News report on U.N. climate summit to which the Bobbsey Twins, Scott Morrison and Donald Trump, were not invited

 

Australian PM Morrison (left) & US President Trump (right)
IMAGE: The Conversation

The Guardian, 13 December 2020:

Governments around the world should all declare a state of climate emergency until the world has reached net zero CO2 emissions, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, has told a summit of world leaders.

At least 38 countries have already declared such a state of emergency, often owing to their vulnerability to the impacts of climate breakdown, which are already being felt.

“Can anybody still deny that we are facing a dramatic emergency?” Guterres said on Saturday. “I urge all others to follow.”

Declaring an emergency would require countries to step up their actions on greenhouse gas emissions urgently. An increasing number of governments have a target to reach net zero emissions by around the mid-century, but few have detailed plans on how to get there.

Many countries are also pouring money into high-CO2 activities as they strive to recover from the coronavirus crisis and recession. Guterres noted that G20 countries were spending 50% more in their stimulus packages on fossil fuels and CO2-intensive sectors than they were on low-CO2 energy.

“This is unacceptable,” he told the online Climate Ambition Summit, co-hosted by the UN, the UK and France. “The trillions of dollars needed for Covid recovery is money that we are borrowing from future generations. This is a moral test. We cannot use these resources to lock in policies that burden future generations with a mountain of debt on a broken planet.”

More than 70 world leaders, civil society activists, business chiefs and city mayors are attending the Climate Ambition Summit, which marks five years since the landmark Paris climate agreement.

Under the Paris agreement, countries are bound to keep global temperature rises well below the 2C above pre-industrial levels that scientists regard as the outer limit of safety, with an aspiration to limit global heating to 1.5C, which should avoid the worst of the ravages of climate breakdown.

However, the commitments to reduce emissions that countries made at Paris were insufficient, and would result in catastrophic heating of more than3C. The agreement contains a ratchet mechanism by which nations must update their commitments every five years. The first deadline is now looming, on 31 December, and at Saturday’s summit world leaders are supposed to come forward with strengthened plans, called nationallydetermined contributions (NDCs), to cut emissions by 2030.

The UK has come forward with a goal of cutting emissions by 68% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. The EU on Friday confirmed its pledge of a 55% cut by 2030.

Many other countries, including China, Japan and South Korea, have come forward with longer-term goals of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 or 2060…..

The Morrison Government position on climate change mitigation, as explained by Juice Media:

https://youtu.be/92t8np88fEI

Around the Northern Rivers in December 2020

 

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On 7 December 2020 Development Application SUB2020/0038 (Lot 104 DP 751388) lodged by Robert Donges (a former Maclean and Clarence Valley council officer) on behalf of Kahuna No. 1 Pty Ltd was withdrawn while still within the Clarence Valley Council public exhibition period.

The development application included 336 residential lots, four drainage reserves, one commercial lot and one public reserve in what is essentially a high density configuration along James Creek Rd, James Creek.

IMAGE: Clarence Valley Independent

Withdrawal was hardly surprising given the lack of transport and other infrastructure which would be needed to be in place for a potential village-sized population of at least 840 people, as well as storm water and environmental concerns.

The owner of this lot has submitted a request to Clarence Valley Council that the unspent portion of application fees which it sets at $20,000. As council policy will only allow return of up to 50 per cent of an application fee (being $11,415.00 in this case) the matter is going to council’s ordinary monthly meeting on 15 December 2020.

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In August 2020 Maclean High School announced it was starting a cattle and livestock showing team, under the guidance of Primary Industries Teacher, Christopher Kirkland. Last month Maclean students took part in the Northern Schools Prime Steer Show at Glen Innes, NSW. I'm sure that experience will set them up for success in 2021.

Maclean High School – Cattle and Livestock Showing Team 2020

IMAGE: Clarence Valley Independent

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The Maclean Agricultural Show was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Maclean Show Society will be given $10,000 from the federal government towards its 2021 show to held on 20 to 21 April next year. The Clarence Pastoral & Agricultural Society Ltd will receive $17,682.68 towards its 2021 agricultural show.

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From 1 March 2021 Clarence Valley travellers will be able to connect through to Melbourne as part of Regional Express’ expansion on the back of the collapse of other regional airlines due to the COVID-19 pandemic’ From March Rex will begin flying nine return flights from Sydney to Melbourne and travellers boarding from Grafton Airport will be able to connect straight through, with baggage checked to their destination.

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Yaegl woman Pauline Clague has been awarded this year’s $20,000 Natalie Miller Fellowship. She is the 9th recipient of this fellowship and the first Indigenous person. 

