Thanks Rupert Murdoch, but Australians can choose their own government

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Australian Press Council Update 28 August 2013:

On Friday 23 August the Chair of the Council, Prof Julian Disney, wrote to major newspaper editors reminding them of the Council's longstanding guideline on election coverage. A copy of the message is below.

Dear editor,

In response to concerns expressed by members of the general community as well as within the media industry, I am writing to the editor of each metropolitan daily newspaper to emphasise the importance of the advisory guideline on election reporting. It was issued by the Press Council in 2009 and continues in operation.

In particular, I draw your attention to the 2009 opening section of the guideline which reads as follows:

“The Council upholds the right of a newspaper to have its own political position; to accept certain beliefs and policies and to reject others; and to favour the election of one party and to oppose the election of another.  However, the Council has emphasised strongly that newspapers that profess to inform the community about its political and social affairs are under an obligation to present to the public a reasonably comprehensive and accurate account of public issues. As a result, the Council believes that it is essential that a clear distinction be drawn between reporting the facts and stating opinion. A paper’s editorial viewpoints and its advocacy of them must be kept separate from its news columns.”

We seek your cooperation in observing this guideline during the current Federal election campaign. The full text is available at http://www.presscouncil.org.au/document-search/guideline-reporting-elections/

Yours sincerely,

Prof Julian Disney AO
Chair
Australian Press Council
23 August 2013

Setting the record straight

Letter to the editor The Northern Star 27 August 2013:

Can't go both ways

Can the Nationals be allowed out on their own? It is reported that, in a letter to Mr Albanese in late June this year, Mr Duncan Gay, NSW Minister for Roads and things, stated: "...NSW has received nearly $740million more than requested from the Federal Government..." for the Pacific Hwy upgrade.

In a press release in August encouraging voters to support Coalition candidates, Mr Gay stated: "Kevin Rudd and Anthony Albanese have turned off the (funding) tap for duplication of the highway from Newcastle to the Queensland border..."

Perhaps a little more central office oversight or possibly more rigorous vetting of Nationals propaganda is required.

Kevin Ruff

Casino

Letter to the editor The Daily Examiner 27 August 2013:

Hogan set straight

On July 31 on his Facebook campaign page, Nationals candidate in the Page electorate Kevin Hogan stated: "After six long years of Labor mismanagement, the Northern Rivers economy is nowhere near as strong as it could be. Debt has grown to record levels, unemployment has risen and local families are struggling with rising costs."
Sounds as though our region is in dire straits doesn't it? But how factual is that statement?
Looking first at the unemployment rate in those regions into which the Northern Rivers falls.
It was 16.2% for Richmond-Tweed and Mid North Coast in July 2013, down from 17% in November 2007 (ABS Cat. No. 6291.0.55.001) and across the Northern Rivers has been trending down since peaking during the global financial crisis (Regional Development Australia: Northern Rivers, 2013).
In fact: "The number of employed persons in regional NSW grew by 7.2% (85,000 persons) between 2008 and 2013. Newcastle experienced the largest growth (22,600 persons) followed closely by the Richmond-Tweed and Mid North Coast region (19,700 persons)," as cited in NSW Regional Labour Force Trends: Statistical Indicators 3/2013.
So local employment has actually grown during the almost six years there has been a Federal Labor Government.
Turning now to the regional economy.
Regional Development Australia's documents show that the Northern Rivers Gross Regional Product (GRP) has continued to grow annually. In 2008/9 it was $7.8billion, in 2009/10 it was $11.1billion and by 2011/12 the annual growth of GRP was 11.4% compared with overall NSW GRP growth at 2.2%.
Which means the Northern Rivers has been outperforming the state average when it comes to GRP growth - that doesn't happen if a regional economy is not reasonably strong.
Next, how are people faring in the Northern Rivers with cost-of-living pressures as opposed to lifestyle pressures?
Well, the Life Cost Index (LCI) for employee households rose 1.4% through the year to the June quarter 2013 compared to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which rose 2.4% through the year to the June quarter 2013 (Selected Living Cost Indexes, Australia, June 2013). In June 2007 when the Coalition was last in power, the CPI rose 3.1% for employees (Analytical Living Cost Indexes for Selected Australian Household Types, June 2007).
However, if you are a self-funded retiree or receiving a Centrelink/Veterans Affairs pension, then the LCI and CPI percentage changes actually fell between June-September 2012 and March-June 2013 (ibid). Presumably because income/tax concessions/government cash transfer levels increased.
Comparing March-June 2007 with March-June 2013, then the CPI fell from being between 2.2-2.8% to 0.4% for those receiving Centrelink/Veterans Affairs pensions.
So when it comes to cost of living, Northern Rivers residents are not faring any worse under a Federal Labor Government.
Finally, the question of debt levels. Mr Hogan did not specify whether he was referring to Northern Rivers public or private debt, so looking for answers is a waste of effort at this time.
For the record, I have never been a member of a political party.

