Attention Aussie ISPs: who's laying bets on how long the Movie Rights Group will survive?

I’m laying bets ;-) as to how long the Australian company Movie Rights Group manages to stay afloat and keep its legal attack dog onside, as it endeavours to get hard cash from people it alleges breached copyright and illegally downloaded movies 'owned' by Lightening Entertainment, a Santa Monica-based sales and distribution company.

For heaven's sake, The Movie Rights Group's spokesman doesn't even appear to realise that Lightening Entertainment doesn't actually hold the film copyright of Kill the Irishman.

This is what is known so far…………….

ABC News on the 5th October 2011 ran this interesting information:

Australian internet service provider (ISP) Exetel says it has been approached by a firm acting on behalf of the film's copyright holder Lightning Entertainment and asked if it would be able to hand over the names and addresses of internet users.

Exetel boss John Linton says the Movie Rights Group – a Gold Coast-based organisation representing the interests of Lightning Entertainment – approached his company’s lawyers asking whether Exetel would be able to provide the names and addresses of 150 of its IP users were an Australian court to issue a subpoena…..

In the blog post, published on Exetel's website but behind a paywall, Mr Linton suggested the Movie Rights Group's positioning could be part of a "US extortion scam" but said it looked to be "real" and "properly thought through".

"What may or may not transpire from here is not possible, at least for me, to assess," he wrote.

The Age coloured the picture in further on the 8^th October 2011:

Movie Rights Group was set up a year ago by two brothers, and does not appear to be connected to studio groups or copyright organisations.

It was registered in November 2010 to New Zealand-born Matthew Wade Clapham and Richard Dean Clapham, according to documents lodged with the corporate regulator. Matthew Clapham declined to comment yesterday.

The Movie Rights Group had this to say on its website as of 10th October 2011:

Settlement

Settling quickly is an easy process that may well avoid costly and time-consuming Court appearances. Upon settling your matter, you'll be issued with a full release of liability. Your settlement terms and personal information will be kept strictly confidential.

If, however, you decide not to settle and wish your matter to be heard in Court, we strongly suggest you engage a lawyer as soon as possible.

Full details of how to settle are contained in your infringement notice.

Here is an excerpt from Gordon Walker’s Linked in brag page viewed on the 10th October 2011:

Gordon Walker's Experience

VP Sales and Marketing

Movie Rights Group LLC

Internet industry

2010 – Present (1 year)

Founder and CEO

Munro Medical Pty Ltd

Medical Devices industry

October 1997 – March 2002 (4 years 6 months) Queensland, Australia

Imported, sold and leased Hospital Grade infant respiration monitors for "SIDS at risk babies" to hospitals, public health services, local area health services and individuals throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Founder and CEO

Munro & Kay Pty Ltd

Real Estate industry

February 1987 – March 2002 (15 years 2 months) Queensland, Australia

Company formed to build and renovate residential properties on the northern end of the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Gordon Walker's Education

Royal Australian Air Force OTS

Advanced Diploma Aviation, Air Traffic Control

1975 – 1980

Australian Joint Anti Submarine School

Anti Submarine Warfare

Australian Joint Warfare Establishment

Joint Operations

Department of Transport (ATG)

Civilian Air Traffic Control course

RAAF School of Air Traffic Control

Air Traffic Control

Gordon Walker's Additional Information

Websites:

Company Website

Groups and Associations:

Leukaemia Foundation, Surf Life Saving Australia, Guide Dogs, SIDS for Kids

Honors and Awards:

Air Force Commendation

So does any of the above information lay to rest the voiced suspicion that Movie Rights Group's positioning could be part of a "US extortion scam" or the possibility that Movie Rights Group may not have a very long business life?

