Rogue P-plater comes forward after he was snapped with both feet hanging out the window enraging motorists

A ROGUE P-plater photographed hurtling down a Melbourne freeway with both legs outside the driver's window has come forward to police. 

Police said the man had "made contact" with them, but they would not elaborate on whether he would be charged with an offence.

More inquiries would be made this evening, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.
Police had earlier appealed for the driver to turn himself in, saying they had identified the owner of the vehicle, and that they would be coming for him if he did not front a police station today.

Shocked motorists snapped the “ludicrous” Volkswagen golf driver literally putting his feet up as he cruised down the Eastern Freeway, near the Blackburn Rd off-ramp about 7am on Christmas Eve.

Inspector Bernie Rankin from the Major Collision Investigation Unit said the incident was "no joke".

“This young man, his behaviour without any further examination is conduct endangering life - that’s a very serious criminal charge,” Insp Rankin said.

“You might be thinking it's funny or it might be a joke, or you might be showing off in front of your friends, but at the end of the day if you hurt someone or if someone sees what you're doing...so just remember that.”
Motorist Stewart (last name withheld), from Heathmont, photographed the driver speeding down the Eastern Fwy on Monday morning.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I thought: if his right foot’s outside the window, how is he accelerating? Then I saw both feet out of the window and I thought: bloody hell,” Stewart said.

He said he saw the driver travelling over the speed limit before he pulled up next to the packed car, when the driver pulled his feet in just before the EastLink tunnel.

“He looked very young. This guy’s a risk to my safety. I don’t want to share the road with people like that,” Stewart said.

Insp Rankin had earlier said: “The local police will be following this matter up, and what I’d encourage the driver of that vehicle to do - his vehicle and his images have already been on the media - I’d suggest he walk into his local police station and speak to us, because we’re certainly in the situation where we know who is in charge of the vehicle.

“We’ll certainly be knocking on his door if he doesn’t present himself today at some stage.”
The legless driver isn’t the only example of reckless behaviour on Victoria’s roads this holiday season.

A woman was photographed reading a book while doing 100km/h on the Monash Freeway last week.

“This is a constant in your face reminder that there are people out there who just don’t listen and don’t really obey the law,” Insp Rankin said.

“We’re really horrified with the toll: five dead since Sunday. All of them…avoidable collisions and, really, if we don’t slow down and start doing the right thing this is going to be a horrendous Christmas-New Year period for us.

"We’ve got to really get the message out there people have just got to slow down.”

Insp Rankin said the man's “selfish behaviour” meant he would be unable to control his vehicle in case of an emergency.

“Assuming he was on cruise control - which is an assumption - he couldn’t brake, he couldn’t stop the vehicle; he’d even have difficulty turning the wheel, so absolutely ludicrous behaviour.”

heraldsun.com.au 27 Dec 2012

In Australia (unfortunately)  anyone can obtain a drivers license.

In many cases there are drivers that the government let out onto the roads who are not only not capable of commandeering a vehicle, but are also dangerous to the community at large.

Until the laws change, nothing will change.

Macklin dole gaffe edit 'a mistake'

A SENIOR Federal Government minister's controversial claim that she could live on the $38-a-day dole has been edited out of an official transcript. 

Families Minister Jenny Macklin, a Cabinet member earning $903 a day, pushed 84,000 single mums off the parenting payment and on to the dole yesterday as part of a budget cut designed to save $738 million over four years. The move will cost a single mum who works part-time up to $233 a week.

Greens deputy leader challenges Macklin to live on dole

When asked: "Could you live off the dole?", Ms Macklin told reporters at the Mercy Hospital in Melbourne: "I could".
The National Welfare Rights Network immediately challenged the minister to prove it.

 

"We would welcome the minister taking up the challenge to understand first hand the extreme hardship facing parents raising children alone in difficult circumstances," National Welfare Rights vice president Kate Beaumont said.

Should Jenny Macklin make good on her claim that she could live on the dole? Have your say below

The minister's claim that she could survive on the dole is at odds with statements by her own ministerial colleagues and puts her under pressure to prove it.

The sensitivity of the remark became clear when a ministerial transcript issued just hours after the event described as "inaudible" the reporters question and the crucial first part of Ms Macklin's reply. Last night, her office claimed its recording had been affected by a revving car.

