WA: Motorcycle clubs stage protest run against anti-association laws

"More than 500 bikies and supporters are expected to stage a protest on wheels tomorrow (Saturday) morning in defiance of the State Government's proposed anti-association laws. The 40km run from Fremantle to Whiteman Park has been organised by the United Motorcycle Council WA as a show of solidarity against the laws, which they say are an undemocratic crackdown on their right to associate with each other. The legislation, to be introduced to State Parliament by June, would give police the power to ban bikies from associating with each other and visiting certain places." Australia continues its descent into a police state: These laws MAY be used against bikies, they can and WILL be used against everybody else, that's what makes them so frightening.

QLD: Police say they have closed down Nomads chapter

"Police say they have ended the criminal activities of a chapter of the Nomads outlaw motorcycle gang, with the sentencing of four members of one family on drug offences. Anthony Leighton Parke, 35, of Redbank, his parents Dale Richard Parke, 58, and Estelle Marion Parke, 60, of Silkstone, and father-in-law Christopher Joseph Parker, 52, of Redbank were among more than 30 people arrested during a series of raids in February 2007."

QLD: Pauline Hanson walks away from politics

"Firebrand former politician Pauline Hanson says she won't be a candidate at this year's federal election, despite suggestions the current political climate would suit her. Canberra press gallery commentators have speculated that some of the elements of populism and electoral anger that fed support for Ms Hanson in the late 1990s have returned to national politics."

AUS: Conroy wants Google to impose China style internet censorship

"Google says it will not "voluntarily" comply with the government's request that it censor YouTube videos in accordance with broad "refused classification" (RC) content rules. Communications Minister Stephen Conroy referred to Google's censorship on behalf of the Chinese and Thai governments in making his case for the company to impose censorship locally. Google warns this would lead to the removal of many politically controversial, but harmless, YouTube clips."

SA: Government wins right to appeal bikie law
"The High Court has granted the South Australian Government the chance to appeal against an earlier ruling that part of its bikies control order legislation is invalid. In a majority decision last year, SA's Supreme Court ruled invalid part of the legislation allowing for control orders to be made against known bikies."

SA: It's rabbit season! Farmers urged to them blow up

"Farmers are being urged by authorities to use poison gas and even ammonium nitrate explosive to blow up rabbits, as biological controls fail. A warning issued to SA farmers by the Environment Department urges them to "overcome the rabbit's tremendous breeding potential" by traditional means such as bulldozers, poison baits, fumigation, dogs and even explosives."

UK: Skirmishers fight back against 'scaremongering' anti-gun lobby

"Claims by an anti-gun lobby that a war games centre planned for Marchington will be bringing a game which is ‘intrinsically violent and disturbing’ have been blasted by supporters. The Gun Control Network, which has written to East Staffordshire Borough Council in objection to the plans for an Airsoft Skirmish Centre in the village, has been accused of ‘scaremongering’. One person wrote to the paper, “As a long term Airsofter I am enraged by the anti-gun group’s scaremongering about the use of the old army barracks."

US: Legislators push for increased state sovereignty

"The Wyoming House of Representatives is taking the first steps toward possibly telling the federal government to back off on a range of states' rights issues, from gun control to endangered species management. A few House members, however, warn that Wyoming shouldn't seek too much independence from a federal system that serves as a significant source of state income."      "...a significant source of state income." There's the rub. It's how the former prime minister badgered the states into accepting his gun-control proposals. And let's not forget that the second Howard government was elected with just 49% of the two-party preferred vote.

SA: Car blast in suburban Adelaide, two dead

"The bodies of two people have been found in the wreckage of a car which exploded this morning in a suburban Adelaide street. Residents of Truscott Rd, Enfield, reported a loud explosion about 5.20am. A police spokeswoman said debris has been strewn over a 50m radius and residents have reported their windows having been blown out."

 UPDATE:  'One of the victims is believed to be a known drug dealer.'

WA: Shots fired at Perth mosque

"Police are hunting a gunman who fired up to three bullets into a Perth mosque, but detectives have played down suggestions the incident may be racially motivated. Today, police revealed that the Canning Mosque in Queens Park had been peppered with three shots in the early hours of last Thursday morning, damaging the main roof dome. No one was at the mosque at the time of the shooting."

