This blog is open to any who wish to comment on Australian society, the state of the environment or political shenanigans at Federal, State and Local Government level.
⚡️⚡️NEWS FLASH ⚡️⚡️We are just about to hit the 1 year anniversary since the #LismoreFloods & just 1 person has been offered a buyback leaving 6999 people in limbo. My son & I were rescued from partners home (pic below). My partner has not even received a phone call #nswpol#failpic.twitter.com/duPLUb7bY7
⚡️⚡️NEWS FLASH ⚡️⚡️We are just about to hit the 1 year anniversary since the #LismoreFloods & just 1 person has been offered a buyback leaving 6999 people in limbo. My son & I were rescued from partners home (pic below). My partner has not even received a phone call #nswpol#failpic.twitter.com/duPLUb7bY7
In
February the hills and valleys of the New South Wales northern rivers
are green and lush and fertile in the late summer sun. There is
brightness in the madly proliferating tropical flora, radiance in the
golden hour of the evening.
In
the towns the mud has gone, mostly, and the smell too has faded; a
semblance of normality returned to the main streets. As the foliage
has returned, the devastation of the 2022 floods is more hidden now;
the scale of what happened. The people who are changed.
As
the anniversary of the disaster approaches, along with the cyclone
season, for those left in the flood’s wake the impact is still
unfolding. When the flood waters receded a year ago, for many, the
disaster was only beginning.
“You
could hazard a guess that something like 15 to 20,000 people were
impacted,” says Professor James Bennett Levy from the University of
Sydney Centre for Rural Health. “I would say there’s been huge
collective trauma as well as individual trauma.”
“If
I am doing a community event,” says Naomi Vaotuua, recovery and
resilience officer for the Red Cross, “I will literally have grown
men crying in my arms because it’s a cloudy day and they thought
they were doing alright but they have been triggered.”
Kerry
Pritchard, coordinator of recovery Hub 2484 in Murwillumbah, says: “I
guess what is surfacing now is more residual complex trauma. We feel
like we are still very much in the middle of it, at the coalface of
supporting people. That is both in terms of rebuilding in a physical
sense and also healing from that traumatic event.”
The
northern rivers floods were Australia’s biggest natural disaster
since Cyclone Tracy in 1974. It was the second-costliest event in the
world for insurers in 2022, and the most expensive disaster in
Australian history. Many residents had found premiums unaffordable
and had no insurance at all.
The
Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC), funded by the
federal and NSW governments, is currently assessing over 6,000
flood-impacted residences for buyback, raising or retrofit.
A
survey released this month by Southern Cross University revealed that
nine months after the event, at the end of 2022, almost 52% of flood
victims were living in the shells of homes that had flooded; 26% were
living in temporary accommodation such as caravans, sheds or pods, or
with friends or family; 18% were living in insecure accommodation
such as tents or temporary rentals; and 4% were no longer living in
the region.
The
departure of thousands of locals is one of the things that broke the
heart of city councillor and executive director of Resilient Lismore,
Elly Bird. “They are disconnected from their community and the
people they went through that experience with and disconnected from
our recovery journey and support. They are probably having a hard
time,” Bird says.
Hanabeth
Luke, senior lecturer in science and engineering at Southern Cross
University, and one of the researchers behind the survey, said she
was “shocked to see the low, low levels of mental health. Twenty
percent of people said they were coping with the stresses and
challenges of recovery and 60% said they were not coping.”
It
is the housing uncertainty causing mental health strain, Luke says;
the stress of “not being able to move forward, making do without a
clear plan”. People live in substandard dwellings while they wait
on government assessments or insurance payouts, not knowing whether
to fix a house or if they might get a buyback. People camp out in
caravans outside dilapidated abandoned houses, houses they are still
paying mortgages and rates for. Families squeeze into a single motel
room where they are not allowed to cook or have their pets.
Up
until last month, the Koori Kitchen was still serving around around
700 free meals a day at Browns Creek car park in Lismore, says Koori
Mail general manager Naomi Moran. It was forced to close as the
council wanted the car spaces back to help support local business
recovery.
