Ahh..common sense and compassion reigns for Kurtis Haiu.

The Auckland NPC and Blues lock diagnosed with a rare cancer earlier this year has walked free without convictions from the Pukekohe District Court. Kurtis fell under the spell of 'property developer, financier' Glenn Cooper and lost between 4 to 5 hundred thousand dollars. Glenn Cooper weaseled himself into the Mangere Cook Island community through the Church with promises of good returns on property investment.

The good people naive though they might have been, brought the story, took mortgages against their properties, borrowed and raised money to buy properties in Taupo on which there were 'agreements' of some sort to cover their money, by guaranteed 'buy back' options along with profits insuring the safety of their investments. So this small part of our community inadvertently fell in beside thousands of other nzers taken in by similar schemes, not knowing that the properties they brought had inflated prices and were immediately on sold to allow Cooper's wallet to thicken.

Kurtis called on Glenn Cooper punching him a couple of times and was arrested and charged. At the previous hearing of this case Glenn Cooper made the incongruous statement that he wanted Kurtis punished but didn't want him convicted. That was in a victim's report. Yes, Cooper who now faces fraud charges, proposed to have a say in what should happen to the man he stole money from and whom retaliated.

There was a lot at stake for Kurtis, a young man with a family and already battling cancer that has at least in the meantime has curtailed his rugby career. Everything he had worked toward with his rugby career appears to have been gone although the he has vowed to recover that money (if it still exists) through the civil courts. Yesterday he was discharged without conviction, leaving the opportunity that he may yet be able to travel overseas to play rugby if he beats the biggest opponent of all - cancer.

I'm grateful to see Judge Gerard Winter's ruling on this matter because of not only what it represents to Kurtis and his family, the Cook Island Community at large, but more so  that the practicalities of modern life allow that somebody might want to punch on the nose a thief and not be punished for it. In the meantime all the best to Kurtis and his family, my best wishes most of all for his return to good health not only because he is a great rugby player but because I'm sure many others stung in such schemes with take quiet pleasure that despite the odds Kurtis bit back.

More from planet McVicar...

From the same 'press release.'

...'Mr. McVicar also took a swipe at Green M P Keith Locke and Mana's Annette Sykes who said Tasers were being used disproportionately on Maori and Pacific Islanders.'
"Mr. Locke and Ms. Sykes seem to conveniently overlook the fact that a corresponding 'disproportionate' number of Maori and Pacific Islanders are also committing the crime."
"Rather than blame the police, Mr. Locke and Ms. Sykes would be well-advised to have a look at their own ideology. The welfare state championed by the Greens and Mana Parties has created a festering resentment from those trapped by that mentality"
"The festering resentment and anger created by the "I want" welfare mentality is largely responsible for the violence the Police are confronted with."
"The feral environment the police face today has nothing to do with Tasers whatsoever."
"Dangerous mental health patients and volatile Maori or Pacific Islanders are not a Police creation. It is unfair and dishonest to try and make them the fall-guys."
"The Police job is to protect the public, not play nurse-maid to miss-fits and dead-beats created by badly mistaken social policies."
 
Poor old Garth he thinks the Green and Mana parties are responsible for the welfare state that superseded their own parties by over 70 years. Good arithmetic Garthy, you might get out of the dunces corner by christmas. But I can see his point, he may as well take a swipe everybody because it might relieve the pain of his haemorrhoid's. He must feel so frustrated being outed as a crook and having his henchmen wiped out of politics like a bad smell in the face of an air freshener.
 
He even borrows the word 'feral' from his mate Michael. He'll probably give him a call in the morning and ask Michael what he thought of the press release, point out that he's 'available' for a interview. So saucy.
 
Garth McVicar has nothing of substance to say, he's undermined by the fact that his most useful tool of trade, fear and anger, are spent commodities. He doesn't realise that people don't want walls built within our society, they want to be uplifted and realise what might have been the original kiwi dream - to give people a go, put a hand out to them, share respect, touch one another on the shoulder during difficult times and never to judge by race or colour, or choose something apparently unpopular to off load against with the sole intention of your own benefit. Bad luck Garth, you suck.

What planet is McVicar on?

'Dangerous mental health patients and volatile Maori or Pacific Islanders are not a Police creation. It is unfair and dishonest to try and make them the fall-guys
For Immediate Release:
Don't blame Police or Tasers for social failings says Watchdog
The Sensible Sentencing Trust says organizations and individuals critical of Police use of Tasers should look in the mirror before laying blame.
Trust Spokesman Garth McVicar was commenting after the Mental Health Foundation called for a formal review of police use of Tasers after figures released this week showed four out of 10 of those tasered in the past year were experiencing mental health problems.
But police say their use of force - including Tasers - against those suffering mental health problems is a symptom of a wider problem of how people with mental health issues are dealt with.'

