On 18 October 2013 as bushfires raged up and down the NSW east coast, the Abbott Government performed this act of bastardry

The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (the AGDRP) provides an immediate, one-off payment to Australians adversely affected by a major disaster. [ComLaw October 2013]

Those who have lived through natural disasters before will note that the Abbott Government is no longer paying relief if the October 2013 bushfires in New South Wales have forced an individual or family out of their house for 24 hours or more, or if access to return home has been cut off or if they are stranded at home and unable to leave.

The Schedule 2 clause covering these circumstances in a bushfire major disaster formerly allowed payments if:

(iv)  the person is unable to gain access to his or her principal place of residence for at least 24 hours because:

(A)  access to the place of residence is cut off  or

(B)  the person is unable to leave a place affected by the disaster;

(v)  the person is stranded in his or her principal place of residence for at least 24 hours, or

(b)  as a result of the disaster, the person’s principal place of residence was without a particular utility service for a continuous period of 48 hours;

This is the new criteria template as set out in Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Determination 2013 (No. 5):

I, Michael Keenan, Minister for Justice, make this determination under subsection 106lL (2) of the Social Security Act 1991.

Dated   18th October 2013

Michael Keenan

Minister for Justice

1              Name of determination

        This determination is the Social Security (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) Determination 2013 (No. 5).

2              Commencement

                This determination commences on the day after it is registered.

3              Definitions

         (1)   In this determination:

Act means the Social Security Act 1991.

destroyed, for a place of residence, includes a residence damaged to the extent that it must be demolished.

immediate family member, of a person, means:

                (a)    the person’s partner; or

                (b)    the person’s natural child, adoptive child or stepchild; or

                (c)    the person’s natural parent, adoptive parent or step-parent; or

                (d)    the person’s legal guardian; or

                (e)    the person’s brother, sister, stepbrother or stepsister.

Note   This term is used in a different sense to that used in the Act.

major damage, for a residence, means:

                (a)    damage to at least a quarter of the interior of the residence; or

                (b)    that the residence is structurally unsound; or 

             (c)    damage to the residence that exposes at least a quarter of the interior of the residence to the elements; or

               (d)    sewage contamination of the interior of the residence, or of the water supply to the residence.

seriously injured, for a person, means:

                (a)    the person has sustained an injury; and

                (b)    because of the injury:

                          (i)    the person was admitted to hospital; or

                         (ii)    under normal circumstances, the person would have been admitted to hospital.

  4            Person adversely affected by a major disaster

              For subsection 1061L (2) of the Act, a person is adversely affected by a major disaster mentioned in Schedule 1 if the person is affected in a way mentioned in Schedule 2.

Note   Subsection 36 (1) of the Social Security Act 1991 allows the Minister to determine, in writing, that an event is a major disaster if the event is a disaster that has such a significant impact on individuals that a government response is required.

Schedule 1  Major disaster

Only the bushfires in New South Wales which commenced on 9 October 2013 and continued in October 2013 which as at 18 October 2013 covered the affected Local Government Areas of Blue Mountains, Lithgow, Muswellbrook, Port-Macquarie Hastings, Port Stevens, Wyong, Wingecarribee.

                Schedule 2  Circumstances in which person adversely affected

A person is adversely affected by a major disaster mentioned in Schedule 1 if:

 (a)    as a direct result of the disaster:

          (i)  the person is seriously injured; or

          (ii)  the person is an immediate family member of an Australian who is killed; or

          (iii)  the person’s principal place of residence has been destroyed
or has sustained major damage; or

 (b)    the person is the principal carer of a child to whom paragraph (a) applies.

Today's Spot the Difference

1. Jason Chatfield's Ginger Meggs at gocomics

2. Ginger Meggs at today's Daily Examiner (and, presumably, at other APN productions)

Is APN getting a discount rate for its Ginger? It should be!

Australian Electoral Commission issues a gentle reminder to come clean

All political parties need to list every donation, dot every i and cross every t - because ordinary voters are watching and they are not happy.....

Political party and associated entity disclosure returns due 20 October 2013

Updated: 17 October 2013

The AEC today reminded all registered political parties and associated entities that annual disclosure returns for the 2012-13 financial year must be lodged by 20 October 2013.

