Saturday, 5 October 2013

Yamba Triathlon Festival, Friday 11 to Sunday 13 October 2013 - Event Schedule & Road Closures



FRIDAY 11TH SATURDAY 12TH & SUNDAY 13TH OCTOBER 2013

The running of the Yamba Triathlon Festival by Elite Energy Pty Ltd will take place on Friday 11th, Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th October 2013 along River St, Wolli St, Yamba Rd, Angourie Rd, Deering St, Lakes Boulevard. The event will also affect access to the car park at Ford Park and the Whiting Beach car park and boat ramp. Residents will be given access to affected roads at the discretion of an Authorised Traffic Controller when it is safe to do so.

During this event, some roads will be affected by Road Closures and changed traffic conditions for short periods. These roads include:

Car Park Closures

Whiting Beach Car Park & Boat Ramp between 8:00 am Friday 11th till 6:00 pm Saturday 12th October.
Ford Park Car Park between 8:00 am Thurdsay 10th till 6:00 pm Sunday 13th October.

Road Closures

River St between the Ford Park Car Park and Wolli St from 6:00 am to 11:00 am Saturday 12th and 6:30 am to 2:00 pm Sunday 13th October.
Wolli St, between River St and Claude St from 7:00 am to 11:00 am Saturday 12th and 6:45 am to 2:00 pm Sunday 13th October.

Interruptions to Traffic Flow

Traffic Controllers will be located along the course and will make every attempt to ensure there is minimal interruption to traffic flow.

We acknowledge the local community for their support of the event that will highlight Yamba to a wide audience, provide an economic boost for local business and employment. We thank you in advance for your patience with regard to change traffic conditions and will endeavour to limit interruptions where possible.

For further details contact 4423 7775 during business hours.

YAMBA TRIATHLON FESTIVAL 2013 EVENT SCHEDULE
FRIDAY 11TH OCTOBER 2013
TIME
EVENT
LOCATION
4.00pm
Registration Opens - 1000m Ocean Classic Swim
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
5.00pm
Registration Closes - 1000m Ocean Classic Swim
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
5.15pm
Race Briefing - 1000m Ocean Classic Swim
Transition - Ford Park, Yamba
5.30pm
RACE START - OCEAN CLASSIC SWIM
Yamba Bay
6.30pm
Optional Registration Opens - All Events
Shores Tavern, 64 The Mainbrace, Yamba
7.30pm
Optional Registration Closes - All Events
Shores Tavern, 64 The Mainbrace, Yamba
7.30pm
Ocean Swim Presentation & Welcome Dinner
Shores Tavern, 64 The Mainbrace, Yamba
SATURDAY 12TH OCTOBER 2013
TIME
EVENT
LOCATION
5.30am
Registration/Transition Opens - Sprint Triathlon (inc Junior Series 16-19yrs)
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
6.30am
Registration/Transition Closes - Sprint Triathlon (inc Junior Series 16-19yrs)
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
6.30am
Lifestyle Expo Opens
Ford Park, Yamba
6.40am
Race Briefing - Sprint Triathlon (inc Junior Series 16-19yrs)
Transition - Ford Park, Yamba
7.00am
RACE START - SPRINT TRIATHLON (INC JNR SERIES 16-19YRS)
Yamba Bay
8.00am
Registration/Transition Opens - Enticer Triathlon (inc Junior series 12-15 yrs)
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
9.00am
Registration/Transition Closes - Enticer Triathlon (inc Junior series 12-15 yrs)
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
9.10am
Race Briefing - Enticer Triathlon (inc Junior series 12-15 yrs)
Transition - Ford Park, Yamba
9.30am
RACE START - ENTICER TRIATHLON (INC JNR SERIES 12-15YRS)
Yamba Bay
9.30am
Registration/Transition Opens - MINIMAN 10-11
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
10.30am
Registration/Transition Closes - MINIMAN 10-11
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
10.30am
Registration/Transition Opens - MINIMAN 7-9
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
10.40am
Race Briefing - MINIMAN 10-11
Transition - Whiting Beach (500m from Finish)
11.00am
RACE START - MINIMAN AGES 10-11
Whiting Beach, Yamba (500m from Registration)
11.30am
Registration/Transition Closes - MINIMAN 7-9
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
11.30am
Registration Opens - Fun Runs
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
11.40am
Race Briefing - MINIMAN 7-9
Transition - Whiting Beach (500m from Finish)
12.00pm
RACE START - MINIMAN AGES 7-9
Whiting Beach, Yamba (500m from Registration)
12.30pm
Registration Closes - Fun Runs
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
12.30pm
Registration Opens - Criterium Race
Registration Marquee - Fair Trader Drive, Yamba
12.40pm
Race Briefing - Fun Runs
Transition - Ford Park, Yamba
12.45pm
RACE START - 2km FUN RUN
Transition - Ford Park, Yamba
1.00pm
RACE START - 5km FUN RUN
Transition - Ford Park, Yamba
1.30pm
Registration Closes - Criterium Race
Registration Marquee - Fair Trader Drive, Yamba
1.40pm
Race Briefing - Criterium Race
Fair Trader Drive, Yamba
2.00pm
RACE START - CRITERIUM RACE
Fair Trader Drive, Yamba
4.00pm
Lifestyle Expo Closes
Transition - Ford Park, Yamba
5.00pm
Presentation - Triathlons, MINIMAN, Fun Runs & Criterium
Shores Tavern, 64 The Mainbrace, Yamba
SUNDAY 13TH OCTOBER 2013
TIME
EVENT
LOCATION
5.30am
Registration/Transition Opens - Classic Distance Triathlon
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
6.30am
Registration/Transition Closes - Classic Distance Triathlon
Registration Marquee - Ford Park, Yamba
6.30am
Lifestyle Expo Opens
Ford Park, Yamba
6.40am
Race Briefing - Classic Distance Triathlon
Transition - Ford Park, Yamba
7.00am
RACE START - CLASSIC DISTANCE TRIATHLON
Ford Park, Yamba
2.00pm
Lifestyle Expo Closes
Ford Park, Yamba
2.00pm
Presentation - Classic Triathlon
Shores Tavern, 64 The Mainbrace, Yamba


