Saturday, 22 June 2013
Pacific Highway federal funding fast tracked
The Federal Labor Government has approved a further $282.3 million to complete the necessary planning and pre-construction activities along the 155 kilometre Woolgoolga to Ballina section of the Pacific Highway.
Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said the package of preparatory works had been fast-tracked with the aim of getting construction workers and their equipment onsite upgrading this stretch of highway as soon as possible. [Albanese & Saffin media release,12 June 2013]
Friday, 21 June 2013
Robert Borsak and his friends want to slaughter this little brown duck and Barry O'Farrell said, Sure, go ahead!
Pink-eared Duck
Malacorhynchus membranaceus
Anatidae
Anatidae
approx. 38-40 cm in length
carnivorous & mostly consumes aquatic invertebrates, primarily chironomid larvae
prefers to breed on receding floodwaters and forage on wetland margins
Will the NSW Premier admit the Government got it wrong? Will he remove the Pink-eared Duck from the Shooters and Fishers kill list? asks the Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition on 10 June 2013.
Female Pink-eared Duck with ducklings
Not content with the O'Farrell Government opening up National Parks in New South Wales to hunters and passing the Game and Feral Animal Control Further Amendment Act 2012 to allow the killing of 14 native birds species on private land, Robert Borsack MLC now appears to have green lighting the re-introduction into the Australian community of semi-automatic weapons on his wish list.
Meet Page's PUP
The Daily Examiner 10 June 2012:
Mr Palmer has announced Stephen Janes, who owns That New Coffee Shop at Ballina with his wife, Jennie, will stand challenge sitting member Janelle Saffin for the seat of Page at the Federal election in September……
In a statement released by the Palmer United Party, Mr Janes said he wanted to represent "people like me".
Steve Janes now has a blog, on which he cheerfully admits that: I’m new to the area, don’t know many people, don’t know the issues! He also expects that the issues in Page can be learnt quickly.
One could almost feel for this somewhat clumsy novice - except for the fact that his party leader is still pursuing the possibility of commercially mining coal in that part of the Clarence River catchment where an estimated 126,000 people source their drinking water.
By standing for the Palmer United Party Janes is standing for the mining industry's continuing attempts to exploit what Northern Rivers communities have fought hard to protect - our natural environment, water security and regional economies.
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Coal & Coal Seam Gas 'Water Trigger' amendment passes both Australian Houses of Parliament despite Coalition attempts to cripple it
On 19 June 2013 the C’wealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment Bill 2013, commonly called the Water Trigger Bill, was voted into legislation by the Australian Parliament.
This amendment strengthens the Commonwealth’s power to intervene in relation to water resources, but still leaves regions such as the Northern Rivers vulnerable to exploitation by the coal seam gas industry and an arrogant Coalition state government.
Excerpt:
Subdivision FB — Protection of water resources from coal seam gas development and large coal mining development
(1) A constitutional corporation, the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth agency must not take an action if:
(a) the action involves:
(i) coal seam gas development; or
(ii) large coal mining development; and
(b) the action:
(i) has or will have a significant impact on a water resource; or
(ii) is likely to have a significant impact on a water resource.
Civil penalty:
(a) for an individual—5,000 penalty units;
(b) for a body corporate—50,000 penalty units.
(2) A person must not take an action if:
(a) the action involves:
(i) coal seam gas development; or
(ii) large coal mining development; and
(b) the action is taken for the purposes of trade or commerce:
(i) between Australia and another country; or
(ii) between 2 States; or
(iii) between a State and Territory; or
(iv) between 2 Territories; and
(c) the action:
(i) has or will have a significant impact on a water resource; or
(ii) is likely to have a significant impact on a water resource.
Civil penalty:
(a) for an individual—5,000 penalty units;
(b) for a body corporate—50,000 penalty units.
(3) A person must not take an action if:
(a) the action involves:
(i) coal seam gas development; or
(ii) large coal mining development; and
(b) the action is taken in:
(i) a Commonwealth area; or
(ii) a Territory; and
(c) the action:
(i) has or will have a significant impact on a water resource; or
(ii) is likely to have a significant impact on a water resource.
Civil penalty:
(a) for an individual—5,000 penalty units;
(b) for a body corporate—50,000 penalty units.
