As the softer, gentler Tony campaign is clearly not working.....

By now the Liberal Party must realize there is a disconnect for many voters between the Australian Leader of the Opposition’s true nature and the top to toe makeover he has been given for the 2013 federal election campaign.

Might I suggest another way of making a politician even his wife admits is difficult to live with seem less threatening and perhaps even cuddly?

Get his media team to change the fonts on all those press releases churned out each day, so that Tony Abbott reads as…..

Remember, that around one quarter of all Australian households have a cat!

Meet The Kindergarten Team

Clarence Valley Mayor Richie Williamson, Minister for Regional Australia Simon Crean, architect Dayne Mearns, Federal MP for Page Janelle Saffin, Kevin Plummer and Ben O’Donnell must have been surprised to find that The Daily Examiner online had sent them all back to pre-school on 8 February 2013.

Is Gina Rinehart after evidence that one or more of her children may have breached a court suppression order?

Finally, a clue to why Gina The Great is intent on trashing the journalist’s right to protect sources.

Steve Pennells ‏@pennells

All of us now being subpoenaed by Gina Rinehart are being asked to hand over documents stretching back to the exact same date 18 months ago.

Steve Pennells ‏@pennells

The date - Sep 5, 2011 - is significant. It's the day three of Gina Rinehart's children launched action against her in the NSW Supreme Court.

In Rinehart v Welker [2011] NSWCA 425 (21 December 2011):

4. On 5 September 2011, an application was made, ex parte , in the Supreme Court, Equity Division, seeking relief in relation to the affairs of a family trust of which Ms Gina Rinehart  is the trustee (the Trustee proceedings). The other party in the Trustee interests, Ms Ginia Rinehart, is a beneficiary under the Trust, but has joined with Ms  Gina Rinehart  in the dispute with the other beneficiaries. The ex parte application was made without any prior resort to the confidential alternate dispute mechanisms for which the Deed made provision.

5. Ms  Gina Rinehart  made an application for a stay of the application brought by the Beneficiary interests as well as an application for a suppression order made under the Court Suppression and Non-Publication Orders Act (the Act). On 13 September 2011, Brereton J made an order under s 7 of the Act, prohibiting the disclosure, by publication or otherwise, of any information as to the relief claimed, or any pleading, evidence or argument filed, read or given in, the proceedings. Pursuant to s 9(4), the order did not prohibit disclosure or publication of his Honour's judgment, or of orders made in the proceedings.

The West Australian 5th April 2012:

Hancock Prospecting's lawyers also raised concerns about the newspaper's in-house counsel gaining access to confidential documents concerning the case, because of the nature of the newspaper business.

Or could it be this?

Rinehart children in secret settlement pact

Litigation reportedly returned to the courts on 12th March 2013.

What set everyone wondering:

Rinehart subpoenas Fairfax journalist in trust feud

West Australian journalists score small victory against Gina Rinehart

Take a look at the News Media (Self regulation) Bill 2013 for yourself

The Daily Telegraph 13 March 2013

 

With various minions within Rupert Murdoch's media empire screamimg about this bill in the most lurid terms, perhaps it's time for ordinary citizens to look at these bills and make up their own minds.

 

The News Media (Self-regulation) Bill 2013 and the News Media (Self-regulation) (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2013 together with the Public Interest Media Advocate Bill 2013, the Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Convergence Review and Other Measures) Bill 2013, the Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (News Media Diversity) Bill 2013 and the Television Licence Fees Amendment Bill 2013 form a package of measures representing the Australian Government's response to two independent media reviews conducted in 2011 and 2012 - the Convergence Review and the Independent Inquiry into the Media and Media Regulation. [Explanatory Memorandum]

 

Download the Bill here and the Consequential Amendments here.

Australian Federal Election 2013: Call to Country

So who was it that appeared to call the Australian Prime Minister a "moll"?

News.com.au 12 March 2013:

Three women sitting in the public gallery shouted separate interjections at different points during question time.

One woman appeared to call Ms Gillard a "moll".

Another called the Prime Minister "Ju-liar" and a third spoke about Ms Gillard's recent visit to western Sydney.

"You didn't visit us did ya," she said.

