Is Opposition Leader Tony Abbott being a little too cute on his Statement of Registerable Interests?

I did not mishear, in an ABC News interview aired on 3 March 2013, Margie Abbott quite clearly stated that she was the owner of a small business.

Elsewhere she has said:

I run a community based not for profit childcare centre in Sydney, which employs 10 staff, and provides a service to about 100 families. I am effectively a small business operator…

Margie also styles herself as Director, SIOC (St. Ives Occasional Care Incorporated which may have been previously trading as Ku-ring-gai Community Childrens Centre Inc). She is apparently the sole director.

Yet her husband coyly declares to the Australian Parliament in his last Statement of Registrable Interests that she is employed, rather than more accurately stating that she is self-employed or the director of an incorporated business.

As anyone who works for a wage (with no equity in the business which employs them) can tell you - there is a wealth of difference between those three terms. Ranging from income, autonomy and security of tenure through to flexibility in work conditions.

As a sole trader, using her maiden name, Margie Abbott was also active in business between June 2001 and March 2003.

Given Mr. Abbott has a propensity to misrepresent his wife's interests, I have to wonder how he as both MP and Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business described her time as a sole trader to the Australian Parliament then.

Dutch super trawler finally leaving Australian waters

 

 

In the space of twenty-one days Seafish Tasmania and Parlevliet En Van Der Plas Beheer B.V blinked........

THEN

AAP 13 February 2013

 

The operators of banned super-trawler Abel Tasman have begun legal action against the government.

Super-trawler operator Seafish Tasmania has begun court action to sue the federal government and two ministers over the ban on the controversial fishing behemoth Abel Tasman.

Seafish managing director Joe Pirrello says documents have been sent to the Federal Court instigating action against the government, Environment Minister Tony Burke and Fisheries Minister Joe Ludwig.

Mr Burke used new powers to ban the 142-metre vessel last year after a public backlash and on Tuesday announced he would knock back a plan for it to be used as a "mother ship".

Under the proposal, smaller boats would fish for Seafish's 18,000-tonne quota of jack mackerel and redbait, with the Abel Tasman to be used as a giant offshore freezer.

The ship, formerly known as the Margiris, has been berthed at Port Lincoln in South Australia since its arrival from The Netherlands in August, costing Seafish more than $10,000 a day.

"About eight days ago we presented the Federal Court (in) Queensland with documents to sue the federal government, Tony Burke and Joe Ludwig in order to overturn his original declaration," Mr Pirrello told AAP.

In a statement, the company added: "The Australian government, through AFMA (the Australian Fisheries Management Authority), encouraged Seafish Tasmania to spend millions of dollars to bring the Abel Tasman to Australia.

"Now the Australian government wants us to go away. We won't be going away."

NOW
 

FV Able Tasman from Google Images

  

The Hon. Tony Burke MP

Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities

 

Wednesday, 6 March 2013
 

Statement from Tony Burke on the Super Trawler

 

Seafish Tasmania today put out a statement saying the Abel Tasman is leaving Australian waters.

The Gillard Government last year acted to stop the Super Trawler – formally named the FV Margiris - from fishing in Australian waters until the sufficient scientific checks have been completed.

At the core of this issue was one principle - there was significant uncertainty about the environmental impacts of this new form of fishing.

When faced with this sort of uncertainty you can either be cautious and wait for the scientific work to be done or roll the dice and run the risks.

Australia chose to be cautious when it came to protecting the ocean. It was the right thing to do.

The Gillard Government makes no apology for not taking risks when it comes to protecting our precious oceans.

 

Background here.

Federal Labor MP for Page announces funding for Casino Saleyards safety upgrade

Saffin announces funding for upgrade of Casino Saleyards

Page MP Janelle Saffin has  announced Federal funding of more than $600,000 for a major upgrade to improve safety at the Casino Saleyards.

Ms Saffin said the funding, under the Federal Government’s Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program. will mean much safer facilities for saleyard workers and truck drivers who transport livestock.

““There is a total of $636,000 in Federal funding along with $159,000 from the Richmond Valley Council for the upgrade at the Casino Regional Livestock Exchange.

“The funding is for the installation of double-deck delivery ramps, non-slip concrete pens and race floor and includes all-weather roofing along the yards and gates and lighting.  We can all appreciate how important these improvements are given our recent weather conditions.

“The issue of safety for saleyard employees and truck drivers has been raised with me by local councils, beef producers and the trucking industry in recent years, so I welcome the new funding.

