Here we go again - The Clea Rose inquest commences

bye bye then Downy.

Give it a rest jb. you might wonder why the same 15 people are posting – maybe because no-one else is reading due to your inane and baseless rants that are quickly becoming tiresome. your manevolence is all too apparent towards the AFP and your tiny brain explosions, at first comical and entertaining, now smell of Alan Jones-type victimisation. Try another target, or let another administrator take over. You bore us.

And the 15 year old has been convicted and sentenced.

Now we turn to why the police broke their procedures, had faulty recording equipment, and have been dishonest and evasive in the aftermath.

Why has everybody forgotten that it was an inexperienced 15yr old at the wheel. He stole the car…. he was found guilty of the offence. Even if he isn’t doing an appropriate (IMHO) sentence for the offence HE KILLED HER… NOT THE POLICE. The kid caused her death and the fact Police have managed to put him before the courts and have guilty verdict delivered should be an indication that they did their jobs well.

The 15yr old is guilty. Period.

Teddy Bear what is the coronial process going to do for the family. They already know there was not immediate pursuit, i.e. the Police were not chasing the car when it hit her. I’m pretty sure that they had only just noticed it driving in a dangerous manner and were in the process of trying to locate it to decide what to do with it. No one new it was a stolen car until long after poor clae had been struck. This process will only benefit the media and the lawyers, not her family.

You have a point shauno. What I was trying to get across was that lots of people lose loved ones (look at all the accidents, hit runs, workplace deaths, murders and the like).

Many, if not most, are subject to a Coroner’s inquiry. Leaving that aside, I see no good reason for the family of the victim to be told to “get over it” by someone who hasn’t gone through the same trauma and has no idea of how these people are feeling or the full circumstances of the case.

Most people do move on at their own pace, but they may never get over it. My sister lost a child to SIDS. She has moved on but has never got over it (it was a twin and the surviving twin is a constant reminder).

Chester, You need to look at the facts of this one. As Mael said this ne has been debated at length.

The theif saw Police at the legislative assembly carpark. Already in the city.

He then did a runner along London Cct and turned into East Row. He probably didn’t even know the Police were chasing him at the time.

It was more that he had been busted and was going to get away by whatever means necessary. eg. drive through area where Police are likely to call off the pursuit.

Chesters comment ‘The pursuit hits the outskirts of the CBD. The cops back off and discontinue the chase.’ is exactly why car theives running from the Police head in the direction of highly populated areas. So they can get way.

Danger to the public is something that is considered by the Police not the poor victim of society in the stolen car.

Teddy bear fair enough comment if it was a disaster the size of the 2003 fires. But one such as this tragedy which is pretty much an open and shut case, I don’t think an inquiry is warranted quite frankly.

it seems many have bought the ‘police chased through the interchange’ spin.

wrong.

thief DECIDED to drive through interchange.

killed innocent citizen.

departed scene of crime in cowardly fashion.

seconds later – police followed at same speed a taxi or bus would drive through interchange.

the fact that the cctv is faulty, working, deliberately wiped or controlled by aliens is not relevant. plenty of witnesses saw the ACTUAL crime.

I am disappointed to see all the “move on-ers” like Pandy, shauno, DuffyMum and Genie. These type of people came out of the woodwork after the 2003 fires and, as far as I am concerned, helped Stanhope’s cause in limiting the assistance provided to victims after the fires, particularly those wishing to rebuild.

Dr Rob Gordon is a Victorian clinical psychologist who assisted the government/s after the Port Arthur massacre, the Ash Wednesday fires, the Bali bombings and the Canberra firestorm.

His recommendation to the “move on-ers” was to suggest that recovering from trauma is like a City to Surf race; everyone more or less starts at the same point but then the field spreads out.

He said is no help for the front runners (or the non or less affected) to yell back to those behind them to hurry up!

Clea Rose’s family should be allowed to recover in their own time and in their own way without the “helpful suggestions” of the people like Pandy, DuffyMum, etc.

