Clarence Valley Local Council Election 2012 Candidate ScoreCard: Week Two

Candidates standing for the nine councillor positions at the 8 September 2012 Clarence Valley Local Government Election are being rated on their individual campaigns to win over voters.

The score range is -10 to 10. Every candidate starts at zero (0)

Scoring began in the week ending 10 August 2012.

This week its the sound of silence, things half said, words that should not have been uttered at all, and who went where, which affect the score.

Name                       Designation            Running Score

Rod Morrison        Independent            1 + -0.5 = 0.5 started to register on the scorecard for attending the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum this week, at which it was resolved to form a committee to grow the Clarence Valley's economy and lobby for increased public service jobs in the local government area (1). However Rod lost points because his almost 11 day-old candidate's page on Facebook remains a policy-free zone filled with nothing but photographs of himself. It's almost as if he has been taking campaigning advice from Gulaptis,Lees or Cansdell.

Margot Scott          Independent           1 leaves the barrier at a fair pace as it is understood that she attended council committee meetings during the week.

Paul Parkinson                                  -3 +-2 +1 + -1 = -5 he has reached this score for his past pro-uranium mining stand as a Kempsey councillor and his lack of support for traditional owners (-2) combined with attendance at the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1) marred by the fact that he was the only member of the 100-strong audience whose personal ambition saw him attempt to use the occasion as part of his electioneering (-1).

Craig Howe            Independent          -1  + 1 + -0.4 + 1= 0.6 although positively adding to last week's score by attending the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1), his tally remains low due to a social media mis-step which initially saw him head his Facebook candidate page with a photo of Parliament House in Canberra, before changing it to something more appropriate after being chipped about possible political ambitions elsewhere (-0.4).  He was somewhat redeemed by the fact that he is using his Facebook page to inform voters of his record as a Clarence Valley Shire councillor (1).

Andrew Baker       Independent            1 + -1 = 0 commenced scoring because he attended the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1), but lost points for his somewhat confused attempt at this forum to portray the Clarence Valley as having deliberately rejected private enterprise (-1)

Ursula Tunks        Independent             1 + 1 =2 for setting her policies out clearly and getting them into the public arena early (1) and attending the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1).

Joy de Roos                                       -1 score remains static as she has not been heard from all week.

Jim Simmons         Independent            0 remains static due to his silence.

Greg Clancy           Independent            1 +1 +1 + 0.5 = 3.5 this candidate increased his score because he didn't obsess about campaign slogans and instead placed his clearly outlined policies in the public arena for the benefit  of voters (1), attended the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1) and put one of the better questions to this forum when he asked the guest speaker, economist Prof. Bill Mitchell, how the Clarence Valley economy might be successfully grown (with residents encouraged to spend locally to support retail businesses/jobs) without depleting the LGA's finite resources or damaging its natural environment (0.5).

Jane Beeby            Independent           -3  no change in her score as she has been silent this week.

Sue Hughes           Independent            1 + 1 + 0.5 = 2.5 for attending the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1) and quickly speaking up for the health needs of the Lower Clarence when fellow-candidate Paul Parkinson was intent on displaying his lack of knowledge concerning Valley communities (0.5). Sue would have scored higher if she had placed more background as a councillor/policy information in the public arena, for first time voters or those newly resident in the LGA.

Karen Toms                                        1 +1 + 0.5 = 2.5 increased her running score by
attending the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1) and for her inclusive manner when interacting with other people at this forum. Karen would have scored higher if she had placed more background as a councillor/policy information in the public arena, for first time voters or those newly resident in the LGA. 

Michael McIvor       Independent            1 begins to register a score for attending the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum.

Jeremy Challacombe Independent        -1.5 + 1 + -0.5 = -1 increased his score by being one of the listed speakers at the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1) but foolishly reduced his running total by failing to acknowledge those business strategies already in place to promote and grow the Clarence Valley economy as he sought to 're-invent the wheel' (-0.5).

Richie Williamson                               1 + 1 = 2 increased his score by attending  the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1). Richie trembles on the cusp of a lower score as he needs to offer voters more than just the slogan "100% Clarence" and a recap of the mayoral diary on Facebook before next week.  

