Rubbery electricity price rise claims from the NSW Government in June 2012

It seems NSW government ministers and their media advisers have no shame when it comes to the electricity price rise facts and figures they present to journalists, who in their turn do not always bother to check the accuracy of these claims.

As anyone can see, carbon price costs are adding between 7.9% and 9.4% to retail electricity prices from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013 depending on which power company is your supplier.

This is what the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal clearly stated on 13 June 2012:

     · The final decision allows for an average price increase of 18% across NSW (including inflation), primarily as a result of rising network (poles and wires) costs and the introduction of the carbon price. Our final decision is higher than the 16% price increases indicated in the draft decision in April reflecting updated estimates of costs of generating electricity.

The average price increases will vary for customers of the 3 regulated electricity retailers as follows:

 20.6% for EnergyAustralia customers, which translates to an extra $7.00 per week ($364 per annum) on an average residential customer bill, and $9.07 per week ($472 per annum) on average for its small business customers

 11.8% for Integral Energy customers, which translates to an extra $4.00 per week ($208 per annum) on an average residential customer bill, and $5.19 per week ($270 per annum) on average for its small business customers

 19.7% for Country Energy customers, which translates to an extra $8.21 per week ($427 per annum) on an average residential customer bill, and $10.67 per week ($555 per annum) on average for its small business customers.

· The average price increase of 18.1% is higher than the 16.4% that was indicated in our draft report, reflecting updated analysis and inputs, including an updated estimate of inflation. Retailers submitted that there would be less vigorous marketing to customers as a result of declining margins in NSW under our draft report. They argued for larger price increases…

The NSW Minister for Energy and Resources Chris Hartcher in a media release that same day spun these figures:

Families and businesses across NSW are going to be devastated by the latest round of price rises, expected to add between $208 and $427 to the average household power bill.

80% of the price rises for Western Sydney households will be caused by the carbon tax. Price rises for Endeavour Energy customers will add $208 to the average bill, of which $166 will be because of Labor's carbon tax.*

The Daily Examiner online one day later:

POWER bill pain in NSW can be directly attributed to the Federal Government's carbon tax, says the state's Energy Minister Chris Hartcher.

As of July 1, families can expect to pay between $400 to $700 more a year on gas and electricity.

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal predicts the average bill will rise about 18.1%, largely due to the carbon tax.

It should be noted that, because power supply infrastructure is not fully privatised in New South Wales, a significant proportion of the full retail and business price rise is directly attributable to the management style of the O'Farrell Coalition Government.

* Endeavour Energy is a statutory State owned corporation, established under the Energy Services Corporations Act 1995 (NSW) and the State Owned Corporations Act 1989 (NSW).

Pacific Highway Stoush: local media fires up the blowtorch

On 14^th June 2012 The Daily Examiner reminded its readers of what was said in the past……………….

JOHN HOWARD - OCTOBER 16, 2007
"My Government preference remains for the duplication to be completed by 2016, in line with our 2004 commitment [and] ... is willing to provide our share of the additional funded needed ... if the NSW Government will match our funding commitment..."
BARRY O'FARRELL - MARCH 8, 2011
"Only the NSW Liberals and Nationals are committed to completing the upgrade of the Pacific Highway by 2016."
ANDREW STONER - OCTOBER 28, 2009
"[Premier] Nathan Rees can't pass the buck on this issue. The upgrade of the Pacific Highway is a State Government responsibility, so it's up to them to get the job done.
"If elected to Government in 2011, we will make the upgrade of the Pacific Highway a top priority."
DUNCAN GAY - OCTOBER 10, 2007
"I would hope this time he (then roads minister Eric Roozendaal) would have been a statesman and say, 'Yes I will match that money and save the lives of people in NSW that have to use this highway'."
ANDREW FRASER - OCTOBER 21, 2009
"I pay credit to the Rudd [Labor] Government ... for increasing the funding... The Pacific Highway is a State road that effectively causes the loss of one life a week.
"The State Government must increase its commitment... As ... Mr Albanese pointed out ... the Federal Government is actually carrying the State..."
NRMA PRESIDENT WENDY MACHIN - FEBRUARY 27, 2012
"It was the Howard Government that set the 50/50 funding split for the Pacific Highway from 2006 and the NRMA has supported this approach since day one.
"While in Opposition, the current NSW Government frequently called on the NSW Labor Government to match federal funding for the Pacific Highway dollar-for-dollar and we supported this call too."

The Daily Examiner could have added the local state member of parliament to this list……………….

This is what NSW Nats MP for Clarence ‘Steve’ Gulaptis told The Daily Examiner in November 2011 when he wanted Clarence votes:

“Q. What will you do to ensure the Pacific Highway is upgraded to dual Carriageway. When do you expect the upgrade to be completed?

