Your folly is risking our lives!

On 2 April 2012 Ray Hunt of Yamba on the NSW North Coast sent an email to Clarence Valley Council.

Because he is not alone in his concerns, this post is an excerpt from that email:

This morning 2-4-12, I was riding my bicycle out along Yamba Road at about 30kms p/hour in the cycle lane.

Approaching Freeburn St intersection I suddenly found the cycleway narrowing towards the newly laid curb and a motor vehicle veering onto me from my right.

I had nowhere to go and quickly applied my brakes causing me to skid.

The vehicle on my right was virtually on top of me blowing his horn. I could hear screeching noises coming from the vehicles behind as they quickly applies their brakes.

By the time I had nearly come to a stop the vehicle on my right began to move away and I noted the cycleway once again opening up.

No thanks to your staff I am very lucky to be alive today.

The roadworks at Freeburn intersection have just been altered, allowing for vehicles to stop before turning right into Freeburn Street. The motor vehicles following veer left into what was the cycle lane which just disappears and restarts 50m further up Yamba Road.

The curbing which has just been built does not allow for widening of the road to allow bicycles to continue up Yamba Road with safety.

Why is Council making Yamba so bicycle unfriendly?……….

I respectfully urge you to look at this unsafe intersection with a degree of urgency before one of our kids gets killed.

If you or your children cycle along Yamba Road perhaps you should consider writing to The General Manager, Clarence Valley Council, 2 Prince Street, Grafton NSW 2460 or emailing via council@clarence.nsw.gov.au.

In an obvious effort to create a turning lane into Freeburn Street the Yamba Road cycleway disappears. With no break in the concrete kerbing to allow cyclists to escape onto the footpath away from vehicles now competing for the same road space. There are also no signs warning motorists and cyclists that they are approaching a potential 'blackspot'.

Couple (below) crossing T-intersection onto cycleway further up Yamba Road

** Photographs taken were taken early morning Easter Sunday 8.4.12

Peter Phelps MLC: when pollies talk through an orifice far from their mouth

Over the weekend this nonsense caught my eye in The Telegraph on 8^th April 2012:

“ATTORNEY-GENERAL Greg Smith has come under fire from within his own party for appointing judges with a history of defending accused terrorists.

Peter Phelps MLC said Mr Smith needed to explain why he believed his last three judicial appointments were appropriate for "a conservative government", given their records as barristers.

The Sunday Telegraph has been told Mr Phelps' concerns - raised in the government's closed party room before Parliament met on Monday - echo growing fears within the party about Mr Smith's alleged "Left leanings" and "soft on crime" stance on judicial issues.

While Mr Phelps refused to comment on the altercation, saying his "one rule in politics is not to discuss party room in public", a number of other MPs have confirmed his attack on the Attorney-General…….

Mr Smith, a former member of the Labor Party, responded to Mr Phelps' concerns by saying he had worked with at least one of the men during his time as a prosecutor.

Mr Smith also said he had great faith in their judgment and ability and his spokesman defended the decision to appoint the three barristers and lashed out at Mr Phelps.

"Is he [Mr Phelps] going to suggest that everyone who acted as a public defender is unsuitable? That would rule out a lot of judges," he said.

"Advocates are sometimes required to represent unpopular clients and it is part of the strength of our justice system that leading silks take on this duty. It's called the cab-rank principle."

Robert Beech-Jones SC, Peter Maiden SC, and Chris Hoy SC, were all recently sworn as judges in the Supreme Court of NSW (RB-J) and District Court of NSW (PM &CH). Apparently these appointments occurred in the face of Troll Phelps personal objections – a Liberal Party pollie who obviously sees them as the terrorist’s friend at court. Because these three gentlemen have long legal histories which could take up pages to recap, I’ve decided to look at only the first contender for the charge of dangerous, leftist leanings leading to love of all things terrorist.

So how does a potted public history of Robert Beech-Jones' professional activity stack up?

