The NSW Nationals have been whispering about it for quite a while, but this is the first time I have seen it in print

Former Labor MP Janelle Saffin is considering taking on the sitting Nationals MP Kevin Hogan for the federal seat of Page at the next general election.

Snapshot from The Northern Star 29 June 2014

Hat tip to Clarrie Rivers for supplying this.

NSW Labor Conference votes for a CSG Free NSW North Coast on 27 July 2014

One more nail in the coffins of coal seam gas exploration companies with tenements in the NSW Northern Rivers region.

                     

The West Australian 27 July 2014:       

Delegates at the party's state Labor conference backed the motion on Sunday which affects Lismore, Ballina, Clarence and Tweed electorates.

Under a state Labor government, the CSG industry will be banned from the NSW north coast and the Northern Rivers region.

Former federal Labor MP Janelle Saffin told the conference, held in Sydney's Town Hall, that the motion aligned the party's platform with community opposition to CSG mining.

The motion comes after the NSW government in May suspended Metgasco's drilling licence in Bentley, in the state's Northern Rivers region.

The suspension came just days before thousands of protesters were expected to form a blockade at the drill site and up to 800 police officers were detailed to monitor their activities.

Metgasco has filed for a judicial review in the Supreme Court.

NSW ICAC finds Obeid, Tripodi, Dunn engaged in corrupt conduct

NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption media release 5 June 2014:

 Findings of corrupt conduct

Operation Cabot

The ICAC found that Edward Obeid Sr engaged in corrupt conduct by misusing his position as a member of Parliament (MP) to benefit his family's financial interests by improperly influencing Steve Dunn, a senior bureaucrat formerly within the Department of Water and Energy (DWE) in the discharge of Mr Dunn's public official duties. The nature of the improper influence was that:

* Mr Dunn was to use his contacts at the DWE to seek information about water licences in the Bylong Valley for Edward Obeid Sr and to facilitate Edward Obeid Sr speaking with a DWE official to obtain further information about water licences affecting Cherrydale Park

* Mr Dunn was to use his position within NSW Maritime and his former position with the DWE to reassure the owner of Cherrydale Park, John Cherry, that there were no plans to place restrictions on  Cherrydale Park water licences so that Mr Cherry would not reduce the amount he would lend the Obeid family for the purchase of that property.

Edward Obeid Sr also engaged in corrupt conduct by misusing his position and influence as an MP to benefit his family's financial interests by engaging then DWE director-general Mark Duffy so that, in the carrying out his official functions, Mr Duffy would unwittingly fulfil Edward Obeid Sr's expectations that his financial interests with respect to the water licences affecting Cherrydale Park would be favoured.

Operation Meeka

The Commission found that Edward Obeid Sr engaged in corrupt conduct by misusing his position as an MP to further his own interests by arranging for finance minister Michael Costa to meet with businessmen Paul Dundon and Mitchell Corn for the purposes of them promoting Direct Health Solutions Pty Ltd (DHS) to the NSW Government so as to benefit DHS and without disclosing the Obeid family's financial interest in DHS.

Operation Cyrus

The Commission that the Hon Edward Obeid engaged in corrupt conduct by misusing his position as an MP:

* in about 2000 to make representations to minister the Hon Carl Scully that Mr Scully should benefit Circular Quay leaseholders by ensuring they were offered new leases with five-year terms and options for renewal for five years at a time when Mr Obeid was influenced in making the representations by knowing that Circular Quay leaseholders had donated $50,000 to the Australian Labor Party as payment for carrying out of what they understood to be a promise that their interests as leaseholders would be looked after by the government

* between 2003 and 2006 by making representations to ministers Michael Costs and the Hon Eric Roozendaal to change government policy to allow for direct negotiations for new leases with existing Circular Quay leaseholders rather than proceed with an open tender process and deliberately failing to disclose to them that his family had interests in Circular Quay leases and would benefit from such a change in policy

* to benefit his family's financial interests by making representations to the Hon Joseph Tripodi and Steve Dunn to pressure them to change government policy to allow for direct negotiations for new leases with existing Circular Quay leaseholders rather than proceed with an open tender process.

The ICAC found that Mr Tripodi engaged in corrupt conduct in 2007 by deliberately failing to disclose to his Cabinet colleagues his awareness of the Obeid family's financial interests in Circular Quay leases, knowing that those interests would benefit from Cabinet's endorsement of changes to the Maritime Authority of NSW's Commercial Lease Policy by effectively eliminating any material prospect of a public tender process for those leases and instead permitting direct negotiations for their Circular Quay tenancies.