Margaret McKenna  Independent          -2  score remains static.     

Jason Kingsley        Independent           1 score remains static due to his silence.

O'Farrell Government declares open season on the National Parks & Wildlife Service

ABC South East NSW 15 August 2012:

During the recent school holidays a horrified family were confronted by a group of hunters driving into a camping ground in a south east National Park randomly shooting kangaroos. In front of the distressed family camped in the remote but popular National Park they shot a number of kangaroos and loaded some onto a vehicle before driving off, leaving dead and maimed animals behind.

One of the campers photographed one of the vehicles and contacted the NPWS office.

The investigating NPWS Ranger was required to euthanase one of the maimed animals left behind by the shooters.

The incident is being investigated.

The shooting occurred as the NSW Parliament was introducing a controversial Bill allowing hunting in National Parks.

Since the media coverage that has followed the new Bill there have been a number of illegal shooting incidents in National Parks, leading to speculation that hunters are under the impression that it is now 'open season' in National Parks…..

This dangerous scenario is being played out at a time when the National Parks & Wildlife Service is under sustained pressure from the O'Farrell-Stoner-Baird razor gang and NSW Environment Minister Robyn Parker is overseeing a reduction in the number of NPWS regions across the state, with an eventual loss (though voluntary redundancy, retirement or leaving for other employment) of an estimated 350 NPWS jobs.

There is some hope that the NSW North Coast (and in particular the Clarence Valley) may experience mid-level management and frontline job losses much later than some other regions - given that a large number of sizable parkland assets coincide with significant population clusters and bushfire response co-ordination is often an important aspect of this proximity.

Much will depend on whether the NSW O'Farrell Coalition Government can resist the urge to make more state budget cuts over the next two years.

However, it is hard to see how  a service already operating at relatively low staffing levels can possibly monitor the activities of what are increasingly out-of-control amateur hunters and hoons with guns.

Update

As usual the very idle NSW Nationals MP for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, appeared unaware that there was an issue or that his vote in the NSW Parliament helped create these problems, when he told The Daily Examiner:

Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis said while he had not been made aware of any changes, other than what he had heard from the community over the past few days, he would be making further enquiries.

"I'm due to meet with officers of the National Parks and Wildlife Services shortly," he said.

Mr Gulaptis said it appeared to be an operational matter for the NPWS but he was yet to confirm the details.

Quite frankly, this MP's attempt to brush aside yet more public service job losses in his electorate, as well as the possible diversion away from the Clarence Valley of part or all of the estimated the $200,000 per annum Woody Head revenue stream and the impact this may have on a number of local conservation and research projects, indicates the contempt in which he holds the very people who voted him into office.

Clarence Valley Council Election 2012: Ursula Tunks

MEDIA RELEASE

Policy Statements

Ursula Tunks - Fighting For Our Future

Candidate for the Clarence Valley Council elections 8th September 2012

PCYC & Youth Services

Challenge:

Lack of accessible and affordable Youth Services in the Clarence Valley

Solution:

Continuing to work towards securing a PCYC for the Clarence Valley and continuing to advocate for the establishment of a holistic Valley wide Youth Service. My advocacy will centre on these services being accessible to all young people in the Clarence Valley through a single referral point and I will continue to advocate for the long term needs of the Youth of the Valley regardless of whether I’m elected to Council or not.

Increase in Pensioner Rebate on Council Rates

Challenge:

Clarence Valley Pensioners have not had an increase in their pensioner rebate for almost five years, despite the extensive increase in the cost of living for those on fixed incomes.

Solution:

Providing a minimum increase of $20 per annum to the Pensioner Rebate on Land Rates, with a possible increase of $50 depending on the outcome of the following costs savings proposal;

ü This rebate will be achieved through cutting the postage, stationery and administration costs of the current Council billing system. By incorporating the Land & Water Rates into one billing system, an immediate savings of approximately $60,000 p.a. on postage alone is achieved (a figure based on the number of rateable properties in the CVC region as detailed in the CVC’s latest on-line reports). Further calculations based on savings from administration and stationery costs will enable a definitive figure for the rebate increase.