The Natalie Miller Fellowship (NMF) supports the professional leadership of aspirational women in all sectors of the Australian screen industry; developing further skills, knowledge and connections through fellowships and programs. Its vision is to achieve gender diversity in screen leadership, resulting in a greater breadth of storytelling, better company performances, innovation, and a more dynamic, inclusive and robust industry for everyone.

Well-known as a producer of documentaries and short stories, Pauline has at least 16 films to her credit.

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It appears that Lismore City Council and Rous County Council wrote to the NSW Berejiklian Government encouraging the development of a $220 million 50 giglitre second dam on Rocky Creek to the south-west of the existing dam, before the dam proposal went to puclic exhibition for community input. Many local residents are not amused by this discovery. The proposed dam is supposed to supply four local government areas.

IMAGE: https://rous.myglobe.app/bulk-water

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Clarence Valley Independent, 9 December 2020:

Greg Clancy: “…if [mining companies] spend millions on exploration then they expect [to mine] … we need to speak out strongly against all mining proposals.”

Andrew Baker: “…to turn our back on any potential mining at this stage is doing the community a disservice.

“We should, rather than just accept there are concerned people in the community … we should be fully informed before making these decisions.

“…we should find out where council and councillors fit within our sphere of influence and not give people false hope that we can extinguish mining licences.”

Arthur Lysaught: “I think it was three years ago when Greg gave me the Greens [position] … but I said at the time, if I ever thought someone would affect the river, I would stand beside him to preserve the most pristine river in the country, maybe the world.

“The unfortunate part of this; whatever stance we take, others make the decision.”

Peter Ellem: “Yes and the greed merchants will continue to have a crack, whether to harvest dam water or reopen a mining industry through exploration.

“The end result is they want to mine … and with the government supporting one company [with an exploration grant], we have to be ever watchful to protect our river catchment and [associated] industries [like] tourism and recreation.

“…just like damming the Clarence and CSG mining, this kind of mining is not appropriate here and there should be a moratorium.”

Karen Toms: “We have an amazing river … but I am concerned because I heard what our state MP [Chris Gulaptis] has said.

“The general manager is right, we need to have a position … but 10,000 signatures … well done to the community to start rallying.

“We are here to represent our people … we are the responsible authority for our water so we do have some skin in the game.

“Tell them [mining companies] … to bugger off.

“It’s important send a strong message to the state and federal governments and the miners: leave our water alone.”

Deborah Novak: “A lot of people out there are scared to step up … but this is where they have come together [to gather 10,000 signatures].

“It’s important for the state and federal governments to see that the [petition organisers] are professional … and really amazing and it’s the young people who have stepped up.”

Greg Clancy (right of reply): “Over 10,000 signatures suggest that this is not only the concerns of a few people.

“…despite covid, the groups have worked very hard; I commend the Clarence Catchment Alliance and the Clarence Environment Centre … all working hard on this issue to make the general public aware.

“…it’s scientific, it’s facts about what we know mining does to river systems.

“We only need one accident and there goes the entire river.

“It’s not a case of not having mining anywhere, but it has to be in areas of minimal impact.”

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Echo Net Daily, December 2020:

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin has blown the whistle on the government after obtaining a ‘damning’ NSW Department of Education School Profile of Murwillumbah High School, the proposed site of the mega campus, which shows major capital works are badly needed there.

Making cost savings by shelving replacement or maintenance of buildings at four public schools appears to be the main driver of the NSW government’s agenda for its mega Murwillumbah Education Campus, says Ms Saffin.

These four public schools – Murwillumbah High, Wollumbin High, Murwillumbah East Public and Murwillumbah Public – all have their own well-established traditions of academic, sporting and cultural excellence,’ Ms Saffin said.

Ms Saffin has invited NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell MLC to come to Murwillumbah early next year to meet with the four Parents & Citizens Associations and other representatives of students, teachers and staff, and the local community.

‘Our school communities deserve to hear from Minister Mitchell what the evidence-based educational benefits to Murwillumbah’s primary and secondary school students are of the government’s plan to merge them into one “mega” campus by 2024.

‘However, the evidence is mounting that the Department has dragged the chain on capital works and maintenance at Murwillumbah High and Murwillumbah East Public School, badly affected by the 2017 floods, and the Department’s fix is to close four schools and replace them with a centralised American model.’……

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Save Our Koalas

https://youtu.be/utqfgP42YzI

Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Continuation of Cashless Welfare) Bill 2020 on its way to Governor-General for assent - list of all MPs and Senators who voted for the bill

 

This is a complete list of those Australian MPs and Senators who voted for Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Continuation of Cashless Welfare) Bill 2020.

