Mood:
hug meTopic: election nsw 2007
No one on the left likes to be known as a fascist but this story running no. 2 on the SMH web page index frontpage today:
runs counter to the sense of the Green Party media release below. It would only be indicative of plenty of social conflicts over the holidays.
Here is an even more scary story, and notice the gang pride theme of immature minds:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/bomb-case-accused-locked-up/2007/01/14/1168709616111.html
But before I read the Herald stories I was reacting from my own extensive observations of the Sydney streets of inner Sydney of flighty immature school age to 20 year old young men wandering around in the silly season Christmas to New Year and since: Keen for action around alcohol and partying and girls and pride games. Looking for action and no supervision. A jumble of identity and physical confusions, and suffering various levels of boredom.
You can call it law and order tub thumping but the heat and season adds resonance to the Iemma political strategy out in voter land.
That's my observation and this worthy notion which I totally agree with about frameworks for teens to enjoy themselves constructively stuck at the bottom of the Greens release looks pretty wimpy compared to the danger stories above:
"Dealing with alcohol fuelled anti-social behaviour is a challenge.
The starting point has to be working with young people. More youth
workers and more late night transport options would help to reduce
unacceptable behaviour," Ms Rhiannon said."
In the last weekend I have seen 2 mounted police horses down in front of Banana Joes 9.30 pm in Marrickville, and along Bondi Beach. It was appreciated because I did feel safer from the symbolism. In the second case a mob of children gathered in curiousity to look at the impressive animals and talk to the horsewomen.
But the Greens are right too. What about those kids when the police move on? They are still left in a state of boredom prone to high risk behaviours. One thing the successful local government Bondi Beach Safety Committee 1996-1998 taught this writer as a member of that committee: Boredom and crowds are a bad mix. And that means social resources for youth.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lee Rhiannon"
MEDIA RELEASE 12 January 2007
Increased policing of young people all about votes not solutions
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said the Iemma government's three-month plan to increase police surveillance of young people is a crude election pitch that will not assist young people or make our communities safer
"The Greens are committed to making communities safer but putting more police on the streets in areas where young people congregate will not achieve this," said Ms Rhiannon
"This plan is clearly political. Premier Morris Iemma cannot pretend this is just an operational matter
"In agreeing to a three month policing plan the Premier has signalled that this will be another law and order election.
"The Premier is trying to stay in front of the opposition in the tough on crime battle between the major parties
"This plan could well backfire. Once again young people will be depicted as a 'criminal group' and that society is under threat from a 'youth crime wave'.
"Police Commissioner Ken Moroney's announcement that the special patrols will include mounted police, dog squads, highway patrol, licensing police and transit police is a serious misjudgement on how to handle young people
"The Greens are concerned that this plan could result in over surveillance of marginalised young people
"Dealing with alcohol fuelled anti-social behaviour is a challenge.
"The starting point has to be working with young people. More youth workers and more late night transport options would help to reduce unacceptable behaviour," Ms Rhiannon said.
........................
Postscript #1: Sure enough this lead story in the Sydney Daily Bugle, err sorry Telegraph today refers to the local government Safety Committee model that succeeded in Bondi Beach in the late1990's. But the underlying solution of that committee was positive frameworks for youthful energy to address boredom and immature psychology, not least in holiday times:
By Joe Hildebrand: THE State Government has unveiled the biggest community policing program in more than 20 years and will launch a range of radical measures to tackle street violence.
