Ongoing community concerns about Clarence Valley Council's redevelopment of Maclean's McLachlan Park is not confined to trees, parking, toilet blocks or loss of green space

Map excerpt showing the Clarence Coastal Zone & surrounding zones

The coastal zone is illustrated on the maps produced to accompany this policy which will be available for public inspection at all local councils. Mapping of the coastal zone is based on the following criteria.

* three nautical miles seaward of the mainland and offshore islands;

* one kilometre landward of the open coast high water mark;

* a distance of one kilometre around:

   all bays, estuaries, coastal lakes, lagoons and islands;

* tidal waters of coastal rivers to the limit of mangroves, as defined by NSW Fisheries’(1985) maps or the tidal limit whichever is closer to the sea;

* with the line on the maps being taken to the nearest cadastral boundary and/or easily recognisable physical boundary, in consultation with local councils. [NSW Coastal Policy 1997, Part A & Part B]¹

McLachlan Park in the Lower Clarence Scottish Town of Maclean has been raising the ire of residents and ratepayers ever since the $1.13 million redevelop plan for this park, sitting virtually atop the town's levee, was first disclosed in all its 'glory'.

This time the issues of local government transparency and accountability, as well as using Clarence Coast Reserve Trust monies raised in Yamba to meet the mounting costs associated with this redevelopment, are at the bottom of this particular exchange between one ratepayer and Clarence Valley Council, reproduced here with permission of Mr. Hunt.

______________________________

From: Ray Hunt [redacted]
Sent: Saturday, 3 January 2015 11:55 AM
To: david.morrison@clarence.nsw.gov.au
Cc: Richie Williamson; Craig Howe; Sue Hughes; Jason Kingsley; Margaret McKenna; Jim Simmons; Karen Toms
Subject: Re: McLachlan Park

Mr David Morrison,

  Its unbelievable.

  Your email 24-12-14 is acknowledged, (apparently) on behalf of Mr Peter Birch, Director of Environment, Planning and Community to my simple inquiry three months ago, viz: How was it possible that the CCRMS Coastal Zone definition (p30) which expressly specifies a 1 km strip along the coastline, can include reserves in Maclean some 20ks up river?

Three months to think about it, yet you avoid the question.

The CCRMS was adopted by the Minister 18-12-02 pursuant to Sect 114 Crown Lands Act and no operations can be undertaken unless it is in accordance with the CCRMS.

  I also note your comments on the inclusion into the CCRT, the Herb Stanford park. But again you do not explain how this park some 20ks up river can be included into the CCRT when the CCRMS coastal zone definition expressly specifies a 1k strip along the coastline.

Whatsmore, when that matter came before Cllrs at the CCRT meeting 8-10-14, even the Cllrs were not informed.

  It is this same lack of accountability, reminiscent of the past, when Cllrs were not warned when they were deciding CCRT matters, enabling CCRT revenues to be exploited and pay for Councils services.

  Due to this lack of accountability, I had little choice but to lodge a complaint with Crown Lands with whom the reserves are vested and was in possession of the CCRMS which it knew or ought to have known was flawed.

Unfortunately, without first consulting me, Crown Lands sent it to Council as the Trust Manager and Mr Birch gave his undertaking to address the issues I raised.

But it seems no one wants to be accountable.

  Its more than a coincidence that one day after responding to an inquisitive Mayor that I had lodged my complaint with Crown Lands and not Council, Crown Lands informed me it was not responding to my complaint as it had requested the Trust to respond and the Trust (Mr Birch) gave its undertaking to do so.

Then came your email (apparently) on behalf of Mr Birch, that "Council was not obliged to reply to matters raised by me to Crown Lands---"

So who is obliged?

With great respect that obligation now rests with you.

  There has been no entrapment here. Mr Birch, a senior officer in Council and representing the Trust manager, was fully aware of the situation and freely gave his undertaking to address the issues I raised concerning Councils management of the CCRT.

I hope the integrity of senior operational staff has not sunk to the depths where they can openly lie to the community and not be held accountable.

  The issue of the Coastal Zone however, is not the only issue that remains unexplained. So too are the issues of  Sect. 10 CLAct ( management for the benefit of the people of NSW) and Councils perceived conflict of interest as the CCRT Manager as well as Councils lack of accountability and community consultation meetings.

