North Coast Voices will not be posting again until Monday 4 April 2022.
The exception being a prepared post that will be triggered by any announcement during that three-day period of the dissolution of the Australian Parliament.
This blog is open to any who wish to comment on Australian society, the state of the environment or political shenanigans at Federal, State and Local Government level.
North Coast Voices will not be posting again until Monday 4 April 2022.
The exception being a prepared post that will be triggered by any announcement during that three-day period of the dissolution of the Australian Parliament.
Lismore Levee IMAGE: ABC News 30 March 2022 |
The Wilsons River at Lismore began flooding again at 4.43am on Tuesday 29 March 2022. This is the second flood in thirty-one days - the first setting a flood record on 28 February 2022 when it peaked at 14.4m causing widespread devastation from which Lismore City Local Government Area is yet to recover.
This should have come as no surprise to federal and state government cabinet ministers ensconced in Canberra and Sydney, as Lismore has a history of two floods in a year dating back almost as far as records have been kept.
However, the unfolding official response to this second flood event is almost as fractured and leaderless as the first. Once more communities are coping with just the assistance of local emergency services already stretched thin by the first flood's aftermath.
According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology at 2:10 am EDT on Thursday, 31 March 2022:
River level peaks were observed along the Wilsons River at Woodlawn around 3pm Wednesday and along Leycester Creek at Tuncester around 8pm Wednesday.
A major flood peak of 11.40 metres was observed at Lismore around 5pm Wednesday.
River levels along the Wilsons River at Lismore are likely to remain above the height of the levee during Thursday morning with major flooding, before easing further during the afternoon.
Flood waters along the Richmond River combined with inflows from the Wilsons River have resulted in major flooding along the Richmond River at Coraki and Bungawalbin. Moderate flooding is occurring at Woodburn with major flooding possible. The main flood peak at 13.81m passed through Kyogle Wednesday night and is now approaching Casino where minor flooding is possible.
At 2:11am on Thursday 31 March 2022 the Wilsons River water level was recorded at 11.12m and rising and at 3am the Richmond River at 13.27m (Kyogle) and 11.70m (Casino).
This could not be happening at a worse time in the history of Lismore City with a manifestly incompetent mayor at the helm of a new council and, state and federal governments more focussed on politics surrounding the forthcoming federal general election than they are on climate change-induced adverse weather events causing widespread regional flooding or the plight of the thousands of flood victims.
Offered without comment. The Hansard record may be found at:
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard
David Rowe, 28 March 2022 |
The Australian Treasurer & Liberal MP for the Kooyong electorate in Victoria Josh Frydenberg will deliver the 2022-23 Federal Budget at approximately 7.30 pm (AEDT) on Tuesday 29 March 2022.
Budget Papers will be posted on https://budget.gov.au/ on the night.
The Treasurer's Speech will be shown on ABC TV Live at 7.30pm and a Budget Night 2022 News Special, Analysis & Reaction will be aired from 8 to 10pm.
Budget Night lockup of select journalists will begin at 1.30pm on Tuesday afternoon. Access to embargoed Budget Papers will be further restricted again this year using the pandemic as an excuse. This in turn will limit the degree to which initial analysis of this election year national budget can escape the ideological control of the Murdoch-Costello-Stokes media triumvirate.
To ensure that most journalists would use Morrison Government budget talking points over the next news cycle rather than in-depth analysis, the following promises contained in tonight's budget papers were released yesterday in a joint media release (with suitable quotes) by the Treasurer, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts:
Infrastructure promises made in that media release with no timeframe context
Additional promises for existing projects
This was how National Party candidate for the federal seat of Richmond, Kimberly Hone, presented herself to the media and electorate on 24 March 2022 in Echo online:
Nationals Party
Nationals candidate, Kimberly Hone. |
Her earliest video post is from November 2, 2021.
She says on a video that, with her husband, she has been running a fitness coaching practice for 12 years.
‘I stand for families and small businesses’, she says in another video. Ms Hone replaces Tweed Heads’ Hungry Jacks owner, Matthew Fraser, who previously ran multiple times on the Nationals Party ticket.
Intrigued by the very specific claim presumably made by Ms. Hone or the National Party on her behalf - that she only had one social media presence, a Facebook account, with her earliest video post being from November 2021 - I decided to look.
First thing I noticed is that she has an active Instagram account with videos dating back to at least 2019. On this account in October 2021 she announced her official candidature at the next federal election.
Retrieved 27 March 2022 |
A second look showed she still had one, possibly two, accessible Twitter accounts.
Retrieved 27 March 2022 |
https://twitter.com/kimberlyhone
Retrieved 27 March 2022 |
https://mobile.twitter.com/kimberly_hone
Both Twitter accounts contain political comment.
In addition to these social media accounts, the Nationals candidate for Richmond also has an old YouTube video account in her name with one video going back to 2019.
Retrieved 27 March 2022 |
Then I looked for news reports about the candidate and this article immediately popped up, which might go some way to explaining her reluctance to admit the range of her social media accounts.
