Police Journal February 2020

FEBRUARY 2020

Torn almost limb from limb “I remember him just flinging the screen door open and just holding it for that dog to run out.”

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Equipped with

Equipt is a free health and well-being app produced with the joint support of the Police Association and SAPOL. It is specifically for current and former sworn police officers, police employees and their families.

The app was designed with input from association members and leading health professionals to help strengthen your physical, emotional and social well-being.

It also puts you in touch with help and support if and when you need it.

EQUIPT IS AVAILABLE ON THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE FOR ANDROID USERS AND THE APP STORE FOR IPHONE USERS

BIG SAVINGS! Police Association Members’ Buying Guide Facebook Group

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By joining the group, you will be the first to know about seasonal and exclusive specials, specifically designed to save you money.

See the full list of offers on the Members’ Buying Guide on PASAweb (pasa.asn.au) or the Police Association app.

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The Police Association has created a new Facebook group to advise you more effectively and efficiently of savings and special offers for you and your family.

This is a closed group for members only.

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POLICE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

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Cop-specific super benefits too good to ignore

E EDITOR

The risks and threats that cops face on the street come in more than just the human form. In some situations, animals have the capacity to do significant harm, and some of the worst of them are the large, trained-to-be-savage dogs.

Many are unfortunate to belong to criminals.

Australian Federal Police officer Carla Duncan became the victim of a pit bull that tore into her flesh so ferociously that muscle came apart from bone.

Were it not for the actions of her colleagues and a bystander she might not have survived the attack.

She tells us what sparked the creature to strike, and how tough she found it to recover and return to work. Of course, the guilty party in all of this was the owner of the dog, whose conduct during and after the attack appalled every observer.

New Zealand Police Association president Chris Cahill sat down with the Police Journal in Canberra recently to speak about the Christchurch mosque shootings. And the great value of his observations was that he made them at ground zero over several days.

Dr Rod Pearce explains the health impact of hardening of the arteries and exactly how cholesterol, smoking and diabetes make the condition worse.

Police Association president Mark Carroll wants members to get the best out of their superannuation and so encourages them to consider a salary-sacrifice option.

Brett Williams brettwilliams@pj.asn.au

Opinion 25

Charge of the “right” brigade Industrial 26

Danger in 25km emergency-service speed zone / The right of expungement Health 29

Never let those arteries harden Motoring 30

Nissan Qashqai ST+ / Toyota RAV4 Superannuation 32

Separating?

What about super?

Banking 33

The dream of home ownership Legal 35

Protect your assets after separation Publisher: Police Association of South Australia Level 2, 27 Carrington St, Adelaide SA 5000 T (08) 8212 3055 F (08) 8212 2002 www.pasa.asn.au Editor: Brett Williams (08) 8212 3055 Design: Sam Kleidon 0417 839 300 Advertising: Police Association of South Australia (08) 8212 3055 Printing: Finsbury Green (08) 8234 8000 The Police Journal is published by the Police Association of South Australia, 27 Carrington St, Adelaide, SA 5000, (ABN 73 802 822 770). Contents of the Police Journal are subject to copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the Police Association of South Australia is prohibited. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor. The Police Association accepts no responsibility for statements made by advertisers. Editorial contributions should be sent to the editor (brettwilliams@pj.asn.au).

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Entertainment 36 Wine 41 The Last Shift 44 25 years on 46

12 February 2020

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12 Torn almost limb from limb Hospitalized and out of action for months after a pit bull attacked her on duty, Constable Carla Duncan still wants to work with dogs.

20 Christchurch – the terror The Christchurch mosque shootings came with a massive impact on first-response cops, as New Zealand Police Association president Chris Cahill found out.

COVER: Australian Federal Police constable Carla Duncan.

Photography by Steve McCawley.

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INDUSTRIAL Andrew Heffernan Member Liaison Officer

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Nadia Goslino Grievance Officer

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COMMITTEE Steven Whetton Member Liaison Officer

Michael Kent Treasurer

Allan Cannon Vice-President

Police Journal

Bernadette Zimmermann Secretary

Police Association of South Australia Level 2, 27 Carrington St, Adelaide SA 5000 www.pasa.asn.au

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Mark Carroll President

P: (08) 8212 3055 (all hours) F: (08) 8212 2002 Membership enquiries: (08) 8112 7988

Trevor Milne Deputy President

POLICE JOURNAL

MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS

EXECUTIVE SECRETARIES

Brett Williams Editor

Nicholas Damiani

Anne Hehner

Sarah Stephens

FINANCE Jan Welsby

Tegan Clifford Assistant Finance Officer

Wendy Kellett Finance Officer

OFFICE Shelley Furbow Reception

Caitlin Brown Executive Assistant

POLICE CLUB Bronwyn Hunter Manager

COMMITTEE Daryl Mundy

Mick Casey

Chris Walkley

Samantha Strange

Julian Snowden

Brett Gibbons

REPRESENTATIVES Superannuation Police Dependants Fund Leave Bank Housing

Bernadette Zimmermann Bernadette Zimmermann Andrew Heffernan Andrew Heffernan

Commissioner’s Office Health Safety & Welfare Advisory Committee Steven Whetton Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Intersex members

Nadia Goslino and Andrew Heffernan February 2020

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DELEGATES & WORKPLACE REPRESENTATIVES Metro North Branch

Metro South Branch continued

Gawler

David Savage

South Coast

Golden Grove

Stuart Smith

South Coast

Phillip Jeffery

Northern Prosecution

Tim Pfeiffer

Southern Prosecution

Sallie McArdell

Northern Traffic

Michael Tuohy

Southern Traffic

Heath Suskin

Parks

Tim King

Sturt

David Handberg

Port Adelaide

Paula Hammond

Salisbury

Tanya Leonard

Country South Branch Adelaide Hills

Joe McDonald

Country North Branch

Berri

John Gardner

Ceduna

Chris Lovell

Millicent

Nicholas Patterson

Coober Pedy

Glenn Batty

Mount Gambier

Stephanie Rickard

Kadina

Gavin Moore

Murray Bridge

Stephen Angove

Nuriootpa

John Tonkin

Naracoorte

Grant Baker

Peterborough

Nathan Paskett

Renmark

James Bentley

Port Augusta

Peter Hore

Port Pirie

Gavin Mildrum

Operations Support Branch

Whyalla

Les Johnston

Dog Ops

Bryan Whitehorn (chair)

Academy

Paul Manns

Academy

Darren Curtis

Alex Grimaldi

ACB

Tania Sheldon

Leonie Schulz

Band

Andrew Ey

Elizabeth

Mark Shaw

Comcen

Brenton Kirk

Forensic Services

Adam Gates

Comcen

Allan Dalgleish

Fraud

Sam Agostino

HR

Kerry Rouse

Intelligence Support

Kevin Hunt

STAR

Andrew Suter

Major Crime

Alex McLean

State Tac/ Op Mandrake Mark Buckingham

Port Adelaide

Scott Mitchell

Traffic

David Kuchenmeister

South Coast

Sasha Leitch

Officers Branch

Les Buckley

Women’s Branch

Kayt Howe (chair) (no delegates)

ATSI Branch

Brendan White (chair) (no delegates)

Crime Command Branch Adelaide DOCIB

Metro South Branch Adelaide

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Andrew Bradley

James Cochrane

Netley

Paul Clark

Norwood

Rebecca Phillis

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Got something to say?

Got a comment about a story you’ve read? Do you have strong views on a police issue?

Is there someone you want to acknowledge? Know of an upcoming social or sports event? Whatever the subject, put it in a letter to the editor.

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Group Life Insurance Beneficiary Nomination Forms

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Regular mail Police Journal, PO Box 6032, Halifax St, Adelaide SA 5000 Email editor@pasa.asn.au Fax (08) 8212 2002 Internal dispatch Police Journal 168

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Owing to a Supreme Court decision, the Police Association no longer uses the GLI beneficiary forms. Existing forms held at the association have been destroyed.

Now, in the case of the death of a member, the GLI benefit (currently $300,000) will be paid to his or her estate.

Accordingly, the association’s strong advice is that you ensure that your estate is well-administered. This is best achieved by having a valid will.

Tindall Gask Bentley Lawyers provides a free legal advice service to Police Association members and their families, and retired members. To make an appointment to receive free preliminary legal advice covering all areas of law, particularly families and wills, members should contact the Police Association (08 8212 3055).

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P President

Mark Carroll

Cop-specific super benefits too good to ignore C

ops rarely, if ever, think about superannuation in the first half of their careers. For many young, and some older, Australians, it’s a case of “out of sight, out of mind” when it comes to their retirement funds.

And, in any case, most of us cannot, by law, access our funds until we are between 50 and 60 years old.

It’s easy to keep those thoughts of superannuation to the back of the mind, or just to ignore them.

Retirement for most workers seems so far into the future.

But it is such an important asset, which all cops should have the best possible grasp of, sooner rather than later. The nature of police work, along with the toll it takes on cops’ minds and bodies, makes it even more critical to prepare for a comfortable retirement.

To that end, every Police Association member should be aware of the 10

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The association lobbied the former Labor state government for these changes.

Of concern now, however, is that too few members are capitalizing on the option to change their contributions.

police-specific tax benefits on which they are able to capitalize.

Triple S police officers have to pay – unlike most other members of the workforce – a compulsory, after-tax super contribution of 4.5 per cent (in addition to their employer’s contribution).

But this is a proposition much more attractive to members as a result of legislative change which association action brought about in 2015.

Now, the option for police officers under the Triple S (including former Lump Sum Scheme members) is to have their compulsory contribution paid as a salary sacrifice (pre-tax), at 5.3 per cent of their superannuation salary.

The association lobbied the former Labor state government for these changes. Of concern now, however, is that too few members are capitalizing on the option to change their contributions.

In fact, up to half of association members have not taken the option to make their compulsory contribution as a salary sacrifice.

Failing to make this small change could, in the long run, cost members significantly in retirement.

Of course, it is entirely up to each individual member whether he or she wishes to take this option. But all members should be aware that it is available and seek financial advice from a licensed financial planner.

Also available to members is the free upcoming Super SA seminar.

It is scheduled for Wednesday, March 25 in Fenwick Function Centre on the first floor of the Police Association building.

Staff from Super SA will be on deck to answer any member questions between 12 noon and 4:30pm.

Now is the time for all members to discuss and seriously consider their retirement.

Members can download all of the associated fact sheets and forms at the Super SA website (www.supersa.sa.gov.au).

Former Police Lump Sum Scheme members will need to make salary sacrifice contributions at a higher rate if they want to maintain eligibility for the Guaranteed Minimum Retirement Benefit.

Former Police Lump Sum Scheme members should confirm with Super SA the rate they must contribute.

Members involved in this crisis … might well require ongoing assistance.

So we will continue to ensure that they have ready access to welfare assistance through both the association and SAPOL.

Bushfire crisis All emergency services around the country have responded to the ongoing national bushfire crisis with exceptional courage and professionalism.

Police Association members are no exception.

The fires that have ravaged parts of our nation for the last several months have demanded the best of our members’ skills and abilities in some of the most extreme conditions we’ve ever seen.

