Dear Mr. Morrison........

North Coast Voices was sent a copy of the following letter sent to Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison, with permission to publish:

EMAIL TO TREASURER MORRISON SENT ON GOVERNMENT  EMAIL FORM 8^th April 2016

Dear Mr Morrison

I was interested to hear your interview on Radio National "Breakfast" this morning. 

It was quite astonishing that you rejected the notion of a Royal Commission into the banks given all the shonky behaviour we have seen from all of the "Big 4" in recent years. It's quite obvious that these all-powerful institutions have no respect for the regulators (your cop on the block or whatever you called it) or for the Australian community.  Whenever a new outrage is revealed, we hear sounds of contrition from the offending bank and then some time later there's another outrage revealed.

In your comments criticising the Leader of the Opposition for his suggestion that a Royal Commission be considered, you ignored the fact that there are backbenchers in your Government calling quite strongly for a Royal Commission.  Don't you hear your backbenchers, Mr Morrison?

Don't you understand that there is considerable community concern about the continuing outrageous behaviour of the major banks?

We need a royal commission into the big 4 banks.  Maybe that will result in some improvement in their behaviour.

Yours sincerely

Leonie Blain

8^th April 2016

A sustainable life rocks! Local award nominations open in the Clarence Valley

A sustainable  life  rocks!

Clarence Valley Council  media release, 7 April 2016:

Living Sustainably Awards now open

Residents or organisations who contribute significantly to a more sustainable Clarence Valley are invited to apply for the council’s annual Living Sustainably Awards.

Nominations are now open, with four award categories for individuals, businesses, education and community groups who enhance environmental, economic and social sustainability.

Mayor Richie Williamson said council was looking for nominees who excelled in any aspect of sustainability such as those who reduced energy and water consumption, acknowledged the significance of local culture, provided sustainable recreation, environmental conservation, sustainable economic development, showed leadership within the community and developed innovative ideas.

Nominations are due by 4pm Monday, May 23, 2016 and will be judged by Council’s Climate Change Advisory Committee. The winners will be presented with their awards at a ceremony during Local Government Week, August 1-7, 2016.

Nomination forms are available at www.clarence.nsw.gov.au, or can be collected from the Council offices at 2 Prince Street, Grafton, and 50 River Street, Maclean.

For further information please contact Suzanne Lynch, on 6643 0200 or email suzanne.lynch@clarence.nsw.gov.au.

Australian Federal Election 2016: another one for the FFS! file

The Australian, Kevin Andrews at home with his wife in May 2014

Herald Sun, 4 April 2016:

AS KEVIN Andrews prepares to mark 25 years as the member for Menzies, the veteran Liberal MP says he would be prepared to challenge for the leadership of the Liberal party, and therefore the Prime Ministership, under the right circumstances.

In a wideranging interview with the Manningham Leader, Mr Andrews shed light on his work in the electorate, his past disappointments and the circumstances under which he would return to the front bench.

Malcolm Turnbull’s elevation to the Prime Minister’s office last year resulted in Mr Andrews challenging fellow Liberal Julie Bishop for the deputy leadership of the party.

“There wasn’t anything particularly negative about Julie, but she had been deputy leader under Brendan (Nelson), Malcolm, Tony and I thought, ‘well, there hadn’t really been a contest for the deputy leadership’,” he said…… [my red bolding]

A topical tee shirt

Found on Twitter this week.....

This post is dedicated to Malcolm Bligh Turnbull's investment portfolio.

Counting Dead Women In April 2016 - averaging a violent death each week of someone's daughter, sister, aunt, mother

Posted 16 April 2016 on Destroy the Joint and sadly probably already out of date

Australian Federal Election 2016: what policy areas are important to women?

Women’s Agenda reported a small online survey, 29 March 2016:

Our online poll was pushed out to Women's Agenda readers as well as women on Facebook for five days from Monday the 21st March, and received 430 completed responses. 

Whatever happens this election, women aren't all that confident that we'll be much better off.

And that comes after 63% of us believe we're already 'worse off' since the Abbott Government won power in 2013.

According to our Women's Agenda poll, almost a quarter (24.42%) of us believe women will be 'worse off' following the next Federal election. The majority (70.47%) believe women will be “about the same” while just 5.12% believe women will be “better off”.

As for key policy areas of concern to respondents, climate change came out on top -- with 45% listing it as a 'top three' policy priority area, out of 15 options presented.

This was followed by family violence and education (both on 33%), the gender pay gap (31%), healthcare (30%), same-sex marriage (28%), housing affordability (20%), women in leadership (20%) and childcare (19%).

Asked to list other areas of concern, many noted human rights, the more humane treatment of asylum seekers, elder care, and the environment more broadly (beyond climate change). 

So which of the three major parties have presented the best policies for women? According to those surveyed The Greens come up well ahead (48.37%) followed by Labor (39.30%) and finally the Coalition (12.33%).

When questioned who was their ‘preferred prime minister’ out of Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten, 57% ticked Shorten, while 43% said Turnbull. This particular question prompted feedback from some respondents, noting a ‘neither’ option should have been offered.

We breed 'em tough in the NSW Northern Rivers.....

A couple of years back I told a former director of Elk Petroleum that Metgasco Limited would withdraw from its arrangement with that US mining company and that Northern Rivers communities would win the battle with Metagasco over its mining exploration leases.

I pointed to the region’s long history of coming together to oppose threats to water security and environmental sustainability.

I don’t think he believed me then, but I think he would believe the Knitting Nannas now when locals like Lismore Nanna Clare Twomey are still voluntarily locking themselves on as she herself did to the exit gates of NSW Parliament House at 8.30pm on 31 March 2016 in protest at the Baird Coalition Government changes to protest laws and failure to address the ongoing tension between mining interests and the enduring need for environmental protections.

The Northern Star on 1 April reported that: After 8 and a half hours at the Sydney gates, the Knitting Nanna cofounder, locked off without arrest. She was supported by Greens Jeremy Buckingham, Knitting Nannas and interviewed by Sydney media.

Images From The Northern Star & Twitter