Friday, September 13, 2013

Qld police charge man with murder (AAP) - ( 4U5TR4L14 )

A man has been charged with murder and two other men have been charged with being accessories to murder about a month after the disappearance of 26-year-old Brisbane man Michael Klaassen.

A 24-year-old man from Jimboomba, near Logan, was on Friday charged with murder and with interfering with a corpse, police said.

A 35-year-old Sherwood man and a 28-year-old North Ipswich man were also charged on Friday with being accessories to murder, while the 35-year-old was also charged with interfering with a corpse.

All three charged men will appear in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Saturday.

Logan detectives said they had declared crime scenes at a reserve in Logan Reserve and bushland at Burbank in Brisbane’s south.

Mr Klaassen was reported missing by his father on August 12.

He was unemployed, and last seen in the Logan area.



Hundreds risk jail to import illegal drug promoted by euthanasia campaigners (ABC) - ( 4U5TR4L14 )

A lethal drug promoted by euthanasia campaigners as a peaceful way to die is easily being illegally imported into Australia.

Known as the “peaceful pill”, barbiturate nembutal, is promoted by the euthanasia movement as the best and most peaceful way to end your life.

Most have bought the illicit drug online from China, a country that in the last two years has come to dominate the market. The drug kills within an hour of being consumed.

“There are very few lethal drugs and the best lethal drug is nembutal,” euthanasia advocate Dr Philip Nitschke told a recent workshop.

“I’ve been with a lot of people who have died using this drug, it just seemed to get into to a deeper and deeper sleep and then finally stop breathing.

“And for those watching they see this as the most peaceful of deaths, it certainly looks to be.

“Be careful, because it’s illegal.”

The penalty for importing or possessing nembutal is a prison sentence or a fine of up to $ 825,000.

Dr Nitschke says hundreds of Australians have illegally brought the drug into the country over the past couple of years.

The Australian Federal police have told ABC’s Lateline program that since 2007 they have seized almost 15 kilograms of the drug.

But so far, no one has been convicted.

Nembutal easily ordered by terminally ill online

Mexico used to dominate the market but now most nembutal is bought over the internet from China.

Increasingly, there are reports of internet scams and Lateline has spoken to several people who have lost hundreds of dollars trying to buy nembutal online.

Arriving in flat packed envelopes, Chinese nembutal comes in the form of a white powder, and Dr Nitschke says people are worried about its quality.

“People obtain this white powder in envelopes from China and they’re concerned in a way that I never saw, the same concern with the South American product,” he said.

“They worry that maybe there’s someone selling them something that is contaminated or not pure or maybe cheating them completely and selling them castor sugar or something.”

To combat concerns, Dr Nitschke has set up a mobile testing laboratory, and he says, there is a long queue of people across Australia waiting to use it.

“I think we can say the vast majority, all except one, have shown to be exactly what they’ve purported to be, so in other words high quality nembutal,” he said.

Dr Nitschke has tested the nembutal which terminal cancer patient David illegally imported earlier this year.

David says the drug was easy to obtain online and he was not fearful of any legal consequences.

“At 81 years of age, I don’t think that crossed my mind. If they want to jail me, well I think that would be a very stupid action,” he said.

“I sent an email requesting a sample, I received a reply asking me to forward $ US360 and I duly arranged that, and two weeks later, my package arrived through the mail.”

David says knowing he now has a choice is a comfort.

“Euthanasia goes against what most of us believe in, but you’ve got to say ‘okay, there are other people there, who have a problem, so why not give them the right to decide’,” he said.

“Sorry, I want out of here.”

Nembutal link to a Sydney woman’s suicide

David bought his nembutal from a supplier listed in Dr Nitschke’s book The Peaceful Pill Handbook. 

The book is also banned in Australia, but for $ 80 you can buy online access to the publication. Dr Nitchske’s group also produces instructional videos for those considering euthanasia.

In one tragic case, a young Sydney woman who was not terminally ill, but suffering from depression, accessed this information. She also attempted to buy nembutal online, but lost her money.

In May, the 30-year-old committed suicide.

Her family told Lateline: “The internet is a tool and has many good uses, but when vulnerable people can so easily get hold of information and videos that can do a great deal of harm, it can be devastating.”

However, Dr Nitschke defended this advocacy saying the dissemination of euthanasia material information should not be banned simply because it is used for purposes other than those he intended.

“It’s an age old question about censorship,” he said.

“I can’t guarantee where the information is going to, but I don’t think that’s a good reason for stopping giving out information.”

But chair of the Federal Government’s advisory council on suicide prevention, Professor Ian Webster, disagrees.

“I don’t think that’s an acceptable risk,” he said.

“I mean there’s a very fundamental principle in medicine, primum non serum, a Latin statement for ‘above all do no harm’, so no action that a physician or a surgeon or a doctor should take, should increase the likelihood of harm.