Look at it this way Special G. The pursuit hits the outskirts of the CBD. The cops back off and discontinue the chase. The thief probably doesn’t even drive down the bus interchange. Unless they’re into the black market in second hand cars, they probably dump the vehicle a short time later. If the owner is lucky he gets it back with minimal damage. If he’s not, the thieves set it on fire before abandoning it. Boo hoo.

Stolen car? Pricey.
Young woman with her whole life ahead of her? Priceless.

In Civic, the bus interchange would have to be the place you would most likely find wayward pedestrians outside the pedestrian malls themselves. What’s more, it’s known by locals to carry light traffic. Buses might be big but they’re also slow and driven by people who drive for a living. You only need to sit at the bus interchange for 10 minutes to realize that people generally exercise a lower degree of care when crossing the road there because it is not a normal public street. And that applies whether they’re pissed or not.

Of all the places in Civic to continue a police chase, the bus interchange would have to be the most inexcusable. I’m astounded by the attitudes of people. Are you suggesting police should speed through there at 3.45 in the afternoon after stolen cars with school children running around on their way home? If not, what hours does your police chase curfew apply to?

I’m not saying they may never have an excuse to speed through the interchange. But chasing a stolen car is not even close to a good enough excuse. This one’s a no brainer.

If the police did not chase the car would it have likely still have crashed ?

possibly.

Perhaps one of the various reasons why we are not discussing the elements of the police chase are because we have done it to death already – look at other threads within this website.

And JB, I’m concerned that you are not wearing PJ’s in your sleeping bag, it’s unhealthy.

JB – Have you ever asked about the security cameras in the other bus interchanges as to whether they are working. I can see the headlines now. Front page stuff that.

Chester – Clea’s actions on the night she was hit are part of the investigation covering all angles by the Coronor. Two of her friends saw the car and reacted quickly enough to stop. She didn’t.

Look at it like an insurance company:
Clea was there – 10%
Police were there – 10%
15yr old car theif – did not stop – chose to run and turned into a busy shared zone in the hope Police would not follow as opposed to turning left onto Commonwealth Avenue and away from potential harm to people – 80%

Gets 18 months in jail and will be out before the findings are released by the Coronor.

And on a related matter. I was surprised to be told yesterday by the Ombudsman’s Office that they no longer investigate complaints about the treatment of detainees in police custody.

Such complaints will now be investigated by the AFP. Whether this applies to all complaints about the police I’m not sure. The Ombudsman’s Office might be a huge waste of public money, have no real power, and be next to useless. However, even that is preferable to the AFP conducting its own investigations into complaints and the obvious conflict of interest that involves.

Well I disagree with much of what JB says too, and he and I have rarely seen eye-to-eye (and no it’s not nice to have people make silly, irrelevant assumptions about you, is it JB?) However, being big enough to speak one’s own truth (even in the face of mindless attacks) has always impressed me more.

I see no excuse for Ms Rose’s blood alcohol level becoming an issue other than that someone wants to blame the victim. I’ve heard people say some pretty putrid things on this site. But the mere suggestion that Clea Rose is partially to blame because she had been drinking, is as about as offensive as it can get.

As for it being an “accident”, as with animals and equality, some accidents are more avoidable than others. Why are you discussing her blood alcohol and not the rights and wrongs of continuing police chases in the middle of the CBD?

Stolen car (even if it was my own) versus dead young woman (who I don’t know)?

My vote is for the human life. The crooks can have the car. Police should discontinue chases in the CBD and other urban areas where innocent bystanders may be put at risk.

Who’d have thought it? The prejudiced bigot is wrong again,

I have some doubts about the efficacy of surveillance cameras in the long term, see the rise of the hoody in the UK as a reaction to pervasive camera.

But as long as they’re not concealed I have no problems with them at all.

That’s the trouble with us libertarian freaks, we don’t all think the same thing. Christ lock us all up now for that!

