Federal Politics 2010 Crib Sheet: who's shadowing whom

The Gillard Ministry and its Opposition counterparts are set out here in a rough preliminary guide to the principal House of Representatives and Senate shadow ministers, shadow parliamentary secretaries and spokespersons.

Feel free to expand this list by adding names in the comments section below this post.

Government members are printed in black and underneath their names the Opposition members having shadow responsibility for all or part of ministerial portfolios are set out in red.

CABINET

Julia Gillard, Prime Minister

Tony Abbott

Eric Abetz

Wayne Swan, Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer

Julie Bishop

Joe Hockey

Mathias Cormann

Chris Evans, Minister for Jobs, Skills, Workplace Relations and Tertiary Education

Eric Abetz

Brett Mason

Christopher Pyne

Sussan Ley

Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy; Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity

Malcolm Turnbull

Simon Crean, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government; Minister for the Arts

George Brandis

Barnaby Joyce

Bob Baldwin

Ian MacDonald

Kevin Rudd, Minister for Foreign Affairs

Julie Bishop

David Johnston

Stephen Smith, Minister for Defence

David Johnston

Chris Bowen, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship

Scott Morrison

Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport

Warren Truss

Barnaby Joyce

Nicola Roxon, Minister for Health and Ageing

Peter Dutton

Bronwyn Bishop

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells

Jenny Macklin, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Mitch Fifield

Sussan Ley

Nigel Scullion

Kevin Andrews

Marese Payne

Tony Burke, Minister for Sustainable Population, Communities, Environment and Water

Scott Morrison

Penny Wong, Minister for Finance and Deregulation

Andrew Robb

Peter Garrett, Minister for Schools, Early Childhood and Youth

Christopher Pyne

Fiona Nash

Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research

Sophie Mirabella

Richard Colebeck

Robert McClelland, Attorney-General

George Brandis

Joe Ludwig, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

John Cobb

Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism

Ian McFarlane

Bob Baldwin

Greg Combet, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency

Greg Hunt

Craig Emerson, Minister for Trade

Julie Bishop

MINISTERS

Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Human Services; Minister for Social Inclusion

Brendan O'Connor, Minister for Home Affairs and Justice; Minister for Privacy and FOI

Michael Keenan

Kate Ellis, Minister for Employment Participation, Childcare and the Status of Women

Sussan Ley

Mark Arbib, Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development; Minister for Sport; Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness

Luke Hartsuyker

Fiona Nash

Nick Sherry, Minister for Small Business; Minister Assisting the Minister for Tourism

Bruce Billson

Bob Baldwin

Warren Snowdon, Minister for Indigenous Health, Veterans' Affairs and Defence Science and Personnel

Michael Ronaldson

Stuart Robert

Bill Shorten, Assistant Treasurer; Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation

Mathias Cormann

Mark Butler, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing

Bronwyn Bishop

Gary Gray, Special Minister of State

Bronwyn Bishop

Jason Clare, Minister for Defence Materiel

PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIES

David Bradbury, Treasury

Tony Smith

Jacinta Collins, Education, Employment and Workplace Relations

Julie Collins, Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Mark Dreyfus, Climate Change and Energy Efficiency; Cabinet Secretary

Justine Elliot, Foreign Affairs and Trade

Teresa Gambaro

Don Farrell, Sustainable Population, Communities, Environment and Water

Mike Kelly, Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Catherine King, Health and Ageing; Infrastructure and Transport

Darren Chester

Kate Lundy, Immigration and Citizenship; Prime Minister and Cabinet

Corey Bernardi

David Feeney, Defence

Jan McLucas, Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Scott Ryan

Richard Marles, Foreign Affairs and Trade

Gary Humphries, Fiona Nash, Don Randall, Simon Birmingham, Ian McFarlane, Micaelia Cash, Andrew Laming, Richard Colbeck, Andrew Southcott - shadow parliamentary secretaries for Attorney General, Regional Education, Local Government , Murray-Darling, Rural Remote Australia, Immigration, Regional & Indigenous Health, Fisheries & Forestry Innovation & Science, Primary Health Care, respectively.

Phillip Ruddock, Shadow Cabinet Secretary

Koi Kids are opening act at Lismore Show's Under The Tent music event, Saturday 23 October 2010

The very talented Koi Kids, 2010 winners of "Best Youth" at the NSW North Coast Dolphin Awards, are the opening act in a full and diverse day of music from midday to late at the North Coast National (Lismore Show) on 23 October 2010.

The Tendons, The Re-Mains, Sara Tindley and her Kingfishers, Holly Throsby, Peno and Salmon, and Ed Kuepper will be rocking along on the day for your enjoyment.

Under The Tent at the Lismore Show is free once you have gained admission to the North Coast National. Tickets available at www.norpa.org.au, at Newcastle Permanent branches or at the gate on the day and start from $8 . Early bird tickets available until October 15.