More than 50 political parties and 100 associated entities have yet to lodge their disclosure returns.

Annual disclosure returns must be lodged within 16 weeks after the end of the financial year.

Registered political parties and associated entities are required to disclose total receipts, total payments, total debts and details of receipts and debts greater than the disclosure threshold for the financial year.

Section 315 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 provides for penalties for failure to lodge returns within the required timeframe.

Political parties and their associated entities can prepare and lodge their returns online via the eReturns portal.

Lodging returns online is quick, secure, environmentally friendly, and allows for the importing/exporting of files, which eliminates transcription errors.

Annual disclosure returns are made available for public inspection on the AEC’s website on the first working day in February every year. 2012-13 financial year disclosure returns will be made public on Monday 3 February 2014.

To assist political parties and associated entities with completing their return online, the eReturns Political Party Quick Reference Guide and eReturns Associated Entity Quick Reference Guide are available.

National media contact:

Phil Diak | Director Media
AEC, Canberra
02 6271 4415
0413 452 539 media@aec.gov.au

Quote of the Week - from north of the Rio Tweed

The Courier Mail on the subject of the Newman LNP Government, 15 October 2013:

Queenslanders should be concerned about a brazen gang, emboldened by a pack mentality and flexing power without concern for others. We might also be concerned about the bikies.

Metgasco CEO Henderson's 4.3 million bonus share allocation was a step too far

After threatening to quit if he didn’t get his own way, Metgasco Limited’s 18t^h largest shareholder, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Peter Henderson, has now been forced to reject the proposed 4.3 million bonus shares allocation in his favour in the face of a determined shareholder revolt.

http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20131018/pdf/42k3mww7gwrygm.pdf

'Letter from a Terrorist' sent to APN News and Media Chairman Peter Cosgrove

According to Independent Australia posting on 14 October 2013, this letter set out below was sent over a fortnight ago.

Given the relentless cost cutting that APN News and Media has undertaken in recent years, I am inclined to believe that part of this 27 year-old former journalist's complaint concerned with hours being routinely worked by staff on regional newspapers and lack of work-life balance.

This is supported by a comment under the post from another former APN employee living in the Northern Rivers region; I can testify my workplace at an APN regional newspaper was full of weary, broken down people who did a tremendous job under an uncontrollable workload that got heavier with each absence or resignation. The ones my age were counting the days to retirement. The young often returned to the office ashen-faced after being sent to a gruesome car accident or similar. Everyone’s dreams wilted.

While another remarked; Entirely validating – I want to buy former fellow employee #133,332 a beer, if he’d email me.

As for the allegations concerning company spying, I leave that for readers to evaluate.

Letter From A Journalist To APN News & Media's Board Chairman

APN Whistleblower Policy here.

Civics 101: How to micro manage a government into open revolt

First that Coalition power couple Tony Abbott and Peta Credlin sought to micro manage contact between government ministers, MPs and the media.

Then they decided to personally vet prospective staff of ministers and MPs.

Now these same ministers and MPs will even have their private leisure time constrained, unless they receive a permission slip for that family holiday from the Prime Minister's office.

The Herald Sun 16 October 2013:

The Prime Minister's chief-of-staff Peta Credlin emailed all Coalition MPs on Monday demanding they get approval at least four weeks before all overseas study trips, sponsored travel and private holidays.

But the move has triggered dissent in government ranks, with disgruntled MPs claiming their private lives are being invaded and the PM's office was indulging in a "power grab".

"It's one thing to ask ministers and parliamentary secretaries to seek permission but for backbenchers this is just ridiculous," one Coalition MP said.

"These people are adults, they can make their own decisions. More experienced hands will just laugh this Stalinist move off.".....

"This is the nanny state gone mad in the leader's office," the MP said.

UPDATE

ABC AM 18 October 2013:

After six years of hard work in opposition they say they're now expected to take on more responsibility, much more work, many more hours with far more scrutiny and pressure - all without a pay rise.
"It's an appalling way to treat people" one very senior Coalition source says. "Ministers get an automatic pay jump so they're alright. But financially cutting the throats of the staff they rely on is petty and stupid."...
one long-time Coalition staffer warns morale around Government ranks is "abysmal", and "resentment is festering". He predicts a bonanza for reporters because quote "the joint will leak like a sieve".