35 comments

1. townsvilleblogJanuary 21, 2017 at 11:44 am

   We have been fed such an amount of violent movies, computer games and the like from the good ole’ USA that it is no wonder that some of the sicko’s begin taking out their fury on innocent people, as was done in this instance, we must rekindle our Australian identity, how I’m not too sure!

2. Keitha GranvilleJanuary 21, 2017 at 11:47 am

   It is my hope that every time she opens her mouth she puts another nail in the coffin of her party – just like last time. Yes, the media does give her vile rants a mouthpiece, but that just helps us to see what an appalling creature she is. The voters who believe as she does are few in number, and the others who voted for her last time and allowed dills like Roberts into the Senate will be realising they were conned.

   Eventually she will be alone in the Senate again, and then out.

3. bobraftoJanuary 21, 2017 at 11:49 am

   Let’s hope Channel Seven responds with a blanket ban.

   She was and maybe still is on 7’s payroll.

4. Matthew OborneJanuary 21, 2017 at 12:00 pm

   Mental health funding cuts last year were predicted to have srious consequences. even Murdochs mob saw it, yet not one published article yet pointing the finger where it belongs. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/can-we-talk-funding-cuts-prompt-fears-of-youth-suicide-rise/news-story/77c1b1af756a77eaf81cd3cb0ed5dd1c

5. helvityniJanuary 21, 2017 at 12:00 pm

   Pauline and her supporters must be most disappointed that the Melbourne tragedy was caused by an Australian, by a young man with mental health problems, and NOT by a Muslim terrorist. Sad, whatever way you look at it.

6. Deanna JonesJanuary 21, 2017 at 12:34 pm

   I wouldn’t be so quick to assume mental health had anything to do with this. He was allegedly known to police for family violence. Angry violent men are capable of violence regardless of whether mental illness, or drug use are factors.

7. Ella MillerJanuary 21, 2017 at 12:45 pm

   I still have tears of shame and sorrow at the responses to the tragedy that is Melbourne.
   I feel shame that I can call another human being a VIRUS. A dangerous one at that, because she is the voice of a part of Australia that, like a VIRUS we should not accept as normal.
   I hope that those in the One Nation Party who feel as much shame as I do will abandon her in droves.
   Or are they as self serving as she is?

   AS for the media if they felt any sense of responsibility towards the social cohesion in our nation ( which they should…but I guess money talks and the dog barks)
   they should now come out and condemn her comments and those of Dvid L.

8. crypt0January 21, 2017 at 1:02 pm

   Just prior to this tragedy taking place in Bourke St., police were moving on various homeless people, (arresting some I am told), who were doing no harm. Just trying to stay alive.
   At the behest of lard mayor Doyle obviously.
   The only ones who seemed unaffected by all this activity were the rough sleepers along Flinders St station, who were purportedly the target of the move on drive.
   What’s the plan ? … put the homeless in prison for failing to pay fines while violent offenders such as the Bourke St “suspect” are out on bail because the jails are full ?
   Some plan.

9. Kaye LeeJanuary 21, 2017 at 1:13 pm

   Deanna,

   Reading his facebook page I would say mental health was a real issue.

   http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/melbourne-cbd-rampage-driver-dimitrious-gargasoulas-allegedly-warned-ill-take-you-all-out-in-chilling-facebook-post/news-story/ef8fb8e22b50437ddbbde4c0795feec1

10. helvityniJanuary 21, 2017 at 1:27 pm

    I don’t think anyone here invented his mental health issues, we were told so by the police, it was in the news.

11. Trish CorryJanuary 21, 2017 at 1:33 pm

    Deanna, that depends whether conscious behaviour, with rational judgement is the driver for the violence, or whether the violence follows due to a mental health issue. It is not always a conscious action by someone of rational and sound mind.

    The man’s Facebook rants are how someone who is having a psychotic or manic episode talks or writes. (He believes he is chosen as the true God and other stuff about Meteors). His writings were not of someone who is well. Psychosis or mania can be brought on by mental illness or drug induced. We should be questioning why he was not receiving treatment or in care, or custody of some sort, if he has had an ongoing problem with mental health, drugs and violence.

    Regardless, innocent lives were lost. It is unacceptable. We should have comfort that there is a system that will protect us. Be it, Mental illness, drugs or other criminal activity. These people should have been alive today.

    He had stabbed someone the night before, was doing burnouts in the middle of town earlier and he had a history with the police. Yet, pensioners and the unemployed who “owe” Centrelink money are threatened with Jail and the newspaper referred to homeless people in the same town as ‘taking out the rubbish’ and the council is going to make sleeping in the CBD illegal.

    We have a problem.

12. Miriam EnglishJanuary 21, 2017 at 1:43 pm

    Thank you Trish. Every word on point. I couldn’t agree more.

