North Coast Community Housing Company puts a Yuletide foot firmly in its mouth

I suppose that with the media reporting "A Galaxy survey commissioned by online auction website eBay has found two-thirds of Australians have received at least one unwanted gift.

The survey estimates $985 million was spent on unwanted Christmas gifts, up $35 million on last year." there may be some slight excuse for skewed thinking by one of the most prominent publicly-funded NSW North Coast housing agencies.

The Sydney Morning Herald on Boxing Day:

http://news.smh.com.au/almost-1b-spent-on-unwanted-xmas-gifts/20071226-1iz9.html

 

However, North Coast Community Housing Company had one foot firmly in the mouth when its December newsletter described this company's Christmas greeting to tenants as "truly magnanimous", and one of the authors went on to brag to a clientele struggling to make ends meet that he or she "haven't even started my shopping yet".

Yes, a socially insensitive Yuletide attempt at communication if ever there was one.

 

Clarence Valley Council admits there is little that can be done for property owners in the face of 'inevitable' coastal erosion

Of course, what Clarence Valley Mayor Ian Tiley told the community is not unexpected, but this would be the first time the inability of local government to offer traditional solutions to future coastal erosion has been so clearly articulated at a NSW North Coast level.

The mayor described rock armouring, sand pumping, beach replenishment, large-scale housing retreat and house buybacks as "Possible remedies have proven beyond the financial reach of councils."

Although the mayoral minute did mention three small vulnerable village areas, it remained silent about the fate of larger coastal towns like Yamba. Perhaps because this town is one of Clarence Valley Council's rate cash cows and it wouldn't do to scare the horses.

Even though parts of the town's ocean front residential land currently have a 1-in-1000 statistical probability of sliding into the ocean after a few days of constant rain combined with high tides and heavy seas.

The minute was also careful to lay bad planning policy on local councillors dead for a generation or more. Thereby neglecting to take responsibility for more recent decisions, especially those made by the former Maclean Shire Council under Mayor Chris Gulaptis.

Looking to state and federal government for a remedial or preventative policy is also totally unrealistic, in the face of what could be widespread erosion and salt water inundation predicted to occur along the Australian east coast due to climate change. There just wouldn't be money enough for what in the end would likely be stopgap measures.

King Canute couldn't hold back the ocean and neither can we on the North Coast.

 

Clarence Valley Council mayoral minute:

http://www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/content/uploads/Coastal_Erosion_Policy_November_2007.pdf

Neither alert nor alarmed - just plain stupid

The Daily Examiner on Saturday ran a small item which said that a rumour was going around that someone from Grafton had joined Al Qaeda and is now working alongside Osama bin Laden.

Sounds a bit like the old rumour that some of the newspaper's letters to the editor were being translated and sent to Al Qaeda to give aid and comfort to the enemy.

Such a load of bulldust! What on earth was the newspaper thinking.

With ASIO spooks and the AFP living on the edge of unreason since 2001, let's hope that The DEXy chicks will be the only ones having their doors broken down if this silly piece of nonsense gains credence among the Canberra mob. 

In the final count down to 2008

Well the 2007 festive season is on its last legs and national torpor prevails. Will 2008 bring any solutions to the many problems which confront us as a society and nation?

 

The Murray-Darling river system gets some relief from recent heavy rains but fundamental problems remain:

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22976368-5006301,00.html?from=mostpop

 

Poverty and inequality remain a fact of life for many Australians:

http://melbourneinstitute.com/labour/inequality/poverty/Poverty%20lines%20Australia%20June%202007.pdf

http://melbourneinstitute.com/labour/inequality/poverty/default.html

http://www.aph.gov.au/library/intguide/SP/poverty.htm

 

Human rights for the aged or mentally ill demonstrably in doubt across the country:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/safeguarding-the-rights-of-all-victorians/2007/12/27/1198345158145.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

 

David Hicks swaps one form of gaol for another and makes a statement to the media:

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22983954-5006301,00.html

http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/new-era-just-as-disgraceful-as-the-old/2007/12/29/1198778761056.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22983853-5006301,00.html

 

Failed Nationals candidate Chris Gulaptis struggles to find something to keep his name in the media and decides it's elephants:

http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2007/12/29/6386_gold-coast-news.html

 

In the month since the federal election Labor voters are still blindly optimistic:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22983088-5013871,00.html

 

Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson battles to control his party's 'message' and deputy leader Julie Bishop signals a desire to obstruct IR reform:

http://news.theage.com.au/govt-confusing-workplace-policy-nelson/20071228-1jbc.html

 

Deputy-Prime Minister Julia Gillard makes a tactical error in retaining Workplace Authority's Barbara Bennett:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22974795-601,00.html

 

Kevin Rudd Sucks battles on, but is anyone listening:

http://www.kevinruddsucks.com/

 

The media continues to enjoy reporting climate change sceptics:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/global-warming-gets-cold-shoulder/2007/12/28/1198778703740.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

 

Virtually ignoring 21 state and territory election defeats in a row, the Liberal Party looks for alternative answers because it still can't face the fact that active dislike of the party's underlying neo-con philosophy combined with personal hatred of John Winston Howard and the Federal Coalition's abuse of parliamentary processes were at the bottom of its recent federal election defeat: 
 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22981323-5013946,00.html

Damaging Surf Warning for NSW North Coast

IDN28500
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
NSW

Priority
NSW SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
Damaging Surf
For people in
Northern Rivers

Issued at 5:20 am on Saturday 29 December 2007

Synoptic Situation: 3:00 am EDT Saturday
A developing elongated tropical low with a central pressure of 1000hPa is developing over the Coral Sea about 275km nautical miles east-northeast of Gladstone. The low is expected to move southeast and intensify during the next 24 hours. Persistent easterly winds south of the low will result in increasing easterly swells along the northern New South Wales coast.

Damaging surf conditions are expected on Sunday on the far North Coast between Tweed Heads and Wooli, with waves expected to exceed 5 metres in the surf zone. These waves are likely to cause significant beach erosion. Dangerous surf conditions with waves around 3 metres are expected to affect the Northern Rivers today, and the northern parts of the Mid North Coast on Sunday.
Emergency services advise you check your property regularly for erosion or inundation by sea water, and if necessary, raise goods and electrical items.

Surf Life Saving Australia recommends that you stay out of the water and stay well away from surf-exposed areas.

For emergency help in floods and storms, ring the SES [NSW and ACT] on telephone number 132 500.

The next warning is due to be issued by 11 am Saturday.

This warning is also available through TV and Radio broadcasts; the Bureau's website at www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 218. The Bureau and State Emergency Service would appreciate this warning being broadcast regularly.

Bureau of Meteorology:

http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/nsw/

Holiday season 2007

North Coast Voices wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday season.

We will not be posting between 24 to 30 December.

Everyone's off to do the family thing, hit the beaches and enjoy the fact that 2007 is almost over.                    

Forgot to be consistently kind to children and help little old ladies across the road these last ten years? Then the drought's all your fault!

Catch the Fire Ministries demonstrates why secular government is such a good idea.

 

"A RADICAL Christian group with the ear of prominent politicians has blamed "sinful" Australians for the nation's record drought.

Catch the Fires Ministries, which has links to several prominent politicians including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, has hired Festival Hall so 5000 of its followers can pray for rain on Australia Day.

Leader Danny Nalliah said moral decline, not climate change, was responsible for the drought.

"Australia has turned away from Almighty God ... the sinful condition of mankind has contributed to the stem of rainfall," he said."

News.com.au full article:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22894150-421,00.html