Tweets of the Week

Timelapse of all the photos I took tonight. Down at Island Point, just south of Mandurah.
Biggest aurora I've seen! Could see it moving w/ the naked eye, w/ massive beams appearing suddenly & a very obvious pink hue across the sky.
Just amazing!#Perth #WesternAustralia #Aurora pic.twitter.com/lvEZbUYJjd

— Shelley ⚓️ (@wheresshelly) December 1, 2023

"do not interrupt!!"

Mark Dreyfus isn't taking any shit from Sky today.#auspol pic.twitter.com/pVLZuT4ski

— Squizz (@SquizzSTK) December 6, 2023

The Walkley Foundation has revoked the nomination given to Seven Spotlight’s Trial and Error interview with Bruce Lehrmann after reviewing documents released by the federal court. https://t.co/5w9uF9ln5R

— amanda meade (@meadea) December 7, 2023

Quotes of the Week

"... lies are fissiparous, like bacteria in laboratory cultures, and one soon becomes two, then four, then eight and 16."

[Senior Reporter Rick Morton, writing in The Saturday Paper, 2-8 December 2023]

"Australia is engaged in the most significant economic, industrial and social transformation – the transition to renewable energy. Unfortunately, the opposition, backed by its loyal media comrades, is doing its level best to complicate and undermine this effort with baseless assertions and misrepresentations, scaremongering about the costs of the transition and raising unfounded doubts about the reliability of power supply. This is clearly against our national interests."

[Former Liberal Party Leader John Hewson, writing in The Saturday Paper, 2-8 December 2023]

Notice to North Coast Voices Readers

 Due to illness North Coast Voices will not be posting until 9 December 2023.

Apologies to our readers.

Asthma deaths on the rise again and many deaths were preventable according to the National Asthma Council Australia

 

At the 2021 Australian Census 625,835 people reported Asthma as a long-term health condition - with a population incidence rate of 8.2%.

In New South Wales, Asthma was the fourth highest long-term condition category self-reported in the Census results.

Asthma was also the third highest long-term health condition category recorded in the Clarence Valley, Richmond Valley & Lismore City local government areas and, the fourth highest in Tweed Shire, Ballina Shire, Bryon Shire & Kyogle Shire local government areas.

National Asthma Council Australia, media release, 29 Nov 2023:

Asthma deaths on the rise again, but could be avoided

The National Asthma Council Australia said that the tragic deaths of hundreds of Australians each year could be avoided, but the key is correct diagnosis, the use of inhaled corticosteroid preventers and, where control of asthma cannot be achieved, referral to a specialist for consideration of a biologic.

According to new Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data released today by the National Asthma Council Australia, asthma deaths are once again on the rise, with a jump of over 30% in asthma deaths in one year.

The figures show that there were 467 asthma-related deaths recorded in Australia in 2022, made up of 299 females and 168 males, up from 355 deaths in 2021.

Deaths were down in 2021 as a result of the precautions in place and the lockdowns that occurred with the COVID-19 pandemic. This led to fewer respiratory infections and fewer asthma exacerbations. Asthma exacerbations have now returned to pre-pandemic levels and may even be slightly higher.

National Asthma Council Australia Director and respiratory physician, Professor Peter Wark, said each year, for the past ten years, around 450 Australians lost their lives due to asthma.

“Sadly, this is of no surprise and reflects the problems with asthma care in Australia.

“What is of most concern is that most of these deaths are preventable and many relate to undertreatment, especially in regard to the use of inhaled corticosteroids. Confusion around asthma diagnosis is also a major limitation to optimising asthma care and if anything has worsened with the with less spirometry being performed than ever before.

“Advising and committing people to regular treatment for asthma requires an investment in time and effort to correctly diagnose asthma and lung function testing is an essential part of accurate asthma diagnosis,” he said.

Professor Wark said that inhaled corticosteroids remain the only treatment that clearly reduce acute asthma exacerbations and asthma mortality for people in all asthma age groups six years and older and should be used in the majority of people with asthma.

“However regular prescriptions for inhaled corticosteroids occur in less than a third, while adherence to regular therapy remains an important problem,” he said.

