The Daily Examiner 6 February 2012
Sunday 12 February 2012
Sky News as a big LOL
This advice to its house journalists from a news service which was one of the first to be embroiled in the Tent Embassy
Sky News has told its journalists not to repost information from any Twitter users who are not an employee of the broadcaster.
An email to staff on Tuesday laid out new social media guidelines for Sky News employees, including a contentious ban on retweeting rival "journalists or people on Twitter".……
"Where a story has been Tweeted by a Sky News journalist who is assigned to the story it is fine, desirable in fact, that it is retweeted by other Sky News staff.
"Do not retweet information posted by other journalists or people on Twitter. Such information could be wrong and has not been through the Sky News editorial process."………
A Sky News spokeswoman said: "Sky News has the same editorial procedures across all their platforms including social media to ensure the news we report is accurate."
Saturday 11 February 2012
How quickly the story changes once animal cruelty is exposed *WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES & SOUNDS*
This week various media outlets reported that; The NSW Food Authority ordered the immediate halt yesterday to slaughter at the Hawkesbury Valley Meat Processors at Wilberforce, in Sydney's west, after seeing undercover footage apparently taken by a worker at the abattoir.
Since the animal cruelty allegations surfaced there have been professions of innocence or ignorance and, suggestions that what was shown on the video was rogue behaviour on the part of either individual abattoir workers or this one particular business
.
Although these are comforting sentiments for the general meat-eating public, they are unlikely to be based on verifiable fact. The number of workers shown in the video and the relaxed body language suggests that the actions shown were probably commonplace and acceptable within company culture.
A number of local businessess are attempting to deny seeing or hearing anything, however one cannot exclude the possibility that it was common local knowledge that the abattoir was operating in an inapproriate manner.
This morning further allegations emerged in The Australian:
The Weekend Australian viewed a cache of documents dating back to the late 1990s, including correspondence with council and local MPs, detailing alleged ammonia leaks, poisoning and pieces of animal carcass carried by birds on to adjacent properties. Although one case went to court, no prosecution was recorded.
Neither the Federal Labor Government nor the NSW Coalition Government can spin this away and both should act on the matter. The Gillard Government by looking into the possibility of a national abattoir monitoring policy and, the O'Farrell Government by creating legislation which mandates CCTV on all abattoir killing floors and by vigorously prosecuting any wrongdoing.
A number of local businessess are attempting to deny seeing or hearing anything, however one cannot exclude the possibility that it was common local knowledge that the abattoir was operating in an inapproriate manner.
This morning further allegations emerged in The Australian:
The Weekend Australian viewed a cache of documents dating back to the late 1990s, including correspondence with council and local MPs, detailing alleged ammonia leaks, poisoning and pieces of animal carcass carried by birds on to adjacent properties. Although one case went to court, no prosecution was recorded.
Neither the Federal Labor Government nor the NSW Coalition Government can spin this away and both should act on the matter. The Gillard Government by looking into the possibility of a national abattoir monitoring policy and, the O'Farrell Government by creating legislation which mandates CCTV on all abattoir killing floors and by vigorously prosecuting any wrongdoing.
According to information available on the Internet, HAWKESBURY VALLEY MEAT PROCESSORS PTY LTD, R W LANGLEY WHOLESALE MEAT PTY LTD and M & A BUTCHERY all share the same physical address at 62 King Road, Wilberforce, New South Wales.
The first two business appear to be connected with Ken and Glenn Langley and the third with Michael and Angela Diasinos along with their sons.
This is M & A BUTCHERY featured in a local food blog in November 2009:
Whilst the family still run the butchery and own the abattoir, the abattoir itself is leased to another party. The meat in the shop though still comes from the abattoir which is only 200 metres away…. A typical day lasts from 6.00am to 6.00pm. The head butcher will set up in the morning whilst Dean goes to the abattoir and works out what to bring into the shop.
Celestial art
Click on photograph to enlarge
Then click again for full resolution
Then click again for full resolution
Carina Nebula
Milky Way : Star Formation
Distance: 7500 light years
This broad panorama of the Carina Nebula, a region of massive star formation in the southern skies, was taken in infrared light using the HAWK-I camera on ESO’s Very Large Telescope. Many previously hidden features, scattered across a spectacular celestial landscape of gas, dust and young stars, have emerged.
Credit: ESO/T. Preibisch
The spirit of Elizabeth Macarthur lived on
Forget the bad and eventually mad John Macarthur – and remember that it was Elizabeth who kept those original merino flocks going and helped Australia jump on the sheep’s back.