A. The current arrangement of funding for the Pacific Highway is a joint State and Federal Project. The Prime Minister set a date of 2016 for completion and although that is an aggressive timeline, I am committed to working as part of the NSW government to continue to secure funds to enable our side of that funding.

The Liberal National NSW government has increased funding up to $468 Million to start making up the backlog from the previous government and I believe that this has to continue. Having a member for Clarence that is part of the government is a key to pushing this as the most important Woolgoolga to Ballina is mostly contained within our electorate.”

This is Gulaptis on the NSW Nats website after he was elected:

“will continue to fight to ensure the Pacific Highway upgrade is completed as fast as is possible”

In June 2012 this was the limp excuse offered up by this for against can’t-make-up-his-mind MP:

“Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis restated claims that the O'Farrell Government's pre-election promises to complete the highway before the March 2011 election were based on an understanding the Federal Government would continue its 80:20 funding split with the state.”

This is what one Lower Clarence bloke thought of Steve’s latest propaganda effort............

“By suffernofools from Maclean,

The Budget did not kill off the hwy upgrade!

The lack of will by our elected MP's to represent their constituents by standing up to their Liberal puppet-masters is killing off the upgrade.

When I read about Gulaptis playing the blame game again this morning I could actually feel the disgust growing in my stomach.

If he wants to play politics, let him. Stand up for your electorate and start fighting for funds that Mr O'Farrell has decided to allocate to his favourite charity, Sydney. C'mon DEX, shame him into fighting for us with your new campaign. If it is too tough for Chris, well stand aside and get someone else to fight for us. We need a representative, not a token leader.”

And this is the excuse offerd by the Clarence Nats for his backflip.........
"Valleys Unite
THE contributors who write on politically based news articles leave me wondering what party, if any, do they support to assist in running this country. It is very easy to sit back and criticise day in day out. What are they actually doing to be constructive?
Our newest MP Chris Gulaptis is finding his feet, working long hours to represent us. Regardless of individuals' alliance, assistance to rally support for our valleys would be more productive.
Well done DEX for their latest initiative to produce a video petition to submit to governments regarding the Pacific Highway.
We need the voices from all walks of life to be heard. Can you truly expect one person to do all the work. We need to unite, regardless of political affiliation to be heard in regional Australia.
Whether you voted for Chris or not, he is our voice. We should be supporting him in every way possible to achieve what our valleys deserve. This constant political bickering is no different to those at the top running our country. We shouldn't be led by their example, but be the electorate that can unite and achieve.
Fiona Leviny
Chairman Clarence Electorate for NSW Nationals"{The Daily Examiner on 15th June 2012}
Garn! The bloke’s been in politics one way or another since the 1990s. He was a waste of space then and he’s a waste of space now.
Appealing to community spirit won’t change the politically spineless character of “our voice”.
Positive outcomes happen in spite of Gulaptis not because of him.

I swear he must practice his ignorance before going to bed each night

The very 'Christian' Tony Abbott reworks the old saw that the poor have children for the pitiful amount of guvmin' money they bring into the family as small kids.
FAMILIES who receive welfare benefits can afford to have children more than others, according to Tony Abbott….

"At present, the only families that can have more children without damaging their financial position are those on welfare. It's one of the reasons why the birth rate tends to be higher among people of lower socio-economic status.”

Who farted in the pool? Was it Jan or Shirley? No one will ever know if you don't tell us.

That, readers, is the Coffs Coast Advocate's novel way of getting readers to provide it with newsworthy events. The Advocate gets top marks today for that one.

ROFLOL #AskTony

Herald Sun 12 June 2012:

A SOCIAL networking exercise has backfired for Tony Abbott, with Twitter trolls seeking his counsel on a hoard of ridiculous topics.

The Opposition Leader regularly conducts a question and answer session via Twitter when he has spare moments carrying the hashtag #asktony.

But today's 20-minute session began trending after people started asking questions that ranged from nasty to just plain silly.

Mr Abbott responded to some serious questions on topics such as the carbon tax, asylum seekers and live cattle export.

But it didn't take long for the tone to change.

On a day in which the latest Newspoll showed Coalition support slightly down, some asked what it felt like to be so unpopular and whether he should be replaced.

Suggestions included fellow Liberal Malcolm Turnbull and reality TV star Lara Bingle.

Others asked about Mr Abbott's penchant for Speedos.

Less political-minded tweeters wanted to know who Tony was.