Iluka, Yamba and Brooms Head are just the few communities that are making significant sacrifices to their valuable CBD water front lands to contribute to the CCRT. But there is no benefit, fairness or equity to them.

  In particular the Harbour St., residents are subjected to noise, traffic congestion, obstructed views and depressed land values, so that unquantified amounts of CCRT funds can be spent on the beautification of Macleans multi million dollar CBD water frontage, improving views and increasing land values to the River St. residents.

It is not unreasonable for those few communities that are making those significant sacrifices, to want a say in the management of the CCRT that has extensive socio-economic impacts on their lives.

  But more to the point. Why are you trying to prevent it? In doing so, operational staff are exceeding their administrative functions and usurping the role of Cllrs and their policy making functions of directing and controlling the affairs of Council. Your behavior demonstrates your intentions to protect Councils perceived conflict of interest in an indeavour to exploit the CCRT.

  If reserves are funded from the CCRT caravan park revenue, then the larger "the CCRT Manager" can make the caravan park to generate more CCRT revenue, the more savings "the Council" makes to service the wider Clarence Valley.

This may benefit the wider Clarence valley, but it exploits those few communities that are making significant sacrifices to generate the revenues for the CCRT. There is no benefit for them.

Their facilities are left to deteriate in a long waiting list, unable to compete in a competitive tourist market.

Yamba for example:

#   Resurface Ford park as promised 10 years ago and include potable recycled water sprinklers from the Yamba STP that crosses Ford park before it is discharged to sea,

#   Upgrade Yambas zig zag path in Flinders park as promised 15 years ago and improve surrounding aesthetics.

#   Upgrade Yambas rock pool to include barriers and pump to maintain water quality and a safer environment.

#   Assist the funding of volunteer Landcare groups

#   Make the CCRT financial records more transparent to Cllrs and the community.

  If fairness and equity and indeed productivity is to be achieved in the management of the CCRT, those few communities that have made significant sacrifices to fund the CCRT, must be given an effective voice in its management to prevent them from being exploited in the manner you are doing.

I have suggested Sect 355 C'tees or Precincts similar to the Ballina Coastal Reserves Management Plan.

  Accordingly, I respectfully await the Trusts response in addressing the issues I have raised.

Ray Hunt

Yamba

On Wed, Dec 24, 2014 at 1:55 PM, David Morrison <David.Morrison@clarence.nsw.gov.au> wrote:

Dear Ray,

I am responding to and acknowledge your email of 28 September 2014 forwarded by Crown Lands on the 1 October 2014. I am also responding on behalf of Council's Peter Birch.  Council also acknowledges your email of 28 October 2014 to Crown Lands and forwarded to Council on the 3^rd November 2014. Council notes that your email of 28 October to Crown Lands was primarily to lodge a complaint about Council and Council's role as Trust Manager of the Clarence Coast Reserve Trust (CCRT). Council is not obliged to reply to matters raised by you to Crown Lands, but will provide a response to Crown Lands if required.

On matters raised in your email of 28 September 2014, Council provides the following response:

Inclusion of non-coastal zone reserves within the CCRT

Council notes that Kevin Cameron has provided a reply in regards to this matter, and concurs with it.

Application to the Minister for Crown Lands to include Herb Stanford Park (R8422) in the CCRT

Herb Stanford Park (R8422) is gazetted as road reserve. No Trust has been appointed to this reserve and the gazetted purpose does not meet the definition of a public reserve under the Local Government Act 1994. However, Council and the community of Maclean have developed this park over time for the benefit of the Maclean and wider Clarence Valley Community. To ensure its ongoing care, control and management the CCRT have applied to the Minister to have this small but community important reserve included as part of the CCRT.  

Redevelopment of McLachlan Park

The adopted budget for the redevelopment of McLachlan Park will be undertaken largely with grant monies ($500K – Regional Development Australia Fund; $300K – Better Boating Program) and from the sale of Operational land in Maclean ($500K). The CCRT may contribute some monies to complete the redevelopment of this reserve if required, but it will not be in the order that you claim. Similarly, Council and Council as Corporate Manager of the CCRT will apply for grant monies as opportunities arise to offset the majority of the cost of the proposed redevelopment of the Calypso Caravan Park.

