Community Action Grants application round open to local clubs, community & environmental groups until 1 August 2011

From a Dr. Mike Kelly MP media release:

Community groups around Australia can now apply for small grants to help fund local environmental and sustainable agriculture projects.
Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Dr Mike Kelly, today announced that $5 million will be available through the 2011-12 Community Action Grants round.

“Community Action Grants are helping rural, urban and Indigenous community groups around Australia take action to conserve and protect their local environment and natural resources,” Dr Kelly said.

“Grants of between $5,000 and $20,000 are available to help local community groups undertake activities such as planting trees, revegetating landscapes, rehabilitating dunes, removing weeds, controlling pests, holding field days, recording traditional ecological knowledge and improving sustainable land management practices.”

Since Community Action Grants were announced in 2009, 877 projects have received funding worth more than $15 million (GST exclusive).

“We have listened to feedback from the community and this year eligibility has been broadened to include all local community groups that deliver environmental and sustainable agriculture projects,” Dr Kelly said.

“Eligible community groups may include rotary clubs, surf clubs and scout groups, in addition to Indigenous, Landcare, Coastcare and other local community groups.

“The Australian Government is committed to supporting local community and volunteer groups which play a vital role in restoring the landscape.”

Community Action Grants are part of the Australian Government’s Caring for our Country initiative.

Funding allows volunteers and local community groups to contribute to the Caring for our Country priority areas of protecting biodiversity and natural icons, coastal environments and critical aquatic habitats, and using sustainable farm practices.

Applications for the 2011-12 Community Action Grants will close Monday 1 August 2011.

More information on Caring for our Country and Community Action Grants, including how to apply, is available at www.nrm.gov.au or by calling 1800 552 008.

Jury Duty: I shouldn't laugh, but........

Twenty-eight real or fanciful excuses and attitudes found on Teh Netz for getting out of jury duty:

1. I am unable to speak and understand English – I’m a cat.

2. I’m a dog – the vet says so.

3. If I was meant by God to judge I would be presiding over my own courtroom.

4. I committed a felony, I just wasn't caught.

5. I’ll have to bring my seeing-eye wombat.

6. My budgie is sick, dying, dead.

7. I'm psychic and so I already know the outcome of the trial.

8. My entourage needs me.

9. I have a very important Warcraft quest to finish and my guild is depending on me.

10. My people do not recognise your Earth laws.

11. I fart uncontrollably.

12. I’m a racist.

13. My voices tell me I shouldn’t.

14. It has been my experience that all cops lie.

15. I can't leave home due to the impending holocaust.

16. My bladder causes me to pee quite often. I will not serve unless you can guarantee I can pee every 30 minutes.

17. Please excuse me from jury duty so I can attend a party.

18. I can only communicate telepathically.

19. I shouldn't have to serve because I am too obese.

20. My wife just called. She's in the hospital.

21. I have no faith in the justice system.

22. I'm too busy practicing law to be a juror.

23. I'm a writer. By nature we're shiftless, unreliable, and we make stuff up for a living.

24. Yes, I know the defendant, and the prosecutor, and the bailiff. I know ALL of you!

25. Can I be impartial? As long as impartial means any fool can see the man is guilty.

26. Dress horribly inappropriate for your age/gender.

27. I'm with you, Judge, I'm twittering the whole thing!

28. What was that, Your Honor? I'm busy updating my blog.

Berlin released from custody

The Daily Examiner article In the Courts, 8 June 2011 on Page 9:

MACLEAN identity John X Berlin has been released from custody.
Berlin, who was refused bail when he appeared in court last month, was granted conditional bail when he appeared in court in Grafton on Monday.
His conditions were that; he not have any contact with any media organisation; he was not to go on the internet; he was not to represent, in any way, to any other person that he has been, at any time, a serving police officer, and; he not advertise or publish in any way for sale or purchase of police memorabilia.
Berlin was in court facing two charges of using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend, one count of using a false instrument with intent to pervert the course of justice and one count of using fabricated evidence to mislead a judicial tribunal. He is to appear in court again on those charges on August 23.

Apparently that "toxic tax" was not so toxic after all for Mr. Rabbit in 2009

Something changed over the last three years..........

Australian Oppostion Leader Tony Abbott in 2009:



Abbott in 2011: