Manmeet Alisher R.I.P.

[techblitz]

Bravo. Will ensure his legacy lives on....

[longboi]

OK, forgive me here.. Just got to put this out there.
This has been going through my head all day. The images and videos I've seen just keep replaying over and over in my mind.

First off, My sincere condolences to Manmeet's family, friends and his community.
Secondly, this is the model and body of bus I always drive so I know where everything is.
 
The way Manmeet died has always been my worst fear . When my wife came home from work today, she knew how I would be feeling about the way Manmeet's life was taken.


I kept wondering why none of the pax had pressed the emergency release button at the rear door.
Then the answer came to me.
Seeing how thick the black smoke was coming out the front in the videos, I realised that the A/C intake is just behind the driver. The smoke would have been sucked straight in and immediately blown out the vents along the length of the bus.
I would imagine that in seconds, the ceiling would have just been impossible to see through the smoke as smoke will go to the highest point.
The location of the red emergency rear door release is located above the rear door to the left side. When I need to leave a bus during my shift, I would normally exit at the rear by using the emergency button so that I can close the door behind me.
In order to reach the button, I need to stand up on my toes, or step onto the seat behind the rear door.

I believe now that the pax were not able to get out the rear doors from inside simply because the button being high up was effectively not in view as it may very well have been obstructed by the smoke. This may be something that needs to be looked at in bus design.

Sorry for my random post.. Just had to get this off my chest.

ozbob, feel free to delete if you think this is inappropriate.

The same thought came to me as well.

There are a number of emergency exit options, but are they actually effective in an emergency?

[City Designer]

Since the incident I am now very aware of the emergency evacuation options on the fleet.

The Volgren CR228L bodied MAN buses have emergency exits with hammers above the front wheels and at the rear window in addition to the front and rear doors.

The Volgren FutureBus and Optimus bodies don't have rear windows. I haven't noticed if they have an equivalent exit to the rear window.

Update: So the Volgren FutureBus and Optimus bodies have a roof hatch in the rear and the emergency door release is in a hard to reach location. This seems like a less optimal design.

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> Slain former Ipswich bus driver honoured

THE heart of Ipswich is with the family and friends of the late and much-loved Manmeet Alisher who recently drove school buses throughout the Ipswich region for Westside Bus Company.

Mr Alisher, who was murdered in a horrific attack while driving a bus for Brisbane Transport in Moorooka last Friday, was honoured by Ipswich City Council when the three flags in front of the administration building were lowered to half-mast today.

The drivers and staff of the Westside Bus Company are in grief, as is the family of Mr Alisher. But they are not alone.

Mr Alisher's death has shocked and saddened the nation.

Locally, he is fondly remembered by all he met during his service for the Redbank head-quartered company.

Mr Alisher was employed with Westside Bus Company for about three months this year, when he drove school buses for a wide variety of Ipswich schools across all areas of the city, before moving to Brisbane Transport to further his career.

Westside Bus Company service delivery team leader Krystle Mario thanked mayor Paul Pisasale for the heart warning gesture by the council today on the mayor's Facebook page.

Ms Mario, whose department hired Mr Alisher, said he would be dearly missed.

"He was such a friendly man and always smiling, and always willing to help where he could," she told the QT.

"His persona was always so chirpy and bubbly, which is why we were so sad.

"So many of the bus drivers were upset because they remembered him to be such a kind-hearted man with so much life in him.

"He wasn't here for very long but was still very much a part of our team because we are a family here at Westside."

Cr Pisasale, who lowered the flags today with Cr Cheryl Bromage and Cr Kylie Stoneman, said: "One of the things that I am having people tell me today is that Manmeet was fondly remembered for his customer service and his smile right around Ipswich," Cr Pisasale said.

"That is why we as a city want to show that our prayers and love are with him.

"The councillors and myself have been getting calls and e-mails wanting to show our support and this (flag lowering) is a way of doing that."

Cr Pisasale said that bus drivers like Mr Alisher were "at the coal face" of public service and pleaded with the community to always show respect and consideration.

Westside Bus Company has already raised more than $700 for Mr Alisher's family and will host a barbecue on Friday to raise further funds at the company's depot.

"The drivers want to be able to do something to show their condolences," Ms Mario said.

