It seems to me that we are unlikely to see scenes on the same scale here as we have seen in London given the differance in population and population density. However we have had and are having some pretty scary things. Cronulla, Australian Open Tennis, soccer matches, bikie shoot outs, drunken street brawls Most recently (I think it was yesterday) I heard that following an attack and robbery of a group of students in Festival theatre Plaza, two arrests have been made, one 12 year old boy and one 13 year old.

I'd like to suggest that it's not an issue of tolerance but too much tolerance. My parents were both brought up in large families, their mothers didn't work and everything was done as a family, there was very little in the way of rules as they were unneccesary, if you're in a good family unit good behaviour is second nature.

My mother went to work, we came home to an empty house, we went out again and got up to very low grade mischief and were rarely caught scrumping apples or playing knock up ginger, but we were found out when we played in the local no go areas, it's amazing how much evidence your clothes carry after playing in the local chalk and sand quarries. We were told off and next time we were carefull not to get so dirty. Conversely other kids of my age regularly wagged school, got involved in break ins and one or two got into joy riding.

In my teens I was expected to be home at a certain time and I had to tell my parents where I was going. In fact it all proved to be too confining and I left home at 18. Which was aroundabout the same time that Bob Dylan was telling us all that The Times They Are a Changing. And he was right, and his statement was accepted and the changes reached fever pitch, Mods, rockers, Hippies, drugs rock and roll. And it was tolerated. Let them get on with it seemed to be the concensus. Remember Woodstock?

And so the mods, rockers and hippies became parents, they have had a great time and bring up the kids accordingly, no discipline at home and there better not be any at school. No corporal punishment, no detention (it's not effective without the threat of greater punishment). Poor education, poor job prospects, low or no income and they give birth to the Y Gen.

Y = why the f**k should I. And there they all are, out who knows where.

Of course we could always blame Bob.

Hopefully those of you that have kids know where they are tonight, but there are so many that don't.