Hallam speaks out against latest push to raid Clarence River catchment water

From A Clarence Valley Protest this week:

Jack Hallam comes out with a fighting "No" to new Clarence water diversion proposal

Former NSW Labor Minister for Agriculture & Fisheries and current Uki resident Jack Hallam (who started his career as a Riverina rice farmer) has come out strongly against the latest push to divert Clarence River catchment water, according to ABC News today:

But a former state agriculture and fisheries minister says the proposal would be a total disaster.Jack Hallam, who served on the front bench for the Wran Government, rang ABC Local Radio today after hearing of the latest campaign by the Murray Darling Association.Mr Hallam says floodwaters play a key role in maintaining one of the coast's most important fisheries."Flood is a good thing," Mr Hallam said."We are concerned about the damage of floods very often because of extremely bad planning 30 and 40 years ago, but if you don't have these events you don't have the fish spawn," he said."The fish, the prawn fishery, other major fisheries are totally dependent on these flood events," Mr Hallam said."It (the diversion plan) would be an absolute total disaster," he said.

Well said, Jack.

Photograph from the Tweed Shire Echo

Australian Communications Minister prepares to rig results of Internet filtering trial?

Hello? The Australian Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and his department contracted with Enex TestLab to undertake a live pilot of national ISP-level Internet filtering and prepare a report to government.

Now this week IT News reports that:

Senator Conroy has committed to the public release of a report based on the data gleaned from the Federal Government's trial of ISP-level internet filtering.

"The Government has committed to publicly release the trial report prepared by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy on the results of the live pilot trial," a spokesman for the Communications Minister told iTnews.

The report will be prepared internally by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (DBCDE) and based on data collected by Enex TestLab during the trial it has conducted with nine Australian internet service providers (ISPs).

Does Senator Conroy really imagine that no-one will harbour dark suspicions that the first draft of the report Enex presented did not meet his expectations and fear he is now preparing to spin the data?

If the content is good enough, people will pay says News Digital Media

If the content is good enough, people will pay says News Digital Media's Richard Freudenstein in a guest post over at mUmBRELLA.
Short reply, Dick - bollocks!

Northern Rivers EDO public meeting on Transgrid proposal for new high-voltage transmission lines, Tenterfield 6pm 7 August 2009

The Environmental Defender's Office Northern Rivers is providing legal and other advice to the Upper Dumaresq Action Group on the TransGrid proposal to build new high-voltage transmission lines between Bonshaw, Tenterfield and Lismore.

The EDO is holding a public meeting THIS FRIDAY to

· give a different perspective on the justification for the project

· inform affected residents about their rights

· address community concerns

School Hall

Tenterfield High School

High St, Tenterfield

Friday 7 August

5.45 for 6 pm sharp start – 7.30 pm

For more information, please call Mark Byrne at the EDO Northern Rivers

on 1300 369 791 or Lyn Lacey on 67375477