(Any time you want to apologise for your general slur on all the fine Canberra citizens who from time time go to Gorman House I’m happy to stop referring to you as a prejudiced bigot. Ball’s in your court.)

JB, I’m suprised you’re complaining about the CCTV system in Civic not working. Surely a dude like you should be complaining how they breach your civil liberties in the first place?

Well plan three doesn’t seem to be working so well.

And we the people didn’t pay for the Canberra Centre cameras so that’s a worry for the QIC shareholders.

How about plan 3.

3 – People who need to know get told about camera being down – camera gets fixed. No problems.

News story – ACT Government installs crappy CCTV system then fails to: train people on how to use it, upgrade it or maintain it.

Canberra Centre has security cameras – more than in the rest of Civic. Do you ask when one is not working? Not likely.

OK, here we go again, governance 101 – the benefits of transparency.

Broadly speaking there are two ways you can do things:

1) Have no secrets. A camera breaks, it’s a nothing story, but it will be embarrassing if more break, so it gets fixed.

2) Keep everything secret and lie where necessary to maintain secrecy. Things break, bureaucrats bicker over who is responsible. There are no consequences, things break further, nothing gets done, nothing gets fixed. When there is an emergency and the massive failure is found out, the kept in the dark and lied to populace assumes, with good reason, that there are other secrets out there.

Now the only people who benefit from plan 2 are arse covering incompetents. But sadly they seem to be running the show.

What are you asking for. Every time the system goes down there is a news flash for your convieniance. Can’t think that is likely to happen.

It doesn’t take too many brains to work out why you wouldn’t advertise that your surveillance cameras are out of action.

And, the thing that gets my hackles up, the non functioning nature of the system is only revealed when there is an emergency that requires their evidence.

You can say there’s some defence in secrecy but one would like to think that if the faults had been public something might have been done about it.

So an upgrade is required if the system is to actually WORK? Are the cameras all Dick Smith imitation lookalikes? What sort of a bodgy network has been installed (no doubt at vast expense)?

JB, It has been brought up before. The CCTV setup in Civic is funded by the ACT government. The monitors just happen to be in the Police station. Write to your local MP if you want it upgraded.

Johnboy do you need a cuddle!! Sounds like your being attacked and having unfounded comments made about you. Hopefully this might make you stop and think about the bullshit allegations you make about the Police all the time. You think too much, shit happens and unfortunately Claire got the worst result. This coronial is not going to achieve anything apart from making a bunch of cash for lawyers.

Oooh, a Johnboy flaming session. I love these. Johnboy, I personally disagree with everything you’ve ever written or thought and I would like you to amend your website accordingly. Otherwise I’ll be forced to call you mean names. Also, can there please be more photos of your cat on the front page? Kthnkxbye.

You know MRB I’m really enjoying your careful campaign of denigration and innuendo and I really appreciate the vast amount of time and effort you’ve put into it.

Speculation is a valuable thing as long as it’s clearly marked as such. Doubly so when paid liars are hard at work.

Sorry, I didn’t realise I was working with an expert. Lucky you’re running this website so we can all be enlightened with why things happen!
I would’ve thought though, someone with your obvious vast experience, would like some hard evidence before suggesting certain things. Did you operate like this when you worked in the press gallery too?

Nine years in the press gallery, getting whispers in my ear from media advisers wanting to put their muck about.

And a fair few doing it here, over the last seven years, too for that matter.

But thanks for playing.

Thankyou for that. Soooooo, it was reported on the WIN news, but not in any other media outlet. Sounds very dodgy to me!
What media experience you have? Is running this blog about it?

Seepi, only buses and taxis are supposed to use the Bus Interchange, but there are often other vehicles that travel through there as well.

Danman, why did the drunk chicken cross the road? To show his mates he had guts!

Do try and keep up MRB, it was raised in the comments on the back of what was on WIN news.

Also learn a tiny smidge of how media management is conducted before accusing me of conspiracy theories.