Management of Crown Reserves in general

Council and Council as Corporate Manager of more than 90 Reserve Trusts manage more than 200 Crown Reserves covering approx. 1240ha on behalf of the people of NSW. This is in addition to the 272ha of Community and Operational land owned by Council and developed as public open space. Council is aware of its responsibilities as Trust Manager of Crown Reserves under the Crown Lands Act 1989 and will aim to ensure equity of service provision across all public land managed by Council on behalf of residents and visitors to the Clarence Valley. This may include grouping Crown Reserves under fewer Reserve Trusts to improve the efficiency of the management of Crown Reserves on behalf of the people of NSW.

I trust that this clarifies the situation for you.

Yours faithfully

David Morrison

Acting Director Environment, Planning and Community

David Morrison

Manager Strategic & Economic Planning

Clarence Valley Council

Locked Bag 23, GRAFTON NSW 2460

P: (02) 6643 0204

F: (02) 6642 7647

M: 0408 296 365

www.clarence.nsw.gov.au

______________________________

Foot Notes

1. NSW Environment Minister Rob Stokes has announced the development of reforms to the State’s coastal management laws, including improved technical support and new funding arrangements for local government coastal management initiatives.

The coastal reform package is expected to come before the State Parliament at the end of 2015 and will replace the 35-year-old Coastal Protection Act, which the Minister said no longer achieves the desired integrated and balanced approach to coastal management. [National Seachange Taskforce, 20 November 2014]

Remembering Julia Gillard - Part One

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was in office for a total of 1,098 days from 24 June 2010 to 27 June 2013. 

After 21 August 2010 she was at the head of a minority government, yet she ranked first out of 24 Australian prime ministers for the numbers of pieces of legislation passed per day with a rate of 0.495.

The Guardian 28 June 2013
Click on image to enlarge

Is Prime Minister Abbott so desperate to control the message and lift his flagging polls that he risks alienating Australian mainstream media?

This was how The Australian commenced its 5 January 2015 article about Prime Minister Abbott’s latest public relations misstep:

TONY Abbott’s office has triggered frustrations with the media by excluding a TV crew from the Prime Minister’s sudden visit to Baghdad, limiting access to his speech to Australian troops and joint statement with his Iraqi counterpart.

A camera crew sent by the major TV networks was left in Dubai when Mr Abbott flew into Iraq with his personal staff, forcing the media to rely on footage provided by the Prime Minister’s office.

This is how individual journalists reacted to the unannounced Iraq trip on Twitter:

What Iraqi News knew on 29 December 2014:

(IraqiNews.com) On Monday, the official government spokesman, Saad Hadithi revealed that the Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott plans to visit Baghdad in the coming days, while noting that Abbott will discuss with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi the support and the equipment of security forces to confront the organization of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Hadithi said in an interview for IraqiNews.com, “Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will visit Baghdad in the coming days to meet with President Minister Haider al-Abadi to discuss military cooperation between the two countries.”

He added, “Abbott will discuss with al-Abadi the subject of development, training and equipping of security forces with weapons and ammunition,” adding that, “Australia has shown its willingness to provide military support to Iraq to face the terrorist gangs of ISIS.”

This is part of the 5 January speech Australian journalists were not allowed to hear as it happened:

This is my first visit to Baghdad. It is my first visit to Iraq.

Iraq is a country which has suffered a very great deal. First, decades of tyranny under Saddam Hussein. Then, the chaos and confusion that followed the American-led invasion. Most recently, the tumult, the dark age, which has descended upon Northern Iraq as a result of the Daesh death cult, but Australia will do what we can to help.

These are some of the images of varying quality which Team Abbott appears to have released to the media and/or posted on Facebook:

These are the poor quality propaganda videos his personal media crew created:

http://youtu.be/XCrDn8j812Y  http://youtu.be/Ba4XP0rhWL0

However, the Prime Minister's attempt to control the media message was not successful as one can see from this interpretation of that 5 January speech in The Sydney Morning Herald later the same day - which contained only one mention of 'death cult' and opened with this message about a war of which he approved and agreed to Australia's participation in:

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has blasted in his strongest terms yet the US management of Iraq following the 2003 invasion, branding it a period of "chaos and confusion".

It seems the days when Abbott just had to don a helmet and flak jacket to have the media treat him like a hero have long since passed and his latest attempt to reverse the public relations situation is only making matters worse.