Members have done what they always do in dire circumstances: act to protect the community, often at risk to their own personal safety.

Even though we understand the realities of our work, it is difficult to comprehend the magnitude of the personal losses Australians have suffered in this tragedy.

The collective heart of the association goes out to all affected Australians.

This organization understands the heartache because some of its own members have fallen victim to the fires.

We have been assisting several association members who live in bushfire-hit areas. The fires have cost them not only their properties (homes and businesses) but also precious, irreplaceable family possessions.

Members involved in this crisis – either personally or professionally – might well require ongoing assistance.

So we will continue to ensure that they have ready access to welfare assistance through both the association and SAPOL. Both organizations are working together to ensure this support is readily available.

February 2020

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Torn almost limb from limb Lacerated, traumatized and in hospital was never how Constable Carla Duncan should have ended her shift. But she did, and the

By Brett Williams

thieving criminal responsible for it has had to pay a price.

THERE were no Panavision cameras rolling but it could have been a classic tear-jerker movie scene. A savage but forlorn pit bull sits isolated on death row in a Canberra dog pound. He has committed the ultimate offence by attacking a human. Indeed, a police officer.

Finally, after 12 months, the time comes to put him to sleep. Despite his crime, an attractive young woman decides not to let him go to his death without some human warmth.

He receives the destruction drug, and she holds his head in her sympathetic arms as he fades away.

The woman was Australian Federal Police constable Carla Duncan. And it was she who Buddy the pit bull had mauled at the behest of his criminal owner.

The growling dog, with his bite force of more than 100kg, wreaked his savagery on her for around 100 seconds.

With one bite of her right calf, he ripped the muscle from the bone. With other bites, he severed nerves in her hand and left deep puncture wounds in her hip.

Colleagues on the scene could see the white of her exposed tendons and bone.

A surgeon later likened the crushing the dog had inflicted on her calf to that of a shark bite.

And after the attack came extreme physical pain, mental anguish, hallucinations, operations, a long, gruelling recovery, and a courtroom sequel. It was a brutal experience for a cop who had graduated from the AFP College only 15 months earlier.

But, regardless of all she had suffered on and after July 1, 2018, Duncan still wanted time with that dog.

“I was petrified,” she says, “but I just wanted to see a different vision of him in my head, and I just wanted to touch him.

Then, when I saw him, I said to myself: ‘He’s a f--king big dog!’

“Anyway, they were going to put him down, and the vet said: ‘Does she (Carla) want to come in and see him while he’s sedated?’

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Left: Buddy the pit bull on death row.

“He’d bitten people because he was scared all the time. It was sad because it just didn’t have to happen.”

“I went in and was patting him, but I was still scared of him, even though he was on the ground and calm. It was nice to touch him.

“It’s so weird but I think it was a conquering of fear. Seeing the dog was really good for my recovery.”

Finally poised to put the dog down, the vet asked Duncan if she was comfortable remaining in the room. She did remain and held the dog as he died. His death left her “wailing”.

“It wasn’t his fault,” she insists. “The poor dog didn’t have the nicest life and he was just doing what was natural to him.

“And I felt bad that he spent his last 12 months in a one-metre by two-metre Perspex cage. He’d bitten people because he was scared all the time. It was sad because it (the attack on me) just didn’t have to happen.”

And it never would have happened had Matthew Millard, who owned the pit bull, 14

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not acted with blatant malice. A serial offender well known to police, he began by stealing a mobility scooter from a shopping centre in the Canberra suburb of Weston.

The vehicle belonged to a disabled woman who had ridden it to the Cooleman Court Shopping Centre. After meeting up with a care worker for coffee, she returned to where she had left her scooter and found it missing.

The theft wound up reported to police, so the AFP communications centre sent Duncan and her partner, Senior Constable Ben Owens, to deal with it.

Along with Detective Sergeant Ivan Naspe, the general-duties cops attended the shopping centre and found a witness who told them he saw Millard take the scooter.

According to checks the officers ran on Millard, he had “heaps of alerts” and a “massive criminal history”. So, now that he was a suspect, Duncan and her colleagues headed straight for the nearby suburb of Rivett, where Millard lived in public housing.

Although at home, he did not respond to the officers’ many knocks on the door of his unit. So, after what seemed like “ages”, Duncan tried knocking on the door of neighbour Stephen Oliver, who did respond and whom she asked about Millard.

He told her that Millard was indeed at home and had the scooter inside his unit.

That made two scooters, as Naspe had spotted a silver one on his back patio.

Before Duncan wound up the conversation with Oliver, he gave her some good advice. “Mind that dog,” he insisted.

“Just mind that dog of his. He’s a bit of a savage.”

The plan was to get Millard outside, speak with him about the scooter theft, digitally record the conversation, and take whatever action became necessary.

During around six more minutes of doorknocking, Duncan could hear rustling and the dog intermittently barking.

“I remember looking through the curtains,” she says. “I could see the dog’s legs, but I couldn’t really tell the size of (the dog). He just had a really deep bark.

“I stood back and put my gloves on and just got prepared. I even had my OC spray out already. I obviously knew there was the potential for (the attack).”

MILLARD eventually opened his inner front door and Owens began speaking with him. Through the closed outer screen door, Duncan noticed him rustling keys. That prompted her to think: “You’re up to something.”

Owens got to the point at which he asked Millard to step outside to talk some more.

And Duncan, conscious of the risk of attack by the dog, issued a clear instruction.

“I said: ‘Make sure you secure your dog before you come out,’ ” she recalls. “I said it quite sternly a few times: ‘Make sure that dog is secured.’ And he was like: ‘Yeah, yeah.’

I even remember saying to him: ‘Secure it in the bathroom.’ ” Millard then stepped back from the door claiming that he had to fetch another key to unlock the screen. And, to Duncan, who suspected he was simply buying time to figure out what to do with the scooter, he seemed to “take forever”.

After he finally got back to the door, he appeared to draw out the unlocking process.

“Then,” Duncan says, “I remember him just flinging the screen door open and just holding it for that dog to run out.”

And run out he did, as Millard yelled: “Go, go, go.” The growling pit bull charged straight past Naspe, as Duncan shouted to Millard: “Get your dog! Get your dog!”

Within seconds, Owens and Duncan had lost their first battle with the creature.

Each tried to ward him off with bursts of their OC spray directly into his face. It had no effect, other than to make him rage even more intensely, as Naspe fired his Taser into him.

The pit bull then charged toward Owens, whom he jumped at and tried to bite. As Owens raised his hands to fend him off, Duncan ran in to try to distract the frenzied canine, again using her OC spray.

Her distraction strategy worked but the dog then turned on her. He jumped up and, with a bite powerful enough to kill her, took aim at her throat and face.

She managed to keep her head out of his reach but, with a penetrating snap of his jaws, he seized her hand. “My hand was in its mouth!” she exclaims.

And like any pit bull latched on to an opponent in a dogfight, he was not about to let her go. So, Duncan started to strike him in the face with the OC spray cannister in her other hand. In the process, she copped some spray in the face.

“Then,” she says, “I couldn’t see properly, and I was screaming for help. I tried to get

my hand out, but I had to put my other hand in to try to lever its mouth open.

“He was trying to shake me like a dog would do with a rabbit. That’s what he was doing with my hand. And I remember thinking: ‘Stay on your feet. Stay on your feet. Do not fall over.’ ” Ultimately, all Duncan could do to retrieve her hand – despite the risk of losing fingers – was simply to drag it out of the dog’s locked jaw. She took the risk.

“So, I literally just sliced my finger on its teeth,” she recalls. “It severed all the nerves up the finger. And then I still couldn’t see (for the OC spray in my eyes).

“I didn’t feel pain but, when you hear the audio (recording of the attack), I’m screaming as if I am in pain. In my head I was just scared. I just remember being terrified.”

Duncan might have wrenched her bleeding hand free, but the relentless dog pounced again – this time fastening his jaws on her lower leg. And she was still struggling to see.

“It was trying to pull me down, so it ripped my calf (from the bone),” she says.

“Then I hear a firearm go off and that scared me.

“I didn’t know who fired, and part of me was thinking: ‘Millard’s got a gun!’ And the whole time, he’s screaming: ‘Don’t hurt my dog!’ I was screaming: ‘Get your f--king dog off me!’ ” The gunshot, which Naspe had fired, startled the dog into releasing its iron grip on Duncan. Lucky to be free of his jaws for the second time, she started to run toward the screen door of the Millard unit.

Her overwhelming urge was to charge into that unit and “shut myself in there”.

But, as strong as that sense of selfpreservation was, she quickly found reason not to act on it. “Don’t leave your mates,” she thought. “Just stay with them.”

“I just didn’t want to leave them out there in case they got (attacked),” she says.

So, Duncan, who refused to take cover indoors and had “nowhere else to go”, wound up against the front wall of the unit. And, almost immediately, she could see the dog running at her again, primed to continue the attack.

He sunk his teeth back into her leg and tried again to drag her to ground.

“When it kept coming back and was grabbing my leg,” she says, “I was thinking: ‘I just don’t know how much more of this I can take.’ I just felt so desperate.”

“When it kept coming back and was grabbing my leg, I was thinking: ‘I just don’t know how much more of this I can take.’ I just felt so desperate.”

Above and left: the injuries the pit bull caused to Duncan’s hand and calf.

In fact, Duncan would later speak of a kind of out-of-body sensation, as if she had watched herself suffering the attack.

But she mustered the courage to prop herself up against that wall, kick the creature in the face, and “rip my leg out of its mouth”.

Close by was a chair which she grabbed and with which she tried to push the dog back as she stepped away from him. But he charged at her yet again and jumped up at her face.

To protect herself, she twisted her upper body side on to him, but that left her hip exposed and the dog pounced with another lethal bite.

“It was attached to my hip,” she explains, “and that’s when I saw Stephen (the neighbour) through his screen door.

I remember yelling out to him: ‘Can you please help me?! Please help me!’

“He came out and literally grabbed the dog off me and locked it away.”

DUNCAN was now safe but shockingly injured. As Owens rushed toward her, she pulled the knuckle-reinforced leather glove off her left hand and could see the shiny white of her exposed tendons.

“I saw that and, then, I felt the pain,” she says. “It felt like my hand was on fire.

I’d never experienced pain like that in my whole life.

“I remember screaming at my sergeant: ‘You need to get the ambulance here now!’

The pain was just getting worse.”

Descending on the scene now were back-up patrols. Among them was Constable Taran Morgan, who charged in with a first aid kit. As Duncan screamed in pain, he bandaged her hand and tried to calm her.

She pleaded with him to make sure someone stayed with her because she felt she was going to faint.

“I laid down and just started shaking and convulsing,” she says. “I was in shock and I started to feel really dizzy.

“I grabbed my sergeant and said: ‘Just don’t let that dog out,’ because I felt really vulnerable on the ground. I was just worried the dog was going to come at me again.”

The trauma of the attack had clearly gripped Duncan. Her head filled with a mixture of both rational and irrational thoughts. On the one hand, she rightly told herself to calm down.

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“I thought I was being a bit of a sook,” she says.

“I was saying to myself: ‘You’re being a pussy.

