Liberals oppose constitutional recognition of local governnent


In a disgraceful move, the Federal Liberal Party has voted to oppose a referendum to change the Australian Constitution to recognise Local Government.

These clowns are out of control.

30.6.12

News Ltd to cut 70 digital staff in Queensland


About 100 News Limited staff have reportedly been made redundant across its digital platforms and regional Queensland mastheads.

News Limited announced 70 redundancies across its digital platforms, a union said, while staff at the Townsville Bulletin, News Ltd to cut 70 digital staff Coast Bulletin, Cairns Post and affiliated community papers were told of the redundancies during newsroom meetings this afternoon.

Digital cuts

The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) said management notified the union of the impending loss of 70 digital platform staff today, less than a week since Australia's biggest newspaper publisher detailed a plan for a major restructuring effort.

MEAA acting federal secretary Paul Murphy said News Ltd's sudden redundancies were a bad start to the restructure.

"The company revealed it was about to embark on a carefully thought-through restructuring process," he said in a statement.

"But less than a week later, without proper consultation or explanation, its digital staff are learning that they are being made redundant at a time when they should have felt assured they would play a vital role in the future of the News Limited business."

Cuts in regional Queensland

It is understood 17 editorial staff at the Gold Coast Bulletin have lost their jobs.

Eight sub-editors each at the Cairns Post and Townsville Bulletin are also understood to have been made redundant.

The mastheads will now be subbed at a central hub based in Brisbane.

News Ltd on Tuesday refused to confirm the numbers.

"We can confirm that as part of rolling out our new operating model to build our business, we have made a range of roles redundant across the business," a spokeswoman said.

"Positions are also being retired through natural attrition.

"Editorial staff, who were directed not to comment about the announcements, took to social media to vent their frustrations."... well that horrible moment finally arrived - en masse ... to my colleagues and friends who lost their jobs today ... you are all in my thoughts," one wrote on Facebook.

Another said: "Crap time to be in the newspaper industry. Thoughts go out to all the subs at The Townsville Bulletin."

News Ltd's chief executive Kim Williams did not specify how many jobs would be lost last week, in stark contrast to Fairfax, which gave a number of 1900 job losses as part of its own restructure.

News Limited did not confirm the number of redundancies in a brief statement on Tuesday evening.

"We can confirm that as part of rolling out our new operating model to build our business, we have made a range of roles redundant across the business," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"Positions are also being retired through natural attrition."

The union is asking for voluntary redundancies in the first round of cuts.

www.BrisbaneTimes.com.au

26.6.12

National Politics: Palmer, Abbott had 'fierce disagreement'



Clive Palmer -
Had a lot to say to Tony Abbott

OPPOSITION Leader Tony Abbott and mining billionaire Clive Palmer have reportedly clashed over the issue of political lobbyists.

ABC online says the confrontation took place in a Melbourne hotel last Thursday night.

The two men are said to have had a "fierce disagreement".

According to the report, Mr Palmer told Mr Abbott he was going to move a motion to bar senior lobbyists from being senior office bearers in the party at the Federal Liberal Party Council meeting this weekend.

Mr Palmer is alleged to have told his supporters the opposition leader's response was "visceral", that Mr Abbott swore at him and that he felt threatened.

Mr Abbott's office reportedly said he remained calm throughout, rejected the allegation that the opposition leader swore at Mr Palmer and said that he did not threaten to kick out the mining owner out of the Liberal Party.

Mr Palmer is trying to gain preselection for the Queensland seat of Lilley, held by Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan.

The mining boss is one of the biggest donors to the conservative parties in Australia.

A spokesman for Mr Palmer told AAP that he was unaware of the claims and that mining magnate was in Darwin on Monday.

He also said Mr Palmer would hold a press conference in Brisbane on Tuesday.



COMMENT: Clive Palmer seems to have got the better of Tony Abbott.  Perhaps shades of 25 years ago - not JOH for PM but CLIVE for PM.  Clive might have been better to dong a bit of sense into his Liberal "mate".

26.6.12

Brookfield Murder Sensation: Gerard Baden-Clay's midnight call to father discovered at last minute before Supreme Court bail hearing


Gerard Baden-Clay and his father, Nigel Baden-Clay,
embrace yesterday while his mother, Elaine, looks on. 

AN APPARENT midnight call between the phones of accused killer Gerard Baden-Clay and his father, Nigel, on the night his wife Allison went missing was discovered only at the last minute before his Supreme Court bail hearing.

Explosive allegations from prosecutors opposing bail included a claim Baden-Clay's iPhone was used to call his father around 12.30am on Friday, April 20. The alleged 1min 23sec call used FaceTime, which allows users to see each other while talking, and came about seven hours before Baden-Clay reported his wife missing.

Prosecutor Danny Boyle told the court on Friday that the forensic examination of Baden-Clay's phone had only come back a day earlier.

Evidence of the FaceTime call "seems to be contrary to being asleep from 10pm to 6am", Mr Boyle said.

It contradicted Baden-Clay's alleged account to police of going to bed hours before the call and waking at 6am to find his wife missing.

Evidence showed that his phone was connected to a charger at 1.48am on April 20.

Previously secret details of the police case, including alleged motives of love and money, were revealed during Baden-Clay's failed bid to gain bail. A packed courtroom heard allegations the real estate agent was involved in an ongoing affair with former staffer Toni McHugh and had promised in an early April email that he would leave his wife by July 1.

The deadline would have been Mrs Baden-Clay's 44th birthday.

Police allege that, on April 20, the day Mrs Baden-Clay was reported missing, the two women were due to attend the same real estate conference.

In further claims, Baden-Clay was alleged to have phoned insurers about his wife's life insurance policy on April 12 and Google-searched the American term "taking the Fifth" about the right to remain silent on April 18. He allegedly Googled "self-incrimination" at 7.09am on April 20, just minutes before calling police.

Prosecutors and police painted a picture of severe money troubles, with alleged debts of more than $1 million.

And Allison Baden-Clay's two life insurance policies and superannuation fund would have provided a potential windfall of $967,000.

Baden-Clay was alleged to have called the insurance company shortly after a body was found at Kholo Creek but before it was identified.

Defence counsel Peter Davis, SC, argued that the case was highly circumstantial, with no evidence of the cause, location, time nor date of death.

There was also no evidence of Baden-Clay nor any vehicle leaving the family home on the key night nor that Baden-Clay was near where his wife's body was found.

Mr Davis disputed a police claim that Mrs Baden-Clay's blood was found in the boot of one of their cars, saying that conflicted with post mortem examination evidence her only injury was a chipped tooth.


