WE NEED YOUR HELP

by CAA | May 15, 2022 | Library, Uncategorized

15th of May 2022

The CAA has been operating for over seven years, predominantly funded (90%) by the contribution of membership fees.

We are now entering an election phase in the States political cycle, and we know that the issues we have championed have a better chance of support when politicians are focused on an election.

Preceding the last election, the CAA exhausted its funds on promoting the various CAA causes via social media, and we propose a similar strategy for this election.

Every election is important; however, this one stands out as an election about our fundamental rights to exercise the freedoms that democracy is supposed to offer and the accountability of the Government to the people. Yet, that freedom is challenged by government intrusion into our lives, and we are all damaged by the associated high levels of corruption.

The CAA is not aligned politically, favouring the ideological bent most closely aligned with our values.

To enable us to be heard, we need your help to invest in broadening our reach, currently over 30k, to more Victorians and influence their voting by taking into account the matters we raise.

Our objective is to achieve a Government with Integrity and transparency at its core regardless of the politics. If that is not fulfilled, all the promises are worthless.

Our fight against corruption needs financial support to increase our effectiveness in the public interest. Transparency International estimates corruption to cost $4000 per person per annum. Your support will help us fight corruption and consequential injustices.

To donate, go to https://caainc.org.au/how-to-become-a-donor/

WHERE TO FROM HERE CHIEF PATTON?

by CAA | May 6, 2022 | Library, Uncategorized

6th May 2022

The Victoria Police and the Chief Commissioner have a habit of shooting themselves in the foot. With their latest effort, they have managed to shoot both feet.

Some of the baggage inherited from the reign of Chief Commissioner Ashton provided some initial cover for current Chief Shane Patton. He is well on his own now. Not only must he wear shortcomings of his own administration but failings and deficiencies of the previous regime.

The CAA provided support for Mr Patton and has been subjected to substantial criticism for that position, however, we are now concerned our faith was misplaced.

We had been contemplating the improved change in what we saw as positive approach by VicPol to demonstrations against the deportation of criminal detainees.

Our hesitation was the cause being pursued.

A cause of the extreme left of Politics, raised in our view doubts that this change was not an awakening by VicPol on how demonstrations should be managed but a change influenced because of who was demonstrating, a partisan political stand by VicPol.

The police response to civil unrest is bookended by the Black lives matter and the latest refugee demonstrations with the COVID response in between.

If the Government or the Chief Commissioner thought that the disquiet created during the COVID demonstrations will dissipate over the use of capsicum spray, bean bag rounds, riot shields, demonstrators thrown to the ground and many arrested, they have miscalculated badly, they have just poked the bear.

Any doubts as to the political status of VicPol have now been put beyond doubt by the inaction of the Chief Commissioner to the ranting unhinged behaviour of Lidia Thorpe, a member of Parliament and the Greens party.

Her tirade at the police, who showed amazing restraint, was inexcusable on any level but aggravated substantially because of her position as a sitting MP.

That Mr Patton did not immediately come to the defence of the Police members, and the Force to condemn Thorpe’s behaviour is inexcusable and any efforts now will not be considered as authentic, the moment has passed for Patton.

Other than a few police who have a similar political bent, the overwhelming majority of police will be feeling badly let down by their Chief Commissioner to a degree that may not be recoverable.

Equally culpable was the Police Minister Neville. She was conspicuously absent as was the Premier. Yet it was Premier Andrews who relied on those same Police to implement the draconian and unpopular COVID policies that police on the ground wore the brunt of, professionally and privately.

Policing is a thankless job, but when the community leadership collectively fail the Police on the frontline that is a damnable disgrace.

Chief Commissioner Patton now has to be careful that he is not faced with a ’vote of no confidence’ from the Police rank and file, the ones getting abused, assaulted and spat on, as police anger is palpable.

It would be a grave error to assume that will not happen. Pervious Chiefs Reg Jackson and Mick Miller faced a ‘vote of no confidence’ so precedents do exist for such an extraordinary move by Police rank and file. This matter is much more sensitive and coming as it does hot on the heels of the way the COVID Police response was handled. This latest may be the catalyst for discontent to boil over.

As this latest demonstration confirms that the variable responses by  Police on the ground are dictated by their command, not the individual police.

Not to be forgotten this misstep comes right on top of the debacle and mishandling of the Sergeant Bruno Staffieri matter. I this matter Sergeant was charged with disciplinary offences and the perpetrator of the abuse of the Chief Commissioners’ own Inclusion Policy was his own deputy. Deputy commissioner Paterson thus far has escaped accountability and the Chief has remained mute.

That Deputy is the same officer who as an Assistant Commissioner appeared before the Royal Commission into Police Informants. At that appearance Mr Paterson admitted on oath that he had failed to tell the Royal Commission for six months that the prime subject of the Commission , barrister Nicola Gobbo had been previously registered as a police informer in 1995.

This action raises the question of a contempt of the Commission. Why no disciplinary action was taken against Paterson for this egregious failure is beyond comprehension when there is no doubt a lower rank would have faced scrutiny without hesitation.

Patton promoted Paterson to Deputy knowing his embarrassing failure before the Royal Commission and the potential for him to face contempt charges.

Getting promoted after misleading a Royal Commission, how does that work?

The relevance of these assorted issues brings into sharp relief the competence of the Chief Commissioner as it can be fairly argued he does not support his rank and file, provides cover for the executive, his lack of ability to select competent people for promotion and his relationship with the Government. Raising the sceptre of promotion by allegiances to Political doctrines rather than competency.

Victoria Police is without doubt politicised and that is not good for the community irrespective of any political views, for that sin we are all victims.

The classic police idiom applies to the Chief Commissioner – Your move Sergeant.

CHRISTIAN BELIEFS AN OFFENCE IN VICPOL

by CAA | May 2, 2022 | Library, Uncategorized

2nd May 2022

An unholy spat unfolded within Victoria Police last year between a Sergeant with Christian beliefs on the cusp of retiring and a Deputy Commissioner who is openly gay and is not too subtle with his aspirations for the top Police job.

The spat has spilt into the public domain.

When Police join the Force, they take either an Oath or an Affirmation to serve, “without favour or affection, malice or ill will…”  The vast majority of Police take this undertaking very seriously.