TAS: Home invasion ─ drug thieves get address wrong

"Six friends became the victims of a terrifying home invasion when drug thieves got the wrong address, a court has heard. Young Hobart woman Amalia Oxley today recounted how four men burst through the front door of her boyfriend Beau Buracchi's unit at Lindisfarne demanding drugs on July 5 last year. Ms Oxley told the Supreme Court in Hobart that one of the men was wielding a baton and struck Mr Buracchi to the face with it."

US: 22 American states raise the bar for gun rights

"Introduced in the South Carolina General Assembly this week is House Bill 4509 (H4509), which if passed, would make law that "no public official of any jurisdiction may require registration of purchasers of firearms or ammunition within the boundaries of this State." No caveat for regulations under the commerce clause. No caveat for types of firearms either. This bill says NO to all gun registrations – period. The principle behind such legislation is nullification, which has a long history in the American tradition."   

NSW: Gang member held over fatal shooting

"A 19-year-old member of an outlawed gang has been arrested over the shooting up of the home of a western Sydney man and killing him. About 8am (AEDT) today, police arrested a notorious gang member accused of contributing to the fatal shooting of the 35-year-old Fairfield man in November last year."

GERMANY: Ban coffee for the greater good

"A thief in the German town of Hamelin has robbed an amusement arcade by threatening the attendant with a cup of coffee.
"He wasn't going to pour coffee over her, he was going to hit her with the cup," a spokesman for local police said. "We don't want to encourage others to try this," the spokesman said."   

NSW: Rat killed, TV company fined

"To slay a rat for ratings and laughs is an obscenity, and ITV should take the abominable " I'm a Celebrity.." off the air. ITV was fined a measly $2,600, Snooki spends more than that on makeup every week. I'm not a theologian but isn't Snooki the Harlot of Babylon mentioned in the Book of Revelations? The end is near, I hear Snooki's laugh and the hoofbeats of the approaching Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse."    Robert Paul Reyes, the author of this news item is described on the webpage as a writer on, among other things, 'Pointless Pontificating'.

AUS: Federal Labor MP could face charges over election funding

"A Federal Labor MP could face criminal charges over the Health Services Union's failure to properly declare political donations and expenditure. Craig Thomson was national secretary of the union before winning the New South Wales seat of Dobell at the 2007 federal election. "

QLD: Man in eight hour standoff with police at Toowong

A man has been taken into custody after an eight-hour stand-off in Brisbane; he was not hurt and is helping police with inquiries.

AUS: 'Toxic power struggle' splits Wilderness Society
"One of Australia's richest and most powerful environment groups is in crisis following a toxic power struggle that has split the organisation amid claims of bullying, financial mismanagement and secret board meetings. Other environment groups are watching with dismay, as environmental issues are likely to be critical in both the Victorian and national elections this year. Disillusioned staff and long-term members of the Wilderness Society have called a meeting in Melbourne on February 13 in an attempt to remove Mr Marr and his board. In a written appeal to members to ''Help Save the Wilderness Society'', the meeting organisers claimed that ''high staff turnover, bullying behaviour towards staff and a failure to deliver a powerful national campaign agenda are all issues of concern."   RELATED:  Legal threat to Wilderness Society plans for debate

QLD: Cops facing disciplinary action over fake hold-up

"Four police officers will likely face disciplinary action over their part in a fake heist on a Gold Coast chemist, authorities say. The officers from Coomera police station allegedly dressed as bandits and staged a prank robbery at a chemist under surveillance by fellow officers in April 2008. It allegedly ended in a tense gunpoint standoff with undercover detectives before being reported by an officer for investigation."

US: Levi's jeans ─ supporters of gun control

"Here's a company that's not innocent--in fact, they are willful leading collaborators in the global citizen disarmament movement: "American icon," Levi Strauss. Some of us have been waving that denim flag for years--here's an early warning from Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership: "Levi Strauss, the makers of the jeans we are so fond of buying, is taking your money and contributing heavily to PAX. PAX is an organization circulating a petition to broaden the reach of the federal government to disarm America."    06