Reporting on world events from a Bairnsdale Conservative perspective.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Plaisir D'Amour
* Pastor had 'instructional' sex with daughters * Horse dies, ending plans for the Sydney Spring Carnival * Aussie DJ gets 90 days jail for drugs in Bali * Wallabie dump Johns over Ecstasy bust * APEC protests begin * Inmate questioned over old child murders * Lana Krost raises eyebrows after making final Idol 12 (but she is cute) * Bin Laden art is not offensive, just tasteless.
Pastor had instructional sex with daughters By Todd Cardy A FUNDAMENTALIST church pastor had sex with two of his teenage daughters to educate them on how to be good wives, a South Australian court has heard.
The 54-year-old man, who cannot be named, was today sentenced in the SA District Court to eight and a half years jail after pleading guilty to seven counts each of incest and unlawful sexual intercourse.
The court heard that the man had sex with his daughters for nearly a decade from 1991 when they were aged 13 and 15 at the family property.
The sex took place at various locations including in a shearer's shed, a paddock, on the back of a ute and, on one occasion, at the girls' grandparents house.
The man told the court the sex was not about fulfilling his desires but about teaching his daughters how to behave for their husbands when they eventually married, as dictated in scripture.
In sentencing, Judge David Lovell said the misrepresentation of scripture used to justify the abuse of the girls "defied belief", and that he had "hypocritically betrayed" his religion and principles.
"You said the acts were about learning about sex rather than engaging in the acts of sex," Judge Lovell said.
"I do not accept that.
"You treated your daughters as your property ... using them to satisfy and gratify your sexual urges."
Judge Lovell gave full credit for the man's guilty pleas, saying he was genuinely remorseful and had a good chance of rehabilitation as his wife and the church remained supportive.
The man will be eligible for parole in four years.
Horse dies, the carnival is over By Shoba Rao ONE horse has died from the equine influenza virus, after eight out of 10 racehorses from a Randwick stable have tested positive today, according to racing officials.
Detection of the EI virus has forced officials to cancel the Sydney Spring Carnival while the Randwick Racecourse is in quarantine for about two months.
All horses from NSW have been banned from taking part in the Melbourne Cup aand Victorian Spring Carnival.
NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said the the quarantine would extend for 30 days from the last case of equine influenza and was expected to go through the Randwick site quickly.
Ten horses from Anthony Cummings' stable were tested, with eight returning positive results to EI.
They are the first racehorses to test positive since the beginning of the nation's EI crisis.
Until today, EI had been restricted to the pleasure horse industry.
The first sign of EI among racehorses came overnight, with the results of initial tests taken from the Cummings-trained Paxton showing the gelding had the highly contagious virus.
There are around 700 racehorses trained at Randwick and the majority are expected to eventually be affected by the virus.
APEC protests kick off with a whimper By Mark Schliebs THE first demonstration of the APEC protest season saw more media representatives than activists at the steps of the New South Wales Premier's office.
A demonstration against NSW Police's changes to a planned anti-APEC march was held outside Premier Morris Iemma's office today – the first day officers were allowed to enforce special restrictions on movements.
Police have proposed a new route for marchers taking part in the September 8 Stop Bush Coalition protest that will see them diverted away from the US Consulate.
Coalition spokesman Alex Bainbridge said not even a place on the police’s blacklist would stop him marching on the day.
“If my name was on the list, I don’t think that I’ll act any differently,” Mr Bainbridge said.
Less than 20 protestors were spotted at the demonstration, while dozens of journalists, cameramen, photographers and audio technicians filled the footpaths.
When the famous “Tranny Cops” activist group arrived to “arrest” protestors, the media scrum eclipsed the small number of protestors and passers-by.
Federal Greens senator Kerry Nettle said not even she knew if she was on the police’s blacklist, which would see officers target her if she partakes in the main protest.
Wallabies dump Johns over ecstasy bust from news.com.au AUSTRALIAN Rugby Union boss John O'Neill has ruled out any chance of Andew Johns joining the Wallabies as a coaching consultant at the Rugby World Cup in France following his caution for possession of ecstasy.
