The Nationals MP for Clarence is predictable - in the first instance he always presumes the electorate is as ignorant as he is and in the second that what his bosses want is inherently right

Well it seems the nuclear lobby has resurrected that hoary chestnut, a nuclear power plant in the Clarence Valley.

This time it is at least a 2.2 gigawatt plant requiring an extensive power grid upgrade and, cooling as a once though from the Clarence River estuary or evaporative towers with off stream storage. One possible siting of the plant is in the Grafton-Koolkhan area.

https://nuclearforclimate.com.au/nsw-regions/

The NSW National Party MP for Page.....

The Daily Examiner, 9 March 2020, p.3:

There was a need for a mature debate before any decision on nuclear energy could be made, member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has stated. 

But he believes the concept will go nowhere without first obtaining a “social licence” for the technology. 

His comments come in response to NSW Nationals leader and Deputy Premier John Barilaro expressing his, and the Nationals’ support for a bill introduced by One Nation’s Mark Latham to overturn the state’s ban on nuclear energy and uranium mining. 

Mr Gulaptis said there needed to be a clearer picture of the current state of the science as it related to nuclear energy. 

“At the moment the community’s perception of nuclear reactors is based on Fukushima, Chernobyl and Homer Simpson working at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant,” he said. 

“Quite frankly, that’s all I understand about the technology. “I don’t know where we are with nuclear technology — I’m just like the rest of the community, and I need to know more before I can make more of a call.” 
Mr Gulaptis said scientists needed to lead a mature debate based on evidence and not fearmongering so the community could make an informed decision. 

“Whenever the question about the possibility of using nuclear energy comes up, it is always shut down by a minority, and I believe that minority is fearmongers who are just pushing that Chernobyl model down our throats,” he said. 

“Now if that’s where the technology is still at, then I certainly don’t want it. “But I believe that they have advanced significantly, just like all other technology has — people are walking around with this year’s latest iPhone in their pocket, they’re not carrying the bricks of 20 years ago......

Members of the Clarence Valley Community.....

The Daily Examiner, 10 March 2020, p.5:

The success of the recent fight against coal seam gas has reinforced the message to politicians that large scale developments such as nuclear power required a social license according to the Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition. 

Secretary of the group Leonie Blain said it was wise of Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis to realise there would need to be considerable discussion about any nuclear proposal. 

“It is interesting that Mr Gulaptis claims that the closing down of any debate about nuclear power in the past is the result of fearmongering by a minority,” she said. “I would like to know what evidence he has for this belief.” 

Ms Blain said the fact that Grafton was one of the possible sites for a nuclear power station meant there would be interest in the issue. 

“There would be considerable local interest in any debate on whether a nuclear power station should be built and where it would be located,” she said.....

Murdoch-News Corp doing a little editorial lobbying on behalf of the nuclear industry.....

The Daily Examiner, 10 March 2020, p. 11: 

It's true, we need to be able to talk openly and rationally about nuclear energy in Australia. 

Nationally, it must be considered as a low carbon emissions energy source, and a viable replacement for the phase out of coal reliance. 

In NSW, where nuclear energy and uranium mining is currently banned, it must be considered as an alternative industry for regional areas vulnerable to a future of agriculture yields being marginalised by increased desertification. 

Locally, our future depends on thinking differently and accepting new industries to boost our economy, job prospects and population growth. 

Nuclear for Climate Science [*] earmarked Grafton as one of 12 possible sites for a nuclear power station in the future. 

The Nationals’ endorsement of a call from One Nation’s Mark Latham to overturn the NSW ban has put nuclear squarely back on the agenda.....

NOTE:

[*] The correct name for this 'group' is Nuclear for Climate Australia. It has a post office box postal address in Berrima, but does not appear to be incorporated under its trademarked name or have an ABN number. It principally functions as a website.
The individual who seems to organise its social media presence is its founder Rob Parker, who coincidentally is also Vice President of the Australian Nuclear Association. It has one known associate Barrie Hill, who appears to be Managing Director of SMR Nuclear Technology Pty Ltd. 
Nuclear for Climate Australia lobbys to overturn the Australian nuclear power ban and for the adoption of Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs), which are alleged to have the same unresolved cost and safety concerns associated with larger plants and there is no consenus in the industry concerning SMRs.
Nuclear for Climate Australia has been riding the 2019-20 bushfire crisis on Twitter as a vehicle to push for nuclear power in this country.