These
things take their toll.
“What
has been found is that the more you were likely to have been scared
of injury or death, the higher the likelihood of PTSD,” says
Bennett Levy. “Similarly, the more extensive the inundation the
more likelihood of significant mental health issues. If we go back to
the data we can say that the people who are displaced from home for
more than six months are at very high risk of PTSD.”
Pritchard
sees the data borne out in real life. “A year out and people are
just worn down, they’re exhausted, they’re losing hope and just
can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. We’re seeing a lot
of suicidal ideation.” People who have always worked hard and
supported themselves find themselves having to ask for help, she
says. “There are a lot of feelings of shame and impotency around
that.”
Those
who could afford insurance are now coming to the end of the 52 weeks
of temporary accommodation paid for by their insurers. For those
locals, there is anxiety about whether they will get into the 11 pod
villages built by Resilience NSW across the region. The villages aim
to house 1,800 people for up to three years. Another 300 people are
still in emergency accommodation…..
A
new Southern Cross University survey has shown almost 50 per cent of
Northern Rivers flood victims were still displaced nine months after
the devastating floods and landslides of 2022.
The
survey, conducted by Southern Cross researchers in the latter months
of last year, aimed to gain a better understanding of the ongoing
struggles faced by flood-affected communities. The results paint a
stark picture.
Of
the 800 survey respondents, 52 percent were back living in a home
that had flooded, while 26 per cent were either living in temporary
accommodation such as caravans, sheds or pods, or with friends and
family. A staggering 18 per cent of people reported they were living
in ‘other’ insecure or crisis accommodation such as tents or
temporary rentals and four per cent were no longer living in the
region.
One
fifth of respondents reported it was hard to find out what support
was available to them, suggesting insufficient variety in information
channels used to communicate with flood-affected residents.
Additionally, nearly one third of insured survey respondents reported
being ineligible for an insurance payout, and many cited excessive
bureaucracy as a major barrier to accessing funding for recovery
efforts. Survey respondents had to fill out an average 6-8 forms each
to receive any financial assistance.
The
Insurance Council of Australia estimates the cost of the 2022 east
coast floods to be around AUD $5 billion in insurance damages. The
Southern Cross survey results showed that while the most common cost
of the flood was between $201,000-$500,000 to each respondent, the
most common maximum amount received at the time of completing the
survey was a tenth of that, at $21,000-$50,000.
"The
findings of this survey are a sobering reminder of the ongoing impact
of the floods on the Northern Rivers community," said lead
researcher Dr Hanabeth Luke.
“Flooding
has affected dozens of rural and urban communities around the country
and continues to do so, most recently in Western Australia. There are
important learnings from this that can guide us and others to be
better prepared next time,” she said.
Elly
Bird, Executive Director of Resilient Lismore – a community
organisation and partner in the survey – said "just 20 per
cent of respondents report they are coping with the stresses and
challenges of recovering from the floods, and more than 80 per cent
agree that community hubs have been essential to their recovery.
“Nearly
60 per cent of respondents still need help with access to
tradespeople, and more than 45 per cent require access to building
materials. This is holding up the recovery and needs to be addressed
urgently.”
Many
respondents reported not ‘being able to plan’ as a significant
challenge.
The
majority (96 per cent) of survey respondents saw community
preparedness as most important for mitigating future events, with
engineering solutions receiving a lower level of support than all
other options.
"This
study is a crucial tool in the ongoing efforts of our community to
build back. Tapping into the experiences of those affected will help
shape services and streamline processes and hold us in better stead
for future events,” said Ms Bird.
Col
Shephard (left), Vice Chair of Yamba CAN: Community
Action Network handed the Treelands Drive Community Centre petition
to Clarence Valley Mayor Ian Tiley (right) on Tuesday,
14 February 2023.
In
just 7 days 385 hardcopy signatures (28 pages) and 106 online
signatures were collected totalling a petition print out of 491
signatures.
