Is everyone with any authority still playing Pass The Parcel with the health and safety of communities on NSW coastal floodplains? Will the Northern Rivers see effective state planning legislation amendments before the next big flood? Will local governments across the region stiffen their spines & act?

The Echo, 11 May 2023:

Development site at 60 Tringa Street, Tweed Heads, on Cobaki Creek.

Both the Tweed District Residents Association (TDRA) and Kingscliff Ratepayers and Progress Association (KRPA) have recently called for a moratorium on existing legacy or zombie development approvals (DAs) on floodplains. The state government continues to say that councils have the ability to deal with these problematic DAs, but the evidence seems to say otherwise.

The failure of current legislation to stop legacy DAs is of particular concern to the TDRA which has been seeking stop work orders on the recent activity by MAAS Group Holdings at Tweed on Cobaki Creek. MAAS bought the property, with a 27-year-old legacy development approval on it, last year for $20M+ and have started clearing the sensitive site. The Tweed Council have asked MAAS to ‘cease work’, but MAAS have declined leaving both Council and locals frustrated with their inability to stop the work and have the site reassessed in relation to flood and environmental impacts of the DA.

NSW Premier

Responding to The Echo NSW Premier Chris Minns, who spoke to community representatives on the issue of legacy developments in the lead-up to the NSW election said, ‘My office will be working closely with the planning minister as the government works on new rules to stop new developments on dangerous floodplains – having been on the ground in the region over the past couple of years, I know how important it is to get this addressed.’

The Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) told The Echo that, ‘The government is committed to drafting new rules and streamlining planning processes to stop new developments on dangerous floodplains’ yet they have thrown responsibility back to councils saying they already have the legal power to look at legacy developments.

‘Councils already have legal power under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act to take action against existing zombie developments, and DPE tightened planning rules in 2020 to clamp down on new ones,’ a DPE spokesperson said.

‘Councils also have powers to investigate and take enforcement action if they are concerned whether physical commencement has occurred, or if any part of the development does not comply with the relevant consent….

Action needed now

Peter Newton from KRPA responded to the DPE’s statement saying ‘it’s disappointing that the department has thrown this on Council’s shoulders given that it is obvious the legislation is not strong enough for Council to actually prevent legacy developments from proceeding, such as Cobaki, where the Council “cease” orders have been disregarded. The legislation is not working and needs the state government to step in and commit to reform.’

Tweed Council’s General Manager, Troy Green also highlighted the current failures in Council’s powers to take action on these types of DAs.

‘There has been no change in Council or state policy concerning floodplain development post the 2022 floods. The NSW State Government Flood Inquiry made various recommendations concerning floodplain development from which there have been no subsequent directions from the government,’ Mr Green told The Echo…...

Read the full article here.

Nine perspectives on the Albanese Labor Government 2023-24 Budget

 

Only eight of the following nine opinions might be said to have been offered in good faith. I leave it to the reader to decide which one is lacking that element ......

FIRST - Leader of the Opposition & Liberal MP for Dickson Peter Dutton, interview transcript excerpt & Twitter post, 10 May 2023:

Well, Tom, I think you’re better off to look to the independent commentary that’s taken place. Chris Richardson, for argument’s sake, a highly respected economist, he said that he thought the Reserve Bank Governor was done with the baseball bat, and he thinks that this budget will incline the Reserve Bank to increase interest rates again.

So, under this budget, at the very least, we know that interest rates will be higher and for longer, which is going to be a double whammy for Australian families. They’re already $25,000 worse off under this government. There was nothing for them in the budget last night.

This energy crisis, and this cost of living crisis, that’s been created by Mr Albanese and the Labor Party they, you know, it’s ok for the Prime Minister – he doesn’t feel the impact of this – but for families, they are struggling at the moment big time and there’s nothing at all for them in this budget.

@PeterDutton_MP

SECOND - Prime Minister & Labor MP for Grayndler Anthony Albanese, media release excerpt, 10 May 2023:

This budget builds stronger foundations for a better future. It does three things: provides cost-of-living relief, makes our society fairer, and secures our economy for the future.