The last MP from a major party to put such a claim to the test was National Party MP Stephen Lusher who in 1984 had to concede after a week living on the dole that it couldn't be cut.

Three parliamentary inquiries, the OECD, the Business Council of Australia, former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry and even Employment Minister Bill Shorten admit the dole is inadequate.

A spokeswoman for Ms Macklin yesterday accepted full responsibility for the transcript ommission.

The minister's press conference was taped by the spokeswoman on a smart phone and she said a vehicle carrying a camera crew turned up as the press conference was under way, revving its engine.

"It was me trying to transcribe it quickly and get it out using a tape that was not good, I wish I had relistened to it," the spokeswoman said.

"Her comments are a matter of record and were recorded by a number of television stations,' she said.
The transcript issued by the minister's office lists one journalist's question as inaudible and the minister's remarks on the dole and two questions after the remark as inaudible. Video footage is crystal clear.

The dole stumble occurred as the minister was trying to publicise another government change that saw fathers of newborn babies eligible to receive up to $1200 in Dad and Partner Pay from January 1.

The cost of prescription medicine also rose on January 1 by 70 cents a script for general patients who will now have to pay $36.10 per script, up from $35.40.

heraldsun.com.au 2 Jan 2012

Government lies or rather false/fraudulent information is somewhat the normality, which people are fed and 'accept'.

Macklin, another caught out minister with no repercussion whatsoever.

What is even more disturbing is the in official government transcripts, the comment has been edit out.

What else does the government blatantly lie to the illiterate masses?

Thousands of Victorians die waiting for elective surgery

MORE than 3600 Victorians have died awaiting elective surgery in the past five years - many spent their final months in pain or immobile.

Herald Sun via Freedom of Information laws document for the first time the age and sex of each of the patients and the surgery needed.

heraldsun.com.au 31 Dec 2012

The police campaign that there are too many people dying on the roads as a result of, example, speeding.

Nothing can be further from the truth.

The police are told by government to falsify accident results, that speed is the contributing factor, whereas the real reason are in 80% of the times driver error.

In this article it is stated that 3,600 Victorians have died needlessly, due to a failed medical system, through no fault of their own.

The average figure 720 Victorians died in 2012 waiting for elective surgery, while only 278 died on the roads or 38% of deaths related to waiting for elective surgery.

The government's attitude is that if people cannot afford private insurance they are worthless cannon fodder, who are not a priority.

A prioirty of the Ted Baillieu's is to spend millions on a number plate slogan.

Ted Baillieu should be removed from office.

Premier Ted Baillieu serves up waste on a number plate

PREMIER Ted Baillieu is under fire for a shambolic public consultation that saw him repeatedly reject recommendations for Victoria's new number plate slogan before driving home his Government's own.

Victoria's new slogan, Stay Alert Stay Alive, was not among the final contenders from a year-long public selection process run by the Transport Accident Commission and VicRoads with the help of two consultants, documents released under Freedom of Information show.

heraldsun.com.au 31 Dec 2012

A pathetic government leadership example, but a very important task at hand.

The government spends millions of dollars in 'consultation' (Money for Mates deals) whilst the cannon fodder are dying.

See article :

Thousands of Victorians die waiting for elective surgery

Solar power not so cheap

Queensland is pretty much considered a sunshine state, i.e. where there are little clouds, and the sun shines all year around, making it favourable to generate electricity via photovoltaic cells.

Not so favourable according to the Queensland government, which has cut funding to a solar electricity generation project,  on the grounds that it is too expensive.

The masses are peddled by governments that solar is the saviour to the ‘global warming’ catch phrase coined by authorities, which now has the slightly less dramatic label of ‘climate change’. Climate change incidentally can occur as a natural cyclic phenomenon not necessarily effected by man.

Photovoltaic cell specifications are somewhat a bit of mystery, which is hidden by retailers and not spelled out to the technically unaware general population.

There are many factors which contribute to the efficiency of the production of electricity from photovoltaic cells.

Manufacturers specifications rate the electricity production at the equator, during midday, in summer, at a specific temperature.