Gold Coast Bulletin online, 25 March 2021:
Richmond resident Kimberly Hone is the fresh face on the Nationals ticket in the race to beat Labor MP Justine Elliot who has held the seat since 2004.
Her political rivals have also labelled her a “risk to the community” over her support for radical alternatives to fight Covid including Ivermectin.
The deworming medicine for horses has been touted as a Covid “wonder drug” by ex-US President Donald Trump and billionaire Clive Palmer.
Ms Hone wrote, “China treats their citizens with intravenous Vitamin C” in a thread in which she also endorsed Ivermectin.
In a series of tweets, since deleted, Ms Hone tweeted with links:
* “One way to avoid domestic violence is to marry well. Abusers are exceptional at manipulating …”
* “Imagine if your child’s school secretly started feeding your child transgender hormone tablets.”
* “Ten religious reasons against climate change.”
* “Global thackery: Earth has not warmed for the past 19 years – new study.”
* “Debunked: Hurricanes harvey and Irma were NOT (sic) caused by climate change.”
Video of Ms Hone speaking at a community church in October 2021 also shows her encouraging supporters’ anti-vaccination views.
At one point she states she is “so glad” audience members “no longer trust medical science”.
Richmond MP Justine Elliot has since slammed Ms Hone for her comments, labelling them “repulsive”, “dangerous” and “deeply offensive”.
“Concerned locals alerted me about these extreme views,” she said.
“It’s about transparency. (Her comments) are all extreme and quite disturbing, particularly about domestic violence.
“Victims are never to blame for domestic violence. I was personally offended when those were brought to my attention.
“This is appalling.”
“Voters deserve to know who she is.”
Ms Hone said making her past statements public was “bullying behaviour” and she refused to be “dragged down to a schoolyard cat fight”……
Ms. Hone made a rookie’s mistake when she apparently attempted to direct people towards just one social media source of information about her, without first sometime earlier either closing those Twitter accounts or removing them from public view.
As for that innocuous Instagram account, she would be better off making that a locked account for family & friends until the federal election is over and she has returned to private life once more.
It is hard to see how it could be otherwise for this novice candidate. Because she failed to take the very first fence in the political steeple chase – she was not open and transparent.
As for that risible "bullying" claim.......
BACKGROUND
In October 2021 Ms. Hone clearly stated that “the ultimate goal for me, just like my husband and I have done with business, I want to bring God’s kingdom to the political arena and I want God’s kingdom to penetrate the political mountain”. It appears that in this video (commencing at 29:48) she is asserting that all legislation must reflect a Christian worldview and values.
Ms. Hone has a "business slash ministry" with her husband, Kingdom Business. This appears to be a business networking vehicle for Christian business owners.
Budget Papers 2022-23 are expected to be presented to the Australian Parliament this sitting week.
This budget - like all other Morrison budgets since 2016 - comes with a background of increasing public debt. This fourth Morrison-Frydenberg budget can be no different, whatever clever accounting tricks are employed.
Financial Review, excerpt, 9 February 2022:
Commonwealth budgets and mid-year reviews have been ramping up spending, right up to the last mid-year review in December. As a result, spending in 2023/24 is estimated to be $41 billion higher than when it was first estimated in 2020. This increase has little to do with the pandemic.
The fiscal outlook is further clouded by the approach of a federal election. In recent weeks, the Prime Minister has been out and about sprinkling more fiscal largesse, which sits uneasily with his Treasurer’s “lines in the sand”.
Australian Office of Financial Management, Annual Report 2020-21 Financial Statements excerpt, 25 October 2021:
The cost and risk of the debt portfolio is managed through debt issuance and (where appropriate) investment activities. Since early 2009, budget deficits have required debt issuance volumes that have exceeded those necessary to maintain liquidity in Treasury Bond and Treasury Bond futures markets, affording the AOFM with a greater level of flexibility in setting its issuance program. In recent years the AOFM has lengthened the duration of its Treasury Bond portfolio through longer term issuance as a means of reducing refinancing risk and the variability of debt servicing costs over time.
Australian Office of Financial Management, 2021-22 Issuance Program, 7 January 2022:
This notice provides updated details of planned issuance of Australian Government Securities by the Australian Office of Financial Management (AOFM) for the remainder of 2021-22.
At MYEFO the AOFM indicated planned Treasury Bond issuance of around $105 billion (of which $44.3 billion has been completed). Two tenders will be conducted most weeks. A new November 2033 Treasury Bond will be issued by syndication in the final quarter of 2021-22 (subject to market conditions).
Planned issuance of Treasury Indexed Bonds is $5-5.5 billion (of which $4.1 billion has been completed). Two tenders will be held most months.
Regular issuance of Treasury Notes will continue. Weekly issuance volumes will depend on the timing and size of government receipts and outlays and the AOFM’s assessment of its cash portfolio requirements.
Details of weekly transactions will be announced at midday on the preceding Friday.
As at 28 February 2022 the total of Commonwealth borrowings liability was $859,702,529,974 (calculated in Australian dollars). That is an eyewatering amount of billions in anyone's language.
