Clarence Valley Council caught trying to minimise IPART's rejection of much of its special rate rise application

Readers of North Coast Voices may recall that this blog posted on this subject in April and May this year.

The rate rise saga  refuses to die………

The Independent, 8 June 2016:

Councillor Karen Toms will challenge public statements made by Clarence Valley’s mayor, Richie Williamson, regarding IPART’s decision to grant Clarence Valley Council (CVC) a one-year-only special rate (SRV) increase of 6.5 percent, instead of 6.5 per cent for each of the next five years.

Councillor Toms’ motion of notice (NOM), which was forwarded to “all senior staff and councillors” on Friday June 3, recommends that: “Council receive and adopt the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s (IPART) Local Government’s Determination of Clarence Valley Council’s application for a special rate variation for 2016-17”; …, and “declare that the other reasons attributed to the Mayor Cr Williamson are not claims adopted or endorsed by Clarence Valley Council”.

“Unfortunately,” Cr Toms said, she had “not given enough notice to the general manager” to table the NOM at the June 14 Works, Civil and Corporate Committee meeting.

The council’s code of meeting practice requires seven working days’ notice, however, the Queen’s Birthday holiday on Monday June 13 means that Cr Tom’s NOM only gave six working days’ notice.

“The general manager has accepted the NOM for the July works civil and corporate meeting on July 12,” she said.

The meeting code states that the full seven days is required, “except in circumstances of great urgency or in the case of rescission motions”.

Councillor Toms writes in her NOM: “Mayor Williamson is quoted as saying in the Daily Examiner: “… while the council had consulted widely when it was proposing an 8 per cent increase for five consecutive years, IPART had said it did not consult the community enough once the proposed increase was changed to 6.5 per cent.

“Additionally, the Mayor is interviewed on NBN TV and made the following claims: ‘…We consulted with our community on an 8 per cent increase. Council resolved to apply for a six and a half percent increase and IPART have said to us, well you haven’t consulted on the six and a half percent; which we accept.’

“These statements by the Mayor are considerably at odds with the determination IPART published, in particular at odds with 2 criteria provided by IPART as reasons for refusal.”

The criteria state that CVC “did not demonstrate the need for, and financial impact of, the proposed rate increase in its Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) documents; and, the council did not adequately make the community aware of the extent of the rate increase, as the cumulative impacts were not communicated effectively.”

Citing a letter written to Clarence Forum’s convenor John Hagger, by IPART’s principal analyst, Tony Camenzuli, Cr Toms writes that Mr Camenzuli “specifically” refutes the “reason for refusal stated by Mayor Williamson”.

“The statements by the Mayor have the effect of reducing the importance of the IPART determination and serve to mislead the public as to the clear intent of the IPART criteria,” she writes.

“Council has not ‘accepted’ or adopted in any way the reason given by Mayor Williamson as the IPART reason for refusal. In saying that ‘which we (Council) accept’, Mayor Williamson creates a false impression of the council response to the determination, noting that Council has adopted, nothing in response to the determination.”

Mr Camenzuli’s letter states: “IPART’s report does refer to the council’s decision to reduce the size of the special variation from 8% pa (47% cumulative) each year over five years, to 6.5% pa (37% cumulative) over five years (pages 5, 16).

“This decision by the council was noted as background information.

“The report does not make reference to that decision by the council as a reason for the council’s special variation application not being approved in full.”

The Clarence Valley Independent is the only newspaper left in the Clarence Valley which is not part-owned by News Corp - please show your support for media diversity and this little weekly newspaper (delivered to the door free of charge) by occasionally clicking on to read its top stories online at: http://cvindependent.com.au/.

Australian Federal Election 2016: Labor candidate for Page Janelle Saffin announces a Shorten Government will repair Coalition budget cuts to community legal centres

Labor Media Release, Friday 10 June 2016:

SAFFIN ANNOUNCES $300,000 FOR NORTHERN RIVERS COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRE

Janelle Page, Federal Labor Candidate for Page, today said a Shorten Labor Government would provide $300,000 over three years to ensure the Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre has the funds to continue helping people in need.

The Federal Budget confirmed that the Liberal-National Government would cut funding for Community Legal Centres by 30 per cent, however Labor will inject a total of $43 million into the sector over three years from 1 July 2017.

Ms Saffin said Labor understood how important the Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre was to people in the seat of Page.