24.6.12

Gerard Baden-Clay conducting ongoing affair at time of wife Allison's death, was in debt and had inquired about her life insurance, police affidavits lodged in court claim




HE allegedly called himself Bruce Overland and promised he would come to her a free man by July 1.

But Toni McHugh knew him as Gerard Baden-Clay - her long-time colleague and lover who wanted to free himself from his wife and his life so they could be together.

What she did not know, until police told her, was that Baden-Clay was also allegedly having affairs with two other women, police have claimed in documents tendered in opposition to his bail application yesterday.

According to those same court documents, Baden-Clay had severe financial problems and the string of mistresses.

Peter Davis, SC, for Baden-Clay, described the Crown case as "weak", saying there had been no cause of death ascertained from the post-mortem examination, no evidence as to where she was killed, what date or time she was killed and no evidence to show he had left his home on the night she disappeared.

Justice David Boddice rejected that, saying the circumstantial case had factors that "if accepted by a jury" would make a strong argument.

He denied Baden-Clay's application for bail, saying the Brookfield father of three remained a flight risk.

The affidavits filed in the Supreme Court reveal much about the Crown's case for murder against the Brookfield real estate agent.

According to the police bail documents, on April 12, when Allison Baden-Clay had barely a week left to live, her husband picked up the phone in his office and dialled the company that held one of her two life insurance policies.

He asked for information on the policy but was told it could not be provided because it was not in his name, police alleged.

It had been more than a week since he had emailed his lover from a fake email account, reaffirming his love and reiterating a promise.

"I have given you a commitment and I intend to stick to it. I will be separated by 1 July," he wrote to Ms McHugh under his pseudonym, the police documents claim.

His commitment, the police have alleged, involved sorting out his extremely dire financial situation so he could leave his family and be with her.

He could not afford a divorce, he allegedly told her, but he would work things out so they could be together, the police court papers say.

The documents say that on April 18, two days before he would place a Triple 0 call to report his wife missing, Baden-Clay picked up his iPhone, logged onto the internet and searched the term "taking the Fifth".

The search yielded a raft of results, but Baden-Clay allegedly clicked on the "self-incrimination" Wikipedia link.

When Allison disappeared, the police argued, Baden-Clay was $1 million in debt.

Of that, $275,000 was owed to friends in "gentlemen's agreements", $200,000 to a former business partner, $335,000 as guarantor on a mortgage, $45,000 on a credit card, $75,000 to the CEO of Century 21, various business loans and police allege $58,000 to his parents, Nigel and Elaine.

"Enquiries to date have failed to identify any legitimate means of salvaging his debt or finances prior to July 2012 in order to meet his commitment to McHugh," the police affidavit said.


Lawyers and supporters of Gerard Baden-Clay leave
 Brisbane's Supreme Court after hearing that he had been
 denied bail on a charge of murder.


But Baden-Clay had found a quick means of earning $967,000, the Crown has alleged, in his wife's life insurance policies and superannuation fund.

In the police documents, officers said he told them he had gone to bed at 10pm and left her watching television.

He is such a heavy sleeper, he told them, that he had no idea whether she came to bed.

But the next morning, on April 20, he became concerned when he awoke about 6am and found her missing.

She was supposed to have gone to a real estate conference that morning and she needed to leave by 7am, police claim he told them.

But before he called police, he again allegedly logged onto his phone and searched for "self-incrimination".

From there, he searched the Queensland Police Service website before dialling Triple 0, the bail documents say.

That morning police claim he would give four different stories to friends and family about a walk Allison could have taken when she disappeared.

To some, officers say, he said Allison liked to take a walk early in the morning. To his sister, Olivia Walton, he allegedly described a particular route. He told a close friend of Allison's that she would walk at 10pm each night and he described to Allison's parents two different walking routes.

But when police asked, they said he told them he had no idea where she would have gone walking.

A local hairdresser who had done Allison's hair on April 19 said she would never have ruined her new "do" by exercising, the police argued in court papers.


 Elaine and Nigel Baden-Clay are not
 speaking to the media after Gerard Baden-Clay's arrest. 

Baden-Clay allegedly told police that day his wife had found out about an affair he'd been having. An affair that he had ended in September, 2011.

They had been having counselling, officers said he told them, and the counsellor had suggested they talk about the affair.

He allegedly told police he had had a conversation with his wife the night before but would not say what they discussed.

Police who searched the Brookfield Rd house would find a journal Allison had been keeping and according to the police affidavit, on April 18 and 19 she had been writing about her husband's affair.

One entry was a list of questions: "how were the hotels paid for?" "Did 'she' ever say she felt bad because he was married?" "How many people in the office knew?" "Did (the defendant) regret the whole thing, or just being caught?"

Despite saying he had a heavy night of sleep, police have alleged Baden-Clay was awake for most of it.

Police say phone records show at 8.45pm, his phone was removed from its charger. It was plugged back in at 1.48am.

Shortly after midnight, it was allegedly used to call his father's phone via a "FaceTime" call, which allows both parties to see each other and talk.

At 6.18am, Baden-Clay's phone was again taken off the charger, the police bail documents say.

An examination of Baden-Clay's car, leased just eight weeks earlier, found blood in the rear boot section and a blonde hair, the police claim in their opposition to bail.

The hair is still undergoing examination, the court documents say. The blood came back as belonging to Allison, the court was told.


VERSION OF EVENTS: Police claims about the sequence of 
events the night Allison Baden-Clay disappeared, and the
 aftermath, in today's Courier-Mail print edition.


But barrister for Baden-Clay, Mr Davis, questioned police claims that the blood found in the vehicle was Allison's, and the Crown seemed to assert that Allison was murdered, put in the car and dumped.

"The post-mortem doesn't support that," he said, and that it was a luminol test only and not her blood.

Mr Davis said the only injury revealed a chip to her bottom left eye tooth.

"There are no cuts or wounds from which she could bleed," he said.

The police claimed in their court documents, Baden-Clay maintained contact with Ms McHugh.

Police say Ms McHugh had told them he called her from pay phones and emailed her as Bruce Overland. He needed to "lay low" he said, but he would be in touch.

On April 30, when a body was found by a passing canoeist under the Kholo Creek bridge, Baden-Clay was allegedly back on his phone.

In their court affidavit, police say Baden-Clay allegedly had his financial adviser call about Allison's life insurance policy, letting the company know there was a pending claim. He did this, police told the court, before the body had even been identified.