[ozbob]

Queensland Times --> Call for national bus driver day for slain Manmeet Alisher

THE CALL has gone out for a national bus driver appreciation day to honour former Ipswich bus driver Manmeet Alisher after his tragic death last week.

Mr Alisher drove school buses for Westside Bus Company across Ipswich before he was killed in a horrific attack in Moorooka while driving buses for Brisbane Transport.

His loss has hit the Ipswich community hard and bus drivers throughout the city are distraught.

The call for a national day of honour went out from Westside Bus Company service delivery team leader Krystle Mario who asked Mayor Paul Pisasale if he could push for the commemoration.

Cr Pisasale said he would back Ms Mario's call.

"We have teacher appreciation days and other days like that but we would love to be able to host a bus driver appreciation day in honour of Manmeet," Ms Mario said.

"Bus drivers can often get taken for granted in the community and a lot of people look down on their work.

"But they are such an integral part of the community and especially in the Ipswich community which is such a small world.

"I think the bus drivers know the members of the public more than anyone else.

"They have such a good rapport with a lot of the public as well and they just get beaten down and trodden on far too often."

Ms Mario had earlier told the QT how much Mr Alisher was valued by his customers and co-workers for his friendliness, vibrant personality and caring nature.

Cr Pisasale received Ms Mario's request for a special day on his Facebook page and said he would lobby for the special day.

"I thank Krystle for her suggestion and I am going to bring it up with the Council of Mayors and discuss it with the state government," Cr Pisasale says.

"We have to do more to show how much we appreciate people like Manmeet who spend their time serving the public at the front line. That is why I think it is appropriate to have a national day to say 'thank you'."

Ms Mario said she was putting forward the idea of a special day "even if it was just an Ipswich community thing to remind the public the bus drivers are doing such a good service for us".

Cr Cheryl Bromage, who was present at the flag lowering ceremony at Ipswich City Council's administration building on Wednesday in honour of Mr Alisher, said bus drivers had spoken to her about how they feel "very vulnerable driving".

"They are out there on their own and they have no other support apart from members of the public who can come to their aid if there is a problem on those buses," she said.

"They have expressed their concern about some of the penalties when they are attacked because they feel some of that doesn't reflect what happens to them on a daily basis. It is very sad what has occurred to (Mr Alisher) and I know the drivers are devastated.

"The drivers get to see the best and the worst of the community. But they don't know what is going to happen when they stop and open those doors."

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Public transport unions call for National Day of Respect

Rail, bus and tram commuters are being asked to say "thank you" to public transport workers out of respect for slain bus driver Manmeet Sharma.

Mr Sharma was set alight at a Moorooka bus stop on October 28 in a horrific attack that left his Punjabi community, work colleagues and the Brisbane community in shock.

Brisbane's Indian community vows to "keep loving each other" after the death of bus driver Manmeet Sharma. Nine News

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union and Transport Workers Union have set up a National Day of Respect for Public Transport Workers on Wednesday and have asked the public to say thanks to those who provide services throughout the day.

RTBU National President Phil Altieri said Manmeet Sharma was a widely respected man in the Queensland transport industry who will be missed.

"Next Wednesday will be a day for all Australians to reflect on Manmeet's short but beautiful life, and also to reflect on the role all transport workers play in moving people around our cities and towns," he said.

TWU Queensland Secretary Peter Biagini said many workers had been left "reeling" by the tragedy.
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"We know that so many proud public transport workers have been left reeling by this tragedy, and it's easy to think that it could have been them.

"Public transport workers and public transport customers have the right to feel safe when going about their daily business," he said.

"Safety and respect need to be paramount when people are using, or working, on public transport.

"Even the simple act of saying thank you to your driver can make a difference, and will be appreciated."

In the past financial year, 392 drivers and 18 passengers were allegedly assaulted across the south east Queensland bus network, according to TransLink.

In that same year, 156 alleged passenger and staff assaults were reported across the Gold Coast tram network.

A TransLink spokesperson said there were a number of measures in place to keep drivers and passengers safe including more than 700 CCTV cameras, private security guards and training for bus drivers to de-escalate violent behaviour.

The National Day of Respect for Public Transport Workers will be held on Wednesday 9 November 2016.

There will be short tribute to Manmeet Sharma and a minute's silence at the site of Manmeet's death in Moorooka, Brisbane, commencing at 11am.

