“People who are in a situation of asylum and shelter will enjoy special protection that guarantees the full exercise of their rights. The State will respect and guarantee the principle of no return, aside from the humanitarian and judicial emergency assistance”.
Monday 20 August 2012
Transcript of the Statement of the Government of the Republic of Ecuador on the asylum request of Julian Assange
“People who are in a situation of asylum and shelter will enjoy special protection that guarantees the full exercise of their rights. The State will respect and guarantee the principle of no return, aside from the humanitarian and judicial emergency assistance”.
Three registered domains and still not a single cyber cheep out of Chris Gulaptis
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Sunday 19 August 2012
Clarence Valley Local Government Election 2012: Meet the real Andrew Baker
Mr. Baker also implied that he does not belong to any interest group - yet last year the Maclean Chamber of Commerce successfully nominated him as its preferred delegate on Clarence Valley Council's Business Rate Review Advisory Committee.
Andrew Baker: My consideration of any issue that requires a decision from me will commence with an open mind and NO pre-commitment to applicant or interested person/group.
Q3: If you undertake to oppose such water diversion/extraction or mining will you publicly oppose any political party policy which supports it, even to the point of repudiating the policies of a party of which you are a member?
Andrew Baker: Not really applicable as I have no undertaking to give in advance of proper consideration. I have no party membership. I have no interest group to answer to so my considerations will always be open-minded to the best of my ability.
Q4: Do you accept that human-induced global warming and subsequent climate change is real?
Andrew Baker: I accept that a great fear of these issues is real. I’m still waiting for my great fear of the similarly frightening Y2K Bug to subside before I adopt any new fears.
Q5: Are you willing to adopt realistic, long-term mitigation or adaptation measures to support Clarence Valley communities in the face of increased severe weather events, continuous coastal/estuary erosion and possible loss of agricultural productivity?
Andrew Baker: The political temptation is to answer with some nice-sounding motherhood statement testifying to my overwhelming love of all motherhood questions. However, my answer is; I will consider, to the best of my ability, any specific proposal for mitigation or adaption measures on the merits of the proposal. My consideration will include at least receiving advice of the likely cost, likely benefit, ability of the residents and ratepayers (or others) to pay, and the risks of doing or not doing the proposal.
Q6: Will you give an undertaking to resist any move by the NSW Government to subject the Clarence Valley to yet another forced amalgamation in order to form an even larger local government area not centred within the valley?
Andrew Baker: I am unimpressed with the benefits of the most recent amalgamation. While I am aware of some benefits from that amalgamation, the Clarence Valley has yet to have Council leadership capable of ensuring the financial efficiencies and Increased levels of management professionalism so willingly held up as great benefits prior to the amalgamated Council. For now, I am opposed to further amalgamation but not to the extent of denying an future possibility it the right circumstances.
Q7: Can you assure Clarence Valley residents and ratepayers that as a councillor you will never meet privately with any representative or agent of a land/property developer, mining corporation or energy company or give a general/specific undertaking that you will look favourably on their proposals or will further their consultation or negotiations with any tier of government, other businesses or communities in Northern NSW?
The NSW North Coast's Greatest Underachiever
It's enough to make a grown man cry.
With the Clarence Valley reeling from the effects of public service jobs cuts and more to come - our fearless representative in the O'Farrell Coalition Government, Clarence MP Hapless Gulaptis is "fighting" for us all.
How's this not-so-bonza block doing this in the two months to more public service jobs deadline he and his leader set themselves?
Why in the last month he has penned two letters and grabbed a few minutes with Nationals Leader Andrew Stoner in a corridor somewhere in Sydney.
"Mr Gulaptis said he had written two letters to the Minister for Corrective Services and had spoken with his boss, Mr Stoner, outside the committee meeting entrusted with bringing 108 jobs back to Grafton." {The Daily Examiner 18th August 2012}
Bluidy pathetic!
Saturday 18 August 2012
Where are those seat belts on school buses?
You have to take your hat off to the committed people in the Coffs Harbour area who keep reminding our pollies that children (and others) travelling by bus are not x-class citizens who are unworthy of protection. They repeatedly voice concerns for children's safety. Where are our local MPs' voices on this important issue? Of course, they are mute, yet again!
Letter to the editor (Coffs Advocate, 18 August, 2012)
It is a shocking fact that transport laws do not protect our children travelling to and from school on outdated buses lacking seatbelts on one of the most dangerous sections of the NSW Highway; between Macksville and Urunga.
As someone working at local hospitals, I am only too familiar with the tragic results of motor accidents.
Why is it drivers of cars can be fined for not restraining their children in seatbelts, yet these same children can travel unrestrained at high speeds on school buses?
With buses only needing to comply with Australian Design Rule 58, which was passed in 1986, it is now a matter of urgency to revise this rule, which does not even require padded, high-backed seats, and was never intended to protect pupils from crashes or even sudden braking in high-speed zones.
Children are often forced to stand in the aisles of buses, with no protection at all.