Johns, a former Kangaroos captain, had spent time tutoring the Wallabies' kickers before the Australian side upset the All Blacks in Melbourne in June.
Australian coach John Connolly said recently he hoped the rugby league great could work again with the team in France once the former halfback's commentary commitments with Channel 9 were completed after the NRL finals series.
But O'Neill said today the ARU had not entered into any formal arrangement with Johns.
"It wasn't a done deal that he'd be contributing to the team in France," O'Neill said through a spokesman.
"Given the current circumstances, the Wallabies will continue as is in France."
Johns said earlier today that the ecstasy tablet he was caught with in London was pushed into a pocket of his jeans at a crowded club by an unknown person.
Johns confirmed he was issued with a caution for possession of an ecstasy tablet on Sunday.
He was arrested but not charged by British transport police, who apparently were conducting a routine search at underground railway stations following the annual Notting Hill Carnival, a statement from Johns' management The Fordham Company said.
"Following an interview with police he was told the misdemeanour did not warrant being charged and instead was given an official caution," the statement said.
"Johns said today he recalled an unknown person pushing a tablet into his jeans at a crowded entertainment venue last Sunday - his last day in the United Kingdom following a six weeks overseas holiday."
In the statement, Johns said: "I was having such a good time, seeing it was the last day before I flew home.
"I stupidly forget about the tablet and instead of getting rid of it I left myself in a situation I soon deeply regretted.
"I have been a very foolish person and realise I have brought great disappointment to my family, friends and many people, including lots of youngsters who have looked up to me over the years. It has left a black mark on my reputation which I will work very hard at erasing".
Johns was one of 206 people arrested for drugs possession in London over the British holiday weekend.
A British Transport Police spokeswoman said in a statement late last night: "A man in his 30s was arrested and cautioned for possession of an ecstasy tablet following a routine police operation at King's Cross underground station at 4.20pm on Sunday, 26th of August."
In Britain a formal, or "simple", caution is not a criminal conviction.
However, it is recorded on the police database and may be considered in court if a person is tried for another offence, the UK Home Office says on its website.
"If you are given a simple caution you will be officially warned about the unacceptability of your behaviour, and the likely consequences if you commit any further crimes will be explained to you," the website says.
Johns, who was forced out of the game in April by a recurring neck injury, has been holidaying in Europe and the UK.
He and injured Brisbane Broncos skipper Darren Lockyer were guests at the Challenge Cup final between St Helens and Catalans at Wembley Stadium the day before his arrest.
He had been in London for a few weeks and had accepted an invitation by former Newcastle Knights player Billy Peden to pass on his tactical and kicking knowledge at the Harlequins Rugby League Club.
Inmate quizzed over notorious child murders from news.com.au NOTORIOUS prison inmate Derek Ernest Percy was today interrogated by police over some of Australia's most horrific child murders.
Percy was taken from his Port Phillip Prison cell for eight hours today to be quizzed by homicide detectives in Melbourne over unsolved cases in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales which date back 40 years.
No fresh charges were been laid but investigations were continuing, said a Victoria Police spokeswoman.
Victoria's longest-serving prisoner was questioned at police headquarters in St Kilda Rd following the discovery of an incriminating collection of files, clippings, hand written diaries and a video in a self storage warehouse in South Melbourne that Percy had rented from his jail cell for 20 years.
"It is all information to us of significance that may lead to many, many matters being dealt with," said Victorian Police Chief Christine Nixon.
"We are putting all resources necessary to pursue this."
At the completion of his interrogation, Percy was driven from St Kilda Rd to the Melbourne Custody Centre where he arrived tonight at around 5.40pm (AEST).
Wearing a navy blue tracksuit and sporting a long silver beard, the bald Percy was flanked by two police officers in the back seat of a marked police car.
He covered his face with his hands as the vehicle was driven into the centre under Melbourne Magistrates Court.
Percy, 58, was questioned by detectives from Victoria and NSW over some of Australia's most infamous cases.
