Friday, 12 September 2008

Great bloke: garbos' throwaway line on Premier, The Australian, 12 September, 2008.

Great bloke: garbos' throwaway line on Premier

Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 12 Sep 2008: 4.
Mr [Nathan Rees] was later a union delegate and became a garbage collector at night while putting himself through university. "He was one of the most fair dinkum Aussie blokes you could come across," Mr [Rod Irwin] said. "He was one very nice fellow, a character. There was no bullshit with him.
He said Mr Rees had also performed well as a union delegate. "He was one of the rare people who did care," he said. "He did the best he could by everybody. He was one of the better delegates. He listens to people, he actually listens. He is not in it just for the perks."
"It is excellent to have someone who has been out there and done it all, he can relate to people," he said. "Most of them have never had a real job."

Full Text

THE council workers at Parramatta, in Sydney's west, know one thing for certain: politics would be a damn sight better if a few more decent, hard-working blokes got to the top.
That one of their own, Nathan Rees, has just become Premier of NSW is cause for great delight.
"I was shocked when I saw him on television," said Rod Irwin, 45, who worked as a park attendant with the Premier in the late 1980s.
"He hasn't changed at all. He was exactly like he is now when he was working here in his 20s.
"Unless he's had a brain transplant, he will be a great Premier. It is good to see someone like that in politics for once."
The two men began life the same way, graduating from the local Northmead High School and heading straight to the council, a traditional career path for young working-class men.
Mr Irwin, who joined Parramatta Council in 1980, is five years older than Mr Rees and had already been at the council for several years when Mr Rees turned up in 1986 as a horticultural apprentice.
At one point they worked together on mowing gangs before the younger man began to focus on greenkeeping.
Mr Rees was later a union delegate and became a garbage collector at night while putting himself through university. "He was one of the most fair dinkum Aussie blokes you could come across," Mr Irwin said. "He was one very nice fellow, a character. There was no bullshit with him.
"He got on with everybody. I haven't got a bad word to say about him."
Mr Irwin said he thought it was great someone who knew something about the real world had become Premier, but his success didn't surprise anyone. "He's one of those guys, whatever he does, he does well," he said.
"He was always very knowledgeable about politics. He will be very good at it."
He said Mr Rees had also performed well as a union delegate. "He was one of the rare people who did care," he said. "He did the best he could by everybody. He was one of the better delegates. He listens to people, he actually listens. He is not in it just for the perks."
Even council workers who had never met Mr Rees were delighted by their former colleague's rise. Garbage collector Sean Ellis, 34, said the fact the Premier had got his hands dirty would appeal to voters.
"It is excellent to have someone who has been out there and done it all, he can relate to people," he said. "Most of them have never had a real job."
Since last March when he became the local member for Toongabbie, which encompasses Parramatta, Mr Rees has continued to have a close relationship with Parramatta Council. A lord mayoral minute at Monday night's council meeting congratulated the new Premier for his achievements. He lives at nearby Wentworthville.
Credit: John Stapleton
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Thursday, 11 September 2008

Multiple charges for Bega surgeon, The Australian, 11 September, 2008.

























































Multiple charges for Bega surgeon

Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 11 Sep 2008: 5.
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Detective Superintendent John Kerlatec, commander of the NSW Child Protection and Sex Crimes Squad, said 113 women had been interviewed during the extremely complex investigation.
Superintendent Kerlatec commended "the strength of the victims involved in what has been a very traumatic experience."
Prosecutor Senior Sergeant Rick Thompson told the court it was "a disturbing case" and that Mr [Graeme Reeves] was a flight risk.

