Rainy day thoughts

This year on the farm started with rain which then developed into a downpour with intermingled showers. We were certain there was more rain on the way when the geese broke into the machine shed and set up camp out of the weather. This came as a surprise for of all the animals on the property they should have enjoyed the wet.

The road into the property became impassable - which meant that we were isolated for days at a time, the electricity was not that reliable and the telephone developed the tin tank echo it always has when the ground is soaked. At least this time the telephone did not have the sinister bomb tick it usually has when the neighbours electric fence shorts out.

It was very calm watching the water rise, fall and then rise again. This time was spent in comfort and thought. Friends and relatives rang up with concerned voices which started me thinking how long a city could survive with the same services that we in the rural areas receive.

It is not that I'm upset about the services (though there could be improvement) what was a worry was the thought of how a major flood incident in a city would affect the residents. How many have an evacuation plan? Do they know the choke points on the roads, what to take with them, what is needed to survive for an extended period if you stay put? How long could it be before help would arrive?

Photograph found at Clarence River Floods

The Daily Examiner opinion piece says; Rudd's Time Has Passed

 

The Daily Examiner Editor on 22 February 2012:

AS the voting public, excitable members of the press gallery and some nervous Labor politicians contemplate a return of Kevin Rudd to the prime ministerial suite, they should remind themselves of why he was booted out of there in the first place.

He was punted because members of the groups above lost faith he could do his job.

Forget the Opposition spin about knives in the back, backroom deals, and voters not getting the person they wanted as prime minister; that is just part of the political process.

The Labor caucus would have never contemplated changing leadership if they had not believed it necessary. And from where I sit, they were right.

After starting in whirlwind style, K Rudd recorded unprecedented popularity.

He honoured pre-election promises to make an official apology to the stolen generations, was everywhere man and appeared to have what his predecessor never had - a sense of humour and common touch.

But it did not take long for the gloss to wear thin and what soon emerged was a micro-managing control freak who wanted his hands on every piece of government policy.

There is simply too much for one person to do in that position and the result was the whole process of government came to a grinding halt, no decisions were being made and, rather than look on top of things, the prime minister looked drained and unable to meet the heavy demands of the position.

His axing from the top job may have been ugly, but these things are never pretty.

People might not be impressed with Julia Gillard's leadership style, but she is getting things done, which is no mean feat in a minority government involving people like the Greens, some rural-based independents and Andrew Wilkie.

Voters expect their politicians to govern; to make decisions and stick with them. But what they are seeing now, largely due to Mr Rudd, is an in-fighting, back-stabbing rabble not capable of governing.

It's time he pulled his head in.

Has the caravan moved on from Kevin?

A selection of tweets concerning former Oz Foreign Minister and once-more-with-feeling aspirant for the role of Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd MP. The level of sly mockery must give the number crunchers pause for thought. Áussies don't normally vote for the butt of their jokes

chrismurphys chris murphy

If Kevin Rudd is made Leader of the ALP I will be first Murphy since 1891 not to vote Labor. Grandfather Gallipoli, 6sons WW2. #auspol

annabelcrabb Annabel Crabb

Kevin Rudd: So difficult and chaotic that I put him in charge of Australia's foreign policy. #eeeek

toplitigator Mark J. Cohen

Possibly line of the day: 'Kevin Rudd is a self-made man, and he is devoted to his creator'. #auspol

PaulBongiorno Paul Bongiorno

Reality check: Kevin Rudd was rolled before the 2010 election, Julia Gillard then won the vote 2pp just over 50% and won the negotiation.

Wil_Anderson Wil Anderson

Kevin Rudd is challenging. Never has a truer sentence been typed...

latikambourke Latika Bourke

Now, Stephen Conroy on the #pokies story and Wilkie's revelations - says it's clear Kevin Rudd has been a 'complete and utter fraud.'

zozstar zoran

Break news:Kevin Rudd has said nothing in the last few hours #auspol

BreakfastNews ABC News Breakfast

Nicola Roxon: Kevin Rudd was "very difficult to work with"

@Joe_Hildebrand Joe Hildebrand

I like how Kevin Rudd launched his new staff-friendly persona by calling a press conference at 1.30am. #lateline

michellegrattan Michelle Grattan

And later today Wayne Swan might tell us what he really thinks of Kevin Rudd

vexnews vexnews

LIKE A BOSS: PM Gillard shows the strongest steel comes from the hottest fire #auspol #respill http://t.co/7bexSdDY

The Age online poll: Has Kevin Rudd done the right thing?