I imagine Jane McMillan is thankful she is on holidays and not returning to the the prime minister's office as his media chief. 

To quote Bruce Hawker writing in The Age: When a Prime Minister is on a collision course with public opinion there can only be one result.

UPDATE

Political cartoonist Alan Moir sums up what appears to be the general response, to the Prime Minister's visit to Iraq, in his latest effort for The Sydney Morning Herald on 6 January 2015:

NSW voters are one step closer to knowing who "A Co" is

On 24 June 2014, the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) issued a summons to “A Co” requiring the production of certain documents, relating to email accounts and electronic calendars, in accordance with s 35(1)(a) of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988.

“A Co” went to the NSW Supreme Court in August 2014 unsuccessfully seeking to quash the summons. The court concluding: There is nothing in the material before me or otherwise to support a conclusion that the Commission's decision to issue the summons miscarried, that the permissible scope of a summons issued under s 35 of the Act has been exceeded or that the law pursuant to which the summons was issued was otherwise invalid on constitutional grounds. In those circumstances, the plaintiff's challenge to the Commission's summons should be dismissed.

“A Co” then appealed the Supreme Court judgement in A v Independent Commission Against Corruption [2014] NSWCA 414 and lost on 5 December 2014, with the court continuing the suppression of the identity of the (a) the applicant or (b) the person whose electronic records are sought to be produced to the ICAC  until public release of any ICAC report of the investigation to which the summons to produce relates, or until further order of this Court.

As ICAC will not be issuing reports on any investigations ahead of the hearing of Independent Commission against Corruption v. Cunneen & Ors S302/2014 in the Australian High Court on 4 March 2015 and subsequent judgment, there are some months yet to wait on any unmasking of “A Co”.

Thereafter, the Streisand Effect may possibly come into play.

Revealing a basic limitation of regional employment services contracted by the Abbott Government - they can't do much if the jobs aren't there

The new Australian Minister for Social Services Scott Morrison has begun to talk up the need to raise the retirement age to seventy years of age and make people under thirty wait six months for the dole, stating that he would be actively engaging with the Senate to get the additional bills through in the new year.

Clearly he has not looked beyond his own rigid personal and political ideologies. 

This excerpt from a 29 December 2014 article in The Northern Star clearly demonstrates the limitations of employment services contracted by the Abbott Government in regional areas:

Murwillumbah resident Ainslie Meiklejohn-Griffiths, 29, has an honours degree in sociology and yet struggled to find work for more than 18 months in her chosen field.

Well-suited to working in the community, social services and local government sector, she never progressed to the interview stage of several short-term contract positions.

This despite her achieving first class honours at Griffith University with her marks ranking her in the top 5% of the university.

"With my Arts degree I also had 100 hours of volunteer service working on policy development at a PCYC," she said.

"I was looking for social work jobs, youth jobs, office work, anything to do with writing."

Ms Meiklejohn-Griffiths' job search took in an huge area from Lismore to north of Brisbane.

"I was well aware I'd have to travel to work," she said.

"I'd accepted that challenge but I was still looking - fruitlessly."

Working with a case manager from a local employment agency was a waste of time - the only jobs available were shelf-stacking in supermarkets or fast food service roles.

"They didn't even find me those jobs, but being a jobseeker and not liking having no money, there were the jobs I was already applying for off my own bat."

"It was a waste of time for everyone involved.

"I didn't want to be in that position but I was - it was a waste of services."

The fact of the matter is that the Northern Rivers region the industry pool which provides employment is limited and both unskilled and skilled jobs are not always available.

Something the Social Services Minister will probably fail to either recognise or fully appreciate given his political history in government and personality profile – making him more likely to see only the negatives in these Northern Rivers regional employment statistics:

Coffs Harbour-Grafton regional area employment statistics for May 2014 (taking in the state electorates of Clarence (69%), Coffs Harbour (100%), and Oxley (18%):

Employment grew by an average of 1.8% annually between 2000 and 2014. Across NSW the average annual growth was 1.4%.

Overall unemployment rate - 6.3% (Rank 13). Regional NSW overall unemployment rate - 6.2%.

Overall labour force participation rate – 56.6%. Regional NSW overall labour force participation rate – 58.9%.

