Quotes of the Week

Whale theory

The Japanese claim their whaling expedition is for research (''Anti-whaling ships hit'', February 21). Are they researching how long it takes a protest vessel they ram to sink?

Thos Puckett Ashgrove

{Brisbane Times 22nd February 2013}

Coal Seam Gas

When is he going to stop rabbiting on about the previous government granting licences. HE RENEWED THEM LAST YEAR!

Norally Ewingar

{Daily Examiner 21^st February 2013}

Politics

@TonyAbbottMHR - when you say you "wouldn't do deals" like Labor did, am I to understand you're not in a COALITION with the Nats?#auspol

James Raynes ‏@jimmyraynes

{Twitter 20^th February 2013}

Polling

Driving all this public speculation are the opinion polls. Who creates the opinion polls? The media. Who drafts the questions? The media. Who promotes the results? The media. Who acts as if opinion surveys are surrogate elections? The media. Who profits from the publicity and the speculation? The media.

Paul Sheehan columnist
{The Sydney Morning Herald 21^st February 2013}

Economics 101

Too much water so the price goes up. An over-supply of electricity so the price goes up. I thought conservative governments championed market-based economies. Will the price come down when there are shortages?

Scott Winspear Marrickville

{Brisbane Times 22^nd February 2013}

Northern Rivers communities to celebrate three months of sustained peaceful protest against CSG in the Northern Rivers

                                                                                                                              

Communities to celebrate three months of sustained peaceful protest 

against CSG in the Northern Rivers

Local communities and CSG free groups that have sustained the Doubtful Ck blockade will scale down the action at the site following yesterday’s announcement by Metgasco that drilling work has been completed. The drill rig is expected to leave the Northern Rivers once the drill hole has been concreted as Metgasco have finished their current core hole drilling program in the region.

“The imminent departure of the drill rig from Doubtful Creek will mark the end of more than three months of ongoing and effective peaceful protest against CSG operations in the region,” said Boudicca Cerese, spokesperson for CSG Free Northern Rivers.

“In that time we have seen Metgasco abandon one drilling site, drastic falls in Metgasco share prices and the departure of Arrow Energy from the region.”

“There can be no doubt that the persistence of our local communities to resist the gas invasion is having a positive effect,” she said.

“It’s not only the companies that are feeling the heat, local federal politicians of all shades are now responding to community pressure and coming out in opposition to the unconventional gas industry,” said author and activist Aidan Ricketts of CSG Free Northern Rivers.

“This week the NSW government also started offering exclusions to politically sensitive areas of the state.”

“Unfortunately the government’s new policies will not necessarily protect rural communities in the Northern Rivers so we expect local opposition to the industry to continue into the foreseeable future,” he said.

“I commend all the efforts of the thousands of people from all walks of life who have attended rallies, protests, vigils, concerts, meetings and other events across the region and congratulate them for their restraint in difficult circumstances and for maintaining good relations with local police,” said Gordon Fraser of CSG Free Lismore.

“With the return of the drilling rig to Queensland there is time to pause and consider what the next steps will be in tackling the insidious invasion of the unconventional gas industry in our region.”

 “Future action will be necessary to protect our families, land, and animals from the unconventional gas industry and we will continue to stand united across the region in our opposition to this industry,” he concluded.

 “A music event will be held in Lismore on Saturday 23 March at Lismore Workers Club commencing at 7.30PM to celebrate the achievements of our communities in maintaining persistent opposition to this unsafe industry,” said Mr. Fraser.

More information about future activities can be obtained from csgfreenorthernrivers.org.au

Media Release: 22^nd February 2013

Research into the quality of Australian Health Services

 
Quality of Health Care Service & Communication and Cultural Issues

Macquarie University is researching the quality of services in the Australian health care sector.

Have you visited a doctor in the past 6 months in Australia? 

Are you between 18 and 80 years of age?
 
If you answered YES to these questions you are eligible to participate in this research.
 
The purpose of this research is to understand your opinions about the quality of health services you have received, your relationship with the doctor and also communication or cultural issues you might have experienced with the doctor or staff.
 