Another perspective.....

The Climate Council, 23 January 2019:

What is a nuclear power station? 

Nuclear power stations run on uranium. When the nucleus of a uranium molecule is split inside a reactor, heat is produced. This process is called nuclear fission. The heat produced from this process is used to create steam from water. The steam drives a turbine that powers a generator. The generator creates electricity. 

Unlike coal and gas, no greenhouse gas pollution is created in the operation of the nuclear reactor. However, all other steps involved in producing nuclear power (from mining, to construction, decommissioning and waste management) result in greenhouse gas pollution. 

But nuclear energy is not “renewable”. Uranium is a finite resource just like coal or gas.... 

Nuclear power stations also present significant community, health, environmental, and cost risks associated with potential impacts from extreme weather events and natural disasters, such as occurred in Fukushima, Japan in 2011. Nuclear power stations leave a long-term and prohibitively expensive legacy of site remediation, fuel reprocessing and radioactive waste storage. 

Australia is one of the sunniest and windiest countries in the world, with enough renewable energy resources to power our country 500 times over. When compared with low risk, clean, reliable and affordable renewable energy and storage technology in Australia, nuclear power makes no sense.

Nuclear power stations are extremely expensive to build. For example, the Hinkley nuclear power station under construction in the UK will cost 20 billion pounds (AU$36 billion). Nuclear cannot compete on a cost basis with wind and solar, which are the cheapest forms of new generation. The cost of energy from the Hinkley Power station is significantly higher than large-scale solar, wind and offshore wind energy in the UK....

You had one job........

A sharp-eyed reader pointed North Coast Voices in the direction of one of NSW Nationals MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis' 2014 newsletters.

Mr. Gulaptis is not so important to parliament or his party that he wouldn't have had ample time available to approve this newsletter and, one wonders why he let these three sentences pass on to publication.

[Chris Gulaptis Clarence Valley Newsletter, 30 June 2014]

Did Gulaptis really mean to say that the National Party and its Liberal Party partner had prevaricated and failed to fund this second bridge for sixteen years?

Surely he was intending to have a dig at the former NSW Labor Government instead?

Does he also mean to say that he alone convinced the NSW Government to fund this new bridge?

Can he have forgotten that his own party in Opposition had promised Grafton this bridge in 2005, seven years before he stood for election? This pledge was repeated again in 2011 when in government and, seventeen months before the surprise by-election which saw Gulaptis elected, the then Member for Clarence told parliament that; Planning is well on the way: at present, possible sites are being considered. Indeed the NSW Dept. of Planning & Environment as well as Roads & Maritime Services have been progressing the second crossing for years.

1,500 Essential Energy jobs on the chopping block and reliable power supply at risk on NSW North Coast

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) released a draft revenue determination for the NSW electricity distributor, Essential Energy, for the five year period through to June 2019.

The Draft Essential Energy distribution determination 2015–16 to 2018–19 affects many residential and business customers on the NSW North Coast

                                                                             

According to Essential Energy on 27 November 2014:

The AER draft determinations released today would mean, if implemented:

• Immediate job reductions of 4,600 employees (38%) across NSW (Ausgrid 2,400, Endeavour Energy

700 and Essential Energy 1,500).

• An inability to place 750 apprentices, currently in training, when they graduate to trade over the

next four years.

• A likely reduction of $460m in vegetation management programs over the next four years.

• Deterioration in the time taken for electricity networks to restore electricity supply to communities

after major storm events.

AER apparently also expects Essential Energy to increase efficiency savings by exposing customers to more frequent brownouts and blackouts during peak demand periods [AER Draft Determination Overview, p26].

