Download response pack - Brian Martin

Cara Pring
Project report
STS390, “Media, war and peace”
Spring session, 2008
Science, Technology & Society
University of Wollongong
The report has two parts.
1. A response pack for an actual organisation. This is not an official
document and does not necessarily represent the views of the organisation.
Cara Pring’s response pack for Campbelltown City Council starts on the
next slide.
2. A dialogue between two students discussing the project. This dialogue is
fictional. Pseudonyms were used so that the marker, Brian Martin, would
not know the identity of student authors.
Cara Pring’s dialogue is a separate file.
Civil Disorder
&
The Macquarie Fields Riots
Course Outline
• Civil disorder overview
• definition, examples, causes, effects, the future and media
involvement
• The Macquarie Fields riots
• overview and causes
• Council’s role and responsibilities
• Conclusion
Civil Disorder - Definition
Any public disturbance involving acts of violence by a group of
three or more persons causing immediate danger, damage, or
injury to the property or person of another individual.1
Civil Disorder - Examples
Examples of civil disorder2:
• illegal parades
• sit-ins and other forms of obstructions
• riots
• sabotage
Recent examples of civil disorder in the Sydney area:
• Redfern riots3 (Feb 2004)
• Macquarie Fields riots4 (Feb 2005)
• Cronulla riots5 (Dec 2005)
Macquarie Fields will be the focus today as it happened within the
Campbelltown LGA6
The Macquarie Fields Riots
• Lasted for four nights in the Glenquarie public housing estate in March 05
• Sparked by the deaths of two local teenage passengers who died when the
stolen car they were riding in crashed after being pursued by police7
• Up to 300 people participated in the protest8 hurling rocks, bottles, bricks
and petrol bombs and setting cars alight – injuring several police9
• Police arrested 59 people (including Jesse Kelly, the driver of the crashed
stolen car) and laid 186 charges10
• The riots11 quickly became a major media and public event12
• The riots had all the characteristics of a civil disorder13
Civil Disorder - Causes
Causes of civil disorder can include:
• Police brutality14
• Disruption or lack of services15
• Economic problems16
• Oppression17
• Political scandal18
• Sporting events19
• Frustration, resentment and feelings of alienation20
• Socioeconomic factors21
MF Riots - Causes
Two arguments:
1. Large pool of criminal-minded youths actively seeking to create
trouble22
2. An expression of frustration, desperation and outrage about
prevailing conditions in the area (social alienation, overzealous
policing, disadvantage, economic hardship etc)23
Civil Disorder - Effects
Civil disorder can have a range of harmful effects24
• significant disruption to citizen’s lives
• disruption of infrastructure
• public utilities such as water, fuel and electricity temporarily
unavailable
• stretches resources of police
• disrupts and stretches resources of government (incl. local)
• environmental destruction at site of disorder25
Civil Disorder – the future
• Civil disorders are projected to increase worldwide26
• Australia has a long history of protest, riots and acts of civil disorder27
• Socioeconomic conditions are not set to disappear in the Campbelltown
region28
....Thus we cannot rule out the possibility of further civil disorder in the
Campbelltown region29
The Media...
The media can have a significant influence on civil disorders:
• Media coverage of disturbances can negatively effect the situation30
• One-sided viewpoint which leads to further social isolation and frustration
in affected communities31
• This type of coverage was evident during the Macquarie Fields riots32
• However the media are not always to blame – often just conveying the
messages of politicians and other commentators33 (eg. Councillors,
Mayor, Council spokespeople)
Council’s responsibility...
What will we do if there is another civil disorder in our region?
• Maintain constant external communication with other government sections,
community organisations, the police, community leaders etc34
• Maintain constant internal communication between Council sections,
provide feedback from meetings, or any liaison with members of the
community – all information must be given to the GM35
• Make an effort to understand the people who are involved and the alleged
cause of their protest36
• Organise meetings with rioting youth (eg. with the Mayor) to discuss
grievances and try to diffuse the situation37
Council’s responsibility...
• Continue the delivery of services to the community as efficiently as
possible38 (avoiding any dangerous areas)
• Providing constant customer service to the community during periods of
disruption
• Fast and efficient repair to any damaged facilities or infrastructure
damaged in the disorder38
• Providing advice or reports to authorities as needed, for example traffic
management plans for altered traffic conditions39
Council’s responsibility...
• Care when dealing with the media! All media enquiries to be
sent to Communications and Media, who will consult the GM
before responding. NOBODY IS ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO THE
MEDIA WITHOUT THE GM’S PERMISSION!40
Prevention...
What is council doing to prevent civil disorder in the future?
• Influencing housing policy in the region (eg. Minto, Macquarie Fields)41
• Community consultation and liaison that encourages the disclosure of
grievances and discussion of relevant issues42
• Range of community programs designed to help disadvantaged members
of the community (eg. youth, Aboriginals, struggling parents)43
• Building new sporting and recreational facilities44
• Working with other government departments and lobbying for policies that
benefit our community (eg. housing, unemployment, economic)45
Conclusion...
• There is a distinct possibility that the Campbelltown region could
experience another civil disorder in the future
• Council has an important role to play in both dealing with and
preventing such situations
•
Socioeconomic conditions contribute to the problem, and the
likelihood of further disorders
• The most important thing for us to remember is to communicate
any relevant information with all managers and the GM and...
• Never speak to the media without first gaining consent from the GM