Hansard 12 March 2013:

14.52 hours: An incident having occurred in the gallery

15.12 hours Speaker of the House of Representatives: …I remind members of the gallery that they are not participants in question time and that calling out from the galleries will lead to a closing down. I think it would be an absolute disgrace if we had to curtail the rights of people to attend and see their own parliament. Like many Speakers and many members of parliament before me, I have had the  privilege of going around the world and looking at other parliaments. I do not think people in Australia appreciate the access they have to this building and I would hate to get to the stage where we had to curtail that in any way. If people want to get to interject in question time, they have to get elected and get on a green seat—that would be my advice to individuals.

Even then they would have to observe the standing orders which say, 'No interjections.

It would appear that someone styling herself Debski Bebski made the remark "You didn't visit us did ya" and one Linda Jones admits to calling out "Ju-liar".

So who hurled what sounded like "moll" at the PM?

Former Liberal Party candidate for Bendigo Anita Dolon
in the Bendigo Advertiser

Is this a photograph of the third woman seated in the House of Representatives’ visitors gallery who heckled Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard during Question Time on 12 March 2013?

Or was the "moll" interjector someone else connected to the Rotten To The Core rally held that day in Canberra?

These are unanswered questions, but what is not in question is the Leader of the Opposition's smirking response as these insults flew.......

https://twitter.com/mearesy/status/311329931651084288/photo/1

A girl after my own heart

First Dog On The Moon presents Brenda the Civil Disobedience Penguin…….

Well done the Dog!

Creating a Northern Rivers Regional Social Plan

Creating a Regional Social Plan

 

Regional Development Australia – Northern Rivers and Northern Rivers Social Development Council are working together to develop a social plan for our region. What do we know about our region? Who are our communities? What are our strengths, differences and common interests? What changes do we want to make to the region for the future? The project involves three stages: A snapshot of our region – bringing together data to develop a regional social profile on topics including employment, housing, civic participation, transport, health and education. Community engagement – a series of activities to gather community perspectives on our region and our social priorities for the future. Creating a regional social plan – that will be available for public comment and promoted to government, community organisations and groups. All information gathered will be publicly available via an online repository to inform short and medium term planning processes and build social inclusion, community participation, and responsiveness of community services. To find out more about how to have your say about the future of our region, contact regionalsocialplan@nrsdc.org.au The regional social plan will be available by August 2013. The Northern Rivers comprises the seven Local Government Areas of Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed Shire.

 

It seems investors can't even give Metgasco shares away

 

The Northern Star 14 March 2013:

Jason McFadden from Ballina-based JPM Financial Planning said that over the past 12 months the company's value had fallen by 73%.

He said Metgasco stock was a high-risk proposition with it having only three major projects.

"I would say that if you are holding stock in the company today then you may have missed the boat," he said.

"Most stock brokers are currently recommending selling shares and there are a significant number of sellers in the market and not many buyers."

David Lennox, Resource Analyst at Fat Prophets said Metgasco may also face further problems at the end of the year.

"If the CSG mining conditions stay as they are the company may have to look at a write-down of assets when it reports on December 31st," he said.

"They may even have to look at putting through an impairment charge on their CSG assets on the balance sheet and that in turn may trigger a number of debt covenants if they have them."

Australian Stock Exchange Metgasco Limited share trades on 14 March 2013:

On 1 March 2013 it was reported that Metgasco was removed from the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index.

 

Before it indefinitely suspended its operations on the NSW North Coast this month, Metgasco was operating at a sustained loss, was behind in its exploration schedule, had no coal seam gas wells in production, no pipeline or other gas delivery infrastructure in place and, still needed to spend about $50 millon on exploration to reach the point where they could look at sales arrangements for the gas - a necessary precondition for production.

Not a good profile for a company which appears to have begun preliminary investigations in the Casino district between 1995-97 before incorporating in 1999, listing on the stock exchange in 2004 and commencing its trial production well program in 2005.

 

Metgasco Limited Annual Report for year ending 30 June 2012:

 

 

Annual Report for year ending 30 June 2011:

 

 

 Annual Report for year ending 30 June 2010:

 

 

Annual Report for year ending 30 June 2009:

 

 

Metgasco Limited Annual Report for year ending 30 June 2008:

 

Challenging the February 19 Coal Seam Gas media release by Premier Barry O’Farrell and Andrew Stoner MP

There is much to challenge in the February 19 media release by Premier Barry O’Farrell and Andrew Stoner MP.

Up until now The National Party have claimed that their Strategic Regional Land Use Policy would protect land and water in New South Wales. If this assertion were true, why is there any reason for new ‘measures’ to ‘strengthen’ regulations?

