An inappropriate exploitation

CHRIS HARRIES, and a PETER perspective …

I am shocked and outraged that Tasmanian police have sunk to such depths. See: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/22/2578498.htm . The inference in this story is clear: conservationists were responsible for the tragic deaths of these three youth speeding in New Norfolk – traveling at 120 kph in a 50 kph zone. Police are making this inference in the full knowledge that it will incite division and hatred in the Tasmanian community. In so doing they are exploiting these tragic deaths totally inappropriately.

ABC ONLINE

Triple fatality names released

The men were security guards on the way to the Florentine Valley. (ABC News)

Police have released the names of three men who died in a car accident yesterday at New Norfolk in Tasmania’s south.

They are 29-year-old Craig Robert Moore of Gagebrook, Danny Allan Pedder, aged 50 of Glenorchy, and 23-year-old Adam Michael Behrend of Brighton.

The died instantly when their car hit a tree in Blair street, New Norfolk.

Police say the workers were on their way to the Florentine Valley to provide security for forestry equipment.

Another Perspective:

PETER

Three men killed in car crash in New Norfolk on Thursday were employed by Griffin Security, as subcontractors to Forestry Tasmania. It was a bad accident, with unanswered questions about behaviour, speed and dangerous driving but why did it provoke such a reaction from Chris Harries?

Anyway, my thoughts are more about why Forestry Tasmania would hire Griffin?

Read this, from Griffin Security’s website:
www.griffinsecurityservices.info

“Our fully trained crowd marshal’s also very much take pride in there appearance and performance. They deal with a more personal side of security where they are right in amongst your staff , VIP’s, customers, and members of the public…..

You will find both of these security personnel are very polite, friendly approachable and professional you will see in the way they carry there self’s to be highly confidant in there job and comfortable in any situation” (sic – no punctuation)

Chris Harries is stretching credulity if he divines an attack on conservationists in the ABC story he cited. That piece is just badly written and lacking detail. The Mercury account is more professional:

http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2009/05/22/75055_tasmania-news.html

“Police identified the men as Craig Robert Moore, 29, of Gagebrook, Danny Allan Pedder, 50, of Glenorchy, and Adam Michael Behrend, 23, of Brighton.

A police officer who followed the vehicle has been cleared of a police pursuit.

The New Norfolk officer saw the speeding vehicle while he was travelling down George St.

The officer notified the Police radio dispatch, before turning around to follow the speeding car.

But by the time the officer turned into Blair St the Ford had already crashed.

Insp Woolley said it was a senseless crash which caused the harrowing loss of three men.

“This is a clear indication where people drive at excessive speed, they drive beyond their capabilities without knowledge of the area where they’re driving, and therefore are unable to manoeuvre their vehicles to avoid dangerous situations and accidents.”

And what’s Chris Harries on about, describing the victims as youths:
they’re aged 23, 29 and 50.