“It’s a very difficult balance to strike. Overwhelmingly I put my weight on preventing suicide and against promoting suicide methods to elements of the population which are at high risk.”

Dr Nitschke is currently facing two investigations by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency over claims he is not a fit and proper person to hold medical registration but he says losing his licence will not stop his work.

“Well, in a practical sense it would make very little difference,” he said.

“Because of the growing demand if you like, of a growing or increasing number of elderly people who are demanding control over the end of their own life.”

If you or someone you know requires help you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, visit or for young people visit .



Ex-prison boss seeks to revive Integrity Commission investigation (ABC) - ( 4U5TR4L14 )

Tasmania’s former Risdon Prison boss has referred more information to the state’s anti-corruption watchdog for investigation.

Barry Greenberry resigned just months into a five year contract and was paid out more than $ 250 000.

Earlier this year, he complained to the Integrity Commission that he had been bullied and undermined, and that he believed there had been a “deliberate attempt to remove him from his post”.

The complaint was dismissed, but an ABC Right to Information request alerted Mr Greenberry to never before published correspondence, which he now wants investigated.

In an email on the 10th of January 2013 the Deputy Prison Director, Greg Partridge, wrote to the Justice Department Secretary, Simon Overland:

Mr Partridge then refers to a conversation he had with Mr Overland in a Hobart book store.

The four-page email was one of about 40 documents requested by 730 Tasmania under Right to Information legislation.

Mr Greenberry’s lawyer has now referred the contents of Mr Partridge’s email to the Integrity Commission.

It is understood Mr Greenberry believes the email backs his theory of a deliberate attempt to remove him, as suggested in his previous complaint to the Commission.

The Commission Chief Executive, Diane Merryfull, would not comment on whether the anti-corruption watchdog had received the complaint, or whether the Commission had decided to conduct an investigation.

When asked if the case needs to be re-investigated, the Corrections Minister, Nick McKim, reiterated that the Justice Department has acted appropriately.

“Look I’ve been really consistent on this for I don’t know how many months now I’m absolutely confident that the Department has acted correctly and appropriately in this case and I’m also absolutely confident the information I’ve put before the parliament is 100 percent accurate.”

Parliamentary Investigation

It is still unclear when a parliamentary investigation into Mr Greenberry’s resignation will get underway.

The Public Accounts Committee chaired by Ivan Dean decided to launch an inquiry in June.

It is still receiving legal advice about whether Mr Greenberry is covered by parliamentary privilege if he gives evidence over the phone.



Honduras steps up WTO fight over Australia tobacco law (AFP) - ( 4U5TR4L14 )

GENEVA (AFP) – Honduras on Friday raised the pressure on Australia over its landmark plain packaging rules for tobacco by launching a full-blown dispute at the World Trade Organization, the global body said.

The WTO said that Honduras, one of four countries that say they oppose Australia’s legislation on commercial grounds, had requested the formation of a dispute settlement panel to settle the issue.

It is the second time that Honduras has made such a request. Its first attempt in November 2012 was blocked by Australia, a move allowed just once under WTO rules.

Australia’s pioneering legislation, passed in 2011 and in force since last December, aims to curb smoking by requiring tobacco products to be sold in drab green boxes with the same typeface and graphic images of diseased smokers.

Given that the legislation covers all tobacco products, not just cigarettes, it been challenged at the WTO by Honduras and fellow cigar-producing nations Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

Australia blocked the Dominican Republic’s first request for a panel in December 2012, and the country has not made a second one yet.

In what is its first-ever WTO case as a plaintiff, meanwhile, Cuba has not moved beyond requesting consultations with Australia, a warning shot under the WTO system.

The first country to challenge the law was Ukraine, in March 2012.

The process was put on ice eight months later at Ukraine’s request, before being reactivated last month, but the dispute settlement panel has not yet been formed.

The plaintiff countries maintain that Australia’s law breaches international trade rules and intellectual property rights to brands — arguments rejected by Canberra and which also failed to convince Australia’s High Court in a case brought by tobacco firms.

The Geneva-based WTO oversees its 159 member economies’ respect for the rules of global commerce. Its dispute settlement process, steered by independent trade and legal experts, can last for years.

In the event that the plaintiffs won their case, the WTO’s disputes settlement body would have the power to authorise retaliatory trade measures against Australia if the country failed to fall into line.



Labor’s friendly leadership battle begins (AAP) - ( 4U5TR4L14 )

Leadership hopefuls Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese insist there is no `I’ in Labor and their civil showdown for the ALP’s top job is headed for a contest of personal experience and popularity.

Both candidates say the 30-day leadership campaign – which will see them jetting around the nation – will be a gentlemanly joust, putting the party first and moving away from Labor’s past division.

