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| Australian Muslim leader's rape comments under fire |
| 2005-04-27 |
| Australian Political leaders have condemned comments from a Sydney Muslim leader that rape victims had no-one to blame but themselves. Lebanese Sheik Faiz Mohamad, 34, has been quoted by a newspaper as telling a lecture at the Bankstown Town Hall, in south-western Sydney, that women who wore skimpy clothing teased men. A victim of rape every minute somewhere in the world. Why? No-one to blame but herself. She displayed her beauty to the entire world ...," Sheik Mohamed was quoted as saying in the lecture. "Strapless, backless, sleeveless, nothing but satanic skirts, slit skirts, translucent blouses, mini skirts, tight jeans: all this to tease man and appeal to his carnal nature." NSW Premier Bob Carr said the sheik could face criminal charges if he made comments which incited rapes. "If anything the sheik says in future appears to be an incitement to the crime of rape ... I just want to assure him that the full force of the criminal law will be brought to bear," he told reporters. Mr Carr said most Muslim Australians did not share the sheik's views. "I know he's appalled Muslim Australians, appalled Muslim Australians who know the sort of anger that will be directed at their community because of these extremist views that are not held by the vast majority of Muslims in this country." Federal Treasurer Peter Costello also criticised the sheik's comments. "If such comments are made I consider them totally inappropriate, untrue and unhelpful," Mr Costello told reporters. "Australian women are free to dress in the western style and nothing gives an excuse for them to be molested in any way. This is Australia. Women are free to dress as they choose and they deserve to be safe on our streets and in our parks and they are entitled to respect." NSW Opposition Leader John Brogden described Sheik Mohamad's comments as prehistoric. "This guy ought to go back to the cave where he belongs," Mr Brogden told reporters. Efforts to contact Sheik Mohamad were unsuccessful. In his cave and won't come out, huh? |
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| Police deny releasing Habibs address | ||
| 2005-02-08 | ||
NSW Premier Bob Carr rejected Mr Hopper's request for compensation over the disclosure of Mr Habib's address. "If there is any complaint about the police there's a forum where lawyers can take that complaint and that is the Police Integrity Commission," Mr Carr said. Asked about Mr Carr's suggestion of the PIC, Mr Hopper said: "Bob Carr's not the family's lawyer." The Premier said he would seek advice from the police about the matter but the Government would not compensate Mr Habib. "Mr Habib's lawyers would have to fight a long battle in the court to make a case for compensation and I don't think they'll be successful," said Mr Carr. "If you opt to operate on the frontier of legal behaviour and have associations with extremist groups, your life may not be the same and you're not going to come to us and seek compensation and have us give in." Mr Habib, who reportedly made a deal to tell his story to Channel Nine's 60 Minutes program, was held by the US as a suspected terrorist at its military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He was released without charge and returned to Australia last month, almost three years after his arrest. Prime Minister John Howard has not ruled out charges being laid against Mr Habib under Australian law. Mr Habib also has threatened to sue the federal Government for turning its back on him while he was held by the US. The police investigation into the break-in at Mr Habib's home is continuing. | ||
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| Latham given 24 hours to go |
| 2005-01-18 |
| AILING federal Labor leader Mark Latham was expected to step down from his position possibly within the next 24 hours, NSW Premier Bob Carr said today. Hip hip - Hooray! And former ALP leader Kim Beazley was an interested and credible candidate for the top job, he said. Pressure is mounting on Mr Latham to end the speculation over the leadership, sparked by last week's announcement he was suffering from a second bout of pancreatitis. As the federal malaise threatened to disrupt Labor's dominance across state and territory governments, Mr Latham has been urged to draw a line in the sand over his leadership. "I think there's an expectation now as this concern has gathered pace over recent days that he will do that (step down)," Mr Carr told Sydney radio station 2UE. "(There's an) expectation that his silence means that he's reached a decision to move on. I would think the party would be expecting it and the party would welcome it, and we say that out of all concern for him and his family given the obviously serious health condition that the