Judith M Melville

Yamba

Letter to the editor The Daily Examiner 28 August 2013:

Saddled with Tony

I was amazed to read in Saturday's Examiner that the Federal Opposition Leader claimed expenses for participating in community and charity events.

As I have participated in some of these events myself, including the BUPA challenge ride during the Tour Down Under in January this year and the Coffs Cycle Challenge earlier this month, I now find out that not only have I paid my own way to these events, but have help pay for Tony Abbott's way as well.

I have also assisted in organising fundraising events in both Queensland and NSW, all of which cost personal time and money, to give you an example.

In the most recent event, two months ago, the Brooms Head Fun Run that raised $2200 for the Westpac helicopter service, I travelled a total of 196km ie three trips to Brooms Head to set up the course, check on facilities and organise the day, set up signs and pick up trophies from Yamba.

On top of this the Lions Club members and other helpers on the day travelled a combined total of 400km and no one claims or gets paid expenses.

If you look at the Coffs Cycle Challenge, there would have been at least 40 people acting as marshals around the course, all using their own vehicles to get to their locations.

Our Mayor Richie Williamson has participated in our fun runs and I can bet you that he did not claim any expenses from the Clarence Valley Council.

And to say that Tony Abbott had other business to attend to would be incorrect because if these events were not on he would not have turned up.

He would be better off supporting these events with a cash donation.

This may only be small costs compared to the big picture, but it shows the contempt that our politicians show towards the general public that try and make our communities a better and more enjoyable place to live.

Ken Crampton OAM

Maclean

Letter to the Editor The Clarence Valley Review 28 August 2013:

Disempowering communities

The Grafton Loop of the Knitting Nannas Against Gas (KNAG) have written to the Member for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis MP, about the Government’s proposed amendment to the State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP)  dealing with Mining, Petroleum Production and Extractive Industries.

The Nannas are appalled that the Government is proposing to disempower local communities even further when it comes to mining development.

The proposed amendment means that the “significance” of the “resource” (be it a coal or gas or some other resource) becomes the central consideration in the approvals process.

This means that matters of importance to the local community – such as their amenity, health, water resources, and the natural environment – will be downgraded to minor considerations.

The Knitting Nannas fear that the Government is forgetting the importance of those people they are supposed to represent – the general community.  We also note that many people are becoming increasingly concerned about the continuation of governments’ anxiety to promote mining despite public unease.

We believe that this amendment to the SEPP should be abandoned in the interests of the general community and our children and grandchildren.

Leonie Blain

for the Knitting Nannas, Grafton

Abbott's Army is still a company of clowns

Brisbane Times 1 September 2013:

A volunteer for the Liberal National Party candidate aiming to unseat former treasurer Wayne Swan was convicted and jailed in the United Kingdom for making hoax terrorist threats.

Matthew Carney, 28, has been an active volunteer in LNP candidate Rob McGarvie's campaign in the northern Brisbane electorate of Lilley.

But Mr McGarvie said Mr Carney was a close family friend who deserved a second chance after the "stupid practical joke" that landed the then-24-year-old in jail....

