Acting PM Julia Gillard and police union condemn cartoon in Indian newspaper comparing Australian police to Ku Klux Klan

Police blast KKK cartoon

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Indians protest death of Indian student

Cartoon published in the Indian newspaper Mail Today after the murder of Nitin Garg / supplied.

UPDATE 2.15pm: ACTING Prime Minister Julia Gillard has condemned a cartoon depicting an Australian police officer as a member of the Ku Klux Klan.

The cartoon, published in Delhi's Mail Today newspaper on Tuesday, depicts an Australian police officer in a klan hood saying: "We are yet to ascertain the nature of the crime."

The cartoon was in response to homicide investigators in Victoria stating they could not yet say if the murder of 21-year-old Indian student Nitin Garg in a park in Melbourne's west last Saturday night was racially motivated.

Ms Gillard told reporters in Brisbane she hadn't seen the cartoon, but believed it would be "deeply offensive''.

"Any suggestion of the kind is deeply offensive and I would condemn the making of such comment,'' she said.

Police were doing an outstanding job in cracking down on crime and increasing Indian students' safety, Ms Gillard said.

"The Victorian police have stepped up and increased policing in difficult hot spots in Victoria where they have seen a number of violent incidences,'' she said.

"They have worked in close collaboration with representatives of the Indian community as they have gone about with this step up in policing."

Greg Davies, secretary of Victoria's Police Association, said the cartoon was "stupid'' and unhelpful.

"Cartoons in Australia are normally done by people who are either clever or witty and this one's neither,'' he told reporters in Melbourne today.

"All it does is stir racial hatred amongst Indians, certainly in India and, one would imagine, some of them here.''

He said the cartoon was "highly offensive'', especially to homicide squad detectives who are working tirelessly to catch Mr Garg's killer and determine a motive for the late-night stabbing.

"To suggest that there's any sort of 'go slow' in an investigation into this tragic murder because of a racial reason is just outrageous," Mr Davies said.

Mr Davies said if he had the chance to speak with the cartoonist he would tell him the artwork should never have been published.

Mr Garg's murder has sparked a renewed debate about the safety of foreign students in Australia.

Some local Indian leaders say racism is a significant issue for Indians who study in Australia.

Victorian Police Minister Bob Cameron dismissed the cartoon as an unnecessary distraction from a major crime investigation.

"We are a tolerant place and Victorian police are very tolerant and this business about racism is just wrong,'' he told 3AW radio today.

"Police go about their business in a normal way.

"They get the evidence, they assess the evidence ... to accuse police of having a closed mind when, in fact, what police have said is 'we have an open mind to all possibilities' just demonstrates that this is totally off the table when it comes to common sense.''

The Indian government has predicted the attack will affect relations between the two countries, and although it has ruled out sanctions, it has once again pressed Australia to ensure the safety of its citizens.

Victoria Police has declined to comment on the cartoon controversy.

Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe yesterday issued a personal assurance to India's high commissioner that "everything possible" was being done to bring the person responsible for Mr Garg's death to justice.

Mr Walshe maintained that police still had no evidence to suggest the murder of Mr Garg was racially motivated. He acknowledged that some crimes against Indians living in Melbourne had been motivated by racism.

He was supported in his comments by the Australian high commissioner to India, Peter Varghese, who said most crimes against Indians living and studying in Melbourne were "opportunistic, urban" crimes.

The Indian high commissioner in Australia, Sujatha Singh, yesterday met the Melbourne consulate-general of India, Acting Premier Rob Hulls and Mr Walshe to express her concerns about violence towards Indians living in Melbourne.

Mr Hulls, who is also Attorney-General, said he and Mr Walshe had made it clear that "everything that can possibly be done to find the perpetrator of this abhorrent crime is being done".

"We have also assured the high commissioner that we are a safe state, that we are a welcoming state," he said.

His comments came as detectives from the homicide squad set up an information caravan across the road from the Yarraville Hungry Jack's restaurant into which Mr Garg stumbled after he was stabbed in Cruickshank Park.

VICTORIA POLICECORPORATION USE MURDER AS AN EXCUSE TO "TRIAL" ORWELLIAN SEARCH TACTICS

Weapons blitz in wake of Nitin Garg killing yields results

Indian student Nitin Garg was stabbed and killed. Source: HWT Image Library

POLICE have found knives, a machete and knuckledusters in a random search for weapons at a Melbourne railway station, days after Indian student Nitin Garg was stabbed nearby.

In a show of their resolve to stamp out violent street crime, a team of officers patrolled Footscray train station today searching for knives.

The trial search-and-seize blitz, dubbed operation Omni, has been made possible by a beefing up of police powers and is expected to be expanded to other suburbs.

