Are waters being muddied already in the Clarence Valley campaign to improve mental health services?

According to yourhealth.gov.au:

Northern Rivers General Practice Network Ltd, in partnership with Tweed Valley General Practice, Hastings Macleay General Practice Network, Mid North Coast Division of General Practice, North Coast GP Training and Many Rivers AMS Alliance has been selected to establish the North Coast NSW Medicare Local.

It went on to outline North Coast NSW Medicare Local's agenda in relation to mental health in this November 2011 document:

Establishment of a regional low intensity mental health service “Stress Less”……Continuation of support to clinicians and service providers delivering a range of programs including headspace, Mental Health Nurse Funding and Access to Allied Psychological Services.

On its own website North Coast NSW Medicare Local states:

Medicare Locals are part of plans to shift the focus of health care away from hospitals, instead providing better coordinated primary care (out of hospital care) in the community.

Over the next little while, our CEO Vahid Siberi will be taking to the road to meet politicians, VIPs and media and explain NCML's vision and aims and how the community can get involved. Not everything will happen overnight, it will take time for NCML to gather the information required on primary health care services to enable it to make a difference to the patient journey.  

On 9 May 2012 The Daily Examiner reported:

Though NCML can't help directly with The Daily Examiner's latest push for an overnight mental health facility at Grafton Base Hospital, the organisation's chief executive Vahid Saberi said he would listen to all concerns at a planned public meeting on mental health set down for Tuesday, June 5 at the Grafton District Services Club.

"I am familiar that there has been a need expressed for an overnight mental health facility in Grafton ... but bed-based services need to be funded through the state," he said. "But I would be happy to advocate for it." "My jurisdiction is outside hospital walls."

One has to wonder what NCNSWML’s principal government partner, the federal Dept. of Health & Aging, thinks of  Mr. Saberi moving so far from his brief next month by advocating for increased in-hospital care – no matter how much it may possibly be needed.

Well intentioned though he may be, this CEO is creating a situation which may yet get both federal and state agencies off-side.

Teh Kouk kicks out at Abbott's economic credentials and Pure Poison follows with a boot to the rear

Stephen Koukoulas of Market Economics had this response to the Australian Leader of the Opposition’s Budget Reply Speech on his blog on 10 May 2012:

ABBOTT: People who work hard and put money aside so they won’t be a burden on others should be encouraged, not hit with higher taxes.
FACT: The tax to GDP ratio of the first 5 Labor Budgets averaged 21.1%. The lowest ever tax to GDP recorded under the Howard government was 22.2% and the average was 23.4%. The last time a Coalition Government delivered a tax to GDP ratio below 21.1% was in 1979-80. Cannot see where the “hit with higher taxes” statement fits these facts in the current Budget context.

ABBOTT: And people earning $83,000 a year and families on $150,000 a year are not rich, especially if they’re paying mortgages in our big cities.
FACT: Average annual earnings are around $53,500 in NSW and $51,500 in Victoria. Maybe they are “not rich”, but someone on $83,000 is earning around 60% above the average wage whether they have a mortgage or not.

ABBOTT: Madam Deputy Speaker, from an economic perspective, the worst aspect of this year’s budget is that there is no plan for economic growth; nothing whatsoever to promote investment or employment.
FACT: After registering a 19^th straight year of economic growth in 2010-11, the Budget shows Australia growing at 3% in 2011-12, 3.25% in 2012-13 and 3% in 2013-14. Having risen a Chinese-type 18% in 2011-12, business investment is forecast to rise a further 12.5% in 2012-13. Employment is forecast to rise by 1.25% in 2012-13, which will see the creation of around 175,000 new jobs from now until June 2013.

Read the rest here.

The full transcript of Tony Abbott's budget reply (containing no specific economic/funding information concerning his own inchoate policies) can be found here.

