Fed: Army to withdraw shoot to kill policy if defence bill pass

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2000
Fed: Army to withdraw shoot to kill policy if defence bill pass

The army promises to withdraw archaic protocols directing soldiers to take out individual
demonstrators with shots to the chest or stomach if new laws pass in parliament.

The proposed legislation will clarify the role of the armed forces in quelling terrorist
violence and dispersing crowds and is expected to pass parliament this week for next month's
Olympics.

Defence force Military Law Centre director MIKE KELLY says the laws have been in the
pipeline for the last couple of years to replace the procedures established after the
1978 Hilton bombing.

The current Manual of Land Warfare directs troop commanders assisting police to quell
demonstrations and riots to shoot, only as a last resort, after two warnings shot.

It manual says initial shots should be directed at individual protesters by sharpshooters,
aiming at the visible mass trunk area.

The manual says the nominated rifleman shall aim in such a way as to disable the person
and avoid causing injury to innocent bystanders.

If the legislation is passed the manual will get completely redrafted and revised.

AAP RTV kmh/mfh/alt/jn

KEYWORD: OLY DEFENCE MANUAL (CANBERRA)

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: First broad ranging inquiry into drug abuse in 20 years

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-2000
Fed: First broad ranging inquiry into drug abuse in 20 years

A federal parliamentary committee is to investigate the social and economic impact
of legal and illegal drugs on the community.

The House of Representatives Family and Community Affairs Committee investigation will
look at how drug abuse affects family relationships, crime, violence and law enforcement,
road trauma, workplace safety and productivity and health care costs.

Committee chairman BARRY WAKELIN says the inquiry is welcome but overdue.

He says it's been 20 years since parliament held a broad-ranging inquiry into the problem
and drugs impact has changed radically in that time.

The inquiry will be advertised nationally from tomorrow.

Mr WAKELIN says there's evidence drug abuse costs Australia more than $18 billion annually.

Anybody who's been affected by legal or illegal drugs is invited to contact the committee
which will hold a series of public hearings later in the year.

AAP RTV eg/mfh/arb/jn

KEYWORD: ABUSE (CANBERRA)

2000 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

TAS: Ansett offers olive branch in handlers dispute

AAP General News (Australia)
01-19-2000
TAS: Ansett offers olive branch in handlers dispute

MELBOURNE, Jan 19 AAP - Ansett Australia has decided to hold off retrenching baggage
handlers at Hobart airport in an attempt to resolve the dispute which stranded 5,000 passengers
last weekend.

Transport Workers Union (TWU) members went on strike over the weekend on the eve of
Ansett's pullout from Launceston, and the retrenchment of baggage handlers there.

Ansett also said it would ask Kendell Airlines, which is taking over the routes, to
reopen tendering of its ground handling facilities at Hobart, allowing the TWU another
opportunity to …

FED: Timorese hold no illusions about vote

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-1999
FED: Timorese hold no illusions about vote

By Royal Abbott

MELBOURNE, Aug 30 AAP - Melbourne's East Timorese community turned out in force today to
vote on whether their homeland should remain part of Indonesia.

Maria-Gabriela Carrascalao told AAP she had spoken to friends in Dili early today and they
had reported an unprecedented voter turn-out.

As she spoke, hundreds of Timorese of all ages gathered in the courtyard of Melbourne's
Wesley Central Mission in Lonsdale Street, one of four polling station's in the city which
opened at midday under the watchful eye of the Australian Electoral Commission.

"I think the intimidation the militias were using (in Dili), that strategy they were using,
it didn't work today," said Mrs Carrascalao said.

She said the friends told her that in one Dili district at 5am today, where more than 2,000
were registered to vote, there was a 100 per cent turnout.

But she said that even after opposing militia leaders appeared on television news reports
shaking hands and apparently agreeing to observe an amnesty today, anti-independence
supporters were continuing to make threatening phone calls last night.