Well the only people associated with the company who've gone public are:

1.  Gordon Walker who claims to have founded Munro Medical Pty Ltd a current corporation with a registered address at Murwillumbah as well as being listed as having premises in Ballina on the NSW North Coast (although the deregistered company which most matched his published timeline above is here) and, Munro & Kay Pty Ltd a defunct Queensland company which commenced sometime between 1987 & 1991 and applied for deregistration in 1992, but if the Linked in entry is correct continued to trade until 2002.

2. Matthew Wade Clapham and Richard Dean Clapman who were directors of a New Zealand company, Ram Productions Limited which came into being in 1999 and was deregistered in 2006 according to the NZ Register of Companies.

Matthew appears to have been a shareholder in another New Zealand company, C.M.R. Productions Limited – which unsurprisingly was deregistered in 2005 five years after it was born.

UPDATE:

Internet Media Productions is a 10 year-old Queensland company which was deregistered in August 2011.
WebTrafficAgents.com lists this company and Matthew Clapman as the registrants for pornconductor.com.
Whois also records the company and Matthew as registrants for throatsex.com.
While WooRank still lists the company and Matthew as registrants for seductivepornmovies.com.
Though I think he may have sold on or anonymised two of those sites by now.

FURTHER UPDATE:

MSM finally catches up with the p0rn angle and finds more websites - as well as publishing photos of the Clapham brothers.
*http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/playing-dirty-20111017-1ltam.html
*http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/porn-link-tipped-in-net-piracy-case-20111017-1ltex.html
Bet those boys are starting to feel sorry they ever approached Extel!

Buyinbin Aboriginal Corp receives $519k grant

Strengthening employment opportunities

for Indigenous people in Page

The Australian Government is continuing to support Indigenous people in Page to get training and find work as part of a $47 million boost to Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) across the country.

Federal Member for Page Janelle Saffin MP was very pleased to announce today that Buyinbin Aboriginal Corporation will receive $519,000 for Muli Muli, Baryulgil and Malabugilmah to provide training and community development.

“CDEP funding is used across the CDEP communities to help Indigenous job seekers gain the skills needed to find sustainable employment and contributes strongly to personal, social and economic development,” Ms Saffin said.

Buyinbin will use the funds to provide activities that include the renovation of the community hall, purchase fit-out of coach for mobile training, contract maintenance, market garden and bush regeneration. Skills training includes Certificates 11 and 111 information technology, outdoor recreation, micro/small business and Certificates IV in ATSI Cultural Arts.

“The funding also continues the employment of one community development officer and two mentors/supervisors.” Ms Saffin said.

“This investment will continue the good work of Buyinbin which includes Muli Muli, Baryulgil and Malabugilmah.

Mr Russell Freeburn CEO of Buyinbin Aboriginal Corporation said today “we will continue to deliver training and other services to our CDEP communities and I would like to acknowledge and thank Minister Macklin for approval of the additional funding which is a valuable resource that will enable us to do this.  I appreciate the efforts and assistance of Janelle Saffin for her continued support of our remaining CDEP communities.”

Community Development Employment Projects is a key contributor to the Government’s aim of halving the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous employment within a decade.

“We are committed to ensuring that local Indigenous people have the skills necessary to get and keep a job.” Ms Saffin said today.

The full list of CDEP providers is available at: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/indigenous/progserv/families/cdep/Pages/default.aspx

Office of Janelle Saffin MP Federal Member for Page

Media Release 7 October 2011

Surfing the Coldstream, Yamba 15 October 2011

Event Date: October 15 2011 from 2pm until 10pm

Event Type: One-Day Festival & Celebration with Live Music, Cultural Art Walk, Magic Bus tours, Sensory Walk, Street Buskers, African Drumming, Belly Dancing, Amusement Rides, Food Village and much more.

Inaugural Sultans of Sand beach football competition will be held at Yamba's Turners Beach on October 15-16 to coincide with the festival.