“Uncontrolled over the counter use of salbutamol encourages inappropriate use of relievers to the detriment of the use of preventers and has been strongly associated with an increased risk of asthma death.

“In addition there is still limited use of as needed inhaled corticosteroid/formoterol for people with mild asthma as recommended by the Australian and international guidelines as being just as effective as regular inhaled corticosteroids and much more effective and safer than using relievers alone.

“This more flexible approach to treatment is ideally suited to people with mild asthma, many of whom are now at risk because they are not using an inhaled corticosteroid preventer.

“Until these issues are addressed, we will not see improvements in asthma admissions or mortality,” said Professor Wark.

The ABS statistics also show that once again, women over 75 are still the most at risk, with almost half (45 per cent) of all asthma deaths coming from this age group.

“Adult onset asthma or a return of asthma symptoms in adults is associated with more troublesome asthma that is more severe and more difficult to control and affects more women than men. Women tend to require higher doses of inhaled corticosteroids, suffer more frequent attacks with worse day to day asthma control.

“Asthma is also a chronic disease, present irrespective of symptoms and is associated with other chronic conditions that impact on an individual’s health, in particular obesity, reduced aerobic activity and other chronic illnesses,” he said.

The ABS 2022 data also showed that male deaths increased in almost every age group and jumped from 109 (2021) to 168 (2022) - the highest number of male deaths in the last 10 years.

Professor Wark said that while asthma risk is greater in women, men are also affected and also experience poor asthma control and exacerbations.

“At least in some asthma cohorts, men who experience asthma attacks were less adherent to regular asthma preventer treatment and were less likely to attend their doctor for poor asthma control compared to women. Factors that would both contribute to an increase in exacerbations and increase the risk of mortality,” he said.

Link to 2022 mortality infographic here.

Click on image to enlarge

Battle of the Political Opinion Polls November 2023

 

Two very different sources, two very different results, published two days apart - who does one believe?

Roy Morgan Research, Market Research Update, email, 28 November 2023:

Roy Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention shows support for the ALP recovering – up 3% points: ALP 52.5% cf. L-NP 47.5%

The ALP has regained the lead on 52.5% (up 3% on a week ago) ahead of the Coalition on 47.5% (down 3%) on a two-party preferred basis according to the latest Roy Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention conducted last week.

The result halts a run of three straight weeks of declines for the ALP.

On primary vote the Coalition is now on 35%, down 2.5% from a week ago, ahead of the ALP on 32%, up 2.5%. The Greens are unchanged on 13.5% and One Nation is on 5%, down 1.5%.

There has been a gain in support for Independents on 9%, up 2%, but a drop in support for Other Parties on 5.5%, down 0.5%.

The latest Roy Morgan Poll is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,379 Australian electors from November 20-26, 2023.

The Australian, Latest Newspoll, 26 November 2023:

Newspoll Two Party Preferred results
10.02.19 to 25.11.23
Click on image to enlarge

Federal Primary Voting Intention:

ALP 31 (-4)

Coalition 38 (+1)

Greens 13 (+1)

One Nation 6 (no change)

Other 12 (+2)

Federal Two Party Preferred:

ALP 50 (-2)

Coalition 50 (+2)

Preferred Prime Minister:

Albanese 46 (no change)

Dutton 35 (-1)

Leaders Approval Rating:

Dutton: Approve 37 (no change) Disapprove 50 (no change)

Albanese: Approve 40 (-2) Disapprove 53 (+1)

Confirmation that X Corp (formerly Twitter Inc) closed and left closed, accessible channels for the public to report misinformation/disinformation & malignant falsehoods found on its social media platform "X" during the Australian Voice to Parliament Referendum

 

Confirmation that X Corp (formerly Twitter Inc) - and its 95 shadowy equity partners - closed and left closed, accessible channels for the public to report misinformation and disinformation on its social media platform "X" during the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Voice to Parliament national referendum period from its initial announcement through to polling day.