As the ambient temperature increases, so does the temperature of the cells, which lowers the efficiency of the production of electricity. Other factors that also contribute to lower efficiency include dirt and dust on the glass panels as well as lower (higher numerically) latitudes. Currently photovoltaic cell efficiency for the domestic market for electricity production is at a low 14-16%.

Reputable electronics companies now state that PV cell electricity generation for latitudes comparable to Melbourne should use the figure of 4 hours of sunlight per day as an average.

A recent visit to Melbourne indicated that the solar companies are peddling their wares at various shopping centres (malls). The picture illustrates that one can install solar power for ‘just’ $4.20 per day.

The residents in Australia’s two most populous cities Sydney and Melbourne are considered to use an average of 25kWh of electricity. Domestic electricity prices vary from off peak 17.5c/kWh to 23.5c/kWh. In an example of an average price of electricity of 20c/kWh is used the cost of using 25kWh of electricity per day is $5.00. It is also not uncommon to find households that use $3.00 of electricity per day.

Remembering that current standard priced solar solutions do not include electricity storage, therefore only the electricity generated during daylight hours can be used. For working families with children at school, electricity during daylight hours can be less that during the ‘peak’ times. 

The figure of $4.20 used by solar companies does not seem to be that cheap after all, and in addition to one’s grid supplied electricity, does not seem like a cheap alternative, but rather a nice niche money making scheme.

Another win for the corporates at the expense of the uneducated masses.

Telstra repays $30 million after overcharging for global roaming

Telstra has begun issuing refunds of about $30 million after admitting it had been over-charging customers for global roaming services on mobile phones since 2006.

The telco has been writing to customers for the past month informing them that their data charges while they were travelling overseas had been "incorrectly calculated" and they would be given refunds.
Despite the over-charging going back to 2006 and involving tens of millions of dollars, Telstra only became aware of the issue when it conducted an audit earlier this year. It is understood the issue only affected Telstra but a spokesman for the telco blamed international carriers.

"Telstra became aware of an issue whereby some customers were charged multiple data session fees due to the way international carriers generate their data usage records," the Telstra spokesman said.

"Once we identified the issue, we put immediate steps in place to prevent further multiple charging."

Regulators including the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) were involved in securing refunds for affected customers.

Elise Davidson of the Australian Communciations Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) said the challenge for Telstra would be getting in touch with ex-customers who are entitled to a refund but who are no longer with the provider.

"It is surprising that the inaccurate charging was undetected for six years and staggering to think of the number of bills Telstra will have had to review in order to provide refunds to consumer and business customers." she said.

"All telecommunications customers need to be able to trust that their provider is billing them correctly."
International carriers send data files to Telstra via a data clearing house for billing, and sometimes the carriers cut long data sessions into segments. The data files passed from the carriers have an indicator for when a data file relates to a part data session or a full data session.

It is understood that some carriers left the indicator for a part data session blank and that was interpreted by Telstra as a full data session, resulting in the data session fee being applied multiple times for a single data session.

Global roaming costs for Australians are some of the highest in the world and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman reported this month that complaints about disputed roaming charges increased by almost 70 per cent in 2011-12 to more than 4100.

The same day the complaint figures were released, ACMA issued a new draft international mobile roaming standard that would force telcos to warn consumers of exact charges while they are roaming and provide tools to monitor and manage their usage.

"We want the carriers to significantly lift their game on the whole transparency piece to give the consumers clear messages at the right time and the right warnings about costs, and then also to give them the tools they need to actually manage those costs," ACMA member Chris Cheah told Fairfax at the time.

"We don't think it's that hard and they should be able to do it."

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said Australian consumers were being "gouged" by telcos and slugged with "unacceptable", "outrageous" charges.

The complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman included a consumer who bought a $129 monthly plan so she could make calls during a nine-week holiday in Europe, only to return to a bill of $75,000 bill, which subsequently increased to $147,908.

Another consumer, while on holiday in South Africa, thought his mobile phone was connected to the hotel's Wi-Fi, so he used it to connect a laptop to the internet, but ended up with a $38,000 bill.

Mobile roaming complaints to the Ombudsman, Simon Cohen, represented about $8 million in disputed charges over the past 15 months and Mr Cohen said consumers were not being fully informed about the potential for extremely high charges and how they could protect themselves.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority said an investigation was underway into whether Telstra had breached the billing provisions of the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Codes.

