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ISSUE 1 AUTUMN 2015
PROTECTING,
REPRESENTING
and CARING
for our members
EVERY DAY
Professional Standards Investigation
and ‘Directed Interview’
The Danger of
the Monster Myth
Dundee Beach Accommodation
Gini 0425 764 411
318 Mermaid Cct, Dundee Beach NT 840
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CONTENTS
02
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AUSPOL | AUTUMN 2015
10
LEGAL SERVICES UPDATE
14
THE DANGER OF THE MONSTER MYTH
36
BLACK DIGGERS REMEMBERED
CONTENTS
03
22
2015 TROIS
ETAPES GIRO
IN JUNE, FEDERAL AGENT
AND AFPA MEMBER,
JONATHAN CASELLA JOINS
CADEL EVANS AND HAMISH
BLAKE IN A RIDE TO HELP
WOUNDED AUSTRALIANS.
REGULARS
04
06
09
10
President’s Report
CEO Report
Employment Services
Update
Legal Services Update
27
29
32
34
Finance
Health
Movies
Books
AFPA.ORG.AU
PRESIDENT REPORT
04
PRESIDENT’S
REPORT
AFPA National President
JON HUNT-SHARMAN
AUSPOL | AUTUMN 2015
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND WELCOME TO 2015.
I trust you all had a little downtime over the
festive season, even if you worked through
this period.
Let me quickly wrap up 2014 before moving
into some of the coming 2015 highlights.
In October, after many years of renting our
office premises, the AFPA purchased new offices
as our home base. The opportunity arose where
the property adjacent to the Police Federation of
Australia (PFA) ,of which the AFPA is a branch,
was put on the market. The AFPA works closely
with the PFA and all other police associations
and unions so it made good sense to move in
next door. It also gives the AFPA quicker access
to AFP headquarters and Barton College as well
as a more central location for members visiting
the office, along with parking whilst visiting.
The savings associated with no longer paying
commercial rental also makes the purchase a
sensible investment.
The AFP welcomed a new Commissioner in
Andrew Colvin APM. Commissioner Colvin has
plans to lead the AFP through the development
that will support the AFP’s continued operation
in new national and particularly international
strategic spaces. Most members will agree
there is some housekeeping to do in order to
maintain government confidence and build upon
key stakeholder relationships that underpin
the professional credibility so important in the
policing context.
2014 saw significant change within the
AFPA under the leadership and insight of our
CEO. Leading edge professional level systems,
processes and policies have been developed and
implemented that will support our dedicated
and experienced staff in providing a systematic,
consistent legal and industrial service.
2014 also saw a complete independent
external review of AFPA financial management
systems. On December 1, 2014, the AFPA
moved to the fully automated Xero accounting
system, implemented all new processes and
made significant savings and advancements in
transparency by outsourcing our bookkeeping
and accounting needs to a firm specializing
in the not for profit sector. Members can be
assured that their personal information does not
cross paths with the accounting processes that
we have outsourced. Your safety and security
remains paramount.
That leads to 2015 and without doubt the
main focus being on national security and the
extremist threat. Our members are tasked
with the policing responsibilities of monitoring,
investigating and prosecuting the individual
and groups who would harm Australians.
This brings our members into the direct focus
as potential targets and we saw the threat level
against police nationally rise to match that of
the broader community.
AFPA membership in these times is crucial.
Our welfare pillar of service provides a valuable
assurance that should a member face the worst
possible outcome, there is significant help in the
form of both AFPA Trauma coverage and death
benefits. Simply put, our benefits cannot be
purchased in the market place for anywhere near
the low cost of AFPA membership. So please,
encourage your colleagues who are not
members to join and advise them of the benefits
that membership provides, not only should the
worst eventuate, but in everyday savings that far
exceed the cost of membership.
Just over ten years ago, as a result of
evidence given by the AFPA before a Senate
Inquiry into the AFP and NCA, Judge Fisher was
engaged to review the AFP integrity framework
with his recommendations subsequently being
adopted by the AFP. There have been changes in
over a decade and we believe the PRS framework
is due again for some much needed attention.
The AFPA is advocating for a review of the PRS
PRESIDENT REPORT
05
framework including its processes to ensure
it is best placed to meet current and future
integrity needs whilst ensuring and maintaining
the highest levels of procedural fairness
(or natural justice) principles.
As police, we are well trained and practiced
in criminal investigations and prosecutions.
However, I don’t recall any training in the
civil burden of proof and the technicalities
and practices of administrative enquiries
and decision making. Such principles hold
that there shall be an internal merits review
capability. Indeed section 70 of the AFP Act
1979 prescribes that there shall be a merits
review capability with Regulation 24 of the AFP
Regulations 1979 going further by providing
a minimum benchmark for a merits review
board or panel.
The dispute avoidance clause of the AFP
Enterprise Agreement (EA) provides limited
review of employment related decisions
stemming from the terms of the EA. Decisions
under the AFP Act and other subordinate policies
are currently not reviewed in terms of the merits
of a given set of circumstances.
The AFPA membership deserve a system
they can be confident in that delivers sound,
fair, reasonable, justifiable merits review
when decisions are questioned or contested.
Promotion, transfer and assignment of duties
are clear areas of contention for AFP employees,
along with other employment practices that
sit outside the reviewable jurisdiction of Fair
Work Australia. A merit review process is not
only necessary for good governance, but will
enhance employee trust and confidence in AFP
management decisions.
As the major employee representative,
the AFPA is encouraging a review of current
arrangements and stands ready to participate
in any collaborative effort to develop an
appropriate mechanism.
Finally, I want to touch on the theme
of Community. Community is something
at the heart of the AFPA, indeed the term
Association infers a sense of the collective,
of strength in numbers and of community
– the policing community.
In October 2014, the AFPA Executive
decided to replace the AFPA pillar of Lifestyle
with Community. That change reflects the much
broader notions of community that go well
beyond a range of lifestyle services.
During 2015 and beyond, the AFPA will be
bringing the Auspol Police Welfare Foundation
(PWF) much more to the forefront along with
other initiatives that will help and support
the members of our policing community.
From small regular events like barbeques
through to significant initiatives in partnership
with Soldier On, the PWF will become more
prominent. This is where, as National President,
I would encourage everyone to help us as we
further build the PWF in 2015.
Similarly, we plan to build upon the sense
of community through a former member’s
chapter that will provide almost all those
benefits that normal membership provides
to Associate Members.
We look forward to what will be a productive
but busy 2015.
AFPA.ORG.AU
CEO REPORT
06
CEO
REPORT
Chief Executive Officer
DENNIS GELLATLY
AUSPOL | AUTUMN 2015
IN 2014 THIS JOURNAL RAN A SERIES OF
ARTICLES ON POST TRAUMATIC STRESS
DISORDER (PTSD). Having published those,
I don’t see the need to go into discussing PTSD
in particular detail, other than to pose a couple
of questions.
However, before doing so, we all know
that the pressures of policing can and do lead
far too many police down the path of eventual
psychological trauma as police cope with the
worst that society can offer, day after day after
day. Sometimes too, it is one significant, critical
incident that is the catalyst for illness.
We have no idea what the statistics are
surrounding suicide amongst AFP members
but we do know that in the United States, deaths
amongst police due to suicide are more than
quadruple the number of deaths at the hands of
criminals. It would be reasonable to surmise that
in Australia, the proportion of deaths to suicide
far exceed deaths on the job.
Psychological trauma in policing is real,
it is a Workplace Health and Safety issue and
it is highly likely that it is far more deadly than
the risk of death at the hands of a crook.
By no means though do I suggest that police
lower their guard in relation to officer safety
whilst on the job. To that end we are provided
with an array of defensive tools, training and
tactics that we practice at least for a couple
of days every year (more would be better).
So if psychological injury due work related
trauma is, perhaps, more deadly than the
physical threats of violence, certain questions
go begging.
¡¡ What does the AFP have in place to provide
adequate education, training and skills to
build the necessary resilience amongst its
staff to prevent or reduce the incidents of
work related psychological trauma and avoid
the inevitable crisis that is so hard to work
back from?
¡¡
After trauma manifests, and assuming the
sufferer in the midst of crisis is not treated
as an organisational liability to be discarded,
what sort of offerings other than some
degree of counseling or medical support
is available to assist individuals back to a
productive level of health and capability?
