the map and then the rents went up. Then over the past 20-odd years business has suffered through duplication of shops. There are now hundreds of hairdressers, coffee shops and an excess of $2 shops.

"We need to be realistic that we are competing in a different world now. People travel, they buy online, they don't dress up to go out. You don't see people walking around the streets of Freo carrying shopping bags."
 

21.52 | 0 komentar | Read More