The Koi Kids are also booked to perform at the earlier Nimbin Music Festival at the Nimbin Showground on 2nd & 3rd October, where fifty acts are expected over that long weekend.

October is a music month on the NSW North Coast - join us for the fun!

Locals turn their backs on eco vandals at Coffs rally?

I've had enough of listening to all that whinging and whining coming from the mouths of recreational fishermen over the fact that marine parks and no-go areas have been created along the NSW North Coast.

If you keep your eyes open it isn't hard to find illegal crab pots littering coastal estuaries and lakes, fellas regularly taking home undersize catches or even using their outboard motors to cut into protected sea grass beds so that they can plop their boats in the middle of a fish feeding spot.

And they wonder why the fishing isn't what it used to be!

It seems that I'm not alone in thinking that these moaning minnies are more than a little hypocritical. When some of their ilk held a rally last Sunday against plans for the Solitary Island Marine Park only around 130 people turned up.

The commies are coming, the commies are coming! And they're bringing Oakeshott, ice & death duties!

Here is a Northern Rivers resident (published in The Daily Examiner yesterday) who obviously believed everything Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop said during the August 2010 federal election campaign and during the formation of the minority government:

Australia takes a lurch to the left

WELL, it looks like Australia has its first communist government.
As for this climate change tripe - climate change has been occurring since time began.
I have heard that there is more ice than a few years ago in the sea leading down to the South
Pole, not less.
So, what's going on?
Why don't they tell us the truth just for once?
Don't forget the Liberal mob got over 600,000 more votes in the election than the other mob, not the other way around.
Labor also lost about 15 seats.
God only knows what Julia Gillard promised the two turncoats to support her in this new parliament.
Did they take into consideration the new mining tax?
Talk about killing the hen that laid the golden eggs - bringing back death duty.
Or were they just thinking about this broadband rot?
Has anyone been told just how much it is going to cost to get this broadband into your home?
Will it be hundreds or thousands of dollars?
The Labor Party has just had three years stuffing up Australia.
Now it is going to get three more years to complete the job.
The Australian voters did not elect Julia Gillard; the two turncoats gave her the job.
Robert Oakeshott only thinks he is prime minister.

CHARLES DEAN
Junction Hill

Enough with the opinion polls already!

Didn't we just declare the Oz silly season over when Gillard formed a minority Government?
So why is Essential Research sending out polling results on questions such as;
How would you rate the performance of parties since the election?
Fair crack of the whip! No-one's being sworn in until later today (at the earliest) and the new parliament isn't sitting yet.
The only thing 'opinion' has to bounce off at the moment is hyped-up journalists and the often biased Murdoch meeja.
Surely long suffering voters and pollies alike deserve a few days grace.

Banned advert is political statement or encouraging suicide? You choose [video]

Exit International which asserts that is is a non-profit information and advocacy group (supporting the idea that all individuals should have end of life options available to them such as voluntary euthanasia) has run foul of FreeTV's legal advice that its attempt to run an advertisement on free-to-air television is in fact '"...a promotion or encouragement of suicide as voluntary euthanasia would be considered to be a subset of suicide."

Now I cannot see that motive in the short advertisement which was originally scheduled to run on Channel 7. To me it seems to be a straightforward attempt to lobby Australian governments.

The advertisement was posted on YouTube. You decide.

Warning! Senatorial Idiot Alert!

Apparently Australia now has a legitimate federal government except when its policies conflict with Family First Senator Steve Fielding's desire to remain in the political limelight.

Here is the politically-challenged senator from first to last in his role as principal media tart on Channel 10 Meet The Press yesterday:

SENATOR STEVE FIELDING, FAMILY FIRST: What I've said is that the Australian public gave the Labor Party a whack over the head. I do not think the Australian public wanted to give them a second term. But equally, they did not give the Coalition, Tony Abbott, an endorsement to actually govern as well. So what I will be doing is looking at the legislation like I have in the last five years on its merits and if it is good, it will get the tick and go ahead. If it is bad, I will seek to change it and to make sure that it is good for Australia. If the government of the day will not listen to those changes, I will have to vote against it.
ALISON CARABINE: Senator Fielding, Rob Oakeshott last week said that neither major party has a mandate, that was before he gave his vote to Julia Gillard, you would've thought about this, do you believe the Gillard Government is legitimate? Does it have a mandate?
SENATOR STEVE FIELDING: Obviously it is legitimate. We have a wonderful democracy in Australia and it has delivered a very strange result but that is because the Australian public had nothing to vote for. A vote for Julia, she was saying it was going to stop us from Tony. A vote for Tony was going to stop us from a bad Labor government. In the end, Australians didn't have a real choice between the two of them and the result we ended up with was probably what the Australian public were thinking "I really don't want either of them".
ALISON CARABINE: One of the key Bills that you will have to consider in this term of Parliament is the resources rent tax. We know the Opposition will vote against it. One more vote and it is sunk, that is if the Bill comes in before July next year. What are your intentions?
SENATOR STEVE FIELDING: I do not like raising taxes and I think the Australian public do not like it either. I think the way that Kevin Rudd introduced it was a complete surprise to a lot of people and it was part of his non-consulted approach that in the end, lost him the leadership of the Labor Party. I am opposed generally to increasing taxes unless there is a very good reason to do so and secondly, it makes sense. The Henry had a tax reform package and they've picked up sort of one piece of it and run with that because the wanted to actually do what they like doing in Labor, spending money. We've got to get very careful here about whether we are going to keep on spending or saving. I am not really predisposed to the tax, but I'm happy to listen to the new arguments that they are putting forward, It did change at the very last moment and there has been no debate, no consultation within Parliament with that particular issue.
ALISON CARABINE: Have you discussed your voting intentions with Tony Abbott? Have you had any talks at all with the Liberal leadership about how you will vote in the Senate?
SENATOR STEVE FIELDING: Not on anything specific and it was a very general conversation going back a few weeks and that was some time ago. So there is nothing specific. My view on this mining tax is I think it is ill conceived to start with and I do not think they have across the board support from the industry at all. I know the big miners seem to be a little more happy…
ALISON CARABINE: It sounds like a "no".
SENATOR STEVE FIELDING: Put it this way, I am hesitant to vote for tax increasing. I am very hesitant.
MARK KENNY: You say Senator Fielding that you're not sure that the people of Australia wanted to elect a Labor government. You say that you are going to listen to the arguments about the mining tax but you don't sound like you're too supportive of it. What about listening to the electors of Victoria, you are a Victorian senator. Labor did very well in Victoria as it did in my home State of South Australia. It is not across the board that people were wanting to chuck the government out. Is that not a factor that you will take into consideration?
SENATOR STEVE FIELDING: I think Victoria and South Australia have not had the impact of a bad Labor government. Queensland and New South Wales…
MARK KENNY: But they are State governments. What has that got to do with it?
SENATOR STEVE FIELDING: Hear me out here. Queensland and New South Wales had a very big swing against Labor because they know what a bad government ends up doing…
MARK KENNY: So you are admitting that….
SENATOR STEVE FIELDING: Victoria and South Australia I think felt a little more, not as concerned I suppose with a bad government and I think most people thought that Labor had lost their way. In initial fact the Prime Minister told us that Labor had lost their way. The question is, did they find their way during the election campaign? I am not so sure they did. The Australian public didn't think so. So putting that to one side, I said I will look at legislation, bills that come before Parliament on their merit. I think that is what the Australian public like and that is what I will be doing.
MARK KENNY: It seems to me that you are admitting that it was State factors that played out in New South Wales and Queensland for example and yet you are using that as an argument against a policy that was on the table in the federal election and which Australians voted on.
SENATOR STEVE FIELDING: Not at all. What I did say was that the people of New South Wales and Queensland have seen the results of what happens when you have a bad government. I do not think Victoria and South Australia have got that same sort of feeling about what happens when you have a bad government. I did not say they had different views on it, they just had different passion levels on what happens when you have a bad government.
ALISON CARABINE: Senator Fielding, your term will expire on 1 July next year. Do you think the Gillard Government will last that long? Do you believe that Julia Gillard can fulfil her promise of a stable and effective government?
SENATOR STEVE FIELDING: I think it is going to be very challenging for the Prime Minister Gillard. I think it is going to be very challenging. I know that normally a government has the numbers in the Lower House and it's the Senate they have to worry about. Now they have to worry about both houses of parliament. I think it is going to be tricky. But Julia Gillard is a very could [sic] negotiator. She is very consultative. She does listen. I think she has a very good chance of making it work.
PAUL BONGIORNO: Senator Fielding, just briefly, it looks like you've lost your Senate seat to the Democratic Labor Party. I guess if you had to lose it to anybody, they would seem to be fellow travellers on many issues, wouldn't it?
SENATOR STEVE FIELDING: I think there is a lot in common. The counting is still going. I have not given up yet. They didn't think I would get elected in 2004 so we have to wait for this following week for the rest of the count but there is a lot in common.
PAUL BONGIORNO: Thank you very much for being with us today, Senator Steve Fielding. Thanks also to our panel Mark Kenny and Alison Carabine. A transcript and a replay of this programme will be on our website. Until next week, goodbye.

Old age redefined as a budgetary measure in 2010?