Concurrent with this, Victoria Police has published the following Inclusion Policy:

Victoria Police is committed to a workforce that embraces diversity and inclusion and our vision for this is: Our policing services are provided through leadership that fosters a diverse, inclusive and respectful workforce, better equipping us to work together to understand and respond to the Victorian community

In 2021, Victoria Police embarked on actions that bear a strong resemblance to the persecution and bullying of one of their own, a Christian, who expressed concerns about using police resources for the apparent promotion of a Gay agenda by one of the force’s most senior officers, Deputy Commissioner Neil Paterson.

Mr Paterson has been instrumental in promoting the inclusion of LGBTQI people into Victoria Police and he applied multiple sworn police to the 2021 Australian LGBTQ+ inclusion awards submission, which resulted in a Silver Award. The Victoria Police submission was undertaken despite the peak of the COVID Pandemic severely stretching Vicpol’s most valuable asset, manpower. To question this resource allocation in the circumstances is reasonable.

Mr Paterson appears to have overstepped the mark with his apparent biased gay agenda bullying of Sergeant Bruno Staffieri, over the latter’s respectful comments and concerns.

No ‘Inclusion Policy’ worth its salt excludes individuals based on their religious beliefs and nor can it be at law.  Yet Mr Paterson appears to have done just that, based on what appears to be his response to a respectful and courteously worded dissent expressed by Sergeant Staffieri on the Police internal social media platform.

“ Last year, Deputy Police Commissioner Neil Paterson posted on internal police social media celebrating that “Victoria Police is proud to have been recognised as a silver employer at the 2021 Australian LGBTQ+ inclusion awards.”

In response, Sergeant Staffieri responded: “Yes I agree. Great achievement. But if the public knew how much time, effort and taxpayer dollars went into this, they would also be demanding why we didn’t get a gold.”

Mr Paterson defended the campaign and said it had not received significant public funding.

Sergeant Staffieri responded: “Sir, I totally value and respect your opinion and your rank, I simply ask that you value and respect mine.”

Mr Paterson, the state’s second highest-ranked police officer, fired a public broadside at Sergeant Staffieri, suggesting he consider looking for a new job.

“I don’t respect or value your views as they are offensive and there is no place for those views in Victoria Police…. Either limit your comments on Yammer to comments that are respectful of everyone or consider your employment options,” Paterson posted -source https://www.advanceaustralia.org.au/this_victorian_copper_is_a_bloody_aussie_legend

 Sergeant Staffieri displayed a respectful tone while expressing concern over the resources which went into achieving recognition of Victoria Police for its inclusiveness.  Mr Paterson, on the other hand, was bullying and anything but respectful or inclusive in his response to the Sergeant.

Sergeant Staffieri has since been subjected to a protracted and ongoing investigation, as a consequence of this exchange and has apparently been charged under the Police Act and has now after two years been advised he will be suspended.

 The aggressor and person who would appear to have breached the Chief Commissioner’s Inclusion Policy appears not to have been disciplined.

We applaud Victoria Police for seeking to include LGBTQ+ people into the organisation.  But inclusion does not mean giving them a place of pre-eminence over others.  Inclusion also does not mean forcing out others because they seek to politely voice their beliefs respectfully, influenced by their religion.

The Deputy was responsible for escalating this matter into a religion versus gay spat. That he did not think through the impact the spat would attract, brings his judgement into serious question in addition to his deliberate breaching of Force Policy.

We find it hard to accept he is so naive that he would think the contentious comments published on an internal VicPol Social page available to 22,000 police staff, would not find a way into mainstream media and be widely circulated on public social media. We strongly suspect the action was either wholly reckless or deliberate.

If you don’t want it to get out, don’t write it.

So how has such an experienced senior officer as Mr Paterson fallen into such serious error?  Could it be that ambition plays a part?  Ambition for the LGBTQ+ community or ambition for himself?  Mr Paterson appears to have made LGBTQ+ inclusion, his personal agenda and in doing so appears to have lost objectivity critical to his role as one of the most senior leaders in a major Australian policing agency.

As a police leader, he must lead for all, not just some.  Mr Paterson appears to have failed significantly in his most important duty – leadership.  This brings into question his suitability to remain at that very senior level, let alone progress to higher office when the Chief Commissioner’s Office becomes vacant.

We should also be concerned over the apparent inaction of Chief Commissioner Patton in this debacle from whom we hear nothing.  Most significantly because this egregious breach of force policy is the Chief Commissioners’ own Policy.

Paterson has thrown down the gauntlet to Patton, in a not too subtle challenge to the Chief Commissioners’ authority. A blatant act of dissension that cannot be tolerated in any circumstance from any Police member let alone somebody of Paterson’s rank.

Mr Patton holds the highest office in Victoria Police and therefore, arguably, the highest duty to lead his police. Mr Patton is singularly silent in this matter, apparently preferring to leave it to others in Command to mount what looks, from the outside, alarmingly like a campaign of religious persecution against Sergeant Staffieri for daring to respectfully dissent.

All this is against a backdrop where Victoria Police have serially neglected their duty in a range of very serious investigations including ‘The Red Shirts’ and ‘Slug Gate’.  It seems that the police no longer catch real crooks.  They prefer to ‘catch and kill’ their own.

To think this all could have been avoided if the Deputy had shown a modicum of Leadership and called the Sergeant in for a cup of coffee and an informal chat to avoid any spat engulfing VicPol and now the Chief.

The actions of the Deputy have left the Chief Commissioner in the untenable position, to either side with the Deputy, or allow this breach of his authority to stand, alienating a sizable proportion of his workforce and the community.

So, what should happen? Chief Commissioner Patton must show the leadership of his position and immediately intervene.

The discipline charges against Sergeant Staffieri must be immediately withdrawn. If the Sergeant’s conduct is in error, he should be counselled and provided appropriate supervision and training. Or he could be allowed to continue on long Service Leave and retire with dignity, as was his intention after having provided 35 years of fearless and exemplary service to the people of Victoria.

Yes, Sergeant Staffieri was actually on Long Service Leave leading to retirement when he was brought back to duty, interviewed under direction, and advised he was to be suspended from duty.

