Monday 30 January 2012
Member for Clarence careless with the truth
Today's Daily Examiner's front page reports:
Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has either lied to The Daily Examiner or to the Concerned Citizens Group in relation to funding for a second Grafton bridge.
CCG member Lynne Cairns said Mr Gulaptis had told her and three other members of the group, at a meeting on December 7, that the O'Farrell Government had $300 million set aside for the new bridge. Her claim was backed by fellow CCG members Kim Dahl, Sue Hillery and Lynne's husband, Bob.
But, fielding questions from The Examiner on Friday, Mr Gulaptis emphatically denied he made such a revelation.
"There's funding for planning ... but there's no funding set aside in this budget," he said. "Our commitment is that it will be physically started in this term (before March 2015).
"I apologise if people have misunderstood."
Mr Gulaptis said he understood if the community was sceptical about the bridge being started anytime in the near future, considering Bob Carr made a similar promise in 2002.
"But we will have an option in place by the middle of this year, Bob Carr didn't have that, so we are well on our way."
Various members of the CCG, a group opposed to a new bridge coming into central Grafton, also expressed disappointment at Mr Gulaptis' apparent shift in stance on the issue of where the new crossing should be.
"Before the election he was emphatic that all the heavy traffic needed to be moved out of town and now he's saying it should be left to the experts," Mr Dahl said.
"He's really mucked us around with his position," Mrs Cairns said.
Mr Gulaptis said he would not speculate as to which option the RMS would select as the preferred route but said each one required further technical investigations.
He said there was no point speculating on the options unless you were a technical expert.
Let Steve Cansdell take his lumps in silence
Click on image to enlarge
The Daily Examiner published an opinion piece last Friday suggesting disgraced former Nationals MP for Clarence, Steve Cansdell, should keep a low profile.
Something that is not likely to happen as it seems Cansdell has plans to re-enter politics and is rumoured to have his eye on the federal electorate of Page, which is currently held by Labor's Janelle Saffin.
I suspect that keeping public accolades (like the tribute dinner) coming is not something his lawyers are averse to either as Cansdell faces the possibility of having to answer before the courts for his admitted wrongdoing.
Labels:
Clarence,
NSW politics,
scandal
Do you know the truth or do you read the tabloids?
News Limited is rapped over the knuckles by the Australian Press Council:
Document Type:
Complaints
Outcome:
Adjudications
Date:
22 Dec 2011
The Australian Press Council has considered a complaint about three articles in The Daily Telegraph on 9 June, 17 June and 6 July 2011 concerning aspects of the National Broadband Network (NBN). The articles appeared with the headlines shown below, although the first article also appeared in other News Limited newspapers under a different headline.
“Australian taxpayers’ latest NBN horror show”
Jamie Benaud complained this article understated the number of customers who had taken up NBN offers and accordingly overstated the ratio of NBN staff to customers. He also said the claim that during the trial period customers and internet service providers (ISPs) were accessing NBN services without charge was not true in Tasmania. The newspaper said the customer figures were based on the latest available to it at the time of publication and that free access applied in all mainland States.
The Council considered the newspaper should have made greater efforts to get up-to-date customer figures, although the error did not substantially affect the point being made. It considered the assertion about the staff/customer ratio was misleading and unfair as the company was at a very early start-up stage. These errors may well have been considered minor in themselves but the Council noted the forceful nature of the headline and concluded that the complaints about this article should be upheld.
“Join the NBN or you’ll be digging deep”
Mr Benaud complained this article implied inaccurately and unfairly that customers who do not sign up for NBN at the outset would have to pay an "estimated" $900 a day to get the cable laid to their house at a later date and then up to $140 per month to get an ISP connection. He pointed out that NBN said the later cable-laying would still be free "for standard installation" and that ISP connection costs might be as low as $30 per month. The newspaper agreed its statement about cable-laying costs may have been misread (publishing a clarification as a result) but defended mention of only the upper ISP price as being fair and a common practice.
The Council considered the statement about the cable-laying cost was clearly and seriously inaccurate. It noted the newspaper had attempted later to clarify the matter even though it believed residents had been given the reported information. However, in so doing, it implied incorrectly that the $900 would have to be paid to an ISP. The Council also considered that describing the ISP connection fee as “up to $140” was unfair and misleading when the range was as wide as $30-$140, and the minimum fees had also been well known. Accordingly, the complaints against this article are upheld.
