Two faces of environmental graffiti

Anti-Monsanto logo from PimpinTurtle

Mossy VW found at Environmental Graffiti

NSW North Coast picks up 2008 National Local Government Awards

There are 10 award categories in the National Local Government Awards which are held annually.
This week it was announced that councils on the NSW North Coast had received two major awards and two commendations in 2008:


Innovation in Regional Development - commendations -
Nambucca Shire Council, NSW - Collaborating industry and Local GovernmentClarence Valley Council, NSW - Clarence Edge


Youth Engagement - winner -
Clarence Valley Council, NSW - Clarence Valley Youth Summer Events Program


Natural Resource Management - winner -
Clarence Valley Council, NSW - The Clarence Floodplain Project - Reviving Floodplain Watercourses and Wetlands

Well done to the councils and staff involved.

NSW in 2008 - where are they now?

With the political bloodbath that is NSW Labor still rolling on; here's a little stroll down memory lane to a 'sunny park' bench in 2005.

Iemma names new cabinet line-up for NSW

By Anne Davies August 3, 2005 - 1:30PM

High profile minister Michael Costa has been given the finance portfolio and responsibility for delivering infrastructure in Premier Morris Iemma's new cabinet.

The new cabinet was sworn in at Government House at 12.30 today.

Police Minister Carl Scully has been given additional responsibility for utilities and will be responsible for dealing with Sydney's water and electricity needs.

John Hatzistergos becomes Minister for Health and Frank Sartor is Minister for Planning, keeping his responsibilities for the Redfern-Waterloo redevelopment.

Senior minister John Della Bosca has maintained his same portfolios, which include Special Minister of State, Minister for Commerce and Minister for Industrial Relations.

Bob Debus remains Attorney General and Minister for the Environment but picks up responsibility for the arts.

John Watkins, who is likely to become Deputy Premier, remains in the difficult portfolio of Transport but also picks up responsibility for State Development.

Mr Iemma has given himself responsibility for Treasury, which means that he, Mr Costa, Mr Della Bosca and Mr Watkins will now form the team driving the economic direction of the state.

Carmel Tebbutt remains Minister for Education.

Reba Meagher remains Minister for Community Services and Diane Beamer has survived to remain in cabinet as Minster for Western Sydney and Minister for Fair Trading.

Tony Kelly has received a promotion and will become Minister for Justice, Juvenile Justice, Emergency Services and Land.

Joe Tripodi becomes Minister for Roads.

Three new ministers, still to be elected by caucus next week, will be given the portfolios of Aboriginal affairs, ports and waterways, and housing................

Mr Iemma described his cabinet as stable and experienced.
"Today represents the start of a new era in NSW," he told reporters.
"The Government is vibrant and enthusiastic with energy.

On the same day it was reported that Craig Knowles had quit both the NSW ministry and parliament and Deputy-Premier had Refshauge announced his retirement the day before.

Today, three years later, another new premier Nathan Rees faced the media and solemnly promised to "Yada, yada, yada".

Labor ministers are gone, gone, gone.... But troubles remain for the NSW North Coast

If Rupert's team is correct, then NSW Treasurer Michael Costa has been sacked from the NSW Labor ministry and will announce his own demise at 10am this morning.

Meagher, Greene and West are tipped to follow and Premier Iemma himself expected to stand down before Christmas this year, if the Ryde by-election shows a significant swing against Labor.

Crankie Frankie Sartor is also predicted to shift portfolios from Planning to Health.
A move which is likely to see already ailing rural and regional health services ripped apart in the same manner Sartor wrecked the development planning process.

If Carmel Tebbutt does step up to the position of NSW Premier, hopefully she will shift Sartor once again to a junior ministry where his very right-wing and elitist view of the world will do less damage to communities on the NSW North Coast.

Even Country Labor is rumoured to have little time for Frank now.

Update:

Morris Iemma resigned as NSW Premier later in the morning.

Sacked NSW Treasurer Michael Costa appears to believe that he can parley his position back from the new Premier, Nathan Rees.

Carmel Tebbutt has accepted the position of Deputy-Premier.

The cabinet reshuffle currently underway may still bring grief to the Northern Rivers.

Rees is rumoured to be in favour of the privatisation of regional water infrastructure despite his denials.

Outright privatisation or amalgamating water corporations across different catchment areas are often seen locally as scenarios which would be precursors to damming and diverting water from the Clarence River system.

Liberal Party attempting covert takeover of Kwoff?

It seems the Liberal Party of Australia (or one of its ardent supporters) is attempting to flood social news website, Kwoff , with posts from its own official website.

According to its Kwoff profile, this political party has been lodging posts since 28 July 2008.

On one morning alone, the Liberal Party accounted for one quarter of all Just In entries. Defintely a case of political overkill.

Examples found last Wednesday include:

Coalition introduces Lower Lakes Assistance Fund Bill South Australian Senator Nick Minchin today gave notice in the Senate of a Bill to provide $50 million emergen...
by LiberalPartyofAustralia 5 minutes ago liberal.org.au
Treasurer disputes own department's figures Treasurer Wayne Swan today disputed figures released by his own department and confirmed by him the day after ...
by LiberalPartyofAustralia 7 minutes ago liberal.org.au

June quarter 2008 National Accounts Today's National Accounts shows the resilience of the Australian economy thanks to the extensive economic refo...
by LiberalPartyofAustralia 17 minutes ago liberal.org.au

Labor continues its assault on Aussie tourism Labor is refusing to listen to the Coalition’s concerns about the impact the increased luxury car tax will h...
by LiberalPartyofAustralia 55 minutes ago liberal.org.au

Mr Garrett must rule out scrapping the $8,000 solar panel rebate Peter Garrett must confirm that he won’t scrap the $8,000 solar panel rebate in the wake of news today that ...
by LiberalPartyofAustralia 1 hour 7 minutes ago liberal.org.au

Greens / Labor deal - cut BMW tax, increase Aussie cars tax The Greens need to explain to the drivers of Mayo who tow a caravan, a boat or a horsefloat why they should by... LiberalPartyofAustralia 5 hours ago liberal.org.au

From little things big things grow: children's art on the NSW North Coast

Paintings from Grafton Regional Gallery's July-August 2008 exhibition, small schools: big successes.

This exhibition was from small schools within the Clarence Valley including Ulmarra, Chatsworth Island, Copmanhurst, Coutts Crossing, Cowper, Harwood Island, Iluka, Lawrence, Nymboida, Palmers Island, Tucabia, Woodford Dale and Wooli Public Schools.

Well done to all the participants!

Just for the record, how tall/short is "the diminutive Opposition leader"?

The Australian's Online political editor, Samantha Maiden, reported that Labor MP Belinda Neal (who has been in the hot seat in relation to events that either did or did not take place at a restaurant on the NSW Central Coast) and the Leader of the Opposition, Brendan Nelson, engaged in a not so friendly exchange of words last Thursday during a Qantas flight between Canberra and Sydney.

Maiden wrote:

When the flight landed, Dr Nelson attempted to help Ms Neal with her bags, prompting the furious Labor MP to demand to know when he was going to apologise for the remarks. [Comment: Neal claims Nelson had previously made claims that she (Neal) was an "ugly bully".]

The clash was witnessed by the packed plane and deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop, who intervened. She later told colleagues Ms Neal attempted to physically intimidate the diminutive Opposition leader.