That’s why it:

• Gives up to $500 of energy bill relief to more than 5 million households,

• Helps more than 11 million Australians see the doctor for free,

• Increases Jobseeker, Austudy and Youth Allowance by $40 a fortnight,

• Makes unprecedented investments in renewables, manufacturing and training,

• And delivers the first surplus in 15 years.

After a decade of waste and mismanagement under the Liberals, we’re making responsible and disciplined choices that will put our economy and society on a stronger footing.

Our approach to this has been all about helping Australians under pressure right now, while building for the long term.

THIRD - Dr Remy Davison, Jean Monnet Chair in Politics and Economics, Faculty of Arts, Monash University media release,10 May 2023:

“The 2023-24 budget’s centrepiece is a $15 billion cost-of-living package and a return to surplus for the first time since 2007.

“But this is not the kitchen-sink, big-spending budgets of yore. Budgets now must be lean, mean, with much less green.

“But the core reason why spending has been wound back is due to the “I” word. Yes, inflation.

“This is a high-wire balancing act. On the one hand, the Treasurer was compelled to ameliorate the cost-of-living crisis, particularly for precarious, low-income earners. On the other hand, Jim Chalmers could not resort to the direct fiscal injections that characterised the Rudd and Morrison governments during the global financial crisis (GFC) and the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively.

“Instead, the Treasurer has been compelled to implement a degree of austerity. An expansive budget would run counter to the monetary discipline the RBA has enforced, with 11 interest rate increases in the past 12 months.

“The modest $4 billion surplus is a flash in the pan; a nod to inflationary pressures. A deficit of $13 billion is already forecast for 2024-25, although deficits will be lower for the next several years.

“Despite the surplus, there’s still an underlying structural deficit. In other words, in the absence of windfall revenues from high resources prices and virtually full employment, recurrent budgetary outlays will exceed revenues going forward, unless explicit cuts are made.”

FOURTH - Dr Blair Williams, lecturer in Politics & International Relations, Monash University, media release,10 May 2023:

“The Albanese government has framed the 2023-24 budget as one that leaves no one behind, which includes a $14.6bn cost-of-living package. However, for many struggling Australians, who are forced to choose between paying the bills, rent or putting food on the table, this may not be enough.

“Welfare has been increased by a minimum of $40 a fortnight, with more for those aged over 55. While it is particularly welcome to see an increase to the Youth Allowance - the largest since 1998 - this will still leave many young Australians trying to make do with less than $50 a day.

“This budget marks a clear departure from the ‘blokey’ Coalition budgets of previous years, with the focus instead moving to the care economy and women’s economic participation.

“Expanding access to the Single Parenting Payment is a welcome move, which will predominantly benefit single mothers. Likewise, the 15 per cent pay rise for aged care workers is a much-needed move, as the pandemic has made quite clear. However, while the government has made early childhood education more affordable and accessible, early childhood educators are still largely earning minimum wage.”

FIFTH - Associate Professor Johnson George, Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, media release, 10 May 2023:

“The government is investing into clamping down on the black market for vapes, which is fantastic. It’s important to ensure funding is also channelled toward helping those who have become dependent on vapes.

“Vaping addiction has become prevalent, especially among young people, so efforts need to be directed toward improving access to subsidised evidence-based treatments for vaping cessation with management support from healthcare professionals.

“When it comes to smoking, evidence-based treatment approaches and behavioural counselling have to be promoted as first line - there is no place for vaping as an evidence-based smoking cessation strategy in the management of nicotine dependence.”

SIXTH - Professor Ariel Liebman, Director Monash Energy Institute, media release, 10 may 2023:

“The refocusing of the government’s efforts on important climate change mitigation and emission reductions is heartening and very welcome. As is the recognition that consumers need relief from the exorbitantly high energy prices from recent times.

“However, much more should be invested in the emissions reduction space and that could be funded by a fully revamped Resource Rent Tax.

"The investment towards clean hydrogen is a great first step as part of an acceleration towards a ‘Net Zero’ economy. But we shouldn’t be complacent that the electricity sector transformation is simple and a lot more should be done to address complex new grid operational challenges. This requires an investment in infrastructure for both transmission and storage as well as in research and development to operate new renewables-dominated power systems.

