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Tuesday 1st October 1996
Tuesday 1st October 1996
In a shrill voice Bryant pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting Phillip Pears, a brother of one of the victims, to shout "You're a bloody coward Bryant."
Tasmanian Chief Justice William Cox asked Pears to leave, which he did, shouting, "Your turn will come, son," as he was escorted out the court.
The only sound of emotion was when a women in the gallery started to weep when the counts relating to the deaths of Nanette Mikac and her daughters, Madeline (3) and Alanna (6) were read out.
The hearing took a little less than 20 minutes with a trial date being set for November 19th.
Bryant and his legal team led by top Tasmanian council David Gunson have been preparing the defence but the basis of their case is not known. It is believed, however, that his mental state will be used in his defence.
His rampage is alleged to have started and ended at the Seascape guest house on April 28th. He is alleged to have shot guest cottage owners David and Noelene Martin before going to the Port Arthur historical tourist area. Here he allegedly walked calmly into the Broad Arrow cafe just before 1.30pm took an AR15 semi-automatic rifle from a tennis bag and started firing at customers and staff. Twenty people died and 17 were injured in the cafe.
He then allegedly walked into the carpark and opened fire shooting dead 3 people sitting outside a bus and killing the driver. He then allegedly got into his Volvo drove up the street before approaching the Milac family and shooting them dead. He then allegedly went to the Port Arthur toll booth where he murdered the attendant before stopping a BMW car and shooting dead the 3 male occupants.
He then allegedly dragged the bodies from the BMW and drove it to the Port Arthur highway before stopping at a service station. There he allegedly shot dead the female driver of a Toyota Corolla and forced her male passenger into the boot of the BMW.
He then drove back to Seascape guest cottages where he allegedly shot and critically injured two people in a four wheel drive. Then, he allegedly shot the final victim at the Seascape guest house before torching the building in the early hours of the next morning and giving himself up to police....
Now why, for heaven's sake, is he being treated with a top legal defence team after what he has allegedly done?
Political:
Prime Minister John Howard conceded yesterday that many Australians support Independent MP Pauline Hanson's views, but said that her views were not sending out the right signals.
"Some of the things she said were an accurate reflection of what people feel," he said.
"But I don't agree with her when she says that Aboriginals are not disadvantaged, I believe that they are.
"What really gets people cranky about Aboriginal affairs policy is that we have pumped hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars over the years into trying to tackle the problem but they don't seem to be any better off. In fact, in many respects they seem worse off."
Little John, you don't have to look beyond your Aboriginal bureaucrats in Canberra to dig up the reasons for that. What I heard last night during an open meeting with our local MP, Mal Brough, is that there are allegations of Swiss Banks holding millions of dollars of Aboriginal funds, salted away by those close to the top of the tree....
In the signing ceremony in Brisbane the contract signed between RTZ-CRA and the Taiwanese based steelmaker secured sales of thirty two million tonnes of iron worth about Au$800 million. BHP have signed a similar but seperate deal with China Steel, although some estimates put the value as high as Au$1.97 billion.
BHP said that they would now be able to lift existing sales of iron ore by at least 4 million tonnes a year..
The St George captain, Mark Coyne, called David Manson (the ref) a "bastard" much to the delight of cheering supporters at the St George Leagues Club reception on Sunday night after their 20-8 loss.
Manson has hit back saying that video evidence had vindicated him. Manson has received the backing of ARL referees director Michael Stone.
Manson said, "I don't mind being bagged for making a mistake, but I am 100% correct on this one.
"These are comments Mark will be disappointed in later. He was an emotional man talking through emotion. I'm not one to criticise players or officials, I don't walk on water, but I have never received such a bagging for getting a decision right."
Personally, I much prefer the "Cockys" that sit on our feedtray, free and at their leasure than a caged animal.
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