Christopher Pyne, Mal Brough & James Ashby - the plot thickens

Liberal Party frontbencher and Manager of Opposition Business Christopher Pyne protesting his ‘innocence’ in The Sydney Morning Herald on 2 March 2012:

Mr Pyne had gone to the Speaker's office to see Mr Slipper, but he was in the chamber. Mr Pyne was then invited for a drink with Mr Ashby and another staffer while he waited.

Mr Pyne said in a statement that he had met Mr Ashby three times, twice in the Speaker's office and ''once when he came to my office to collect wine being given to a former Coalition staffer as a farewell gift''.

He said that ''on no occasion did he raise the matters canvassed in the Federal Court'' and that he had never had any telephone contact with Mr Ashby.

Earlier yesterday, he said that, as manager of opposition business, he had more contact with the Speaker's office than other MPs, and it was not unusual for him to socialise with Mr Slipper's staff in his absence.

He said he was ''simply passing the time of day. We had a beer and a political discussion.'' But he said: ''I don't remember ever having asked for Mr Ashby's number.''

One voter writes a letter to the editor to the Brisbane Times which is published on 3 May 2012:

If Christopher Pyne was drinking with Mr Ashby in the Speaker's office while Parliament was in session, I can think of at least three questions that Mr Pyne should be asked: who was paying for the booze; was he (Mr Pyne) drinking while at work; and, isn't drinking during working hours a dismissable offence (''Pyne caught up in Slipper scandal'', May 2)? Over to you, Chris.

Trevor Nayler

Ermington

Now The Australian on 5 May 2012 reports that Slipper’s arch-rival became involved and Pyne finally outed for an email to Ashby he originally denied:

FORMER Liberal cabinet minister Mal Brough has admitted telling James Ashby to go to the police and take legal action over allegations of sexual harassment and misuse of taxi vouchers by Peter Slipper after a series of secret meetings with the political staffer earlier this year.
After a Gillard government campaign to link federal opposition MPs to the court action that led Mr Slipper to step down as Speaker, Mr Brough yesterday revealed he was briefly a confidant to Mr Ashby, even organising him legal advice, in the weeks before the adviser launched his explosive law suit against his then boss.
Mr Brough, who is standing for pre-selection in Mr Slipper's Queensland seat of Fisher at the next federal election, rejected speculation the Liberal National Party turncoat had been snared in a "honey trap" set by Mr Ashby with the backing of senior Coalition figures.
The one-time indigenous affairs minister in the Howard government, who lost his seat in the 2007 election landslide, revealed his role in Mr Ashby's court action as Labor stepped up its bid to tie Tony Abbott and Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne into setting up the Speaker.
In an exclusive interview, Mr Brough outlined the chain of events that led Mr Ashby to file his legal claim in relation to the sexual harassment he alleges to have suffered at Mr Slipper's hands, as well as the veteran MP's alleged misuse of taxi dockets, now the subject of an Australian Federal Police investigation…….
Mr Brough, who waged a two-year campaign in the LNP branch to oust Mr Slipper as candidate at the next election, said he had had little interaction with Mr Ashby before the "distressed" parliamentary adviser approached him. ….
Mr Abbott yesterday admitted that Mr Pyne, manager of opposition business, had sent an email to Mr Ashby after the pair had drinks in the Speaker's office on March 19. But Mr Abbott said Mr Pyne had not made further contact with Mr Ashby.

The Yass Tribune on went on to state on 5 May:

THE man who has accused Peter Slipper of sexual harassment and fraud, James Ashby, was undermining his boss's re-election even as he continued to work in the Speaker's office.

Mr Ashby was promoting one of Mr Slipper's potential rivals for the seat of Fisher in a series of YouTube videos while he was a media adviser to the Speaker……

The subject of two videos compiled by Mr Ashby is the Sunshine Coast businesswoman Peta Simpson who, with Mr Brough, plans to nominate as the Liberal National Party candidate for the seat of Fisher, now held by Mr Slipper.  

Ashby’s YouTube account can be found here.

Update:

Pyne's lie caught out.

Are some of us complaining a little too loudly these days?

Australian household income is outpacing the cost of living over the longer term, with disposable incomes increasing 20% over the last 27 years, according to the latest AMP.NATSEM Income and Wealth Report.

Couples with children have seen their income grow by 37%, single parent incomes have grown 34% and working families 22%. The smallest increase was rental households who experienced only 11% growth. On average, households are $224 per week better off than in 1984.

The highest income households are spending around 30% on basic necessities and 45% on discretionary items, while the lowest income households devote 30% to discretionary items.