The
petition reads:
“Action
requested:
We,
the undersigned, request the Mayor and Councillors of Clarence Valley
ensure:
1.
The expansion of the existing TDCC [Treelands
Drive Community Centre] to at least include a
library, commercial kitchen, and carpark.
2.
Council undertakes community consultation for Option B inviting
residents to group gatherings and exhibitions.
3.
Residents’ suggestions for the expansion are fully considered in
consultation with residents.”
The
mayor was informed that Yamba CAN recognised that Clarence Valley
Council Petition Policy states that:
Petitions
to Council are not specifically covered by legislation. However, the
Local Government Act 1993 encourages effective participation of local
communities in the affairs of local government. Council deals with
petitions in keeping with this principle.
I
am sure every resident or ratepayer who has signed the petition to
date is hoping that it will be seriously considered by Council in the
Chamber.
Yamba
CAN is still collecting as many signatures as possible up to 27
February, the day prior to the Ordinary Monthly Council Meeting and,
hoping as many people as possible can attend this council meeting on
Tuesday 28 February 2023 commencing 2pm in Maclean Council Chambers
in order to observe councillors' deliberations.
If you as a Yamba resident wanting a large, fully accessible modern library situated within town's second principal shopping precinct — with adequate parking and an existing sheltered bus stop outside for those without cars — now is the time to speak up.
Especially if you are one of the 37.7 per cent of local residents who are aged 65 years and older (including the est. 1,837 who are 70 years of age to over 85 years), or are among the est. 70.6 per cent who have a significant chronic health problem (many of whom have mobility issues) or who are a parent (and chauffer) to one of the est. 1,079 children who are potential users of local library facilities. [ABS Census 2021, Yamba (NSW) All Persons, Quick Stats, retrieved 20 February 2023]
The
NSW government is in disarray just five weeks from the state election
as one of Premier Dominic Perrottet’s most senior ministers and
closest confidants was forced to quit cabinet after it emerged he
owned shares in the tolling company that controls most of Sydney’s
motorways.
The
premier was also forced to reveal on Friday that one of his
parliamentary secretaries had stood down amid a scandal involving
intimate photos he shared.
Finance
minister and leader of the government in the Legislative Council
Damien Tudehope quit just hours after he confirmed he held shares in
Transurban, which owns the majority of tolling concessions across
Sydney, including WestConnex, NorthConnex and the M2.
Perrottet
sought legal advice on Friday afternoon over whether Tudehope
“knowingly breached” any disclosure rules under the ministerial
code of conduct.
In
a statement late on Friday, Perrottet confirmed the advice from the
Department of Premier and Cabinet had “cleared Damien” however
Tudehope had decided to resign from cabinet…..
Upper
House MLC Peter Poulos resigned on Friday from his secretary role
amid internal anger after an admission he shared explicit images of
Hawkesbury MP Robyn Preston in the lead-up to a bitter preselection
battle. Poulos has apologised to Preston, who modelled as a Penthouse
“pet” in the 1980s.
In
a major embarrassment for Perrottet, Tudehope on Friday confirmed he
held shares in tolling giant Transurban, which owns the majority of
tolling concessions across Sydney, including the WestConnex motorway,
NorthConnex and the M2.
Tudehope
said he had unknowingly held the shares in a family superannuation
fund, but insisted he gave a “printout of the assets” contained
within that fund to both Perrottet and former premier Gladys
Berejiklian.
He
said the Transurban shares were sold overnight, and conceded they had
risen in value considerably since he was appointed minister in 2019.
Tudehope said he would donate to charity any profit he made, which he
expected to be about $6000.
Tudehope
said he did not recuse himself from cabinet over discussions
involving Transurban because he did not know he owned the shares as
the superannuation fund was managed by a fund manager…..
Transurban
recently reported record half-year earnings of $1.66 billion, boosted
by some $835 million in tolls collected from Sydney drivers over the
course of the past six months.
