Latest Fairfax Nielsen poll shows voters not happy with Prime Minister Abbott or the Australian Coalition Government

Fairfax Nielsen Poll 10-12 April 2014, published 14 April 2014:

Found at @GhostWhoVotes 

When it came to job performance; half of all those polled by Nielsen disapproved of Prime Minister Abbott, both men and women almost equally disapproved and, at least half of those under 55 years of age disapproved.

Abbott led as preferred prime minister nationally by 1 percentage point, but half of those under 40 years of age and 45% of those between 40-54 years preferred Labor Opposition Leader Bill Shorten as prime minister.

The Coalition primary vote had dropped 6 percentage points nationally since it won government in September 2013 and, it trailed Labor by 4 percentage votes on a two party preferred basis.

"The fall in the Coalition vote occurred mainly in regional areas," Fairfax Nielsen pollster John Stirton said.

He described the collapse in the Coalition vote outside capital cities of 8 percentage points as "statistically significant", dropping from 50 per cent to 42 per cent.

"In capital cities it fell only slightly, from 40 per cent to 39 per cent."

Just on seven months into its first term, the Abbott Liberal-Nationals Government polling is looking as jaded as a federal government four times older.

The Guardian discovers the Battle for Bentley

The Guardian 10 April 2014:

Bentley farmers who support the movement against mining, from left, Robert Lowrey, Peter Neilson, Colin Thomas and Charles Wilkinson. Photograph: David Lowe

There is a strange political alliance building in this country, one that governments and major parties will do well to consider.

It is the alliance between farmers and the environmental movement on land use issues around coal seam gas and mining.

It has the capacity to change the political landscape in rural Australia and leave a scar as gaping as an open-cut mine on the (predominant) Coalition support.

In rural towns, farmers are joining fellow community members, environmentalists and, yes, the hippy fringe to stop developments of coal and unconventional gas extraction in their neighbourhood. The hot spots are around Bentley, the Pilliga, Gloucester in New South Wales and the Coonawarra in South Australia.

It has become clear the opposition is not coming just from a tie-dyed fringe but also includes very conservative people who do not join the political fray easily. Farmers are now chaining themselves to mining equipment to make their point, a tactic associated by farmers in the past with the “feral” end of the green movement....

Consider the story of one farmer, one of many, who has decided to speak out. Robert Lowrey lives at Bentley in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, upstream of Metgasco’s gas exploration on a farm belonging to a near neighbour Peter Graham, a former Lismore councillor and National party member.

Lowrey’s father, the elegantly-named Dunbar Lowrey, was chairman of the Bentley National party branch. Robert Lowrey and his wife, Nanette, have the family farm that transitioned from dairy to cattle during deregulation. He describes the farming community around the town as extreme conservatives, “old school” farmers who are reluctant to take a stand.

Yet he has joined up with a friend and fellow farmer Tony Davis to write a letter to the local paper. Davis initially agreed to have a test well on his place, based on Metgasco’s claim the gas would be used for a power plant for Casino. However, once he discovered larger plans, including plans for export, he backed out…..

“When we first heard about the gas, it was about a few wells, a power station for Casino and long-term jobs,” the letter says. “Some of us accepted, even welcomed, test wells on our properties.

“Now we hear about hundreds of wells, pipelines over the ranges, fracking, suspicious chemicals ruined farms, polluted waters and valleys destroyed. Could our valley end up looking like an industrial wasteland? This makes us worry about a lot of things.

“We are worried about the Graham family. They have been our fellow farmers, workmates and friends for decades. Their farm may be the centre of the dispute, but it could easily be one of ours. They need our support, they do not deserve abuse.

“The drilling must stop, the risks are too great. We only have one chance and, if it goes wrong, it is our children, not the mining company, who will bear the consequences.”

Lowrey’s argument is there is no need for gas in the region, given the area’s “good fortune” that provides an environment for clean food production and tourism. Gas extraction development will be such a shame, he says, especially given the Northern Co-operative Meat Company has just started certifying grass-fed beef and the company is “just 10 miles away from the dirty thing”. The closest large town to Bentley is Casino, which markets itself as the beef capital of Australia…..

In some ways the anti-mining campaign has the hallmarks of any big power battle. Governments and large companies came into small communities offering jobs and riches. Football teams were sponsored. Social compacts were made. Then when resistance was met, they tried shouting, which only made things worse. Lowrey says former New South Wales Liberal minister Chris Hartcher came to town for a public meeting.