Robin Hood O'Farrell, giving to the rich and taking from the poor

NSW Legislative Assembly Hansard 14 June 2012:

Mr ROBERT FUROLO:……Today we face a new challenge. The decision of this heartless Government to use the Federal Government's carbon price payment to calculate the rent of public housing tenants is reprehensible. To attack the most vulnerable, the most disadvantaged, the elderly, the sick and the frail and to take their payment designed to offset the impacts of carbon pricing is just plain wrong. What makes this worse is that at the same time as the O'Farrell Liberal Government is hitting the most vulnerable with increased rent for public housing pensioners and families it is cutting the rent for jetties and pontoons for millionaires and their waterfront homes. That is right: hit the pensioners in public housing with a rent increase and cut rent for millionaires in waterfront properties. What kind of topsy-turvy world is this? What does that say about the Government's values? [my emphasis]

If you think this couldn't happen in Australia then blithely vote Libs or Nats at next federal election

If you think that a Tony Abbott federal government couldn’t possibly encourage state policies which resulted in this type of barbarity then vote for a Coalition candidate at the next election:

“an Escanaba woman sentenced to 30 days in jail because she is too poor to reimburse the court for her son’s stay in a juvenile detention facility.
Like many people in these desperate economic times, Ms. Nowlin was laid off from work, lost her home and is destitute,” said Michael J. Steinberg, ACLU of Michigan Legal Director. “Jailing her because of her poverty is not only unconstitutional, it’s unconscionable and a shameful waste of resources. It is not a crime to be poor in this country and the government must stop resurrecting debtor’s prisons from the dustbin of history.”
In December 2008, Ms. Nowlin’s 16-year-old son was sentenced to the Bay Pines Center and Ms. Nowlin was ordered to pay $104 per month for his lodging. At the time of this order, Ms. Nowlin was homeless and working part-time with a friend after being laid off from her job. She told the court that she was unable to pay the ordered amount, however the judge found her in contempt for failing to pay. In addition, Ms. Nowlin’s requests for a court appointed attorney were denied.
Since March 3, 2009, Ms. Nowlin has been serving her sentence at the Delta County Jail. On March 6, 2009, she was released for one day to work. Once released she picked up her $178.53 check from work thinking that she now could pay the $104.00 to get out of jail. However, upon her return to jail that evening, the sheriff forced her to sign over her check to the jail to cover $120.00 for “room and board.” She was also charged $22 for a drug test and the booking fee.”

If you are not sure, maybe you should consider voting for anyone but Abbott & Co.

A $64 question: who is the current Member for Clarence?

Chris Gulaptis, a bloke who's keeping a green leather bench in the NSW Lower House warm, must spend half his time looking over his shoulder to see what his old mate Steve "Scandal" Cansdell is up to.

The occupants of premises in the village of Harwood Island have a poster of their pin-up boy on the wall of their building. And guess what! It's not Chris. Yes, that's right, it's good old Steve.

That has to be a real vote of confidence for the newcomer.

Public sector job cuts in the Clarence Valley - community forum to be held in Grafton

The Northern Rivers Rocks To Protect Its Tomorrows

http://vimeo.com/43886948

This is the first trailer for the forthcoming music movie ROCK THE GATE! The film will be out on DVD and in selected cinemas in August 2012. Featuring performers and activists including Xavier Rudd, OKA, Dubmarine, Steady Eddy, Brian Monk, Drew Hutton and S Sorrenson, as well as the people of the Northern Rivers, NSW, Australia.

Original music in this trailer from Luke Vassella, who also appears in the film. All proceeds will go to Lock the Gate Northern Rivers to fight the scourge of coal seam gas. If you love the trailer, tell your friends! This will be the music movie of the event that ROCKED the Northern Rivers!

Director/co-producer: David Lowe. Lead camera/editor: Pancho Colladetti. Co-producers Amanda Doran, Nora Savona and Heather McDiarmid. Rock the Gate event organisers Amanda Doran, Amanda Shoebridge and Elly Bird.

Sorta says it all about the JuLIAR crew

http://youtu.be/qbMUpimQbHw

"Banned Julia Gillard Election Commercial"
Gotta be a spoof...

Metgasco and Richmond Valley Council partners in unlawfully dumping of coal seam gas mining wastewater

These articles raise as many questions as answers about the apparently cosy relationship between Metgasco and Richmond Valley Council mayor, councillors, senior management - remembering Mayor Col Sullivan supported Cr. Stuart George's decision to become a land administration officer with this CSG mining company in 2011.

Lock the Gate Northern Rivers:

Lock the Gate Northern Rivers has received confirmation from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) that Metgasco have been disposing of wastewater from its coal seam gas exploration activities illegally at the Casino Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) for almost a year.
This wastewater disposal practice represents a violation of both the gas company’s water management plan as well as the Richmond Valley Council’s STP license and both parties have been told by the EPA to stop immediately.
This information is contained in a letter from the EPA to lawyers acting for Lock the Gate Northern Rivers which was received late last week. A copy of the letter is available on request.
“We found out in March that Metgasco may be removing wastewater from their holding ponds to stop them overflowing and raised our concerns with Richmond Valley Council at that time,” said Boudicca Cerese, spokesperson for Lock the Gate Alliance Northern Rivers.
“Council then referred the matter to the EPA who have now confirmed that Metgasco have disposed of more than 1 million litres of CSG wastewater at the Casino sewage plant since March 2011 in breach of conditions for management of the plant.”
“This disposal practice makes it obvious that Metgasco’s holding ponds are unable to contain the volumes of wastewater produced in drilling operations, despite repeated assurances by them that the ponds are sufficient and will not overflow during heavy rainfall events.”
“The whole matter indicates complete disregard by Metgasco of the regulations under which this industry is supposed to operate, an apparent lack of concern for the impacts of their activities on the environment, and an inability to properly manage the operations which they are undertaking”.
“What we are seeing is an abysmal failure of the current system to properly manage this harmful industry, with industry and local council both flouting existing regulations and a state government that is failing in its duty of care by neglecting to monitor and control the industry.”
“We are calling on the state government to suspend all of Metgasco’s CSG operations in the region and fully investigate their activities to ensure that no further unlawful practices are taking place.”
“It should not be up to local residents to monitor and report on these companies – that is the role of government and for all their talk about strengthening regulation of the industry, they are currently missing in action on this issue,” she said.

The Northern Star 13 June 2012:

But Metgasco has failed to see what all the fuss is about.
In a statement, chief executive Peter Henderson said that all of the company's operations, including the management of "produced water", was approved by "government authorities".
He also said the discharge was safe.
"We have independent technical advice that produced water ... can be discharged safely to the local sewage plant," he said.
Council general manager John Walker said the council had misinterpreted its licence conditions, but he said the council alerted the EPA after concerns regarding the practice were raised with the council.
"We did it, we thought it was okay, it's not okay so we won't do it any more," Mr Walker said.

On Saturday 8 September 2012 all NSW councils will hold an election, including Richmond Valley Council. Something residents and ratepayers might like to start thinking about right now.

Best description of Tony Abbott MHR so far?

The Ultimate Whinging Pom

{Aerchies Archives 9^th June 2012}

Tell Yahoo! Japan to stop advertising whale meat

NRDC Save Bio Gems June 6, 2012:

Do you care about whales? Do you ever use the internet giant Yahoo!? Then you should know that Yahoo! Japan is selling whale and dolphin products on its website, including meat from endangered species.

Although Yahoo! has banned the sale of whale products on all its other sites, its Japanese subsidiary – Yahoo! Japan – continues to sell whale products. That means Yahoo! – through its 34% interest in Yahoo! Japan – profits from the illegal slaughter of whales.

According to a report just issued by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), in March 2012 Yahoo! Japan offered 249 whale products for sale – including sashimi, bacon, and canned whale meat.

The International Whaling Commission has banned commercial whaling since 1986. Yet Japan continues to kill whales under the guise of “scientific research” – even within the boundaries of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary established by the IWC in 1994 to protect whales.

Each year, Japan issues itself “scientific research” quotas to kill some 1,000 minke, fin, sperm, Bryde’s and sei whales in the Antarctic and North Pacific oceans. Many of these whales were hunted nearly to extinction and are only now rebounding from centuries of overhunting.

By selling whale products, Yahoo! Japan is helping Japan’s efforts to evade international law and kill whales for commercial gain.

Join NRDC, EIA and the Humane Society in urging Yahoo! Japan to stop the sale of all whale products.

Earlier this year, Amazon’s Japanese website was found to be selling whale products. In response to public outrage, Amazon swiftly announced a ban on all such sales.

Now is the time for Yahoo! to follow Amazon’s lead. Click here and tell Yahoo! to use its influence over Yahoo! Japan to permanently ban the sale of all whale products on Yahoo! Japan's website.

The whales need our help!

O'Farrell Government confirms Carbon Price Modelling correct according to the Member for Page

 

NSW Government confirms the carbon price modelling is correct

Page MP Janelle Saffin has shown Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to be at odds with his State colleagues in NSW about the impact of the carbon price on the cost of living.

“I asked the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and Minister for Industry and Innovation Greg Combet, in Parliament last week about the measures that the Federal Government is putting into place to help families, pensioners and communities with the effect of the carbon price,” said Ms. Saffin.

“The carbon price is designed to bring the level of polluting gasses down over time which will benefit generations for years to come,”

“It’s a complex scheme as it’s about restructuring the economy and I want to see that it has as little impact as possible on people.”

The Minister responded to the question from the Page MP by asserting that Mr Abbott’s claims that the price impact of the carbon price will be “unimaginable” were extremely deceitful.

“I note that in Page, the NSW Government said the carbon price impact on Ballina Shire Council will be $61,799. But what it failed to point out to locals is that this represents an increase of just 0.4 per cent of the council’s total rates income,” said Ms Saffin.

Mr Combet, in answering the question from Ms Saffin, advised that the NSW Local Government Minister recently issued a press release showing council rates will rise 0.4% as a result of the carbon price.

“For the average household, Deputy Speaker,  this is 6 cents a week,”

“The NSW Government, has actually confirmed the Treasury forecasts, .

“To help households, this Labor Government is providing tax cuts, increases in family payments, pensions and other benefits.

