Clarence Valley Council Election 2012: Ursula Tunks

MEDIA RELEASE

Policy Statements

Ursula Tunks - Fighting For Our Future

Candidate for the Clarence Valley Council elections 8th September 2012

PCYC & Youth Services

Challenge:

Lack of accessible and affordable Youth Services in the Clarence Valley

Solution:

Continuing to work towards securing a PCYC for the Clarence Valley and continuing to advocate for the establishment of a holistic Valley wide Youth Service. My advocacy will centre on these services being accessible to all young people in the Clarence Valley through a single referral point and I will continue to advocate for the long term needs of the Youth of the Valley regardless of whether I’m elected to Council or not.

Increase in Pensioner Rebate on Council Rates

Challenge:

Clarence Valley Pensioners have not had an increase in their pensioner rebate for almost five years, despite the extensive increase in the cost of living for those on fixed incomes.

Solution:

Providing a minimum increase of $20 per annum to the Pensioner Rebate on Land Rates, with a possible increase of $50 depending on the outcome of the following costs savings proposal;

ü This rebate will be achieved through cutting the postage, stationery and administration costs of the current Council billing system. By incorporating the Land & Water Rates into one billing system, an immediate savings of approximately $60,000 p.a. on postage alone is achieved (a figure based on the number of rateable properties in the CVC region as detailed in the CVC’s latest on-line reports). Further calculations based on savings from administration and stationery costs will enable a definitive figure for the rebate increase.

ü After the initial rebate increase as detailed above ensure that the Rebate is increased annually at a minimum rate equivalent to that of the CPI.

Protecting the Clarence River

Challenge:

Organisations and entities outside the Clarence Valley seeking to divert the waters of the Clarence River inland.

Solution:

Development of a strong Clarence River management plan with a focuses on its’ protection and the benefit it provides our Community.

Community Mental Health including Drug & Alcohol Counsellors

Challenge:

Our current Mental Health Facilities & Services falling far short of meeting the community need for those services.

Solutions:

ü Continue the work established by Councillor Hughes and her lower river committee in relation to advocacy for Mental Health Services for the whole of Clarence Valley.

ü Continue to lobby all relevant stakeholders and State & Federal Departments for the establishment of an overnight Mental Health facility based in the Clarence Valley.

ü Use the recent suicide statistics released by the ABS which strongly indicate that the Clarence Valley presents a significant anomaly in terms of NSW suicide rates, which are reported by the ABS as being 8.6 suicides per 100,000 population over a five year period. The major town centre of Grafton has had 8 suicides with a population of 20,000 in a one year period. I’m confident that with a detailed analysis of the whole of Clarence Valley Suicide rates and other related Mental Health statistics we can present an extremely strong case for immediate urgent action on the overnight facility and other desperately needed mental health services.

The immediate creation of a working party to establish a Major Transport Hub in the Clarence Region

Challenge:

Urgently needed Regional Economic Development Strategies to ensure a viable future for the Clarence Valley.

A Solution:

At a recent meeting Chris Gulaptis informed me that the rumour that Casino had secured the ‘Major Transport Hub’ for the region was in fact false. However, it would seem that the rumour is being perpetuated by the Casino-ites themselves as part of their lobbying to get the hub.

The reality is that the Clarence Valley is actually the ideal location for a ‘Major Transport Hub’. This ideal is based upon the following factors:

ü It presents the only B Double Access to the West between Brisbane and Newcastle via the Gwydir Highway.

ü It offers the combination of Rail, Air & Road access with South Pacific Port access from the Goodwood Island Port and the possibility of increased Port capacity in the future, pending a viable solution to a number of environmental and cultural challenges posed by the current port site. There is a possibility of pursuing alternate Port locations along the Clarence Coast.

ü Both the South Grafton Rail location and the Grafton Airport location offer ample opportunities for co-location of a ‘Logistics Terminal’. Previously the old Grafton Rail Yards were proposed to be redeveloped for logistic purposes however the increased heavy vehicle traffic in the area meant the proposal was unsuccessful. However the area in the vicinity of the former Disco Marine site in South Grafton offers an ideal staging point for a logistics distribution centre and is immediately accessible to the existing heavy vehicle corridor. A further option for a Logistics Terminal site is the ‘old rail siding’ near the turn off to the back road to Coffs Harbour.

ü Our Airport location offers an excellent opportunity in that it is already underutilised and would therefore not present with competing challenges for its’ use. The unrealised potential includes the vacant land surrounding its location and its’ proximity to the intended Pacific Highway by-pass of the Grafton area. Utilising the Airport region as a major staging point in the overall Transport Hub Infrastructure offers a huge opportunity to the Region.

ü Supporting the second bridge crossing at Grafton (see policy below) will also enhance our Regional Capacity as a Transport Hub. The actually number of bridge crossings by heavy vehicles is well within the ‘normal’ range for a single bridge crossing, based on the statistics of approximately 800 heavy

vehicle movements per day, this equates too one heavy vehicle crossing just under every two minutes well below what is normally considered high level traffic. However the physical nature of our current bridge amplifies the impact of those crossings. For example the narrow nature of the current bridge slows the traffic; the bends at either end of the bridge make safe negotiation of the bridge within the confines of the marked lanes impossible for larger heavy vehicles such as B-Doubles, which at the moment cannot achieve maximum cost and productivity efficiency for the local businesses they service due to the travel restrictions between 7am-9am and 3pm to 6pm every weekday. Achieving a second bridge crossing of the Clarence in the proximity of the township of Grafton will support the capacity of the proposed transport hub as well as providing other benefits to the area. (See policy statement below).

ü The increase in on-line shopping which has had a massive detrimental effect on our local retail economy also presents a huge opportunity for our economy from the transport and distribution position. By including a number of the major on-line retailers in the working group, Harvey Norman, Kogan etc. etc. and major stakeholders such as Australia Post, Australian Air Express and TNT there’s an excellent likelihood of realising immediate benefits from this proposal than some other economic development options whose required lead time is much greater. Ensuring that all existing Clarence Valley based Transport & Distribution businesses are involved in the Working Group, and including the major manufacturers participate, Timber & Sugar Industries for example, will enable the group to harness the expertise already existing in the Community.

ü Actively engage the manufacturing peak bodies and individual companies promoting the benefits of the Clarence Valley as a base for their operations and promoting the Councillor Howe’s motion to offer incentives to support the relocation of businesses to the Clarence Valley.

Ms. Tunks complete policy release continues here.

Media Release: U. Tunks 18 Edward Street South Grafton NSW 2460

Clarence Valley Local Government Election 2012: Where's Paulie?

On Thursday 9 August 2012 The Daily Examiner published the photographs of sixteen of the seventeen candidates standing at the Clarence Valley local government election on 8 September.

Readers will note there is no photograph of 58 year-old Paul John Parkinson of Sherwood/Glenreagh.

Mr. Parkinson appears to be of a shy and retiring disposition as there is no readily available image of him on the Internet either.

As this ex-Kempsey shire councillor states that he was employed as a nurse in Guernsey U.K. in 2010, this is possibly a picture of him below – but perhaps not.

So North Coast Voices is offering an all-day sucker to the first person who can supply a verifiable image of this candidate.

Update:

The all-day sucker has been won by Tha Chaileag with this photo:

How much is tourism worth to the NSW North Coast?

The Age: In the water at Byron Bay

According to Destination NSW in 2011 domestic and international tourism on the NSW North Coast was estimated to be worth a total of $1,705 million, based on a four year average annual to September 2011.

Broken down by local government areas this represents:

Coffs Harbour  $406 million

Byron  $382 million

Tweed  $321 million

Clarence Valley $261 million

Ballina $149 million

Lismore $104 million

Richmond Valley $62 million

Kyogle $20 million

On average, domestic overnight visitors spent $139 each per night in regional NSW (including airline and transport costs) and day trippers spend $100 each trip.

Source: International Visitor Survey

NAPLAN-type tests required for local education bureaucrat

Letters recently written to retiring teachers by a high level education department bureaucrat (let's call him "Ronald" for the sake of a name in this item) are the current topic at the water cooler in a couple of Clarence valley schools this week. Ronald forwarded letters to a number of long-serving staff and community members to congratulate them on their retirement and thank them for their years of service for public education in NSW.

Ronald's intentions, however noble they might have been, were seriously marred by a number of monumental stuff-ups. While Ronald probably managed to get the names and addresses correct, that's about as far as he got.

It seems Ronald had next to no idea who he was writing to or about. The list of errors included getting the positions and roles of the letter recipients wrong. So too, were their lengths of service. And, to cap things off, Ronald credited some with tasks and deeds they'd never performed and overlooked the real deeds they performed.

Postscript: Although Ronald had many things seriously wrong, the good deeds of those retiring from public education in the Clarence valley made definite and positive impression on their schools' communities. Well done retirees!

Ya can't say f&^k in a Facebook ad

A peek into the case reports of the Advertising Standards Bureau:

Cheap Drinks

ADVERTISER RESPONSE TO DETERMINATION
I have removed the posters from the clubs facebook pages as of 30 July 2012.

