Tomorrow marks the 50th anniversary of the execution of Ronald Ryan. Just before 8 o’clock on the morning of February 3, 1967, Ryan declined a sedative but took a sip of whisky and walked calmly to the gallows trapdoor at Pentridge Prison.
Ryan addressed his executioner directly, “God bless you, please make it quick.”
Ryan’s supporters and opponents of the death penalty observed a three-minute silence. Protesters assembled outside Pentridge Prison in vigil.
The circumstances of his death at the hands of the state have led to great myth-making about Ryan. He has been variously painted as a bit of a larrikin, driven to crime by circumstance and little worse than a kite flyer (passer of bad cheques).
The truth is he was a career criminal and his crimes before his penultimate arrest, included what we would call today aggravated burglary and robbery in company.
His arresting officer on that occasion was Bryan Harding. I’ve known Harding for many years. He was an outstanding police officer and at various times headed up the Fraud and Homicide squads in Victoria. Harding is retired and now in his 80s; he remembers Ryan as a hardened criminal who showed little or no remorse for his crimes and gave nothing away under questioning.
Full column here.
Mark Dreyfus pushing ahead with contempt proceedings. mirabile dictu
Look out George
Brandis has been so so quiet for so long. Something is up. Must be packing his bags and bookshelves for London.
oleaginous carbuncle can join corgi
Some might say Brandis is preparing to walk away due to family and personal reasons?
I wonder if he was one if the ones whingeing about the loss of the Gold card Bassy. As much as it hurts I concur with dismals post as well.
Yes Dismal’s post was just brilliant!
The right whingers are going berserk over at the Australian. apparently when turnbull took back the leadership it was a betrayal but when abbott took the leadership from turnbull it was ok? Ah the eternally outraged cons. If they don’t have something to whinge about they just attack anyone and anything near by.
Big difference between opposition and government. Both parties will think carefully before pulling the same stunt again.
All the more reason why Turnbull should stand up for what he believes and take on the hard right. Bullies always run and I am sure they would.
Again…we all need to see that ‘agreement’.
Any agreement would be verbal mate. They would never put that stuff in writing.
Tend to agree, Bassy. He’s got nothing to lose now. Because an election loss is on the cards. Even the financial columns are warning of a change.
Milton 12:47am .
You are correct on China now out in front ,now joined
China increasing one new coal-fire plant every 10 days till 2030 . Strange how all the barking is on us in this country when we are not the culprits. The whinges never come up with positive reliable affordable solutions, only their wild assumptions hearing from second hand media rags that would lead us into candle days.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/china-coal-power-stations-plants-electricity-supply-green-energy-greenpeace-a7134596.html
“Meanwhile in China, the national energy planners cancelled the equivalent of 103 future coal plants. In Davos and Geneva, President Xi Jingping used his speech to stress the importance of staying on course with the Paris Agreement. China is also set to invest $361 billion into clean power generation by 2020.”
Im not sure you realise how big China is, EE. Im also pretty certain that you dont understand the subtleties of coal use in China. For example, you cite the (alleged) stats on the building of coal plants but you dont consider (a) whether that is the official policy and (b) whether it is necessary or a good thing. the reality is that pretty much everyone is agreed that China has too many coal fired power plants and doesnt need more. The reality also is that the Chinese economy is a bit ratshit at the moment and provincial officials like building them because (a) it creates jobs and (b) it promotes the idea that the province can build more residential buildings. It may not surprise you to know that (a) China has very low and very haphazard personal taxes and (b) provincial governments fund themselves mostly by “selling” residential land (in fact you cannot “buy” real estate in China – you can only take a long term rental on it (usually 30 or 50 years).
So you cite those figures about coal plants in China without knowing (a) whether they are correct (Beijing is trying to restrain the building of coal plants ) and (b) without knowing whether even China thinks that building these things makes sense (most Chinese in China would probably say “no, it doesnt”).
Don’t most poorer and rural Chinese use coal for heating and cooking too, Darren. They cannot afford, or there is no electricity? Considering the population that is an enormous contribution to emissions – and that dense smog
china has a severe pollution problem, no, not CO2, but real air and water pollution. life expectancy diminishing levels.
it will try to fix that before it pays any more than lip service to CO2.
Has bestiality bernardi done this to try and force a leadership spill in the coalition and force it further to far right that it has lurched towards since abbott was leading. The facts remain turnbull has stuck with abbotts agenda and that apparently is not far right enough for the cons in the country.
No doubt about you Dismayed, your opening comment clearly indicates you revel in this sort of stuff. Give us a big grin if your salivary glands are not in overdrive right now mate.
Well you had your turn when Labor imploded. Where is Johnny? He usually brings his goofy grin out on these matters and starts talking ‘disunity is death’ and all is well in the Liberal camp. For sure he is pedalling hard and working the phones or packing for his next Gold Pass cricket tour. Good luck to him. Go Johnny Go!
When you look what came after him Bassy, Howard probably deserves his Gold Pass. Nothing but chaos ever since.
Razor 08:21pm .
Poor old Bassman reads too much of Dismayeds media rags getting his figures by guessing. He needs to leave these refugee topics alone and politics especially bias donations blaming the Libs all the time. He needs to read wide reputable media, not these rags Dismayed reads. Crime, asylum matters politics straying away from facts, just does not work.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akb0kD7EHIk
Spread your wings Cory!
A stirring piece of music, JB! Bernardi doesn’t deserve to be associated with such majesty!!
Good to see you indulge in a spot of piousness in your newly found philosophy.
I enjoyed it – thanks!
Great clip Mr Baptiste, as we see the Socialists being rolled worldwide. Are you concerned kind Sir? Poor Hollande of France was so shattered he decided not to even stand for re-election FGS! Of course we now have POTUS Trump of the USA and now our own Cory setting out to emulate him. Cory’s only real problem is that the man in the street I doubt know who he is! That was Trump’s strength he made his appeal to the battler, the disaffected and they love him. You may soon find Mr Baptiste that you joining the Libs is the lesser of evils! Cheers.
Quite so dear Henry! “The bitch that bore him is on heat again.” (Brecht) Revel in the rise of the Right Henry, who knows how long it will be and how much damage is wrought before Trump is isolated in his own bunker.
Meanwhile, I have chosen music for your ears which will warm the cockles of your heart and inspire your hurrahs.
Enjoy………….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjpieIjFVSY
That’s more your style, JB. Well done – you had me worried for a while.
Bloody spell check “rabids”
Honestly the rapids on the other side, the only one who benefits from this is Shorten. Expect Abbott is enjoying it no end, did he tattle or didn’t he?
Astonishing Tracy. One Nation and Bernardi’s mob may as well form an alliance because there doesn’t seem much difference. So we have an extreme right now.
I wonder where this leaves Turnbull? Abbott must be hanging around hoping for the recall – something we all thought was unimaginable.
I still thInk it is – but sheesh, politics is a crazy game these days
Expect the unexpected maybe.
Shorten is going to have government fall into his lap without even trying it seems.
“In its reports after the blackout, AEMO said it was not the nature of wind energy (i.e. its variability) that contributed to the blackout,”
Lou Rowan to be put to rest this Friday. A great umpire and an honest Qld cop in dishonest times. May he rest in peace.
Indeed. Two LBW decisions in all Tests. You had to be adjacent for Lou to raise the finger.
i don’t know what sort of an umpire he was, apart from the english believing he was biased against them, but i did get to shake his hand in the bowels of the MCG.
he was an old mate of one of dad’s best buddies and as we were down in the city for the Test, the old bloke and his mates paid a visit to the umpires room after close of play. no sign on the door but a copper standing outside. inside it was bare concrete with a card table topped with a threadbare bar towel and a few bottles of lemonade and beer and and some seven ounce glasses.
i don’t remember seeing a fridge, or any ice.
even as a kid i thought it was bleak.
First test umpire I ever saw. Him and Col Egar? Vale.