'Steve' Gulaptis MP - Wannabe Koala Killer

When I first heard on the grapevine that Nats MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis was going to honour one particular so-called promise of that notorious speedster and disgraced former Clarence MP Steve Cansdell I was gobsmacked.

Last Saturday The Daily Examiner confirmed the gossip – Gulaptis is asking NSW Roads and Maritime Services “to review the speed limit on Iluka Road within the next two months, with a view to returning the limit to 100kmh from its present 80kmh”.

For the sake of cutting 2-3 minutes off a journey into or out of the sleepy little coastal village of Iluka, former land developer Gulaptis wants to risk local wildlife – including the increasing rare coastal emu and koala populations.

I’m betting fellow Nat and Roads and Ports Minister Duncan Gay is probably endorsing this move. He doesn’t have a clue about this local road or how the Lower Clarence feels about its wildlife and I'm sure Gulaptis will be careful to keep it that way.

Grandpa Koala's response to this irresponsible political vandal:

ABC Radio NSW Sound & Reference Library - Koala - grunting and growling Powered by abmp3 search engine

70th Anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin 1942 - revisionism run wild

Let’s get real folks – all these glowing media reports on the 70^th anniversary of the first Japanese bombing of Darwin are so distorted that they bear little relation to the 1942 reality.

Yes, there was an attempt to defend this northern city and some of it could be described as ranging from brave to heroic. Yes, the entire subject was censored at the time and not all eyewitness records are in the same place.

BUT. The was also widespread NT Government, civilian, Australian and American defence forces panic, with a good many fleeing without authorisation to the Adelaide River (some servicemen getting as far as southern cities) in a rout wryly described at the time as The Adelaide River Stakes.

There was looting by civilians and servicemen and in at least one case a cruelly racist response to Aboriginal casualties.

So let’s be adult about this and truly Aussie on the first national day of observance – reject the historical revisionism currently doing the rounds in the meeja.
You can start with Charlie Lowe's March 1942 first report in the official investigation and go on from there.

Pic from ABC News

Misogynists of the World Unite! Then move to Oklahoma USA

This is the Oklahoma Senate in 2012. You will notice that it is predominately Republican and male.

So it should come as no surprise that this Senate has decided to pass bill SB1433. Thereby bringing closer the creation of the Personhood Act which establishes that The laws of this state shall be interpreted and construed to acknowledge on behalf of the unborn child at every stage of development all the rights, privileges, and immunities available to other persons, citizens, and residents of this state.

This strange bill apparently makes medical abortion or even some forms of contraception a criminal offence. While at the same time, somewhat perversely, it leaves the door open for a woman to quietly neglect her health to such a degree that she spontaneously miscarries.

On the 15 February 2012 it was passed by 34 to 8 votes.

An even stranger amendment seems to have languished without support:

In the spirit of shared responsibility in issues of reproduction, if a woman declares that she is pregnant non-consensually, the sperm donor shall be required to undergo a statutorily mandated vasectomy, shall be fined Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00), and shall also be financially responsible for the offspring of such pregnancy until the age of twenty-one (21).

Nats MP ignores local crime stats and tries on a bit of Goorie bashing while pretending that he isn't

The Daily Examiner on 17^th February: “EIGHT to 10 juvenile offenders, mostly residing in Ngaru Village, are holding the town of Yamba to ransom on the issue of crime, Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis said yesterday. Mr Gulaptis said police had informed him that the removal of these career criminals from the system would not only scuttle the need for a 24-hour police station in Yamba, but would help stop younger residents being led astray.”

Perhaps this political nong might like to read Uses and abuses of crime statistics which was published by Don Weatherburn in November 2011 and BOCSAR's Clarence Valley LGA excel tables (2.9Mb) which cover crime records from 2006 to 2010 before talking through his rear end.
It was left up to the police to hose down the more outrageous of the crime rate claims and Yaegl elder Veronica Pearce to label the media response for what it is - "highly offensive to the indigenous community", "sensational reporting", "racist" in places and "irresponsible and damaging".

