Humble servant of the Nation

Australia’s end of innocence

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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.

279 Comments

  • Milton says:

    I read and heard today that Caboolture is the number one dole bludging region in the nation. I hope our old pensioner friends, Messrs Burke and Hare aren’t lumped in with that lot.

    • Henry Blofeld says:

      I haven’t seen Burke and Hare on the blog for a couple of years Milton, I believe there was a bit of ill health when they last wrote. Get well Burke and Hare if you are still out there!

    • Lou oTOD says:

      I’m up that way at the moment Milton, and apart from the fact it would freeze the arse of a brass monkey, no sign of beggars on the streets just yet. Admittedly the queue outside Centerlink is getting longer, but the mobile coffee dispenser is making a quid.

      Don’t you just love these government employment programs.

  • Dismayed says:

    B’man was right last week he said the government would run the full fear and smear campaign. “join us as Patriots” is the new white Australia policy slogan, we also have Ministers ramping up a fear campaign in Victoria over what they see as “light sentences”. What is it with the conservatives without their dog whistle they have nothing. Giving dutton power over anything is this Nation is a backwards step but then again that is in keeping with the cons ideology. It is clear the government do not want any independent oversight that they have not installed their regressives onto. Can someone tell Margaret Court to go away. She epitomises all that is wrong with fundamentalists.

    • Milton says:

      What flight of fancy makes you bring the white Australia policy (strongly supported and implemented by labor and the unions) into these patriot stuff? The call for patriots is a call for inclusion and unity, not exclusion.
      And now you want to shut Margaret Court up; a typical leftist response, and par for the course with you.

    • JackSprat says:

      Crap Dismayed.
      Not worth a comment.

    • Bella says:

      Absolutely Dismayed, they do have nothing but scaremongering.

      Oh and trickle-down economics to make them all much wealthier.

      If being a socialist means that you want everyone to receive fair pay for their time, skill set & labour and that the most vulnerable are taken care of before millionaires get richer, then I will wear that tag with honour.

      It’s a damn sight better than being an arrogant, ridiculous neo-con like Brandis or a soul-less cretin like Dutton has proven to be.
      Keep on punchin’ mate, it’s more important than ever.
      Regards, Bella

      • Dismayed says:

        Cheers Bella, I think you have hit the nail on the head. Since around 2007 and the former advisors returned to Newscorp. The labelling of people who want to see more people get a better quality of life has been used as an insult with terms like socialist, lefty etc etc. Ridiculous of course because as we know we all have a number of positions and reasons for our beliefs. So if I may indulge for a moment. The constant attacks by those with reqressive outlooks induced by fear of missing out on their self entitlement just reinforces that the cons run on ideology and self interest over the greater good. As out esteemed colleague says. Give em heaps.

      • smoke says:

        trickle through and trickle across economics

      • Razor says:

        Bella,
        Would that scaremongering be similar to 100 metre tidal increases and the Great Barrier Reef being dead…….

  • Milton says:

    I see we are introducing a new Patriot Law. Now this is exciting, and long overdue. It’s the sort of thing that I expected my man Abbott to bring in but politics is only a poll away. I just hope they’ve put some thought into this and have the necessary apparel to go with it, be it uniforms, flags, bandanna’s etc etc.

    • Henry Blofeld says:

      Yairs indeed Milton, and may I say you Sir would be high up on the list to be named a “Patriot”, as I do hope is your humble correspondent, Henry and all others on this august blog. I would also like to see uniforms, flags, bandanna’s and much more to make us stand out from the crowd of those not yet worthy of this high office. I do draw the line though at wearing a cork ringed fly hat! Aussie, Aussie, Oi Oi Oi. Cheers.

  • Henry Blofeld says:

    We live in a World of shocks and surprises, Mr Insider, and now another one as we read: “NORTH Korea has been put forward as a potential World Cup host in a shock suggestion by South Korea’s new president”. Strewth imagine crazy Kimmie Jong-Un hosting World Cup Soccer although I suppose he could fit in a few games between failed Missile Launches, with kick off delayed as a spluttering fizzing Rocket passes over the Stadium!
    http://tinyurl.com/ybhzhwvy

    • Jean Baptiste says:

      A most unworthy comment Henry. The suggestion was made with best of intentions and if it comes to pass it will a big step in the direction of reconciliation. You shouldn’t be surprised if South Korea finally offers an apology soon.
      Kimmie is very excited and has shed 15kg in his bid to gain selection as a striker. He has already received sponsorship offers from Tag Heuer and an unspecified German car manufacturer.
      As you will recall he still holds the season record for most goals achieved during his stellar career with Pyongyang Rockets and following his great success with Fribourg Round Cheeses in the Suisse second division side while a student.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIgpPbIacQs

      • Henry Blofeld says:

        Bless you dear Mr Baptiste, far be it from me to offend as you well know. I do note though that the august POTUS Trump has “waxed lyrical’ re the credentials of the said Kimmie, as you too have above, and who knows Kimmie might yet get the invite to stroll across the White House Lawns in company with the President! However Kimmie first has to stop threatening all with Nuclear oblivion and at the very least start looking after his own people and raise them out of poverty! Cheers P,S, did you see dear Milton’s post advising us all that we may soon be named Aussie Patriots!

