Don't get me wrong Shadow, I know the anguish is often considered to be a greater punishment than any judicial penalty, but the fact is if the driver of that car was some low-middle class kid from Blacktown, he or she would have got hammered.
In any case, 8 people were responsible for the deaths of those two boys, two of the 8 are dead, charges were only levelled at one of the 8, and five of the 8 (including the two who owned the car and/or arranged to drive it in the first place) escape any form of formal penalty.
I was interviewed on 2UE on Friday afternoon about this matter, as I am a published researcher and practitioner of young driver issues and behaviours. I stated that all 6 survivors should have been charged with something akin to 'Conduct Endangering Life', as they were all (according to the Magistrate) equal in their culpability.
In my professional opinion, for what it's worth, the cops would be better off spending their time targeting blatant high-risk behaviour, instead of wasting time nailing Salmon and his mates for a having a couple of light bulbs on their vehicle switched on. Go track down the drag racers, the 'party taxis' (like the Ingleside incident), the circle workers, and leave the lads showing off by cruising the main at 30 km/h alone. They're not gonna kill anyone doing laps around Northies, nor are they gonna kill anyone with a couple of $10 light bulbs. If they venture away from the built-up areas, keep an eye on them sure. But pulling them up outside a pub for having some lights on? Ph-lease!
