Parts of the town of Maclean on the Clarence River are subject to an evacuation warning order

A 3.2 metre flood peak is now expected to pass through Maclean at approximately 7a.m. this morning, Thursday 13 January 2011, and this SES advisory is still active:

Flood Evacuation Warning for Low Lying Areas of Maclean

Authorised By: Caroline Ortel – Operations Controller - 12 January 2011, 6:32pm

The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted that the Clarence River will peak at Maclean near 3.2 metres tomorrow (Thursday 13 January) morning. The State Emergency Service recommends that residents within the low lying areas of Maclean in River Street, McLachlan Street, John Street, Iona Close, Howard Street, Argyle Street, Bakers Lane, Rannoch Street, Dwartes Lane, Rush Lane, Hogues Lane and Central Avenue should be prepared to evacuate in the next 12 hours.

Residents should monitor the situation and be prepared to evacuate if instructed to do so. A Flood Evacuation Order will be issued by the SES if evacuation is required.

An evacuation centre will be established at Maclean Showground Pavilion where you can obtain temporary accommodation and other help. Alternatively you can also choose to go to friends or relatives.

To prepare for possible evacuation you should:

•Raise belongings by placing them on tables, beds and benches. Put electrical items on top. You may be able to place light weight items in the roof space.
•Collect together medicines, personal and financial documents, mementos and photos
•If possible, check to see if your neighbours need help
•Make arrangements for care of pets or other animals, or take your pets with you when you evacuate
•Be prepared to take three days’ supply of clothing and medicines
•Find out where to turn off the electricity and gas
•Continue to listen to a local radio station for updates
Don’t walk ride or drive through floodwaters – this is the main cause of death and injury during floods

For emergency assistance telephone the SES on 132 500

Web site: www.ses.nsw.gov.au

Mark Bellamy's most recent flood photos here.

UPDATE:

Flood peak passed through Maclean early this morning at approximately 0.6m below levee height so evacuation warning was withdrawn.

Peak passed though Yamba without incident during a low-tide period, but the town is still cut-off. Clarence Valley Council has opened a temporary 'base' in Treelands Drive Community Centre, Yamba, Ph: 6643.0200

Australia - not loving it at the moment

Sure we’ll all love this Dorothy Mackellar poem again in about a month’s time.

The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die -
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold -
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land -
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand -
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

Waterlogged from Grafton NSW

The NSW North Coast in flood pictures this week

Images top to bottom:
NSW Premier's helicopter inspecting the Clarence Valley
Grafton Bridge over the Clarence River
Lavender Bridge, Bellingen Valley
View from Tabulam Bridge, Clarence Valley
Tabulam SES workers
Clarence Sailing Club, Grafton
Ferry Park, Maclean
Orara River, Clarence Valley catchment

From photogalleries of the Northern Star, ABC News, Northern Rivers Echo, Jane Beeby at Flickr and ratis 100.

Flood information on the NSW North Coast - Wednesday 12 January 2011

ABC News photograph of the Wilsons River

The Pacific and New England and Bruxner highways will be cut in places today, so check at Regional Road Information before intending to travel.

Ulmarra, Cowper and Brushgrove in the Clarence Valley have been alerted by public broadcast to the possibility that residents may need to evacuate some time today. All residents are asked to inform family members before they evacuate.

The NSW Police have provided a phone number for Flood Information: 1800 227 228.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology advice issued at 4:46 am EDT this morning:

Rain has eased since 9pm Monday night [11/01/11].

The Clarence River at Grafton was 7.28 metres and rising slowly at 4am Wednesday [12/01/11] with major flooding.

Overnight there have been renewed river rises in the Upper Clarence Valley. At 4am this morning, the main flood waters are near Baryulgil. Grafton is expected to peak tonight, with Major Flooding.

Predicted River Heights/Flows:

Grafton

- Peak near 7.6 metres around 9pm Wednesday [12/01/11] with major flooding.

