Oi, Tony! Whatever happened to "No comment until I have appropriate details."

Tony Windsor is turning out to be a very ordinary pollie.
After telling us all he wouldn't comment until he had all the details on legislation, policy or proposals, he's one of the first out the gate talking up water diversion into the Murray-Darling from other regions so that his constituents can fly in the face of the Basin Plan and continue their collective grossly unsustainable use of river and ground water in the face of the Basin Plan proposed guidelines.
No-one in the Northern Rivers is fooled by his clumsy artifice in this hypothetical query; "is it possible to repatriate that water to neutralise the effect of climate change in the Murray-Darling system by bringing water in?"
We all know bl**dy well which river his home ground voters will be opting for - our coastal Clarence River.
The same river which is salt for much of its course to the sea and you can walk across in dry times up where the fresh water flows.
A bloke doesn't have to look to undeveloped countries to find people willing to rape healthy rivers - all he has to do these days is look over the Great Dividing Range!

Another Yamba 'local' sports star hits the big time

In keeping with the long-established tradition local media has of playing the 'local' ace card any time anyone who can be tracked via a long distance connection to the local area (even if, for example, it has to be via a second cousin five times removed) this blog is only too happy to claim the boyfriend of Donna Urquhart, who won a bronze medal in squash at the Delhi Games, as a 'local'.

Urquhart's boyfriend, Van Humphries, has been named in the 36-man Wallabies squad for their tour of Hong Kong and Europe.

Unfortunately, another local, young Kane Douglas, who has rocketed to prominence in Australian rugby and has just completed what can only be described as a hell-of-a-ride in 2010, didn't make the cut and isn't in the touring squad. Douglas, who popped up this year via Sydney's Southern Districts, first appeared on the Waratahs' bench but soon became a fixture in their run-on side.

Yamba's Cameron Pilley wins gold in Delhi

Yamba's Cameron Pilley and Taree's Kasey Brown have won gold in the mixed doubles squash competition at the Delhi Comonwealth Games. Pilley and Brown downed Kiwis Joelle King and Martin Knight 8-11, 11-7, 11-5.

The Age reported:  
The Australians appeared in trouble during an attritional opening game that went the way of the New Zealanders, but their superior agility and court movement eventually turned momentum their way. Pilley and Brown, both of whom had won bronze in earlier matches yesterday, clawed back from 3-0 down to win the second game, and breezed through the final game 11-5 to complete a forgettable afternoon for New Zealand in Delhi.

''We both played two matches today and we didn't lose,'' Pilley said. ''That's all we can do.''

Added Brown: ''It's very tiring. Your arm gets pretty sore. I think I've hit about a million forehands over the last four days. You get stiff, but I think doubles is more of a mental game … Physically it's different to singles.''

 Victory to Pilley and Brown may have bolstered Australia's lead atop the gold medal standings, but the team is on track to record its worst haul at the Commonwealth Games in 20 years. Australian teams have claimed in excess of 80 gold medals in each of their past four campaigns and, with just one day of competition remaining, they are guaranteed to fall short of that standard.

 Earlier, Brown and Donna Urquhart (also of Yamba) won bronze in an all-Australian third-place women's doubles play-off against Lisa Camilleri and Amelia Pittock. Pilley and Ryan Cuskelly also claimed bronze in the men's doubles over Scotland.

I've been filtered? Oh, that hurts!

Around the time Communications Minister Stephen Conroy began to tell Australia that the big ISPs were voluntarily filtering out net nasties I discovered I could no longer bring up a number of websites on the Internet at home, including the news aggregate site Kwoff.
Similarly The Political Sword was off the home viewing menu.
I did not connect these events and went hunting through my PC looking for what turned out to be a non-existent bug.
Because when I eventually changed my ISP to take advantage of better rates (leaving all my original operating and security systems intact) I suddenly found that all those sites which had been bringing up error and connection problem notices (and the odd verboten!) were once more accessible.
So what has been going on up in Dodo Land that innocuous web addresses are on some sort of voluntary black list?

Not A Paedo
Grafton

If you thought the 2010 federal election campaign was lacklustre & media reporting ordinary - wait until you see what this ballot cost voters

Apparently Australian taxpayers spent over $53 million electing a minority government. Are we getting value for money so far from this Government and its Loyal Opposition?

From an Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) 13 October 2010 media release:

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has authorised the second and final payment to political parties and candidates for votes received at the 2010 federal election.

The final payment is $752,094, bringing the total to $53,163,385.