He is believed to be a suspect in the murders of Christine Sharrock and Marianne Schmidt on Sydney's Wanda Beach in 1965; the disappearance of the Beaumont children, Jane, 9, Arnna, 7, and Grant, 4, in Adelaide in 1966; the murder of six-year-old Allen Redston in Canberra in 1966; Simon Brook, 3, killed in Sydney in 1968; and Linda Stilwell, 7, abducted from St Kilda in August 1968.
In the only trial he faced – for the murder of 12-year-old Yvonne Tuohy, who was snatched from Warneet beach, southeast of Melbourne in 1969 – he was found unfit to plead on grounds of insanity.
In 1970, Percy was ordered to remain in jail indefinitely.
NSW police said Percy remained a person of interest in relation to the death of Simon Brook, who disappeared from his Glebe home in Sydney on May 18, 1968.
His badly mutilated body was found the next day in nearby bushes.
The child had been suffocated with balls of rolled-up newspaper forced down his throat.
Asked in a police interview in 1969 whether he killed Simon, Percy said: "I might have, I just don't remember".
NSW detectives are not currently examining any link between Percy and the Wanda Beach murders of Christine Sharrock and Marianne Schmidt in January 1965.
"Our focus at this stage is the death of Simon Brook," a NSW Police Force spokeswoman said.
Although police have known for some time that Percy had kept a storage facility they made their breakthrough last month after opening 35 tea chests.
The chests are believed to have contained material which included newspaper articles on sex crimes, a video with a rape theme, pictures of children and handwritten notes on sex offences, abduction and torture.
Magistrate Belinda Wallington gave Victorian police permission this morning to question Percy.
Artist defends 'Osama bin Christ' against Howard from news.com.au THE artist behind a controversial work depicting terrorism mastermind Osama bin Laden morphing into Jesus today invited those considering her work to look a little more deeply than the obvious comparison of good and evil.
Queensland artist Priscilla Bracks denied she had deliberately set out to be offensive.
"Absolutely not, no, no. I am not interested in being offensive. I am interested in having a discussion and asking questions about how we think about our world and what we accept and what we don't accept," she said.
Bracks' work and a statue of the Virgin Mary wearing an Islamic burqa by Sydney artist Luke Sullivan have been entered into Australia's top religious art competition, the Blake Prize.
Both Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd have criticised their inclusion.
"The choice of such artwork is gratuitously offensive to the religious beliefs of many Australians," Mr Howard said.
Bracks welcomed the criticism.
"Well I suppose we always have an opinion on how they do their job. I am fine with the fact that they might have an opinion on how I do mine," she said.
"But I just ask people to think about it a little bit more deeply because it is a very loaded work which means that there are so many different meanings."
Howard, Rudd condemn works
Prime Minister John Howard is leading a chorus of condemnation against the decision to include the Bracks and Sullivan artworks in the Blake Prize because they appear to ridicule the Christian faith.
Mr Howard said the pieces were insulting and lacked any artistic merit.
"The choice of such artwork is gratuitously offensive to the religious beliefs of many Australians," he said.
Iemma 'offended', 'hasn't seen it'
He was backed by Premier Morris Iemma, who said the inclusion of the artworks was extremely questionable.
"I haven't seen either of these pieces but from what has been described to me, it's a pity they were not stolen instead of the Dutch masterpiece," Mr Iemma said, referring to the recent theft of a painting from the Art Gallery of NSW.
The artworks are the latest in a string of offensive pieces that have infuriated Christians while their creators hide behind the veil of "art".
Last night, the creator of the bin Laden piece, Queensland lawyer Priscilla Bracks, defended her work.
Bin Laden 'unintentionally glorified'
Bracks told The Daily Telegraph her double portrait was not meant to compare Jesus with bin Laden, but was a commentary on the way the terror leader was treated in the media.
She was concerned bin Laden would be unintentionally glorified in years to come.
Describing him as a "common criminal", Ms Bracks made the bizarre assertion that bin Laden - whose whereabouts are unknown - should be extradited and put on trial.
Sydney artist Luke Sullivan, who created the Virgin Mary piece entitled The Fourth Secret of Fatima, said his work was not meant to be controversial but provocative.
"It poses the question of what's the future of religion," Sullivan said.
"They (religions) are hegemonic in their nature.