“Access to legal assistance when you need help is as important as access to Medicare when you’re sick. That’s why Community Legal Centres are such an important local service.

“The Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre helps local people deal with a wide range of legal issues – from tenants’ rights, to domestic violence and family law disputes.

“Labor will ensure that CLCs can continue their vital work helping people to navigate their way through our complex legal system.”

Ms Saffin said the Liberal-Nationals attack on Community Legal Centres was another example of how local MP Kevin Hogan had failed to needs of regional communities.

“Mr Hogan has been missing in action. He’s been too busy defending the city-centric Liberal-Nationals to defend local community legal services.

“Labor will ensure the Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre can keep its doors open and go on providing vital services to the people of the North Coast and Northern Rivers.”

Ms. Saffin told The Daily Examiner on the same day:

"Access to legal assistance when you need help is as important as access to Medicare when you're sick. That's why Community Legal Centres are such an important local service," Ms Saffin said.

"The Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre helps local people deal with a wide range of legal issues, from tenants' rights, to domestic violence and family law disputes.

"Labor will ensure that CLCs can continue their vital work helping people to navigate their way through our complex legal system."

Ken Beilby, the Principal Solicitor for the Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre in Lismore said the funding will mean they do not have to shut offices in the Richmond Valley in Casino and the Tweed Valley office in Murwillumbah.

"It's going to help us maintain front line services to disadvantaged clients in our region," Mr Beilby said.

"One of the main priorities of our centre is women experiencing domestic violence and providing early intervention.

"Our ability to continue assisting vulnerable clients will be greatly diminished without those funding cuts being restored."

Australian Federal Election 2016: record number of young people enrolled to vote on 2 July 2016 and they are passionate about the issues

Youth Action and Australian Research for Children and Youth (ARACY), media release 9 June 2016:

Asylum seekers, marriage equality, and climate change outrank education, health, unemployment, housing affordability, and tax reform in importance according to young Australians, a detailed snapshot of voting intentions ahead of the 2016 Federal election has found.

The national survey of 3369 Australians aged between 12 and 25, conducted during April and May, found that while more than half of young voters had not yet decided who to vote for on July 2, they were very clear about the issues they want addressed.

A surge in electoral enrolments last month, which including more than 90,000 young Australians, lifted the number of voters under the age of 25 to a record 1.66 million.

With polling showing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten neck-and-neck at the halfway point of the election campaign, young voters will have an unprecedented role in determining the outcome in dozens of electorates across the country.

Agenda for Action: What young Australians want from the 2016 Election, jointly conducted by the Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth (ARACY) and Youth Action, the peak body representing young people and youth services in NSW, provides an unprecedented insight into the minds of young voters.

Survey participants were asked to identify the three topics they most wanted addressed during the election campaign. In total, answers fell into 360 categories, with the top responses being: support for asylum seekers (21 per cent); support for marriage equality (19 per cent); addressing climate change (16 per cent); policies supporting education (16 per cent); addressing unemployment (10 per cent); improved environmental policies (8 per cent); reform to the tax system (8 per cent); better health policies (7 per cent); more affordable housing (6 per cent); and increased education funding (5 per cent).

Respondents were also asked to rank ten key federal issues by importance level. Education topped the list, with 61.7 per cent saying it was “extremely important”, while 52.7 per cent gave the same ranking to health, 51.4 per cent to the environment, and 51 per cent to social justice. Last of the ten issues, with just 24.4 per cent describing it as very important, was foreign affairs, while 33.8 per cent gave the economy that ranking.

Asked who they intended to vote for, just a third had made their decision. Of those, 38 per cent said they would support the Greens, 34 per cent the Australian Labor Party, and 22 per cent nominated the Coalition.

Only 10 per cent of young people indicated they weren’t interested in voting, a figure which dropped off with age. Just four per cent of 20 to 25 year-olds said they were not interested in voting.

“While most young people are still unsure who they will vote for, they are much more certain about the issues that are important to them and that they want addressed,” Youth Action CEO Katie Acheson said.

“Our research has revealed that far from being solely concerned with issues that directly impact them, such as education, unemployment and housing affordability, young people are focused on broader social issues such as marriage equality, our treatment of asylum seekers, and climate change.

“The recent surge in the number of young people enrolling to vote, which will result in a record number of young Australians voting on July 2, highlights just how important it is for politicians of all persuasions to genuinely engage with young people on the issues they care about.

“While young people are often sidelined from the political debate and accused of being apathetic, this research reveals that they are extremely passionate about being part of important national discussions and having a say on policies that directly impact their lives and the economic future of Australia.”

Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth CEO Dr Dianne Jackson said the research also challenged the idea that young people voted as a block, showing the issues they considered most important were influenced by factors such as gender, age, political preference, cultural heritage, student or employment status, as well as whether they lived in regional or metropolitan areas, and marginal or safe electorates.

“The majority of many young people don’t see themselves as aligned to a particular political party or personality, rather it is individual issues that they prioritise,” Dr Jackson said.

“It is clear that young people have an opinion on a wide range of issues and are articulate about both what concerns them and what commitments they want from candidates.

“The issues young voters identified as being of primary concern to them also depended greatly on their own personal life experiences. Rather than falling into a homogenous group, the concerns, priorities and demands of young voters are as diverse and distinctive as for the rest of the electorate.”

Background information:

- 3369 young Australians, aged between 12 and 25, were surveyed between 4 April and 2 May, 2016.

- 35 per cent of respondents were aged between 12 and 16, 31 per cent were aged between 17 and 19, and 34 per cent were aged 20 to 25.

- 60 per cent of respondents identified as female, 35 per cent as male, and 4 per cent as an other gender. One per cent did not wish to say their gender.

- 89 per cent were currently undertaking education, either at high school, university, TAFE, or as an apprentice or trainee.

- 49 per cent were currently in employment, either full time, part time or as a casual.

- 44 per cent of respondents live in marginal electorates.

- 29.6 per cent are from non-metropolitan areas.

- 57 per cent said they were undecided or didn’t yet know who they would vote.

What the Agenda For Action: What young Australians want from the 2016 Election report reveals:

Australian Federal Election 2016: how not to answer the question and still regurgitate your talking points

Malcolm Bligh Turnbull raises political evasion to an art form in this ABC 7.30 interview on 8 June 2016:

ON DUMPING A FIRST-TERM PRIME MINISTER

LEIGH SALES: Why should Australians re-elect a government that considered its own performance so poor that it dumped a first-term prime minister and on the economy has basically tread water for three years?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well we have a national economic plan, Leigh, for jobs and growth and we have delivered elements of that plan already. Part of our plan is big trade export deals. We've opened up huge markets in Asia which are driving investment and growth and employment right across the country. Our economy is in transition from a big mining construction boom, which fuelled up economic activity here and employment, and then that has declined, as it was always going to, so where do we get the growth story going forward? And we've set in place a plan that will deliver that and is delivering that. Innovation as well.

LEIGH SALES: You're talking about going forward. I was explicitly referring to your record in your three years in government.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well our record is good. We had - in 2015 we had three per cent growth in GDP. It's now 3.1 per cent, the last figures. We had over 300,000 jobs created. That's the highest number of jobs created in Australia since before the GFC.

LEIGH SALES: But then you come up against this problem that if your record was so good, why did you have to dump a first-term prime minister?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well Leigh, I'm looking forward. My job as Prime Minister is to ensure that our children and grandchildren have the best opportunities in the future and we do that by securing our economic future with our national economic plan.

LEIGH SALES: But Prime Minister, you'd have to understand that voters make their decision looking at your record as well as what you're promising.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Our record is strong. Look at what we have done in terms of economic growth. We have ...

LEIGH SALES: But again, I come back to the same point: if your record is strong, why did you have to replace a first-term prime minister?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well the record is strong. The issue of the - the political issue you raise is a separate matter. The really critical thing that matters to Australian is can they get a job? Can their children get a job? Can they get a better job? If they want to leave their job and start a business, will they be able to? Is there the confidence? We had very highest confidence figures, the highest for nearly two years - more than two years, actually - came out just yesterday. So what we're seeing is strong business confidence, strong levels of employment growth and that's because my government's economic plan is working, but I need three more years to complete it and that's what I'm seeking from the Australian people……

ON PERSONAL PERFORMANCE

LEIGH SALES: When you challenged Prime Minister Abbott, you cited two reasons: poor polling and the lack of a coherent economic message. I'd like to tonight discuss your performance against those two benchmarks that you set yourself, starting with the economy. Do you accept that far from establishing a coherent economic message, your delay in announcing policy and then your wishy-washiness, as one of your own backbenchers put it, has confused and disillusioned voters?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: I think everyone in Australia now understands, perhaps because of this long campaign, that we do have a plan for jobs and growth and they understand that it has a number of elements - innovation, defence industry investment, the export trade deals, employment programs and business tax cuts.

