Chris Gulaptis MP: his listening skills need attention

Constituents of Chris Gulaptis, Member for Clarence, won't be surprised to learn their local MP has a hearing problem or, worse still, doesn't comprehend what he hears.

On Wednesday his parliamentary colleague Dominic Perrottet, the Member for Castle Hill, was speaking to the Fiscal Responsibility Bill 2012 and mentioned the cost of the JusticeLink electronic legal processing system. Perrottet gave a specific dollar amount and then said just another six short sentences when Gulaptis interjected, " How much did it cost?"

Further to the hearing problem, Gulaptis has great difficulty with the term "reform". He used the term erroneously when speaking about what the O'Farrell government has been doing.

No! No! No! Mr Gulaptis, reform means to change things for the better!

Gulaptis was on his feet for almost 10 minutes singing praises for the O'Farrell government's stance on fiscal expenditure. The speech was obviously written for the local MP; the sure sign was the nature of the vocabulary it contained - words the local MP would have great difficulty pronouncing, let alone knowing their meaning.

Gulaptis did not utter one single solitary word about the destructive action the government imposed on the Clarence community and its economy with its wrecking of the Grafton jail and its workforce. Thanks for nothing, Mr Gulaptis!

Clarence Valley Local Council Election 2012 Candidate ScoreCard: Week Two

Candidates standing for the nine councillor positions at the 8 September 2012 Clarence Valley Local Government Election are being rated on their individual campaigns to win over voters.

The score range is -10 to 10. Every candidate starts at zero (0)

Scoring began in the week ending 10 August 2012.

This week its the sound of silence, things half said, words that should not have been uttered at all, and who went where, which affect the score.

Name                       Designation            Running Score

Rod Morrison        Independent            1 + -0.5 = 0.5 started to register on the scorecard for attending the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum this week, at which it was resolved to form a committee to grow the Clarence Valley's economy and lobby for increased public service jobs in the local government area (1). However Rod lost points because his almost 11 day-old candidate's page on Facebook remains a policy-free zone filled with nothing but photographs of himself. It's almost as if he has been taking campaigning advice from Gulaptis,Lees or Cansdell.

Margot Scott          Independent           1 leaves the barrier at a fair pace as it is understood that she attended council committee meetings during the week.

Paul Parkinson                                  -3 +-2 +1 + -1 = -5 he has reached this score for his past pro-uranium mining stand as a Kempsey councillor and his lack of support for traditional owners (-2) combined with attendance at the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1) marred by the fact that he was the only member of the 100-strong audience whose personal ambition saw him attempt to use the occasion as part of his electioneering (-1).

Craig Howe            Independent          -1  + 1 + -0.4 + 1= 0.6 although positively adding to last week's score by attending the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1), his tally remains low due to a social media mis-step which initially saw him head his Facebook candidate page with a photo of Parliament House in Canberra, before changing it to something more appropriate after being chipped about possible political ambitions elsewhere (-0.4).  He was somewhat redeemed by the fact that he is using his Facebook page to inform voters of his record as a Clarence Valley Shire councillor (1).

Andrew Baker       Independent            1 + -1 = 0 commenced scoring because he attended the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1), but lost points for his somewhat confused attempt at this forum to portray the Clarence Valley as having deliberately rejected private enterprise (-1)

Ursula Tunks        Independent             1 + 1 =2 for setting her policies out clearly and getting them into the public arena early (1) and attending the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1).

Joy de Roos                                       -1 score remains static as she has not been heard from all week.

Jim Simmons         Independent            0 remains static due to his silence.

Greg Clancy           Independent            1 +1 +1 + 0.5 = 3.5 this candidate increased his score because he didn't obsess about campaign slogans and instead placed his clearly outlined policies in the public arena for the benefit  of voters (1), attended the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1) and put one of the better questions to this forum when he asked the guest speaker, economist Prof. Bill Mitchell, how the Clarence Valley economy might be successfully grown (with residents encouraged to spend locally to support retail businesses/jobs) without depleting the LGA's finite resources or damaging its natural environment (0.5).

