Sydney has joined many of the great cities in the world in having police on patrols armed with assault rifles.
The Colt M4 that will be issued to 100 officers from the NSW Public Order and Riot Squads is a combat weapon, with an effective range of 600m, firing up to 800 rounds per minute. Standard magazines hold 15 rounds.
At major sporting and cultural events, at railway stations, at places where people congregate en masse, the people of Sydney will soon become accustomed to the presence of heavily armed police.
The situation is similar to that throughout Europe, and Australian tourists have become accustomed to seeing armed troops and police on the streets.
There are arguments against, of course. The Metropolitan Police Service in London, once a group of baton twirling bobbies, armed with whistles who, when encountering a ne’er-do-well were obliged to say, “Stop or I’ll be forced to say stop again.” Now, of course, many are heavily armed with automatic long-arm weapons on patrols of London streets.
The detractors say this has not stopped terrorist events, but this is a failure to appreciate the extent of the terror threat facing the world and how to respond to it.
Full column here.
Re an armed presence, and whilst I am unhappy about it I am not against it (it’s amazing how much we learn to live with things), let us hope no innocents get hurt in the crossfire.
It would seem that May was too smart by half. You’d have to have a unique talent to make Corbyn competitive; akin to making Shorten the same. I don’t think unwieldy govts are the way to go at anytime and certainly not now.
Is our 50/50 divide here divided over much? Perhaps not, as our govts, at least since Howard have hardly acted on the talking points of SSM, climate change, Indigenous recognition and maybe one or two other things. And would our actions on these matters make too much of a difference as a whole on our nation? But Brexit, if that had a major role in the Brit elections, could certainly inform the future of Britain one way or the other.
Perhaps the lesson is if there is no pressing need for an election then get on with the job and stop playing would be cute politics, we’re over it and you lot.
And further, I thought Brexit was a done deal. A referendum was taken and a decision made. You can’t keep having votes to get the result desired by a large section of the commentariat (? sic).
Why “cant” they have another referendum? Post referendum polling consistently indicates that a majority of people in the UK believe that they should not leave the union.
In my own view the whole process was rushed without enough time for proper consideration of the consequences, with for many a prevailing assumption that the referendum was so unlikely to succeed that they did not bother to vote or did not apply themselves to resist the exit as much as they should have.
What should happen is a referendum should be held on whether or not to delay the exit for five years, and if that was the choice of the people, after the five years has elapsed another poll should be held on whether to go or stay.
Uh-uh, you don’t get two bites of the cherexit JB.
Intelligent people change their minds when new information is revealed.
This is no different to other historical revolutionary events promoted by capitalist scammers whose motivation is never the good of the people but see for themselves massive profits in the reconfiguring of markets.
If the Brits want to go to hell in a shopping trolley, that’s fine with me.
Perhaps there is some unconscious post colonial guilt seeking self destruction or equally an ingrained overestimation of capability bridging the gap between the present and Victorian heydays but the smart thing to do would be to sit down with a cuppa and think things through.
Right now they are on track to become an American colony. Aint that ironic now?
“capitalist scammers” ??
Nah nah nah JB, you got it all wrong. The bogeymen are all under the Brussels beds me old mate.
No Carl, I’ve got it right.
The Brexit referendum was a stuff up JB. Half of those who should have voted, didn’t. Because they thought it was a no brainer. This election called by May, they got out of bed – and wow, what a different result. A good reason for compulsory voting perhaps.?
UK politics in turmoil. Perhaps another referendum on Brexit is warranted – if the EU still wants them, that is.
Corbyn was also promising you can have all this stuff for free, education, health etc who could possibly resist that.
Strikes me that much the same thing with the Brexit vote Tracy. In reverse. The people who voted to leave did so for all the wrong reasons perhaps, and didn’t realise the implications.
Who would have thought that just a few months later they could land up in such a mess as they are now!
“Post referendum polling consistently indicates that a majority of people in the UK believe that they should not leave the union.”
Gosh, Jean how many post referendum polls have they taken? In my own view those people polled didn’t consider the consequences of their answers and therefore they should be polled again in 12 months and asked whether they should be polled again in 3 years and asked whether they would respond differently to their initial post referendum poll.
Yes, but that’s been the norm with the EU project. Get a result you didn’t want? Ignore it or revote. It’s what led to Brexit. Next is Italexit.
Exactly, Dwight.
It’s started off as a common market, there has’nt been much democracy when it comes to the creeping control by the Eurocrats in Brussels.
Why would any self respecting Pom want to be associated with anything as tastelessly named as the Common Market?
The Germans and the French dragged the Brits up by the scruff of the neck. They were going nowhere when they begged to be admitted. And they can go back there if they want!
Remember Charlie with the ambitious proboscis? Non non non! The bastard!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/27/newsid_4187000/4187714.stm
The EU might function better without the fractious Brits!
Gitmo-on-Derwent, Gitmo-on-Torrens, Gitmo-on-Swan?
$B1 annual to run. Jobs, jobs, jobs!
Strategically co-located with the Federal Armoury.
Good one. Biggest growth industry in the US isn’t it. Building and running prisons.
All is right with the world the conservatives back running the show in the UK and US.
No bites eh?
Spotto Trivalve! The mug spelled his name wrong! Should be “Pound Sterling” shouldn’t it?