“Low interest in high speed internet”
Mr Benaud complained about this article comparing a particular consumer’s current internet costs of $39 per month with what it said would be $53 to more than $130 per month if he signed up for NBN services. The latter range was actually for a combination of internet and phone services, not internet alone, and, as the consumer has a phone service, he would currently be paying much more than $39 in total for internet and phone. The newspaper said that the customer himself had no issue with the accuracy or portrayal of his words.
The Council considered that, by omission of the costs for combined phone and internet services, the comparison was misleading. Accordingly, the complaint against this article was upheld.
The Council expressed concern that within a short period of time three articles on the same theme contained inaccurate or misleading assertions. It considers that this sequence of errors should not have occurred and that they should have been corrected promptly and adequately when brought to the newspaper’s attention.
Note (not required for publication by the newspaper):
This adjudication applies the Council’s General Principle 1: “Publications should take reasonable steps to ensure reports are accurate, fair and balanced. They should not deliberately mislead or misinform readers either by omission or commission”. It also applies General Principle 2: "Where it is established that a serious inaccuracy has been published, a publication should promptly correct the error, giving the correction due prominence”.
Note (not required for publication by the newspaper):
This adjudication applies the Council’s General Principle 1: “Publications should take reasonable steps to ensure reports are accurate, fair and balanced. They should not deliberately mislead or misinform readers either by omission or commission”. It also applies General Principle 2: "Where it is established that a serious inaccuracy has been published, a publication should promptly correct the error, giving the correction due prominence”.
Document Type:
Complaints
Outcome:
Adjudications
Date:
22 Dec 2011
The Australian Press Council has considered a complaint about words on the front-page of the Northern Territory News on 5 August 2011. The words, ASYLUM SEEKERS THREATENED TO KILL AUSSIES, COURT TOLD, were a pointer directing readers to an article on page five about the sentencing of an asylum seeker who “threatened to kill Australians” days before stabbing two security guards in a detention centre.
Penny Campton complained that the words in the pointer were inaccurate and unfair because they implied that a number of asylum seekers had made the threats, whereas the article itself mentioned only one such person. She sought an apology and a retraction of the pointer.
The newspaper said that the use of the plural in the pointer was an error made in the production process. It said that the newspaper encouraged compassion towards asylum seekers and cited an editorial from 22 July and subsequent articles in support of that contention. The newspaper thought the error was not sufficiently serious to warrant a correction or an apology, but it offered to publish a letter from the complainant. She declined on the ground that the newspaper itself should admit and correct the error.
The Council concluded that the pointer was clearly a serious inaccuracy demanding an immediate correction, accompanied by an expression of regret. Offering to publish a letter from the complainant was not considered to be sufficient for this purpose. Accordingly, the complaint is upheld and the Council calls on the newspaper to take the remedial action that should have been taken immediately after it became aware of the mistake.
Note (not required for publication by the newspaper):
This adjudication applies the Council’s General Principle 1: “Publications should take reasonable steps to ensure reports are accurate, fair and balanced. They should not deliberately mislead or misinform readers either by omission or commission”. It also applies General Principle 2: "Where it is established that a serious inaccuracy has been published, a publication should promptly correct the error, giving the correction due prominence” and part of Principle 6 "... headlines and captions should fairly reflect the tenor of an article ...".
Note (not required for publication by the newspaper):
This adjudication applies the Council’s General Principle 1: “Publications should take reasonable steps to ensure reports are accurate, fair and balanced. They should not deliberately mislead or misinform readers either by omission or commission”. It also applies General Principle 2: "Where it is established that a serious inaccuracy has been published, a publication should promptly correct the error, giving the correction due prominence” and part of Principle 6 "... headlines and captions should fairly reflect the tenor of an article ...".
Sunday 29 January 2012
Cansdellgate isn't going away
Yet another Clarence valley resident has commented on the scandalous matters associated with disgraced former Member for Clarence Steve Cansdell.
Hard to digest
It is not only Labor hackles which have been raised (''Dinner for disgraced MP raises Labor hackles'', January 22). There are a lot of people in the Clarence electorate including myself who feel disgusted with this whole affair. NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell was quick to pick up the phone to the Police Minister, who then contacted the police chief when the Craig Thomson affair surfaced. However, nothing has occurred in respect to the Steve Cansdell affair. Come on O'Farrell, pick up the phone.
