Hard News by Russell Brown

Read Post

Hard News: Public Address Radio

81 Responses

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 Newer→ Last

  • Stephen Judd,

    There's a market for all sorts of things Richard -- does that get every supplier off the hook? I don't think so...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Richard Llewellyn,

    Good point Stephen, and of course the answer in this case should be 'no'.

    I'm not suggesting it is right, or even palatable, only that there is some degree of inevitability and symbiosis about supply and demand.

    Mt Albert • Since Nov 2006 • 399 posts Report Reply

  • vinnie vivace,

    and whom shall deem my assessment of risk to be reasonable or not stephen? when zylah (my daughter) goes to the zoo, i let her climb on the dragon sculpture - she may fall and hit her head, i let her sit on the elephant fence, i may lose my grip and drop her, i let her pickup a stick and suck on it - she may get germs.... i assess the risk as part of living life. i never intended to imply you lack concern for your child, nor was i using my daughter as a trump card so back off. the fact that i have a daughter is the reason i frequent the zoo so regularly, it seemed like a valid reason to express my opinion.

    auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 6 posts Report Reply

  • vinnie vivace,

    stephen - first off, apologies.. "back off" sounds somewhat combative!! not my intention just a phrase i use far to often. im hearing what your saying, so to help my understanding, can u tell me is there a particular background of an individual that you would not want to expose your daughter to, at a venue you frequent regularly, lets say the supermarket or something?

    auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 6 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Good thread.

    But I'm surprised no one's mentioned that the person who lost the most from Mark Burton's terrible actions, his father, was highly supportive of his employment now. He's also a policeman, so you'd expect him to have views on public safety.

    It's also important to note that when he killed his mother, Mark Burton didn't suddenly snap. His condition had deteriorated over weeks, he was unmonitored and using drugs, he lived in an unsafe house and then eventually couldn't be located at all, and he acted on very specific paranoid beliefs about a loved one.

    The situation now is completely different - apart from anything else, Burton is reported to be taking his meds and committed to rehabilitation, which he wasn't at the time he killed his mother. I find it really hard to believe that any deterioration in his condition wouldn't be picked up by all the people monitoring him.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • 81stcolumn,

    and whom shall deem my assessment of risk to be reasonable or not stephen?

    Not wishing to be awkward but it clearly shouldn't be journalists.

    Its so much easier to mix notoriety, ignorance and basic mortal fear than it is to generate hysteria over germs, falls etc. (not for want of trying on a bad news day !) The latter issues are looked upon with "common sense", to view mental illness as common sense appears an oxymoron.

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report Reply

  • 81stcolumn,

    Please ignore the above I had actually decided not to post it.......bad bad bad bad....

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    No worries - let's just call it a robust and frank exchange of views. :)

    In answer to your question, I couldn't give a rat's about the background of people in the supermarket. I would be concerned about people with a pattern of offending against children in a situation where there was opportunity to have them alone and unsupervised. That weird guy who collects the trollies? Couldn't care less.

    Don't get me wrong - the idea of harm befalling my child is terrible. But you can't make important decisions on fear alone, and in this case I think something really unfair has been done on the basis of uninformed fear. Perhaps I belaboured that point a little too snarkily.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • vinnie vivace,

    ok, my mistake for throwing in supermarket as an example... but again i think i smell what your cooking. if you were to meet me you would very quickly realize im very relaxed, im not some neurotic, over-protective, bubble wrap dad. i agree you cant make important decision on fear alone, i would add you cant make any sensible decision when you dont have all the info. anway ive probably repeated myself repeating myself enough for one night. good day.

    auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 6 posts Report Reply

  • James Green,

    For a little bit of different thought, it's also really worth considering the reality of murder in New Zealand. The reality is that if you're going to be killed, it'll probably be your kids, your partner, ex, parents, or similarly related party.

    No offence to any of you guys, and I'm sure as PA readers you're all model parents, but you're far more of a threat* to your own children than Mark Burton. I can't be bothered doing the research just now, but when is the last time a random actually killed a kid?

    *Although almost an infintessimally small threat. So don't go quibbling about this. You know what I'm getting at. And of course, road accidents still beat homicide 10:1...

    Limerick, Ireland • Since Nov 2006 • 703 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Capewell,

    Fantastic work, Russell (et al). It seemed inevitable, but I am thoroughly looking forward to Public Address Radio.

    Manchester • Since Nov 2006 • 62 posts Report Reply

  • Kim Griggs,

    I agree with James entirely. I regularly let my kids walk by themselves to the local park, but it's via the rugby field and not on the roads. Why? because I'm far more concerned about them being bowled by a car than some random killer lurking behind the goalposts.

