Saturday November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

 

IMAGE: U.N. banner 2023

According to SIGI 2023 Global Report: Gender Equality in Times of Crisis, violence against women refers to a wide range of harmful acts that are rooted in unequal power relations between men and women and that result in – or are likely to result in – physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women.

Gender-based violence can also target female children between 0 & 18 years.

Violence against women remains a global pandemic underpinned by the level of misogyny and chauvinism hardwired into our institutions and laws. Such violence endures due to a general unspoken social acceptance that is difficult to overcome within communities, families and among individuals who believe that men have a right to be physically aggressive in domestic or other close relationships.

In 2023, nearly one in three women has experienced intimate-partner violence at least once in her lifetime; and one in ten has survived it over the last year. While fundamentally underpinned by harmful social norms “normalising” men’s use of violence, addressing violence against women requires establishing strong and comprehensive legal frameworks, as part of robust systems, that cover all its forms. [SIGI 2023 Global Report: Gender Equality in Times of Crisis, online]

The United Nations estimates that world-wide 736 million women have experienced domestic violence at least once in their lifetime.

It invites us to: Join our 16 days of activism

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women will mark the launch of the UNiTE campaign (Nov 25- Dec 10) — an initiative of 16 days of activism concluding on the day that commemorates the International Human Rights Day (10 December).

This 2023 campaign Invest to Prevent Violence against Women & Girls will call on citizens to show how much they care about ending violence against women and girls and call on governments worldwide to share how they are investing in gender-based violence prevention. Join the global movement with the #NoExcuse slogan calling for urgent investments to prevent violence against women and girls. Digdeeper into the campaign’s proposals – data, prevention, investments– and join the global movement with the #NoExcuse slogan to eliminate violence against women and girls. 

For more information go to:

https://www.un.org/en/observances/ending-violence-against-women-day

Somewhere in Australia today there are women and girls experiencing violence at the hands of a partner, a family member or another person they know.

The NSW Police Force in April 2023 published a report stating that it responds to over 140,000 domestic and family violence calls for assistance every year. This equates to one call every four minutes and, that according to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research statistics the number and volume of domestic and family violence crime types have increased from October 2016 to September 2021. [my yellow highlighting]

Tweet of the Week

When interest rates went up “not only do we pay more to the banks for our mortgages, but the Reserve Bank, that we own, also forks out an extra billion dollars to them as well”

I have not been able to stop thinking about this @AlanKohler piece. pic.twitter.com/L1tufWgusw

— Craig Reucassel (@craigreucassel) November 20, 2023

Multinational and interstate developers are devouring the Northern Rivers region one hectare at a time

 

Alan Edward Larkin
IMAGE: Linkedin

With 30 plus years experience in construction and property development, former managing director and principal of Aspect Property Group in Brisbane and current managing director of Digital Infratech Pty Ltd, Alan Edward Larkin of Coolangatta Qld, joins the conga line of multinational or interstate developers on the make in north-east New South Wales.

Mr. Larkin appears to be part of an alleged consortium involving IRBS1 Pty Ltd formerly trading as Aspect Property Group, Digital Infratech Pty Ltd solely owned by IRBS Holdings Pty Ltd & with Larkin as only listed director and, ASX-listed specialist funds manager Centuria Capital Group (currently $21 billion in assets under management with a $1.7 billion healthcare platform).

According to the Federal MP for Richmond Justine Elliot in February 2022: At the time of the land purchase [in 2019], it was widely publicly reported that Aspect had donated numerous times to the Liberal National Party in Queensland. Searches reveal that Aspect had donated more than $28,000 to the LNP in Queensland, including the infamous LNP Forward Brisbane Leadership Fund.

One has to wonder if the consortium was expecting its largesse in Queensland to translate into favourable treatment by a then Coalition state government in New South Wales.

Echo, 23 November 2023:

The rezoning of the State Significant Farmland (SSF) to build the Tweed Valley Hospital on the Cudgen Plateau near Kingscliff split the community and ultimately came with an ‘iron clad’ promise from local Nationals MP Geoff Provest that no more SSF would be rezoned.

However, the land next to the hospital site was bought by Allan Larkin, Director of Digital Infratech [Managing Director at Digital Infratech Pty Ltd, Brisbane, Queensland], just days before the announcement that the SSF would be rezoned for the Tweed Valley Hospital site. Since then Mr Larkin has proposed a mixed-use site called Cudgen Connection. Initially, they proposed that the site to be part of the stage 2 hospital development but this was rejected. Now they are imminently submitting a development application (DA) that provides private hospital and medical suites, essential worker housing, koala research centre, an education and community housing precinct and more at the 5.7 hectare site.

An artists impression of the new Cudgen Connection

Tweed Councillors write to the government

At the recent Tweed Shire Council (TSC) meeting (16 November, 2023) Councillors voted to write to Premier of NSW, Chris Minns, NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, NSW Leader of The Opposition, Mark Speakman, NSW Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Scott Farlow MLC, and Member for Tweed, Geoff Provest to request advice that ‘they will uphold the integrity of the Cudgen Plateau and support the existing retention of State Significant Farmland’.....

Full article can be read at:

https://www.echo.net.au/2023/11/call-to-protect-state-significant-farmland-next-to-tweed-valley-hospital-as-promised/

$52.7 million about to go up in smoke in Ellangowan

Google Images, 23.11.23

Now that's a lot of weed.....