The Commission found that Mr Dunn engaged in corrupt conduct in 2007 by using his public official position to benefit Mr Obeid and the Obeid family by effectively bringing about a change to the Commercial Lease Policy to allow for direct negotiations with existing Circular Quay leaseholders, knowing that the Obeid family's financial interests would benefit from the change in policy.

Anthony Albanese: "Abuse of power continued over and over again" in the Australian Parliament since Abbott Government sworn in

The fight continues across the Dispatch Box over the contention that the present Speaker in the Australian House of Representatives, Liberal MP Bronwyn Bishop, is biased and abuses privilege.

Australian House of Representatives Hansard 27 May 2014:

Mr PYNE (Sturt—Leader of the House and Minister for Education) (15:11): Madam Speaker, I move:

That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the House from moving forthwith:

That the Manager of Opposition Business, the member for Watson, be required by this House to immediately apologise to the Speaker for grievously reflecting on her in this place, most particularly yesterday in a motion of referral of the Speaker to the Standing Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests…..

Mr Albanese: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I ask for a ruling as to whether this motion moved by the Leader of the House is in order and whether, in fact, a motion before a motion before the House attempting to demand certain action of a member for referring a matter to the Privileges Committee, or seeking to refer a matter to the Privileges Committee, is, in itself, a breach of privilege and an attack on the right of the member for Watson to raise issues in an appropriate way.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Mr Albanese: Have you seen the motion, Madam Speaker?

The SPEAKER: Yes, I have.

Mr PYNE: Madam Speaker, I read the motion very clearly to the House.

The SPEAKER: And I have a copy of it.

Mr PYNE: The motion did not reflect on the member for Watson attempting to ask the Privileges Committee

to investigate the Speaker. It was a motion to ask him to apologise to you for reflecting on you as Speaker—

The SPEAKER: Correct…..

Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler) (16:01): Thank you. The substantial issue is that of the Speakership and whether it should be used. The House of Representatives Practice makes it very clear—impartiality of the chair. That is what it is all about.

They raise an issue of whether the member for Watson said, incorrectly apparently, that the office had never been used—and he has apologised for that. He apologised for that at once and he also said sorry twice that that was incorrect. But let us be very clear about where that article comes from. It comes from a response about the abuse of the Lodge and Kirribilli House to raise money for the Liberal Party. That is where it comes from; that is the context of that article.

Should any Speaker, be they McLeay or Bishop or any of them, use the Speaker's office? No, they should not!

That is an appropriate debate for us to have. They then say, 'Well, if you got some of the detail wrong then therefore there should be an apology for that.' But there was false information, with respect, Madam Speaker, given from the chair. You said from the chair during this debate that the independent Speaker was an agreement between Labor and the Greens. It was not—it was not!

Tony Abbott:

… I've always supported an independent speakership …

Press comments from him:

I also want to make it very clear that we discussed the issue of a Westminster style speakership …

Over and over again, those opposite—and the Leader of the House signed, in writing, a document.

This is the day after Sorry Day. The irony of those opposite, who for 10 years could not say sorry to the first Australians, coming in here seeking to move by resolution that the Manager of Opposition Business take certain action.

Have a look at all the quotes they have said. The Leader of the House himself:

… the Leader of the Opposition—

Tony Abbott—

… proposed a Westminster style independent Speaker as early as the early part of this decade, in early 2001.

They were all up for it, allegedly, during that period. They signed an agreement but they walked away from it, of course.

But also, what are they asking for here? The same person, Tony Abbott, the Prime Minister who said:

We have never been involved in the business of suppressing free speech …

This attack on my colleague, the member for Watson, is all about, 'How dare he come in here and ask questions on behalf of Australian taxpayers about how much money was raised in the Speaker's office?' the one area of this parliament that should be free from party politics—that should be used in the national interest, that should be used for functions involving foreign guests and that should be used in a bipartisan way in this place.

What you seek to do in doing this is to shut down free speech and debate in this parliament. The fact is that during this very debate, Madam Speaker, the problem is not the member for Watson. The problem is a Speaker who interjects from the chair. The problem is a Speaker who makes partisan decisions. I stand by, and we stand by, all of the comments—with the exception of that factual error that he made—of the member for Watson about the conduct of this parliament because, at the end of the day, it is not about you, Madam Speaker, it is not about the member for Watson, or me or the Leader of the House. It is about how this parliament functions.