F--king man up.’ ”

On the other hand, she wrongly thought she was giving a poor account of herself and repeatedly apologized to her colleagues.

“I thought I was being a bit of a sook,” she says. “I was saying to myself: ‘You’re being a pussy. F--king man up.’ ” An ambulance got to the scene in 13 minutes, which felt to Duncan like the longest wait of her life. And as the ambos were carting her off on a stretcher, a smug Millard shouted: “Sorry, darling.

I’ll have it destroyed. Don’t worry.”

Duncan responded with some justifiably colourful language and then made comment to Naspe that Millard had committed the whole act on purpose.

“No, I didn’t,” Millard replied, despite all the needless suffering he knew he had just caused.

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In the ambulance, on her way to Canberra Hospital with Woden Crime detective Lara Williams, an ambo cut off Duncan’s pants. At that moment, Williams rightly stretched the truth.

“Yeah, you’re good,” she assured Duncan.

Over dinner one night, months later, the truth came out unstretched.

“I said: ‘What did my leg look like then?’ ” Duncan recalls. “And she (Williams) said: ‘I could see your bones and your tendons and your muscle.

I could see everything.’ ” At the hospital, Duncan expected to get a few sutures and leave. She had not yet grasped the extent of her injuries and the need to undergo surgery.

Her stay in hospital stretched out to three days as surgeons operated on her severed ulnar nerve, which runs down

Top left and right: the calf and hand injuries after stitching; above left: puncture marks in Duncan’s hip; above right: the calf wound after it had become necrotic.

the arm and into the hand. And closing the gaping wounds in her hand, calf and left hip took more than 100 stitches.

At one point, Duncan received too strong a dose of anaesthetic and painrelief drug ketamine, which caused her to hallucinate. She believed she could see and hear a dog in the ward and even asked some of her visitors if they had seen or heard it.

But, out of her hallucinogenic state, she drew great comfort from a level of concern she had never experienced.

She woke after surgery to a mound of flowers, and police from all over Canberra kept up a steady flow of visits.

Also supporting her was her fiancé and his mother who the Australian Federal Police Association flew over from Perth to help care for Duncan.

“It was my story and I was going to tell it.

No one else was going to tell it in the same way I was.”

“I thought the car was on fire and I screamed. The airbags had deployed, and the smell was like an electrical fire.”

AFTER her discharge from hospital, Duncan began her recovery at home in a wheelchair and would be off work for six months. It was a case of allowing her wounds to heal and receiving treatment such as hand therapy.

But, on August 1, exactly one month after the attack, another disaster struck.

Colleague and friend Naomi Keenan had picked Duncan up and set out to drive her to a hospital appointment.

At an intersection, however, just down the street from the apartment block in which Duncan was living, the pair wound up T-boned.

“I thought the car was on fire and I screamed,” Duncan says. “The airbags had deployed, and the smell was like an electrical fire.”

On the busy road, Duncan got herself and her mate out of the car, called police

Left: The scene of the T-bone crash Duncan survived on her way to hospital.

communications, and tried to direct traffic.

Some traffic cops responded to the crash and made sure Duncan got to her appointment.

At the hospital, she consulted her surgeon about the way her calf was healing – or not healing. The wound had turned black and “just looked disgusting”.

“Your tissue is dying,” the surgeon told her. “It’s gone necrotic.”

It was critical to get the calf wound clean and healing, so Duncan had to undergo surgery to remove the dead tissue.

She got back to work on light duties in late December 2018 and wound up assisting on some homicide investigations. Although she worked only four-hour days, she suffered extreme tiredness and great frustration.

“I just wanted to do more and just be normal again,” she says. “Looking back, I wasn’t ready. It was so hard.”

AND Duncan was still yet to face the ordeal of the court process. She skipped an early appearance Millard made in the ACT Magistrates Court. There, he revealed the criminality of his character.

After Magistrate Bernadette Boss refused him bail, he called police officers “f--king maggots” and, with his hand, directed a shooting gesture at them.

Among his other atrocities was a pre-sentence interview in which he blamed Duncan for the attack and remarked: “F--k her because she’s a pig.”

But she fronted up to the ACT Supreme Court last April to read her victim impact statement. She had rejected offers from her victim liaison team to read it for her.

“It was my story and I was going to tell it,” she says. “No one else was going to tell it in the same way I was.”

Giving Duncan their full support were around 40 police officers who packed out the public gallery. And it was to them and her fiancé she directed her words, without affording Millard even a glance.

She described him as a coward and spoke of how the attack had threatened to destroy her childhood dreams of life as an operational police officer.

Specifics of the attack, such as the dog charging at her as she propped against the wall, formed part of her statement, too.

“That was the worst moment in my life, against the wall, thinking I was going to die,” she told the court.

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“I hate hearing it.

It just takes me back to that same state I was in (when attacked): shocked, shaking and terrified.”

Almost impossible for Duncan to bear during that sentencing hearing was the audio recording of the attack. It captured her screaming in sheer terror and pain.

Played over and over to the court, it forced her to block her ears as she shook and cried.

“I hate hearing it,” she says. “It’s just awful. I hate the noises on it – the rustling and the growling. It just takes me back to that same state I was in (when attacked): shocked, shaking and terrified.”

But the defence had claimed that Millard had not shouted “go, go, go” at the dog but rather “no, no, no”. So, the court had to hear the recording several times to judge for itself which words Millard had used.

Justice John Burns was satisfied that he had encouraged the attack and would sentence him on May 24.

Duncan went to court that day to see the sentence handed down. Millard had pleaded guilty to stealing the scooter and committing an unlawful act causing grievous bodily harm.

Justice Burns sentenced him to four years and nine months’ jail with a non-parole period of three years and eight months.

Then escorted from the courtroom, Millard yelled “f--king dogs” at police in the public gallery and “f--king bitch” at Duncan specifically.

“I went to stand up,” she says, “and some bosses just held me and sat me down.

They (police in the gallery) all just stood up and stared at him and laughed. I felt really proud to be there with them.”

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Police Journal

“I was in panic mode, and asked: ‘Can I come in to work on light duties?’ Because, once that ball was rolling and I was back at work, I didn’t want to lose that momentum.”

Facing page top: Duncan at the National Police Bravery Award dinner in Canberra last September; below: with her mother, Rae Duncan, after the ceremony in which she received the Federal Police Bravery Award; right and centre: taking part in training exercises in the ACT with the AFP canine team helped Duncan’s recover; below: getting a visit in the gym from a service dog in training for people with PTSD.

DUNCAN does not think of her actions in the attack as particularly courageous, but she received some major recognition. She wound up nominated for the 2019 National Police Bravery Award and received the Australian Federal Police Bravery Medal.

“I was proud,” she says, “but I was almost embarrassed.”

Police Federation of Australia president Mark Carroll considered Duncan an outstanding nominee for the bravery award.

“The point is that Carla was not just courageous under attack,” he says.

“The days, weeks and months that followed demanded equal courage as she underwent surgery, recovered from injuries, and faced the struggle of her return to work.

“Carla has stood up to all of it, and she’s a symbol of the greatness in not only police officers but also their profession. There could be few better examples of how much of themselves cops are prepared to put on the line for their communities.”

Duncan had even more to stand up to last September. After she had attended the National Police Bravery Award dinner in Canberra and returned to Brisbane, she rolled her ankle during a gym workout and tore ligaments.

The injury kept her off work for two weeks.

“And that was frustrating,” she says.

“I was in panic mode, and asked: ‘Can I come in to work on light duties?’

Because, once that ball was rolling and I was back at work, I didn’t want to lose that momentum. It’s so hard coming back.”

Assigned to duty at Brisbane Airport since last September, Cairns-born Duncan, who suffers from PTSD, is now closer to family.

BUT not for a moment since the attack has she ever considered quitting police work. It was the career she wanted right from her early childhood, and she “worked my butt off to get into the AFP”.

And, although she was cautious around dogs after the attack, she has not ditched her dream of working with them in policing.

“That’d bring me a lot of joy,” she says. “How ironic would that be?

It might not happen but I’m in the merit pool.

“It took me a long time to get past the specialist fitness test with my hand and grip strength, but I got through it.

The dream is still there, but I’m open to trying anything.”

One role Duncan finds fulfilling now is that of speaker. In a presentation she delivers to police recruits and others she shares her story, plays the audio recording of the attack, and discusses mental health.

As for Millard, she allows him no place in her thoughts. She knows how easily the whole issue of the stolen mobility scooter could have played out and that no one had to end up hurt or in grief.

“All we wanted to do was just return that scooter to the lady that day,” she says. “That’s all we wanted to do, and it could’ve been such a simple matter.

He (Millard) could have just prevented the whole thing.

“It’s done and dusted for a lot of other people now but, for me, it never will be.” PJ February 2020

19

Facing page top: a police officer stands near the Linwood mosque in Christchurch; below left: police outside a mosque in central Christchurch; below right: Armed Offenders Squad members push back members of the public after the shootings. Images courtesy AAP.

Christchurch – the terror The reality of the Christchurch mosque shootings hit New Zealand cops with an almighty thud. Their union president knew instantly that his place was down in the trenches with them.

R

ank-and-file cops looked “shell-shocked”.

On the faces of police managers making critical decisions, the strain showed “big time”. It was not a loss of composure but rather an entirely human reaction to the Christchurch mosque shootings of March 15 last year.

New Zealand Police Association president Chris Cahill saw it for himself at ground zero, just three hours after the attack.

“At that stage,” he says, “no one was really sure whether there were (multiple) offenders, whether there were ongoing or other planned attacks. So there was a hell of a lot of angst and a lot of running around going on.”

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Police Journal

Cahill had flown in from Wellington and headed straight for the Christchurch Central police station, which had become the command post.

What he saw there were cops functioning in “automation mode”. He interpreted the looks on their faces as a question: “How the hell has this (another disaster) happened to us again?”

Just two years earlier, Christchurch had suffered through the weeks-long Port Hills fires, which left one man dead and several homes destroyed. And, nine years ago this month, 185 people died, and thousands of others suffered injuries, in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

Now it was the mosque shootings which had thrust New Zealand police into another life-anddeath incident.

By Brett Williams Says Cahill: “I thought straight away: ‘Why did this have to happen in Christchurch?’ I know the coppers in Christchurch, and I knew this was something they didn’t need happening in their city again. It was horrible, and it was a tragedy, with lives being altered forever.”

Forty-nine Muslim worshippers had died in the attacks on the Masjid Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre. Two others died later in hospital. The dead ranged in age from three to 77. Fifty survivors had suffered injuries including many gunshot wounds.

“They (police) were on autopilot and you could see they were hurting. This was Christchurch (struck by disaster) again, but it didn’t stop members doing their job.”

February 2020

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Police Journal

Facing page far left: Sergeant Hamish Blackburn embraces a St John paramedic; far left below: a police officer with flowers; top: police undertake the arrest of the suspect; centre: senior constables Jim Manning (left) and Scott Carmody; below: a police officer inspects cards and flowers around a cordon.

Front-line police had responded within minutes, local schools and businesses went into lockdown, and multiple ambulances attended both mosques. One paramedic spoke publicly of “a river of blood coming out of the (Masjid Al Noor) mosque”.

