The Law states that you are innocent 'til proved guilty but that is not always the case because for some offences, passports and other documents have to be surrendered, turning the law on it's head guilty 'til proved innocent. If a legal ruling in either UK or Australia says he can't exit his current residence then that is final until his court appearance and every thing else is irrelevant.

No? I thought we had a whole history of empire building and colonial oppression in common with them? Still at least we've learning something about economic policy - neoliberal deregulation and privatisation is a disaster, land ownership - agri-business and the wealthy would keep us off the land and poison us if we allowed them, and human rights - torture is instrumentally ineffective, barbaric and contrary to any 'moral code', perhaps even yours? Although as you're a crude reactionary wind-up merchant perhaps moral dubiousness is the ground you're most at home on?

Not really i think we made ourselves look bad pursuing someone who was very unlikely to be available. I don't think he is as good as some people have made out and as far as I can see neither he or his partner have denied he attacked her. Rather, in hindsight they would have preferred to have dealt with it themselves, but having got the police involved it's out of their hands and the police think it sufficiently serious to go to court.

Interestingly some people seem to think guilt or innocence is only determined in courts, plenty of people are technically not guilty of a crime, but have done something others would find reprehensible, whilst others are technically guilty of a crime, but might be acting in an entirely moral way (historical examples being Suffragettes, MLK, Mandela etc).

So am I happy, no, being happy about the club acting in a way which tarnishes its reputation for nothing makes me quite sad. Am i pleased he's not coming, yes, do i want him here in the future - no. Hope that's consistent enough for you.

Er and you do?


It seems to me that the law that is practiced is determined at the whim of public servants and it would be interesting to see what would happen if Bird challenged that ruling in a court of law.

Fair point, well made.

Shame there are not too many more like you though.

rl"Despite yesterday's thwarted attempt, Bird is expected to lodge a formal application to play with Newtown in the NSWRL competition."rl