Digital Industry Group Inc. (Digi), Media Statement, 27 November 2023:

Complaint By Reset Australia Against X (F.K.A Twitter) Upheld By Australian Code Of Practice On Disinformation And Misinformation Independent Complaints Sub-Committee

A decision by an independent committee in relation to a complaint by Reset Australia against X (f.k.a Twitter) under the Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation (ACPDM) has been reached today.

The Digital Industry Group Inc. (DIGI) is releasing this decision in its role as the administrator of the ACPDM. Eligible complaints made by the public, via the complaints portal that DIGI administers on its website, are escalated to an independent Complaints Sub-committee. These functions and the committee’s composition are detailed on the DIGI website here.

On Thursday, 5 October 2023, DIGI received a complaint from Reset Australia (the complainant) claiming that X (f.k.a Twitter) had breached its mandatory obligations under the ACPDM, in particular Outcome 1C.

DIGI assessed the complaint as an ‘eligible complaint’ – under the ACPDM’s Termsof reference for Complaints Facility and Complaints Sub-committee (ACPDM complaints process) – and, on Friday, 6 October 2023, notified the independent Complaints Sub-committee of the complaint concerning a material breach of the code. The complaint was handled in accordance with the process set out in the ACPDM complaints process.

DIGI has today published the public statement written by the independent Complaints Sub-committee, which includes information about its findings and the process it undertook. These statements, set out below, have been written by the independent Complaints Sub-committee, and are being released by DIGI in this media release and on the DIGI website in line with DIGI’s role as the administrator of the ACPDM.

Statements Attributable To The Independent Complaints Sub-Committee:

The finding of the ACPDM governance Complaints Sub-Committee into the complaint by Reset Australia against X.

Under section 12 (v) of the Complaints Sub-Committee Terms of Reference, X committed a serious breach of the code and has refused to cooperate with DIGI or undertake any remedial action.

As will be outlined in detail below, no further investigation of the breach is warranted, and X should not be extended any opportunity to remedy the breach. In the Sub Committee’s opinion, no correction made now could remedy the breach in relation to this complaint, the ACPDM code, and the wider community.

The complaint related to X closing and leaving closed, accessible channels for the public to report mis and disinformation on the platform during the Australian Voice to Parliament Referendum.

Accordingly, the Sub-Committee’s deliberations focused solely on the issue of a publicly available system to report a platform’s breaches of their policies and not on any content that might have been seen as mis or dis information.

The Sub-Committee’s Terms of Reference state that if the Complaints sub-committee determines the issue is serious, and the Signatory refuses to take remedial action or co-operate in an investigation or a correction is not possible, withdrawal of signatory status is available as a sanction.

The Sub-Committee noted that the example given in the Terms of Reference succinctly summarises X’s breach: For example, if the Signatory has, without reasonable excuse, failed to provide a mechanism to the public to make reports of breaches of its policies for an extended period.

Therefore, the Complaints Sub-Committee has decided to withdraw X’s signatory status of the ACPDM Code.

Background:

On Friday, Oct 6, 2023, the independent Complaints Sub-Committee was advised that Reset Australia had lodged a complaint about X with DIGI.

In part it said: It is no longer possible on X for users to report content that violates X’s Civic Integrity policy. To be clear, content that violates X’s published policies around ‘Misleading information about how to participate’, in an electoral process, or violate rules around voter ‘Suppression’ and ‘Intimidation’ cannot be reported using publicly available tools.

The code states “Signatories will implement and publish policies, procedures and appropriate guidelines that will enable users to report the types of behaviours and content that violates their policies under section 5.10. 5.12.”

The Sub-Committee, DIGI, Reset Australia, gathered for a Zoom meeting on Monday, Nov 13. X’s relevant executive was given adequate notice to attend and had confirmed as much but withdrew less than two hours before the meeting citing ill health. No written submission was provided to the meeting by X. Under the Complaints Sub-Committee terms of reference, DIGI attended as observers and acted in its administration capacity as secretary of the complaints Sub-Committee.

Reset, in their evidence, confirmed the claim in their complaint, that the accessible channels for the public to report mis and disinformation in the politics category was not available at the time of their complaint and remains unavailable.

