I spent today at the Downing Centre court helping a friend through the sentencing of her partner, Dave Burgess of No War painted on the Opera House fame. He and scientist Will Saunders received 9 months’ periodic detention and have to pay an inflated clean-up bill. Interestingly, the judge said it didn’t matter whether they were drunk when they did it or not (they weren’t) as if being drunk would have made it better? Seems to be a theme in NSW given that recently a NSW judge let a guy off for rape because he was drunk and “didn’t know what he was doing” apparently.
Anyhow, a sign at court that I liked said “Damage to Opera House by paint: completely reversible. Damage done to children by being blown to pieces: irreversible.”
Dave & Will both talked about how outrageous a custodial sentence is for property damage when the people who went and killed and invaded a country are walking around free… they’re both very articulate and I wish I’d taken my tape recorder. Due to stuffing around, I missed deadlines at The Age and any chance I would have had to get the story in for tomorrow’s paper, but I’m going to try and do a follow-up or backgrounder of some kind.
I haven’t got time to chase up stories and link them to this yet. I’m sure you’ve seen them all anyhow.
Oh, and Happy Birthday, dr_zero!