The bill passed in the House of Representatives unamended on 7 December 2020 by a vote of 62 to 61.

Two days later on  9 December 2020 the bill passed in the Senate by 34 votes to 33, with the following government amendments:

• Persons resident in the Northern Territory will only transition from the Basics Card to the Cashless Debit Card on a voluntary basis.

• The Cashless Debit Card remains a trial scheme with an end date of 31 December 2022. However persons in the Northern Territory who transition to the Cashless Debit Card still remain eligible for income management after that date.

Senator Patrick's amendment's to the bill were also passed. They can be found here. 

The Morrison Government managed to keep the Cashless Debit Card trial alive but lost the battle to immediately turn it into a permanent program.

Senators (grouped by state) who voted to pass the bill:

Matt O’Sullivan (Liberal Western Australia), Ben Small (Liberal Western Australia), DeanSmith (Liberal Western Australia), Michaelia Cash (Liberal Western Australia), Slade Brockman (Liberal Western Australia), Paul Scarr (Liberal Western Australia), Linda Reynolds (Liberal Western Australia),

Sam McMahon (Country Liberal Party Northern Territory),

Alex Antic (Liberal South Australia), Andrew McLachlan (Liberal South Australia), Anne Ruston (Liberal South Australia), David Fawcett (Liberal South Australia), Simom Birmingham (Liberal South Australia),

Amanda Stoker (Liberal Queensland), Susan McDonald (Nationals Queensland), James McGrath (Liberal Queensland), Pauline Hanson (One Nation Queensland), Malcolm Roberts (One Nation Queensland),

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (Liberal NSW), Jim Molan (Liberal NSW), Andrew Bragg (Liberal NSW), Perrin Davey (Nationals NSW), Marise Payne (Liberal NSW),

Scott Ryan (Liberal Victoria), Bridget McKenzie (Nationals Victoria), James Paterson (Liberal Victoria), Jane Hume (Liberal Victoria), David Van (Liberal Victoria), Sarah Henderson (Liberal Victoria),

Eric Abetz (Liberal Tasmania), Wendy Askew (Liberal Tasmania), Claire Chandler (Liberal Tasmania), Jonathon Duniam (Liberal Tasmania), Richard Colbeck (Liberal Tasmania).

Note: After publicly opposing the bill Senator Stirling Griff (Centre Alliance South Australia) failed to remain in the Chamber for the final vote.

Members of the Australian House of Representatives (in alphabetical order) who voted for the bill:

John Alexander, MP for Bennelong (Liberal Party of Australia)

Katie Allen, MP for Higgins Allen (Liberal Party of Australia)

Kevin Andrews, MP for Menzies (Liberal Party of Australia)

Karen Andrews, MP for McPherson (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Angie Bell, MP for Moncrieff (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Russell Broadbent, MP for Monash (Liberal Party of Australia)

Darren Chester, MP for Gippsland (The Nationals)

George Christensen, MP for Dawson (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Pat Conaghan, MP for Cowper (The Nationals)

Vince Connelly, MP for Stirling (Liberal Party of Australia)

Mark Coulton, MP for Parkes (The Nationals)

Damien Drum, MP for Nicholls (The Nationals)

Peter Dutton, MP for Dickson (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Warren Entsch, MP for Leichhardt (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Jason Falinski, MP for Mackellar (Liberal Party of Australia)

Paul Fletcher, MP for Bradfield (Liberal Party of Australia)

Nicolle Flint, MP for Boothby (Liberal Party of Australia)

Josh Frydenberg, MP for Kooyong (Liberal Party of Australia)

Andrew Gee, MP for Calare (The Nationals)

David Gillespie, MP for Lyne (The Nationals)

Garth Hamilton, MP for Lyne (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Celia Hammond, MP for Curtin (Liberal Party of Australia)

Andrew Hastie, MP for Canning (Liberal Party of Australia)

Alex Hawke, MP for Mitchell (Liberal Party of Australia)

Greg Hunt, MP for Flinders (Liberal Party of Australia)

Barnaby Joyce, MP for New England (The Nationals)

Andrew Laming, MP for Bowman (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Julian Leeser, MP for Berowra (Liberal Party of Australia)

Sussan Ley, MP for Farrer (Liberal Party of Australia)

David Littleproud, MP for Maranoa (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Gladys Liu, MP for Chisholm (Liberal Party of Australia)

