Meet The Great Barrier Reef - virtual tour

http://www.catlinseaviewsurvey.com/seaview.htm

The Catlin Seaview Survey aims to carry out the first comprehensive study to document the composition and health of coral reefs on the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea across an unprecedented depth range (0-100m). There are three components to the Catlin Seaview Survey:

1) The shallow reef survey will involve photographing the reef in full 360 degree panoramic vision on an unprecedented scale using specially developed cameras. These images will be analysed automatically using image recognition software creating an incredibly rich broad scale baseline for scientific analysis from locations along the entire length of the 2300km reef. The visual baseline will be made freely available through Google, for scientists all around the world to study.

2) The deep reef survey looks into the effects of climate change on one of the least known ecosystems on the planet – the deep-water reefs or mesophotic coral ecosystems (between 30-100m). It will provide a comprehensive study of the health composition and biodiversity of the deepwater reefs on the Great Barrier Reef as well as experimentally assess their susceptibility to increased temperature and climate change.

3) The third component of the survey is the mega fauna survey. This is led by Emmy award winning cinematographer and shark researcher Richard Fitzpatrick. We’re going to be tagging and tracking manta rays, turtles and tiger sharks using satellite tags and tracking their movements live in relation to oceanographic data. This is a really important study as there are almost no comprehensive studies that have examined how large animals are changing their distributions in response to rapidly warming seas.

Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg is the chief scientist on the project and is overseeing all three components.

Project home page here.

This virtual tour may become a poignant reminder of the past due to the ongoing industrial ravages imposed on this natural wonder:

MILLIONS of tonnes of potentially toxic dredge spoils from coal and gas port expansions along the Queensland coast have been earmarked to be dumped into the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Rudd Rampant

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“I want to finish the job the Australian people elected me to do when I was elected by them to become Prime Minister.”

Kev, me ol’ china, you know that’s nonsense. In Australia the people don’t elect the prime minister, the parliament doesn’t elect the prime minister – the political party which wins government elects the prime minister.

Fer gawds sake, you’re starting to sound and act like Tony Abbott!

Old goat taken from Google Images

Reconciliation Australia and you

The people of Page are being invited to join a grassroots campaign to support the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians in the Constitution.

In August last year the Federal Member for Page, Janelle Saffin hosted public consultations in Grafton and Lismore as a member of the panel appointed by the Prime Minister to advise the Government on how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people could be recognised in the Constitution.

Ms Saffin said it was clear from the views raised at the consultations that there was strong support from the local people who came along and their views were reflected in the panel’s report presented to the Prime Minister in January this year.

“At the local consultations held in Grafton and Lismore there was strong support expressed for constitutional recognition. There was debate about what goes in and overwhelming support to get rid of Section 25 (this says that if a State law disqualifies all the people of any race from voting in State elections, then those persons shall not be counted when working out how many seats each State gets in the House of Representatives).

“Some people started saying we want the Rolls Royce model- and I agree- but are happy to start with what we can all come to agreement on.

“Now we are taking the next step towards long-overdue constitutional change with the roll-out of a national community awareness and education campaign. The panel’s work was a great starting point but the next step is to harness the goodwill and sense of fairness of the Australian people to build the momentum for change,” Ms Saffin said.

Ms Saffin said Reconciliation Australia, the peak national organisation building and promoting reconciliation across the country, had been appointed to lead the national movement for change.

“The Reconciliation Australia campaign will build on the positive mood for change that was evident at the hundreds of meetings and consultations that panel members held across the country, including here in my seat of Page on the Northern Rivers. This support came from a range of organisations, community groups and individuals and now we are looking forward to working with them to see this through to a successful referendum.”

“We want people to spread the message on how important it is for a modern, forward-looking country like Australia to recognise the history, cultures, art and languages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

“They can do this by talking about it to their families and friends, at school, at their workplaces, at their sporting clubs, community meetings and their churches. We need everyone to start thinking and talking about it.

“A good place to start is to visit the website www.youmeunity.org.au to find out more, show your support and see what others are saying about constitutional recognition,” Ms Saffin said.

For further information contact Lee Duncan 0448 158 150

Office of Janelle Saffin MP, Page Electorate, media release on 23 February 2012

Rainy day thoughts

This year on the farm started with rain which then developed into a downpour with intermingled showers. We were certain there was more rain on the way when the geese broke into the machine shed and set up camp out of the weather. This came as a surprise for of all the animals on the property they should have enjoyed the wet.