Address: Flinders Reserve, Main Beach, Yamba

Contact Name: Margo Scott

Phone: (02) 6646 9664 or 0418 251 899

Email: liveprawnproductions@gmail.com

Dorrigo Environment Watch on the subject of mining at Wild Cattle Creek

Stuttering Frog

Dorrigo Environment Watch is on a mission to raise community awareness of risks to human and environmental health. The following can be found on its website at

http://www.dorrigoenvironmentwatch.org.au/index.html:

With 70% of NSW under mining exploration licences it seems no place is protected, regardless of known high conservation values and environmental legislation requirements.

There is considerable potential for endangered frogs to be at risk from renewed mining development on the Dorrigo Plateau. The site of the antimony deposit known as Wild
Cattle Creek is well known habitat of a number of rare and threatened frog species, in particular the Giant barred frog (Mixophyes iteratus) listed as nationally endangered
and the Stuttering Frog (Mixophyes balbus) listed as nationally vulnerable. These frogs and their habitat are supposedly protected by the Australian Government’s Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) and the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC).

Dorrigo Environment Watch has located both the Giant Barred frog and the Stuttering frog in the streams just below the current drilling activity zone. Frog surveys, conducted by DEW members with scientific and environmental education expertise, have been underway since November 2010, with the data validated by an independent frog expert and sent to the DECCW Wildlife Database Unit.

Under the EPBC there are no third party referral procedures for an individual or community group to report these frogs to and it seems that proponents such as Anchor Resources Ltd are required to ‘self assess’ as to whether they would be required to submit ‘notice of an action’ to the Australian Government. Similarly under the NSW Department of Industry and Investment, Anchor Resources drilling program was considered low impact and deemed not to require a ‘Review of Environmental Factors’. DEW considers that both the Australian and NSW Governments are failing in their legislative responsibilities to protect these nationally listed frogs and their habitat. In particular it is concerning how this exploration licence managed to avoid
any environmental assessment under either State or Australian legislation given that a quick Google search of ‘Wild Cattle Creek NSW and frogs’ leads straight to the Government web sites for threatened frog species.

As required under the EPBC Act, DEW has written to the NSW State Government requesting that they notify the Australian Government of the need to trigger the EPBC for this mining development site and for a Review of Environmental Factors to be undertaken.

As yet, the EPBC has not been triggered on any NSW mining exploration licences. Wild Cattle Creek Dorrigo provides both the NSW and Australian Governments an opportunity to use the legislation they have enacted to protect threatened species and to regain a balance of appropriate land use in rural Australia currently dominated by the mining sector.

Giant Barred Frog

Are the boys in blue dragging their feet in sympathy with the former NSW Parliamentary Secretary to the Police Minister?

Soon after Steve Cansdell was forced by circumstances to admit to the NSW Nats leader and Grafton police that in 2005 he had signed a false statutory declaration to avoid losing his driving license, speculation began to surface that police in the Coffs-Clarence Area Command would be reluctant to pursue the matter because of their prior contact with him as the MP for Clarence and parliamentary secretary to the NSW Police Minister.

Three weeks after his resignation became public knowledge police have still not interviewed his alleged co-conspirator according to The Daily Examiner on 8^th October 2011:

“POLICE are still to decide if charges will be laid against former Clarence MP Steve Cansdell, three weeks after he handed documents to Grafton police showing he falsified a statutory declaration to avoid losing his licence over a speeding fine in 2005.

On Wednesday evening the prime police witness in the case, former Cansdell staffer Kath Palmer, was yet to be interviewed to progress the investigations.

The Daily Examiner yesterday tried to contact Mrs Palmer to see if she had spoken to police, without success.

Police have not confirmed what action, if any, they will take in the matter.

When Mr Cansdell announced his resignation outside his Prince St office on September 16, he said a third party signed a declaration they were driving his car when he was detected at Woodburn by a speed camera travelling 74kmh in a 60kmh zone.

"I had received a speeding ticket which would have cost me my licence," Mr Cansdell said.