Overall households are spending a greater proportion of income on services such as private schooling, restaurant meals, childcare and tertiary education.

May 2012 full report here.

WARNING: An image so awful that it may be necessary to apply Sunlight Soap directly to the surface of your brain

News Ltd outdid itself with this montage

of Australian mining magnate Clive Palmer and Prime Minister Gillard
 à la Titanic

**Profuse apologies to Clive James
with whose surname I accidentally graced this montage
 during a late night brain snap.
Clive Palmer is now properly identified.

NSW Parliament Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 5 NSW Coal Seam Gas Inquiry Final Report - media release and link to full report

GENERAL PURPOSE STANDING COMMITTEE NO. 5

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

MEDIA RELEASE

INQUIRY INTO COAL SEAM GAS

Inquiry report released today

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

1 May 2012

A Parliamentary Committee has tabled its report on the environmental, economic and social impacts of coal seam gas mining in NSW. The report contains 35 recommendations for Government action.

“A key theme throughout the report is the level of uncertainty surrounding the potential impacts of the coal seam gas industry. More data needs to be gathered to assess potential impacts, and in order to do this, we need to allow the exploration phase to proceed. While exploration and drilling are of great concern to many community members, they are unavoidable if we are to assess whether it is safe for the industry to proceed to production,” said the Committee Chair, the Hon. Robert Brown MLC.

“The report’s final recommendation is that before issuing any further production approvals, the Government should ensure that the deficiencies in the regulatory framework are addressed and a comprehensive, effective and transparent regulatory regime is put in place.”

“With regard to property rights, we found an imbalance between landholders and mining companies with regard to land access. The Committee therefore recommends that the Petroleum (Onshore) Act 1991 be reviewed with a view to strengthening landholder rights and achieving a fair balance between the rights of landholders and coal seam gas operators.”

“I urge the Government to implement all of the Committee’s recommendations,” said Mr Brown.

Copies of the report can be downloaded from http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/gpsc5

or are available from the Committee Secretariat by calling (02) 9230 3311.

Summary of recommendations

Recommendation 1 27

That the NSW Government request the Commonwealth Government’s Independent Expert Scientific Committee to:

• work closely with the coal seam gas industry to overcome barriers to data-sharing,

and

• fund the conduct of regional-scale water assessments in New South Wales and the

development of models of cumulative water impacts as a matter of priority.

Recommendation 2 27

That the NSW Government consider tightening the Draft Code of Practice for Coal Seam Gas Exploration so that the suggested measures around water testing and monitoring, including documenting existing water bores, drilling monitoring bores, regularly monitoring water impacts and paying for independent water testing, are required rather than optional.

Recommendation 3 28

That the NSW Government amend the Draft Code of Practice for Coal Seam Gas Exploration to require information on baseline data to be made publically available.

Recommendation 4 60

That the NSW Government progress as a priority the project being undertaken by the Office of Water to assess the potential volume of produced water from the coal seam gas industry.

Recommendation 5 60

That the NSW Government not approve any coal seam gas activity without a solid waste management plan included in the relevant approval.

Recommendation 6 62

That the NSW Government ensure that aquifer interference requirements are introduced for any wells drilled into coal seams, including exploration wells.

Recommendation 7 63

That the NSW Government consider expanding the monitoring of decommissioned wells. This could extend to inspections at intervals of five years up to twenty years.

Recommendation 8 63

That the NSW Government ban the open storage of produced water.

Recommendation 9 76

That the NSW Government continue the current ban on fraccing until the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme assesses fraccing chemicals for their intended use and toxicity according to international standards, and the NSW Government considers any findings of this assessment.

Recommendation 10 76

That the NSW Government ban the open storage of fraccing fluids, and require coal seam gascompanies to store fraccing fluids securely prior to treatment and disposal.

Recommendation 11 87

That the NSW Government develop an effective model to ensure that coal seam gas companies are held responsible for covering the full costs of remediating any environmental impacts, particularly any long-term environmental damage.

Recommendation 12 91

That the NSW Government require, in the preparation of a Review of Environmental Factors, referral to the Office of Environment and Heritage.

Recommendation 13 127

That the NSW Government establish ‘shop fronts’ to provide information and advice in the regions most affected by coal seam gas development.

Recommendation 14 128

That the NSW Government require the Department of Trade and Investment, Regional

Infrastructure and Services to notify relevant local councils as soon as a petroleum exploration licence application is made over their local government areas.

Recommendation 15 128

That the NSW Government implement the community consultation process as outlined in the Draft Code of Practice for Coal Seam Gas Exploration at the point of exploration licence application and on renewal.

