Here’s Tones in crusading mode last week as he began his latest media blitz against a national price on carbon pollution:
“This carbon tax is going to be so toxic because it's going to make the price of manufacturing everything here in Australia much, much higher,” Abbott told the Herald Sun at the NSW Sanitarium Health Foods factory, which makes the popular Weet-Bix breakfast cereal.”
Oooh, aah, we won’t be able to afford our hot weeties on a cold winter morning if the dastardly Gillard gets her way!
Hold on – isn’t there a small problem with this scenario? Not only is the manufacture of health foods, spreads, snacks and breakfast cereals not listed among the highest polluting industries in Oz, but the Australian Health & Nutrition Association Ltd (trading as Sanitarium) is owned by the very conservative Seventh Day Adventist Church, a charitable institution operating on Christian based principles.
Which is really a polite code signifying that its profits are protected in large measure (eg. Income Tax exemption, GST concession, FBT rebate) and under the new rules proposed by the Federal Government loss of tax exemption status will not apply to its existing commercial activities for some years to come.
So if anyone could absorb the probably low flow-on costs from a so-called carbon tax introduced in 2012-13 it would surely be this church-run business.
In fact the only price rises Sanitarium itself is foreshadowing are due to rising global commodity prices (including cereal grain prices) which affect its supply of raw materials. Something I'm sure they quietly told Tones. Along with the fact that the industry peak body to which it belongs told the Gillard Government in early 2011 that it agreed with a carbon pricing mechanism:
"AFGC is of the view that it is not a question of whether Australia should become more energy efficient and reduce emissions, but by how much, by what means and at what cost to the economy.
The most critical response to climate change is a globally consistent approach, including a common price signal for all greenhouse gas emissions. In this global context, Australia should develop a strategic national approach to emissions reduction and carbon pricing policy measures".
Monday 23 May 2011
Abbott tries to calculate a carbon price on goods produced by a church-owned health food company
Sunday 17 April 2011
Stick 'em up! Your money or your health
Faarrck! When will this daylight robbery end?
“Our draft decision indicates that average regulated electricity prices will increase by around 18.1% for Country Energy customers, 17.9% for EnergyAustralia customers and 16.4% for Integral Energy customers (Table 1.1). These increases come on top of rises of around 7% to 13% in 2010.”
Maud Up The Street tells me that her winter electricity bill will rise by over $32 before she even turns her heater on during very cold evenings. Maud wonders how her old bones are going to manage and predicts an increase in aches and pains because she won‘t be able to keep her home warm enough.
IPART Draft Report and Draft Determination covering average price increases in standard supply areas.
Thursday 15 July 2010
Ratio of national leader's pay to their country's GDP per person
Tuesday 23 March 2010
Power suppliers to raise average prices by up to 42%. NSW Government offers pensioners extra $15 annual rebate to cope.
As at 30 June 2009, there were twenty-nine power companies holding electricity retail supplier licences in NSW and Energy Australia, Integral Energy and Country Energy account for approximately 81% this retail market.
Integral Energy, Energy Australia and Country Energy are all owned by the New South Wales Government.
The Review of regulated retail tariffs and charges for electricity 2010-2013:
Electricity — Final Report March 2010 shows that:The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal stated in a recent media release:
Monday 15 February 2010
Want to do a Woolies 'price check' comparison online? First sign a confidentiality agreement!
Woolworths went to the media with the big news that now one can do a price check online of 5,000 items it carries in its supermarket outlets across Australia.
Price Check Terms & Conditions
Restricted Use
This website is only for personal or domestic use and only in relation to shopping at Woolworths. Unless otherwise indicated, without Woolworths' written permission, the content and information on this site cannot be:
- adapted, reproduced, stored, distributed, printed, displayed, performed or published, and no derivative works can be produced from any part of this website
- on sold or provided to any other person, in a material form, or
- commercialised, or used for any commercial purpose.
The site's URL may not be displayed on any website without Woolworths' written permission.
I have read, understood, and accept the above terms of use.
Monday 8 February 2010
Election 2010 - What's a lamb roast?
For days Tony Abbott's been popping up all over the evening tellie talking about the cost of food and shaking his head solemnly; calling lamb the "new lobster".
I couldn't afford to eat lamb chops in 2006 under Howard or in 2009 under Rudd - so why does 'Phoney Tony' Abbott expect me to believe that he will somehow make lamb affordable to poor people post-2010 if he's made Prime Minister.
Pull the other one, Abbott - those budgie smugglers are strangling your brain!
Lucky to afford mince
Maclean
Tuesday 5 January 2010
Fair dinkum, you're a bit of a political b*tch aren't you Kristina!