This situation was confirmed by DIGI upon receipt of the Reset complaint. Additionally, at the request of the Complaints Sub-committee, an independent comprehensive survey of the X website was undertaken by RMIT Cross Check, following the commencement of the sub-committee’s investigation.

The survey also confirmed the absence of publicly accessible channels to report mis and disinformation in the politics category. As of the writing of this report, the publicly available tools referred to above remain unavailable.

X promised documents in their defence would be lodged the day after the meeting, but the documents were never submitted.

A list of questions from the Sub-Committee was sent to X following the November 13 meeting with a response date of November 21. No response has been received and no explanation offered for the failure to respond.

Repeated attempts to engage with X by DIGI and Reset Australia have failed to elicit any response to the complaint. The sub-committee has had no contact with X in relation to this matter.

On Monday Nov 27 the Sub-Committee met with DIGI and conveyed their finding noting that X’s refusal to engage in any way with the process was disappointing and irresponsible.

– Complaints Sub-Committee,

27th November 2023

<Statements attributable to Complaints Sub-Committee end>

NOTE:

The ACPDM was developed in response to policy announced by the Morrison Coalition Government in December 2019, in relation to the ACCC Digital Platforms Inquiry, where the digital industry was asked to develop a voluntary code of practice on disinformation. DIGI developed the original code with assistance from the University of Technology Sydney’s Centre for Media Transition, and First Draft, a global organisation that specialises in helping societies overcome false and misleading information.

Unfortunately, being a voluntary code originally entered into by twelve large international technology companies along with five associate members and, with X Corp expelled for having chosen to ignore the complaint received by DIGI, full membership has now fallen to eleven companies - Apple, Discord, eBay, Google, Linktree, Meta, Snap, Spotify, TikTok, Twitch and Yahoo!.

John Langley: an artisan fisherman of the Northern Rivers region

 

A large wild Australian bass, caught in the freshwater reaches of an East Coast river. Caught in late March (early autumn), on a lure with a barbless hook, this female fish was making her way down to the estuary for winter spawning. She was carefully released after the photo. [IMAGE: Codman at the English Wikipedia, 19 March 2007, retrieved 26.11.23]

ABC News, 26 November 2023:

John Langley still makes and sells hundreds of fishing lures each year.  (Hannah Ross)

Necessity is the mother of invention, and in 1949 John Langley was in dire need of some fishing lures.

Then aged 17, he was working for his grandfather feeding the pigs on the banks of the Richmond River, and the waterway was brimming with bass.

He had with him his father's oldest and best two lures.

"I didn't want to lose them because they were so old so I decided to try to make a lure," he said.

John Langley spends many happy hours in his workshop at Geneva, near Kyogle in northern NSW.(ABC North Coast: Hannah Ross)

Like a scene from Huckleberry Finn, the lad used his pocket knife to strip down some willow limbs and fashioned old jam tins into some bibs that seemed to do the job.

"I sort of went on from there," he said.

The precious lures that once belonged to John Langley's father inspired his own designs.(ABC North Coast: Hannah Ross)

All for the love of it

Now 91, Mr Langley continues to handcraft and sell his lures, reeling in customers to his stall at the monthly Kyogle Bazaar market.

He charges $10 for a lure, with an output of up to 50 lures a week.

"It's just a hobby, I don't intend to make a real roaring business out of it," he said.

"I know I'm selling them cheap but I don't care, I just like making them."

To perfect his lures, Mr Langley has spent a good part of his life trying to think like a fish.

Each lure is hand-painted and tested to ensure it's ready to fool even the most canny fish.(ABC North Coast: Hannah Ross)

He meticulously hand-paints each lure with automotive paint in colours that will appeal to each species, taking into account what time of day they are being used.

He said a male bass, for instance, would attack a lure painted in the same colours as itself, thinking it was warding off a rival for its territory

"You can go fishing with a lure in the morning and catch a heap of bass on it, then go for a cup of tea," he said.

"When you go back, you have to find another colour. They know.".....

Wherever he goes fishing, his lures attract attention and buyers contact him to send them more.

His creations are now being cast into rivers and seas across Australia, Europe, the United Kingdom and Japan....

Read the full article here.