“All up, an extra $10.10 per week on average will be delivered through the Government’s Household Assistance Package.” said Mr. Combet.

In Page, more than 33,000 pensioners will receive extra $338 extra per year if they are single and an extra $510 per year for couples; more than 12,700 people will receive increase in family assistance payments and; 43,000 taxpayers will receive a tax cut.

Ms Saffin said the Federal Government’s household assistance package should be welcomed by people living in Page.

“Most families feel the pressure of modern costs of living but Mr Abbott’s negative scare mongering won’t do anything to help households cope with these pressures,”

“In contrast, the government’s payments will put extra cash into household budgets to provide real relief and help with cost of living pressures.” said Ms Saffin.

Wednesday 6 June, 2012   Media contact:  Matt Dunne 0417 287 456

Tony Abbott & political posters 'n' placards

 

The Finnigan's Home of The BISONs on 1^st June 2012:

Tony Abbott is Upset Over this in Tanya Pilbersek's Electoral Office

But he is happy with this

North Carolina attempts to make a law turning back the sea

From NewsObserver on 28 May 2012 – a story of systematic attempt by North Carolina government to deny the extent of potential climate change effects:

Several local governments on the coast have passed resolutions against sea-level rise policies.

When the General Assembly convened this month, Republican legislators went further.

They circulated a bill that authorizes only the coastal commission to calculate how fast the sea is rising. It said the calculations must be based only on historic trends – leaving out the accelerated rise that climate scientists widely expect this century if warming increases and glaciers melt.

Excerpt from AN ACT TO STUDY AND MODIFY CERTAIN COASTAL MANAGEMENT POLICIES BILL 2011:

(e) The Division of Coastal Management shall be the only State agency authorized to develop rates of sea-level rise and shall do so only at the request of the Commission. These rates shall only be determined using historical data, and these data shall be limited to the time period following the year 1900.

Rates of sea-level rise may be extrapolated linearly to estimate future rates of rise but shall not include scenarios of accelerated rates of sea-level rise.

Rates of  sea-level rise shall not be one rate for the entire coast but, rather, the Division shall consider separately oceanfront and estuarine shorelines.

For oceanfront shorelines, the Division shall use no fewer than the four regions defined in the April 2011 report entitled "North Carolina Beach and Inlet Management Plan" published by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The oceanfront regions are: Region 1 (Brunswick County), Region 2 (NewHanover, Pender, and Onslow Counties and a portion of Carteret County), Region 3 (a portion  of Carteret County and Hyde County), and Region 4 (Dare and Currituck Counties).

For estuarine shorelines, the Division shall consider no fewer than two separate regions defined as  those north of Cape Lookout and those south of Cape Lookout.

(f) Any State agency, board, commission, institution, or other public entity thereof and  any county, municipality, or other local public body that develops a policy addressing sea-level rise that includes a rate of sea-level rise shall use only the rates of sea-level rise developed by the Division of Coastal Management as approved by the Commission. If the Commission has not approved a sea-level rise rate, then the sea-level rise policy shall not use a rate of sea-level  rise.

Scott Steel, closet marsupial, accidental blogger, poll analyst - seer

Yet another who foresaw the wreckage Abbott & Co would make of the political process in Australia.

In Crikey on 8 September 2010:

With two country independents backing Gillard, the Labor party will now pass the only threshold needed in Australia to form government – a majority on the floor of House. There is no other test, there is no other requisite, there is no other qualification needed to control the Treasury benches.

But this constitutional reality will not stop some. Indeed, it merely marks the beginning of what will become a long festival of delusion, conspiracy and outright lies – where its hysteria will only be surpassed by its grubby bitterness and its commercial exploitation.

With so many having invested so much in the defeat of the Labor government – including the leadership of what was once the national broadsheet of this country – to be denied victory by political inches, leaving a fragile incumbent holding the most delicate of majorities and being reliant on a handful of cross-benchers representing ideologically discordant electorates, creates a result that will not be respected.

What we will witness over the next 18 months or more is a Great Unhinging –an orgy of hysterics that will far surpass the duplicity, dishonesty – let alone the complete arsehattery – that substituted for public debate on matters of government during the previous 12 months.

The goalposts of what constitutes government legitimacy will be moved from the constitutional to the convenient, from the reality of the parliamentary majority to concocted nostrums about mandates to govern.

Every policy and utterance the government or the Independents make will be creatively analysed, deliberately distorted and whose fabricated consequences will be shouted from the rooftops. This will not be an exercise in political analysis, but an infection of pathological political syphilis. It will not just be a campaign against the government, but one rolling, frenzied campaign after another, where each new contrived outrage will assume a greater level of mania than the last.

The Independents will be targeted in a way they are probably not prepared for – they will be demeaned, ridiculed and treated with contempt, where their honourable characters will be distorted into debased caricatures. The character assassination will be ferocious and their connection to their electorates will be serially brought into question, particularly from a group of ostensibly inner urban media elites whose acquaintance with New England and Lyne extends no further than peering down from 30,000 feet as they fly between capital cities.