The number of hot days are increasing on the NSW North Coast and, maximum daily temperatures in Grafton during the first six days of December 2014 were between 29°C and 33.5°C, Lismore’s maximum daily temperature for the same period ranged between 26.5°C and 30.8°C, Casino’s maximums reached 28.9°C and 35.3°C, while Kyogle’s  maximums fluctuating between 31.8°C to 35.3°C.

When one combines this heat in the first six days of an Australian summer with the aging population demographic of the region, it does not take a genius to see that any increase in power outages carries a risk to the health and wellbeing of older residents as well as infants and the ill.

Battling heat with no power for fan or air conditioner due to what should be an avoidable power outage may mean that nursing mothers and the frail aged will find little comfort in the fact that that AER expects residential electricity bills to decrease next financial year under its plan.

The NSW Nationals MP for Clarence response on 3 December in the Clarence Valley Review was weak to say the least:

Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis said that “every consumer would welcome a drop in electricity prices to households and small businesses”, but opposed the idea of further job cuts at EE.
“What we [the Nationals] don’t agree with is the impact on regional communities, with any job losses,” he said.
“That’s why we opposed the sale of poles and wires in the first place – and that’s why the Nationals fought to secure EE remaining in government hands.

But then, this is a politician who has conveniently forgotten that earlier this year he voted for the second phase of privatisation of the state’s electricity infrastructure:

Nationals MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has voted with his party to back the State Government's proposed sell-off of electricity infrastructure.

[The Daily Examiner, 13 June 2014]

Someone's not happy with the NSW Baird Government or their local National Party MP Chris Gulaptis

Letter to the Editor in The Daily Examiner 29 November 2014:

Lost faith in MP

I thank Chris Gulaptis for starting and then presenting the flying fox/fruit bat petition to Parliament.

Unfortunately, as soon as I read that Chris was surprised the Coalition had enacted policy so quickly, a red flag went up. It would seem Chris was not involved in this policy that he was responsible for and would surely be a knowledgeable contributor.

The second red flag went up when I read it was being passed over to the council to act upon. That was the death knell for something to happen at Maclean soon and possibly will never happen, especially after reading CVC would not try anything if it was going to cost CVC money.

Chris has made a big stand here and, as his predecessors have done, has failed abysmally.

I don't consider the fruit bat failure to be enough to change my vote but Mr Baird stated last night that if the Coalition won in 2015 it had a mandate to "sell" the poles and wires of our publicly owned electricity companies. That is a politically fatal statement. There was nothing said about leasing 49%, he said "a mandate to sell".

That, combined with the Coalition's pathetic Ammunition Bill and their lack of action to stop fracking for CSG near productive farmland and water aquifers, I find myself looking for an alternative to Chris in 2015.

C Gosling

Coutts Crossing

Clarence Valley - the area of the Northern Rivers which Nationals MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has failed to protect to date

Never one to stand firm on any issue unless it was of direct benefit to himself, NSW Nationals MP for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, unsuccessfully attempts to straddle the fence on the issue of coal seam gas in this The Northern Star article on 2 October 2014:

CLARENCE MP Chris Gulaptis has welcomed an expert's calls for designated gas fields in New South Wales.

The state's chief scientist Professor Mary O'Kane made the claim in her review on the NSW CSG industry.

Mr Gulaptis said coal seam gas drilling areas must be geologically tested.

"It's all about science and fact, and not about emotion," he said.

"The most important thing is the science has to be done first before the coal seam gas extraction is proposed.

"Make sure that your geology and your hydrology is right and then I think everything else will follow."

Mr Gulaptis said there needed to be boundaries where the industry could not operate and agriculture had to be protected.

"There will be some places where it can be carried out, there will be other places where it can't be carried out," he said.

"If it's unconducive to gas extraction then it becomes a problem. Clearly there are some areas where there are some land use conflicts and those areas have to be very closely examined so that neither one is impacted on."

Now when the NSW Coalition Government revisited its mining policies in early 2013 the North Coast Nationals did not insist on comprehensive exclusion zones within the largest part of his electorate, the Clarence Valley, so presumably neither did Chris Gulaptis.