The outcomes of this research will help the health sector improve its services based on patients’ feedback, preferences and needs.
 
The questionnaire will take 10 minutes of your time.

If you would like to participate and share your views please click here to complete the survey.

Metgasco's CEO bags the NSW Premier and again distorts the history of community concerns relating to the coal seam gas industry

 

Metgasco’s CEO Peter Henderson must be laughing up his sleeve at the mainstream media when it fails yet again to challenge his more outrageous distortions concerning community opposition to coal seam gas exploration and mining.

 

On 21 February 2013 ABC North Coast Radio broadcast this interview in which he baldly states that; “The coal seam gas industry has been operating in Australia now producing gas for more than sixteen years. Until Gasland [a documentary film] came along there was never squeak of concern.”

 

So no community in Australia was worried about coal seam gas until a film was shown at the US Sundance Film Festival in January 2010 and then released into Australian cinemas on 18 November that same year?

 

Unfortunately for Mr. Henderson’s attempts to create an alternative history, this was published in January 2005; COAL BED METHANE HAZARDS IN NEW SOUTH WALES by a NSW Central Coast action group established circa 2004 with this aim:

Our most precious resource is water. Our mission is to guarantee its integrity, and prevent loss of groundwater and contamination of surface water from methane gas mining.

And the Hunter-Bulga Gas Action Group Inc. was in active in March 2007 offering to organise free legal advice for landowners.

While the Caroona Coal Action Group was alive and well before the documentary film was first screened and, the group had this posted on its website on 4 July 2009:

 

Rosemary Nankivell highlights dangers of CSM in this Northern Daily Leader article July 09. Environmental Hazards.

Methane gas exploration and extraction has caused irreparable environmental, social and economic damage across the world. This report shows how gas exploration destroys fresh water supplies slowly but surely and how much of the geological understanding claimed by gas companies is actually guess work. The same will happen to us if we don’t stop it now. Here's what's already happened at Narrabri (p.11-13)

A project operated by Sydney Gas was stopped by ‘people power’ in the Yarramalong and Dooralong Valleys because of scientific concerns coal seam gas (CSG) extraction would ruin drinking water and agricultural supplies for the Central Coast. An executive summary of their concerns is here...

they are the same concerns we have on the Liverpool Plains. [Full report here]…..

Gas extraction will damage our own water supplies and those feeding into the Murray Darling Basin:-
• by contaminating town water supplies, aquifers and stock bores
• by extracting water with gas lowering the water tables
• by creating vast quantities of waste water
• by exploring along the stressed Hunter-Mooki fault systems……

 

By 22 October 2009 the ABC television program Catalyst canvassed concerns:

 

NARRATION
It’s not surprising that here, on the fertile soils at the top of the Murray-Darling basin, farmers are sensitive about salinity.

IAN HAYLLOR
Now we’re seeing these gas companies bringing up millions of tonnes of salts, storing it on the surface, and the government hasn’t got a plan for it. It’s just … oh we’ll put it in storage and we’ll bury it and forget about it. Well salt doesn’t go away. It’s there forever……

Our concern for the future is the impact of the coal seam gas extraction is taking water out below our aquifer and you know some hydrologists are saying there’s a link between our aquifer and the coal aquifer. Um, the mining companies and the government are saying there’s not. Um, you know, who do you believe?

 

Concerns about coal seam gas were so well-known that on 7 December 2009 The Sydney Morning Herald reported:

 

And now there is a new complication: regulatory costs related to environmental issues. Until recently, the CSG industry was seen as an environmentally friendly energy, but farmers and environmental campaigners are concerned about the potential damage to waterways and crop land and the impact of the disposal of salt produced during the CSG extraction process.

Until recently, the water extracted during the coal seam gas process was pumped into ponds, where it would evaporate. But this technique was recently frowned on by the Queensland Government because it was creating ponds of salt.

This has forced companies including Santos to search for alternative solutions.

A report released on Friday following a Senate inquiry into the impact of CSG in the country's most important agricultural area, the Murray-Darling Basin, links CSG with Australia's most sensitive environmental subject, water.