Following a high speed crash as the passenger
in a pursuit over twenty years ago, I was
just such a liability when going through the
subsequent crisis arising from a situation in
which I faced what I thought was certain death.
In the early 1990s I had never heard of PTSD,
and the job of coming back to my senses and
putting myself back together was left to me and
my family not to mention the fight to keep my job.
So it was that one of the highlights of
2014 for me personally was the opportunity to
attend a number of presentations by Dr Kevin
Gilmartin. Dr Gilmartin is a psychologist with
40 years experience in studying and dealing
with psychological trauma. Particularly in the
field of law enforcement himself having been
a police officer in Tuscon, Arizona, for more
than 20 years. Police officers are also scattered
throughout his family. Dr Gilmartin is also the
author of Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement
published in April, 2002 by E-S Press and he can
be found on www.emotionalsurvival.com
Dr Gilmartin came to Australia as a guest,
firstly of the Police Association of NSW where
he lectured to police around that State before
moving on to a number of other states where
he lectured to large police audiences.
I was fortunate enough to be at three of his
presentations and for me his insight into PTSD in
the policing context was without doubt the most
profound experience to date in providing a clear
perspective on PTSD, its causes, its effects and
the things that can be done primarily to avoid it
happening. Armed with that knowledge though,
for those currently serving members as well as
CEO REPORT
07
those retired from policing who have experienced
their own personal challenges, Dr Gilmartin’s
insight and perspective is invaluable in the quest
to overcome one’s own trauma.
So back to my two questions.
I believe it is necessary to build into recruit
training, a program based on Dr Gilmartin’s work
that educates and arms new recruits with the
knowledge and skills to build their own emotional
resilience which will hopefully prevent, or at
least lessen, the chances of their succumbing
to psychological trauma during their careers.
It would also be invaluable to provide current
and former AFP members with the opportunity
to attend Dr Gilmartin’s presentation. It will be
a personal goal to convince the AFP to help us
bring Dr Gilmartin back for a return visit.
We don’t need expensive, time consuming
and drawn out studies to know that such
an investment in prevention will be far, far
cheaper and more effective than the personal,
organisational and financial costs of post
injury situations.
Regarding question number two, the AFPA
through its charity arm – the Police Welfare
Foundation (PWF) - has partnered with Soldier
On to help make available to AFP members the
range of services, activities and initiatives that
Soldier On have developed for members of the
military who are working to overcome their
own traumas from injury on the job. The PWF
partnership with Soldier On is a fantastic new
opportunity for us all to come together and give
even just a little bit regularly each pay to help
us build our capacity to provide these services
to injured AFP members.
We are grateful to Soldier On for making
available one place to an AFP member on their
2015 Pro-Am road cycling team to attend the
Trois Etapes Giro in Italy on June 4-7.
Federal Agent Jonathan Casella was
selected to participate in the team and is being
sponsored by the PWF. F/A Casella survived and
worked his way back from life threatening injury
sustained in the Honiara Riots. He has also had
to deal with the associated trauma from both the
incident and all the surgical work to date.
An opportunity such as this, which is
inversely proportionate to the injuries Jonathan
has experienced, opens up the possibilities to
achieve high level goals that can lead to lifelong
benefits. Like many others, F/A Casella is highly
deserving of just such an opportunity and we
wish him well as we support him during the build
up training and the actual event itself.
Jonathan intends to raise funds for the PWF
on his journey and we encourage all members
to follow and support through the Soldier On
facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/
SoldierOnAustralia
We will keep members posted on Jonathan’s
progress and, of course the big event itself in June.
This event marks the formal commencement
of the PWF partnership with Soldier On.
Please help us to help our AFP members
by donating so we can give many more the
opportunity of attending Soldier On programs
aimed at helping those injured in the course
of serving their community.
Donations can be made through the
following link. Please leave a ‘special message’
for Jonathan to show your support.
http://www.givenow.com.au/supportourpolice
So this is the start of the AFPA and PWF,
together with Soldier On, opening up a range of
opportunities additional to any that the AFP may
provide. Opportunities to participate in activities
and programs that help rebuild individual
confidence, self worth, mateship, team work
and a sense of purpose, personal control and
ownership that is such an essential ingredient in
overcoming the ravages of psychological trauma.
We hope all AFP members jump on board
and help in some small (or large) way.
AFPA.ORG.AU
Leading the way
in Policing and
Criminal Justice
Research and
Scholarship in
Australia.
To learn more visit uws.edu.au/policingandcriminology
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES UPDATE
09
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES UPDATE:
BETTER MEMBER
REPRESENTATION
THROUGH IMPROVED
CAPABILITY
The Employment Services Team (EST) enters
2015 in a better position than ever to protect,
represent and care of our members every day.
This is being facilitated through leveraging
our internal resources and getting the EST
composition right. As a result, the EST is pleased
to announce it is now operating in a more
strategic manner than ever before. But what
does this mean for our members?
During the second half of 2014 the EST
underwent significant change in the way it
approached member representation. The
changes were required to ensure the EST could
deliver operational and strategic outcomes to
membership in a concurrent manner. Every
day the EST represents members with their
workplace matters. This is the operational side
of our business; addressing the immediate needs
of membership. However, immediate priorities
can impact the EST from being able to address
the root causes that have created these dayto-day issues in the first place. These “root
causes” are difficult to quantify and require a
strategic approach; but if all the EST resources
are devoted to immediate priorities, it becomes
almost impossible to make progress towards any
strategic goals.
One solution to this problem was creating
a more capable team. The last edition of
AUSPOL introduced the EST staff to our
membership and it is quite evident that the
EST has the expertise to help members
across the complete spectrum of industrial
relations. This capability improvement is
yielding returns through a more effective and
efficient approach to matter handling and
a reduced reliance on costly external legal
services. However, one of the most important
achievements is the allocation of legal capability
to both strategic and operational objectives
in a concurrent manner - a demonstration of
where this concept is being successfully applied
is through EST’s involvement with the current
Executive Level Enterprise Agreement (ELEA)
bargaining campaign.
The ELEA bargaining campaign commenced
before the Christmas break and is well
underway. Bargaining is a complex process that
will ultimately yield the industrial instrument
to which our members’ employment conditions
are bound. Bargaining occurs against the back
drop of employment legalisation and national
policy; where conflicting fiscal priorities and
varying interpretations of proposed clauses can
ultimately result in workplace disputes. As such,
the ELEA is a highly technical piece of policy
and requires the full attention of a skilled legal
practitioner to ensure best representation of our
member’s interests.
The new approach to representation
is translating to better service delivery for
members. Currently, the EST is providing a legal
officer to work on the strategic aspects of the
ELEA full time while our second legal officer
and our industrial team maintain coverage of
operational matters. As such, immediate needs
of membership have not fallen behind, the
back log of cases continue to trend down and
members are receiving better customer service
than ever before. Like any critical resourcing
decision, getting the balance right has not
been easy. The EST is more confident than ever
in its ability to maintain the correct posture
throughout 2015 to ensure member interests
can be appropriately represented.
Manager Employment
Services
BASIL KARAPANOS
QUARTER 4 RESULTS
During Q4 the EST received 160 new cases
and closed just over 180 matters. The EST is
currently progressing 185 cases covering the full
range of workplace issues. In addition, the EST
continues to progress a number of complex legal
matters through our in-house legal team and
external legal providers.
AFPA.ORG.AU
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS INVESTIGATION AND ‘DIRECTED INTERVIEW’
10
PROFESSIONAL ST
INVESTIGATION AN
‘DIRECTED INTERV
Senior Legal Officer,
Employment Services
Team
AN LI
AUSPOL | AUTUMN 2015
As the AFP moves into a new phase of
recruitment it is timely for the AFPA to
provide members and potential members with
some background and context surrounding
the Professional Standards (PRS) process
and interviews.
As we know, all AFP appointees are
required to maintain the highest levels
of professional standards in both their
professional and their private lives. AFP PRS
is tasked with responsibility for the oversight
and investigation of complaints about the
conduct issues of AFP appointees.
The Australian Federal Police Act 1979
(‘The Act’) relevantly defines “an AFP conduct
issue” in section 40RH of the Act as ‘an issue
of whether an AFP appointee has engaged in
conduct that contravenes the AFP professional
standards’. There are 4 categories of AFP
conduct issues as set out in section 40RK
of the Act in ascending order of seriousness.