A FORMER doctor was yesterday charged with genital mutilation and sexual assault for a string of offences allegedly committed against women when he worked as an obstetrician and gynaecologist in the NSW town of Bega.
Graeme Reeves, 58, was arrested at his home in Baulkham Hills, Sydney, yesterday morning and later charged with 17 sexual and indecent assault charges, including genital mutilation.
He was refused bail in Parramatta Local Court.
The offences involved 10 former patients, but police have interviewed more than 100 women and witnesses since the formation of Strike Force Tarella in February.
The failure of authorities to act on numerous complaints about his alleged conduct has sparked calls for the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission to be scrapped.
The charges include excising a woman's clitoris in August 2002.
Several other charges accused Mr Reeves of having sexual intercourse with a number of female patients, knowing that the women were not consenting, and while he was their doctor.
He was also accused of touching and fondling female patients.
Detective Superintendent John Kerlatec, commander of the NSW Child Protection and Sex Crimes Squad, said 113 women had been interviewed during the extremely complex investigation.
Superintendent Kerlatec said a large number of medical records had been seized and a medical expert had been hired to assist.
He said one of the difficulties investigators had faced was determining the difference between medical malpractice and alleged criminal conduct.
Superintendent Kerlatec commended "the strength of the victims involved in what has been a very traumatic experience."
Alleged victims yesterday said they felt relief and vindication at news of the arrest. One woman, who claimed she received an unnecessary hysterectomy, said the hardest part of her ordeal was coming forward. She alleged her vagina was reshaped and sewn up so tightly she couldn't have sex.
At a post-op consultation Mr Reeves is alleged to have told her not to undress so he could take off her underpants himself.
She said she was inspired to speak out by the courage of other victims who took their concerns to NSW Parliament House.
"I was worried that he could get away with it and do it to other women in the future."
After spending several hours at Parramatta police station yesterday, Mr Reeves was transferred to the cells at Sydney West Trial Courts. His wife sat silently in a corner of the court room.
Prosecutor Senior Sergeant Rick Thompson told the court it was "a disturbing case" and that Mr Reeves was a flight risk.
Lawyer Greg Murray, representing Mr Reeves, argued the offences had occurred some years ago, in the context of his client's medical practice, which he had ceased in 2004.
Magistrate James Garbett described the prosecution case as strong and the allegations very serious. He said if convicted Mr Reeves would suffer a certain custodial sentence. He said he had to take into account the welfare of the community.
He refused bail and Mr Reeves is to appear in Sydney's Central Local Court on November 5 via video link from jail.
Medical Error Action Group spokeswoman Lorraine Long called for the Health Care Complaints Commission to be axed.
Credit: John Stapleton, Angus Hohenboken, Additional reporting: Joe Kelly
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Thursday, 4 September 2008

Traders, shoppers feel pinch, The Australian, 4 September, 2008.




Traders, shoppers feel pinch

Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 04 Sep 2008: 2.
"You've just got to look at the statistics, it's been a very, very hard year. Business has been down. People are worrying about their money, they're much fussier. Electricity, water, phone, petrol, interest rates, they've all gone up.
"If you add all that up, when someone is on a fixed income, they can't keep spending. There's not a lot of cash around. A lot of people are paying by credit card."
"There has been a quite drastic change," she said. "In the old days, if you had a good job you had a good life. Now you're just working to survive.

Full Text


THE Borsellino Brothers, who run a fruit shop in Sydney's inner west, don't need complicated economic modelling to tell them people are spending less.
For three decades, their shop has been been known for its cheerful atmosphere and good quality cheap fruit and vegetables, attracting a large and loyal clientele. But this year, times have changed.
"It has been the hardest winter I've seen in 34 years," owner Steve Borsellino said.
"You've just got to look at the statistics, it's been a very, very hard year. Business has been down. People are worrying about their money, they're much fussier. Electricity, water, phone, petrol, interest rates, they've all gone up.
"If you add all that up, when someone is on a fixed income, they can't keep spending. There's not a lot of cash around. A lot of people are paying by credit card."
Mr Borsellino said that people used to travel from neighbouring suburbs to come to his store, but the price of petrol was having an impact.
"The reverse of that is local people are using us more than ever, because they don't have to worry about petrol," he said.
Alala Chiara, 34, who was shopping yesterday with her daughter Lulu and niece Jasmin, said everything was costing more and, like many other families, she had cut things back to basics and was living an essentially simple life.
"There has been a quite drastic change," she said. "In the old days, if you had a good job you had a good life. Now you're just working to survive.
"Everything costs more, but your wages don't go up. You are making the same amount go even further." Ms Chiara, who works at a childcare centre, said it was obvious how hard parents using the centre were working just to pay the mortgage.
Home ownership was no longer possible except for couples with two incomes, she added.
"Every family is in the same situation, particularly around here," she said.
Credit: John Stapleton
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Saturday, 30 August 2008

Bond for magistrate O'Shane, Weekend Australian, 30 August, 2008.
























































Bond for magistrate O'Shane

Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 30 Aug 2008: 5.
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In March, Ms O'[Shane], 67, was charged with low-range drink driving, after being caught near her home in Sydney's upmarket suburb of Hunters Hill during a random roadside breath test. She admitted to having three glasses of champagne at a home in Mosman, on Sydney's north shore. In that test, her blood alcohol concentration was 0.08.

