Perth Now
How the meth policies are wrong
JUST when you were hoping that one of the major parties might come up with some new policy, it was back to the tired old law-and-order bidding war, in a cheap quest for votes.
System works in bail debate
IF you were to ask any lawyer practising in the area of criminal law what cases are the hardest to win, you’d probably be surprised at the answer.
Why lawyers defend heinous charges
THERE are the two dinner party questions that make a criminal lawyer cringe. You would like a dollar for every time you get asked.
Why defaulters deserve jail
ANYONE who is arrested and imprisoned for not paying fines in WA has previously declined or ignored non-custodial options. They are, in reality, choosing jail as a method of clearing the slate.
Let the prisoners enjoy a roast
IT'S said the measure of civilised society is how well it treats its most wretched. If we refuse prisoners some compassion one day a year, we clearly fail that test.
How to get my law and order vote
WITH 100 days to go until the State election, the economy seems to lurch from bad to worse - and it’s not the only issue that urgently needs to be addressed before we go to the polls.
Have they wrecked the races? You bet
ONE of my earliest memories of The Sunday Times was the turns-and-finishes photos of the previous day’s Perth races.
The painful truth about corporal punishment
THE Mayor of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s call for the reintroduction of corporal punishment for juvenile offenders is a matter of concern — and misconceived at a number of levels.
Budgie Nine flip the bird at cultural respect
BEFORE we dismiss the Malaysian authorities as humourless killjoys who overreacted by locking up nine Australian blokes, we need to have a closer look at ourselves.
Forget the party, time for some policy
WHEN the current euphoria within the State Labor Party subsides, it might be time for them to come up with some policies.
Knee jerk defies logic of bail process
THE Ryan Clegg sex assault case which surfaced again in court this week is an example of a lot that’s wrong in politics today.
Euthanasia question demands answer
IF there’s one thing that gets politicians ducking for cover it’s the question of euthanasia. For decades they’ve been dodging the subject.
Perth expensive? I have proof to believe otherwise
PERTH is an expensive place to live, but a few weeks in Europe has brought home to me that the figure on the bill is just one aspect of the true cost.
Take leaf from tobacco in war on drugs
WORKING on changing attitudes and the social acceptance of cigarettes has gradually won the day. Compare this to the war on illegal drugs.
Greyhound racing ban is ‘a dog’s breakfast’
I HAVE always loved a night out at the greyhound races. Simple, unsophisticated fun. No need to dress up, none of the stifling etiquette required at Ascot.
New meth laws on a road to nowhere
WA’S new drug laws may be well-intentioned, but are unnecessary and unlikely to curb methamphetamine use in the state.
Why life ban may not be the answer
YOU drink, drive and kill someone. You forfeit your right to hold a driver’s licence forever. That’s fair isn’t it? I don’t think so.
The bravery of those in the saddle
IT DOESN’T take the tragic death of young Perth trainer Hana Dickson to reinforce the sheer danger ever-present for those who make a living in the racing game.
Politicians blind to ’bizarre drug parade’
PERHAPS it should be compulsory for politicians to do work experience in WA courts to witness the relentless methamphetamine parade played out.
‘Justice delayed is justice denied’
IF the old saying is true that ‘justice delayed is justice denied,’ then there’s a fair bit of justice being denied in WA at the moment.
Kalgoorlie will rise up over drama
AS a Kalgoorlie bloke, it did disappoint me to see 89 students this year have been suspended from the local high school. But I could hardly say I was surprised.
Grog lock hasn’t a remote hope
COMPLIANCE of the grog lock law will be virtually — if not actually — impossible for many people in remote WA. And that’s just the ones who want to comply.
Gender bias rules WA judicial bench
WESTERN Australia is the worst performer in gender equality on the judicial bench and in the highest echelons of the legal profession in Australia.
‘No body, no parole’ just doesn’t work
NOT so long ago WA Labor, to its credit, said that they were bowing out of the “crime and punishment auction”.
Pint-sized beer drinking no small issue
WHEN beer in smaller glasses stays colder and keeps its head (and yours) longer, why the trend towards drinking pints?
Bali charm gone as modern rush takes hold
TURN the clock back 25 years and Bali was a real cultural adventure. But now I’m starting to rethink my relationship with the island.
How we could be heroes, in the day
FROM the time I first heard (as a 14-year-old high school student) the haunting introductory chords of David Bowie’s Space Oddity, there was no escape.
Double demerits fail problem drivers
WHICHEVER way you look at it, the Government’s holiday period double demerit regime is not just annoying — it’s a failure.
What would Jesus be saying, Colin?
IMAGINE hypothetically the conversation that might ensue when Jesus arrived for Christmas drinks with WA’s politicians at Parliament House.