Source: The Sun Herald, 29/1/12
Labels:
Cansdellgate,
Clarence,
O'Farrell,
Steve Cansdell
The spirit of the World Christian Fundamentals Association* marches on
Just when one imagines that a certain all pervasive, narrow, fundamentalist world view couldn’t grow more absurd - American society proves the opposite.
Los Angeles Times 16 January 2012:
The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) looks at the background to these changes being fostered by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC):
ALEC is not a lobby; it is not a front group. It is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, behind closed doors, corporations hand state legislators the changes to the law they desire that directly benefit their bottom line. Along with legislators, corporations have membership in ALEC. Corporations sit on all nine ALEC task forces and vote with legislators to approve “model” bills. They have their own corporate governing board which meets jointly with the legislative board. (ALEC says that corporations do not vote on the board.) Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. Participating legislators, overwhelmingly conservative Republicans, then bring those proposals home and introduce them in statehouses across the land as their own brilliant ideas and important public policy innovations—without disclosing that corporations crafted and voted on the bills. ALEC boasts that it has over 1,000 of these bills introduced by legislative members every year, with one in every five of them enacted into law. ALEC describes itself as a “unique,” “unparalleled” and “unmatched” organization. We agree. It is as if a state legislature had been reconstituted, yet corporations had pushed the people out the door.…..
More than 98% of ALEC's revenues come from sources other than legislative dues, such as corporations, corporate trade groups, and corporate foundations. Each corporate member pays an annual fee of between $7,000 and $25,000 a year, and if a corporation participates in any of the nine task forces, additional fees apply, from $2,500 to $10,000 each year. ALEC also receives direct grants from corporations, such as $1.4 million from ExxonMobil from 1998-2009. It has also received grants from some of the biggest foundations funded by corporate CEOs in the country, such as: the Koch family Charles G. Koch Foundation, the Koch-managed Claude R. Lambe Foundation, the Scaife family Allegheny Foundation, the Coors family Castle Rock Foundation, to name a few. Less than 2% of ALEC’s funding comes from “Membership Dues” of $50 per year paid by state legislators, a steeply discounted price that may run afoul of state gift bans.
Slow as pitch
Queensland Uni’s School of Mathematics and Physics ‘owns’ what is probably one of the oldest continuous science experiments in existence today.
Set up in 1927 it is 85 years old and still going strong.
Here is the webcam of pitch ( a tarlike substance obtained by distilling coal tar) ever so slooooooooooooowly oozing.
Here is the webcam of pitch ( a tarlike substance obtained by distilling coal tar) ever so slooooooooooooowly oozing.
Table 1 Record of pitch drops.
Year Event
1930 The stem was cut
1938(Dec) 1st drop fell
1947(Feb) 2nd drop fell
1954(Apr) 3rd drop fell
1962(May) 4th drop fell
1970(Aug) 5th drop fell
1979(Apr) 6th drop fell
1988(Jul) 7th drop fell
2000(28 Nov) 8th drop fell
Labels:
science
Saturday 28 January 2012
In which NSW North Coast residents continue to have their say regarding Steve...
Digitally created image sent in anonymously
Fine tribute
COME on Mr Cansdell and Mr Gulaptis and the other National Party members, get real.
Take a deep breath and a deep look at the situation you are creating.
You are aiding and abetting rewards for breaking the law.
Mr Cansdell has admitted he was dishonest by falsifying a statutory declaration to escape a speeding fine.
Something obviously happened.
So, after doing a bit of research, he came forward and resigned.
This in turn enabled him to get his pension.
If he had been sacked he would have missed out.
This electorate has a lot of crime problems at present and as far as I am concerned this incident is setting a bad example for this area.
If Mr Cansdell and his National Party mates had any decency at all they would abandon the dinner and pay the cost of the by-election.
If Mr Cansdell does not go to jail, then why did Justice Einfeld go?