Yesterday Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs resigned. Prime Minister Julia Gillard is expected to announce a leadership spill this morning.

The Age asks the question Has Kevin Rudd done the right thing? and so far over 46,000 people reply in the affirmative.

Nationals MP Luke Hartsuyker gets caught telling untruths yet again

It would seem that the Federal Nationals  MP for Cowper on the NSW North Coast and Shadow Communication spokesperson, Luke Hartsuyker, has been caught out yet again distorting the truth.

The political battle over NBN’s twin satellites contract was essentially confined to competing media releases by Hartsuyker and the current Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.

Perhaps mainstream media is also growing tired of this local politician’s blatant propaganda, as it appears that his claim barely rated a mention in the national press.

It was left to Delimiter  publishing online to actually  blow the whistle on the ‘satellite lie’.

That Mr. Hartsuyker persists in his shallow and obvious distortions on a range of issues indicates a low opinion of voters in his electorate whom he apparently believes are too silly to ever question his ‘facts’.

Here is Hartsuyker’s media release of 8 February 2012:

Conroy’s breathtaking hypocrisy on regional Australia

 The hypocrisy of Communications Minister Stephen Conroy is breathtaking, Shadow Regional Communications Minister Luke Hartsuyker said today.

This afternoon the Minister distributed a media release claiming the Coalition was abandoning regional Australia because we had the hide to question whether the Government needed to spend $620 million on two new satellites. Far from abandoning regional Australia, the Coalition had the OPEL plan which would have delivered fast broadband to 98 per cent of Australia by June 30 2009.

The OPEL contract included a mixture of technologies, including satellite. It was axed by Minister Conroy and Prime Minister Rudd in 2008, leaving in limbo the broadband needs of many regional communities. Labor also scrapped the Coalition’s $2 billion Communications Fund, which would have ensured the provision of regional telecommunications services into the future.

Given the reckless spending of this Government, the Coalition will continue to scrutinise NBN expenditure. The issue here is not about who is more committed to regional Australia’s broadband needs, but rather whether the Government is providing taxpayers with value for money. Ultimately any cost blowouts or waste will only lead to higher broadband costs for consumers. [my bolding]

This is actually what the Coalition promised when it last formed federal government:

Australia Connected is a comprehensive and complete broadband solution for Australia that involves:

·         A new national high speed wholesale network : The awarding of a $600 million competitive grant will deliver a mix of fibre optic, ADSL2+ and wireless broadband platforms to rural and regional areas. This rollout has been boosted with an additional $358 million in funding to ensure coverage to 99 per cent of the population;

·         A new commercial fibre optic network : Facilitating a fibre network build in cities and larger regional centres via a competitive bids process and subsequent enabling legislation; ·         Australian Broadband Guarantee : A safety net that ensures Australians living in the most remote or difficult to reach areas (the remaining one per cent) are entitled to a broadband subsidy of $2750 per household;

·         Creation of BroadbandNow: A new one-stop consumer help centre with telephone and web information to assist consumers understand the technology options available to them and provide ready information about how to get connected; and the

·         Preservation of the $2 billion Communications Fund : To ensure the funds are protected in perpetuity by legislation for the benefit of regional and rural Australians and to provide for an income stream for future upgrades. [Coalition Communications Minister Senator Helen Coonan,media release,18 June 2007]

The Optus and Elders joint venture, OPEL Networks Pty Ltd (OPEL), has secured $958 million in funding from the Australian Government.

This comprises $600 million from the previously announced Broadband Connect Infrastructure Program and an additional $358 million in funding to further extend high-speed affordable broadband services to rural and regional Australians.

The OPEL network will cover 638,000 square kilometres extending across all States and Territories. OPEL will deploy 1361 broadband wireless sites and install ADSL2+ in 312 exchanges.