“I was among a number of MPs from rural electorates who successfully lobbied for saleyards safety upgrades to be included in the Federal Governments Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program,” Ms Saffin said.

“I thank Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Anthony Albanese for listening to the concerns from rural and regional Australia, and for responding to them by providing extra assistance.”

1 March, 2013

Office of Janelle Saffin MP
Federal Member for Page
Ph: 66219909 

Most unusual job vacancy advertisement

This digital copy of a newspaper clipping came to me via an email link to http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2013/02/situations-vacant-4/.

The tongue-in-cheek job vacancy appears to be from a UK publication, but hopefully someone has suggested to Cardinal George Pell that he send in his curriculum vitae – it sounds as though he fits the selection criteria down right down to the final infallibility clause.

Underwater with the fish at Julian Rocks

Posted in appreciation of Kieren Curry and friends who made this video at Julian Rocks NSW on January 4, 2013.

Perfect Byron Day from kieren curry on Vimeo.

http://vimeo.com/59269647

NSW Police at their worst while protecting Metgasco Limited's interests

Photograph of Gareth preparing to 'lock on' from EchoNetDaily

On 26 February 2013 an unnamed police officer used capsicum spray against a defenseless protester at coal seam gas exploration company Megasco Limited's Doubtful Creek test drilling site:

http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/news/audio/am/201302/20130228-rnam-spray-protest.mp3

Excerpt from transcript:

TONY EASTLEY: New South Wales Police are investigating why an officer used capsicum spray on a protester who was chained to a truck.

The man was protesting against Metgasco's coal seam gas exploration site in the north of the state.

The Lock the Gate alliance which organised the protest says it will be lodging a complaint against the police.

A spokesman for the group says the use of spray on a passive protester amounts to assault.

David Mark reports.

DAVID MARK: A group of protesters have been attempting to disrupt test drilling by the company Metgasco at their coal-seam gas site near Kyogle since January.

On Tuesday one of the protesters, a 45 year old man named Gareth, locked himself to one of the company's trucks as it attempted to leave the site.

Scott Sledge, the president of the protest group the Northern Rivers Guardians, was close by.

SCOTT SLEDGE: They have a pipe which has a bend in it and both hands go into the pipe. And then it locks with clips onto a chain which is attached to the wrist so you can't actually pull that arm out of the metal sleeve.

DAVID MARK: Scott Sledge didn't see what happened next. He says he was on the other side of the truck. But he later spoke to Gareth.

SCOTT SLEDGE: He told me a policeman came under the truck and said, "Let go now and get out from under the truck or I'll spray you in the face." And he was holding a little canister, a spray canister. And he said, "I can't let go, I'm locked on".

And then he got sprayed in the face and it was burning. I heard him yell "I've been maced!" I yelled out then, "You can't do that, he's locked on, he's defenceless, that's torture."

DAVID MARK: New South Wales Police have released a statement confirming police did use capsicum spray on a 45 year old man while he was attached to a truck.

He was arrested but not charged......

DAVID MARK: Police guidelines say capsicum spray can only be used on three occasions: to protect human life; as a less lethal option for controlling people where violent resistance or confrontation occurs; or as protection against animals.....

Clarence Valley Council strips local workers of penalty rates on 3 days this year

This turned up in the comments under a Daily Examiner story last week about Grafton’s Jacaranda Festival losing its very trad Thursday half day public holiday:

"Clarence Valley Public Holidays
Council has applied to NSW Industrial Relations for the following:
1.Event Day after noon on Wednesday 17 April 2013 - Maclean Show Day to be observed within the Police Patrol Districts of Maclean, Yamba and Iluka. A map showing the Police Patrol Districts is available by clicking here.
2.Public Holidays after noon till 5.00 pm on Wednesday 10 July 2013 - Ramornie Race Day - and on Thursday 11 July 2013 - Grafton Cup Day to be observed within the City of Grafton. A map of the City of Grafton is available by clicking here.
3.Event Day after noon on Thursday 31 October 2013 - Jacaranda Thursday to be observed within the City of Grafton. A map of the City of Grafton is available by clicking here.
.Council's application is awaiting the consideration of the Minister.
We expect the outcome by the end of February 2013.
Enquiries to Governance Coordinator, Brian Lane 6641 7203."

Come again? What’s this “events day”? Oh, that’s a day which is supposed to act like a public holiday, but one where workers don’t get penalty rates if they’re rostered on to work - because it’s legally NOT a public holiday.
Who said Work Choices is dead?
This comment sounds pretty near the mark, seeing this council is run by the North Coast Nats and the local let 'em get cake business community: