NSW Berejiklian Government continues to say no to coal seam gas mining in the Northern Rivers region

The Daily Examiner, 22 March 2017:

THE NSW Government has ruled out coal seam gas mining and exploration on the North Coast.

Deputy Premier John Barlilaro put a line through it yesterday during unveiling of the The North Coast Regional Plan at Coffs Harbour yesterday.

"We've heard the community's viewpoint on coal seam gas loud and clear and this plan states that CSG resources on the North Coast will remain in the ground,” Mr Barlilaro said.

The Member for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, was another member of the government happy to keep CSG in the ground.

"Despite what the deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, might be saying there is no appetite for coal seam gas mining on the North Coast,” Mr Gulaptis said.

Mr Joyce last week floated a national plan to give farmers who allowed gas wells on their land a 10% share of the royalties generated….

Mr Gulaptis said there was also no appetite to allow CSG mining exploration in the government.

"The government has bought up the exploration licences on the North Coast and in reality there's plenty of natural gas around,” he said.

Mr Gulaptis said the claims of a "gas shortage” in Australia were hard to understand.

"We've got plenty of gas in Australia,” he said. "The issues seems to be ensuring there is enough of it directed to domestic supply and not go offshore.

Natural disaster relief announced for Ballina, Byron, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed local government areas

Six out of seven local government areas in the NSW Northern Rivers region have been declared natural disaster areas in the wake of flooding caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie.

Australian Government, Disaster Assist, 31 March 2017:

North Coast Floods: from 28 March 2017

The joint Australian, state and territory governments' Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) provide a range of financial assistance to the natural disaster-declared areas in each state or territory.

For the floods which commenced on 28 March 2017, the available assistance measures include:

* personal hardship and distress assistance

* restoration of essential public assets

* counter disaster operations

* concessional loans for small businesses, primary producers and voluntary non-profit organisations

* freight subsidies for primary producers

* grants for voluntary non-profit organisations.

For information on available recovery assistance, visit the Emergency NSW website.

For further information on recovery arrangements, visit the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements page.

The above assistance may be available in the following local government areas

Ballina

Byron

Kyogle

Lismore

Richmond Valley

Tweed

The Northern Star reported on 31 March 2017 that:

It's understood some adults will be eligible for payments of $1,000 each and children $400 each.

Images from the last few days which appeared in both mainstream and social media......

Photographs can be found at Google Images

Tweet of the Week

The clean up #auspol #CycloneDebbie pic.twitter.com/Unlc37P303

— Broelman (@Broelman) March 28, 2017

Err, watt?

Explaining the cost of electricity

https://youtu.be/ELaBzj7cn14

Just because it is beautiful.........(26)

Gwion Gwion rock paintings

North-west Kimberly region

Western Australia

Google Images

Famous for its rock art, Quinkan Country contains a large and dramatic body of prehistoric rock paintings. These galleries have been identified as being at least 15,000 to 30,000 years old and have been included on the Australian Heritage Estate and listed by UNESCO as being among the top 10 rock art sites in the world. People from many countries visit this remote location to view the rock art and gain some understanding of the Aboriginal stories associated with this magnificent sandstone landscape. [Quinkan & Regional Cultural Centre]

Clarence Valley Council: Yamba Hill landslip red alert extended throughout April 2017

Clarence Valley Council, media release, March 31, 2017:

Slippage risk in Yamba hill

HEAVY rain in Yamba over the past two days has resulted in the reinstatement of a red alert warning for possible land slippage.

Clarence Valley Council works and civil director, Troy Anderson, said the red alert would remain in place throughout April.

Mr Anderson said Council monitored rainfall at Yamba hill area as it provided a guide to the risk of landslip.

“Once again, the rain that has been experienced has reached the level requiring a red alert to be notified,” he said.

On March 18, council advised red alert level had been reached because of heavy rainfall at that time and reduced to threat level to orange on March 22.

“The situation can change within a day, especially when high rainfall events are experienced,” Mr Anderson said.

“It can take some time for the alert level to be reduced, but this also varies depending on how much rain has fallen in the previous days and weeks.

“With the extra rain that occurred this week, the red alert level will remain in place throughout April. This will continue to be monitored and council will advise of any changes.

“If the area gets another 50mm of daily rainfall owners/site managers/occupants should monitor their land and/or buildings for evidence of any movement during and after this rainfall event.

“Should evidence of any movement be detected, those people should consider evacuation, and immediately advise council of their action.”

Below is a chart indicating trigger levels for the Yamba landslide risk zones.

The shaded area shows the Yamba landslip zone

Turnbull Government opposes rise in minimum wage because 9 out of 10 Australian workers on a low wage are NOT from highest income households

The Daily Telegraph, 30 March 2017:

Read the full article here.

Other statistics the Turnbull Government helpfully offered up to the Fair Work Commission in its submission of 27 March 2017:

* More than 50% of low income workers are in the bottom 1-4 percentiles of the 1-10 percentile range of household incomes;

* 20% of all female workers and 15.5% of all male workers are low-paid;

* 26.7% of all low-paid women and 30.3 % of all low-paid men were in the bottom two deciles of household incomes (ie. these households are likely to have an average disposable income of less than $300 to no more than $375 per week);

* 24.7% of all low-paid workers with a partner are the only breadwinner in the relationship; and

* 46.9% of all low-paid workers have children living at home, with 35.9% having dependent children ranging in age between under 1 year and 17 years of age.

Based on the figures cited in the government’s submission (much of it derived from 2012-2014 data) it appears Liberal and Nationals members of parliament and senators are quite content with the fact that so many of their fellow Australians live in either absolute income poverty or relative income poverty, while they enjoy parliamentary base incomes in excess of $195,000 per annum plus allowances and entitlements.