Seems the electorate of Clarence has a phantom Local Member

Despite being declared the winner of the 19 November by-election a week ago and being sworn in as the Member for Clarence last Friday a happy snap of Chris Gulaptis is yet to appear on the NSW Parliament's website.

A couple of mates at the local watering hole reckon the no-show by Gulaptis on the parliament's website is easily explained.
One mate reckons the photographer couldn't manage to get the new MP's head in the photo shoot - a panorama shot was required.
Another mate reckons that because the new local MP wears the label "Steve Gulaptis" the delay in getting an image on the site is due to a problem in getting a composite shot of Steve and Chris.
The first mate also reckons teams of carpenters have had to be urgently employed at parliament house and the local MP's electorate office. The reason >>>>>>>> tops of doorways have had to be widened to enable Gulaptis to get his swollen head through them.

Hadley and Flannery with pistols drawn

2GB Radio The Ray Hadley Show Thursday, 28 July 2011

Listener confirms Tim Flannery does own a waterfront home

David calls in to Ray Hadley to confirm Professor Tim Flannery does own a waterfront home at Coba Point.

Professor Flannery in Crikey, 22 November 2011:

Flannery did his own investigation. He found an address for “David” and made a house call. Flannery writes:

“His stammering voice was so unlike the smart-alec tone I’d heard on the radio that at first I thought I had the wrong person. But he soon admitted that he knew Ray Hadley. In fact, he worked for him.

“David then stated emphatically that he had not called Ray Hadley at all. Instead Hadley had asked him to appear on the show, and had called him. David said that Hadley had sought him out after learning that I lived nearby. The story, and all of the supposed ‘facts’ that David was to raise during the interview, had, according to David, been assembled beforehand by Hadley and his team … David stated: ‘You’re on the other side of the fence [regarding climate change] … they hate you … they’re out to get you.’”

2GB Radio The Ray Hadley Show Wednesday,  23 Nov 2011

Ray responds to Tim Flannery's claims
Calls Flannery you low bastard as he concludes a denial of ever knowing "David"

As Hadley made a number of errors in his reply, uttered contradictory statements about legal action and "David" remains an unverifiable source, I suspect that Flannery wins this round without much effort.

Especially as Crikey published this memo on 25 November 2011:

21.viii.11 Sunday afternoon
Tim pulls up at pontoon — v crowded with debris — revs motor to reverse.
Man appears on verandah, shirtless, comes down pulling on sweater.
T calls out: Are you David? I’d like a word.
Man walks down, diffidently but expecting us (?) Tells barking dog to be quiet.
Man & T meet mid-jetty.
T: Are you David?
Man: Yes.
T: You’re the caller David who called Ray Hadley?
D: That’s me.
T explains visit. D is barely coherent [does he have a speech impediment?] T asks re call to 2GB?
D, matter of factly: They called me … They had it all arranged. I just called in.
D: … You’re on the other side of the fence [re climate change], they [2GB] hate you, they’re out to get you. I didn’t call them, they called me.
Alex (surprised): Why would they call you?
D (flatly): I work for them.
A (politely): What is your work?
D (softly): Card [incoherent]
A (gently): Sorry?
D (clearly): Car detailing. I do car detailing for them at 2GB. I know them all.
T (firmly, fairly): Well, we’d like the podcast permanently removed rom the public domain. Could you ask Ray Hadley to do that.
D (hesitating, uncertain): Well, I won’t see him for another fortnight, another two weeks.
A (quietly): You’re a newcomer here. We don’t do this sort of thing to each other. We’re a small community & just respect each other’s privacy.
T (gently): It’s OK, leave this to me. (firmly, fairly): OK David, the decent thing to do is to get the podcast removed. It’s untrue & it’s dangerous. That’s all.
We leave.

Ray Hadley has since fired back in this TheTelegraph online article.

Which again returns readers to the question of the mysterious
"David" aka "Dave" allegedly of Coba Point, Berowra Creek NSW. Seen here in one of the many photograph's posted by his wife on her Facebook page between 2008-2011......

And this is probably Dave's 'new' waterfront home....

After two on-air interviews with Ray Hadley, one wonders if "Dave" is still enjoying his notoriety?

No Antimony Mine on the Dorrigo Plateau - get your bumper stickers now

The bumper stickers are available from Kombu Wholefoods in Bellingen, The Happy Frog in Coffs Harbour, The Clarence Environment Centre in South Grafton, Sawtell Paradise Fruit, The Sawtell Newsagency, Hickory Wholefoods in Dorrigo, Dorrigo Environment Watch Inc., Antimony Action and local NSW Greens groups.

Further information about the proposed reopening of the mine and about the dangers of antimony mining in high rainfall areas is available at
http://www.dorrigoenvironmentwatch.org.au/index.html

Now before you indulge in très grande panic with Dr. No - actually look at the 2011-12 MYEFO

Don't rely on the spin - knock yourself out with a bit of 29th November number crunching!