He's trying to pretend he has something to say by way of reply, 'Dangerous mental health patients and volatile Maori or Pacific Islanders are not a Police creation.' Problem is that nobody has said they are. The issue that was raised is that 40% of those tasered in the last year were experiencing mental health problems and certainly not a suggestion that such illness was created by police.

Here McVicar shows how he goes for the low blow, instead of addressing with sound comment an issue that is of public concern, the treatment of the mentally unwell, he 'changes' the focus to safe ground for him -  support of the police. He sidetracks the debate to a issue of police operations when in fact the issue is of how we are dealing with the mentally unwell. He dresses this up with some accompanying issue of hysteria (bogey men) 'volatile Maori or Pacific Islanders.' His is the language of division. He cannot distinguish in his general myopia the difference between a person suffering illness or one deliberately breaking the law. He says correctly that the problem is not a police creation despite no one claiming that it is, using that to whitewash the real issue that dealing with the mentally unwell, unfairly or inappropriately (tasered) is a step backwards for many reasons but for one most relevant, using a more appropriate analogy that McVicars - the mentally unwell 'don't create' their own illness.

In a just society any group dissolved of compassion or humanity is a humiliation of the entire society, a step backwards. McVicar, sensing a foothold, begins a list - the mentally unwell, volatile Maori or Pacific Islanders and leaves the rest of us to wonder who else would be on the list if this idiot was emboldened enough to speak truthfully from his own, bigoted, frightened mind. The man is divisive. The man would lead others into beliefs that certain auto crash victims shouldn't be helped, that 'classes' of society should be punished for being poor, lacking in education or hope.

McVicar uses his crutch, he trys to frighten others into his conformity, to his own mind he 'champions' victims when in reality he doesn't speak for all victims he speaks for himself and his own ambitions - his is an unreasonable voice in times when reason is most needed. If there is anything to thankful for is that McVicar shot himself in the foot and those politicians mindful of the ease with which some members of the public are influenced by law and order issues, no longer take his calls, probably quietly take pleasure that McVicar destroyed his own credibility and that of his organisation by being a crook, and selective of other crooks in maintaining secrecy, whilst making accusations against others.

Kent Parker - the rambling diatribe of a self-righteous nutter.

As we ponder if the idiot Parker has finally got a defence together on his hundreds of defamation charges he presents this crap to show how crazy he is - who needed to know?

The counterspin website has been created in conjunction with the Justice For Robin Bain Group which consists of about 40 active members and 600 passive members. The aims of this group are as follows:
To exonerate Robin Bain by revealing the true nature of the campaign against him by promoting the counterspin website and defending against Joe Karam's defamation claims.
To prevent compensation being paid out to David Bain for "false imprisonment".
To prevent any further exploitation of the Bain case in the media and allow the Bain family to rest in peace.
David Bain now has his not guilty verdict. We wish him well and think that he should be allowed to get on with his life and make a contribution back to society.

The idiot thinks the law provides remedy for the allegedly defamed dead. Well, the law doesn't Kent. Wake up. If you are going to have an aim make it realistic pea brain, like getting to the toilet in the High Court without crapping yourself. However what the law does provide is Trial by Jury for those accused of crimes. The man you now wish well, had 2 such trials, in the first evidence was withheld that showed clearly enough that the investigation hadn't been proper and thorough, a target was picked - then evidence 'found' that suited and that which did not was ignored, and in some cases destroyed. It was plain enough for a Privy Council decision that there had been 'an actual miscarriage of justice' and a re-trial was ordered. He claims that the defamation case is the chance for him to 'defend' the Bain name and highlight the aims of the hate-siters, when in all reality the idiot never thought he would be sued and in moments of weakness has portrayed his real fear and having to defend his filth in public.

25 Police spent 2 years preparing for the re-trial. People such as Kent and those few in his dirty club went to work with rumour telling lies about the evidence, suggesting there had been confessions and all manner of things that would prejudice a fair trial. That's what Kent Parker and his dog mates did on the pretence of defending a man they never knew. But despite those efforts a jury returned a not guilty verdict 5 times in record time and David walked free.

