i am still in the process of watching the deadly's 2013 and, sadly, the nit did not win the award for a media story that involved the kings cross shootings of the 6 youths involved. i hope that this does not however stop the nit campaign pressure upon the nsw police and the nsw dpp for the reports and reasonings to be made public and not become just another bad example of the custodial star chambers that are put forward as justice in this state. isja will most certainly continue to call for the public showing of these covered-up matters.
another point with the deadly's, and allow me to say here and now that under no circumstances has isja or have i any wish, need or intent to politicise the deadly awards - none at all, but i continue to be puzzled as to why when our brothers and sisters take the custodial system on, in all its forms, and when they so rarely win and force change for the betterment of aboriginal and torres strait islander peoples, why this is not publically and nationally recognised? maybe that would be a step too far for some but i do not see the nsw govt. making an award against itself. what about the human rights groups and the legal groups? why do they not do it in the name of a victory for human rights and justice? perhaps it has some basis in pipers and tunes.
even that however should not stop the govt. funded deadly's honouring our own, not just in sport, art, music, books, etc., etc., etc., but in all the fields of aboriginal achievement. eddie koiki mabo was so honoured for his commitment and tenacity in fighting to right a wrong, for what he knew to be true. we own the lands and the islands of this conquered country known as australia. always was, always will be, aboriginal and torres strait islander lands. john howard and his gang aside. we now face tony abbot and his black quislings.
but that is for another time.
a young nsw north coast man, in my very strong opinion, is just as worthy, for a different scenario, of an australian-wide award for his commitment and tenacity, and i would also add bravery, to righting another wrong that he knew to be true.
cory barker fought the system at all its labyrinthine levels and forced the ballina police to be held accountable for their criminal actions and their false words. Click here for a report in the local ballina newspaper and here for the pic report sent to the dpp for further action.
but we also need to recognise that the pic has not only acted honourably in this matter but on two previous occasions has also, after due investigation, found a case for nsw police to answer for their thuggish behaviour. the first was the sgt. bissett shooting of adam salter and the puerile attempt to change the facts of the matter so the blame lay squarely with adam and not the police. that went to the dpp. another matter of nsw police actions leading to the torture and death of young brazilian student, roberto laudisio curti. that case too was too hard to hide and became the second case referred to the dpp for judicial action
the third case to be referred is that of young corey barker. we expect nothing less than a strict judicial process for all 3 cases. kisses x 3 for the pic for doing their job of finding some of the corruption that is endemic to the nsw police. we will support corey in his fight for justice in any way possible.
the kicks x 3 are for mr. babb, the head of the nsw dpp, the govt. appointed group that decides as to whether cases referred to it have any judicial value in being taken to court. strangely but unsurprisingly those nsw police officers who have their cases reviewed by dpp officers seem to lead a charmed life as seemingly are never called to face the consequence of their criminal acts. the police involved in the shootings and assaults at kings cross are only one case in point that underlines this phenomenon.
but now mr babb and his crew have much deeper problems. their first problem is that this is not an issue of police investigating themselves and that report then going to the dpp where it can be buried without too much fuss, assuming no public interest. these three cases have already been through two previous levels of the judicial and legal system and thus carry a great deal more legal weight.
both salter and curti went through vigorous levels of their respective coronial inquests and both coroners were not willing to shut their legal eyes and bury the outcome. the police thuggishness, brutality and corruption, with malice aforethought i believe, was too great. both matters went to the pic who also found it too much of a legal mouthful to be able to swallow so they issued a report that recommended charges against the offending police.
the dpp now has to make a decision that either both coroners and the pic on two occasions have erred in their legal judgement and there is, indeed, no case to answer - perhaps without published reasons - or allow the matters to go to court, maybe hoping for a townsville-like jury. conundrums upon conundrums. the job of the dpp has just got harder.
in corey's case, he was fortunate in appearing before a magistrate in ballina who easily saw through the tissue of lies offered by the offending police and, quite rightly dismissed all charges against corey. now he could have left it at that but that would have been half the job only. justice does not deal in half-cases, there must be a legal and satisfactory outcome. magistrate heilpern proceeded to continue the case the only way he knew how and that was to refer the corrupt police to the police integrity commission for their examination and investigation. as the two coroners had also done. working on the legal principle that if you see or know of a crime, you are duty bound to process it. the pic also found obvious and undeniable police corruption and their report has also landed at the dpp.
action please mr babb. action. and we include the kings cross event in your expected action.
arising from all these legal machinations we offer our kisses to the pic and to present the kicks to the dpp we will be holding another rally outside of 175 liverpool street in the city beginning at 12.30pm on friday 20 september, 2013. we will be loudly calling on mr babb to allow all three of the above cases to be processed in a legal and proper manner so that corrupt police will learn once and for all that we, the public, will no longer accept the legal star-chambers that are foisted upon us by governments and their systems of lies and unaccountability.
come join us and make your voice heard.
another matter relative to the national indigenous times. i was alerted today that somehow the print gremlins have attacked an advertisement from the death in custody watch committee (wa) advising on their intent to hold a rally outside of the wa parliament on the 25th of this month. somehow the ad has appeared as being that isja in sydney will be holding that rally. please do not be confused. the isja national day of action will be held on the 28th of september, the 30th anniversary of the killing of john pat. we will rally at the sydney town hall at 12.30pm and after speakers we will march to circular quay from whence all our troubles spring.
fkj
ray jackson
president
indigenous social justice association
isja01@internode.on.net
(m) 0450 651 063
(p) 02 9318 0947
address 1303/200 pitt street waterloo 2017
we live and work on the stolen lands of the gadigal people.
sovereignty treaty social justice