Just Answering

[browndog]

cant wait for CSG to put QLD on the map... <_<

Unfortunately I think the loony greens are the only ones against coal seam gas, labor and I guess the LNP just see it as money in their pockets. I'm pretty sure Katter wants to give the farmers the right to tell the miners to piss off so that is a point in his favour. You only have to look at what they have done to Gladstone, you really have to feel for the fishermen up there.

 

[Rina]

I like Victoria. This is a case to get all 'wowser' about http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news...2-1226267205806 but the politicians aren't getting carried away with the scandalous nature. Afaik the guy had his phone stolen from him and the students uploaded the video on the phone to the web.

Looks like a douche though.

 

[Batz]

Queenslanders do seem to have a problem driving on the correct side of the road, and they are worlds worst tailgaters as well. I've lived in a few states but this one is by far the best, but a change of government is way over due.

Batz

 

[QldKev]

There's only 2 states to be in

Queensland and Pissed!


I agree we need to move these pollies out to pasture

QldKev

 

[yardy]

And while I'm on a rant, the courts and magistrates especially need to start handing out punishment that actually fits the crime. Boot a few people to prison for life (actual life, not '15 years' life) and you might start seeing the opportunistic criminals who know they'll only get a slap on the wrist, think twice before pulling stunts like armed hold-ups for a measly couple hundred dollars...

it's very difficult for the police to apprehend criminals when all they are is a revenue raising department.

as an aside, i would love to see Anna Blight and Campbell Spewman drive north from Gympie to Rockhampton, which ever one survives would most likely get my vote, parts of the Bruce Hwy on this stretch are less than a car width wide with potholes that will destroy a front end and literally put you off the road or into the path of an oncoming truck, this is NOT due to recent flooding or even the Xmas 2010 floods, it's a f&%king disgrace and if you believe the media, will cost more than $1,000,000 a km to repair.
If Katter could show that the money dragged out of CQ and beyond would be spent in the region where the royalties originated, he would probably get my vote.

Yard

 

[NickB]

Yep, SEQ is more spoilt in spending. When I was living in Nanango, was the same deal. Potholes, roads less than a car wide with gravel verges, signs missing or bent out of shape.... But I know the further north you go, the speed limit increases, and the road condition deteriorates.....

Cheers

 

[jlm]

Ahhhh good ole qld. Or more appropriately seqld and the rest of the qld, as yardy pointed out. As some one who was born and bred (a term another forum member likes to use....) I'll say the state of south east qld is fu&*ed and cannot and will not be fixed, regardless of which side of politics is running the place. What's more, seqld'ers (and I say this as one) have to be the most whining, unwilling to do anything about their alleged gripes bunch whatever's I've had to deal with compared to other folk ive dealt or spent time with from this country. Looking forward to bagging out on flathead next weekend in NickB's old country..... :beerbang:

 

[NickB]

God's country is old Tassie. I'm sure I'll end up back there at some point. Have fun with the flatty fishing! Where are you headed to jlm?

Cheers!

 

[Screwtop]

There's only 2 states to be in

Queensland and Pissed!


I agree we need to move these pollies out to pasture

QldKev

:beer: When will non party aligned voters learn to change the bastards every time. A second term = trust = do what is best for politicians.

When will voters realise that money does change hands for favours in politics.

Screwy

 

[jlm]

God's country is old Tassie. I'm sure I'll end up back there at some point. Have fun with the flatty fishing! Where are you headed to jlm?

Cheers!

Visiting friends at Charlotte Cove. Really love that area, the south channel round to Cygnet, but work dictated that we move to the north. Still, can't complain, we're renting 2 acres on the Tamar for the same that we rent out our place in Mansfield. Prefer waking up to this every morning
much more to suburban brisbane:

 

[bonj]

And while I'm on a rant, the courts and magistrates especially need to start handing out punishment that actually fits the crime. Boot a few people to prison for life (actual life, not '15 years' life) and you might start seeing the opportunistic criminals who know they'll only get a slap on the wrist, think twice before pulling stunts like armed hold-ups for a measly couple hundred dollars...

Weee..... I'll jump on the bandwagon here....

Sorry Nick, that's total crap. Raising penalties as a deterrent simply doesn't work. If it did, there'd be no murders in the USA.

Put people away for life sure, but next there'll be complaining about how much it costs to keep them in jail and why should our taxes increase? If we want sentences to increase, we need to be willing to pay for it. Our prisons are full as it is. Where will we put them all? Oh build a new prison, sure... that'll work, but no-one wants a new prison in their neighbourhood... and the cost... no-one wants to pay for that either.

