Puzzled from Ballina writes.....

Why is Joe Hockey crowing about delivering "budgets with less debt, less deficit and more jobs" when the bookies are still backing Labor to win at the next federal election and the latest Newspoll looks like this?
Even if all the uncommitted suddenly went to Turnbull, more voters would still think that he'd wouldn't make a good prime minister and probably wouldn't throw their vote in with the Libs. Perhaps Joe is hoping he'll replace Malcolm before too long and lead the party to glory.

PUZZLED
Ballina

* Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents. Email ncvguestpeak at live dot com dot au to submit comment for consideration.

A question for the NSW Government and Planning Minister Keneally concerning West Yamba

If Clarence Valley Council accepted a report which stated that the effects of ocean storm tides (predicted to increase due to climate change) might be felt around 16kms inland from the coast as the crow flies, why would anyone seriously consider placing another 2,000 - 2,500 people within 2kms of the coast on flood storage land at West Yamba?

Flooding in the Lower Valley is subject to influence from the ocean. Ocean storm tide consists of three components: normal astronomic tide, storm surge and wave set-up.....
This will have greatest impact on the coastal communities at Yamba and Iluka, and may also have a secondary influence on flood behaviour up to about Maclean, especially for more frequent events such as the 5 year flood.
[GRAFTON AND LOWER CLARENCE FLOODPLAIN RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN, June 2007]

Mid-North Coast producer wins gold medal in 2009 Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards

News Space reported this month on the 2009 Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards:

The complete list of winners and medallists were:

• WINNER: FROM THE DAIRY - HOLY GOAT LA LUNA, VIC
• MEDALLISTS: Woodside Cheese Wrights (SA), Ballycroft Barossa Artisan Cheese (SA), Bruny Island Cheese Co (Tas), John Bignall Tasmanian Highland Cheese (Tas), Meredith Dairy (Vic).
• WINNER: FROM THE EARTH - DAYLESFORD ORGANICS HEIRLOOM VEGETABLES, VIC
• MEDALLISTS: Cuttaway Creek raspberry vinegar (NSW), Darling Mills Farm herbs and salad leaves (NSW), Bunnyconnellen olive products (Qld), Bauer's Organic Farm sweetcorn (Qld), The Australian Caper Company (SA), Joseph olive oil (SA), Ashbolt olive oil and elderberry products (Tas), Frogmore Creek garlic (Tas), Lentara Grove olive oil (Tas), Murray River Salt (Vic), Thorogoods Cider (SA).
  
• JOINT WINNERS: FROM THE SEA - PRISTINE OYSTER FARM, SA AND SPANNER CRABS NOOSA, QLD
• MEDALLISTS: Ferguson Australia lobster products (SA), Woodbridge Smokehouse Smoked Ocean Trout (Tas), Spring Bay Mussels (Tas).
  
• WINNER: FROM THE PADDOCK - WHITE ROCKS VEAL, WA
• MEDALLISTS: Papanui eggs (NSW), Redgate Farm Jurassic Quail (NSW), Macleay Valley Rabbits (NSW), Mayura Station wagyu (SA), Pure Suffolk Lamb (SA), Daylesford Organics eggs (Vic), Sher Wagyu (Vic), Blackmore Wagyu (Vic), Glenloth Free Range squab (Vic), Castricum Brothers lamb (Vic), Green Eggs (Vic).
• WINNER: PRODUCER OF THE YEAR - HOLY GOAT, VIC
• JOINT WINNERS: THE REGIONAL AWARD - DAYLESFORD MACEDON, VIC, AND ORANGE, NSW
• WINNER: FOODHERITAGE/SUSTAINABILITY AWARD - SPRING BAY MUSSELS, TAS
• WINNER: BEST NEW PRODUCT - REDGATE FARM JURASSIC QUAIL, NSW
• WINNER: CONSISTENTLY EXCELLENT PRODUCT - BLACKMORE WAGYU, VIC
• WINNER: OUTSTANDING SUPPLIER - AUSTRALIA ON A PLATE, NSW
• WINNER: OUTSTANDING USE OF REGIONAL PRODUCE BY A CHEF - DAN HUNTER, ROYAL MAIL HOTEL, VIC
• WINNER: OUTSTANDING FARMERS' MARKET - WILLUNGA, SA
• WINNER: THE MAGGIE BEER AWARD FOR AN OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO AUSTRALIAN FOOD - STEPHANIE ALEXANDER

Congratulations to Macleay Valley Rabbits on the NSW Mid-North Coast for coming away with a well-deserved gold medal this year.