But it won’t just be the usual suspects here. There will be an angry that we haven’t seen for a long time, from a group of disgruntled political zealots.

The Liberal and National parties have a profoundly successful ability at attracting a disproportional quantity of the most embittered, politically pungent elements of Australian society as supporters – a dark, angry, belligerent underbelly that believes the only acceptable outcome of any political contest is the one they believe in…..

A factual perspective to the school funding debate

Letter writer Phil Francis points out some salient facts in the education funding debate in today's Daily Examiner.

Heavy lifters

Why did the comprehensive Gonski review call for changes to the way schools are funded? Because public schools are there for all - they do the 'heavy lifting' by catering for disadvantaged children.

Consider these facts . . .
Public school/Private school enrolments are in the ratio 66:34. The equivalent ratio for 'At Risk students' is 79:21; for ESL New Arrivals Program: 91:9; for Students with Disabilities and Special Needs: 80:20; for Indigenous Students: 86:14; The proportion of students enrolled in remote public schools is 1.8% compared to 0.8% in private schools; for very remote schools 1.2% compared to 0.3%. These figures delve to the heart of where funding should be directed.

Public schools have a legal and moral responsibility to be open to all students; private schools don't and aren't.

Phill Francis, Wooloweyah

On the NSW North Coast the third tier of government continues to chaff under short-sighted O'Farrell Government policies

Clarence Valley Shire Council

Committee: ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMIC & COMMUNITY
Section: Notice of Motion – Councillor Sue Hughes
Date: 12 June 2012
Item: 14.005/12 COAL SEAM GAS

To the General Manager, Clarence Valley Council
SUMMARY
I propose that the following report and notice of motion be submitted to Council.

PROPOSED MOTION

That Council:
1. Acknowledge their statutory responsibilities in relation to planning development applications and assessment, Council as a matter of social responsibility and in the long term sustainability interests of the environment and the community which they represent, support a moratorium on Coal Seam Gas activities within the Clarence Valley area until there are clear land use legislation and policies enacted by the NSW Government to responsibly guide and regulate the Coal Seam Gas industry.
2. Note the 35 recommendations in the Report from the NSW Government's General Purpose Standing Committee No. 5 on Coal Seam Gas and write to the NSW Government expressing the desire for the outcomes to be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
3. Notes the list of roads handed to the Mayor in Lismore at the regional rally 12 May 2012 by residents of the Ewingar district declaring the road reserves CSG free.....................

Coffs Harbour City Council

NOM12/3 – Opposition to Private Shooting in National Parks.
14 June 2012

Councillor Mark Graham has given notice of his intention to move:

Purpose:

That Council note:
1. The NSW Government is seeking to allow private shooting in national parks and other conservation reserves.
2. The NSW Government proposes to allow private shooting in conservation reserves in the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area.
3. It is irresponsible for any government to be proposing an activity which will be dangerous to members of the public and others who use conservation reserves for recreational purposes.
4. While feral animal control is an important activity, it is only safe and effective when undertaken professionally and as humanely as possible. This can only be achieved through the resourcing of professional control programs implemented by state conservation agencies.

That council:
1. Oppose this dangerous proposal by the NSW government; and
2. Write to the Premier and the Environment Minister in opposition to the proposal to allow private shooting in conservation reserves.

Staying at home on the June long weekend seen as political dysfunction

Now I know that Bob Ellis likes to draw a long bow, but this is plain ridiculous.

Much of the Labor vote will be away on the long weekend and no mobile phones will be rung. Those still home will be the old, the ill, the childless, the friendless, and the mad — and they, as always, will favour the Liberals, the Nationals, Family First, the DLP and the LNP.

From the perspective of stay at home who is old, ill, childless, very sane and who would never in a month of Sundays vote Liberals, Nationals, Family First, DLP or LNP – sit on it and rotate Bob!

Matt

Northern Rivers

 * GuestSpeak is a feature of North Coast Voices allowing Northern Rivers residents to make satirical or serious comment on issues that concern them. Posts of 250-300 words or less can be submitted to ncvguestspeak AT gmail.com.au for consideration.

What Clarence Valley Council is considering without formal community consultation

Local government on the NSW North Coast is nothing if not predictable.

Clarence Valley Council at its 12 June 2012 Civil and Corporate Committee meeting will be considering these Yamba Road By-Pass options set out below.

Valley residents and ratepayers will note the lack of consultation with the Yamba community, concerning this piecemeal approach to both the original By-Pass Plan and the ongoing pressure of competing road uses on Yamba Road itself.

It is my understanding that the recent surveying of a prospective By-pass section and accompanying wildlife corridor assessment was done without most, if not all, Clarence Valley Shire councillors being aware that anything was afoot.