"They can be all-encompassing and powerful."
Jesus 'nothing to do with terrorism'
Joining Mr Howard and Mr Iemma in condemning the art was the Australian Christian Lobby, which said placing Jesus in the same piece as Osama bin Laden was "a big mistake".
"Jesus brought a message of love and forgiveness that has nothing to do with terrorism," ACL spokeswoman Glynis Quinlan said.
"It's a concerning thing to Christians to have Jesus and Osama bin Laden as part of the one artwork.
"If the artist is trying to portray any similarity, that is a big mistake."
Ms Quinlan questioned whether the artists would have been so bold in using icons of Islam.
Minister defends pieces
The Uniting Church minister who chairs the Blake Society last night defended the pieces.
Reverend Rod Pattenden, who awarded the $15,000 prize to the competition winner in Sydney yesterday, said his mission was to spark debate about spirituality in a world that was "cynical, degraded and in crisis".
Mr Pattenden said he did not expect controversy to result from the exhibition "because the Christian community doesn't look at art a great deal".
He said the Virgin statue embodied "iconic representations of two different religious traditions".
"He (Sullivan) is making a comment about gender in a religion dominated by men," Mr Pattenden said.
Lana Krost success shocks Australian Idol judges from news.com.au AUSTRALIAN Idol fans were again left a little sceptical about the voting after 17-year-old West Australian Lana Krost made it into the final 12, despite having one of the worst performances.
More highly fancied singers such as Victorian Natalie Gauci were expected to get through before Krost, and that could be seen by the shocked look of the judges on Wednesday night.
Half-American and half-Vietnamese but born in Australia, Krost said she was just as stunned as everyone else.
She had a chat to Ian "Dicko" Dickson after the show.
"He said I've got to learn to growl and get the tiger in me," Krost said.
She will face stiff competition from fellow finalist Tarisai Vushe, 19, from New South Wales.
The pocket dynamo, who moved with her mother from Zimbabwe, is the early favourite.
She was almost signed by Young Divas manager David Caplice last year and has worked with producer Audi.
"I've worked with nearly everyone in Australia," Vushe said.
"Darling, I am just so thankful to the whole of Australia who have put me through."
Pastor had instructional sex with daughters
ReplyDeleteBy Todd Cardy
A FUNDAMENTALIST church pastor had sex with two of his teenage daughters to educate them on how to be good wives, a South Australian court has heard.
The 54-year-old man, who cannot be named, was today sentenced in the SA District Court to eight and a half years jail after pleading guilty to seven counts each of incest and unlawful sexual intercourse.
The court heard that the man had sex with his daughters for nearly a decade from 1991 when they were aged 13 and 15 at the family property.
The sex took place at various locations including in a shearer's shed, a paddock, on the back of a ute and, on one occasion, at the girls' grandparents house.
The man told the court the sex was not about fulfilling his desires but about teaching his daughters how to behave for their husbands when they eventually married, as dictated in scripture.
In sentencing, Judge David Lovell said the misrepresentation of scripture used to justify the abuse of the girls "defied belief", and that he had "hypocritically betrayed" his religion and principles.
"You said the acts were about learning about sex rather than engaging in the acts of sex," Judge Lovell said.
"I do not accept that.
"You treated your daughters as your property ... using them to satisfy and gratify your sexual urges."
Judge Lovell gave full credit for the man's guilty pleas, saying he was genuinely remorseful and had a good chance of rehabilitation as his wife and the church remained supportive.
The man will be eligible for parole in four years.
Horse dies, the carnival is over
ReplyDeleteBy Shoba Rao
ONE horse has died from the equine influenza virus, after eight out of 10 racehorses from a Randwick stable have tested positive today, according to racing officials.
Detection of the EI virus has forced officials to cancel the Sydney Spring Carnival while the Randwick Racecourse is in quarantine for about two months.
All horses from NSW have been banned from taking part in the Melbourne Cup aand Victorian Spring Carnival.
NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said the the quarantine would extend for 30 days from the last case of equine influenza and was expected to go through the Randwick site quickly.