ü After the initial rebate increase as detailed above ensure that the Rebate is increased annually at a minimum rate equivalent to that of the CPI.

Protecting the Clarence River

Challenge:

Organisations and entities outside the Clarence Valley seeking to divert the waters of the Clarence River inland.

Solution:

Development of a strong Clarence River management plan with a focuses on its’ protection and the benefit it provides our Community.

Community Mental Health including Drug & Alcohol Counsellors

Challenge:

Our current Mental Health Facilities & Services falling far short of meeting the community need for those services.

Solutions:

ü Continue the work established by Councillor Hughes and her lower river committee in relation to advocacy for Mental Health Services for the whole of Clarence Valley.

ü Continue to lobby all relevant stakeholders and State & Federal Departments for the establishment of an overnight Mental Health facility based in the Clarence Valley.

ü Use the recent suicide statistics released by the ABS which strongly indicate that the Clarence Valley presents a significant anomaly in terms of NSW suicide rates, which are reported by the ABS as being 8.6 suicides per 100,000 population over a five year period. The major town centre of Grafton has had 8 suicides with a population of 20,000 in a one year period. I’m confident that with a detailed analysis of the whole of Clarence Valley Suicide rates and other related Mental Health statistics we can present an extremely strong case for immediate urgent action on the overnight facility and other desperately needed mental health services.

The immediate creation of a working party to establish a Major Transport Hub in the Clarence Region

Challenge:

Urgently needed Regional Economic Development Strategies to ensure a viable future for the Clarence Valley.

A Solution:

At a recent meeting Chris Gulaptis informed me that the rumour that Casino had secured the ‘Major Transport Hub’ for the region was in fact false. However, it would seem that the rumour is being perpetuated by the Casino-ites themselves as part of their lobbying to get the hub.

The reality is that the Clarence Valley is actually the ideal location for a ‘Major Transport Hub’. This ideal is based upon the following factors:

ü It presents the only B Double Access to the West between Brisbane and Newcastle via the Gwydir Highway.

ü It offers the combination of Rail, Air & Road access with South Pacific Port access from the Goodwood Island Port and the possibility of increased Port capacity in the future, pending a viable solution to a number of environmental and cultural challenges posed by the current port site. There is a possibility of pursuing alternate Port locations along the Clarence Coast.

ü Both the South Grafton Rail location and the Grafton Airport location offer ample opportunities for co-location of a ‘Logistics Terminal’. Previously the old Grafton Rail Yards were proposed to be redeveloped for logistic purposes however the increased heavy vehicle traffic in the area meant the proposal was unsuccessful. However the area in the vicinity of the former Disco Marine site in South Grafton offers an ideal staging point for a logistics distribution centre and is immediately accessible to the existing heavy vehicle corridor. A further option for a Logistics Terminal site is the ‘old rail siding’ near the turn off to the back road to Coffs Harbour.

ü Our Airport location offers an excellent opportunity in that it is already underutilised and would therefore not present with competing challenges for its’ use. The unrealised potential includes the vacant land surrounding its location and its’ proximity to the intended Pacific Highway by-pass of the Grafton area. Utilising the Airport region as a major staging point in the overall Transport Hub Infrastructure offers a huge opportunity to the Region.

ü Supporting the second bridge crossing at Grafton (see policy below) will also enhance our Regional Capacity as a Transport Hub. The actually number of bridge crossings by heavy vehicles is well within the ‘normal’ range for a single bridge crossing, based on the statistics of approximately 800 heavy

vehicle movements per day, this equates too one heavy vehicle crossing just under every two minutes well below what is normally considered high level traffic. However the physical nature of our current bridge amplifies the impact of those crossings. For example the narrow nature of the current bridge slows the traffic; the bends at either end of the bridge make safe negotiation of the bridge within the confines of the marked lanes impossible for larger heavy vehicles such as B-Doubles, which at the moment cannot achieve maximum cost and productivity efficiency for the local businesses they service due to the travel restrictions between 7am-9am and 3pm to 6pm every weekday. Achieving a second bridge crossing of the Clarence in the proximity of the township of Grafton will support the capacity of the proposed transport hub as well as providing other benefits to the area. (See policy statement below).