Click on table to enlarge

Now those demmed demographers (acting more and more like insurance adjusters) are telling us that old age doesn't begin after 65 years of living on this earth.
Well, I know my mind is still clinging to middle-age, holding onto the kitchen door jamb for grim life and screaming "No, noooo, don't take me yet!" - but my joints and back are saying that they're old, old, old after years of hard graft, my eyesight isn't too crash hot, everyone is complaining that I need the teev volume up too loud these days and most nights the car keys find a new place to hide.
Though I was half expecting to hear that I was no longer considered to be all that old, indeed that I could move mountains if only I really stirred myself. How else are governments going to cut back on public health services and cash transfers to retirees once the younger taxpayers consider that greybeards are too great a burden?
Or as the abstract to "Remeasuring Aging" succinctly puts it:
"Population aging is an international concern, in part because of consequences of coming age-structure changes, e.g., growth in the number of elderly, decline in the number of youth, and accompanying economic and social costs..."
And the authors' 9th September 2010 media release ends:
"And such measures have policy implications because, “slow and predictable changes in pension [retirement] age justified by an increased number of years of healthy life at older ages, may be more politically acceptable than large, abrupt changes justified on the basis of budget stringency.”
Work longer and prosper Gen Y!

Bundjalung clubs return

Grafton Regional Gallery's Jude McBean has a terrific piece in Saturday's Daily Examiner about the return of three Bundjalung clubs.

Credit: The Daily Examiner

Somehow I don't think those budgie smugglers are going to fade away

Jules quite literally nails it in The Daily Examiner on 10 September 2010.

The 2010 Australian general election poll should finally be declared on Monday 13 September 2010.

Why isn't this youngster on the Gruen Transfer?

Source: The Daily Examiner

Never mind the quality, feel the post-election hate

Not content with a mind-blowing Page 13 editorial on 9 September 2010 which clearly positioned the newspaper:
Greens leader Bob Brown has accused The Australian of trying to wreck the alliance between the Greens and Labor. We wear Senator Brown's criticism with pride. We believe he and his Green colleagues are hypocrites; that they are bad for the nation; and that they should be destroyed at the ballot box.

On the same day The Australian pointed out (as though it matters) that Prime Minister Gillard doesn't normally carry a handbag.
A handbag? So why is this so weighty a matter that it has an entire article devoted to it?

I'm much older than Julia, am most definitely not an elite female of any sort and, I haven't carried a handbag for the last twenty years.
Journalist Glenda Korporaal is the odd one out here - not Gillard or I.

However, it is not really about handbags is it? This is merely a snippet from the river of hate continuing to flow Gillard's way and why The Australian is often considered the in-house newspaper of the Coalition parties.

Conroy remains one of the reasons why Labor continues to offend the nose

In Teh Granny Herald last Friday:
"The Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, is ploughing ahead with his internet filter policy despite there being virtually no chance any enabling legislation will pass either house of Parliament.
Independent MP Rob Oakeshott, the Opposition and the Greens have all come out against the policy, leaving it effectively dead in the water.
The Greens communications spokesman, Scott Ludlam, has called on the government to end the facade and drop the internet censorship scheme once and for all, as it was wasting time and taxpayers' money.
University of Sydney Associate Professor Bjorn Landfeldt said, given the catastrophic election result after only one term in government, it was "remarkable" the government was "pushing the very issues that undermined their credibility, rather than focusing their energy on important societal issues"....."

Numbers rule!

A hat tip to Omar Todd for pointing out that at 6 minutes and 7 seconds after 5 o'clock on the eighth day of September the digital numbers read 05:06:07 08/09/10.

Apparently this won't occur again until 3010 according to Omar.

Graphic at The Big Questions

Farewell to New England

The last planned stop made by the touring group before heading for home was in the small township of Tingha, which (just quietly, for fear of scaring the few remaining horses) has seen better days.

We examined the town's main street where most of the buildings are boarded up and could only imagine what a bustling place this would have been in days of yesteryear.
We considered grabbing a bite to eat at the local pub. However, the lunch time menu (served between 11am and 3pm) left a little bit to be desired. The menu provided diners with a choice of two offers, both priced ever-so reasonably at $5 - a beer and a pie, or a beer and a sausage roll. We thought long and hard about it but finally concluded we should head east and have another look around Guyra.
It has to be said that the business owners and residents of Tingha we spoke with are indeed a happy mob. While quick to point out that its glory days are well behind it the townsfolk stressed the advantages they enjoyed of residing in the small township.

Like so many other towns we visited Tingha will enjoy the benefits of the federal government's "Building the Education Revolution. Ms Gillard's $$$$ are being put to good use at Tingha Public School where a new school hall and COLA (covered outdoor learning area) are under construction.

The window display in the Wing Hing Long Museum was indeed very interesting ...
... but unfortunately for the group the signs in its window indicated that was as much as were going to see.

Credit: Image of museum at www.nnsw.com.au

Why am I not surprised at this?

The Office of Public Prosecutions requested a rescheduling of a former St Kilda player's rape trial due to start in July 2011 to avoid colliding with the AFL home-and-away season that year. Apparently the timing was "inconvenient" for a large number of that season's players.