Of course, another conspiracy.
Although, you must point out to me where it refers to a multiple of the legal driving limit. I can’t see it in either of the two articles you linked to.

It was a tragic accident – hindsight is the mother of all bitches.

If no one wants to die in circumstances out of their control – I suggets you stay in your inpenitrable bunke wrapped in cotton wool.

The world is a big and scary place and tragic as it is – it was an accident.

Coronial inquiry wont bring back clea, let alone save future accidents from happening.

All a coronial enquiry does (in my opinion only) is highlight all the circumstances and order of events in a certain situation.

No, the blood alcohol level is not at question, it’s the irrelevant use of a multiple of the legal driving limit which makes me wonder which media advisers have been whispering it into the ears of which journalists.

I don’t know that for sure in this case but I do know that’s how it often works.

Jeez John. you wouldn’t have wanted the fact that her blood alcohol level was higher than normal hidden from the coroner or the public would you? That wouldn’t be very transparent of the AFP.

The evidence is presented to coroner, and the coroner will then decide if it is relevant.
It may well be that she concludes that Ms Roses’ blood alcohol level played no part in the death. In any case, the coroner must know about it before she can decide.

All of you so gullible as to not have spotted why this has been raised, in this way, in the media.

johnboy, who is your comment directed to?

Be that as it may, to use multiples of the driving limits is downright disingenuous and possibly maliciously motivated.

Danman, I agree with you too. It was an accident, that is for sure – nobody meant this to happen. But I know that when I am crossing a road, no matter whether an all use or a restricted one, I watch out for ALL forms of traffic, even the ones that shouldn’t be there.

Yep, the way I read it was that she WAS crossing a road … a road that only buses used I believe (the interchange?).

Mr Evil, I do agree with you – if she was under the influence of alcohol as they say then her judgement and reaction times would have been impaired, albeit even slightly, but maybe enough to prevent her from getting out of the way of a speeding car. I’m not saying that it’s her fault but her “condition” may well have contributed.

So now when I cross the bus interchange when I am intoxicated not only do I have to look out for bright cumbersome busses – but I best watch my step lest a speeding stolen car with a 15 year old is at the helm, bceuse, hell it happened once, so it “could” happen again.

Pathetic.

It was an accident… Accidents are just that, regardless of the method.

By nature of it, no amount of precaution will stop an accident.

Drunk or otherwise – I doubt anyone would have a chance getting out of the way of a distracted erratic juvenile inexperienced driver who has whats behind him more on the mind than whats in front of him.

I for one will still “Drink walk”

Danmna, taking a stand for teh drinking man ! 😛

Seepi, she was crossing a road!

She was walking thru a pedestrian mall.

Thousands of people do it daily.

Yeah, ban drink-walking: that’d work! 🙂

All I’m trying to say is that unfortunately Ms Rose may have played a part in her own demise.

It’s not rocket science! 🙂

JB – it was intended to be taken in jest – hence the 😛 (ie – my tongue poking out of my mouth – indicating mock sincerety)

My 1st comment above still stands.

Wow danman, didn’t expect that from you.

If you are crossing the road and you hear a car approaching at high speed, wouldn’t you possibly have more opportunity to take evasive action if you are sober than if you are under the influence of alcohol?

So… what now – ban drink walking ?

And yet no-one rebuts my arguments.

I really need to stop giving a damn about this town.

Nothing here worth caring about.

Dont let the door hit your arse on the way out.

Kiama will be happy to have 2 blow holes. 😛

I’m afraid you’ve got me all wrong – the website is great. Confirms that there are all sorts on this planet, people who agree with you, and believe it or not people who don’t. People that do disagree with you doesn’t mean that they’re bad people, not even morons, JB. I’m only responding to what I see – and what I see is a lot of accusations with no evidence. Whilst saying we haven’t rebutted your arguments, you certainly haven’t answered a lot of questions yourself.

Takes something else to get readers MRB.