LEIGH SALES: But you took a long time to get there and what I'm getting to is: hasn't that left people a little bit confused?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: I believe that the message is very clearly understood, Leigh, that there is one party or one coalition of parties, the Liberal-National Coalition, one government, of which I am the Prime Minister, which has a clear plan for jobs and growth. We've laid it out. And there is no question that every single measure in our plan will deliver stronger economic growth. Now, with regret, I have to say the Labor Party, in so far - they don't have a plan, they have a serious of policies - incoherence is their watchword - and every single one of their policies is calculated to actually reduce investment and reduce employment. It's an economy-threatening set of policies…..

ON WHAT A REDUCTION IN COMPANY TAX WOULD DELIVER TO ORDINARY WORKERS

LEIGH SALES: The company tax cut is the centrepiece of your economic policy. In practical terms ...

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well it is one of the very important elements.

LEIGH SALES: In practical terms, what would that deliver to a household where dad's a policeman and mum's a teacher?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well it delivers stronger economic growth. You see, we all live ...

LEIGH SALES: I just wonder: what does that mean to them?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well that means greater opportunities, it means more jobs, it means stronger - a stronger economy, it means they have got better prospects in everything they do. It also means - let's talk about people who work for the Government who are in effect public servants. They depend - everyone who receives government services, whether they're public servants or not, everyone depends on the Government having the revenues to pay for them. You see, this is part of the problem that Mr Shorten has is that he proposes more and more spending on his spendometer, but nothing in his policies will produce stronger economic growth.

LEIGH SALES: Let's stick towards what you can offer the sort of people that I've outlined.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Yes, stronger economic growth benefits everybody in the economy.

LEIGH SALES: You explain in what way. For someone who's listening tonight, as I said, dad's a policeman, mum's a teacher - what does it mean when you say stronger economic growth will benefit them?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well it means that they will have the benefit - they'll have - if they're working for the Government, they will have a government which has more revenues that is better able to support them. If they're not working for the Government - and I know I'm here at the Government broadcaster, but most people don't work for the Government, most people work for business - a stronger economic growth, stronger economy means better prospects for the business and better prospects for the employees of that business. That's why every dollar of tax cuts produces $4 of extra value in the economy in GDP, and most of that, between two-thirds and three-quarters, goes to labour or employees. And Chris Murphy confirmed that today. It's - but it's very well understood. And by the way, it was very well understood by Mr Shorten only a few years ago, not to speak of the great Labor Treasurer and Prime Minister, Paul Keating…..

LEIGH SALES: I'm just not sure. Does that message though connect with people who struggle to pay for child care, who go to the emergency room at the hospital and they have a long wait, who it takes them an hour to commute to work. I'm just wondering if the way you frame that message actually connects with people.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well everybody knows that their prosperity depends on the prosperity of their employer. And if they're working for a business, as most people are working in the private sector, they want to know that their business is doing well, that the company they're working for is investing, is growing, is able to retain more of its earnings and put more of it back into the business. You see everything we're doing is going to encourage more investment. And I know you don't want me to refer to the Labor Party, but I do have to note that their policies will discourage investment. They are taxing investment and that will reduce investment and it will reduce jobs.

ON EXAGERATED CLAIMS

LEIGH SALES: You keep bringing up the Labor Party, so let's talk ...

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well it is a two-horse race! (Laughs)

LEIGH SALES: Let's talk about them. Why do you keep exaggerating in the language that you use around them. You say for example that they're declaring a war on the family businesses of Australia, that they want to stand in the way. I mean, even if you disagree with their policies, you're really saying that they want to stand in the way, they're declaring a war?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well I assume they - I assume - well leaving aside the - the bellicose metaphors ... -

LEIGH SALES: You're the one who's made them. That's why I'm asking.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: No, no, fair enough and that's a choice of language.

LEIGH SALES: But why are you doing that though?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well I think it's very important, Leigh, to call it out for what it is. I mean, let me just ...