Severe weather expected in NSW North Coast and SE Queensland, Wednesday 20 May 2009

Top Priority for Immediate Broadcast
NSW SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
Flash Flooding, Damaging Winds
For people in Northern Rivers
Issued at 12:55 pm on Tuesday 19 May 2009
Synoptic Situation: 12:00 noon EST Tuesday

HEAVY RAIN DEVELOPING OVER THE NORTHEAST OF NSW FROM WEDNESDAY.

A strong upper low will move across southern Queensland during the next few days. As it moves eastwards, this system will generate a strong surface trough off the southern Queensland and northern NSW coast.

Heavy rain and damaging winds are expected to develop over the Northern Rivers late on Wednesday. Flash flooding is likely and wind gusts in excess of 90 km/hr may occur.

A separate Flood Watch has been issued for coastal rivers from the Queensland border to Nambucca.

Heavy rain and high winds are then expected to extend southwards into the Mid North Coast and westwards into the Northern Tablelands during Thursday.
Waves will also increase with dangerous surf conditions likely.
Maintain a close watch on forecasts and warnings for these districts.
Emergency services advise you to keep clear of fallen power lines, stay indoors away from windows and keep children indoors.

Emergency services advise do not enter flood water. Stay well clear of creeks, storm drains and causeways.

Surf Life Saving Australia recommends that you stay out of the water and stay well away from surf-exposed areas.

For emergency help in floods and storms, ring the SES [NSW and ACT] on telephone number 132 500.

The next warning is due to be issued by 7:00 pm Tuesday

This warning is also available through TV and Radio broadcasts; the Bureau's website at http://www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 218. The Bureau and State Emergency Service would appreciate this warning being broadcast regularly.

Fiji Update: blogging from behind the palm curtain

From Raw Fiji News, 17 May 2009:

The European Union has reaffirmed its total opposition to the Fiji military's refusal to allow a return to democracy for at least another five years. One of the EU's commissioners says virtually all financial assistance to Fiji has been suspended.
Presenter: Sean Dorney, Australia Network's Pacific correspondent
Speaker: Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs .

Discombobulated Bubu scriptwrites on 15 May 2009:

Good evening people of Fiji.
The rate at which The most honirable, his elexensi, his majesti Common-dor LMAO, FFS, BDOE and OFB, Voreqe's Military shoes have to be replaced with new or rebuilt shoes varies widely under diverse climatic conditions.
(Sound of birds tweeting) ..... In the tropics of the SouthPacific, however, two pairs of shoes last, on the average, only five months, especially if the Commondore needs to run very fast down tapioka laden slopes under stress inducing mortar and gunfire..... (sound of heavy tweeting)
The replacement rate is not constant. It varies with the terrain, the weather and the type of warfare, and many other factors. It must be estimated before he and his loyalist troops even land on new territory such as in the hills of Naitasiri ... (sound of weeds tweeting) or on the porches of Methodist Churches or even within the confines of the Hot Bread Kitchen stores.

Luvei Viti: Children of Fiji, 15 May 2009:

Fiji Community & Friends of Fiji in Wellington were able to witness & enjoy the beautiful harmony by these school children who sang their hearts out last night. We cried silent tears as we soaked in the sweetness of their voices knowing well that our beloved Homeland Fiji is in dire strait.

Intelligentsiya home page:

Heroes Roll Call

1) Mr Edwin Nand - Released 15/4/09, mid-morning
2) Mr Dorsami Naidu - Released 15/4/09, mid-afternoon
3) Mr Kavai Damu - Detained 5pm 15/4/09, Released 6:30pm 15/04/09
4) Mr Pita Ligaula - Detained 2pm 16/4/09, Released midday 17/04/09
5) Mr Shelvin Chand - Detained 9/5/09, Released 11/5/09
6) Dionisia Turagabeci - Detained 9/5/09, Released 11/5/09
7) Theresa Ralogaivau - Detained 14/5/09, Released 14/5/09

Fiji Silenced, 14 May 2009:

Fiji Today on May 17 2009:

I am in the IT industry in Suva and spend most of my installing or maintaining company computer systems.
Yesterday I detected an unknown program operating on a system in an Internet Cafe. I copied the OS files but as they were encoded I was unable to ascertain their purpose.
I posted this segment of code on an international industry chat room and asked "What is it?"
The reply came from the author of the program that it was a "Keystroke" program designed to record all keystrokes on the computer and when "Pinged" from the outside to pass on all sites visited, usernames, times and passwords.
He is confident that his program has not currently been detected by virus software so will still be active. He has sold over 300 copies of the program at $US 2500 per copy. The sales are mainly to large companies or Spooks in various Governments. He offered this information in exchange for how I had detected it. He intends to rewrite the code so it is better hidden in the future versions.
Warning: Everything you type into any computer in a Fiji Internet Cafe can be viewed later by the Military. Do not do anything that requires you to use a password. If you have done so change your password immediatly.
I suspect this may be the reason that several blog sites were hacked and killed in the past.