Please voice your concerns to: The Hon. Gladys Berejiklian MP, Minister for Transport, email: mailto:office@berejiklian.minister.nsw.gov.au
Judith Kirwood
49 Days Since That Carbon Tax Ended Life As We Know It
PAY RISE $17.10 per week for low-paid workers
TAX FREE THRESHOLD No tax until $18,200
TAX CUTS For everyone up to $80,000
PENSION INCREASE 1.7% from May 2013
FAMILY TAX BENEFIT BOOST $300 per child
DOUBLE NSW FIRST HOME BUYERS GRANT $15,000 for purchase of new home
CREDIT CARD LENDERS Forced to clear high interest debts first
TICK AND FLICK BANK SWITCHING Sign one form once
TOUGHER MEDICARE LEVY SURCHARGE 1.25% to 1.5% for high earners without private insurance
LOWER PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE REBATE 10% to 20% instead of 30% for high earners
INSTANT ASSET WRITE-OFF Up to $6500 per small business
MINERALS RESOURCE RENT TAX To raise to $3 billion in its first year
Indicator | Change since end June 2012 |
Market Indicators | |
Official cash rate | No change |
Australian dollar (vs USD) | +2.0% |
10 year govt bond yield | -0.14 percentage points |
ASX200 | +2.1% |
Change in market cap of ASX | +$23 billion |
Economic Indicators | |
RP Data house prices | +0.6% |
Change in Housing Wealth | +$24 billion |
Westpac index of Consumer sentiment | +3.7% |
List of Local Government Meet the Candidates Forums still to come on the NSW North Coast
Meet the Candidates Forums for the 8 September 2012 Local Government Elections
YAMBA Hosted by Yamba & District Chamber of Commerce at the Yamba Bowling and Recreation Club on September 3 (at a time to be announced)
NSW North Coast cyclists beware!
A heartfelt letter to the editor in The Daily Examiner 13 August 2012:
Cyclists beware
I AM writing to express my disgust and disappointment in the way certain drivers disregard cyclists' rights to share the road.
Once again this was vividly displayed last night. On my ride home I was riding past the new super clinic with the intention of turning right and onto the bridge. A vehicle approached from behind. I was in the middle of the left lane with no oncoming vehicles. I ride with a red reflector on the rear and a 900 lumens single-stream light on my handlebars, my backpack is covered in reflectors and I wear a bright orange crew vest. There is no way I can be missed at night.
As the vehicle approached I remained in the lane so there was no ambiguity as to my intentions. The vehicle passed so close that I could have reached out and touched it, then it moved immediately in front of me.
I just don't understand the arrogance of such drivers as it was clear they were sending a message as to their disapproval of my position on the road, with no oncoming vehicles and a lot of right lane room.
I was so livid I made chase, shouting at the driver who stopped soon after turning right. He wound down his window and as he did I asked why he was trying to run me over. He replied that I should be using the cycle way (which doesn't exist) and to get off the road. I answered that I have as much right to use the road as he.
It is time that all drivers with this mentality realise this is not an acceptable behaviour. Firstly they need to re-read the road rules with regards to cyclists: "A bicycle is considered a vehicle and subject to the same road rules as other vehicles".
Cyclists are treated with the same weight as drivers of vehicles so much so that cyclists are expected to obey all the same road rules and are in fact subject to them if broken. They are also subject to the same courtesy and respect shown to other vehicle users.
I am sick to death of this mentality, for the blatant disregard to another human life and the danger in which they place them; no thought for loved ones and the splintering effect of injuring or even taking their life.
I often hear that certain cyclist give other cyclists a bad name. This is not sour grapes and I recreationally ride mountain bikes in the bush and only share the road as a means to get to work. I am also a father of four and a husband and I will be dammed if I am going to let some moron take that away from them just because I choose to use a healthy approach to getting to and from work.
So to all fellow cyclists be aware that a Blue Toyota Hilux with Queensland plates needs to be avoided at all cost if you value your life. I am unable to gain any resolve through reporting the incident to the police unless I have been actually run over, and on account of the cowardly act of the driver just driving away I have no other recourse then to vent in letter form.
Name supplied
Quotes of the Week
“Tony Windsor said after the last election, when the negotiations were going on as to who would form government, that Tony Abbott begged for the job and made the point he would do anything to get that job.
Dare I say it, he used that phrase again that Tony Abbott said to him: "The only thing I wouldn't do is sell my arse."
We have heard Tony Windsor make that reference before.
He said Tony Abbott was prepared to do anything and if he was asked to do a carbon price or an emissions trading scheme he would have done it.
It is unclear why Tony Windsor had felt moved to repeat those allegations once again on the floor of the House today.
Perhaps it was because we saw a lengthy address from the Opposition Leader earlier today outside Parliament and again inside Parliament, saying that he is the person that can be believed on the carbon tax.” {ABC News 24 political reporter Julie Doyle 15th August 2012}
{Uthers Say 10th August 2012}
Friday 17 August 2012
Chris Gulaptis MP: his listening skills need attention
Constituents of Chris Gulaptis, Member for Clarence, won't be surprised to learn their local MP has a hearing problem or, worse still, doesn't comprehend what he hears.
On Wednesday his parliamentary colleague Dominic Perrottet, the Member for Castle Hill, was speaking to the Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2012 and mentioned the cost of the JusticeLink electronic legal processing system. Perrottet gave a specific dollar amount and then said just another six short sentences when Gulaptis interjected, " How much did it cost?"
Further to the hearing problem, Gulaptis has great difficulty with the term "reform". He used the term erroneously when speaking about what the O'Farrell government has been doing.
No! No! No! Mr Gulaptis, reform means to change things for the better!
Gulaptis was on his feet for almost 10 minutes singing praises for the O'Farrell government's stance on fiscal expenditure. The speech was obviously written for the local MP; the sure sign was the nature of the vocabulary it contained - words the local MP would have great difficulty pronouncing, let alone knowing their meaning.
Gulaptis did not utter one single solitary word about the destructive action the government imposed on the Clarence community and its economy with its wrecking of the Grafton jail and its workforce. Thanks for nothing, Mr Gulaptis!