“Australia is on the frontier of operating renewable-dominated grids and there is an urgent need to invest in the domestic development of future-proof solutions.”

SEVENTH - Professor Yiannis Ventikos, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, media release, 10 May 2023:

On renewable energies

“The budget touches on important topics relating to technology, innovation, industry and engineering education. The emphasis on renewables, both as an overall direction with substantial resource allocated, but also specific technologies, like hydrogen, are indeed very positive steps in tackling the greatest challenge of our times.

“Universities will inevitably be the grounds where training to fill skills gaps and support innovation in renewable energy will be delivered. A clearer role, and well-defined resources for universities to deliver this would be welcome in the next iteration of this budget.”

On the 4,000 Commonwealth supported university places to support AUKUS

“A very positive uplift to the defence budget and substantial upskilling in the technical and business work force relevant to the demands stemming from the AUKUS agreement, with 20,000 new jobs, 4,000 of which will involve new training at university level, in Commonwealth Supported Places.

“It is essential that these additional university places span the spectrum, from undergraduate to masters to PhD, to create the right mix of specialisations and skills that will be necessary to support the AUKUS program.”

On manufacturing

“Support for technology and technological education to building sovereign capability, enhanced productivity and support for knowledge-intensive manufacturing would be an important and welcome addition. The core role that STEM subjects and university education plays in this front cannot be understated.”

EIGHTH - Australian Treasurer & Labor MP Rankin Dr. Jim Chalmers, Twitter, 10 May 2023:

I believe there's a generosity inherent in the Australian character that understands those doing it the toughest need the most help #auspol #ausecon #Budget2023 pic.twitter.com/hmlNQ0JwpG

— Jim Chalmers MP (@JEChalmers) May 10, 2023

NINTH - Dr Leonora Risse, Senior Lecturer in Economics at RMIT University, Research Fellow with the Women’s Leadership Institute Australia, Expert Panel Member with the Fair Work Commission, media release, 10 May 2023:

“Instead of asking “what’s in it for me?” in the Budget, we should really be asking what’s in the collective good for the economy and our society.

“The high inflationary landscape means that the Government needed to restrain its overall spending for the sake of the economy, while targeting its cost-of-living relief to essential household items among the most financially vulnerable.

“The risk that additional financial support will add fuel to the inflation fire is a valid concern, but this cost-of-living relief can be thought of as a protective cloak to shield the people who are already closest to this flame.

“The fact that this support is targeted towards essential items among low-income groups, rather than a broad-based cash handout, and can be delivered in instalments over time rather than a lump-sum, takes the edge off these inflationary risks.

“The Budget accelerates progress towards gender equality through multiple initiatives, including by expanding a gender lens across the Budget more broadly.

“It reports that key policy measures were subject to gender impact assessments, and this is reflected throughout the Budget documents.

“As an informative example of applying a gender lens, the Budget’s analysis of JobKeeper recognises that women make up most recipients over the age of 55 years who will benefit from the additional support.

“The Budget also recognises that men remain the main beneficiaries of government investment in apprenticeships programs and has highlighted that the Australian Skills Guarantee will include more initiatives to address gender inequality issues in apprenticeships.

“This gender lensing approach complements the approach of the Victorian Government, which already has a Gender Responsive Budgeting Unit set up in the Victorian Treasury and illustrates that Victoria has been the leading jurisdiction on this best practice initiative.”

Parliament of Australia: as Scott John Morrison prepares to leave the building by the front door is he arranging access through one of the many backdoors?

 

It has been an open secret that the Member for Cook, Scott John Morrison - of 324 mocking nicknames fame - would not see a full parliamentary term out once he lost government on 21 May 2022. Many thought that he would be gone within a year.

His Statement of Registerable Interests 47th Parliament tells the story as it unfolds.....

Two months and 11 days after the 2022 federal election Morrison registered Triginta Pty Ltd with himself as sole director and shareholder. It is now entered in his Statement as "superannuation". An apparently self-managed super fund to complement his other two superannuation accounts with Australian Super & MLC Super & Investments.

He reactivated the Morrison Family Trust now operating "Advisory Services" with himself as both sole registered director  and, a "Beneficiary" along with his spouse & dependent children.