ü The increase in on-line shopping which has had a massive detrimental effect on our local retail economy also presents a huge opportunity for our economy from the transport and distribution position. By including a number of the major on-line retailers in the working group, Harvey Norman, Kogan etc. etc. and major stakeholders such as Australia Post, Australian Air Express and TNT there’s an excellent likelihood of realising immediate benefits from this proposal than some other economic development options whose required lead time is much greater. Ensuring that all existing Clarence Valley based Transport & Distribution businesses are involved in the Working Group, and including the major manufacturers participate, Timber & Sugar Industries for example, will enable the group to harness the expertise already existing in the Community.

ü Actively engage the manufacturing peak bodies and individual companies promoting the benefits of the Clarence Valley as a base for their operations and promoting the Councillor Howe’s motion to offer incentives to support the relocation of businesses to the Clarence Valley.

Ms. Tunks complete policy release continues here.

Media Release: U. Tunks 18 Edward Street South Grafton NSW 2460

Clarence Valley Local Government Election 2012: Where's Paulie?

On Thursday 9 August 2012 The Daily Examiner published the photographs of sixteen of the seventeen candidates standing at the Clarence Valley local government election on 8 September.

Readers will note there is no photograph of 58 year-old Paul John Parkinson of Sherwood/Glenreagh.

Mr. Parkinson appears to be of a shy and retiring disposition as there is no readily available image of him on the Internet either.

As this ex-Kempsey shire councillor states that he was employed as a nurse in Guernsey U.K. in 2010, this is possibly a picture of him below – but perhaps not.

So North Coast Voices is offering an all-day sucker to the first person who can supply a verifiable image of this candidate.

Update:

The all-day sucker has been won by Tha Chaileag with this photo:

How much is tourism worth to the NSW North Coast?

The Age: In the water at Byron Bay

According to Destination NSW in 2011 domestic and international tourism on the NSW North Coast was estimated to be worth a total of $1,705 million, based on a four year average annual to September 2011.

Broken down by local government areas this represents:

Coffs Harbour  $406 million

Byron  $382 million

Tweed  $321 million

Clarence Valley $261 million

Ballina $149 million

Lismore $104 million

Richmond Valley $62 million

Kyogle $20 million

On average, domestic overnight visitors spent $139 each per night in regional NSW (including airline and transport costs) and day trippers spend $100 each trip.

Source: International Visitor Survey

NAPLAN-type tests required for local education bureaucrat

Letters recently written to retiring teachers by a high level education department bureaucrat (let's call him "Ronald" for the sake of a name in this item) are the current topic at the water cooler in a couple of Clarence valley schools this week. Ronald forwarded letters to a number of long-serving staff and community members to congratulate them on their retirement and thank them for their years of service for public education in NSW.

Ronald's intentions, however noble they might have been, were seriously marred by a number of monumental stuff-ups. While Ronald probably managed to get the names and addresses correct, that's about as far as he got.

It seems Ronald had next to no idea who he was writing to or about. The list of errors included getting the positions and roles of the letter recipients wrong. So too, were their lengths of service. And, to cap things off, Ronald credited some with tasks and deeds they'd never performed and overlooked the real deeds they performed.

Postscript: Although Ronald had many things seriously wrong, the good deeds of those retiring from public education in the Clarence valley made definite and positive impression on their schools' communities. Well done retirees!

Ya can't say f&^k in a Facebook ad

A peek into the case reports of the Advertising Standards Bureau:

Cheap Drinks

ADVERTISER RESPONSE TO DETERMINATION
I have removed the posters from the clubs facebook pages as of 30 July 2012.

VB or not VB

ADVERTISER RESPONSE TO DETERMINATION

We would like to acknowledge that a number of the comments posted by fans of the VB Facebook page were clearly inappropriate. And we are disappointed that they were not removed through the review process we had in place…..

They OHS’d the Ute!