Over at Pure Poison they are wondering when the press gallery is finally going to call Abbott out on the rubbish he's spouting:

Contrasting the GFC deficits with the pre-GFC boom as if there wasn’t a GFC – surely someone could ask Abbott if he even noticed the existence of a global financial crisis or if he’s a weirdo conspiracy theorist who thinks the rest of the world just made it up.

The “cuts to defence” line, which are mainly to do with delaying the disastrous Joint Strike Fighter that’s running late and is a step backward anyway. Could someone ask Abbott whether he’d insist on going ahead with it right now while other buyers are backing away?

The “we’ll find savings” line – could someone ask Abbott just why any Australians should believe that he’ll find $70 billion savings in a way that none of us will mind? And why he thinks we shouldn’t all be very worried that something we or a family member or friend rely on might not be one of the things he slashes in order to give “incentives” to big polluting companies?

How about his “trickle down” theory, where you don’t need any actual plan for growth other than slashing taxes for big business (except when Labor proposes them) and the super rich?

You could question his complaints about not enough money going into the NDIS and dental care given that the Liberals haven’t promised to put in any more either.

How about asking him to reconcile his demand for “growth” with his previous fixation on interest rates being low? Is that suddenly not important now that interest rates are lower under Labor than they ever were under the Coalition?

Growing dirt pile is getting closer to NSW O'Farrell Government Resources and Energy Minister, Chris Hartcher

Something which places a different emphasis on Chris Hartcher’s open for business philosophy?

Sean Nicholls writing in The Sydney Morning Herald on 13 May 2012:

A SENIOR staff member of the NSW Minister for Resources and Energy, Chris Hartcher, has resigned and his electorate officer has been suspended after election funding authorities launched an investigation into allegations against them.
Tim Koelma, who had worked for Mr Hartcher for a decade, and Ray Carter, Mr Hartcher's electorate officer in Terrigal, were suspended in late March after the NSW Liberal Party wrote to the Election Funding Authority alleging they had breached funding laws.
It is understood political donations to the NSW branch of the party were being sought through a trust connected to Mr Koelma……

The Craig Thomson Saga: He's in another universe?

Jackson (left) and Thomson (right)

Health Services Union officials have rejected Federal Independent MP Craig Thomson’s claim that he was set up by a member/s of the union with regard to allegations currently being investigated by NSW Police – one even saying that he’s in another universe.

Certain political commentators are also tending to openly scoff at the MP's claim.

However, it may pay to tread carefully because Thomson’s claim bears a remarkable similarity to another HSU official’s claim in 2009. The fact that there are two individual claims in a short time frame tends to support the idea that dirty tricks may be part of the internal life of this union. The Jackson allegations were also allegedly investigated by police.

The Weekend Australian article concerning allegations against Jeff Jackson, April 2009:

The statement of a Bendigo Gold Visa card allegedly issued to Jackson shows expenditure on services that fall far outside his normal duties. It includes a string of prostitutes, designer clothes, dental work, gourmet food and drinks at a favourite Melbourne hotel. Jackson challenges the authenticity of this credit card account and dismisses allegations he has misused any funds as part of a "dirty tricks campaign" mounted by opponents within his union…..

Last year Jackson granted himself a 9 per cent pay rise, more than double the percentage his members received, after instructing his office manager Rita Wills to give him $15,000. This additional money was officially described on the union payroll as "back pay". When Jackson's junior official and friend Alex Hicks took leave without pay last October, he ordered that she get a one-off payment of $5000. Jackson told his office manager to record the sum as a political donation because Hicks was "campaigning for

Barack Obama".

Over a 15-month period to November last year, Jackson was reimbursed $19,000 for branch expenditure…..

The Australian article concerning allegations against Craig Thomson, April 2009:

A FEDERAL Labor MP and former union chief is facing allegations that his union credit cards were used to pay for escort services and to withdraw more than $100,000 in cash.

Fairfax newspapers report today that Craig Thomson allegedly also used union credit cards to bankroll his election campaign for the NSW seat of Dobell in 2007, but that this use of the cards had not been disclosed under electoral law.