The fact is, if you think this parliament has been functioning well since last September then I think you are completely out of touch with what the majority of Australians who watch this parliament see each and every day with this abuse of power continued over and over again by the Leader of the House, who is too immature to hold

that job!

The exchanges recorded in Hansard a day earlier which lead to Anthony Albanese speaking against Leader of the House Christopher Pyne’s motion …….

Mr BURKE (Watson—Manager of Opposition Business) (15:14): Madam Speaker, under standing order 103 I have a question for you in your role as the administrator of parliament. How many Liberal Party fundraisers has the Speaker held in the Speaker's dining room and on what dates did these fundraisers occur?

The SPEAKER : I know the member for Watson was late into the parliament at nine o'clock this morning so he probably did not hear the statement I read on that occasion, so I will read it again.

On 15 May 2014, the member for Moreton asked me a question about the display of posters in corridors. Posters had appeared on the outside of doors to several members' suites, and the member had asked that they be taken down. Consistent with the longstanding practice, upheld by successive Speakers, that signs and posters not be permitted in the corridors or on the doors leading off the corridors, the members concerned were asked to take the posters down at my request and they have since been removed. It remains the prerogative of members to place material inside the internal corridor windows of their suites. Also, all members are entitled to use their suites for their own purposes, but of course not for illegal purposes. That is the answer to your question.

Mr BURKE (Watson—Manager of Opposition Business): Madam Speaker, I refer you to page 179 of House of Representatives Practice, where it states:

For many purposes the Speaker is in effect 'Minister' for the Department of the House of Representatives and jointly with the President of the Senate is 'Minister' for the Department of Parliamentary Services.

As you would appreciate, ministers are not able to hold political functions in departmental resources. I ask again: how many Liberal Party fundraisers has the Speaker held in the Speaker's dining room and on what dates did these fundraisers occur?

The SPEAKER:  I refer the member also to the Practice, which refers quite clearly that the Speaker is in charge of the domain of Parliament House, which was made quite clear from the original time of the Speaker holder back in 1901. I have said that members may use their suites for whatever purposes they see fit, and that includes you, but they may not use them for an illegal purpose. Therefore, it is not the business of either executive government or others to ask members the purposes for which they use their offices. That is the rule.

Mr BURKE (Watson—Manager of Opposition Business): Madam Speaker, in your role as administrator of that department, which then goes to the finances of that department, I ask: how much has the Liberal Party paid on each occasion for the use of the Speaker's dining room for fundraisers and has the ordinary $600 venue hire fee, which applies to all private dining rooms, been among the payments made?

The SPEAKER : I will not engage in debate on the question. I have made the ruling. I have said that members may use their offices for their own purposes.

Mr BURKE (Watson—Manager of Opposition Business): Madam Speaker, I wish to raise a matter of privilege. In recent days there have been reports that the Speaker has used her Parliament House dining room to hold Liberal Party fundraisers. There is a question as to whether the Speaker or the Liberal Party paid for the use of the Speaker's dining room for these party political functions. I have available for tabling, if it would assist, articles from The Sunday Telegraph, The Sun-Herald, The Sunday Times, the Sunday Canberra Times, The Age and The Australian. I ask the Speaker to investigate whether this constitutes an improper interference with the operations of the House of Representatives such as to require that the matter be referred to the Privileges Committee for investigation and report.

The SPEAKER: I simply say that the member for Watson is perfectly at liberty under standing order 216 to write to the committee himself, and I recommend that he do so.

Mr BURKE: Madam Speaker, House of Representatives Practice indicates that I should first raise the issue with you in the House, which I have now done, and then there is an option for an individual to have ready a motion to move immediately, which under Practice does not require a seconder. Is that the path you wish me to choose?

The SPEAKER: I have said that under standing order 216 you are perfectly entitled—and I am following a ruling made by my predecessor, the member for Chisholm. That is the ruling, so you no longer have the call.

Mr Burke: Madam Speaker, I seek the call.

The SPEAKER: You can seek the call, but I recommend you do precisely as I said.

Mr Burke: I seek the call.

The SPEAKER: You have the call.