Baden-Clay also allegedly requested a copy of her death certificate and made claims against both of her policies.

Mr Davis said the discovery of the body was well publicised, and in relation to his financial affairs his client was only doing what he was obliged to do.

He said there was no evidence of a weapon, or that he had left the family home on the evening of her disappearance, or been seen in the vicinity of where Allison was discovered.

He argued there was no evidence of a cause of death, nor a geographical location of death, nor was there anything that placed his client where his wife's body was found.

But the judge found Baden-Clay was flight risk and denied bail.

He is due to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on July 9 for committal mention.


23.6.12

Queensland Politics: Campbell Newman bid to limit ALP union war chest

What is this man thinking?













Campbell Newman is moving to restrict Queensland unions from funding political parties or election campaigns without the specific consent of their members.

The Queensland Premier, in a bid to squeeze the cash-strapped Labor Party, yesterday outlined a plan to introduce legislation to force membership votes on political donations.



COMMENT: Campbell Newman has lost the plot and is in need of serious medical attention if he thinks his political future will be secured by constant and un-Australian union bashing.  His latest antics might appease some of his more-extreme LNP colleagues but the way he is going, he will suffer the same unexpected fate as Jeff Kennett ultimately did in Victoria.

22.6.12



Allison Baden-Clay murder: Have police found her mobile phone











Following Allison Baden-Clay's disappearance from her Brookfield home on Thursday 19 April 2012, police and SES volunteers launched an intensive search for her body and her mobile phone.

Police tracked a fading mobile phone signal but could not triangulate its location before the battery failed.

Have police found Allison's missing mobile phone?

Significant information came out at today's bail hearing which was already being speculated on, in almost every street corner and workplace in Queensland.

This looks like becoming the most intriguing murder case in Queensland since the murder of university student Betty Shanks in Brisbane in September 1952.

22.6.12

Accused wife-killer Gerard Baden-Clay denied bail in Brisbane Supreme Court

Gerard Baden-Clay's sister Olivia Walton outside
Brisbane Supreme Court during the bail application.


Accused murderer Gerard Baden-Clay allegedly Googled the phrase "taking the fifth’', a US constitutional amendment to protect against self-incrimination, in the days before his wife Allison was killed.

Mr Baden-Clay has been refused bail in the Brisbane Supreme Court this afternoon after the judge decided the 41-year-old Brisbane real estate agent was a significant flight risk.

Mr Baden-Clay, who did not appear in court today, will remain in custody at Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre. He has been charged with the murder of his wife, Allison, on June 13. 

Brisbane woman Allison Baden-Clay.

Mrs Baden-Clay was reported missing by her husband on April 20. Her body was found 10 days later by a canoeist under the Kholo Creek Bridge near Ipswich about 14km away from the Baden-Clays’ Brookfield home.

Justice David Boddice denied the application lodged by Mr Baden-Clay's defence barrister, Peter Davis, who contended it was "one of the strongest applications one will ever see for bail when there is a murder charge".

An earlier non-publication order on the bail application was also dropped.

Police take Gerard Baden-Clay away to be charged with
 the murder of his wife Allison. Screengrab from Channel 10.







The Crown alleges Mr Baden-Clay had Googled the phrase "taking the fifth'' in the days before Mrs Baden-Clay disappeared, in reference to the fifth amendment to the US Constitution that prevents a person from being forced to be a witness against themselves in a criminal case.

The prosecution's evidence also alleges Mr Baden-Clay had Googled 'self incrimination' in the days before his wife went missing, and that he again looked up the phrase on his phone shortly before phoning police to tell them she was missing.

Mr Davis argued the prosecution’s case was “weak’’, saying there was no evidence to prove Mr Baden-Clay left the family home on the night of the alleged murder, nothing to place his client at the creek where Mrs Baden-Clay’s body was found and no weapon produced by investigators.

Prosecutor Danny Boyle conceded the Crown’s case was “circumstantial” but argued it was “compelling” when the circumstances were put together.

The Crown alleged that Mr Baden-Clay’s “dire financial circumstances” served as a motive and that he stood to “benefit greatly from the death of his wife”.

Mr Boyle said the Crown would present evidence that Mr Baden-Clay had allegedly made an inquiry about his wife’s “significant” life insurance policy in the days leading up to Mrs Baden-Clay’s death.

Mr Boyle said Mr Baden-Clay was alleged to have given notification to the insurance company of his wife’s death on April 30, when a body had been reportedly found beside a Brisbane creek.

In his submission, Mr Davis said his client was following the insurance company’s procedure.

However the Crown alleges Mr Baden-Clay made the notification before there had been official confirmation the body found was Mrs Baden-Clay’s.

Mr Boyle said the Crown would also allege that Mr Baden-Clay then attempted to “rush through” the death certificate and start the life insurance claim process.

Today's bail application served as a preview to any future trial, with Mr Baden-Clay's alleged affair with work colleague Toni McHugh mentioned in the Crown evidence.

The Crown will submit entries from Allison's journal in which she allegedly mentions knowing of the affair between Mr Baden-Clay and Ms McHugh.

Mr Boyle said when asked about his relationship with Ms McHugh, Mr Baden-Clay allegedly told police it was over.

However the Crown will allege that the relationship was on-going and Mr Baden-Clay had a “deadline” of July 1, when the accused intended to leave his wife to be with Ms McHugh.

The Crown will allege Ms McHugh had asked Mr Baden-Clay to speak to his wife about their relationship as she was concerned she would be attending the same real estate conference as Mrs Baden-Clay.

The conference was scheduled for the same day Mrs Baden-Clay was reported missing. Mr Boyle said it would be the Crown’s case that the Baden-Clays argued over the relationship on the night Mrs Baden-Clay was killed.

Legal argument between the defence and prosecution was intense, with Justice Boddice often asking both sides to clarify their points of contention.

Alleged scratches found on Mr Baden-Clay’s face and torso were also mentioned in court.

Mr Davis said the marks on his client’s torso were related to a “caterpillar incident” and he had witness statements attesting to that.

Mr Boyle did not disagree. But he said the Crown evidence regarding the scratches allegedly left on Mr Baden-Clay’s face were “consistent with a scratch” and “inconsistent with shaving”, which is how Mr Baden-Clay had explained them to police.

The post-mortem report given to Justice Boddice gave no external cause of death.

Mr Davis said the only external injury noted in the report was a chip to the bottom left eye tooth.

Mr Davis used the lack of any other apparent injuries to question the allegation that investigators had found Mrs Baden-Clay’s blood in the boot of her husband’s car.