They are category 1, category 2, category 3,
and the most serious, conduct giving rise to
a corruption issue.
A PRS investigation is usually commenced
by the PRS Investigation Unit, which is
constituted under section 40RD of the Act to
undertake investigations of inter-alia “category 3
conduct issues” made by a complainant.
Given the seriousness of the nature
of the issue(s), the investigation may lead
to disciplinary actions and possibly even
to a termination of employment of an AFP
appointee involved. This is where the AFPA
provides members with assistance, in helping
guide members through the investigation
process ensuring that all procedural fairness
obligations are afforded to our members
during that process.
The following includes some frequently
asked questions and answers to assist AFPA
members in better understanding the process.
1. DO I HAVE TO ATTEND A ‘DIRECTED
INTERVIEW’ AND ANSWER ALL THE
QUESTIONS FROM THE INVESTIGATOR?
Yes, provided you are advised of the allegations
made against you.
An investigator has very broad investigative
powers under Division 5 of the Act. These powers
can be summarized as: a) an investigation is to
be conducted, subject to the rest of Division 5,
in such manner as the investigator thinks fit;
b) an investigator may obtain information from
such persons, and make such enquiries, as he
or she thinks fit under section 40 VC of the Act;
and c) an investigator is empowered by section
40VE of the Act to give directions to an AFP
appointee to give the investigator information
or do anything else that is reasonably necessary
for the purpose of obtaining evidence in relation
to the investigation or inquiry.
Therefore, an appointee of the AFP is
obliged to attend a directed interview and
honestly answer all the questions imposed by
the investigator to your best knowledge of the
subject matter under the law. The significance
of the interview, which is conducted under
compulsion of statute, manifests in that failing
to comply with the directions is an offence under
section 40VH (1) of the Act.
In addition, given the high standards of honesty
and integrity required of those employed by the
AFP, it is of utmost important that members
conduct themselves in a way that demonstrates
a complete honesty during the investigation and
interview. Otherwise, a proven dishonesty is a
valid reason for the termination of one’s AFP
employment1. Furthermore, the requirement
for honesty and integrity of AFP appointees far
outweighs any concerns about the impact upon
one’s personal or professional life. This has
been the case in a recent decision of Fair Work
Commission in relation to an unfair dismissal
application filed by a former AFP appointee.
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS INVESTIGATION AND ‘DIRECTED INTERVIEW’
11
TANDARDS
ND
VIEW’
2. WHAT SHOULD I DO IF PRS APPROACH
ME FOR AN “INFORMAL CHAT”?
You are under no obligation to attend an
“informal chat”.
Please be aware that if you decided to
attend the “informal chat”, the content of the
conversation is not protected as it would be if
you were under a direction. The information
obtained during any “informal chat” can be used
as evidence against you in a legal proceeding.
It is advisable you clarify the intention of
the “informal chat” with the officer who contacts
you and whether the ‘“informal chat” is related
to a PRS investigation; that is, whether the PRS
investigation has commenced. If the answer is
positive, then it is highly likely you may be facing
a written direction when you turn up for the
“informal chat”. In that circumstance, you are
entitled to, and should request the now interview
be postponed so you can arrange advice and
support from the AFPA.
3. WHAT IS THE NATURE
OF THE PRS INVESTIGATION?
The PRS investigation is an internal
administrative decision making process which
may result in a negative impact on an appointee’s
interests. Thus, the rules of procedural fairness
need to be followed in the decision making
process. However, the possible sanctions
imposed as a result of the investigation per se
are remedial and not criminal, nor civil.
In addition, an AFP appointee is protected
under section 40 VE (4) of the Act that any
information obtained during the investigation
process cannot be used as evidence in any
civil or criminal proceeding against the person
subject to the investigation. In that regard, the
AFP appointee is in a much better position
compared to their State counterparts, as other
Australian jurisdictions may not provide the
same protection to police officers as the federal
jurisdiction. That is, information provided under
direction in other jurisdictions subject to a PRS
investigation may be used in a civil or criminal
proceeding against the officer concerned.
4. WHAT DOES PROCEDURAL FAIRNESS/
NATURAL JUSTICE MEAN IN THE
CONTEXT OF A PRS INVESTIGATION?
The notion ‘procedural fairness’ has developed
primarily through common law2 and is deeply
rooted in Australian Law. It lies at the heart of the
judicial function and condition for the exercise of
a large array of administrative powers affecting
the rights, duties, privileges and immunities
of individuals and organisations. Procedural
fairness is concerned with the procedures used
by a decision-maker, rather than the actual
outcome reached. It requires a fair and proper
procedure be used when making a decision.
The rules of procedural fairness requires
that a hearing relates appropriately to the
circumstances; that decision making lacks
bias; that a decision is supported by all relevant
evidence; and that inquiry will be made into
matters in dispute.
In line with procedural fairness, a PRS
investigator should provide the appointee
concerned with adequate time for the appointee
to prepare for interview;3 details of any credible,
relevant and significant adverse information
which the investigator has and which may
affect the decision to be made and be given an
opportunity to respond; and notice of a proposed
decision that may adversely affect them.
1
andra Johnston v Australian
S
Federal Police [2014] FWC
4201 at 55
2
v University of Cambridge
R
(1723) 1 Strange 557; 98 ER
698 per Fortescue J, cited in
Forbes ‘Justice in Tribunals’
3
Kioa v West (1985) 159 CLR 550
4
ibid
5
outts v Close [2014] FCA 19
C
at 124
6
inister for Immigration and
M
Multicultural Affairs; Ex parte
Miah (2001) 206 CLR 57 at 69
per Gleeson CJ and Hayne J
7
( 2003) 214 CLR 1 at 14 as per
Gleeson CJ
5. DOES IT BREACH PROCEDURAL
FAIRNESS IF DOCUMENTS PROVIDED
ARE NOT FULL AND COMPLETE?
No, unless the missing information has
a negative impact on
your matter and you
> CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
have been deprived
AFPA.ORG.AU
FIS PROTECTING
PROPERTY AND LIFE
Fire Integrity Services
We perform inspections and maintain fire
protection systems for buildings,
commercial sites, shopping centres and
residential premises
PROUDLY SUPPORTING THE AFPA
Unit 3/7 Shropshire Street, Queanbeyan NSW 2620
P: 02 6284 4981 - www.fireintegrity.com.au
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS INVESTIGATION AND ‘DIRECTED INTERVIEW’
13
< CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
of an opportunity
to reply.
An appointee
of the AFP involved with PRS investigations
previously would have noticed that a PRS
investigation report is usually redacted to some
degree. In addition, some annexures of an
investigation report may not be attached to the
report. It is arguable that this practice infringes
the rules of procedural fairness, for one cannot
provide a proper response if one is not provided
with a full version of the events.
However, the court and tribunal takes the
approach that there will be no unfairness caused
due to particular redactions or to the withholding
of any documents.4 This is as long as the
withholding does not affect the possibility of a
successful outcome adversely5 and is based on the
ground of good/substantial reasons for preserving
confidentiality and for matters unconnected with
the central allegation against you.
It is also settled at law that there is no
obligation to disclose the decision-maker’s
deliberative processes or proposed conclusions.6
Procedural fairness ordinarily requires the
party affected to be given the opportunity of
ascertaining the relevant issues and to be
informed of the nature and content of adverse
material. As High Court said:
Fairness is not an abstract concept. It is
essentially practical. Whether one talks
in terms of procedural fairness or natural
justice, the concern of the law is to avoid
practical injustice7.
Therefore, a member might not be able to obtain
a full un-redacted investigation report and
certain internal reports that the investigator
produced for internal deliberation purposes.
However, the member is entitled to be provided
any information or material which adversely
impacts on the outcome of their matter.
Be mindful, the internal correspondences
relating to your matter are certainly able to be
accessed under Freedom Information legislation.
6. CAN DECISIONS/FINDINGS OF PRS
INVESTIGATIONS BE REVIEWED OR
APPEALED?
If PRS has downgraded your matter to category
2 after initial investigation, the decisions for
Category 2 conduct can be reviewed by the
Manager of PRS. However, if it is a category 3
matter, then there is no review mechanism to reexamine the merit or procedure of the decision
making processes. However, the decision can
be reviewed externally by the Commonwealth
Ombudsman or the Federal Court if you believe
the decision making process lacked natural
justice or the decision is made ultra-vires/
beyond the power.
Be aware, there is a strict timeline for a
judicial review in the Federal Court, you have
to make your application to the Federal Court
within 21 days after the administrative decision
is made. Also, that judicial review in the Federal
Court only pertains to the lawfulness of the
decision making. Therefore it is not a ‘merits’
review, that is, a judicial review will not reexamine the facts in issues relating to the
substance of the investigation process. Section
70 of the AFP Act requires there to be an internal
merits review mechanism and Regulation 24
of the AFP Regulations 1979 goes further to
describe a minimum requirement for such
an internal review mechanism. The disputes
procedures set out in the AFP Enterprise
Agreement (EA) are of limited or no help in
relation to a PRS investigation as that disputes
procedure only relates to decisions made within
the jurisdiction of the EA.
It must also be noted that the Administration
Appeal Tribunal (‘AAT’) has no jurisdiction to
review decisions made under the Act.
Disclaimer: the purpose of this
article is for education only, it is
not intended to be provided as
legal advice. Members of the AFPA
should contact the AFPA legal
team for particular advice for your
individual PRS matter.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, we trust this provides members
with some useful context associated with the
PRS process and member obligations and
rights. Expert legal and industrial advice
and assistance is only available to AFPA
members who are members at the
time the incident under investigation
occurs. Such advice and assistance
is provided as part of your membership.
Non-members may not receive advice or
assistance from the AFPA if they join the
AFPA after an incident that results in PRS
investigation occurs.
The AFPA have also
created a quick reference
guide to aid AFPA members
through the AFP’s PRS,
Critical Incidents, Bullying
and Harassment and
Performance Development
processes.
To obtain your quick reference
guide or request the AFPA’s
assistance please lodge a request
for assistance at afpa.org.au.
AFPA.ORG.AU
THE DANGER OF THE MONSTER MY TH
14
THE
DANGER
S
N
O
M
OF THE
> By T
OM
MEAGHER
Story from White Ribbon Australia: http://buzz.mw/bp7nz_l.
Photo: The Australian.com.au
ONE OF THE MOST DISTURBING MOMENTS
OF THE PAST EIGHTEEN MONTHS OF MY LIFE
WAS HEARING MY WIFE’S KILLER FORM A
COHERENT SENTENCE IN COURT. Jill had
been murdered almost six months earlier,
and Adrian Bayley’s defence team were
presenting a rather feeble case for a four-
AUSPOL | AUTUMN 2015
week adjournment of his committal hearing.
Bayley appeared via video-link as I sat flanked
by two friends and a detective. The screen was
to my right, mounted high up and tilted slightly
towards the bench. It was uncomfortably silent
apart from the occasional paper shuffle or
short flurry of keyboard clicks. I anticipated,
and prepared for the most difficult moment
of the day when Bayley’s face appeared on
the big-screen TV, looming over the seat I
then occupied. When that moment arrived,
a jolt of nausea came and went, but the worst
was to come, made all the more horrifying
because it was unexpected. The judge asked
Bayley whether he could he see the courtroom.
I don’t remember his exact words, but he
replied that he was able to see his lawyer and
half of the bench. I had come face to face
with him before in court, but vocally, I never
heard him manage more than a monosyllabic
mumble into his chest. This was different.
THE DANGER OF THE MONSTER MY TH
15
STER
MYTH
There was a clarity of communication, sentence
structure, and proper articulation. It was
chilling. I had formed an image that this man
was not human, that he existed as a singular
force of pure evil who somehow emerged from
the ether. Something about his ability to weave
together nouns, verbs and pronouns to form
real, intelligible sentences forced a re-focus,
one that required a look at the spectrum of
men’s violence against women, and its relation
to Bayley and the society from which he
came. By insulating myself with the intellectually
evasive dismissal of violent men as psychotic
or sociopathic aberrations, I self-comforted
by avoiding the more terrifying concept that
violent men are socialised by the ingrained
sexism and entrenched masculinity that
permeates everything from our daily interactions
all the way up to our highest institutions.
Bayley’s appeal was dismissed, but I left court
that day in a perpetual trauma-loop, knowing
I needed to re-imagine the social, institutional
and cultural context in which a man like Adrian
Bayley exists.*
Three days after Jill’s body was found, 30,000
people marched respectfully down Sydney Road.
I watched on T.V as the long parade of people
reacted to their anger at what happened to Jill
with love and compassion, the very opposite of
everything Bayley represents. I remember my
sister’s voice from behind me as I fixed my eyes
on the images saying, “wow, people really care
about this.” After the court date where I heard
Bayley speak, that infinite conveyor belt of the
compassionate replayed in my mind. People
did care about this, and for whatever reason
people identified with this particular case, it was
something that I hoped could be universalised,
not localised to this case, but for every instance
of men’s violence
against women.
> CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
The major difficulties
AFPA.ORG.AU
THE DANGER OF THE MONSTER MY TH
16
< CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
in mobilising this
kind of outrage
on a regular
basis is that most cases of men’s violence
against women:
1. Lack the ingredients of an archetypal villain
and a relatable victim,
2. Are perpetrated and suffered in silence and
3. Are perpetrated by somebody known to
the victim.
The more I felt the incredible support from
the community, the more difficult it was to
ignore of the silent majority whose tormentors
are not monsters lurking on busy streets, but
WHILE THE VAST MAJORITY OF MEN
ABHOR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, THOSE
DISSENTING MALE VOICES ARE RARELY
HEARD IN OUR PUBLIC DISCOURSE, OUTSIDE
OF THE MONSTER-RAPIST NARRATIVE.
their friends, acquaintances, husbands, lovers,
brothers and fathers.
Since Jill died, my inbox overflowed with
messages from thousands of women who
shared with me their stories of sexual and
physical abuse. Some were prostitutes who felt
it pointless to report sexual assault because
of perceived deficiencies in the justice system,
some were women whose tormentors received
suspended sentences, and felt too frightened to
stay in their home town. These are the prevalent,
and ongoing stories that too often remain
unchallenged in male company.
While the vast majority of men abhor
violence against women, those dissenting male
voices are rarely heard in our public discourse,
outside of the monster-rapist narrative.
Indeed, the agency of male perpetrators
disappears from the discussion, discouraging
male involvement and even knowledge of the
prevalence and diversity of male violence against
women. Even the term ‘violence against women’
sounds like a standalone force of nature, with
no subject, whereas ‘men’s violence against
women’ is used far less frequently. While not
attempting to broad-brush or essentialise the
all too abstracted notion of ‘masculinity’, male
invisibility in the language of the conversation
can be compounded by masculine posturing,
various ‘bro-codes’ of silence, and a belief,
AUSPOL | AUTUMN 2015
through the monster myth, in the intrinsic
otherness of violent men. The Canadian feminist
and anti-violence educator Lee Lakeman
argued that, “Violent men, and men in authority
over violent men, and the broader public that
authorises those men, are not yet shamed by
the harm of coercive control over women …
Maybe we can rest some hope on the growing
activity of men of goodwill calling on each
other to change. When that group hits a critical
mass, the majority of men will be more likely to
want to change.” According to an EU wide study
conducted in 2010, one person in five knows
of someone who commits domestic violence
in their circle of friends and family (Special
Eurobarometer 344, Domestic Violence Against
Women Report, September 2010). Perhaps it’s
time we, as non-violent men, attempted to hit
this critical mass.
One of the most dangerous things about
the media saturation of this crime was that
Bayley is in fact the archetypal monster.
Bayley feeds into a commonly held social myth
that most men who commit rape are like him,
violent strangers who stalk their victims and
strike at the opportune moment. It gives a
disproportionate focus to the rarest of rapes,
ignoring the catalogue of non-consensual sex
happening on a daily basis everywhere on the
planet. It validates a limitation of the freedom of
women, by persisting with an obsession with a
victim’s movements rather than the vile actions
of the perpetrator, while simultaneously creating
a ‘canary down the mine’ scenario. Men who
may feel uncomfortable by a peer’s behaviour
towards women, may absolve themselves from
interfering with male group norms, or breaking
ranks with the boys by normalising that conduct
in relation to ‘the rapist’. In other words he can
justify his friend’s behaviour by comparison –
“he may be a ___, but he’s not Adrian Bayley.”