Lathams are now coping with." When asked if he believed it would be in the best interests of the party for Mr Latham to step down, Mr Carr said; "I not only believe it, I think that's the consensus that's emerged within the Labor Party. "Indeed I'd go a step further. I think there's an expectation that that is going to happen," he said. There was also an expectation Mr Latham should step aside sooner rather than later, he said. "Labor's on the canvass, I think we wanted after October 9 some evidence of a plan for federal Labor to reconstruct and to pull together," he said. "The vacuum that we're now experiencing delays that ..." Kim Beazley was a prime candidate for the top spot, Mr Carr said. "I don't think it's appropriate for state leaders ... to baptise people," he said. "I'd simply say at this stage Kim Beazley is off running, running strongly. That's the impression I've got. "Kim Beazley is undoubtedly interested and I think Kim returning to the leadership gives that stability we're all seeking. "I think Beazley's got a lot of credibility across the board." When asked if changes could be expected within 24 hours, Mr Carr replied: "I've got that instinct from talking to people that an announcement is sooner rather than later". |
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| State funeral for WWI Digger |
| 2004-08-23 |
| THE public will have the chance to say goodbye to one of Australia's longest-surviving World War I veterans, Marcel Caux, after his family today accepted the offer of a state funeral. Born on March 1, 1899, he was just 16 when in September 1915 he lied about his age to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force in Sydney, to eventually fight with the 17th and 20th battalions on the Somme. NSW Premier Bob Carr last night offered Mr Caux's family a state funeral to honour his life and contributions to battle in Egypt, France and on the Western Front, where he was wounded three times. |
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| Carr tells Latham to toe US line |
| 2004-06-25 |
| LABORâS longest-serving leader, NSW Premier Bob Carr, has warned Mark Latham to exercise the "utmost diplomacy" on withdrawing troops from Iraq and urged him to accept the US free trade deal "the sooner the better". Mr Carr, who has just returned from a two-week visit to the US, warned his federal counterparts Washington feels "wounded" and is sensitive "to any ally, any friend, turning their back on America". The NSW Premier said he had been told in Washington that Canberra should think "carefully about a premature withdrawal from Iraq" because helping the US in a "tough time" meant Australia could have an influence on US policies. Mr Carrâs comments, made in Canberra yesterday and to be broadcast on ABC radio this weekend, increase the pressure on federal Laborâs policy on two fronts - troop withdrawal by Christmas and opposition to the US trade agreement. In an interview with the ABCâs Sunday Profile radio program to be broadcast this weekend, Mr Carr said Australia was highly regarded in Washington because "weâve got troops in Iraq". "Iâm contemplating a change of government - if Labor is to be elected in the forthcoming elections, this will be a major diplomatic challenge," he said. In an apparent slight to Mr Latham, Mr Carr said "a lot of diplomacy and skill will be required" and suggested former Labor leader Kim Beazley and foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd and "other members of the Labor team, caucus and shadow cabinet" would be up to it. When asked by presenter Geraldine Doogue why he had not mentioned Mr Latham - who has described US President George W. Bush as incompetent and accused John Howard of "brown nosing" the President - Mr Carr responded: "Well, I think heâll be leaving it to his foreign minister to implement this policy and I think he would accept that itâs a major challenge". "So the relationship has got to be handled with a lot of sensitivity and I know this is something that Kevin Rudd accepts as a major responsibility as foreign minister in a possible Labor Government." On Thursday night the Labor Party split in the House of Representatives when forced to a vote on the trade deal with 14 Labor MPs crossing the floor to vote with the Government and more than 40 abstaining. Mr Beazley told parliament on Thursday night that he supported the trade agreement and that the US concessions would eventually allow Australia to kick the trade door wide open. "Once we are in the door, it is an Australian Trojan horse that has just marched in," he said. At a joint press conference in Canberra yesterday for four premiers and two territory leaders, Mr Carr said all the state Labor leaders saw "huge benefits from Australia getting access to the dynamism of the North American economy". |
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