Lawrence wetland is now potentially threatened by a subdivision proposal

David Bancroft's editorial in The Daily Examiner on 7 May 2010:

A FEW years after leaving home I found myself living in a small cottage in Lawrence that real estate agents might have called a renovator's delight.

There were cracks in the wall large enough for birds to fly through, there were windows missing, others painted blue, a giant peace sign painted on the roof from some previous hippie tenants and a fuel stove that had to be lit each afternoon to provide hot water.

Some of the hot plates on an electric stove didn't work, but the massive fall in the floor came in handy to let the rainwater that came through the roof drain away.

It even had a nest of carpet snakes in the ceiling.

But for all its failings, it was a great place to live, probably the best site on the Clarence River.

You could cast a line from the back verandah, but it was out of flood; it had a huge yard and the snakes became something akin to pets.

One of the real charms of the place was the view it had over a wetland not far from the Lawrence ferry.

Each year thousands of water birds would fly in from all over the world and the trees turned white with the mass of egrets congregating there.

It is that wetland that is now potentially threatened by a subdivision proposal to be considered by the Department of Planning.

The department should demonstrate extreme sensitivity dealing with the application, as the wetland is probably one of the most valuable and vulnerable in the Valley.

It cannot be allowed to be damaged.

Hartsuyker's petition gets gaffed by Garrett

This letter to the editor by the Australian Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts in rebuttal of the Nationals MP for Cowper's position was published in The Coffs Coast Advocate online last Thursday:

To the Editor,

Luke Hartsuyker should deal in the facts when it comes to the marine planning process under way in Commonwealth waters (Advertisement, Luke's petition seeks support for local fishing and tourism, Coffs Coast Advocate May 5 2010).

A comprehensive program of work is now taking place right around the country to assess the unique economic and environmental values of the Australian marine environment. It was a process initiated by the Howard Government, of which Mr Hartsuyker was a member.

It's a process aimed at ensuring the sustainability of our marine resources now and for the future by providing both multiple use and protected marine areas in Commonwealth waters nationwide. But importantly, it's a process aimed at minimising the social and economic impacts.

The very purpose of the consultation process currently underway is to get a better understanding of how industry and the community use these areas so that areas of high importance economically or for recreational use can be avoided, where possible, when the Government creates new marine reserves.

Instead of fishing for a headline Mr Hartsuyker should reel in the facts.

PETER GARRETT AM MP

The mistake Labor made.......

The mistake Federal Labor has made in framing its policies (as it approaches this year's national election) is in thinking that Australians voted Kevin Rudd in as Prime Minister rather than voting John Howard out, that support for Labor in 2007 was only hinged on how Rudd was perceived by the electorate and voters' love affair with Rudd was a solid given.
Chickens are coming home to roost with a vengeance now as Rudd's popularity plunges in the polls and two-party preferred figures turn neck and neck after Labor ditched or deferred key policies it took to the last election.
Labor has boo-booed big time and with the mainstream media stirring the pot with the help of the Opposition Leader, who has the policy attention span of your average gerbil, this is going to be an interesting albeit confusing time for voters.

Both pics are from The Sydney Morning Herald 7a.m. on 10th May 2010

Flying under false colours in the Australian Hamburger Wars: bullied orphan and financial beggar stagger forward

Any Google search will uncover the ongoing Australian Hamburger Wars, as town after town resists the idea of multinational fast food giant McDonald's in their midst and suburb after suburb complains about the litter and anti-social behaviour associated with McDonald's stores.

There is a subtext to the fight between residents of one small Australian town and the McDonald's Corporation over its development application for a 24hr drive through store in Treelands Drive, Yamba on a commercial property currently valued at $2.7 million.

In the face of strong opposition from the townfolk McDonald's Australia is trying to paint itself as not receiving a fair go. Additionally it is rumoured that connections of the corporate landowner are 'confiding' that this commercial development is needed to help that company meet its own financial obligations to investors because it is currently experiencing difficulties in some vague unstated fashion.

Now McDonald's Australia was reported to have doubled its profits in the last financial year to $364 million and dominates the fast food hamburger industry globally with an estimated 90% of market share. It would scarcely miss removing Yamba from its current global expansion plans as it seeks to capitalise on fluctuating land prices.

While in 2009 the landowner released an annual report and fund update which indicate a reasonably healthy financial status, with a predominately commercial, retail and investment property portfolio valued at $312.6 million, $13,392,541 in non-direct property assets, an 8% vacancy rate on par with the rest of the country and, on-going monthly distributions to investors despite what the global financial crisis did to other Australian property trusts (fund members received or were entitled to receive distributions of $11,519,064 for the period ended 30 June 2009).

So in fact what we have here is a large multinational playing the bullied orphan child for public consumption and a successful investment corporation alleged to be privately donning beggar's rags in an apparent effort to sway local opinion and presumably the votes of Clarence valley shire councillors.

ROFL comments made by Oz public figures

Some weeks it seems that the meeja is littered with comments made by Australian public figures which are inane, hypocritical, absurd or offensive (sometimes all at the same time). So out there that you have to laugh when they catch your eye. Here's just a few.......