"The ACMA is working with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Telstra to ensure an appropriate outcome for all affected customers, including possible refunds," it said in a statement.
"As this is a current investigation the ACMA will not be making further comment."


smh.com.au 21 Dec 2012

Only when caught out, companies like Telstra are forced into a corner to reassess their actions.

Under Australian consumer law, providing an incorrect bill is fraudulent, and punishable by law. No media outlet has entertained this fact.

The truth is that the 'authorities' are above the law, and will keep on committing bill fraud.

Telstra is a product of the previously government owned telecommunications utility Telecom. The Masonic brotherhood prevails and in the legal system, matters are weighted towards the members of the brotherhood.

Corporate fraud and corruption is costing the general populous billions of dollars through falsified tenders, over budget and time projects, and exorbitant wages for the corporate cronies.

This is just one minor example of politics at play.

New terms of service could spell end of Instagram

OUTRAGED photography fans have taken to Twitter to label Instagram's controversial new terms of service the photo app's end. 

 
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, released its new conditions overnight which states it has the right to use people's photos in advertisements without the photographer's consent and without payment.

Even people who do not use Instagram could find themselves in an ad for the popular social media tool, if a friend snaps a picture of them and shares it.

''Some or all of the service may be supported by advertising revenue,'' the new conditions say.
''You agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata), and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you.''

Instagram's right to use images of its users in advertisers extends to teenagers, with the new terms saying a guardian or parent has agreed to the condition in letting a teenager sign up for the account.
Privacy groups have already protested the terms, particular that there is no way to opt out without deleting your Instagram account.

In its blog, Instagram says the aim of the new conditions is to make it easier for Instagram to work with Facebook.

''This means we can do things like fight spam more effectively, detect system and reliability problems more quickly, and build better features for everyone by understanding how Instagram is used,'' it says.

heraldsun.com.au 18 Dec 2012

Although this post is being posted quite some time after the initial notification, and since then Instagram apparently back tracked its policy, it is rather a global trend to misuse and abuse user information.

It is a global policy to have information accessible to government authorities without any boundaries. This is achieved on many fronts.

Companies are set up with the support or even by government involvement to obtain user information and pass it on to wherever the information is supposed to flow to.

If individuals carry out such breaches of privacy as some companies do, then incarceration would be carried out, as in the example of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Not good enough: Alan Jones ordered to apologise again

Controversial broadcaster Alan Jones has been ordered to apologise over comments he made in 2005 describing Lebanese Muslims as ''vermin'' and ''mongrels''.

The Administrative Decisions Tribunal has ordered Jones to apologise on his 2GB radio show between 8am and 8.30am any day next week over the comments he made on-air in April 2005.

It comes two months after Jones lost a lengthy legal bid to overturn the 2009 decision, which found he incited hatred, serious contempt and severe ridicule of Lebanese Muslims.

The case was taken against him by Sydney-based Lebanese-born Muslim leader, Keysar Trad.

In its latest decision handed down on Wednesday, the tribunal rejected a submission that an apology made by Jones on December 6 was "an adequate acknowledgment of wrongdoing".

Instead it ordered him to read out the following apology any day next week from December 17:
"On 28 April 2005 on my breakfast program on Radio 2GB, I broadcast comments about Lebanese males including Lebanese Muslims.

"The comments were made following a Channel Nine television current affairs show about the conduct of young Lebanese men in Hickson Road at the Rocks.

"The Administrative Decisions Tribunal has found that my comments incited serious contempt of Lebanese males including Lebanese Muslims.

"Those comments were in breach of the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act.

"I apologise for making those comments which I recognise were unlawful.
"I also apologise on behalf of Radio 2GB."

The original complaint related to comments he made on April 28 about a Nine Network current affairs story reportedly showing young men of Lebanese origin taunting police.

"If ever there was a clear example that Lebanese males in their vast numbers not only hate our country and our heritage, this was it," Jones said.

Referring to the men as "vermin" and "mongrels", he added: "They simply rape, pillage and plunder a nation that’s taken them in.

"In the original 2009 decision, the tribunal awarded $10,000 in damages to Mr Trad, ordered the presenter make a public apology within eight weeks, and directed Harbour Radio to conduct a ‘‘critical review of its policies and practices on racial vilification’’ and staff training in such matters.