ADVERTISER RESPONSE TO DETERMINATION

I refer to your email dated 30 Jul 2012, advising GM Holden (Holden) of the Advertising Standards Bureau’s (ASB) decision to uphold the above complaints regarding a recent Holden Colorado advertisement (the advertisement).

Photoshop Cruelty

ADVERTISER RESPONSE TO DETERMINATION

I advise that the material was printed and then delivered to Aussie Post as a “Once Off” promotion.

No further brochures using this image will be printed by us.

Equal Opportunity Adverstizer – exploiting both women and sheep

ADVERTISER RESPONSE TO DETERMINATION

Due to the decision made by the ASB we've opted to modify the material.

Clarence Valley Council Election 2012: Greg Clancy

Media release from Dr Greg Clancy

Candidate in the 2012 Clarence Valley Local Government Elections

My vision for the Valley is to see a healthy, happy community embracing less privileged people and living in harmony with the natural world.  We need a good economic base but not at the expense of our social, community and environmental values.  Development needs to be ecologically and socially sustainable and employment needs to be in fields that enhance the Valley’s attributes, not detract from them.  Small business and self-employed people are the backbone of the north coast.  This is a desirable situation. 

The establishment of additional tertiary educational facilities, which is now starting, is fully supported.  Ecotourism is an industry that has great potential in the Valley.  The reduction in the public service sector in the Clarence Valley is disturbing.  Institutions, such as the Grafton Gaol, need to be run efficiently and economically responsibly but alternatives to an almost complete shutdown should have been pursued.  It will have a serious economic and social impact on the Valley.  The ‘gold rush’ of mining throughout the country is also threatening the Clarence Valley.  Coal Seam Gas and Antimony mines are threatening the waterways of the Clarence.  The ‘pie in the sky’ schemes to dam the Clarence and send water to the west are also fully opposed.  All of the water of the Clarence River is needed for agriculture, fishing and the environment.  Water running to the sea is not ‘wasted’.

·  No coal seam gas in the Clarence Valley;

·  No antimony mines in the Clarence Headwaters

·  Support for extended tertiary education facilities;

·  Full implementation of the Clarence Valley Biodiversity Strategy;

·  Equal support for minority groups, indigenous communities and small outlying villages;

·  Support for ecotourism and other ‘clean’ small industries;

·  Support for, and the extension of, public service jobs;

·  No damming of the Clarence River;

·  Changing the preferred option of the Pacific Highway upgrade through the  Valley to the orange route to avoid unnecessary and massive ecological and social damage;

I believe that I would make a good councillor as I have had over 30 years’ experience running a small business (ecological consulting), worked in various state government departments, including planning, and have an extensive knowledge of the relevant planning and environmental legislation. I am Chairman of the Susan and Elizabeth Islands Recreation Trust, President of the Coutts Crossing Tidy Towns Committee, Vice-president of the Clarence Valley Branch of the National Parks Association and Secretary and Musical Director of the Grafton District Services Country Music Club. I served as the Ecological Society of Australia’s scientific representative on the Clarence Regional Vegetation Committee.

Media Release: Dr. Greg Clancy, 56 Armidale Road, Coutts Crossing NSW

I don't want Australia's 2012 Olympic Games performance reviewed - I want the public money tap turned off!

In the Brisbane Times on 11th August 2012:
“AUSTRALIA'S performance at the London Olympics, its worst result in 20 years, has cost taxpayers $10 million for each medal won……
The data reveals that the Australian Institute of Sport spent a record $310 million of public money on the Olympics campaign. Swimming, with one gold medal in the women's 4x100 metres freestyle relay, took nearly $39 million of that, over four years. Australia's swimmers won six gold medals in Beijing (2008) and seven in Athens (2004).
Its budget has almost doubled since 2009, in preparation for these Games. The last time Australia failed to win an individual swimming gold was at Montreal in 1976, when its feeble overall performance (one silver and five bronzes) led the Fraser government to pump money into the creation of the institute. Swimming Australia has ordered a review of this year's performance.”
Now I like cheering on Aussie teams as much as the next bloke, but I have to agree with Maud Up The Street – this is an obscene amount of money to waste on what in real terms are professional sportsmen and women competing in a commercial enterprise run by a corrupt multinational masquerading as a philanthropic organisation sitting on a revenue pot currently worth around AUD $6 billion.
Australia's hard-earned money should have gone towards setting up the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Feverish flu power

I have been battling the flu, it has won every fight so far but I have high hopes of winning the war. 