It is probable he was intent on availing himself of every lawful tax advantage when he also listed Triginta Pty Ltd as As Trustee For (ATF) the Morrison Family Trust with himself as "Trustee".

Either while putting these financial building blocks in place or afterwards, Morrison began to 'embed' himself deeper within a number of organisations that align themselves with increasingly rigid right wing ideology, U.S. foreign policy and/or the defence industry lobby.

These are organisations that make the Australian-based Institute of Public Affairs look like so many silly children.

In his Statement of Registrable Interests document processed on 28 August 2022 Scott Morrison lists 20 organisations under line item 13. Membership of any organisation where a conflict of interest with a Member’s public duties could foreseeably arise or be seen to arise.

On 13 September 2022 Morrison added another organization to this list: 

Honorary Advisory Board, International Democrat Union.

This 11-member Honorary Advisory Board is made up of former leaders of 'conservative' political party parties both in and out of government and, contains three former Liberal prime ministers, John Howard, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison.

NOTE: In 2023 the International Democrat Union (IDU) which currently styles itself The Global Alliance of the Centre Right appears to be a decidedly right wing group whose principal purpose is to assist political parties with IDU membership to win elections and to retain government. The Liberal Party of Australia was one of 19 founding signatories of IDU in London on 24 August 1983.

History: Early US. Central Intelligence Agency assessment of UDI as transnational, anti-socialist & anti-Soviet at

https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP85T01058R000303190001-0.pdf

Present leadership of the IDU comprises representatives of: 

Conservative Party, Canada

Liberal Party, Australia (Brian Loughnane)

Conservative Party UK

New Patriotic Party, Ghana

Partido Unionista, Guatemala

Conservative Party, Norway

Republican Party, USA.

With the remainder of its organisational structure also including representatives of:

Kataeb Party, Lebanon

Christian Social Union, Germany

Christian Democrat Union, Germany

European People's Party

Likud, Israel

PRO, Argentina

Renovación Nacional, Chile

Democratic Party, Mongolia

PDM, Namibia

Asia Pacific Democrat Union

ECR Party.

On 29 September 2022 Morrison added another board to 13. Memberships of any organisation where a conflict of interest with a Member’s public duties could foreseeably arise or be seen to arise

Member of the Strategic Advisory Board of the China Center of the Hudson Institute.

This conservative institute peopled by former Republican politicians & former US government advisors or politically-appointed diplomats gives a simpler title to this 4-member board - “The Advisory Board”.

Then on 2 May 2023 Morrison again updated his Statement to include a position on the Board of Advisors of the Washington DC-based Centre for a New American Security (CNAS) whose 20-member board of directors includes James Murdoch. A position he describes for the record as an "honorary member". The Centre has strong ties to the American military and the U.S. defence industry.

Ahead of his retirement from the Australian Parliament he has been making additional casual income as he assembled his network of influence from:

Victory of Life Centre;

Worldwide Support for Development; and

The Hudson Institute.

Morrison has also had international air travel, accommodation and incidentals paid by:

• Owner of a South Korean daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo Co Ltd, Asian Leadership Conference 12-15 July 2022; 

• World Wide Support for Development, Japan 24-30 July 2022 (this included WWSD picking up the tab for his wife and multinational Servcorp supplying him with office facilities & administrative support); and

• International Democrat Union (IDU), New York & Washington DC 4-11 December 2022. 

As part of An initiative of the Worldwide Support for Development in association with the International Democratic Union and the Japan Forum for International Relations Morrison also gave an apparently ghost-written address at the Global Opinion Leaders Summit in Tokyo on 28 July 2022.

In fact whilst Morrison was supposedly focussed on being the Opposition backbench MP for Cook he was assiduously keeping himself before the international eyes he believes matter.

Morrison is not acting like a man who intends to keep out of politics and his international lobbying may be particularly problematic for the Commonwealth of Australia in the future.

@idualliance

@idualliance

This may be where he turns up next. June being the month recently rumoured for his parliamentary retirement to be announced.