Having been caught out attempting to progress these by-pass changes under the radar, on 6 June 2012 Council management advertised a public workshop to inform councillors. To be held 65 kms distant from Yamba, a bare 90 minutes before the Civil and Corporate Committee meets and without the community being able to express an opinion!

Click on images to enlarge

Reserve Bank Governor reminds Australia that its economy is sound

Peter Martin quoting Governor Glenn Stevens on 8th June 2012:

"According to data published this week by the Australian Statistician, real GDP rose by over 4 per cent over the past year. This outcome includes the recovery from the effects of flooding a year ago, so the underlying pace of growth is probably not quite that fast, but it is quite respectable – something close to trend. Unemployment is about 5 per cent. Core inflation is a bit above 2 per cent. The financial system is sound. Our government is one among only a small number rated AAA, with manageable debt. We have received a truly enormous boost in national income courtesy of the high terms of trade. This, in turn, has engendered one of the biggest resource investment upswings in our history, which will see business capital spending rise by another 2 percentage points of GDP over 2012/13, to reach a 50-year high."

Of course that didn't stop a privileged blowin like South African-Israeli-Australian Ivan teh Grate from spouting this nonsense, from atop the dizzying peak of his 'on paper' fortune, to the Herald Sun on the very same day:

"IVAN Glasenberg, the nation's second wealthiest person, says Australia is a less attractive place to invest than the world's poorest country, the Congo.
Mr Glasenberg, pictured, the South-African-born head of commodities giant Glencore, said the carbon tax and mining resources rent tax had damaged Australia's reputation.
He told an industry dinner in London that mining companies were disadvantaged in Australia as they had less leverage.
"At least in the Congo they need you, they want you there, and if they start changing the rules you may not continue investing," said Mr Glasenberg, an Australian citizen whose wealth is estimated at more than $7 billion.
The war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo this year was named by The Richest magazine as the world's poorest nation."

School children used as weapons in flying fox fight

This whole sorry saga could have been avoided if the Gulmarrad Public School staff member responsible for choosing articles to be submitted to The Daily Examiner had acted as a responsible educator.

One has to suspect that one or more adults having direct contact with these primary school children decided to use them as a vehicle to spread their own particular anti-flying fox bias. The level of misinformation in the short article in question defies any other explanation.

Children have a right to participate in community debate, but do not have an automatic right to always be protected from learning from their mistakes. Hopefully they will learn that one does not necessarily implicitly trust the views of another person simply because they are older in years or blindly accept the opinions of journalists because these have been published in print or online.

One has to also hope that those who learnt the most valuable lesson from this episode will be the parents and teachers of Clarence Valley school children, so that in the future they provide information supported by fact with regard to Australian native wildlife.

The Daily Examiner 23 May 2012:

Bat track success

I WRITE to thank the numerous people that assisted the Maclean High School Bat Tracking Project and contributed to providing a quality experience for the students.
The project aimed to engage local students of Maclean High School in wildlife research and forms part of their HSC Biology Course. It involved trapping and collaring flying-foxes to track their movements. Despite a few initial obstacles and very early starts, the students (and their parents) persevered and thoroughly enjoyed the field work component.
Everyone worked well as a team and learnt a lot - about each other, about bats and about the controversy of working with this particular group of animals.
The team caught a total of 63 flying-foxes at the Yamba colony and attached four satellite transmitters to adult males. Already we are getting great movement data from these tagged animals. One flying-fox (named "Wayne" by the students) is flying a huge 32km nightly to feed in coastal paperbark forest south of Sandon Village.
A lot of volunteer work by many people over many months made this project a success and I am truly grateful for all the hard work.
The project was supported by a handful of dedicated volunteers, parents of students, local businesses and community groups as well as both local and state governments. Thank you also to Deborah Novak for donating her time and expertise to produce great photos and videos of the project.
Lastly, it was a pleasure to work with these inquisitive, hard-working and bright students and I look forward to continuing to track the activities of the flying-foxes with them over the coming months. Such projects are extremely rewarding for so many people and I hope that similar wildlife project continue at local schools.
To see a small one-minute film go to http://vimeo.com/42398697.

BILLIE ROBERTS

Wildlife Biologist

Harwood

The Gulmarrad Gazette in The Daily Examiner 29 May 2012:

Bats, bats, bats

WHAT do you think about bats? We have been around most of the classrooms at Gulmarrad School to see what students think about the bats.
A high percentage of the children recommend that that the bats should be removed from Maclean.
It is a health hazard and not to mention the destruction of our rainforest.
The bats are a big health hazard because their poo is dropped all over the school grounds and all over the kids' lunches. This is terribly bad because it spreads horrible diseases including the Hendra virus. This disease can make people and students very sick and can even result in death.
Secondly the bats are destroying the rainforest and killing all the native animals and their native habitats. Bats are also destroying our beautiful trees and shredding their branches. If the bats do not go soon there might not be a rainforest left for your child and their children to enjoy.
Thirdly students are getting distracted in class because of all the noise the bats are making. Also when a loud sound is made the bats go crazy and circle around the school creating an even louder racket.
In conclusion, the students of Gulmarrad School strongly believe that the Maclean bats should be removed immediately. It is a giant health hazard for the students of Maclean High School and members of the wider community and we hope that when we go there next year they are gone forever and only a distant memory.
Think about your kid's health and education; it might be on the line.

