[Durham Giant]

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 6:54 pm  

redeverready wrote:

That's all well and good but if Bird is found not guilty his past behavior is irrelevant as he's been judged on it by a jury of his peers and deemed acceptable.

Even if he is acquitted he does not automatically get a right of entry. He can be refused because it is deemed that it is not in the common good.

If Britain did not want Ghandi or Nelson Mandela to come here they can stop them regardless of convictions.

Britain could not take him because he has been sacked/ suspended by his club. That would be reason enough

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:00 pm  

Durham Giant wrote:

Even if he is acquitted he does not automatically get a right of entry. He can be refused because it is deemed that it is not in the common good.

If Britain did not want Ghandi or Nelson Mandela to come here they can stop them regardless of convictions.

Britain could not take him because he has been sacked/ suspended by his club. That would be reason enough

You write nothing but tripe. He hasn't been sacked, or suspended. He signed an agreement not to play for another club so that he could be released, hardly a sacking or suspension.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:22 pm  

Durham Giant wrote:

Even if he is acquitted he does not automatically get a right of entry. He can be refused because it is deemed that it is not in the common good.

If Britain did not want Ghandi or Nelson Mandela to come here they can stop them regardless of convictions.

Britain could not take him because he has been sacked/ suspended by his club. That would be reason enough

That's wrong anyway. Even if it wasn't and he was found not guilty Cronulla would be having a trip to court.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:46 pm  

ATEOTD, whether he has done something or nothing, he aint British (or EU) so we don't have to let him in and long may we be able to keep undesirables out in that way.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:43 pm  

Asim wrote:

ATEOTD, whether he has done something or nothing, he aint British (or EU) so we don't have to let him in and long may we be able to keep undesirables out in that way.

...which pretty neatly sums the whole thing up.

National immigration control is, frankly, a bit bigger than rugby league. I absolutely agree that in Australia he may be innocent until proven guilty, and I'd also like to see him at the bulls, but if he was applying for practically any other job then I'm sure that most of us would have concerns about a prospective immigrant who had not yet cleared their name of assault in their home country.

[Durham Giant]

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:05 pm  

wrote
You write nothing but tripe. He hasn't been sacked, or suspended. He signed an agreement not to play for another club so that he could be released, hardly a sacking or suspension.

The Cronulla club's chief executive, Tony Zappia, advised Bird would be stood down from the playing roster pending further investigations.

On 16 January 2009, Bird was released from his contract with Cronulla.[15] The following day, Bradford Bulls confirmed they had signed Bird to the English Super League side for the 2009 season, with a two year option for 2010 and 2011.[16]

However you title it Sacked, By agreement, gardening leave, etc the point is the club got shot of him as a result of the stain upon his character they may have done it in such a way as to avoid legal complications. The point is that would be enough for immigration to deem him not a good person who could be denied a visa.

the fact that he came here on a one year contract with an option rather than a 3 year contract would also have been deemed to him just coming for a way of getting around his difficulties in OZ rather than him benefitting the game over here vwhich would be another criteria.

: Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:57 pm  

We might be part of the EU but we are also a commonwealth country with strong historical and cultural links with Australia far in excess of most other European countries and I feel that the government and its agencies are wrong in refusing Bird a visa. If the refusal is based on his forthcoming court appearance then this decision goes against british values and justice. Furthermore when the government can pay for and supply a doctor escort to a guantanamo bay terror suspect with spurious links to this country in order to transport him safely here and lavish him with benefits coupled with 24 hour surveillence then it is clear that this government and its agencies have clearly lost the plot. Roll on the next General election!

: Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:30 am  

andycapp wrote:

We might be part of the EU but we are also a commonwealth country with strong historical and cultural links with Australia far in excess of most other European countries and I feel that the government and its agencies are wrong in refusing Bird a visa. If the refusal is based on his forthcoming court appearance then this decision goes against british values and justice. Furthermore when the government can pay for and supply a doctor escort to a guantanamo bay terror suspect with spurious links to this country in order to transport him safely here and lavish him with benefits coupled with 24 hour surveillence then it is clear that this government and its agencies have clearly lost the plot. Roll on the next General election!

Genius at work, pure revelation....

So basically you don't understand the law as it is practiced, concepts of justice, the benefits system or politics, nor have you bothered to read the thread. Not to worry eh?

: Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:26 am  

No real surprise TBH as it was always a likely outcome.

However, I do remember some time ago when his name was first linked with ourselves that a number of posters were less than happy to be linked with him as they did not want "people like him" at our club. One assumes that they will be happy now?

However, the fact now remains that it looks like we have wasted a bit of time chasing a non-starter and we now approach the new season with still a very average looking backline which would have been bolstered by the top class signing of Bird. We also now know that there is money to spend.

Whether we spend it or wait until Bird clears his name (IF he indeed does so) is a decision for the powers that be at the club.

: Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:53 am  

andycapp wrote:

We might be part of the EU but we are also a commonwealth country with strong historical and cultural links with Australia far in excess of most other European countries and I feel that the government and its agencies are wrong in refusing Bird a visa. If the refusal is based on his forthcoming court appearance then this decision goes against british values and justice. Furthermore when the government can pay for and supply a doctor escort to a guantanamo bay terror suspect with spurious links to this country in order to transport him safely here and lavish him with benefits coupled with 24 hour surveillence then it is clear that this government and its agencies have clearly lost the plot. Roll on the next General election!

Well said.

We should have special dispensations for Canadians, Aussies and New Zealanders in the same way as for displaced Zimbabwean/Rhodesian farm owners over all the other lesser countries.

As for the EU - we have no common history or values with the Europeans. Our legal system, moral code, broad economic policy, approach to land ownership and human rights are definitely not common to other European countries.