In The Sydney Morning Herald on 8th February 2012:
“Sheep have a greater diversity of genes than many other animals in Australia because of the way they have been bred, a new study has found…..
"Our detailed gene map is telling us that sheep breeds have been formed in a fluid way that makes them different from other species of domestic animals," lead author James Kilas from the CSIRO said in a statement…..”
Pic found at Google Images
Friday 10 February 2012
It's time to ask Australian butchers and supermarkets where they are sourcing the meat you buy
As the NSW abattoir currently in the news for alleged animal cruelty apparently slaughters for domestic consumption only, here is a brief outline for ethical consumers.
The Sydney Morning Herald 10 February 2012:
A SYDNEY abattoir has stopped slaughtering and faces closure and prosecution after hidden-camera footage of chilling animal cruelty emerged.
The NSW Food Authority ordered the immediate halt yesterday to slaughter at the Hawkesbury Valley Meat Processors at Wilberforce, in Sydney's west, after seeing undercover footage apparently taken by a worker at the abattoir.
''This is one of the worst cases I've seen in an abattoir of animal cruelty,'' said Peter Day, a spokesman for the authority. The footage, recorded over six days at the end of last month, shows workers mistreating sheep, cattle, pigs and goats….
The Telegraph 10 February 2012:
It is believed Hawkesbury Valley Meat Processors provided the footage to authorities after becoming aware animal rights activists had provided it to a media outlet.
Department of Primary Industries NSW Food Authority 9 February 2012 media release Slaughtering at Sydney abattoir stopped:
Action by the NSW Food Authority today has led to the shut down of slaughtering at a Sydney abattoir. This follows the Authority examining disturbing video footage of acts of gross animal mistreatment.
The video shows the slaughter of sheep, cattle, goats and pigs that allegedly breaches the Food Regulation 2010 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979.
Australian standards under the Food Regulation 2010 require that "animals are slaughtered in a way that prevents unnecessary injury, pain and suffering to them and causes them the least practical disturbance."
A full investigation of slaughter practices at the site is now underway, which involves the RSPCA.
Non compliance of food and animal welfare laws is taken extremely seriously.
The welfare of animals in NSW is protected under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (POCTA) 1979 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulation which are overseen by the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
Under POCTA fines of up to $110,000 or two years imprisonment apply for acts of aggravated acts of cruelty to animals.
The NSW Food Authority regulates abattoirs in NSW.
All abattoirs operating in NSW are required to hold a licence and operate in accordance with the Food Regulation 2010. Abattoirs are required to comply with the NSW Standard for the Hygienic Production and Transportation of Meat and Meat Products for Human Consumption.
https://rirdc.infoservices.com.au/downloads/07-183
Extracted from ASIC's database at AEST 06:45:33 on 10/02/2012 |
Name | HAWKESBURY VALLEY MEAT PROCESSORS PTY LTD | |
ACN |
| |
ABN |
| |
Australian Proprietary Company, Limited By Shares | ||
Registration Date | 19/04/2006 | |
Next Review Date | 19/04/2012 | |
Registered | ||
Locality of Registered Office | Mona Vale NSW 2103 | |
Australian Securities & Investments Commission |
Directors of this company appear to include Glenn Langley and Ronald Winston Langley of R W Langley Wholesale Meat Pty Ltd
Q: Is Hartsuyker telling untruths to his electorate again? A: Is he opening his mouth and moving his lips?
Nationals MP for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker, media release dated 6 February 2012 and reported in The Coffs Coast Advocate on 7 February:
"An analysis of Treasury modelling has revealed that in addition to rises in the cost of living, under a carbon tax real wages will drop one per cent by 2020 and six per cent by 2050," Mr Hartsuyker said. "A one per cent drop is the equivalent of $600 per year for a worker on average wages. As we approach July 1 when the carbon tax will come into effect, the true impact is becoming very real. The double whammy of lower wages and higher prices will hit families hard.
"Last week Qantas announced an increase in their charges as a result of the Gillard Government's carbon tax.
This will have an impact on our domestic tourism industry which is so important to the North Coast. …"
Sounds terrible, doesn't it? Shall we panic now as this less than honest MP obviously hopes we will?
Well, before you expend any energy on emulating Chicken Little for the edification of neighbours and friends, consider the following – a 15 February Qantas price increase is not due to the yet to be implemented Australian carbon pricing scheme and, the most recent Treasury update does not support any doomsday scenario in relation to wages.