Payment is made in two stages, with the first stage based on the number of votes counted as at the 20th day after election day. This first stage payment was announced in an AEC media release of 20 September. The second payment is the remainder due once vote counting is finalised.

Payments are calculated using an indexed sum per first preference vote. At the 2010 federal election, each first preference vote was worth 231.191 cents.

In order to obtain election funding a candidate must obtain at least four per cent of the first preference vote.

At the 2007 federal election, a total of $49,002,639 was paid. The funding rate for the 2007 federal election was 210.027 cents per vote.

Following on page two is a breakdown of the election funding for the 2010 federal election.

Election results are available from the AEC's Virtual Tally Room.

Final Election Funding Payments Summary, 21 August 2010 Federal Election
Click on table to enlarge






















And that is without adding the AEC's costs.

A priceless piece of hypocritical copy

An anonymous Townville Bulletin journo criticizing anonymous bloggers..........

"WHEN reporter James Massola "outed" an anonymous blogger in The Australian newspaper last week, he received death threats and a torrent of personal abuse.

How dare someone in the mainstream media name one of these increasingly puerile bloggers, self-appointed guardians of righteousness and all that is wrong about society and, in particular, newspapers.

Grogs Gamut was named as a Canberra public servant and the reaction from his mates was as predictable as it was boring.

Those who hide under the veil of anonymity, taking cheap shots to satisfy their trendy social agenda, don't like it when they are thrust into the real world."

Hat tip to Blogging Townville's Anon and proud if it: Part 2.

Now don't tell me - I bet he's a mate of James Massola!

From a Guardian U.K. journalist with nothing better to do that day than report on the musings of this nong:

"Andrew Marr, has dismissed bloggers as "inadequate, pimpled and single", and citizen journalism as the "spewings and rantings of very drunk people late at night".

Marr, the BBC's former political editor who now presents BBC1's flagship Sunday morning show, said: "Most citizen journalism strikes me as nothing to do with journalism at all.

"A lot of bloggers seem to be socially inadequate, pimpled, single, slightly seedy, bald, cauliflower-nosed young men sitting in their mother's basements and ranting. They are very angry people," he told the Cheltenham Literary Festival. "OK – the country is full of very angry people. Many of us are angry people at times. Some of us are angry and drunk".

"But the so-called citizen journalism is the spewings and rantings of very drunk people late at night.

"It is fantastic at times but it is not going to replace journalism."

Marohasy confirms she's a AGW denier and tries to stack Q&A with rehearsed audience

This I just gotta quote in full from Jennifer Marohasy's blog on the 12th October.............

"I should probably be flattered to be invited on to the popular ABC TV program Q&A as a panelist. But why is the promo for the program next Monday advertising Tim Flannery as 'scientist' and me as 'climate sceptic'?

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/

Tony Jones could refer to us both as 'scientists'. Alternatively the promo could suggest Tim is an 'alarmist' and me the 'denier'.

I am not even a climate sceptic… but rather sceptical of what was the consensus position on anthropogenic global warming.

Anyway, it would be good if there were a few other so-called climate change sceptics at the event… and also some people who don't believe more water for South Australia will necessarily solve all the environmental problems of the Murray Darling Basin. So, I am encouraging readers of this blog to try for a place in the studio audience next Monday by applying here: http://www2b.abc.net.au/AudienceBooking/Client/AudienceRegistration.aspx
And you can send in questions via email using this link http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/ask.htm

Also, the annual Australian Environment Foundation Conference is this Saturday at Rydges in Brisbane. Max Rheese is organising a Q&A session at the Conference dinner on Saturday night, to give me some practice in advance of Monday, October 18th. Apparently there will be a 'Tony Jones' at the dinner and through him you can ask me questions. It should be a lot of fun. You can register here: http://aefweb.info/ "

Drums are beating out a warning along the length of the Clarence River that the Liberal-National Coalition is fronting a raid on coastal water in 2010

Clarence River photograph found at Flickr

During the federal election campaign earlier this year the Nationals leader and one local candidate went to some pains (as did the NSW Nationals MP for Clarence) to deny that the Liberal-Nationals Coalition was still determined to push for a large dam and pipeline in the Clarence River catchment area which would divert water into north-west New South Wales and the Murray-Darling Basin river system.

However, Tony Abbott had already let the cat out of the bag at the Official Coalition Election Campaign Launch on 8 August 2010 when he stated:

The Coalition will end Labor's procrastination and fully and finally implement the Howard/Turnbull/Anderson plan for the Murray Darling basin.