COL BROWN
South Grafton [Letter to the Editor published 26 January 2012]
By suffernofools from Maclean on 26/1/2012 at 8:30AM
Ursula, don't get your knickers in a knot about it darlin', it's not like a civic reception or a street parade where they are imposing themselves upon us. They will be safely out of view of the general public...discreetly patting each other on the back and saying how good a job he did and he was a bit unlucky. They will never get it. No matter how much you jump up and down and scream blue murder, they are so out of touch at how disgusted we are, they would think you are cheering FOR them. Ignore them and maybe the silence will resonate louder than a political protest could. Or just leave your placards out the front of the racecourse with a note attached saying you had left due to lack of interest in the whole thing. [The Daily Examiner online]
By yambaman from Yamba on 26/1/2012 at 8:37AM
Well I usually support the conservative side of politics but a "tribute" dinner for a confirmed liar turns my stomach! Have these faceless politicians no shame, would any self-respecting citizen really attend? I'd expect it from the ALP (aka Craig Thomsen) but from the Nats, who'll I vote for next? [ibid]
By swingingvoter from Palmers Channel on 26/1/2012 at 12:47PM
Could someone from Chris Gulaptis' office advise if his staff are involved in organising this dinner during the hours they are being paid to perform duties for the citizens of Clarence and NSW? Are people paying their $50 during office hours? If so, what other citizens are entitled to use his office in this manner?
Will this MP sign a Statutary Declaration to say his office and staff are not being used in this manner........sorry, I forgot, Stat. Decs. are just playthings these days. [ibid]
Will this MP sign a Statutary Declaration to say his office and staff are not being used in this manner........sorry, I forgot, Stat. Decs. are just playthings these days. [ibid]
By MurrayLees from Murwillumbah on 24/1/2012 at 6:37AM
Two words for John Robertson and Labor: Craig Thompson [ibid]
By UrsulaTunks from Grafton on 24/1/2012 at 8:46AM
Murray Lees you goose this isn't ABOUT POLITICS ! This is about integrity! Are you the same campaign manager who was telling anyone who'd listen during the by election that Cansdell would have a conviction not recorded against him & be the next Federal National Party candidate for the electorate of Page? Have you already negotiated the outcome with the Police? How could you know that before anyone else in the community ? Are you the same National Party member who has been belittling my friend Kath Palmer & her bravery for coming forward? The same Murray Lees who appears to be two or three decades behind the rest of Australia when it comes to the treatment of whistleblowers? THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS - you can't put spin on it based on party politics. If anyone in any party breaks the law the law deals with their transgression - NOT the party spin doctor! & while you're at it tell you're mates to stop defaming me - YES I supported Kath in her submission to ICAC & I would again tomorrow for anyone who needed that support to act lawfully - regardless of who the alleged offender was! And Murray that includes you - if you ever needed my help to do the right thing I'd be here to support you if you . Remember Murray it's an offence under the ICAC legislation to know of an offence committed by a public official and NOT report. So Kath and any others who've come forward over this period are doing what is required of them by law. [ibid]
Labels:
Cansdell,
Clarence,
NSW politics
Rain makes local frogs loud and amorous
For the last seven days all up and down the NSW North Coast the night time air has been loud with the sound of frogs and toads seeking mates.
In some urban backyards the sound has made it difficult to hear television programmes as male frogs on the prowl call incessantly.
Here is one happy snap from Bev Metcalf’s home at South Grafton.
Photograph The Daily Examiner January 27, 2012
Labels:
flora and fauna,
Northern Rivers
Q&A: what Tony Abbott actually said on Australia Day
For the record - because the mainstream media is beginning to subtly alter what was said.
A question & answer taken from a Doorstop Interview with Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in Sydney. Posted on Thursday, 26th January 2012 at his own website http://www.tonyabott.com.au/:
"QUESTION:
Mr Abbott, today is also the 40th anniversary of the Tent Embassy in Canberra. Is the Tent Embassy still relevant or should it move?
TONY ABBOTT:
Look, I can understand why the Tent Embassy was established all those years ago. I think a lot has changed for the better since then. We had the historic apology just a few years ago, one of the genuine achievements of Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister. We had the proposal which is currently for national consideration to recognise indigenous people in the Constitution. I think the indigenous people of Australia can be very proud of the respect in which they are held by every Australian and yes, I think a lot has changed since then and I think it probably is time to move on from that."
"FEDERAL Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says it's time to move the Aboriginal tent embassy in Canberra, 40 years after four indigenous activists camped at the site opposite Old Parliament House....
Mr Abbott said he understood why the tent embassy was set up "all those years ago" However, it was time it was disbanded, he said." Friday 27 January 2012
Abbott fleeing from one of his many his blunders
Just in case you missed the edifying sight of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in full flight on Australia Day 2012.............