Qantas statement concerning the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme:
From 1st January 2012, aviation will be included in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). The EU ETS covers all flights operating into or out of the EU, no matter where the operator is based. The EU ETS requires the operator of the flight to acquire allowances in respect of the emissions generated by any flight into or out of the EU. Qantas as a result will need to comply with the EU ETS, with an estimated cost impact of approximately A$2.3 million in the initial calendar year 2012.
In context of the significant challenges facing the global aviation industry, the Qantas International business will be unable to absorb the additional costs associated with the EU ETS and there will be a pass-through to customers…..
While the Qantas ticket prices to UK/Europe may rise initially with the introduction of the EU ETS collection from 15 February 2012, Qantas ticket prices will remain competitive and are subject to change. [my red bolding]
Qantas statement concerning Domestic Carbon Pricing and Carbon Tax charge:
The Australian Government introduced its Clean Energy legislation last year, which created a carbon price system (CPS). The CPS takes effect from 1 July 2012…
In the context of the significant challenges facing the global aviation industry, the Qantas Group will be unable to absorb the additional costs associated with the CPS and there will be a full pass-through to customers.
Price rise projections (including GST per sector) start at $1.82 for journeys under 701kms to $6.86 for journeys of 1,901kms and above.
Australian Government Treasury, Modelling A Carbon Price Overview, September 2011:
This update revises the policy parameters of the national and sectoral economic modelling contained in the Strong growth, low pollution: modelling a carbon price (SGLP) report.
It presents two additional scenarios: one that reflects the Clean Energy Future package endorsed by the MPCCC, with a starting carbon price of $23/t CO2‑e instead of the $20/t CO2‑e modelled in the SGLP report; and one that also includes additional Government policy measures.
The updated modelling confirms the Australian economy will continue to grow strongly while emissions are reduced. Macroeconomic and sectoral projections from the updated policy scenarios are very close to those of the SGLP policy scenario, as the policy scenarios feature the same emission targets, the same carbon prices after the first three years and share a majority of other policy features.
Average incomes measured by gross national income (GNI) per person increase by around $9,000 from today's level to 2020 and by more than $30,000 to 2050. GNI per person grows by 1.1 per cent per year to 2050 with carbon pricing, compared to 1.2 per cent per year without carbon pricing. Employment continues to grow strongly, with national employment increasing by 1.6 million jobs by 2020, with or without carbon pricing. All state economies continue to grow strongly.
The impact of a $23/t CO2‑e carbon price on aggregate consumer prices (of 0.7 per cent in 2012‑13) was reported in the SGLP report; no update is needed.
The main additional results in this modelling update are:
· the higher starting price reduces domestic emissions by an additional 5 Mt CO2‑e in total over the first three years of the scheme;
· the Government measure to apply an effective carbon price to fuel used by heavy road vehicles from 1 July 2014 reduces Australia's domestic emissions by an additional 4 Mt CO2‑e in 2020 and 20 Mt CO2‑e in 2050 and lowers the cost of meeting Australia's emission reduction targets; and
· updated electricity sector modelling confirms the estimated 10 per cent increase in electricity prices in 2012‑13 from carbon pricing presented in the SGLP report. [my red bolding]
Excerpt from a 9 February media release by Federal Labor MP for Page, Janelle Saffin:
PAGE MP Janelle Saffin says Federal Member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker’s latest attempt to discredit the carbon price shows that he has got his facts wrong … again.
“Mr Hartsuyker is trying to instil fear into workers by claiming that a carbon price will cut real wages,” Ms Saffin said.
Ms Saffin said the facts are Treasury modelling of the Australian Government’s Clean Energy Future Package shows that under a carbon price:
• Real wages will increase by 20 per cent by 2020 and almost 50 per cent by 2050;
• Incomes will grow – real income per capita is projected to increase by $9000 in today’s dollars by 2020;
• Employment will grow with 1.6 million new jobs created by 2020;
• Strong economic growth will continue with gross national income projected to grow at 1.1 per cent a year to 2050;
• Price impacts will be modest with a one-off increase of 0.7 per cent in the Consumer Price Index, much less than the 2.5 per cent impact of the GST;
• And importantly, pollution will fall – by 2050, carbon pricing is expected to reduce Australia’s domestic carbon emissions by nearly half what they would be without a carbon price, a reduction of 485 million tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent.
Ms Saffin said Mr Hartsuyker can remain a climate change skeptic if he likes, but he should not consistently misrepresent Treasury modelling.......
The Government’s Clean Energy Act will put a price on the pollution of the country’s 500 biggest polluters, creating economic incentives to reduce pollution and invest in clean energy.
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