So, no doubt Cahill, himself a detective inspector, had interpreted those looks on his members’ faces accurately.

“They (police) were on autopilot,” he says, “and you could see they were hurting. This was Christchurch (struck by disaster) again, but it didn’t stop members doing their job.”

New Zealand Police senior constables Jim Manning and Scott Carmody had certainly done their job. The pair arrested alleged shooter Brenton Tarrant, an Australian, within 25 minutes of the first 111 call to police.

“I really don’t think they realized the momentous sort of action they’d taken and the effect it was going to have,” Cahill says. “They were pretty stoic guys, and they really just didn’t want the limelight.

“But the whole of the world was proud of these officers and reminding them of that was important.”

Once out of the command post and in the field, Cahill and two local association officials set about checking on their heavily burdened members.

Among the multitude of cops were detectives and other specialists – the largest number of them ever deployed on a police investigation in New Zealand.

There were uniformed officers on cordons and guarding crimes scenes.

Other cops, who had begun their regular duties elsewhere in New Zealand, had boarded planes and flown down to Christchurch that Friday afternoon.

And, of course, there were the first responders who had absorbed the scenes of massacred worshippers within the mosques.

What Cahill found, though, was police with an unshakeable focus on the incident and its victims and no thought for their own physical or emotional welfare.

“They hadn’t even talked to anyone,” Cahill says. “They hadn’t even discussed what they’d seen, and sometimes you were acting as a pseudo counsellor.”

A typical conversation with an officer on the scene went: Cahill: “How long have you been here?”

Member: “Oh, I’ve been here 10 hours.”

Cahill: “You had anything to eat yet, or drink?”

Member: “No, I haven’t had anything.”

Cahill: “What were you doing yesterday?”

Member: “Oh, I was one of the first on scene.”

“Then,” Cahill says, “suddenly it unfolded, and you saw the emotions come out, and that’s really important. You could then say: ‘Well, actually, we’ve got some psychs here. Do you want to have a chat?’

“They’d say: ‘Yeah, actually, that wouldn’t be a bad idea.’

“If you put someone in front of them, they’ll talk, but they won’t volunteer. Cops aren’t thinking of themselves as needing help, so you’ve got to remind them.”

Cahill saw a particularly obvious need for targeted support in the collective of first responders. Those officers had returned to duty on a late shift the very next day after the attack.

“And that group, when I spoke to them, were under strain,” Cahill recalls. “They really just hadn’t had any form of debrief. They’d worked basically long hours after the event, gone home, got up, and come back to work.

“In hindsight, I think they shouldn’t have gone back to work. Or, if they had, they should’ve been put in front of a psych straight away and worked through it. And that’s a lesson to learn out of (the police response).”

T

he spark for Cahill to get down on ground level with his members had come back in his Wellington office. There, he had heard the first sketchy reports of fatal shootings in Christchurch.

His immediate thought was of a shootout between warring criminals.

But then came more detail through the mainstream and social media, and the appalling live stream alleged gunman Brenton Tarrant ran on Facebook.

“You then realized this was actually an act of mass shooting,” Cahill says. “Then there’s that sort of overwhelming feeling in your gut: ‘Ah, shit!

It’s happened!’

“We thought we were safe from this sort of stuff down here in New Zealand, but we’re not.

It was also just the whole idea that a lot of our innocence was gone for good with this.”

So Cahill headed straight for Christchurch – where he would spend around 15 of the next 21 days – with clear, presidential objectives. One was to support his members. Another was to represent them when it came to the international media covering the mosque shootings.

In just five days, Cahill undertook around 60 television interviews on US, French, Australian and other overseas networks. He contributed equally to the print and radio media with many more interviews.

“You want to make sure that you’re there to represent what the reality is for members,” he says. “You don’t want someone else filling that void who doesn’t know what they’re talking about or is telling a different story.

“If that (alleged) gunman had got away and killed more people, the whole scenario could have changed, and the criticism could’ve been quite strong of police. That’s why I needed to be there, to take that heat and deal with the criticism and respond to it with facts.

“Police sometimes are reluctant to start talking to the media because (they say): ‘I’ve got a court case,’ or ‘We’ve got to do an enquiry,’ or ‘We haven’t got all the facts.’

“That’s too late in this modern age.

You’ve got to get in front and put your dialogue out straight away, and that’s where the association can have a really important role.”

And the story Cahill was able to tell the media was one of outstanding police work. The empathy, expertise and endurance he had seen in the response of his members gave him overwhelming pride in them.

As an example, he speaks of officers who held positions outdoors, in cold weather and without food, for 13 hours straight.

“And you didn’t hear one complaint,” Cahill says. “It spoke volumes for the professionalism of those officers.”

Disaster victim identification and post-mortems were other challenges police had to confront, with the Islamic community seeking to bury its dead as soon as possible.

February 2020

23

Left: a police officer at a memorial wall; below: Chris Cahill addresses the Police Federation of Australia federal council meeting in Canberra.

“There will always be something that could’ve been done differently or better,” Cahill says. “But I challenge anyone to find a response that would’ve been better anywhere in the world. It was all world class.”

Some of the most tender moments Cahill saw were those that played out on the day after the shootings. Christchurch residents were clearly grateful for their police and came out to thank them in person, with either words or an embrace.

Many brought food, some of it home-cooked, and handed it to officers on cordons. Others took food into Christchurch Central police station.

In one exchange, Cahill saw an elderly woman take a chocolate bar from her handbag and hand it to a young cop on the street.

“The outpouring of support for police was massive,” he recalls. “Just constantly people were coming up and saying: ‘Thank you. Thank you for what you’ve done. Thank you for what you’re doing.’

“And getting that public support, I think, was a real boost for them.”

Also “really moving” to Cahill was the generous act of scene guards on a cordon outside one of the mosques.

Civilians had been unable to lay flowers against a fence inside the cordon and so laid them on the side of the road.

The scene guards collected all those flowers and tied them to the fence.

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Police Journal

“The whole thing gave you cause for pause. It’s really hard to get your head around the size of the tragedy and the repercussions that flow from it.”

I

n Canberra for the Police Federation of Australia federal council meeting last September, Cahill thanked Australia for its hands-on support after the mosque killings.

Australian tactical police were, at the time of the shootings, in New Zealand and involved in training with the NZ Special Tactics Group and other overseas specialists.

“They’ve got expert training in triaging,” Cahill says. “So they were deployed, along with that team (STG), and were some of the first people to get to the mosque, and they used their skills to save lives.

Without a doubt.

“But, then, after that, within 24 hours, Australia had supplied experts around cybercrime, forensic examination, computers … to assist the investigation.”

Cahill explained to the PFA federal council meeting that, while March 15, 2019 had been his proudest day, it had also been his darkest.

“The whole thing gave you cause for pause,” he says. “It’s really hard to get your head around the size of the tragedy and the repercussions that flow from it.

“I’d like to think that I won’t see a worse day in my time as Police Association president, or in my career as a police officer.” PJ

O Opinion

Charge of the “right” brigade “W

Constable Zach Rolfe

Mark Carroll President Police Association of South Australia Police Federation of Australia

hen I was first posted out here, it took a fair while before the community accepted me and started to trust me. That’s just how it is when a cop is first posted to a remote indigenous community.”

Rebecca (not her real name) is a member of the Police Federation of Australia and she works in a remote indigenous community. She asked for her posting because she is committed to genuine reconciliation.

Out there, it’s hot and dry. The red dust and the little bush flies get into everything – your eyes, your nose, your ears. It’s a dry community – or it’s supposed to be.

There’s plenty of rubbish, plenty of broken-down cars and plenty of engaging little kids who don’t go to school nearly as often as they should. That’s the reality of life on a remote indigenous community.

“We do lots of ordinary cop stuff dayto-day – but stopping grog getting in is the hardest,” Rebecca says. “We can’t be everywhere.

“When the grog does get through, the trouble starts. The simplest thing, like snarling at someone else’s kid, can plunge the community into violent chaos. Some families have been fighting for so long they can’t even remember why. It can get really scary.

“At the same time as trying to keep people safe, we have to try to keep our hard-won community relationships intact.

“Building trust and understanding with indigenous communities takes time. You have to work to maintain those relationships – but it’s hard to do that from under the bus where your government has thrown you.”

“But it’s not always like that. Once you earn the trust of the community, it is the best place in the world.

The beaming smiles, the welcomes – all these things are incredibly precious.

I’ve learned so much.”

Rebecca despairs at the recent Yuendumu tragedy. Of course, she feels for the young Walpiri man’s family but, like police officers across Australia, she’s standing behind Constable Zach Rolfe.

“It could have been any one of us cops in any one of the hundreds of remote indigenous communities we look after,” she says. “Years of building trust and understanding has been lost. It’s a horrible tragedy whichever way you look at it.”

Inflammatory and intemperate remarks about the Yuendumu episode in mainstream and social media outlets have made an already delicate situation worse. Many of the people who contributed to this commentary, including politicians, should know better.

Constable Rolfe is a decorated veteran of the war in Afghanistan and the recipient of bravery awards.

Now, as well as the murder charge, he faces investigations by the NT Coroner, the government ombudsman, the Office of the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption and a police professional standards tribunal.

Of course, this tragic episode must be investigated fully but police officers all around the country are rightly outraged that Constable Rolfe has been charged with murder. And so quickly.

How can this young constable, with an otherwise exemplary record, be charged with murder within four days of the event – and long before these other investigations have been concluded?

It’s hard not to see this murder charge as the charge of the “right” brigade. It’s a cowardly response from

a government and a department of public prosecutions hurrying to be seen to be doing the “right” thing in the face of ill-informed clamour and political correctness.

Justice should walk on both sides of the street.

The Police Federation of Australia, which represents more than 63,000 cops, is angered by this murder charge.

Constable Rolfe and his family have the full support of cops and their families right around Australia.

As police officers, we put ourselves in harm’s way every day to protect the communities we serve. We expect our members to be accountable, absolutely, but we also expect our departments and our governments to back us in when things get ugly.

As Rebecca said: “Building trust and understanding with indigenous communities takes time. You have to work to maintain those relationships – but it’s hard to do that from under the bus where your government has thrown you.”

Rebecca is a police officer who lives and works on a remote indigenous community outside of the Northern Territory.

February 2020

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I Industrial

Bernadette Zimmermann Secretary Police Association

Danger in 25km emergencyservice speed zone T

he legislated 25km emergency-service speed zone has failed as a safety measure. It was supposed to create the safest possible environment for police and other emergency workers dealing with incidents on the road.

When they were doing that, in the vicinity of an emergency vehicle with flashing red and blues, passing motorists were to reduce their speed to 25km. And, from a safety perspective, many thought cutting the limit from 40km, as it was previously, to 25km made perfect sense.

But for police, who stop motorists hundreds of times a day across metro and country SA, this 25km speed zone is dangerous. It comes into play – with neither signage nor any other warning – as soon as a police officer stops any driver or rider.

In cases in which drivers have tried to brake suddenly, to comply with the 25km limit, other drivers have crashed into them from behind. And, naturally enough, the risk of such crashes is far higher in zones with speed limits as high as 110km.

