Marohasy shows her ignorance on NSW North Coast flooding

When the first inklings appeared of a coming May 2009 flood event in the Clarence Valley one local warned me that such flooding would be used to raise the issue of further damming in the Clarence River catchment area.

Sure enough, yesterday climate change denialist Jennifer Marohasy opened her mouth and displayed a level of ignorance which quite frankly surprised:

It doesn't matter what time of year you drive through this region, known as the Northern Rivers District, it is always green and the wide Clarence is always brimming with water.

Oh dear, let's ignore the fact that the Clarence River is salt from above Grafton right down to the river mouth, that it appears to brim with water because of a strong tidal influence, stay silent on the fact that there is a large dam on one of its principal freshwater tributaries and let's also conveniently forget that the Clarence Valley goes in and out of drought with the same regularity as the rest of the NSW North Coast.

I honestly don't have the patience to correct the many misconceptions on which her post is based, so I'll just refer all to the blog A Clarence Valley Protest which was created during the last big John Howard - Malcolm Turnbull push to rob the Clarence catchment of its fresh water and, which includes the political response at local, state and federal level.

NSW North Coast flood photos sent to local media

With newspapers being in short supply on the NSW North Coast at present due to the number of roads still cut by water, here is a link to a bundle of flood photographs sent to the media by local residents.

View readers' flood photos

A fun piece of trivia from Core Economics

Sometimes the trivia machine works overtime and produces grin-inducing posts such as "Was someone short of fact checkers?" with statistics like this:
Australian PM Physical Data
I always wanted to know that Kevin Rudd was 2.5cms taller than John Howard!
As the PM data spreadsheet is a work in progress, join in and give Alistair a bit more info.

Pic from Wikipedia

Maclean begins its post-flood clean up

Jane Beeby posted these great photos at Flickr.

They were taken in low-lying areas of Maclean on Sunday, close to the street leading to Mareeba Nursing Home where staff and volunteers did a magnificent job looking after seventy-one aged residents during a very difficult week.

McDonald's receives a fail in both staff and customer relations

From The Daily Examiner letters to the editor column last Friday:


Bad Experience

I AM writing to you about something I witnessed one night recently. I was at McDonald's on the highway at Grafton having some time with my family after work.
We were sitting having coffee when I heard some shouting and yelling. At first I thought a customer was abusing the staff but on looking, what I saw shocked me no end.

A manager was screaming at the girls on staff and calling them names and yelling in their faces.

The whole restaurant stopped and people were so uncomfortable. We let it slide, but after it kept going a man confronted the manager and asked him to cut it out and treat the workers with respect.

The manager told this customer to leave and there was a discussion and the customer sat back down. I was so embarrassed for the girls on the counter how this manager belittled and demeaned them in front of customers and his attitude towards the customer who spoke up in defence of these girls.

He was basically told it was none of his business and to go away. I remember when customer service was a priority at any store and this just shows why a lot of kids hate to work for companies like this.

I would hate to think that this is normal, but after seeing this manager talking down to the customer I believe that McDonald's Grafton may have a bad .' attitude towards staff and customers.
The kids give up their time to earn some money and feel better about themselves. I am writing as I believe it's about time someone spoke up for these kids and how they were treated.

KYLIE NOY,
Coutts Crossing.

ABC North Coast Radio was doing an excellent job reporting on the floods and then, along came Martin....

I was in awe of ABC North Coast Radio this week.
It covered the flood situation on the NSW North Coast extensively and professionally.
In fact, if it were not for questions asked of emergency services by its on-air staff quite a few areas wouldn't have had much information on what was happening locally as flood waters rose.
Then I heard the dulcet tones of Martin (who once hailed from ABC 2NR) and I awaited the inevitable.
Martin did not disappoint during one on-air conversation.
He casually dismissed the fact that a Yamba caller was cut off from reaching high ground at Yamba Hill by flood water across the main road as being nothing much - because she was not in 'Yamba proper'.
Of course the caller's concerns were similar to those of at least another 2,500 residents in that same section of Yamba (which as any fool would be aware had experienced steady urban growth for the last fifteen years and was very much within the town boundaries).
Fair dinkum, that bloke doesn't deserve to be anywhere near an ABC microphone.
Send him back down south.
To all the other ABC radio staffers who showed the rest of the mainstream media what excellence sounds like - well done!

