** Vale Dr. Ruby Langford Ginibi 1934-2011 **

The valiant heart Ruby Langford Ginibi,
 proud Bunjalung woman,
elder, storyteller, author, historian and activist,

passed away 1st October 2011.

An icon of survival and strength for Aboriginal people.

She will be sadly missed.

Stating the obvious about Abbott

Academic Susan Mitchell’s opinion as reported in The Sydney Morning Herald 30 September 2011

TONY Abbott is a sore loser, afflicted by ''innate and deeply embedded sexism and misogyny'', and would use a future prime ministership to impose his simplistic views on the country, according to a provocative new book to hit the shelves tomorrow.

Sea Shepherd response to media reports that Japan will again hunt whales in the Southern Ocean

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society response to reports that the Government of Japan intends to continue to support and subsidize the systematic slaughter of whales in Antarctic waters:

This will be the season that defines the future for the whales of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Japan’s Asahi News has confirmed that the Japanese whaling fleet will return to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

It makes little political or economic sense for the Japanese fleet to return to the coast of Antarctica, but their motivation has now shifted from hunting whales to refusing to surrender to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

The Japanese government has said that it is not in the national interest of Japan to give in to pressure from Sea Shepherd. To this end, the Japanese government has allocated 27 million Australian dollars to enhance security for the Japanese whaling fleet. Already some 200 million dollars in debt, the whaling fleet continues to be an economic burden on the Japanese people.

“It is an insult to all the anti-whaling nations that so generously contributed to the relief of the tsunami and earthquake victims,” said Captain Paul Watson. “They have accepted foreign aid to help the victims of that tragedy, and are now shifting funds to perpetuate this illegal and obscene massacre of defenseless whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. It now seems they are simply obsessed with killing whales not for need, and not for profit, but because they believe they have the right to do what they wish and kill whatever they wish in an established international whale sanctuary, just for the sake of defending their misplaced “honor.” It’s a disgrace and a smack in the face to everyone who stepped forward to help in their time of need.”

Sea Shepherd will return to the remote waters for their 8th Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign with a stronger anti-whaling fleet in early December 2011 to protect the great whales.

“They will have to kill us to prevent us from intervening once again,” said Captain Watson. “Are the Japanese people ready to take human lives in defense of this horrifically cruel and illegal slaughter of endangered and protected species of whales? Do we have to die to appease Japanese honor? If so, my answer to the Japanese government is “hoka hey” (Lakota for ‘it’s a good day to die’), and we will undertake whatever risks to our lives will be required to stop this invasion of arrogant greed into what is an established sanctuary for the whales.”

Operation Divine Wind will send over 100 volunteers to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to defend the whales.

“If we don’t stop them, who will?” said Peter Hammarstedt of Sweden, First Officer on the Bob Barker. “We intend to stop them and we will stop them – that’s a promise.”

Operation Divine Wind will be the eighth year that Sea Shepherd has sent ships to the coast of Antarctica to frustrate the profits of the Japanese whaling fleet. Each year Sea Shepherd has gotten stronger and more effective, saving over 800 whales during last year’s Operation No Compromise.

Photographs of white humpback whale calf

travelling with its pod

along Australia's east coast

in September 2011

from Google Images

Cansdellgate: disgraced former MP looked after #1

The Daily Examiner's letters columns continues to provide an outlet for contributors to have their say about scandal-ridden Steve Cansdell's sudden resignation as the Member for Clarence.

'Tis true

One can fall on one's sword for honour. One can also do it for $80,000 per year.

Unfortunately, I don't think you can do it for both reasons simultaneously.

D I Gilks, South Grafton

Some salient issues

Supporters of Mr Cansdell seem to overlook some salient issues.

Firstly, Mr Cansdell chose to represent the interests of Clarence constituents. Secondly, he has been generously rewarded for doing so with a substantial salary and perks of office including a taxpayer-funded study tour of which the benefits to this community remain obscure.

Mr Cansdell did the job for which he was paid and what was expected of him, as do thousands of public servants who also work for their community and whose efforts are not advertised.

In addition, I note that Colin Wiblen asks that correspondents "stick to the facts and comments without the name-calling" (DEX 21/9/11). Mr. Wiblen, perhaps you should practise what you preach. In the same letter you describe another contributor as "a worn out Labor sympathiser".