Mr Patton has little choice but to refer the conduct of his Deputy Mr Paterson to IBAC for investigation during which time Paterson should be suspended. That precedent has been set by the way Staffieri has been managed.  Mr Paterson’s potential breaches of Sections 342 (Adverse Action) and 789FD (Bullying) of the Fair Work Act (Cth) were apparent in his ‘public’ diatribe directed at Sergeant Staffieri. The singling out and charging of the Sergeant also arguably amount to further ‘Adverse Action’ by Victoria Police against Sergeant Staffieri.

An apparent power struggle by Paterson against the Chief does VicPol no favours, his continued service is untenable.

It does seem as though some 11^th hour sanity may be being applied with the Sergeant now advised that he will not be suspended. This should be the precursor to the charges being dropped. However, this does not detract from the serious breaches by the Deputy.

We can hope the Chief has stepped in and will stamp his authority on the force by terminating Paterson.

ABORIGINALS – VICTIMS OF SLUG-GATE

by CAA | Apr 4, 2022 | Library, Uncategorized

5th April 2022

As a Nation, we have the privilege of knowing who our continent’s first peoples are, and we can share in their culture that has helped build Australia into the country it now is.

With the millions of dollars spent on these people each year, it is a national disgrace that many of them seem to live in abject neglect.

With all the much-publicised disadvantages these people endure, health is by ‘far and away’ the most important, surpassing the populist issues promoted by many who have no real empathy for these people but appear to be on self-promotional jaunts.

If health in the indigenous communities is ever going to be addressed properly then the basics need to be addressed and without argument, Nutrition has to be the key first building block.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

The role of hygiene is not far behind but if people are not getting proper nutrition, they are less likely to be concerned or have the will to address other needs like hygiene.

The same needs apply to a raft of other issues that these people are confronted with. Children not accessing good nutrition are less likely to develop well and be more susceptible to disease and less likely to receive an education of value. Poor nutrition plays a part in substance abuse or the will, to create a better life for their family.

The activists who we mostly hear from are generally of the extreme left of politics, both white and black so it is therefore very surprising that the Victorian Government stymied what could be the single most significant innovative strategy devised to turn the fortunes of the indigenous people in a most significant and practical way.

The tyranny of distance, lack of resources and knowledge, including access to appropriate food, was about to be addressed when the Victorian State Government intervened and on spurious grounds closed down the business developing the technology to address these issues without the slightest consideration of the consequences on two groups, the aged and the indigenous.

The day that the representatives of the Derri Aboriginal Corporation from South Australia arrived with cheque in hand at the ICooks Factory in Dandenong for a meeting to ‘ink the deal’ which had been negotiated over many months, the State Government had closed the factory by Health Order. The Derri people were confronted with a taped-up business with Health closure notices pinned to the door. They had no choice but to turn around and go home, deal blown there and then.

But what was this deal that had these aboriginal elders travel thousands of kilometres to secure?

ICooks had developed a patented process of texture modification of food so it was easily digestible, maintained its heath properties and was easy to store, transport and prepare. Pasteurised in the manufacturing process it was also very safe.

Technology was tested and capable of providing traditional foods appropriate for the indigenous people of a geographic area. Crocodile and turtle may be preferred in the Northern realms where freshwater fish and Kangaroo may not, but would be preferred in the more southern areas.

We have no real idea of the preferences and simply provide these examples of the potential of the technology also recognised by The Derri people.

The deal centred around a partnership/share arrangement between ICooks and the corporation to establish the capacity for texture modification of Native food in South Australia providing work for Indigenous people in the supply and sourcing of suitable food and if necessary, explore the ability to farm produce to establish reliable supply inputs. Preparation and processing through ultimately to distribution would provide substantial employment opportunities.

All undertaken by a company they had equity in.

As it was presented the Cooks deal would not only facilitate a new facility in South Australia but would have a continual link to ICooks to ensure local staff were trained in how to operate the equipment for a sustainable long term enterprise.

The vision of the Derri people and ICooks was the possibility of creating a national network of texture modification facilities tailored to the region they service.

Any good chef will always admit that presentation is as important as the flavour and the ICooks Texture modified product is easily digestible and prepared without compromising the benefits that each food group provides. This is particularly suitable for people that have dental issues or other issues making it difficult to swallow.

Using this process and making it available through Supermarket chains with more traditional foods could also be attractive.

The current option in medical facilities is that food is Vitamised and when presented to the patient (Victim) it resembles bodily waste and is as appetising.

Although a problem in indigenous communities the broader application in the general population of good nutrition is essential particularly when people are recovering from Medical interventions, disease or age-related decline.

That society as a whole has been deprived of this technology is a disgrace and those responsible must be held to account.

It is time that the Federal government intervened to sort this mess created by the Victorian government and get it implemented.

THE CORRUPTION LIST – THAT COSTS YOU $4000 P/A

by CAA | Feb 25, 2022 | Library, Uncategorized

26th February 2022

This corruption list compiled by the CAA is from public records and is a quantitative sample of those that we could locate.

As you read through this list, the challenge is to identify which of these acts would not have happened or would have been mitigated had there been appropriate and adequate supervision.

Corruption hurts us more than we think.

The World Economic Forum estimates the cost of Corruption is 5% of GDP Worldwide.

Victoria represents 23.6% of Australia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $1.985 trillion. Therefore, Victoria’s Gross State Product (GSP) is estimated at $467.876 billion.  Corruption at 5% of that number would be $23.938 Billion or approximately $4,000 per citizen.

Although hard to be precise, we suggest a nuclear family could be losing somewhere around $10,000 per annum. Whatever that number is, we cannot afford it.

Ironically those who perpetuate Corruption are also losing that amount – Corruption does not necessarily pay.

By our count, a staggering 90% of these matters would have either not occurred or would have been lessened with proper supervision and management, complying with basic Governance rules.

Nothing will change until the managers at all levels are held to account and suffer penalties for their failures, and that can probably only be achieved by a ‘Hue and cry’ from the community otherwise, we fear the corruption train will continue at full pace.

Many of these examples transcend multiple levels of management and the current attitude that the higher the station in an organisation, the less is their accountability.

This is a false premise; as you will see by the list, many perpetrators were themselves in the upper reaches of their organisations. But they all had something in common, irrespective of where they are in the order of things; a higher authority that they reported to, and it would seem those with power are never held to account.

To curb Corruption, accountability and Integrity must be sharpened, and any deviations of Governance reined in, the higher the hierarchy ladder is ascended.