Thanks to Clarencegirl for the LOL.

Yamba Surf Life Saving Club battered by May storms

This is how Yamba fondly recalls its 100 year-old surf life saving club down on Main Beach.

Unfortunately this is how the club building looks during severe storm weather.

How long will the present 78 year-old building be able to stand this increasingly frequent pounding?

Top picture of YLSC after renovations - from Google Images
Bottom picture of YLSC during May 2009 storms - from The Daily Examiner

The Battle of the Rates continues in The Daily Examiner as Orams gets trounced

The rate debate

IN response to Graham Orams' letter (Rate Response, DEX May 13) I would like to make three points.
Firstly, I was pleased to read that Graham accepts that in reality 'Residential A (Yamba,
Wooloweyah) and D (inc Angourie) pay higher rates than Grafton... because of higher average land values'.
It is in recognition of the huge range in 'land values' across the Valley that CVC sets different ad valorem rates for different areas and rightly so.
A flat dollar-value rate would see some residents paying ridiculously high amounts. Secondly, Graham stands by the claim that 'dollar-for-dollar, Grafton and Junction Hill residents still pay the highest rates'.
This is a claim which has been repeated by a number of others in recent months and it is false.
The 2008/09 CVC Management Plan (p66) shows that Residential B (Maclean, Lawrence, Townsend) at an ad valorem rate. of 0.6320 is the highest.
What is more, the 2009/10 CVC Plan (p68) shows that Res B (Maclean, Townsend) at 0.7181 and Res F (Lawrence) at 0.7040 will both be significantly higher than 'Grafton' at 0.6049.
Despite being false, this claim was used to lobby for relative rate reductions in the 2009/10 Plan.
It has succeeded in having Grafton rates frozen while all other areas will be increased by
3.5 per cent or more, particularly Maclean (2009/2010 CVC Plan pp65-6e).
Thirdly, Graham uses a hypothetical Grafton property with a rateable land value (not market value) of $700,000 to again try to suggest that Angourie residents are not paying enough. This is misinformation at best.
In the interests of fair debate, I provide the following real figures calculated from the CVC Management Plans relating to residential properties: In 2008/09 Residential
A (inc Angourie) made up 4.6 per cent of residential properties in the Valley but contributed 5.7 per cent of the residential rates or 1.24 times their share.
Residential D (Yamba, Wooloweyah) had 15.9 per cent of properties and contributed 19 per cent of the rates, 1.19 times their share.
Residential E (Grafton, Junction Hill) had 34.6 per cent of the properties and contributed 39 per cent of the rates, 1.13 times their share.
These figures show that 'Grafton' residents have indeed been paying more than their fair share.
But so too are Residential A and D.
To claim that Res A and D should pay even more has nothing to do with equity.
The CVC Plan for 2009/10 (p65) acknowledges the imbalance and attempts 'to achieve a little more equity' as Graham puts it.
However, it focuses only on reducing Grafton's share and increasing 'Maclean and Lawrence'.
In light of the actual figures I am not sure why Res A and D were not given similar relief,
particularly when their land values will continue to rise faster than other areas in the Valley.
In 2009/10, there will be little change in the share paid by Res A and D while Res E will reduce their contribution to 1.09 times their share -a significant win for 'Grafton' ratepayers, not so for A and D.
Put simply, Grafton rates have been held at 2008/9 levels while all others have gone up, some significantly more than others.
Their valiant attempt to establish fair and equitable rates will always be a problem while
ever they are tied to 'land values'.
This juggling act will be repeated every year.
I urge CVC to move away from this method and adopt a better and fairer rating model in future years.
I would strongly urge all residents to look at the Draft CVC Management Plan 2009/10, available from council offices and on the CVC website, to make your own informed judgement based on real facts.
There is a public meeting at Iluka Community Hall -Wednesday, May 20, 5pm and at Treelands Drive Community Centre Yamba -Thursday, May 21, 5pm.
Public meetings in other centres were held last week.
Also be aware that submissions regarding the Draft will be accepted up to Friday, June 5.

