Minister joins Page MP for NSW North Coast 'community conversation' on mental health

Media release from the Federal Labor MP for Page on 2 February 2011:

Page MP Janelle Saffin has invited Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, to the Northern Rivers today for a ‘community conversation’ on the Gillard Government’s mental health reform agenda.

Mr Butler, Australia’s first Federal Minister for Mental Health, will be co-hosted by Ms Saffin and Southern Cross University’s Health Clinic. Mr Butler attended the clinic’s opening as Parliamentary Secretary for Health in August last year.

Ms Saffin said she had invited the Minister back to Page to hear from a wide cross-section of Northern Rivers local families and carers, who live with mental ill-health, health professionals, and Non Government Organisation representatives.

“A large number of people have experience or know of a relative or friend or neighbour who has battled bouts of depression, drug or alcohol addiction, or a mental illness,” Ms Saffin said.

“There is a growing number of folk who need professional help to manage their conditions and ongoing community support to achieve quality of life.

“We are fortunate to have some dedicated medical practitioners and health academics -- recognised as leading researchers in the field -- so this is an opportunity for them to help shape mental health policy.”

Today’s ‘Community Conversation’ will be chaired by Southern Cross University’s new Pro Vice Chancellor (Arts and Sciences), Professor Deborah Saltman AM, who was has had a distinguished career in education, health and clinical practice in Australia, Asia and Europe.

A highlight will be the welcoming performance by The Hearing Voices Choir, whose members like to sing their blues away. Formed in May 2008, the choir has recorded a CD and travelled around Australia.

Mr Butler and Ms Saffin later will meet with an expert panel for a roundtable discussion on mental health reform and for briefings on projects being developed in the region.

The expert panel includes:

Professor Saltman AM.

Professor Iain Graham, Professor of Nursing and Head of School, Health & Human Services, Southern Cross University.

Professor Lesley Barclay AO, Director of the University Centre for Rural Health (North Coast).

Associate Professor James Bennett-Levy, University Centre for Rural Health (North Coast).

Mr Jem Mills, Senior Lecturer, University Centre for Rural Health (North Coast).

Dr Doug Andrews, Clinical Director of Mental Health, Northern NSW and Mid North Coast NSW Local Health Networks.

Dr Harry Freeman, Psychiatrist, Lismore Mental Health Unit.

Mr Chris Clark, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Rivers General Practice Network.

Ms Anne Lipzker, Child and Adolescent Coordinator, NSW North Coast.

Mr Warren Shaw, Area Nurse Manager Mental Health.

Mr Niall Mulligan, Counselling Centre Manager, Lifeline Northern Rivers.

Mr Amos Hee, Project Consultant, Improved Services Mental Health Initiative, The Buttery.

Ms Hazel Bridgett, Chair of Northern NSW Local Health Network Governing Council.

The Honourable Dr Brian Pezzutti, Member of Northern NSW Local Health Network Governing Council and the NSW Minister’s Mental Health Advisory Committee.

Ms Leone Crayden, Chief Executive Officer On Track Community Programs, Member of the Northern NSW Local Health Network Governing Council

If you have family and friends in the path of Cyclone Yasi

Cyclone Yasi is currently classed as a Category Four Five event.

Issued at 11:00 pm EST Tuesday 1 February 2011

Refer to Tropical Cyclone Advice Number 9

The next Australian Bureau of Meteorology National Warnings Summary update will be issued by 2:00 am EST Wednesday 02 February 2011

Queensland Disaster Management Sevices advice:

People relocating or being evacuated from the path of Cyclone Yasi are urged to register their details with authorities.

To assist in this the QPS, in coordination with the Red Cross’ National Registration and Inquiry System (NRIS), has activated a 1300 telephone number to register people evacuated due to Cyclone Yasi.

Registrations and inquiries will be answered at the QPS Policelink Contact Centre.

The Cyclone YASI Evacuation Registration and Evacuation Enquiry Line number is 1300 993 191.

International enquiries for the NRIS can be made at + 61 7 3055 6220.