NSW Police News reported that seven people faced court on Wednesday 22 November 2023, after police seized more than $52 million worth of cannabis south-west of Lismore on Tuesday 21 November.

"Following extensive inquiries by the State Crime Command's Drug and Firearms Squad and Richmond Police Detectives, assisted by the Aviation Command, Dog Unit and Northern Rivers Region Enforcement Squad, police attended an Ellangowan property, about 11.30am yesterday (Tuesday 21 November 2023).

Police will allege in court that the property was being used for the large-scale cultivation of cannabis.

At the property, police allegedly located and seized more than 15,000 cannabis plants, with an estimated street value of $52.7 million.

Six men aged between 41 and 61, and a 52-year-old woman, were arrested during the operation before being taken to Lismore Police Station.

All seven were charged with participate in criminal group contribute activity, and knowingly take part-cultivate large commercial quantity-cannabis.

They were refused bail to appear before Lismore Local Court...."

A name change for Hottentot Crescent, Mullumbimby?

 

IMAGE: Daily Telegraph, 22 September 2023

Echo, 21 November 2023:

Changing the name of a local street because it is derived from a racist slur might seem a simple decision at first glance.

But the reality has proven more complicated when it comes to Hottentot Crescent in Mullumbimby’s Tallowwood housing estate.

The street was given its name because of the hottentot fig trees that were planted there in 1993.

But the word ‘hottentot’ itself is a racial slur that has been directed toward members of the Khoisan tribe in South Africa for hundreds of years.

Earlier this year Byron Council was approached by a local resident who argued that the crescent should be renamed.

In response to the approach Council sent letters to the 23 houses on the street asking for their views.

It received a wide range of responses, from those who felt the strongly that name should be changed, through to those who strongly believed it has become part of the local identity that has nothing to do with its racist derivation.....

Byron Shire councillors will consider the issue as Item 13.23 Possible change of road name Hottentot Crescent, Mullumbimby at its ordinary monthly meeting on Thursday 23 November 2023.

Item 13.23 carries the staff recommendation:

That Council commences the name change process for Hottentot Crescent, Mullumbimby

Clarence Valley Emergency Operations Centre and a new NSW Rural Fire Service Fire Control Centre to be built on council land at Grafton Regional Airport

 

A much needed response to the increased need for co-ordinated disaster planning due to the increasing scale and intensity of climate change impacts beginning to be experienced in the Northern Rivers region....

 

Aerial view of site of the proposed Clarence Valley Emergency Operations Centre, Grafton Regional Airport. IMAGE: Clarence Valley Council

 

Clarence Valley Independent, 15 November 2023:

Disaster responses in the region will be streamlined and managed from a new $13.569 million Emergency Operations Centre, co-located with a new Fire Control centre at the Clarence Valley Regional Airport, with council currently assessing a development application for the facility.

The NSW Government announced $8.9 million in funding toward the project in February as part of a $75.1 million investment to upgrade 13 fire control and emergency operations centres across the state.

The DA 2023/0627 for 419 Airport Road, Glenugie, on land owned by Clarence Valley Council proposes construction of a NSW Rural Fire Service Fire Control Centre within the airport precinct, 11 south-east of Grafton.

The Emergency Operations Centre will be located north of the current airport terminal and feature an operations room, a planning and logistics room, two training rooms, meeting rooms, general offices, IT room, storage rooms, meal room, outdoor undercover area, bathrooms and amenities, and be fronted by 12 undercover parking spaces.

North of the single storey Emergency Operations Centre, which features 75 rooftop solar panels, will be a regional Rural Fire Service stores building designed to house equipment for the Clarence Valley District and vehicles, if approved by council.

Surrounding the Emergency Operations Centre will be new adjoining sheds, a helipad, internal roads and parking, with the site having a footprint of 6,100 square metres.

In addition to the administration, training, and operations centre spaces of the Rural Fire Control Centre, the facility “will also be able to function as an emergency operations centre for State Government Agencies and Local Government to assist in managing bush-fire support and recovery functions.”....

Hot showers for rough sleepers now available in Brunswick Heads, Northern Rivers NSW

Reflections Holiday Park, Brunswick Heads
IMAGE: Trip Advisor

The Echo, 17 November 2023:

Hot showers are something that many people take for granted, but for those sleeping rough they can be difficult to access.

In an effort to ease this problem, Reflections Holiday Parks and Byron Shire Council have partnered to jointly fund the installation of hot water at the amenity block at Banner Park Reserve, Brunswick Heads.

The aim of the initiative is to provide hot water to help people who are sleeping rough. Hot water is now available daily in the public amenity block at Banner Park Reserve between 6am and 11am. To support water conservation, showers will run on a timer.

Banner Park Reserve is maintained by Reflections for the local community and is part of the 15 acres of public reserves that Reflections looks after in the Byron Shire. Reflections uses proceeds from its holiday parks to provide nature reserves, BBQs and amenities for the local community.

Business for good

Reflections CEO Nick Baker said the role of Reflections, the only holiday park group in Australia that is a certified social enterprise, was not only to nurture land on behalf of the NSW public but also to do ‘business for good’ as a profit-for-purpose organisation.

‘As a Crown Land Manager and a social enterprise, Reflections reinvests profit from holiday parks into public nature reserves for the enjoyment of the local community, and we also partner with community organisations on initiatives that benefit the community,’ Mr Baker said.

‘We are really pleased to partner with Byron Shire Council to help the local community and look forward to continuing to work together.’....