With something of a carefully stage-managed publicity blitz Kristina Keneally launched herself as NSW Premier late last year.
She faced the meeja on taking office and promised a government focus on five main issues - one of which was the "most vulnerable members of the community".
Now it didn't take long to see that this touchy-feely sentiment was going to be a load of hot air.
You can't get much more vulnerable than those Aussies living on or below the poverty line but I didn't see the new premier rushing to roll back the former Rees Government decision to take a big bite out of the Federal Government's one-off basic payment increase for quite a few single pensioners later this year, and this week the state government she heads is defending its Solar Bonus Scheme levy which will see those families on very low incomes and pensioners without assets subsidizing the cheaper power supplied to people rich enough to be able to install solar power throughout their houses.
"Effectively, the costs of the feed-in tariff paid to a customer with a solar PV system will be spread across all customers on the network."
This on top of the fact that the NSW Government is about to give the nod to yet another hefty increase in electricity pricing (after a plump increase in 2009) so as to cover the black hole it allowed to develop in power supply infrastructure which needs to be quickly papered over if government wants to sell-off state energy assets.
Yeah, Kristina - that's really governing for the vulnerable that is!
I don't care how small the buyback levy may or may not be for the average family - it's the bl**dy principle.
Why should the interests of silvertails still rule in New South Wales and a hypocritical blow-in premier dare to act as if that's a really bonza state of affairs.
Pic from KKK's scrap book of media images
Tuesday 22 December 2009
Just another example of how rural & regional NSW is being let down
The Daily Examiner editor points out the inequity in energy service delivery costs across New South Wales.
Comment from The Daily Examiner, 21 December 2009
Click on image to enlarge
Sunday 30 August 2009
Telstra gets another serve from the Northern Rivers as Saffin takes new charges complaint to Parliament
This time it's the hardworking Federal Labor MP for Page writing in the letters column of The Daily Examiner on 28th August 2009 concerning new over-the-top Telstra account charges.
Sic 'em, Janelle!
Telstra fee unfair
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with David Bancroft's editorial (DEX, August 24) regarding Telstra's unfair penalty imposed on people who want to pay their bills by phone or over the counter.
Earlier this month Phil Redpath also wrote (DEX, August 8) calling for people to write to Telstra and send copies of their complaints through to me in a campaign to have the new charge dropped.
I agree that people power can work in these situations, and ask that people send their representations directly to me if they prefer (Janelle.Saffin.MP@aph.gov.au ) and I will pass on to Telstra.
I have already contacted the new CEO of Telstra, David Thodey, calling on him to immediately withdraw the $2.20 charge, which is a penalty on those who can't or don't want to pay electronically.
This penalty is particularly unreasonable in the light of Telstra's announcement of an annual profit of more than $4 billion.
I have been working on the Telstra billing issue in Canberra with my colleague Sid Sidebottom, the Member for Braddon, and we will be speaking on a notice of motion on this issue which is listed for debate in the next sitting of Parliament.
There is a clear opportunity here for David Thodey to demonstrate he is genuine about improving customer relations by getting rid of this unfair billing charge.
Let's show him some people power at work.
JANELLE SAFFIN MP,
Member for Page
Update:
Tamanian MP for Braddon Sid Sidebottom's letter to David Thodley protesting new Telstra charges, 20th August 2009
Perhaps the pollies representing Clarence, Lismore, Oxley and Ballina (state), as well those looking out for Cowper, Lyne and Richmond (federal), might like to tell the world how they are approaching Telstra's latest attempt to gouge its loyal customers.
Sunday 19 July 2009
Unhappy with EBay? Users explains why
Anyone who has ever over time looked at items for sale on eBay would have noticed some hilariously puffed up item descriptions, obviously phoney buyer/seller feedback history entries and sometimes the odd fraudulent offering.
One regular eBay user now details how common shills are on the auction site.
SHILL BIDDING
In eBay's own words, "Shill bidding is bidding that artificially increases an item's price or apparent desirability", and it's just as common on eBay as it is in any motor auction room up and down the country. But just because that dodgy geezer in the sheepskin coat, upping the interest on that Mondeo, is all part of the "charm", it doesn't mean it's OK on eBay. In fact, it's a criminal offence and there have been several prosecutions, here in the UK. Not only that, but eBay's rules prevent you bidding on items being sold by your friends, family and (take note) your work colleagues! The only exceptions are purchases made using the "Buy it Now" option or fixed price listings. So how can you recognise if you're being taken to the cleaners? Well, this is one of the easiest frauds to carry out, so many shill bidders are going to leave some clues for you. Check the number of bid retractions a bidder has - we can all make mistakes, but could we really enter the "wrong amount" over and over again? See if the user IDs are in the same format, or look similar in more obscure ways. Look out for sellers who immediately relist an item - wouldn't you try to communicate with a non-paying bidder first, instead of arbitrarily relisting straight away? Although it's easy to manipulate, have a look at the location given by the IDs concerned, and remember that eBay's "distance from seller" feature can be used to weed out those sellers who deliberately enter the wrong location (see my other guides for details of how this feature can be used to your advantage). Does the pattern of bids look right? Finally, although I'm not allowed to provide a link, there is at least one on-line tool that allows you to enter the eBay IDs of both the seller, and the suspected shill bidder, to view the historical transactions between the two parties, but you'll have to do a search for that one.