Ten horses from Anthony Cummings' stable were tested, with eight returning positive results to EI.
They are the first racehorses to test positive since the beginning of the nation's EI crisis.
Until today, EI had been restricted to the pleasure horse industry.
The first sign of EI among racehorses came overnight, with the results of initial tests taken from the Cummings-trained Paxton showing the gelding had the highly contagious virus.
There are around 700 racehorses trained at Randwick and the majority are expected to eventually be affected by the virus.
APEC protests kick off with a whimper
ReplyDeleteBy Mark Schliebs
THE first demonstration of the APEC protest season saw more media representatives than activists at the steps of the New South Wales Premier's office.
A demonstration against NSW Police's changes to a planned anti-APEC march was held outside Premier Morris Iemma's office today – the first day officers were allowed to enforce special restrictions on movements.
Police have proposed a new route for marchers taking part in the September 8 Stop Bush Coalition protest that will see them diverted away from the US Consulate.
Coalition spokesman Alex Bainbridge said not even a place on the police’s blacklist would stop him marching on the day.
“If my name was on the list, I don’t think that I’ll act any differently,” Mr Bainbridge said.
Less than 20 protestors were spotted at the demonstration, while dozens of journalists, cameramen, photographers and audio technicians filled the footpaths.
When the famous “Tranny Cops” activist group arrived to “arrest” protestors, the media scrum eclipsed the small number of protestors and passers-by.
Federal Greens senator Kerry Nettle said not even she knew if she was on the police’s blacklist, which would see officers target her if she partakes in the main protest.
Wallabies dump Johns over ecstasy bust
ReplyDeletefrom news.com.au
AUSTRALIAN Rugby Union boss John O'Neill has ruled out any chance of Andew Johns joining the Wallabies as a coaching consultant at the Rugby World Cup in France following his caution for possession of ecstasy.
Johns, a former Kangaroos captain, had spent time tutoring the Wallabies' kickers before the Australian side upset the All Blacks in Melbourne in June.
Australian coach John Connolly said recently he hoped the rugby league great could work again with the team in France once the former halfback's commentary commitments with Channel 9 were completed after the NRL finals series.
But O'Neill said today the ARU had not entered into any formal arrangement with Johns.
"It wasn't a done deal that he'd be contributing to the team in France," O'Neill said through a spokesman.
"Given the current circumstances, the Wallabies will continue as is in France."
Johns said earlier today that the ecstasy tablet he was caught with in London was pushed into a pocket of his jeans at a crowded club by an unknown person.
Johns confirmed he was issued with a caution for possession of an ecstasy tablet on Sunday.
He was arrested but not charged by British transport police, who apparently were conducting a routine search at underground railway stations following the annual Notting Hill Carnival, a statement from Johns' management The Fordham Company said.
"Following an interview with police he was told the misdemeanour did not warrant being charged and instead was given an official caution," the statement said.
"Johns said today he recalled an unknown person pushing a tablet into his jeans at a crowded entertainment venue last Sunday - his last day in the United Kingdom following a six weeks overseas holiday."
In the statement, Johns said: "I was having such a good time, seeing it was the last day before I flew home.
"I stupidly forget about the tablet and instead of getting rid of it I left myself in a situation I soon deeply regretted.
"I have been a very foolish person and realise I have brought great disappointment to my family, friends and many people, including lots of youngsters who have looked up to me over the years. It has left a black mark on my reputation which I will work very hard at erasing".
Johns was one of 206 people arrested for drugs possession in London over the British holiday weekend.
A British Transport Police spokeswoman said in a statement late last night: "A man in his 30s was arrested and cautioned for possession of an ecstasy tablet following a routine police operation at King's Cross underground station at 4.20pm on Sunday, 26th of August."
In Britain a formal, or "simple", caution is not a criminal conviction.
However, it is recorded on the police database and may be considered in court if a person is tried for another offence, the UK Home Office says on its website.
"If you are given a simple caution you will be officially warned about the unacceptability of your behaviour, and the likely consequences if you commit any further crimes will be explained to you," the website says.
Johns, who was forced out of the game in April by a recurring neck injury, has been holidaying in Europe and the UK.