1995 Counsel representing Australian Trade Commission - litigation

1996 Counsel representing Australian Trade Commission - litigation

1997 Counsel representing Comcare – litigation

1998 Counsel representing the Minister For Immigration And Multicultural Affairs – litigation

1999 Counsel representing a Tongan citizen – litigation involving request for visa application review

2000 Counsel representing the Minister For Immigration And Multicultural Affairs – litigation

2001 Counsel for a former migration agent – litigation seeking review of decision of the Migration Agents Registration Authority

2002 Counsel assisting the HIH Royal Commission – investigation of the collapse of an insurance company

2003 Counsel assisting the HIH Royal Commission – investigation of the collapse of an insurance company

2004 Counsel representing the Minister For Immigration And Multicultural Affairs – litigation

2005 Counsel assisting the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption - investigation

2006 Counsel representing the Minister For Immigration And Multicultural Affairs – litigation

2007 Counsel representing former female partner with Price Waterhouse Cooper – sexual harassment litigation

2008 Representing 1^st and 2^nd respondents - appeal and application for leave to appeal from a decision of a costs review panel upholding a costs assessment

2009 Counsel representing the Australian Securities and Investments Commission – matter concerning CSR and James Hardie compensation obligations

2009 Counsel representing Mamdouh Habib – litigation involving compensation/damages claim

2010 Counsel representing the Australian Securities and Investments Commission – litigation involving James Hardy asbestos compensation fund

2011 Counsel representing Hanlong Mining's vice-president  - litigation

2011 Counsel acting on behalf of Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions – litigation

2011 Acting for the Crown – litigation  involving former finance director of the Fincorp Group

2012  Acting on behalf of ACT Super Management – litigation

Fair dinkum! Robert Beech-Jones SC would have to be the epitome of legal middle-of-the-road in a conservative legal system which leans towards those who are white, wealthy, educated or powerful. Once more Peter Phelps MLC is talking from the southern-most orifice of his body.

# Thanks to Clarencegirl for finding some of the court cases mentioned

Moggy Musings [Archived Material from Boy The Wonder Cat]

A Clarence Valley Council acting the ostrich musing: In February 2012 the new Clarence MP requested a review of the speed limit on Iluka Road and locals have a name and RMS address to send their submissions to - but Council thinks the review's current status is that of a rumour. WTF? says my hoomin.

A Will the NSW Department of Education even try to keep within ethical limits in 2012? musing: The good thing about paradise is the little birds. And just recently a little birdie told me that a year of Dorrigo High School students were given a presentation on Antimony by one of Anchor Resources reps, Graham Rabbone and were then asked to write a paper and get their parents involved. Antimony was of course shown in a wonderful light. The class teacher of this yr was also allegedly taken out... to lunch by Anchor Resources. And sadly, this is not the only reported incidence of a lunch or dinner that Anchor has shouted....

A herding cane toads musing: Congratulations to the hundreds of hardy toad herders out and about in Yamba for its 14th Annual Cane Toad Roundup on 4 March 2012. A little birdy tweeted me that the heaviest toad caught as 277g and the biggest single bag handed in contained 130 toads. Well done all! Follow up - the final cane toad count is in and it's 2,521 of the darstardly hoppers. A new Yamba record.

An I can't believe it's not butter musing: For months now there has been a strong rumour doing the rounds that a NSW Nationals MP had an affair in 2011 with a former Nationals' staffer. The burning question contained in this rumour is: Did both parties agree to leave their partners and did the politician renege on the promise - leaving the staffer facing a very angry spouse?

A who is HappyVegemiteKR musing: YouTube is carrying a video clip of Kevin Rudd swearing while he was Aussie Prime Minister. The commitariat are blaming the video on an anonymous Gillard supporter, but local moggies aren't so sure. With only one video posted on the day this user joined the only thing we know about them is that they decided to record their age as 42. How old is Peta Credlin, again? Just about to turn 41? Hhmm - wonder who else is in the frame?

A who verballed Abbott musing: My little canine friend Veronica Lake is chortling quietly. She reckons Abbott wasn't verballed at all and the person who told Tony Hodges words to the effect that Abbott thought the Tent Embassy should be moved from the existing site was actually a journo from the Murdoch press. So who's to blame for stirring the pot then?