Recommendation 16 137

That the NSW Government review the Petroleum (Onshore) Act 1991 with a view to strengthening landholder rights and achieving a fair balance between the rights of landholders and coal seam gas operators in relation to land access, and considering harmonisation with the Mining Act 1992 if possible.

Recommendation 17 145

That the NSW Government amend the Petroleum (Onshore) Act 1991 to require a licence holder to enter into an access agreement with a landholder for coal seam gas production.

Recommendation 18 146

That the NSW Government lead the development of a template access agreement in conjunction with the NSW Farmers’ Association and the Australian Petroleum Production and ExplorationAssociation, as a matter of priority. The template access agreement should:

• be comprehensive and cover both the exploration and production of coal seam gas,

and

• include a clear statement about the right of landholders to seek legal advice.

Recommendation 19 146

That the NSW Government require coal seam gas operators to reimburse landholders for reasonable legal costs incurred in the review of an access agreement.

Recommendation 20 146

That the NSW Government recruit officers to inform landholders of their rights and

responsibilities when dealing with coal seam gas companies and locate these officers in regional ‘shop fronts’.

Recommendation 21 149

That the NSW Government require coal seam gas companies to reimburse landholders for the reasonable costs of arbitration to resolve disputes about access agreements.

Recommendation 22 155

That the NSW Government ensure that the template access agreement for exploration andproduction take a default position whereby the landholder be compensated in the sum of $5,000 per well head per annum.

Recommendation 23 170

That the NSW Government require an Agricultural Impact Statement to be prepared for all exploration licence applications.

Recommendation 24 171

That the NSW Government expedite the development of the remaining strategic regional land use plans for the Central West, Southern Highlands, Murrumbidgee, Alpine, Western and coastal regions.

Recommendation 25 182

That the NSW Government prepare and publish projections of the employment opportunities that could be created by the coal seam gas industry in regional areas.

Recommendation 26 187

That the NSW Government continue to publish forward estimates of the royalties expected to be paid by the coal seam gas industry.

Recommendation 27 188

That should the coal seam gas industry proceed in New South Wales, the NSW Government should require coal seam gas companies to pay the full royalty rate from the first date of production under a petroleum title, and that coal seam gas companies be advised of this at the time of their exploration licence application or renewal.

Recommendation 28 188

That should the coal seam gas industry proceed in New South Wales, the NSW Government should collaborate with the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW to develop a ‘Royalties for Regions’ program similar to that operating in Western Australia.

Recommendation 29 194

That should the coal seam gas industry proceed in New South Wales, the NSW Government should implement a domestic gas reservation policy, under which a proportion of the coal seam gas produced in New South Wales would be reserved for domestic use, similar to the policy in Western Australia.

Recommendation 30 203

That the NSW Government include in all conditions of consent a requirement for petroleumproduction to minimise fugitive emissions and to comply with an upper limit of 0.1 per cent fugitive emissions.

Recommendation 31 221

That the NSW Government establish a position for a Petroleum Ombudsman.

Recommendation 32 221

That the NSW Government establish an Industry Unit within the Division of Resources and Energy in the Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services to provide a coordinated response to coal seam gas developments in New South Wales. The Unit should:

• issue licences for coal seam gas development,

• drive policy development on the coal seam gas industry, and

• provide a repository of knowledge within Government about coal seam gas issues.

Recommendation 33 222

That the NSW Government establish a Compliance Unit within the Environment Protection Authority. The Unit should:

• undertake regular monitoring of coal seam gas operations,

• address community complaints, investigate incidents and take enforcement action

where required, and

• be comprised of specialist compliance officers, as many of whom as possible should

be located in regional ‘shop fronts’.

Recommendation 34 222

That the NSW Government establish a dedicated Complaints Hotline within the Compliance Unit. The Hotline should:

• answer calls from community members seeking to report concerns about potential

environmental pollution or the behaviour of coal seam gas companies, and

• refer complaints to the Compliance Unit for investigation and possible action.

Recommendation 35 223

That the NSW Government issue no further production licences until a comprehensive

framework for the regulation of the coal seam gas industry is implemented.

Summary of key issues

A key theme throughout this report is the level of uncertainty surrounding the potential impacts of the coal seam gas industry. The many unanswered questions include: will the industry threaten the quality and quantity of water resources? How dangerous is fraccing? Are there other potential health and environmental impacts? Is coal seam gas a cleaner energy source than other fossil fuels? And what are the economic benefits for New South Wales?