We are urging anyone who has evacuated at the direction of authorities or self-evacuated, to register on the National Registration and Inquiry System (NRIS).

People travelling in North Queensland are also being asked to register so friends and family are able to reassure themselves you are safe and that emergency services are able to concentrate on looking for individuals who may be missing as opposed to simply out of contact.

You can register your details on the NRIS system online at http://www.redcross.org.au/ or by telephone on 1300 993 191 for callers in Australia, on +61 7 3055 6220 for international callers, or by written forms at nominated evacuation centres.

By entering your data you can save needless worry on the part of those who care about you and free up valuable emergency services resources.

The National Registration and Inquiry System (NRIS) is a computer based filing and retrieval system, designed to provide families and close friends with basic details on the whereabouts and safety of people affected by major events and disasters.


Cairns Disaster Coordination Centre - (07) 4044 3377

Cassowary Coast Disaster Coordination Centre - 1300 188 505

Townsville Disaster Coordination Centre - 1800 738 541

National Enquiry Line 1800 727 077

Q&A concerning Assange

 

U.S. Dept of Defense  News Briefing with Geoff Morrell from the Pentagon on 26 January 2011

Q:  Geoff, is it true that prosecutors have not been able to tie Private [Bradley] Manning to Julian Assange and essentially make a link between the two in the case?

                 MR. MORRELL:  Well, what I would say on this is, as much as I'd like to weigh into this, this is, as you know, an ongoing criminal investigation.  So it would be inappropriate for me to speak to any -- with any specificity to these issues.

                 But I would avail myself of this opportunity to admonish or warn you all to be extraordinarily careful about how you report on this story, because one thing I can -- I do feel comfortable in telling you is that this case is being taken extremely seriously by the investigators both here in the Defense Department and, of course, at the Department of Justice.  They are hard at work at on building a case here.

                 So any pronouncements about a connection or lack of connection, those that have been found or are yet to be found, are just premature at this point.  So I'd urge everybody to proceed with caution on this, and probably most stories, for that matter…………………………

Q:  Can you tell us today if, in fact, there is evidence that Private Manning was ever in direct contact with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange?

                 MR. MORRELL:  I think I've answered this question when it was put to me by Jennifer.  And I'm happy to repeat it if you like.  But as much as I would like to answer that more directly, I'm not in a position to. 

                 And I'm not going to elaborate on why I'm not in a position to other than to say that it would be inappropriate, given the fact that this is an ongoing investigation, for me to answer that with the specificity that I'd like to.

                 And I'd once again urge you and all to be very careful, given the fact that this is an ongoing investigation.  It's being -- you know, this has -- this has received the highest-level attention in this department, in the Department of Justice.  There are many, many resources devoted to investigating this and also bringing a case against those responsible for this breach of national security.  So I think it is way too soon to make pronouncements with the kind of definitiveness that I've seen in some of the reporting, given where we still are in this investigation.

                 Q:  Are you implying that you have information that, in fact, Manning was in direct contact with Julian Assange?  Because --

                 MR. MORRELL:  I am not -- Mik, Mik, I am not implying -- Mik, I'm not --

                 Q:  (Inaudible) -- you don't want to reveal the specifics?

                 MR. MORRELL:  I'm not implying --

                 Q:  That's the -- that's the implication you made.

                 MR. MORRELL:  You can infer what you -- Mik --

                 Q:  You said you'd like to respond with the specificity.

                 MR. MORRELL:  Mik, you can infer what you like, but I am not implying anything other than what I said, which was very clear.  I'm not going to wade into the ongoing investigation.  But I urge you all to be very careful, because it is still very much in progress.  And it would be premature to draw any definitive conclusions about where we are vis-à-visdirect connections, a web of connections, found, not found, any of that.  We're not and you are not -- no one is in a position yet to draw those conclusions.

                 Q:  Are there third-parties being investigated?

                 MR. MORRELL:  This investigation is broad.  I think the best -- the best question -- it's best directed at the Justice Department.  But my understanding is that this is a very broad, very robust investigation that will look any and every place to find all those who may or may not have been involved in the leak of this classified information.