Video of a gracious Prime Minister rescuing a snide Abbott; http://youtu.be/pndFC1c1SwQ
Labels:
Abbott,
Australian society,
Gillard,
politics,
protest action,
safety
NSW Police, Steve Cansdell and those intriguing "technical legal issues"
The Daily Examiner 25 January 2012:
It is over four months since disgraced former Nationals MP Steve Cansdell admitted breaking the law in order to have a “clean slate” in the lead up to the 2006 state election; the Clarence by-election is over and the new Nationals MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis is safely sworn-in.
Now NSW Police raise the possibility of "technical legal issues" further delaying the day Cansdell faces court.
A term which perhaps hints at overlapping jurisdictions because of a complaint/s to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption concerning Steve Cansdell's time in Parliament.
One has to hope that these technical legal issues are genuinely the delaying impediment that has been implied, or NSW Police will lose all credibility and be seen as mere puppets of an O’Farrell Government determined to bury Cansdell's actions under a mountain of spin until time past sees the matter fade from memory.
Labels:
Cansdell,
NSW Parliament,
NSW politics,
police,
political probity,
scandal
U.S. Pesidential Election 2012: middle-aged wealthy farts show they have enough money to race
In 2010 Barack and Michelle earned US$1.7 million, Newt and Callista earned US$3.1 million and Mitt and his mittette Ann earned US$21.6 million. With effective tax rates of 26%, 31.6% and 13.9% in the order of mention.
The Washington Post
Click on image to grow
those dollar signs
This week the Los Angeles Times told the world that; "the Romneys expect to pay $3.2 million on $20.9 million in income for the 2011 tax year, for an effective tax rate of 15.4%".
No wonder Mitt didn't want to show and tell!
And here's the 2011 IRS tax rates for ordinary Americans.......
Labels:
taxation,
US election
Thursday 26 January 2012
Are we seriously considering this fool as our next prime minister?
On one of the most politically sensitive days in Australia’s public events calendar that feckin’ eejit Tony Abbott opens his gob wide:
Down memory lane on Australia Day.....
Remembering Mum's vanilla ice cream made with Gold Medal Condensed Milk, served with Aeroplane Jelly and seasonal fruit grown in the backyard
Labels:
Australian society
'Steve' Gulaptis MP and Deb Newton share the love........
Gulaptis and Newton...............
The Daily Examiner 23 January 2012
Critics claim taxpayers forked out hundreds of thousands of dollars for a by-election for the seat when Mr Cansdell resigned last September after he admitted to falsifying a statutory declaration to escape a speeding fine.
Mr Cansdell's successor in the seat of Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, said "there is a lot of love out there" for his predecessor......
Grafton resident Col Brown was more succinct in his criticism.
If you you've got a kid who misbehaves and you give him a lolly instead of a smack, he'll just keep on going the same way," Mr Brown said.
"This is offensive to me, Justice Einfeld copped jail time for doing something similar to this."
A ''tribute dinner'' has been arranged to honour Mr Cansdell, who quit the seat of Clarence in September after being forced to admit he falsified a statutory declaration to avoid losing his driver's licence. He faces possible criminal charges.
Up to 200 people are expected to attend the $50-a-head function at Grafton on February 4. The organiser, Deb Newton, Mr Cansdell's former campaign manager, said it was ''not really a fund-raiser'' but any money left over would go to the Nationals' local electorate council. ''There is still a lot of love out there for Steve and a lot of forgiveness,'' she said.
The Opposition Leader, John Robertson, said: ''Fund-raising off the back of the resignation of a disgraced state MP who stood down so his generous parliamentary pension would not be cut off is an insight into the real values of the government.''
The rest of the world.....................
The Daily Examiner 24 January 2011
Public Event · By Ursula Tunks
- When Saturday, February 4, 2012
- Time 6:30am until 9:30am
- Where Outside the Clarence River Jockey Club, Powell Street , Grafton, Australia
Labels:
NSW politics,
political probity,
right wing politics
Oi, oi, oi!