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> More than $80,000 has been raised for slain bus driver Manmeet Sharma Trust as plans continue for memorial

MORE than $80,000 has been raised to honour slain Brisbane bus driver Manmeet Sharma.

Mr Sharma, 29, died after Anthony O'Donohue allegedly set him on fire while the bus driver sat behind the wheel at a Moorooka bus stop last month.

Shortly after his death Brisbane City Council established the Manmeet Sharma Trust and donated $10,000 to the cause.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said that as of today the fund had received 429 individual donations totalling $54,948.

At this afternoon's council meeting Ravi Brar from Brisbane Sikh Temple announced a further donation of $25,500 towards the fund.

"A lot has been said about Manmeet in the last few weeks, he was truly a star and will always be a star in our hearts," Mr Brar said.

"He had achieved a lot in (his) short span of life ... life doesn't have to be long it has to be meaningful."

Mr Brar said he was approached by the community to raise the funds.

He also presented a donation of more than $1000 from the Willawong Bus Depot.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk thanked Mr Brar for the contributions and confirmed the money would go directly towards the Manmeet Sharma Trust Fund.

Mr Brar asked the Lord Mayor if the delivery of a memorial to remember Mr Sharma could be installed sooner.

Cr Quirk said council was allowing the family time to grieve.

"We have made a deliberate decision to allow family times to grieve because any memorial needs to be in consultation with the family," he said.

Donations from Brisbane City Council, residents and Mr Brar on behalf of Brisbane Sikh Temple brings the fund total to more than $85,000.

Residents are still able to donate to the trust fund by contacting Council Customer Service Centres or via direct debit to:

Account Name: BCC Manmeet Sharma Trust Fund

BSB: 064 000

Account Number: 14715982

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Manmeet Sharma tragedy: Brisbane bus destroyed, fleet number retired

The bus in which a Brisbane bus driver was burnt to death last October has been destroyed, and its fleet number retired, out of respect for slain Manmeet Sharma.

Mr Sharma, 29, was a couple of months into his job as a bus driver when he pulled up to a stop along the 125 route in Moorooka to pick up passengers.

It was there Anthony O'Donohue allegedly attacked Mr Sharma by throwing accelerant on the Indian-born driver and setting him alight.

Mr O'Donohue, 48, has been charged with Mr Sharma's murder and the attempted murder of the 11 passengers on board the route 125 bus.

The Queensland Police Service handed bus S-1980 back to the Brisbane City Council on November 7 last year.

A council spokesman confirmed it would not be reintroduced to the active fleet.

"The bus was decommissioned prior to Christmas and professional disposal is currently underway," he said.

Rail Tram and Bus Union assistant state secretary Tom Brown said it was fitting the bus be destroyed, rather than be returned to service.

"They should probably retire the number too, 1980, as well," he said.

"They probably will because none of our members would want to drive the bus, or that number, again."

On that point, the council obliged.

"Council has also retired the bus fleet number out of respect for Mr Sharma's family and his Brisbane Transport peers," the council spokesman said.

Comment was sought from deputy mayor Adrian Schrinner, the council's public transport chairman, who broke down in the council chamber last year in the days following Mr Sharma's death.

"It's an absolute tragedy and while we can't change what happened, we can't change the events of last week, we can ensure that Manmeet's memory lives on in the people of Brisbane," he said in November.

Labor opposition leader Peter Cumming said he was "OK with" with the destruction of the bus, but questioned whether it could have been salvaged.

"If it was being destroyed because it was written off, I have no problems with that at all," he said.

"If it was still worth a lot of money, which I doubt after it had a severe fire through it, you'd wonder whether it was appropriate or not."

But Cr Cumming conceded it was unlikely drivers would want to get behind the wheel of bus number 1980.

"Anyone who's superstitious wouldn't want to go near it again," he said.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Brisbane digs deep to help slain bus driver Manmeet Sharma's family in India

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Moorooka bus fire murder accused's case might take years

[ozbob]

QBIC Media Statement

https://qbicmediastatement.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/slain-bus-drivers-memory-lives-on-through-driver-of-the-year-award/

Slain bus driver's memory lives on through driver of the year award
Posted on April 20, 2017   

Following a year in which bus driver safety was a major issue, the industry has turned the spotlight on driver excellence by announcing the bus driver of the year.

And in a tribute to Brisbane driver Manmeet Sharma – tragically attacked and killed with an incendiary device at Moorooka in October – the award has been renamed the "Manmeet Sharma perpetual driver of the year award", an honour endorsed by Manmeet's family and former employer Brisbane City Council.

Executive director of the Queensland Bus Industry Council (QBIC) David Tape said the presentation of the award was an emotional moment, and the winner – Victor Jose Augusto Meirinhos, who drives for Brisbane Bus Lines (BBL) – was a worthy inaugural recipient.

Mr Tape said Mr Meirinhos, who was judged Queensland's best for 2016, typified the type of driver that made the industry proud.

"This is a person who has consistently received accolades and compliments from customers and who gives his all to serve Queenslanders. I have no doubt that he deserves this award, which now carries more weight given how the incident that took Manmeet's life affected us all," Mr Tape said.

His employer agreed. "Victor is a consistently all 'round good guy who displays our company values," said BBL managing director Lara-Jane Mitchell.

The popular driver clearly has a larrikin side, with his employer pointing out he loves to spend time "visiting horses at Strathgordon Clydesdales and living it up at the Gold Coast 600."

And Mr Meirinhos cheekily claims international stardom, pointing out that, "on my birthday, a group of Aussie expats living in Michigan skyped me and sang Happy Birthday while doing a conga line in a park." He previously drove them on a five-day tour of the Bunya Mountains and Sunshine Coast.

The "Manmeet Sharma perpetual driver of the year award" recognises bus drivers who have been a credit to their profession through safe driving and the general standards demonstrated through the loyalty they have shown the company that employs them.

[achiruel]

 That story brought a tear to my eye



Hope he is resting in peace.

[ozbob]

"Manmeet Sharma perpetual driver of the year award" recognises bus drivers who have been a credit to their profession through safe driving. pic.twitter.com/NoodYdvLUJ

— QBIC (@_QBIC) April 21, 2017

[ozbob]

Poignant Memorial Ceremony for Manmeet Alisher at Moorooka with his family present. Great to see his generous life celebrated in sculpture pic.twitter.com/3TI4DmZ4pd

— Mark Bailey MP (@MarkBaileyMP) April 23, 2017

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Emotions remain raw months after bus driver murdered

Emotions are still raw months after the callous murder of Brisbane bus driver Manmeet Sharma.

On Sunday hundreds of people gathered at Moorooka for a ceremony to honour Mr Sharma and unveil the plans for a memorial to the man who served Brisbane in many ways.

Tears were shed as the community reflected on the tragically cut-short life of the 29-year-old.

Just metres away from the ceremony buses ran along Beaudesert Road, including route 125 – the service Mr Sharma was driving the day he was burnt to death in an unprovoked attack.

Mr Sharma had worked in Brisbane as a taxi driver, council bus driver and was a well-known performer, musician and actor.

Members of the Punjabi community, Rail Tram and Bus Union members, Queensland Police, taxi drivers and council bus drivers were among the crowd gathered in Luxworth Place.

At the ceremony Councillor Angela Owen announced the council's progress on creating a permanent memorial for the slain driver.

"We join together to support his parents RamSaroop and Krishna, his brother Amit and his cousin Satinda who have travelled from overseas for this prayer ceremony," Cr Owen said.

"On behalf of Lord Mayor Graham Quirk I can announce here in Luxworth Place, Brisbane City Council will assign a secondary name to this area which will be known as Manmeet's Paradise.

"We will also erect a memorial stone and plaque with a storyboard to explain the tragic day we lost Manmeet but also what he achieved in his life."

A sculpture of Mr Sharma was gifted to the council by Mr Sharma's family and has been placed at the office of Councillor Steve Griffiths (Moorooka).

State MP for Yeerongpilly Mark Bailey attended and passed on his condolences to Mr Sharma's family and friends on behalf of the State Government.

"I never met Manmeet, I never had the privilege. But what is very clear to me is that he was a much-loved person," he said.

The first concept plan of the memorial was formed by the family and friends of Mr Sharma, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, local community and council.

Forty-eight-year-old Anthony O'Donohue was charged with one count each of murder and arson and 14 counts of attempted murder in relation to the incident.

