What the actual fuck
theage.com.au/national/victoria/court-clerk-e...
theage.com.auPosted Oct 28, 2019, 4:14 AM UTC
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theage.com.auThis poor girl. Howabout the next time there is the smell of a pile on we exercise some fucken restraint
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Who is this “we”?
The people on here were pretty good as far as I recall. Even called out the rag for their horrendous drip feeding of the story.
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I didn’t think my comments were bad, but now I feel bad:
https://www.reddit.com/r/auslaw/comments/df7gds/comment/f31hkgh
https://www.reddit.com/r/auslaw/comments/dfo7fc/comment/f34ut72
I don’t feel culpable, but it is a reminder that we should always be mindful of what we say and how it affects others.
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Post A: 34 upvotes says everyone was thinking it. It is scuttlebutt which should never have been put in the public domain for such ridicule, but it was The Hun which uncorked that genie.
Post B: We can argue the toss over the merits of your post, but ultimately it's an entirely reasonable point, and this kids death doesn't alter that.
If there is anything to be taken from previous discussions, it's that this was an entirely foreseeable outcome to News Ltd.
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Thanks for the fair assessment.
And I totally agree - to quote u/unknown3901, their actions were calculated to inflict maximum damage to their target, so there’s no way the possibility of this outcome didn’t cross someone’s mind, be they cadet, journalist or editor.
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Absolutely furious about this.
Best case scenario, it was an accident and her last weeks were marred by a disgusting pile on about something that is absolutely no one's business. Dragging a 23 year old through the mud trying to imply that a Magistrate isn't up to the task if they get engaged to someone younger than them. Shameful that some members of the profession actually spoke out saying he should have stepped down because he got engaged.
Worst case scenario, this wasn't an accident and the reporting has a lot to answer for.
Disgusting, unnecessary, gutter-level gossip journalism that at best gives some fuckers a giggle, and at worst something that has a real, tangible and grave cost.
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Holy fuck
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A young court clerk engaged to a country magistrate has died after being struck by a car in Victoria's east.
The relationship between Ashleigh Petrie, 23, and magistrate Rodney Higgins, 68, prompted calls for a judicial review of his capacity to perform his duties after it was made public.
Ms Petrie died after being struck by a car at Metung, in East Gippsland, in the early hours of Monday morning. Emergency services were called to Metung Road about 1am. Police will prepare a report for the Coroner.
"Police will prepare a report for the coroner following the death of a 23-year-old woman in Metung on Monday," a police spokeswoman said in a statement.
"It is understood the Mirboo North woman was struck by a vehicle on Metung Road about 1am and the investigation remains ongoing.
"The driver stopped at the scene to assist and was uninjured."
Police released the statement after notifying Ms Petrie's family.
Some cases at Latrobe Magistrates Court in Morwell were adjourned on Monday morning as court staff came to terms with the tragic news.
The couple's relationship attracted media attention and last week the shadow attorney-general Edward O’Donohue wrote to the Judicial Commission of Victoria questioning Mr Higgins’ "capacity to perform his judicial duties".
Mr Higgins proposed to Ms Petrie while on a romantic getaway in Fiji last month. "It started with a crush and now I have a ring on my finger," Ms Petrie posted on Instagram.
"The love of my life asked me to marry him and I said YESSSS.
“What an amazing 10 days it has been here in Fiji! I arrived as Rod's girlfriend and I leave as [Rod's] fiance! I cannot wait to become Mrs Higgins."
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Super sad to hear.
There are going to be so many nutters arguing that this indicates that someone in the judiciary wanted the problem she posed gone.
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This isn’t the Labor party we’re talking about...
/s
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Or Hillary Clinton...
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Well fuck me - coming across a News page running the full video montage of pictures lifted directly from her social media. Show some decency.
Shannon Deery, on the off chance you are reading this, you are a cunt.
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We need an inquiry into the media.
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We had one, and the entire media allied with the Liberals to absolutely bury Ray Fink and the Gillard government for holding it.
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I remember, however, given their recent (commendable) efforts in scrutinising government accountability/transparency through the ‘Right to Know’ Coalition I am hopeful that they will not be outright hypocrites this time around.
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I wouldn't hold my breath. The "Your Right To Know" thing is still only about media freedom.
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If you find this story distressing, or you, or anyone you know needs support, you can contact Lifeline 131 114, or beyondblue 1300 224 636.
So let's talk about journalistic ethics. Cunts.
I hope the the guttertrawler and their editor are held to account over this.
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This is so much more horrible than it seems. A vindictive legal profession, an awful editorial policy at the Herald-Sun, and an intervention order regime which can be used by powerful people to punish the weak.