Fiona Martin, MP for Reid (Liberal Party of Australia)

Michael McCormack, MP for Riverina (The Nationals)

Melissa McIntosh, MP for Lindsay (Liberal Party of Australia)

Scott Morrison, MP for Cook (Liberal Party of Australia)

Ted O'Brien, MP for Fairfax (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Ken O'Dowd, MP for Flynn (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Tony Pasin, MP for Barker (Liberal Party of Australia)

Gavin Pearce, MP for Braddon (Liberal Party of Australia)

Keith Pitt, MP for Hinkler (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Christian Porter, MP for Pearce (Liberal Party of Australia)

Melissa Price, MP for Durack (Liberal Party of Australia)

Rowan Ramsey, MP for Grey (Liberal Party of Australia)

Stuart Robert, MP for Fadden (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Dave Sharma, MP for Wentworth (Liberal Party of Australia)

Julian Simmonds, MP for Ryan (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

James Stevens, MP for Sturt (Liberal Party of Australia)

Michael Sukkar, MP for Deakin (Liberal Party of Australia)

Angus Taylor, MP for Hume (Liberal Party of Australia)

Dan Tehan, MP for Wannon (Liberal Party of Australia)

Phillip Thompson, MP for Herbert (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Alan Tudge, MP for Aston (Liberal Party of Australia)

Bert van Manen, MP for Forde (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Ross Vasta, MP for Bonner (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Andrew Wallace, MP for Fisher (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Anne Webster, MP for Mallee (The Nationals)

Mrs Wicks (Liberal Party of Australia)

Mr R. J. Wilson (Liberal Party of Australia)

Mr T. R. Wilson (Liberal Party of Australia)

Ken Wyatt, MP for Hasluck (Liberal Party of Australia)

Terry Young, MP for Longman (Liberal National Party of Queensland)

Trent Zimmerman, MP for North Sydney (Liberal Party of Australia).

Note: After publicly opposing the bill Liberal MP for Bass Brigit Archer failed to remain in the Chamber for the final vote and, after speaking in support of the bill in the final debate Nationals MP for Page Kevin Hogan sought refuge in a pairing arrangement and did not vote.

BACKGROUND

See:  A reminder that the Morrison Government's extension of the Indue Cashless Debit Card is due to commence in stages from 2021 onwards

Try this ABC interactive postcode search to find out how your suburb is faring with regard to access to mental health care

Find out how your postcode can influence whether you need help — and if you’ll get it — at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-08/covid-mental-health-system-medicare-inequality/12512378?nw=0

This is what the search revealed about Clarence Valley in the NSW Northern Rivers region.

According to ABC News “Story Lab” interactive article on 8 December 2020:

NSW postcodes 2450*, 2456, 2463, 2464, 2465, are post codes with profiles indicating they are somewhat disadvantaged, where 13.7 per cent of people are likely to be highly psychologically distressed.

NSW postcodes 2370*, 2460, 2462, 2466 & 2469* are postcodes with profiles indicating they are most disadvantaged fifth of suburbs, where 18.3 per cent of people are likely to be highly psychologically distressed.

People in these postcodes fall into the area of Clarence Valley.

In Clarence Valley, taxpayers funded 23.49 sessions of care per 100 people, which cost $2,164. The national average is 22.87 sessions for $2,375.

In case you might have been wondering, NSW post code 2229 (where Prime Minister & MP for Cook Scott Morrison indicates his family home is located) and postcode 2063 (where NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian indicates her home is located) have profiles which are among the least disadvantaged so only 9 per cent of people are likely to be highly psychologically distressed.

In Morrison’s post code taxpayers fund 25.42 sessions of care per 100 people, which cost $2,632. That's a higher spend than the national average of 22.87 sessions for $2,375. While in Berejiklian’s postcode taxpayers funded 22.8 sessions of care per 100 people, which cost $2,659. That's nearer the national average of 22.87 sessions for $2,375.

NOTES

* Postcode 2450 predominately covers Coffs Harbour, 2370 predominately covers Inverell-Tenterfield and postcode 2469 predominately covers Richmond-Tweed, with some crossover with the Clarence Valley at edges of these post code ranges.

Recent Berejiklian Government reset after education policy failure seen as 'buck passing' by NSW Teachers' Federation

The Age, 7 December 2020:

Educators have lashed out at the NSW government's new performance targets for public schools, saying the policy fails to provide them with specialist resources they need and instead scapegoats teachers and principals for system failures.