"There is no suggestion of any cuts, any wounds, from which she could bleed," he said, in reference to a police assertion that there was a luminol (a chemical which can react to show the presence of blood, among other fluids) reaction found in the car.

Mr Davis also said there was no supporting evidence submitted to the court that the luminol reaction was caused by the presence of blood.

Mr Boyle said the Crown was not required to submit its evidence so early, but it was available to the court if needed.

The prosecution opposed bail, arguing Mr Baden-Clay was a flight risk and could potentially interfere with witnesses.

In applying for bail, Mr Davis cited his client’s strong ties to the business community as well as to the community where he lived as evidence Mr Baden-Clay would not flee the state before his trial was to begin.

He said despite “intense” media coverage of the case in the lead up to being charged by police, Mr Baden-Clay had not left the country.

Mr Davis had told the court Mr Baden-Clay had no valid passports and could provide a $500,000 surety

However Justice Boddice dismissed the application, stating that strong ties to the community were not unusual.

He said the prospect of a mandatory life sentence – the penalty in Queensland if found guilty of murder - was “a powerful incentive not to appear” for trial.

And while Mr Baden-Clay had not “sought to flee despite intense media attention” in the lead-up to his arrest, he had now been charged with murder and had been in custody since.

Justice Boddice said Mr Baden-Clay’s ties to the community, his obligation to his daughters and his obligations to his business must be balanced against “the real risk of mandatory life imprisonment” and what that might mean to a person.

“The applicant is facing the real risk of mandatory life imprisonment, flight is a real possibility, a real possibility,” he said.

“Although he may have property and other work relationship ties with Queensland, that is not an unusual factor and would not necessarily prevent flight of someone determined to abscond because of fear of a lengthy prison sentence.”

Justice Boddice disagreed with the defence submission that the Crown case was “weak”. While circumstantial, it could “be taken by a jury as strong evidence”.

After a 25-minute address to the court, where he outlined both the defence and prosecution arguments for and against bail, Justice Boddice ended the speculation with a simple sentence.

“The applicant has not satisfied me that his continued detention in custody is not justified,” he said in denying the application.

However Justice Boddice did continue his address to the court, issuing a warning to the media. He said “constraint must be shown” in opinions published by journalists.

“One will hope that the media will ensure justice can take place in a proper, respectful way, for what the law allows and applies,” Justice Boddice said.

Mr Davis added: “And the media should have regard to the fact that those comments are made with the force of your Honour’s office”.

Justice Boddice replied: “And that is why I have said what I have”.

Mr Baden-Clay’s trial is not expected to reach the courts for at least two years.

His bail application was due to be considered yesterday but a bomb threat forced the temporary closure of the Supreme Court.

Full story: www.BrisbaneTimes.com.au

22.6.12

Gerard Baden-Clay denied bail as flight risk after Supreme Court hears police case against him for murder of wife Allison

Lawyers and supporters of Gerard Baden-Clay leave
Brisbane's Supreme Court after hearing that he had
 been denied bail on a charge of murder.

GERARD Baden-Clay has been denied bail because of the "real risk of flight" - the chance he might flee - while awaiting a possible life sentence.

"Flight is a real possibility," Justice David Boddice said today, announcing his decision over a bail application heard in Brisbane's Supreme Court.

He said it was a concern that a person could be kept in custody for up to three years without having been convicted of committing an offence.

"Delay is obviously a matter of considerable importance," he said.

He said Baden-Clay had substantial ties to the community, including his business and his three daughters.

However, he said those factors must be balanced against the fact Baden-Clay was facing life in prison.

Earlier, the court heard that Baden-Clay's mistress had insisted he warn his wife on the night of April 19 that both women would be at the same real estate conference the following day.

It was that same night, police have alleged, that Allison was murdered.

In outlining the facts of the case, Justice Boddice said Baden-Clay reported his wife missing on the morning of April 20, 2012.

It is alleged Baden-Clay said he had gone to bed at 10pm the night before but had no idea whether she joined him because he is a heavy sleeper.

He allegedly told police he called them at 7.15am because Allison had been due to leave for a real estate conference that morning at 7am.

Justice Boddice said Peter Davis SC, for Baden-Clay, described the Crown case as "weak", saying there had been no cause of death ascertained from the post mortem, no evidence as to where she was killed, what date or time she was killed and no evidence to show he had left his home on the night she disappeared.

But Justice Boddice rejected that claim, saying the circumstantial case had many factors that "if accepted by a jury" would make for a strong argument.

He said those included:

- Baden-Clay was the last person to see his wife alive.

- He had injuries to his face that he claimed were from shaving, but a forensic analysis concluded to the contrary. The analysis showed the marks were scratches.

- He told police that he was a heavy sleeper and had no idea whether his wife had come to bed but forensic analysis from his mobile phone showed it had been unplugged from its charger at 8.45pm on April 19 and reconnected at 1.48am on April 20. Police also found evidence of a "face time" call between Baden-Clay and his father Nigel's number shortly after midnight.

- Allison's blood was found in the rear of Baden-Clay's car, consistent with "her body being moved by being placed in the rear of the car".

- Baden-Clay was suffering severe financial difficulties and was due a large insurance payout on his wife's death.

- He contacted the insurance company after a body was discovered but before it was identified as being his wife. Baden-Clay demanded an urgent copy of Allison's death certificate and then made an immediate claim on the policy.

- He had been having an affair with another woman and told police it was long over but evidence presented by police alleged it was ongoing and that Baden-Clay had planned to leave his wife for his mistress by July 1.

- Entries in Allison's journal on April 18 and 19 talked of the affair and a hand drawn map of Ms McHugh's home was allegedly done by Baden-Clay - proving, the crown alleged, that they had been speaking about his relationship with another woman.

"I do not accept the contention that the crown case is a weak case," Justice Boddice said.

He said despite having many links to the community, the risk of flight was too great.

Earlier, The Courier Mail reported that blood was found in the rear of Gerard and Allison Baden-Clays' family car that was confirmed to be hers, according to a police affidavit submitted to a Supreme Court bail application hearing this morning.

But Peter Davis SC, for Mr Baden-Clay, disputed this, saying it was a luminol test only and not her blood.

Mr Davis said the only injury suffered by Allison as revealed in the post mortem was a chipped tooth. He asked why there would be blood in the car if she had no injuries.

At this morning's bail application hearing for Mr Baden-Clay, it was also claimed police recovered a journal kept by his wife where she wrote about her husband's affair with Toni McHugh on April 18.