"A third party agreed to claim to be driving my vehicle at the time and took the demerit points.

"I regret my actions six years ago, which I took without thought of the consequences."

Mr Cansdell told the media he wanted a "clean slate" in the lead up to the 2006 election….”

Pic from The Daily Examiner

If he can't run a car yard at a profit, how does he expect to help run a state?

Pictured here on the left is Stuart George, one of the NSW Nationals pre-selection candidates hoping to be chosen to contest the Clarence by-election and then go on represent the people of that electorate as a member of the O’Farrell Government.

He was (and still probably is) owner or part-owner of Capital Car Sales in Casino, as he was proud to attest in 2001 and 2005:

In 2001, I purchased Capital Car Sales.

Stuart and Barry are now joint directors of Capital Car Sales which is situated at its original location: 105-113 Centre Street, Casino.

However, Stuart and the North Coast Nationals have a problem which may yet cause concern and, it is found on the Australian Securities and Investments Commission website:

Extracted from ASIC's database at AEST 00:28:44 on 08/10/2011

Name CAPITAL CAR SALES (CASINO) PTY. LIMITED

ACN    100 385 377

ABN    64 100 385 377

Type Australian Proprietary Company, Limited By Shares

Registration Date 30/04/2002

Next Review Date 30/04/2012

Status ** UNDER EXTERNAL ADMINISTRATION and/or CONTROLLER APPOINTED **

Locality of Registered Office Casino NSW 2470

Jurisdiction Australian Securities & Investments Commission

On 10 November 2011 there was a Creditors' meeting for Voluntary Creditors' Liquidations scheduled.

Now the rumour is that this company owes many tens of thousands of dollars, so perhaps Mr. George might like to explain the part he played in this business difficulty?

UPDATE:

SCANDAL has hit the NSW Nationals for the second time in a month with the revelation that a company owned by pre-selection candidate for Clarence Stuart George is in liquidation owing nine creditors more than $250,000.
The $267,620 in debts owed to creditors relate to monies owed by Mr George's former business Capital Car Sales (Casino) Pty Ltd - a figure he disputes.
The debts have the potential to derail his tilt at the seat for Clarence.
Both Mr George and his wife Margaret are listed as directors of the company.
On October 27 last year Mr George acknowledged the debt when he signed off on an Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) statement verifying report as director.
Mr George's creditors include the Australian Taxation Office, North Coast Petroleum, Allianz, Sensis, and his father Member for Lismore Thomas George, to whom he owes the bulk of the debt.
When The Daily Examiner contacted Mr George at a National Party conference at Port Macquarie yesterday he said he had never hidden the fact that his company was in liquidation.....

The rest of The Daily Examiner article by journalist Rodney Stevens here.

Look over there, Look over there! Don't delve deeper! cries Clarence Valley Council

There would be many in the Clarence Valley laughing cynically at the initial Clarence Valley Shire Council response to finding that the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) had it on the list of councils being investigated during Operation Jarek.

Coyly admitting to one recent $50 gift voucher and studiously avoiding making eye contact with the senior management elephant in the room.

All those alleged failures to disclose a non-pecuniary/
pecuniary interest, undocumented meetings with developers, boozy free lunches, favours done and cost over runs.

Hhmmmmm……………

List of the 110 state & local government authorities under investigation.

Tweed Heads Says NO To Coal Seam Gas, Sunday 16 October 2011

On Sunday, October 16 at 11:00am to  3:00pm concerned citizens will be at a rally at Jack Evans Boat Harbour,  Tweed Heads to make their voices heard on coal seam gas exploration and mining on the NSW North Coast.

A group photo at 12 Noon to be sent down to the National Tally for the National Day of Action.

Background information at http://lockthegate.org.au/

Westboro weirdness

Westboro Baptist Church in the United States of America has long been known for its strange view of the world - as evidenced by its GodHatesFags website.

