ABC hacked - details of around 49,561 people who've commented online now up on PasteBin

 Cyber War News

 

If you created an ABC account you may have a need to change the password on any email account you used to register.

 

This email address is visible on PasteBin - along with your location,  IP used and comment made.

You may no longer be as anonymous as you once thought, even if you used an online pseudonym.

So Internet users, like kitty who posted To love and be loved over two years ago, are now visible and vulnerable.

Playing regional politics results in false savings

 

The Daily Examiner 20  February 2013:

 

THE Clarence Valley Council has chosen to opt out of Northern Rivers Regional Organisation of Councils (NOROC) with Mayor Richie Williamson saying membership does not represent bang for our buck.

The motion was eventually passed unanimously at last night's ordinary meeting but Cr Jason Kingsley did question whether the Valley would benefit from having allies.

"I would assume councils would be looked upon more favourably if they were part of an alliance rather than just shag on a rock," Cr Kingsley said.

But Cr Williamson was clearly steeled in his resolve; the Valley did not need NOROC.

Letter to the Editor in the same newspaper 23 February 2013:

 

Please explain

Clarence Valley Council is saving $20,000 by withdrawing from the Northern Rivers Regional Organisation of Councils. According to Mayor Williamson, Clarence Valley Council is not getting enough "bang for our buck" through membership.
Was it just coincidence that the council has voted to spend the same sum - $20,000 - on planting and decorating nine Christmas trees? Does this decision give us "bang for our buck"?
Spending $20,000 on Christmas trees is a gross waste of money. NOROC membership offered better value.

Leonie Blain

Grafton

 

Online comment 21 February 2013:

 

Would it be too cynical to suggest that Nationals stalwart Mayor Williamson may be demonising other Far North Coast councils in order to further the NSW Coalition Government's preference for a super council centred in Coffs Harbour and including the Clarence Valley?
EmmaB from Yamba

 

Essential Report: Most voters appear to believe that either nothing will change for them under an Abbott-led government or that they will be worse off

This week’s Essential Report poll* finds that the majority of Australian voters surveyed are leaning towards the Coalition parties, however most also expect either no additional benefit or a worsening of general conditions/personal circumstances if they favour Tony Abbott & Co. at the September 2013 federal election.

Under a Liberal Government, respondents though that the economy overall (+10) and company profits (+25) would be better.

However they were more likely to think that workers rights and conditions (-22), benefits for people on Government support 
(-21), the environment (-14), interest rates (-12), job security (-12), public services, health services (-11) and the cost of living (-10) would all be worse. 22% think their own financial situation will be better, 31% think it will be worse and 42% much the same.

*The survey was conducted online from the 21^st to 24^th February and is based on 1,035 respondents.

The first career limiting move of the long lead in to the 2013 federal election campaign?

Who is this 'senior' staffer?

When it comes to state and federal election campaigns National Party staffers are renown on the NSW North Coast for a pit bull-like defence of their own MPs.

However, most wait until after the election writs are issued before they begin either publicly or privately embarrassing their parliamentarian or party candidate.

Not so this year, when one Canberra staffer of a leading federal agrarian socialist has recently called a local newspaper with a venerable masthead (and its staff) some very harsh names:

a partisan rag

grossly unprofessional

snide

failure

Thus managing to embarrass both the Federal MP for Wide Bay and his hopeful candidate from Casino.

Can’t see the National Party giving this particular dummy spitter a national award for excellence.

More likely he will find himself shifted sideways or sacked if the candidate does not do well at the ballot box. Personally I believe the bully boy should be shown the door now. 

Rumour has it that the hopeful candidate was seen hotfooting it into the newspaper office, allegedly to apologise for the staffer’s ill-advised words.

NSW Farmers asks O'Farrell to protect all strategic agricultural land, water resources and lots zoned residential from CSG and coal mining

NSW Farmers on 19 February 2013 as reported in the RuralWeekly:

The following motion was passed at this morning's executive council meeting:

NSW Farmers supports Premier O'Farrell's decision to take a tougher stand on CSG compliance, and extraction near iconic agricultural industries. We call on the NSW Government to improve this policy by taking the following steps:

1.   apply the 2km buffer to Strategic Agricultural Land and water resources, as identified in Strategic Regional Land Use Plans;

2.    apply the buffer to minerals exploration and extraction (including coal) - not just coal seam gas;

3.    apply this policy to all projects which have not yet received approval, or release legal advice detailing why this step cannot be taken; and,

4.    apply the 2km buffer to all areas zoned as residential (as opposed to setting a population-based definition).