Mr BURKE (Watson—Manager of Opposition Business): I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests:

Whether the Speaker's use of her Parliament House dining room for Liberal Party fundraisers constitutes an improper interference with the operation of the House of Representatives.

It has been the case throughout this parliament and previous parliaments that there are venues for hire all around the building. The Speaker's office is not one of them. I do not intend to completely derail the day and derail the parliamentary business of the day. I had hoped, Madam Speaker, that you would take the questions in good faith. There was no argument in the questions that I raised. The questions I raised simply sought the same sort of information that the people of Australia are entitled to find out about. When I first heard these allegations, I made the response that I believed that your position would be untenable if it were true because I could not believe, for all the arguments that I have had with the chair, that your office would become outsourced to the Liberal Party as a fundraising venue. For all the arguments we have had, it never occurred to me that partisanship would go to effectively donating a venue to the Liberal Party…..

The SPEAKER interjecting—…..

The SPEAKER (15.35): Before I call the Leader of the House I will say this: the reason I did not say I will take it and reflect upon it is because it does reflect on me. It is far better that you were able to move your motion and deal with it within the parliament in an open way and you have your say—although I find it a bit rough to be lectured on morality from you, Member for Watson. I call the honourable the Leader of the House….

The SPEAKER (15:36): What is the point of order?

Ms Plibersek: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would ask you to reconsider the statement that you made about—

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. I have sat here and accepted the words that were said about me. The Leader of the House has the call.

Ms Plibersek: You have questioned his morality and you have engaged in debate when you should not.

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader will resume her seat. The Leader of the House has the call.

Mr PYNE: You just do not know how to behave, do you member for Rankin, member for Lingiari, Deputy Leader of the Opposition? It is just extraordinary. You have no manners at all.

Opposition members interjecting—

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the House has the call.

Mr Bowen: Madam speaker, I rise on a point of order.

The SPEAKER: If this is meant to disrupt debate—

Mr Bowen: No it is not.

The SPEAKER: Then I will accept the point of order.

Mr Bowen: I have a point of order on two grounds: firstly, you clearly intervened and participated in the debate; secondly, you clearly reflected on a member of this House. Any one of us would have been asked to withdraw and would have. You should comply, with respect, by the same rules that apply to every other member. Very clearly, you should withdraw that comment.

The SPEAKER: Except me, apparently. The Leader of the House has the call…..

Federal Labor MP for Richmond congratulates Northern Rivers for its resistance to Metgasco Limited's plans to create gasfields in the region

Australian Parliament House of Representatives Hansard 26 May 2014:

STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Richmond Electorate: Coal Seam Gas

Mrs ELLIOT (Richmond) (16:03): I rise to speak about a great community victory on the North Coast of New South Wales on 15 May when the gas company Metgasco had its drilling licence suspended at Bentley near Lismore. I take this opportunity to thank all of those in the community who work so hard to force the New South Wales state government to suspend this licence. We know it is only a suspension and we have to remain vigilant to ensure that all forms of unconventional gas mining do not occur in our area. We can only achieve this with the Northern Rivers being declared gas field free. We will keep this campaign going. We had such a variety of people involved in this community protest: farmers, families, grandparents, kids, locals, people from all around our region, people from right around the state, people from interstate and people from outside Australia. Everyone helped us. This is a victory for all those community workers who worked so hard; for those people who camped at Bentley; for the thousands who showed up at Bentley; for those who supported the Bentley blockade; for the people who wrote letters and signed petitions; for the people who marched in those rallies; for the people who declared their streets and communities gas field free; for all the people at Lock the Gate, including Ian Gaillard, Michael McNamara, Phil Laird; and for our local media, who highlighted the community's concerns, particularly the Byron Echo, the ABC at Lismore and the Northern Star. This victory is a community one. It is not one that the National Party have been trying to claim. They have been pushing CSG for years. People were upset when it, pathetically, tried to claim this victory as its own. The fact is, it ignored the concerns that had been brought to them by thousands of people over the years. Make no mistake: it was a community victory that brought about this outcome, because our community stood together. Many individuals—and I congratulate all of those individuals—and community groups worked so hard. This is your victory. You should own it. Congratulations for the great work that you did in protecting our beautiful north coast.