At that point Parker and Purkiss (also charged with defamation) mounted a public smear campaign against Bain and his chief supporter Joe Karam. They made threats, published a bunch of lies in advertisements before the papers turned away from them. Meanwhile their 40 members (it was once hundreds if you can believe them) went stalking and threatening who ever they could they felt might jeopardise their plans to harass Karam and others, deliberately and criminally harass them.

Which arrives at the 2nd 'aim' of the depleted morons to prevent David being paid compensation. They're such idiots and continue to be that they don't recognise what due process is, they think they can interfere with it and that is why so many of them are now in Court.

The 3rd aim to prevent exploitation of the Bain case and to allow the family to rest in peace. I guess suckers are born all the time - but Parker continues to use the Bain name and uses it on his websites. He is the prime exploiter of the Bain case and the Bain name. He keeps it alive, more so now because the burbling idiot has the name re-entered into the Court system for a case that was never any of his business anyway and which he was always, like his twisted sister mates, incapable of understanding. This dirty piece of work is even shown in print to have encouraged his supporters to multi-vote in polls. He's a cheat and a liar. He cares nothing for anybody but himself and if he was to be believed he would be supping with kings now and be the leader of his own political party when in fact he's in 'last chance' saloon having not been able to understand the defamation charges against himself let alone a simple murder/suicide.

Perhaps most disgustingly of all he wishes David Bain well, while at the same time has a hate-site filled with hate and lies about David Bain. The man is a 24 hr spinner with no idea how transparent he is.

What has he achieved? 100s of charges against himself, being on the doorstep of bankruptcy, made himself a figure of mirth and ridicule constantly changing his position in an attempt to continue to mislead others and elevate himself in some way. And what does he have,? At least a feeling of what he has done to David Bain, because now he must frequent the Courts where he claimed he would never spend a minute with Joe Karam. And what does he have ahead? More of the same, more than he can handle. I doubt any of the Bain family approve of what he's done, stealing there name as an easy way to get cyber-space recognition for himself. And what has he achieved, ridicule, complete ridicule. Because people understand that if you have a proper cause, you never, never, never, break the law, abuse the trust of others, use without consent the name of others, try to utilise advantages for yourself. If you have the truth, you need never lie, promote lies, encourage others to lie because the truth is what will win through - perhaps that was the lesson for Kent to take from David Bain.

And as for wishing David well, how disgusting. Parker co-operated in publishing false confessions, putting abroad false stories about the jury and witnesses, encouraging biased radio and tv shows. He did everything a dishonest, hateful man would do and more. He need not worry about David, he need worry about what he owes this society for all the harm he has done.

Incidentally, up yours Kent.

Is the SAS being politicised?

The Prime Minister John Key has stated that the SAS corps remain in Afghanistan, in part, because they want to. I recall that he made that statement at least once this year. Whether John Key appreciates what he has said or not, he has intimated that the NZ armed forces play a role in political decisions when that can never be the case. NZ is a democracy and what any part of the armed forces 'want' to do isn't on the same page. No soldier I know, believes he carries more than the responsibility to serve his country, no matter what he might want else to do.

I wonder when it was that John Key chatted with the SAS about what they wanted to do, or when he could even think that political policy was in part played by the military. There is something wrong here. After those comments by the Prime Minister I recall a recent announcement that the elite force, SAS, was to be made a preference for new recruits that they could flag on their entry into the armed services - all chummy chummy like the road ahead was flag posted in some comfortable, convenient way.

In the last week SAS Corporal Doug Grant was killed while on a rescue mission in Kabul. He was shot and killed by what, according to released photos, was a gunfire from his right, unprotected flank. Something doesn't ring true about that, something operational is amiss - that he should be covering others in a vulnerable position to fire and not being covered himself. Of course the SAS, we are led to believe, is in a training role in Afghanistan despite the fact that we know they have featured in firefights and covert operations for many years. Today the 'Scotsman' newspaper makes the claim that the SAS were delayed by up to 4 hours on their mission to rescue hostages by conflict between Police and local military as to who was in charge.

If that is true and there was a delay, and confusion about who was in control, could explain why Corporal Doug Grant's right flank was left exposed while he performed other operations from a vulnerable to fire position. It could also mean that the SAS are being compromised by political ambition of government. There is little doubt that SAS and all troops serving overseas are part of a larger political plan. However, this revelation is very raw, in part it declares that the SAS are involved in operations over which they have no direct control as they risk their lives, and that therefore they're put to risk because of political designs.

Halatau Naitoko - Crusher Collins gets it wrong.

