Vale George Moore, Australian jockey

Dear George,

I was an infrequent racegoer in my youth and always cautious with my bet. 

Like most track novices I had a theory about winners - ears pricked forward and stepping out calmly in the saddling paddock.

I would have been wrong more times than I was right with that yardstick.

However, most of my bets were on any horse which had Tommy Smith as trainer and George Moore as jockey.

Always for a win or a place, you never failed me and I went home with extra coins jiggling in my pocket.

I'm sorry you're gone, George. You'll always remain a fond memory.

Good on ya mate,

Pete 

Rudd Government looking to thwart Howard's attempt to empty kitty ahead of 2007 federal election

After almost eleven years in office it was becoming apparent that the complaisant former Howard Government had allowed substantial bureaucratic inefficiencies to flourish
However, when John Howard began to promise money like a drunken sailor ahead of the 24 November 2007 federal election, I suspected that he might also be attempting to reduce government coffers just in case the Coalition was voted out of office. So I was rather glad to see the following.

"Federal Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner says the Howard Government's pre-election promises will be the first to be cut under moves to slash Government spending.

Bureaucrats have been asked to start identifying the former government's commitments in a bid to cut billions of dollars in spending ahead of the May budget.
Mr Tanner has told Sky News he would prefer not to disrupt contracts that are already under way.
"In many cases, decisions that were made just prior to the election campaign have not been implemented," he said.
"They have not actually been actioned. Contracts haven't been signed, money hasn't gone out the door.
"That does mean that it's in some respects less difficult to focus on those kind of commitments than those things that are already the subject of existing contracts."
Mr Tanner says spending cuts are needed to put downward pressure on interest rates.
"We are in a tough environment. Inflation is getting beyond the 3 per cent level, that is the outer limit of the Reserve Bank zone," he said."
ABC News report:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/07/2133067.htm?section=australia

Good move, Minister Tanner. Time to cull the former Howard Government's attempt at pork barrelling and rein in an unwieldy and fiscally inefficient bureaucracy.
Your own party's election promises are going to be hard enough to fund as it is, in light of sustained inflationary pressures .
The Australian article today:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23015322-5013871,00.html

It's still a case of "Brendan who?"

Google Trends results for the last 30 days still show that very few people are bothering to search the internet for information about Federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson in comparison to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Rather a poor showing for a new Liberal Party leader. A low profile before he became leader and a continuing low profile since.

Will Australia finally start to care once the new parliamentary term begins?

Google Trends result:

http://www.google.com/trends?q=%22kevin+rudd%22%2C+%22brendan+nelson%22&ctab=0&geo=all&date=mtd&sort=0

Winners and grinners on the NSW North Coast

Because many of us are a little wet and muddy right now as the North Coast flood plains do their thing, I thought we might look back at some of the North Coast's artistic achievers to cheer ourselves up.

North Coast artist Patricia Piccinini's work "Thicker than water". Photograph at http://www.artsnorthernrivers.com.au/

"Mapping Ulgundahi" by Frances Belle Parker, winner of the ABC North Coast ArtsNest 2007 Award.
Photograph at http://www.abc.net.au/

Ross Tamlin's "Beached Cod". Ross is a past winner in the Bentley Art Show. Photograph at http://www.visualartsnetwork.com.au/

Debrah Novak's "Cygnets during a performance of Swan Lake". Debrah has won numerous photography awards.
Photograph at http://www.arthouseaustralia.com.au/

Aunty Jack to host ripper Australia Day in Clarence Valley

Graham Bond of Aunty Jack fame will be the Australia Day Ambassador for the Clarence Valley this year.

He will be at three events in the Valley over the 26 January long weekend and everyone is bound

to enjoy a day which will "rip your bloody arms off".

There will be an awards ceremony at Ford Park, Yamba the night before, starting at 5pm.

A breakfast and rally registration in Memorial Park, Grafton on the morning at 8am.

And a family beach outing and barbeque at Main Beach, Yamba starting at 11am on the day.

Also this Australia Day on the North Coast, the Rotary Club Duck Race will kick off at 10am on Coffs Creek, Coffs Harbour.

The folly of allowing developments in flood-prone land

Persons associated with proposals to develop West Yamba would be well advised to take special note of a decision of the NSW Land and Environment Court.

In an article headed Court agrees climate-change risk rules out housing plan
The Sydney Morning Herald (January 8, 2008) reports:

"Many may be pleased to know the Land and Environment Court can overturn not just a council decision but a ministerial one.