Here is the latest example:

According to Wikipedia; Phelps and his family picket approximately six locations every day, including many in Topeka and some events farther afield. On Sundays, up to 15 churches may receive pickets. By their own count, WBC has conducted over 30,000 pickets, in all 50 states, in over 500 cities and towns.

'Opera With The Cows' at Cowper, Saturday 22 October 2011 at 7.30pm

Opera With The Cows

Where

Cowper Public School

Old Pacific Highway

Cowper NSW

When

7.30pm Saturday 22 October

Bring your own chairs. Food and drink available to purchase.

Tickets

Adults $20

Premium Tickets
$40

Chairs supplied in premium position

Champagne supper with the artists after the event

Free Tickets

Children under 15 years

Contact

Melissa Philp

0418 458 293

melphilp at bigpond.com.au
http://www.operawiththecows.com.au/

The Clarence Valley Welcomes You

Promotional photograph from Flickr

Political Quote of the Week

Federal Labor MP for Page Janelle Saffin on the subject of former Oz rocker Angry Anderson’s political ambitions:

"Come election time in 2013 I am ready to run, even against Elvis if the National Party pre-select him,"

Coming soon - 'Getting the drift: a community guide to pesticides sprayed in the NSW Northern Rivers' (REVISED SECOND EDITION)

NSW Environmental Defender’s Office:

Want to know which pesticides could be sprayed near where you live, and what you can do about it? If you live in the NSW Northern Rivers, this booklet will help you find out. New, expanded edition published in September 2011 includes updated data, more crops, more case studies and a new section called ‘What are my rights?'
Free copies will soon be available for download from www.edo.org.au/edonsw

Rumour Mills: an interesting exchange

Well, this has to be a first. Rather wishy-washy allegations of Abbott The Pants Man…….

On an open thread over at Café Whispers on the 24^th September 2011:

Miglo

There’s a rumour going around that Abbott’s been kicked out of home after being caught having an affair with the daughter of a financial backer. Still only a rumour.

Sue

Min
Rumours are always nasty, there are plenty around. The trouble for Abbott is his continual comparison of himself as a “family man” and the jump therefore superior to the PM. Earlier this year there was the “bar maid ” in WA, quickly closed down.

Min

El gordo, so far the Abbott thing is just a bit of hot juicy gossip and I haven’t seen anything factual come to light as yet. I’ve had a look on some of the anti-Abbott sites and can’t find any mention.

Catching up

“That’s surprising, I didn’t think that Tony Abbott was in love with anything but his own image.”

Min, does the man have to be in love?

What Tony wants, Tony takes.

PS How would anyone know if he has been ejected from home, he is never there to make a comparison with.

Maybe that is why he is always on the road, promoting his “no” case. He has not a home to go to.

Water Wars: Not good enough, Richie!

“DANGEROUSLY high levels of arsenic and antimony in Mine Creek, which feeds into Wild Cattle Creek, has ignited debate about antimony mining in an area which leads into the water supply of the Clarence and Coffs Harbour regions.

Wild Cattle Creek is one of the major tributaries of the Nymboida River which leads into the Clarence and also supplies water to Shannon Creek Dam.

A map commissioned by Anchor Resources, the company which is licenced to explore, but not mine the site at Beilsdown, shows Mine Creek at one point had 377 ug/litre (parts per billion) of antimony which is 126 times the Australian and New Zealand Environment Conservation Council's (ANZECC) guidelines for drinking water.

Arsenic levels at the same spot were 85 ug/litre - more than 12 times the ANZECC drinking water guidelines.

The map is dated September 19, 2011.” {The Daily Examiner on 5th October 2011 in Significant threat to waterways}

This is a section of the map published alongside the quoted article (hat tip to Clarencegirl's friends):

Even I can work out that if past antimony and gold mining in parts of the Clarence River catchment have resulted in persistent pollution which is likely to remain for centuries, then it’s not a brilliant idea to sit back and let the O’Farrell Government in faraway Sydney agree to new mining in the area which can possibly stuff up Clarence waterways and increase health risks faced by local communities and the businesses which keep them afloat.

