Orange City Council have announced that Brooke Pendlebury will be undertaking the investigation into the Lords Place debacle.
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Ms Pendlebury has had a long, remunerated, relationship with the OCC, has been chosen by, appointed by, and will be paid by, the OCC.
I have no doubt that Ms Pendlebury is a very capable and professional practitioner. But surely council should be at arm's length in the process of appointing an independent investigator to investigate council's own actions?
Des Mulcahy
Keith's must be good at something ...
Most of us can recall some of our teachers' comments on report cards, and then do our best to hide them from grandchildren and other family members.
"Could do better" and "lazy" are two that come quickly to mind.
One of mine that I've referred to before was: "Keith must be good at something, but it's nothing we teach at this school."
Then I read in Column 8, a comment that topped all others: "The comment 'lazy' on your correspondent's school report would be considered kindly encouragement from my former Latin teacher, who once described my work as 'slovenly, slipshod, slapdash and slothful'. (Coral Button of North Epping; Sydney Morning Herald; April 5.)
Ah, those were the days!
Keith Curry
Here to offer help
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No one should have to face dementia alone.
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Maree McCabe AM CEO Dementia Australia
Private crimes have very public consequences
Criminal cases must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Civil cases must be proven on the balance of probabilities, a lesser and I believe more realistic standard.
The judgement by Justice Lee that Bruce Lehrmann is a liar and a rapist, will allow Brittany Higgins to sue for damages in a civil court ("Judge finds Lehrmann lied, raped Ms Higgins", Herald, 16/4). But I expect Ms Higgins is unlikely to do this.
Even if Ms Higgins succeeds, Mr Lehrmann probably cannot afford to pay damages and legal fees and is likely to declare bankruptcy. Ms Higgins may need to be satisfied with a moral victory. It is estimated that Australia has 150,000 or more rapes per year, or that 0.6 per cent of men commit rapes each year. Most rapes are not reported to police.
By its very nature, rape is a private crime. In a criminal trial, the judge is often faced with a contest of credibility, a he-said-she said situation. Consequently, only half of men put on trial for rape are convicted.
Because of the unlikelihood of success, and the certainty of reliving the trauma if called to the witness stand, most women refuse to criminally charge their rapists. Meanwhile, rapists who go unreported are free to rape again. The law really is an ass.
Even critics must concede
Geoff Black
Who wants to defund the police today ('Broken hearts and heroes', Central Western Daily 15/4)? Thanks to all who give so much for our freedom.
Steve Barnett
Firearm stance saved lives
Gun laws - thank goodness Australia has them. Think how many more would have been killed if the Bondi Junction stabbing perpetrator had carried an AK-47 instead.