Two more months to go until the 40th anniversary of the @idualliance. We are looking forward to welcoming our global membership and freedom loving partners and friends to the birthplace of IDU, to London! Register today and join us this June! #idu40 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/5hVZ5pXMLh

— International Democrat Union (@idualliance) April 18, 2023

All this has not gone unnoticed.....

The Saturday Paper, 6 May 2023:

Editorial

The lobbyist

prime minister

It is almost too perfect. Scott Morrison will leave parliament to become a lobbyist, an oily little stain trailing him out of the office. The irony is that this will be the first time he has represented somebody other than himself. He will finally go to Canberra with a purpose.

Looked at another way, AUKUS was a $368 billion pitch to get Scott Morrison a job. It is reported that he will soon take a role at a British defence company. He will not resign until the contract is signed. It is a continuous, unbroken grift.

Morrison is not “going to the other side”. He was always a shill for corporate interests. His approach to defence was always about his fortunes, not the country’s. This year, as he called for an enormous increase in military spending, he was shopping himself to the very companies that would profit most. There is no shame. There is not even self-respect. There is just Scott.

Lobbying is a grub in the political system. It exists to distort democracy. It is grotesque that someone who was once prime minister would hang out his shingle. It is appalling how common it has become for ministers and their staffers to take up work touting for industry.

This week it was reported that nearly 1800 lobbyists have orange passes that give them full access to Parliament House. There is no register for who has these passes or of which politicians sponsored them.

The lobbying code and register are not enforceable. As The Centre for Public Integrity notes, they need to be legislated and breaches need to carry criminal penalties. Ministerial diaries should be published and meetings with lobbyists noted.

In a report released this week, the centre points to a string of recent ministers now working as lobbyists: former Defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon; former Foreign minister Julie Bishop; former Trade minister Andrew Robb; former Defence minister Christopher Pyne, who days earlier had to register himself as a representative of a foreign government.

It notes that one of Anne Ruston’s staff took up as a lobbyist for Airbus nine days after leaving her office. One of Mathias Cormann’s staff began lobbying for Ampol a fortnight after their employment ended. On it goes, like a child pouring bath water from one cup into another.

Morrison the greaseball prime minister will soon be Morrison the greaseball lobbyist. It’s a smaller change than it should be, a final tarnish on the office, a sad expression of a failed politics, unable to attract real talent, bobbing back and forth through the sluiceway of venality and self-interest.

His pass will change colour, perhaps his shoes will get better, but he will remain the spiv he always has been, a travelling salesman driving a caravan of cant and opportunism and now guns and probably submarines. It is terribly sad in the way that realising the country was run for four years by a solipsistic thug is terribly sad.

The Tweed, Clarence Valley & Byron Bay all have projects shortlisted for an award at 29th annual National Trust (NSW) Heritage Awards being held this Friday, 12 May 2023 in Sydney

 

Photo: InFocus2022 Compact Category winner Coastal Emus Walking, by Joy Hayman, depicts the emu projections with the Clarence River in the background. IMAGE: Clarence Valley Council Notice Board

The Building Bridges Emu Projection is shortlisted as one of eight finalists for the 'Events, Exhibitions and Tours' category in the 29^th annual National Trust (NSW) Heritage Awards.

Events, Exhibitions and Tours

• Building Bridges Emu Projection – entered by Clarence Valley Council

• CAPTIVATE – entered by National Art School

• Curios Shopfront Exhibition – entered by Haberfield Inner West Council Library and Haberfield Association

• Guraban: where the saltwater meets the freshwater – entered by Hurstville Museum & Gallery (Georges River Council)

• Mulaa Giilang: Wiradjuri stories of the night sky – entered by Orange Regional Museum

• Rouse Hill Psychedelia – entered by Museums of History NSW

• SHINE – Shining a Light on our Heritage and Museums – entered by Arts Mid North Coast Inc

• Unrealised Sydney exhibition – entered by Museums of History NSW

The Clarence Valley Council entry involved Emu artworks by local First Nations artists celebrating the endangered coastal emu being projected onto the Sunshine Sugar building in South Grafton throughout the Jacaranda Season. Council worked with those local artists, Sunshine Sugar, Esem projects, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) and Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) to bring this part of Clarence Valley Councils wider “Building Bridges” project to fruition.