LEIGH SALES: But you're not. My point in my question is that you're exaggerating it and I'm wondering why because in the first interview you did in this program when you became Prime Minister you said that you wanted to engage with voters in a way that respected their intelligence and I just wonder if you think that exaggerating your point is respecting their intelligence?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: I'm not exaggerating and if I can answer the question, I'll do so. What the Labor Party is saying is that our tax cuts benefit banks and multinationals. And if you read through the brochure they put out today, which has not a lot of words in it and no numbers, it is - that's how it presents it. Let's be quite clear: the companies that will benefit from our tax cuts over the next three years are businesses that turn over $10, $25 and $50 million, and then in the next three years, it is companies that turn over $100, $250 and $500 million. There are no banks among them. The vast majority of the companies that will benefit between this election and the next election are family-owned Australian businesses, employing Australians which are, on any view, medium-sized businesses. Now, Mr Shorten presents that - he is standing in the way - yes, he is standing in the way of those overwhelmingly Australian family-owned businesses getting a tax cut, and I tell you, if they get that tax cut, they will invest more and they will employ more.

LEIGH SALES: You haven't addressed the central point of my question, which is why, if you have a strong case, which you believe you do, you feel the need to exaggerate it and disrespect voters intelligence?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well what is the exaggeration?

LEIGH SALES: Because you claim that - of Shorten that they have a war on family businesses of Australia, that they want to stand in the way.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well they are standing in the way and I assume they want to do what they are doing. I am assume they're not standing in the way accidentally or out of thoughtlessness. I assume this is a calculated decision to oppose those tax cuts.

LEIGH SALES: Tony Shepherd, who chaired the Coalition's government Commission of Audit, doesn't consider Labor anti-business. "I don't think there's anything put forward in the campaign that's anti-business," he told the SMH on 4th July. They have their own company tax policy where they want to propose tax cuts for businesses with a turnover of up to $2 million. That's scarcely a war on business.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well, Leigh, we can - we'll have to disagree about the language. The bottom line however is let's deal with the facts, is that Labor opposes any tax relief for any business with a turnover higher than $2 million. $2 million - there are of course many businesses with a turnover of $2 million or less, but they are very small businesses by and large. And of course there are $2.2 million people working for businesses that turn over under $10 million. So they're the ones that will benefit from 1st July and they will get no support from the Labor Party because - simply because their turnover is more than $2 million, they are regarded as unacceptable a recipient of tax relief as one of the largest banks.

ON PERSONAL POPULARITY

LEIGH SALES: Your personal popularity has dropped 50 points since that day. You can't not be bothered by that and not be asking yourself what's gone wrong.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well Leigh, let me say this to you. I am focused on the interests of the people of Australia. I realise within the political and media bubble there is a lot of interest in polls and a lot of people naval-gazing in introspection. But right now, I'm the Prime Minister. My job is to deliver for Australians.

LEIGH SALES: I understand that, ...

MALCOLM TURNBULL: To deliver for all Australians.

LEIGH SALES: ... but I'm giving you an opportunity to address people directly who were -perhaps who liked you, who were perhaps happy to see you get the job and have become for whatever reason disillusioned and disappointed in you.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well Leigh, all I can say is that my commitment is to ensure that we are able to take advantage of these extraordinary times. Let me - just - you speak.

LEIGH SALES: Would you agree that that fall in your approval rating, because as I said, you've established that you are interested in polling, can only reflect that people have been disappointed in you?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well, what I - I've noted the polling, Leigh, but I don't take any notice of it - truthfully. I have to focus on delivering for the people of Australia - what they want to hear about. The viewers that are watching us tonight want to know how I am going to ensure that we have a strong economy, that their children and grandchildren can get good jobs, that they can maintain their good jobs, that if they want to move into a business of their own, they'll be able to do so. They want to know that government has the revenues to pay for the hospitals and the schools and the roads. That's what they want to know and that's what I'm focused on. And I really am not - I'm not very interested at all in opinion polls. I'm focused on doing my job as Prime Minister. Other people can comment on polls.

LEIGH SALES: But I think people watching this also want to know that you're listening to them and what those polls tell you is that there's something that you're doing which they don't like.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well why don't you ask me a question about it?