The premise that those removed from where they might get their hands dirty are not accountable must be reversed, and consequences for failure applied.

Why should they not be held to the same level of accountability as the perpetrators?

The list,

This is just a snapshot to indicate the type and breadth of Corruption in this State, and we are confident that this is only a small percentage of known corrupt practices, but it is anybody’s guess as to the totality of the problem.

The only way things will change is if the community is made aware of the stench, and they become motivated and vocal to protect their own interests.

We need committed politicians who understand the problem to address the matter properly and that can only occur if the public applies pressure to them.

The community has the opportunity this election year to have an impact.

It is whether they can be motivated.

SAFE QUARANTINE – NOT SAFE INJECTING ROOMS

by CAA | Feb 24, 2022 | Library, Uncategorized

25th February 2022

SAFE QUARANTINE – NOT SAFE INJECTING ROOMS

The CAA has previously argued for the introduction of a quarantine approach to drug addicts that will save lives and reduce harm, not just for the addicts but all Victorians.

As the perennial issue of decriminalising and the expansion of Safe Injecting rooms is again being spruiked by the apologists for the drug Lords eager to expand their trade, a perversion of the free market principles, it is appropriate that the proposition previously submitted by the CAA should be revisited and genuine evaluation of the proposal be undertaken.

DRUG QUARANTINE – A NEW PARADIGM.

24th June 2021

There is no argument based on fact, that we are winning the war on drugs. The benefit of the millions of dollars applied to the supply side of the illicit drug trade can only be described as relatively ineffective on any cost-benefit analysis. Equally, there is no effective broad-based proactive strategy to address the issue of users, the demand side.

Huge drug busts should not be the measure of success for law enforcement because, at best, it causes some disruption. But, as one commentator quipped, syndicates allow in their business model for law enforcement to have some success as well as being ripped off by other criminals. Still, the vast profits make these risks worthwhile.

We do not suggest targeting criminals of the illicit drug trade be wound back. However, to make the war on drugs deliver some impact on the illicit trade, we need to attack not only the product but the hearts and minds of users and potential users, and that is the demand side of the equation.

With reduced demand, the supply will ultimately shrink after initially creating an increased oversupply. As a result, the oversupplied product is harder to offload, forcing prices down, and the level of crime to maintain a habit fades.

Although we are not naive enough to suggest a strategy addressing the demand side would eliminate the drug trade, it will not, but combined with the attacks on the supply side; it is likely to markedly reduce the number of users and, to a degree, mitigate the problem The mitigation will be in direct proportion to the application of strategies aimed at the demand side.

Most current resources applied to the demand side are generally targeted at those entering or about to enter the criminal justice system. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that there is any effective intervention before this, and by the time users enter the Justice system, the chances of an effective diversion are severely diminished; it is too late for many.

The CAA believes that a strategy that involves early intervention is far more likely to be effective than waiting for the problem to substantially manifest.

The strategy.

We have come to accept that Quarantine is a very effective way to control contagions in the community. Illicit drugs arguably kill more Australians than the COVID Pandemic. We accept Quarantine for that lesser evil, so why not apply the same principles to Illicit Drugs, creating drug Quarantine facilities.

Populating a drug quarantine facility.

Anybody suspected of being under the influence or adjudged by Police or a medical practitioner on reasonable grounds to have ingested illicit drugs, and a drug test on-site returns a positive, these people can, by Health Order be immediately placed in Quarantine.

What might a Drug quarantine facility look like?

A secure place where users can be medically assessed and held on a Health Order for up to fourteen days while they are evaluated, and their health adjusted before being released back into society or the legal system.

The first function of the facility is to conduct a clinical assessment to confirm the presence of illicit drugs. A person found not to be under the influence of drugs must be immediately released from the facility after advising the Police if other Judicial obligations exist.

During this period, experts can work with the person to guide them to deal with any dependency or other health issues. They can access support if required and have them return to society in a better condition than what they were, armed with how to escape their addiction and or lifestyle changes to remove the necessity of drugs before they become addicted.

Taking drug-affected people away from Hospital Emergency Rooms must be one of the great positives of this strategy.

We would argue that there is no reasonable opportunity for clinicians or others working in the shooting gallery environment to have any useful interaction with the addicts. That is probably because there are none, supporting the argument that a shooting gallery is a drug facilitation facility.

Users arrive desperate for their fix and leave on a high, so the argument that prevention work is carried out is a myth. That is probably why the most important statistic that these facilities will not publish is the number of addicts diverted from their addiction.

An addict or drug user in Quarantine would be absolutely focused on clinicians making medical intervention far more effective because of the nature of the facility.

What of the mechanics of this proposal?

A Drug Quarantine facility will need to be as secure as any other Quarantine facility with some added safeguards specific to the purpose.

The concept is to have strong security by a suitable agency and inside managed by Health professionals.

A drug-affected person who has allegedly committed a serious crime and is under the influence of drugs when arrested can be sent to the facility and be transferred to the criminal justice system on the expiration of the fourteen days for Justice processing.

It would be reasonable to presume that an alleged perpetrator will be much better able to deal with any matters being as healthy as can be achieved in fourteen days.

What benefits of this approach?

There would be a number of positives cascading from this initiative; we have listed a few.

• The significant and first impact will be on reducing drivers on our roads that use drugs and the lives saved. The effect community-wide will be almost immediate, and the deterrent effect profound.
• Illicit drugs impact domestic violence, and removing a drug-affected perpetrator from a violent domestic situation is a very positive capability that can also save lives.
• Drug users, particularly in their early foray into the scene, will be discouraged from further involvement.
• The drug scene will be driven underground, a real positive, to keep it away from our kids. Anything that makes drugs more difficult to obtain is a positive, as necessary as being socially derided.
• An addict may find that returning to the quarantine process as a repeat user may be the catalyst to encourage the person to seek a way out from their addiction, creating the motivation necessary to break the addiction.
• The stigma attached to the Quarantine facility will also be a substantial deterrent to would-be users. But, on the other hand, time out in the facility may be the early intervention that stops the cycle of rampant addiction.
• It is unlikely that Police would proceed with any criminal matters on the lower end of the criminal scale on users quarantined, exercising discretion avoiding many from entering the Justice system, consequently reducing court caseloads.
• Importantly the maintenance and access to quality data for research purposes would start to achieve data that can be relied upon as the depth and demographic associated with the problem becomes evident to allow the development of more targeted approaches.