Mr Thomson, 44, is a former national secretary of the Health Services Union, officials of which had made the allegations, it was reported.

Thomson is to make a personal explanation in the House of Representatives during the week beginning 21 May 2012.

Photographs found at Google Images

Update:

I acknowledge that I have played internal union and ALP politics for 20 years - and played it hard according to the grubby rule book of those environments. [National Secretary of the Health Services Union and Executive President of HSUeast Kathy Jackson, Is Kathy Jackson a hero?: a personal explanation, 1 February 2012]

And now journalists keep ringing her, wanting to ask about the political storm she accidentally sparked the previous night on ABC-TV's 7.30 Report when she accused the Government of interfering in the investigation into Thomson being carried out by the independent industrial umpire Fair Work Australia. It was an accusation she had not planned to make, and one that was especially awkward given her partner Michael Lawler is vice-president of FWA. She now concedes she has no firm evidence to back up the allegation. "That just sort of happened," she giggles as she lights a cigarette.......
[The Australian, Union dues,18 February 2012]

On  21 December 2011 Joint Vice-President of Fair Work Australia and past Howard Government appointee to the former Australian Industrial Relations Commission which adjudicated under WorkChoices legislation, Michael J Lawler, makes a formal complaint to NSW Police in a private capacity against certain officials in the HSU, after Fair Work Australia received complaints about alleged inappropriate contact and interference by Lawler in union matters on behalf of Kathy Jackson.

Further update:

Wixxyleaks on the subject of Michael J Lawler 17 May 2012:

I contacted Fair Work Australia today after anonymous sources informed me that he had been stood down. Initially I spoke to Michael’s PA, who informed me she knew nothing, only that he was not in the office all day.
I again contacted FWA as rumors persisted. late this afternoon I was contacted by FWA’s Communications Manager, Judy Hughes who informed me that Michael was on “Long Leave”. Not Long Service Leave, Sick Leave, or Holidays, “Long Leave”.
She would not expand on this, citing “privacy reasons”, however based on my earlier conversations with both her and Michael’s PA, I was left with the impression that this decision had been taken rather suddenly. I was also left wondering who actually made the decision, as when I asked Judy if Michael had chosen to go on leave, I was told that Judy ”did not have that information”.
Reasons for his “Long Leave” are, as yet, unclear — however questions are being raised as to whether it is connected with the HSU investigation in which his partner Kathy Jackson was the Union “whistleblower”. Questions have been raised about Lawler’s relationship with Tony Abbott, and how this may have had an influence on any investigations taking place in FWA which involved Craig Thomson.

Updating the updates:

In which Kathy Jackson stretches credulity about what is fact, what she would have known about her ex-husband and admits to an inappropriate discussion....

The Telegraph online 2 February 2012:

Also included in the file is an affidavit from Lynne Russell, an HSU councillor, alleging Ms Jackson's ex-husband Jeff had blown the whistle on the shovel incident, which is the subject of a police investigation.
Ms Jackson claimed the shovel was left by union opponents as a warning for her to keep quiet over the allegations of financial wrongdoing.
In the November 23 affidavit, Ms Russell said to Mr Jackson: "I read about Kathy being admitted to hospital, are her and the kids OK?"
Mr Jackson was then alleged to have replied: "Yeah, they're OK, the f ... ing shovel has been in the shed for the last 10 years."
Ms Jackson denied the allegations and said she was "not commenting about any affidavit that I have not seen"

Excerpts from ABC TV 7.30 21 May 2012:

CHRIS UHLMANN: Are you aware of any union officials before Mr Thomson be accused of consorting with prostitutes?
KATHY JACKSON: No.

CHRIS UHLMANN: Has Michael Lawler ever been involved with you in any of the strategy meetings with the HSU about any of the actions that you have got going?

KATHY JACKSON: Well obviously as my partner I talk to Michael about what I’m doing and as my partner I talk to him about not just HSU issues but other issues as well.