LEIGH SALES: Well I am asking you a question about it. What do you think - what do you think - what do you think has happened that you have lost that ginormous chunk of approval?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Leigh, I am not going to be drawn into that kind of introspection. My job is to focus on the needs of Australians. Other people - you know, you and I can have this discussion, it might be interesting, but the viewers that are watching us tonight, they want to know how the plan I'm laying out is going to enable Australia to succeed. I mean, let me just describe the situation we're in. We are a high wage, generous social welfare net first-world economy. We're in a global economy that is growing rapidly, particularly in our region. There are enormous opportunities. We have opened them up as never before with our free trade agreements - that's a fact - and that's driving jobs right across the country. We are making a successful transition from the downturn - inevitable downturn of the mining construction boom, but we can't take economic growth for granted. These are times of great opportunity but great challenge. To succeed - we'll always be a lucky country, but we've got to make our own luck. We've got to make our own luck and I have the plan that will deliver the prosperity and the security we need in the years ahead. That's my commitment……

Australian Federal Election 2016: a rabble of rorters

So Liberal MPs politically profile their constituents on the back of the taxpayer dollar and, that money is paid on to a company which sends these dollars to the political arm of the Liberal Party of Australia.

And they wonder why their polling is so very ordinary?

The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 June 2016:

You don't know it, but you might be one of the Liberal Party's largest donors. 

A company Liberal MPs direct taxpayer funds towards to keep tabs on voter behaviour is becoming a major source of income for the party, raising questions about whether taxpayers are indirectly footing the bill for donations.

Fairfax Media can reveal nearly all Liberal MPs pay a company, Parakeelia Pty Ltd, $2500 a year to use "Feedback" software, money understood to come from their taxpayer-funded office allowances.

Parakeelia is registered to the same inner-Canberra office building as the Liberals. The company's directors include the Liberal Party's federal director, Tony Nutt, and president, Richard Alston. It is registered with authorities as being associated with the party.

Last financial year, Parakeelia transferred $500,000 to the federal Liberal division, making it the party's second-biggest single source of funds. The year before it came in fourth with $400,000; before that $200,000.

But the Liberals would not say how much of the company's revenue began as taxpayer funding.

Some party figures question whether the party is profiting from public funding.

"What are the costs to them from running the software?," asked one former Liberal MP. "You'd have to say minimal. Our contributions per MP are very small, so we never really could know if they were turning a buck or not."

The last time this information was disclosed, a decade ago, half of Parakeelia's revenues came from MP offices. The balance was mostly money from the Liberal Party machine.

The software logs information about an MP's constituents. Every time a voter calls an office, or writes a letter to the local paper, electorate staff make a note about any information gleaned about their political views. Staff also proactively research community groups and businesses and add it to the files……

Parakeelia Pty Ltd declared to the Australian Electoral Commission that it directly gave the federal Liberal Party an estimated $550,392 - for an election campaign which gave us Tony Abbott as prime minister. 

The same associated entity will directly hand the federal Liberals at least $269,176 to try and keep Malcolm Turnbull in office.

Australian Federal Election 2016: recalling better times in the Page electorate

The public hospital system in the NSW Northern Rivers region has been attempting to deal with state and federal health funding cuts by Coalition governments for years now (including est.$730 million over ten years from the Northern NSW Local Hospital District) and the strain is beginning to show.

So it’s only natural that a good many regional voters look back fondly on the hard work then Labor MP for Page Janelle Saffin put in to securing health funding between 2007 to 2013.

This effort on the electorate’s behalf included:

$4 million for a community health centre in Yamba

$20 million for the upgrade of Grafton Base Hospital and 114,000 for new equipment for the Emergency Department

$487,000 to refurbish 10 student nurse accommodation rooms at Grafton Base Hospital

Federal grant to establish the Grafton Super Clinic

$60.25 million to redevelop Lismore Base Hospital, including new emergency department, an express community care clinic and a new renal dialysis unit

$7 million on top of the $8 million already committed for Lismore Base Hospital radiology services

Magnetic resonance Imaging (MRI) services for Lismore Base Hospital and North Coast radiology’s Clarence Valley Imaging in Grafton

$15 million to fast track the Lismore Integrated Cancer Centre

$2.7 million for a second linear accelerator at the Lismore Base Hospital Integrated Cancer Centre, providing cancer treatment for an extra 30 patients a day

$7 million for Lismore GP Super Clinic

$2.6 million for Our House Cancer Patient Accommodation in Lismore for cancer patients and families -150 construction jobs 

