"There is no better way of life in the world than that of the Australian. I firmly believe this. The grumbling, growling, cursing, profane, laughing, beer drinking, abusive, loyal-to-his-mates Australian is one of the few free men left on this earth.." Nino Culotta - They're a weird mob, 1957.

Well, Australian males haven't changed much in almost 50 years, and quite frankly, I think it would be very un-Australian to even try to change the Aussie bloke. Now, one the best things about him is surely his heart of gold and sense of humour—his ability to laugh at himself.

There is, however, nothing good or humorous about the behaviour Australian men as the truth about the shocking murder of Dianne Brimble slowly unfolds.

For those of you, outside Australia, and therefore most likely unfamiliar with the case: Less than 24 hours after 42 year old Ms Brimble embarked on a cruise ship, with her sister and little daughter, she died in the cabin of a group of eight men she'd met in the ship's disco. They drugged her, used her for their perveted sexual gratification in the most shocking ways, then left her for dead on the cabin floor. Apparently, they considered throwing her body overboard, but were rather concerned about being seen by other passengers.

In a volunteered statement to police one of the men has given a chilling insight of a male subculture which is disturbing to say the least.

He's quoted as saying, amongst other things, "I just brushed her off like, I didn't want to speak to her...breath, ugly, dog. I thought someone should call the RSPCA (animal welfare society)... anything over 60 kilos I won't talk to." And, later in reference to the disruption her death caused to his cruise: "It had nothing to do with me, you know. I just didn't want to get involved with any of this, or whatever. I just couldn't really care. I was pissed off and how dare this thing fuck my holiday up"

To add to the decease woman's family's indignation and add even more hurt and heartbreak, this morning I read that the debauched bunch of pigs, are now closing ranks to drag the woman's name into the dirt and filth that they've been wallowing in, saying that she took the drug willingly. One has even come out and said, "I heard my mate explaining to exactly what effect it would have on her, and she said she would 'love some' ". Fucking liars! We're talking about a date rape drug. A drug that leaves its victims sick and dazed, and with no recall of what's happened for up to 24 hours. She took it willingly? Give me all a fucking break! Give us all a fucking break!

So, how is it that these scum of the earth low lifers, this under class of disgusting and depraved dickheads whose behaviour is dictated by their excessive alcohol and drug use and what dangles between their legs, think that because they manage to slither their way on a cruise ship they have the right to act like filthy oversexed rodents?

But what concern me, and I'm sure many others, even more, is would their extreme behaviour have ever made the headlines if this unfortunate woman hadn't died and then been found? Would her death have been swept away as an "tragic accident"—a passenger drinking too much and then falling overboard? Would it have been just another incident in international waters, that no one either cared about, nor wanted to take responsibility for? Have women been used like this before on these cruises, but survived and then been so ashamed and embarrassed to report the incidents? Is date rape more common than we care to admit? And, most important of all, is this possibly indicative of broader social attitudes and trends towards women, and sex, in lower socioeconomic levels within Australia, and possibly the western world?

Rather than P & O, the cruise company involved in this case, featuring a row of nubile young women in skimpy little bikinis with the slogan "Seamen wanted" in their advertisements, maybe they should show a bunch of ugly drunken yobbos, with the slogan "Fuckwits welcome".

I leave you to ponder.