North Coast Voices was sent a copy of the following letter sent to Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison, with permission to publish:
Monday 11 April 2016
Dear Mr. Morrison........
North Coast Voices was sent a copy of the following letter sent to Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison, with permission to publish:
EMAIL TO TREASURER
MORRISON SENT ON GOVERNMENT EMAIL FORM 8th
April 2016
Dear Mr Morrison
I was interested to hear
your interview on Radio National "Breakfast" this morning.
It was quite astonishing
that you rejected the notion of a Royal Commission into the banks given all the
shonky behaviour we have seen from all of the "Big 4" in recent
years. It's quite obvious that these all-powerful institutions have no respect
for the regulators (your cop on the block or whatever you called it) or for the
Australian community. Whenever a new
outrage is revealed, we hear sounds of contrition from the offending bank and
then some time later there's another outrage revealed.
In your comments
criticising the Leader of the Opposition for his suggestion that a Royal
Commission be considered, you ignored the fact that there are backbenchers in
your Government calling quite strongly for a Royal Commission. Don't you hear your backbenchers, Mr
Morrison?
Don't you understand
that there is considerable community concern about the continuing outrageous
behaviour of the major banks?
We need a royal
commission into the big 4 banks. Maybe
that will result in some improvement in their behaviour.
Yours sincerely
Leonie Blain
8th April
2016
Sunday 10 April 2016
A sustainable life rocks! Local award nominations open in the Clarence Valley
A sustainable life rocks!
Clarence Valley Council media release, 7 April 2016:
Living Sustainably Awards now open
Residents or organisations who contribute significantly to a more sustainable Clarence Valley are invited to apply for the council’s annual Living Sustainably Awards.
Nominations are now open, with four award categories for individuals, businesses, education and community groups who enhance environmental, economic and social sustainability.
Mayor Richie Williamson said council was looking for nominees who excelled in any aspect of sustainability such as those who reduced energy and water consumption, acknowledged the significance of local culture, provided sustainable recreation, environmental conservation, sustainable economic development, showed leadership within the community and developed innovative ideas.
Nominations are due by 4pm Monday, May 23, 2016 and will be judged by Council’s Climate Change Advisory Committee. The winners will be presented with their awards at a ceremony during Local Government Week, August 1-7, 2016.
Nomination forms are available at www.clarence.nsw.gov.au, or can be collected from the Council offices at 2 Prince Street, Grafton, and 50 River Street, Maclean.
For further information please contact Suzanne Lynch, on 6643 0200 or email suzanne.lynch@clarence.nsw.gov.au.
Labels:
awards,
Clarence Valley,
sustainability
Australian Federal Election 2016: another one for the FFS! file
AS KEVIN Andrews prepares to mark 25 years as the member for Menzies, the veteran Liberal MP says he would be prepared to challenge for the leadership of the Liberal party, and therefore the Prime Ministership, under the right circumstances.
In a wideranging interview with the Manningham Leader, Mr Andrews shed light on his work in the electorate, his past disappointments and the circumstances under which he would return to the front bench.
Malcolm Turnbull’s elevation to the Prime Minister’s office last year resulted in Mr Andrews challenging fellow Liberal Julie Bishop for the deputy leadership of the party.
“There wasn’t anything particularly negative about Julie, but she had been deputy leader under Brendan (Nelson), Malcolm, Tony and I thought, ‘well, there hadn’t really been a contest for the deputy leadership’,” he said…… [my red bolding]
Saturday 9 April 2016
A topical tee shirt
Labels:
rorts,
taxation,
the big end of town
Friday 8 April 2016
Australian Federal Election 2016: what policy areas are important to women?
Women’s Agenda reported a small online survey, 29 March 2016:
Our
online poll was pushed out to Women's Agenda readers as well as women on
Facebook for five days from Monday the 21st March, and received 430 completed
responses.
Whatever happens this
election, women aren't all that confident that we'll be much better off.
And that comes after 63%
of us believe we're already 'worse off' since the Abbott Government won power
in 2013.
According to our Women's
Agenda poll, almost a quarter (24.42%) of us believe women will be 'worse off'
following the next Federal election. The majority (70.47%) believe women will
be “about the same” while just 5.12% believe women will be “better off”.
As for key policy areas
of concern to respondents, climate change came out on top -- with 45% listing
it as a 'top three' policy priority area, out of 15 options presented.
This was
followed by family violence and education (both on 33%), the gender pay gap
(31%), healthcare (30%), same-sex marriage (28%), housing affordability (20%),
women in leadership (20%) and childcare (19%).
Asked to list other
areas of concern, many noted human rights, the more humane treatment of asylum
seekers, elder care, and the environment more broadly (beyond climate
change).
So which of the three
major parties have presented the best policies for women? According to those
surveyed The Greens come up well ahead (48.37%) followed by Labor (39.30%) and
finally the Coalition (12.33%).
When questioned who was
their ‘preferred prime minister’ out of Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten, 57%
ticked Shorten, while 43% said Turnbull. This particular question prompted
feedback from some respondents, noting a ‘neither’ option should have been
offered.
Labels:
Federal Election 2016,
government policy
We breed 'em tough in the NSW Northern Rivers.....
A couple of years back I told a former director of Elk Petroleum that Metgasco Limited would withdraw from its arrangement with that US mining company and that Northern Rivers communities would win the battle with Metagasco over its mining exploration leases.
I pointed to the region’s long history of coming together to oppose threats to water security and environmental sustainability.
I don’t think he believed me then, but I think he would believe the Knitting Nannas now when locals like Lismore Nanna Clare Twomey are still voluntarily locking themselves on as she herself did to the exit gates of NSW Parliament House at 8.30pm on 31 March 2016 in protest at the Baird Coalition Government changes to protest laws and failure to address the ongoing tension between mining interests and the enduring need for environmental protections.
The Northern Star on 1 April reported that: After 8 and a half hours at the Sydney gates, the Knitting Nanna cofounder, locked off without arrest. She was supported by Greens Jeremy Buckingham, Knitting Nannas and interviewed by Sydney media.
Images From The Northern Star & Twitter
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