                 Q:  A follow up, Geoff?

                 MR. MORRELL:  Are you on this?

                 Q:  (Inaudible)

                 MR. MORRELL:  Okay.  Let me -- let me finish this up, and then we'll come over to you.

                 Q:  All right.  Thank you.  First of all, we're meeting first time:  Happy New Year. 

                 MR. MORRELL:  Happy New Year.

                 Q:  My question is that because of WikiLeaks, as far as this connection and he is behind bars, one, many high-level Indian military officials are under investigation but they are in jail now because of WikiLeaks.  And now what my question is, as far as WikiLeaks is concerned, this man is behind bars here.  Have you stopped, as far as WikiLeaks is concerned, for the future?  What have you done?  Because many other countries also involved as far as WikiLeaks and U.S. defense and --

                 MR. MORRELL:  For the future of what?

                 Q:  Have you stopped the WikiLeaks in the -- for the future?  And no more WikiLeaks are coming?  Or have you done something --

                 MR. MORRELL:  Listen, you'd have to -- you'd have to talk to Mr. Assange and his cronies.  I don't know what they have still up their sleeve.  You'd have to -- you'd have to talk to them.

 

NSW North Coast local crime maps

All NSW Local Government Area Crime Maps (in pdf) from NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.

The 2009 crime maps for the NSW North Coast:

Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Tweed.

The good news is, that in general terms across many of these local government areas, the percentages for violent crime and property offence incidents appear to have fallen markedly over the last five years.

Australia-US Free Trade Agreement: Big Brother lines up the ducks

It would appear that the U.S. continues to feel hard done by because Australia is not yet the state in the Union.

Amongst other perceived barriers to trade apparently Australian state governments stubbornly continue to insist on buying local where possible and contracting for blood products procured within the country, the Federal Government still insists on subsidising medicines as part of the safety net welfare system, foreign investment rules on telecommunications are unsatisfactory and free-to-air television continues to have some home grown content.

Which perhaps gives a clue as to what may be concealed within this paragraph from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representatives’ latest spin on America’s attempt at a second bite of the free trade cherry through its Trans-Pacific Partnership initiative:

In addition, the TPP countries made solid progress in further framing the new horizontal, cross-cutting issues that will feature in the TPP Agreement. These include such issues as promoting connectivity to deepen the links of U.S. companies to the emerging production and distribution networks in the Asia-Pacific; making the regulatory systems of TPP countries more compatible so U.S. companies can operate more seamlessly in TPP markets; helping small- and medium-sized enterprises, which are a key source of innovation and job creation, participate more actively in international trade; and supporting development.

It is worth noting the difference in emphasis in what the Australian Dept. of Foreign Affairs and Trade has online for public consumption.

Which in turn is very different from how the AFTINET lobby group views these negotiations.

It is perhaps also worth noting that the U.S. biotech industry has a long wish list for changes to trade in genetically modified organisms as the TPP fifth round begins in February 2011 and, that this wish list with regard to labelling has a dot point (first below) which is remarkably similar in intent to Recommendation 29 (second below) recently included in the Blewett report on Australian food labelling .

One of course could take the position that Australians should be thankful for small mercies when faced with what looks suspiciously like a Gillard Government cave-in to the bullying free trade partner the former Howard Government invited in.

Because the Monsanto Corporation takes the line in relation to genetically modified food that information does not necessarily need to be physically present on a label. However, mandated information requirements must be easily accessible to consumers and cost-effective and insists It is clearly not a food safety issue, as these foods have undergone the most rigorous of food safety assessments, and are probably the safest foods on the market. In this context, we support the submission made by CropLife Australia, which clearly sets out the wealth of scientific evidence underpinning the safety of these foods. The Panel needs to bear this in mind when considering this issue. A precautionary approach is already clearly being applied in the case of food derived from GM production systems, by virtue of the extensive risk assessment criteria which have to be met by applicants.

Background can be found at:

ABC Radio LateNightLive audio 18 November 2010, which talks about free trade agreements being in reality investor rights agreements giving corporations superior rights to those of governments

Herald-Sun 28 January 2011, Blewett 'blew it' on GM review - Greens.