They say in their affidavit that this would have led to an argument between the two of them but Mr Davis said that was an assumption only.

Baden-Clay's counsel has not yet responded to these allegations.

The prosecutor Danny Boyle claimed the Crown did not need to provide evidence showing it was Allison's blood in the car at this stage of the proceedings.

The Crown relies on the facts as outlined in submissions, Mr Boyle argued.

He alleged the financial gain from Allison's death went to the motive for her murder.

He also alleged Mr Baden-Clay had a "deadline" of July 1 for when he intended to separate from his wife.

He claimed in Allison's journal there was a diagram of Ms McHugh's house, drawn by Mr Baden-Clay, as part of their counselling.

Mr Baden-Clay allegedly told police his affair with Ms McHugh had ended some time before Allison's disappearance, "when in fact the relationship was continuing when she went missing", the prosecutor argued.

He said Ms McHugh would give evidence at a trial.

The Crown said its case against Baden-Clay relied on several points:

- His relationship with his wife was unstable and "his intention for a future with Ms McHugh".

- He was in dire financial trouble and stood to benefit greatly from Allison's death.

- He had the opportunity, being the last person to see her alive.

- The deceased's blood was allegedly found in the boot of Gerard's car.

- Mr Baden-Clay told police the mark on his face came from shaving but a forensic examination concluded that was not the case, and that it was a scratch.

Mr Davis has asked for a non publication order until the court's ruling on the bail application was handed down.

The court broke for lunch and was due to continue the hearing from 1pm.

The police are objecting to Mr Baden-Clay getting bail because they say he could interfere with potential witnesses.

Mr Davis said his client should have bail so he can continue caring for his children.

He said Mr Baden-Clay had no valid passport at the moment.

Mr Davis said there has been no cause of death, no evidence putting him at Kholo Creek, no sightings of the car and no evidence of a time of death.

A large crowd has again turned out for accused wife killer Gerard Baden-Clay's second attempt at applying for bail.

Yesterday's hearing was shut down after just five minutes when a security threat was phoned in to the Supreme Court.

Mr Baden-Clay has been charged with murdering his wife Allison, 43, at their Brookfield home on April 20 and interfering with her corpse at Kholo Creek on the same night.

He has not appeared in court this morning, but his sister Olivia Walton has attended.

Mr Davis SC has indicated his client will seek to gain a suppression order.

Earlier, police with sniffer dogs conducted another security sweep of the courts complex after yesterday's lockdown.


22.6.12

Albanese: Facts took a while in 'Slippergate' as Liberals duck for cover over court stoush


Peter Slipper - Will he emerge
 unscathed from the Liberal
National attack on his credibility?
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese has likened the Peter Slipper affair to America's Watergate scandal and called for a full disclosure of information from all the parties involved.

Mr Slipper, who stood aside as parliamentary Speaker earlier this year, is being sued by staffer James Ashby over allegations of sexual harassment.

The Federal Court heard evidence on Friday that Mr Ashby and another Slipper staffer first sought to undermine their boss by providing a journalist with information about the allegations, which was subsequently widely reported by newspapers.

Julian Burnside QC, lawyer for the commonwealth, also alleged that Mr Ashby provided politically sensitive material to Mr Slipper's political opponents, including Howard-era minister Mal Brough.

Mr Albanese likened the case on Saturday to the Watergate scandal, in which evidence about President Nixon's administration was passed to journalists and subsequently appeared in the Washington Post.

"What occurred during Watergate was that people attempted to obtain information in a way that wasn't legal and wasn't appropriate," he said.

"It is also the case that it took a while for the facts to come out."

Mr Albanese said once the facts of the Slipper case were fully unravelled in court, the public would be able to make a judgment.

And he called on all those involved to fully disclose their roles.

"I think it is in everyone's interest, given the way the allegations were made so publicly and so dramatically, that there be full transparency in this.

"And that all the information be out there in full public view so that people can make their own decisions about what the involvement was in this."

www.BrisbaneTimes.com.au

16.6.12

Campbell Newman's greatest law and order challenge: Gold Coast service station security measures shock Federal MP Stuart Robert

Federal MP Stuart Robert was "shocked" the Bronx-style
 security measures were necessary on the Gold Coast.

A FEDERAL MP has expressed his shock at the Bronx-like security at a Gold Coast service station on the same day the State Government scrapped a long-awaited local police beat.

Fadden MP Stuart Robert yesterday said he stopped at a service station on Wednesday night and was disappointed to find the store was locked and he had to buy milk through a small barred window and metal box.

He said he understood the proprietor had to protect his staff but was "seriously stunned" such measures were necessary on the Gold Coast.

"I thought, 'This is outrageous. This is not how a Gold Coast community looks and feels'," he said.

"How have we got our society to this state? This is not how a community should live.”

"We should not have people working in stores who feel unsafe at 9.30 at night.


16.6.12


CASA clowns knew dark truth about rogue aviator Barry Hempel






LONG before Barry Hempel, a legend of Australia's commercial aviation industry, strapped himself and an unwitting passenger in for a final, fateful aerobatic flight that ended 13 minutes later with their deaths, startling truths about the career pilot's conduct were well known to authorities.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority knew Hempel, 60, to be a serial menace to public safety.

His disciplinary record for flagrant breaches and dishonesty went back decades and became worse as he aged.

He had put passengers and unsuspecting members of the public at risk with cavalier antics that appalled safety investigators - and cemented Hempel's status as a maverick with extraordinary skills but shocking judgment.


16.6.12

Buffoons at Athletics Australia change tack again!

Genevieve LaCaze. 





ATHLETICS Australia is expected to announce this afternoon that Queensland runner Genevieve LaCaze has won the right to qualify for the Australian Olympic team.

AA, which on Friday said LaCaze, 22, was excluded because her Olympic A qualifying time on Wednesday was outside the Olympic qualifying period, is believed to have changed the criteria, with Australian Olympic Committee approval.

It is believed Australian athletes now have until June 22 to qualify, which means LaCaze qualifies for the 3000 metre steeplechase.

A spokesman for Athletics Australia confirmed an amendment had been made to the selection policy that allow LaCaze to be nominated for the team after a discussion between Australian Olympic Committee boss John Coates and the head of Athletics Australia.

But she said LaCaze was yet to be nominated for the team.

A statement is to be released by Athletics Australia soon.


16.6.12

Gerard Baden-Clay: From role model to accused murderer




Police take Gerard Baden-Clay away to be charged with the murder of his wife Allison

Three years ago, Gerard Baden-Clay stood in front of an assembly hall full of high school students in Kenmore. He spoke of the the keys to success in life and the attributes that make up virtuous and productive community leaders.

