A discussion of contemporary issues in media ethics, with olives and a twist. Made with only the freshest ingredients, shaken, stirred and poured over ice. I should also mention that I do like the odd, occasional martini. Bombay Sapphire gin and Lillet, dry and plenty of salty olives. Welcome to this cocktail of journalism and alcohol. A fine combination!

Friday, 7 September 2007

"It's not funny," Scipione laments Chaser stunt

The NSW police really do have to lighten up. They're now putting round the message that the boys from Chaser could have been shot by snipers during their stunt a couple of days ago. IN case you missed it, here's a TV report.



The team from the ABC's satirical show, The Chaser's War on Everything, managed to drive through two security checkpoints in Sydney, despite the heavy (overkill) police security presence and the rabble-proof fence.





A number of Chaser crew were able to get right to the InterContinental hotel where Dubya is holed up with an entourage that boasts 250 secret service guys, armed to the teeth.

After being held by the side of the road, they were taken in a police van and processed.




Now the NSW Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione, is saying they could have been shot. But they weren't. What they did do is prove that the whole costly exercise (around 140 million dollars, about $24 million per day) is an expensive joke.

Scipione told the Australian media that the police snipers, located on many buildings around the city, could have opened fire. Now he's mad as hell...

"I'm angry, I'm very angry that this stunt happened, it was a very dangerous stunt," Mr Scipione said.

"The reality is ... (they) put security services in a position where they might have had to take an action no-one would want.

"We have snipers deployed around the city. They weren't there for show, they mean business, that's what they were there for."

Hey, Commish, wipe the two-day old egg of your face and crack a smile.

Showing just how thick the boys and girls in blue can be, here's a copy of the Chaser team's dummied-up security passes.

On a more serious note, the Chaser crew (11 were arrested) have been charged under the NSW special APEC security laws and could face up to six months in jail.

Bastards.

There's more at the SMH website.

You can track an earlier post on this story.

As you might expect the Chaser online news service is quick to show what's going on.

1 comment:

Avaiki Nius said...

oh god, you gotta love dem auzzies - piss takers extraordinaire!

the billboard in baghdad is priceless, but the apec stunt is worth six months and more, just to puncture the whole bloated bull**** exercise!

power to the PRESS!