Gulaptis also did not attend the NSW Energy Security Summit on 26 September 2013, which meant that that Metgasco Limited and other coal seam gas miners had a seat at the government summit table but Clarence Valley and Richmond Valley communities did not.

This failure to protect resulted in the drinking water catchments of the Clarence-Coffs Harbour Regional Water Supply, upstream of the Nymboida Weir and associated with the Shannon Creek Dam, having no protection against coal seam-tight gas exploration and mining under the NSW Coalition Government’s coal seam gas exclusions zones included in the Mining State Environmental Planning Policy.

The policy he voted for also does not adequately protect Clarence Valley primary production, including the sugarcane industry, under current biophysical strategic agricultural land (BSAL) mapping, nor does it adequately protect the valley’s identified regionally significant farmland or place limits on the loss of prime crop or pasture land.

In a 21 November 2013 submission to the NSW Department of Planning & Infrastructure Clarence Valley Council noted:

It would seem from the actions and outcomes to date that the State Government is not intending to provide protection from CSG activity by way of exclusion of those closely settled rural residential precincts within the Clarence Valley LGA.

and

Council considers that not considering the drinking water catchments of the Clarence - Coffs Harbour Regional Water Supply as specified in point iv above for exclusion from CSG activity is not in the public interest and should be rethought to help guarantee the integrity of the drink water of the region that this Water Supply infrastructure and asset serves.

and

Whilst the “CSG excluded” areas and areas subject to gateway assessment through BSAL & CIC mapping will enjoy a greater degree of certainty and assessment respectively, uncertainty will remain about the degree of protection and assessment of the larger areas outside of these areas if and when they are to be subject to mining and CSG exploration & production activity.

This is the area of the Northern Rivers which Chris Gulaptis has failed to protect to date:                                                                                                     

Unfortunately for the Clarence Valley, to date NSW Labor also offers little protection under its coal seam and unconventional gas policy either.

NSW Nationals MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis still resented for past performance and present posturing

Letter to the editor in The Daily Examiner online 26 May 2014:

Comments appalling

I AM appalled at the comments made by Chris Gulaptis to the Grafton Chamber of Commerce meeting.

Having worked at the gaol and representing the staff in the role of union representative at the time of the downgrading in 2012 of Grafton Correctional Centre, I went personally and informed Chris Gulaptis at his office in Grafton when we were officially informed by the Department Of Corrective Services of their intentions to downgrade the gaol.

At this meeting with Mr Gulaptis he informed he was aware of the closure and there was nothing he could do about the closure of the gaol and he would be supporting the State Government in their decision, with no regard for the staff at the gaol or the flow-on effect on the community and the impact on the businesses in Grafton or the surrounding communities.

After leaving Chris Gulaptis' office I also contacted the Mayor of Grafton, Richard Williamson, and the head of the Clarence Valley Union, Tony King.

The Chamber of Commerce were also informed and showed serious concern on the impact on the community.

Both Richard Williamson and Tony King gave their complete support to gaol staff and the union reps of the PSA Union to keep the gaol open but this was going to be an uphill battle without the support of the people's elected State member.

With the overwhelming support from the community by signing petitions, community attendance at organised rallies in Memorial Park and the 24-hour community protest outside the gaol, Mr Gulaptis was forced due to overwhelming support to keep the gaol open.

At the community rally there were many speakers talking about why the gaol should stay open. When Mr Gulaptis was called to speak he did so in a sheepish way and his comment was "I was wrong". But by then it was too late as the horse had bolted.

Every comment he makes now are matters that were brought up at meetings by other concerned people to keep the gaol open, with nothing new in his portfolio that has not been said before by other people.

The community of Grafton have long memories with the non-support given by Mr Gulaptis.

Stephen Jeffs,
former prison officer

The new Member for Page really is what's-his-name

This morning in the time session usually occupied by local rural news ABC North Coast local radio presented an election post-mortem.