Oi Turnbull! Please explain that debt and deficit again

Everytime I turn on the teev or radio I hear Truffles Turnbull banging on about debt and deficit.
He expresses horror at a national budget deficit predicted to run at around 4.9% of Gross Domestic Product this financial year and net debt reaching 13.8% by 2014.
He talks about the Rudd Government leaving a huge debt that generations to come will be paying back.
Truffles pulls a solemn face, puts his hand over his heart and promises the Coalition will do better if elected in 2010.
It really browns me off that he obviously thinks that nobody will be bothered to take a squiz at past government debt.
A history of public debt in Australia gives a more balanced view of Australia's debt record than Truffles.
It clearly shows that Australia carried considerable public debt right through the colonial era and went into Federation in a year which saw gross national debt reach 100% of GDP.
It also shows Australia managed to pay back huge World War One, Great Depression and World War Two debts (in relation to GDP) across the same two generations.
And our ability to recover is fairly consistent if you look at all the figures.

It's nice to be recession proof at the top of the political pile and looking down

On the basis that a cat can look at a king and form its own opinion - here is a little financial data.

US President Barack Obama receives $400,000 in annual salary and non-taxable expense accounts totalling $169,000.
On retirement he will receive at least $191,300 annually as a presidential pension.
He lodged his 2008 Public Financial Disclosure on 15 May 2009.
The president declared between:
$100,001- $250,000 in a Morgan Chase Client Asset Management Checking Account with interest, plus another minor account with Morgan Chase
$1,001 - $15,000 in a Northern Trust checking account with interest
Three retirement savings plans worth up to $800,000 plus interest
$50,001 - $100,000 in U.S. Treasury bills with interest
$1 million and $5 million in a second U.S. Treasury Bills plus interest
$100,002 -$200,000 in two college funds for his children
$100,001 - $1 million in book royalties from Crown Publishing (includes a $500,000 advance for a children's version of one of his books)
$1 million - $5 million in book royalties from Random House
Less than $1,001 in Treasury Notes
Less than $1,001 in each of six separate investment/retirement accounts

While according to a 2008 media report the Australian Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Bligh Turnbull is reputed to be personally worth at least $125 million and possibly as high as $140 million with his wife Lucy reported to hold $5 million in shares and, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's wife is reputed to be worth up to$60 million.



Now President Obama is trying to get a universal health insurance policy going in a country where the dollars you have currently decide health outcomes.

And Prime Minister Rudd has just raised the base pension so that the aged, disabled, widows, carers and returned service men and women have a bit more in their pockets.

In his turn, Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Turnbull has proposed a tax, which will disproportionately hit the poor in order to buttress a health insurance rebate which goes to reasonably well-off members of the community.




So who's the completely out-of-touch rich b*stard here?

*For the record, I am not a smoker and therefore would not be affected by Turnbull's proposed tax hike.

Internet censorship? Just say 'No'

Send a message to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and tell him that the global blogosphere objects to his plan to censor the Australian Internet.

American wingnuts try to drag Oz into US gun control debate

I was sent a copy of a viral pro-gun email.
Apparently it's has been doing the rounds for some time.
This is what it says about Australia:
"Gun owners in Australia were forced by new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by their own government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million dollars. The first year results:
Australia-wide, homicides went up 3.2 percent
Australia-wide, assaults went up 8.6 percent
Australia-wide, armed robberies went up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent)
In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent. Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not, and criminals still possess their guns.
It will never happen here? I bet the Aussies said that too.
While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady DECREASE in armed robbery with firearms, that changed drastically upward in the first year after gun confiscation...since criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed.
There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of the ELDERLY. Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in successfully ridding Australian society of guns. The Australian experience and the other historical facts above prove it.
You won't see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information.
Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.
Take note my fellow Americans, before it's too late."

FactCheck kindly pointed out that Australia has an enviable record when it comes to reduced crime rates:
"Australian crime statistics show a marked decrease in homicides since the gun law change. According to the Australian Institute of Criminology, a government agency, the number of homicides in Australia did increase slightly in 1997 and peaked in 1999, but has since declined to the lowest number on record in 2007......
Furthermore, murders using firearms have declined even more sharply than murders in general since the 1996 gun law. In the seven years prior to 1997, firearms were used in 24 percent of all Australian homicides. But most recently, firearms were used in only 11 percent of Australian homicides, according to figures for the 12 months ending July 1, 2007. That's a decline of more than half since enactment of the gun law to which this message refers.