Why will Quarantine work?

Will Quarantine move all away from drugs? No, but the impact on their health and giving them a hiatus in their lifestyle might just have the desired effect for many. After fourteen days, they will have lost their position in the drug empire, so they will have to start again. Disruption can sometimes be more effective than the current options and should never be underestimated as a counter to an illegal problem.

Identifying and removing trigger points for addicts over fourteen days would act as step one to recovery, and with the trigger points identified, it can be the start of a way out.

Rehabilitation

We accept the arguments for rehabilitation and the lack of the resources available to addicts; there does need to be an increase in these resources; however, pouring buckets of money into the rehabilitation of addicts will not solve the problem per se. The nirvana of a rehab centre on every corner would add to the problem, not diminish it, the same impact as safe injecting rooms. They both play a positive in the drug Marketing mix.

The consequences of no action 

The community is only too aware that community leaders’ efforts to manage the drug issue have failed abysmally. There are no forward-thinking strategies that we know of to overcome, or at the very least, achieve a reduction in the problem.

More Safe Injecting Rooms means more addicts and growth to the drug industry.

Make no mistake, the explosion of Safe Injecting Rooms is seen as a pathway by some towards legalisation of Illicit drugs; it is merely step one.

Separation of legal and health issues.

We must accept that while illicit drugs are a legal issue, the addiction is a health one, and the separation needs to be understood.

Incarceration within the Justice system only allows the addict to broaden their contact base. Given the innate ability of individuals to be innovative to satisfy human needs (including needs not listed in Maslow’s theory), we are not particularly confident that being in jail will necessarily mean no access to drugs.

While we strongly advocate the health aspect as essential, the criminal aspect must not be ignored.

Drug addicts do not commit a crime in some involuntary state, they may have strong urges to satisfy their addiction, but the offence is only the method to access the drugs. They are entirely cognisant that their actions are criminal. Often the crimes require planning, and that is not the actions of an addict in some involuntary state.

As we separate the health and the drug crimes, the courts must separate the addiction from the offence.

If a person commits a crime to service an addiction, the addiction should be irrelevant to any penalty. Deriving some benefit to penalty before the Courts because of an addiction to an illegal substance, is in our view, objectionable.

It’s not just quarantine as the solution.

A Quarantine program is but one part of the strategy; the other is public awareness campaigns. The Quit campaign that altered community standards is a standout, but in this case, targeting the young to make drugs socially unacceptable in that cohort would be imperative. Take the ‘Cool‘ out of drugs.

Recent research suggests thirty lives per year, plus countless injuries involve drug-affected drivers.

The acting Police Minster Ben Carroll, referring to drugged drivers, was recently quoted as saying, “Any measure on our roads to save lives is worth taking”, and he is absolutely right. However, we need a new direction because what has been done to date has been a failure.

It is common knowledge amongst particularly young drivers that consuming alcohol and driving is too risky, but party drugs are undetectable (the integrity of this statement is questionable, in fact). So, they use drugs in lieu of alcohol with all the added risks—particularly the long-lasting effect of days, not hours.

The prospect of 14 days of Quarantine if a driver is detected with drugs would dramatically reduce the Drug Driver problem overnight.

What of the other issues?

This paper does not address the myriad of detail required to implement this proposal but proposes a concept that can be developed into reality in a relatively short time frame.

The quarantine approach to Illicit drugs is new and innovative, and most importantly, infinitely measurable.

Victoria can become a world leader in this field by applying a commitment towards a solution for the illicit drug problem.

POLICING BACK TO THE FUTURE?

by CAA | Feb 2, 2022 | Library, Uncategorized

2nd February 2022

Media reports of Victoria Police launching a community-focused policing delivery model is heartening for the CAA. The CAA has advocated for this approach for many years.

Dating back to 2016, not long after the CAA was formed, we published the BluePrint document. https://caainc.org.au/the-blue-print-2/?doing_wp_cron=1643668280.3755130767822265625000

That five former executive Police published the document including no less than three retired Chief Commissioners, disappointingly the Police administration of the day did not even exercise the courtesy of an acknowledgement, let alone actioning the views of highly experienced former Police. They thought they knew best.

Like everything new, there are some identifiable shortcomings.

In the news, reference was made to reports that have to be submitted to, we assume measure effectiveness and participation.

Community Policing is mainstream policing and not a desirable accessory; the generation of more reports is the anthesis of community involvement effectiveness.

Making reports is not community policing and detracts from it. The time spent by Police in front of a computer screen must be addressed rather than added to, so Police have the time to engage with the community.

The introduction of information gateways will dramatically gift operational Police their most valuable resource, time to perform their proper function. The ability of contributors to the information malaise must be curtailed from hitting the send, ‘all’ button.

Micromanaging the program from on high is counterproductive when the only statistics that really matter are those already forming part of the quarterly crime statistics.

Inserting effective accountability at command levels will perform the task of ensuring the change in direction is embraced.

Victoria Police, to its credit, has announced and is implementing a Police schools program, but there is still another critical piece of the community Policing Model that has not been addressed.

One of the most successful Police community programs targeted directly at the youth cohort has been effectively knobbled by past police administrators.

The program was born in Victoria in 1976 and has been exported to all other States and Territories within Australia and a number of other countries. We invented something every other jurisdiction benefits from, except this State.

The misguided police administrations in Victoria that cancelled community Policing were not embarrassed, as they should have been, that the national program was embraced and nurtured in all other police jurisdictions except Victoria, where it started.

The program is Blue Light, and despite all efforts to close it down, it has survived against the odds.

That credit must go to the Blue Light Board.

But that is then, and now we must look forward and rebuild the Blue Light core function.

It will, however, fall to the Chief Commissioner to determine the effectiveness of the rebuild.

The incentives for Police to participate voluntarily must be reintroduced, and in return, Victoria Police will benefit from the positives that police-involved gain from this program as much as the community they serve.

There have been suggestions that Disco’s are no longer in vogue, but that is a myth, as any of the entrepreneurs in the Night Club industry will attest. Underage Disco is invariably booked out. Demand exceeds supply by a very large margin.