      • Carl on the Coast says:

        Jean Baptiste says:
        June 13, 2017 at 11:25 am

        “reconciliation”??

        Bet you have a wee giggle to yourself every time you write crap about your ‘Kimmie’ JB.

      • Perentie says:

        And he was playing goalkeeper for the Rockets when he set that goal scoring record. The boy can play, but he does come from a sporting family. Who can forget his old man going round a golf course in 34 hits.

        • Jean Baptiste says:

          I’ll let you in on a secret Perentie, DPRK will be landing a man and a woman on the moon in November this year. Of course all the naysayers will claim it is all a big fake shot in a studio, but the Norkie hot shot tech nerds have hacked into NASA databases and microfiche records and they know exactly how Nixon and Kissinger pulled it off.
          The story of the old boy’s miracle round appears to be an invention by someone outside of North Korea BTW.

          http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2017/04/113_123612.html

      • Lou oTOD says:

        Well JB, I’m sure Kimmie got excited at losing 15kg, that’s one hell of a single visit to the brassco my friend. I’m sure there were guards outside the door, just in case if you get my drift.

        Pyongyang Rockets indeed. It’s about as close to a nuclear device as he is likely to get.

  • Huger Unson says:

    The Newtons were interviewing for Patti’s gong. Bert behind her, grinned. But, Jack, he didn’t say a word, didn’t even look like he wanted to butt in. Smart fella.
    I predict the same for all those blokes now pledging undying fealty to Theresa May, but their modesty will be from more base motives. I also expect Number 10 will take in a dog, perhaps a breed recommended by Peter Dutton.

    • Jack The Insider says:

      I saw the Pattin interview. One, good that Bert has ditched the Irish. Two, if he’s been on the punt again, he’d be wise to nod silently while Patti does the talking.

  • JackSprat says:

    The French, The Brits, The US, The Australians all rebelled against their governments.

    I wonder when the pollies will learn that spin does not work any more, the populace is smart enough to havethe facts explained to them, slogan motherhood statements are finished and they had better clean up their act if they want to stay on the gravy train..

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40242531

    The socialists and their idiotic economic methods have really been put in their place.

    • Jack The Insider says:

      We’ll see if this comes to pass in France but if En Marche does win a majority in the Assembly, it will be an extraordibary achievement. When Macron flogged Le Pen, there were many commentators saying his victory would be tempered by the fact he would be unable to do much without a majority behind him. Greg Sheridan especially will have some ovum on his dial.

      • Tracy says:

        Getting elected has probably been the easiest part, the French national debt is nothing to write home about and their economy really needs reforming.
        The fun is about to begin, there are suggestions that Macron will start in August while everyone’s on holiday hoping they won’t notice.
        In The Times today that the MEP’s want to build themselves a shiny new parliament building, the old ones only 24 years old and it has a bit of a dodgy ceiling, only the best will do in Brussels

        • Jack The Insider says:

          All of that is true but if Macron can win a majority (I was having a go at Greg but really, no one anticipated it) it will be the most amazing electoral performance in living memory. And with a majority things can get done.

  • BASSMAN says:

    Early election madness rumours for the Looters. Senate dates, state election dates all conflicting…the usual excuses “To get the electoral cycle of states and Senates back in sync”. I doubt if it will happen after Malcolm’s last effort and what went wrong in UK. Tones will do everything he can to make sure Malcolm does not win the next election. He would rather the Looters LOSE the next election than have a win with Malcolm as leader and him sitting on the backbench for another three years. If he can get rid of Malcolm BEFORE the next election he is assured of a cabinet gig if there is an election win.

    • Perentie says:

      But he doesn’t actually run. He promises to come back and pay but doesn’t. A proper “runner” would have done the appropriate training so that even on a full stomach he could bolt out the door and be 10kms away in about half an hour, ready for another feed. This bloke is soft.

    • John O'Hagan says:

      A very similar method to that used by those supermarket carpark operators.

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