13. Steve Laing - makeourvoiceheard.comJanuary 21, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    The mental wellbeing of the perpetrator is not the issue here. It is the response of politicians that is.

    Pauline WANTED it to be a terrorist attack. This simply follows the ways of Howard and Abbott who I believe actively court terrorism in order to help press their case for heightened security and immigration controls, not because they actually really care about these issues, but simply because it gets them more votes and helps keeps their side of politics in power.

    This is how low our politics has stooped. Our government is quite prepared to waste billions of dollars on offshore concentration camps and obsolete submarines in order to garner votes. It really is that simple. And they do so by playing on people’s fear.

    And Channel 7 will keep playing her as long as it gets watchers. If we want to stop Channel 7 from showing her in the completely unbalanced way that they do, the only way to do so is by voicing displeasure with the businesses that advertise during those programs.

14. AthenaJanuary 21, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    Don’t forget Hanson also said she would recant her deplorable comments if it later turned out that Muslims were not to blame for the incident. So slander away because if you recant later it doesn’t count. Someone needs to sue that hag to within an inch of her life.

15. kerriJanuary 21, 2017 at 2:43 pm

    Good article Trish! I also noted Hanson’s “I am right” smirk after Ashby whispered in her ear.
    But the reporter who corrected her and potentially drove the harpie off as she refused to countenance being wrong, by stating that Jack Van Tongeren’s act of terrorism was not Muslim needs to be applauded and more need to follow her lead!
    Hanson has a serious lack of knowledge and way too high a regard for her opinions and generalisations and needs to be called out on every mistake she utters! It should not be difficult for the media to do this as her misguided utterances are fairly predictable.
    Surely the job of the press is to question politicians?
    Not just blindly parrot their utterances!

16. Steve Laing - makeourvoiceheard.comJanuary 21, 2017 at 7:20 pm

    Kerri – excellent point. Who was the questioner, I wonder? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if journalists extended the same degree of interrogation with members of the government. Unfortunately when its them, the journo’s are remarkably quiet…

17. Annie BJanuary 21, 2017 at 8:48 pm

    townsvilleblog – (11.44 a.m. )

    I totally agree with you.

    A de-sensitisation has been established to blood shed, diabolic deeds, shoot-ups, gun rampage, negativism, and anything else that is anti-society … in the ‘goodies’ delivered by the U.S. of A. in 99% of its deliverances via TV sitcoms, TV series, downloadable games, reality shows and current affairs programmes. … And so many commercial delight in showing these inept and inane ghastlies on our own free-to-air – ( and paid for ) TV outlets, not to mention newscasts.

    So many of these ‘shows’ are shameful – and do indeed have an impact – on those who are so quickly affected by this stimulus.

18. Wayne TurnerJanuary 21, 2017 at 9:41 pm

    What was said by all the leaders were good,except for that non-leader Pauline Hanson the bigot and moron who likes to scare other morons.

19. Annie BJanuary 21, 2017 at 9:50 pm

    Cannot stomach Hanson and her degenerate thinking, and opportunism when it comes to one of her narrow minded, knee jerk reactions – against all Muslims. … she should be somehow “sued within an inch of her life” as Athena said.

    However – – – while I do totally admire the Police in our State of Victoria ( and all States ) for the ghastly jobs they are called upon to do, and how well they usually do it … I cannot help but question, why – why – why please – something was not able to be done to block this maniac while he was doing burn-outs at one of the busiest intersections of Melbourne. It could have – should have, been done.

    No-one can tell me, or claim, that the communications network for the Police Force, suddenly broke down completely at this time. This creature had been chased ( and lost ) from several areas of suburban Melbourne – not an unusual occurrence in any suburban network. … But there was police presence so close by ( see below ) – so why the communication break-down ? … Plus roaming police cars surround the city and inner suburbs, continually.

    For those who do not know Melbourne – below is a textual ‘map’ ( if you like ) of the proximity of police to the actual burn-outs happening. This bloke did 6.5 full turn – burn-outs, taking 1.17 minutes to complete, before hurtling up Swanston St, to complete his carnage in the Bourke Street Mall.

    Melbourne East Police Station – in Flinders Lane – approx. 200 metres from the burn-outs conducted on the corner of Flinders Street and Swanston Street / St. Kilda Road … police cars are parked in Swanston Street, as they do not have enough room in little Flinders Lane.

    Plus a small police office on Flinders Street Station – on the St. Kilda Road side of the Station.

    Why was nothing scrambled ? A blockade of police cars should have been able to be deployed.