Give a child a chance to meet with their friends in a safe environment to enjoy their music and the social benefits (critical now in this post COVID era) and watch them flock to the opportunity.

Many of today’s youth had a parent who attended Blue Lights, so a favourable market exists ready for the opportunity.

The benefits to Victoria Police in a resurgence cannot be understated.

Corruption watchdogs throw in the towel

by CAA | Dec 16, 2021 | Library, Uncategorized

17th December 2021

Two of the three entities created to control Corruption have given up.

That is the most generous interpretation that can be applied to the report in the Herald Sun, 15^th of December 2021, MPs urged to clean up parliament from corrupt behaviour,  detailing views allegedly expressed by the Ombudsman Ms Glass, who coincidently is well regarded by the CAA, and the IBAC Commissioner.

They are seeking help from Parliamentarians to clean up Corruption. It is a questionable assumption that politicians all know about Corruption or imply they are involved in it.

Firstly inferring that politicians are corrupt as a class is sure to raise the ire of decent, hardworking politicians being tarred with the same brush. Secondly, this admission is an admission that the two agencies have failed –  it cannot be interpreted any other way- exposing, fighting and charging the corrupt is their job.

The plaintive cry of the watchdogs reported,

 “…the agencies admitted that new laws introduced after Labor’s redshirt scandal had not done enough to stop political parties from misusing public money for their political gain.”

Perhaps the watchdogs have not done enough – they blame the political parties. Parties or entities do not commit crimes; people do.

This admission is unbelievable, and given the legislation that already existed before the redshirts debacle, this is a terrible indictment on the agencies and their relevance or capacity to undertake the tasks they are charged with.

Both agencies should refresh or extend their knowledge of the Crimes Act 1958. They will find all the Powers they should ever need within those annals.

It is pointless for politicians to take action to solve the problem because some are the problem, and others clearly cannot expect support from the watchdogs that have admitted defeat.

The watchdogs have become just observers, not functionaries in the corruption arena.

It was not that long ago a politician used his issued government car to deliver goods for his hardware business, and he was charged and convicted. Fast forward, still preceding the Redshirts, and a Politician used his government allocated transport to ferry his dogs and was never charged. Why not?

The Crimes Act 1958 can be applied in that and the Redshirts Rort.  And what about the Common Law charge of Misconduct in Public Office?

There are many other examples of corrupt conduct by both Politicians and bureaucrats, where the watchdogs have demonstrated there is just an inability or unwillingness to act, and now we know why – they have given up.

These agencies’ primary role is to investigate and where the legislation has been breached lay charges. It is not up to them to second guess the Courts; it is the Court’s role to determine guilt or innocence, not the watchdogs.

Time for a Truth and Integrity Commission willing to act in the public interest.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED – TO OUR DEMOCRACY?

by CAA | Nov 12, 2021 | Library, Uncategorized

13th November 2021

Recent events – recent in terms of Victorian history – have been ominous.  A friend early on pondered whether the actions of the Andrews government threatened our democratic freedoms, and I naively thought not.  But, upon reflection, I now share his concerns.  Consider:

• We cannot get rid of even the worst government within less than four years.
• The Governor cannot sack the government without a recommendation by the Premier.
• Wartime-like restrictions, curfews and lockdowns can be imposed by edict – supposed to be used only for stringent emergency and temporary use but actually imposed on us for world-record durations.
• Parliament, supposedly elected to represent us and protect us from tyranny, has been cut back by half. The government refuses to follow the laws and conventions on openness, accountability and honest dealing with the electorate.
• Public officials can conspire to injure citizens, throw them out of lawful employment and falsify “evidence” of criminal activity against them – without remorse, apology or explanation – and be protected by the organs of government.
• Members of the ruling elite can engage people at public expense to pursue those members’ private purposes in seeking election – and again evade the sanctions of the law under the protection of the organs of government
• Officials can spend $30 million of public money (for hotel quarantine) without any discernible record of who authorised this, what steps were taken to ensure the money went to a lawful supplier of the services sought, or even whether the supplier could reasonably be expected to do so.
• We can now – apparently – be compelled to get jabbed, twice, with chemicals we might personally object to, or be tossed on the scrap heap of social outcasts; locked out of work, milk bars, cafes and footy grounds.  (But judges are exempted.)

What has happened to what used to be perhaps the most liveable, most free, most robust society, with a Police Force that was renowned for Upholding the Right?

What has happened to our Democracy?

Actually, something like what happened in Germany between the first and second world wars – creeping tyranny.

The encroachments started in small ways as ours did;  people stood quietly by, as we have.  The despotic manipulators enjoyed adulation as “saviours” – and thus were perceived to be beyond accountability or scrutiny.

That, and worse, is what has been happening to Democracy in Victoria.

What is even more worrying than what has already happened, is what is going to happen according to this government’s agenda.

Under a bill presently before the Parliament, the limitations of the temporary State of Emergency are washed away, and a new social management order would come into being.

The new bill is breathtaking in its grab for power, giving politicians the ability to quash dissention without any actual health issues, but merely the perceived threat – that is, perceived by those politicians.

And as reported in Lawyers Weekly this week (see ref. below):

“A damning letter opposing Victoria’s new pandemic legislation granting Premier Dan Andrews and the government “extraordinary powers” to rule the state without proper parliamentary oversight or the usual checks and balances has extended from 14 signatories out to 60, including Queen’s counsel and the Victorian Bar Association.”

Politicians, not public health officials, are to be given sweeping powers to declare pandemics and enforce public health orders for three months at a time, with “unlimited and practically unreviewable” power to rule the state by decree on a long-term basis.

The letter, circulated at the end of October, has since amassed support from another 46 Queen’s Counsel (QCs) concerned that the low threshold and extraordinarily broad definitions within the bill will make it “practically impossible” for an individual to challenge the merits of a public health order in court. Instead, if a person wishes to, they must reach a “very high bar” of establishing legal unreasonableness.

Under existing arrangements, the emergency powers given temporarily to the Chief Health Officer are, at least theoretically, subject to checks and controls by elected officials, but it is plain that this government does not allow supposedly temporary and emergency powers to stand in the way of its casual, world-record, lockdown of the populace when it suits it.

Curfews are nothing compared to what faces us in the future.