Youth unemployment rate - 10.3%. Regional NSW youth unemployment rate - 12.5%

Youth labour force participation rate - 68.0%. Regional NSW youth labour force participation rate - 67.8%

Proportion of local employees in part-time positions - 40%. Regional NSW - 33.6%.

Richmond-Tweed regional area employment statistics for May 2014 (taking in the state electorates of Ballina (100%), Clarence (31%), Lismore (91%), and Tweed (100%):

Employment grew by an average of 1.6% annually between 2000 and 2014. Across NSW the average annual growth was 1.4%.

Overall unemployment rate – 7.2% (Rank 5). Regional NSW overall unemployment rate - 6.2%.

Overall labour force participation rate – 55.7%. Regional NSW overall labour force participation rate – 58.9%.

Youth unemployment rate – 11.5%. Regional NSW youth unemployment rate - 12.5%.

Youth labour force participation rate - 77.5%. Regional NSW youth labour force participation rate - 67.8%/

Proportion of local employees in part-time positions – 41%. Regional NSW - 33.6%.

Coalition ministers at both state and federal level have a tendency to fail to realise that labour force participation rates and youth participation rates have both risen since 2000 within what is essentially a small Northern Rivers industry pool and, to ignore the fact that veterans/aged pensioners make at least half of the 38.2% of the region’s population over 15 years of age receiving cash transfer payments from the Commonwealth.

The real productivity picture for the Northern Rivers shows how hard the region does work to make its own prosperity:

Across a range of industries, the numbers show that the value of the saleable product per employee is significantly higher than average.

Our 12,900 retail trade workers boost the local economy by $64,674 every year, compared to the state average of $58,697 and national return of $62,282.

Another of the stand-out numbers shows how amazingly competitive our local manufacturing is. Each of our 6,538 manufacturing employees contributes $167,126 to our local economy, far surpassing the state and national averages of $135,674 and $118,609 respectively.

At the big end of town, although our numbers are below the average, these industries are still huge contributors to the local economy: the information, media and telecommunications workers flow back $214,920 each (compared to state $255,486 and national $232,875) and every financial and insurance services worker brings $319,987.

It would be a tragedy if, in driving the Abbott Government’s fascist ideology forward, Scott Morrison broke this region’s will to succeed against the odds.

Has The Daily Examiner editor drunk the National Party kool aid?

Opinion in The Daily Examiner on Page 7 of the 1 January 2015 issue:

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2015.

It promises to be an exciting time for the Clarence Valley, with the pending start to work on the Pacific Hwy upgrade, including a second crossing of the Clarence at Harwood, as well as the start to the second bridge at Grafton.

The announced injection of Federal and State funding for these projects is unprecedented and seems certain to have a highly positive impact on the Valley economy.

Local residents could do a lot worse than to make their new year's resolution coming up with a way to be part of the economic boost heading our way.

You don't need to know how to build a bridge or drive a dump truck to take advantage of the big projects.

Many businesses and service suppliers are poised to benefit from the boost to employment and the economy.

Schools could see an enrolment lift and landlords could be in for a golden period.

Just like a resolution to lose weight, however, those who benefit most from the construction boom will be those who work hardest and are best prepared.

The Daily Examiner reported on 11 December 2014 something which a look at NSW Roads & Maritime Service’s website confirms in January 2015, the second Grafton Bridge has not yet received approval:

CONSTRUCTION of a second bridge for Grafton is in limbo with no announcement yet on when works will begin.

A spokeswoman from Roads and Maritime Services said there would be "no comment" on the proposed bridge while the project was under review by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.

Meanwhile a spokesman from the Grafton Chamber of Commerce and Industry has raised concerns that an election promise, made in 2011 by the (then) Deputy Opposition Leader and Leader of the Nationals Andrew Stoner as well as current Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis, will not be met.

Des Harvey, board member of the Grafton Chamber of Commerce, said the community deserved clear answers.

"Given it is already December 2014, and the construction industry typically winds down for Christmas and the January holiday period, the Grafton Chamber is very concerned the deadline of 28 March 2015 for commencement of construction will not be met as promised," Mr Harvey said.

"People stop and ask me in the street - what's happening? - at the end of the day we want to see actual construction; we want to see tractors digging holes."