Mr Stoner would have us believe that we (the community) have been listened to. Let’s remember it was The NSW Greens’ Jeremy Buckingham MLC who successfully initiated the 2012 NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Coal Seam Gas mining that brought to light the dangers of CSG. The Liberal/National NSW government needed to be dragged kicking and screaming to the inquiry before agreeing on these modest reforms to the rampant coal seam gas industry. Now they are rewriting history.

Andrew Stoner and Barry O’Farrell claim their government is not responsible for the exploration licences. “It was Labor that handed out CSG exploration licences… “ Perhaps they are just unaware that Liberal/National government also handed out licences. The application to drill for pilot production at Fullerton Cove was made to the O’Farrell Government in September 2011 and approved by DITRIS on 5 June 2012.

Premier O’ Farrell has claimed that if his government were to cancel petroleum exploration licences then the state would be liable for billions in compensation.  However, the Petroleum (Onshore) Act makes it clear that companies would not be paid any compensation for cancellation of licences if they breached ‘conditions’.   Surely this means that if the Lib/National government has got its new ‘measures’ and ‘controls’ correct then they won’t have to pay any compensation because all the companies will be complying with their ‘conditions’.

The O’Farrell/Stoner government is yet to legislate these new promises made under pressure. If the legislation is passed as proposed there is no protection for farming land, only for viticulture and horse studs. Does this mean that many farmers in New South Wales have less value than grapes and horses?

Existing licences and drilling such as we have seen at Glenugie and Doubtful Creek will proceed. No amount of payout would compensate for the loss in value of farmland because of its industrialisation. Picture many CSG wells 500m apart linked by roads and pipelines; the one small well in a pretty field is advertising hype by the CSG industry.

Luke Hartsuyker is quoted on March 8 as saying that coal seam gas is ‘very much an industry approved in the state jurisdiction’. The responsibility of this jurisdiction certainly appears to cause Mr Stoner some conflict when he can be quoted on ABC News February 22, as saying: “I wouldn’t want a CSG well five metres from my property. It’s going to affect my property value a hell of a lot. Nobody is going to want to buy that value, ah that piece of land rather, um, and there’s always the potential for something to go wrong, so I understand why people are concerned.” How does this fit with the bottom line of the same media release where Mr Stoner says: “We want a sustainable CSG Industry in NSW...”?  Sustainable? How? Renewable? No? Social Licence for this industry? None!

Carol Vernon

Fernmount

11/3/2013

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.

Family flying in for a visit? Keep track of where the plane is

Flight tracking. All you need is the airline name and flight number and you are up, up and away…..

http://www.flightradar24.com/

This way lies O'Farrell madness

South East Forest National Park

This national park is a place that protects old-growth forests,

rugged granite formations and picturesque valleys and gorges.

Koalas, powerful owls and giant burrowing frogs are among the
threatened species protected within a park which also shelters
the state’s only known populations of endangered long-footed potoroos.

 

ABC News on 14^th March 2013:

There are concerns that motorists on the New South Wales south coast could be in the firing line under the State Government's plan to allow hunting in national parks.

The Greens have obtained a leaked document showing an area of the South East Forests National Park which straddles the Princes Highway has been designated "zone C".

This would mean unsupervised hunting would be allowed in that part of the park.

In the risk assessment document, parks workers raise concerns that the two-kilometre stretch of highway included within the zone is used daily by school buses, locals, tourists and tradespeople.

Greens MP David Shoebridge says the area lies just five kilometres north of the town of Merimbula.

"All the hunting was meant to be away from residential areas and the unsupervised parts, these so-called remote zone C parts of the national parks, were meant to be in the deepest, darkest parts of New South Wales," Mr Shoebridge said.

"But here we've got it right next to a township, right next to the busiest arterial road on the south coast which thousands of holiday makers and school kids use on a daily basis.

The document says park workers are also concerned about a mentally ill local resident who "tends to appear out of the bush without warning".

"The dangers are obvious to everyone apart from the Government," Mr Shoebridge said_____

Clarence Councillors Again Express Concerns About CSG Mining

Coal seam gas is very newsworthy at the moment with politicians at all levels of government anxious to demonstrate that they are (finally) listening to community concerns about this industry. Both the State and Federal Governments have recently announced new measures to address some of the issues identified by anti-CSG campaigners.   Whether these measures, most of which are directed to new rather than existing licences, will have any real effect is questionable.