Quoting his great-grandfather Robert Baden-Powell, the famed founder of the Scout movement, he told the senior class of 2008 and their parents that success equated to happiness.

"What is success?" he said.




Murdered Brisbane woman Allison Baden-Clay.

"We were put into this world of wonders and beauty with a special ability to appreciate them, and also in being able to help other people instead of over reaching them and, through it all, to enjoy life ... and to be happy.

"That is what I count as success, to be happy."

The principal real estate agent went on, saying: "To me, the most fundamental element of good leadership is to lead by example."



An artist's impression of Gerard Baden-Clay, as he sat in Brisbane Magistrates Court.

"That entails responsibility ... responsibility for one's own actions," he said.

If not for the events of the past two months, the carefully crafted speech, posted on Mr Baden-Clay's blog, would have remained buried and forgotten in the vast world-wide blogosphere.

Mr Baden-Clay's wife, Allison, disappeared from their family home in the leafy western Brisbane suburb of Brookfield on a Thursday night in April.

He allegedly told police he last saw his wife watching Channel Nine's The Footy Show in their living room about 10pm and woke to find her missing from their bed.

Ten days later, Mrs Baden-Clay's body was found by a canoeist underneath the Kholo Creek bridge.

Last Wednesday afternoon, Mr Baden-Clay was escorted by detectives from at his real estate office in Toowong Tower. He was driven four hours later to the Brisbane Watchhouse and charged with his wife's murder.

According to the charge sheet presented in court this week, Mr Baden-Clay allegedly killed his wife at their Brookfield home "on or about" April 19, and on the same date improperly interfered with her body at Kholo Creek.

Today, he sits in a three by four metre prison cell in Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre, where he will remain for at least a week until the Supreme Court hears his bid for bail.

The case made international headlines yesterday with the UK'sDaily Mail reporting on the "first court hearing for Scout movement founder Lord Baden-Powell's great grandson charged with wife's murder".

Via his personal blog, Mr Baden-Clay commented on the real estate market and offered advise to potential buyers and vendors.

However he provided a rare insight into his family life in November 2008, when he recounted his week as a sole parent, while his wife enjoyed a rare retreat from the demands of motherhood to celebrate her 40th birthday.

He spoke of his exhaustion, his failure to wash a single load of laundry and the mundane responsibilities that come with parenthood.

"The past week I have been trying to do my best impersonation of my dear wife – and struggling!" he wrote.

"I thought that I was pretty in tune with the day-to-day routine, but I can honestly say that this week has given me a real insight into the challenges of managing a family.

"Waking up, getting dressed, having breakfast, making lunches, getting to school, collecting from school, bath, cook dinner, eat dinner, homework, teeth, bed! And that doesn't include any extracurricular activities like ballet, swimming and music!

"And, I haven't done any vacuuming, dusting, cleaning or a single load of washing!

"Despite these challenges (and the associated exhaustion!), I have enjoyed some wonderful times with my children both individually and collectively.

"Whether it be a few minutes playing in the park, a snatched moment whilst getting them ready for bed, or just the simple pleasure of talking about life whilst driving to and from school, kindy and a host of other activities!

"The startling revelation personally, has been the realisation that I am NOT superman after all!"

With their father now behind bars, Mr Baden-Clay's three daughters are in the care of their maternal grandparents, Priscilla and Geoff Dickie.

The details of Mr Baden-Clay's private life have garnered much public interest, as the wider community tries to comprehend the allegations against him.

He has maintained his innocence, with his solicitor Darren Mahony saying his client intends to "vigorously defend" the charges against him.

Mr Baden-Clay met his wife while both worked for Flight Centre. She was managing a Flight Centre branch in Ipswich at the time, while he worked as a consultant at the Toombul store.

Mrs Baden-Clay later excelled to become the global head of human resources for Flight Centre, before she and Gerard married in 1997 and then settled in London for about a year.

Following their return to Brisbane, Mr Baden-Clay founded a real estate office with Century 21 in Taringa and his wife stepped out of the workforce to be a stay-at-home mother for her daughters.

At Mrs Baden-Clay's funeral, she was remembered as "a high achiever, a model mum and an unselfish soul".

Her older sister, Vanessa Fowler, pledged to fight for justice.

"Allison, there are many questions that are unanswered, many pieces of a puzzle that need to be put together, and we your family pledge to you that we will have these questions answered," she said.

www.BrisbaneTimes.com.au

16.6.12

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie puts money ahead of justice

Money is apparently more important than justice
would seem to be the view of Queensland's
 new Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie

The State Government will consider calls for a new Supreme Court judge to tackle a backlog in criminal cases but flagged it may not be able to afford one.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Jarrod Bleijie said he would "look seriously" at the number of matters before the courts, along with clearance rates.

Mr Bleijie confirmed Chief Justice Paul de Jersey had advised him of the need for an additional trial judge in Brisbane, taking the total to 16.

He said "careful consideration" would be given to the request but said another appointment carrying a $350,000-plus remuneration package might be a stretch for a Government working to rein in $85 billion in debt.

Those who stand accused, such as alleged killer Gerard Baden-Clay, face more than two years in custody before a trial.

Chief Justice de Jersey said the number of murder, attempted murder or manslaughter trials had doubled in five years.

A legal source said the need was clearly there for another appointment but the Government's purse strings were tight so it would be an "interesting contest".

He said Supreme Court judges, in the main, came from the bar, picked from the ranks of Queen's Counsel and Senior Counsel.

"The appointment would be one made on the recommendation of the Attorney-General, who would advise Cabinet."

A leading criminal lawyer said Queensland's justice system had become a "talkfest" thanks to reforms introduced by the former Bligh Government.

Chris Nyst said the so-called Moynihan reforms had led to "serious delays" in court cases.

The reforms, drawn up by former Supreme Court judge and Crime and Misconduct Commission boss Martin Moynihan and introduced in 2010, were meant to streamline the justice system.

But Mr Nyst said the reforms were "an unmitigated disaster" and should be wound back.

"Criminal cases are now being bogged down in a quagmire of 'case conferencing' in the magistrates court," he said.


16.6.12

The march of the fire ants continues after 12 years, stopping an Ipswich development



"38ha of land within the Springfield area, Augustine Heights and Redbank Plains are hot spots for fire ant infestation."




The dreaded fire ant has halted building
development at Augustine Heights.
A FRESH fire ant outbreak halted construction on an Augustine Heights housing development last week after several mounds were detected.

