Kevin Hogan looks for pies in the sky

Clarence Valley Review 29 May 2013:

Nationals candidate for Page Kevin Hogan has called for the Federal Government to push Telstra to decentralise jobs, after the telco locked in a $1.1 billion defence contract with the Commonwealth.
Mr Hogan says since Telstra shut down their Lismore and Grafton call centres and axed 220 jobs, it should be the number one priority of the Federal Government to spread the jobs back to the regions that need it.
The new contract is estimated to create 350 new jobs.
“Telstra says their Defence telecommunications network includes networks at 430 sites in Australia, but it’s as yet unclear where these new jobs will go,” Mr Hogan said.
“I think it’s only fair that the Northern Rivers get a look-in for this work, and I’m calling on the Federal Government to explore all options for returning telecommunications jobs to this region.” 

Oh dear, Kevin Hogan has not thought things through again. 

The 350 new jobs (many for leading IT, network and security experts) will be created for the six-and-half year life of this information communications contract and involve travelling around 430 sites in Australia.

How many of these sites are in the Page electorate?  

Well there appears to be an Army Reserve 41 RNSWR depot in Grafton, another in East Lismore and an RAAF air weapons range at Evans Head. That's it.

I doubt whether upgrading telecommunications for these part-time soldiers and for a training range used by airforce pilots located interstate is going to take long or involve a great many Telstra staff.

Hogan is also yet to explain why he thinks the Australian Government can tell a private corporation how to run its business, eg. spread the jobs back to the regions. 

Especially as the Commonwealth has not had a controlling interest in this telco for years - and its residual 17 per cent shareholding was transferred to the Future Fund in 2007.

Clarence Valley North-South Divide throws up yet another letter

Forced local government amalgamation in the Clarence Valley, followed by an [expletive deleted] administration period from which the council is still recovering, fractured any hope of a united population and the current set of shire councillors is doing its best to further entrench and widen that fracture.

Nowhere is that rift more obvious than in the letters-to-the-editor section of local newspapers.

Here is one of the latest published in The Daily Examiner on 4 June 2013:

It would be nice if the people of Grafton, who have such a down on the Lower Clarence would check their facts. Yes, we do have two swimming pools, but my older children learnt to swim in the old quarry pool before the rock pool was built in about 1967/68. We (the people of Yamba) began to work for a heated community pool only to have a newcomer to town who wanted a hydro pool at the Maclean Hospital, so our efforts went to help her, then Maclean pool was enlarged from 25m to 50m, so we helped again.   Then we went flat out to raise funds for our heated pool and much volunteer labour went into that pool. As regards to our developments having proper footpaths and guttering, well I think Maclean Council had much to do with that. It did not cost $1 million dollars to fix our rock pool, not nearly as much as the South Grafton pool. Please think before your next rave. I have a little knowledge of local government as my late husband was a Maclean councillor for eight and a half years. The extra six months was to fight against amalgamation - but we lost.   Marie Rheinberger, Yamba

Abbott and Asbestos

Hansard 3 June 2013:

Mr ABBOTT (Warringah—Leader of the Opposition) (14:10): My question is to the Prime Minister. I remind her that her government has committed some $50 million to advertising the National Broadband Network. Does the Prime Minister agree that this $50 million could have been better spent ensuring that communities in Western Sydney, Ballarat, Adelaide, Perth and Tasmania were protected from exposure to asbestos resulting from the National Broadband Network rollout?

Coastal Leader 4 June 2013:

Telstra tried to fast-track compensation arrangements for its employees exposed to asbestos but was rebuffed by Tony Abbott's own department back in 2001.

With the opposition on Monday leading a parliamentary attack on the government over its alleged lack of urgency in addressing asbestos discovered in Telstra junction pits being handed over to the NBN, Fairfax Media has learnt the giant telco wanted to create an independent body to accelerate compensation and sought approval from the Department of Workplace Relations.

However, the department, then under the ministerial leadership of Mr Abbott, rejected the plan.

The emergence of Telstra's previous attempt to get on the front foot on the issue comes as the telco agreed to take ''ultimate responsibility'' to deal with asbestos used in its infrastructure.

Background

The Age 17 August 17 2005:

The Federal Government's joint party room has approved the full sale of Telstra, Prime Minister John Howard said today. The sale is expected to take place in 2006.

Hansard  7 February 2006
Mr Andren asked the Minister representing the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, in writing, on 15 September 2005:

(1)   How much asbestos has been purchased by Telstra from James Hardies Industries and how much has been used.