(4) Subsections (1) to (3) do not apply to an action if:
(a) an approval of the taking of the action by the constitutional corporation, Commonwealth, Commonwealth agency or person is in operation under Part 9 for the purposes of this section; or
(b) Part 4 lets the constitutional corporation, Commonwealth, Commonwealth agency or person take the action without an approval under Part 9 for the purposes of this section; or
(c) there is in force a decision of the Minister under Division 2 of Part 7 that this section is not a controlling provision for the action and, if the decision was made because the Minister believed the action would be taken in a manner specified in the notice of the decision under section 77, the action is taken in that manner; or
(d) the action is an action described in subsection 160(2) (which describes actions whose authorisation is subject to a special environmental assessment process).
(5) A person who wishes to rely on subsection (4) in proceedings for a contravention of a civil penalty provision bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in that subsection.
Liberal-Nationals Federal Coalition failed amendment seeking to hand back powers to the states, as it was put to the Senate.
Excerpt:
Schedule 1, page 9 (after line 31), after item 18, insert:
18A Section 528 (at the end of the definition of coal seam gas development )
Add “, but does not include exploration, assessment or appraisal pursuant to a petroleum title granted under a law of a State or Territory.”.
[definition of coal seam gas development]
(4) Schedule 1, page 9 (after line 31), after item 18, insert:
18B Section 528 (at the end of the definition of large coal mining development )
Add “, but does not include exploration, assessment or appraisal pursuant to a minerals exploration licence or permit granted under a law of a State or Territory.”.
[definition of large coal mining development]
Perhaps the National Party’s federal election candidate in the Page electorate, Kevin Hogan, might like to explain how he (as a candidate who has never held political office) would stop these or similar Coalition amendments being put to the Parliament should he become a member of the House of Representatives in an Abbott-led federal government?
Federal Labor MP Janelle Saffin also has some concerns according to her media release on 19 June 2013:
Page MP Janelle Saffin said the passage of the Australian Government’s ‘water trigger’ legislation through the Senate today is an important step in the battle to protect our water from Coal Seam Gas mining in our local area.
Janelle said, “The water trigger can help us stop any CSG mining going ahead in our area, but we need more action and it has to be at State level.”
“The power to stop CSG mining completely in our area, rests with the NSW Government, who have done nothing to protect us, and our way of life, despite promises. We just cannot trust the Nationals to protect our communities from this harmful CSG mining.
“I lobbied hard on behalf of our community to get the Federal Government to use the full extent of its powers to protect our water. The battle is however far from over with the Coalition vowing to undo the legislation, if they get an opportunity.”
“To add insult to injury the Federal Coalition put forward an amendment that we blocked, which was to hand back the water assessment process to the NSW Government. This means Minister Hartcher would be in charge and he is the Minister who has been fast-tracking the expansion of CSG mining in NSW.”
“The Coalition made it clear in the Senate they plan to change everything should they win Government –a frightening prospect, which means we can’t trust the Nationals on CSG.
“One of their stated aims is to hand environmental assessment power back to the states. In New South Wales that means a Coalition State Government that has done nothing to protect our region, while declaring CSG exclusion zones around Hunter Valley horse studs and wineries.
“The people of Page do not want 1000 gas wells and more across the Northern Rivers.
“Communities across the region have given the message loud and clear- we want to keep the Northern Rivers CSG-free. We will not accept the risk to our water, farmland, environment, tourism, local economy and our way of life.
“It is clear the mining companies are hoping for a Coalition federal government in September, to give them the green light on CSG. I am not going to let that happen locally.
How Big BOF and his mates intend to f#ck the Northern Rivers of New South Wales
The NSW Lib-Nats Government's Draft Marine-Based Industry Policy – Far North Coast & Mid North Coast NSW. Read it and weep.
"The policy applies from the Queensland border in the North to Tea Gardens in the South. Its main more navigable waterways include: Tweed River, Richmond River, Clarence River, Coffs Harbour and, Hastings River. Less navigable waterways include: Brunswick River, Evans River, Bellinger River, Nambucca River, Macleay River, Camden Haven River, Manning River, Wallis Lake, Port Stephens and some of the major tributaries of the more navigable waterways."
"For the purpose of this policy, a marine-based industry is “an industry
that depends upon access to a navigable waterway”. Without limiting the generality of this definition, it is considered that the Marine-based Industry Policy - Far North Coast & Mid North Coast NSW will apply mainly to activities that include: boat building, refit and repair but may include other specialist industries such as the manufacture of wave power electricity generators, off-shore drilling platforms, off-shore aquaculture
pens, etc"
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