*Thanks to Clarencegirl for the stats links

Community agreement to fight mining in the Dorrigo Plateau and Clarence River catchments

A Clarence Valley Protest 16 February 2012:

Farmers, fishermen and conservation groups agree to fight mining in the Dorrigo Plateau and Clarence River catchments

The Daily Examiner 16 February 2012:

AN UNLIKELY coalition has formed to fight proposals to mine areas on the Dorrigo plateau.

At a meeting in Dundurrabin at the weekend, farmers, fishermen and conservation groups agreed to fight attempts to mine in the high-rainfall Dorrigo catchment.

Coffs Harbour councillor Mark Graham said there was a concerted push for the Dorrigo plateau to be declared off limits to mining.

He said there was a series of proposals for open-cut mining in the Orara, Little Nymboida, Wild Cattle Creek and Bobo areas, which was the most advanced.

"That all feeds into the Clarence, which is the regional water supply, and is the lifeblood of the Clarence Valley," he said.

"The reasons for campaigning for the Dorrigo plateau to be off-limits is for the health of the whole river and all the communities below it.

"The mining industry has said nowhere in the state is off-limits, but if anywhere should be it is the Dorrigo plateau because of its incredibly high rainfall."

Clarence Valley councillor Karen Toms said there should be no-go areas for mining and the Dorrigo plateau was one of those.

"We need to protect our water," she said.

The second half of 2012 is digital changeover time for NSW North Coast television reception

For more information go to http://www.digitalready.gov.au/NNSW.aspx

'Queen of No' finally gets her comeuppance?

Pic of Abbott’s pet Peta found at The Australian

Only masochists look forward to watching the House of Reps Question Time, when our elected representatives are gathered in Canberra supposedly governing for us all and in front of a camera at the same time.

So I was pleasantly surprised to discover the new Speaker Peter Slipper wasn’t tolerating either interjections, points of order which were out of line or answers which strayed from the questions asked.

It warmed the cockles of my heart to see how many childish pollies were sent to the naughty corner for an hour after interjecting or dissing the Chair.

Especially last Thursday, when Nationals Leader Warren Truss was ejected for interjecting and the Nats threw a collective dummy spit and staged a walk-out.

But later in that same Question Time, my heart fair burst when Speaker Pete finally called to order the unelected paid cheer squad belonging to Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and threatened to ban all interjecting advisers – including the chief offender of the moment the Queen of No Peta Credlin - from ever entering the House while it was in session during his speakership.

Hansard on the 16^th February:

Mr Albanese: Mr Speaker, on a point of order, is it in order for advisers in the advisers box to interject against the Prime Minister while she is giving an answer to a question?

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr Stephen Smith: Mr Speaker—

The SPEAKER: I will hear the Minister for Defence.

Mr Stephen Smith: Mr Speaker, in addition to the point which the Leader of the House has made, in the course—

Opposition members interjecting—

The SPEAKER: The member on my left who interjected will remain silent, and the minister will commence his contribution again.

Mr Stephen Smith: In addition to the point which the Leader of the House made, in the course of the Leader of the House's contribution the person from the advisers box was continuing to interject on him.

The SPEAKER: The answer to the question asked of me by the Leader of the House is: clearly, it is grossly disorderly for anyone from the advisers box to interject. I did not actually observe that but I give notice that, if I do, the offending individual will be banned from the advisers box for the duration of my speakership.

Page MP Janelle Saffin hosts local National Disability Insurance Scheme forums in Grafton and Casino, 21 February 2012

Page MP Janelle Saffin has organised two National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) forums to be held in Grafton and Casino next week.

“I have said that I will keep the community informed on the progress of the NDIS and I am delighted that the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers, Senator Jan McLucas has agreed to come to Page to deliver the forums with me.

“The National Disability Insurance Scheme for Australia is a fundamental reform to how we respond to and provide care and services to people.”

“An NDIS means people with a disability and their carers having a say in how they are supported; it means making sure support reaches those who need it, and it means breaking down barriers to schooling, work and community life.

“I encourage as many organisations; people with disabilities; carers and friends of those with disabilities, to attend either of these important information sessions.”