So far flu has resulted in not much physical activity if you discount coughing, shivering and expelling alien life forms, but being by nature a fairly active person it has also led to a bit of frustration down on the farm.

So to elevate the boredom I decided to set the feverish mind to solving world problems. 

The fight over who controls the TV remote was quickly solved, give everyone in the family their own remote and the fastest fingers win. The down side of this is you end up watching a lot of kid programs. 

The next problem was brought to my attention by delivery in the mail of the Power Bill or more to the point the POWER BILL. 

The second thought (the first is unprintable) was that because the NSW government sold off most of the power network there should be competition and therefore the costs should be decreasing. Yet my bill has increased at a remarkable rate and my usage has remained constance.  Why is this so?

Private companies have to make a profit, governments in reality only need to cover costs. However current Liberal-National and past Labour party policies has seen both government and private companies use my light switches to make a profit. 

Why could not the political overlords see the problems this would cause? Or more to the point, why was this point ignored?

At this point you can insert your favourite conspiracy theory - mine involved a chipmunk, a ferret and a grassy knoll!

I digress, the real question is how do we solve the power problem. This made me think about the main problem that is hindering the development of solar power, electric cars and delivering calfs in the dark of the night etc. The Batteries, are failing us. 

So my solution to better battery development is to set up an online trust fund with the sole purpose of providing a prize to who ever can invent a battery that is light, easy to charge and discharge, affordable, environmentally sound and covers all of the technical details that I don’t know about.

The trust could be advised by experts in this field. The important thing is that there would be no copyright on this invention so that the knowledge could be freely used and not tied up by big business.

If everyone in the developed nations just gave one dollar to the trust the prize would be in the billions. This would work and it by-passes both governments and vested interests who would like to block a better battery solution.

Having solved this problem I think I need a little nap.

Payback is a b!tch

Federal Liberal Party MP Malcolm Turnbull in The Sydney Morning Herald on 11 August 2012 busily contradicting the electricity pricing position of the man who ousted him as Leader of the Opposition:

"Over the last five years or so in the east coast capital cities, electricity prices have gone up by about 50 per cent. This is pre the carbon tax. That has been largely a function of the investment in distribution and transmission, in poles and wires,"…..

Because they are borrowing with the benefit in effect of a government guarantee, they have got a real incentive to invest and indeed to overinvest. This is what's called gold-plating,"…

In many cases they are spending billions of dollars, so it is argued, to reduce the chance of a brownout from very, very little to very, very, very little,"…..

Duelling MLCs: Did Colless ask Buckingham to stop breathing?

A Twitter conversation.......

4 Aug
Jeremy Buckingham ‏@greensjeremy
Home. Cool clean country air. I love you oxygen.

4 Aug
Rick Colless ‏@RickCollessMLC
@greensjeremy So stop turning it into carbon dioxide!

U.S. Presidential Election 2012: Obama reacts swiftly to the naming of Paul Ryan as Romney's running mate

Barack Obama's supporters could have added that Paul Ryan was one of those who voted for the Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 which paved the way for the widespread financial institutions collapse that caused the Global Financial Crisis. A crisis still reverberating around the world today.

A point these supporters could legitimately make, given Obama did not begin serving in the US Senate until January 2005.

They might also have added that Ryan reportedly received US $1,416,466 in political contributions from financial institutions prior to his vote.

North Coast businesses on the NSW Food Authority's Name and Shame list

BARRAMUNDI TO FRIDAY using a mobile vending vehicle in Prince Street, Grafton 2460 on 19/10/2011 for using misleading or deceptive advertising, packaging, or labelling of food - scallop meat labelled product of Australia in fact is imported, previous warnings given. Fined $770.