Mr
Tudehope was a cabinet minister during the Berejiklian government’s
decision to sell the WestConnex toll road to Transurban for $11
billion in 2021. More recently, he took part in a number of cabinet
decisions to provide toll relief to NSW drivers.
Earlier,
he denied being “involved in any discussions relating to
WestConnex” and claimed he “was not on the relevant committee or
relevant cabinet meetings”.
“The
first thing is whether there was a significant impact, and whether I
knowingly breached the code of conduct, and I have to say, I didn’t
know that I held those shares at the time that I participated in
policy decisions relating to Transurban,” he said.
It
should be noted that Liberal MLC Damian Francis Tudehope has been a Member of the Legislative Council since 23 March 2019 having previously been a Member of the Legislative Assembly from 28 March 2015 to 1 March 2019.
He had been NSW
Minister for Finance as well as Minister for Employee Relations
since 21 December 2021, having been appointed to both ministries
by Premier Perrottet.
On 21 December he also became Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council and Vice-President of the Executive Council.
Damian Tudehope is reported as resigning as NSW Minister for Finance, Minister for Employee Relations and Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council on Friday 17 February 2023. Presumably he also resigned from the Executive Council.
Tudehope had previously been finance & small
business minister during the Berejiklian Government years from 2
April 2019 to 21 December 2021.
Before entering parliament he practiced as a solicitor.
Interestingly, Damian Tudehope had been Chair of the Committee on the Independent Commission Against Corruption from 3 June 2015 to 22 February 2019 and, a Member of the Standing Committee on Parliamentary Privilege and Ethics from 29 March 2017 to 22 February 2019. Committee terms which should have seen him well acquainted with the ins and outs of of issues such as pecuniary interests and conflicts of interest.
According
to ABC
News
on 17 February 2023; ...like
Mr Perrottet, [Damien
Tudehope] has
links to the the Catholic Church's conservative Opus Dei
organisation.
It appears the families may know each other well. The Linkedin
entry of the premier’s
younger brother Jean-Claude
Perrottetshows
that he was
an Electoral
Officer for Damian Tudehope MPfrom
March 2018 to March and 2019 and Policy
Advisor for
Damian Tudehope MLC Minister for Finance and Small Business.
The “family
superannuation
fund”
to which Mr. Tudehope was referring is possiblya
self-managed superannuation fund titled Claiyear
Pty Limited ATF The Tudehope Superannuation Fund (est.1998)or
perhaps even
Imtaga
Pty Limited ATF Tudehope
Family Trust (est.1985),
as set out in his Disclosures
By Members Of The Legislative Council
form dated 31 March 2021. Although
the latter registered company was missing from his disclosure of
pecuniary interest form signed on 20 September 2022.
ASX Graph of Transurban Group (TCL) Share Price & Dividends issued 14 March 1996 to 17 February 2023
This graph shows 20 dividend issues to shareholders over a 10 year period. Not a shareholding one would normally expect to be overlooked in the investment portfolio of any politician.
As a member of the NSW Upper House Damian Tudehope does not stand for re-election until his term of service expires at the end of the 58th Parliament (05 Mar 2027).
It is not outside the bounds of possibility that if the Perrottet Government is re-elected on 25 March 2023, Damian Tudehope will be restored by Premier Perrottet to a Cabinet-level ministry or ministries and a place on the Executive Council.
"This
afternoon, the State Director, in consultation with the State
President, exercised campaign powers to suspend Peter Poulos from the
NSW Division for a period of 6 months," a spokesperson for the
Liberal Party said in a statement.
This in no way stops Poulos standing as a nominal Independent at the 25 March state election. Nor does preclude him changing from Independent MLC back to Liberal MLC in 2024 should he be re-elected in 33 days time.
An
alliance representing 15 regional cities from across the state -
including Bathurst - is calling for bipartisan support for measures
to increase housing stock amidst a regional rental crisis and skills
shortage.
Regional
Cities NSW (RCNSW) says the lack of available housing in regional
towns across NSW is a "risk to regional growth" and are
calling for both the Liberal party and Labor party to commit to doing
more to address the housing shortage.
