December 24, 2003
FROM BEER TO BILAL
So we’re at Miranda Devine’s Christmas party yesterday, which is an annual fun highlight, and I’m introduced to a charming woman named Margaret. She’s clever and funny and informed, and we chat for about 15 minutes before I learn who she is.
She’s Margaret Cunneen, the Crown prosecutor who sent gang rapist Bilal Skaf away for 55 years.
Margaret is a pure force for good. Somehow our conversation drifted to Not-So-Olden-Days-Australia, when women weren’t allowed in bars, and were restricted to ladies’ lounges. Margaret felt this to be a grave injustice, especially because beer cost more in the chicks-only zone.
But she’s not that old. Surely Margaret had no personal experience of such discrimination? “Well, I may have been underage,” she admitted. “The Girl Guide uniform probably indicated that.”
Posted by Tim Blair at December 24, 2003 03:27 AMIt's great to read about, then get to meet, public officials who have taken the heat but have stayed the course to do what's best. Good for her. She sounds like she would be an interesting person to talk to.
All our countries need more public officials like her. People who don't cave in to the 'PC Police' and are willing to call things as they are.
Posted by: Chris Josephson at December 24, 2003 at 07:26 AMTim,
The 'Ladies Lounges' weren't chicks-only zones.
They were for Ladies, Gentlemen and kids. That excluded trollops, rough blokes and punks (using the language of the day.
Classification of the above depended on the class of the establishment.
As a boy I sold papers after school in the sleazy end of Brisbane, and traipsed through 6 different pubs which represented almost the full range. In one of them a 'Lady' was a hooker who didn't do it against the wall.
One of those pubs, the Terminus, (probably the classiest of them) has been preserved as a tourist draw at Southbank.
Posted by: Robert Blair at December 24, 2003 at 08:45 AM"The sentence is as shocking as the crime," said Sydney University criminologist Dr Mark Findlay.
Whenever I hear of Margaret Cunnane and Bilal Skaf, I think of this wanker. He must have been the only person in Australia not delighted with the 55 big ones.
Posted by: David at December 24, 2003 at 08:55 AM"The sentence is as shocking as the crime," said Sydney University criminologist Dr Mark Findlay.
The odd thing about Findlay was that he said it like it was a bad thing.
I thought the point of whole legal system was that the sentences imposed were SUPPOSED to be relative to the crime.
Posted by: Harry Tuttle at December 24, 2003 at 09:03 AMYes, I have to agree, she's a national living treasure.
Posted by: AStext at December 24, 2003 at 09:13 AMI'll shout her a gin and tonic any time - in the ladies' lounge, the main bar, the saloon, the sports bar, the beer garden - anywhere she wants.
Posted by: ilibcc at December 24, 2003 at 10:22 AMIs Margaret Cunneen a relation of Assoc. Prof. Chris Cunneen, director of Criminology at Sydney Uni?
And boss of the despicable scum Mark Findlay? (Deputy Director)
http://www.criminology.law.usyd.edu.au/staff.htm
Posted by: William at December 24, 2003 at 10:24 AMMerry Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year to you, Tim!
Thanks for all you do on this 'blog. I really enjoy it.
Is it true that Santa Claus saves Australia for last on Christmas Eve so he can finish up in a summer suit and then drink a few cold cans of lager on the beach?
Posted by: JDB at December 24, 2003 at 10:40 AMIs it only I or does everyone think Miranda Devine is hot?
Posted by: Cameron Stack at December 24, 2003 at 11:21 AMIs it only I or does everyone think Miranda Devine is hot?
Posted by: Cameron Stack at December 24, 2003 at 11:22 AMThe sooner Cunneen replaced that Cowdry bloke as the DPP the better.
Posted by: Gilly at December 24, 2003 at 11:24 AMCameron,
I think Miranda is hot too, but if I had to vote I would give it to Margaret Cuneen - just thinking about her intellect and strength of personality makes my knees tremble ...
Here in the States, we have a term for rough blokes, trollops and punks. They're called feminists.
Posted by: Darren at December 24, 2003 at 12:09 PMI'm probably the 2nd person to be shocked by the
verdict.
That number, 55, lacked at least two additional digits, to preclude the laxness of parole system of being manipulated.
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Tim,
and thanks for the absilutely the best blog in the visible Universe.
When he copped the 55 years she should have asked him if he liked it "Aussie style".
Posted by: gaz at December 24, 2003 at 12:21 PMMerry Christmas to all the RWDB's and trolls too (it is that time of year).
It's been a dramatic year with some real nice bits at the end. I think the biggest shock for me was finding that Santa doesn't live in the North Pole but in a spider hole outside of Tikrit. Such is life.
Take care and a Happy Season to all!
Posted by: Rob at December 24, 2003 at 01:00 PMShe should have never hosted Big Brother. Bad career move.
Posted by: LD at December 24, 2003 at 05:59 PMNothing's sexier than a tough woman who knows how to drop someone with one kick - but who does it with her words and a flip of the wig instead. I hope the woman who referred to Margaret as a "slut" in open court is home wailing about her brutish, nasty son while her hatred and envy for powerful, unveiled women eats her alive. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, now does it?
Most impressive. Tim, I'm so envious that you got the chance to talk to her. I'm not sure I would know what to say to her, other than, "Wow."
Posted by: Kimberly at December 26, 2003 at 02:18 AM