But lord luvva duck! Sometimes you have to wonder what happens to some men’s spines after they catch a glimpse of a golden chance – the right to strut down Macquarie Street and plant their behinds on the government pews in Parliament House alongside Bazza and his mates.

Faced with evidence from a report commissioned by the Chinese-owned mining exploration company, Anchor Resources, Clarence Valley Mayor and Nationals pre-selection candidate, Richie Williamson, had this to say in The Daily Examiner on 5^th October 2011; “Should the mine progress, council will not be taking a back seat on the issue".  

Gone is any hint of outright opposition – or heaven forfend, a proactive approach - to this latest threat to the quality and safety of fresh water flowing down the Nymboida River and on into the kitchen taps of Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour homes. Instead there is p*ss weak acceptance that what China wants China gets.

Seems the boys from Anchor really did a number on Richie at that last meeting with council.

The Australian gets caught out kicking at The Greens

No incentive for jobseekers to get off disability pension opined journalist Patricia Karvelas in The Australian  on 9 March 2011 with this opening shot at The Greens:

NEW social security rates reveal that the "payment gap" between disability pensions and the dole has risen dramatically to $127.20 a week, as welfare groups vow to ramp up the issue -- with Greens support -- ahead of the May budget.

They argue there is no incentive for people to get off the more lucrative pensions and into work……

This was the outcome of the inevitable complaint to the Press Council of Australia:

Adjudication No. 1511: Naomi Anderson/The Australian (September 2011)

Document Type:

Complaints

Outcome:

Adjudications

Date:

23 Sep 2011

The Australian Press Council has considered a complaint by Naomi Anderson about a report in The Australian on 9 March 2011 concerning the difference in payment rates between the Disability Support Pension (DSP) and the Newstart Allowance.

The headline of the article was No incentive for jobseekers to get off disability and, after mentioning welfare groups and Greens, the second paragraph read: "They argue there is no incentive for people to get off the more lucrative [DSP] and into work". Later paragraphs quoted a named representative from the National Welfare Rights Network and another one from the Greens. No other person was quoted or mentioned.

Ms Anderson complained that the article was inaccurate because the representatives did not say that there was no incentive to get off DSP or that DSP is "more lucrative" than Newstart. She said this inaccuracy was unfair to the representatives and to people receiving DSP. She also complained that the headline presented a matter of opinion as if it was a fact.

The newspaper said the second paragraph accurately and fairly summarised the quoted comments. It said that the headline was a fair summary of the opinions expressed in the article, not a purported statement of fact.

The Council has concluded that the second paragraph inaccurately described the quoted comments in the article because those comments did not assert that there was no incentive to get off DSP or that either the DSP or Newstart could be described as in any way "lucrative". Those misstatements were unfair to the quoted people and to people receiving DSP. Accordingly, this aspect of the complaint is upheld.

The Council has concluded that the headline presented as a matter of fact an assertion which is actually a matter of opinion. Accordingly, this aspect of the complaint was also upheld.

 Well done, Naomi.

Southern Ocean Sky 2011

Ocean Sky from Alex Cherney on Vimeo

It has to be a joke, Joyce

You’d think I would be used to the idiocy coming out of the Nats camp and the Coalition Gazette, but this takes the blue ribbon:

“ROCKER Angry Anderson is eyeing two federal seats in NSW as he plots a bid to represent the Nationals in Canberra.

The 63-year-old anti-carbon tax campaigner has the Labor-held seat of Throsby, based in Wollongong, in his sights, but could also make a run for the northern NSW seat of Page, at the suggestion of Tony Abbott.”