Clarence Valley Councillors, like their state and federal counterparts, are well aware of community concerns. The previous Council passed two resolutions expressing concern about coal seam gas mining. And on Tuesday 12th March, with memories of the Glenugie vigil and blockade still fresh, another motion was put to the Environment, Economic and Community Committee of the Council.

Councillors Jason Kingsley, Craig Howe and Sue Hughes moved that Council write to State and Federal Ministers and local MPs calling for a halt to "CSG mining activity and all other forms of unconventional gas mining including testing in the Clarence Valley" until the release of findings of a number of inquiries relating to the industry's impacts on health, water catchments and other environmental matters could deliver a guarantee that there will be no detrimental impacts from this industry.

In their motion the Councillors stated: "In light of recent events there is increasing doubt as to the safety of CSG mining in both the areas of human health and the Environment. NSW Health recommended no more CSG expansion in Sydney until more studies can be undertaken into the effects on people’s health. The NSW Government recently tightened restrictions on CSG activity near dwellings, with the Deputy Premier stating that he would not like it in his backyard and that there was a possibility something could go wrong.

"If it is good enough for Sydney and the Deputy Premier, it is good enough for the residents and environment of the Clarence Valley."

Questions about the motion were asked by Councillors Challacombe and Baker. 

Councillor Challacombe stated that he had no problem with the motion "per se" but he wanted to establish that, if the five criteria were met, the motion indicated that CSG mining could go ahead. 

Councillor Baker stated that he did not believe that the motion indicated that this could happen and said that he would vote against it.  He spoke on a number of occasions during the debate and claimed that the effect of the motion would be to create uncertainty, that the level of community concern about the CSG industry has not really been tested, and that dealing with this issue was beyond the area of Council's responsibility.  In addition he referred to the inconsistency of the other levels of government which obtained benefits from CSG mining.

Councillor Howe stated that the effect of the motion would be to create certainty as there was uncertainty now.  He acknowledged that, while Local Government had limitations in this matter, Councils had a role in advocating for their communities.  He pointed out that the Department of Health concerns illustrated that there was doubt and a health risk and that we should be wary of taking risks in this matter.

The Committee voted four (Howe, Hughes, McKenna, Williamson) to one (Baker) for the motion.

It will be very interesting to see the vote at the full Council meeting on Tuesday 19^th March.  Of particular interest will be the vote of Councillor Challacombe, former President of the Grafton Chamber of Commerce.  Last year the Chamber came out in support of CSG mining in the Clarence after it had been lobbied (and reportedly wined and dined) by Metgasco, the CSG company involved in the test drill at Glenugie in January.

Hildegard

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.

Senator Stephen Conroy may be many things, but Stalin he is not

 

"This government will go down in history as the first Australian government outside of wartime to attack freedom of speech by seeking to introduce a regime which effectively institutes government sanctioned journalism," News Limited chief executive Kim Williams said.

 

Yes, without a doubt Australian Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy  Stephen Conroy has a tendency to go too far whenever he looks at regulating areas which fall within his portfolio.

 

One only has to look at his attempts to censor the Internet to see how foolish he can be.

 

However, to equate him with a dictator whose insane policies resulted in the deaths of literally millions is going too far even for Rupert Murdoch’s News Limited.

Similar stories, different outcomes (well, so far!)

A comment piece in today's Daily Examiner has put the name Cansdell back in the public arena. Steve Cansdell, the former disgraced Member for Clarence, resigned from the NSW State Parliament on 16 September 2011 after he faked a statutory declaration concerning a speeding fine he received in 2005.




Seems Cansdellgate just won't lie down and die.

Here's what the Examiner's Tim Howard wrote today:

Differing face of 'justice': Identical crimes in separate countries but penalties poles apart

This story has a familiar ring to it, except for the bit right at the end.

A politician's car is clocked speeding and demerit points are to be docked from the driver, but a woman takes the rap, saying she was driving the car at the time.

Years later things between them sour and the woman tells authorities she has taken the fall for the politician, who eventually 'fesses up.

A by-election is called in his seat, the politician is forced to give up a promising post. His political career is over.

In time the politician and his accuser end up in court.

They are both sentenced to eight months' jail after the court found them guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice. There are serious inquiries about how much other senior politicians in the party knew about their indiscretions.

People in the Clarence Valley will recognise parallels to the case of former Clarence MP Steve Cansdell, who resigned his seat over the scandal of a false statutory declaration to save him from a speeding fine.