“….we can expect a pandemic declaration to be in force for the foreseeable future. Thus, the minister’s power to make pandemic orders will remain in place for the foreseeable future,” the lawyers’ letter read.

Once a declaration is in place (the stroke of a pen) the only other requirement for the minister to make a public health order is that the minister must believe the order is “reasonably necessary to protect public health”. Not only is this threshold low, the QCs argued, but it is enough if the minister “subjectively believes that the order is reasonably necessary”.

This could allow orders for the detention of persons, restriction of movement, regulating public or private gatherings, requiring the provision of information, and requiring testing and medical exemptions of residents, say the lawyers.  

THIS IS ALREADY HAPPENING

The bill also provides “extremely broad and unchecked powers on authorised officers” that include taking any action or giving any direction “that the authorised officer believes is reasonably necessary to protect public health”. It could mean an individual authorised officer will single-handedly have the power to shut down a political protest if the officer subjectively believes it is reasonably necessary.

“It is, in our view, no answer to these criticisms to say that the bill contains more safeguards than presently exists for the emergency powers under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008. The emergency powers are just that – extraordinary powers that are available to be exercised for only a very short period,” the letter said.

“It is one thing to allow temporary rule by decree to deal with an unforeseen and extraordinary emergency in circumstances of extreme urgency. It is something else altogether to entrench rule by decree as a long-term norm. In our view, this is antithetical to basic democratic principles and should not be allowed to happen.”

The CAA would also highlight what we understand is a substantial increase in recruiting activity for Authorised Officers, as the Government /Premier is building their own Political Police wing (under the guise of health) with extraordinary powers that police officers cannot and should not have.

Interestingly, this Health Police Force is predominantly managed in its current form by former airline cabin Staff who the Premier rescued from the crash of the airline industry, with no training or qualification for their new role.

It is fascinating to observe the Premier defending his new push for power on the grounds that it increases “transparency and accountability” at the same time as:

• the government resolutely refuses to release the existing health advice and modelling given to it, and
• the government cannot even remember who brought about the hotel quarantine disaster that led directly to 800 deaths.

This legislation must not be allowed to succeed.

https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/biglaw/32999-legal-bodies-qcs-oppose-new-victorian-pandemic-bill

IS OUR IBAC COMMISSIONER UP TO THE JOB?

by CAA | Nov 10, 2021 | Library, Uncategorized

10th November 2021

The re-emergence to prominence of the Red Shirts criminal artifice has come as quite a shock, mainly to the perpetrators, who had good reason to believe their crimes were well buried.

To the rest of us, guarded relief that the offenders involved in these crimes may, at last, be brought to justice.

That it has not happened thus far, reeks of corruption. gross incompetence or other impairments within the authorities designed to deal with corruption by those employed on our behalf to manage our State.

Strong suspects contributing to this inaction, apart from self -interest is warped ideology that spurs minions to not rock the boat and report corruption.

‘There are none so blind as those who do not wish to see.’

The Red Shirt ruse is only part of this story.

The corruption that intervened in the proper application of the Law will, however, become the bigger story.

If as opinionated by Herald Sun reporter Kieran Rooney (9/11/21) is accurate, Robert Redlich, the IBAC Commissioners, ‘jaw hit the floor’, when disgraced Labor MP Adam Somyurek dropped the bombshell that the Premier was aware of the Red Shirts rort

We will have to look more closely at the role and function of IBAC and the Commissioner.

We are not suggesting the allegations against the Premier are true, but our concern is the reaction of the Commissioner.

Through our contacts, from eminent legal practitioners to former executive police who had worked with Robert Redlich, the evaluation of his character was consistent. His integrity is of the highest order and he and would not bend to external influences, yet paradoxically, it would seem he was shocked by the evidence.

It seems incredible that the majority of the community has long formed the view that the Red Shirts program was criminal. The close association between the Red Shirts and the Premier demonstrated by the proliferation of media photographs of him proudly interacting with the participating Red Shirts, was too blatant to miss.

For the Premier to deny any knowledge of the artifice is challenging to accept and that, he was allegedly interacting, should not be a surprising revelation for the Commissioner. To be surprised by the allegations suggests, in the absence of any other explanation, that he has led an insular existence that has created a lack of understanding that the rest of us have grasped.

I don’t think anybody other than perhaps blinkered supporters of the Premier would accept he did not know.

Whether that knowledge extends to criminality is doubtful; however, those directly involved in falsifying documents and other nefarious activities must be held to account for the crimes they have committed.

In a civilised society, criminality cannot be allowed to be airbrushed away, whether involving the elite political class or the ordinary citizen. Doing so condones crime and can destroy democracy, it is that important to quell.

Much has been said about the amount of money paid back to the State by the Labor party over this fiasco. That repayment is an admission of guilt no matter which way you slice or dice it, and we would suggest it never would have been repaid had it not been exposed.

That this repayment in some ways mitigates; criminality is one of the greatest fallacies ever reported.

To give an example to understand the misinformation that has been proffered over this Red Shirts crime is a recent example in the community that gives context by disparity.

Recently reported was the story of a suburban mum who committed substantial fraud on her employer over some time and when confronted pleaded guilty to the offending.

Ironically and consistent with the Red Shirts issue this mum and her family went to extraordinary lengths to repay the poor victim the thousands stolen; however, she was sentenced to a minimum of a two-year jail for her crime.

Using the Red Shirts paradoxically, she should not have been charged, let alone convicted, as she paid the money back.

A rationale that should never be countenanced by any stretch.

Is this another example of one set of rules for the first and second estates and another for the third?

Let’s hope that the IBAC Commissioner will see through this fog and go after not only the perpetrators of the Red Shirts artifice but, more importantly, the facilitators that conspired to stymie prosecutions are arguably the greater criminals and their deeds must be exposed.

If we are ever to reign in corruption it is the facilitators that must be prosecuted.

The impact of corrupt leaders is to generate more corruption, and when they err, they must be held to account because if they are not, the next layer down sees it as acceptable, as explained by the Somyurek evidence. The corruption permeates down through the organisation, in this case, the State, a situation that is now evidenced in Victoria.

Unless this rot is arrested then the consequences become more dire for all of us.

The IBAC Commissioner will be judged by how he deals with this matter; or is our IBAC only good for prosecuting perpetrators for ‘Pillow Talk’?