Optus will also activate 114 new exchanges with ADSL2+ as part of its existing commitment to provide competitive broadband services. The total number of new exchanges to be activated with ADSL2+ by OPEL and Optus will be 426.

OPEL will initially deliver wireless broadband speeds of up to 6 megabits per second (Mbps) rising to 12 Mbps by 2009 using an internationally deployed broadband wireless technology appropriately designed for Australian conditions. Broadband delivered by ADSL2+ will have speeds of up to 20 Mbps.

Through OPEL, Optus and Elders will contribute $917 million towards the project through upgraded infrastructure, cash and in kind contributions.

Paul O'Sullivan, Chief Executive, Optus said: "This is a major win for competition and choice in rural and regional Australia… [OPTUS, media release,18 June 2007]

For the record here is Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Stephen Conroy’s media release response of 9 February 2012:

The National Party needs to come clean on their own broadband policy, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, said today.

"In a media release, Nationals MP Luke Hartsuyker, the Shadow Minister for Regional Communications, demonstrated he doesn’t understand what used to be Coalition policy, or what now masquerades as policy," Senator Conroy said.

"His claims that OPEL would have ensured more than 98 per cent of Australians had access to speeds of up to 12 Mbps are simply not true.

"Mr Hartsuyker further claims in his release that OPEL included satellite, which it did not…….

A blast from the past

The Beeb in the 1970’s:

BBC TRANSCRIPT TO BE USED IN WAKE OF NUCLEAR ATTACK

This is the Wartime Broadcasting Service. This country has been attacked with nuclear weapons. Communications have been severely disrupted, and the number of casualties and the extent of the damage are not yet known. We shall bring you further information as soon as possible. Meanwhile, stay tuned to this wavelength, stay calm and stay in your own homes.

Remember there is nothing to be gained by trying to get away. By leaving your homes you could be exposing yourselves to greater danger.

If you leave, you may find yourself without food, without water, without accommodation and without protection. Radioactive fall-out, which follows a nuclear explosion, is many times more dangerous if you are directly exposed to it in the open. Roofs and walls offer substantial protection. The safest place is indoors.

Make sure gas and other fuel supplies are turned off and that all fires are extinguished. If mains water is available, this can be used for fire-fighting.

You should also refill all your containers for drinking water after the fires have been put out, because the mains water supply may not be available for very long.

Water must not be used for flushing lavatories: until you are told that lavatories may be used again, other toilet arrangements must be made. Use your water only for essential drinking and cooking purposes. Water means life. Don't waste it.

Make your food stocks last: ration your supply, because it may have to last for 14 days or more. If you have fresh food in the house, use this first to avoid wasting it: food in tins will keep.

If you live in an area where a fall-out warning has been given, stay in your fall-out room until you are told it is safe to come out. When the immediate danger has passed the sirens will sound a steady note. The "all clear" message will also be given on this wavelength. If you leave the fall-out room to go to the lavatory or replenish food or water supplies, do not remain outside the room for a minute longer than is necessary.

Do not, in any circumstances, go outside the house. Radioactive fall-out can kill. You cannot see it or feel it, but it is there. If you go outside, you will bring danger to your family and you may die. Stay in your fall-out room until you are told it is safe to come out or you hear the "all clear" on the sirens.

Here are the main points again:

Stay in your own homes, and if you live in an area where a fall-out warning has been given stay in your fall-out room, until you are told it is safe to come out. The message that the immediate danger has passed will be given by the sirens and repeated on this wavelength. Make sure that the gas and all fuel supplies are turned off and that all fires are extinguished.

Water must be rationed, and used only for essential drinking and cooking purposes. It must not be used for flushing lavatories. Ration your food supply: it may have to last for 14 days or more.

We shall repeat this broadcast in two hours' time. Stay tuned to this wavelength, but switch your radios off now to save your batteries until we come on the air again. That is the end of this broadcast.

So is he the brawler, the boozer or the cheater?

 

“I converted very quickly from a first generation city-bred Australian into a characterisation out of that classic Australian movie Sunday Too Far Away.” {‘Steve’ Gulaptis MP in his maiden speech on 21^st February 2012}