So what does this say about footballers and the legal profession generally? When a piece of stitched pigskin in the hands of sporting 'stars' is seemingly viewed as more important than commencing a rape trial in a timely manner.

And to run that argument past a female judge - priceless!

Part of Teh Great Unhinging 2010

 

Well Pastor Nalliah's been at it again. Apparently the godbotherers are a mite upset down his way after the creation of a "wicked Government" this week:

 

Dear family & friends in Christ,
 
I know many of you would be very sad and disappointed at the outcome of the Australian Election. Please take some time to read through this email as I am sure it will encourage and challenge you to continue to stand for righteousness.
 
Who would have ever dreamed that one day we would have 2 atheists at the top job of running our government in Australia?
 
I too felt very sad for a few hours, but as I prayed to the Lord, I felt strongly in my spirit that this is not the time to mourn, but to rise up and fight the devil and his demonic powers of darkness even more, so that's exactly what I intend to do in the mighty Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
 
There is a famous saying, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."  In Matthew 11:12 the Word of God says, "The Kingdom of God has suffered much violence, but the violent shall rise up and take it by force.".
 
So dear prayer warriors in our Lord Jesus Christ, we might have lost this spiritual battle, but remember we will definitely win the war in Jesus Name, as the ultimate battle and victory belongs to the Lord of Hosts! Truly, He has won it for us 2000 years ago on the Cross through His death and resurrection, by triumphing over death, hell, and the grave!

When we initially lost the court case with the Islamic Council of Victoria at VCAT in 2005, there were many who were very sad and many others who mocked and laughed at us, but I knew that God would give us the final laugh & victory, "not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts!" (Zechariah 4:6)  All glory to God as we did win the court case 2 years later in Supreme Court in 2007, securing Freedom of Speech and Religion in Australia. God will never put His children who stand for Him to shame!
 
You got to be fighting continually in spiritual warfare for the God of heaven to manifest His ultimate victory over the enemy on earth! Never ever give up!
 
I was shocked when I heard that the 2 Independents Tony Windsor & Rob Oakshott were supporting Labor. Hats off to Bob Katter for standing his ground. I suppose that Tony & Rob will soon find out the very big mistake they have made. I wonder whether they will ever get re-elected to Parliament in their electorate??
 
However, the fact is that we in Australia once again have Ms Julia Gillard as our PM, with her right hand man now being Bob Brown, the outspoken homosexual leader of the Greens. It is a very very sad day for Australia.
 
I personally want to apologise to anyone whom I might have disappointed by my dream regarding Julia Gillard conceding defeat. I always speak what is in my heart and get into trouble for doing so, but I am sure you will appreciate that I will not say one thing to your face and do something else behind your back.
 
I honestly thought that the dream I had was from the Lord and so I have not given up hope on it as yet.  It is very likely that the current Gillard Labor Green Government could collapse anytime.  As the American saying goes, "it ain't over until the fat lady sings!"
 
However, what I hoped for did not come to pass in this election at this time, so I am very, very sorry.
 
Let me take this opportunity to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart who supported the major prayer assault and sent many emails. Please do not lose heart. Your prayer and action did definitely produce great results. We have definitely taken the backbone out of the Labor party. They definitely now will find it very difficult to get legislation through Parliament as it is a minority Government.
 
There is another famous saying, "It only takes good men to do nothing for evil to triumph". It is so sad that so many church leaders did not speak up against the ungodly alliance of Labor's Julia Gillard and the Green's Bob Brown, but choose to remain silent because of political correctness. Unfortunately, they are equally to be blamed for putting in place such a wicked Government.
 
I believe if this current Government continues for 3 years (although I hope not), the true Church of Jesus Christ in Australia will come under severe politcal and social persecution. We as a nation, supported by many church leaders have chosen the path of persecution rather than peace and blessing.
 
Like in China and other nations where the onfire churches are persecuted, the churches which compromise will be free to operate, but those who stand up for righteousness will be persecuted.  Who knows, we might have to start underground house churches soon in Australia, like in China & Saudi Arabia. Oh, how exciting that will be as I have personally experienced many of them, since I served the Lord in Saudi Arabia with the underground house church movement.
 
One thing is for sure, under persecution the Church definitely will grow in quality and quantity. So come what may, the Lord's plans for Australia will be fulfilled through the remnant He has in this Great South Land of the Holy Spirit! Glory to God!
 
I am ready for the fight and I hope you are. Together, united as the Body of Christ, we will see our nation fulfil her destiny in our time in this generation.
 
It is very clear that our nation's government leaders from both sides of politics are not willing or are too scared to mention the name of Almighty God because of political correctness. We desperately need some men and women in Parliament who are honest and upright in the Lord.

In closing let me ask you a very, very important question. If given the opportunity, would you support a political party which will take Australia back to the historic roots of its Founding Fathers, the Ten Commandments, and that will protect our Judeo-Christian heritage??