Images of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott listening to the Opposition's Budget Reply

I give you this commitment. Labor will never, never give up on Medicare. We shall fight this wicked and punitive measure to its ultimate end. That is a promise...
This Prime Minister’s cuts trespass against the nation’s covenants with pensioners...
I make this solemn pledge to Australia's pensioners. Labor will not surrender the security of your retirement. We will fight for a fair pension. And we will prevail...
This Prime Minister’s vicious, victim-blaming policy will create a lost generation of 
Australians—shut out of the workforce. And Labor will have no part of it. 
If you want an election, try us. If you think that Labor is too weak—bring it on. But remember: it is never about you or me, Prime Minister. It is about the future of our nation and the wellbeing of the Australian people. [Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, 15 May 2014]

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is a man clearly not liking what he is hearing. He maintained a defensive posture for much of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's Budget Reply.

See Australian House of Representatives Hansard 15 May 2014 at 17:59 to 20:03 
YouTube video of Budget Reply at http://youtu.be/TrxAlX6aOy8

The craven Mr. Carr

Bob Carr by Rocco Fazzari

Former NSW Premier Bob Carr was sworn in on 13 March 2012 to fill a casual vacancy in the Senate caused by the resignation of Federal Senator Mark Arbib.

He became Australian Foreign Minister at the same time.

As Foreign Minister he undertook official visits to Cambodia, Vietnam and Singapore in March 2012; United Kingdom, Belgium, Malta and the United States of America in April 2012; Fiji in April 2012; China and Japan in May 2012; Burma, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Turkey, Algeria and Monaco in June 2012.

According to the Dept. of Finance, in 2012 the cost of this overseas travel totalled $966,896.45.

      

       As a senator he spoke in 44 debates in the Senate from 14 March 2012 to 27 June 2013.

Carr first stood for federal election on 7 September 2013 and, due to the resulting change in government became a senator on the Opposition benches whose new six-year term would begin on 1 July 2014.

He announced his retirement on 23 October 2013 (effective the next day) before the 44^th Parliament was due to sit on 12 November 2013.

His entire federal political career lasted 19 months and 11 days.

Media reports suggest that Carr will now will become a professorial fellow in the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre at the University of Sydney and an adjunct professor at the University of NSW.

One wonders why the Federal Labor Party elevated him in the first place.

Roxon on Rudd

Excerpts from Ten housekeeping tips for a future Labor government by former Australian Attorney-General Nicola Roxon.

I must say that Kevin always treated me appropriately and respectfully. Although I was frustrated beyond belief by his disorganization and lack of strategy, I was never personally a victim of his vicious tongue or temper. I did, however, see how terribly he treated some brilliant staff and public servants. Good people were burnt through like wildfire. Loosing senior people like chiefs of staff and deputies or contemptuously ignoring their advice left the government weaker.

On the “keep yourself nice” front, some of the worst behavior was very overt - brazenly sending up your own materials on TV or ostentatiously packing up your office as cameras just ”happen” to be in obscure halls of the parliament to capture the moment. If Labor MPs follow a few basic tips on decent behaviour, and pull others into line when they don’t, then we need never see such shameful behavior again....

In my opinion, and it is only my opinion, for the good of the federal parliamentary Labor party and the movement as a whole, Kevin Rudd should leave the Parliament. 

Memo to the post-election Federal Labor Party

Kevin Rudd the individual may be a nice man in private life.

However, you have been down this route before with Kevin Rudd the member of parliament.

He resigns a parliamentary position within the party and moves to the backbench saying he will not make further public comment.

Then it starts  - the whisperings, unexplained leaks to the media and others, self-serving press releases at inopportune moments.

In your heart of hearts you know how it will end this time around.

So before it does......

Forcefully advise the willful, reckless and vengeful politician to either resign his seat or quit the party.

Send him back to private life and his loving family.

Note: I am not a member of any political party.

What the three major political parties are promising voters in Page

In the last three years the Federal Labor Member for Page Janelle Saffin has delivered over $505 million in federal funding across the electorate and if re-elected this coming Saturday further promises:

$10 million for new Outpatient (Ambulatory Care) Unit, Grafton Base Hospital
$3 million for Community Dental Care Fund
Better Schools Plan fully funded for all Clarence Valley schools
$282.3 million for pre-construction of the Pacific Hwy upgrade Woolgoolga to Ballina
$3 million for Casino Hospital emergency department upgrade
$3.5 million towards Casino Regional Livestock Exchange upgrade
Disability Care roll-out to Clarence Valley with regional office (70 staff) in Lismore
$14 billion in addition to existing Commonwealth funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme by 2019
$500,000 to expand Kyogle Community Gym
Keep the Federal 'water trigger' protections
Keep the Clarence Valley and Northern Rivers CSG-free

