Show me the policy, Mr. Abbott!

It would appear that during the faux federal election campaign Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is not taking the forthcoming Leaders' Debate seriously and expects to use it to mount a series of questions rather than give any genuine outline of the health policy the Coalition intends to take into the formal campaign.

This attittude is not always playing well in the regions if the following emailed letter is any indication:

Hon. Tony Abbott MHR
Leader of the Opposition
Parliament House
Canberra ACT

22 March 2010

Dear Sir,

I have read with interest your reported comments on the forthcoming "Leaders' Debate" this week which is intended to address the subject of health care.

I am concerned that these comments appear to indicate that you have no intention of broadly outlining the Coalition health policy you intend to take to the Australian electorate later this year.

As an ordinary voter I would appreciate less politicking and more respect for the general public, who deserve the longest possible time to compare competing policies before going to the polling booths.

Quite frankly even the most pyrotechnic of debating styles will fail to impress my household if all it turns out to be is flash and no substance.

Sincerely,

[Name and address redacted]

Nationals' Hartsuyker receives a slap down form Labor's Saffin

On the matter of a formal application to disperse roosting bats from land adjoining Maclean High School, last week Federal Labor MP for Page Janelle Saffin finally had enough of Federal Nationals MP for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker:

“I can say in response to Luke Hartsukyer’s silly comments, that the only one feeling the pressure is Luke himself, for not doing his job and helping to resolve it much earlier, and for deceiving the people, by not working on the plan from the beginning; a plan that requires, short, medium and long-term goals, which is what I have done since I was first asked for some assistance.
“Luke, I am going to offer you some unsolicited advice, and it goes like this:
“The best thing you can do, is to leave the people alone, leave the public servants alone and let them get on with their job of resolving this problem to the satisfaction of the students, staff and parents.
“It really does not need any more grandstanding and attacks on me ... people are weary with it.
“You carping does nothing to advance the safety and health needs of the school community.
“Given it is your electorate, I am trying to help you do your work, that you seem unable or unwilling to do.”

Keneally for Canberra? Bite your tongue!

Crikey was peddling a rumour last Wednesday, which if true might see NSW Premier K-K-Keneally neutralised on the Canberra back bench or holding a federal ministry if one unnamed electorate was silly enough to fall in behind her.....
"I have heard a rumour that Kristina Keneally has been promised a federal seat if she can do a "good enough" job at the next election..."
Just what the country needs. Yet another über-ambitious pollie down in Canberra who mistakes media bites and PR spin for actual policy creation.
The ethnocentric Keneally would be a disaster on the national stage.

Setting the council cat among the ratepayer pigeons in the Clarence Valley

The Daily Examiner reported on 19 March:

CLARENCE Valley residents may be hit with a rate increase of 8.15 per cent next year.
The Minister for Local Government recently announced that all councils could raise their general rate revenue by 2.6 per cent above the current level, but in a bid to raise an additional $1.3 million to finance capital works, Clarence Valley Council is seeking approval to raise rates by an extra 5.55 per cent.
.....the average rate for properties across the Valley varied between minimum and fixed rates and were determined by dollar value....
“It is hard to compare rates between shires because we have 15 different rate structures Valley-wide,”

Mention of a possible rate increase always raises the collective blood pressure of Clarence Valley ratepayers and differences of opinion between the Hinterland and Coast surface.

Clarence Valley Council is expected to run a series of community consultation meetings some time in the future and ratepayers would do well to attend these as well as keep an eye on proceedings as set out below.

Media Release: 17 March 2010

Clarence Valley Rates get a Special Meeting

An Extraordinary Meeting of Clarence Valley Council will be held in Maclean at 5.00 pm Tuesday 23 March 2010.
The single topic for discussion is whether to increase property rates next year to finance specific capital works.
A Workshop held on 16 March and attended by all Councillors and senior Council staff considered aspects of the Council's budget for 2010/11. A report to the Workshop from the Council's General Manager, Stuart McPherson, encouraged consideration of asking the Minister for Local Government, the Hon Barbara Perry MP, for approval to increase general rate revenue by an additional 5.55% in 2010/11. The Minister recently announced that all Councils could raise their general rate revenue by 2.6% above the 2009/10 level.
Mr McPherson reported that an extra 5.55% above the 2.6% increase, would provide an additional $1.3m next year and in subsequent years and would be used for clearly identified additional capital works and programs. These programs were described in Mr McPherson's report as "Main Street Programs", "Public and Community Halls and Libraries", "Town and Village Footpaths and Cycleways", "Rural Roads Improvements" and "Community Recreation Facilities Improvements".
The Extraordinary Meeting is open to the public and attendance is invited.