Mr Wiblen has failed his own test, and soiled his own nest.

Al Glenn, Maclean

Source: Letters, The Daily Examiner, 1/10/11

Naive voter writes Facebook defence of Cansdell

·        
Charmaine Patricia Watters on Monday, September 19, 2011 at 9:32am

this is the letter I emailed to our local & all the major papers re their articles on Mr Steve Cansdell. They porbably won't print it because I wrote in support or they will edit & crop it so my letter won't make any sense.

Dear Editor,

After reading the articles in The Daily Examiner, Saturday, 17/9/2011 and The Daily Telegraph, Saturday, 17/09/2011; I feel compelled to write to express a few opinions.
In The Daily Telegraph it says, "When Mr Cansdell went to Mr Stoner on Thursday, he told him rumours were circulating in his electorate which local media were chasing. He then admitted the rumours were true."
If this is true; shame on those local media who were chasing said rumours, there are much bigger issues to address and bigger stories to chase without trying to smirch the image of and bring down a truly hardworking, genuine, decent man and community representative and leader like Mr Steve Cansdell. If it is true, what were those local media thinking when they sought to take the scalp of such a fantastic Member of Parliament and the person most of the Clarence Valley overwhelming chose at the last State election? Tall Poppy Syndrome? This is poor form, why was it that these local media, who aren't identified by The Daily Telegraph, needed to break this story so badly that they just had to devastate Mr Cansdell, his family, staff and supporters like me and numerous others?
As for the National Party and Mr Stoner; do you not realise most of us in the Clarence Valley voted for Mr Steve Cansdell, the man, and not the National Party as such because we knew he had a heart as big as our Clarence Valley and that he was the best person to represent our Clarence Electorate? Whoever the Nationals choose to put up as their candidate in the by-election they will never be as dedicated, brilliant, compassionate, caring, hardworking and have as much integrity as Mr Steve Cansdell. I am praying for Mr Steve Cansdell to nominate as an Independent and if he chooses not to I will understand and >support his decision too. I was stopped for many conversations down the street in Grafton this morning re this issue and people said "we voted Steve in and we want Steve to stay as our brilliant Member for Clarence.
So many people I spoke to said they could understand Steve's decision to step down as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Police but to totally step down shows exactly the great integrity this totally decent man has. In The Daily Examiner's page one article Steve says "It was the toughest decision I have ever made" and "I don't think it would have been honourable to ride it out", shows his absolute integrity. When he says "Sometimes you just have to fall on your sword" Did he fall or did the National Party push him? If pushed by the Nationals; as they say in parliamentary debate, SHAME, SHAME.
As for The Daily Telegraph saying "by resigning before any charge is laid, Mr Cansdell ensures he is entitled to a parliamentary pension of more than $80,000 a year"; in my humble opinion he deserves every dollar of that pension for all the faithful, dedicated, selfless service he has so willingly provided over the last several years to everyone he has helped and compassionately cared for and all the money he has paid out of his own pocket to ensure local children got the academic and sporting chances they were chosen for but their parents could not afford and for all the operations and health services he either paid for or asked specialists to perform pro bono and for all the trials he has faced and now must endure. He was the battlers champion and their voice in the Clarence Valley because he knew what it was like to be a battler and to come from the school of hard knocks, that's why he is so well loved by most of the people in the Clarence Valley.
Where Mr Cansdell says in The Daily Examiner articles he loved his job and loves his community he served; I on behalf of most of the community of the Clarence Valley and all the people he helped without asking for anything in return, just want to let you know Steve, we love you, support you and that you should hold your head up high; you have not let us down.
Everyone has made errors of judgement and you have paid a severe price for a small lapse, a price that is not comparable to such a minor sin. To all those who judge Mr Steve Cansdell harshly, I believe it says in the Bible "he who is without sin, cast the first stone" and to "err is human, to forgive is divine". All people of the Clarence Valley and Australia think of your lapses in judgement that have never seen the light of day because you are not a public figure and be divine and forgive his indiscretion which the legal profession see as serious but maybe us lesser mortals see as an act of desperation brought on by the fear of losing a much needed driving licence to do the job properly he loves for a community he adores because of an accumulation points for mitigating mistakes.
Atticus Finch says in the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee and I to truly understand someone and their choices you have a walk around in their shoes.
Charmaine P. Watters
Grafton, NSW

State Electorate of the Clarence

Charmaine also believes in urban myths:

useless but fascinating information learnt today; SHIT stands for 'stow high in transit' on manure cargo carried by sailing ship in older times; it was dried then transported in the hold where it would get wet, methane would build up as sea water & dried manure mixed. Sailor with latern sent to check hold stores & BOOM! So printed on bags of manure was SHIT, as a warning. 