A motorist travelling at that speed would need to have spotted the 25km zone a long way back, perhaps hundreds of metres, to avoid a crash.

Adding to the risks, particularly on highways, are bends and obstructions which compromise motorists’ forward vision of 25km zones in which police are working.

The 25km emergency-service speed zone became law in 2014. Just one year later, disturbing stories started to emerge about the true effect it had had on police working our roads.

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Police Journal

At the Police Association annual conference of 2015, delegates saw unsettling footage of just how close one officer had come to losing his life as he assisted a motorist. Other such examples of near misses then started flowing in from members caught in similar situations.

On the Princes Highway last December, two cars collided head-on just near Tailem Bend. One driver had been slowing for a 25km emergency-service speed zone.

In the zone were two motorcycle cops who, with lights flashing, had stopped to help a motorist whose caravan had lost a wheel.

Vehicle B hit vehicle A – which was slowing for the 25km zone – causing it to spin out of control and smash into one of the police bikes.

The only positive was that neither officer was on that bike at the time.

Speed zones of 25km are appropriate for established emergency scenes such as bushfires, house fires, industrial accidents, special events, and driver-testing stations.

But involuntarily creating a 25km speed zone, simply by undertaking a traffic stop or dealing with some other incident, is a threat to police-officer safety. Hence the need for review of the current legislation.

Parliament passed the Road Traffic (Emergency Service Speed Zones) Amendment Act 2013 nearly seven years ago. The act required the minister to review its provisions within three years and table a report before both houses of parliament.

The 25km emergencyservice speed zone became law in 2014.

Just one year later, disturbing stories started to emerge about the true effect it had had on police working our roads.

In January 2016, the Police Association advised then police minister Tony Piccolo in writing of the multitude of hazards associated with the emergency-service speed zones.

In July 2017, the association advised then police minister Peter Malinauskas of exactly the same hazards.

In April 2019, the association wrote to Police Minister Corey Wingard with all the same advice it had provided the two former police ministers.

His response was that the Australian Road Rules Maintenance Advisory Group was to consider aligning the states and territories on the issue.

But, now, in February 2020, the 25km emergency-service speed zone remains unchanged.

A fatality is not how police officers want to achieve legislative change.

What has changed is the way police can safely regulate and control some of the most notorious roads in the state, such as the South Eastern Freeway and the Sturt Highway.

The Work Health and Safety Act 2012 rightly forbids members placing themselves or others at risk while working on roads. But the 25km emergency-service speed zone has done exactly that – repeatedly.

One can only assume that, when the legislation was being drafted, the reality of day-to-day police work wound up overlooked.

What seemed like a good idea at the time – supporting legislative change to reduce the emergency-service speed zone limit from 40km to 25km – has simply not delivered. In fact, it has produced a far less safe traffic environment.

Compromising the safety of police officers, as they fulfil their duties on the roads, is unacceptable. Police Association members seek an urgent change in legislation.

The time for reviews is over.

Steve Whetton Member Liaison Officer Police Association

The right of expungement P

olice officers out in their communities interact with people of every social stratum. Those people come with demands, expectations and, at times, self-preoccupation, all of which accord with their upbringings, maturity, mental capacity and life experience.

The nature of police work, insofar as time constraints and risk management is concerned, is such that officers frequently have to make decisions and take actions in an instant.

These actions can become the subject of complaints by offenders, complainants or members of the public.

Almost every police incident comes with an aggrieved party.

An individual can make a police complaint through the Office of Public Integrity or at a police station.

The member concerned is then subjected to the processes of the Police Complaints and Discipline Act 2016 as his or her actions are assessed against the SAPOL code of conduct.

The member might face disciplinary charges which include penalties such as termination, reduction in rank, or a fine.

SAPOL has a duty to keep the history of employees as per regulation 55 Police Regulations 2014. This history includes: • Any punishments the commissioner imposes.

• Particulars of any penalty imposed on the employee.

• Any other particulars required by or

When requests succeed, the removal occurs, but not from the Ethical and Professional Standards Branch files in which it is required to be maintained.

under the act or regulations or directed from time to time by the commissioner.

There is, however, a process by which to remove any history of punishment or penalty from the member’s record as per Police Regulations 2014.

Expungements only relate to Police Disciplinary Tribunal matters in which a penalty has been imposed.

Section 56 of Police Regulations 2014 (Removal of entry relating to punishment or penalty) stipulates that: (1) If— (a) there is an entry recording a punishment or penalty in the history of an employee; and (b) not less than five years have elapsed since the entry was made; and (c) no further entry recording a punishment or penalty has since been made, the employee may apply to the commissioner in writing to have the entry, and any previous entry recording a punishment or penalty, removed from the employee’s history.

(2) On receipt of such an application, the commissioner— (a) may, if he or she thinks fit, order that the entry or any previous such entry be removed; and (b) must in any event advise the employee of the commissioner's response to the application.

The way the process works is that the member must submit a police report to the commissioner through the officer-in-charge of Ethical and Professional Standards Branch. This is to request the removal of the relevant punishment or penalty from his or her Human Resource Management Branch personal file.

When requests succeed, the removal occurs, but not from the Ethical and Professional Standards Branch files in which it is required to be maintained.

The punishment or penalty will not be reported to any selection advisory committee when the member applies for a position or promotion.

However, details will be reported to the commendation committee for awards/ medals and other probity-related matters.

Medals The SAPOL service medal is presented to employees in recognition of continuous, diligent and ethical service as per general orders (Awards). The award consists of a medal, a miniature, and a ribbon bar for a continuous period of service and clasps for further periods.

Ethical service is defined as: … consistent and unequivocally high standard of personal and professional conduct in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct and the Leadership Charter.

The district, local service area or branch forwards a report, including its recommendation on the diligence of the member, to the commendation committee via the Awards Marketing and Events Section.

The grievance process for cases in which decisions are taken to defer, refuse or revoke awards is found in the relevant general order (Awards).

Members must – within one month of receiving notification of a deferral, refusal or revocation – submit a report to the Awards, Marketing and Events Section.

February 2020

27

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H Health

Dr Rod Pearce

Never let those arteries harden S

ome words in medicine give a clue as to what a doctor might be describing. If a name ends in “itis”, the diagnosis is probably an infection, swelling such as tonsillitis, or an appendicitis.

Sclerosis, on the other hand, refers to a hardening of tissue, or scarring or thickening. Multiple sclerosis is the hardening and scarring of nerves and nervous tissue. Arterial hardening refers to thickening or scarring of the arteries (arteriosclerosis).

Through arteries, the heart distributes blood throughout the body. So, any hardening of the arteries will affect the ability of the heart to get adequate blood (with oxygen and nutrition) to any part of the body.

A poor blood supply to the brain, the heart or the legs can lead to a stroke, a heart attack or gangrene and amputation respectively.

If the arteries are damaged all around the body, the condition is said to be an “arterio-path”. This condition is commonly in people who smoke.

The hardening is usually divided into three types: • The inner layer of the artery – damaged by the build-up of cholesterol. This is “atherosclerosis” but, because it is the most common form of artery hardening, the terms arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis are frequently used interchangeably.

• The middle layer – hardening involves the destruction of muscle and elastic fibres and the formation of calcium deposits. This makes it possible to estimate artery damage

by seeing calcium on X-rays or CT scans.

• The smaller arteries (arterioles) – arteriolar sclerosis.

All three forms might be present in the same patient, but in different blood vessels.

A doctor working at preventing someone from having a heart attack usually thinks of any and every disease which might stop hardening of the arteries to the heart. By preventing that hardening, the rest of the body is usually protected.

Smoking was years ago identified as the worst thing that could happen to arteries. It speeds up the natural hardening. And other diseases make that situation worse. If you have high blood pressure, the arteries will crack more often, repair badly if you smoke, harden quicker, and lead to an early heart attack.

Every time the arteries are damaged, cholesterol will build up on the inside of the arteries quicker and make a heart attack worse – if you already suffer high cholesterol. And, if you have diabetes, the high sugar makes all that worse.

It is a bit like worrying about your car rusting. The worst thing you could do is to leave it outside, uncovered, on the sand, by the sea. If you have high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension, you are in trouble. And, if you smoke, the problems are multiplied.

We know that cholesterol mends arteries and keeps them soft and pliable.

We know that good cholesterol maintains the arteries in good shape

So, any hardening of the arteries will affect the ability of the heart to get adequate blood (with oxygen and nutrition) to any part of the body.

and can even reverse damage (after, say, a heart attack) if there is a higher proportion of good compared to bad cholesterol.

To estimate your risk of cholesterol damage (hardening of the arteries), the usual tests are of total cholesterol (TC) and the amounts of good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL).

Diabetes and raised glucose also predict early hardening.

Hypertension remains a lethal problem, essentially increasing the risk of a blood vessel (artery) rupture and bleed just from the pressure effect.

If someone has a stroke because of arteriosclerosis, it is assumed there is a parallel risk of heart attack and kidney disease. With smoking and diabetes, the amputation of gangrenous toes, feet and limbs is the visible sign of hardening of the arteries.

With oxygen unable to get to the distal limbs and digits, gangrenous material has to be removed to stop infection and death. This is known as peripheral vascular disease (PVD).

Just as PVD affects the legs (in men) it is likely to affect the penis through erectile dysfunction.

A group of diseases which cause hardening and tightening of skin and connective tissues (scleroderma) is thought to be an immune system abnormality. It causes collagen build-up in the blood vessels (arteriolar sclerosis) causing further damage to tissue.

Continued page 40 February 2020

29

M Motoring

Jim Barnett

Model Nissan Qashqai ST+.

Price ​$31,990 plus on-road costs.

Engine 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol 106kW/ 200Nm. Transmission CVT with seven-step manual mode.

Safety Six airbags, emergency braking, lane departure, reverse camera, front and rear parking sensors, daytime LED running lights, blind-spot monitoring.

Fuel 65-litre tank, 91 RON petrol, 6.9 litres/100km (combined test).

Seating Five seats, 60/40 split-fold rear seat.

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid cars make perfect sense in Australia – for now at least. They solve the current issues that full electronic vehicles face, such as range and limited recharging infrastructure.

Toyota has set out to offer hybrids across its entire range. The all-new fifth-generation RAV4 has a hybrid variant in each equipment grade for just $2,500 extra.

Six hybrid variants (2WD and AWD) are available, each using less fuel but with more power than its equivalent petrol sibling.

GX, GXL and Cruiser RAV petrol models feature a 2.0-litre petrol engine driving the front wheels through a CVT transmission, with base GX also offering a six-speed manual gearbox.

Equivalent hybrid models feature a more powerful 2.5-litre petrol-electric 30

Police Journal

motor combination with CVT transmission and either 2WD or AWD ($3,000 extra).

The only AWD non-hybrid variant is the most expensive Edge model.

This features a 2.5-litre petrol engine eight-speed auto combination, but the hybrid still outguns it.

New RAV4 has a very angular body shape which is pleasing enough. On the inside is a modern dash layout, good visibility, plenty of head and shoulder room and comfy front seats.