Friday, 4 October 2013

"The call will ring loud from every hilltop and into every valley, ravine and gully in the Northern Rivers....Here comes Metgasco - Again!"


Metgasco Limited is about to stir the hornet’s nest again......




The Daily Examiner 3 October 2013

THE call will ring loud from every hilltop and into every valley, ravine and gully in the Northern Rivers.
From the top of the ranges, to the east, to the shady spots beside our swimming holes and creeks.
On every headland, in every bay, in every pub and at every dinner table.
Here comes Metgasco - Again!
The NSW Chief Scientist acknowledged in a report to the State Government that the coal seam gas industry lacks community support and a social licence.
When Metgasco fracked off last time many people breathed a sigh of relief.
But very few in the know believed the claim Metgasco was withdrawing because of actions undertaken by the NSW State Government.
And here we are, less than 12 months after the Northern Rivers celebrated the company's withdrawal, facing its imminent return.
The Liberal Party needs to ask itself, is lowering the price of gas worth losing the seats the Nationals just won on the North Coast.
Because rest assured, come the next Federal Election, if Page is dotted with gas-wells a large chunk of the population won't be happy.

The new Nationals Member for Page needs to act quickly if he is to get a decent slice of the regional funding pie


This was the new Nationals Member for Page Kevin Hogan in the local media:

The Northern Star


A CHANGE of government has brought uncertainty to the upgrading of the Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange.
The Labor campaign promise of $3.5m to go towards the renovation of the Casino Saleyards has fallen by the wayside with the Coalition now in power.
Newly elected Nationals MP for Page, Kevin Hogan, said all was not lost.
"We didn't make that promise but I really like the idea, as I see the value of contributing to the upgrade of the saleyards," he said.
While Labor's Regional Development fund has been disbanded, Mr Hogan said it would be replaced with the Coalition's Stronger Region fund.
"As soon as their door is open I will have the application on their desk," he said.


