On Tuesday night, Pasquale Barbaro was shot dead in his car in the backstreets of Earlwood in Sydney’s south.
On hearing the news, I first thought of the difficulties facing journalists working at news desks that night. The first question to answer was which Pasquale Barbaro had been murdered? There’s a small army of them and many are known to police. Two other relatives bearing the name had already been murdered. Another was serving a 30-year jail term over his role in the biggest ecstasy importation Australia has seen.
On this occasion it was 35-year-old Pasquale Timothy Barbaro who became the victim.
In 2003, Jason Moran a key combatant in Melbourne’s bloody underworld feud, knew he was in danger and with a contract out on his life. He came out of hiding briefly to watch his children kick a footy around at an Auskick clinic at Essendon in Melbourne’s north with his bodyguard, Pasquale ‘Pat’ Barbaro, Pasquale Timothy Barbaro’s cousin.
Full column here.
Jack, ignore pedants who want you to make changes, the site is fine as it is.
Meanwhile, here’s one of Govt of India’s current projects, this one for World Toilet Day.
https://twitter.com/mygovindia/status/799852405810528256
“Let’s join hands …”
Something to aim for, HU, although let’s wash up before joining hands I say.
HU, you only say that because you almost never reply or engage. Not bagging you, just happens to be so.
JTI,
Talking about values, as I was at the head of this stream
Really Noel, really!!!
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/paul-keating-biography-noel-pearson-full-of-praise-at-book-launch/news-story/3ccc23f0bf4710b18fb282b0597ac89c
PJK will be remembered in history as a ‘great’ Treasurer but really to describe him as ‘our only world class PM’ is hyperbole on steroids!!
I mean, how about Curtin, Menzies, Hawke, Howard – each and all hardly had a doddle during their tenure?
I know it is deregurre to puff up at book launches but this is just ridiculous!
Yes PLMO, but he is of course referring to the modest one. Why even in the leadup to this book launch Pontius Paul observed that the Australian electorate really did make a grievous mistake in 1996, and his government really should have been returned with a thumping majority.
A bit like the powerful impact of announcing the end of a,marriage at a dinner party.
The slavish devotion that some people have to Keating’s every word and deed has always astounded me. He was a competent Treasurer and a garbage PM. But there are those so blinded by the brilliance he assures us he displays they just don’t get that he more or less single-handedly set the conditions for John Howard to become our second-longest serving PM and for One Nation to come to prominence.
TBLS….it will probably come as no surprise to you that I like Paul Keating, but I will admit I was horrified when he got the numbers to roll Bob Hawke. However I do think he was a great Treasurer and an OK PM. Not the greatest, but definitely not the worst. Let’s forget the 90s thoughand put ourselves in the present, we can’t blame Keating for the rise of Pauline Hanson, but let’s all take a good hard look at Malcom Turnbull. I rarely loathe politicians, but Dutton and Morrison make me want to throw something when I hear them or see them. I have however turned what was a general admiration for Malcolm Turnbull into a loathing of the man that I have never experienced before with any politician ever. And that to me is the tragedy that is this Government. I think I’d rather see Tony Abbott back, at least the man had a spine.
Yep. Only it was Peta’s spine.
I share your opinion of Morrison, Penny. Now, I happen to think that the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd era was generally a shambles and, what is more, that the boats should have been stopped. But I will never forgive Morrison his part in this. While he was in opposition he constantly and loudly talked about the boats and unauthorised maritime arrivals. Yet within about two nanoseconds of becoming minister he imposed a blanket ban on discussion of what was going on. In his own words, this was because information and publicity encouraged the people smugglers. So, while he was in opposition he was happy to encourage the people smugglers and, no doubt in some cases, their passengers to their deaths, in order to embarrass the then government. The ALP government may have been incompetent, but Morrison has no excuse. And this from a man who claims to be a Christian. In my book, he is a much lower human being than someone like Craig Thompson, who merely stole some stuff. There are those on the left who criticised him as a minister, but what I still find unconscionable was his behaviour in opposition.
By Gorry that Angular Merkel has a pair. It will be interesting to see how she fairs.
Ah Milton you’ve done it again. Which pair were you looking at exactly?
BTW, is it fair how she will fare, and what is fair about the fare she has given 1.4 million travellers eh?
Still quite a few ‘Trump’ comments coming in. After some sober reflection, I have come to the conclusion that commentators on both the left and the right are all a bit excitable about what it means. There certainly will be practical implications, but I don’t think the US has suddenly lurched to the right. While we will never know, there is every chance that Sanders would now be president elect if he had overcome Hillary. Would that have meant that the US had suddenly lurched to the left? Nope.
What we know is what we already knew, that their are deep divisions in US society. What we have just witnessed has parallels with the last South Australian election. The Liberals won the popular vote as in the total number of votes in the state, but the ALP won the greater number of seats, and therefore the election. Clinton won the popular vote, but Trump won the electoral college votes. They had a choice between two unsavoury choices and one of them had to win. A lot of the analysis is attempting to read far too much into the choice made by the US voters. Well, those that bothered to vote at all.
Trump comments I suggest NFY building to a crescendo as Jan 20th 2017 approaches and Trump arrives at the “tricky” part , the actual “doing”. In the meantime the prospective appointments and general Trump gossip running like wildfire in the media. We note today the “tantalising” piece of news that Melania wont be moving straight away after Jan 20th into the White House, preferring instead the comfortable Trump Tower abode, something to do with Son Barron’s schooling mmmmm
The final count isn’t in, but it looks like Candidate Clinton garnered about 1.6m more votes than President-Elect Trump. This is about 5%, Only 5 elections have had this aberration since the popular vote was counted, after 1820. Clinton’s loss is historic.
A big contributor to the surprise (for some) result, was voter disengagement. The highest voter turnout in history was for Obama’s first victory, and second highest also Obama in 2012, then Bush – Kerry in 04, and now Trump – Clinton 2016. In that order,voter turnouts were roughly 69.5m, 66m, 62m & 62m. Just noting the last 3 elections, 8m voters have vanished. I have seen a map projection that shows , if did not vote was a Candidate, it would have been – Clinton 32, Trump 16, Did Not Vote 490 – Electoral College votes.
I’m on the list of DnV’s. I’m an Independent voter, would usually vote GOP, but didn’t think either Candidate worth my vote.
I said surprise to some above. I drove the backroads from Baton Rouge to my brother’s home in Minnesota in the 6 weeks before the election, following the Mississippi, and out there in Smallville, it was all Trump. I could describe the journey, but it would take up too much space.
hey anyone lookin for a job?
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/33276559/karl-o-callaghan-calls-bulls-t-on-stolen-generation-concerns/
Did you read the article or just go with the headline? He is 100% dead right. The ‘Bringing Them Home’ report is the worst thing that has happened to Aboriginal people since Cook. All it has achieved is that now it is absolutely impossible to remove an aboriginal child from danger until the damage is done. Welfare authorities are required to find culturally appropriate placements and there simply are not enough Aboriginal people willing and able to take these kids in. What normally follows is houses or converted motels are used with one person supervising a heap of young teens and guess what happens then? A life of crime and the cycle starts all over again. The stolen Generations hype has directly lead to yet another generation of kids being physically and sexually abused and thrown on the scrap heap.
yep ..read it ..lookin for a job?
part time casual contract whatever name your terms
JTI,
Nick Radev’s method of getting compliance is more common than most realise amongst the criminal underworld, though the act is normally performed in front if the wife / girlfriend. This is the first time I’ve heard of the children having to watch. Needless to say complaints are seldom made…….
Mitt Romney under “serious consideration” to be US Secretary of State under US President elect Donald Trump, Mr Insider. This Trump may turn out a lot sharper than many of us thought!
http://tinyurl.com/j99x6uz
No early arrest in the Barbaro case Mr Insider, methinks the clues would be few and far between.
The lovely Roz Ward appears to be guilty of Trumpaphobia. And she’s the face of the safe schools programme. Charming!
It seems to me , Milton, that she may need trigger warnings before his name is mentioned. Possibly even a safe space somewhere. And what a joy to see so many familiar names here so soon.
She(it)’s a class act alright.
I’m not surprised myself. Incipient crony kakistocracy terrifies me, too.
Again, had to look up “kakistocracy”. It kind of sounds like what it is; a word that should gain currency in coming years.
As Pol Pot discovered, when purging elites, it’s easy to get confused between the bad kind of elite, who had undeserved power, and the good kind, who had their job because they were good at it.
Sheer terror can substitute for a few years at least, if you’ve got the odd achievement to back it up, even if you’ve shot or starved everyone (else) who wears glasses or also has a fancy degree from a French University where you got your ideas from.
“Trumpaphobia”? No such word.
Try Trump Acceptance Resistance Disorder instead.
Or, to recycle one that was used during the Howard years, Trump Derangement Syndrome.
john, being pro-democracy means accepting an election result, even if it not the one you preferred.
anything else is the reverse surely.
Yes I agree, jack. As I keep saying, there is only one person who takes the reverse attitude and is soon to be POTUS.