"Regional
living is well and truly on the agenda, however the lack of available
housing is impacting people's ability to move to the regions,"
said Dubbo Regional Council mayor Matthew Dickerson, chair of RCNSW.
"Housing
availability has been severely impacted by numerous natural disasters
across our state as well as major infrastructure projects requiring
temporary accommodation."
As
well as Dubbo, RCNSW represents Albury, Queenbeyan, Coffs Harbour,
Griffith, Goulburn, Maitland, Bathurst, Broken Hill, Wagga Wagga,
Orange, Armidale, Lismore, Tweed Heads and Tamworth.
The
alliance aims to grow regional cities in NSW through increased
investment that will build "productive, liveable and connected
regions". One of the main challenges impeding growth, says
RCNSW, is a shortage of suitable housing.
"Housing
availability and affordability are major issues for regional cities
resulting from recent population increases," said Cr Dickerson.
"Other
critical areas requiring the support of the state government include
having a supply of skilled workers to match demand, building road and
rail connectivity between Sydney and regional cities and building the
strength of the Port of Newcastle."
According
to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, between 2011 and
2022, regional NSW's population grew by 224,5001 - the equivalent to
creating a new regional city the size of Bathurst every two years……
On
28 March 2011 the O'Farrell Coalition Government came to power in New
South Wales.
It was followed in April 2014 by the Baird Coalition Government, then in January 2017 by the Berejiklian Coalition Government and lastly, in October 2021 by the current Perrottet Coalition Government.
If
anything an already dire social housing situation has been made worse since
Dominic Perrottet & Co have held the reigns of state government.
The
waiting list of people needing social housing in NSW has increased
for the first time since 2016, with about 1000 more people in line
for a home.
As
of June 2022, there were 51,031 approved for social housing and
waiting for a property to become available, compared to 49,928 the
year before.
The
number has steadily decreased since 2016 when the figure hit 59,907.
Before this it had varied between about 55,000 and 60,000 since 2012.[my yellow highlighting]
In March 2022 the mainstream media was reporting that a surge in regional rental prices – in part driven by tree changes during coronavirus lockdowns – as well as stagnant wage growth had created a housing affordability crisis which was exacerbated by a fall in rental housing stock in Northern NSW due to widespread flooding.
Rental
stress is experienced by more than 60 per cent of renters living in
the regional NSW electorates – of Page, Cowper and Lyne – along
the northern NSW coast. Source: Everybody's Home.IMAGE:
news.com.au,
21 March 2022
The following monthThe
Guardian reported on 16 April 2022:
The
New South Wales government has sold off $3bn worth of social housing
during its decade in power, while failing to meet its own targets for
new properties.
New
figures released through parliament this week show that since it was
first elected in 2011, the Coalition has sold off 4,205 social
housing properties across the state.
The
sales have added about $3.5bn to the government’s coffers over the
same period.
But
while the government said all of those funds were used to prove
“more, and better” social housing stock, data for new social
housing constructions reveal the government has fallen well behind
its own targets for new dwellings.
In
2016, the Coalition pledged to build 23,000 new social housing
dwellings in the next decade as part of its Future Directions housing
strategy. It committed to funding new social housing construction
through the $22bn Communities Plus program.
But
eight years on, with more than 50,000 people on the social housing
wait list in the state, the Communities Plus program has achieved
only 10% of that goal.
North Coast Voices no longer allows the Facebook Button sited at the end of each blog post to activate when it is clicked on by a reader.
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The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 19
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
[Adopted and proclaimed by United Nations General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948]
Hi! My name is Boy. I'm a male bi-coloured tabby cat. Ever since I discovered that Malcolm Turnbull's dogs were allowed to blog, I have been pestering Clarencegirl to allow me a small space on North Coast Voices.
A false flag musing: I have noticed one particular voice on Facebook which is Pollyanna-positive on the subject of the Port of Yamba becoming a designated cruise ship destination. What this gentleman doesn’t disclose is that, as a principal of Middle Star Pty Ltd, he could be thought to have a potential pecuniary interest due to the fact that this corporation (which has had an office in Grafton since 2012) provides consultancy services and tourismbusiness development services.