Liberal Party Senator Corey Bernardi; "For Australia's sake, we need to ban the burqa...In my mind, the burqa has no place in Australian society. I would go as far as to say it is un-Australian." May 6th 2010

Andrew Forrest, mining magnate; "...the Federal Government has misled Australians with its so called tax on miners' super profits when it's in fact a nationalisation of 40 per cent of the mining industry." May 6 2010

Australian Leader of the Coalition Opposition Tony Abbott; "OK, so the climate has changed over the eons and we know from history, at the time of Julius Caesar and Jesus of Nazareth the climate was considerably warmer than it is now," May 8th 2010

Professor Ian Plimer; "....carbon dioxide is plant food. The more we get in the atmosphere the better it is for agriculture and the better it is for forests growing. I think it's wonderful." May 3rd 2010

David Oldfield , One Nation co-founder and radio jock; "....complained that electric fences surrounding the Christmas Island detention centre were not active and called on the Coalition to immediately switch them on if elected. "We don't want them to get out ... and if they do try it, they will be fried," May 7th 2010

Nationals Senator Barnaby Joyce; "Death duties and land taxes are both recommended by Henry as needing investigation, so don't be surprised if Kevin Rudd starts taking the opportunity to use them to prop up his Government," May 6th 2010

Andrew Bolt, right-wing journalist: "What did the Prime Minister know and when did he know it?" May 8th 2010

Senator Eric Abetz, new Senate Liberal leader: "I have very large shoes to fill,...The opposition will continue to ensure that all legislation is appropriately scrutinised and considered. As before, all issues will be treated on a case-by-case basis with one simple test: is it in Australia's best interests?" May 4 2010

Catherine Deveny, sacked Age journalist & comedian: They have lined their pockets with gold through my bravery and off-colour remarks." May 6th 2010

The Daily Examiner takes a narrow view on McDonald's vs Yamba

This is the editorial from The Daily Examiner on Saturday 8 May 2010 selectively reports:

THE good people of Yamba might need to get used to having a McDonald's fast-food outlet in their town.

Council officers, in business papers to be presented to Clarence Valley councillors on Tuesday, say there are two options for the development.

Their preferred option is to approve the application, but have suggested it could be refused on 'good grounds'.

It is hard to see what those 'good grounds' might be.

Since McDonald's lodged its development application in March, many in Yamba, including the chamber of commerce, have raised concerns about the impact it could have on existing businesses.

Others have raised concerns that a multinational fast food outlet does not fit with the village feel of Yamba.

As council staff correctly pointed out in their assessment of the application, these are not grounds for the council to knock back the DA.

"Council has generally never considered a perceived competition between businesses as valid grounds for objection," the council report says.

It also points out that 'decisions about brands or other ethical issues associated with the type of businesses within a community' was not a role for local government.

Much as some community members might object, that is the right approach.

We have seen with applications in Wooloweyah and James Creek the huge cost council can face when councillors vote against their officers' recommendations.

They should vote in support of the DA, much as it might go against the grain.

What the editorial did not point out was that the planner's report is sufficiently concerned about the anti-social behaviour that McDonald's 24hr fast food outlets attract that its recommendation to Clarence Valley Council is worded thus:

It is likely that the proposed 24 hour operating hours could result in an adverse impact to the locality by an increase in noise to adjoining properties from traffic, patrons and operation of plant equipment. With regard to acoustic amenity and given the proposed new use of the site adjoins a residential zone, a reduction in operating hours from 24 hours would reduce the potential for adverse amenity impacts to nearby noise receivers, and in particular the residential allotments along the western boundary of the allotment. Negotiation with the applicant has sought a reduction in the proposed 24 hour operation to 6am – 12am, seven (7) days a week. This will help mitigate any problems associated with noise and anti social behaviour that may occur from a 24 hour license.......

OPTIONS

Council may:

1. Approve Development Application DA2010/0203 subject to the conditions

outlined in Schedule 1 including:

- A reduction in the 24 operation hours to 6am to 12am; and

- A reduction in height of the pole sign from 10 metres to 9 metres (the maximum

building height permitted by the DCP for business zones).

2. Refuse Development Application DA2010/0009 for good reasons

Option 1 is the preferred option.

The report also noted that:

Of the individual submissions received 25 supported the application and 455 were opposed.....

the primary issues raised by the submissions include:

- Competition and loss of revenue to existing businesses

- 24 Hour operating times and associated noise and potential increase in anti

social behaviour

- Increase in Litter/waste

- Increased traffic impacts, road and pedestrian safety

- Public Health Issues and Social Impacts

- Impact on Character and Amenity

- Devaluation of Adjoining Properties

Elsewhere in the newspaper that day an article did mention the recommended reduction in trading hours and signage height. However, like the editorial it was silent on the fact that the report stated local government could consider the effects of competition on existing local businesses if such competition were to be:

...accompanied by a prospect of a resultant overall adverse effect upon the extent and adequacy of facilities available to the local community if the development be proceeded with..

In other words, reduction in consumer choice can be an issue Clarence Valley shire councillors may properly consider in their deliberations.

Yet one wouldn't be aware of that if going to The Daily Examiner for information.

The art of water in the Northern Rivers

Narelle Urquhart
Fish in traps

Alle Scott Rock Pool 2

Aaron Aubrey Cora
Waterholes














Works by these artists can be viewed at Bim Bam, Byron Bay and artsConnect online.