“I know how important it is for local people that we get on with the job of building the NDIS and the forums will provide an opportunity for local people to stay informed about how the Australian Government is working with the States and Territories to push these reforms through.

“Many key local organisations have been working with me to make sure we had these forums here, including DAISI, and disability service providers Caringa Enterprises and Windara, RED Inc and others, and I thank them for their support,” Ms Saffin said.

The forums will take place next Tuesday 21 February 2012. The Grafton forum is at 10.30 at Caringa Enterprises and the Casino Forum is at 2.30 pm at Windara Communities.

Both venues have full access and if you would like to attend please contact Matt Dunne at Ms. Saffin’s electorate office on 1300 301 735 for further details. Bookings are essential.

[Janelle Saffin MP Media Release, 16 February 2102]

The Daily Examiner editor calls the Federal Opposition on its private health insurance scare campaign

Click on image to enlarge

NSW Minerals Council is offering itself to government as the economic saviour of New South Wales

The NSW Minerals Council spinning so hard that its head has left its shoulders……………

Tuesday 14 February 2012

Mining industry adding jobs to help stabilise NSW economy

Direct employment up 107% in four years to 45,708

At a time of growing uncertainty and warnings of more job losses in NSW, the minerals sector continues to show strong jobs growth and low unemployment in the State’s key mining regions.

According to the ABS, the number of people directly employed in mining has grown by 107% over the past four years from 22,041 to 45,708.

New data from the Illawarra Regional Information Service confirms employment in the region’s mines is at a 20-year high, and according to the Hunter Valley Research Foundation unemployment in the Upper Hunter is a low 2.8%, significantly lower than the state-wide unemployment rate of 5.6%.

NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said today that our world-class NSW minerals industry provides an opportunity to keep the NSW economy buoyant as the state braces for an uncertain year ahead.

“Job losses announced this week and warnings from the NSW Treasurer about a contraction of the financial sector are concerning as the problems in Europe continue to cast a shadow over our economy,” he said.

“But the strong growth in mining jobs shows a way to help protect our State from future economic difficulties.

“In the Hunter, the Illawarra, and the State’s Central West, mining is delivering strong economic activity outside of Sydney that can help to counter the difficulties being faced in other sectors.

“And given every direct mining job generates at least three additional indirect jobs, it is clear that growth in mining can deliver right across the economy at a time when other sectors are shedding jobs.

“The mining industry is making 20 and 30 year investments in infrastructure and economically sustainable jobs that create a positive flow-on effect into the rest of the economy. The new projects and infrastructure being planned will contribute to strong state growth through jobs and billions of dollars in investment.

“Our industry can be a stabilising influence on the NSW economy and generate terrific returns for the people of NSW through successive rounds of business activity and royalty payments to the NSW Government - tipped to total $8.5 billion over the next four years.”

“Mining in NSW accounts for 2.5% of Gross State Product and has the potential to make an even greater contribution to the economy and NSW Budget – but only under the right policy settings.

“While growth in the NSW mining sector can help insulate our State from the impact of global economic uncertainty, the carbon tax looms large. The Federal Government needs to reconsider its carbon tax, especially at a time when there is so much economic uncertainty.”

Media Contact: Lindsay Hermes  lhermes@nswmin.com.au  02 9274 1419

   

Find out why our people, NSW Miners, are leaders in global mining at www.worldclassminers.com.au            

          

From the Opposition benches K-K-Keneally shows her claws are still sharp

Sydney Morning Herald 15^th February 2012:

Keneally keeps up with Kardashians by turning the jibe on O'Farrell  

NSW Legislative Assembly Hansard on Valentine’s Day 2012:

Mr BARRY O'FARRELL: I repeat that government Kim Kardashian style is over. This Government does not appoint Ministers or do interviews on the basis—

Ms Kristina Keneally: Point of order: Given the length of the Premier's first marriage, he is the real Kardashian in this place.

* O’Farrell’s first marriage to Antoinette Holford in 1987 is reported to have lasted less than a year. The Kardashian-Humphries marriage apparently lasted 72 days.