“Chris Hartcher told us we were anarchists trying to wreck the state’s economy,” Lowrey says. “Nanette was angry. I would just say this household’s personal response is we have been contributing to the economy for 150 years.

“We don’t consider ourselves an elite group. We are just here doing what we set out to do over 100 years ago.”

Just this week, another New South Wales government representative came to town to test farmers’ knowledge, to check they were not reading silly fear mongering on social media.

“I don’t even know how to turn a computer on,” Lowrey says. “I can read Joseph Conrad but not a computer manual. I assured them I was not swayed by social media.”….

The kicker in the story is what this episode has done to political support. Of the farmers and smaller block owners I’ve spoken to, all were National party voters. All say they will be looking to shift their vote elsewhere. They feel like they have been betrayed after many years of support. Lowrey’s response is typical. His father was proud to have a visit from National party leader Sir Earle Page in his little Bentley branch. Now the son has forsaken the party. All parties.

“The political process is being broken down by nepotism and other interests able to bring to bear power through lobbyists, large amounts of money and very persuasive argument,” he says. “As our system becomes more dependent on money, it becomes vulnerable.

“I am sick of parliamentarians taking material they had access to as ministers and peddling it, taking up positions in industry.”

He names former Labor federal resources minister Martin Ferguson, now a director of British Gas, and former National party leaders John Anderson, a former chairman of Eastern Star Gas, and Mark Vaile, who is on the board of Whitehaven Coal.

“It’s moving people away from conservative ordinary politics and interest in National party [here] is waning,” said Lowrey. “People are weighing up alternative parties. Some, quite a few, are going to the Greens.”

They may not move their vote. As a National party MP said to farmers in the Pilliga: “Who else are you going to vote for?” But what is clear from this debate is it will not get easier for governments or mining companies.

For there is nothing so stubborn as a farmer.

NO PLACE TO BE A WOMAN? NSW Far North Coast's 2013 domestic & sexual assault rates by local government area

Women are still the largest identified victim group in reported domestic and sexual assaults.

The Australian Bureau of Statistic’s Personal Safety Survey 2012 found that: In 2012, an estimated 17% of all women aged 18 years and over (1,479,900 women) and 5.3% of all men aged 18 years and over (448,000 men) had experienced violence by a partner since the age of 15.

The same survey also found that; In 2012 an estimated 17% (1,494,000) of all women aged 18 years and over and 4% (336,000) of all men aged 18 years and over had experienced sexual assault since the age of 15. 

The NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research released the NSW Recorded Crime Statistics 2013 report on 10 April 2014.

Unfortunately three of the seven Far North Coast local government areas show domestic violence rates above the state rate and, all seven local government areas had sexual assault rates above the state rate.

How these rates breakdown across the Northern Rivers region:

TWEED Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Domestic assault incidents

10 year trend: Up 3.1% per year

Rate per 100,000 population: 374.1

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 391.2

TWEED Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Sexual assault incidents

2 year trend: Stable

Rate per 100,000 population: 67.7

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 62.7

BYRON Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Domestic assault incidents

10 year trend: Stable

Rate per 100,000 population: 361.4

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 391.2

BYRON Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Sexual assault incidents

2 year trend: Stable

Rate per 100,000 population: 71.0

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 62.7

LISMORE Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Domestic assault incidents

10 year trend: Down 3.6% per year

Rate per 100,000 population: 409.4

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 391.2

LISMORE Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Sexual assault incidents

2 year trend: Stable

Rate per 100,000 population: 104.5

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 62.7

BALLINA Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Domestic assault incidents

2 year trend: Down 9.3% per year

Rate per 100,000 population: 318.4

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 391.2

BALLINA Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Sexual assault incidents

2 year trend: Stable

Rate per 100,000 population: 84.3

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 62.7

KYOGLE Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Domestic assault incidents

10 year trend: Stable

Rate per 100,000 population: 324.0

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 391.2

KYOGLE Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Sexual assault incidents

2 year trend: n.c.

Rate per 100,000 population: 141.7

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 62.7

RICHMOND VALLEY Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Domestic assault incidents

10 year trend: Down 2.2% per year

Rate per 100,000 population: 579.7

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 391.2

RICHMOND VALLEY Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Sexual assault incidents

2 year trend: Stable

Rate per 100,000 population: 116.8

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 62.7

CLARENCE VALLEY Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Domestic assault incidents

10 year trend: Stable

Rate per 100,000 population: 410.7

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 391.2

CLARENCE VALLEY Local Government Area

Jan 2013 to Dec 2013

Sexual assault incidents

2 year trend: Stable

Rate per 100,000 population: 100.8

NSW rate per 100,000 population: 62.7

Waiting for the May 2014 Federal Budget: laughter before the tears

En Passant 8 April 2013:

The Abbott government has decided to privatise the air.

