Courts have a lot to answer for
There is no magic bullet to save women from a sociopath partner but there is a lot we can do to reduce the danger. As an ex-policeman, the number of times I dealt with domestic violence charges was enormous, I regularly opposed bail on repeat dangerous offenders only to have them bailed at court even if I argued at bail hearings about the dangers they posed. AVOs are supposed to help protect vulnerable women but today there are so many AVOs handed out it's hard to keep track. An AVO because your neighbour stared at you, they parked in front of your house etc. Get rid of the rubbish AVOs and concentrate them on women who need them and then enforce them. None of the "oh I will give you another chance" for the 10th time. I can understand some people make a mistake, okay, but not 6, 8, 10 times. The courts have this attitude that the offender comes first, well change it and start refusing bail for people who cannot abide by the order. A week or two in jail for breaching an AVO will change some people's mindset and if it doesn't, stay longer in jail. If they are made to comply with an AVO the spouse is safer. The number of times I have seen women beaten by spouses on bail for breaching AVOs is enormous. The courts bear a great deal of the blame for our current situation.
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Breck Scott-Young, East Albury
Traffic controllers deserve respect
I'm writing to address the issues our traffic controllers are facing. My partner is a traffic controller, on a daily basis he receives verbal abuse from civilians because they don't want to follow the road traffic signs. People try to run stop bats and road closure signs. These things can result in accidents and can endanger traffic controllers, the road workers and other civilians. Something needs to be done about this, traffic controllers need to be able to give fines or police need to start stepping up and addressing this issue. People aren't allowed to go into a shop and abuse the workers in that shop so why are people allowed to come on to a work site and abuse the workers? Traffic control is there to protect the workers that are doing road work and the civilians.
Catherine Oats, Wodonga
Thanks for Anzac Day support
The City of Albury RSL sub-Branch wishes to sincerely thank the Albury community for commemorating Anzac Day by either attending the services at the Albury War Memorial, watching the march along Dean Street or by buying a poppy or badge from a member of the Defence Force leading up to Anzac Day. Please continue to support our veterans. Lest We Forget.
Graham Docksey, President, City of Albury RSL sub-Branch
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