Authorised by: Stuart McPherson, General Manager 02 6643 0212 or 0429 903 758

Greenpeace & Rest of the World v Nestlé & Others

Greenpeace advertisement from Holland

From the Greenpeace website:

What can we say? You all rock! You've taken our Kit Kat campaign and made it your own and we just have to stand back in awe of it all. We'll keep this blog post updated with all the latest creative Kit Kat campaign tactics provided by you - the online community who has taken our video and our campaign message and really run with it!
Views on all the versions of our 'Have a break?' video (some uploaded by us - some uploaded by you) are now 281.085 and rising!
Nestle suffering social media rampage as company stocks falls

An example of what's happening now on the Nestlé Facebook page:

Mark Wood Dear Nestle, not a greenie, but your business isn't worth the damage palm oil does. Please discontinue using palm oil in all your products, not just Kit Kats. It's not even a high grade ingredient. You're one of the world's largest companies, perhaps it's time to become one of the most responsible?

Next time you reach for a chocolate, lolly, biscuit, cake, icecream or frozen dessert on the supermarket shelf - ask yourself if it is really worth all that environmental destruction.

Greenpeace's Caught Red Handed PDF file.
Nestlé Australia official response and a news report on the company's 'unofficial' response.

Orangutan baby photograph from Google Images

Sir, how dare you traduce earthworms in that manner!

Last Monday 'Granny Herald' reported that perennial Pom Richard Dawkins has a low opinion of both Aussie Senator Steve Fielding and earthworms everywhere:
"I can give you a devastating argument against religion in two words," Williams said in his introduction.
"Senator Fielding. Richard Dawkins said his IQ is lower than an earthworm, but I think earthworms are useful."
Dr Dawkins and Senator Fielding appeared on the ABC's Q&A program on Monday, where they clashed over the senator's belief in creationism."
Here is the Q&A exchange in all its glory as a hapless, intellectually challenged senator tries to defend his belief in Creationism and support for Intelligent Design.

However what is really interesting is this little piece of blatant political distortion in the same program:
"STEVE FIELDING: Look, it may be that you've read more than I have, Tony, but, look, at the end of the - look, for example, I mean my faith if personal. I don't think I've ever really come out and spoken about it. It's the media that have quizzed me more on it than I've actually gone out and actually spoken on it. In actual fact I first met the Prime Minister when I was first elected and it's funny, you know, he sat there, pulled out his Bible out of his top pocket and started to lecture me and give me a sermon and I thought, that's interesting. I've never done that to anyone and here's the Prime Minister, first meeting, never met the guy, he pulls out his Bible. He's probably still got it in his top pocket, I think. But look, it's not - I think it's very personal and I think that, look, I've got my decision making - my core decision-making team. I have a Jew and an atheist. I think you should be making policy on common sense and what is best for Australia. I don't think that, you know, Australians like the idea of having it driven by religion and that is the truth, Tony. I've never raised the issue. It's very personal to me. I've never gone out and done what Kevin Rudd's done - meet someone for the first time..."
Clue to a truth stretch being underway here?
When was the last time you saw a Bible with readable-sized print capable of fitting in a "top pocket"? And if his first meeting with Rudd was when "I was first elected" that would've been sometime in 2004-05. Rudd was then in Opposition as the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs. He didn't become PM until 2007.

Tasmania & South Australia elections: state of play on the night Saturday 20 March 2010 [Links]

Summary of online predictions on the morning of Saturday 20 March 2010; Tasmania will have a hung parliament and South Australia is too close to call.

Online information on the night:

Electoral Commission SA State Election 2010 here, with live election results after 6pm on 20 March.

Tasmanian Electoral Commission 2010 House of Assembly Elections here, first preference results available after 6.30pm on 20 March.

ABC Elections website including:

Live coverage for South Australia here, with information on electorates, candidates, polling booths and results.

Live coverage for Tasmania here, with information on electorates, candidates, polling booths and results.

Adelaide Now online live reports here, with analysis, video.

Country Voice (SA) blog going live on the night here, with special emphasis on country South Australia.

The Advocate (Tasmania) online, up to date reports from 5pm onwards here.

The Mercury (Tasmania) online, live blogging after 5pm here and readers can join in.

Antony Green's Election Blog on the night and on Twitter @ABCElections

Crikey's Election Central blog promises to cover both South Australia and Tasmania on the night.

The Tally Room blog open thread on the night here about both state elections.