News & Politics - Australian News #1 ~ News from Down Under - Page 4

-Kelly- · 10-13-2010, 07:08 PM

Yeah, her poor mother is in Australia. No one knows if she's flying out to America

**sunnykerr** · 10-13-2010, 07:17 PM

Someone should fly her out.

Come on, there's got to be rich people in Australia who can afford to fly one poor woman out...

Wildfire Girl · 10-20-2010, 09:32 AM

Found this article interesting.

Maori language in danger of dying out | News.com.au

Quote:

THE Maori language is in worrying decline among New Zealand's indigenous people and could die out without urgent government action to save it, a new report says.

The Waitangi Tribunal says the Government's failed to capitalise on increased interest among Maori in learning the language meaning it's becoming less common among indigenous New Zealanders.

The tribunal is an independent body set up to rule on Maori claims against the state arising from the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, which paved the way for European colonisation of New Zealand.

Read more: Maori language in danger of dying out | News.com.au

**sunnykerr** · 10-25-2010, 06:50 PM

We have the same problem here with a LOT of the Native languages. I'm not sure anything can be done about it, really, because the problem seems to be tied with the fact that Aboriginal languages are tied with a certain, ancestral way of life that seems harder to maintain in modern, economic times...

It is sad, though, especially when you think of all the historical wealth attached to language and culture.

-Kelly- · 11-05-2010, 01:40 AM

Aussie mother says she tracked down Zahra just days before she went missing | Perth Now

**sunnykerr** · 11-05-2010, 05:39 PM

Well, this situation seems like a big old mess.

Mom's in jail for writing a fake ransom note; stepmom is accused of being abusive to the stepdaughter and the dad is sort of a non-entity in this whole story.

Poor Zarah. It sounds like she never had a chance.

**sunnykerr** · 11-11-2010, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Australia refugee law case trumps government policy

Australia's High Court has backed migrant claims of unfair laws, in a ruling that has far-reaching implications for asylum policy.

Two Sri Lankan men held offshore on Christmas Island had argued that laws barring them from appeal in Australian courts were unfair.

The court ruled unanimously that they had been denied "procedural fairness".

The ruling could force the government to review its policy of offshore processing for asylum seekers.

Successive governments have held refugee claimants in offshore detention - on Christmas Island and before that in Nauru - and barred access to appeal if their claims for asylum were denied.

Lawyers for the migrants argued that this placed the decisions of immigration officials - under whose authority the asylum-seekers are assessed - above the law.

The issue is highly toxic for the minority government of Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who had made election promises to discourage new refugee inflows to the country.

'Great decision'

The legal dispute hinged on the distinction made by the government since 2001 between asylum-seekers who arrive by plane and those who come by ship.

Boat arrivals are placed in detention; their status is assessed by contractors of the Immigration Department and if denied, they have had - until now - no right of appeal in Australia's courts.

But those who arrive by plane are not automatically detained - and do have the right of appeal if their claim to refugee status is denied.

The seven judges of the High Court of Australia were unanimous in their ruling.

They said the two Sri Lankan Tamil men - who arrived in October 2009 and are known simply as M61 and M69 - were denied "procedural fairness".

Attorney-General Robert McClelland said the judgement could force a change to current laws and policies, and would need to be examined carefully.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said the judgement had "significant ramifications".

"It needs to be worked through in a methodical and calm manner, which is what I'll be doing in coming weeks and making recommendations to my Cabinet colleagues," he said.

One of the lawyers for the two men, David Manne, praised "a great decision for the rule of law in this country".

"The attempt to keep these people outside Australian law and the protection of Australian courts has failed," he said.

"So we call on the Government to publicly confirm that it will respect the court's decision and give all these people a new decision-making process that complies with the ruling of the court."

Ms Gillard's minority government relies on support from the Green Party to stay in power; the Greens have long been critical of the harsh immigration laws.

But many Australians dislike the prospect of more asylum-seekers arriving in the country.

The conservative opposition, meanwhile, has said it wants much stronger laws, and has warned that this court ruling could mean that the legal system will become clogged by appeal cases for years to come.

Source

I didn't really have any idea about the issues involved the first time I reported on this question and I still don't. My gut reaction is to think that off-shore warehousing sounds barbaric, but I'm also quite aware that I'm speaking without any real knowledge of the issues. So, hm.

lancer1993 · 11-11-2010, 08:47 PM

I don't mind immigrants, if they come legally.