CHRIS UHLMANN: Is it that appropriate?

KATHY JACKSON: I think it’s very appropriate as my partner that I ask him advice and assistance. But he is not running the case for the HSU. I tell him what I’m doing, not the other way around.

NSW Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis' speech writer has him accept one aspect of climate change?

Nationals MP for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, has been providing endless amusement since he entered the NSW Parliament – not least because on the floor of the House he has suddenly developed a vocabulary, turn of phrase and occasional grasp of concepts which are totally foreign to his normal self and past utterance in the respective council chambers of the Maclean and Clarence Valley local governments.

One has to suspect that he is well-rehearsed by his ‘unofficial’ speech writer/s.

However one of his latest efforts is mindboggling, as it appears that in less than a month his climate change denialism has disappeared:

“Climate change is expected to affect the behaviour of invasive species as they shift in distribution and abundance in response to the changing environment.” [NSW Legislative Assembly Hansard, 8 May 2012]

Or has it? Cynics would say he wanted something on record to point to before the electorate’s laughter about his anti-science absurdities becomes too loud.

Google's Street View cars collected names, addresses, telephone numbers, URLs, passwords, email, text messages, medical records, video and audio files

Australian Financial Review 7 May 2012:

Google could face new investigations by the Privacy Commissioner over its harvesting of personal information using Street View cars after a 17-month investigation by US authorities found it wasn’t the act of a “rogue” engineer.

From 2007 to 2010, Google’s ­specially designed Street View cars travelled the world taking detailed photos, recording wi-fi details and sucking up data carried on open wireless networks.

The report by the Federal Communications Commission found that “Google’s Street View cars collected names, addresses, telephone numbers, URLs, passwords, email, text messages, medical records, video and audio files”. When the snooping was discovered the search giant apologised for the collection and said it was due to a “rogue” code inserted by an engineer without permission.

But the FCC found that management was, in fact, told about the proposal in a series of documents and said Google obstructed its investigation. The company claimed its management didn’t read the proposal.

Authorities in Australia, the UK and Germany are examining the FCC’s report and considering further action. Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim told The Australian Financial Review his department would analyse the FCC report over the next three weeks to see if new investigations were required.

In 2010 Mr Pilgrim’s department found Google guilty of breaching the Privacy Act. But when the issue was referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), it said there was evidence that the breach was “inadvertent” and that there was little chance of a conviction because gathering evidence would be too hard.

Has the Heartland Institute finally gone too far?

Heartland Institute media release:

May 03, 2012

Jim Lakely

May 3, 2012 – Billboards in Chicago paid for by The Heartland Institute point out that some of the world’s most notorious criminals say they “still believe in global warming” – and ask viewers if they do, too.

Heartland’s first digital billboard – along the inbound Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) in Maywood – is the latest effort by the free-market think tank to inform the public about what it views as the collapsing scientific, political, and public support for the theory of man-made global warming. It is also reminding viewers of the questionable ethics of global warming’s most prominent proponents.

“The most prominent advocates of global warming aren’t scientists,” said Heartland’s president, Joseph Bast. “They are Charles Manson, a mass murderer; Fidel Castro, a tyrant; and Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber. Global warming alarmists include Osama bin Laden and James J. Lee (who took hostages inside the headquarters of the Discovery Channel in 2010).

Bast added, “The leaders of the global warming movement have one thing in common: They are willing to use force and fraud to advance their fringe theory.” For more about the billboards and why Heartland says people should not still believe in global warming, click here……

The next day a statement from one sponser, Microsoft, distanced itself:

Microsoft believes climate change is a serious issue that demands immediate, worldwide attention and we are acting accordingly. We are pursuing strategies and taking actions to reduce our own impact as well as the impact of our products. In addition, Microsoft has adopted a broad policy statement on climate change that expresses support for government action to address climate change.