The new School Success Model, announced by Education Minister Sarah Mitchell on Sunday, will require the education department to intervene in public schools that fail to meet performance targets and see executives take more responsibility for school outcomes.

It replaces the troubled Local Schools, Local Decisions model from 2012, which gave principals greater autonomy but axed support staff and left the department with little influence over how schools made decisions or spent money.

NSW Teachers Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos said Sunday's announcement was "more spin than substance" as it failed to restore adequate specialist support for schools. He said it instead blamed teachers and principals for failures.

"This policy will not deliver schools, teachers and principals the support they need to perform the very complex task expected from them ... It will not address crippling administrative burdens placed on schools," he said.

"It provides no evidence of the restoration of more than 800 specialist and expert positions that were stripped from the system when Local Schools, Local Decisions was announced."

He accused the government of attempting to distance itself from the "failed policy", which had cut support to schools for efficiency gains…..

IUCN report finds climate change is a threat to 69 per cent of Australia's 16 World Heritage sites, including the Great Barrier Reef, more than double the global trend of 33 per cent

 

ABC News, 4 December 2020:

Mark Graham takes hope from pockets of Gondwana rainforests regenerating after the bushfires.(Supplied: Drew Hopper)

Ecologist Mark Graham has studied Australia's Gondwana rainforests for decades and, after years of drought and bushfires, says things have never looked so dire.

"To bear witness to the loss of some of these ecosystems . . . it's a very upsetting thing to observe," he said.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature [IUCN] this week rated Gondwana rainforests a "significant concern". In 2017 the same report rated the forests as "good, with some concern".

The IUCN is the official advisor on nature to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

The report also found climate change was a threat to 69 per cent of Australia's 16 World Heritage sites, including the Great Barrier Reef, more than double the global trend of 33 per cent.

Nightcap National Park, in northern NSW, is one of the Gondwana rainforests devastated by fire a year ago.(Supplied: Darcy Grant)

Burnt rainforests 'still suffering'

The Gondwana subtropical rainforests stretch from the Hunter region in NSW to south-east Queensland and were entered on the World Heritage List in 1986, with extensions in 1994.

The 41 national parks and reserves ranging from 10 hectares to 102,712 hectares contain more than 200 rare or threatened plant species and have been compared with the Galapagos Islands in terms of global importance.

Mark Graham said more than a year after major bushfires, some parts of the rainforests were still suffering.

"There are definitely [some of] these really ancient forests that have burnt, and a year or more on there's very little, if any, life in them," he said.

"Thankfully, in some of our fire grounds, there is recovery occurring."

'Other threats increasing'

Mr Graham said the real concern now was more fires that might further reduce the size of the rainforests.

The IUCN report points out that while management has so far been effective in addressing challenges, further management responses will be required to address increasing threats, particularly those posed by bushfires as well as invasive species, pathogens, and climate change.

"There is wide recognition that considerable conservation actions will be required," the report says

"However, there is the lingering prospect that the catastrophe is a clear sign of the impact of climate change on weather patterns, and that these changes will not be reversed easily."…….

The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 December 2020:

The 3 billion animals estimated to have been killed, injured or seen their habitat destroyed by the summer fires is now understood to have included 143 million mammals, 181 million birds, 51 million frogs and 2.46 billion reptiles.

The toll includes an estimated 40 million possums and gliders caught in the path of fires; more than 36 million antechinuses, dunnarts, and other insectivorous marsupials; 5.5 million bettongs, bandicoots, quokkas, and potoroos; 5 million kangaroos and wallabies; 1.1 million wombats and 114,000 echidnas.

It is believed 60,000 koalas were killed, injured or lost habitat, with the worst losses on Kangaroo Island where 40,000 were killed or harmed in some way.

About 11,000 koalas were hit in Victoria and 8000 in NSW according to a new report into the impact of the fires on native wildlife, which confirms an earlier overall estimate but provides far more detail about the losses.

Professor Chris Dickman of the University of Sydney, who oversaw the research on behalf of the Worldwide Fund for Nature Australia, said the impact on reptiles was so high because they live in such great densities in some of the worst affected areas, with small lizards such as skinks reaching densities of 1800 per hectare.

Researchers mapped the path of the 15,000 fires over 11.46 million hectares of the total 19 million hectares that burnt over the summer, and married it with existing data about animal densities in the areas hit.

They did not directly estimate numbers of animals killed because research about how different animals may survive fires is limited, and the factors that contribute to impact are varied. For example some species can flee faster and others are more resilient at surviving later in a burnt landscape.....