$2.53 million to St Vincent’s Private Hospital Lismore for two new operation theatres, $884,414for state-of-the-art teaching centre and $157,000 to purchase equipment to develop aUrological Centre of Excellence 

$7.9 million to establish the University of Western Sydney's new Rural Clinical School in Lismore and Bathurst

$407,000 to expand McKid Medical Private General Practice in Kyogle under the Primary Care Infrastructure Grants Program and $295,455 to upgrade the Urbenville Medical Centre

$9.22 million to North Coast Medicare Local to establish its headquarters in Ballina and for operational funding

$1.45 million investment in dental funding for the Northern Rivers, announced this year as part of the Commonwealth Dental Health Program

Five new GP registrars to train in Lismore, Goonellabah, Ballina and Alstonville and four specialist doctors in Lismore area

$1.6million to Interrelate to boost mental health services in Ballina and Kyogle shires and the Richmond Valley

$640,000 to Local HACC services Home and Community Care Program funding

$1.45 million investment in dental funding for the Northern Rivers announced in 2013  as part of the Commonwealth Dental Health Program

Five new GP registrars to train in Lismore, Goonellabah, Ballina and Alstonville and four specialist doctors in Lismore area

$1.6million to Interrelate to boost mental health services in Ballina and Kyogle shires and the Richmond Valley

$700,000 to Clarence Valley Council under the Healthy Communities Initiative to combat obesity

A total of $522,000 to Bulgarr Ngaru Aboriginal Medical Service to expand its health service with new premises and practice manager

$1.9 million for local crisis intervention services.

A list of funding for a range of services within the Page electorate between August 2010 and September 2013:

Janelle Saffin Federal Labor MP for Page - Achievements since 2010 by clarencegirl

Ms. Saffin is standing as Labor's candidate in Page on 2 July 2016.

Looooong federal election campaign appears to underwhelm many voters

Essential Report, 7 June 2016:

Dendrophobic Clarence Valley Council?

Clarence Forum, 4 June 2016:

Before White Settlement of the Clarence, a Red Bean Tree stood near the corner of what is now Breimba and Dovedale streets in Grafton.

That Tree is all that remained of the original rain forest in that area.

First Nations People used the tree for making shields.

The tree was listed by the NSW Office of Environment Heritage (OEH).

In July of 2013, Council lopped the tree without permission.
OEH wrote to Council’s Troy Anderson (Director Works, the same Director in charge of the destruction of Maclean’s Historical Trees) and issued a penalty notice in January 2014.

In May of this year, Clarence Valley Council killed this heritage tree and totally removed it.

All that remained for today’s photographs is mud.

OEH has written to Scott Greensill and ordered that the remains of the trunk of the tree be stored as part of a legal exhibit for a future Court Case.

Why does Council continue to behave in such an insensitive and arrogant manner?

Respect is Not optional.

Australian Federal Election 2016: who's standing in NSW Northern Rivers electorates

On 10 June 2016 the Australian Electoral Commission announced all candidates standing in the 2 July federal election.

On the NSW Far North Coast they are:

Northern Rivers Homeless Forum, Thursday 21 July 2016 at Lennox Head

Political Zinger of the Week

https://twitter.com/search?vertical=default&q=%23MalcolmWasSoPoor

Lismore Hospital workers not happy with upstairs-downstairs parking arrangements

OUT IN THE STREET FOR TWICE THE PRICE: THE PARKING RAW DEAL FOR LISMORE HOSPITAL WORKERS

Friday 10 June, 2016

Hospital workers who can’t get into the new car park at Lismore Base Hospital will have to pay more than twice as much to park in surrounding streets.

Health Services Union NSW Secretary Gerard Hayes said the new multi-story car park at the hospital will only provide 270 spaces for around 1,600 hospital workers.

“Hospital staff who were able to secure a spot in the new car park will only have to pay $12 a week, but everyone else will be paying more than double that amount to park out in in the street.

“Why should lower-paid hospital workers such as cleaners and security staff be paying $5 a day when lucky doctors and specialists can get parking for just $2.40 a day?

“Talk about a raw deal. The hospital and the Lismore City Council need to work this out and provide a better arrangement so that all staff are treated equitably.”

Hospital workers will today rally outside Lismore Base Hospital to demand action on the parking situation.