But if you don’t like it I don’t recall holding a gun to your head.

I think the creative quoting captured the strength of your ideas quite nicely.
So are you going to go the inquest or not? Whoops, I forgot I’m not allowed to ask you questions!
At least it’s confirmed one thing – anyone can make a website these days huh!

Wow MRB, that’s a spectacular inability to quote the text before your eyes. Are you that crap in your professional capacity?

And DR, nice to see a broad prejudice in action there, very impressive. Someone goes to a concert at Gorman House and their views are thereby rendered worthless?

Fascinating.

Your arguments? What arguments?

Is this them? “Uhh, the police said the CCTV wasn’t recording, so, you know, that means that they’re hiding something”.
“Uhh, we can’t trust the police because all the CCTV footage was lost. Uhh, what’s that? There is some? Uhhh, OK, but the police are still hiding something though.”

JB, you don’t give a damn about this town, you only give a damn about you BS conspiracies forward. I guess going to the inquest will be of no interest to you as it has to do with facts, not just from the police, but also from the numerous members of the public, and let’s not forget the CCTV! Speculation doesn’t really come into it, so your understanding will be limited.

And yet no-one rebuts my arguments.

I really need to stop giving a damn about this town.

Nothing here worth caring about.

Oh, and I see you hang out at Gorman House Johnboy, that explains a lot.

Johnboy, you are so naive. You do make RiotACT worth reading though. You are its main source of entertainment. Good work son.

I’m definitely not police. Just suggesting you waddle yourself down to the inquest and hear the evidence instead of relying on someone elses legwork.

I can guarantee that there is security footage from both Greater Union and from AFP Headquarters. Both show the same thing.

Again – go to the inquest! If you are serious about this, take along a notepad and a pen, like the other journalists (I’m using that term very, very loosely), take some notes and report back to us tomorrow.

When there are, as the ABC states, dozens of witnesses to the incident it’d be pretty hard for the plods to cover it up, don’t you think? Unless of course, they are corrupt as you’ve suggested in other posts, and they’ve done a dodgy with all of them.

From the CT article:

“Mr Bradfield read from the letter Ms Fryar had sent the family, dated September 1, 2005, which said, “Let me assure you that the coronial process is a transparent one, and although the officers that are assisting me in the investigation of this matter are in fact members of the AFP, they are subject to my direction, and are entirely, organisationally separate from the officers conducting the internal police inquiry into the overall police response, or the officers that are the subject of such inquiry.”

However, the letter had been sent almost one month after AFP officers Detective Sergeant Ian Faulds and Detective Sergeant Darryl Neit had been appointed to conduct the internal investigation, Mr Bradfield said.”

When there are concerns about the police action in the pursuit, and the subsequence investigation, this is hardly re-assuring.

A bunch of police mouthing abuse simply confirms suspicions.

He he he. You’ve become what you obviously despise. How ironic!
How is what the coroner wrote to the family a line of enquiry? The police lawyer objected because it really has nothing to do with how Clea Rose was killed. You really have no idea of how an inquest works do you? How about you leave you’re computer for a couple of hours tomorrow and go and watch it. Go on, I dare ya.

Ahh, nice work.

The AFP are unable to present evidence, and then blame their own incompetence. We are supposed to be reassured.

The coroner lies to the family, and that line of inquiry is shut down by police lawyers.

And suddenly it’s a grievance I have no reason to hold and a quick jab about pyjamas I don’t even own.

A nerve appears to have been touched.

And MRB, you don’t get to frame your questions to me.

Seeing the dismal failure of the AFP to answer questions of any sort I may as well follow that example.

There is also a lot of security footage from AFP Headquarters 20 metres up the road. But you’d have to have attended the inquest to see that – not pontificate in your PJ’s.

Ah, I was wondering when it would become personal.

It’s hard to reason with someone who obviously has a bone with the local plods, and will come up with anything to push their point.