This is what the Nationals candidate Kevin Hogan is offering:

$2.1 billion extra for the Pacific Hwy upgrade
Commitment to the rollout of the $300million Wooden Bridges Program
$463,969 for 55 CCTV cameras in Casino CBD
$13,750 for new goalposts for Grafton Rugby League Club
$560,000 for development of Grafton Hockey Complex
$23,253 for a new kitchen at Mid Richmond Neighbourhood Centre
$13,000 for Woombah/Iluka Men's Shed
$115,500 for Bunjum Aboriginal Co-op in Ballina to upgrade the premises to an education centre
Joint Green Army Project for Rekindling the Spirit and Jubulum Land Council creating 10 full-time trainee places for 25 weeks
Joint Green Army Project for EnvITE and National Parks and Wildlife in the Clarence Valley creating 10 full-time trainee places for 25 weeks.
A local share of the $200 million a year Stronger Regions Fund

The Greens candidate in Page Desley Banks is offering:

Ban CSG and unconventional gas mining
$30 billion over 10 years to secure clean energy
Mining tax as a central element of tax system
Invest in public education, including early childhood and TAFE
Increase Newstart payment by $50 per week
Reverse cuts to the Single Parent payment
Create universal Denticare under Medicare

* Election promises above are as published in The Daily Examiner 3 September 2013.
* It is noted that the Nationals candidate is the only one not promising to to keep the Northern Rivers CSG free.

Federal Labor's Janelle Saffin has an impressive list of achievements in the Page electorate

Janelle Saffin Federal Labor MP for Page - Achievements since December 2007

Julia Gillard is parked in cyberspace

http://juliagillard.com.au/#

It will be interesting to see if the ALP National Secretariat makes use of this website which is only parked at present.

Given that contact person Ben Hubbard was Prime Minister Gillard’s chief of staff, I’m presuming the site was set up before Kevin Rudd ousted her as Leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party.

Whois.com

Domain Name:                     juliagillard.com.au
Last Modified:                   10-Jul-2013 05:01:30 UTC
Registrar ID:                    TPP Wholesale
Registrar Name:                  TPP Wholesale Pty Ltd
Status:                          ok

Registrant:                      THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY NATIONAL SECRETARIAT
Registrant ID:                   ABN 38318251221
Eligibility Type:                Company

Registrant Contact ID:           HUBE1133
Registrant Contact Name:         Ben Hubbard
Registrant Contact Email:        Visit whois.ausregistry.com.au for Web based WhoIs

Tech Contact ID:                 Z137291134365356
Tech Contact Name:               Brett Collett
Tech Contact Email:              Visit whois.ausregistry.com.au for Web based WhoIs

Name Server:                     ns2.dnsrecord.com.au
Name Server IP:                  27.131.66.3
Name Server:                     ns1.dnsrecord.com.au
Name Server IP:                  27.131.66.2

Prospects for the Federal Labor Party in the Foreseeable Future?

More than $160,000 for Page Electorate community projects courtesy of Federal Labor

Joint Media Release

The Hon. Senator Joe Ludwig

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Janelle Saffin MP

Member for Page

More than $160,000 for Page community projects

Three local community groups have received a total of more than $160,000 in Community Landcare Grants as part of the Australian Government’s Sustainable Agriculture stream of Caring for our Country.

Member for Page, Janelle Saffin said Clarence Landcare Inc., North Coast Regional Landcare Network Inc., and the Alstonville-based Soilcare Incorporated, each received grants of up to $55,000.

“Groups such as these, whose members live and work in the community, have the local knowledge and ideas to keep our agricultural land healthy, resilient and sustainable.

“These local projects are about promoting sustainable land management practices and building local skills.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, said the Community Landcare Grants program provides support for community action, agricultural innovation and community capacity building.

“Community Landcare Grants will this year fund 152 projects across the country, helping local community-based organisations take on-ground action as well as build their capacity and skills to manage our productive lands.

“The government recognises the important contribution that volunteers, Landcare and other local groups and Indigenous organisations involved in sustainable agriculture make in engaging communities and inspiring local action,” Minister Ludwig said.

23 May 2013

Saffin condemns National Party's dirty tricks in local telephone polling

It would appear that the NSW North Coast Nationals and Kevin Hogan are behaving true to form……..