Angry Anderson representing Page? Fair dinkum – I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

The eejit says he's "been reading the science" and doesn't believe it. He knows global warming doesn't exist because scientific opinions are "polluted by a wage", carbon dioxide is a natural harmless element, pollution is not new -its been around since the industrial revolution, it's all a U.N. conspiracy and he didn't design power generators so "it's not our fault".

Pic from Google Images

Water Administration Ministerial Corporation has to pay own costs after judgment in its favour

From the NSW Environmental Defender’s Office - a case of poetic justice as the the WAMC is left holding the legal bill:

With assistance from the EDO , the Snowy River Alliance (SRA) recently challenged the validity of the Snowy Hydro water access licence in the Supreme Court. The challenge was unsuccessful. The general rule is that the unsuccessful party must pay the successful party's legal costs. However, the Court can make an exception in public interest litigation so that persons seeking to represent the public interest are not deterred by the prospect of paying the other party's costs. But this exception only applies when the litigation is genuine public interest litigation, and where there is ‘something more' that justifies a departure from the general rule. In this case, Justice Hislop held that the proceedings could be characterised as public interest litigation because there is a wide public interest in the protection of the Snowy River , and because the plaintiffs were not pursuing any personal gains. There was also ‘something more' in these proceedings because they dealt with issues that were novel and important. Therefore, the Court ordered that the SRA did not need to bear the defendant's costs.

For more information, please click .

Judgment[PDF 3.08 MB]

Reading the tea leaves......

Between late March and early September 2004 the Australian Remuneration Tribunal had all but finished topping up parliamentary remunerations for that particular year. By mid-September the country was weighing up those candidates who were standing for the 9^th October 2004 federal election.

In October 2007 the Tribunal again increased Federal MPs’ wage and allowance packages and - in what could only be the wildest coincidence-  by the start of November that year a federal election campaign was in full swing.

In May 2010 federal pollies were granted a healthy pay rise to take effect just in time for the August 2010 federal election campaign to kick off in earnest.

In June 2011 those same pollies’ pay packets grew fatter yet again with a base salary of $140,910, and now we find that an MP’s wallet will probably grow positively obese sometime during the first quarter of next year.

Which makes me wonder if we will see a general election called in early August 2013.

Because if meeja speculation on the size of the 2012 pay jump is close to the mark then there is unlikely to be a further major pay rise in the following year - so going to the polls at the earliest opportunity will not be seen by Government MPs as the chance of a pay increase missed.

Clarence By-election: Nat's preselection candidate Williamson rapidly losing fans

Today's episode in the Nats' pre-selection skirmish in Clarence has been given a bit more heat, thanks to a contributor's letter to the editor of The Daily Examiner.

Be warned

Unsurprisingly, the Valley's serial claim jumper has put his name up for National Party pre-selection for the seat of Clarence.

I was more than a little surprised when I first heard of his move for the following reason.

Shortly before the March election, Mr Williamson phoned me, and the main purpose of his call seemed to be to win me over to his and his supporting team's belief that the next New South Wales government could very well be controlled by a party of independents that included himself. He assured me that he was a dedicated independent who could never be tied to a particular party's dogma. He also divulged that contact had been established with other candidates statewide and that there was growing confidence that they could pull it off. They were never going to, of course.

Anyway, be warned. There's now a cuckoo flying around looking for a spare nest. Let it settle at your peril.

Thomas Macindoe, Yamba

Source: Letters, The Daily Examiner, 3/10/11

Is NSW Nationals Clarence pre-selection candidate Chris Gulaptis compromised by his employment history?

As NSW Nationals in the North Coast seat of Clarence prepare to pick their candidate at the forthcoming by-election caused by the sudden resignation of disgraced Nationals MP, Steve Cansdell, one has to wonder about the agenda of many.

Take former land developer, sometime mayor of Maclean Shire and one time councillor on Clarence Valley Shire Council, Chris Gulaptis, whose disastrous tilt at the federal seat of Page in 2007 saw him retreat first overseas and then north of the border to become a senior operations manager for Brazier Motti Pty Ltd in Mackay, Queensland.