‘This will create the conditions for a much more efficient economy,’ Mr Abbott said. ‘Too much short shallow breathing has upset the natural rhythms of the economy and with air in the hands of private enterprise a thousands flowers will blossom, or not,’ he added.

Mr Abbott said that the privatisation would also contribute to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions as people slowed and deepened (but not too much) their breathing.

‘This is a win win for Australia,’ Mr Abbott said. ‘It is about environmental benefits, more jobs, less waste.’

‘What could be more natural than us paying Gina Rinehart or Rupert Murdoch for the privilege to breathe free market air?’ the Prime Minister asked.

‘Only socialists and off with the fairies Greenies support free air,’ Mr Abbott said, and added  ’just as there is no such thing as a free lunch, so there is no such thing as free air.’

‘We all have to breath together on this,’ the Treasurer, Joe Hockey said. ‘For too long the ideology of entitlement has blinded us to the reality that free air is a burden on the economy and holding us back. ‘….

These are some of the individuals and corporations assisting Metgasco Limited to undertake exploratory gas drilling at Bentley on the NSW North Coast

Atlas Drilling Services Pty Ltd, a fully-owned subsidiary of Titan Energy Services of Level 5, 189 Grey Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101 was awarded a Metgasco Limited contract to drill the Rosella E01 well at 1480 Bentley Road, Bentley NSW.

In May 2013 Troy Schefe was appointed Atlas Drilling Services General Manager.

This is the Board, senior management and principal investors in Titan Energy Services:

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mr Shaun Scott, Chairman

Mr James Sturgess

Mr Jim Diakogiannis, co-founder of Atlas Drilling

Mr Stephen Bizzell

Mr Simon Keyser

Mr Mark Shape

SENIOR MANAGEMENT

Mr James Sturgess, MD

Mr Gus Van Der Heide, COO

Mr David Thornton, CFO and Company Secretary

Mr Jim Diakogiannis, Group Business Development

Mr Darren Bishell, GM RCH

Mr Lee Buckingham, GM Nektar

Mr Troy Schefe – GM Atlas Drilling

Mrs Kerstine Plummer – GM Hofco

TOP 20 SHAREHOLDERS AS AT 2 SEPTEMBER 2013

1 AUST EXECUTOR TRUSTEES SA LTD

2 NATIONAL NOMINEES LIMITED

3 GAFFWICK PTY LTD

4 XLX PTY

5 BNP PARIBAS NOMS PTY LTD

6 UBS WEALTH MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA NOMINEES PTY LTD

7 RBC INVESTOR SERVICES AUSTRALIA NOMINEES PTY LIMITED

8 AUST EXECUTOR TRUSTEES LTD

9 INVIA CUSTODIAN PTY LIMITED

10 RANAMOK PTY LTD

11 DUBOTU PTY LTD

12 ZAGLA PTY LTD

13 PINE MOUNTAIN PTY

14 LUJETA PTY LTD

15 BCP ALPHA INVESTMENTS LIMITED

16 J P MORGAN NOMINEES AUSTRALIA LIMITED

17 HSBC CUSTODY NOMINEES (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED

18 SARAH FRANCES SCOTT

19 MAST CAPITAL PTY LTD

20 RANAMOK PTY LTD

SUBSTANTIAL HOLDERS AS AT 2 SEPTEMBER 2013

1 AUST EXECUTOR TRUSTEES SA LTD

2 NATIONAL NOMINEES LIMITED

3 GAFFWICK PTY LTD

4 XLX PTY LTD

Such a pity that none of those named appear to understand the meaning of no social licence to mine.

April 2014 and it's 'Food and Water First' at Bentley in the Northern Rivers

http://youtu.be/OCDpOOV2daQ

Quote of the Week

Two Byron Shire temporary fencing suppliers have made a stand against gas mining by knocking back a large contract offered by Metgasco….."Even though the contract was worth over $5000, some things are more important than money," [Northern Rivers Echo, 10 April 2014, Safety Fence Australia & Byron Hire go public with their objections to coal seam gas and tight sands mining]