Personally I think the Labor government screwed things up 3 years ago and hasn't recovered since!

**sunnykerr** · 11-13-2010, 06:20 PM

What happened three years ago, if you don't mind my asking?

lancer1993 · 11-13-2010, 07:12 PM

When we had a change of government (about 3 years ago) they abolished what was called 'the pacific solution' basically off shore processing for anyone caught trying to enter the country illegally by boat. Sending a message that is you come you will not be allowed into the country. Since then 100's of boats and 1000's of people have taken a chance and made the trip because they know they will get on to Australian territorial land, Christmas Island. Ironically the government is about to re introduce what they took away because too many boats were/are coming.

**sunnykerr** · 11-14-2010, 02:04 PM

Ah. Thanks for the explanation.

**sunnykerr** · 11-16-2010, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Australian twin sisters shot at US firing range

Twin sisters from Australia have been shot in the head at a firing range in Colorado, leaving one dead and the other critically injured, police say.

The 29-year-old women have not been named and investigators say they are unclear who fired the gun, or guns, or if the same bullet hit both sisters.

The incident happened at the Family Shooting Center in Cherry Creek State Park, south-east of Denver.

The centre's owner said it appeared the women were hit almost simultaneously.

"The ladies hit the pavement virtually at the same time," the Denver Post quoted Doug Hamilton as saying.

He said that a surveillance camera caught the women falling to the ground, but not the shooting itself.

It is understood the sisters had been using small-calibre guns and had arrived at the range by taxi.

Capt Louie Perea, of Arapahoe County Sheriff's office, said the surviving sister had undergone surgery but it was not clear whether she would recover enough to be able to give an account of what happened.

Investigators are working with US immigration officials to determine how long the sisters had been in the US.

Source

What a horrible tragedy. And so bizarre, too.

lancer1993 · 11-16-2010, 08:37 PM

I know it's a tragedy and all but "Family Shooting Center" isn't that an oxymoron?

Barstool Prophet · 11-16-2010, 10:21 PM

Twin sisters going to a shooting range.. strange.

**sunnykerr** · 11-17-2010, 07:56 PM

Lancer, that sounds like an oxymoron to me.

There's been an update:

Quote:

Police hope to interview surviving twin shot at Colorado gun range soon

US AUTHORITIES investigating the shootings of Victorian twin sisters at a Colorado gun range hope to be able to speak to the surviving sister soon.

Captain Louie Perea of the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said an attempt was made today to speak to the surviving twin in hospital, but although her condition had improved in the past 24 hours, she was unable to communicate with investigators.

They would try again later he said.

"After we interview the survivor, hopefully she will shed some light," Capt Perea said.

The mystery began on Monday afternoon when the 29-year-old sisters caught a taxi to Colorado's Family Shooting Center, south of Denver, where they hired two low-calibre handguns and began shooting targets.

Video surveillance footage showed the two women falling almost simultaneously in the stall they were shooting from, with both suffering gunshot wounds to the head.

One of the sisters died.

Police are investigating whether they shot themselves at the same time; whether they shot each other at the same time - or whether one shot the other, by accident or design, then turned the gun on herself.

Investigators were still unclear if the incident was a suicide attempt or an accident, but have ruled out a third party being involved.

"Every time I get new information there's a new twist," local police Capt Perea said.

They had been in the US for up to three months on a cultural exchange program and one of the twins was due to fly back to Australia the next day.

The surviving twin's condition had improved from critical, but stable, to serious.

Detectives visited the Arapahoe Coroner's Office this morning to take prints from the 29-year-old Victorian and in another attempt to identify the women, US immigration officers were using fingerprints taken from the twins when they entered the US.

Their family - and detectives - remain unsure which of the identical twins died and which survived.

Police will release the victim's name only after she has been formally identified, which could happen as early as today.

Capt Perea said detectives would attempt to spare the woman's relatives the trauma of having to view the body to confirm the identity.

Capt Perea also said reports the twins' family members were enroute from Australia to Colorado were incorrect, with family members still organising travel plans.

"We have been in contact with the family and the Consul-General's office and we have been advised by both the family is not enroute and when the family finalises the travel plans they will let us know," he said.

Source

So it would have seemed far-fetched that a third party would be involved, but it's still so very bizarre to think that this was the agency of either both of them or one of them and no one else.

Their poor parents. Whichever way this turns out, and this is assuming the surviving girl can provide them with any sort of answer with regard to how she came to be shot in the head, they'll still have a tragedy on their hands.


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