Rear 60/40 seats deliver good comfort and a reclining function. The large cargo bay features a flat floor, cargo blind and optional full-size spare wheel.

All models score a decent, vertically mounted stand-alone colour touchscreen with reverse camera, satellite navigation, DAB+ radio, Bluetooth connectivity and Toyota Link apps. There’s also dual-

zone climate control with rear vents in all but base GX manual.

DRIVING On the road, base GX Hybrid 2WD is impressive and can even be exhilarating. Where the standard RAV 2.0-litre petrol engine produces 127kW of power, the combined hybrid drivetrain punches out between 160kW (2WD) and 163kW (AWD).

The power difference is immediately noticeable. Driven sedately, the hybrid combination is smooth, quiet and refined. Pushed hard it becomes a little noisy and more aggressive, delivering good acceleration even on the steepest hills.

The steering is light and precise, and from the suspension comes good ride characteristics and excellent body control in corners and on rough dirt roads.

Hybrid obvious choice

DESIGN AND FUNCTION

DESIGN AND FUNCTION Nissan has added range-topping Ti and, more recently, mid-spec ST+ variants to its popular Qashqai range since a major 2018 upgrade.

Classed as a small SUV, Qashqai ST+ is a real surprise package. It’s much roomier than expected, with big, comfortable two-tone fabric front seats and enough space for adults in the equally comfortable 60/40 rear seat.

Qashqai’s sizable cargo bay can swallow between 430 and 1,598 litres of luggage. Under the flat floor is an emergency-style spare wheel.

A modern dash layout features clear gauges and a seven-inch colour touchscreen with DAB+ radio, satellite navigation, 360-degree “around-view” monitor and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

Other features include push-button start, six airbags, forward-collision warning with emergency braking, lanedeparture warning, front and rear

RAV Hybrid is a perfect highway cruiser with long legs, plenty of zip for safe overtaking and excellent economy. In light of the stats, it’s hard to imagine why anyone would buy the petrol version over the hybrid.

parking sensors and reversing camera.

With an up-to-date modern appearance, ST+ features a smart grille, 17-inch alloys, swept-up rear windows and a tailgate lip spoiler with shark-fin antenna.

A 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine – coupled to a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels – powers ST+.

DRIVING Qashqai is impressive on the road. Its comfortable driving position offers enough steering-wheel and seat adjustment to suit any driver, along with good visibility. Its sporty flat-bottom steering wheel, with easy-to-use function buttons, adds to driving enjoyment.

While some of the opposition run more powerful turbo-charged petrol fours, Qashqai’s 2.0-litre (106kW) petrol engine is no slouch. It’s smoother and quieter than some in this class. In fact,

The surprise package

Nissan Qashqai ST+ at highway speeds, the cabin is super quiet.

The CVT makes the most of available engine power providing good off-theline acceleration and enough power for every situation. A seven-step manual mode works well and provides for more spirited driving.

Ride comfort is very good. Qashqai soaks up bumps effortlessly and, at the same time, remains flat and sure-footed in corners and on rough surfaces.

In addition to its parking sensors and reversing camera with predictive path lines, the 360 degree “around-view” monitor takes the guesswork out of parking. It offers various camera angles, including a bird’s-eye view, selected at the touch of a button.

Qashqai ST+ is a well-equipped, reasonably priced compact SUV which delivers on space, comfort and driving refinement.

Model Toyota RAV4 Petrol 2WD, Edge AWD and Hybrid 2WD or AWD. Pricing from GX 2WD manual $30,640 (add $2,000 CVT), GX 2WD Hybrid CVT $35,140.

Drivetrain Four-cylinder 2.0-litre (127kW) petrol 2WD; Hybrid 2.5-litre petrol with AC synchronous motor generator (2WD160kW and AWD 163kW). RAV4 Edge 2.5-litre (152kW) four cylinder with AWD. Fuel All use 91RON; economy 6.5 - 6.8 litres per 100km (2.0-litre petrol), 4.7-4.8 litres per 100km (hybrid), 7.3 litres per 100km (Edge).

Luggage volume 542 – 580 litres (with rear seats in use) depending on spare-wheel option.

Safety All models feature pre-collision safety system with pedestrian and cyclist detection, active cruise control, lane departure, road speed sign recognition, front and rear park sensors, seven airbags and autonomous braking.

February 2020

31

S Superannuation

Susan Taylor, Communications Adviser Super SA

Separating?

What about super?

Y

our super might not be the first thing that comes to mind after you make the decision to separate.

While you can’t access your super, it is still important to know the facts and what impact action, or inaction, might have down the track.

You should consider whether you still want your estranged spouse to be the recipient of your super and insurance (should anything happen to you).

In the event of your death, your Triple S super account balance, including any insurance, will be paid to your spouse, or de facto spouse.

If you don’t have a legal or de facto spouse at the time of your death, your entitlement will be paid to your estate and distributed according to your will.

You can, however, make a choice.

As a Triple S member, you can nominate what is known as your legal personal representative (LPR) to receive your super. He or she will distribute it in accordance with your will.

This is a legally binding death benefit nomination, valid for three years.

So, if you die, your super, plus any insurance entitlement, will be paid to your estate and distributed according to your will, and not automatically paid to your spouse.

It is therefore important that your will is up to date and reflects your wishes.

If you get married or divorced, or your circumstances change in some other way, you should update your will accordingly.

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Police Journal

Nominating your legal personal representative is not the same as nominating a beneficiary. The rules do not allow you to nominate specific beneficiaries.

Family law and property settlements Super is considered an asset and might form part of any property settlement on separation or divorce.

If you have permanently separated or divorced, family law legislation allows you to split and share your super with your former partner in the same way as other property. It is up to both of you to agree on splitting your super or how it is to be shared.

Splitting can be done via a superannuation agreement or by a court order. Once a property settlement occurs, your former spouse would no longer be entitled to receive your super benefit on death.

An example John was a police officer for eight years and married for 10 when he and his wife, Karen, decided to separate. They didn’t divorce or enter into a property settlement under the Family Law Act. John, a Triple S member, began a new relationship with Christina and they had been living together for five years when John suddenly died.

In the event of your death, your Triple S super account balance, including any insurance, will be paid to your spouse, or de facto spouse.

John’s super entitlement is worth $200,000 and, even though he had a will, he never nominated a legal personal representative with Super SA. This meant that Karen was still recognized as John’s legal spouse and was entitled to part of his Triple S super.

Christina was also to receive an entitlement as his de facto spouse.

Had John not wanted any of his benefit to be paid to Karen, he could have: • Divorced Karen.

• Entered into a family law agreement.

• Nominated a legal personal representative.

Get advice Making a binding death-benefit nomination to appoint an LPR is an important decision and can have serious repercussions. You should speak to your financial planner or lawyer if you’re unsure or have questions.

• See the Triple S fact sheet (Beneficiaries and your super entitlement) on the Super SA website.

• For a full definition of spouse, refer to the online glossary at supersa.sa.gov.au.

The information in this article is of a general nature only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Super SA recommends that before making any decisions about Triple S, you consider the appropriateness of this information in the context of your own objectives, financial situation and needs, read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and seek financial advice from a licensed financial adviser in relation to your financial position and requirements.

B Banking

Paul Modra, Executive Manager – Member Value and Distribution, Police Credit Union

The dream of home ownership A

re you renting but dreaming of owning your own home? You could make that dream a reality sooner than you think. The repayments on a home loan could be less than the average weekly rent in South Australia.

For example, the average house rent in South Australia is $450 per week as at December 2019*, whereas a Police Credit Union home loan of $400,000 over 30 years at 2.99 per cent p.a. gives you a repayment of $388 per week.^ Of course, you will need to have some savings behind you for the all-important deposit, and to cover fees and charges like stamp duty and conveyancing.

You might not have reached your deposit-saving goal yet but there are some different options that could help make the transition from renting to owning your own home a lot quicker.

First Home Owner Grant In South Australia, the state government pays the First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) to eligible first home owners. Applications need to be submitted and approved by RevenueSA.

You might not have reached your depositsaving goal yet but there are some different options that could help make the transition from renting to owning your own home a lot quicker.

The FHOG can be helpful for the purchase or construction of a new residential property, which can be a house, flat, unit, townhouse or apartment that meets local planning standards anywhere in South Australia.

Unfortunately, FHOG is no longer available for established homes.

To qualify, the property purchased must be the principal place of residence for each applicant for at least six months commencing within 12 months of the settlement date. The grant is not available for residential investment properties.

Although there are eligibility criteria to be met and capped property value limits, there are still many people who can financially benefit from this grant. (For more information go to www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/grants-andconcessions/first-home-owners)

Family pledge loans/family guarantor You might have been saving for a while but are still a little bit away from that full 20 per cent deposit?

Consider a loan with a family pledge by asking for assistance from a family guarantor to purchase a home to live in or a home to invest in.

APOLOGY Police Credit Union supplied the Police Journal with historical information for the story Outdoing the big banks for 50 years (December 2019). Owing to an error in our records, we attributed the wrong Christian name to former Police Credit Union chairman Paul Rix and apologize for the mistake.

Guarantors can be immediate family members such as grandparents, siblings or parents who own their own home outright and can offer part of the equity in their own home as security for a loan.

The security in the property often helps to make up for any shortfall in saving the minimum 20 per cent deposit required to avoid paying lenders’ mortgage insurance (LMI).

Not having to pay for LMI can save a borrower thousands of dollars.

A guarantor is also helpful as you can increase your borrowing power and you might still be eligible for financial assistance with a First Home Owner Grant.

The downside of this strategy is that the guarantor can be held responsible if loan repayments are not met. However, most financial institutions, such as Police Credit Union, will limit this responsibility.

In the past, it was standard practice to put the sum value of the guarantor’s home on the line but, today, security on the new home loan can be split and can limit the guarantee without overexposing guarantors to risk.

For example, the equity in a guarantor’s property may be used as security for only 20 per cent of the loan, while the property being purchased will be used as security for the other 80 per cent of the loan.

Therefore, guarantors helping their kids purchase a property for $500,000 will find that the 20 per cent guarantee is only $100,000.

Continued page 40 February 2020

33

Free Legal Service for Police Association Members, Their Families & Retired Members.

To arrange a preliminary in-person or phone appointment contact PASA on (08) 8212 3055

Leading Adelaide law firm, Tindall Gask Bentley is the preferred legal service provider of the Police Association, offering 30 minutes of free initial advice and a 10% fee discount.

INJURY COMPENSATION • Motor accident injury compensation

• Public liability

• Workers compensation

• Superannuation claims (TPD) Gary Allison

Amber Sprague

Wendy Barry

Dina Paspaliaris

John Caruso

Giles Kahl

Rosemary Caruso

Michael Arras

FAMILY & DIVORCE Matrimonial, De Facto & Same Sex Relationships • Children’s Issues

• Property Settlements

• Child Support matters

• “Pre Nuptial” style Agreements

BUSINESS & PROPERTY • General business advice

• Business transactions

• Real estate & property advice

• Commercial disputes & dispute resolution

WILLS & ESTATES • Wills & Testamentary Trusts

• Advice to executors of deceased estates

• Enduring Powers of Attorney

• Obtaining Grants of Probate

• Advance Care Directive

• Estate disputes

Adelaide • Reynella • Salisbury • Mt Barker • Murray Bridge Gawler • Pt Lincoln • Whyalla • Perth (WA) • Darwin (NT)

tgb.com.au • (08) 8212 1077

L Legal

Wendy Barry, Partner Tindall Gask Bentley Lawyers

Protect your assets after separation “I

’ve separated from my partner and I’m worried (he or she) is trying to hide and move assets. What can I do to protect them?”