Is the best you can come up with “Greater Union might have had another copy.” Ah yes, and then slipped it into the pocket of some non-police type person, who saw to it that it doesn’t get lost.
You’re a genius. Forgive my moron-ness. BTW, you never answered my last question.

The point, you moron, is that there was no mention to the public that the CCTV was rooted until it was convenient.

That does not engender trust.

It could just be because the AFP is a secretive bunch of arse covering incompetents.

But that too does not engender much confidence.

Why didn’t the police also ‘lose’ this?

Because Greater Union might have had another copy? I don’t know that but you asked for a hypothesis.

So, actually, there was no actual loss of all the CCTV evidence. Your previous comments suggest that the police can’t be trusted because of the loss of ‘all’ the CCTV footage.
Who do you think obtained the CCTV evidence from the Greater Union Cinema and presented it to the coroner? Why didn’t the police also ‘lose’ this?
Do you believe that in fact, the police CCTV was actually recording, but they conveniently lost it? A yes or no will do…

Yes, that was private CCTV, not the stuff we pay the police to record which all turned out to have not been recorded.

JB – “Given the loss of all the CCTV evidence that’s a big ask”, but strangely enough, the ABC report states
“The court also viewed closed circuit television footage shot from inside the Greater Union cinema looking out on to East Row (which turns into Mort Street), which showed the unmarked police car passing five seconds after the stolen Commodore”.

Wow, now that’s a REAL mystery!

JB,
Your comments in the UPDATE to the lead article have hit a chord. Transparency could be accepted if Fryar’s promise had been upheld. Why make this promise initially if there were not some concern that the coronial process could be manipulated?

I have no problem with the AFP, but surely staffing constraints cannot have dictated that the officers carrying the AFP case were the same as the internal investigating officers? This apparent conflict of interest would ordinarily ring alarm bells in any organisation with some concern for it’s public image.

Assuming you trust the police Genie.

Given the loss of all the CCTV evidence that’s a big ask.

Unofortunately when a child dies, a parent needs to know why, and in the case of a death such as this an inquest is a necessary evil particularly if something comes out of it to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Hmm parents need to know why she died.. ? She died coz a car hit her and she sustained fatal injuries, in regards to attempting to prevent it again – you cant stop things like this happening, people are going to continue stealing cars and get caught, whether or not they are 15 or 50.. licenced or unlicenced.. Its just an unfortunate accident, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The police arent at fault for chasing the 15yr old thru the busy street, the driver was! Plain and simple.. Get over it and cancel the inquest.. save us taxpayers some money.

Still, nevertheless it may have played a part in her death.

If you are crossing the road and you hear a car approaching at high speed, wouldn’t you possibly have more opportunity to take evasive action if you are sober than if you are under the influence of alcohol?

I don’t think it would be particularly hard to get to that, if the drink-driving ads are to be believed then an average adult female would be twice the limit after two standard drinks within an hour – eg a single large glass of wine.

She may have been struck from behind, anyway her blood alcohol is irrelevant as she wasn’t driving a vehicle.

Clea’s blood alcohol limit may have played a part in her reactions being so impaired that she would have no chance to avoid being struck.

I wondered if putting it about wasn’t payback to the Rose family for asking questions the police have made very clear they don’t want to answer.

I heard on WIN News that Clea’s blood alcohol reading was twice the legal limit; does anyone know if this is true?

Dunno why they bothered mentioning this…would not have changed the outcome…

I can understand why the parents want an inquest, and I don’t mind them getting one. Of course they can’t just get over it.

Is it possible for the inquest to delve into the release on bail of the manslaughterer, or is it purely related to the car chase itself?

There’s a legal limit to walking in Civic?

I heard on WIN News that Clea’s blood alcohol reading was twice the legal limit; does anyone know if this is true?

And for the record I have lost a family member to an accident not too unlike this one but many years ago interstate.

We never got over it but had to get through it in order to move on.

Point(s) taken. I acknowledge that the majority of p-platers are good drivers.