[An article in the age] (https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/opposition-urges-watchdog-to-investigate-magistrate-over-clerk-romance-20191024-p533um.html?js-chunk-not-found-refresh=true)
Look at what Melbourne lawyer David Galbally, QC, said. He told Seven News the most appropriate thing for Mr Higgins to do would be to step down. This regarded allegaitons that the clerk was influencing the legal decisions made by the Magisttate.
“I’m not sure how any barrister can appear with any degree of confidence before him believing that any decision that is going to be made is going to be made by him and him alone,” he said.
This is of course, bullshit, as the same can be said of all partners of Magistrates. What a dickhead!
On 25 October 2019, the Cheif Magistrate Lauritsen dealt with an application for an intervention order by Mr Higgins' former partner against his new 23-year-old fiance Ashleigh Petrie.
He refused to stand aside despite claims of bias.
Can you imagine what the legal clerk must have felt with all this pressure?
Get stuffed Galbally (you arsehole)
Get stuffed Lauristen
Get Stuffed Daniel Andrews ( for the stuffed up intervention order system)
And if there are any journalists here, well, fuck you too.
TLDR -Super nice legal clerk who fell in love with a magistrate has apparently killed herself 3 days after an intervention order was taken out against her by the wife of her lover and granted by the Chief Magistrate who refused to recuse himself.
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Even beyond that, the Hun had a whole article reporting that she had a relationship with another Magistrate before Higgins (with all the nasty little inferences people are expected to draw from that).
Then there are those behind the leaks to media - the practitioner she spoke to at a conference and those at the Magistrates’ Court. What was their agenda?
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Lifeline number at the bottom suggests suicide, and is an indictment on the state of our pathetic gutter journalism focused media. We don't know what was going on in her life but it's hard to dismiss the media scrutiny and resulting inevitable public attention as a causal factor, as a bare minimum.
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I'm a little outraged snowflake, look at me mum
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Imagine dying and in the article for your death it's insinuated that you're a gold digger/ exchanged sex for improved career prospects. No need to shit on the dead person
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I just feel so bad for that girl and her family. 23 is way too young to go :(
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Well that's fucking horrible.
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I was ok with their relationship. However, if you had misgivings about it, this event really shouldn't change your mind.
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I agree, I thought, and still think that their relationship was pretty inappropriate. Her death is tragic and the media dogpiling is gross and could have definitely contributed
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I found this extremely interesting (apparently Rodney Higgins might not be divorced) “ The outgoing chief magistrate was dealing with an application for an intervention order by Mr Higgins’ former partner against Ms Petrie.
He refused calls to recuse himself and made an indefinite order against Ms Petrie, banning her from all contact with her fiance’s ex.” Quote from the NewDaily
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Weird. She said she found happiness, at least.
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This is so random and tragic?!
My first thought was that it was not random at all, given the pressure she had been unnecessarily placed under by the media.
Is it common for the lifeline numbers to be given at the bottom of all news articles that involve a death? If not then I guess it wasn't random. Terrible in any event
Fuck. That’s barrister attention to detail right there.
I’m really sad for her. I really hope the journos who thought to run this are looking deep at their reflections in the mirror tonight.
I don't think it's an unreasonable thing to write an article about - she was, for better or worse, very much in the public eye, and hence her tragic death is definitely "news". If it was suicide this article at least was tasteful enough not to dig into it (haven't read others).
Do you think, even for a moment, that these people are capable of self-reflection? I'm starting to question your abilities on the cross.
Australian Press Council standards for reporting on Suicide:
Thanks mate. Thought as much. You can normally tell when it's a suicide by the way they write. Less sensationalised. A bit more sombre.
How fucked.
The number wasn't there for Danny Frawley.
Yes it was in some articles.
I don't remember an article about Danny Frawley without it, but I didn't read everything, just the usual suspects. I'm sure some would have omitted it
The media were about as subtle as a sledgehammer in Frawley's case.
I was thinking exactly the same thing - the sustained pressure clearly would’ve taken a toll.
In a world where the mental effects of bullying and harassment receive greater recognition, perhaps we are close to finally close to recognising some form of tabloidal homicide or at least wrongful death through the link to psychological harm.
If it was indeed a suicidal act with a causal link to the journalism, perhaps society needs to hold the journalists responsible?
Unfortunately I think the practical barriers are currently insurmountable, both in terms of how you’d legislate it in a manner which balances people’s right to privacy vs the public interest, and more importantly the dearth of any politicians with the spine to vote for a law demanding any kind of responsible behaviour from journalists.
My thoughts exactly. I hope it was just an accident, but the timing doesn’t look good.
Absolutely terrible. I can’t imagine what her family and fiancé are going through. Intense public scrutiny right before her untimely death. Really awful.
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Some of the articles have the Beyond Blue etc numbers at the bottom. Maybe not random. Poor girl.
Oh fuck, that’s horrible. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was true.
Fuck. No words- random and tragic indeed. What a terrible death and an awful thing to go through before.