Northern Rivers Social Development Council launches survey on the impact of Tesltra closure

Northern Rivers Social Development Council invitation to residents and businesses: Please complete the Northern Rivers Social Development Council telecommunications survey. This survey has been prompted by Telstra’s decision to close the Goonellabah call centre. This closure comes on the back of the recent closure of Telstra’s Grafton call centre. Information gathered from the survey will be used to help inform the debate around the future of Telstra in the Northern Rivers; and to help our community to lobby for the jobs to stay in the region; and to come up with other solutions. We need as many people, businesses and organisations to fill this survey out as possible. Please complete the survey and forward the survey link to other people and organisations within the region. Participation in the survey will take no more than 5 minutes and is confidential. The survey can be accessed via the following link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SP7KB6X We want to find out how much income Telstra earns from business and individuals in our region; whether these customers are concerned by Telstra’s decision to close the Goonellabah call centre; if so, are they considering a shift to another provider; and whether there are issues, concerns or barriers that prevent people from changing providers. We are also interested in seeing whether there is a critical mass of people and organisations that are willing to back a local provider. There is a strong link between economic opportunity, jobs and community wellbeing across our region. NRSDC has become increasingly concerned about the impact on our region of the withdrawal of major employers, both in government and the private sector, from our towns and cities. We believe that it is important for organisations that earn significant income from our region contribute back to the community. We also need to ensure that proper support is provided to manage the long term social impact of these job cuts.

Those misogynist nut jobs on the Internet are found within the Liberal Party as well. WARNING: Offensive Image

When the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard referred to those spreading rumours about her on the Internet as misogynist and nut jobs, she could easily have included the Liberal Party’s Federal Member for Bowman Andrew Laming in that group.

The Liberal Party describes Laming as Australia’s most innovative user of social media in politics.

This is an Andrew Laming post on his Facebook page:

Slanted commentary on Gillard, but within the limits.

However, this is one of a number of crudely photo shopped images of the Australian Prime Minister also found on his Facebook page tagged Photos of Andrew Laming MP

 Fair and balanced political comment? I think not.

To make matters worse Laming has a history of supporting the type of sexist comment of which his party is obviously proud.

Challacombe doing and saying anything to get elected?

Sometimes a candidate, desperate to get a foot on the first rung of that political ladder which they are convinced will inevitably lead to a golden future as an Aussie overlord, will spout the most arrant nonsense.

This is NSW National Party senior vice chair Jeremy Challacombe who is a long-time supporter of disgraced Nationals MP Steve Yes I falsified a Stat Dec Cansdell, and in September last year was a local by-election campaign campaign director for that classic waste of space, Clarence MP Hapless Gulaptis:

“Though he didn't wish to bring party politics into local government, Mr Challacombe clarified his National Party connections, saying he had urged the party to split from the Liberal Party and even form an alliance with Labor if they were to create the right policies for rural NSW.”

Anyone less likely to hold Labor values in high regard it's hard to imagine - with his long history as a Nats party member. Along with his Federal Nationals candidature (Wakefield 1998) and his support of the Nationals agenda to turn east coast rivers inland when he last unsuccessfully ran for Clarence Valley Council in 2008, as well as his willingness to support nuclear options, runs counter to NSW Country Labor’s position but suppports both the NSW O'Farrell Government and the Nationals agenda.

So committed is Challacombe to the National Party, that it was only last month that he tried to blame the public service for the NSW Lib-Nats Government’s recent round of job cuts which rocked Grafton.

Clarence Valley Local Government Election 2012: Karen Toms

Karen Toms 2012 Local Government Election Flyer

Clarence Valley Local Government Elections 2012: Only Grafton would come up with this idea

The Clarence Business Enterprise Advice Service and the Grafton Chamber of Commerce and Industry are holding a breakfast for business people on Wednesday 5 September 2012 - between 7 am and 8.30 am at the Grafton TAFE restaurant, Grafton. 

Choosing what is probably one of the most difficult times of the day for most candidates and many Lower Clarence business people to attend a forum – presumably to create a venue favourable to those Grafton business owner/operators who just happen to be candidates at the 8 September Clarence Valley local government election.

This excerpt from the 24 August invitation more or less indicates this:

 All candidates will be invited and asked to speak for 2 minutes on the topic - what I will do to promote and grow business and opportunities if elected to the Clarence Valley Council.  After all candidates have spoken, the floor will be open to question on Business and Economic Development.   People attending the "meet the candidates" will be business owner/operators only. Questions from the floor will be limited to business related questions.

The format is basically arrival 7 - 7.30 am open presentation at 7.30 and subsequent 

questions from the floor until 8.30 am.  [my bolding] You are welcome to mix and mingle prior to and after the presentation and question session.  The cost to candidates for breakfast is $15 (cost price).   The event is to be moderated by CBEAS president Trevor Hageman.   At this stage, order of speaking will be names drawn from a hat.

We are aware some candidates may not be able to attend, [my bolding] so you are invited to prepare a written presentation that will last one (1) minute, which will be read to the meeting on your behalf.  Please use the time carefully, Introduce your name, and present on the topic - attendees will be directed to the Daily Examiner profile for more background and general information.  We feel this is fair because those attending will be available for further scrutiny from the floor.

We hope you are available to attend, please RSVP asap to allow us to promote the candidates attending and catering.  Any further questions should be directed to myself, either email or mobile number below. 

Best Wishes
James Patterson
Executive Officer
Grafton Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Recreational fishers praised by Saffin and Ludwig

Janelle sees a strong future for recreational fishing

FEDERAL Member for Page Janelle Saffin has welcomed the Australian Government’s comment of their continued commitment to work with the recreational fishing sector to ensure its sustainability and economic benefits into the future.

Ms Saffin said the National Recreational Fishing Conference on the Gold Coast at the weekend underlined the important role played by recreational fishing in strengthening the local economy, particularly in towns like Ballina, Evans Head, Iluka and Yamba.

“Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Senator Joe Ludwig opened the conference and applauded rec fishers from across Australia who came to discuss issues such as keeping our fishing culture strong and protecting our marine environment,” she said.

“Minister Ludwig told delegates that the Australian Government’s network of marine reserves will have little or no impact on recreational fishing.

“His message was clear; these new reserves will not stop rec fishers from doing what they love doing -- fishing.

“These reserves are about protecting the sustainability and health of our oceans so that rec fishers and their families can continue to enjoy them for generations.”

Ms Saffin welcomed Minister Ludwig’s announcement that 10 recreational fishing projects had received a total of $1.74 million in Federal funding to support the National Recreational Fishing Industry Development Strategy.

“These projects will aim to support the sustainability of the sector by providing national education, identifying climate change issues and solutions, and monitoring fish stock,” she said.

Ms Saffin also praised the work of former Page MP, The Honourable Harry Woods, who chairs the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.

The FRDC has just released its latest report which shows that three eastern Australian game-fishing regions contributed more than $28 million to their local communities.

For more information visit the DAFF website www.daff.gov.au/fisheries/recreational

Monday, August 20, 2012

The Daily Examiner exposes weaknesses in Clarence Valley LGA election candidates

Beeby wouldn’t know a council budget if she fell over one, Baker’s only after the main chance, McKenna trod water rather than offering solutions, McIvor and Parkinson obviously didn’t realise that Clarence Valley councils have had 'buy local' policies in the past which were of limited bugetary value and Challacombe remains mum on protecting the Clarence River from a bloody great dam to water northwest NSW.

Read more here.

Anyone else beginning to feel an urge to run screaming into the night rather than face the polling booth?