The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 1

ACS-IE MONDAY 13 OCTOBER 1997 143rd Year No. 44,409 90c How drugs beat Kioron Lion's share of Pops! up for grabs BUSINESS Dunotan: keep Swanston pedestrian Five years living on the edge SPORTS MONDAY METRO METRO THEE SeinrsiM stow axec $37,000 bid to hold child sex offender Kennett ready to deal on auditor NGV acts after hammer attack I understand the sense of outrage that has prompted these attacks on the image, 1 SMWn ti s- j- vr 1 z1 Dr George Pell, Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne We had an event where physical force damaged a work and caused injury to a member of staff and that clearly is a very serious situation. Dr Timothy Potts, Erector of trie National CsSety of Victoria By GARETH BOREHAM, state political reporter The Premier, Mr Jeff Kennett, has sought to placate critics of planned contentious changes in the role of the auditor-general, Mr Ches Baragwanath, by allowing him to keep some staff under the shake-up of his office. After his weekend rebuff from the Liberal Party State Council, Mr Kennett yesterday unveiled a compromise plan under which Mr Baragwanath would retain up to 40 employees. The more than 100 remaining staff would move to Audit Victoria the State Government body that will compete with accounting Arms for public sector audits.

The Government's review panel had recommended that all staff be shifted to Audit Victoria. While Mr Kennett is prepared to compromise on staffing, he appears to be standing firm on the plan to throw open public-sector auditing to private companies through a tender process. He will take draft legislation to the joint party room for approval in the next two weeks. Although he is now expected to face less resistance to the changes, some coalition MPs are still strongly opposed to splitting the auditor's operations. It is also uncertain if Mr Baragwanath, who is yet to be briefed on the bill, will accept the proposal if it does not give him operational control over Audit Victoria.

This has proved a key sticking point between the auditor and the Government. Three backbenchers were among the vast majority of party delegates to the Shepparton council meeting who backed motions calling for the auditor's independence and powers to be protected. While most coalition MPs opposed the resolo tions, several abstained from voting. Quizzed yesterday on the party's overwhelming endorsement of the auditor, Mr Kennett played down the vote and said Mr Baragwanath's independence would be enhanced by the changes. "He will be able to continue to do his audits as he sees fit.

he will have control over the audit process absolutely and totally in the same way that he has that control of the audit process of 75 per cent of the work that he puts out," he said. Liberal Party resolutions have no binding authority over coalition policy. The Opposition Leader, Mr John Brum: by, said the party vote was a humiliating defeat for the Premier. In the face of the conference vote, the Premier should back down on the plan to set up Audit Victoria and "nobble the the image and I repeat my support of peaceful and legal protest only." The first attack, which did not seriously damage the work, came a few hours after the exhibition was officially opened on Saturday, when a middle-aged Sydney man tried to remove the photograph that depicts a crucifix immersed in the artist's urine. The two teenagers succeeded.

The attack began at 3.30pm when they walked through the entrance of the exhibition, restricted to people over 18. One youth remained at the photograph while the other kicked off a print on the opposite side to divert guards. While the guards rushed to subdue the decoy, the other destroyed Piss Christ. A police spokesman, Inspector Garry Schipper, said when the guards realised what was happening, they overpowered the teenager. The hammer fell, bounced and hit a security guard in the knee.

A witness to the attack, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: "Suddenly there was this bang. I looked around and there was this guy kicking one of the photographs, I think the Ku Klux Man one everyone's attention was to that and the security guard started to move in and suddenly we heard all these other noises, bangs. I thought it was a gun, and we all froze. "Then I saw this person and I suddenly thought: "There is a person with a hammer bashing this picture' people just froze, there was stunned silence." She said a very white-faced "important-looking person" came into the exhibition and said "oh my then asked people to leave. In Saturday's incident, a 51-year-old Sydney man simply walked up to the photograph he believed was offensive and removed it from the wall.

The photograph was slightly damaged but was rehung in time for yesterday's viewing. Late on Saturday, John Allen Haywood, of Mount Druitt, Sydney, appeared in an out-of-ses-sions hearing charged with one count each of criminal damage and burglary. He was remanded to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court today. By JANE FAULKNER The National Gallery of Victoria last night cancelled its controversial exhibition by Andres Serrano after two youths destroyed Piss Christ with a hammer. The gallery director, Dr Timothy Potts, said after a meeting of the trustees and authorities: "There have been two incidents in the Serrano exhibition on the weekend involving damage to a work of art and injury to two members of security staff.

"After consultation with relevant authorities, the trustees and director have with great reluctance taken the decision to close the exhibition immediate-ly." Yesterday's attack, the second in as many days, took only a few seconds. One youth distracted security guards by kicking another exhibit, and the second smashed the perspex covering of Piss Christ with the hammer about eight times, ruining the photograph, valued at $25,000. Late last night, Melbourne police charged an 18-year-old from Oakleigh with one count each of criminal damage and burglary. He was released on bail to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on 24 October. A 16-year-old from Clayton faces the same charges and was released on bail to appear in the Children's Court on 8 December.

Dr Potts said: "The gallery felt in all the current circumstances, it could no longer guarantee the security of the visitors and staff of the gallery or of the works of art." He said it was a great shame the exhibition had been cancelled but the decision was unanimous. "I think there are some really serious consequences or issues of us having to make this decision." Dr Potts said he would discuss the broader issues about the decision today, which would include artistic issues and the ramifications of freedom of speech. He did not want to comment further. The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr George Pell, who last week unsuccessfully tried to have the photograph banned, said after the attack: "I understand the sense of outrage that has prompted these attacks on PICO THE SfORY UNFOLDS By TIM PEGLER and LEON GETTLER When 18-year-old Greg became eligible for release from Parkville Juvenile Justice Centre in April, the Human Services Department knew it had to act. Quickly.