I really believe that it is time for a true voice of righteousness in our Parliament. If the current trend continues, the Greens will become a major hindrance for Godly values in Government which will affect our nation and all Christians in a very negative way.

Your feedback on this would be greatly appreciated. Please take some time to write at least one line letting us know what you think about it.  
 
Australia for Jesus!
 
May God Bless You Mightily in Your Service to Him,
 
Your Brother In Christ,
 
Pr Daniel Nalliah

Myall Creek

After Bingara, the group travelled north-east towards Inverell and about midway along Bingara Road between Bingara and Delungra we visited the site where the 1838 Myall Creek Massacre was perpetrated.

The massacre of approximately 30 Wirrayaraay people at Myall Creek, the subsequent court cases and the hanging of the seven settlers for their role in the massacre was a pivotal moment in the development of the relationship between settlers and Aboriginal people. It was the first and last attempt by the colonial administration to use the law to control frontier conflict between settlers and Aboriginal people.

The Myall Creek massacre is outstanding in the course of Australia's cultural history as it is the last time the Colonial Administration intervened to ensure the laws of the colony were applied equally to Aboriginal people and settlers involved in frontier killings.

The Myall Creek Massacre Memorial consists of a large granite boulder with a plaque, erected on a hill overlooking the site of the massacre at Myall Creek. The path winding up to the monument has seven smaller rocks each containing some of the story, with a seat opposite each rock and situated under trees.

The Memorial brought together the descendants of the victims, survivors and perpetrators of the violence in an act of reconciliation which had implications for the whole community. On 10th June each year a commemoration ceremony is held at the site.

The site is becoming more frequently visited by non Indigenous people who are slowly becoming aware of the true history of Indigenous Australians and the struggle since the invasion.

The Myall Creek Massacre and Memorial Site was added to the National Heritage List on 7 June 2008.

Sources:
1. Dept of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
2. "Blood On the Wattle - Massacres and Maltreatment of Australian Aborigines since 1788" by Bruce Elder, published by National Book Distributors (1988)

A ''kinder, gentler polity": it was always going to be a fool's errand

Click on image to enlarge

Editor David Bancroft hazarded a guess that it might only be a day before the Coalition turned against the Independents it had been "courting so earnestly for the last 18 days". However, the speed at which the Lib-Nat tiger turned and attacked fast outran publication of Bancroft's opinion piece in The Daily Examiner yesterday.

In The Australian yesterday:

Senator Joyce told The Australian Online that Mr Windsor's decision to back Labor on the basis that the Coalition would be more likely to win another election was a "complete departure from the fundamentals of the democratic principle".
"In the most primary of political requests, the decision to form a government, the independents [Mr Oakeshott and Mr Windsor] have departed from delivering what their constituents wanted with the conceited claim that they know best," Senator Joyce said.

Some Coalition MPs have taken to Twitter to vent, with Liberal MP Bob Baldwin writing: "To think Windsor & Oakshot [sic] were going to vote any other way was a folly, the 17 days was nothing more than grandstanding to say the least."
"Did Oakshot sell out for the job of Speaker, surely not!"

Senator Richard Colbeck wrote: "How is a party that didn't even put out an Agriculture policy best for regional Australia?".

Tasmanian Eric Abetz warned Mr Oakeshott that he needed to "watch out" as Labor MP Sid Sidebottom had made a bid for a regional affairs portfolio - the same portfolio the independent may take up.
"Labor will do anything and say anything but when you get into bed with Labor make sure you know exactly who else is sharing the pillow," Senator Abetz said.

Queensland MP Steve Ciobo wrote: "Hard to take them seriously. Claim they're about their constituents, but back Labor/Greens. ALP/Greens polled 11.5% & 17.8% in their seats!"

And Liberal Sussan Ley cryptically quoted Sigmund Freud, writing: "Windsor and Oakeshott: the narcissism of the small differences - feeling negative towards the people who are most like you (Freud)."....

In The Sydney Morning Herald on the same day:

Mr Pyne singled out Mr Windsor and Mr Oakeshott - whose support tipped Labor into office - saying their decision offended commonsense.

Prominent Nationals Senator Ron Boswell also took a swipe at Mr Windsor, claiming his decision could be seen as "payback" for years of enmity towards his former party.

ABC News yesterday:

A Tasmanian Liberal Senator has condemned the Independent Member for Denison's deal with Federal Labor.

Andrew Wilkie has secured $340 million dollars to refurbish the Royal Hobart Hospital, in return for backing Julia Gillard's Labor minority government.
Liberals Senator Eric Abetz says it is nowhere near the multi-billion dollar deal secured by the other Independents for regional infrastructure projects.
"And I dare say Andrew Wilkie in Denison is scratching his head," he said.

News and Views in Bingara

Bingara's local newspaper The Advocate (published weekly) has a circulation of about 1000 copies.

