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Toothless Tiger No More: CASA finally shows some testicular fortitude over Tiger Airways

The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority has finally shown that it is no longer a toothless tiger by suspending Tiger Airways from Australian skies.

But in a disappointing move, Tony Davis, Tiger Airways CEO told ABC News 24 that he does not accept there is any immediate risk to passenger safety.

Until today, CASA has always completely lacked any testicular fortitude in dealing with recalcitrant Australian airline operators.

Tiger's slogan "Fly Cheaper" could now be re-styled as "Fly Cheaper and Die".

But thanks to CASA, this is unlikely to ever happen.

If CASA is genuine over this issue, it should move to permanently revoke Tiger Airways' licence.

After all, Tiger Airways has basically thumbed its nose at CASA and the people of Australia for far too long.

Toowoomba Church Politics: Abortion furore rages after church sacks hospital board

Sacked St Andrew's Toowoomba Hospital governors are planning legal action after the Presbyterian Church of Queensland abruptly removed them from their posts amid tensions over the hospital's abortion policy and the church's influence on operations.

The PCQ dismissed 12 of the hospital's governors last week.

Yesterday, former board members said they were planning a legal challenge to their dismissal and bristled at perceptions they took a pro-choice stance on abortion.

Former board member Paul McMahon said the sacked governors refused to back a motion suggesting the hospital not perform abortions unless the mother was threatened with immediate death.

But he said the hospital's current position on abortion was "hardly a loose policy".

"The hospital already has very, very strict termination laws such that there were only two terminations last year," he said.

"One related to a dead baby in the womb and the other related to a baby that would not survive outside the womb.

"What's happened now is that the hospital and past governors are being painted as pro-choice. That sickens me."

Mr McMahon said the sacked governors were considering defamation proceedings and also believed the church contravened corporations law when it asked governors up for re-election to sign a nomination form pledging to act according to the tenets of the church.

"[The law] says that a director's first duty is to the organisation, you can't have two masters," he said.

"We said we couldn't sign them because in our view they contravene corporations law."

PCQ moderator Graeme McKay told ABC radio yesterday morning media reports of the sackings had focused too heavily on the abortion issue.

He said the governors were removed last week because they were trying to limit the church's influence on the hospital.

"The reason they were removed is some of these governors were seen to be taking steps to remove the church from the hospital," he said.

"The Presbyterian Church does have a statement on abortion and some of the board members took an issue with the church's position on abortion."

Former St Andrew's vice-chairman Jock Lambie said he still hasn't been notified by the church of his dismissal.

He said he received a phone call from Mr Fairweather last Monday saying he had been sacked three hours before a board meeting he had expected to attend.

Dr Lambie said he expected a review of the hospital's abortion policy to be the new board's first order of business.

However he defended the existing stance on abortion.

"The only abortions that are done are when the baby is not expected to survive," he said.

"They [the church] leave that up to God. That's alright except none of them are women, so they don't know what it's like carrying a monster in their belly.

"The two most recent terminations that were done, the babies had no heads. How would you like to carry that, knowing it was there, for an extra 20 weeks to go through a painful labour and produce a child that lives for five minutes?"

Yesterday, St Andrew's chief executive Ray Fairweather said the hospital would follow the wishes of the new board of governors, which is expected to review the hospital's abortion policy.

Mr Fairweather said he would have no problem working with the new board appointed by the PCQ.

"[A change in abortion policy] is up to the board of governors," he said.

"I have 35 years' experience working with boards of directors, I've established new boards, I've worked with any range of boards and this is just another situation that I have to work with."

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/abortion-furore-rages-after-church-sacks-hospital-board-20110627-1gn3o.html#ixzz1QZZxQIr7

Brisbane stores to ban hoodies in crime crackdown


SHOPKEEPERS are declaring their stores a 'hoodie free zone' in a
police-backed trial to clamp down on robberies in Brisbane's west.

Under the police initiative, Wynnum shops will be encouraged to ask
customers wearing "hoods" to remove them when entering a store.

Wynnum district acting superintendent Paul Scanlan said the 'Hoodie
Free Zone' has been developed because of an increase in armed
robberies where offenders have worn hooded jumpers.

He said educating businesses on how to avoid falling victim to armed
robberies may result in a reduction in the crime rate in the area.

"By encouraging customers to remove their hoodies, retailers can
minimise the risk of being a target," Mr Scanlan said.

"This initiative includes a 'Remove Hoodies on Premises' sticker to be
placed in prominent positions inside businesses.

"Along with this sticker, retailers will also receive height stickers
and an armed robbery awareness brochure."

If successful the one-month trial will be extended to other Brisbane suburbs.

www.couriermail.com.au

GoVia launches another consumer ripoff

This email has just been sent to GoVia customers.
Their justification is that because the NSW Government rips off drivers, it's OK for GoVia to do the same.

Quite bizarre logic from the dills running GoVia's media machine.


Today's GoVia email:

Dear

We wish to advise you that from 1 July 2011 a video matching fee will be applied to your go via account if a tag is not detected in your vehicle when it travels through a toll point.

This fee is in addition to the toll and covers the cost of processing an image of your vehicle's licence plate number and matching it against your account.

This brings Queensland Motorways' account customers in line with customers of other Queensland and interstate toll road operators and with our non-account customers.

Our video matching fee was introduced in July 2009 when free-flow tolling commenced on the Gateway and Logan motorways and it is included in the go via terms and conditions.

Until now Queensland Motorways has absorbed this cost for account customers.

As at 1 July 2011, the video matching fee will be 42 cents per toll point and, if applied to your account, will be clearly displayed on your transaction listing and statement.

To avoid the video matching fee make sure:your tag is correctly installed in your vehicle
you listen for the beeps when you travel through a toll point
your account always remains in credit
you keep your account details up-to-date.

To help you confirm that your tag is correctly installed and that you understand what the beeps mean, click here to access the go via tag user guide. To check your account details, please visit

govia.com.au.

Yours sincerely

 
John Gardiner