Question for 2013: So exactly when is the Australian National University going to become an ethical investor?

In January 2013 local and national media reported that the Australian National University (ANU) was still a significant shareholder in Metgasco Limited, a coal seam gas exploration and production company operating without a social license on the NSW North Coast.

When caught out ANU pleaded that there were few buyers for Metgasco shares.

To date there has been no announcement that ANU has divested itself of the 2,500,000 Metgasco shares it held as of September 2012.

So how genuine is the University when it comes to ethical investment?

After a Student Union campaign, on Tuesday 11th October 2011 ANU's vice-chancellor Professor Ian Young announced the university investment fund would sell-off $1 million worth of Metgasco shares.

The next day Professor Young stated; We've had those shares since 2001…. They represent less than 0.1 per cent of our total investment portfolio.

However, share movement indicates normal investment trading from 2004-2012, rather than any desire on the university’s part to divest itself of all Metgasco shares from October 2011 onwards.

For interested readers – here is a brief history of ANU shareholdings according to Metgasco company documents:

Between 2004-2006 the Australian National University is not on Metgasco’s 20 Largest Shareholders list.

Metgasco Annual Report 2007

“Metgasco completed two private placements and a Share Purchase Plan during the year.

The Share Purchase Plan was strongly subscribed with over 70% of shareholders taking up their rights to participate.”

The Australian National University Investment Section - 1,250,000 shares representing 1.03% of all issued Metgasco shares as of 31 August 2007.

Making it the 14^th largest shareholder.

ANU holdings increased by an unquantified number of shares.

Metgasco Annual Report 2008

The Australian National University - 2,712,000 shares representing 2.05% of issued Metgasco shares as of 17 September 2008.

Making it the 11^th largest shareholder.

ANU holding increased by 1,462,000 shares.

Metgasco Annual Report 2009

The Australian National University - 2,500,000 shares held representing 1.34% of issued Metgasco shares as of 15 September 2009.

Making it the 11^th largest shareholder.

ANU apparently divested itself of 212,000 shares

Metgasco Annual Report 2010

The Australian National University - 2,283,333 shares representing 0.91% of issued Metgasco shares as of 22 September 2010.

Making it the 12^th largest shareholder.

Apparently ANU divested itself of 216,667 shares.

Metgasco Annual Report 2011

On 17 June 2011 “the Company launched a Share Purchase Plan (“SPP”)….

In mid-2011 we raised new capital of $21 million via a targeted placement and a Share Placement Plan for existing shareholders….”

The Australian National University - 4,206,409 shares representing 1.25% of issued Metgasco shares as of 16 September 2011.

Making it the 10^th largest shareholder.

ANU holding increased by 1,923,076 shares.

NOTE: On Tuesday 11 October 2011 ANU informed the Students Association that it was intending to sell an estimated $1million worth of Metgasco shares, after a campaign by students which one would presume occurred over a number of weeks or months.

Metgasco Annual Report 2012

The Australian National University - 2,500,000 shares representing 0.64% of issued Metgasco shares as of 21 September 2012.

Making it the 17^th largest shareholder.

ANU apparently divested itself of 1,706,409 shares.

ANU’s current total number of Metgasco shares held is now the same as its September 2009 total.
 

UPDATE:

ANU Environment Collective

 

Further Update

The Daily Examiner 26 February 2013:

A GROUP of students is claiming victory today after learning the Australian National University sold its remaining shares in gas mining company Metgasco.

Vice-Chancellor Ian Young sent an email to ANU Environment Collective spokesman Tom Swann this morning revealing the shares had been sold.

"I am informed by the ANU Investment Office that the university has now divested itself of all shares in Metgasco," Mr Young's email read.

APN Newsdesk has contacted ANU seeking confirmation about the sale and answers to other questions.

Mr Swann said the EC campaign to have ANU sell its shares in Metgasco began two years ago after the group was contacted by activists in areas where Metgasco was mining…..

Clarence River Flooding January-February 2013

By now almost everyone in Australia will have seen at least two recent photographs of towns and villages nestled along the NSW North Coast's Clarence River and its tributaries - it has been hard to miss those January and February flood images on the nightly television news and in the online media.

This is yet another perspective captured at 4.30pm on Sunday 24 February.





Click on graphs to enlarge

Real time data for other NSW rivers can be found here.