This murder was an excuse to bring in totalitarian undemocratic powers that the public would never otherwise agree to-just like the Martin Bryant cover up & the Bali and 9/11 inside jobs-as well as to offer the Police Corporation more income making opportunities.

Police have the power to search individuals at random for knives and other weapons in designated areas without a search warrant.

Actually, no they do not.

People were scanned with a metal detector wand, then frisked and body searched if required.

In all, 182 people were searched at the station in the three hours to 4pm (AEDT) on Thursday, police said.

Seven people were found carrying 12 weapons in total.

175 INNOCENT PEOPLE HAD THEIR LIBERTIES SMASHED AND THEIR PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE DENIED.

Police also issued four penalty notices for people carrying alcohol on public transport, hindering or obstructing an operation-THIS MEANS POINTING OUT THE ILLEGALITY OF THE POLICE CORPORATIONS ACTIVITIES, disorderly conduct and drunkenness.

One person with outstanding warrants was arrested.

Deputy Police Commissioner Kieran Walshe said the operation was a success.

"Today's operation has enabled us to detect these weapons before they are used in crimes, making the area much safer for train commuters and the broader community," he said in a statement.

"It is our intention to run a number of targeted operations in weapons hot spots this year until we see a reduction in weapon related crimes," he said.

Earlier, Mr Walshe told reporters police were required to give the public seven days notice of planned search operations but other, intelligence based, searches could be carried out without warning.

"I am confident that these laws are going to give us a great opportunity to take weapons out of the community," Mr Walshe said.

Acting Premier Rob Hulls said Nitin Garg's death "confirms absolutely that we have to do everything we can to support police to wipe out street crime, to wipe out knife-related crime, and that's why these powers are so important".

Mr Hulls and the deputy commissioner met with the Indian high commissioner and consul general on Thursday to reassure them that Victoria was doing everything possible to bring Mr Garg's killer to justice.

They also sought to assure the Indian diplomats that Victoria was a safe place to study.

Mr Garg, 21, was stabbed in a park late Saturday night as he walked to his part-time job at a Hungry Jack's restaurant.

He died later in hospital.

POLICE, MEDIA & VICROADS CONFUSE RULES, LAWS AND STATUTE'S.

SPECIAL REPORT by Tetractys Merkaba.

Foreign-owned tabloid, the Herald Sun, today has run a scare piece on the new legislation regarding the road. They are telling the public that there will be no grace period for drivers to become aquainted with the new legislation. This is something that used to occur and was phased out when VIC ROADS became the trading name of the ROADS CORPORATION. This comes under the minister of transport, and, for all of you who thought that, speeding fines, booze busses, registration etc was merely, "revenue raising", you are completely correct. A corporation has a primary duty under the Corporations Act, to emphasize profit above all other pursuits.

Anyway, pay attention to how the Herald Sun reporter speaks of new laws and rules, the Vic Roads spokesperson speak of new rules, whilst the Police speak of new laws. An Act of Parliament is actually, a statute. A statute, has the full force of a law, but it is not a law. A law can only be changed via a referendum. A statute requires YOUR CONSENT. It is ostensibly an offer from the government of the day, who are, to be frank, your servants.

Interesting to note that the police are a registered corporation as well.

That is right. Our police force has an obligation to turn a profit before they consider your safety and well-being.

Yet, this doesn't completely explain why we hear and read such fictional fantasy from the police, the media and politicians like drink driving laws, or speeding laws, or 'hoon' laws. This is more about establishing and maintaining control. People with authority control people without authority. They are trying to fool you into thinking that you have no authority, when you have ALL the authority.

READ THE PREAMBLE OF THE AUSTRALIAN CONSTITUTION.

The preamble of our Australian Constitution, says that we the people under God create a government and a constitution to serve our needs. The government is a group of our representatives who are drunk on the power bestowed by their office. They have been trying to wrest our power away from us via contract offers, or Acts of Parliament.

I shall make some observations throughout this article. They will be in red italics.


No grace period for new Victorian traffic laws

Ashley Gardiner From: Herald Sun November 07, 2009 12:00AM

MOTORISTS have been warned: comply with the new road rules immediately or be fined.

Millions of dollars could potentially flow into State Government coffers as as result of the new laws.

Police will show no mercy when new road rules come into force on Monday.

"We will be enforcing when the new laws come into effect on Monday," Sen-Sgt John Gibson said. WOW!!! Rules and laws have been mentioned FOUR TIMES in the first four sentences. Is the Herald Sun trying to impress a point upon you?

"There's no formal instruction gone out for a grace period."

Sen-Sgt Gibson, of the road safety unit, said motorists who ignored the new rules would receive a financial penalty and the loss of demerit points. That is five mentions in the first six sentences. Is anybody else wondering why Sen-Sgt John Gibson is having his thoughts mentioned? Because he has a title in a euphemistically titled gang, or unit?