The tail end of that particular 'plan' contained the option of damming and diverting a NSW North Coast river, with frequent mention being made of the Clarence River.

Since it became apparent that the Gillard Government would only be able to govern courtesy of the wandering goodwill of independent members of parliament, I have been waiting to hear that the Federal Opposition was intent on flexing its muscle and preparing to act as a sock puppet for those water raiders of 2006 to 2007 - the irrigators, property developers, mine owners, energy companies and groups within the Murray Darling Association who want cheap water at the expense of Northern Rivers communities.

I didn't have long to wait once blind panic set in concerning possible loss of water entitlements under the proposed Murray Darling Basin Plan. It is no accident that the NSW Irrigators Council is taking an active role in opposing this plan.

The drums are now beginning to beat out a warning that the raiders have gathered once again behind the Opposition banner to pursue the divine right of kings to pillage and plunder.

Presumably the rationale for public consumption will be that coastal river diversion will ease pressure on the Murray Darling system and therefore existing water entitlements in the Basin will not have to be drastically cut in the New South Wales region.

So to those New South Wales and Federal MPs of all political persuasions who may be entertaining the idea that robbing one fragile river system to support continued unsustainable water use in a long-abused river system elsewhere; I say "Hands off our river, our environment, our cultural and aesthetic values, our local economy, our communities, our wellbeing and our children's future."

Otherwise Clarence Valley residents are very likely to declare all out war - both standing on the riverbank and lining up at the ballot box.

For a potted history of the 2006-07 campaign to save the mighty Clarence go to A Clarence Valley Protest.

UPDATE:

The Daily Examiner sounds a warning on 12 October 2010:

In the Clarence we need to be vigilant to protect our river system from those who believe a diversion of the Clarence will save the Murray Darling.
Killing the Clarence to protect another river system would simply add to the destruction.

NRMA in 2010: how not to win friends and influence people in Yamba

McDonald's fast food outlet in Yamba under construction in October 2010

It has to be said that the NRMA office in Yamba enjoys a solid reputation with locals for efficient service delivered with a smile.

So one has to wonder who in that office made the decision to handout promotional McCafe vouchers to customers, whilst up the other end of this small coastal town the much loathed architectural nightmare of a pre-fabricated industrial strength McDonald's fast food outlet is nearing completion.

The strong feelings in relation to this McDonald's Australia inappropriate development continue and, I know of one resident who is seriously considering pulling their NRMA policies when these come up for renewal in the next couple of months.

We'll all be rooned!

Even before the Murray Darling Basin Plan was released or widely read last week (in an Australia which currently has a population of 22 million plus and produces food for around 50-70 million people annually) the doomsayers were bellowing across the land, and as usual the Oz meeja were happy to give them column space......

Water cuts would lead to riots: warning Sydney Morning Herald 7th October 2010

Jobs, farms to be hit under river plan Sydney Morning Herald 7th October 2010

'Huge cost' in returning water to Murray The Australian 7th October 2010

Plan will 'save river, kill towns' The Australian 8th October 2010

The water fight The Australian 10th October 2010

Cities will suffer from Murray-Darling cuts‎ ABC Online 10th October 2010

Not to be outdone the rightwing pollies joined in......

Murray Darling Basin plan rewards the inefficient: Nick Xenophon Adelaide Now 8th October 2010

The plan will destroy communities, said the opposition's water resources spokesman, Barnaby Joyce. ''The ultimate goal of a plan such as this seems to be that we wish our nation to be fed by somebody else,'' he said. Sydney Morning Herald 9th October 2010

BOB KATTER, INDEPENDENT MP: We will now be a very, very big net importer of food. We will be one of the very few countries in the world that will be a large net importer of food. The Insiders 10th October 2010

DANNY O'BRIEN FARMERS FEDERATION (to press): The plan that's been released today would be a dagger to the heart of regional Australia. The Insiders 10th October 2010

And of course a perennial climate change sceptic/lobbyist added her tuppence worth......

The Murray Darling Basin Authority released a 'Guide to the Proposed Basin Plan' yesterday which had been touted as an independent scientific report. My impression of the document, however, is that it is an audacious grab for more water based on popular myths....there is enough water in the MDB anyway – no need to take water from anyone. Jennifer Marohasy 9th October 2010

Well this little wood duck's response is straightforward. For generations we've been robbing the environment of water it could ill-afford to lose and (town or country) we've all been complicit in ignoring what farmers and primary industries have been doing in the Murray Darling Basin. Now it's time to pay the piper, suck up the pain and give that water back in big measure.