North Coast Voices, Monsanto-Mahyco GM eggplant toxicity study receives a fail from researcher - wonder what the opinion will be on Monsanto's latest SDA soybean effort?

Not amused, Premier

So Premier Kristina Keneally wants to shore up flagging support for NSW Labor by getting a close to free pass on the national flood levy for a good many Sydney-ites. We all know she’s an American by birth and outlook, but I guess few of us thought of her as a Liberal Party acolyte with only the merest passing pretence of Christian charity.

Disgusted
James Creek

* Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents. Email ncvguestpeak at gmail dot com to submit comment for consideration.

Planning in NSW in a nutshell

These are the opening lines of a December 2010 Environmental Defenders Office report The State of Planning in NSW: With reference to social and environmental impacts and public participation:

The planning system in New South Wales is at a crossroads.

In 1979, the planning system was complex, inconsistent, highly politicised, ad hoc, disconnected from local communities and non-strategic - often resulting in poor environmental outcomes.

The response to these problems at the time was to introduce a new, forward looking planning Act. Unprecedented at the time, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) was underpinned by principles of genuine public participation, transparency, accountability, consistency of decision-making and comprehensive environmental assessment.

Since 1979, these principles have been buried under layers of incremental amendment resulting in substantial change.

In 2010, while efforts have been made to make the planning system in NSW more consistent (for example, standard Local Environment Plan) and more strategic (for example, Regional Strategies), it is once more become complex and highly politicised, disconnected from local communities, and resulting in poor environmental outcomes.

It is time for an overhaul of our planning laws.

This report poses the question; Can we fix the current Act?

Perhaps what should also be asked is – will the next NSW Government have the political will to address the manifest problems with state planning law and policy or will it continue on like the Iemma-Rees-Keneally governments as a tool of the big developers?

Full report in PDF file here.

Disappointing GMO recommendations in report delivered by review into Australian food labelling

The Labelling Logic - the Final Report of the Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy was released this week.

Unfortunately its recommendations concerning new technologies will allow many foods containing ingredients derived from either genetically modified agricultural produce or genetically modified product used in the food making process to remain on supermarket shelves as naked of appropriate labelling as they are today.

Knowing how dishonest some current label declarations are already when it comes to genetically modified ingredients, I can see no incentive for full declarations in the future.

New Technologies

Recommendation 28: That as a general principle all foods or ingredients that have been processed by new technologies (i.e., all technologies that trigger pre-market food safety assessments) be required to be labelled for 30 years from the time of their introduction into the human food chain; the application of this principle to be based on scientific evidence of direct impact on, or modification of, the food/ingredient to be consumed. At the expiry of that period the mandatory labelling should be reviewed.

Recommendation 29: That only foods or ingredients that have altered characteristics or contain detectable novel DNA or protein be required to declare the presence of genetically modified material on the label.

Recommendation 30: That any detection of an adventitious genetically modified event be followed by a period of monitoring and testing of that food or ingredient.

Recommendation 31: That foods or ingredients with flavours containing detectable novel DNA or protein not be exempt from the requirements to declare the presence of genetically modified material on the label.

Recommendation 32: That foods or ingredients that have been genetically modified and would require declaration if labelled be declared on menu/menu boards or in close proximity to the food display or menu in chain food service outlets and on vending machines.

Recommendation 33: That governments ensure effective monitoring of labelling requirements in the Food Standards Code relating to genetically modified foods or ingredients through support for sufficient Australian and New Zealand laboratories, observing world best practice protocols, and with the necessary resources and analytical skills.

Recommendation 34: That the requirement for mandatory labelling of irradiated food be reviewed.

Recommendation 35: That Food Standards Australia New Zealand and other relevant bodies develop as a matter of urgency a standard for regulating the presence of nanotechnology in the food production chain, consistent with the recommendations in this Report relating to new technologies.