The monster myth allows us to see public
infractions on women’s sovereignty as minor,
because the man committing the infraction is
not a monster like Bayley. We see instances of
this occur in bars when men become furious
and verbally abusive to, or about, women who
decline their attention. We see it on the street as
groups of men shout comments, grab, grope and
intimidate women with friends either ignoring or
getting involved in the activity. We see it in male
peer groups where rape-jokes and disrespectful
attitudes towards women go uncontested.
The monster myth creates the illusion that this is
simply banter, and sexist horseplay. While most
THE DANGER OF THE MONSTER MY TH
17
of us would never abide racist comments
among a male peer-group, the trivialisation of
men’s violence against women often remains
a staple, invidious, and rather boring subject
of mirth. We can either examine this by setting
our standards against the monster-rapist, or
by accepting that this behaviour intrinsically
contributes to a culture in which rape and
violence are allowed to exist.
The monster myth perpetuates a comforting
lack of self-awareness. When I heard Bayley
forming sentences in court, I froze because I’d
been socialised to believe that men who rape
are jabbering madmen, who wear tracksuit
bottoms with dress shoes and knee-high
socks. The only thing more disturbing than
that paradigm is the fact that most rapists
are normal guys, guys we might work beside
or socialise with, our neighbours or even
members of our family. Where men’s violence
against women is normalised in our society,
often we compartmentalise it to fit our view
of the victim. If a prostitute is raped or beaten,
we may consider it an awful occupational
hazard ‘given her line of work.’ We rarely think
‘she didn’t get beaten – somebody (i.e a man)
beat her’. Her line of work is dangerous, but
mainly because there are men who want to hurt
women. If a husband batters his wife, we often
unthinkingly put it down to socio-economic
factors or alcohol and drugs rather than how
men and boys are taught and socialised to be
men and view women.
I wonder at what stage we will stop being
shocked by how normal a rapist seemed. Many
years ago, two female friends confided in me
about past abuses that happened in their lives,
both of which had been perpetrated by ‘normal
guys’. As I attempted to console them, I mentally
comforted myself by reducing it to some, as
yet undetected mental illnesses in these men.
The cognitive shift is easy to do when we are
not knowingly surrounded by men who commit
these crimes, but then we rarely need to fear
such an attack.
The idea of the lurking monster is no doubt
a useful myth, one we can use to defuse any
fear of the women we love being hurt, without
the need to examine ourselves or our maledominated society. It is also an excuse to
implement a set of rules on women on ‘how
not to get raped’, which is a strange cocktail
of naiveté and cynicism. It is naïve because it
views rapists as a monolithic group of thighrubbing predators with a checklist rather than
the bloke you just passed in the office, pub or
gym, cynical because these rules allow us to
classify victims. If the victim was wearing x or
drinking y well then of course the monster is
going to attack – didn’t she read the rules? I
have often come up against people on this point
who claim that they’re just being ‘realistic’.
While it may come from a place of concern, if
we’re being realistic we need to look at how and
where rape and violence actually occur, and
how troubling it is that we use a nebulous term
like ‘reality’ to condone the imposition of dress
codes, acceptable behaviours, and living spaces
on women to avoid a mythical rape-monster.
Ok, this rape-monster did exist in the form of
Adrian Bayley, but no amount of adherence to
these ill-conceived rules could have stopped him
from raping somebody that night.
When Bayley was arrested, the nightmare
of the lurking evil stranger was realised. It was
beamed through every television set and printed
on every newspaper headline in the country.
It’s was the reminder that there are men out
there who are ‘not like us’, men who exist so far
outside our social norms that the problem can
be solved simply by extinguishing this person.
Bayley became a singular evil that stirred our
anger, and provoked a backlash so violent that
it mirrored the society from which he emerged,
that the answer to violence is more violence.
Many comments on facebook pages and
memorial sites set up in honour of Jill, often
expressed a wish for Bayley to be raped in
prison, presumably at the arbitrary whim
of other incarcerated men. Putting aside
the fact that wishing rape on somebody is
the perhaps last thing we do before exiting
civilisation entirely, there is a point that these
avengers may have missed – somebody has
to do the raping. Vengeance by rape, implies
that rape is a suitable punishment for certain
crimes. In other words, rape is fine as long as
it’s used in the service of retributive justice.
Indeed, we would be essentially cheering on
the rapist who rapes Bayley, for ensuring that
justice is done. Or, if we find this rapist just as
abhorrent as Bayley, we’ll need another rapist
to rape him, to avenge the rape he committed,
and this would go on and on in an infinite loop.
In essence this ‘rape as retribution’ argument
invokes the need for far too many rapists.
For people like Bayley, rape is punishment,
it’s how he exerts his
dominance, and
> CONTINUED ON PAGE 19
exhibits his deep
AFPA.ORG.AU
THE DANGER OF THE MONSTER MY TH
19
< CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17
misogyny
through sexual
humiliation. If we,
as a society then ask for Bayley to be raped as
punishment, are we not cementing the validity
of this mind-set?
I dreamed for over a year of how I would like
to physically hurt this man, and still often relish
normalisation of violence against a woman of a
certain profession and our inability to deal with
or talk about these issues, socially and legally,
resulted in untold horror for those victims, and
led to the brutal murder of my wife. We cannot
separate these cases from one another because
doing so allows us to ignore the fact that all
these crimes have exactly the same cause –
violent men, and the silence of
non-violent men. We can only
move past violence when we
recognise how it is enabled,
and by attributing it to the
mental illness of a singular
human being, we ignore its
prevalence, its root causes,
and the self-examination
required to end the cycle.
The paradox, of course is
that in our current narrow
framework of masculinity,
self-examination is almost
universally discouraged.
Since Jill died, I wake up
every day and read a quote
by Maya Angelou – “history,
despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived,
but if faced with courage, need not be lived
again.” Male self-examination requires this
courage, and we cannot end the pattern of men’s
violence against women without consciously
breaking our silence.
THE MONSTER MYTH CREATES THE
ILLUSION THAT THIS IS SIMPLY BANTER,
AND SEXIST HORSEPLAY. WHILE MOST
OF US WOULD NEVER ABIDE RACIST
COMMENTS AMONG A MALE PEERGROUP, THE TRIVIALISATION OF MEN’S
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN OFTEN
REMAINS A STAPLE, INVIDIOUS, AND
RATHER BORING SUBJECT OF MIRTH.
the inevitable manner of his death, but wouldn’t
it be more beneficial for Jill’s memory, and
other women affected by violence to focus on the
problems that surround our attitudes, our legal
system, our silence rather than focusing on what
manner we would like to torture and murder this
individual? Adrian Bayley murdered a daughter,
a sister, a great friend to so many, and my
favourite person. I am the first one who wants
to see him vilified and long may he be one of
Australia’s most hated people, but it only does
any good if this example highlights rather than
obscures the social issues that surround men’s
violence against women.
What would make this tragedy even more
tragic would be if we were to separate what
happened to Jill from cases of violence against
women where the victim knew, had a sexual
past with, talked to the perpetrator in a bar,
or went home with him. It would be tragic if we
did not recognise that Bayley’s previous crimes
were against prostitutes, and that the social
*Special mention here must be given to Jill
Meagher (McKeon), who, many years before
she was killed as a result of them, originally
introduced me to these issues, to Louise Milligan
for her endless support and encouragement
to express them, to Clementine Ford, whose
personal support, tireless crusade for gender
equality and against violence allowed me to
organise my thoughts, and to Alan O’Neill and
Ben Leonard who have shown me that many men
are passionate and serious about ending men’s
violence against women.
AFPA.ORG.AU
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21
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an experience you would like to share or a friend
or colleague whose accomplishments you’d like
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to hear from you.
Please email us at [email protected] with
your story.
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SOLDIER ON
22
CADEL EVANS, HAMISH BLA
JONATHAN CASELLA FROM
TO HELP WOUNDED AUSTRA
SOLDIER ON
23
AKE AND OUR OWN
THE AFPA ARE CYCLING
ALIANS
> CONTINUED ON PAGE 25
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SOLDIER ON
25
THE AFPA ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE AFP MEMBER JONATHAN CASELLA
WILL ACCOMPANY TWO OF AUSTRALIA’S MOST FAMOUS AND INSPIRING
INDIVIDUALS FOR SOLDIER ON AND THE POLICE WELFARE FOUNDATION
IN THE 2015 TROIS ETAPES GIRO CYCLE.