The Heartland Institute does not speak for Microsoft on climate change. In fact, the Heartland Institute’s position on climate change is diametrically opposed to Microsoft’s position. And we completely disagree with the group’s inflammatory and distasteful advertising campaign…….

Two days later The Guardian U.K. stated:

The London-based drinks giant, which owns brands such as Guinness, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker and Moët & Chandon, said this year that it was "reviewing any further association with Heartland" following the release online of internal Heartland documents which revealed its corporate donors as well as a plan to promote an alternative climate change curriculum in US schools. Following the widespread outcry triggered by Heartland's billboards, a Diageo spokeswoman told the Guardian: "Diageo vigorously opposes climate scepticism and our actions are proof of this. Diageo's only association with the Heartland Institute was limited to a small contribution made two years ago specifically related to an excise tax issue. Diageo has no plans to work with the Heartland Institute in the future."…..

On 7 May E&E Publishing revealed another sponsorship withdrawal:

"It was disgusting. It was revolting," Brad Kading, president of the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers, said of the ad in an interview over the weekend. "It was a terrible mistake."

His group, which donated $125,000 to Heartland over the last two years, told the libertarian president of Heartland, Joe Bast, that their relationship is "untenable" in a letter Friday evening.

While this letter to another sponsor was posted online as one academic fought back against Heartland’s advertising:

May 7, 2012
State Farm Insurance
One State Farm Plaza
Bloomington, IL 61710
Dear State Farm,
As per a recent conversation with Tony Ardise, my State Farm agent, I provided him two weeks’ notice that I intend to cancel all of my policies with State Farm Insurance because of its support of Heartland Institute. I have been a loyal customer for over 21 years and currently send almost $4500 per year to State Farm. I do not wish my money to be sent to Heartland Institute – a group that recently compared climate scientists and those concerned about climate change to “murderers, tyrants, and madmen” such as Ted Kaczynski (Unabomber), Charles Manson, Fidel Castro, and Osama bin Laden. Although Heartland stated that they will remove the public billboards, their official statement offers no apologies. It is obvious that the billboards represent Heartland’s true feelings.
This indefensible and un-American assault on climate science is just the latest attempt by Heartland to discourage action on climate change, but there is a long history. As has been widely reported in mainstream media, Heartland Institute has been leading the charge for years to confuse our policymakers, the general public, and our school children about well-understood climate change science.
The United States National Academy of Sciences tells us that the climate is warming, humans are responsible, and that this behavior is increasing risks across a broad spectrum of society. Every international academy of science agrees and recent studies show that 97-98% of publishing experts concur.
Who else is concerned? Military and intelligence experts warn that climate-induced crises could topple governments, feed terrorist movements or destabilize entire regions and health officials warn us that climate change could be the biggest global health threat of the 21st century. These are experts who are warning us of a serious problem. We need to listen to these experts and not to Heartland Institute.
State Farm states: “We’re working with organizations all across the country – organizations like the Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Protecting America – to help protect you and your family from the human injuries, property destruction, and financial impact that can result from natural disasters.” Climate change has been shown to have increased the frequency and intensity of droughts, fires, heat waves, and floods. Along with sea level rise, these types of disasters have already cost your industry many billions of dollars according to financial experts. I find it quite disturbing that State Farm would send money to a group that is clearly hurting its bottom line. Would the American Lung Association send money to Philip Morris?
General Motors and AT&T have publicly stated they will no longer fund Heartland Institute. State Farm should immediately do the same. If so, I will remain a loyal customer. Otherwise, I will take my business elsewhere.
Sincerely,
Scott A. Mandia

Two months ago when the names of Heartland Institute sponsors became public knowledge, General Motors publicly withdrew from the Institute’s funding pool, according to The Guardian:

In a statement, GM said that it now runs its business "as if climate change is real and believe we have a role to play in developing new cars, trucks and technologies that can make a difference".

The U.S. Blog Forecast The Facts is currently running an online petition urging all sponsors to follow suit.