"The Mid‑Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2011‑12 (MYEFO) has been prepared in accordance with the Charter of Budget Honesty Act 1998. The Charter requires that the Government provide a mid‑year budget report which provides updated information to allow the assessment of the Government's fiscal performance against its fiscal strategy."

Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2011‑12 1.7 MB

Preliminaries and Foreword 205 KB

Part 1: Overview 147 KB

Part 2: Economic outlook 221 KB

Part 3: Fiscal strategy and outlook 254 KB
Attachment A: Sensitivity of budget estimates to economic developments 122 KB
Attachment B: Tax expenditures 100 KB
Attachment C: Supplementary expenses table and the Contingency Reserve 119 KB
Attachment D: Australia's Federal Relations 406 KB

Appendix A: Policy decisions taken since the 2011‑12 Budget
Revenue Measures  293 KB

Expense Measures 566 KB
Capital Measures 163 KB
Appendix B: Australian Government budget financial statements 296 KB
Appendix C: Statement of risks 218 KB
Appendix D: Historical Australian Government data 182 KB

Laughing at Abbott all the way to 2013

A hat tip to Your Democracy for this item:

Abbott's positively negative

in the words of Mike Carlton …..

Dear Sir/Madam

Congratulations! The moment you've been waiting for is here. It's the once in a lifetime opportunity for your business, workplace or sports club to join Tony Abbott in his fight to say NO to the Brown-Gillard socialist government.

You've seen it on television. Every day, Tony is out there at shops, farms, mines, factories and athletic events around Australia, demonstrating his genuine understanding of real Aussies in every walk of life. It might be making sandwiches, laying bricks, driving a backhoe or even running a marathon: there's nothing he won't try. In Afghanistan recently he even donned an army bomb disposal suit for the cameras.

Now you can be part of this exciting TV campaign. Your place of work or leisure might be an ideal location for Tony to visit. See how many of these boxes you can tick:

❏ Yes, we want to say NO to the Brown- Gillard socialist wreckers.

❏ We would welcome a Tony Abbott TV appearance at our business or sporting event.

❏ We have a hard hat and fluoro safety vest for Tony to wear (or other uniform/protective clothing).

❏ Tony could appear in Speedos, cyclists' Lycra or other sports gear as appropriate.

❏ We have a tractor/forklift/hammer/bicycle/surfboard (or other equipment) for Tony to pose with.

❏ Anyone hostile to Tony can be kept away from the cameras.

❏ We are not connected to any gay, lesbian, feminist, Islamic, refugee, trade union, environmental or other left-wing group.

If this is you, then seize the moment. Say YES to say NO. Contact Tony's office at Parliament House, Canberra, and we'll arrange a visit. And please note, too, that Tony is also available for private lunches or dinners with selected conservative media commentators.

Sincerely,

Brian Inane,

Federal Director (Photo Opportunities)

Liberal Party of Australia

O'Farrell apes K-K-Keneally according to Buckingham

MEDIA RELEASE 24 November 2011
The Greens NSW spokesperson on mining Jeremy Buckingham has condemned the O’Farrell Government’s move to cancel this week’s Private Members Business sitting day as a cynical manoeuvre to avoid a vote on the Coal Seam Gas Moratorium Bill.
The Coal Seam Gas Moratorium Bill was next in the order of business due to be debated on Friday morning, the last sitting day of the year.
“Last year Barry O’Farrell condemned Kristina Keneally for her decision to prorogue Parliament in an attempt to avoid scrutiny on the electricity privatisation, yet now he has canned the last sitting day of the year to avoid a vote on the Coal Seam Gas Moratorium Bill,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.
“With the ban on fracking expiring on December 31, it will be back to full speed for the coal seam gas industry over summer because the O’Farrell government was too gutless to debate the merits of a moratorium or vote on it.
“Regardless of the government’s procedural tricks, the coal seam gas industry has not earned a social licence to operate and the community will use direct action, such as the Spring Ridge blockade, if they try to roll out.
Contact: Max Phillips – 0419 444 916

Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis has a side step to match that of Reg Gasnier's

A voter in the Clarence electorate asked Chris Gulaptis a question about climate change but the then would-be MP sidestepped it. Now that he's in the big league it behoves the local MP to answer the constituent's question.

C'mon, Chris Gulaptis MP, you're playing politics now, not football. Answer the question!

 
Didn't answer

At the Meet the Candidates meeting (prior to the by-election) I asked the following question of the National Party candidate, Chris Gulaptis.

"The International Energy Agency, a conservative advisory body relied on by the fossil fuel industry for data on emissions and energy, announced last week in London that we now have only five years to avoid dangerous global warming of more than two degrees Celsius. If you are elected, to what extent will you, with the future of our grandchildren in mind, work tirelessly to bring a real sense of urgency about climate change to this State Government and this electorate?"

Chris Gulaptis did not answer the question, merely making brief reference to a past action. This is an important issue to which he should have been able to respond directly.

Stan Mussared, Waterview

Sources:  Letters, The Daily Examiner, 28/11/11

                      Image, The Northern Star