The road into the property became impassable - which meant that we were isolated for days at a time, the electricity was not that reliable and the telephone developed the tin tank echo it always has when the ground is soaked. At least this time the telephone did not have the sinister bomb tick it usually has when the neighbours electric fence shorts out.

It was very calm watching the water rise, fall and then rise again. This time was spent in comfort and thought. Friends and relatives rang up with concerned voices which started me thinking how long a city could survive with the same services that we in the rural areas receive.

It is not that I'm upset about the services (though there could be improvement) what was a worry was the thought of how a major flood incident in a city would affect the residents. How many have an evacuation plan? Do they know the choke points on the roads, what to take with them, what is needed to survive for an extended period if you stay put? How long could it be before help would arrive?

Photograph found at Clarence River Floods

The Daily Examiner opinion piece says; Rudd's Time Has Passed

 

The Daily Examiner Editor on 22 February 2012:

AS the voting public, excitable members of the press gallery and some nervous Labor politicians contemplate a return of Kevin Rudd to the prime ministerial suite, they should remind themselves of why he was booted out of there in the first place.

He was punted because members of the groups above lost faith he could do his job.

Forget the Opposition spin about knives in the back, backroom deals, and voters not getting the person they wanted as prime minister; that is just part of the political process.

The Labor caucus would have never contemplated changing leadership if they had not believed it necessary. And from where I sit, they were right.

After starting in whirlwind style, K Rudd recorded unprecedented popularity.

He honoured pre-election promises to make an official apology to the stolen generations, was everywhere man and appeared to have what his predecessor never had - a sense of humour and common touch.

But it did not take long for the gloss to wear thin and what soon emerged was a micro-managing control freak who wanted his hands on every piece of government policy.

There is simply too much for one person to do in that position and the result was the whole process of government came to a grinding halt, no decisions were being made and, rather than look on top of things, the prime minister looked drained and unable to meet the heavy demands of the position.

His axing from the top job may have been ugly, but these things are never pretty.

People might not be impressed with Julia Gillard's leadership style, but she is getting things done, which is no mean feat in a minority government involving people like the Greens, some rural-based independents and Andrew Wilkie.

Voters expect their politicians to govern; to make decisions and stick with them. But what they are seeing now, largely due to Mr Rudd, is an in-fighting, back-stabbing rabble not capable of governing.

It's time he pulled his head in.

Has the caravan moved on from Kevin?

A selection of tweets concerning former Oz Foreign Minister and once-more-with-feeling aspirant for the role of Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd MP. The level of sly mockery must give the number crunchers pause for thought. Áussies don't normally vote for the butt of their jokes

chrismurphys chris murphy

If Kevin Rudd is made Leader of the ALP I will be first Murphy since 1891 not to vote Labor. Grandfather Gallipoli, 6sons WW2. #auspol

annabelcrabb Annabel Crabb

Kevin Rudd: So difficult and chaotic that I put him in charge of Australia's foreign policy. #eeeek

toplitigator Mark J. Cohen

Possibly line of the day: 'Kevin Rudd is a self-made man, and he is devoted to his creator'. #auspol

PaulBongiorno Paul Bongiorno

Reality check: Kevin Rudd was rolled before the 2010 election, Julia Gillard then won the vote 2pp just over 50% and won the negotiation.

Wil_Anderson Wil Anderson

Kevin Rudd is challenging. Never has a truer sentence been typed...

latikambourke Latika Bourke

Now, Stephen Conroy on the #pokies story and Wilkie's revelations - says it's clear Kevin Rudd has been a 'complete and utter fraud.'

zozstar zoran

Break news:Kevin Rudd has said nothing in the last few hours #auspol

BreakfastNews ABC News Breakfast

Nicola Roxon: Kevin Rudd was "very difficult to work with"

@Joe_Hildebrand Joe Hildebrand

I like how Kevin Rudd launched his new staff-friendly persona by calling a press conference at 1.30am. #lateline

michellegrattan Michelle Grattan

And later today Wayne Swan might tell us what he really thinks of Kevin Rudd

vexnews vexnews

LIKE A BOSS: PM Gillard shows the strongest steel comes from the hottest fire #auspol #respill http://t.co/7bexSdDY

The Age online poll: Has Kevin Rudd done the right thing?

Yesterday Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs resigned. Prime Minister Julia Gillard is expected to announce a leadership spill this morning.

The Age asks the question Has Kevin Rudd done the right thing? and so far over 46,000 people reply in the affirmative.