A voter at a polling place in Grafton told the ABC he likes Tony Abbott so he voted for "what's-his-name in Page". Quite obviously, the voter had no idea know who the National Party's candidate was.

If that wasn't enough to put listeners off their corn flakes an interview the ABC conducted with State Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis didn't help.  Gulaptis, who has his own identity problems due to something of an association with the disgraced former MP for Clarence Steve "Speed Camera" Cansdell, told the ABC that voters on Saturday thought he (Gulaptis) was Hogan and wished him well in the election. Gulaptis also said that Hogan has people thinking he is Gulaptis.

The Nationals have an identity crisis.

Readers are invited to match the names of current and former Nat identities (see above) with their mug shots.

Credit: Images from Google images

Position vacant: appplications to be forwarded to Chris Gulaptis, Member for Clarence

The lads at the table of knowledge at the local watering hole had a rib tickling session yesterday. The main topic on the session's agenda was local MP Chris Gulaptis's bit about who would have the honour of presenting the trophy to the owners of the winner of the 100th Grafton Gallops Cup this year. On Monday Gulaptis told State Parliament the Premier had been invited to present the trophy but the Premier would be otherwise engaged on the day so has had to rsvp with an inability card.

Gulaptis went on to say, "Unfortunately, I cannot see anyone (else) of sufficient standing to present the trophy to the 100th Grafton Cup winner this year."

So, there you have it! No Barry, ... , no one up to his standing, ...

Does that mean the cup will have to be abandoned?

What did Nationals candidate Kevin Hogan do?

This announcement was published online in The Daily Telegraph on the morning of 14 September 2012:

TONY Abbott has vowed to take $2 billion earmarked by the Gillard government for Sydney's doomed Epping to Parramatta rail project and use it to fund the completion of the Pacific Highway. 

By breakfast on the 15 September a number of other media outlets ran with this same story, coupling Nationals Leader Warren Truss' name with that of Liberal Leader Abbott.

There was a rather odd alternative view to the two Coalition leaders' public statements, in that the NSW Legislative Assembly Hansard on 18 September 2012 records Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis praising a Nationals candidate at the next federal election, Kevin Hogan:

The Nationals candidate, paid his own way to Canberra to meet with the Federal Nationals to convince them to prioritise the funding for the Pacific Highway duplication. That is the sort of commitment you want from a local member.

Gulaptis further defined this supposed altruism by telling the Coastal Views (21 September) that Hogan and other candidates had flown to Canberra the week before at their own expense in order to convince the Federal Nationals of the need for a new funding arrangement.

If this was indeed the case, then the absence of any mention of Kevin Hogan and friends during Nationals Leader Warren Truss’ previously prepared 15 September keynote speech to the Nationals Federal Conference in Canberra was noticeable.

As late as 20 September Truss was still not publicly crediting Hogan with any role concerning the promised Pacific Highway funding, either to the party faithful or APN readers.

Indeed, the last time I can recall Warren Truss personally associating Hogan's name with a specific road funding announcement was during Hogan's failed attempt to gain Page during the 2010 federal election - and that $10 million election promise concerned Bangalow Road.

The official silence concerning Hogan's supposed intervention was hardly surprising to those living outside of the forced hothouse of National Party politics; given the party conference was probably the main reason Hogan was in Canberra that week as it commenced on the Thursday- Friday.

After all he was a delegate to this conference at which no specific resolutions regarding Pacific Highway funding were made.

As for any sighting of this particular Nationals candidate in the corridors of power? Well, some of the conference program was held in the Nationals Party Room and various committee rooms at Parliament House.

When one looks at the timeline, the assertion that Hogan saved the day falls somewhat short  and exposes Chris Gulaptis' statement to the NSW Parliament as a blatant attempt to gild the lily to such a degree that he might be suspected by the uncharitable of deliberately misleading the Legislative Assembly. 

Now Mr. Gulaptis may think it acceptable to collude in political fibs told to voters in his electorate when it comes to the matter of jobs to replace those lost when he and his colleagues closed Grafton Gaol. However, it may be very unwise of him to treat the NSW Parliament in the same contemptuous manner - it is a political animal known to have very sharp teeth.