The Coroner's report into the death of 17 year old courier driver at the hands of a Police Armed Offenders Squad Member was released yesterday by Coroner Gordon Matenga. Matenga ruled that the killing was accidental but however drew attention to the fractured leadership control of the operation, the failure of 2 officers to establish a clear line of fire before shooting and what could probably be called inherent failure in systems of restraint, calmness and cool thinking by AOS members. Anybody watching footage of the aftermath would have seen many members of the police on the motorway that day speaking on phones at the same time - a clear indication that there was not one system of control, and that several different policing groups were being controlled independently of one another. That is a notable logistic failure.

A consequence of that failure is that it likely led to a competitiveness of sorts and stress between the conflicting groups of police and their controllers. There is no place in dangerous situations for multiple control and one would assume that priority of command directives were standing orders, but apparently we see here they are not. There should have been no competition or uncertainty that from the moment AOS were involved they were in control and all other policing units were in support, immediately that would have defused misconceptions of what role all police involved were to play. Instead it seems it was an 'all go' situation attended by the inevitable disorganisation that goes with people unaware of where the lines are drawn.

Many police commentators have spoken about the obvious difficulties of dealing with a mobile offender, agreed, and more the reason that those in control should have recognised those difficulties as this tragedy unfolded and made clear orders that the AOS led the situation and other policing units were in a supporting and containing role. What is most disconcerting is that the basics of 'clear lines of fire' were not appreciated by members of the AOS, in fact one had 'no recollection' of firing the fatal shot.

Assistant Commissioner Allan Boreham issued a statement that police 'deeply and sincerely regret' the accidental shooting and that 'it was right for that police power to use firearms be publicly scrutinised.' Fairly hard to disagree with the good sense of those comments, or with the findings of Coroner Matenga. Of course Police Association president Greg O'Conner was at odds with that, as he seems to be with rank and file police in these changing times. But the Ministers comments were the most odd of all, she claimed that the blame laid with the escaping offender and no doubt she doesn't have the courage or comprehension to follow what Boreham and Matenga in particular have said. The Minister wants the public to believe that a poorly organised pursuit under multiple, un synchronised control, which included personnel that were bereft of basic firearm safety usage, did not lead to the death of Halatau, that his death was solely the result of an armed, drugged up offender and unfortunate members of the public taken by surprise going about their lawful business finding them self in 'the line of fire' not sacrosanct to all members of AOS.

The Naitoko family have already filed a civil claim for damages and the Coroner's report strengthens that. Allan Boreham has made the frank acknowledgement of what the public expectation is when police use firearms, Gordon Matenga has reproduced the footprints, disordered by lack of control, that were part of this tragedy. Minister Judith Collins has shown she can duck walk. I hope the Naitoko family can settle quickly with the Government over this, there is every legitimate reason why they should despite the Minister being so out of touch that she cannot appreciate that poor organisation and practices by the police in some very difficult situations are not simply the fault of an offender.

Kent Parker - thick as a brick.

Old Kent is flat out on his 3rd attempt at finding a defence on the defamation charges he faces. He thinks 'just quietly,' as he puts it, that having his 2nd defence rejected was a victory because it left parts of his argument 'intact'. Poor stupid Kent doesn't realise that if he has no defence no weight is given to any other of his pleadings, like a horse race where a horse is disqualified, there is no solace for the owners or punters, that although the horse was disqualified it didn't fall over in the way Kent surely will.

Even after a year Kent still can't comprehend the charges he faces are both removed from the Bain case and Joe Karam. Kent wants the Bain case retried by way of his High Court defamation charges, additionally he wants to compare what he has allegedly done with what he feels Joe Karam has done. Kent is really a 3 year old in a sandpit, pointing the finger at somebody else for tipping sand all over himself and some of his playmates. He is a certifiable nutter. He says he is no longer afraid to go to Court which is an admission that he's been crapping himself for a year and permanently wearing diapers. I still recall his declaration that he wasn't going to spend a minute in Court with Joe Karam. He was right about that, to this point Joe hasn't even needed to attend because he would have little satisfaction in watching a moron shoot himself in the foot.

But Kent attests to being a veteran now, swimming around in his own crap for a year has emboldened him and one day he hopes to get a job swimming around in the Mangere sewerage ponds. He'll fit right in. Meanwhile one of his latest hopes is that he will tell the Court that dear old daddy didn't wash his hands because he still had blood on them. Way to go Kenty, just before you get shovelled out the doors of the High Court demand to have your fingernails swabbed to show that you haven't been using toilet paper for years - that could help out with your psychiatric report as to why you shouldn't be bankrupted.