Mr Hayes said a system of providing vouchers for hospital staff to access street parking at the same rate as the new multi-storey car park would be a sensible solution.

“Lismore City Council charges $2 to park all day in the CBD, so it looks like there’s an element of price gouging going on around the hospital. The new car park is due to be opened soon, so the Council needs to act in this situation now.”

Oxfam calls on major parties to address the fact that multinational tax dodging is costing Australia billions

Medianet Release
Multinational tax dodging costs us billions Nearly $AU9 billion that could be spent on schools, hospitals and critical infrastructure in Australia and in poor countries is instead being hidden by Australian-based multinationals in tax havens, according to an Oxfam report released today. According to The Hidden Billions – How tax havens impact lives at home and abroad, and based on the latest available data, tax haven use by Australian-based multinationals cost Australia around USD $5 billion (AUD $6 billion) in lost tax revenue annually, and cost developing countries an estimated USD $2.3 billion (AUD $2.8 billion) every year. The report is being launched with an online poll that shows 90 per cent of Australians polled think the Government should do more to stop multinational corporations avoiding paying tax in Australia and in every country in which they operate. Oxfam Australia Chief Executive Dr Helen Szoke said the report showed how much the public lose out when big companies do the wrong thing and governments don't step in and stop them. "The Oxfam report, for the first time, puts dollar figures on what Australians and poor people in our region are missing out on because Australian-based multinational companies aren't paying their fair share of tax like the rest of us," Dr Szoke said. The Oxfam-commissioned poll also found: ·         60 per cent of Australians polled believe the main thing the Federal Government should do to raise revenue is crackdown on tax avoidance by multinationals; ·         90 per cent of Australians polled believe the Federal Government should legislate to prevent all multinationals operating in this country from moving their profits to tax havens to avoid paying tax here; ·         87 per cent think that those Australian companies who operate in developing countries and in Australia should publicly report their earnings and how much tax they pay everywhere. Globally, tax-dodging is rampant in developing countries, with big companies ripping USD $172 billion (AUD $209 billion) of tax revenue out of their economies in 2014, money that could have been used to fight poverty and generate equality and prosperity. Dr Szoke also said The Hidden Billions report found that use of tax havens overseas by big businesses based in Australia would cost developing countries USD $4.1 billion (AUD $5.6 billion) in desperately needed revenue for essential public services over the next five years, including many of Australia's poorest neighbours. "Over the next five years, it's estimated that Indonesia will be deprived of around USD $360 million (AUD $493 million) that could have gone towards education, and PNG stands to lose around USD $17 million (AUD $23 million) in expenditure on essential services such as hospitals, schools and sanitation," Dr Szoke said. "This is shocking, given in PNG, 60 per cent of the population don't have access to clean water. "In Ghana, funding lost due to the use of tax havens by Australian-based multinationals could pay for an estimated additional 1,400 primary school teachers, and nearly 600 nurses, a year.  In The Philippines, an estimated 1,700 new classrooms per year could be built. "It doesn't have to be this way. Australia should show that it's tackling this issue by making the tax affairs of Australian-based multinationals public – not only for their operations in Australia, but for every country in which they operate. "Our research relies on IMF data, which shows the flow of money from Australian-based multinationals.  Unfortunately, there is no way to find out which individual companies are dodging tax, as they're not required to publish their tax affairs on a country-by-country basis."  Dr Szoke said this lack of public reporting enabled big companies to hide billions of dollars they should be paying in tax. "Other countries, including the US, France and Canada, have made tax reporting public for high-risk sectors in big business, such as for mining companies and big banks; it's time Australia caught up," she said. Dr Szoke said the report showed that Australia was a major part of this global problem that affected so many lives here and overseas. "With inequality worsening around the world, making the fight against poverty even harder, companies must pay their fair share of taxes, so that the revenue can be used to improve people's lives, both here and for the world's poorest people," Dr Szoke said. Oxfam is calling on all political parties to commit to: ·         Make tax transparent at home and abroad; ·         Curb irresponsible use of tax havens; ·         Make multinational ownership information public; ·         Support developing countries with tax infrastructure, and, ·         Support global action to end tax dodging. Notes to editors: Research Now conducted the online poll of a nationally representative sample of 1009 Australians, from 25-27 May.
	© Australian Associated Press, 2016