It is common for people who have just separated to fear their former partners will drain shared assets or amass debt in joint accounts, exposing them to financial risk.

But there is much that can be done to protect assets and limit exposure to increased debt. The key to being effective in these areas is to be proactive and prepared.

Once a former partner has sold or drained equity in a property, drawn down on lines of credit, or withdrawn joint savings, there are limited avenues available to restore or add back what has been removed. So prevention in these circumstances is the key.

Caveats Consider caveating a property when that property is held solely in your former partner’s name.

A caveat effectively prevents the property being sold, transferred or refinanced until your caveat is dealt with.

It compels the person whose property has been caveated to talk to you about the interest you are asserting in the property.

A caveat should not be lodged without receiving legal advice as there can be cost consequences for caveats that are not correctly or appropriately lodged.

Once a former partner has sold or drained equity in a Injunctions property, drawn Obtain an injunction preventing your former partner accessing and potentially down on lines draining assets of the relationship. An of credit, or application to the court is required to obtain an injunction. It is not a simple withdrawn joint process and legal advice should be savings, there obtained before making such an application. are limited avenues Bank accounts available to Review all your bank accounts to work out those that are held in joint restore or add names. Then contact the bank to ensure back what has no monies can be accessed without the been removed. signature of both parties.

Review also lines of credit and where So prevention you might be ahead in your mortgage in these repayments.

Remember that making the account circumstances “two-to-sign” puts it off limits to you (individually) so be sure this is is the key. appropriate in your circumstances.

You might prefer to withdraw some of the monies in the account and, then, effect a “two-to-sign” regime with the bank.

You should get advice about what is best in your circumstances before taking action.

Credit cards Drop limits on credit cards or, if appropriate, close the credit facility.

You might need to pay off the card before closing it.

Make sure you keep a statement of the credit facility showing the balance at separation so that if it increases post separation you will be able to prove the increase and, in certain circumstances, limit the debt to the balance at separation.

Passwords Change passwords to bank accounts, social media accounts and computers.

Updates Update your: Binding death nominee – in the event of your death your superannuation will be paid to your binding death nominee. If your nominee is your former partner and you do not want him or her to receive it, you might wish to arrange to change it to the person you now want to receive your superannuation • Will to ref lect your new circumstances.

• Life insurance policy to reflect who you wish to benefit under the policy.

If your partner has already depleted the pool do not despair. There are some remedies available, but they could come at considerable legal cost because, often, they will involve proceedings in court and, if not court proceedings, then potentially lawyer-to-lawyer negotiations.

•

Continued page 40 February 2020

35

E Entertainment

A Murder at Malabar Hill Sujata Massey Allen & Unwin, $29.99

Armed with a legal education from Oxford, Perveen Mistry has joined her father’s law firm and become one of the first female lawyers in 1920s India.

Mistry Law has been appointed to execute the will of wealthy mill owner Omar Farid, who has left three widows behind. But, as Mistry examines the paperwork, she notices something strange: all three wives have signed over their full inheritance to a charity. What future will they have?

Mistry is suspicious, especially since one of the widows has signed her form with an X. Could she even read the document?

The Farid widows live in strict seclusion, never leaving the women’s quarters or speaking to any men. With her own tragic history close to her heart, Mistry worries that the women are vulnerable to injustice.

As she comes closer to the truth, tensions escalate to murder, the widows fall under suspicion, and Mistry must figure out what’s really happening on Malabar Hill.

Win a book or in-season movie pass!

For your chance to win one of the books or an in-season pass to one of these films (courtesy of Wallis Cinemas) featured in this issue, send your name, location, phone number and despatch code, along with the book and/or film of your choice to giveaways@pj.asn.au

36

Police Journal

The Night Fire

Michael Connelly Allen & Unwin, $32.99

Back when Harry Bosch was just a rookie homicide detective, he had an inspiring mentor who taught him to take the work personally and light the fire of relentlessness for every case.

Now that mentor, JJ Thompson, is dead. But, after his funeral, his widow hands Bosch a murder book that Thompson took with him when he left the LAPD 20 years before – the unsolved killing of a troubled young man in an alley used for drug deals.

Bosch brings the book to Renée Ballard and asks her to help him find what about the case lit Thompson’s fire all those years ago.

The bond between Bosch and Ballard tightens as they become a formidable investigation team. But did Thompson steal the murder book to work the case in retirement, or to make sure it never got solved?

The Expert Witness

William J Allender New Holland Publishers, $32.99

Drugs and poisons from a variety of sources have been used illegally for centuries and most conjure up an unfortunate, enduring fascination. People appear to be both attracted and repelled by them at the same time.

As a forensic toxicologist, William Allender has been called to give expert witness evidence in many highprofile cases involving drug overdoses and poisons (including pesticides) used in suicides and murder.

Many cases stand out owing to their unusual circumstances: •

A drug-affected young man who was killed on Sydney Harbour Bridge (A Case of MDMA Madness).

•

A body disposed of in a wheelie bin (The Body in the Wheelie Bin Murder).

•

A “carer” who poisoned her elderly partner with morphine (The Black Widow).

•

Dianne Brimble who went on a cruise and wound up dead from a drug over-dose (Death on the High Seas).

MSG Free

Eleonora Thomas Independently published

Emanuela Sopracasa is a born fighter who believes she has all the right tools in life to evolve with the times.

Her parents, with their cultural traditions, had had their own ideas for her future, but Emmie, as an adult, sees things differently.

She learns the ropes, lives life her way, and sees that her parents’ plan was not for her. There had to be a far greater destiny than just dishes and feeding her family.

Dabbling in social media is an entirely new proposition to Emmie.

She meets Nguyen Xin after a seemingly innocent friend request and her world ends up in chaos.

Through a rollercoaster of further self-discovery and pain, Emmie learns people aren’t always who they seem to be.

Will she find herself, or be seduced into an upside-down world and lose the woman she’s always fought to be?

February 2020

37

E Entertainment

Anzac & Aviator

Michael Molkentin Allen & Unwin, $32.99

Extraordinary Australian Ross Smith rode to war at Gallipoli on horseback and, by the end of the war, was one of the most highly awarded fighter pilots.

There was little in his childhood that suggested a future as one of the world’s great pioneering aviators.

Smith went to war in 1914, serving with the Light Horse at Gallipoli and in the Sinai before he volunteered for the fledgling Australian Flying Corps.

Smith survived two gruelling years of aerial combat over Palestine to emerge as one of the most skilled and highly decorated Australian pilots of the war.

In 1919, he was a pilot on the first ever mission to survey an air route from Cairo to the East Indies, before gaining international fame for leading the first aircrew to fly from England to Australia.

His attempt to exceed this by circumnavigating the world by air in 1922 would end in disaster.

Peace

Garry Disher The Text Publishing Company, $29.99

Constable Paul Hirschhausen runs a one-cop station in the dry farming country south of the Flinders Ranges. He’s still new in town but the community work – welfare checks and working bees – is starting to pay off.

Now Christmas is here and, apart from a grass fire, two boys stealing a ute, and Brenda Flann entering the front bar of the pub without exiting her car, Hirsch’s life has been peaceful.

Until he’s called to a strange, vicious incident in Kitchener St. And Sydney police ask him to look in on a family living outside town on a forgotten back road.

Suddenly, it doesn’t look like a season of goodwill at all.

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Police Journal

Dark Waters

Season commences March 5

A tenacious attorney uncovers a dark secret that connects a growing number of unexplained deaths to one of the world’s largest corporations.

Corporate environmental defence attorney Rob Bilott has just made partner at his prestigious Cincinnati law firm, owing in large part to his work defending Big Chem companies.

He finds himself conflicted after he’s contacted by two West Virginia farmers who believe the local DuPont plant is dumping toxic waste in the area landfill which is destroying their fields and killing their cattle.

Bilott files a complaint that marks the beginning of an epic 15-year fight.

While trying to expose the truth, he soon finds himself risking his future, his family and his own life.

Cast: Mark Ruffalo (Robert Bilott), Anne Hathaway (Sarah Bilott), Bill Pullman (Harry Dietzler) and Tim Robbins (Tom Terp).

Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears Season commences February 27

After freeing a young Bedouin girl from her unjust imprisonment in Jerusalem, Phryne Fisher begins to unravel a decade-old mystery concerning priceless emeralds, ancient curses and the truth behind the suspicious disappearance of Shirin’s forgotten tribe.

British aristocrats, whose lives were impacted by the events of World War I in Mandate Palestine, become caught up in the mystery as well.

Cast: Essie Davis (Phryne Fisher), Nathan Page (Detective Inspector Jack Robinson) and Ashleigh Cummings (Dorothy “Dot” Collins).

Military Wives

Mulan

Thrown together by life on a military base while their partners serve on a tour of duty in Afghanistan, a group of ordinary women find an unexpected way to raise their spirits and combat the isolating realities of being army wives – by forming the first ever Military Wives’ Choir.

When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern inv ader s , Hu a Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honoured warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father.

Season commences March 12

Unexpected bonds of friendship flourish and music and laughter transform their lives and help them overcome their fears for loved ones in combat.

The story in the film was inspired by the award-winning BBC documentary series The Choir: Military Wives.

Cast: Sharon Horgan (Lisa) and Kristin Scott Thomas (Kate).

Season commences March 26

Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her innerstrength and embrace her true potential.

Cast: Liu Yifei (Mulan) and Donnie Yen (Commander Tung).

February 2020

39

H

B

L

Health

Banking

Legal

From page 29

From page 33

From page 35

Arterial damage to the eyes can cause bleeding and irreversible retinal scarring. Arterial damage to the aorta can cause the arteries to weaken, swell and rupture (aortic aneurysm).

Ultimately, arteriosclerosis can affect any part of the body because arteries are essential for the distribution of oxygen and nutrition.

The common causes of the disease – smoking, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol – can be controlled; and damage, if managed early, can often be reversed or halted.

Other causes need to be specifically identified and treated before permanent damage is done.

A family guarantor can be used across all home loans from Police Credit Union. If you want to start house hunting but haven’t quite got your 20 per cent deposit, perhaps with a family guarantor, you might be more ready than you think.

Consider discussing your home ownership goals with our Platinum Relationship manager, Glenn Lewis, who can really assist with understanding what’s required in purchasing a property for the very first time and whether a family pledge loan is right for you.

With interest rates at an all-time low, and a few options to consider, this could be the right time for you to enter the property market.

These remedies might include: • Making an application to set aside transactions that have been taken to deliberately defeat your entitlement (transferring or selling a property).

Such an application is made to the court as part of an overall application for a property settlement and should not be made without obtaining legal advice.