If you do some research, you'll actually find that Queensland is the toughest state on crime. Compared to Victoria, the so called Nanny state, and NSW, we are complete fascists. I know this because I personally know lawyers working in criminal law in every Eastern state... both defence and prosecution.

 

[bonj]

:beer: When will non party aligned voters learn to change the bastards every time. A second term = trust = do what is best for politicians.

When will voters realise that money does change hands for favours in politics.

Screwy

+1 (take that all you +1 haters!)

Swinging voters are what keep the bastards honest... particularly with a unicameral parliament in Qld.

 

[NickB]

OK Bonj, I'll agree with the building more prisons thing. But think about the amount of repeat offenders who continually commit crimes like armed robbery, get put away for a couple of years, get out and do it all again. Surely there's a better option than a 'slap on the wrist'...??

Cheers

 

[bonj]

OK Bonj, I'll agree with the building more prisons thing. But think about the amount of repeat offenders who continually commit crimes like armed robbery, get put away for a couple of years, get out and do it all again. Surely there's a better option than a 'slap on the wrist'...??

1. They don't just get a slap on the wrist. This is a fallacy perpetuated by conservative media outlets like the Courier Mail.
2. Increasing penalties only works for certain crimes. It doesn't work for crimes of opportunity or desperation. Addressing the cause of crimes of desperation is the only thing that works, but that's too "touchy feely/bleeding heart/left wing/communist", so it never gets the funding it deserves.

I agree that certain facets of the criminal world need serious attention right now, but evidence suggests that deterrence just doesn't work. I don't have all the answers, I don't think anyone does, which just feeds our own concerns and the conservative media outlets.

 

[NickB]

Sheesh mate, I'm offended that you'd even insinuate that I read the Courier Mail. Or any newspaper for that matter.......

I think we can agree to disagree on this one. :beer:

Cheers

 

[bonj]

Sheesh mate, I'm offended that you'd even insinuate that I read the Courier Mail. Or any newspaper for that matter.......

I think we can agree to disagree on this one. :beer:

Cheers

I'm not saying that at all, it was just an easy target as an example of the media outlets I was referring to. I think the general population are largely misinformed about this subject and all media outlets are guilty of perpetuating that... either with their outright conservative propaganda, or the simple fact that they never follow up on anything, so no-one ever hears the full facts. They're only after sensationalism to fuel outrage in the pursuit of more viewers/readers.

I'd certainly rather tax money being spent on preventing crime than dealing with it after the fact. I'd rather see the deadbeat loser dole bludgers paid above the poverty line if it means they're sitting around in their garages smoking ciggies and drinking tax-payer funded piss than using those same dollars to imprison them because they're so desperate to actually survive that they threaten some poor petrol station attendant trying to earn an honest living.

Bring in some new leadership with fresh ideas!

 

[manticle]

I think sentencing has/should have a punitive, protective, and restorative* aspect as well as a rehabilitory one.

I agree with the idea of reducing/removing causes of crime and the heavy handed conservative media driven 'throw the book at them' is misguided but imprisonment isn't just for reform and poverty and desperation is not the sole cause of all crimes.

Just throwing a couple of extra ideas into the mix.

* as in restoring balance/justice or the idea of those to society and victims.

 

[bonj]

imprisonment isn't just for reform and poverty and desperation is not the sole cause of all crimes.

I totally agree with you manticle. The problem with stupidity, poverty and desperation is that raising penalties doesn't stop their stupidity, poverty or desperation. It probably works quite well with white collar crime, but I don't have any knowledge of that.

 

[manticle]

raising penalties doesn't stop their stupidity, poverty or desperation.

Agreed. However people who commit violent crime for example, will commit it again if you don't address those issues and if they are released back into the community.

Solution needs to be twofold. Smart politician/legislators who were less interested in media circuses, polls and popular votes and more interested in making things work (addressing social issues etc) would be be a great start.

Until then, it's just fuel for fuckwits like Andrew Bolt (and many, many equivalently one eyed bigots from the other side of politics).

 

[pk.sax]

Re poor desperate criminals, I see that and I squarely blame the Aussie - 'so what, no worries' mentality. I won't beat around ge edge of the debate, it's the aborigines that are worst affected by this. Their social structure just doesn't seem to be able to cope with them getting infected with the above mentioned attitude.
I've personally suffered, albeit mildly, at the hands of their crime.
The bleeding hearts need to realise that all or nothing has a place in some circumstances. Punishments need to be there and be uniform while they are at it.

PS: if by raising penalties you mean raising it from zero to something?! That's what they seem to get for everything, it's like they have nothing to lose by committing crime. Punishment should go hand in hand with rehabilitation, there need to be avenues for rehabilitated crooks to actually try and stay out of what sent them in last time.