More data needs to be gathered to assess the potential impacts of the coal seam gas industry. In orderto do this, we need to allow the exploration phase to proceed. Exploration necessarily involves drilling.

While exploration and drilling are of great concern to many community members, they are unavoidable if we are to assess whether it is safe for the industry to proceed to production. For example, without drilling, we cannot assess the industry’s potential to contaminate or deplete water resources.

The key issues considered in this report, and the Committee’s recommendations, are summarised in the following pages.

Water

A key question faced during this Inquiry was whether coal seam gas activities could contaminate or deplete water resources. The scientific evidence on this question is contested. The Committee considers that the uncertainty about the likelihood of these impacts occurring underscores the need for more data to be gathered and analysed in regions where exploration is taking place. To this end the NSW Government should actively engage with the Commonwealth’s Independent Expert Scientific Committee, and request that regional-scale water assessments be finalised as a matter of urgency in regions where exploration is taking place (Recommendation 1). In addition, some of the data needed to assess cumulative water impacts is held by coal seam gas companies and is considered by some coal seam gas companies to be commercial in confidence. Gaining access to this data should be a priority for the Commonwealth’s Independent Expert Scientific Committee (see also Recommendation 1).

Fraccing

Inquiry participants expressed particular concerns about fraccing and its potential to heighten the risks of water contamination and depletion. It would be premature for the Government to lift its moratorium on fraccing before the chemicals used are tested, and a stringent regulatory framework is put in place. The Committee recommends that the moratorium on fraccing remain in place until the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme concludes its assessment and the NSW Government considers any findings (Recommendation 9). The Committee is also concerned that any leaks or spills of fraccing fluids or produced water could contaminate water resources. The Committee therefore recommends that the open storage of fraccing fluids and produced water be banned (Recommendations 8 and 10).

Remediation

Coal seam gas companies must be held accountable for remediation in the event of deleterious environmental impacts. The Committee recommends that an effective model be developed to hold coal seam gas companies to account for the full costs of remediating any potential environmental impacts, such as water contamination or depletion, even if such impacts occur decades into the future (Recommendation 11). The Committee also suggests that the Government consider expanding the monitoring of decommissioned wells, such as by conducting inspections at intervals of five years up to 20 years (Recommendation 7).

Community engagement

A number of Inquiry participants, and key stakeholders such as local councils and indigenous communities, are disgruntled about the lack of genuine community engagement in relation to the coal seam gas industry in New South Wales. In many instances community consultation appears to have been inconsistent, poorly timed and restrictive. As one means to improve its engagement with regional communities, the Committee recommends that the NSW Government establish regional ‘shop fronts’

(Recommendation 13). The ‘shop fronts’ should be staffed by Government officers who would educate landholders on their rights and responsibilities when dealing with coal seam gas operators (Recommendation 20), as well as regionally-based compliance officers (Recommendation 33).

Land access and compensation

Many Inquiry participants are concerned that coal seam gas companies will take an aggressive approach to enforcing their access rights. Despite evidence to the contrary from several coal seam gas companies, the Committee cannot dismiss the evidence that some operators have attempted to pressure landholders for access, nor the possibility that companies may force access in the future. As such, the Committee believes that the Petroleum (Onshore) Act 1991 must to be reviewed with a view to strengthening landholder rights (Recommendation 16).

Many Inquiry participants expressed concern about the access agreements that landholders must sign before any exploration activity can be undertaken. An important step forward in redressing the unequal bargaining positions of landholders and licence holders, is for the Government to lead the development of a template access agreement to cover both the exploration and production phases (Recommendations 17 and 18). Landholders should also be given the opportunity to seek legal advice on access agreements and be reimbursed for reasonable costs of seeking this advice(Recommendation 19). In addition, if a landholder is required, or requests, to engage in arbitration over access, the reasonable costs of this process should be reimbursed by the relevant coal seam gas company (Recommendation 21).

There appears to be limited guidance for landholders when determining appropriate compensation for hosting coal seam gas activities on their properties. The Committee therefore recommends that the template access agreement for exploration and production take a default position whereby the landholder be compensated in the sum of $5,000 per well head per annum (Recommendation 22).

Agriculture

Numerous Inquiry participants said that coal seam gas development cannot coexist with agriculture and food production in many areas across the State, and called for ‘no go’ zones to be established. However other Inquiry participants, such as the NSW Government, called for ‘balanced coexistence’ between resource development, agricultural production and environmental protection. To achieve ‘balanced coexistence’ the Government has developed Strategic Regional Land Use Plans. The Committee is concerned that only two Plans have been completed to date, and recommends that the development of the remaining Plans, including for coastal areas, be expedited (Recommendation 24).