• Seeking an injunction against your former partner accessing further monies. In some instances, an undertaking from your former partner might suffice but you will need assistance in drafting an appropriate undertaking.

• Applying for an addback in your property settlement for monies inappropriately accessed by your former partner. Addbacks are ordered in very limited circumstances so seeking an addback requires careful consideration with an experienced lawyer.

Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all approach because every person’s circumstances are different. But, if you suspect your partner is about, or has taken steps, to manipulate the assets of the relationship, you should immediately get legal advice about how to protect your share.

Police Credit Union Ltd ABN 30 087 651 205 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 238991. Terms, conditions, fees, charges and lending criteria apply. Full details upon request. ^Calculations based on Better Home Loan interest rate 2.99%p.a. / 3.04%p.a. Comparison Rate.

Comparison rates are based on a secured $150,000 loan over 25 years. WARNING: This comparison rate is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate.

Information current as at 01/02/2020 and subject to change. Please consider if the product is right for you. *Source: https://www.realestate.com.au/ neighbourhoods/adelaide-5000-sa

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Police Journal

Tindall Gask Bentley Lawyers provides free initial advice through a legal advisory service to Police Association members and their families, and retired members. Police Association members and their immediate family receive a 10% discount on their wills.

To make an appointment, contact the association (8212 3055) or start your will online at tgb.com.au.

W Wine

2018 Kitty Sangiovese Rosé $18 Twist the cap to unlock a myriad of fresh fruits in this delightful Clare Valley Sangiovese Rosé. It is a little peachy and has plenty of cherry, berry and plum action.

Eldredge

Clare Valley, South Australia eldredge.com.au

It is a dry style but there's just enough sweetness that comes right into balance when the wine is chilled. It is chock full of flavour and character.

Just an hour on skins gives it a beautiful pale pink colour, similar to those lovely French Rosés.

This is a beautiful food fine and one of the best Eldredge vintages for quite some time.

2019 Spring Gully Riesling $20 This Riesling is fresh, generous and fruity with immediate accessibility. The wine has some of the more classic Clare lime and talc traits which play in the background.

Acidity is relatively soft and the whole package possesses extremely good balance.

Contains 100 per cent Clare Valley fruit, which is all grown at the Eldredge Vineyards estate on Spring Gully Road, Clare. It is from the coolest eastern corner of the vineyard which is located at 500 metres above sea level.

This delicious Riesling can be enjoyed young and fresh or will cellar well until around 2029.

2017 Blue Chip Shiraz $30 Ripe blueberry and blood plum fruits have spent some time in quality American oak and the resultant wine is spicy, creamy, polished and glossy.

The wine is perfectly balanced and with a bit of air worked into it, liquorice and leather notes come to the fore.

The length of flavour is admirable.

The Blue Chip – which is 100 per cent Clare Valley Estate-grown – is a delicious, full-flavoured Shiraz and will cellar for 10-plus years.

February 2020

41

THE POLICE CLUB

Private function rooms available OPENING HOURS Mon – Wed 10am till 3.30pm Thurs 10am till 5pm Friday 10am till late HAPPY HOUR 4.30pm till 6.30pm every Friday

Book now

Book your pre-show dinner at the club now

27 Carrington Street, Adelaide (08) 8212 2924 PoliceClub@pasa.asn.au

policeclub.com.au POLICE CLUB PARTNERS

Police Association members receive:

join иs today

Join leading national and state-based wine publications, merchants and local winemakers for the best value Wine Club in town!

Taste from hundreds of brands including local, state, national and international exclusive imports Local winemakers and wine specials showcased at every Police Club tasting Members select from leading wine industry magazine subscriptions (choice of physical or digital) Membership starts from as little as $30 per year

NEXT POLICE WINE CLUB TASTING: Friday, March 27 Contact the Police Association for details or to book your space

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

* Free access to all Police Club tastings (minimum of four per year, valued at $100 per member) * Discounted entry for guests of members at all tastings (valued $85 per guest) * Entry to annual wine raffle (prize value around $300)

* Discounts on quality wines and free delivery to the Police Club * Direct access to winemakers and Police Wine Club special offers * Discounts on annual internationally themed degustation dinners (save $20 per member and $10 per guest)

* MTA travel voucher (valued at $100 per person – conditions apply) heese and nibbles, * C entertainment plus complimentary wine with dinner at every Police Club tasting

To join go to policeclub.com.au/contact-us/police-wine-club or pasa.asn.au/member-services/police-wine-club or call the Police Association on (08) 8212 3055

FOR THE BEST IN TRAVEL…

Contact Aaron Sard for all your needs • $100 travel voucher • Qantas Club Extra Savings

• Extra Frequent Flyer Points • Credit Card Fees Waived

• Out-of-hours meetings to accommodate shift workers at convenient locations

Aaron Sard | Mobile Travel Specialist, MTA Platinum Member 0437 548 767 | e: asard@mtatravel.com.au | www.mtatravel.com.au/asard

L

The Last Shift

For the full version of The Last Shift, go to PASAweb at www.pasa.asn.au

Kevin Hall Steve Kameniar Mark Marzano Peter McIntyre Simon Pichl John Robinson

Chief Inspector Steve Kameniar

Traffic Support Branch 43 years’ service Last day: 04.12.19 Comments…

“I acknowledge the great work of Mark Carroll and all the team at the association for their dedication and achievements over the years with member support, pay and conditions.

“A comparison between police and other public-sector wages and conditions over the last four decades clearly demonstrates how significant those achievements have been. Well done. It is appreciated.

“I leave my police career with no regrets and proud to have served the community of SA alongside many other dedicated and loyal police officers and support staff.

“Having had the opportunity to work with some of the many talented young people coming up through the ranks, I know the job is in safe hands.

Thanks to all.”

Brevet Sergeant Mark Marzano

Holden Hill Intelligence 34 years’ service Last day: 06.01.20 Comments…

“Thank you to the Police Association for the hard work it has put in over the years that I have served in SAPOL. Its tireless efforts to help members is appreciated.

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“I have served in different positions throughout the metro area and have mostly enjoyed my time.

“Hindmarsh sub-division as a patrol officer was one of the best postings I had. It was a pleasure to work with such a hard-working group of people.

“The job has had its moments, but the camaraderie built up along the way made it enjoyable.

“For all those I have worked with, I wish you all the best. Thank you for the memories and the laughs along the way. It was a pleasure to serve with you all.

“Good luck and all the best for the future to you all.”

Sergeant Peter McIntyre Hills Fleurieu Highway Patrol 35 years’ service Last day: 31.12.19

Comments…

“Having been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder nearly 20 years ago, I was able to maintain active service until three years ago.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my 35 years with SAPOL and have met some wonderful people and had some great experiences along the way.

“I thank the Police Association and all its staff and office bearers for their hard work and commitment to the members they represent.

“I especially thank Bernadette Zimmermann and Mark Carroll

from the association and John Schumann, Fiona Stevens, Mark Reidy and The Road Home for their fantastic support through the Police Support Group. This has been invaluable in my recovery.

“Mental Health in SAPOL must be in the forefront of every member’s thoughts. If you know of someone who has mental-health issues, offer assistance and do not be afraid to make contact if they are not at work.

This contact has been very rare for me and I find it disappointing.

“Thank you to my senior sergeant, Andy Daly, for his wholehearted support and assistance.

“Every member of SAPOL, whether I know you or not, has my highest respect and I wish you all the best with your careers. Remember to look after each other, especially with mental health.”

Senior Constable 1C Simon Pichl

Barmera Police Station 30 years’ service Last day: 13.11.19 Comments…

“I thank the association for its efforts in improving many facets of the working conditions of its members,

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especially wage growth and member welfare.

“I also thank all of those who I have worked with across the years. The job has many amazing people who I had the absolute pleasure of working with.

“All the best to everyone and keep fighting the good fight.”

“Those in this job who I have met over my career have all been outstanding people who deserve every bit of respect from the government and residents of this state.

“I’m going to miss you all greatly and hope never to lose touch.

“I wish the association and its members the very best for the future.”

Sergeant John Robinson Parks Operations 43 years’ service Last day: 12.01.20

Comments…

“I thank the association for all that it has done for me and the service in general over the past 43 years.

“I feel blessed to have had such a rewarding career in SAPOL. I have spent virtually my whole career at Western District (Parks patrols) and I could not have hoped for a better working experience than this.

“To all those who have passed through Parks, team five: you made it fun.

Sergeant Kevin Hall

Murray Mallee Local Service Area 42 years’ service Last day: 22.11.19 Comments…

“I wish to thank all those persons who have worked for the Police Association during that time and who have provided us all the conditions that we now enjoy.

“I also thank the many persons who I have worked with over the years and wish you all the very best for the future.”

Change of Address The Police Association of South Australia needs your change-­of-address details.

If you have moved, in either the recent or distant past, please let the association know your new address. Its office does not receive notification of changed addresses by any other means.

The association will need your new address, full name, ID number, telephone numbers (home, work and/or mobile).

Members can e-mail these details to the association on pasa@pasa.asn.au or send them by letter through dispatch (168).

February 2020

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25 years on Senior Constable Eric Schwenke

(Southern District Teams Christies Beach)

He worked as a doorman, a labourer and a social worker before the cops and now has plans for another job after policing.

I’ve worked at Transit Services, Sturt, Victor Harbor, Aldinga and Christies Beach. I found all areas interesting and always enjoyable. Why? The characters I’ve encountered – and I’ve met a few people over that time – and the various activities experienced. I’ve acquired wisdom, maintained an even keel, kept my nose clean, and largely enjoyed myself.

My most memorable job was one night shift several years ago.

Haidon Linke and I attended a job where two English bullmastiffs had been run over. Both were collarless.

One was totally incapacitated, and his mate was jealously guarding him. I suggested the dogs needed putting down. Linke vehemently disagreed. He contacted a 24-hour veterinarian service.

I was unsure what to expect and learned as I went along. I wasn’t naïve. I’d spent quite a few years working the doors in hotels from Elizabeth to Victor Harbor while primarily working as a labourer before policing and, before that, as a youth/social worker. I’d already established a hardy cognitive and physical veneer that prepared me for a journey in policing.

We were asked to bring the dogs into the clinic by cage car.

A totally crazy idea but I got a blanket under the near-dead dog as his mate growled and snarled at me. We lifted him into the cage car. Moments later, the other mastiff limped in with his mate.

Unbelievable. We slowly conveyed the wounded dogs to the vet clinic and left them with the staff. They both survived.

Policing here in SA has always had this unsaid mantra about changing the world, making it a better place, and refers to itself as that thin blue line. I like the sentiments. But, the reality, in some ways, dispels the actual dynamic, where I still see this us-and-them mentality, as if we’re not part of the social microcosm, that we’re elite and set apart.

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I didn’t imagine I’d last this long in policing. I’d considered my mindset to be psychologically and politically left of centre, and perhaps not even suitable. After policing, I plan to head back to Samoa and run the family coconut/ banana plantations. It’s been an enjoyable journey; and, in the words of Paul Simon: “I’m still crazy after all these years.”

I’ve acquired wisdom, maintained an even keel, kept my nose clean, and largely enjoyed myself.

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Police www.pasa.asn.au

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