WAToday has covered our earlier story the risks that Papalia’s gun maps created
Front page story for WAToday
WATODAY has covered our earlier story exposing the risks that WA Police Minister, Paul Papalia, created when he released maps to the media showing the location of licenced shooters.
Papalia’s map risks
Readers might recall that the Western Australian Information Commissioner and WA Police both said the maps created a risk to the public.
In fact WA Police went further: they said the maps created the risk of home invasions, theft, and more firearm related offences.
Getting into the media
When we released the story, it was instantly picked up by some minor media outlets.
However, after working with the journalist, the story has now hit the front page of one of the state’s most widely read papers.
Click here to read the story from WAToday
A repeat offender
Readers might recall last year’s story of another of Papalia’s stunts where he demonstrated the use of a 50 calibre rifle at a range in Pinjar.
The stunt required restrictions of air space at the RAAF Base Pearse – and involved the use of the rifle at a facility that was not approved for the use of that rifle.
This latest story shows how careless Papalia has become.
Key points from WAToday story
While you can see the story yourself (click here), the story follows the same discussion in the story we published.
However WA Police have sought to minimise the damage to its minister with this key statement:
“Since [releasing the maps], it has become clear that several people have gone to extreme lengths in an attempt to identify the map locations, or guess where the location are, and given our awareness of those determined efforts it is no longer deemed in the public interest to further release the maps in any format”
Readers might also recall that those who went to “extreme lengths” include ordinary shooters, people familiar with the use of open source software – and perpetrators of the attack on at least one shooter we know.
In other words, ordinary people (and criminals).
What this means is even if the claim by WA Police is correct (which we do not accept), the ‘danger’ that exists, exists now whether or not you accept their argument.
In other words, the maps created public safety risks, regardless of who you choose to believe.
We’ll let the CCC decide who to believe
WE ALSO RECENTLY REPORTED that the minister’s conduct has been referred to the WA Corruption and Crime Commission.
The complaint isn’t so much about corruption, but misconduct that the Commission has jurisdiction over.
The good thing is that the story in WAToday does not change any of the facts presented to the Commission.
Why not put this on your club’s noticeboard?
The CCC is looking into the Minister? Good luck with that! Any findings to the negative will cross a senior politicians desk first and then promptly be instructed to be destroyed. It will only get out there through a Whistle-blower… and we all know how state governments (especially ALP governments) treat Whistle-blowers.
Papalia may have been in the military but it is blatantly obvious that he would have been an Orifice. *oops* I mean Officer… the kind who usually play games, have NO integrity or honour, and do NOTHING to spur the morale of soldiers. Holding a gel gun on a stage as a show prop would have probably been the first time handling any sort of firearm since he joined up. More than likely, he would have needed a 12 year old kid to explain the difference between a breach and a muzzle.
Papalia’s service is irrelevant. His behaviour and policies are being questioned here.
Great job guys, keep the pressure on. Papalia’s behaviour is reckless and he deserves to be called on it.