A position he used to enthusiastically support the mining industry:

After enjoying some time overseas, Chris moved back to Australia when a job opportunity became available in Mackay.
"I was so happy to get involved back into a community where mining was big again," he said.

So far Mr. Gulaptis has been silent as to his recent employment history, including whether he is still employed or under contract to this company which has at least one mining corporation on its client list.

However, the subject is one he cannot ignore given the interest being displayed by interstate and multinational mining corporations in the prospect of coal seam gas, antimony, gold and copper mining right across the Clarence electorate and beyond.

He needs to tell North Coast Nationals and the electorate whether he intends to further mining industry interests should he ever be elected to the NSW Parliament and O’Farrell Coalition Government.

Chris Gulaptis is not the only pre-selection candidate who needs to state their current position on mining.

On 13 September 2011 Clarence Valley Mayor Richie Williamson was due to attend a presentation by Anchor Resources on its plan to establish an antimony mine in the environmentally sensitive Nymboida River high country which provides both Clarence Valley and Coffs Habour local government areas with urban drinking water.

In June 2011 Mayor Williamson did initially express concern about the proposed antimony mine, backpedalled a bit thereafter and since then has been remarkably quiet about the issue.

While in 2009-10 Richmond Shire councillor Stuart George threw his support behind coal seam gas mining on the NSW North Coast and Metgasco's plans for a power station in the Richmond Valley and gas pipeline into Queensland and, in 2011 was attempting to block a transparent flow of information to agencies managing urban water supplies which might be affected by contentious mining methods.

New ICAC investigation begins this week with a focus on state and local councils - including Ballina and Byron shire councils

ICAC public notice Wednesday 28 September 2011:

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is conducting an investigation into allegations that employees of 110 state and local council authorities including Lithgow City, Ballina Shire, Orange City, Walgett Shire, City of Sydney, Waverley, Burwood, Botany Bay, Liverpool City, Bathurst Regional, Broken Hill City, Byron Shire and Narrandera Shire councils, and the Roads and Traffic Authority, accepted benefits including gift cards and other items from companies including Hilindi Pty Ltd trading as R&R Tape Supplies, Momar Australia Pty Ltd and NCH Australia Pty Ltd in return for placing orders and continuing business relationships with these companies.

The Commission is also investigating allegations that Geoffrey Hadley, former Senior Council Storeman at Bathurst Regional Council and Kerry Smith, former Storeman at Yass Valley Council, facilitated payment of fraudulent invoices generated by Robin Newman and others totalling up to $1.5 million.

As part of its investigation, the ICAC will hold a public inquiry starting at 10:00 am on Tuesday, 4 October 2011, at L21, 133 Castlereagh St., Sydney.
Persons claiming to be substantially and directly interested in this matter may seek leave to be represented at the inquiry, and are invited to contact Cassie Lee on (02) 8281-5999 to advise of their interest.

Members of the public with information relevant to the investigation are encouraged to provide it in writing at GPO Box 500, Sydney, NSW 2001, or by facsimile (02) 9264-5364. The ICAC will treat all information confidentially and has legislative powers to protect people who provide information to the Commission.

Roy Waldon
Solicitor to the Commission

** Vale Dr. Ruby Langford Ginibi 1934-2011 **

The valiant heart Ruby Langford Ginibi,
 proud Bunjalung woman,
elder, storyteller, author, historian and activist,

passed away 1st October 2011.

An icon of survival and strength for Aboriginal people.

She will be sadly missed.

Stating the obvious about Abbott

Academic Susan Mitchell’s opinion as reported in The Sydney Morning Herald 30 September 2011

TONY Abbott is a sore loser, afflicted by ''innate and deeply embedded sexism and misogyny'', and would use a future prime ministership to impose his simplistic views on the country, according to a provocative new book to hit the shelves tomorrow.