In December 2013 a magistrate suggested Mr O'Donohue may never face trial unless it was in a mental health court.

[ozbob]

The elderly parents of murdered bus driver Manmeet Sharma have travelled from India for an emotional memorial. @katrinablowers #7News pic.twitter.com/zYVeHvSoco

— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) April 23, 2017

[ozbob]

28th April 2017

Media Release
Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

Family of the late Manmeet Sharma

The President of Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland Mr Palanichamy Thevar JP has contacted my office today inviting me to meet with family of the late Manmeet Sharma, who are visiting from India.

I would be honoured to meet with them next week and reaffirm my Government's commitment to continue to work with the Indian community following the tragic death of Manmeet.

In his email to my office today, Mr Thevar said: "I thank the State Government support from day one."

See link to a joint statement from my Government and the Indian community last year following the tragedy http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2016/11/6/joint-statement-queensland-government-and-queensland-indian-community

Criminal proceedings in relation Manmeet's death are continuing and neither I nor representatives of the Government will make any comment that may jeopardise those proceedings.

[ozbob]

http://www.grahamquirk.com.au/review-into-bus-safety/

Review into bus safety

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has today released an independent expert review into the incident in October last year that resulted in the death of Council's bus driver Manmeet Sharma.

Council commissioned the review for both bus driver and passenger safety, to determine what happened, to evaluate the response to the incident and advise on any additional safety measures that could be introduced to prevent a similar incident.

The key finding of this review was that no single measure could have prevented this tragedy from occurring.

The Lord Mayor has today given direction for the following actions to be undertaken, in response to the review:

• Upgrade emergency exit signage within Council's bus fleet
• Prepare and roll out an education program for bus passengers about emergency procedures, including the location of emergency exits
• Expand Council's driver training program to better equip drivers to respond to violent situations
• Install an additional emergency exit in the back half of the bus, on buses where there is no rear window emergency exit.
• Provide a copy of the review to the State Government for consideration as part of their ongoing bus safety investigation.

Brisbane City Council is the largest bus operator in Queensland, with 1200 buses, 2280 bus drivers and 76 million passenger trips each year.

ENDS

[ozbob]

Expert Report Brisbane City Council Moorooka Bus Driver Fatality Incident > here!  PDF 1.8MB

@Robert_Dow @Team_Quirk Some sections relating to the actions of the alleged killer have been redacted as they may prejudice legal proceedings.

— Adrian Schrinner (@Schrinner) May 16, 2017

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Brisbane City Council's independent review into death prompts safety overhaul

Brisbane buses could soon look drastically different with half of the fleet to have new emergency exits built and the entire fleet to receive new signage as part of a safety overhaul.

On Tuesday, Lord Mayor Graham Quirk released the council's independent review, completed by Aussafe Consulting, into the death of council bus driver Manmeet Sharma in October 2016.

Cr Quirk said the report cost about $100,000 to prepare and was received by the council on April 24.

"Driver safety is something that will always be of paramount importance to this administration, as is passenger safety," he said.

"The report contains a number of recommended actions and I have given a direction today to the CEO that we will implement each of the actions that are recommended in this report."

The report stated the two main issues for consideration were the protection and safety of the driver and all council bus drivers from personal attack and safe and effective means of evacuation for passengers on council buses in the event of an emergency.
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"There are opportunities for improvement in both of these areas," it said.

"The reviews relevant to these recommendations have been allocated a high priority for implementation.

"The events involving the death of Mr Sharma were at the extreme end of human behaviour and while an attack on a driver is a forseeable risk, the nature and extent of the attack was not readily forseeable at the time.

"There was no action the BCC could have reasonably been expected to have taken to prevent an incident such as what happened from occurring.

"In relation to the investigations and findings of this report, the following recommendations are made, albeit little could have been done to save Mr Manmeet Sharma in regards to the circumstances involving his death."

In light of this report Cr Quirk has committed to several changes across Brisbane's bus fleet comprising 1200 buses and 2280 bus drivers.

Upgrade emergency exit signage within the council's bus fleet

Under the recommendation, emergency signage would be made highly visible and clear and the emergency exit button at the rear door of buses would be relocated further to the left.

There would be new emergency stickers located to clearly indicate where emergency exits are.