My main point was in the length of time it takes for these legalities to come about. It just draws the process out and makes it difficult for people to move on.
Unofortunately when a child dies, a parent needs to know why, and in the case of a death such as this an inquest is a necessary evil particularly if something comes out of it to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Very Good – these parents are going to relive the tragedy of their child death for the rest of their lives. That is unavoidable and part of their grief process.
Pandy – parents never “get over” a childs death, but eventually they learn to live with it.
Telling a grieving person who has lost a loved one to get over it is an insult to their loved one’s memory. In effect, they are being told that that loved one didn’t matter, was insignificant. That is unfair!

I don’t want this to sound harsh but I really do wish that Clea’s family would stop with all these inquests, etc, and move on with their lives. Nothing will bring her back.

Heck, events like these sadly happen far too frequently (remembering the tragic smash and resulting fatality in Woden late last year for one) but never do we hear of so many “actions” to supposedly get to the truth. What is so special about this particular case?

Look, if an idiot (an under-aged and unlicensed one at that) steals a car, the public expects the police to apprehend the idiot. This was exactly what the police were doing when sadly Clea got caught in the middle of it. If the police had just let this idiot drive away the public would be jumping up and down saying that they weren’t doing their job. And what sort of message does this send to those idiots out there that think they might break the law? Of course this – we can do what we want because the police won’t do anything.

I am very sorry for Clea’s family but I think it’s time to move on.

I hate to say it too, but crime happens everywhere all the time. This was not an avoidable tragedy. We actually have things pretty good here in little Canberra. So just be grateful that we dont have crime as bad as New York or elsewhere in the US.

Idiot steals car then is involved in a car chase. Unfortunately runs over and kills an innocent bystander.
Well sad to say this sort of thing happens all over the world, its just a fact of life accidents and tragedies happen. Its not like its a daily event people really need to just get over this one and move on.

The parents should get over it and move on.

Indeed. Bans/performance restrictions for P-Platers seem rather irrelevant given:

– The driver of the car was 15.

– The car was stolen anyway

– The car wasn’t a ‘high performance vehicle’ IIRC.

And as far as this goes:

yet only now do we have an inquest where it can be assumed some direction will be given to the punishment for the persons responsible for this tragedy

Er, no. The driver was sentenced 31/1/06
(Cite: http://the-riotact.com/?p=1929 ) .

He’ll likely be free in a few months time.

Wow Jenna. Maybe if the family hadn’t called in favours all round town to get this inquest up and running they wouldn’t have to ‘relive the tragedy’ of her death.

Personally I think that quite a high majority of P-Platers are fine at driving. They drive sensibly and don’t do idiotic things. It’s just a small minority that do idiotic things that make everyone else look bad.

P-Platers?

Leave the poor P-Platers out of it, they’re one group completely and utterly blameless here. These toerags didn’t even have their P-Plates IIRC.

The family of this poor unfortunate young woman will once again have the tragic circumstances of this avoidable death brought up again publicly. Many reasons will be given for this tragedy, but where will the solutions be?

P-platers, young people with nothing to do, criminal behaviour of the young, police chases – all these will become fodder for discussions in the media and forums such as this.

We need to look at how we improve the driving records of p-platers. Do we improve the driving instructions, raise the age, ban high performance vehicles.

As for the criminal behaviour of some of these young people – do we blame the parents, school system, society? Are they like this because parenting has lost the boundary setting lessons of the past, or performed by those too young to be parents? Has society become too caught up in the rights of everyone with none of the responsibility for ones actions.

Another issue is that of young people ( and old, for that matter) who commit crimes. Do they experience the consequences for those actions in a timely. It seems that they do not. A lot of time has elapsed since that terrible night when Clea lost her life and yet only now do we have an inquest where it can be assumed some direction will be given to the punishment for the persons responsible for this tragedy. Not only this event, but it seems the courts are so clogged that no defendant is guaranteed a speedy trial, and the victims – well, do they ever get justice?