Economic benefits

The evidence on the economic benefits of the coal seam gas industry is contested. Some Inquiry participants suggested that the coal seam gas industry could deliver thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars in investment to regional areas, and generate billions of dollars in royalties. However, other Inquiry participants countered that the industry’s economic benefits have been overstated. In order to maximise the industry’s economic benefits for New South Wales, the Committee recommends that the five-year royalty holiday for coal seam gas production should be abolished (Recommendation 27), and regional areas where most coal seam gas activity is occurring should have a greater share of royalties (Recommendation 28).

Energy security, prices and greenhouse gas emissions

Opinions differed on the potential for coal seam gas to provide a cheap, secure and relatively clean energy source. To ensure that any coal seam gas development in the State assists in containing price increases and enhancing energy security, the Committee recommends that a portion of the coal seam gas produced in New South Wales be reserved for domestic use (Recommendation 29).

The evidence on the greenhouse gas emissions of coal seam gas is also contested, particularly when fugitive emissions are taken into account. While it is impossible to reach a definitive conclusion, the Committee considers that at worst the greenhouse gas emissions of energy produced from coal seam gas are likely to be equal to those from coal. The Committee believes that the dispute around greenhouse gas emissions should not prevent the development of the industry in New South Wales.

Breaches of environmental regulations

A number of Inquiry participants alleged environmental pollution by coal seam gas companies. While the Committee is mindful that many of these allegations are anecdotal and unproven, they are nevertheless alarming. It has been revealed that a previously-dismissed concern, namely the pollution of the Pilliga Forest by Eastern Star Gas, was ultimately proven correct. The Committee considers it inexcusable that this pollution went undetected by NSW Government authorities. Given this example

of the NSW Government’s failure to adequately police the industry, the Committee is sceptical that all coal seam gas companies are meeting their licence conditions, particularly given the large geographic area in which exploration activity is occurring.

Regulation

Inquiry participants identified a number of claimed deficiencies in the regulatory regime including fragmentation across government agencies, inadequate monitoring and enforcement, ineffective complaints handling, and insufficient resourcing. In addition, there is a potential conflict of interest in the role played by the Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services (DTIRIS). To address these deficiencies, the Committee has therefore made several recommendations, drawing on Queensland’s experience of regulating the coal seam gas industry.

The Committee recommends that a new Industry Unit be established within the Division of Resources and Energy, DTIRIS (Recommendation 32). The Unit should function as a ‘one-stop-shop’ on coal seam gas issues responsible for issuing licences, driving policy development and acting as a ‘knowledge bank’ within Government. In addition, a new Compliance Unit should be established in the Environment Protection Authority with responsibility for monitoring coal seam gas activities, investigating incidents, and taking enforcement action where required (Recommendation 33). The Unit should be staffed by specialist officers including hydrogeologists and geologists. The establishment of a Compliance Unit would address the potential conflict of interest in the role of DTIRIS by removing the monitoring, enforcement and complaints functions. A dedicated Complaints Hotline should also be established to answer calls from community members seeking to report concerns, and refer complaints to the Compliance Unit for possible investigation and enforcement action if necessary

(Recommendation 34). In addition, a Petroleum Ombudsman should be established to oversee the industry, which could potentially improve community confidence in the industry (Recommendation 31).

Moratorium on production approvals

The Committee believes that New South Wales has a unique opportunity to get things right before allowing the industry to develop further. Because the coal seam gas industry is in its infancy in New South Wales, an effective regulatory regime can be implemented before the industry is allowed to proceed to full-scale production. The Committee recommends that no further production approvals are issued until the deficiencies in the regulatory framework are addressed and a comprehensive, effective

and transparent regulatory regime is put in place (Recommendation 35).

Report 35 - Coal seam gas.pdf

On 01/05/2012 the Committee required the Government to provide a response by 01/11/2012. No Government response has been received as yet, according to the NSW Parliament Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 5 NSW Coal Seam Gas Inquiry.

There is a distinct possibility that the O'Farrell Government will ignore most, if not all, the recommendations in this report.

2012 US Presidential Election: One last laugh before the real bitterness begins

http://youtu.be/ZlJG5mpsyvI

Janelle Saffin and Gillard Government deliver! $4 million for a community health centre in Yamba

THE HON WAYNE SWAN MP

Deputy Prime Minister

Treasurer

THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP

Minister for Health

THE HON JANELLE SAFFIN MP

Member for Page

MEDIA RELEASE

Friday, May 4, 2012

$4 million for a community health centre in Yamba

The 2012-13 Budget will deliver a vital new health facility in Yamba.

Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek today announced that $4.3 million will be provided to build a new community health centre in the town.

“The Gillard Government is delighted to be directing funding toward a facility which will provide important health services to local families,” said Ms Plibersek.

“These capital works will be a major boost for the local economy while they are being carried out, and will provide health care services to thousands of residents of Yamba, Iluka, Maclean and other areas of the Lower Clarence once they are completed.”

Member for Page Janelle Saffin said existing service gaps, particularly in relation to oral health and mental health, will be addressed as part of the project.

“Access to quality health care, which will meet the increasing demand for services and attract doctors and nurses to our region, is the number one priority for residents in Yamba,” said Ms Saffin.

“The funding will go toward new outpatient clinics and facilities for local GP services, mental health and dental services.”

“I would like to pay special tribute to Yamba-based health campaigner, Jim Agnew OAM, who has been lobbying for this facility for many years.”

Funding for the community health centre was made available from the Gillard Government’s Health and Hospital Fund (HHF.)

The application was assessed by the independent HHF Advisory Board.

This centre is one of a large number of projects being funded by the HHF in the 2012-13 Budget to help regional health service networks manage the expected increase in demand for services over the coming years.

Funding for the hospitals will be made available from the Gillard Government’s Health and Hospital Fund (HHF.)

The application was assessed by the independent HHF Advisory Board.

This development is one of a large number of projects being funded by the HHF in the 2012-13 Budget to help regional health service networks manage the expected increase in demand for services over the coming years.

Treasurer Wayne Swan said: “As a Labor Government, we will always manage the economy in the interests of working people, and that means delivering a surplus while making room for critical investments in health infrastructure like the one here in Yamba.”

For all media inquiries, please contact Simon Crittle (Plibersek) on 0466 773 531 or Peter Ellem (Saffin) on 0437 303 875

Clarence community - well done!

Member for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, recognised a number local community endeavours in state parliament yesterday.

COMMUNITY RECOGNITION NOTICES

Mr Gulaptis moved that the house:

PORT OF YAMBA HISTORICAL SOCIETY EXHIBITION

(1) Congratulates the Port of Yamba Historical Society on its success in putting together the Ghosts of WWI-101 Local Heroes Exhibition which opened recently.

(2) Commends the exhibit's architect and researcher, Peter Edmunds, the Society's President, Maria Buist, other society members, and members of the special interest group for their commitment and dedication in putting on this exhibition.

ALLEN WHEELER MEDAL RECIPIENT DON WALDRON

(1) Congratulates Don Waldron, of Casino, on being presented with the Allen Wheeler Medal, one of the NSW Greyhound Racing industry's highest honours.

(2) Commends him on his commitment and dedication to the greyhound racing industry, in particular the development of the Casino Greyhound Club and his service as Secretary/Manager of the club for more than 40 years.

HARWOOD HILTON CRICKET CLUB

(1) Congratulates the Harwood Hilton Cricket Club on winning the Clarence River Cricket Association's Premier League grand final.

(2) Recognises the performance of the runner-up, South Services Club.

(3) Acknowledges the sportsmanship, commitment and dedication given to the Harwood Hilton club over many years by retiring captain, Tim (Ferret) McMahon, and wishes him well in the future.

GRAFTON MIDNIGHT BASKETBALL

(1) Congratulates Midnight Basketball on its successful eight-week midnight basketball program at the Grafton Regional Sports and Entertainment Centre.

(2) Recognises the aim of Midnight Basketball is to give kids something positive to do with their time in a safe environment.

(3) Acknowledges the commitment and dedication of the chair of Midnight Basketball, Grafton, Craig Howe, and his committee members, Alan Grainger, Jackie Milsom, Dylan Parbery, Emma Hannan, Glen McClymont, Deborah Stafford and Pat Hagan.

(4) Recognises the support given by numerous organisations in the Clarence Valley, including Clarence Valley Council and individual volunteers, to enable the program to be conducted.

 PRIVATE MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

 

GRAFTON RELAY FOR LIFE

Mr CHRISTOPHER GULAPTIS (Clarence) [5.52 p.m.]: Tonight I acknowledge the wonderful contribution that the Grafton Relay for Life has made to the New South Wales Cancer Council since the early 2000s, in particular the contribution it made on 31 March last. On the last Saturday in March I was astounded by the turnout at McKittrick Park in South Grafton, especially when it had been raining through the week and the weather on the day was threatening. But that did not deter 107 teams from nominating and 1,408 Graftonians from participating. To put it into perspective, Grafton has a population of about 18,500 people and the total of those participating in that event was 7.5 per cent of the city's population. In any circumstances that is a remarkable turnout and a testament to the dedication and generosity of the Grafton community.