    What happened ( or didn’t happen ) there ? Enough police within a 200 metre vicinity to do something about that 1.17 minutes of burn-outs – considering their members knew ( or should have known ) that their comrades were chasing a maniac, for having stabbed one person in one suburb, chased down in another suburb from a call from a concerned person about his ravings about Armageddon, and then chased ( and lost ) from that point on – into the Flinders Street / Swanston Street intersection. Everything had stopped ( including 2 trams and all cars ) bar about 3 vehicles who ignored him and completed RH turns during his motorised rant at this intersection.

    Police – like all of us – can make mistakes. …. but this defies description.

    I would think there will be many many questions asked, before the enquiries into this, is over.

20. paulwalterJanuary 21, 2017 at 11:46 pm

    Absolutely no doubt, the cynicism, opportunism, crass insensitivity and barbarism of Leyonhjelm and the Hansonist is what really stands out to. Gargasoulas is young and may have head issues, but for older people, supposed leaders, to behave and speak in the way they have concerning the incident is disturbing.

21. dragonnannyJanuary 22, 2017 at 2:00 am

    For Annie B: I don’t know a lot about police matters but I do know that the pursuit policy changed after a few deaths about 2 years ago, the police in charge didn’t authorise a pursuit to take place as part of the no-pursuit policy. That maybe reviewed in time because of this incident on Friday. The police would take into account safety issues as well as busy roads and pedestrians in Bourke St. If you want to know more about this for more accurate information Google might help. I think the police did a good job and put the full blame on the driver who was erratic and unpredictable. And I also would consider the Justice who gave him bail to appear in court on Friday has some soul searching to do……….this sort of thing is happening too often lately………..violent men on bail committing nasty crimes is not acceptable in my opinion. And Hanson and Leyonhjelm are a disgrace for their attitude, tweets and comments.

22. Annie BJanuary 22, 2017 at 3:20 am

    dragonnanny …

    I had forgotten about the no-pursuit policy. And around the suburban areas there’d have been heaps of traffic making it dangerous to pursue him heavily.

    I still am surprised though, that they could not have rammed or blocked somehow – him heading off down some getaway, which would have only been Swanston Street – [ which he did ] – Flinders Street, east and west or St. Kilda Road which is the south extension of Swanston St while he was busy doing those burn-outs. . 99% of traffic had come to a standstill – and by that time, in that intersection, he was totally off his rocker. The close proximity of a police station made me feel somewhat uncomfortable about it. They ultimately shot him, and perhaps should have tried to do that in that intersection as he was half out of the car – a shot to maim, not to kill – but we will never know their protocols – what they can and can’t do.

    Also he could have ploughed into people in that Flinders St. intersection, with heaven only knows how many dead and injured, there. It must’ve been a somewhat impossible situation for the police at times.

    I did Google it actually, but there were only repeats of the same news, with little variance or detail.

    Ultimately – the police did do a good job, they usually do – and I have every respect for them. I don’t have too much respect for the legal fraternity who get these blokes off on bail, when they are obviously dangerous. The police opposed bail for that person, last time he was in court ( very recently ).

    Totally agree with your comments about those two imposters that call themselves politicians. Ghastly people.

23. Deanna JonesJanuary 22, 2017 at 8:18 am

    Helvi, the police have yet to even interview him. Even it was their job, there hasn’t been time for any mental health assessment or to obtain any existing medical records. Police only like facts and they have said he is known to them for family violence. This tells me that there are AVOs and/or police event narratives alleging family violence, in their database. His partner/former partner (unclear), has now said that she has witnessed his violence and feared for her life. Sorry to go all forensic on you but this is all we know, and it’s likely going to explored in a court.

    Kaye, I took a look at his actual Facebook page (which was still public last night) and what I saw was a man who is very invested in the ideals of hyper-masculinity, and religion, who is or was very angry about something and making vague threats of some kind of revenge or retribution.

    Trish, I know when something like this happens it’s natural for people to want explanations, but I think it’s simplistic and even dangerous, in a big picture way, to immediately jump to a conclusion of mental illness. As a mental health-accredited social worker, I can speak to this with some authority, and I will now.

    The reason I say it’s simplistic is because it rationalises an act of violence and kind of let’s the perpetrator off the hook in some ways. It also erases other possible explanations and lenses through which we could analyse the violence. This is, in my view, dangerous thinking, if we agree, and I hope we do, that the male violence we already know about that exists on every rung of human society, must be addressed for the sake of all of us, not just women and children, but men too. Writing it off as mental illness will not allow us to address this problem, it will prevent us from ever addressing it. I have many years of experience working with people who have histories of violent behaviour, criminal justice involvement, mental illness, substance misuse problems etc. so maybe I just find it easier than some to believe that a sane person would do such a thing on purpose.