Two Treasury Bond tenders and a Treasury Note tender with a combined value of $2.8 billion were announced on Friday, 25 March 2022.
The next tender for the issue of Treasury Indexed Bonds is planned to be held on Tuesday, 12 April 2022.
Commonwealth gross debt has been rising since the Global Financial Crisis, but in the last three and a half years as the country lurched though mega bushfires, pandemic, catastrophic flooding and a significant loss of export market share in China, the Morrison Government budget papers have been exercises in hopeful fiction. Next Tuesday night's budget papers might possibly be accompanied by glittering unicorns.
Hi! My name is Boy. I'm a male bi-coloured tabby cat. Ever since I discovered that Malcolm Turnbull's dogs were allowed to blog, I have been pestering Clarencegirl to allow me a small space on North Coast Voices.
A false flag musing: I have noticed one particular voice on Facebook which is Pollyanna-positive on the subject of the Port of Yamba becoming a designated cruise ship destination. What this gentleman doesn’t disclose is that, as a principal of Middle Star Pty Ltd, he could be thought to have a potential pecuniary interest due to the fact that this corporation (which has had an office in Grafton since 2012) provides consultancy services and tourism business development services.
A religion & local government musing: On 11 October 2017 Clarence Valley Council has the Church of Jesus Christ Development Fund Inc in Sutherland Local Court No. 6 for a small claims hearing. It would appear that there may be a little issue in rendering unto Caesar. On 19 September 2017 an ordained minister of a religion (which was named by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in relation to 40 instances of historical child sexual abuse on the NSW North Coast) read the Opening Prayer at Council’s ordinary monthly meeting. Earlier in the year an ordained minister (from a church network alleged to have supported an overseas orphanage closed because of child abuse claims in 2013) read the Opening Prayer and an ordained minister (belonging to yet another church network accused of ignoring child sexual abuse in the US and racism in South Africa) read the Opening Prayer at yet another ordinary monthly meeting. Nice one councillors - you are covering yourselves with glory!
An investigative musing: Newcastle Herald, 12 August 2017: The state’s corruption watchdog has been asked to investigate the finances of the Awabakal Aboriginal Local Land Council, less than 12 months after the troubled organisation was placed into administration by the state government. The Newcastle Herald understands accounting firm PKF Lawler made the decision to refer the land council to the Independent Commission Against Corruption after discovering a number of irregularities during an audit of its financial statements. The results of the audit were recently presented to a meeting of Awabakal members. Administrator Terry Lawler did not respond when contacted by the Herald and a PKF Lawler spokesperson said it was unable to comment on the matter. Given the intricate web of company relationships that existed with at least one former board member it is not outside the realms of possibility that, if ICAC accepts this referral, then United Land Councils Limited (registered New Zealand) and United First Peoples Syndications Pty Ltd(registered Australia) might be interviewed. North Coast Voices readers will remember that on 15 August 2015 representatives of these two companied gave evidence before NSW Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 6 INQUIRY INTO CROWN LAND. This evidence included advocating for a Yamba mega port.
A Nationals musing: Word around the traps is that NSW Nats MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has been talking up the notion of cruise ships visiting the Clarence River estuary. Fair dinkum! That man can be guaranteed to run with any bad idea put to him. I'm sure one or more cruise ships moored in the main navigation channel on a regular basis for one, two or three days is something other regular river users will really welcome. *pause for appreciation of irony* The draft of the smallest of the smaller cruise vessels is 3 metres and it would only stay safely afloat in that channel. Even the Yamba-Iluka ferry has been known to get momentarily stuck in silt/sand from time to time in Yamba Bay and even a very small cruise ship wouldn't be able to safely enter and exit Iluka Bay. You can bet your bottom dollar operators of cruise lines would soon be calling for dredging at the approach to the river mouth - and you know how well that goes down with the local residents.
A local councils musing: Which Northern Rivers council is on a low-key NSW Office of Local Government watch list courtesy of feet dragging by a past general manager?
A serial pest musing: I'm sure the Clarence Valley was thrilled to find that a well-known fantasist is active once again in the wee small hours of the morning treading a well-worn path of accusations involving police, local business owners and others.
An investigative musing: Which NSW North Coast council is batting to have the longest running code of conduct complaint investigation on record?
A fun fact musing: An estimated 24,000 whales migrated along the NSW coastline in 2016 according to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the migration period is getting longer.
A which bank? musing: Despite a net profit last year of $9,227 million the Commonwealth Bank still insists on paying below Centrelink deeming rates interest on money held in Pensioner Security Accounts. One local wag says he’s waiting for the first bill from the bank charging him for the privilege of keeping his pension dollars at that bank.
A Daily Examiner musing: Just when you thought this newspaper could sink no lower under News Corp management, it continues to give column space to Andrew Bolt.
A thought to ponder musing: In case of bushfire or flood - do you have an emergency evacuation plan for the family pet?
An adoption musing: Every week on the NSW North Coast a number of cats and dogs find themselves without a home. If you want to do your bit and give one bundle of joy a new family, contact Happy Paws on 0419 404 766 or your local council pound.