JONATHAN WILL JOIN WORLD FAMOUS
CYCLIST, CADEL EVANS AND AUSTRALIAN
COMEDIAN AND RADIO PRESENTER, HAMISH
BLAKE, WITH A TEAM OF FIVE OTHER RIDERS
TO RACE AMONGST THE DOLOMITES IN ITALY,
COVERING MORE THAN 250KM AND CLIMBING
OVER 1000M IN THREE DAYS.
The two additions will be great for keeping
morale high and times fast says Soldier On CEO,
John Bale.
“As well as Hamish and Cadel, the team
will be made up of three wounded veterans,
a wounded police officer, and two corporate
riders,” John said.
“Each of the wounded men and women
participating are thrilled to be joined by
John said the service men and women
themselves would bring determination, grit and
a passion for cycling to the team.
“On the other side, Cadel will bring the cool,
calm approach that secured him the top spot
at the Tour de France in 2011, and Hamish will
undoubtedly help keep spirits high and riders
smiling all the way up the Italian mountains.”
“This winning combination is sure to mean
some great results for the team when they hit
the roads in June,” John said.
The AFPA are thrilled to be supporting
Jonathan as he and the team sweat it out in a
series of training camps in the months leading
up to the race.
“Many of our riders are using cycling as part
of their rehabilitation for
physical and psychological
wounds and fundraising in
the process,” he said.
“These training camps
will allow them to hone their
skills with the help of one
of the world’s most well
respected cycling coaches,
Scott Sunderland.”
The wounded riders
were selected from a
group of more than 30 men
and women from across
the country, some of who
participate in regular social
rides organised by Soldier
On. These social rides have been established
all over Australia by Soldier On, in an effort to
promote a healthy lifestyle for those coping
with the affects of their service, as well as their
families and supporters.
The AFPA and Police Welfare Foundation
are proud to be involved in this activity with
Soldier On and look to be able to support more
AFPA members through many of Soldier On’s
rehabilitation programs.
We hope all members will get behind
Jonathan as he takes on one of the world’s most
challenging rides with a donation and special
message through the Police Welfare Foundation
by clicking HERE.
EACH OF THE WOUNDED MEN
AND WOMEN PARTICIPATING
ARE THRILLED TO BE JOINED
BY CADEL AND HAMISH, WHO
I’M SURE WILL HELP THE TEAM
PUSH THROUGH THE MOST
DIFFICULT STAGES OF THE RACE.
Cadel and Hamish, who I’m sure will help the
team push through the most difficult stages
of the race.
Cadel said now that he was retired from
professional cycling, he wanted to continue
cycling, but with a different goal in mind.
“I’m excited to be able to serve as a mentor
to these brave men and women, and for the
opportunity to cycle with them on some of the
most challenging roads in Italy” Cadel said.
“It’s not every day that you get the chance
to do what you love and inspire and help others
at the same time. I’m proud to play a part
in getting these men and women on the road
to recovery.”
AFPA.ORG.AU
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FINANCE
27
TAKING THE MYSTERY
OUT OF THE JARGON
WHEN IT COMES TO ALL THINGS FINANCIAL, ALL TOO OFTEN THINGS SEEM TO BE IN ANOTHER
LANGUAGE. BUT, WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE, EVERYTHING STARTS TO MAKE A
LOT MORE SENSE. SO, WE’VE PUT TOGETHER A GLOSSARY OF SOME OF THE MORE COMMON
FINANCIAL TERMS.
A bear market is a market in which stocks are currently falling
in value. It’s arguable exactly how much a market has to fall
in order to be considered a bear market, but 10 per cent is
typically seen as a guide. The opposite of a bear market is a
bull market, which is the term often used when share markets
are increasing in value.
The term asset class represents a group of securities
that share common risk and return characteristics. The main
asset classes are shares (both international and Australian),
property, fixed interest (or bonds) and cash. Each asset class
will offer a different level of return and therefore has varying
degrees of associated risk (that is, the risk that the value of
your investment will fluctuate). Shares and property are higher
risk (or growth) investments, while fixed interest and cash are
lower risk (or conservative investments).
So what is a share? This asset class goes by many names,
such as securities and equities which can be confusing, but
basically when you buy a share you are buying a portion of that
company. If that company performs well, you benefit by growth
in the value of the share and often also by dividends. A dividend
is a payment made by the company to the shareholders,
generally based on the company’s annual profit result.
Fixed interest investments pay an unchanging rate of
interest. They include bonds and money market instruments.
When you buy a bond, the organisation that issues the bond
agrees to repay the borrowed funds by a specific date and
at a specific rate. Before investing into any interest bearing
investment, ensure that you read the prospectus or product
disclosure statement and make sure you understand the
amount of risk involved in the investment, who’s borrowing
and what security they offer.
Your individual circumstances and goals will help
determine which type of asset class you choose to invest
in. The time horizon is the recommended amount of time
for which you should hold the investments and will vary
depending on your goals and therefore the type of asset
classes you choose. Because of the risk involved, higher
growth asset classes have a longer time horizon and should
be held for at least seven years to smooth out volatile returns.
Conservative investments attract less risk and can be held for
shorter amounts of time, say two to three years.
Diversification is an important principal that basically
means ‘not putting all your eggs in one basket’. Diversifying
your investments helps to minimise risk and maximise
returns. Not all investments perform in line with each
other, so investing in a variety of asset classes and different
securities allows you to spread your risk.
A managed fund is an easy way to achieve diversification.
A managed fund pools your money with the money of other
investors which is then managed by a professional fund
manager. A managed fund may allow you to invest in a variety
of asset classes using the one vehicle.
You may have heard the terms All Ords, Dow Jones, FTSE
(pronounced ‘Footsie’), or Nikkei in the financial reports on
the news or radio. These are indices that provide a measure
of share price movements in the world’s share markets.
The All Ords, for example, is the All Ordinaries index which
is made up of the weighted share price of about 500 of the
largest Australian companies and provides the predominant
measure of the overall performance of the Australian
sharemarket. The Dow Jones represents thirty of the largest
corporations in America, the FTSE is the UK’s equivalent of the
All Ords, while Japan’s Nikkei represents 225 of the country’s
top shares. These indices provide a general measure of share
market performance and are used as an indicator of the
general health of the market.
FINANCIAL ADVICE MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Police Bank, for many years, have chosen Bridges as our
preferred Financial Planners. Bridges has been providing
professional financial planning services since 1985. A Bridges
financial planner can work with you to develop a financial
strategy for the year ahead that suits your circumstances.
For more information or to arrange a complimentary,
obligation-free initial consultation near you, please call 131 728
or visit our website www.policebank.com.au.
Bridges Financial Services Pty Limited (Bridges). ABN 60 003 474 977. ASX Participant. AFSL No 240837. Part of the IOOF group. This is
general advice only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. Before acting on this advice, you should
consult a financial planner. In referring members to Bridges, Police Bank Ltd does not accept responsibility for any acts, omissions or
advice of Bridges and its authorised representatives.
AFPA.ORG.AU
UBW has provided NSW Public Works with
their expert service within the Minor Building
and Maintenance Panels throughout various
locations in Sydney. UBW prides itself with its
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staff include:
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At UBW our highest standards are evident in
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HE ALTH
29
AN INTERVIEW WITH DR HAPPY
ONE OF THE TIMES DR TIM SHARP, OR DR HAPPY, IS AT HIS HAPPIEST IS WHEN HE’S IN THE
GYM. THE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND FOUNDER OF THE HAPPINESS INSTITUTE SAYS “I’M A
MEMBER OF FITNESS FIRST AND I GO TO THE GYM PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY. IT JUST BAFFLES
ME WHY PEOPLE DON’T DO THAT OR SOME OTHER FORM OF EXERCISE BECAUSE THE BENEFITS
ARE JUST SO PROFOUND AND SO OBVIOUS.”
IT’S PART OF DR SHARP’S JOB TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE THE
BENEFITS OF EXERCISE BUT IT’S NOT THE STANDARD STUFF
SUCH AS THE POSITIVE IMPACT ON FITNESS, PHYSICAL
HEALTH OR BODY SHAPE. Dr Happy is all about the mind and
the benefits of exercise for our psychological well-being.
“There are significant psychological benefits: exercise
is one of the most effective stress busters and mood
enhancers and it improves our psychological wellbeing in a
number of ways. There is physiological evidence that when
we exercise, the natural hormones and transmitters that are
released counteract stress and the damage that stress can do”
Dr Sharp says.
