Whale Meat FAIL

ABC News June 13 2012:

Japan's whaling research body has failed to sell the bulk of meat harvested from its last round of what it calls research whaling, despite inviting bids months ago.

A report released by Japan's Dolphin and Whale Action Network reveals there have been 13 rounds of public auctions for the whale meat, but 900 tonnes of it has failed to sell.

That is three-quarters of all the meat harvested from the last round of so-called scientific research whaling in the north-west Pacific.

The meat sales are supposed to help cover the cost of the whaling fleet.

Japanese taxpayers have been subsidising the fleet for years because few people eat the meat, complaining it does not taste good

Whale meat photograph from Google Images

The Chris Gulaptis Travelling Photo Show



Chris Gulaptis as he appears
 on  the NSW Parliamentary website

Clarence MP, Chris Gulaptis, has made a very bold attempt to get himself in The Guiness World Records. Gulaptis, who it seems is camera shy in Macquarie Street and is yet to sit for a portrait shot for the parliamentary website, appears no less than twenty three, yes 23, times on the latest taxpayer funded newsletter hitting letter boxes across the electorate of Clarence.

In a late development, the lads at our local watering hole reckon the reason the local member's photo isn't on the website is because Farry O'Barrell put a freeze on public spending at parliament house so we'll have to wait until the 2013/14 budget when carpenters can be employed to undertake the task of increasing the width of the top of the doorways at the photo studio. Currently, all doorways are standard sized, but enlarged doorways are needed if the Member for Clarence is going to get his swollen head through them.

A timely reminder that suspected corrupt conduct can be reported online to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption

Reporting Corruption

Members of the public and public officials are encouraged to report suspected corrupt conduct to the ICAC.

You can report allegations online. All reports are carefully assessed.

Report corruption here.

Moves to have a crematorium on the Lower Clarence

Clarence Valley Council has a proposal before it to have a crematorium on Chatsworth Island.
The hot spot earmarked to get the new facility is 441 Chatsworth Road, Chatsworth Island.
That location is currently occupied by a two-storey brick home that sticks out like dogs' b#lls. 
It's just a stone throw off
the Pacific Highway immediately south of the Mororo Bridge near the Iluka turnoff.

The last price tag on the property which covers about 1.75 acres (7,000 m²) was $325k.

Image credits: LJHooker, Maclean

Sometimes regional newspapers has a better grasp on Abbott & Co than the national media

Raising the chapeau big time to The Coffs Coast Advocate on 16^th June 2012:

“AT THIS stage, a vote for the Coalition in the next Federal election is not necessarily a vote for a fast-tracked completion of the Pacific Hwy.

Despite all the theatre that has taken place since Tuesday's state budget announcement, there is no guarantee the Liberals and Nationals will provide Pacific Hwy funding that is any better than the Gillard Government is offering.

When asked this week what a Coalition government could offer the people of Cowper regarding the most contentious piece of road in the country, neither local Federal MP Luke Hartsuyker or Nationals leader Warren Truss would commit to giving constituents a better Pacific Hwy deal.

This is despite the words of opposition leader Tony Abbott on January 9 after the tragic death of a young boy in Urunga: "I'm very happy to be bipartisan about finishing the Pacific Hwy as quickly as possible."

These words now appear empty……”