BioSecurity Queensland ordered development group Citimark Properties to temporarily stop working on the site to prevent the outbreak spreading.

The mounds were detected during a routine inspection and the area has since been handed back to Citimark.

Construction is expected to resume on Monday.

Biosecurity Queensland Control Centre director spokesperson Neil O'Brien said a risk mitigation strategy was put in place to allow work to begin again quickly.

"Biosecurity Queensland is working closely with construction and development companies who adhere to strict movement controls to address the risk of fire ant spread," he said.

Ipswich City councillor Paul Tully said it was concerning fire ants kept appearing within Ipswich.

"It is concerning that the fire ants continue to invade new areas of Ipswich. Residents should be vigilant and report any findings," he said.

In March 2012, single fire ant mounds were detected at Brookwater and Goodna, the first in these areas since 2010.

Mr O'Brien said the 38ha of land within the Springfield area, Augustine Heights and Redbank Plains are hot spots for fire ant infestation.

"These suburbs are areas with a high proportion of land development."

Contact Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 to report fire ant findings.


16.6.12

Bizarre courtroom scene: Foul-mouth jailed for attempted murder

Brisbane Law Courts where David Allan Baker's
 rants ended in a 15 year jail sentence.

The following story comes courtesy of Ipswich's Queensland Times.

It reveals the words of David Allan Baker - now jailed for 15 years for attempted murder - who launched into the most disgraceful string of profanities against any judge in the English-speaking world.  It is almost beyond comprehension how Justice Martin Daubney maintained his composure and didn't jail this scoundrel for contempt of court.

Justice Daubney's ability to maintain his decorum in the face of this raving lunatic needs comparing with Ipswich Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin who lost his cool in October 2010 when a defendant simply called him "mate". This is how The Queensland Times reported that incident on 1 November 2010:


Jailed for calling judge 'mate'

A MAN spent almost half an hour in the court watch house after he repeatedly called an Ipswich magistrate “mate”.

Thomas John Collins was only standing at the bar table in Ipswich Magistrates Court for a brief moment before he called magistrate Matthew McLaughlin “mate”.

Mr McLaughlin replied patiently, “I'm not mate... I'm sir or your honour.”

Collins, 35, said “Okay mate,” and was again warned.

“If you call me mate again I'll take offence Mr Collins,” Mr McLaughlin said.

But instead of displaying deference, Collins replied, “I'm entitled to it,” and then laughed.

Collins was asked if he thought his court appearance was a joke and he agreed it wasn't, except “the way we're conversing is a joke”.

“Let's get with the program.”

Mr McLaughlin had clearly had enough and ordered police watch house staff to take Collins into custody.

“I'm going to consider charging the defendant with contempt – I'll deal with you at 2pm.”

But after a few moments, Mr McLaughlin seemed to soften and said: “If he's prepared to apologise to me I might consider not charging him with contempt”.

After about 20 minutes, during which members of the public sitting in the gallery could hear Collins banging and yelling in a cell, he was brought back into the courtroom.

A more reserved Collins told the court, “Okay, I apologise to you judge.”

Collins, who faces charges of drink driving and driving unlicensed in an unregistered, uninsured vehicle, asked to adjourn his matter.

“I just want to correlate some stuff together,” he said.

Collins will next face court on November 12.




WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE

AN explosion of filthy language more likely to be heard in a bar or on a rugby field than in a supreme court spewed from the mouth of a man on attempted murder charges.

David Allan Baker, who also uses the surname Baldwin, had just sacked his solicitor which resulted in his entire legal team withdrawing just before his trial was about to begin.

What followed was a tirade directed at Justice Martin Daubney where he called the judge a "silly old c***", "fatso" and "lardarse".

He told the justice to "stick your trial up your f***ing arse" and told him to order a pizza too.

Despite Baldwin interrupting the justice at every turn, usually swearing, Justice Daubney remained calm.

"Yeah, I don't know what you're f***in' talking about, you silly old c***," Baker said.

"Thank you for that submission," Justice Daubney said.

In another exchange, Baker asked the justice if he wanted "a Mickey Mouse badge".

"Stick it on your fat chest? Hey? What do you want? A Mickey Mouse badge. Come on fatso, what have you got to say for that?," Baker said.

APN could not publish these comments previously because it could have been prejudicial to the man's trial if a juror had read it.

Baker was about to move to Gladstone to work when he stabbed his former girlfriend in the heart with a knife at her Bray Park home on November 2, 2009.

A jury found him guilty late on Thursday.

He was sentenced to 15 years jail on Friday.

The transcript of his rant has been sent to the Department of Public Prosecutions for its consideration.


The full transcript of the initial exchange is below.