To support the work of the CAA go to https://caainc.org.au/support-caa/

POLICE DISCIPLINE INFLUENCED BY THE PERSON NOT THE EVIDENCE.

by CAA | Nov 7, 2021 | Library, Uncategorized

7th November 2021

There are some gross incongruities in the world of Police discipline; just ask some of the Police victims.

Over recent years one thing that has stood out in Police discipline meted out by either Vitoria Police Professional Standards Command (PSC) or matters investigated by the now-defunct Office of Police Integrity (OPI) or by the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) is the blatant contradictions.

Take just two examples.

Most readers will remember the photographing and subsequent distribution of pictures of a well-known football identity arrested for stalking, dressed as a female.

It was interesting how the privacy breach of the stalking perpetrator overshadowed the despicable behaviour of stalking an innocent female victim by the media, IBAC and Police Command, ‘wokeness’ trumps the crime of stalking. The impact of that crime was diluted dramatically except for the victims.

It is important to note that there were many Police tracked and identified as either having received the images or distributed them further.

A raft of sanctions were imposed on those Police, including criminal charges, dismissal, and other penalties. But notably, they were all of lower ranks.

The CAA does not excuse the behaviour but is critical of the disproportionate outcome to the conduct identified.

Particularly when you consider that the offensive material distributed by the police members was targeted and generally remained internal.

Contrast that with former Assistant Commissioner Bret Guerin, the Commissioner in command of the PSC responsible for internal investigations into corruption and other discipline issues distributing vile and offensive comments, a criminal offence, trolling over many years under at least three pseudonyms on public media sites.

Subsequently admitting his guilt publicly in the media after being exposed, not by the corruption watchdog, but the CAA, working with other victims, but he was never charged or disciplined.

It should also be noted that Guerin would have been the primary conduit between IBAC and Victoria Police, and he was involved in criminality, unbelievable.

Critically, however, the main issue is that the Police involved in the distribution of photographs of the stalker under arrest were apparently all identified by the footprints left in the stratosphere of the internet.

Compare that investigation and outcome with the Guerin matter where there does not appear that any effort was applied to track down who the audience of the Troll were, or was it an embarrassment to identify his supporters.

Guerin’s behaviour stands out, and his crimes were substantially aggravated on a number of fronts, not the least his rank in the Victoria Police and his role as the gatekeeper of police discipline.

• Guerin was committing the crime of using a Carriage Service for menacing, harassing or offensive purposes which attracts a penalty of up to three years in jail. He committed this crime on multiple occasions and potentially others like Misconduct in Public Office for somewhere north of six years (that we know about). A recidivist criminal. And we suggest not likely to avoid jail if convicted. But to be convicted, one needs to be charged.
• The first formal complaint that we are aware of was made to the Chief Commissioner VicPol early in 2016, identifying the Internet Protocol Address (ISP) of the computers used to commit the crimes. Guerin left clumsy internet footprints everywhere.
• He initially got to investigate his own complaint.
• We are also aware of other issues related to similar indiscretions by him that, on our estimates, put the cost to taxpayer’s emanating from his blunders in the region of half a million dollars. Still, he gets to keep his super and have all his legal fees covered.
• If he is charged with these offences, the State could not, in good conscience, fund his defence, particularly given the cost he has imposed on the State thus far.
• As distinct from the case of the football identity stalker, no effort was made to identify or track co-conspirators in these Guerin crimes.
• IBAC is satisfied that no influence of the values expressed by Guerin swayed his work. We assume they deduced that by asking the perpetrator, No doubt the perpetrator would be honest and frank on that point.
• He never showed contrition.
• He received no sanction for his offending.
• The exposure of the stalker’s photos was short-lived, but the Guerin matter spanned many years, and it would be unfathomable to believe that there was not an audience with parallel views who Guerin was servicing or to whom he was playing. Because it is without question, being deprived of positive reinforcement and encouragement, this behaviour would have ceased years ago.
• Further aggravating the culpability of Guerin and confirming that his behaviour was no whim, he used three pseudonyms that we are aware of over the years. Vernon Demerest, Clive Howlett-Jones and Grange Calendar the actions of an unrepentant recidivist offender, not just somebody getting ‘a bit excited on a keyboard’, as described by Chief Commissioner at the time, Ashton.
• These crimes required planning, and Guerin would be dealing with these types of offences regularly, making the crimes more egregious and would be well aware of the offences and the penalties. Still, presumably, he, like most crooks, did not expect to get caught, particularly when any complaints would come across his desk.
• It was unbelievable that it was his embarrassingly inane mistakes that led to his exposure. With at least one other deliriously inept misstep by Guerin not publicly exposed.

Perhaps that is because of the who, rather than the what was done.

The CAA has previously expressed concern that there is a real possibility that an enclave of like-minded individuals, his mates, a ‘Jedi Council’, exists in the upper echelons of Police and elsewhere, which is very concerning.

The integrity of the many good officers in the upper echelons needs to be cleared of any suspicion that must indeed exist, that they are tarred with the Guerin brush.

A skilled detective will always rely on the OTT about crime and criminals.

There is no such thing as a coincidence.

Once –    It could be a rush of blood, an opportunistic crime, or a     random error of judgement. (categorising many of the members distributing the photograph)

Twice–    It is not a coincidence; it is a pattern.

Thrice–   Entrenched habitual recidivism(categorises Guerin).

It would appear that Guerin can turn on a very effective ‘charm offensive’, which he exercised at IBAC and was noted in their report. It clearly worked for him there. They were conned.

Another experience from practised Investigators,

Criminals invariably use the ‘charm offensive’ for two significant reasons.

Firstly- it may make the process tolerable, and if they can win over the Investigators, there is every chance they will put a good word in for them at court.

Secondly- they hope the investigators will only focus on the crime to hand, and the other offending may not be looked at. Their rationale is that it’s better to go down for what they (the investigators ) know rather than what they find out, as that will cause a whole heap more pain.

It makes you wonder about what Guerin may have been hiding.

The CAA calls on the Government to appoint a special investigator to examine the Guerin matter and determine why he was not charged with a series of criminal offences and whether there is a like-minded enclave.

According to the IBAC report, they seized and gained access to electronic data, so the evidence still exists.

A court should decide his innocence or guilt, not bureaucrats with a vested interest to limit damage or protect others.