It was a day to remember loved ones who had lost their battle with cancer, celebrate with those who had cheated cancer, and provide support for those who are battling the disease. Whilst the day started out with rain clouds, it turned out to be a hot afternoon. The mood at McKittrick Park complemented the weather—it was joyful and charged with excitement. Teams were dressed in all manner of weird and wonderful costumes and they had a marvellous time as they chatted and joked around the course. But the serious side of the Relay for Life is the reason behind it. Every five minutes another Australian is diagnosed with cancer. While survival rates are improving every day, cancer remains a leading cause of death. That is why it is so important that we raise funds to fight cancer.

Every dollar raised at Relay For Life helps the Cancer Council to help the people living on the far North Coast who are suffering from cancer. Cancer Council NSW is 96 per cent community funded. This year in the far North Coast region more than 1,930 people will be diagnosed with cancer and more than 660 people will die from the disease. Last year 143 cancer patients in the region were provided with financial assistance to relieve them of the high costs associated with treatment and care. This year 590 cancer patients were taken almost 60,000 kilometres to hospital appointments in the region using Cancer Council NSW transport and home support services. Last year 525 people affected by cancer across the region received free, confidential information and support from cancer health professionals through the Cancer Council Helpline.

I sincerely commend the Grafton Relay For Life committee for running such a successful event, which raised $132,178—over double the amount raised in 2010 and with double the number of teams participating. Volunteering and community participation is alive and well in Grafton. Grafton Relay for Life has been so successful because of the hard work of its committee. Rosemary Munro is the chair of the committee and Debbie Brooks, Graeme Hicks, Kay Strong, Brenda Howe, Judy O'Keeffe, Leila Thompson, Kathy Smidt, Narelle Redhouse, Michael Sexton, Elaine Stevenson, Denise and Cec Hyde, Denise Barnier, Vorna Cooper, Roger Green and Gail Brotherson are the other dedicated committee members who have made the Grafton Relay for Life such a success over a long period. I commend them for the work they have done for the local community and the Cancer Council of NSW.

Source: Hansard, NSW Legislative Assembly, 3/5/12

Australian Government Media Convergence Review Final Report: recommendation is that the real blogosphere be free from this new level of officious interference

Content from social media including bloggers and user-generated content should be free from new regulation.

Convergence Review Final Report (March 2012) PDF download here.

Common sense finally came to the fore.........

Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition meets with NSW Nationals MP for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis

From the Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition Inc. website on Sunday, 29 April 2012:

MEETING WITH CHRIS GULAPTIS MP ABOUT COAL SEAM GAS MINING

On 26^th April representatives of the Clarence Alliance Against Coal Seam Gas met with State MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis to explain their concerns about coal seam gas (CSG) mining. The representatives were John Edwards, Irene Daly and Lisa Hunter. Below is John Edwards' report on this meeting.
We started out with my reading a letter (see below) about our concerns about CSG mining.

In response to that Mr Gulaptis tried to reassure us that the Government was "considering" the CSG issue. He pointed also to State Upper House and Federal Inquiries, and that we should all wait for the outcomes of those deliberations. He assured us that the party room discussions on CSG were all about three things - protecting water, getting a better deal for landowners, and protecting our food production. We asked if the "better deal" gave landowners the option to say "no", which he said was a very good question. However, he avoided a direct reply to that saying that landowners need to be better compensated with stronger access agreements in favour of the landowner.

Later I asked if he could add climate change to the Government’s list of priority concerns, but he clearly does not believe that climate change is happening, and stated that no tidal measurements had been taken over time to prove that sea levels were actually rising. I think evidence on this should be presented to him.

In response to the question of when the moratorium on fracking would be removed, he ventured the opinion that it would be extended, quoting party room 'feeling'.

Mr Gulaptis said he had viewed the DVDs given to him, and there were some things he disagreed with, but there wasn't time for him to enlarge on that other than the sea level rise matter. However, he said he felt the North Coast would prove to be unviable for coal seam gas mining because of the small size of the average property. The miners would have to negotiate with too many landowners with potentially lengthy mediation and possibly court processes.

In terms of the issues raised in our statement, he agreed that most of the concerns were legitimate, but claimed he had seen no evidence that any aquifers had been damaged, but he would like to see that evidence if we can give it to him.