Careless drivers who fail to stop behind a stationary tram will be fined almost $300 and collect three demerit points. Other offences will attract fines of $234. Why the use of the word "Careless"? Similar to the use of the word; 'hoon', it is a judgment that seeks to influence your opinions. If you do not stop to think, you may fall for this one. Tram doors are equipped with stop signs. Therefore, if people are boarding or alighting a tram, there is a visible stop sign. Is there not legislation in place for this situation? What about those times when a tram is stopped but the driver signals traffic to pass? Do you have to come to a complete stop, and then move forward? How does this help the flow of traffic? How about, when a tram is at an intersection, has completed its task of dealing with passengers, and is waiting for a green light? How is it safe to have to stop, and, then proceed next to the tram at the lights? In inner city Melbourne, this will be a nightmare. Traffic flow will become slower. But, maybe, you will use the illegally tolled roads which are run by -you guessed it- a corporation.

A spokesman for Roads Minister Tim Pallas said the Government had not made any estimation of how much revenue would be generated by the new rules. Why are we hearing from a spokesperson of a minister, and not the minister himself? Watch out for this trend, and you will see it happen time and time again on unpopular legislation.

VicRoads road user behaviour manager Antonietta Cavallo said it was the responsibility of drivers to learn the new rules. What is a "behaviour manager"? Whose behaviour is she managing? If she is managing the behaviour of VicRoads staff, then why are we hearing her opinions? Could she be managing OUR opinion? Do servants manage behaviour, or do people with authority over you manage behaviour? Who gave Antonietta authority to manage YOUR behaviour? YOU did. You did, when you entered into contract with VicRoads giving up your powerful Common Law right to private travel.

"It's really important that you get onto the VicRoads website and familiarise yourself with these rules before you head out on Monday morning," Ms Cavallo said. If it is SO important, why do people have to go to their website. Why not publish them in their entirety in all the papers? They are able to run their commercials. Why not the so-called new rules? Are they trying to get away with something? What about people without internet access, or computers?

The new rules were designed to encourage safer driving, she said. Oh, so this is about SAFER DRIVING. Glad we sorted that one out.

"We think that they're tough enough to give a clear message that these things are unsafe.

"At the moment, people are over-using their mobile phones while driving, and that's clearly unsafe. Texting is really dangerous and people are still doing that." Isn't there already legislation in place for using a mobile phone when you drive?

The RACV has called on police to focus on educating drivers. Educating drivers about what?

"These rules make a lot of sense and are designed to make the roads safer for all users," RACV chief engineer Peter Daly said. Another supportive view. Is there any dissenting views? Not in this scare-piece-cum-corporate-advertisement.

The changes also tighten the rules over the use of mobile phones and satellite navigation devices.

A driver may not hold a phone at any time, even if no phone call is being made. How does this encourage safer driving? How is it more dangerous to hold a phone, than it is to hold a bottle of water, or a watch. Could it be to make it easier for Police to secure convictions on existing mobile phone legislation?

But mobile phones with earpieces and a connecting cord may be used, so long as you don't need to press any buttons on the phone itself to answer a call.

Otherwise, phones need to be secured in a cradle, including when using them as GPS device.

More complicated functions, such as texting, emailing and video calling, are strictly banned.

Inexperienced drivers, namely learners and P1 licence holders, are totally banned from using their phones while driving. Why? Isn't it just talking? What is the problem? How does this encourage safer driving? Is this about establishing authority and control over young drivers?

As for GPS devices themselves, they must also be fixed to the car or sit in an appropriate cradle.

Children aged under six months must be in an approved rear-facing child restraint,

Those aged between six months and four years must be in a rear-facing restraint or a forward-facing restraint with in-built harness.

And children aged between four and six must be in a forward-facing restraint with in-built harness or an approved booster seat.

Other new rules include:

A BAN on animals sitting on driver's laps.

NO U-turns allowed across a single, unbroken white line.

DRIVERS must move out of the area to find a new park if their time has expired. As you can see, this has nothing to do with with encouraging driver safety. How is it safer to "ban" somebody from moving into the next car park? Isn't this about making it easier for parking inspectors to distinguish between cars parked in a car park? How does this help the person who has to leave their work to move their car? Did you know that your local council is ALSO a corporation? So is the State and Commonwealth governments. These so-called 'new laws' are about redefining our status a little bit more in their favour. It is also about disintegrating grey areas that are successfully used in court as defences.

Full details: www.vicroads.vic.gov.au Isn't it interesting that the Herald Sun after all this bleating, invites you to the VicRoads website? They could've published these so-called 'new rules' in their entirety, but the News Corporation -the foreign corporation that publishes the Herald Sun- obviously couldn't do a financial deal with the VicRoads Corporation. Money and power is the name of this game. Safety is the marketing hook.