Ulmarra

- Peak near 5.9 metres around midnight Wednesday [12/01/11] with major flooding.

Maclean

- Peak near 3.2 metres Thursday morning [13/01/11] with major flooding.

FloodSafe advice is available at http://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/

For emergency assistance call the SES on telephone number 132 500.

For life threatening emergencies, call 000 immediately.

Weather Forecast:
For the latest weather forecast see www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/
Next Issue:
The next warning will be issued by 8:00am Wednesday [12/01/11]

Official river heights infromation for Tweed River Cudgen Creek Brunswick River Wilsons River Richmond River to Coraki Lower Richmond River Clarence River to Baryulgil Mann and Nymboida Rivers Lower Clarence River Wooli River.

Bellinger River flood warning

ABC North Coast Northern Rivers Flood Information

UPDATE:

The Daily Examiner Clarence Valley flood photos

SAFFIN URGES NORTHERN RIVERS PRODUCERS AND SMALL BUSINESSES TO APPLY FOR FLOOD ASSISTANCE GRANTS

Media Release 10 January 2011

Member for Page, Janelle Saffin is encouraging local primary producers and small businesses affected by recent flooding in the electorate of Page to contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority to see if they are eligible for flood recovery grants now available.

To be eligible, applicants need to show that 51 per cent of their income is derived from production – based on copies of their latest personal and business taxation returns, as well as satisfying other criteria.

A package of one-off “Category C Grants” – worth up to $15,000 – is available under the National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) provided jointly by Federal and NSW Governments.

Category C assistance will help primary producers with general clean up costs including the removal of debris and dead livestock, purchase of fodder, replacement trading stock, repairs to damaged equipment and property access – without which production and viability could be disrupted beyond the next season. It will help small businesses affected by flooding to conduct repairs and resume trading as soon as possible.

Category C assistance does not compensate for income losses and is not intended to replace insurance. It does not cover damage to dwellings, damages covered by insurance and cost of using own labour, existing staff or own equipment.

“A lot of producers and businesses in the region have been doing it extremely tough as a result of flooding,” Janelle Saffin said.

“For producers and farmers, crops have been destroyed and livestock has been lost.

“It’s clear that many small businesses have also suffered significant disruption to their businesses.

“This additional assistance is about helping farmers and businesses get back on their feet.

“These one-off grants will help minimise the economic impact of the floods in the affected communities and help people get back to business as quickly as possible.

“The Gillard Labor Government would continue to work with the NSW Government to provide as much support to NSW communities as we can as the recovery process continues.”

The new assistance for small business owners and primary producers is in addition to other joint Commonwealth/NSW Government assistance being provided under the NDRRA across affected Local Government Areas. That includes concessional loans of up to $130,000 for small businesses and primary producers; concessional loans of up to $25,000 for voluntary, non-profit organisations; road and rail freight subsidies of up to $15,000 to assist primary producers for the carriage of livestock and fodder; personal hardship and distress assistance; restoration of public infrastructure; and certain counter disaster operations.

Applications for assistance must be lodged to the NSW Rural Assistance Authority by Thursday 30 June, 2011.

For further information, or to apply for assistance under the Natural Disaster Community Recovery Package, call the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit www.raa.nsw.gov.au

Media Contact: Paul Gallagher 0403076120

My Blackberry Is Not Working!

Ta to Rod of Iluka for sending this classic link across……

Only in America! Example No. 1,000,000,000,001

From the War Room at Salon on 6 January 2010:

No, they didn't refuse to extradite some fugitive slaves. They just acted like duly elected Representatives without being sworn in!

The new Republican majority already committed a major boehner on the second day of the new Congress. Representatives Pete Sessions of Texas and Mike Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania were busy attending a fundraiser when all their colleagues were actually sworn in as members of Congress. So, whoops, they're not members yet. No biggies, right? Wrong! Because then they both showed up to work and cast some votes, in direct violation of our Constitution, which they then participated in the official reading of, on the floor of the House.