    The other concern I had with the knee jerk mental health speculation is the way this thinking contributes to the stigma and discrimination faced by people who do live with mental health issues. Most people with mental illness do not hurt other people. Most diagnoses made and prescriptions for medications written for mental illness are for women, yet these violent rampages are done by men. In this case, you could not rule out mental health as a factor, but In my opinion, the immediate speculation about it as an easy explanation, is part of the broader problem here.

    Here is a short TED Talk by Dr Jackson Katz, who is a violence prevention expert:

24. Trish CorryJanuary 22, 2017 at 8:57 am

    Put it this way…. I will be extremely shocked if his writings on FB were from a rational clear mind and it has nothing to do with psychosis or mania. I have been involved with people with these illnesses and I’m speaking from experience with how he is writing being similar. That is all. The police did state he had a history of violence and mental illness and they knew him. Mental illness is not an excuse, if people are not well it explains why it happened. They are not themselves when they are not well. Some people can be violent without a mental illness yes, that is true. People who are suicidal are deeply depressed. We never refer to that as an excuse. It is the same if someone commits a crime. Sometimes they don’t even know. There is a good Louis Theroux Doco on this. Mental illness does not pick or choose by gender or social status. It is an illness like all illnesses. Women with psychosis can also be very violent. It is unfair to tip this on the side of men in my opinion. Some people with psychosis or mania never harm others at all. Regardless, people have been killed. The focus should be on the systems and we should let the professionals undertake their duties and we will know in due course. However I will always disagree mental illness is an excuse for crime. They have very reliable ways to test people these days and diagnose them.

25. Deanna JonesJanuary 22, 2017 at 9:43 am

    Trish, you seem to have missed all of my points and I don’t intend to re -frame them all over and over. Your arguments about mental illness seem odd given my commentary about this issue.

    “It is unfair to tip this on the side of men in my opinion.”

    This seems to be your main problem with my comment. No. The evidence is well and truly in, and denying it is preventing us from addressing it which is the main point of my comment. If your main concern is about ‘fairness’ to men whatever that means, then remember that pandering to men and pretending we don’t see the violence, is NOT in the interests of men, given that they experience the majority of the violence.

26. EgalitarianJanuary 22, 2017 at 9:51 am

    Bourke Street tragedy: Melbourne is shocked and broken, but the city will be the same again : John Silvestor

    http://www.theage.com.au/comment/bourke-street-tragedy-melbourne-is-shocked-and-broken-but-the-city-will-be-the-same-again-20170121-gtvz2s.html

    Nothing like a jaded middle aged white male to roll out his article title above. John Silvester The people will decide how they feel. Though I feel you came out a little early with your insensitive controlling headline.

27. Trish CorryJanuary 22, 2017 at 9:53 am

    Sorry, I have no idea what you are on about. My point was simply Mental illness does not discriminate by gender or social status. I have not read your comments through any lens of masculinity.

28. Deanna JonesJanuary 22, 2017 at 9:57 am

    “Mental illness does not discriminate by gender or social status”

    I haven’t tried to argue that at all!

    “Sorry, I have no idea what you are on about.”

    I know.

29. Trish CorryJanuary 22, 2017 at 10:02 am

    Hi Deanna my response was in your original comment where you said medication is made mainly for women but it’s men who commit the violence. I hope that clears up what I was responding to

30. Deanna JonesJanuary 22, 2017 at 10:15 am

    I didn’t say it was made for them, I said most diagnoses made and prescriptions written are for women. This is just statistics. But now I’m doing what I said I wouldn’t do. Have a nice day.

31. Trish CorryJanuary 22, 2017 at 1:15 pm

    Thanks Deanna. You have a good day too. I’ve been off baking and now I’m eating my art!

32. wamJanuary 22, 2017 at 5:56 pm

    I am old fashioned enough to believe this was a deliberate act and no mitigating circumstances apply.

    Mr Laing,
    ch9 free murdoch access to the government and antilabor by choice
    ch7 little gov access, antilabor by force (to avoid the labor tag) access to hanson for ratings
    Bill needs advisers who can devise strategies to cause 7 and 9 to compete in the controversy stakes. Not an easy task.

33. SamJanuary 23, 2017 at 11:19 pm

    Should we expect Hanson supporters commenting on this article shortly? Defending their queen, so to speak.

    I could swear the last aimn article I read involving her contained the highest amount of hard right trolls I’ve ever seen comment on an artilce on this site. It surprised me because it’s seems like it’s usually only 1 or 2 of them on here at best commenting on an article and that’s on a bad day.

    It kind of surprised me that’s all.

34. JexpatJanuary 23, 2017 at 11:34 pm

    Sam wrote: “Should we expect Hanson supporters commenting on this article shortly?”

    Why would they bother? Kevin Andrews has already co-opted the reactionary, tear the hair out response.

35. Miriam EnglishJanuary 23, 2017 at 11:59 pm

    I think they only really come if she or her party are mentioned in the headline.