"Torture and police brutality in Egypt are endemic and widespread": US Ambassador Margaret Scobey in 2009

In the face of wide spread civil unrest Egypt's President Hosni Murbarack has sacked one government and installed another. With the head of the secret police Omar Suleiman now designated Vice-president and uncertainty as to whether Interior Minister Habib El-Adly will be dismissed, this may not bode well for protestors and dissenters in light of this U.S. diplomatic cable 09CAIRO79 sent on 15 January 2009:

C O N F I D E N T I A LCAIRO 000079 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA, DRL/NESCA, INL AND INR/NESA NSC FOR PASCUAL AND KUTCHA-HELBLINGE.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2029TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM EG........

¶1. (C) Summary and comment: Police brutality in Egypt against common criminals is routine and pervasive. Contacts describe the police using force to extract confessions from criminals as a daily event, resulting from poor training and understaffing. Brutality against Islamist detainees has reportedly decreased overall, but security forces still resort to torturing Muslim Brotherhood activists who are deemed to pose a political threat. Over the past five years, the government has stopped denying that torture exists, and since late 2007 courts have sentenced approximately 15 police officers to prison terms for torture and killings.

Independent NGOs have criticized GOE-led efforts to provide human rights training for the police as ineffective and lacking political will. The GOE has not yet made a serious effort to transform the police from an instrument of regime power into a public service institution. We want to continue a USG-funded police training program (ref F), and to look for other ways to help the GOE address police brutality. End summary and comment.........

¶2. (C) Torture and police brutality in Egypt are endemic and widespread. The police use brutal methods mostly against common criminals to extract confessions, but also against demonstrators, certain political prisoners and unfortunate bystanders. One human rights lawyer told us there is evidence of torture in Egypt dating back to the times of the Pharaohs. NGO contacts estimate there are literally hundreds of torture incidents every day in Cairo police stations alone. Egyptians are bombarded with consistent news reports of police brutality, ranging from high profile incidents such as accidental but lethal police shootings in Salamut and Aswan this past fall (refs B and C) that sparked riots, to reports of police officers shooting civilians following disputes over traffic tickets. In November 2008 alone, there were two incidents of off-duty police officers shooting and killing civilians over petty disputes. The cases against both officers are currently making their way through the judicial system.

¶3. (C) NGO and academic contacts from across the political spectrum report witnessing police brutality as part of their daily lives. One academic at XXXXXXXXXXXX told us XXXXXXXXXXXX the police proceeded to beat a female suspect into confessing about others involved in the theft and the whereabouts of the stolen valuables. A contact from an international NGO described witnessing police beat the doorman of an upscale Cairo apartment building into disclosing the apartment number of a suspect. Another contact at a human rights NGO told us that her friends do not report thefts from their apartments because they do not want to subject “all the doormen” in the vicinity to police beatings. She told us that the police’s use of force has pervaded Egyptian culture to the extent that one popular television soap opera recently featured a police detective hero who beats up suspects to collect evidence.

¶4. (C) Contacts attribute police brutality to poor training, understaffing and official sanction. Human rights lawyer XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX speculated that officers routinely resort to brutality because of pressure from their superiors to solve crimes. He asserted that most officers think solving crimes justifies brutal interrogation methods, and that some policemen believe that Islamic law sanctions torture. XXXXXXXXXXXX commented that a culture of judicial impunity for police officers enables continued brutality. According to XXXXXXXXXXXX, “Police officers feel they are above the law and protected by the public prosecutor.” Human rights lawyer XXXXXXXXXXXX attributed police brutality against common criminals, including the use of electric shocks, to the problem of demoralized officers facing long hours and their own economic problems. He asserted that the police will even beat lawyers who enter police stations to defend their clients.......

¶5. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX explained that since the GOE opened a dialogue with formerly violent Islamists, such as the Islamic Group, following the 1997 Luxor terrorist attacks, torture of Islamists has decreased. XXXXXXXXXXXX claimed that the GOE now treats Islamists better than common criminals. Some Islamist detainees are “spoiled,” he asserted, with regular access to visits from friends and family, decent food and education. Before the Luxor attacks, XXXXXXXXXXXX commented, the government would torture Islamist detainees on a daily basis.