He also lists nine other scams.
While another user is so incensed with what he sees as eBay's refusal to adequately police the practice of false bids that he has written a lengthy case study.
Sunday 12 July 2009
A warning sign for the Rudd Government?
Sunday 28 June 2009
GroceryChoice website yet to carry news of its own demise
Sunday 14 June 2009
Taking the temperature of the Grocery Prices website
North Coast Voices hasn't done an update on the Federal Government website Grocery Choice (now managed by Choice) recently, so here is the latest.
In June 2009 it's still on the sick list and the review continues. Little has changed though there are now a number of links on the home page to Choice articles.
The only price information available to NSW Northern Rivers residents is still a basic and barely differentiated average over the entire north east of New South Wales.
For what it's worth the June Basic Staples Basket price is:
Coles $78.32
Woolworths/Safeway $82.34
Franklins $85.68
Independents $90.01
Aldi $62.00
For all the initial hooplah, this site remains a waste of government money and the consumer's time.
Tuesday 7 April 2009
Grocery Choice still limps along...
Five months to revamp a website is a long time (a task subcontracted to SMS Management and Technology) and the worry grows that in the end CHOICE will only use this website as an extension of its existing information service and not regularly deliver a more detailed level of price comparisons across retail chains in regional Australia, where consumers are often disadvantaged due to more limited shopping options.
The website disclaimer now says it all:
Although the Australian Government supports this website by contributing funding to its operation, it is not an Australian Government website and the Australian Government is not responsible for its content or operation and, to the extent permitted by law the Australian Government makes no representation and gives no warranty and accepts no liability in respect to it.
North Eastern NSW April 09 price comparisons
Friday 6 March 2009
Grocery Choice staggers on
During the entire time the Rudd Government's Grocery Choice has been operating it has only received 68 comments and some of these were from the good folks at Choice who are taking over this website.
If you want to have your say on what information the new look Grocery Choice should contain you can post a comment here.
The latest grocery price breakdown for north-east NSW.
Click to image enlarge.
Tuesday 3 February 2009
Red face for Nationals Luke Hartsuyker over fuel prices
Federal Member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker has slammed the country's Petrol Commissioner and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for failing to help local motorists still forking out unnecessarily high prices for unleaded fuel.
First the Petrol Commissioner told him that the difference between Kempsey and city unleaded petrol average retail prices was only around 4 cents a litre for the second half of 2008.
Now according to The Land on Saturday:
The difference between city and country fuel prices is no reason for alarm, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
This is despite calls for a full investigation into the price gap by country MPs last week.
The ACCC says some country petrol prices last week were cheaper than Sydney and Melbourne prices.
ACCC commissioner and petrol spokesman, Joe Dimasi, visited Central Queensland last week to talk to angry country motorists and see for himself what was going on with petrol prices.
The visit followed a formal request from Nationals leader, Warren Truss, and Opposition spokesman for competition, Luke Hartsuyker, for the ACCC to thoroughly investigate the disparity between petrol and diesel prices, and city and country fuel prices.
Mr Truss said diesel was traditionally much cheaper than petrol, and its current high price was flowing through to the cost of transport and food.
It would appear the Mr. Hartsuyker is not beginning the year with any political flourish.
Tuesday 13 January 2009
Coles/Bi-Lo need to remember that there is no excuse for sloppy overcharging at the check-out
Its overcharging at check-outs has become so common that some alert local residents frequently manage to get at least a few grocery items per month for free when they front the store with evidence of overcharging.
However, the fact that a shopper noticing a difference between shelf price and docket price can get the item in question for free is no excuse for such blatant mismanagement.
Overcharging during the 2008-09 festive break was so noticeable that one regular interstate visitor told North Coast Voices that she found $13 worth of discrepancies on a $113 docket.
This type of bad experience can drive tourists away and, if Coles/Bi-Lo was a good corporate citizen it would take its Yamba management in hand and insist that such stupidity cease.