Upper class twit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5ba1OKY7Xc
May has gone to see the Queen for permission to form Government. The Oz has the count 319 – 261. Ch9 has called a hung Parliament. Not sure who or what to believe. Crows trounced an under performing Saints. I do believe this.
In other news, it looks like Theresa May has made the biggest pig’s ear of decision-making since Neville Chamberlain in calling an early election, in that her result is an emboldened über-Occidentalist numpty-extraordinaire in Jeremy Corbyn and a minority government backed by the rather Calvinist Norn Oirish Democratic Unionist Party.
Ugly flashbacks to 2010-13 here, but with far, far bigger stakes.
Awfully polite Rhys, more of a pigs arse if you ask me.
Certainly looks like Northern Ireland is heading that way from what I’m reading. Essentially polarised between the PIRA’s political wing, Sinn Fein and that of Ian Paisley and the Loyalist/Unionist paramilitaries, the DUP and the power-sharing arrangement in Stormont has collapsed both since Martin McGuinness’ resignation and death and DUP sleaze over appallingly designed programmes for renewable energy for home heating – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_Heat_Incentive_scandal – which seems a big part of the reason Sinn Fein aren’t wanting to go back into power-sharing with them. Things could get ugly.
SAD CAFE:-Can’t believe this-yet ANOTHER game destroyed by a refereeing error which will go down as the ballsup of the year. Manly Silvertails winger Uate blatantly knocked the ball on in front of 2million worth of technology, my cat, my new bub, refs, thousands of people and linesmen yet a try was awarded that decided the game. Castle, like Souths a couple of weeks ago, were andrew robbed, shafted and shanked. What is the point of having expensive technology that records the truth, picks up ref errors but is not used because the whistler does not call for it? Everybody saw it on the replay, the linesman was right on the spot yet TRY was still called. Stevie Wonder could have seen that dropped ball. The game is shredded and the fans are treated like crap. I am having another Ballantines. Annie-HELP!
…and to make things worse Souths got hammered again. Lost so many in a row now I have lost count. Worn out 2 sets of worry beads this year.
Yayy Manly, just out for my morning troll B’Man.
The Bunker needs the boot & the refs just aren’t calling out simple play the ball errors, clear knock-ons or forward passes. Awarding a try when it wasn’t a try is just appalling but it’s getting worse every season.
Can’t see it happening but I suggest they hold off calling a win or loss until a thorough review of the play that led up to the proper/improper grounding of the ball.
I don’t ‘do’ worry beads but whatever works Bassy.
Sad Cafe Indeed, Bella
Well I can’t believe this. When the ball is played the player’s foot is supposed to touch the ball. Many times this bloody does not happen! And they get away with it tyme after Cindy Lauper!
Geez, Bassy – you need a valium
They’re being recalled, apparently someone tampered with them.
10mg is better than 5 Bald.
Hey Bassman referee Jared Maxwell has been stood down, just for this weekend mind you, after the Manly/Knights game.
http://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/jared-maxwell-sacked-nrl-bunker-akuila-uate-try-manly-knights-nrl-round-14/s4s8qm8v5asy1dqx1nzp3l1my
He should be suspended but it’s all too late for Newcastle.
Regards, Bella
Is that all? He should be neutered and demoted to Under 16’s for 6 games. The linesman SCREAMED at him to review it to make sure the ball was correctly grounded but he ignored him.
Not if you had a bag of magazines Henry. Obviously you cannot fire 800 a minute unless you could feed the thing with a belt, but it wouldn’t go the distance of course because they get hot very quickly. I wouldn’t want to be holding it or be anywhere near the bloody thing when it got hot.
Here is a useful and stimulating video on reloading a magazine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvmUpO9ijXo
Goodness me Mr Baptiste sweet Rebecca handles that tool like a pro doesn’t she! All too much for your humble correspondent these Firearms lets hope they do the job though in stopping a Terrorist act before it happens or in the case of the London Bridge one bringing it to an end after its happened swiftly. Cheers
Oh shucks Henry. Firearms is fun. Just don’t stand in front of one them thangs and you’ll be just fine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khmtMmDfOu0
Some of them latte sippin’ effete liberal types features we got some sort of gun culture going on down here but I says “phoooie” to them. But make sure ya dress right and definitely don’t look like no Democrat if’n ya figurin’ on comin’ down these parts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmutLVUoe1I
God bless you boy.
Good heavens Mr Baptiste your clips sent shock waves thru me your neighbourhood a wild one indeed and most definitely a couple of Colt M4’s should be in your personal armoury! My neighbourhood a bit “sissy” compared to yours, we once called for the banning of the Slingshot. Cheers.
Girly man.
Off topic, apologies – but it seems the first indirect ramification from the Essendon saga looms – Lovett-Murray concerned about the health of his 3yr child and reportedly suing for a million dollars. It hasn’t ended yet.
oh dear….
I see a backdrop of flags, dozens of them. In the middle distance a brace of masked black-clad officers in full combat kit. At the pulpit a leader who gestures magnificently, then pulls up an M4, fondles it lovingly then raises it above his head in triumph. Can’t tell what country I’m in, could be one of several. Hang on, those flags are black with squiggly writing in white.
Geez, that’s gloomy HU.
Don’t sweat the black flags mate. Some funny ones here.
http://www.pinsdaddy.com/funny-goat-isis_bNHcAwIGrJD4TAgDWI2MjSVFyNeu2aX8fTf4u1lmI50/