CONTROVERSIAL magistrate Pat O'Shane, facing a drink driving charge, sat quietly through her court proceedings yesterday, looking grave as she listened to her barrister argue that she was not just a woman of good character but as the country's first indigenous magistrate, an outstanding community figure.
She escaped without a conviction, but was placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond.
It was an unusual position for the magistrate, more used to holding court than acting as supplicant.
In March, Ms O'Shane, 67, was charged with low-range drink driving, after being caught near her home in Sydney's upmarket suburb of Hunters Hill during a random roadside breath test. She admitted to having three glasses of champagne at a home in Mosman, on Sydney's north shore. In that test, her blood alcohol concentration was 0.08.
She was then taken to a police station at Chatswood, where she blew the legal limit of 0.05.
In June she pleaded guilty.
After the hearing yesterday, Ms O'Shane refused to speak to reporters. Her solicitor, Andrew Thorpe, said his client was embarrassed and ashamed. He said she deeply regretted the events of that evening.
Ms O'Shane has continued her work as a magistrate since she was charged.
Credit: John Stapleton
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Non-farmers big on mini milkers, Weekend Australian, 30 August, 2008.



Non-farmers big on mini milkers

Stapleton, John. Weekend Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 30 Aug 2008: 11.
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Rising supermarket costs have driven many families into turning their back gardens into mini-farms. "They're a lifestyle really, I tell people not to expect to make a lot of money," Ms [Bev Gardiner] said. "They're prolific milkers and it's very creamy milk. A lot of people are making their own cheese and butter.
Ms Gardiner said that if people were raising Dexters for meat, they usually took them to the local abattoir. "It's a bit hard to kill them, especially if you've named them," she said.
"But if you do, they're the perfect size for a freezer. It is a very high quality meat, lightly marbled, tender, sweet ..."

THE tree change phenomenon -- thousands of people fleeing the cities and suburbs for a more fulfilling life in the country -- has led to the revival of the once extremely rare Dexter.
These tiny Irish cows, which stand barely a metre tall yet give up to 10 litres of milk a day, have turned out to be the perfect animal for people with a little bit of land and not much farming experience. As long as there is enough grass, Dexters require almost no care.
Once known as Ireland's house cow, they are now barely known in their country of origin. Yet they have a charming temperament.
Bev Gardiner, 68, president of the Dexter Cattle Association, had never heard of them until 15 years ago, when she was looking around for something to do with her husband in retirement.
Normal cattle were too big, horses were a lot of trouble, goats had dirty bottoms and suffered from lice -- and then she read an article about Dexters.
She paid $10,000 for her first pure-bred Dexter.
They date back to ancient times and were first introduced into Australia during the 1880s. A century later there were so few of them and they were so poorly regarded by most cattle people that they were in danger of becoming extinct worldwide.
The tree change phenomenon has underpinned a turnaround in the breed's fortunes, reflected in their falling prices. A pure-bred Dexter now fetches anything from $1000 to $3000.
A count by the Dexter Cattle Association in July showed an explosion in their population, with more than 6000 registered animals. A similar phenomenon has occurred in Britain, where their numbers have doubled since 2000.
Rising supermarket costs have driven many families into turning their back gardens into mini-farms. "They're a lifestyle really, I tell people not to expect to make a lot of money," Ms Gardiner said. "They're prolific milkers and it's very creamy milk. A lot of people are making their own cheese and butter.
"They have a very nice temperament and are easily trained. With the trend to alternative lifestyles, they appeal to people who do not have a cattle raising background.
"A lot of women like them because they are small and easy to manage. I had one bull; if he got out of the paddock you could lead him home by the ear."
Ms Gardiner said that if people were raising Dexters for meat, they usually took them to the local abattoir. "It's a bit hard to kill them, especially if you've named them," she said.
"But if you do, they're the perfect size for a freezer. It is a very high quality meat, lightly marbled, tender, sweet ..."
Adding to their many virtues, the cattle are ready breeders, living for up to 20 years and having a calf most years.
The next major Dexter breed show will be held at Macksville showground in northern NSW on September 13.
Credit: John Stapleton
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