Its latest edition features a front page report about the North West Film Festival to be held at The Roxy on September 17. The festival is "open to emerging filmmakers, students, young people and members from isolated communities across the New England North West region of NSW."

The Advocate also carries three letters to the editor:

1. "Lost Souls" are wandering round and round and up and down the streets of Bingara during the day and night in their "chariots" with the windows down so that all may hear their music.

2. The local Cancer Action Group's appreciation of community support on Daffodil Day. $2305.50 was raised - that's a totally amazing amount for such a small population.

3. Visitors to the town in motorhomes are bludging off the community by not paying camping fees.

But, shock! horror!

A report titled "Senate vote varied" informs readers that The Sex Party was not as popular at Upper Horton as it was in Bingara. It received only one vote in Upper Horton, but 17 in Bingara!

And, if that wasn't enough to scare the socks off the good folk around Bingara, the real devil was in the detail. Four voters in Bingara gave their #1 preference to the Communists.

(Editor's note: To ensure balance and objectivity is maintained in Clarrie's report, it is acknowledged that there were 19 One Nation supporters but the Greens managed to get just 3 #1s.)

Phew! Terror Australis avoided by the narrowest of margins

Australia can now exhale.

The Labor Party has formed a minority government after the 2010 general election produced a hung parliament and, as of yesterday, Julia Gillard is now the prime minister-designate.

By the narrowest of margins Labor negotiated an agreement with The Greens and three Independents resulting in 76 aligned seats to the Coalition's 75.

The spectre of Liberal Party Leader Tony Abbott holding the office of prime minister has been banished for the time being.

As a member of the Liberal Party of Australia, federal member of parliament, former minister in the Howard Government and latterly as Leader of the Opposition, Abbott has clearly demonstrated that he acknowledges few (if any) ethical boundaries to the exercise of political power.
For this reason alone Abbott is a politician to be wary of and one who could have become a dangerous prime minister.

However, the nation is not out of the woods yet. By now Abbott will have convinced himself that the process he so recently hoped would deliver him control of the country was not legitimate and, will be seeking ways to disrupt parliament, destabilise the political process and sabotage confidence in government.

The rest of the Coalition will also soon be shouting that they were robbed of the crown and (based on past performance) no political dirty trick will be too small and no lie too large.

The nation may well be in for a few very painful years.

Truth can be stranger than fiction

From the Twitterverse:

bridgitgread

Tory MP's wife exposed as a working prostitute. Nice to see spouses in the same line of work. http://tinyurl.com/28kt82h via web Retweeted by rod3000

Please report sightings of coastal emus to NPWS

Image taken from Daily Examiner (7/9/2010)

In and around Bingara

The touring party really took to Bingara, which is a neat small town that appears to be well serviced. We drove and trekked around the township and its surrounds and engaged in numerous conversations with the locals.

A prominent building in the central part of the town is The Roxy (pic, left above). An art deco cinema built in 1936 and recently restored, it's now a multipurpose venue, cinema and performing arts centre. The 7th North West Film Festival will be held there later this month.

Breakfast at The Regent Cafe was quite an experience - our tour captain was almost overcome by an attack of nostalgia as he tucked away a bushman's brekkie that consisted of a T-bone steak and fried eggs topped off with a very liberal layering of Holbrook's Worcestershire Sauce.


Others in the party preferred the home-style scrambled eggs on toast (and, in case you're wondering, tomato sauce was readily available). Terrific vanilla milk shakes were served up in metal containers that carried scars and dents inflicted in years of yesterday.

Friday's Legacy Day fund raiser took the form of a raffle - the prize was a load of chopped fire wood. We reckoned that was an excellent prize, given the local area's climate and demographics.

While Bingara seems to cater well for the needs of locals and visitors we couldn't help but wonder what the place might be like in another 20 years. Its current population (approx 1200) has a significant skew towards those of mature and very mature ages (about 50% of the population is 55 +) - they are well catered for (pics below show the civic centre, town hall and senior citizens rest centre), but what will the town be like in 2030 when most of those citizens have moved on.

Just can't take the situation seriously anymore....

Kudelka & The Australian 26 August 2010

Are you around 10 years old and hankering to be a star? Look no further than the Lismore Show in October 2010

North Coast National Exhibition
125 Years Celebration
21 - 23 October 2010, Lismore, NSW

GIRLS - WHERE ARE YOU?

The search for a star continues across the Northern Rivers for a young girl to sing a feature song in LOCAL HEROES, the arena spectacular at the 2010 North Coast National (Lismore Show) in October.

The song will pay tribute to the SES volunteers who are always at the ready in times of need.

Local Heroes producer Mark Eady says he is looking for a girl, around 10 years old, who will have a leading role in the production and will be backed by a full choir. Mark is also looking for an experienced adult female singer.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for a girl and a woman with immense talent to sing to an audience of thousands," Mark said. "I've already cast the male roles but the perfect girl and feature female singer are still to be found!