Saffin condemns National Party’s dirty tricks

Page MP Janelle Saffin says she is disgusted with the dirty tricks polling methods being used by the National Party in Page.

Ms Saffin said local people have alerted her to telephone polls with deliberately deceitful questions.

“My support for a Coal Seam Gas free Northern Rivers is unequivocal as the community is well aware of.

“There are dodgy polls asking people whether they would vote for me if I changed my mind on the CSG issue.

“This is a deliberately misleading suggestion.

“From the moment people first came to me with their concerns about CSG, I have been standing up for the community on this issue.

“I said I would speak out against CSG and I have.

“I said I would pursue any possible Federal Government action for protecting our water and our environment from CSG, and I have.

“I said I would push our State MPs to better protect our region from CSG activities, and I have, and will continue to do so until we have a Northern Rivers exclusion zone.

“Local people can decide who they trust to stand up for them on keeping our region CSG-free.

“It is clear from this devious style of polling by the Nationals that Kevin Hogan is bringing Tony Abbott’s negative campaign to Page.

“Rather than resort to dishonest campaign techniques, Mr Hogan should be pressuring his State National Party colleagues to get a CSG exclusion zone for the Northern Rivers.

29 April 2013

Quote of the Week

“In the end, all that transpired was that a bunch of self-entitled blokes finally cleared out of the cabinet and left Gillard to get on with the job of running the country instead of baby-sitting their egos.” {Corrine Grant How to burst a blood vessel 26^th March 2013}

Labor MP Janelle Saffin seeks federal flood mitigation funding for NSW North Coast

                                   

Wednesday, February 13, 2013.

REF: PE.13.02.13.

The Honourable Bill Shorten MP

Federal Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation

Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

Suite M1 48

Parliament House

CANBERRA  ACT  2600.

Dear Bill,

With local communities in Northern New South Wales and Queensland recovering from the human misery and financial costs of record flooding, I write to raise some key policy and funding issues as you continue your leadership in the area of insurance and natural disasters.

Parts of regional Australia certainly have been hit by more frequent floods, bushfires and cyclonic storms in recent years, and with more awareness of climate change, perhaps we do need new pro-active frameworks for dealing with this reality, as per our conversation recently.

I am aware you have advanced options and that these are under consideration with the Insurance Council of Australia.

The Member for Hinkler, Paul Neville, gave a wonderful account of the Bundaberg floods, and while we had already discussed the idea of a bipartisan commitment to flood mitigation which I had intended to detail in my speech, Mr Neville did it so elegantly, I simply supported him.

Such a scheme would involve ‘doing many Granthams’ across Australia – relocating flood-prone homes or raising them out of flood, and levees being built – over the next 10 years.

I have said that it does need to be Federal, State and local government in a combined effort. One policy tool I have talked about in Parliament before is the use of no-interest loans for infrastructure, such as New South Wales has. Perhaps a system of interest rate subsidies for infrastructure by local government may achieve a similar outcome.

The Clarence River peaked as a flood of record at 8.08 metres with a 17-kilometre levee bank system just holding, mainly due to State Emergency Services and Clarence Valley Council sandbagging 300 metres of vulnerable sink hole areas around Dovedale.

In fact, there is local debate over whether the Grafton levee was breached in Fry Street.

This particular flood was fast and furious, and upstream at Copmanhurst and Upper Copmanhurst some families lost everything as several metres of floodwaters inundated their homes or rural properties.

The Governor-General, Her Excellency Quentin Bryce, AC, CVO, and I met with these folk when she made a Vice-Regal visit to the Grafton area on February 1. I know that her presence lifted the spirits of many locals that day.

Bill, I would like to formally invite you to visit the Clarence Valley to take a firsthand look at issues of concern which families, businesses and farmers have been raising with me in the wake of our latest natural disaster.

This flood also breached the levee bank at Ulmarra (Cowper electorate next door to me) and caused major flooding in the village of Brushgrove and small town of Lawrence in my electorate of Page.

It was also the dirtiest flood in living memory with a massive amount of flood debris washed down to places like Brushgrove and on to the popular surfing beaches of Yamba.

Local residents tell me they can live with a major flood every five years or so, but to experience three such events in the past four years is enough to test the will and endurance of the hardiest soul.