Justice Martin Daubney: I have been informed, Mr Baker, that you wish to dispense with the services of your solicitor and as a consequence of that your barrister is also seeking leave to withdraw, which means you will be self-represented for this trial. Do you understand that?
Baker: Yes.
Justice: So you'll be representing yourself for this trial, do you understand?
Baker: No, no way in the world.
Justice: Yes, way in the world.
Baker: I'll get a new solicitor and barrister.
Justice: No, you tried that last time, Mr Baker.
Baker: Look, now listen here, mate, you don't know what you're f***ing talking about.
Justice: Now you listen to me.
Baker: Don't blooming start your sh**, right, mate.
Justice: You listen here Mr Baker.
Baker: You weren't f***ing there so don't start your crap.
Justice: Mr Baker.
Baker: Were you there?
Justice: Mr Baker.
Baker: Were you there? Were you there? No you f***ing weren't.
Justice: Mr Baker.
Baker: Because the arseholes did the wrong thing. Right? Read your f***ing paragraph or scripts, mate. Don't start putting your f***ing heavy crap on me.
Justice: Now, Mr Baker...
Baker: You can get stuffed.
Justice: ...the trial will be...
Baker: I don't give a ...
Justice: ...proceeding....
Baker: ...f***, you and your trial mate. Stick your trial up your f***ing arse. I'll go.
Justice: Sit down please Mr Baker.
Baker: No, get stuffed.
Justice: Oh, all right. Now, Mr Baker, the trial will be proceeding. There is one matter that does need to be attended to. The principal witness for the Crown in this trial is a person who has the status of a ...
Baker: I don't even know why you're f***ing talking about mate. Talk in normal lingo, language.
Justice: The complainant in respect of the count of attempted murder is a person who ...
Baker: Who are you f***ing talking about?
Justice: ... is a...
Baker: Stop talking in riddles.
Justice: ... is a protected witness under the Evidence Act and for the purposes of the trial, you will not be ...
Baker: I don't know what you're f***ing talking about.
Justice: Well, if you stop shouting at me and listen to what I'm saying you might start understand.
Baker: What do you want me to f***ing do?
Justice: What I want you to do is stop swearing at me and listen to me.
Baker: I'm not going to f***ing stop swearing at you.
Justice: All right then, it's a matter for you.
Baker: Stick your f***ing trial up your ass.
Justice: That won't be happening to me.
Baker: I couldn't give a sh** mate.
Justice: Well, that's a matter for you.
Baker: Well you can start your trial and stick it up your arse cause I'm not having anything to do with it.
Justice: Sit down.
Baker: No you get f***ed.
Justice: Sit down.
Baker: Go and get f***ed.
Justice: Sit down, please.
Baker: I'm not f***ing doing what you say. Up you.
Justice: Sit down.
Baker: You're not going to f***ing tell me I'm going to be representing meself at all. I need legal aid. I need representation and not you and or any other f***ing arseholes gonna tell me anything different.
Justice: Sit down, please.
Baker: No, get stuffed.
Justice: If you don't sit down I'll have you manacled.
Baker: You can f***ing have what you like mate.
Justice: Corrective Services could you please restrain the accused..
Baker: F*** you.
Justice: Mr Bailiff, could you ask security to attend the court please.
Baker: Do what you f***ing like. I've got no representation so that's it I'm not listening. I don't give a damn what you say .
Justice: The next people entering the court are the court security staff.
Baker: Oh, what do you want me to do? What do you want, a Mickey Mouse badge?
Justice: No.
Baker: Stick it on your fat chest? Hey? What do you want? A Mickey Mouse badge. Come on fatso, what have you got to say for that?
Baker: Oh, the mouse has gone quiet.
Justice: Security could I ask you to take up positions immediately behind the accused. If he moves from that chair you are to assist the corrective services personnel in restraining him. You are not to move, do you understand me Mr Baker.
Baker: Get f****d.
Justice: Mr Baker, because (Margaret) Revesz ...
Baker: Listen here lardarse, no f*** you. I don't give a f***ing sh** what you say.
Justice: Because Ms R...
Baker: I don't give a sh** what you f***in' say.
Justice: ... is a protected witness ...
Baker: I'm telling you now you can get f***ed. All right?
Justice: ... the law requires ...
Baker: Are you stupid or what? I don't give a sh** what you f***in' say.
Justice: ... that I arrange for you to be given free legal assistance by Legal Aid.
Baker: I don't give a f***. I couldn't give a sh** what you say. What, are you deaf?
Justice: ... for the cross-examination of that protected witness....
Baker: Hey, lard arse, can't you f***in' hear me?
Justice: ... unless you arrange for legal representation ..
Baker: What are you deaf?
Justice: ... or unless you do not want that protected witness to be cross-examined.
Baker: What the f***in' talking about, I don't know what you're f***in' talking about, lard arse.
Justice: Is there anything that you want to say in relation to me making an order ...
Baker: Yeah, I don't know what you're f***in' talking about, you silly old c***.
Justice: Thank you for that submission, in which case I order...
Baker: Well, you can f***in' order what you like.
Justice: ... that Ms R...
Baker: Order me a f***in' pizza while you're at it.
Justice: ... is a protected witness for this proceeding ...
Baker: Who gives a sh**.
Baker: Wait, what are these two f***heads doing here then if they're not f***in' representing me?
Justice: I give you leave to withdraw. Thankyou both very much for your assistance.
Baker: Yeah, piss off. F***in dogs.
Some discussion about the trial opening...
Baker: What's this f***in' opening brief and that you're talking about, lardarse?
Justice: If your opening is going to be that short then you'll want to call the complainant pretty well straight away.
Crown prosecutor: That's so, yes. I would submit the most prudent course is perhaps to allow the panel to go and then look to empanelling them tomorrow.
Justice: Yes, all right then. Now, Mr Baker, you can continue to interrupt me or you can listen to what I'm going to say.
Baker: I don't give a f***, I need representation.
Justice: No we're beyond that stage.
Baker: No, hey, listen here you f***in' stupid old c***, I've got f***in' paperwork here, if you weren't so pigheaded and using your big f***in' fat lard arse, you might have f***in' read it before you f***in' jumped the gun, eh, but no, you had your f***in' cocking mates here going on like a two bob f***in' watch. I never said anything about f***in' Don MacKenzie. I had a complaint against Ken f***in' MacKenzie, right, not my barrister. I had nothing to complain about him, it was the other f***in' prick and I wrote you a letter to f***in' explain why.
Justice: was there anything else you wanted to say to me at the moment?
Baker: Yeah, why don't you f***in' read it and see why I wanted to - what was it - blimmin' to adjourn for a while. There was a f***in' reason for it.
Justice: No, there's no adjournments, Mr Baker, you've had ...
Baker: Well, I don't give a stuff. You can't f***in' sentence me or do anything because I'm doing a plea. The thing was when I got my plea overturned last f***in' time, did you read it, why - what happened was because the barrister and solicitor stuffed up. I was putting in a complaint about Ken MacKenzie not revealing the parts I needed for my trial but you wouldn't listen.
Justice: Thankyou for that information. Now what's going to happen is this ...
Baker: I don't give a sh** what happens, anyone comes in here, I'll f***in disturb and I'll run amok.
Justice: Not in my courtroom you won't.
Baker: Hey, don't f***in' tell me I f***in' won't mate.
Justice: Not in my courtroom you won't.
Baker: You think these f***in' jokers are going to worry me? Or the screws, what are you going to f***in' do?
Justice: Whether they worry you or not is a matter for you.
Baker: What are you going to f***in' do to me.
Justice: What I'm going to do to you is tell you that your trial is starting tomorrow.
Baker: Oh no f***in' way mate.
Justice: Oh yes, your trial is starting tomorrow.
Baker: You want a f***in' bet? You want a f***in' bet? I'll tell you what, I'll make a f***in' bet, I'll make a bet with you and I tell you what, you'll lose your f***in' fat arse. I'll put myself in medical, you c***. I'll f***in' slash up or I'll do something. You don't f***in' threaten me you f***in' dog.
Justice: You can take the accused down, thank you. I'll see you tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.
Baker: no I f***in' won't, I tell you f***in' now, you f***in' lard arse.
Justice: Thank you for coming up gentleman, I'm grateful. I was actually called much worse things on the rugby paddock you know.

16.6.12