BEACH BURGERS using a mobile vending vehicle in Jordan Esplanade, Coffs Harbour 2450 on 1/5/2011 for  failing to have hand washing facilities that are located where they can be easily accessed by food handlers - previous warnings given. Fined $440.

BUSHMAN'S BAKERY at 4/6 Lawson Crescent, Coffs Harbour 2450 on 15/6/2011 for failing to maintain all fixtures, fittings and equipment to the required standard of cleanliness - previous warnings given. Fined $880.

BUSHMAN'S BAKERY at 4/6 Lawson Crescent, Coffs Harbour 2450 on 15/6//2011 for failing to maintain at or near each hand washing facility a supply of single use towels or other means of effectively drying hands - previous warnings given. Fined $880.

COUNTRY FRESH CHICKENS at Shop 26 Grafton Shopping World, Fitzroy Street, Grafton 2460 on 10/8/2011 for failing to identify food for disposal - previous warnings given. Fined $880.

ECLIPSE DISTRIBUTION PTY LTD of Byron Bay and other places on 20/8/2011 for the sale of food labelled in contravention to Food Standards Code - Shift Green Slimming Coffee labelled with a claim for intrinsic weight reducing properties. Fined $880.

GOANNA BAKERY at 171 Keen Street, Lismore on 20/9/2011 for failing to take all practicable measures to eradicate and prevent the harbourage of pests - live cockroaches observed, previous warnings given. Fined $440.

RICHMOND BAKERY - KIBBLES at 77-79 Walker Street, Casino on 25/7/2011 for the sale of unsuitable food - foreign objects (metal clip, bristle) found in custard puff . Fined $1320.

RICHMOND BAKERY - KIBBLES at 77-79 Walker Street, Casino on 19/11/2011 for the sale of unsuitable food - vanilla slice contained bristle from pastry brush. Fined $1320.

THE GRAPEVINE CAFE at 50A Cullen Street, Nimbin 2480 on 26/4/2012 for failing to take all practicable measures to eradicate and prevent the harbourage of pests - cockroach activity observed. Fined $440.

VINCENT'S PRODUCE ( K M Baron Trading Pty Limited) at Grower's Markets, City Square, Harbour Drive, Coffs Harbour NSW charged on 30/4/2009 with

1. Engaging in conduct was is misleading or deceptive (s18(1) Food Act) as a result of removing labelling from asparagus (Product of Peru) and displaying that product for sale as locally grown or Australian product.
   
2. Selling food that was falsely described (s18(3) Food Act) as a result of selling asparagus that was a product of Peru as locally grown or Australian product.
   
3. Fail to notify Food Authority of a food business - s100 Food Act.

Decision of Coffs Harbour Local Court on 8/9/2010: Guilty and conviction recorded. Fined $1,000 for each of the offences. Total: $3,000. Defendant ordered to pay the Authority's costs.

Source: NSW Food Authority

I'm a Coastal Emu and I need your help. Will you let the NSW Roads & Maritime Services drive me and my family to extinction?

Three cheers for the ferryman!

The Daily Tele on 10th August 2012:
“THEY say everyone needs a hobby. For one Northern Rivers local it means printing up anti-Kyle Sandilands stickers to hand out to your pals.
That's what former Clarence River ferry operator Lawry Duff has done, making up a batch of "Honk If You Hate Kyle Sandilands" stickers, such is his loathing for the 2Day FM radio announcer who once again topped the Sydney breakfast ratings this week….
“I’m going deaf from the honking,” he chuckled.”

This type of unlawful behaviour by NSW North Coast police is not acceptable

One instance of NSW North Coast police assaulting a person in their custody has broken free from the hidden pool of local knowledge and made it into the full light of day.

Magistrate David Heilpern yesterday released the damning security footage of the attack, saying it clearly showed officers had lied about being assaulted by Aboriginal man Corey Barker.
Officers had previously told the court that the footage was unavailable as it was damaged - only for the court to ultimately ''repair'' it and play it to the hearing.


http://media.smh.com.au/news/national-news/police-bashing-in-ballina-cell-3541663.html

David Heilpern is to be commended for supporting the citizen's right to know how state institutions and their personnel conduct themselves.