GetUp! does Monckton, Rinehart and capturing the news media

Click on image to enlarge

GetUp! mock up of newspaper under a Fox News-style editorial policy envisioned by Lord Monckton and relayed to members attending a meeting at the Mannkal Economic Education Foundation in West Australia.

http://youtu.be/aX2kMAfJggU

A common complaint of motorists and pedestrians on the 'Grey Coast'

Letter to the Editor in The Daily Examiner 13 February 2012:

Mobility speedsters

After the story in Saturday's paper I would like to make a plea to the riders of mobility scooters.

Please, before you cross Prince St from one of the vegetated kerb blisters, STOP!

Because of the height of the vegetation at these points and your low height, it is damn near impossible for a driver to see you.

I have witnessed and experienced several near disasters from scooter riders bolting out of these blisters and expecting to be immune from disaster.

One day someone will just not be able to stop in time and some poor driver will have to live with the consequences of having knocked a disabled/elderly person off their scooter.

Simple solution - just stop and look before you cross the road. It doesn't matter that there is a pedestrian crossing; you still have to enter it with caution. And technically, you are driving a vehicle, you are not a pedestrian.

So before we have a disaster on our hands - and remember there have already been 60 fatalities - use your common sense and don't just assume because you are on a pedestrian crossing that you have right of way.

And of course, all drivers should be approaching the crossing with due care as well.

But, given the speed that these scooters are capable of, sometimes it is just impossible to predict their approach.

If they are supposed to be designed for simply "mobility", why is it necessary for them to be capable of such speeds anyway?

From where I see it, it looks like they are being used as commuter vehicles, rather than mobility aids in a lot of cases.

Any vehicle capable of travelling at any faster than a swift walking pace (say 10 kph), should be regulated in some form, for the sake of all road users.

LISA CRISPIN

Grafton

U.S. Presidential Election 2012: Just when you thought you'd seen everything

Roseanne Barr announces candidacy for Presidency of the United States of America and also for the Primeministership of Israel in a twofer.

http://youtu.be/iSZYGyOK_yY

“I'm tired of watching as men destroy all the world. Everything used to be beautiful when women were in charge, and now I, working as the physical manifestation of the goddess Isis and the reincarnation of Cleopatra, have decided to save the world.”

U.S. Presidential Election 2012: Translating the "Grand Old Party"

http://youtu.be/js3BYcHmBhE

http://youtu.be/e9L9A1IMTQo

http://youtu.be/BagYRDEFvy0

http://youtu.be/igQlbesF0zA

At last! Someone translates GOP presidential candidates for the rest of the world.

The digital ignorance of Australian judges is mindboggling

Like others who from time to time use the Internet to undertake serious research I am well aware how easy it is to retrieve from cyberspace documents that have been published or posted concerning a given individual once I have a name or initials and, at least one 'fact' associated with that same individual.

Not all Australian judges first came to the bar before the Internet was invented and some were still practicing as barristers when Google became a popular research tool. So it is more than naive, indeed it could be seen as reckless, for any court to suppress the name of a defendant or witness yet allow journalists to identify them by their own initials.

After reading one recent newspaper article online, it took me exactly two minutes to hit a correct search engine link which lead to the full name and details of unlawful activity to which one suppressed-identity defendant had plead guilty.

Another two minutes was all that was needed to retrieve further publicly available information which might allow an educated guess as to the general contents of a document which had been sealed by the court, as well as detailed evidence he had given previously in another matter.

One more mouse click and I had access to a number of full face and body photographs of the defendant. Several more after that and online media reports produced age, marital status, number of children, suburb of residence and welfare benefit status.

One has to presume that identities are often suppressed by the courts because of physical safety concerns. However, in this country such suppression orders are a feeble joke. Because even though the law may seek to blindfold, the Internet has myriad eyes.

Splendour in the Grass comes home to NSW North Coast in July 2012

ABC North Coast NSW February 10, 2012

The Splendour in the Grass festival will move back to Belongil Fields in Byron Bay this year.

The Splendour In The Grass music festival is planning a return to Byron Bay for this year's event.