For the record and for American visitors to North Coast Voices - Australians tend not to use firearms when committing violent acts as this table shows:

NSW Food Authority name and shame file reels in local KFC

Given the large number of food preparation and service outlets on the NSW North Coast I decided to look at the NSW Food Authority name and shame file.

I only found 10 penalty notices issued for local premises in the last 12 months, which was a pleasant surprise.

What was less pleasant was to find that KFC at Casino was the subject of one of these notices.
There is no excuse for an international franchise to end up on this file.

Battle of the Rates continues in the Clarence Valley

A lively North v South debate on rates and reporting is underway in the letters column of The Daily Examiner last week.

A Lower Clarence resident makes his feelings known on 12 May 2009:

RECENT letters and articles in this paper have expressed dissatisfaction with the inequity in property rates being charged across the Clarence Valley.
In the interests of fair debate, I wish to correct some inaccurate information which has been put forward.
Firstly, please be assured that Grafton residents have not been subsidising Angourie, Yamba or Wooloweyah residents as has been claimed. This is clear from the CVC Management Plan figures quoted below.
Secondly, in Graham Orams' article (Grafton rate burden eases evaluation, DEX, May 8, p3), he falsely claimed that Grafton and Junction Hill ratepayers' rates will 'remain the highest in the valley'.
Neither the figures for 2008/9 nor the proposed figures for 2009/10 support this statement.
The average figures for residential properties in 2008/09 were:
Residential A (Coastal Village including Angourie) $955.82, Residential D (Yamba,
Wooloweyah) $931.58, Residential E (Grafton Junction Hill) $878.35'
Under the proposed rates structure for 2009/10 the figures are: Residential A $992.23' Residential
D $960.48, Residential E $879.14.
I agree that rates equity is a very important issue and needs debate but based on accurate
information, please.
The key issue is the vast difference in land values across the Clarence Valley.
Not only do we have the inequity of similar properties in different parts of the valley paying
significantly different amounts to council for the administration of services, infrastructure,
development, planning and management, etc., but we even have similar properties in the
same street paying significantly different amounts, simply because of proximity to the beach or river.
Rates equity will never be achieved while rates are based on land values, a hangover from times when land value was an indication of its productivity and so the ability of the owner to pay.
This is no longer the case.
The whole basis upon which rates are determined needs to be re-examined if equity is to be achieved.
RON LOVERIDGE,
Angourie.

The Daily Examiner journalist replies with this salvo from the bunker on 13 May 2009:























The fight so far goes to Lower Clarence residents on points, because nowhere in his May 8 article did the journalist mention "dollar for dollar" values. Instead he couched his argument in terms of average residential rates, which of course meant that Grafton City came out with much lower average rates than many coastal towns and villages.

You know you're getting old when......

....your doctor, dentist and local pollie are all younger than you and tall tales like this tickle your fancy....

You'll know senility is closing in when Malcolm Turnbull and Joe Hockey appear to make sense.

Image source is unknown.

Is Malcolm Turnbull chanelling the ghost from Wollstonecraft?

The Australian reported on 15 May 2009:

MALCOLM Turnbull declared today that Kevin Rudd would be a one-term prime minister, in a powerful speech to rally the Liberal faithful in Sydney.

The same day Possum Comitatus over at Pollytics ran this graph:

Somehow I think it will take more ammunition than Liberal Party and Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull has in his locker to turn this scenario around by 2010-11.

Especially as all this ex-merchant banker silvertail is really offering as a counter-measure to the Rudd Government's 2009-10 Budget is a proposal to impose an additional level of taxation, on a group which is predominately composed of working class people who co-incidentally are mostly found in age bands which are not strong Liberal Party or Nationals supporters.

Turnbull's tactic is right out of the John Winston Howard manual of dirty tricks and, if he is not careful it will rebound on him the way such tactics eventually did on the former Liberal prime minister.

A smidgen of Mad Max trivia

If online polls are anything to go by, then Women's Day readers think Mel Gibson should lose half his fortune to his wife.

Shock, horror! Aussies drink less booze than the Irish, Scots, Brits and possibly even the Kiwis

Wikimedia has this World Health Organisation map from 2008 on display along with a ranked table of world alcohol consumption based on sales.

According to a The Herald report earlier this year; "Statistics show that nearly 50 million litres of pure alcohol were consumed in Scotland in 2007 - the equivalent of 11.8 litres for every person aged over 16 - putting the nation above Spain, Italy and France in the World Health Organisation's (WHO) league table of alcohol sales.
The figure is equal to every Scot over 16 drinking 570 pints of normal-strength beer, 125 bottles of wine or 42 bottles of vodka, and enough for every adult to exceed the sensible drinking guidelines for men of 21 units of alcohol per week."