The new Member for Page really is what's-his-name

This morning in the time session usually occupied by local rural news ABC North Coast local radio presented an election post-mortem.

A voter at a polling place in Grafton told the ABC he likes Tony Abbott so he voted for "what's-his-name in Page". Quite obviously, the voter had no idea know who the National Party's candidate was.

If that wasn't enough to put listeners off their corn flakes an interview the ABC conducted with State Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis didn't help.  Gulaptis, who has his own identity problems due to something of an association with the disgraced former MP for Clarence Steve "Speed Camera" Cansdell, told the ABC that voters on Saturday thought he (Gulaptis) was Hogan and wished him well in the election. Gulaptis also said that Hogan has people thinking he is Gulaptis.

The Nationals have an identity crisis.

Readers are invited to match the names of current and former Nat identities (see above) with their mug shots.

Credit: Images from Google images

This is the environmental vandalism which occurs under Coalition governments in Australia

http://youtu.be/QEhZhMHMveg

Newcastle Herald 6 September 2013:

THE state government has been accused of allowing Glencore Xstrata to mine under Sugarloaf State Conservation Area without meeting all its licence conditions.

West Wallsend Colliery, responsible for destroying part of the reserve, appears to have been operating for more than 18 months in breach of a consent condition designed to monitor subsidence risk and protect the environment.

In what shapes as another embarrassing chapter in the environmental scandal for the government, documents show the mine was supposed to establish an independent review committee to monitor its operations.

Information obtained by the Newcastle Herald reveals the committee - which was never formed - was to have veto power over the mine in the event of unacceptable environmental impacts from subsidence.

Extensive subsidence damage, uncovered last week, occurred in October last year adjacent to longwall 41 during secondary extraction, but the public was never informed.

In June, more than 180 tonnes of grout was pumped into a stream during a botched remediation project run by the mine.

The colliery's project approval, authorised by Planning Minister Brad Hazzard in January 2012, states the committee should include "involvement and review by appropriate subsidence experts".

Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham described the lack of an independent committee as "another disgraceful element of this sad episode".

Mr Buckingham called on the government to explain exactly why Glencore Xstrata was allowed to continue mining without complying with its approval consent.

"It's clear the government has a crisis on its hands and the planning approval process is broken," he said.

"That independent body was a requirement of the mine's consent. The company plays lip service to this condition and there is no serious compliance. The system is broken, and it's not just this mine, it's mines across the state."......

Clarence Valley represented at the 11-15 September 2013 London Triathlon

Ray Hunt of Yamba is competing in the 2013 London Triathlon, representing Australia.

Ray’s first triathlon leg is the ITU Aquathlon World Championships in the 70-74 year age group for men, along with four other fellow countrymen. His start number is 10767.

This swim leg is scheduled to commence at approx. 6pm AEST 11 September in Hyde Park, London.

The sprint and standard legs for the 70-74 year age group start at approx. 5pm AEST Friday 13 and approx. 4pm AEST Sunday 15 September respectively.

This is not the first time Ray has participated in International Triathlon Union events.

Ray Hunt will be back home in time for the Yamba Triathlon Festival held on 11-13 October 2013.

North Coast Voices wishes him well in London and looks forward to watching the Yamba events.

Especially those 7-11 year old future athletes running, swimming and riding in their own special triathlon on Saturday 12 October as part of the festival.

* Photograph from The Daily Examiner

UPDATE:

Ray Hunt came 2nd in his age grouping in the Aquathlon swim and run held on 11 September 2013

Click on images to enlarge
http://www.huaweidevice.co.uk/ituresults/

Ray came 3rd in his age grouping in the Sprint Distance Age-Group World Championships swim, bike and run held on 13 September 2013

Ray came 5th in his age grouping in the Olympic Distance Age-Group World Championships swim, bike and run held on 15 September 2013

Rejoice! The Freeloaders are in The Lodge

And the Sun-Herald accidentally voiced the bl$$dy obvious – they are “ready to rule” not govern.

@stilgherrian

Back story -

So how much is the softer, gentler Tony Abbott costing taxpayers?

What's-his-name is the new member for Page

So you think the new member for Page in northern NSW is a bloke called Hogan. Well, think again. 
Seems the bloke is also known in some circles as Hutchinson. 
Furthermore, there a bit of doubt about where he was born ... was it regional NSW or regional South Australia?



















Hogan told The Daily Examiner (2/9/13) he was born in a small town in regional South Australia.

Abbott wins government

Another Spot the Difference

Clarrie Rivers is a mighty big fan of Ginger Meggs so it's with a very heavy heart that another Spot the Difference is presented.

APN newspapers, including The Daily Examiner and The Northern Star, carried this version of Ginger in their Saturday editions.

This version appears at GoComics.com

 

Why is APN running budget versions of Ginger? Is it really that cash-strapped?

Credits: Images from APN publications (7/9/2013) and GoComics.com