“Labor is drawing a line underneath the rancour of previous years,” Mr Shorten told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

“We will not seek to publicly disparage each other in our efforts.”

Separating them on policy will not be simple though.

Mr Albanese said both he and Mr Shorten support a price on carbon and would oppose the coalition government’s plans to scrap the carbon tax.

Victorian Labor right powerbroker Mr Shorten agreed they had a lot of values in common.

But Mr Albanese, from the party’s left, believes his parliamentary longevity gives him an edge.

“I come here as someone (with) 17 years in public office,” he said.

“I think one of the things I would bring to the leadership is that I have had time in opposition, I know what it’s like, I know what has to be done … that experience I think does count.”

Mr Shorten, a former Australian Workers Union national secretary, has just won his third parliamentary term and hopes his history as a “builder and a campaigner” combined with his energy and enthusiasm makes him leadership material.

But he added: “This ballot in the Labor party will not be the contest of personalities, it will be the contest of ideas”.

Both men indicated they would happily work with the other should their leadership aspirations fail.

They both gave their sales pitches to a caucus meeting on Friday where outgoing leader Kevin Rudd accepted responsibility for Labor’s election loss and said the party was well placed to win the next election no matter who led the party.

The party room was told Labor had to become more unified to move forward.

“Whoever it was who was tweeting out of the caucus today, it’s got to stop,” Mr Albanese said later.

“It’s not helpful for people to be sitting in a caucus room to be tweeting out to members of the press gallery.”

Outgoing Treasurer Chris Bowen has been given the interim party reins while the leader is chosen, in what he called the nation’s most democratic election process.

“They will have been elected by the whole Labor party, by every eligible rank and file member, as well as by the parliamentary caucus,” Mr Bowen said.

While now it’s only a two-horse race, there could be another candidate. Nominations for leadership remain open for seven days, before ballot papers are sent to Labor members.

Caucus will cast their votes last but will not know the grass-roots ballot result when they do.



Qld Chief Justice speaks on parole abuse and injecting rooms (ABC) - ( 4U5TR4L14 )

Queensland’s Chief Justice Paul de Jersey says he believes some prisoners are abusing the parole system, and voiced support for drug injecting rooms.

The State Government is considering whether to scrap the right of prisoners to a judicial review of unfavourable parole board decisions.

In a wide-ranging interview airing tonight, Chief Justice de Jersey has told 7.30 Queensland presenter Matt Wordsworth that while some inmates have not been slow in asking the courts to intervene, he backs laws allowing judges to review parole board decisions.

Justice de Jersey also spoke in favour of state-controlled injecting rooms for heroin users.

“I think there is a lot to be said by trying to wean heroin addicts off their habits by some sort of controlled provision under the state authority to them,” he said.

The state’s senior judge went on to say that he believes suspended sentences are an effective deterrent against crime.

A review of Queensland’s sentencing laws is underway, with the State Government considering scrapping court-ordered parole and suspended sentences.

Justice de Jersey says he believes allowing judges to suspend all or some of a person’s jail term appears to discourage repeat offending.

G20 court closure

He has revealed that Queensland’s Supreme Court system will close for a week in November next year when the G20 Leaders Summit comes to Brisbane.

He says that is because police are being diverted from regular duties to cover the summit.

But Justice de Jersey says it will have little impact on the court’s case load.



Dog protects kids by fighting off snake (Yahoo!7) - ( 4U5TR4L14 )

FIRST ON 7: A Gold Coast family pet has been credited for protecting three young children from a deadly Eastern Brown snake.

One-year-old Staffordshire Terrier Jeff came close to death after being bitten on the nose.

On Wednesday morning he took on the second most venomous snake in the world, killing it in the vegetable garden but the Eastern Brown got a bite in too.

“He was just laying there and the snake was right beside him and I’m guessing he just got hit,” the dog’s owner Michael Moskwa said.

A vet gave Jeff three shots of anti-venom, warning family it probably wouldn’t work.

“We didn’t think we would bring him home so we were telling the kids that he may not come home,” Tammy Moskwa said.

“We felt really lucky, we feel like he’s meant to be here to be our protector.”

The veggie garden is where eight-year-old Mackenzie and his younger brothers Nate and Billy often play before breakfast.

Snake catcher Tony Harrison says the eastern brown snakes are one of the most deadly in the world, and are renowned for having a bad temper.

“One drop of venom has enough power to take out 16 healthy adults, so one bite can take out 100 people,” he said.

Mr Harrison has been catching snakes for 19 years. He says this past winter was his busiest ever. And right now across south east Queensland, snakes are on the move.

“As soon as the weather gets above 23 degrees that induces the females to ovulate and it’s kind of like dogs on heat and the boys just go travelling looking for the female and that’s why all the human encounters are happening at the moment,” he said.