Tuesday, 11 June 2013

Mining industry and New South Wales: a warning to act before 28 June 2013



In a decade’s time, the Queensland centre of Dalby will be unrecognisable as a farming community, according to Darling Downs lawyer Peter Shannon.

Mr Shannon, Shine Lawyers, who hails from Dalby, said the mining industry was taking over the district at such a rate that the scale of agriculture the regions are known for may not survive the next 10 years.
One of the only benefits to be had from this was that NSW producers could hopefully learn from what has happened to Queensland to prevent coal and coal seam gas (CSG) mining taking over their prime agricultural land.
“It’s an inevitability that wherever there is coal in NSW, there is also good farming land,” said Mr Shannon, who was in Moree last week to talk to growers at the Australian Cotton Trade Show.
“The mining industry will eventually take over agriculture if the agricultural industry doesn’t look after itself, and it’s up to the landholders themselves to make sure their industry is looked after.
“Unfortunately you get more consumer protection buying a fridge in Queensland than you do when entering an agreement with a mining company and if the legal fees available to landholders are capped then it will be impossible for those landholders to have a fair fight…..
“Mining is something that’s usually remote to everyone until it’s knocking on their door and while the law states that a landholder is not allowed to be worse off after signing an agreement with a mining company, you can promise the landholder won’t be better off, while the mining company and government are making fortunes.”…..

Cotton Australia mining and CSG policy officer Sahil Prasad said one of the key changes proposed in the review of the NSW Planning system was the need for developments to be “sustainable” rather than “ecologically sustainable” – a move he said which “essentially negates the right to protect the environment and the important agricultural land around a mining project”.
“Submissions for the review of the system are due on June 28 and I strongly suggest landholders take a good look at this and make sure it’s going to work for them.” [my bolding]

This is the document in question: White Paper – A New Planning System for NSW. Exhibition period ends on 28 June 2013. Submissions may be lodged online.

Vision4Change Aboriginal Arts Exhibition, Yamba Museum 8 June-15 July 2013

The prophetic words of deceased Aboriginal Elder Uncle Allan Laurie “Black and White must work together for the benefit of our young people” is embodied in this first time collaborative project between four Clarence Valley museums and the Aboriginal Community.
This exhibition brings to life a number of historic photos which have been borrowed from a number of collections dating from the 1870’s.
The idea for the exhibition is a response to the call by many non-local non-Aboriginal people from the Clarence Valley who want to learn and connect in some meaningful way with local Aboriginal people.
The collaborative project between Yamba, Maclean, Grafton and Lawrence Museums, some members of the Clarence Valley Aboriginal community and four acclaimed Clarence Valley Aboriginal artists is a demonstration of how well we all can work together for the common good if we put our mind to it…..
16 Elders have also had their photos taken with a number of their stories recorded for a short film.

Debrah Novak  

Monday, 10 June 2013

Cansdellgate - a neverending story

The Daily Examiner and other APN websites are featuring another piece about disgraced former Member for Clarence, Steve Cansdell. The report is reproduced below.

DPP yet to act on advice to charge Steve Cansdell with lying

Authorities are "ducking and weaving" when it comes to pursuing criminal charges against disgraced Clarence MP Steve Cansdell, says shadow Attorney-General Paul Lynch.

The Liverpool MP has challenged his political rival, NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith, to respond to the advice of retired senior barrister Bruce James that Mr Cansdell could have been charged with lying under oath. 

The advice followed an independent review of the police investigation into Mr Cansdell, who resigned in 2011 when it was revealed he had lied about not being behind the wheel when his car was snapped by a speeding camera. 

Charges against him were dropped when a former female staffer, who Mr Cansdell originally claimed had been driving, refused to give a statement. 

During parliament question time last week Mr Cansdell asked Mr Smith when the community could expect the DPP to respond to Mr James's advice. 

The official reply, which has since been placed on the record, read: "The advice from Mr James QC was unsolicited advice and, as such, it is a matter for the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions". 

The DPP has confirmed he received the advice but has yet to announce whether he will act on it.

Give yourself a pat on the back if you picked the blooper in the Examiner's piece.

Hint: How can the disgraced former MP get to ask questions in the parliament? Besides, isn't he flat out doing his new job? Then, again, perhaps he has been moonlighting and making casual appearances while his successor, Mr Walker, attends to extra-curricula activities. 

Oops! Delete that last surname and insert 'Gulaptis'. Constituents in the electorate of Clarence can however be excused for thinking their current local MP is a Mr Walker - that's the Phantom's name and it's also synonymous with the very pedestrian performance the local MP is making.



Kevin Hogan looks for pies in the sky



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 expertswill 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

Sunday, 9 June 2013

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.