But officer . . . I swear . . . It's only me toothpick.
Posted on 04/23/2002 3:33:04 PM PDT by tarawa
The Daily Telegraph(Sydney)
April 23, 2002, Tuesday
SECTION: LOCAL; Pg. 1
LENGTH: 563 words
HEADLINE: RANDOM KNIFE SEARCHES - Police seek new powers to seize weapons
SOURCE: MATP
BYLINE: BRUCE MCDOUGALL
BODY:
EXCLUSIVE POLICE are seeking random breath test-style powers to stop and search people on a mass scale for possession of knives in crime hot spots.
The increased powers would give police the right to check vehicles for knives or offensive weapons as well as to search individuals.
A submission compiled by senior police -- requiring amendments to search legislation -- would be considered by the Carr Government, The Daily Telegraph has learned. The proposal, expected to be sent to Police Minister Michael Costa today, follows the vicious weekend stabbing of a 37-year-old man in a Hurstville street in Sydney's south.
The offenders escaped in a white sedan leaving the victim, a husband and father, fighting for his life in St George Hospital.
Police at the highest levels are aware their push for increased powers will provoke an outcry from civil libertarians. But senior officers believe the proposal is critical to the fight against spiralling violent crime in NSW.
Since anti-knife laws were introduced in July 1998, police have searched 97,981 people across NSW -- about 495 a week -- and confiscated 15,706 knives and dangerous weapons.
More than 117,000 people have been "moved on" by police in crime problem areas under the Police and Public Safety Act.
The law at present enables police to stop and search for knives only if they have reasonable cause to suspect the person is carrying a weapon.
Assistant Police Commissioner Terry Collins said yesterday police had embraced the 1998 legislation, which for the first time, delivered authority to search suspected knife-carriers.
"Prior to 1998 we didn't know how many knives were out there -- in March alone this year we picked up 373 knives," he said.
Metal detectors, also used to search for handguns, were used routinely to find knives on suspects, Mr Collins said. "The concerning aspect is that despite the best efforts of police, there are still incidents like the one at the weekend," he said.
No matter how strong the legislation and how many knives were confiscated, there always would be people prepared to offend, he said.
If the Government allowed mass search operations, the targeted areas were likely to include known crime spots such as George St in the city and areas in Bankstown, Parramatta and Cabramatta.
It is understood the Government is investigating a number of plans to help police get on top of the rising violence.
Figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research show the number of assaults with knives increased by 10 per cent over the last three years while robberies with a knife remained static.
The police haul of confiscated knives and dangerous weapons included Samurai swords and a huge variety of "cutting instruments".
Mr Collins appealed to people to stop carrying knives on the street for protection. "There is a false bravado, but it's not a good practice," he said.
"I would sooner be called a coward for running away than a dead hero." There was a notion of "fight or flight" but people were much more likely to run away from a confrontation if they were weaponless.
While knife-carriers stopped by police overwhelmingly were male, there was no clear delineation between younger and older men.
A considerable number of those stopped were middle-aged males.
Translation: We want to to be absolutely defenseless and utterly at the mercy of your attackers. No guns, no knives, nothing. Use your complete helplessness as your sword, to cut forth your attacker's mercy and compassion, such that he will leave you alone and go attack someone who is armed, instead.
Besides, after they banned guns, didn't crime just shrivel up and go away from Australia?
It didn't? Hmmm... now violent crime is way up? Shocking, shocking, I say.
I wonder how much money is spent chasing down knives in Australia.
One hour after eating baked beans?
Their constitution already appears to be made of some soft nerf like substance.
Extent of rights
| 8. | The following rights must not be violated by any natural or legal person. They must not be violated by any law, State or Federal, except in the interests of public order or the general welfare, or in the case of emergency. [In other words, your rights However, no right justifies unreasonable conduct or criminal activity. [or if the Gub'mint doesn't like No right may be relied on if to do so violates the rights of another. Legal persons enjoy rights to the extent their nature permits. |
[I'm not sure, but on first
read I take this one to mean
that people get the rights that they,
as individuals, deserve. Some are more equal than others]
Right to life
| 9. |
|
Everyone has the right to life. |
Rights of children
| 10. | Every child has the right to the basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter. The Parliament must take reasonable measures to secure this right. []
Every child has the right to a basic education. The States must secure this right. [Many U.S. state have this one as well. Every child has the right to freedom from exploitation, neglect or abuse. |
[Even Catholic ones, damnit!]
Personal security
| 11. | No one may be subjected to any form of personal violence. [Except random searches No one may be deprived of liberty without due process. [Except random searches No one may be subjected to unreasonable search. [Except random searches No one's home may be entered or searched without just cause. [Note the use of just cause and This section does not prohibit abortion, or laws permitting voluntary euthanasia. |
| 12. | All persons are entitled to equal protection and benefit of the law. Unfair discrimination on the basis of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religious belief or political opinion is prohibited. [At least they bother to say 'unfair.' However, reasonable special measures solely for the protection or advancement of a disadvantaged racial or ethnic group are permitted. [unless we might get accused |
Freedom of religion
| 13. | No law may establish any religion or impose any religious observance. No law or conduct may restrict the free exercise of any religion. No religious test may be required to qualify for any employment. |
| 14. | Everyone has the right to freedom of political discussion, but not so as to publish, with malice, an untruth. [You are free to publish what Otherwise, all persons may freely express their opinion, but not so as to defame or wrongly injure, or to incite violence, hatred or war. [Did you catch that? |
Freedom of association
| 15. | All persons may freely associate. But no one may be compelled to belong to an association. [Except trade unions in closed shops.] No law or conduct may restrict the right of peaceful assembly. This section must not be construed as a right to interfere with lawful activities. |
Freedom of movement
| 16. | All persons not in lawful custody may move freely about the Commonwealth. [Until we randomly stop you to search you for weapons.] All persons not in lawful custody may freely leave the Commonwealth. [And I'm sure they want to!] Australian citizens may freely enter, and remain in, the Commonwealth. |
| 17. | No one may be compelled to perform military duty except in an emergency and under laws of general application. Involuntary servitude, or forced labor, may not be imposed except as a punishment on convicted criminals. This section does not prohibit requiring reasonable work in return for welfare payments. |
Right of privacy
| 18. | Everyone has a right of privacy. This right comes into force 5 years after this Constitution takes effect.
[So it is important enough to be in The extent of this right is to be defined by the Parliament. |
| 19. | Excessive, cruel, unusual or degrading punishment may not be imposed on any person. |
| 20. | No person's property may be taken away, or reduced in value, under law or by any conduct under law, without just cause. And if taken away or reduced in value for just cause, just compensation must be paid, unless both the law, and any relevant conduct under law, have general application and are in the public interest. [Well, at least they are more honest about this one than the U.S.] |
As a matter of fact I have to give it to them for their honesty. Most socialist governments have written constitutions that are all flowerly lies. At least the Aussies come right out and tell you that the rights "guaranteed" here aren't worth the paper they are written upon.
OMG, does this clown even HEAR what the hell he's saying?
Put a fork in them, the Aussies are done.
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