The tribunal found Mr Trad was not ‘‘vilified personally’’ and he should not be apologised to personally.

theage.com.au 13 Dec 2012

Politicians and law makers are fully aware of the socioeconomic problems associated with the importation of low class, trailer park trash migrants, of course under the 'refugee' banner.

In order to keep society distracted, politicians undertake whatever action necessary to keep the average citizens squabbling among themselves.

There can be no denying that many ghettos that have been set up have a clear middle eastern culture.

Unfortunately, whether it is 'freedom of speech' or if someone speaks the truth, one get publicly crucified.

No merriness here: mosque puts fatwa on Christmas

Fatwa ... The head imam at Lakemba Mosque has told the congregation they should not participate in anything to do with Christmas. Photo: Kate Geraghty

 THE Lakemba Mosque has issued a fatwa against Christmas, warning followers it is a ''sin'' to even wish people a Merry Christmas.

The religious ruling, which followed a similar lecture during Friday prayers at Australia's biggest mosque, was posted on its Facebook site on Saturday morning.

The head imam at Lakemba, Sheikh Yahya Safi, had told the congregation during prayers that they should not take part in anything to do with Christmas.

Samir Dandan, the president of the Lebanese Muslim Association, which oversees the mosque, could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

 

The fatwa, which has sparked widespread community debate and condemnation, warns that the "disbelievers are trying to draw Muslims away from the straight path".

It also says that Christmas Day and associated celebrations are among the "falsehoods that a Muslim should avoid ... and therefore, a Muslim is neither allowed to celebrate the Christmas Day nor is he allowed to congratulate them".

The posting of the fatwa has shocked many Muslim leaders. The Grand Mufti of Australia, Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, said the foundations of Islam were peace, co-operation, respect and holding others in esteem.
"Anyone who says otherwise is speaking irresponsibly," he said.

"There is difference between showing respect for someone's belief and sharing those beliefs," Dr Ibrahim said.

Dr Ibrahim said the views did not represent the majority of Muslims in Australia. "We are required to have good relations with all people, and to congratulate them on their joyous events is very important."

The fatwa quotes the teacher Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim as saying that congratulating disbelievers for their rituals is forbidden, and if a "Muslim who says this does not become a disbeliever himself, he at least commits a sin as this is the same as congratulating him for his belief in the trinity, which is a greater sin and much more disliked by Almighty Allaah than congratulating him for drinking alcohol or killing a soul or committing fornication or adultery”.

A community leader, Dr Jamal Rifi, said he did not agree with the school of thought behind the fatwa.

"We can share the festivities with friends and families and neighbours – I don't think there is any civil, religious or ethical reason not to," he said.

Dr Rifi and Sheikh Youssef Nabha, the imam of the Kingsgrove Mosque, are travelling to Nauru on Sunday night with priests from the Maronite and Melkite churches in Sydney to attend Christmas celebrations with the asylum seekers held there.

Dr Rifi said he and Sheikh Youssef would be distributing Christmas cards during the visit.

A community advocate and Muslim convert, Rebecca Kay, told Fairfax Media: "It's sad to see the Lebanese Muslim Association, which considers itself the peak body representing Australian Muslims, with comments like these. It goes to show how far they are from representing the community.

"The notion that Muslims wishing other people a merry Christmas will take them out of their faith is outright ridiculous, laughable and borders on the extreme."

Keysar Trad, a former official with the Lebanese Muslim Association, said in his time with the organisation they used to regularly greet people with merry Christmas. "I don't know what has changed," he said. "But now as a representative of Australia's peak Muslim body, the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, I would like to wish all your readers a merry Christmas and a happy new year."

theage.com.au 23 Dec 2012

There is a concerning (for Catholics) global trend of Anti-Catholicism that is not only perpetuated by other religions, but also supported by law and governments.

Allegedly in this order of the new world, it is no longer acceptable to degrade religious beliefs. This is not so when it comes to the Catholic belief system.

The authorities are not of the catholic belief system, so their actions speak louder in that they support any Anti-Catholic movements.

If the reverse was done against the Islam, there would be a (justified) war raged in Australia.