¶6. (C) Attorney XXXXXXXXXXXXXX commented that the GOE is more reluctant to torture Islamists, including Muslim Brotherhood (MB) members, because of their persistence in making public political statements, and their contacts with international NGOs that could embarrass the regime. XXXXXXXXXXXX speculated that the exception to this rule is when MB members mobilize people against the government in a way the regime deems threatening, such as the April 6 Facebook strike (ref D). According to XXXXXXXXXXXX, the MB-affiliated blogger and “April 6 Movement” member XXXXXXXXXXXX whom police arrested XXXXXXXXXXXX (ref A) falls into this category, and the GOE is probably torturing him to scare other “April 6” members into abandoning their political activities. XXXXXXXXXXXX’s assessment tracks with “April 6” member XXXXXXXXXXXX’s accounts of his own torture and the alleged police sexual molestation of a female “April 6” activist this past November (ref A). Bloggers close to XXXXXXXXXXXX told us that following his arrest he was tortured severely with electric shocks and needed to be hospitalized, but that security forces stopped the torture when he began cooperating.......

¶7. (C) Contacts agree that in the past five years, the government has stopped denying that torture exists and has taken some steps to address the problem. However, contacts believe that the Interior Ministry lacks the political will to take substantive action to change the culture of police brutality. XXXXXXXXXXXX asserted that following alleged standing orders from the Interior Ministry between 2000 and 2006 for the police to shoot, beat and humiliate judges in order to undermine judicial independence, the GOE made a political decision in 2007 to allow the courts to sentence police officers to short prison terms. XXXXXXXXXXXX described the 2007 Imad El-Kebir case as a turning point in influencing the government to permit the sentencing of police officers.

(Note: Per ref E, a court sentenced two police officers to three years in prison in November 2007 for assaulting and sodomizing bus driver Imad El-Kebir. The case gained notoriety after a cell phone video recording of the torture was posted on YouTube. End note.)

¶8. (C) An estimated 13 cases of officers accused of brutality are currently working their way through the courts, and judges have handed down moderate sentences, usually the minimum three-year prison term, against policemen over the past few months, often for heinous crimes. For example, in October 2008, a court sentenced a policeman to three years in prison for beating and drowning a fisherman. In November 2008, a court sentenced two policemen to three years in prison for hooking a man to their car and dragging him to his death. XXXXXXXXXXXXX characterized the sentences as “light,” in proportion to the crimes, but commented that any prison sentences are an important development toward holding the police responsible for crimes. XXXXXXXXXXXX commented that the prison sentences demonstrate that the GOE is providing political space for judges to operate somewhat independently, in response to criticism from foreign governments and international NGOs. XXXXXXXXXXXXX described the sentences as important in drawing public attention to brutal police crimes, and strengthening the hand of advocates who call for reforming systemic problems within the police force......

¶11. (C) Former senior Interior Ministry official Ihab Youssef, Director of the NGO “The Police and the People for Egypt†told us in late 2008 that his NGO did not receive many proposals from the public in response to its solicitation for ideas on developing projects to build trust between the police and citizens. Youssef said that the NGO’s Facebook site, which provides a forum for the public to complain about the police, has generated more interest. In September 2008, Youssef publicly announced the formation of his NGO, which counts establishment figures such as former FM Ahmed Maher among its board members (ref C). Youssef does not receive GOE funding for the NGO, and has turned to private Egyptian businesses to raise money. XXXXXXXXXXXX.....

¶12. The GOE has not begun serious work on trying to transform the police and security services from instruments of power that serve and protect the regime into institutions operating in the public interest, despite official slogans to the contrary. It seems that the government would have the strongest interest in preventing future accidental shootings of innocents, such as the Salamut and Aswan incidents that resulted in riots. We imagine that halting the torture of common criminals, who are usually poor and voiceless, is lower on the GOE’s agenda. We want to continue USG-funded police training, and we will look for ways to help XXXXXXXXXXXX’s NGO launch productive work.

SCOBEY