G'Day From Downunder

One of the biggest days in sport in Australia is the Australian Rules football Grand Final.

This year however, it was over shadowed by the massive national media coverage of the tragic news, of the rape and murder of the 29-year-old Drogheda Irishwoman, Jill Meagher.

Jill had been socialising at Bar Etiquette late Friday night with her work colleagues from the ABC radio network. Afterwards at approximately 1.30am she decided to walk the short distance home to her husband Tom, and at 1.43am she disappeared.

While the country prayed for her safety, the hours and days painstakingly passed by, until four days later when an observant shop owner checked her CCTV replay and noticed a man wearing a blue top talking to Jill outside the shop on the night she went missing.

Posters of Jill were strapped to lampposts and road crossings across the state, the whole nation's heart seemed to stop in anticipation of what might be.

As soon as police released the CCTV images, the public went on a hunt for the culprit.

Within twenty-four hours, the police had captured a forty one year old suspect who then led them to where Jill's body was found buried, after she was first raped and then killed.

The story of Jill's sweet and gentle nature has moved even the hardest of those in our community.

An enormous amount of affection has poured out from the Australian public at large to Jill's husband Tom, her family here and her extended family back home in Ireland.

This case is one of the highest profile cases that I can recall since I first set foot on Australian soil on July 5th 1974.

Jill's murder has opened a Pandora's Box of issues relating to everything that relates to women's safety and that is why this case has had so much media coverage.

Women all over Australia have taken on Jill's murder as an issue on women's safety and so they should.

All women should be entitled to walk the streets in safety anywhere and at anytime.

The outpouring of grief from the general public has been extraordinary, it even extended to the public covering the whole general area where Jill was last seen with flowers, and then the Melbourne public went to hold a march in memory of Jill, to support the elimination of violence; more than 30,000 attended the march

The accused is in remand and is to appear back in court in January 2013.

This raises an issue that I have been shouting from my soapbox for a long time and that is about the soft treatment given to perpetrators of crime.

I wonder what kind of lame excuse the accused will come up with when he appears back in court in January 2013.

Let me guess will it be the usual like, "I had a bad upbringing" or "my father was an alcoholic," or "I was bullied when I was little," or "it was her fault she tried to hit on me," or "it was everyone else's fault bar mine Your Honor?"

Will the justice system make allowances for this pathetic depraved murderer? Going on past performance I imagine it will.

I make no apologies for this statement; when there is a case as blatant as this, where the accused has taken the police to the crime scene and showed them where the body was buried, then it seems like a waste of the courts time and taxpayer's money having a farce of a trial.

It is time to stop being soft on criminals, time to lock them up and throw away the key in many cases.

Bugger the rehabilitating of the likes of this or any other thoughtless murderer, who takes the life of a beautiful young woman who had her whole life to look forward to.

What about Jill's husband Tom's loss, will the court give Tom due consideration on the massive void left in his life?

Will the court understand how Tom will miss spending the rest of his life with Jill - the one woman he picked out of all the women in the world with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life.

The woman that he had planned his life with, the woman that was going to be the mother of their children; that now will never happen thanks to this mindless selfish despicable human that shames the name of all decent men.

Australians genuinely feel they have let the Irish community down with this tragic incident and this has added why there is such an outflow of emotion.

Forgiveness... do not ask me for any, my only thoughts are for Jill's husband Tom and her family.

The time has come to throw away the political correctness and get tough on crime.

The public should be entitled to walk the streets without thinking, "will I be lucky enough to make it home this time". Is it too much to ask for a safe passage home? For if so take me out of here now.

I did say this shocking crime has touched all Australians and I will wager that my comments are a true reflection of their thoughts right now.

It is no wonder why this case has pushed one of Australia's biggest sporting days to the also rans.

Moving on from an Irish tragedy report, to an Irish happy report: #3 in the charts is Irish super band The Scripts' new album; and it is their third smash hit album.

They will be travelling Downunder in April 2013 to promote it, not that it needs any promoting here.

The Script flew in and out for a few days to tell Australia that the album is out and that they are coming to tour next year.

I have said many times before it was only a matter of time before The Script received the same status as fellow compatriot's U2.

I have met with Danny, Mark, and Glen on all their previous tours to Oz and reported to you and this time is no exception.

I have already had my invite from their record company Sony Music to meet with the lads again and to bring you up to date with their progress.

The tickets went on sale this week and as expected the concerts were sold out within minutes of opening, such is their popularity here in the Land of Oz.

I have been writing glowing reports on the Script from the first time I heard them in Tokyo some years ago and in their case I love saying I told you so.

The first time I saw them in concert I knew they had all the ingredients for success and it pleases me to no end to say I told you so.

They had it then, and they have it now, they are Superstars. Australia is a buzz in anticipation of their coming tour.

Next week, I will report on my pending trip to Ireland, on October 16 and where I'll be headed from there.

Of course, I will be checking out the Guinness to see if they have changed the ingredients, and I just have to have my bacon, eggs, sausages and black pudding for breakfast along with bacon and cabbage for dinner.

On my return in mid November, I will be reporting to you on all the events I will have attended and no doubt pass on a bit of gossip from the oul' sod too.

Until I talk to you next week be good to those who love you and Slainte from Downunder.

You can catch me on mbowen@afsvic.com.au