    Oh and on cars, I yesterday remonstrated with a driver whom I had to flag down to stop at the school pedestrian crossing where I was waiting with my daughter and assorted other kids."There are others that go faster than me," she said, obviously put out at being told off.

    What an idiot excuse -- so the other people will make more of a mess, when they don't stop, and that makes her action okay? Bit off topic, but I see people like the woman with the MARTNA numberplates as far more of a threat to my kids than Mark Burton.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 19 posts Report Reply

  • Danyl Mclauchlan,

    PublicAddress radio is going to be a godsend - I walk home every night, it takes me an hour and I'm having real trouble finding interesting podcasts to pass the time. (If anyone can recommend anything good please do so).

    Part of the idea is to draw talent from the blogosphere: David Haywood, Graham Reid and Craig Ranapia will be making regular contributions and you'll also hear from, Keith Ng, Idiot/Savant of No Right Turn, Hadyn Green of the Dropkicks podcast and others.

    I think you'd be insane not to take advantage of one of the NZ blogospheres most consistently hilarious commentators. I'm talking, of course, about Adolf. I think he could be the Public Address Radio breakout hit - you know, like Toby Radloff in American Splendor.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Danyl: with out wanting to plug too much "the Dropkicks podcast"

    Get that in your ear mate.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    There are others that go faster than me

    There's a whole world in that quote right there.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Raymond A Francis,

    Mark Burton was meant to be taking his medication and was meant to be supervised when he travelled a considerable distance to hunt down his mother and quite brutally kill her
    Six years later he is in a smilar position although this time I hope the authorities are really are keeping him up to the mark
    Good on his dad suporting him but just imagine the headlines if anything had happened. I am just glad he is your neighbourhood and not mine

    On a happier note great news about the Saturday radio show it will liven up a slow time of the week

    45' South • Since Nov 2006 • 578 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    I am just glad he is your neighbourhood and not mine

    Good to see The Mainland laager is alive and well.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    I think you'd be insane not to take advantage of one of the NZ blogospheres most consistently <strike>hilarious</strike> inane commentators. I'm talking, of course, about Adolf.

    danyl, while i think you may be right, i'm still very tempted to call you an 'appeaser'.

    heh.

    but on the other hand, the phrase centred on "enough rope" springs to mind. so you might have something there.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Russell:

    It's also important to note that when he killed his mother, Mark Burton didn't suddenly snap. His condition had deteriorated over weeks, he was unmonitored and using drugs, he lived in an unsafe house and then eventually couldn't be located at all, and he acted on very specific paranoid beliefs about a loved one.

    The situation now is completely different - apart from anything else, Burton is reported to be taking his meds and committed to rehabilitation, which he wasn't at the time he killed his mother.

    Raymond:

    Six years later he is in a smilar position.

    Depends what you mean by "similar", I guess.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Mark Burton was meant to be taking his medication and was meant to be supervised when he travelled a considerable distance to hunt down his mother and quite brutally kill her
    Six years later he is in a smilar position although this time I hope the authorities are really are keeping him up to the mark
    Good on his dad suporting him but just imagine the headlines if anything had happened. I am just glad he is your neighbourhood and not mine

    Violent offenders who have been released from prison are sprinkled around us. Seems a little unfair that this guy has had a job taken away from him, not through performance, him being dangerous, or any other practical reason, but solely through him being a high profile offender that the media is picking up on. How's that going to help his rehabilitation?

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Neil Morrison,

    There is a similar risk Burton could once again relapse and fall out of the system as when he killed his mother. After that incident there was a major attempt of course to stop that sort of thing happening. But the only guarantee that it would never happen is either going back to institutional care/confinement or spending more money on community services.

    More money has been promised and promised and promised but never seems to arrive. When the move from institutional to community care took place a massive asset stripping from mental health services took place. All those large hospitals were worth lots of money - money the govt took for purposes other than mental health. It wasn't used to provide community accommodation or more staff.

    I know that in Auckland there was money left over from the mental health budget from 2006 that never got spent. Go figure, they couldn't find a way of spending around $7 million.

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report Reply

  • Che Tibby,

    Go figure, they couldn't find a way of spending around $7 million.

    $200k on a process evaluation of rehabitation practices for mental health patients might be a good start...

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Sadly, The Rehabilitation franchise is not allowed to play in the Super 14.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    Blog people on the radio? What do they do, cut and paste voices? Provide links to more interesting radio programmes? Have wacky sound effects for smileys?

    OK, OK, I'll listen in. Because at the end of the day, the reality is, it's got to be better than Radio Sport, at the end of the day.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • noizyboy,

    where's the podcast/download then?

    wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 171 posts Report Reply

First ←Older Page 1 2 3 4 Newer→ Last

Post your response…

Please sign in using your Public Address credentials…

Login

You may also create an account or retrieve your password.