Sessions even chaired the Rules Committee while he wasn't a member, because in 2011, all jokes will officially write themselves.

Clarence Valley Mayor gives up on Yamba By-pass but councillors hold firm

The Clarence Valley Review
4 January 2011
Click on image to enlarge

Clarence Valley Council management has made yet another attempt to ditch the Yamba By-Pass plan put in place to relieve negative impacts on Yamba Road residents and road users generally.

The first few times abandonment was mooted staff wanted to sell land back to developers and this time environmental issues are cited.

Mayor Richie Williamson is traversing quicksand when he supports staff in this matter and it could be a real vote loser for him in March 2011, as most Yamba residents would have little faith in the designated land being effectively protected if the by-pass was permanently shelved.

Particularly as the by-pass land lies along the top of an area defined as 'West Yamba,' which is mostly owned by aggressive professional developers and was itself an area with considerable biodiversity/conservation values.

Local government has a long history of rolling over and playing dead for developers in Yamba and, this current set of councillors were the ones who finally forced the West Yamba 'green fields' urban development land release on a predominately unwilling community.

Gillard announces income assistance and Shorten tax assistance for 2011 flood victims

MEDIA RELEASE 10 January 2010:

Income recovery subsidy assistance to help those affected by the floods

The Gillard Labor Government today announced that it will provide additional support for employees, small businesses and farmers who have lost income as a direct result of the floods crisis.

Currently, over 150 Local Government Areas across Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, New South Wales and South Australia have been declared natural disaster zones as a result of flooding and severe weather conditions since November last year.

The Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy is a fortnightly payment of up to the maximum rate of existing Newstart Allowance for a period of 13 weeks. The subsidy will be available to those who have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of the flooding and are not currently receiving, or eligible for, any other income support payment.

The floodwaters and storms have hit people's livelihoods and made it difficult for people to continue their everyday lives - including going to work or operating their small businesses.

With such significant and widespread disruption to businesses and their employees, it is clearly in the national interest to provide support to those who have temporarily lost their income as a direct result of the flooding, as well as maximise the chance that local businesses will be able to retain their labour force for the eventual resumption of normal business.

The Commonwealth Government will support these people who have been unable to work through no fault of their own.

Employees, small businesses and farmers who reside or derive an income from disaster declared areas in these States will be eligible to claim the Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy should they fulfil the criteria.

Centrelink will start processing claims for the Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy immediately and first payments are expected to begin rolling out early next week.

This additional support is the latest in the range of assistance provided by the Australian Government for people affected by floods or severe storms in affected areas.

The Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy is in addition to the Australian Government's ongoing assistance to individuals, state and local Governments in the flood and severe weather affected areas across Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia.

For more information or to claim the Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy, people should contact the Australian Government Emergency Information line on 180 22 66 to register their details.

MEDIA RELEASE 6 January 2011:

Tax Assistance for Flood Assistance

Flood victims in Queensland can get their tax payments deferred and refunds fast-tracked after the Government announced a series of measures to make things a little easier for people dealing with the devastation of the worst floods in recent memory.

Assistant Treasurer, Bill Shorten, said today "The Queensland floods have been devastating for thousands of Queensland families and businesses. As well as the range of support and payments the Commonwealth Government is providing, the Australian Taxation Office is implementing a range of support strategies for those affected by floods."

"Queenslanders who have lost their homes, businesses and livelihoods have bigger concerns than worrying about letters from the tax office, or getting their activity statements in on time."

"Anyone affected by the floods can simply contact the ATO and they will work with you to sort out your tax affairs, or give you enough time to deal with the effects of the floods before you have to worry about tax issues."

The ATO can provide the following services:

•Fast tracking refunds
•Providing people and businesses extra time to pay debts – without interest charges
•Giving extra time to meet activity statement, income tax and other lodgement obligations – without penalties
•Helping to reconstruct tax records where documents have been destroyed, and make reasonable estimates where necessary
•Assisting people if they are experiencing serious hardship.
"Businesses in particular are encouraged to take advantage of the offer of a free record reconstruction service, which can help put together replacement records for those lost in the floods," Mr Shorten said.