Prepare and roll out an education program for bus passengers about emergency procedures, including the location of emergency exits

"The report clearly indicated it would be beneficial to have an education program for passengers around what they need to do in situation of an emergency," Cr Quirk said.

Expand the council's driver training program to better equip drivers to respond to violent situations

"We have an extensive program already for our drivers," Cr Quirk said.

"The reality is what we want to include in that program is a little bit more around the response for drivers who are placed in situations which are volatile.

"It's a sad fact that our drivers are faced with volatile situations out there on the network often with passengers involved. We want to give them better education about how they respond to those volatile situations, in other words potential assaults."

Install an additional emergency exit in the back half of the bus, on buses where there is no rear window emergency exit

Half of Brisbane's bus fleet already have a second exit at the rear of the bus, but the council has committed to installing a second exit on all council buses.

It was unknown if the bus Mr Sharma was driving on the day of the incident had a second exit .

Rolling out this recommendation was expected to be a longer process, taking about 18 months.

Provide a copy of the review to the state government for consideration as part of their ongoing bus safety investigation.

A topic of debate within the report is protective barriers being installed around bus drivers.

"The one thing that is clear is that bus drivers have a very mixed review on if they want to have a barrier protection," Cr Quirk said.

"The report talking in some ways that a barrier can be helpful but in some ways, but depending on the nature of the incident not helpful at all.

"What we will do with this report is send it to the state government so they, as part of their overall review of bus safety and driver safety, can take that information into account and can form part of the overall bus safety review that's being conducted by the state government."

It remains unclear how much the safety overhaul will cost, but Cr Quirk said the council will find the money.

"We will absolutely have that funded in the budget," Cr Quirk said.

[ozbob]

Brisbane City Council releases independent review into death of bus driver Manmeet Sharma last October. https://t.co/eCm5BeVmv7

— Brisbane Times (@brisbanetimes) May 16, 2017

^

Need to remove ad-wrap from windows as well. Not helping security or safety@Schrinner @Team_Quirk @TransLinkSEQ @jackietrad #qldpol https://t.co/MFTEsD4eVg

— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) May 16, 2017

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Brisbane buses to be fitted with two emergency exits in wake of driver's death

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/924168264405487616

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Final payment for slain bus driver's family

SLAIN Brisbane City Council bus driver Manmeet Alisher's family has received the final payment from a trust funded by donations from Brisbane residents.

Mr Alisher stopped to pick up passengers in Moorooka in October 2016, when he was allegedly doused with accelerant and set alight.

Anthony Mark Edward O'Donohue, 48, was charged over the incident but his case was suspended and transferred to the Mental Health Court.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk told Tuesday's council meeting that the trust fund, opened with a $10,000 donation from the council, raised $133,544.50 to support Mr Alisher's family in his home country of India.

"Whilst this cannot fill the enormous void left by the passing of Manmeet, hopefully it will go some way to easing the financial burden his absence has left his family in," he said.

He said the final payment to the family was made about a fortnight ago.

Family still grieving

Manmeet's family flew to Brisbane from India last year for a special council-organised public memorial service and the dedication of Manmeet's Paradise Park, on Beaudesert Rd near where he died.

Cr Quirk said the family's workers compensation claim has also been finalised but he could not make the amount of the payment public.

Earlier, Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner promised all new buses commissioned by Brisbane City Council would come equipped with driver protection barriers.

He also welcomed the State Government's final response to bus driver safety and their commitment to a grants program to pay 50 per cent for protection barriers.

"This report signals a major advance forward, and a cooperative advance forward," he said.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/1027786429466734593

[ozbob]

Redlands Bulletin --> Qld bus driver's killer won't stand trial

A man who set a Brisbane bus driver on fire as he stopped to let passengers on board his vehicle in 2016 has been declared unfit to stand trial on mental health grounds.

Anthony O'Donohue lit a backpack containing a bottle of fuel and threw it inside the bus being driven by Manmeet Alisher while he was collecting passengers in Moorooka, in Brisbane's south, in October 2016.

O'Donohue was declared unfit to stand trial by the Queensland Mental Health Court on Friday.

He believed there was a grand conspiracy against him and that people were out to get him at the time of the October 28 attack, the court has heard.

The court was also told that when Mr Alisher smiled at O'Donohue as he boarded the bus he took that as a sign the driver was part of the conspiracy.