Greg (not his real name) had been Jailed for the rape of a six-year-old girl at a suburban primary school in March 1995. He was in state care at the time. Experts consider Greg the most dangerous sex offender to have passed through the Juvenile Justice system. For legal reasons he cannot be Identified. In an effort to protect the community, the department devised a $36,674 package to keep Greg under control highly unusual because he was no longer under state care and was due to complete his parole in June.

It has also considered chemically reducing his sex drive. Under the package an agency provides Greg with accommodation and links to training, employment and leisure activities. The agency employs a worker to give him Intensive support. He receives additional counselling from a child welfare agency and a chaplain. The money runs out in December, but the" agency will offer support and housing until his 19th birthday, in March.

Police have been told where Greg is living. Police requested a psychiatric report on Greg in 1992 after he raped a four-year-old. He was then 12 and had already been involved in a series of sex attacks on younger children, several at knifepoint. According to Health and Community Services department files seen by The Age, a Monash Medical Centre senior child psychiatrist warned that Greg was a "significant threat" to the community. In a 31 March 1992 letter to police the psychiatrist wrote: "His behavior is becoming more seriously disturbed and out of control This is likely to continue and escalate In the future Interventions, including counselling, medication and intensive educational support have been singularly unsuccessful." The psychiatrist suggested locking him up because there was a "primary need for According to department case notes from 18 March 1994, Greg was one of three children, and both his parents had "disturbed His mother was sexually abused as a child and his father's childhood featured "significant adjustment and behavioral Their marriage was "characterised by relationship difficulties and domestic violence." They separated in September 1993.

By then, Greg was no longer at home. The State Government had taken Greg from his parents In October 1992. On 24 February 1993 a work-Continued: PAGE A2 THE COSTS: Human Services Department funding of $36,674 to: imntiiiin-d A TU17 AaflT i r'Umw li -riM-ni JEs 40-PAGE GRN GUIDE tfcl 1 Art or Mtmr hww itM Imo bmwm THE SUNDAY AGE mmn UALLfilBX ATJAUft. 1 Greens vow Jabfluloi fight hmmmM I i if t'lWWU? raw" 9. JGjunru fen fDfttOT Tt IV9 irtuzileTV Ulii WllJPjlWlWWMJl FKDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 1997 THURSDAY 9 OCTOBER 1997 SUNDAY 12 OCTOBER 1997 13 per cent SA swing shocks federal Libs Olsen's drubbing Primary votes' 1997 1993 QUbM 401 63.9 fJALP 35.S 30.4 Dtmsemti tSJj Ui Pothers 3.1 6.6 Power sale reaps The State Government has received $2.7 billion for the state's high-voltage grid owner, PowerNet Victoria, capping Victoria's $22 billion privatisation program.

It was the second-biggest sale of the massive electricity privatisation program, behind only the $4.8 billion sale of the Loy Yang A power station earlier this year. PAGE A3: Report Malaysia in new debacle The Malaysian Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has provoked a new international controversy by blaming his country's economic crisis on Jews. In his long-running campaign against the American financier Mr George Soros, Dr Mahathir suggested a Jewish conspiracy was behind raids that have battered the Malaysian ringgit. PAGE A8: Report tnsure he complies with his 0 wole order, issues such as travel rorts. The Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, and the Treasurer, Mr Peter Costello, played down any federal implications, blaming the result on internal party bickering in South Australia.

In Bangkok, the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Tim Fischer, blamed the big swing against Liberals on "arrogant and stage-managed" campaign tactics. But the Labor Party and the Democrats both hailed the result as significant for preferences strategies at the next poll. The Democrats leader, Senator Cheryl Kernot, said the result was a protest vote against both major parties, with voters who deserted the Liberals not automatically choosing Labor. The Federal Opposition Leader, Mr Kim Beazley, said that while state factors were involved, the swing to Labor showed that issues of jobs and job security were biting with Continued: PAGE A4 PAGE A12: Editorial. By LAURA TINGLE, SHANE GREEN and MARK BAKER A swing of more than 13 per cent against South Australia's Olsen Government has alarmed the Howard Government, heartened Labor and raised the spectre of minor-party preferences playing a crucial role in the next federal election.

The Premier, Mr John Olsen, is expected to retain power, but with his huge majority over Labor likely to be slashed to just two seats and the Liberal primary vote slumping from 53.9 per cent to 40.1 per cent. Just as important in federal terms was the Australian Democrats' performance a jump in the primary vote from 9.1 per cent to 16.2 per cent. With reputable opinion polls showing more than 20 per cent of federal votes being "parked" with other parties, the outcome of Saturday's poll was yesterday seen as holding important lessons for federal politics. kipervlse contact with his rtry. Jnd appropriate leisure THE MX 131097 The Liberal Party's federal director, Mr Lynton Crosbie, said the poll suggested the challenge facing the Federal Government was "to focus on the things we said we'd focus on jobs, families, small business, reducing the nation's But the Howard Government's attempts to focus on these issues have been consistently frustrated by Labor's tactics of switching debate to wrecreatwaCTfffjM.jii ouMhbn until hta 2 Heat ttndaydn March), THt HZ 131097 Settings Swivel Cord Brush Attachment i ovv naa 1 i m.

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