Northern Territory News 25th January 2012
Labels:
Australian society
Wednesday 25 January 2012
January 2012 is luverly weather for ducks on the NSW North Coast - rain, river heights & roads info
Mann River at Cangai from The Daily Examiner
Issued at 6.15am on Wednesday, 25th January 2012
Issued at 6.15am on Wednesday, 25th January 2012
North Coast LGAs Regional Road information
Regularly updated
Flood Warnings are current the Bellinger Nambucca and Orara Rivers
At this stage there is a greater than 70% chance of Minor to Moderate flooding as well as local flash flooding along the following river valleys from Monday onwards:
1.Tweed River
2.Richmond & Wilson Rivers
3.Clarence River
4.Macleay River
5.Hastings River
This Flood Watch means that people living or working along rivers and streams must monitor the latest weather forecasts and warnings and be ready to move to higher ground should flooding develop. Flood Warnings will be issued if Minor Flood Level is expected to be exceeded at key sites along the main rivers for which the Bureau of Meteorology provides a flood warning service. Across NSW, about 75% of Flood Watches are followed by flooding.
Latest Image Received at: 00:12 UTC/GMT Wed 25 Jan 2012
WST | CST | CDT | EST | EDT |
08:12am | 09:42am | 10:42am | 10:12am | 11:12am |
Wednesday | Wednesday | Wednesday | Wednesday | Wednesday |
Issued at 10:55 am EDT on Wednesday 25 January 2012.
"Heavy rain and possible thunderstorms which may lead to flash flooding are forecast for the Northern Rivers forecast district, as well as eastern parts of the Northern Tablelands and northern parts of the Mid North Coast forecast districts.
In the six hours to 11am today the heaviest falls occurred in the Tweed Valley area, with 116 mm of rain recorded at Kingscliff, 105 mm at Murwillumba, and 101 mm at Chillingham. Slightly lower falls were recorded further south.
A Flood Watch is current for the Tweed, Richmond, Wilsons, Nambucca, Macleay and Hastings river valleys.
Flood warnings are current for the Bellinger, Orara, Tweed, Richmond, Wilsons, Nambucca and Clarence Rivers.
For latest flood warning information, refer to www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings/"
Australian Journalism 101: Never let the facts get in the way of a good rant
A published letter to The Daily Examiner editor by Holly Shiach on 23 January alerted me to the many errors packed into so few lines by one notorious repeat offender employed by the APN regional media group.
See how many factual errors you can spot in the opinion piece below after reading a little about Greenpeace.
Whale of a PR machine by Graham Orams on Page 8 of The Daily Examiner, 16 Jan 2012:
WHALE activists aren't doing themselves any favours with some of their antics.
Greenpeace activists are losing a lot of support among the mainstream public because of their eco-terrorism approach to this matter.
For a start, despite its ostensible outrage, Greenpeace would have been rubbing its hands together when three of its crew members were detained on board a whaling ship recently.
In fact, I wouldn't mind betting that was the plan all along.
After all, a big PR firm like Greenpeace needs to constantly find new and exciting ways to get media attention.
That's not to say whales are not worth saving; it's just funny how activist organisations like Greenpeace never seem interested in saving endangered spiders, for instance.
That type of endeavour would unlikely stir the public's emotion enough for them to donate money (cynical, aren't I?).
And having to send an Australian rescue team to bring the "captured" activists back to Western Australia hasn't gone down well with many in the community, who are less than impressed at the cost to taxpayers.
Now we hear anti-whaling activists are throwing acid at Japanese whaling boats to get their message across.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Greenpeace claim to care about the environment?
I'm no marine biologist but isn't it bad for our oceans to have acid poured into it?
No matter what I say, though, there are many people who believe the means justifies the end.
But all too often that attitude amounts to hypocrisy.
Labels:
falsehoods,
journalists,
newspaper,
The Daily Examiner
How long will Nationals Chris Gulaptis hold his seat if the O'Farrell Government allows toxic mining in the upper reaches of the Clarence River Catchment?
The Nymboida River system is part of the larger Clarence River catchment. It is predominately from the Nymboida River that Coffs Harbour and Clarence Valley local government areas draw their drinking water.
Based on his public statements so far, it seems that Nationals MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis is refusing to back a ban on mining in the headwaters of the major northern rivers in New South Wales.
However, the call for action from local communities continues.
ABC Mid North Coast News January 23, 2012 :
Coffs-Clarence conservationists are calling for a ban on mining and exploration in the headwaters of the region's major rivers.