Kalisha Mueller and Matilda Arndell

The Daily Examiner 2 June 2012:

Flying foxes faux pas

PERHAPS the Gulmarrad Gazette Newspapers in Education pages published by the Examiner on 29/5/2012 should be called Newspapers in Miseducation.
I refer to the piece entitled "Bats, bats, bats," which contains far more fiction than fact about flying foxes. If I were a teacher at Gulmarrad School, I would be ashamed to be exposing to the general public mine and my students total lack of knowledge about these animals. Presumably a teacher read this poor excuse for an article before sending it for publication, and chose not to take the opportunity to educate these misinformed students so that they could provide a factual, useful story, instead propagating lies and unnecessary worries about the situation at Maclean High School.
Just a couple of the falsehoods in the story are:
1. the bats' "poo...spreads horrible diseases such as the Hendra virus." It doesn't. Hendra simply cannot be contracted by humans from flying foxes.
2. "Bats are destroying the rainforest and killing all the native animals and their native habitats". They aren't. Humans have already destroyed almost all of the rainforest so that flying foxes are now concentrated in the remnants. Many rainforest trees would die out if it weren't for flying foxes pollinating them and dispersing their seeds, contributing significantly to rainforest ecology. And flying foxes are herbivores, causing the deaths of no native animals.
As for the statement that when a "loud sound is made the bats go crazy and circle around ... making an even louder racket": wouldn't this be an argument against the illegal noise used by residents, and illegal and legal noise made at times by the Maclean High School, to intentionally disturb the bats?
I understand that the Examiner editorship thinks that demonising bats sells more newspapers than presenting facts, let alone good news stories about them. A case in point is the article published recently about the vandalism by residents of equipment being used in the project involving Maclean High students in satellite tracking some flying foxes.
The Examiner seemed desperate to highlight the only negative aspect of the whole fascinating project, rather than take the opportunity to present a truly good news story, where students are learning some state-of-the-art scientific techniques, and thereby gaining insights into these animals that may lead to our managing bat-human interrelations better.
But I would seriously question the ethics of a newspaper publishing misinformation, albeit presented by teachers and students, in any context, without at least acknowledging that it is not factual.

Linda Wright

Lawrence NSW

ED'S NOTE: The Gulmarrad School has since arranged for an expert to visit the school to educate pupils further on flying foxes.

The Daily Examiner 6 June 2012:

Lay off the kids!

THE Newspapers in Education offered by the DEX is a wonderful and important opportunity for local school kids to share their opinions with our community.
This opportunity for a class of Gulmarrad kids has sadly resulted in a personal attack on their efforts, their teacher and their school.
While Linda Wright's (DEX, June 2) intention may have been to highlight misinformation presented by students in regard to Maclean's bat colony, such a personal attack on children as young as 10 and 11, hard working teachers, an entire school was inappropriate.
Regardless of "the context", what will the kids ultimately learn from this experience?
Simply, that if you make a mistake in your delivery, an adult in your community will personally attack and humiliate you, your teacher and your school for it.
Have you considered the kids whose first attempts at persuasive writing you described as "a poor excuse," and worse, to be "ashamed" of their efforts?
Your intention may have been to correct misinformation, your approach was heavy handed.
I feel for the parents of the children who wrote the article, who must now explain why an adult feels it is acceptable to defame a child's character, and school, for expressing a different opinion to their own - with or without facts. We are talking about kids here.
Furthermore, teachers at Gulmarrad are not in the habit of deliberately peddling untruths as you suggest.
I am offended that you have questioned the ability of a quality teacher, without knowing anything about the dedicated professional he is.
You speak of the Maclean High School Project. I attended the counting night as an interested community member (with my two excited Gulmarrad children in tow), so that they could understand more about our fascinating colony.
On return to school, my daughter's teacher invited her to share the same facts you list in your letter.
She was so proud of her involvement in the study, and that her knowledge was valued by her teacher and shared in her classroom. Unfortunately she is now upset and offended by your letter, because you claim she is bereft of the knowledge she learnt first hand from this experience.
Linda, your passion and knowledge could have been best shared, (and so greatly appreciated), in the classroom speaking with these kids, rather than publicly shaming not only them, but their entire school.
This would at least have given the class a chance to present all their knowledge on this controversial topic.
In future, please leave Gulmarrad kids out of your ongoing argument with the Examiner.

BELINDA CAMERON

Gulmarrad