How to keep the shareholders quiet, but not necessarily happy

CBD, a column in The Sydney Morning Herald's BusinessDay, reported on Friday:

Mirvac Group has come up with what appears to be a cunning plan to silence debate at its annual meeting.

The property group dispatched its invitation for the meeting yesterday, which will be held in Brisbane at 10am on November 11.

One wonders if the shareholders should be able to start discussing the third resolution, the remuneration report, about the one-hour mark, when the nation has a moment's silence for Remembrance Day.

and

The copper explorer Cudeco has found another way, whether intentional or not, to dampen debate at its annual meeting.

Cudeco announced yesterday that it planned to hold its meeting in the easily accessible Cloncurry Shire Hall on November 30.

The company headed by Wayne McCrae usually holds its annual meeting on the Gold Coast. Cudeco has been feeling the heat recently for its tardy release of a hugely disappointing resource update on its Rocklands tenement and decision to buy back a swag of shares before its share plunge.

Unlike the last time it held its annual meeting in Cloncurry, Cudeco is yet to provide a list of local car hire companies, and hotels in Cloncurry and Mount Isa. It previously listed its preferred hotels in Cloncurry as the Wagon Wheel Motel and The Coyote Inn.

However, CBD failed to mention the ever-so clever strategy employed by NRMA and its "step-sister" IAG to keep some of their folk quiet.

By some magic stroke of coincidence, NRMA and IAG managed to convene their annual meetings at exactly the same time. Yes, NRMA is calling its members together at 10.00am on Wednesday 27th October and IAG is having its annual get-together at precisely the same time. How convenient!

NRMA's event, which has a big program that's dominated by an item of special business that will see its current constitution thrown out and replaced lock-stock-n-barrel by a new one, is being held in down-town Wollongong while the ugly step-sister, IAG, is having its shindig in Sydney.

Those arrangements obviously suit the teams running the shows but overlook the shareholders and members of the organisations who want to attend both events and voice their views about what's going on.

What does ASIC have to say about this?

Public relations Telstra-style falls flat with customer

A NSW North Coast reader sent this letter on to me with a wry observation about "a caring and compassionate Telstra".

I am astounded at what can only be described as the arrogance of this national telecommunications giant asserting in the letter that "we will look at what we can do to support our Grafton staff to find alternative jobs" - when around 180 local people will be looking for work in a region where unemployment runs well above the national and state average and an individual is likely to be out of work for at least a year before finding regular employment (usually on a casual or part-time basis).

This is a recent Keep Australia Working Regional Employment Plan assessment of prospects in the Richmond-Tweed and Clarence Valley:

In April 2010, the unemployment rate for the priority employment area was 8.1 per cent, higher than the April seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate of 5.4 per cent. Moreover, the youth unemployment rate for the same period was 12.7 per cent, compared with the national average of 11.7 per cent.
The participation rate in the region has decreased to 51.1 per cent as of April 2010, well below the national average of 65.4 per cent.
The average unemployment duration for job seekers in this region is longer than the national average (43 weeks compared with 34 weeks nationally). This represents a significant barrier to employment given factors such as loss of skills and motivation. The region is also characterised by well‐below‐average levels of educational attainment.

Transcript of the TELSTRA letter:

7th October 2010

Telstra Country Wide
North Coast NSW

[Name and address redacted for privacy reasons]

Thank you for your letter regarding Telstra's call centre consolidation and the potential impacts in Grafton and the Clarence Valley. I appreciate your concern for our staff and the community.

There is never a good time for such decisions and they are never easy. Please be assured that Telstra has taken into consideration feedback from affected employees and acknowledges the representations made by the community.

Like any organisation, Telstra must continue to make changes to remain competitive in a fast-changing market. Nonetheless, Telstra will continue to maintain a local presence in Grafton and the wider North Coast region in Telstra Country Wide, through our field workforce, and in our business and retail stores.

Over coming weeks, we will look at what we can do to support our Grafton staff to find alternative jobs. We will also support our people throughout the process with access to our employee assistance program and relocation assistance. Redundancy packages are also available and are among the most generous offered in Australia.

I hope that this explanation will go some way to reassuring you that we have explored every option in looking to continue our business call centre presence in Grafton before making a final decision.

Sincerely,

Michael Sharpe

General Manager

Telstra Country Wide

Michael.Sharpe@team.telstra.com

TELSTA CORPORATION LIMITED (ABN 33 OSI 775 556) I P.O. Box 1123 Lismore NSW 2480 P 1800 687 8291