This is the story of former British MP Chris Huhne and his ex-wife Vicky Pryce, who were sentenced in an English court this week.

While the details differ between the two stories, the thrust of the narrative is the same: a person of influence uses another person to avoid a scandal. When the relationship unravels, the truth comes out and there is a price to pay.

As I said, the difference in the story is the bit at the end.

While the court case aired a bit of dirty laundry, the details of the story came out and the British public were left in no doubt justice had been done and, more importantly, seen to be done.

In Australia there was no such satisfaction. Mr Cansdell was well and truly punished for his indiscretion, but in no way was justice seen to be done.

Metgasco Limited tells Australian Stock Exchange that it is indefiniately suspending operations in Northern Rivers region

Metgasco share price as at 12.15pm 13 March 2013:

Coal Seam Gas: Saffin and Elliott deliver on water resources protection

 

Hopefully the foreshadowed amendments to the C’wealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 will give the level of water protection Northern Rivers communities hope for.

 

Saffin hails new water protection as a win for the community

 

The Federal Labor Government today moved to tighten controls over Coal Seam Gas activities on the North Coast.

 

Page MP Janelle Saffin today announced that the Federal Labor Government will amend the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to provide greater environmental protection for water resources impacted by coal seam gas mining.

 

"This effectively means that Coal Seam Gas Mining could be stopped on the North Coast if it has the potential to adversely impact our precious water resources.

 

Currently there is no direct protection for water resources under our national environment law.

 

“I have said for years that we have to protect our water from the known risks of CSG mining.

 

“What I’ve said all along is that I wanted the Environment Minister, Tony Burke,  to find a way that we could draw water in the ambit of the EP and BC Act. And today he announced that he’s been able to do it.

 

“I’ve been working with the Minister and his advisors for some period of time on this.

 

“Last year we got the Independent Expert Scientific Committee that is undertaking bioregional assessments.

 

“I’ve told the minister that the community wanted us to find a way to have water included in the assessments for Coal Seam Gas.  And I thank the Minister for doing that.

 

"Without water there is no life and it's important we take steps to ensure our water systems are protected.

 

“I have been working with Justine Elliott locally and in Canberra, and at the Federal Government level we have done what we can.”

 

“With this amendment the Australian Labor Government is responding to community concern to ensure the long term health and viability of Australia’s water resources.

 

“This amendment means we have to take water into account for these kinds of projects, so I don’t see how they will be able to go ahead.

 

“The states however, still have the power immediately to give us an exclusion zone for the Northern Rivers.”

 

 

13 March, 2013

 

Media contact:  Lee Duncan 0448 158 150

 

Censoring what local government councillors, residents & ratepayers can see

On 12 March 2013 Clarence Valley Council management achieved a veritable censorship coup.

The Civil &Corporate Committee Meeting business paper contained a ‘ghost’ submission in Item 13.034/13.

There is an assertion that it exists but no full text of one submission is attached to this item. [See Page 7 snapshot below]

Presumably any councillor who happened to realise that a document was being withheld from them would be given access to it by council management.

However, it is hard to see how residents and ratepayers would be able to view that same obscured document.

The Environment, Economic & Community Committee Meeting business paper dispensed altogether with the idea of summarizing a submission which allegedly should have been attached to Item 12.044/13.

It simply denied that it existed at all. [See Page 62 snapshot below]

Not even the most wide awake councillor would suspect that a ratepayer may have submitted an opinion on this aspect of the somewhat ironically titled Draft Community Engagement Policy (2013):

Click on snapshots to enlarge

Stephen Koukoulas on the subject of Tony Abbott as an economic forecaster

From Market Economics 9 March 2013:

In his Budget reply speech in May last year, Mr Abbott made the following claim:

§  “Madam Deputy Speaker, from an economic perspective, the worst aspect of this year’s budget is that there is no plan for economic growth; nothing whatsoever to promote investment or employment.”

Since that speech was delivered, this has what has happened to growth, investment and jobs:

§  The economy (real GDP) has grown by 1.9% in the three quarters to December 2012. This is an annualised increase of 2.5%.

§  Private sector business investment has risen by 2.5% in the three quarters to December 2012 to be a thumping 70.0% higher than the  level of investment when the Coalition was last in office. The capital expenditure expectations data were, according to Westpac, “robust” with investment likely to rise a stunning 11% in 2013-14 to fresh record highs.

§  Since June 2012, 53,400 jobs have been created, 30,000 of these full-time positions.

 Stephen Koukoulas