"Some friends living in Dili were forced to flee their their homes after they said they
received threatening phone calls last night," she said.

Mrs Carrascalao said she received several calls from friends telling her that Indonesian
police were harassing pro-independence leaders and that large numbers of heavily armed militia
and Indonesian military in plain clothes had massed at strategic points.

She said the ceasefire between integrationist and independence militia leaders was just for
show and would not last.

"The agreement on TV was just that, they've been doing that over and over, and each time
they agree, each time they sign they go straight away and break it over and over," Mrs
Carrascalao said.

Several hundred members of Melbourne's 8,000-strong East Timorese community had already
gathered at the Wesley Mission when the polls opened.

"I'm so emotional... I feel very emotional," one whispered to her friend as they climbed
the steps into the church hall to cast their vote.

AAP ra/jlw/it/br

KEYWORD: TIMOR AUST VIC

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

QLD: Police concern over missing soldier

AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-1999
QLD: Police concern over missing soldier

BRISBANE, April 7 AAP - A 24-year-old Army lieutenant had been missing from his suburban
Brisbane home for almost three weeks, police said.

Police were investigating the disappearance of Lieutenant Sean Sargent (Sargent) who left
his home at Ferny Hills at 7pm on March 19 in his blue Ford Falcon to visit a friend at St
Lucia.

Lt Sargent and the friend went to a party that night, police said.

But he left about 11.30pm after a row with another man.

Police said Lt Sargent was seen by friends about midnight, and may have been seen again at
the Regatta Hotel, Toowong, three days later.

Lt Sargent is 179cm tall, with blue eyes, medium build, fair complexion and brown hair.

AAP geb/sd/maur

KEYWORD: SOLDIER

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

WA: Elderly bag snatch victim dies after carpark attack

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-1998
WA: Elderly bag snatch victim dies after carpark attack

PERTH, Dec 21 AAP - If someone grabs your handbag ... let it go.

That was the Christmas shopping warning from police today after an elderly woman died a day
after being dragged along the ground by bag-snatchers.

Susan Breen, 83, had just finished shopping with her 58-year-old niece at Perth's La Plaza
Bentley shopping centre on Friday morning when a stolen car pulled up next to them.

"One of three males in the car grabbed her bag," Sergeant Tony Potts said.

"She held on and by the time the strap broke she had been dragged along the ground for
about a metre."

Mrs Breen was treated at Royal Perth Hospital for scratches, bruises and a swollen knee,
then discharged.

But the widow, who had a history of heart trouble, was re-admitted to the hospital by her
niece eight hours later.

"At about 10.30 (AWST) the next night she was found dead in her bed," Sgt Potts said.

"There will be a coronial inquiry, after which we will decide whether the bag-snatch was a
contributing factor to her death.

"There may be manslaughter charges arising as well as robbery," he said.

The three male offenders have not been caught.

Sgt Potts said the circumstances of Mrs Breen's death should act as a warning to shoppers
over the busy Christmas period.

"There are predatory offenders at this time of year, so be aware of that, and be aware they
tend to focus on those unable to defend themselves," Sgt Potts said.

"Carry your bag tucked under your arm, be on the look out for suspicious people near
shopping centres, and if somebody does grab your bag, let it go; property can be replaced."

Police also advised people to use in-store cash facilities instead of automatic tellers
outside shopping centres.

AAP kbw/it

KEYWORD: BAGS

1998 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

WA:Girl stung by deadly jellyfish in Broome

AAP General News (Australia)
02-28-2011
WA:Girl stung by deadly jellyfish in Broome

The Broome Shire has shut down Western Australia's popular Cable Beach .. with a young
girl stung by a potentially deadly irukandji jellyfish.

The girl was taken to Broome Hospital after she was stung at about seven (WST) this
morning while surfing .. and the beach has been closed to the public for the next 24 hours.

Irukandji jellyfish are tiny .. …