“But exercise also benefits you at a psychological level.
You see that when you go into the gym. You set yourself goals
and when you see improvements and you achieve those goals;
it’s like setting and working towards and achieving any other
goal, you feel good. It boosts your confidence and self-efficacy.”
That confidence that comes from having achieved your
fitness goals spills into other areas, Dr Sharp says. “You now
know what you’ve achieved in the gym over the last couple of
years after you initially thought ‘I couldn’t do that.’ But now that
you’ve done that you say to yourself ‘what else can I do?’ So you
now feel more and more confident about achieving things in
other parts of your life.”
The reason that exercise figures prominently in
Dr Sharp’s toolkit is that he is one of the new breed of clinical
psychologists, who focus on “positive psychology.” He still
works with people who are distressed but as he says,
“the difference is more than just trying to alleviate distress,
it’s about promoting real thriving and flourishing.”
“So the simplest metaphor is that historically, clinical
psychologists and most of the psychology profession focused
on taking people from minus 10 to zero, alleviating the stress
and improving dysfunction. Now it’s more about going from
zero to positive 10. Although we still need to do that first bit,
it’s about saying ‘well why stop at zero, let’s keep going.”
So how does a clinical psychologist define happiness?
Dr Sharp says: “If I walked out on the street and stopped
someone and said ‘how are you feeling right now’ or ‘are you
happy right now?’ they could answer that pretty easily because
it’s a pretty simple question to answer.”
“What we’re really talking about when we try and define
happiness is life satisfaction or thriving or flourishing. If you’re
asking someone if they’re happy, a better question to ask is, ‘after
taking everything into account, how satisfied are you with your
life overall?’ So it’s not just in the minute or not just today and not
just this one task you happen to be working on but everything.
So that takes into account meaning and purpose. It takes into
account physical health. It takes into account the quality of our
relationships, it takes into account the extent which we’re getting
satisfaction or achieving things in the workplace. So that obviously
becomes a much more complex question but one that as a
coach, I focus on with individuals and with organisations.”
And exercise of course, has a massive role to play
in helping achieve the wider definition of happiness.
“One major aspect of happiness is physical health and
wellbeing. It’s hard to be happy if you’re sick and tired all the
time. So exercise helps us sleep better, makes us feel better
and we have more energy so we can do more things that we
want to do and then we can achieve more.
“So it directly impacts in all those different ways.
If you’re working towards goals and achieving them, that
enhances what psychologists call self-efficacy, the belief
that you can have a positive influence on your world.”
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MOVIES
32
MOVIES
CHAPPIE
NEILL BLOMKAMP, THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED DIRECTOR
OF DISTRICT 9 AND ELYSIUM, RETURNS TO THE SCREENS IN
2015 WITH THE NEW ACTION/THRILLER CHAPPIE.
Every child comes into the world full of promise, and none
more so than Chappie: he is gifted, special, a prodigy. Like
any child, Chappie will come under the influence of his
surroundings - some good, some bad - and he will rely on his
heart and soul to find his way in the world and become his
own man. But there’s one thing that makes Chappie different
from anyone else: he is a robot. The first robot with the ability
to think and feel for himself. His life, his story, will change the
way the world looks at robots and humans forever.
CHAPPIE stars Australian actor Hugh Jackman, sci-fi
queen Sigourney Weaver, Dev Patel and Blomkamp regular star
Sharlto Copley (District 9, The A-Team) as the robot. Copley said
of his role:
“[He’s] a childlike robot … he only gets to about 9 years old,
in his emotional development, so I got to run around in one of the
most dangerous cities in the world, being a child. It was shooting
in Johannesburg, where I grew up. I played a light character, so
that was fun. Working with Neill [Blomkamp] was very rewarding,
the third time out.”
His co-star Dev Patel has described the film as “a gumbo
of emotion. There’s such a heart to it and such a voice and a
uniqueness to it ... CHAPPIE’s really intense too but it’s a wacky
film about robotics and gangsters and lots of things. It’s out there.”
With a first-class cast and award winning director,
CHAPPIE is set to be one of the 2015 releases that audiences
will be talking about for years to come.
See CHAPPIE at Dendy Cinemas from 12 March*.
DENDY CINEMAS
For over 30 years Dendy Cinemas has screened the best in quality cinema across the east coast of Australia.
Dendy Cinemas operates 27 screens across its Brisbane, Canberra and Sydney (Newtown and Circular
Quay) locations, and remains the home of quality 2D and 3D cinema. Dendy Canberra features Premium
Lounge, a relaxing and sophisticated screening venue with bar and food menu, delivered directly to your seat.
As well as its core film programming, the company is also home to a vibrant arts program of opera,
theatre and ballet productions from some of the world’s finest companies.
www.dendy.com.au Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
AUSPOL | AUTUMN 2015
MOVIES
33
AVENGERS:
AGE OF ULTRON
IT’S ALMOST HERE! The AVENGERS sequel is one of the most
highly anticipated films of the year, and after the success of the
2012 film, it’s not hard to see why. Whether you’re into comics
and superheroes or not, AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON will be
the action film not to miss this year!
Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man), Scarlett Johansson (the
Black Widow), Chris Evans (Captain America), Mark Ruffalo
(the Hulk), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Jeremy Renner
(Hawkeye) and Australia’s own Chris Hemsworth (Thor) reunite
and are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs
in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to
The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and
soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for
a global adventure. Iconic actor James Spader joins the cast as
the voice of Ultron, and there is a host of new bad guys for the
Avengers to overcome, including a set of evil twins.
With two sequels having just been announced,
The AVENGERS is already one of this decade’s biggest –
and most successful – film franchises. Director Joss Whedon’s
eye for the fantastic has turned legendary comic creator Stan
Lee’s creations into must-see big screen action. It’s not just
the special effects that have people talking: the quick witted
scripts (also penned by Whedon) and the relationship of the
ensemble cast make these films easy and enjoyable watching
for all ages.
See AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON at Dendy Cinemas
from 23 April*. Bring the kids to Premium Lounge to see their
favourite big screen heroes in style and luxury, and order from
our special in-cinema kids menu!
* Please note: release dates are subject to change without notice. Please check
the Dendy website for up to date release dates and session times.
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
IT’S BEEN A LONG WAIT FOR THE FOURTH MAD MAX FILM,
AND AFTER 10 YEARS OF STOPS AND STARTS, ORIGINAL
WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER GEORGE MILLER HAS
FINALLY COMPLETED MAD MAX: FURY ROAD.
It’s already been called the best film of 2015 because of
the great script, new and updated characters (and the cars
are included as ‘characters’), the use of real practical effects
and make-up instead of CGI, and Miller’s superior production.
Sadly, it wasn’t filmed in Australia as the wet conditions of
the past few years didn’t suit the storyline, so was filmed in
Namibia instead, but it is still a uniquely Australian film as only
Mad Max can be.
The storyline will seem familiar: An apocalyptic story
set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert
landscape where humanity is broken, and almost everyone
is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world
exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore
order. There’s Max, a man of action and a man of few words,
who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and
child in the aftermath of the chaos. And Furiosa, a woman of
action and a woman who believes her path to survival may
be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her
childhood homeland.
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD is a reboot, not a remake.
What’s the difference? A remake is very much the same plot,
characters and feel of the original film. A reboot, however,
generally has the same basic premise, but allows updating
of plots and characters, even different locations, allowing the
new version to move in a slightly different direction. This is
particularly handy when a new franchise is a possibility, as it
allows for the new sequels to be completely different to what
the original sequels were. And with two sequels already
written, that gives George Miller a lot of new storylines to bring
to cinema audiences.
See MAD MAX: FURY ROAD at Dendy Cinemas from
14 May*.
AFPA.ORG.AU
BOOKS
34
BOOKS
AN UNQUIET MIND
A MEMOIR OF MOODS
AND MADNESS
KAY REDFIELD JAMISON
RRP $19.99
I was used to my mind being my best
friend. Now, all of a sudden, my mind
had turned on me: it mocked me for my
vapid enthusiasms; it laughed at all of my
foolish plans; it no longer found anything
interesting or enjoyable or worthwhile.
DR KAY REDFIELD JAMISON IS ONE
OF THE FOREMOST AUTHORITIES
ON MANIC DEPRESSION
(BIPOLAR DISORDER) - AND HAS
EXPERIENCED ITS TERRORS
AND CRUEL ALLURE FIRST-HAND.