One company exploring for antimony on the Dorrigo Plateau, Anchor Mining, has already been fined over the impact of its activity on the Orara and Nymboida river catchments.
It is in relation to activity at the old Wild Cattle Creek mine near Bielsdown.
Coffs Harbour councillor and mining opponent Mark Graham says exploration exposed ore bodies containing toxic minerals like antimony, lead and mercury.
"There's been major damage to rainforest and contamination of the catchment," he said.
"Mining must be prohibited in sensitive catchment areas, particularly drinking water supply areas.
"We've already seen poor practice, we've seen the law being breached and fines being issued.
"The only way to protect the catchment is to prohibit mining and further exploration activities."
Cr Graham says the New South Wales Government will be lobbied to place a ban mining and exploration in the region's river catchments.
"There is huge community support for banning mining in the Orara and Nymboida catchments because of the drinking water supply," he said.
"That community support will translate into political will and pressure will be brought to bear upon the State Government to set no-go zones such as the Dorrigo Plateau."
Is Monsanto hearing the far-off sound of the fat lady warming up her vocal chords?
Labels:
people power,
pollution
Tuesday 24 January 2012
Mosquitoes are not just a nuisance - this small insect is a health hazard
NSW Ministry of Health media release, 18 January 2012
Warning to Take Precautions and Avoid Mosquitoes
The NSW Ministry of Health is reminding the public to protect themselves against mosquitoes after one person contracted Murray Valley Encephalitis (MVE) in the New England area, and another contracted the Kunjin virus.
Both people experienced relatively mild symptoms and are now recovering from the infection.
“The two cases, which are both caused by infections carried by mosquitoes, are a timely reminder for people to take precautions against mosquito borne infection,” NSW Health Director of Health Protection, Dr Jeremy McAnulty, said.
“The person who had MVE was infected from mosquitoes west of the ranges in late 2011. It’s unclear when the person with Kunjin was infected, as the person had travelled both in coastal NSW and west of the ranges before infection,” he said.
“Mosquito numbers increase in summer and with an increase in rainfall. Most people with MVE or Kunjin will not develop symptoms but the infections can have serious consequences for others.”
Symptoms of MVE include fever, headache, nausea and vomiting and muscle aches. In more severe cases encephalitis can develop and this causes neck stiffness, lethargy, drowsiness, confusion, delirium, tremors, neurological problems and coma.
Symptoms of Kunjin include mild illness with fever, enlarged lymph nodes, rash, swollen and aching joints, headache, muscle weakness and fatigue. Some also develop encephalitis.
Anyone with these symptoms of severe MVE or Kunjin infection should immediately seek medical assistance.
In NSW, Kunjin is usually found west of the Great Dividing Range, although Kunjin activity was detected in horses in coastal NSW last year. Water birds are also important hosts for the virus in Australia.
Several viruses including MVE and Kunjin and also Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses are transmitted by infected mosquitoes which breed in flooded, grassy and swamp areas and around rivers and waterways.
Simple steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes include:
· When outside cover up as much as possible with light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing and covered footwear.
· Use an effective repellent on all exposed skin. Re-apply repellent within a few hours, as protection wears off from perspiration, particularly on hot nights. The best mosquito repellents contain Diethyl Toluamide (DEET) or Picaridin.
· Light mosquito coils or use vapourising mats indoors. Devices that use light to attract and electrocute insects are not effective.
· Cover all windows, doors, vents and other entrances with insect screens.
· When camping, use flyscreens on caravans and tents or sleep under mosquito nets.
“Preventing these viruses depends on avoiding mosquito bites, especially in the warmer months of the year when mosquitoes are most active,” Dr McAnulty said. For a copy of the NSW Health fact sheet on Murray River Encephalitis (MVE) virus and Kunjin go to:
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/infectious/murray_valley_enceph.html
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/infectious/kunjin.html
NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) advises that Murray River Encephalitis (MVE) and Kunjin virus can also affect horses. Further information on the disease in horses and how to protect horses is available at: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/horses/health
Mosquito gifs from Google Images
Labels:
health
Obama wants the world to know that yes he can croon
About the only thing Obama gives away for free as he gears up for the U.S. presidential election……………………..
Labels:
Obamarama,
politics,
US election
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Are there any takers out there for a protest rally at the gates of the venue?
Why should we be saying to our children it is O.K. to lie as the National Party believe it is and when is this matter going to be heard in court?