Canute Shire Council tries to turn back the sea

Whiting Beach in happier days

Canute Clarence Valley Shire Council and coastal erosion reported in The Daily Examiner 15^th October 2011:

“THREE metres of sand has eroded this year from Yamba's Whiting Beach sparking fears Hickey Island could again be cut off from the mainland.

This could also potentially leave the $500,000 worth of work on the nearby car park and boat ramp, which is almost complete, at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Last year the aggressive erosion claimed the concrete access steps to the popular beach that sits just inside the Clarence River mouth, near the ocean-exposed Turners Beach.

This left beachgoers having to scramble across a small sand dune to dip their toes in the water.

Clarence Valley Council deputy general manager Des Schroder said the council was aware of the problem and working on contingency strategies to curb the erosion.

The most likely plan of action would be a three-pronged attack using sand, sandbags and adding to the existing breakwall structure in an effort to combat the erosion.

"Our staff, along with the office of the environment, are looking at what we can do there to prevent the erosion," Mr Schroder said.

He said the plan could include pumping sand from the western end of Hickey Island to build up Whiting Beach, building up the T-piece attached to the breakwall designed to divert river currents, and sandbagging to help retain sand on the beach.

Mr Schroder dispelled fears that the erosion could again cut Hickey Island from the mainland, saying it would take five years of severe erosion and no action on the problem for that to happen.

He said there was some evidence to suggest that a change in current direction had contributed to the increased rate of erosion.

"There is a fair bit of evidence this year from the office of environment that the current has subtly changed direction," he said…….”

Clarence By-election: Nationals make the same mistake a second time

The Sydney Morning Herald 16 October 2011:

A former north coast mayor has been selected by the NSW National Party to contest the Clarence state by-election.

Chris Gulaptis beat six other preselection candidates in a ballot on Sunday…....

Mr Gulaptis ran for the Nationals during the 2007 federal election, but failed to win the seat of Page.

The Daily Examiner 16 October 2011:

IN a tightly contested pre-selection this afternoon, Chris Gulaptis was chosen to lead The Nationals to the November 19 by-election for the seat of Clarence.

Nationals spokesman Jeremy Challacombe said the decision was so close it came down to preferences

One has to wonder why the NSW Nationals have mounted a tired horse. The last time Gulaptis stood for mayor he was soundly defeated 6 votes to 3 and, the last time he stood for a federal parliamentary seat 56.5 per cent of Page voters did not give him their primary votes and/or their second, third or fourth preferences.
This man has the ability to take Clarence from an extremely safe Nationals seat to an almost marginal one in the space of weeks.

All that glitters is not gold for NSW North Coast communities

Average industry ATRs as a deviation from the industry-wide ATR
for the period 1995-96 to 2007-08

 Disparities in average rates of company tax across industries

On 10 October 2011 The Daily Examiner published an article Our Valley of riches: Miners homing in on billion-dollar resources.

This article pointed out the fact that Red Sky Energy expected gross revenues of $4 billion from its Clarence Moreton Project, that on today’s gold prices Centius Gold could realize $2.3 billion in revenues and, that Anchor Resources is progressing towards re-opening old workings during a period of record antimony metal prices.

Which might lead one to suppose that the NSW Treasury along with communities on the Dorrigo Plateau and in the Bellingen, Coffs Harbour and Clarence Valley local government areas would see a hefty financial benefit from all this commercial activity.

This is far from the reality of the modern mining industry in Australia.

Not only will the number of mining jobs be small, as Anchor Resources’ admission that it is only looking to create 60 positions to last less than ten years clearly demonstrates, but the bulk of mining profits derived from the projected shaft and open-cut mining may never see taxation applied. So adding little to the O’Farrell Government coffers and thereby giving even less to NSW residents by way of government resources.

In the case of coal seam gas mining specifically, the NSW Government has granted a five year moratorium on the payment of mining royalties. In the matter of gold mining, it will be exempt from the federal proposed mineral resources rent tax no matter how large the profits of individual companies.

As for mining generally; in 2007-08 Australian Taxation Office statistics recorded 4,290 mining companies having combined incomes which totalled $160,323,192,189, which in turn had combined taxable incomes of $29,010,243,407 and net tax actually paid was $8,068,463,15 after all allowed deductions had been made. Mining royalty payments made in that financial year added up to a tax deductible $3,924,902,975.

Of these 4,290 mining companies, there were some who paid no tax at all and these comprised 68.3 per cent of all mining companies. Which means only around 1,360 mining companies Australia-wide paid tax in that year.

How did they do that? Well, there are at least 20 deductions, rebates, concessions, exemptions, offsets etc., available to the mining industry and their combined value is literally worth billions. In 2007-08 the industry total for expenses claimed under R&D concessions alone was $2,508,321,897 and immediate deduction for capital expenditure $3,785,347,506.

It is worth noting that in 2007 the Business Council of Australia in Tax Nation stated: Taxes collected are negative for the mining industry group because as major exporters survey participants reported a significant GST refund which more than offset other taxes collected.

In other words, from all these billions of dollars quarried from mining ventures on the NSW North Coast state government and taxpayers are likely to receive nothing or next to nothing once annual tax returns are lodged.

A state of affairs all candidates in the forthcoming Clarence by-election might like to consider before deciding on what policy position they will take in relation to mining in the environmentally sensitive Nymboida River section of the wider Clarence River catchment area.

It's World Food Day Today, 16 October 2011

It is World Food Day today and it’s no surprise to find that this event is supported by the multinational biotech industry and agricultural sectors which promote GMO crops.

To counteract this I suggest……………………...

Send an email of support to Millions Against Monsanto here.

Sign up for Mothers Against Monsanto weekly newsletter here and join the network here.

Contact your Federal MP and tell him or her that you demand a review of the Australian Government’s position on GMO labelling. Contact details here and here.

Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper stating how you feel about genetically modified crops and foods.

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