National MP for Clarence spinning faster than a new top

The O’Farrell-Stoner Government announced a $1.7 billion cut in education spending on 11 September 2012 and Nationals MP for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, told local media on 12-13 September that a) he wasn’t aware of these cuts before the minister announced them, b) fought against the cuts in the party room and c) he’s working to stop these cuts impacting on regional TAFEs.

Yet in down in Macquarie Street, Sydney, Gulaptis moved as one with the rest of government to stifle debate……

   v Motion before the NSW Legislative Assembly on 11 September 2012:

That this House opposes today's unprecedented funding cuts to New South Wales public schools, Catholic schools, independent schools and TAFE colleges.

Chris Gulaptis votes not to accord this motion priority at approximately 3.34pm and it was not debated.

>                 v Motion before the NSW Legislative Assembly on 12 September 2012:

this House calls on the O'Farrell Government to reverse its unprecedented $1.7 billion in funding cuts to New South Wales public, Catholic and independent schools and TAFE colleges.

Chris Gulaptis votes not to accord this motion priority at approximately 3.36pm and it was not debated.

Chris Gulaptis MP: his listening skills need attention

Constituents of Chris Gulaptis, Member for Clarence, won't be surprised to learn their local MP has a hearing problem or, worse still, doesn't comprehend what he hears.

On Wednesday his parliamentary colleague Dominic Perrottet, the Member for Castle Hill, was speaking to the Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2012 and mentioned the cost of the JusticeLink electronic legal processing system. Perrottet gave a specific dollar amount and then said just another six short sentences when Gulaptis interjected, " How much did it cost?"

Further to the hearing problem, Gulaptis has great difficulty with the term "reform". He used the term erroneously when speaking about what the O'Farrell government has been doing.

No! No! No! Mr Gulaptis, reform means to change things for the better!

Gulaptis was on his feet for almost 10 minutes singing praises for the O'Farrell government's stance on fiscal expenditure. The speech was obviously written for the local MP; the sure sign was the nature of the vocabulary it contained - words the local MP would have great difficulty pronouncing, let alone knowing their meaning.

Gulaptis did not utter one single solitary word about the destructive action the government imposed on the Clarence community and its economy with its wrecking of the Grafton jail and its workforce. Thanks for nothing, Mr Gulaptis!

Recapping a telling political timeline....

Sometime between March and April 2012 the NSW Liberal-Nationals Government formalised its decision to close Grafton Gaol and leave a 60-bed remand centre in its place.

On 15^th May Nationals MP for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, addressed Clarence Valley Council and “gave an update on general NSW Government issues”. His presentation was on: gazettal of Clarence Valley Council’s LEP, new legislation regarding the dual role of councillors who are also members of the NSW State Government, plans for councils to be given the capacity to do spot rezoning, Community Building Partnerships projects, completion of Iluka sewerage facility, $70M Local Infrastructure renewal scheme, legislation for councils to jointly manage libraries, $7000 relocation grant, Destination 2036 and the planned review of the Local Government Act – not a word about severe job cuts in the Valley's only city.

By 8^th June it was known that the state government was planning to cut an estimated 10,000 public service jobs.

On 27^th June the Clarence Valley learnt that Grafton Gaol positions were to be among those public service jobs axed and Gulaptis admitted that he was actively involved in the so-called restructuring.

After long and careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that any assurance/promise/undertaking that Chris Gulaptis MP gives is....

Anger over NSW Government regional job cuts spreads to Coffs Harbour as the implications sink in

Two quotes from the article Not just yokels in The Coffs Coast Advocate 14 July 2012:

• ·      LOST in translation, as Grafton had all those jobs ripped out of the jail, were the wider implications for us as citizens of the Coffs Coast and others beyond. The knock-on effect of Clarence Valley job losses will be felt in Lismore, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Tamworth and even further afield.

