O7540 Justice

Backburning advice ignored during huge fire, inquest told

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Original article by Paul Bibby
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 5 : 12-Nov-14

Adam Casselden, junior counsel assisting an inquest in the New South Wales (NSW) Coroner’s Court into a January 2013 bushfire, has examined NSW Parks & Wildlife Service senior fire ranger Peter Brookhouse. The witness stated that despite his recommendation against a backburning operation on the day when contacted by Rural Fire Service zone manager Stuart Green, his superiors went ahead anyway and ignored the windy weather conditions

CORPORATES
NEW SOUTH WALES. PARKS AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, NEW SOUTH WALES RURAL FIRE SERVICE, CORONER’S COURT (NEW SOUTH WALES)

Magistrate denied defendant fairness

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Original article by Steve Butcher
The Age – Page: 12 : 12-Nov-14

Supreme Court of Victoria judge Michael McDonald has found against Frankston magistrate Rodney Crisp. The latter had on the second day of court hearings in February 2014 decided that firearms-related charges against the defendant should go to a full jury trial. Colleague Franz Holzer had the previous year ruled that a summary hearing before a magistrate only would be sufficient. Crisp had noted the fact that he was the state’s longest-serving magistrate, appointed in 1985. McDonald has criticised him for dismissing several requests by defence barrister Ken Oldis to have the matter stood down

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FRANKSTON MAGISTRATES’ COURT, SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA

I don’t blame police: father

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Original article by Grant Taylor
The West Australian – Page: 3 : 11-Nov-14

Western Australian police shot and killed a 38-year-old man in the Perth suburb of Carlisle on 8 November 2014. The deceased’s father said the police were just doing their job when they shot and killed his son after he took a woman hostage and stabbed her. The man’s father says the mental health system had not done enough to assist his son, who had a history of drug abuse and mental illness

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POLICE UNION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Ex-players may sue over brain trauma: Roberts

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Original article by Michael Chammas
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 40 : 11-Nov-14

The National Rugby League could face a spate of lawsuits from former players who sustained brain injuries during their career. Former player Ian Roberts says he has not yet decided whether to launch legal action over his concussion-related injuries, but he believes that other ex-players are likely to do so. Sydney-based lawyer George Draca is confident that he would be able to succeed in legal action against the league

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NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, NORWEST LAWYERS, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS’ ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Singing plaintiff loses civil suit over shooting

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Original article by Stephanie Gardiner
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 3 : 10-Nov-14

Supreme Court of New South Wales judge Lucy McCallum has thrown out a civil claim for compensation, lodged by Sonni Michel Angelo N’Ge-Sala. He had been attacked by a female offender in late 2008, and when police attended the scene the officers shot the woman. She was unsuccessful with her compensation action, but N’Ge-Sala pursued a separate claim and represented himself. However he made incoherent statements in court and at one stage started to sing so that McCallum was unable to listen to recorded evidence

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NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE, SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Essendon directors face challenge

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 42 : 10-Nov-14

Ron Gauci and Jason Cunningham are seeking election to the board of Essendon Football Club at its AGM in December 2014. They hope to oust current board members Kevin Egan and Jo-Anne Albert, but Essendon chairman Paul Little is believed to have stressed the importance of boardroom stability. Further court action over Essendon’s supplements scandal will occur on 10 November

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ESSENDON FOOTBALL CLUB, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, AUSTRALIAN SPORTS ANTI-DOPING AGENCY, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, MELBOURNE STORM RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB LIMITED, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, MELBOURNE POLYTECHNIC

Firms guilty of negligence over fatal fall at Southbank site

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Original article by Nick Toscano
The Age – Page: 4 : 10-Nov-14

A County Court of Victoria jury has found Keller Australia subsidiaries Frankipile and Vibropile guilty of failing to provide safe systems of work and adequate information, instruction, training or supervision. The two ground engineering companies will be sentenced by judge Peter Wischuse later in November 2014, over the death of Sonny Swaanebeck in May 2011. The 30-year-old had fallen 40 metres when a pile-driving rig at a Southbank construction site collapsed

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KELLER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FRANKIPILE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, VIBRO-PILE (AUST) PTY LTD, COUNTY COURT OF VICTORIA, VICTORIAN WORKCOVER AUTHORITY

AC/DC’s Rudd sought hitman, NZ court hears

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Original article by Tony Wall, Bernard Zuel, Martin Boulton
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 2 : 7-Nov-14

Australian musician Phil Rudd has appeared in a New Zealand court on a charge of attempting to procure a murder. Police have alleged that Rudd tried to hire a hitman to kill two men, while he has also been charged with threatening to kill and drug possession. Rudd, who is a member of Australian rock band "AC/DC", has been released on bail. The charges may prevent him from participating in the band’s world tour

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FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

Aussie cops in DNA access deal with UK

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Original article by Dan Box
The Australian – Page: 3 : 6-Nov-14

A landmark agreement to allow Australian detectives investigating major crimes to search UK police databases will be signed on 6 November 2014. The memorandum of understanding marks the first phase of an initiative that will eventually encompass police in the UK, US, Canada and Australia. Michael Keenan, the Australian Justice Minister, notes that new leads on cold cases have already arisen from a trial program with the UK to share biometric material

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AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AL QAEDA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, INTERPOL, CRIMTRAC

Drunks make hospitals hell

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Original article by Cathy O’Leary
The West Australian – Page: 3 : 6-Nov-14

A survey by the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine has revealed that intoxicated patients are a major problem for staff of emergency departments at Australian hospitals. More than 90 per cent of the 2,000-plus respondents indicated that they had been threatened or assaulted by a patient who was under the influence of alcohol in the last year. Medical professionals have urged action to address the issue

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THE AUSTRALASIAN COLLEGE FOR EMERGENCY MEDICINE, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (WESTERN AUSTRALIA), COLLEGE OF EMERGENCY NURSING AUSTRALASIA LIMITED, McCUSKER CENTRE FOR ACTION ON ALCOHOL AND YOUTH