This is why the Brushgrove/Cowper Levee Action Committee is renewing its campaign for a 1:20 year flood levee to protect the village, at an estimated cost of about $3 million and built in stages, if need be. It is a matter that has been before the Clarence Valley Council and the former Maclean Shire Council for some time

Committee Secretary Kay Spurr, who holds Masters Degrees in Public Administration and Writing, has provided me with a study of the physical and mental health impact of a flood event on Brushgrove and an assessment of the social benefits of a 1:20 year flood levee.

Brushgrove pensioner Bruce Hancock emailed me on February 8 from ‘Mud Central’ about how insurance companies either will not issue flood insurance policies or charge huge premiums for same in the 2460 postcode area. His is a story repeated across the Clarence Valley.

I know it as well in my hometown of Lismore, where people are priced out of the market, therefore in effect there is no market to serve our needs.

Mr Hancock cited a recent report in The Daily Examiner newspaper of a man whose premium went up by 1010 per cent in one year. In Mr Hancock’s case, his own premium rose by $800 after the 2011 floods and another $600 a year, taking his monthly payment to $293.

Mr Hancock also says that now is the time to look at the concept of a National Disaster Insurance Scheme which would take over the flood/fire/cyclone liability of the insurance industry. I understand his feelings on this completely, but the pressure needs to continue on the ICA to deal fairly on this matter and to operate a super market, and to not price us out of the market.

Mr Hancock points to the New Zealand experience, where a scheme originally set up to cover war damage in the 1940s, now covers damage cause by earthquake, flood and volcanic eruption. I have visited New Zealand and had a firsthand look at their insurance schemes and the no fault as well.

It is, of course, easier in one small jurisdiction to have such a scheme work. I am more focused on moving the mitigation scheme forward, as I see that it has potential to work and work well.

The other issue is that of the opt out clause. It is time to reconsider this, as whilst some insurers have done it regarding floods – some have not and furthermore they are saying if you do not have the flood coverage, we will not cover you at all.  Again leaving no market for the people.

The Australian Government and state governments have Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements in place, and we have the Australian Government Disaster Relief Payment, which I was able to secure for the Clarence Valley Local Government Area as a special case.

While these different categories or levels of assistance provide a helping hand to many Australians, one anomaly is that some people experiencing hardship and stress can miss out on emergency assistance because their individual circumstances might not meet strict eligibility criteria as it is applied.

One way of overcoming this, and of making the entire system more cost effective, could be to quarantine a decent pool of national emergency management funding to upgrade and strengthen older flood levees, build new ones, or to raise or relocate homes out of flood.

State governments could make contributions to flood mitigation infrastructure, leveraging off a national fund, as required, and have local government factored in as well.

The Insurance Council of Australia’s chief spokesman Campbell Fuller is on record (SMH Weekend Business February 2-3) as encouraging a pro-active approach to properly built and properly maintained flood levees in order to reduce the cost of insurance premiums. He did not offer assistance though, which would also be welcome.

I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Janelle Saffin MP

Federal Member for Page.

Friday, March 1, 2013.

REF: PE.01.03.12.

The Honourable Bill Shorten MP

Federal Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation

Suite M1 48

Parliament House

CANBERRA  ACT  2600.

Dear Bill,

I write to congratulate you on the Australian Government’s new National Affordability Insurance Initiative which you announced in Queensland yesterday, and note there appears to be some $33 million as yet unallocated for flood mitigation projects nationally.

I want to ensure that my electorate of Page receives its fair share of this funding, starting with urgent projects like a 1-in-20-year flood levee for the village of Brushgrove in the Clarence Valley, which I alerted you to in recent correspondence. This long overdue project is estimated to cost about $3 million.

The Northern Rivers has always been an area prone to flooding, but during recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the frequency of these events and the ensuing damage bills. I will seek talks with our local councils and chambers of commerce on compiling a list of fully costed flood mitigation projects which could be considered by the National Insurance Affordability Council.

As you know, I successfully lobbied to have the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment activated for the Clarence Valley Local Government Area to provide flood aid after January’s record flood event. Centrelink has processed more than $11 million in these cash payments, helping hundreds of residents who could not access emergency welfare assistance.

I also thank you for keeping under consideration my invitation to visit Brushgrove and other parts of the electorate to see firsthand the potential benefits of new levees or reinforcing existing levees, and the great flood recovery effort by Federal, State and local agencies.

Yours sincerely,

Janelle Saffin MP

Federal Member for Page.