He and injured Brisbane Broncos skipper Darren Lockyer were guests at the Challenge Cup final between St Helens and Catalans at Wembley Stadium the day before his arrest.
He had been in London for a few weeks and had accepted an invitation by former Newcastle Knights player Billy Peden to pass on his tactical and kicking knowledge at the Harlequins Rugby League Club.
Inmate quizzed over notorious child murders
ReplyDeletefrom news.com.au
NOTORIOUS prison inmate Derek Ernest Percy was today interrogated by police over some of Australia's most horrific child murders.
Percy was taken from his Port Phillip Prison cell for eight hours today to be quizzed by homicide detectives in Melbourne over unsolved cases in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales which date back 40 years.
No fresh charges were been laid but investigations were continuing, said a Victoria Police spokeswoman.
Victoria's longest-serving prisoner was questioned at police headquarters in St Kilda Rd following the discovery of an incriminating collection of files, clippings, hand written diaries and a video in a self storage warehouse in South Melbourne that Percy had rented from his jail cell for 20 years.
"It is all information to us of significance that may lead to many, many matters being dealt with," said Victorian Police Chief Christine Nixon.
"We are putting all resources necessary to pursue this."
At the completion of his interrogation, Percy was driven from St Kilda Rd to the Melbourne Custody Centre where he arrived tonight at around 5.40pm (AEST).
Wearing a navy blue tracksuit and sporting a long silver beard, the bald Percy was flanked by two police officers in the back seat of a marked police car.
He covered his face with his hands as the vehicle was driven into the centre under Melbourne Magistrates Court.
Percy, 58, was questioned by detectives from Victoria and NSW over some of Australia's most infamous cases.
He is believed to be a suspect in the murders of Christine Sharrock and Marianne Schmidt on Sydney's Wanda Beach in 1965; the disappearance of the Beaumont children, Jane, 9, Arnna, 7, and Grant, 4, in Adelaide in 1966; the murder of six-year-old Allen Redston in Canberra in 1966; Simon Brook, 3, killed in Sydney in 1968; and Linda Stilwell, 7, abducted from St Kilda in August 1968.
In the only trial he faced – for the murder of 12-year-old Yvonne Tuohy, who was snatched from Warneet beach, southeast of Melbourne in 1969 – he was found unfit to plead on grounds of insanity.
In 1970, Percy was ordered to remain in jail indefinitely.
NSW police said Percy remained a person of interest in relation to the death of Simon Brook, who disappeared from his Glebe home in Sydney on May 18, 1968.
His badly mutilated body was found the next day in nearby bushes.
The child had been suffocated with balls of rolled-up newspaper forced down his throat.
Asked in a police interview in 1969 whether he killed Simon, Percy said: "I might have, I just don't remember".
NSW detectives are not currently examining any link between Percy and the Wanda Beach murders of Christine Sharrock and Marianne Schmidt in January 1965.
"Our focus at this stage is the death of Simon Brook," a NSW Police Force spokeswoman said.
Although police have known for some time that Percy had kept a storage facility they made their breakthrough last month after opening 35 tea chests.
The chests are believed to have contained material which included newspaper articles on sex crimes, a video with a rape theme, pictures of children and handwritten notes on sex offences, abduction and torture.
Magistrate Belinda Wallington gave Victorian police permission this morning to question Percy.
Artist defends 'Osama bin Christ' against Howard
ReplyDeletefrom news.com.au
THE artist behind a controversial work depicting terrorism mastermind Osama bin Laden morphing into Jesus today invited those considering her work to look a little more deeply than the obvious comparison of good and evil.
Queensland artist Priscilla Bracks denied she had deliberately set out to be offensive.
"Absolutely not, no, no. I am not interested in being offensive. I am interested in having a discussion and asking questions about how we think about our world and what we accept and what we don't accept," she said.
Bracks' work and a statue of the Virgin Mary wearing an Islamic burqa by Sydney artist Luke Sullivan have been entered into Australia's top religious art competition, the Blake Prize.
Both Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd have criticised their inclusion.
"The choice of such artwork is gratuitously offensive to the religious beliefs of many Australians," Mr Howard said.