A religion & local government musing: On 11 October 2017 Clarence Valley Council has the Church of Jesus Christ Development Fund Inc in Sutherland Local Court No. 6 for a small claims hearing. It would appear that there may be a little issue in rendering unto Caesar. On 19 September 2017 an ordained minister of a religion (which was named by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in relation to 40 instances of historical child sexual abuse on the NSW North Coast) read the Opening Prayer at Council’s ordinary monthly meeting. Earlier in the year an ordained minister (from a church network alleged to have supported an overseas orphanage closed because of child abuse claims in 2013) read the Opening Prayer and an ordained minister (belonging to yet another church network accused of ignoring child sexual abuse in the US and racism in South Africa) read the Opening Prayer at yet another ordinary monthly meeting. Nice one councillors - you are covering yourselves with glory!
An investigative musing: Newcastle Herald, 12 August 2017: The state’s corruption watchdog has been asked to investigate the finances of the Awabakal Aboriginal Local Land Council, less than 12 months after the troubled organisation was placed into administration by the state government. The Newcastle Herald understands accounting firm PKF Lawler made the decision to refer the land council to the Independent Commission Against Corruption after discovering a number of irregularities during an audit of its financial statements.The results of the audit were recently presented to a meeting of Awabakal members. Administrator Terry Lawler did not respond when contacted by the Herald and a PKF Lawler spokesperson said it was unable to comment on the matter. Given the intricate web of company relationships that existed with at least one former board member it is not outside the realms of possibility that, if ICAC accepts this referral, then United Land Councils Limited (registered New Zealand) and United First Peoples Syndications Pty Ltd(registered Australia) might be interviewed. North Coast Voices readers will remember that on 15 August 2015 representatives of these two companied gave evidence before NSW Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 6 INQUIRY INTO CROWN LAND. This evidence included advocating for a Yamba mega port.
A Nationals musing: Word around the traps is that NSW Nats MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has been talking up the notion of cruise ships visiting the Clarence River estuary. Fair dinkum! That man can be guaranteed to run with any bad idea put to him. I'm sure one or more cruise ships moored in the main navigation channel on a regular basis for one, two or three days is something other regular river users will really welcome. *pause for appreciation of irony* The draft of the smallest of the smaller cruise vessels is 3 metres and it would only stay safely afloat in that channel. Even the Yamba-Iluka ferry has been known to get momentarily stuck in silt/sand from time to time in Yamba Bay and even a very small cruise ship wouldn't be able to safely enter and exit Iluka Bay. You can bet your bottom dollar operators of cruise lines would soon be calling for dredging at the approach to the river mouth - and you know how well that goes down with the local residents.
A local councils musing: Which Northern Rivers council is on a low-key NSW Office of Local Government watch list courtesy of feet dragging by a past general manager?
A serial pest musing: I'm sure the Clarence Valley was thrilled to find that a well-known fantasist is active once again in the wee small hours of the morning treading a well-worn path of accusations involving police, local business owners and others.
An investigative musing: Which NSW North Coast council is batting to have the longest running code of conduct complaint investigation on record?
A which bank? musing: Despite a net profit last year of $9,227 million the Commonwealth Bank still insists on paying below Centrelink deeming rates interest on money held in Pensioner Security Accounts. One local wag says he’s waiting for the first bill from the bank charging him for the privilege of keeping his pension dollars at that bank.
A Daily Examiner musing: Just when you thought this newspaper could sink no lower under News Corp management, it continues to give column space to Andrew Bolt.
A thought to ponder musing: In case of bushfire or flood - do you have an emergency evacuation plan for the family pet?
An adoption musing: Every week on the NSW North Coast a number of cats and dogs find themselves without a home. If you want to do your bit and give one bundle of joy a new family, contact Happy Paws on 0419 404 766 or your local council pound.
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