The 125^th anniversary Arena Spectacular, held over the three nights of the Lismore Show (October 21 – 23), will celebrate those ordinary men and women who daily do extraordinary things within our community.

"Local Heroes will be the largest theatrical tribute to our emergency service people ever staged and a behind the scenes peak at these ordinary women and men who achieve extraordinary things.

In my view we can't thank them enough," says John Gibson, North Coast National President.

Some of the groups to be celebrated are NSW Fire, SES, Police, Ambulance, Westpac Helicopter Rescue, Lifeguards and Nippers, Road Safety Officers (lollypop ladies), Animal Rescue groups, and more.

Already chosen to appear in Local Heroes are singers Jesse Mathews-Cooke from Ballina, St John's College Woodlawn student Courtney Macdade and young actors Shyarnah Tryhorn, Matilda Pleace, Marnie Johnston and Kathleen Caughey, Year 9 and 10 dance students from Trinity College, Lismore, Year 9 and 10 dance students from St John's College Woodlawn, junior dancers and the choir from Our Lady Help of Christians, the Woodlawn Senior Choir and the Winsum Loosesum Gospel Choir.

Real life local heroes, members of our region's emergency services, will also be a vital part of the arena spectacular.

To audition for Local Heroes, contact the producer Mark Eady on 0418 150 306, or North Coast National secretary Janelle Hancock on 6621 5916. You can also apply to audition on-line at www.ozworks.net - Click on Local Heroes Auditions.

Media enquiries:

Tracey Mair

TM Publicity

For the North Coast National

Ph: 02 6680 7106 or 0419 221 493

Customer bites back at bank

It's not often a bank comes out on the wrong side of an argument concerning the status of an account, but Westpac did just that according to Banking Day this month:
"The High Court has ruled that a bank could not claim qualified privilege against a defamation claim when it sent dishonoured cheques back to payees, based on a clerical error.
In December 1997 Westpac dishonoured 30 cheques drawn by Homewise Realty, a real estate agency run by Paul Aktas. The cheques were returned to the payees or collecting banks marked "refer to drawer".
The term "refer to drawer" is widely understood to mean that there were insufficient funds to meet the cheque. According to the court record, some members of the Turkish community in the Sydney suburb of Auburn, where Aktas ran his business, "reacted adversely and with some hostility to Mr Aktas after it became known that trust account cheques had bounced."
Westpac made a mistake in dishonouring the cheques...."

Oh, why are we waiting.....

Why are we waiting

Could be fornicating

Oh, why are we waiting

So farcking long.......

What's in the news in Armidale? Part 2: The New State Movement ... still!

Again, in Wednesday's Armidale Express, Jim Belshaw who's been known to beat the New State drum more than once, is at it again.

Belshaw, who writes at his blog site New England, Australia and is not one who's known to be backward in coming forward, has called upon Tony Windsor, the Independent MP for New England, and the other 'country' (that's Belshaw's description, but I'd prefer to call then 'rural and regional') independents to do three things:
#1. Support the holding of a convention about state and commonwealth powers
#2. Support the holding of a (yet) another new state plebiscite in Northern NSW, and
#3. Apply a test to any specific initiatives to determine if the proposal has any real longer term impact on New England development, or whether it is just a 'band-aid'?

I have no real quarrels about #1 and #3, but as for #2 ... here we go round the mulberry bush again!

It seems Belshaw and the Mad Hatter from North Queensland are top-and-tailing it in the same bed. Belshaw is (figuratively) at the bottom end of the bed while the Mad Hatter is occupying the bed's top end

The Northern Star (Saturday, September 4) in a piece titled 'MP pushes for region to be split' states:

Bob Katter would have the Northern Rivers split in two, with towns such as Byron Bay, Kyogle, Mullumbimby, and Nimbin moving to Queensland, while places such as Lismore, Casino, Ballina,

The Channon, and Suffolk Park remain in NSW.
The split is part of a wider redrawing of state borders proposed by Mr Katter, which includes creating a new state of North Queensland, handing a big chunk of the Northern Territory to an expanded South Australia, and a rebranding of the Top End as North Western Australia as another new state that takes out the northern end of Western Australia.

The renamed ‘South Queensland’ would extend from Bundaberg south to Byron Bay, creating the Northern Rivers split.

Mr Katter’s argument is that the new division of state boundaries would let Australia better exploit its natural resources, improve farming in the north, and would accommodate an extra 100,000 people.

The idea would have to go to a referendum and is unlikely to ever see the light of day. It’s worth noting that the idea – although raised by the Kennedy MP as recently as last week – did not make his list of 20 ‘priorities’ handed to Labor and the Coalition on Thursday.

Here's a suggestion for both Jim and Bob: You need a cuppa tea, a Bex and a good lie down.

Sources: The Armidale Express (September 1) and The Northern Star (September 4)