So much for Abbott's 'real solutions' unity ticket

The Guardian 1 September 2013:

Open warfare has broken out between the Liberal and the National parties with New South Wales National senator Fiona Nash joining her party leader, Warren Truss, in attacking the Liberal shadow treasurer, Joe Hockey, for being “disconnected” from regional Australia.

The war began over Liberal party advertisements in the West Australian newspaper on Saturday which claimed credit for the $1bn national stronger regions fund Truss announced on Thursday.

The advertisement used a picture of the Coalition leadership team but Truss had been taken out and the word “national” had been removed from the fund’s title.

Tony Abbott caught doing the wrong thing out of misplaced vanity

The accompanying reporters on the factory floor seem to have all worn hair nets, but there was no protective hair net for Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott when he visited Cadbury's chocolate factory.

I would strongly advise staying away from all Cadbury products manufactured in Tasmania in August 2013.

However, that is not the only thing wrong with this picture.

While he was busy potentially contaminating chocolate, Tony Abbott also promised AUD $16M to US multinational Mondelēz International Inc (formerly Kraft Foods) to upgrade this factory.

By the June Quarter 2013 Mondelēz had announced assets of US $71.8 billion, net revenues of US $8.5 billion, gross profit of US $3.2 billion and, in the Asia Pacific region (which includes Australia) its power brands grew 15.5% led by Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate, Oreo and Chips Ahoy! biscuits, Stride gumand Tang powdered beverages.

It has no urgent need of funding from Australian taxpayers.

Abbott’s $16 million can be seen as a blatant attempt to buy the votes of workers at the Cadbury factory who may never have felt the need to do the maths. 

*Photograph from The Age

Federal Labor's Janelle Saffin has an impressive list of achievements in the Page electorate

Janelle Saffin Federal Labor MP for Page - Achievements since December 2007

Is Joe Hockey a repeat offender when it comes to non-disclosure of pecuniary interests?

It must have irked the Murdoch media to have to run with this:

“Aspiring treasurer Joe Hockey has been caught breaching parliamentary rules after failing to declare a family interest for almost his entire 17-year career in federal parliament.

Mr Hockey declared the directorship of Steel Harbour Pty Ltd held by his wife, Melissa Babbage, in May last year among a series of "new positions" under spouse declaration rules. But business records show Ms Babbage was appointed to the role in 1998. Pecuniary interest register declarations are supposed to be made within a month. The revelations come after News Corp Australia revealed earlier this year Arthur Sinodinos, tipped to be Mr Hockey's right-hand man as finance minister in an Abbott government, failed to declare six company directorships in his first year in the upper house. The directorship blunder has emerged ahead of a key economic debate showdown between Mr Hockey and Treasurer Chris Bowen at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday. Mr Hockey yesterday suggested he was clueless about his wife's business interests for 14 years and would not explain what the company did.”

However, what the Murdoch media failed to mention in that article was the fact that Mr. Hockey had been down this road before if the House of Representatives Hansard of 26 March 2007 is any guide:

Ms GILLARD (3:09 PM) —Mr Speaker, I have a question to you relating to the obligation of members to declare registrable interests. Can you investigate the reasons why the member for North Sydney did not declare his interest in Babbage Hockey Pty Ltd until 19 February 2007, more than 12 months after the company’s registration? Can you also investigate the reason why the member has failed to disclose his previous directorship of the company? Finally, can you advise the House whether the member’s claim that he was not required to declare the company because ‘we did not know what we were going to do with it’ is consistent with the obligations on members—

Honourable members interjecting—

Ms GILLARD —they are quite simple questions—to comply with House resolutions relating to the disclosure of interests? It is in the interests of all members of the House to be clear on these things.

The SPEAKER —I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. I do not believe that question time is the time to raise that issue; however, I will examine the points that she has raised. I will take those on notice and I will give further consideration to them.

Then there is this trading partnership (shown in the snapshot below) which perhaps requires further explanation, as it does not appear that in his Register of Members' Interests statement Mr. Hockey has informed the Parliament that the partnership has apparently been reactivated.

Click on image to enlarge