Today's Headlines
Tuesday 30th April 1996
International:
Here is the face of a killer. His name is Martin Bryant a wealthy 28 year old Tasmanian who inherited Au$650,000 on the death of his
de facto, Miss Harvey, an heiress of the Tattersall fortune. Bryant was diagnosed as a schizophrenic and a loner. He had also threatened to
kill his father. He was also an owner of several semi-automatic rifles thanks to Tasmania's lax gun laws.
In the end this madman killed 35 people in cold blood, seriously injured 19 more and forever carved his name into the dark side of
Tasmanian history. At the Broad Arrow Cafe in Port Arthur lay most of his victims.
20 of them dead.
The dark chapter ended at 9am yesterday morning when he ran out of the burning cottage, his clothes on fire and his hostages dead.
He is now under police guard in a Hobart hospital.
I feel sorry for the victims relations, anger at the young man's actions, but sickened by the lax gun laws that allowed an obviously
deranged man to commit such carnage.
Political:
Controversial Oxley Member of Parliament, Independent Pauline Hanson
has made it to Parliament threatening to straighten the place out. Pauline is a most amazing lady, she is an unmarried mother with
young kids and the owner of a fish and chip shop the size of a small bedroom. Yet she has taken on the establishment and won.
She is so quiet spoken that she can hardly be heard, yet she has the determination of a prize bull terrior.
I have found to be quite correct in her statements and outspoken views yet by speaking her mind she has stirred up the ire of the
"politically correct" groupies who are now after her with threats of court, action and reaction.
Yesterday, as she walked around Parliament in Canberra for the first time with her family she said, "I want a fair go as I'm fighting
for a fair go for everyone else out there.
Good on ya Pauline, you have a supporter right here.
Business:
Retailers are feeling the pinch at the moment. This is best demonstrated by the large David Jones chain which has dramatically cut its
profit forecasts from only 3 months ago.
Perhaps Paul Keating has stopped buying his expensive Italian suits there...
Sport:
The Australian Rugby League (ARL) are taking Super League head on with their planned matches against a New Zealand team in June
and July. The New Zealand Rugby League, firm supporters of Super League are now expressing the sort of outrage that the ARL did
only moths ago.
Will Rugby League ever be the same again?
I, for one doubt it as I recall that splendid call to arms of the past "You're simply the best!"
Social:
The Queensland government is to put a clamp on kids prowling the streets at night. Kids under 13 years of age, under proposed
legislation, will be taken into police custody if found on the street between mid-night and 5am. The moves to change certain police
powers include:
- The ability to stop and search anybody on reasonable grounds for stolen goods.
- Demand the name and address of anyone reasonable suspected of having committed an offence.
- Arrest anyone on reasonable grounds without a warrant.
You mean they didn't have those powers, hey guys what the hell can you do - no wonder the police feel like the misfits in society when
you are actually trying to save us from them.
Global Gripe of the day:
Keeping the media in order:
Following the shooting at Port Arthur not even the Australian media could disguise the prolific international coverage given by the world press
on that terrible massacre. I don't mean repeats from footage taken by Aussie crews - I mean the truckloads of foreign media who
landed on the doorstep of a village in shock.
The media who bustled each other as they attempted to get pictures of bodies, buildings and fire.
The media who interviewed shocked relatives of the dead. The interviewer after grilling a very vulnerable individual then cluck-clucking
their emotional thoughts about the terrible massacre to their audience back at home. This with no regard to the person they interviewed
then discarded.
The media, television cameras, lights and all who walked into the church where people were holding an all-night vigile to mourn the
dead as it made good footage.
The media who have made a total circus of the affair.
Not only should semi-automatic guns be outlawed but so should foreign media in a tragedy such as this. I saw Japanese, French,
American and God knows who else there trying to dig up a scoop at the expense of who ever.
Fabulous day at the global office yesterday. I will be visiting the big smoke (Brisbane) today and later putting the finishing touches
to a further enhancement of our Japanese Triumph International site.
Return to Australian National News of the Day
#
Here is the face of a killer. His name is Martin Bryant a wealthy 28 year old Tasmanian who inherited Au$650,000 on the death of his
de facto, Miss Harvey, an heiress of the Tattersall fortune. Bryant was diagnosed as a schizophrenic and a loner. He had also threatened to
kill his father. He was also an owner of several semi-automatic rifles thanks to Tasmania's lax gun laws.