Mr Alisher, also known as Manmeet Sharma, was a beloved Indian singer and well known in the Punjabi community.

His death prompted a huge outpouring of grief and sparked a push for greater safety measures to protect bus drivers.

Passengers trapped on the burning bus were saved when taxi driver Aguek Nyok kicked out the back door of the vehicle.

Mr Alisher has been remembered as a man filled with big dreams who moved to Brisbane from India.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/tennewsqld/status/1027866162393018370

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Killer should have been forced to visit GP: report

THE man who burned Brisbane bus driver Manmeet Alisher to death in 2016 should have been made to regularly visit a GP as a condition of his release from a mental institution, a report released this afternoon says.

The Health Service Investigation final report also said it was regrettable some patient information on killer Anthony O'Donoghue had not been handed over when his care was shifted between two health service regions.

And it also said it was unfortunate some staff tasked with oversight of his case were not as experienced as, in hindsight, they could have been.

But it concluded that although O'Donoghue was a difficult patient to treat because of his delusional disorder, it was not unreasonable to have released him into the community.

Queensland Health said it had made several significant changes to the way such cases were handled in future, which forensic psychiatrist and report leader Paul Mullen applauded.

"This is a tragedy that could not have been predicted,'' Prof Mullen said.

"Inevitably, had different decisions been made at certain times then the killing might not have occurred.

"However, the investigators were unable to conclude that any issues identified with respect to hand over of information between services, management of risk, management of the discharge from the service in 2016 and handling of the attempt by Mr O'Donohue to re-engage with the

service would necessarily have changed the outcome.

"That said, there are certainly lessons to be learned and some of these have already led to changes. The changes made are commended and endorsed.''

O'Donoghue threw a container of fuel over Mr Alisher just after boarding his bus outside a shopping centre on Beaudesert Rd, Moorooka, on October 28, 2016.

Some passengers were injured in the ensuing melee.

O'Donoghue, who had become homeless and destitute after suffering increasing delusions that he was being persecuted by unions and public servants, was later found unfit to stand trial.

The director-general of Queensland Health ordered an independent investigation into his mental health treatment between 2010 and the time of the killing.

The investigation report, led by forensic psychiatrist Professor Paul Mullen, was completed in April 2017.

As a result of its findings, Metro South Hospital and Health Service commissioned their own investigation into the prevailing culture, practices and protocols within their mental health services.

The two reports were finally released this afternoon.

Queensland's Mental Health Court last month ruled O'Donohue was of unsound mind.

and not criminally responsible for his actions, hearing he'd been assessed by a number of doctors but was not under active supervision when the driver was killed.

"He was so overcome with delusional beliefs and then, finally, tragically, believed the bus driver smiled at him, and it indicated the bus driver knew of the conspiracy," medical expert Dr Pamela van de Hoef told the court.

O'Donohue, 50, will never stand trial over the killing of the 29-year-old driver and attempted murder of 14 passengers after the Mental Health Court ordered he spend the next 10 years in a high-security facility for the criminally insane.

The order came after Justice Jean Dalton found he was of unsound mind and unfit to stand trial, and placed O'Donohue under a forensic order, which will not be revoked for at least a decade.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/SteveGriffiths_/status/1056338772881682432

[ozbob]

Couriermai --> Manmeet Sharma: Coronial inquest exposes failings of mental health system after bus driver's horror death $

The family of a bus driver and radio announcer who was set on fire and killed in a random attack have slammed the failures of the health system after a coroner handed down his findings on his tragic death.

THE tragic death of a beloved bus driver and radio announcer who was set on fire in a random Molotov cocktail attack may not have happened if his killer's mental health treatment had been different, a coroner has found.

A severely mentally unwell Anthony O'Donohue had been categorised as "low risk" and discharged from a community mental health service just three months before he went on to kill Manmeet Alisher, also known as Manmeet Sharma. ...

[SteelPan]

One of the most shocking incidents in the city's history...I note as an example, in Perth, bus drivers have a cage like barrier, between themselves and the travelling public....sad but true and nowadays necessary!

Such a barrier, may or may NOT have helped in the specific case of the Late Manmeet Alisher - but our bus drivers deserve such protection from crime generally!



[Image - Transdev Aust]