The court recently ruled invalid a concept plan approved by the Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor, for a controversial residential subdivision and retirement complex at Sandon Point, on the coast near Wollongong. The action was brought by a resident, Jill Walker.

The court agreed the department should have considered the flooding risk from climate change as it was an aspect of the public interest that potentially had a bearing on the justice of the decision.

The decision is a win for residents who have been protesting for years against the development of the flood-prone 25-hectare site by Stockland Development and Anglican Retirement Villages.

Deacons Lawyers said councils would have to ensure risks from climate change in flood-constrained coastal areas had been addressed by developers and that they considered such risks in their decisions."

Comment:
The land at West Yamba is flood-prone. Allowing further development in the area will require fill being obtained from elsewhere in order to raise the area above designated ASL requirements. That may solve current problem associated with the West Yamba site but one doesn't have to be Einstein to understand that water which would normally find its way to this naturally occurring flood storage area in times of heavy rainfall will be diverted elsewhere. And just where is elsewhere? Think about it. Land that is currently occupied and considered flood free will not necessarily carry such a tag in the future.

Yes, further development at West Yamba will create a new set of winners (just think 'developers and their associates'), but there'll also be a crew of losers who'll be up the creek without paddles in times of high local rainfall and/or flooding that results from waters flowing downstream from the catchment area.

Clarence Valley Council should have this matter uppermost in its collective mind. So too, should Minister Frank Sartor and all others who will be called upon to give consideration to any hair-brained proposals to develop West Yamba.

Remember, the law attaches great significance to the concept of precedence. Hence, this decision of the Land and Environment Court has implications for West Yamba.

Leopards cannot change their spots

Writing in The Sydney Morning Herald (January 8, 2008), Peter Roebuck has written what most fair dinkum Aussie cricket followers are thinking: "Ricky Ponting must be sacked as captain of the Australian cricket team."

Roebuck wrote:
"If Cricket Australia cares a fig for the tattered reputation of our national team in our national sport, it will not for a moment longer tolerate the sort of arrogant and abrasive conduct seen from the captain and his senior players over the past few days. Beyond comparison it was the ugliest performance put up by an Australian side for 20 years. The only surprising part of it is that the Indians have not packed their bags and gone home. There is no justice for them in this country, nor any manners.

That the senior players in the Australian team are oblivious to the fury they raised among many followers of the game in this country and beyond merely confirms their own narrow and self-obsessed viewpoint. Doubtless they were not exposed to the messages that poured in from distressed enthusiasts aghast to see the scenes of bad sportsmanship and triumphalism presented at the SCG during and after the Test. Pained past players rang to express their disgust (my emphasis). It was a wretched and ill-mannered display and not to be endured from any side, let alone an international outfit representing a proud sporting nation."

Comment:
Events as the SCG during the second test went from the sublime to the ridiculous. Ponting set the ball rolling with his petulant behaviour when dismissed in Australia's first innings. Previously given a "life" by an umpire's mistake, Ponting returned to the sheds after his dismissal (which, admittedly was not a clear-cut decision) and carried on like a spoilt three-year old brat.

Ponting later attempted to claim the high moral ground when he recalled Rahul Dravid because he was not sure if he had held a chance from Dravid at second slip.

However, Ponting's halo slipped again in India's second innings when he claimed a catch in the final session on day 5. Ponting also had the temerity to wave his upright index finger at the umpire on another occasion when the umpire was considering whether a ball had carried to an Australian fielder. The umpire subsequently gave the Indian batsman out - did the umpire jump, or was he pushed?

Ponting's captaincy must be terminated. No ifs. No buts. Leopards don't change their spots - Ponting's behaviour and attitude isn't something that appeared out-of-the-blue overnight.

On a final note, hands up anyone who would like to become a full time cricket umpire. Just as I thought. Although I've been critical of umpires Bucknor and Benson for their performances in the second test in an earlier post, most first-class cricket umpires do an A-1 job. Much of the decision-making by umpires must remain in their hands and on the field. Technology is not, although Channel 9's team thinks otherwise, the only solution. It is helpful in a number of aspects, but it must never replace the immediate and spontaneous actions and decisions that make the game worth going to see live at the ground.


Read Peter Roebuck's "Arrogant Ponting must be fired" at
http://www.smh.com.au/news/cricket/arrogant-ponting-must-be-fired-roebuck/2008/01/07/1199554571883.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1