To request a free 'record reconstruction visit' register online at www.ato.gov.au/assistancevisit. Tick only the box for record reconstruction.

"The Gillard Government is determined to provide whatever assistance is necessary to people in need as a result of the Queensland floods crisis. This support by the ATO is one small but very real way we can make things just that little bit easier for people," Mr Shorten said.

The ATO has set up a dedicated emergency support info line – 1800 806 218 – or visit the website at http://www.ato.gov.au/.

HOWEVER the ATO is yet to confirm that this tax assistance also extends to victims of the 2011 floods in Northern New South Wales.

In case you thought Monsanto only produces genetically modified seed now

That wonderful biotech company Monsanto & Co, which helped bring forth the deadly Agent Orange before it decided to move on and attempt to commercially crowd out natural food crops world-wide, still produces herbicides/pesticides.

Lest you think that this is confined to the well-known Round Up - here is one new product announced in 2010:

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 2, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) announced it has received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the sales of a new formulation of acetochlor for early post-emergence use in cotton and soybeans. The product will be marketed as MON 63410 Herbicide for the 2010 growing season.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this herbicide has been classified as a probable human carcinogen and is considered dangerous in community water supplies at an annual concentration ≥ 2.0 ppb.

Monsanto & Co. has been partly owned by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation since at least 2008 and if The Guardian newspaper is to be believed the foundation increased its shareholdings in 2010.

* This post is part of North Coast Voices' effort to keep Monsanto's blog monitor (affectionately known as Mr. Monsanto) in long-term employment.

Image from Infowars Ireland

NSW North Coast: more rain in saturated catchments expected today

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for flash flooding in the Northern Rivers and Northern Tablelands at 4:23 am EDT on Monday 10 January 2011:

A high near New Zealand is maintaining a humid east to northeasterly airstream across New South Wales. A trough off the southern Queensland coast is creating enhanced rainfall, which is forecast to move into northeast New South Wales during Monday.

Rain and thunderstorms, which may lead to flash flooding, are forecast for the Northern Rivers forecast district and northern parts of the Northern Tablelands forecast district during Monday.

The State Emergency Service advises that people should:

Don't drive, ride or walk through flood water.
Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
For emergency help in floods and storms, ring your local SES Unit on 132 500.

The next warning will be issued by 11:00 am EDT Monday.

ABC News reminds that:

A flood watch remains in place for the Tweed, Brunswick, Richmond/Wilsons, Clarence and Bellinger River Valleys.

The above catchments are wet from recent rain so there is a higher than 70 per cent chance of local and main river flooding developing.

The SES is preparing for level three flood operations which is a major flood event.

This flood watch means that people living or working along rivers and streams must monitor the latest weather forecasts and warnings and be ready to move to higher ground should flooding develop.........

Flood Warnings will be reissued when sufficient rain has fallen to raise river levels above minor flood level at forecast locations.

Remember to never drive, ride or walk through floodwater and keep listening to ABC Local Radio, your emergency services broadcaster.

SES FloodSafe information

Americans more interested in UFOs than in Wikileaks saga?

With official U.S. Government angst on public display over Wikileaks release of Cablegate material, the Dept of Justice out for blood and both American politicians and some news commentators calling for Julian Assange's head, one has to wonder whether the average person in that country is even mildly interested in this ongoing saga.

Here are some Google Trends snapshots covering all of 2010, which indicate that perhaps (in cyberspace at least) Americans have a more sustained interest in alien life forms than in who obtains and publishes copies of U.S. diplomatic cables.

A Tale of Two Images

A paid notice by John X Berlin
The Clarence Valley Review,
4 January 2011 issue, Page 38

Image accompanying The Daily Examiner article
Berlin in court on new charges
8 January 2011 online issue