A tweet musing: One of my fav Siamese @CatFoodBreath has corrected the record when it comes to famous Hollywood movie quotes and here they are: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a meow.” “I’m going to bring him a dead mouse he can’t refuse.” “You don’t understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a cat. I could’ve been somebody, instead of a dog, which is what I am.” “Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not on the couch anymore.” “Here’s looking at you, kitty.” “Go ahead, make my lunch.” “All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my nap.” “May the Fur be with you.” “You talkin’ to me?” “I love the smell of cat food breath in the morning.” “Being a cat means never having to say you’re sorry.” “The stuff that cats are made of.” “They call me Cat Food Breath!” “I’m as sleepy as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” “Breath. Cat Food Breath.” “There’s no place like the couch.” “Show me the cat snacks!”

A reason the dog barked in the night musing: My little canine friend Veronica Lake is all puffed up with pride because she barked away intruders while staying with a friend; Between 1.30am and 3am the perpetrators roamed streets including Osprey Dr, The Halyard, Admiralty Crt and Gumnut Rd, armed with a screwdriver casing out properties.

A mail musing: Still sniggering over the rumour that one local voter returned to sender the Christmas Greetings flyer sent out by the new MP for Page in an envelope addressed to 'Steve' Gulaptis MP.

A rumoured whiff of corruption musing: Which Clarence Valley local currently housed at Her Majesty's pleasure is allegedly having his government-subsidised NCCHC social housing held indefinitely for him because he has family connections in the Commonwealth welfare bureaucracy?

There's no party politics in local government, says voice of authority

Being Easter, there wasn't the usual gathering at the Table of Knowledge on Friday arvo. However, an extraordinary meeting was convened for yesterday.

Midway through the agenda Uncle Tom (remember, he knows everything about everything) made mention of a piece he'd read in Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald.

The piece was 'Risky move is part of Labor's long game', which opened with
One year after the change of state government, council elections in September loom as the next big political contest.
For Labor, they will be a measure of how it has regrouped since the disastrous election result last March.
Like the Clarence byelection, following the resignation of the Nationals' Steve Cansdell, the council elections will also give Labor a chance to judge how the new Coalition government is faring.

Uncle Tom remarked, "The bloke who wrote that is dead-set wrong."

"Howzat?" enquired Big Bazza.

"What that bloke wrote might be right for elections in the metropolitan area but it doesn't apply here because we don't have any of that party politics stuff in our local government up here, or anywhere else in rural NSW," replied Uncle Tom.

So there you have it!

Uncle Tom, being a supporter of every and any thing to do with the coalition (but, admittedly, he's a true blue dyed in the wool National man) said it, so it must be true.

The last sighting we had of Big Bazza he was shufling off in the direction of his home, still scratching the back of his head, obviously bewildered by what he had learnt from Uncle Tom.

Attention: Avon reps and Tupperware agents

ADVERTORIAL

Are you sick and tired of the long hours you have to put in to make a few lousy dollars from your part time job?

Yes? Then here's just the opportunity you've been looking for.

A Lower Clarence resident reckons he's on a winner - he's an agent for forsalebyowner.com.au

The local rep has an ad on gumtree.com.au showing home owners how they can side step real estate agents and sell their properties via forsalebyowner.com.au for just $599.

Remember, caveat emptor.

Trust me, I'm Tony Abbott

The face of things to come?

I'll still respect them in the morning

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's attitude
on the eve of the
Federal General Election 2013

At last - a little sense comes out of the American heartlands

CBS News Health Watch 28^th March 2012:

“An Oklahoma judge on Wednesday struck down a state law requiring women seeking abortions to have an ultrasound image placed in front of them and to listen to a detailed description of the fetus before the procedure.

District Judge Bryan Dixon ruled the statute passed by the Legislature in 2010 is an unconstitutional special law because it addresses only patients, physicians and sonographers dealing with abortions and does not address them concerning other medical care….”