• ·     The local member, Mr Gulaptis, may have learned that lesson the hard way in his original stance of eagerly nodding approval to whatever Sydney-centric Premier O'Farrell wanted.  It was almost pitiful to watch the 360-degree backflip with inward pike and the cringeworthy sight of the recently elected politician donning an ill-fitting Save The Gaol shirt once his horrible mistake in misreading the anger was realised. "Me too ... me too ... kick it to me ..." was the thought which came to mind, as he jostled his way to the podium to speak.

Are O'Farrell, Stoner and Gulaptis lying to the Clarence Valley again?

This was NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell on the subject of his under the radar April 2012 decision to close Grafton Gaol:

"In response to a request, a very forceful request from the Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis and in line with our commitment to devolving public sector jobs out of Sydney to regional areas, Andrew Stoner, who chairs the Rural and Regional Subcommittee of Cabinet has been asked to come back within eight weeks to identify public sector jobs that are suitable".

In the 2012-13 NSW Budget the Coalition Government committed itself to  a reduction in the size of the public service, predicted to eliminate in excess of 10,000 positions over the next four years in the primary industries, corrective services, legal/courts, education, health, aged care/disability, child protection, roads & maritime, industrial relations and environment sectors.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that; An internal email from a NSW Treasury official dated June 12, obtained by the Herald, says ''there is no floor or cap on redundancies'' and government departments should look to privatising more services.

On 13 July 2012 there were 313 government jobs across the state advertised by Jobs NSW in the previous 28 days.

Of these; 227 were positions based in the Sydney region and 48 were in regional NSW – only two of these (both area health service jobs) were possibly situated in Grafton.

Few of these jobs appeared to be of a category which were not location specific. In other words, most would not be the type of job likely to come into the Clarence Valley.

In fact, the O’Farrell Government’s previous attempts to encourage people to move to regional NSW have been monumental flops so far.

Less than 700 Regional Relocation home buyers grants have been taken up since July last year. What is obvious is that few (if any) people living in the Sydney region are moving to Northern NSW under this scheme.

So how many of these as yet to be identified jobs in the reduced public service pool will actually come to Grafton under the vague promise given by the Premier?

Do O'Farrell and Co. not understand that, as these are not vacant positions, what jobs may actually come will not give employment to local residents who lost their jobs at the gaol or lower the Clarence Valley LGA unemployment rate?

Is the Clarence electorate being treated like fools and lied to again?

Mr Gulaptis, you could not have said it better

When speaking to the Inspector of Custodial Services Bill 2012 in the NSW Legislative Assembly on Wednesday 20 June, Chris Gulaptis, Member for Clarence, uttered these words:

"... The (Grafton Correctional) centre is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register as one of the few jail complexes in Australia designed by private architects. I recommend that members in this Chamber visit the place. I have visited it on a number of occasions. ... "

Well, knock me down with a feather. What was the local MP really saying? Has he spent "time" at that place? Does he reckon some of his parliamentary colleagues should be bed and breakfast "guests" at that place?

Take care, Mr Gulaptis, those words could come back as haunting words.

Image credit: Heritage Council of NSW

The Chris Gulaptis Travelling Photo Show



Chris Gulaptis as he appears
 on  the NSW Parliamentary website

Clarence MP, Chris Gulaptis, has made a very bold attempt to get himself in The Guiness World Records. Gulaptis, who it seems is camera shy in Macquarie Street and is yet to sit for a portrait shot for the parliamentary website, appears no less than twenty three, yes 23, times on the latest taxpayer funded newsletter hitting letter boxes across the electorate of Clarence.

In a late development, the lads at our local watering hole reckon the reason the local member's photo isn't on the website is because Farry O'Barrell put a freeze on public spending at parliament house so we'll have to wait until the 2013/14 budget when carpenters can be employed to undertake the task of increasing the width of the top of the doorways at the photo studio. Currently, all doorways are standard sized, but enlarged doorways are needed if the Member for Clarence is going to get his swollen head through them.

In the loop? Out of the loop? Fruit loop? Decide for yourself.