While pursuing her career in medicine, she was affected by the
same exhilarating highs and catastrophic lows that afflicted
many of her patients. From her jubilant childhood to the
disquiet that has dominated her adult life, she charts a journey
through her own mind, and those of others.
An Unquiet Mind is a definitive examination of manic
depression from both sides: doctor and patient, the healer
and the healed. A classic memoir of enormous candour and
courage, it teems with the wit and wisdom of its creator.
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Kay Redfield Jamison is Professor of Psychiatry at the
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine as well
as Honorary Professor of English at the University
of St Andrews in Scotland. She is the author of An
Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness, Touched
with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic
Temperament,Manic-Depressive Illness (with F. Goodwin)
and Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide. She is
the recipient of numerous national and international
scientific awards, was distinguished lecturer at Harvard
University in 2002 and the Litchfield lecturer at the
University of Oxford in 2003. She is a John P. and
Catherine T. MacArthur Fellow.
AUSPOL | AUTUMN 2015
DISPATCHES
MICHAEL HERR
RRP $19.99
We took space back quickly, expensively,
with total panic and close to maximum
brutality. Our machine was devastating.
And versatile. It could do everything
but stop.
MICHAEL HERR WENT TO VIETNAM
AS A WAR CORRESPONDENT
FOR ESQUIRE. He returned to tell
the real story in all its hallucinatory
madness and brutality, cutting
to the quick of the conflict and its
seductive, devastating impact on a generation of young men.
His unflinching account is haunting in its violence, but even
more so in its honesty.
First published in 1977, Dispatches was a revolutionary
piece of new journalism that evoked the experiences of soldiers
in Vietnam and has forever shaped our understanding of the
conflict. It is now a seminal classic of war reportage.
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Michael Herr was born in 1940 in Syracuse, New York. He
was a former war correspondent and best known as the
author of Dispatches (1977), a memoir of his time as a
correspondent for Esquire magazine (1967-1969) during
the Vietnam War. He is currently living in Delhi, NY.
BOOKS
35
NIGHT SCHOOL
RICHARD WISEMAN
THAT SUGAR BOOK
RRP $19.99
ALMOST A THIRD OF YOUR WHOLE
LIFE IS SPENT ASLEEP. Every night
you close your eyes, become oblivious
to your surroundings and waste hours
flying, being chased or watching all
your teeth fall out - and then you wake
up. What on earth is going on?
Based on exciting new
peer-reviewed research, massparticipation experiments and the
world’s largest archive of dream
reports, Night School uncovers
the truth about the sleeping brain
- and gives powerful tips on how you can use those hours
of apparently ‘dead’ time to change your waking life. Along
the way you will discover how to learn information while you
sleep, the creative potential of a six-minute nap, and what your
dreams really mean.
Studies show that even a small lack of sleep can have a
detrimental effect on health and happiness. It’s time to banish
nightmares, make the most of the missing third of your days,
and get the best night’s sleep of your life.
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Richard Wiseman is based at the University of
Hertfordshire and holds Britain’s only professor for
the Public Understanding of Psychology. He has an
international reputation for his research into unusual
areas, including deception, luck, humour and the
paranormal, is frequently quoted by the media, and
his research has been featured on over 150 television
programmes across the world. He is the author of the
international bestseller 59 Second.
DAMON GAMEAU
RRP $34.99
WHEN ACTOR AND FILMMAKER
DAMON GAMEAU MET A GIRL HE
WAS KEEN TO IMPRESS HE DECIDED
TO GET HEALTHY BY DRAMATICALLY
REDUCING HIS SUGAR INTAKE. In
no time he was slimmer, calmer,
fitter and happier. He was also very
curious: why did the elimination of
sugar have such beneficial effects on
his health and wellbeing? He decided
to experiment and film the results.
He would eat 40 teaspoons of sugar
a day for 60 days. Crucially, he would only consume perceived
‘healthy’ foods like muesli bars, breakfast cereals, low-fat
yoghurts, juices and smoothies.
The results were staggering. Although his caloric intake
was the same as his regular diet, he put on nearly 9 kilograms
in 60 days. Within a couple of weeks, he had the beginnings
of fatty liver disease. Doctors who monitored his health
throughout warned him that he was on the road to obesity,
diabetes and heart disease. His journey took him not just
down a path to ill health, but to outback Australia and to the
backblocks of the USA. He interviewed food manufacturers,
health experts and large-scale consumers of the white stuff.
He discovered that 80 per cent of products on our supermarket
shelves contain sugar, and that 5.5 million Australians have
fatty liver disease directly linked to their sugar consumption.
That Sugar Book follows Damon on his journey and blows
the lid on how the food industries make and sell our food, and
how they are complicit in, and indeed determined to, maintain
the status quo on the world’s alarming and health-destroying
sugar consumption. In also contains sensible advice on kicking
the habit, foods to avoid, how to shop, how to read labels
and how to cook sugar-free food, with the help of over thirty
delicious, nurturing and easily prepared recipes.
Fun, feisty and fired up, this book is set to change the
eating habits of a generation.
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Damon Gameau is an award-winning actor and 2011
Tropfest winner, as well as a passionate advocate for
good health and a warrior against the food industry that
is making us fat and sick.
AFPA.ORG.AU
PAGE
HE ADER
THE ATRE
36
BLACK DIGGERS – AFPA EDITORIAL
THE UNTOLD STORY OF WW1’S
BLACK DIGGERS REMEMBERED
THIS YEAR MARKS THE COMMENCEMENT
OF THE CENTENARY OF ANZAC, TO
HONOUR THOSE WHO HAVE FOUGHT FOR
OUR COUNTRY, CANBERRA THEATRE
CENTRE PRESENTS A QUEENSLAND
THEATRE COMPANY AND SYDNEY FESTIVAL
PRODUCTION ‘BLACK DIGGERS’.
“Black Diggers avoids all the traps of black victimhood,
expositional history and simplistic politics. It will emerge as
an important landmark of our theatre.”
- Martin Portus, Artshub
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, IN 1914, A BULLET FROM AN
ASSASSIN’S GUN IN SARAJEVO SPARKED A WAR THAT IGNITED
THE GLOBE. Patriotic young men all over the world lined up to
join the fight – including hundreds of Indigenous Australians.
Shunned and downtrodden in their own country – and
in fact banned by their own government from serving in the
military – Aboriginal men had to hide their heritage to enlist.
Undaunted, these bold souls took up arms to defend the free
world in its time of greatest need. For them, facing the horror
of war on a Gallipoli beach was an escape from the shackles
of racism at home, at a time when Aboriginal people stood by,
segregated, unable to vote, unable to act as their children were
ripped from them. When the survivors came back from the war,
there was no heroes’ welcome – just a shrug, and a return to
drudgery and oppression.
Black Diggers is the story of these men – a story of honour
and sacrifice that has been covered up and almost forgotten.
Directed by Wesley Enoch and written by Tom Wright,
Black Diggers is the culmination of painstaking research into
the lives and deaths of the thousand or so Indigenous soldiers
who fought for the British Commonwealth in World War I.
Grand in scale and scope, it draws from in-depth
interviews with the families of black Diggers who heard the call
to arms from all over Australia, as well as conversations with
veterans, historians and academics. Young men will step from
the blank pages of history to share their compelling stories –
and after the curtain falls, we will finally remember them.
“Black Diggers has been embraced as a poignant and
essential piece of theatre.”
- The Daily Review
AUSPOL | AUTUMN 2015
Take Part activities surrounding Black Diggers include a
Parliament House talk with the director Wesley Enoch,
writer Tom Wright and cast member. The Australian
War Memorial will also host a talk by Gary Oakley,
Indigenous Liaison Officer, about the true stories of the
real diggers.
Black Diggers is showing at the Canberra Theatre
Centre’s Playhouse Theatre from March 25-28.
Tickets are now on sale online or from the Box
Office, including tickets for the Opening Night Gala,
which includes complimentary drinks and canapés after
the show.
Presented by Canberra Theatre Centre presents a
Queensland Theatre Company and Sydney Festival
Production
Dates March 25 - 28
Ticket Price $65 - $85 (A $3.30 transaction fee applies)
Venue The Playhouse | Canberra Theatre Centre
Tickets canberratheatrecentre.com.au or call the box
office on (02) 6275 2700
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