After receiving numerous submissions from environmental groups highlighting concerns, the report recommends as a matter of priority, and preferably before the release of future mineral exploration licences, that state governments establish regional water plans in areas potentially subject to mining or extractive industry operations.

 

Perhaps NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell should keep in mind this company's loose relationship with fact if and when Metgasco meets with him. He might also like to note that Mr. Henderson thinks he and his Cabinet have been making policy on the run made in half hour or an hour.

Japanese whaling fleet begins to withdraw from Antarctic waters

 

http://youtu.be/4MrXiv4H1W0

 

SBS World News 20 February 2012:

 

The latest spat between Japanese whalers and the Sea Shepherd group could become an international incident, amid reports Japan has temporarily suspended its whale hunt.

The ABC reports Japan has temporarily suspended its annual whale hunt in the Southern Ocean.

Yesterday, three Sea Shepherd ships were rammed by Japan's whaling fleet while it was attempting to refuel in Australian Antarctic Territory waters, the conservation group says.

Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson says the Nisshin Maru has hit the Steve Irwin, the Bob Barker and the Sam Simon, which were attempting to stop the Japanese fleet "illegally" refuelling.

Captain Watson said the Nisshin Maru also collided with the Korean-owned tanker Sun Laurel, which appeared to be leaving the area.

The Bob Barker was badly damaged, taking water in its engine room and losing power, but is under way again, he said.

There were no injuries among its 38 crew.

"It's extremely irresponsible and reckless for them to be taking these kind of manoeuvres around an oil tanker, especially in the Antarctic treaty zone," Captain Watson told AAP.

"The Nisshin Maru just came in, bullied their way through, and hit the Steve Irwin twice on the stern ... and hit the Bob Barker multiple times, pushing it into the side of the tanker.

"It then continued to hit it with stun guns and water cannons and did severe damage."

Captain Watson said the Japanese ship backed off when a mayday call was issued but the Sam Simon had then been hit.

"We actually had the situation of the Japanese ship on their loudspeakers telling the Sam Simon to leave the Australian Antarctic Territory, that's an Australian flagged ship, and they said so by order of the government of Japan," Captain Watson said.

Japan's Insitiute of Cetacean Research version of events here.
Sea Shepherd (Australia) version of events here.

 

Now this is an apology

From the Northern Territory NT News 11 January 2013:

On average professional fishers pay their bills faster than mining companies

Local businesses operating in regional coastal economies are probably well aware that some industries are slow to pay their debts.

Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Trade Payments Analysis simply places this phenomenon in a convenient graph.

September Quarter 2012 report

According to Dun & Bradstreet's CEO, Gareth Jones, while payment terms remain significantly above the standard 30 day term, the trend towards lower payment times that has occurred over the past few years indicates that the cash flow position of firms has improved…..
According to Mr Jones, the length of time businesses take to pay their bills has a significant bearing on the broader economy.
"Trade credit makes up a large portion of short-term finance for firms and as a result, it is one of the most important indicators of individual business health as well as overall economic health. Small and medium businesses in particular, are often more reliant on trade credit than bank credit; thus a reduction or increase in payment times can have a significant impact on their cash flow cycle."
A significant number of industries also reduced their payment times, particularly the forestry sector, which cut the time taken to pay their bills by six days to 54.2 days year-on-year; this was followed by firms in the fishing industry (down 2.5 days year-on-year). Fishing firms were also one of the fastest payers at 50.6 days.
The quickest payers were those in the agriculture and transportation industries, recording payment times of 49.3 days and 49.8 days respectively. Both industries improved their payment times by nearly two days each quarter-on-quarter and on par with figures 12 months ago.
Mining companies were the slowest payers at nearly 56 days, representing a marginal increase in the past 12 months, despite accounting for around eight per cent of total GDP. This was followed by firms in the finance, insurance and real estate sector and the electric, gas and sanitary services sector at 54 days each.
"Favourable prices and growing conditions are no doubt behind the lower payment times in agriculture, while lower global mineral prices and slower growth in profits is likely to be dampening the mining sector," Mr Koukoulas says.
"Based on the most recent payments data, no particular sector of the economy is performing poorly which fits with the scenario of the economy evening out in recent quarters."