I get more pleasure talking to a homeless person than a business executive ... there is no artificiality and no falsehoods ... it's almost an existentialist experience.
- Ian Webster, Professor of Public Health, University of NSW, 1996
Close to a decade has passed since Ian Webster, now emeritus professor, uttered these words but his sentiments have changed not a jot. Indeed, if you happen to be passing the Matthew Talbot Hostel in Woolloomooloo on any Monday afternoon, you will find him there in a small office, listening quietly, bent over and cutting toenails, tending aching feet, checking tobacco-racked lungs and tired livers and more often than not reassuring tortured souls.
A friend to those in need
Eye on Politics & Law Lords: Leaking info put 'Mill' in motion
Interior Minister Bublan defends squad to Parliament
A dearth of experts on economic crime within this country's police was the reason Social Democrat (CSSD) acting chairman and Prime Minister Stanislav Gross' formed the mysterious Mill (Mlyn) police squad when he was interior minister, according to the current interior minister, Frantisek Bublan, when called before Parliament to respond to questions about the matter.
News of the Mill squad surfaced in early January when Hospodarske noviny reported that Gross formed the squad in May 2002 that operated independently of the state Police Presidium and reported directly to him. Speculation abounded about the squad's purpose and whether Gross illegally attempted to gather information on his political rivals.
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• · · Raw Voices of the People Margo Kingston on Rau: 'It's torture, it's sheer torture'; Mentally ill Australian Cornelia Rau spent months in an immigration detention centre. Her sister, Chris Rau, and brother-in-law, John MacDonald, describe her ordeal My sister lost her mind, Australia lost its heart ; A mental health expert says his efforts to help Cornelia Rau were brushed aside by arrogant immigration officials. Rau: call for help 'ignored'
• · · · The ghosts of the Meciar past are passing only slowly through Slovak courts. Police now believe Lexa contracted the killing of Remias out to an underworld boss, Miroslav Sykora, who gave two men--Imrich Olah and Jozef Rohac--2 million crowns (now worth about $68,000) to carry out the commission An ideological father of the kidnapping ; Set up Police doubt Blair theft
• · · · · Chris Jenkins and Andrew Colley: The NSW government is certain to go ahead with its long-running $300 million state broadband network. State's $300m network proceeds
• · · · · · One of the nation's judges has not lodged a tax return for seven years and a further 65 were at least 12 months late in settling their tax responsibilities for the year to June 2003. Among those was one who had failed to lodge a return for five years and another for three years, Australian Taxation Office figures obtained by The Australian show. Judges prove lax on their tax with 66 late to lodge returns