However, she obviously doesn't believe that breaking the law is more than a trifling matter or in this:

We'll all be rooned because Julia isn't hitched!

This article from The Daily Examiner sets the scene last Thursday. No wonder it was invited guests only the night before…….

“About 260 invited guests gathered at C.ex Coffs to hear a brief exposition on the faults and follies of the present Federal Labor Government before raising their own concerns.

These ranged from the unwed state of Prime Minister Julia Gillard, setting a dire example to young people by living with a man without marrying him; to the evils of people swearing allegiance to a German woman sitting on the English throne.

One man was worried about the legality of the $5 note, because the Queen's name was missing and the Commonwealth did not get a mention.

Mr Abbott said he would be happy to take all the questionable currency off his hands.

Thankfully, less-arcane topics were also canvassed by the predominantly older crowd, including help for manufacturing industries and farming (Mr Abbott supports labelling and strengthening regulations); the future of tourism in a high Australian dollar environment (the high dollar has more room to run); security of land tenure for farmers (mining companies need to get nicer); gambling pre-commitment and the upgrading of the Pacific Highway around Coffs Harbour…..

Invitations to the event, billed as a community forum, were sent to people in Cowper MP Luke Hartsuyker's database as well as to groups such as chambers of commerce.”

Terra Burning September 2011

From the Rapid Response system, now part of NASA’s Land Atmosphere Near Real-time Capability for EOS (LANCE). Rapid Response provides daily MODIS images in near real time presented by geographic regions (“subsets”) or orbit overpass time  (“realtime”).

Global Wildfire Map 18/09/2011 - 27/09/2011

Some regions in Africa have been experiencing widespread fires since April 2011.

Detail of Australian grass fire in the Northern Territory
as seen from outer space

Mining at what price? asks The Daily Examiner Editor

A Clarence Valley Protest on 28  September 2011:

Mining at what price?

The Daily Examiner Editor, David Bancroft, on 28 September 2011:

IT'S going to take a lot more than the 60 jobs the Member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker tips would come to the region from mining in the headwaters of the Nymboida River to convince people it is a risk worth taking.

While states like Western Australia and Queensland are riding high on the economic benefits mining has brought there, it is tempting for other governments - at all levels and of all persuasions - to want to cash in on the act.

But before we open our doors to the miners we need to be fully aware of what we are potentially letting ourselves in for.

The 60 jobs are unlikely to be based in the Clarence. They are more likely where the mining is occurring in the Dorrigo area and will probably be serviced from Coffs Harbour or the metropolitan areas.

So the economic and employment benefits to the Clarence are likely to be incidental at best.

And they are not likely to last long.

These positions are finite and might last only a couple of years - perhaps less.

Then there are the risks.

Gold and antimony mining both have serious environmental risks and, if there was to be a spill it would be the industries of the Clarence that would be hit the hardest.

In short, the scenario seems to be there are likely to be few benefits but plenty of risks for the Clarence.

By all means we should explore anything that will provide employment, but we should not do that with our eyes closed to the possible dangers that might present.

Now before everyone grows all shouty about Eastock v Andrew Bolt & The Herald and Weekly Times Pty Ltd

It wasn’t because of the subject Teh Bolta broached that he fell afoul of the law – it was the inaccurate, misleading, sarcastic, mocking, insulting, offensive, provocative, inflammatory and bad faith way he wrote about it:

30. Finally, in dealing with the formulation of the orders to be made by the Court, I have observed that it is important that nothing in the orders I make should suggest that it is unlawful for a publication to deal with racial identification, including by challenging the genuineness of the identification of a group of people. I have not found Mr Bolt and the Herald & Weekly Times to have contravened section 18C, simply because the newspaper articles dealt with subject matter of that kind. I have found a contravention of the Racial Discrimination Act because of the manner in which that subject matter was dealt with.

{Eatock v Bolt [2011] FCA 1103 (28 September 2011)}