However, Member for Page Kevin Hogan is good at multitasking, yesterday packing up his old office while being interviewed for this story simultaneously.
The poll will be officially declared today and he will get the keys to his office.
For his first 100 days of office he has set himself some big goals.....
He planned to roll out funding for the Pacific Hwy upgrade and work toward fulfilling his campaign promises to provide more than $4 million to Ballina District Hospital as well as making installation of CCTV in Casino a priority....

It would appear that Kevin Hogan is very optimistic about his chances of securing funding under the Stronger Regions Fund and is patiently waiting for it to open its doors before acting.

Because under Stronger Regions what will be created are finite area funding pools from a budget of $400 million (with no funds distributed before 2015-16), Mr. Hogan actually needs to be vigourously lobbying now if he is to deliver a local funding arrangement capable of delivering the $3.5 million required for the Casino Regional Livestock Exchange upgrade as well as the many other infrastructure needs of local councils and communities.

Until then, the only money coming into the Page electorate for regional development will be that former Labor Government funding which Treasurer Hockey has been unable to claw back.

As for Ballina Hospital, well that is a costed $5 million Coalition election promise due to be delivered in this financial year. Again Hogan needs to get his skates on and see the hospital funding signed off on as soon as possible because there is a clear intention in the Coalition costings that this financial year it will only be spending $35 million in new funding nation-wide.

When it comes to the $3.6 billion Pacific Highway upgrade funding which Kevin Hogan promised to release and the promised $2.1 billion in extra funding – one has to wonder where it is all coming from.
Coalition election promise costings make no mention of this $5.7 billion and, it appears that for the next three years the Abbott Government will only be spending the same total amount outlined in the former Labor Government’s upgrade plan. In other words no more than $2.5 billion in total.

One also has to wonder where Mr. Hogan’s promise to obtain $463,969 in funding for 55 CCTV cameras in Casino CBD is leading, for the Abbott Government’s Safer Streets Program will not be releasing any funding until the 2014-15 financial year and how much money it holds in hand will likely rely on how much is received by government under Proceeds of Crime legislation.

Abbott's candidate may turn out to have questions to answer in NSW ICAC corruption investigation


The Sydney Morning Herald 21 September 2013:

Mr Hartcher's preferred candidate, Karen McNamara, was installed after intervention by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, then the opposition leader.
Ms McNamara was elected to parliament at the September 7 federal election....

The Sydney Morning Herald 23 September 2013:

The new federal Liberal MP for Dobell, Karen McNamara, has been drawn into controversy about political donations on the NSW central coast due to her role as campaign manager for a state MP whose office has been raided by corruption authorities.
The electorate offices of NSW MPs Darren Webber and Chris Spence were raided by the Independent Commission Against Corruption on Friday. Mr Webber is the member for Wyong and Mr Spence for The Entrance.
The raids are believed to be linked to revelations by Fairfax Media last year that two staff members of state Energy Minister Chris Hartcher, who holds the central coast seat of Terrigal, had been referred to election funding authorities by the Liberal Party.
The Liberals alleged the pair -policy adviser Tim Koelma and Mr Hartcher's electorate officer Ray Carter - had breached election funding laws shortly before the 2011 election. Ms McNamara was Mr Webber's campaign manager for the 2011 campaign.
Fairfax Media can reveal that during her preselection interview for Dobell, Ms McNamara said that as campaign manager she had raised up to $100,000 for Mr Webber's campaign.
But the claim was questioned by a member of the NSW Liberal state executive, Hollie Hughes, who said she had been advised party records indicated official receipts were far less than that - as little as $50,000.
It is understood the Liberal Party finance director, Simon McInnes, confirmed to Mrs Hughes that the official fund-raising figure was far less than that claimed by Ms McNamara.
Ms McNamara said in a statement she had complied with her obligations as Mr Webber’s campaign manager ‘‘to the best of my knowledge’’.....