Irene spoke very strongly of her mistrust of the system, with which Mr. Gulaptis disagreed, citing that in all the years as a surveyor in the development business he had not seen evidence of it. It would have been good to have had the time to discuss the issue of "vision impaired ecologists" that we exposed over the Shannon Creek dam EIS.

It was really good to have youth involved, in the person of Lisa, who made her concerns for the future clear.

Mr Gulaptis said he would appreciate us sending him any evidence relating to CSG. Again I asked if evidence of climate change would be helpful.

Ha also said he would be prepared to address a community meeting on the CSG issue, but he's booked out for about two months.

In conclusion I have to say that his responses were predictable, and not all that encouraging.

LETTER TO CHRIS GULAPTIS MP

John Edwards read this letter to Chris Gulaptis at the beginning of their meeting. The letter was signed by John (on behalf of the Clarence Environment Centre), Irene Daly (on behalf of the Gumbaynggirr Nation) and Lisa Hunter (on behalf of Clarence Alliance Against CSG)

We are concerned that the mining companies seeking to exploit coal seam gas and other forms of unconventional gas in the Clarence-Moreton Basin cannot guarantee that the following impacts will not occur:

• damage to groundwater resources, including the depletion of aquifers;
• methane leaks from wells during or after use, leading to increased fire hazards;
• emissions of volatile organic compounds that are detrimental to human health;
• escape of salty or toxic waste water into waterways;
• leakage of waste water or other pollutants into groundwater; and
• increased seismic activity resulting from the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

We are also concerned that the mining of coal seam and other forms of unconventional gas:

• will lead to the industrialisation of rural and bushland environments;
• will degrade and destroy Aboriginal cultural sites;
• will cause massive fragmentation of native bushland and wildlife habitat, leading to detrimental impacts on threatened species and ecological communities;
• will impose unacceptable impacts on landowners and their neighbours through increased levels of noise, dust and smells, all leading to social disruption, and physical and psychological health impacts;
• will create downward pressure on land prices, both in the short and long term;
• will disrupt and divide communities;
• will impact on roads and bridges, without paying any rates to councils to repair the damage to local roads;
• will, through increased traffic volumes, have negative road safety implications;
• will put significant pressure on public waste disposal facilities; and
• will not provide a single cent in royalties to the people of NSW in the first 5 years of a well's production and not pay full royalties until after 10 years of a well's production.

The burning of gas contributes to global warming through the emission of carbon dioxide. Fugitive emissions of unburnt methane during exploration, extraction, processing and transportation via lengthy pipelines also significantly contribute to global warming, as methane is potent greenhouse gas, with a higher global warming potential than carbon dioxide (70 times greater when measured over a 20 year period). When these fugitive emissions are considered, burning unconventional gas for electricity is worse then burning coal.

The International Energy Agency has identified that, by continuing to extract and burn fossil fuels, the world is currently on track to be 6 degrees warmer by 2100 (IEA Outlook 2012), a catastrophic level of climate change. And yet the Australian and NSW Governments continue to support the expansion of the gas and coal industries, and fail to plan for a transition to a low carbon economy powered by renewable and zero emission sources of energy.

Given all of the above, we strongly believe that the mining of coal seam gas and other forms of unconventional gas cannot be justified under any circumstances and must be stopped.

We urge you to take this message to your colleagues in the NSW Government.

Luke Hartsuyker, MP for Cowper, told to check his facts

Seems Luke Hartsuyker has been tilting at windmills again. A correspondent to the Coffs Coast Advocate has taken the Member for Cowper to task for mouthing off about the carbon tax.

Time to clean-up act

I suggest Mr Hartsuyker check his facts before he says "no other country anywhere in the world is doing this (putting a price on carbon)".

In his radio debate with Matt Thistlethwaite he came out with the same old Coalition scare campaign slogan which is far from the truth. At least 26 other countries have successfully put a price on carbon and, so far, their economies have not come crashing down. The Coalition's policy seems to be to ignore the fact that emissions from the big polluters have to be dealt with. Whether one agrees with the climate change philosophy or not, isn't it time we cleaned up our act? Australia has the opportunity and the ability to become a world leader in clean air solutions if only we can get past political hype.

Christine Tiley

Source: Coffs Coast Advocate, 2/5/12

Keneally shows her true colours once more

Ever the political opportunist, who despite becoming a citizen has little idea of what Australia is really about……………

Former Labor premier Kristina Keneally says Julia Gillard should revoke or wind back the carbon tax in order to claw back public popularity.

As someone who led her own state government to comprehensive electoral defeat in 2011, one would think Ms. Keneally would refrain from comment.