(2)   How many of Telstra’s underground installations and exchanges contain asbestos or products manufactured from asbestos.

(3)   How frequently do Telstra employees or contractors come into contact with asbestos in the course of carrying out maintenance in exchanges or underground installations.

(4)   What safety procedures are in place to protect Telstra’s employees and contractors against exposure to asbestos in the course of carrying out maintenance in exchanges or underground installations.

(5)   How many cases of asbestosis amongst current and former Telstra employees and contractors have been reported to date.

Mr McGauran (Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) —The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts has provided the following answer, based on advice provided by Telstra, to the honourable member’s question:

(1)   Telstra and its predecessors, Post Master General and Telecom, have not purchased any asbestos from James Hardies Industries since approximately 1986. Telstra’s predecessors purchased cement pits and pipes containing asbestos (approximately 5-15% asbestos content depending on the type of product) from Hardies from about 1955 until about 1986 when these products were replaced with plastic alternatives. This material was purchased by government tender and Telstra is unable to provide details of the exact quantities purchased or used. Telstra has also noted that it is also likely that the vehicles used by Telstra’s predecessors contained asbestos friction products or brake linings purchased from Hardie Ferodo and Better Brakes, which was part of the James Hardie group of companies, as these were available in the public domain.

(2)   The Telstra network still contains pits made of cement with some asbestos content. These pits and pipes are comprised of asbestos cement with the pits containing approximately 5-15% asbestos bonded in a cement and silica matrix and the pipes containing 15% asbestos bonded in a cement and silica matrix. As this asbestos is bound to the cement and in low concentrations it does not present a hazard, unless friable (where the fibres become loose and airborne). In the case of pits and pipes, (as they are bound in a cement matrix) the asbestos fibres are not likely to become friable unless ground by a powered machine such as an electric grinder. Where exchange buildings contain in situ asbestos, these are documented and managed as per the processes outlined in the response to part (4). This is similar to other public and private buildings where in situ asbestos is present.

(3)   Telstra employees and contractors will come into contact from time to time with material containing asbestos during maintenance of underground installations or buildings. All contact is regulated by the asbestos management processes referred to in the response to part (4).

(4)   Telstra is required to - and does - comply with requirements of the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) Code of Practice on Asbestos. Compliance is enforced by the Safety and Rehabilitation Commission (SRC) through its operational arm Comcare Australia. Briefly, the processes for the management of asbestos in Telstra involves:

• The maintenance of an Asbestos Register at all exchanges that have asbestos;
• All pits and pipes which are not plastic are treated as containing asbestos;
• The regular inspection, maintenance or removal (if necessary) of the asbestos
• All employees and contractors to observe strict guidelines for working in proximity to, handling or disposing of asbestos (eg. appropriate training and personal protective clothing such as gloves, respirators and disposal clothing are provided to carry out this work); and
• Final disposal to be managed by licensed asbestos removal contractors.

All other contractors are also required to provide evidence of compliance with the relevant State and Federal occupational health and safety legislation and contractors meet regularly with Telstra to review compliance with this legislation.

(5)   Telstra has kept detailed records as to all asbestos related claims nationally from 2000. Since that time there have been 10 claims where asbestosis was alleged to have developed from exposure to asbestos during the employ of Telstra’s predecessors.

The Stars Sing the Blues

Image from Stellar Planet

A hat tip to @upjulie for finding this website where x-ray signals from the stars are turned into music…..

Star Songs: Infusing Noise With Meaning:

http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/sed/projects/star_songs/music_audio/signal1.ogg

http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/sed/projects/star_songs/music_audio/blues.ogg

Quote of the Week

“You ring Friday nights when only the ill, the old, the loveless, the friendless and mad are at home and, sure, you'll get a Liberal majority.” {Bob Ellis in Granny Herald on phone polling 4^th June 2013} OUCH!

June 2013 Memo to Ethical Investors re ERM Power Limited

Since ERM Power Limited decided to invite itself into the Northern Rivers by way of investment in coal seam gas exploration and mining companies Metgasco, Clarence Morton Resources and Red Sky Energy it has become a company which is willing to override the concerns and wishes of local communities.

ERM is currently in a trading halt as it attempts to raise $60 million by way of placement and SPP in order to reduce debt and create working capital to progress its business plans, which include its interests in NSW North Coast coal seam gas production, reserves and exploration.

Ethical investors are asked to consider what participating in this offer may mean to established regional economies, water security, agriculture, lifestyle and amenity across New South Wales by way of potential adverse impacts associated with creating and operating gas fields.

A grace note from the Twitterverse