VB or not VB

ADVERTISER RESPONSE TO DETERMINATION

We would like to acknowledge that a number of the comments posted by fans of the VB Facebook page were clearly inappropriate. And we are disappointed that they were not removed through the review process we had in place…..

They OHS’d the Ute!

ADVERTISER RESPONSE TO DETERMINATION

I refer to your email dated 30 Jul 2012, advising GM Holden (Holden) of the Advertising Standards Bureau’s (ASB) decision to uphold the above complaints regarding a recent Holden Colorado advertisement (the advertisement).

Photoshop Cruelty

ADVERTISER RESPONSE TO DETERMINATION

I advise that the material was printed and then delivered to Aussie Post as a “Once Off” promotion.

No further brochures using this image will be printed by us.

Equal Opportunity Adverstizer – exploiting both women and sheep

ADVERTISER RESPONSE TO DETERMINATION

Due to the decision made by the ASB we've opted to modify the material.

Clarence Valley Council Election 2012: Greg Clancy

Media release from Dr Greg Clancy

Candidate in the 2012 Clarence Valley Local Government Elections

My vision for the Valley is to see a healthy, happy community embracing less privileged people and living in harmony with the natural world.  We need a good economic base but not at the expense of our social, community and environmental values.  Development needs to be ecologically and socially sustainable and employment needs to be in fields that enhance the Valley’s attributes, not detract from them.  Small business and self-employed people are the backbone of the north coast.  This is a desirable situation. 

The establishment of additional tertiary educational facilities, which is now starting, is fully supported.  Ecotourism is an industry that has great potential in the Valley.  The reduction in the public service sector in the Clarence Valley is disturbing.  Institutions, such as the Grafton Gaol, need to be run efficiently and economically responsibly but alternatives to an almost complete shutdown should have been pursued.  It will have a serious economic and social impact on the Valley.  The ‘gold rush’ of mining throughout the country is also threatening the Clarence Valley.  Coal Seam Gas and Antimony mines are threatening the waterways of the Clarence.  The ‘pie in the sky’ schemes to dam the Clarence and send water to the west are also fully opposed.  All of the water of the Clarence River is needed for agriculture, fishing and the environment.  Water running to the sea is not ‘wasted’.

·  No coal seam gas in the Clarence Valley;

·  No antimony mines in the Clarence Headwaters

·  Support for extended tertiary education facilities;

·  Full implementation of the Clarence Valley Biodiversity Strategy;

·  Equal support for minority groups, indigenous communities and small outlying villages;

·  Support for ecotourism and other ‘clean’ small industries;

·  Support for, and the extension of, public service jobs;

·  No damming of the Clarence River;

·  Changing the preferred option of the Pacific Highway upgrade through the  Valley to the orange route to avoid unnecessary and massive ecological and social damage;

I believe that I would make a good councillor as I have had over 30 years’ experience running a small business (ecological consulting), worked in various state government departments, including planning, and have an extensive knowledge of the relevant planning and environmental legislation. I am Chairman of the Susan and Elizabeth Islands Recreation Trust, President of the Coutts Crossing Tidy Towns Committee, Vice-president of the Clarence Valley Branch of the National Parks Association and Secretary and Musical Director of the Grafton District Services Country Music Club. I served as the Ecological Society of Australia’s scientific representative on the Clarence Regional Vegetation Committee.

Media Release: Dr. Greg Clancy, 56 Armidale Road, Coutts Crossing NSW

I don't want Australia's 2012 Olympic Games performance reviewed - I want the public money tap turned off!

In the Brisbane Times on 11th August 2012:
“AUSTRALIA'S performance at the London Olympics, its worst result in 20 years, has cost taxpayers $10 million for each medal won……
The data reveals that the Australian Institute of Sport spent a record $310 million of public money on the Olympics campaign. Swimming, with one gold medal in the women's 4x100 metres freestyle relay, took nearly $39 million of that, over four years. Australia's swimmers won six gold medals in Beijing (2008) and seven in Athens (2004).
Its budget has almost doubled since 2009, in preparation for these Games. The last time Australia failed to win an individual swimming gold was at Montreal in 1976, when its feeble overall performance (one silver and five bronzes) led the Fraser government to pump money into the creation of the institute. Swimming Australia has ordered a review of this year's performance.”
Now I like cheering on Aussie teams as much as the next bloke, but I have to agree with Maud Up The Street – this is an obscene amount of money to waste on what in real terms are professional sportsmen and women competing in a commercial enterprise run by a corrupt multinational masquerading as a philanthropic organisation sitting on a revenue pot currently worth around AUD $6 billion.
Australia's hard-earned money should have gone towards setting up the National Disability Insurance Scheme.