RON LOVERIDGE, [The Daily Examiner, 20 May 2009]

The American Academy Of Environmental Medicine Calls For Immediate Moratorium On Genetically Modified Foods

Press Advisory
May 19,

The American Academy Of Environmental Medicine Calls For
Immediate Moratorium On Genetically Modified Foods

Wichita, KS - The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) today released its position paper on Genetically Modified foods stating that "GM foods pose a serious health risk" and calling for a moratorium on GM foods. Citing several animal studies, the AAEM concludes "there is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects" and that "GM foods pose a serious health risk in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health."
The AAEM calls for:

• A moratorium on GM food, implementation of immediate long term safety testing and labeling of GM food.
  
• Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community and the public to avoid GM foods.
  
• Physicians to consider the role of GM foods in their patients' disease processes.
  
• More independent long term scientific studies to begin gathering data to investigate the role of GM foods on human health.

"Multiple animal studies have shown that GM foods cause damage to various organ systems in the body. With this mounting evidence, it is imperative to have a moratorium on GM foods for the safety of our patients' and the public's health," said Dr. Amy Dean, PR chair and Board Member of AAEM.

"Physicians are probably seeing the effects in their patients, but need to know how to ask the right questions," said Dr. Jennifer Armstrong, President of AAEM. "The most common foods in North America which are consumed that are GMO are corn, soy, canola, and cottonseed oil."

The AAEM's position paper on Genetically Modified foods can be found at http:aaemonline.org/gmopost.html.

AAEM is an international association of physicians and other professionals dedicated to addressing the clinical aspects of environmental health. More information is available at www.aaemonline.org.

-more-

About AAEM The American Academy of Environmental Medicine was founded in 1965, and is an international association of physicians and other professionals interested in the clinical aspects of humans and their environment. The Academy is interested in expanding the knowledge of interactions between human individuals and their environment, as these may be demonstrated to be reflected in their total health. The AAEM provides research and education in the recognition, treatment and prevention of illnesses induced by exposures to biological and chemical agents encountered in air, food and water. ###

NSW Northern Rivers flood information updates 23.05.09

Photo of the Clarence River at Grafton from The Daily Examiner

Latest river heights courtesy of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Issued at 5.15am on Saturday, 23 May 2009:

Lower Clarence River
Clarence R at Lilydale 4.30am Sat 17.16 falling Plot Table
Orara R at Karangi 4.30am Sat 2.71 rising Plot Table
Orara R at Glenreagh** 4.30am Sat 10.41 falling moderate Plot Table
Orara R at Bawden Bridge** 4.30am Sat 17.92 rising Plot Table
Clarence R at Rogans Br. 3.30pm Fri 12.92 rising Plot Table
Clarence R at Grafton (Prince St) 4.00am Sat 7.36 rising major Plot Table
Clarence R at Ulmarra 4.30am Sat 5.74 rising major Plot Table
Clarence R at Brushgrove 4.30am Sat 4.64 rising moderate Plot Table
Coldstream R at Tyndale 4.30am Sat 4.34 steady Plot Table
Clarence R at Maclean 4.30am Sat 2.83 rising major Plot Table
Clarence R at Palmers Channel 3.30pm Fri 1.12 steady Plot Table
Clarence R at Yamba 8.30pm Fri 2.03 falling Plot Table

Wooli River
Wooli R at Caravan Park 4.56am Sat 0.90 rising Plot Table
Wooli R at Entrance 12.00pm Fri 0.27 rising Plot Table
Woolgoolga Ck at Woolgoolga 4.00am Sat 0.75 steady Plot Table

River heights for the Tweed, Richmond and Upper Clarence areas here.

Predicted River Heights/Flows:
Grafton - peaking near 7.3 metres with major flooding- remain above major flood level over the weekend
Ulmarra - peak near 5.8 metres around 5 am (23/05/09) with major flooding
Maclean - peak near 3.2 metres around 6 pm (23/05/09) with major flooding coinciding with the high tide.

