Family flying in for a visit? Keep track of where the plane is

Flight tracking. All you need is the airline name and flight number and you are up, up and away…..

http://www.flightradar24.com/

This way lies O'Farrell madness

South East Forest National Park

This national park is a place that protects old-growth forests,

rugged granite formations and picturesque valleys and gorges.

Koalas, powerful owls and giant burrowing frogs are among the
threatened species protected within a park which also shelters
the state’s only known populations of endangered long-footed potoroos.

 

ABC News on 14^th March 2013:

There are concerns that motorists on the New South Wales south coast could be in the firing line under the State Government's plan to allow hunting in national parks.

The Greens have obtained a leaked document showing an area of the South East Forests National Park which straddles the Princes Highway has been designated "zone C".

This would mean unsupervised hunting would be allowed in that part of the park.

In the risk assessment document, parks workers raise concerns that the two-kilometre stretch of highway included within the zone is used daily by school buses, locals, tourists and tradespeople.

Greens MP David Shoebridge says the area lies just five kilometres north of the town of Merimbula.

"All the hunting was meant to be away from residential areas and the unsupervised parts, these so-called remote zone C parts of the national parks, were meant to be in the deepest, darkest parts of New South Wales," Mr Shoebridge said.

"But here we've got it right next to a township, right next to the busiest arterial road on the south coast which thousands of holiday makers and school kids use on a daily basis.

The document says park workers are also concerned about a mentally ill local resident who "tends to appear out of the bush without warning".

"The dangers are obvious to everyone apart from the Government," Mr Shoebridge said_____

Clarence Councillors Again Express Concerns About CSG Mining

Coal seam gas is very newsworthy at the moment with politicians at all levels of government anxious to demonstrate that they are (finally) listening to community concerns about this industry. Both the State and Federal Governments have recently announced new measures to address some of the issues identified by anti-CSG campaigners.   Whether these measures, most of which are directed to new rather than existing licences, will have any real effect is questionable.

Clarence Valley Councillors, like their state and federal counterparts, are well aware of community concerns. The previous Council passed two resolutions expressing concern about coal seam gas mining. And on Tuesday 12th March, with memories of the Glenugie vigil and blockade still fresh, another motion was put to the Environment, Economic and Community Committee of the Council.

Councillors Jason Kingsley, Craig Howe and Sue Hughes moved that Council write to State and Federal Ministers and local MPs calling for a halt to "CSG mining activity and all other forms of unconventional gas mining including testing in the Clarence Valley" until the release of findings of a number of inquiries relating to the industry's impacts on health, water catchments and other environmental matters could deliver a guarantee that there will be no detrimental impacts from this industry.

In their motion the Councillors stated: "In light of recent events there is increasing doubt as to the safety of CSG mining in both the areas of human health and the Environment. NSW Health recommended no more CSG expansion in Sydney until more studies can be undertaken into the effects on people’s health. The NSW Government recently tightened restrictions on CSG activity near dwellings, with the Deputy Premier stating that he would not like it in his backyard and that there was a possibility something could go wrong.

"If it is good enough for Sydney and the Deputy Premier, it is good enough for the residents and environment of the Clarence Valley."

Questions about the motion were asked by Councillors Challacombe and Baker. 

Councillor Challacombe stated that he had no problem with the motion "per se" but he wanted to establish that, if the five criteria were met, the motion indicated that CSG mining could go ahead. 

Councillor Baker stated that he did not believe that the motion indicated that this could happen and said that he would vote against it.  He spoke on a number of occasions during the debate and claimed that the effect of the motion would be to create uncertainty, that the level of community concern about the CSG industry has not really been tested, and that dealing with this issue was beyond the area of Council's responsibility.  In addition he referred to the inconsistency of the other levels of government which obtained benefits from CSG mining.

Councillor Howe stated that the effect of the motion would be to create certainty as there was uncertainty now.  He acknowledged that, while Local Government had limitations in this matter, Councils had a role in advocating for their communities.  He pointed out that the Department of Health concerns illustrated that there was doubt and a health risk and that we should be wary of taking risks in this matter.

The Committee voted four (Howe, Hughes, McKenna, Williamson) to one (Baker) for the motion.

It will be very interesting to see the vote at the full Council meeting on Tuesday 19^th March.  Of particular interest will be the vote of Councillor Challacombe, former President of the Grafton Chamber of Commerce.  Last year the Chamber came out in support of CSG mining in the Clarence after it had been lobbied (and reportedly wined and dined) by Metgasco, the CSG company involved in the test drill at Glenugie in January.

Hildegard

Northern Rivers

GuestSpeak is a feature of North Coast Voices allowing Northern Rivers residents to make satirical or serious comment on issues that concern them. Posts of 250-300 words or less can be submitted to ncvguestspeak AT gmail.com.au for consideration.

Senator Stephen Conroy may be many things, but Stalin he is not

 

"This government will go down in history as the first Australian government outside of wartime to attack freedom of speech by seeking to introduce a regime which effectively institutes government sanctioned journalism," News Limited chief executive Kim Williams said.

 

Yes, without a doubt Australian Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy  Stephen Conroy has a tendency to go too far whenever he looks at regulating areas which fall within his portfolio.

 

One only has to look at his attempts to censor the Internet to see how foolish he can be.

 

However, to equate him with a dictator whose insane policies resulted in the deaths of literally millions is going too far even for Rupert Murdoch’s News Limited.