Bracks welcomed the criticism.
"Well I suppose we always have an opinion on how they do their job. I am fine with the fact that they might have an opinion on how I do mine," she said.
"But I just ask people to think about it a little bit more deeply because it is a very loaded work which means that there are so many different meanings."
Howard, Rudd condemn works
Prime Minister John Howard is leading a chorus of condemnation against the decision to include the Bracks and Sullivan artworks in the Blake Prize because they appear to ridicule the Christian faith.
Mr Howard said the pieces were insulting and lacked any artistic merit.
"The choice of such artwork is gratuitously offensive to the religious beliefs of many Australians," he said.
Iemma 'offended', 'hasn't seen it'
He was backed by Premier Morris Iemma, who said the inclusion of the artworks was extremely questionable.
"I haven't seen either of these pieces but from what has been described to me, it's a pity they were not stolen instead of the Dutch masterpiece," Mr Iemma said, referring to the recent theft of a painting from the Art Gallery of NSW.
The artworks are the latest in a string of offensive pieces that have infuriated Christians while their creators hide behind the veil of "art".
Last night, the creator of the bin Laden piece, Queensland lawyer Priscilla Bracks, defended her work.
Bin Laden 'unintentionally glorified'
Bracks told The Daily Telegraph her double portrait was not meant to compare Jesus with bin Laden, but was a commentary on the way the terror leader was treated in the media.
She was concerned bin Laden would be unintentionally glorified in years to come.
Describing him as a "common criminal", Ms Bracks made the bizarre assertion that bin Laden - whose whereabouts are unknown - should be extradited and put on trial.
Sydney artist Luke Sullivan, who created the Virgin Mary piece entitled The Fourth Secret of Fatima, said his work was not meant to be controversial but provocative.
"It poses the question of what's the future of religion," Sullivan said.
"They (religions) are hegemonic in their nature.
"They can be all-encompassing and powerful."
Jesus 'nothing to do with terrorism'
Joining Mr Howard and Mr Iemma in condemning the art was the Australian Christian Lobby, which said placing Jesus in the same piece as Osama bin Laden was "a big mistake".
"Jesus brought a message of love and forgiveness that has nothing to do with terrorism," ACL spokeswoman Glynis Quinlan said.
"It's a concerning thing to Christians to have Jesus and Osama bin Laden as part of the one artwork.
"If the artist is trying to portray any similarity, that is a big mistake."
Ms Quinlan questioned whether the artists would have been so bold in using icons of Islam.
Minister defends pieces
The Uniting Church minister who chairs the Blake Society last night defended the pieces.
Reverend Rod Pattenden, who awarded the $15,000 prize to the competition winner in Sydney yesterday, said his mission was to spark debate about spirituality in a world that was "cynical, degraded and in crisis".
Mr Pattenden said he did not expect controversy to result from the exhibition "because the Christian community doesn't look at art a great deal".
He said the Virgin statue embodied "iconic representations of two different religious traditions".
"He (Sullivan) is making a comment about gender in a religion dominated by men," Mr Pattenden said.
With The Daily Telegraph
Lana Krost success shocks Australian Idol judges
ReplyDeletefrom news.com.au
AUSTRALIAN Idol fans were again left a little sceptical about the voting after 17-year-old West Australian Lana Krost made it into the final 12, despite having one of the worst performances.
More highly fancied singers such as Victorian Natalie Gauci were expected to get through before Krost, and that could be seen by the shocked look of the judges on Wednesday night.
Half-American and half-Vietnamese but born in Australia, Krost said she was just as stunned as everyone else.
She had a chat to Ian "Dicko" Dickson after the show.
"He said I've got to learn to growl and get the tiger in me," Krost said.
She will face stiff competition from fellow finalist Tarisai Vushe, 19, from New South Wales.
The pocket dynamo, who moved with her mother from Zimbabwe, is the early favourite.
She was almost signed by Young Divas manager David Caplice last year and has worked with producer Audi.
"I've worked with nearly everyone in Australia," Vushe said.
"Darling, I am just so thankful to the whole of Australia who have put me through."