After two years at Woodford in Queensland, Splendour In The Grass organisers are currently working on taking the festival back to its original home at the Belongil Fields.

The dates for the 2012 event are Friday 27, Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 July.

For updates go to the Splendour in the Grass website at http://splendourinthegrass.com/#

U.S. Presidential Election 2012: Conspiracies Unlimited

U.S. President Barack Obama probably will be the subject of character assassination long after he's met his maker.

This is one of the enduring classics - calling into question his American-born status - still doing the rounds during the run up to this year's presidential election.

Doctored ID

Genuine ID

http://www.snopes.com/

Freak storm rips through Coffs Harbour on Sunday 11 February 2012

Severe Storm Cell moving out to sea after unleashing on Coffs Harbour. 11/02/2012

Sentinel Photography

Storm moving up the coast off Coffs Harbour on the 11th February

Ken Sedgmen

ClareDeligny Clare Deligny

Tonight on NBN News, a freak storm rips through Coffs Harbour causing widespread damage and destruction.

Do as I say, not as I do

The Daily Examiner 6 February 2012

Sky News as a big LOL

This advice to its house journalists from a news service which was one of the first to be embroiled in the Tent Embassy quotes misquotes saga….

Sky News has told its journalists not to repost information from any Twitter users who are not an employee of the broadcaster.

An email to staff on Tuesday laid out new social media guidelines for Sky News employees, including a contentious ban on retweeting rival "journalists or people on Twitter".……

"Where a story has been Tweeted by a Sky News journalist who is assigned to the story it is fine, desirable in fact, that it is retweeted by other Sky News staff.

"Do not retweet information posted by other journalists or people on Twitter. Such information could be wrong and has not been through the Sky News editorial process."………

A Sky News spokeswoman said: "Sky News has the same editorial procedures across all their platforms including social media to ensure the news we report is accurate."

{The Guardian on the 7th February 2012}

How quickly the story changes once animal cruelty is exposed *WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES & SOUNDS*

http://youtu.be/Zp-8PpA4upM

This week various media outlets reported that; The NSW Food Authority ordered the immediate halt yesterday to slaughter at the Hawkesbury Valley Meat Processors at Wilberforce, in Sydney's west, after seeing undercover footage apparently taken by a worker at the abattoir.

Since the animal cruelty allegations surfaced there have been professions of innocence or ignorance and, suggestions that what was shown on the video was rogue behaviour on the part of either individual abattoir workers or this one particular business
.

Although these are comforting sentiments for the general meat-eating public, they are unlikely to be based on verifiable fact. The number of workers shown in the video and the relaxed body language suggests that the actions shown were probably commonplace and acceptable within company culture.

A number of local businessess are attempting to deny seeing or hearing anything, however one cannot exclude the possibility that it was common local knowledge that the abattoir was operating in an inapproriate manner.

This morning further allegations emerged in The Australian:

The Weekend Australian viewed a cache of documents dating back to the late 1990s, including correspondence with council and local MPs, detailing alleged ammonia leaks, poisoning and pieces of animal carcass carried by birds on to adjacent properties. Although one case went to court, no prosecution was recorded.

Neither the Federal Labor Government nor the NSW Coalition Government can spin this away and both should act on the matter. The Gillard Government by looking into the possibility of a national abattoir monitoring policy and, the O'Farrell Government by creating legislation which mandates CCTV on all abattoir killing floors and by vigorously prosecuting any wrongdoing.

According to information available on the Internet, HAWKESBURY VALLEY MEAT PROCESSORS PTY LTD,  R W LANGLEY WHOLESALE MEAT PTY LTD and M & A BUTCHERY all share the same physical address at 62 King Road, Wilberforce, New South Wales.

The first two business appear to be connected with Ken and Glenn Langley and the third with Michael and Angela Diasinos along with their sons.

This is M & A BUTCHERY featured in a local food blog in November 2009:

Whilst the family still run the butchery and own the abattoir, the abattoir itself is leased to another party. The meat in the shop though still comes from the abattoir which is only 200 metres away…. A typical day lasts from 6.00am to 6.00pm. The head butcher will set up in the morning whilst Dean goes to the abattoir and works out what to bring into the shop.  

