Does it never end?

Each time I visit Brisbane I enjoy the refreshing honesty and frankness of Queenslanders.

They tell him that he’s that he’s full of shit in no uncertain terms.

I spent an hour with my good friend and colleague Andrew Laming at the Capalaba shopping centre and when you talk with the locals they’re not shy in telling you what they think.

“You’re full of shit, Brendon.”

Of most concern is the growing pressure on their household budgets.

Vodka bottles at the ready…

Many Australians are finding it tough at the moment, with the cost of petrol, food and interest rates on the rise.

DRINK!

This is one area where many people are looking for the Government to deliver and for Mr Rudd to meet the expectations he created last year that these costs of living would come down.

Because Kevin’s ruined the country in six long months.

One of the great success stories in Capalaba is John Titman…

* giggle *

…Racing. Over 25 years, John has built up his business of making motorcycle parts and accessories from working out of his back shed to a business which now employs 14 staff. He’s a great example of the get up and go needed to make a small business work. The more time you spend travelling around Australia, the more encouraged you get as you meet hardworking businessmen like John Titman.

What has this got to do with anything?

In visiting numerous small businesses, I have been inspired once again by the get up and go of people who take a risk and work hard to deliver the goods and services we all need and provide jobs for other Australians.

So, motorcycle parts and accessories are goods and services that we all need? Whatever. Piss off, Bren-doc.

I’m allowed to make fun of goons (wine casks) because their other name — Dapto briefcases — refers to the suburb of Wollongong from whence I originally hail. And I’m allowed to make fun of Brisbane because that’s where I spent my high school years after moving from Dapto. With those facts in mind I present to you (courtesy of Damain in comments) what is possibly the news story of the year with the headline of the century.

THUGS USE GOON BAG TO BASH GOTHS

Two men have faced court over a violent assault which saw a group of goths bashed with a goon bag.

Luke Anthony Harrison, 21, and Mereki Ian Pryor, 19, were each sentenced to jail for the attack, which left five members of Brisbane’s gothic community nursing cuts and bruises.

The District Court today heard Harrison and Pryor had been drinking goon - or cask wine - in a park at the corner of Wickham Terrace and Ann Street in Fortitude Valley about 10.30pm on July 30, 2005 when the group walked past.

After shouting insults such as “freaks” and “faggots”, Pryor approached the three women and two men, aged between 19 and 24, asked them if they wanted to fight and began throwing punches and kicks.

Harrison, carrying the bag of goon, also became involved, using it to take a swing at one of the women, knocking her glasses off her face. Another woman was also hit.

Crown prosecutor Chris Minnery said one of the group managed to grab the cask.

“F*** off or I’ll break the goon,” she said while threatening to stomp on the bag.

The attack stopped when the group managed to flee to safety at the nearby Orient Hotel. None were seriously injured.

Pryor’s defence barrister, Megan Robbins, put her client’s behaviour down to alcohol abuse, telling the court that at the time he was drinking up to three litres of cask wine a day.

“His judgement was obviously impaired to a significant degree,” Ms Robbins explained, prompting Judge Julie Dick to fire back: “His liver can’t have been too good either.”

“This is public violence on a group of people who were just going about their business,” the judge told the pair, who both pleaded guilty to charges of assault occasioning bodily harm in company.

“They are entitled to dress and look how they like as long as they don’t interfere with the rest of the community.”

Pryor, who is already serving a three-and-a-half year prison term for unrelated offences, had an extra six months added to his sentence, but will be eligible to apply for parole today.

Harrison received a 12 month term and was released immediately on parole after Judge Dick accepted he had played a lesser role in the assault.

Judge Dick. Brilliant!