Jane Beeby            Independent           -3  no change in her score as she has been silent this week.

Sue Hughes           Independent            1 + 1 + 0.5 = 2.5 for attending the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1) and quickly speaking up for the health needs of the Lower Clarence when fellow-candidate Paul Parkinson was intent on displaying his lack of knowledge concerning Valley communities (0.5). Sue would have scored higher if she had placed more background as a councillor/policy information in the public arena, for first time voters or those newly resident in the LGA.

Karen Toms                                        1 +1 + 0.5 = 2.5 increased her running score by
attending the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1) and for her inclusive manner when interacting with other people at this forum. Karen would have scored higher if she had placed more background as a councillor/policy information in the public arena, for first time voters or those newly resident in the LGA. 

Michael McIvor       Independent            1 begins to register a score for attending the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum.

Jeremy Challacombe Independent        -1.5 + 1 + -0.5 = -1 increased his score by being one of the listed speakers at the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1) but foolishly reduced his running total by failing to acknowledge those business strategies already in place to promote and grow the Clarence Valley economy as he sought to 're-invent the wheel' (-0.5).

Richie Williamson                               1 + 1 = 2 increased his score by attending  the Clarence Valley Community Unions forum (1). Richie trembles on the cusp of a lower score as he needs to offer voters more than just the slogan "100% Clarence" and a recap of the mayoral diary on Facebook before next week.  

Margaret McKenna  Independent          -2  score remains static.     

Jason Kingsley        Independent           1 score remains static due to his silence.

O'Farrell Government declares open season on the National Parks & Wildlife Service

ABC South East NSW 15 August 2012:

During the recent school holidays a horrified family were confronted by a group of hunters driving into a camping ground in a south east National Park randomly shooting kangaroos. In front of the distressed family camped in the remote but popular National Park they shot a number of kangaroos and loaded some onto a vehicle before driving off, leaving dead and maimed animals behind.

One of the campers photographed one of the vehicles and contacted the NPWS office.

The investigating NPWS Ranger was required to euthanase one of the maimed animals left behind by the shooters.

The incident is being investigated.

The shooting occurred as the NSW Parliament was introducing a controversial Bill allowing hunting in National Parks.

Since the media coverage that has followed the new Bill there have been a number of illegal shooting incidents in National Parks, leading to speculation that hunters are under the impression that it is now 'open season' in National Parks…..

This dangerous scenario is being played out at a time when the National Parks & Wildlife Service is under sustained pressure from the O'Farrell-Stoner-Baird razor gang and NSW Environment Minister Robyn Parker is overseeing a reduction in the number of NPWS regions across the state, with an eventual loss (though voluntary redundancy, retirement or leaving for other employment) of an estimated 350 NPWS jobs.

There is some hope that the NSW North Coast (and in particular the Clarence Valley) may experience mid-level management and frontline job losses much later than some other regions - given that a large number of sizable parkland assets coincide with significant population clusters and bushfire response co-ordination is often an important aspect of this proximity.

Much will depend on whether the NSW O'Farrell Coalition Government can resist the urge to make more state budget cuts over the next two years.

However, it is hard to see how  a service already operating at relatively low staffing levels can possibly monitor the activities of what are increasingly out-of-control amateur hunters and hoons with guns.

Update

As usual the very idle NSW Nationals MP for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, appeared unaware that there was an issue or that his vote in the NSW Parliament helped create these problems, when he told The Daily Examiner:

Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis said while he had not been made aware of any changes, other than what he had heard from the community over the past few days, he would be making further enquiries.

"I'm due to meet with officers of the National Parks and Wildlife Services shortly," he said.

Mr Gulaptis said it appeared to be an operational matter for the NPWS but he was yet to confirm the details.

Quite frankly, this MP's attempt to brush aside yet more public service job losses in his electorate, as well as the possible diversion away from the Clarence Valley of part or all of the estimated the $200,000 per annum Woody Head revenue stream and the impact this may have on a number of local conservation and research projects, indicates the contempt in which he holds the very people who voted him into office.

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!