This is the same business in February 2012:

Click on images to enlarge

Previous post concerning the Hawkesbury abattoir.

Celestial art

Click on photograph to enlarge
Then click again for full resolution

Carina Nebula

Milky Way :  Star Formation

Distance: 7500 light years

This broad panorama of the Carina Nebula, a region of massive star formation in the southern skies, was taken in infrared light using the HAWK-I camera on ESO’s Very Large Telescope. Many previously hidden features, scattered across a spectacular celestial landscape of gas, dust and young stars, have emerged.

Credit:  ESO/T. Preibisch

The spirit of Elizabeth Macarthur lived on

Forget the bad and eventually mad John Macarthur – and remember that it was Elizabeth who kept those original merino flocks going and helped Australia jump on the sheep’s back.

In The Sydney Morning Herald on 8^th February 2012:

“Sheep have a greater diversity of genes than many other animals in Australia because of the way they have been bred, a new study has found…..

"Our detailed gene map is telling us that sheep breeds have been formed in a fluid way that makes them different from other species of domestic animals," lead author James Kilas from the CSIRO said in a statement…..”

Pic found at Google Images

It's time to ask Australian butchers and supermarkets where they are sourcing the meat you buy

 

As the NSW abattoir currently in the news for alleged animal cruelty apparently slaughters for domestic consumption only, here is a brief outline for ethical consumers.

The Sydney Morning Herald 10 February 2012:

A SYDNEY abattoir has stopped slaughtering and faces closure and prosecution after hidden-camera footage of chilling animal cruelty emerged.

The NSW Food Authority ordered the immediate halt yesterday to slaughter at the Hawkesbury Valley Meat Processors at Wilberforce, in Sydney's west, after seeing undercover footage apparently taken by a worker at the abattoir.

''This is one of the worst cases I've seen in an abattoir of animal cruelty,'' said Peter Day, a spokesman for the authority. The footage, recorded over six days at the end of last month, shows workers mistreating sheep, cattle, pigs and goats….

The Telegraph 10 February 2012:

It is believed Hawkesbury Valley Meat Processors provided the footage to authorities after becoming aware animal rights activists had provided it to a media outlet.

Department of Primary Industries NSW Food Authority 9 February 2012 media release Slaughtering at Sydney abattoir stopped:  

Action by the NSW Food Authority today has led to the shut down of slaughtering at a Sydney abattoir. This follows the Authority examining disturbing video footage of acts of gross animal mistreatment.

The video shows the slaughter of sheep, cattle, goats and pigs that allegedly breaches the Food Regulation 2010 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979.

Australian standards under the Food Regulation 2010 require that "animals are slaughtered in a way that prevents unnecessary injury, pain and suffering to them and causes them the least practical disturbance."

A full investigation of slaughter practices at the site is now underway, which involves the RSPCA.

Non compliance of food and animal welfare laws is taken extremely seriously.

The welfare of animals in NSW is protected under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (POCTA) 1979 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulation which are overseen by the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Under POCTA fines of up to $110,000 or two years imprisonment apply for acts of aggravated acts of cruelty to animals.

The NSW Food Authority regulates abattoirs in NSW.

All abattoirs operating in NSW are required to hold a licence and operate in accordance with the Food Regulation 2010. Abattoirs are required to comply with the NSW Standard for the Hygienic Production and Transportation of Meat and Meat Products for Human Consumption.

https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/downloads/07-183

Extracted from ASIC's database at AEST 06:45:33 on 10/02/2012

 

Name	HAWKESBURY VALLEY MEAT PROCESSORS PTY LTD
ACN	119 318 295
ABN	53 119 318 295
Type	Australian Proprietary Company, Limited By Shares
Registration Date	19/04/2006
Next Review Date	19/04/2012
Status	Registered
Locality of Registered Office	Mona Vale NSW 2103
Jurisdiction	Australian Securities & Investments Commission

Directors of this company appear to include Glenn Langley and Ronald Winston Langley of R W Langley Wholesale Meat Pty Ltd