Road closures in the Clarence Valley here.

Latest weather warnings for the New South Wales here.

Photograph of the Lismore district from The Northern Star

Splendour in the Grass, Belongil Fields Byron Bay, 25-26 July 2009

Splendour In the Grass is an annual music, arts and youth culture event which has taken place on the outskirts of Byron Bay each July/August since 2001.

As well as the latest and best in music from Australia and overseas, the festival also features local arts and crafts, creative performance and cuisine.

The festival is on the top of most discerning Australian music fan's wish-lists of must-go Festivals, which combined with the event's relatively small capacity compared to many of the summer festivals, results in feverish activity on the day tickets go on sale. This year's festival will be the eighth Splendour In the Grass. The two-day event accommodates 17,500 people and has sold out in advance in each year of its existence, often within hours of going on sale – all tickets to last year's festival were snapped up in just 5 hours, while the preceding three years' events sold out in a little over a day.

Many who attend choose to immerse themselves in the full 'Splendour experience' by taking advantage of the on-site camping adjacent to the festival site. Campers set up their tents right outside the festival gates and quickly establish their own Splendour village for the weekend.

For all things splendid and ticket info go here. Camping and event tickets have sold out.
If you missed out on tickets ... don't despair, we’ve got some news that will cheer you up. From 9.00am June 15th those who bought Splendour in the Grass tickets but can no longer attend will have the option to offer them for re-sale (less booking and admin fees) via www.qjump.com.au so that those who didn’t secure a ticket in the general release have a chance to grab one. For more info on this re-sale option, head to www.splendourinthegrass.com/faqs. We also have a number of sideshows happening this July, with more to be announced over the coming weeks.

A little weekend pollie trivia....

Last time I looked (was about Wednesday) over at Twitter KevinRuddPM had 44,443 followers (181 updates) and TurnbullMalcolm had 10,301 followers (481 updates).
Sorta like the opinion polls isn't it?

Clarence River flooding 22.05.09

ABC North Coast Radio today:

Thousands of residents in northern New South Wales have been asked to evacuate, as the Clarence and Wilson Rivers threaten to flood surrounding towns.

At least 9,000 Grafton residents have been told to leave, with the town predicted to flood tonight.

However, there are differing reports about the number of residents being asked to evacuate, with the SES putting the figure at about 20,000.

Residents in villages north of Grafton around the Lower Clarence River have also been told to evacuate.

Earlier, more than 5,000 people left the city of Lismore over concerns the Wilsons River would peak.

SES spokesman Dave Mackey says the Clarence River in Grafton could reach 7.8 metres about midnight.

"Given the fact that we've had so much rainfall and it doesn't seem to be letting up too much, that prediction of 7.8 is very close to [the] levee overtopping," he said.

"At this stage we do not believe it is worth waiting until dark to make a call for an evacuation.

"This height water is below the levee but the following areas will be inundated: the town of Grafton and low-lying areas of South Grafton, except for Bent Street Hill and the high ground to the Armidale Road.

"Residents and business owners in Grafton and the lower parts of South Grafton are to activate their personal and business flood plans and evacuate as soon as possible."

Mr Mackey says an evacuation coordination centre has been established at the Coffs Harbour Showground.

He says residents who are able to drive themselves out should head south on the Pacific Highway.

Mr Mackey says residents in Grafton can expect the worst if the towns get flooded.

"Power supplies will need to be shut down. Telephone services will fail, which means people will not be able to call for help," he said.

"Sewerage facilities will fail with raw sewage possibly entering houses. Roads will become flooded and vehicle movement will be restricted."

Ulmarra and Brushgrove residents have also been ordered to evacuate.

The Pacific Highway is cut by water at Maclean and the only road inland from Yamba is cut by water.

The Wilsons River is beginning to recede, but Lismore residents cannot access their homes and businesses yet.

The Tweed, Byron Bay, Ballina, Lismore, Kyogle and the Clarence Valley local government areas have all been declared disaster areas by the NSW Government.