Mr Harvey acknowledged the project had progressed significantly, but he also noted that $177 million had been allocated for construction in the current term.

"I know plenty of work has already been done but the election is getting closer and the problem hasn't gone away," he said….

The second crossing of the Clarence River at Harwood is still at submissions from the community stage at this time, with tenders for preliminary first stage of soft soil treatment still being assessed.

Tenders are still being assessed for preliminary soft soil work on the Pacific Highway upgrade between Woolgoolga and Ballina generally.

This year is unlikely to see the hoped for golden period for the Clarence Valley - more likely there will be a slow trickle of employment opportunities in the second half of 2015.

Of course, if as is likely, the Baird Coalition Government is returned at the 28 March 2015 state election with a comfortable majority then any perception of political urgency in Macquarie Street will have subsided.

Then the federal funding earmarked for 2013-14 and the state's $395 million earmarked for 2014-15 may be the only funding not pushed forward past 2016-17 in this year's state budget papers, where such deferred spending would sit with further promised federal funding listed in forward estimates past the end of the Abbott Government's current (and perhaps only) term in office. 

Abbott Government now considering telling different sets of political lies to Australian electorates based on the states in which they are located?

Simon Letch 28 November 2014

The voice of political desperation can be heard in this article in The Australian on 30 December 2014, as the Abbott Government begins to reap what it so assiduously sowed in both Opposition and Government under Tony Abbott and, one MP floats the idea of tailoring the rationales put forward, perceptions aired, arguments used, lies told, as a magic political antidote to Liberal-Nationals woe:

Victorian Liberal MP ­Michael Sukkar, who holds the marginal Melbourne seat of Deakin, said the electorate had a “misalignment of expectations’’ about the government’s ability to turn around the economy in just over a year. He said the government needed to communicate its agenda to voters better and tailor the political argument differently when addressing the southern and northern states.

“We all just have to explain our rationale for the decisions we’ve made a lot better,’’ he told The Australian.

Based on the current anti-Abbott backlash in Victoria, Liberal strategists believe the seats of Deakin (3.2 per cent), Corangamite (3.9 per cent), La Trobe (4 per cent) and Dunkley (5.6 per cent) will fall. That could leave the Coalition holding just 12 of Victoria’s 37 federal seats. Casey (7.2 per cent) is also at risk.

In South Australia, Hindmarsh (1.9 per cent) would be a Labor gain on current voting intentions and the safer seats of Boothby (7.1 per cent) and Sturt (10 per cent) are also at risk amid angst over the collapse of the car industry and broader economic uncertainty. This could leave the Coalition with just three of South Australia’s 11 federal seats.

Labor has not held Dunkley since 1996, Sturt since 1972 and Boothby since 1949.

Sturt is held by Education Minister Christopher Pyne, who is one of the government’s most prominent members, and he is set to be targeted by unions over his support for budget cuts.

Senior Liberal strategists have told The Australian that anti-­Abbott sentiment is “profound’’ in Victoria and was key to last month’s state election defeat. “You are looking at a bloodbath in Victoria,” a senior Liberal said. “Seats will fall and any gains we made in 2013 will be wiped out.”…..

In South Australia, both major parties accept that three federal Liberal seats are vulnerable if Mr Abbott’s popularity does not vastly improve.

The seat most at risk is Hindmarsh, which covers Adelaide’s inner western suburbs. Hindmarsh had been held by Labor’s Steve Georganas since 2004 but was wrested away at the last election by Liberal Matt Williams.

Mr Williams said he was concerned about the impact of anti-Abbott sentiment in South Australia and said funding cuts, including to industry, had been having a negative impact.

“We have to address that negative perception and get the facts out there so the public become better aware,” he said. “The agenda is dominated by a state Labor government and ministers constantly speaking about federal issues. In regards to defence shipbuilding, I have raised the issue of defence projects for South Australia with the Prime Minister. We have to be a bit more optimistic in terms of what opportunities there are going forward.’’

The comments come after an analysis of Newspolls from October to December showed a marked shift over 12 months.

The analysis found the Coalition ahead only in Western Australia and trailing 60 per cent to 40 per cent in Victoria.

If Newspoll were replicated at a federal election, seven seats would fall in Victoria alone. The Coalition holds 90 seats in the 150 seat parliament, Labor 55.