This year the National Trust Heritage Awards are considering 40 rich and diverse heritage projects spanning across New South Wales in ten different categories.

In the Northern Rivers region Clarence Valley Council is not alone in being on this year's National Trust Heritage Award shortlists.

There are:

• Conservation – Interiors and Objects: Green Frog Restoration – entered by Transport for NSW and Byron Bay Historical Society

• Conservation – Landscape: Northern Rivers Rail Trail – Tweed section – entered by Tweed Shire Council

Winners will be announced at a lunch and awards ceremony this Friday, 12 May at the heritage-listed Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf, 26-32 Pirrama Road, Pyrmont Point NSW.

The NSW bench demonstrates a more balanced approach to political & environmental activism than the former Perrottet Coalition Government ever did

 

The first day of protest actions in the Sydney CBD, coordinated by Blockade Australia. In New South Wales, it's effectively illegal to protest without a permit. Disrupting traffic also potentially comes with a $22,000 fine and 2 years in jail - laws that were legislated in response to Blockade Australia's previous mobilisations. At least 10 activists were arrested on the first day during this action. Dozens more would be tracked down, raided and arrested in the subsequent days.

TEXT & IMAGE: Matt Hrkac, 28 June 2022

The Guardian, 6 May 2023:

Protesters who faced a $22,000 fine or two years in prison for demonstrating in Sydney under tough laws championed by the Perrottet government have instead walked away without convictions or with modest financial penalties, a lawyer for the activists says.

New South Wales police charged at least 20 people with a range of offences during Blockade Australia protests in Sydney last June.

The offences included seriously disrupting or obstructing traffic on a major bridge, tunnel or road, the new laws subject to harsh penalties including a maximum fine of $22,000 or two years’ imprisonment.

But lawyer Mark Davis, who is representing 18 people charged with the offence, says the vast majority received only minor penalties.

Last month, 15 of the cases were resolved, Davis said, with six protesters receiving non-convictions, and the rest receiving modest fines of between $100 and $800.

Three more cases are set to be heard later this month.

The new laws were passed last April, with the then-NSW government saying previous penalties had not prevented protests.

“The old laws, at $400 a pop, were no deterrent,” the then-NSW attorney general, Mark Speakman, said last June.

“It’s hard to imagine that $22,000 fine or two years in jail won’t deter a lot of people. It may be there’s a tiny core that will protest, regardless.”

At the time of the charges, activists told the Guardian that the harsh new penalties were unlikely to deter them.

The then-premier, Dominic Perrottet, described the Blockade Australia activists as “bloody idiots”, and his then-deputy, Paul Toole, said they should “go and get a real job”.

But Davis said it was clear the judiciary did not share the opinion of the then-government regarding the right to protest.

“This is the trouble with over-criminalising very simple activities,” he said.....

Albanese Government will implement in full the Fair Work Commission 15% rise in wages for est. 250,000 nurses & direct care workers in aged care sector

 

The Saturday Paper, Post, daily news email, 4 May 2023:

A centrepiece of next week’s budget will be a $11.3bn commitment to raise aged care workers pay by 15%.

What we know:

• During the election, Labor promised to provide a wage increase to aged care workers, and the Fair Work Commission last year decided this should be 15% (SMH).

• After attempting to stagger this increase over two years, Aged Care Minister Anika Wells has confirmed it will be implemented in full from July at a cost of $11.3bn over four years.

• Wells described the pay boost as “historic” and said it would help to address gender pay inequality.

• For a registered nurse the increase will equate to almost $200 a week more, with their annual wage growing to more than $78,000.

• Personal care staff will receive an extra $7300 a year, or $141 a week.

• The federal government also hopes the pay increase will attract workers to the sector and help to meet its election promise of having nurses in aged care homes 24-7.

• Recent reports found that this policy could lead to a shortfall of about 25,000 workers in the next two years.

• Aged care is now the government’s fifth biggest expense with costs jumping by $5bn to $26.9bn this financial year (The Conversation).

• The sector has drawn much criticism, with staff overworked, underpaid and poorly equipped (The Saturday Paper).

Cartoons of the Week

Ben Jennings

 

Dave Grunland