The Australian Wheat Board scandal continues to play out

After all the lies the Howard Government told, including Tony Abbott…….
BloombergBusinessweek 8th August 2012:
“MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A former managing director of an Australian wheat exporter has been fined 100,000 Australian dollars ($106,000) and banned from being a company director for two years for his role in paying $200 million in kickbacks to Iraq's former dictatorship under the discredited UN oil-for-food program. Andrew Lindberg, former head of the now defunct monopoly wheat exporter AWB Ltd., was sentenced Thursday for breaches of Australian corporate law. It was part of a plea deal with corporate regulator Australian Securities and Investments Commission that ends a case that began in 2007. Justice Ross Robson said Lindberg had failed to act "with the degree of care and diligence a reasonable person would exercise" in his role.”

Clarence Valley LGA Election 2012 Candidate Scorecard: Week One

Candidates standing for the nine councillor positions at the 8 September 2012 Clarence Valley Local Government Election are being rated on their individual campaigns to win over voters.

The score range is -10 to 10. Every candidate starts at zero (0)

Candidate nominations closed last Wednesday and ballot paper positions were assigned, so one could say that all candidates are now on the blocks.

This week degrees of separation (or lack thereof) come to the fore on nomination forms.

Name                       Designation            Running Score

Rod Morrison        Independent            0

Margot Scott          Independent           0

Paul Parkinson                                  -3 for being unable to decide exactly where he lives, for not supplying local media with a photograph so voters can ‘see’  who it is that is asking for their votes, referring to himself online as an “indigenous white fella” when he admits he has no claim to culture or country  

                                                                                 

Craig Howe            Independent          -1 with a LOL for informing the world on his nomination form that he won’t be born until 12 days after election day – thereby creating what would have to be the world’s first in utero candidate

Andrew Baker       Independent            0

Ursula Tunks        Independent             0

Joy de Roos                                       -1 for not mentioning on her nomination form that she belonged to a political party (ALP)

Jim Simmons         Independent           0

Greg Clancy           Independent           1 for being a only candidate with professional training/background which will be directly relevantif elected to council

Jane Beeby            Independent          -3 for taking down her election campaign Facebook page before the week ended and for trying to spin the reason for doing so

Sue Hughes           Independent            0

Karen Toms                                        1 for being a candidate who stated on her nomination form that she belonged to a  political a party (NATS)

Michael McIvor       Independent           0  

                                                                           

Jeremy Challacombe Independent       0.5 + -2  = -1.5 for mentioning on his nomination form that he was a member of a political party but ignoring the fact being an office holder in that party is also relevant (NATS) and then deciding it was a good idea to have his nomination form witnessed by a staffer working for Andrew Baker’s former business partner Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis 

                                                                                

Richie Williamson                               1 for mentioning on his nomination form that he belonged to a political party (NATS)

Margaret McKenna  Independent          -2  deciding it was a good idea to have her nomination form witnessed by a yet another staffer working for Andrew Baker’s former business partner Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis       

Jason Kingsley        Independent           1 for being a candidate who stated on his nomination that he belonged to a  political party (ALP) 

Councils across Northern NSW resolving to oppose CSG mining

From Mid North Coast Greens a list of Northern NSW local governments opposing Coal Seam Gas mining and the date decisions were taken:

Northern Rivers
Tweed 01-Apr-11
Byron 12-May-11
Lismore 01-Nov-11
Kyogle 20-Dec-11
Clarence Valley 21-Feb-12
Ballina 28-Apr-12
Richmond Valley 15-May-12

Mid North Coast
Greater Taree 01-Dec-11
Great Lakes 10-Apr-12
Coffs Harbour 26-July-12

Hunter / Newcastle
Cessnock 01-Oct-10
Gloucester 21-Dec-11
Port Stephens Dec-11 (Security of Water)
Newcastle 5-Jun-12 (Security of Newcastle's Water)

The Northern Rivers region can be justifiably proud of the fact that every one of its local government areas are on this list.