A few years back The Daily Examiner had a prize (a Lottery/Lotto ticket pack) for the week's best letter to the editor. If such a prize still existed it would surely have to go to John  Edwards of South Grafton for his letter in today's Examiner.

Shooters and Fishers

Following the announcement of a Shooters and Fishers Party-sponsored inquiry into the management of public land, the Clarence Environment Centre wrote to the Member for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, posing three questions.

One of these was: "Would you support the opening up of national parks to recreational hunting?"

On May 22 we received the following response: "There is no proposal for recreational hunting in national parks in the Clarence electorate being considered by me or the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government."

Less than 10 days later the Government announced 79 national parks and nature reserves where recreational hunting will be allowed.

I'll let readers form their own opinion on their member's response.

Among the affected parks that have been reported in the media are Kosciuszko and Dorrigo, which are among the most visited reserves in Australia, and where tourists will now experience the tranquillity of those forests being shattered by the noise of gunfire, and the possibility of being shot.

The decision has outraged many in the community, but has been welcomed by hunters who claim they are the answer to feral animal control.

However, if there is a serious feral animal problem, it is because successive governments have failed to properly fund control programs.

Recreational shooters have been hunting in state forests for over five years, and I challenge anyone to produce evidence that they have had any significant impact on feral species in those forests.

In fact last year the national parks service had to run local eradication programs for feral pigs which they believe were deliberately introduced by hunters.

In trying to justify breaking an electoral promise, Barry O'Farrell claims it was necessary to balance political expedience with public interest.

This isn't the first time this government has sacrificed public interest, and I'll guarantee it won't be the last.

John Edwards, South Grafton

NSW Nationals 'Steve' Gulaptis MP places his ignorance on display once again

Theft represents one of most likely sources of firearms for the illicit market according to the Australian Institute of Criminality.

The AIC Monitoring Report 16 went on to observe that:

·     *   In 2008-09 of the total firearms reported as stolen, 89 per cent followed from an unlawful entry into a building or vehicle and, private residential premises comprised 77 per cent of all firearm theft locations.

·     *    A total of 77 per cent were taken from registered owners. In almost 18 per cent of incidents where private residential or business premises were broken into, the theft was aided by the premises being unsecured at the time of the burglary.

·     *    Ammunition was stolen with firearms in 27 per cent of reported incidents of firearm theft in 2008-09.

·     *    In the same financial year, 22 per cent of affected firearms owners were found in breach of firearms law by police. A large number had failed to secure their firearm/s.

In other words criminals are likely to obtain their guns and/or ammunition from ordinary citizens who have inadequately or carelessly stored these items or failed to secure the premises.

On 30 May 2012 the Daily Liberal reported that; Thieves gained entry to a property on Pilliga Road, Kenebri between 8.30am and 5pm Tuesday, making off with eight pistols, eight rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Clearly measures which might limit the amount of ammunition sold and track the lawful movement of such ammunition are in order.

Before the NSW Legislative Assembly on 29 May 2012 was a bill (apparently reflecting a request by the Police Commissioner) which seeks to:

(a) to prevent the sale of ammunition by a licensed firearms dealer to a shooter unless the purchaser is the registered owner of, or has a permit to acquire, a firearm that takes the ammunition (in addition to the existing requirement that the purchaser must hold a licence or permit for a firearm that takes the ammunition),
(b) to require licensed firearms dealers to keep records of purchases and sales of ammunition.

Yet the historically, civilly and politically ignorant NSW Nationals MP for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, rose to his feet and said this:

I have to say from the outset that this bill is fundamentally flawed. It is flawed because it targets the wrong people. This bill makes it tough on law-abiding registered gun owners instead of criminals. Once this bill is passed the law-abiding public will have to deal with the additional costs and red tape associated with owning a firearm. Farmers, sporting shooters and gun shop owners are the ones that will carry the cost, and for the criminals it is business as usual.

UPDATE: An investigation into Sydney gun crime has revealed a near 20% jump in the number of firearms stolen from legitimate owners. [7 News 8 May 2012]