Re-creating Australian websites

Fair dinkum, those Aussie webby blokes are clever! They often take a perfectly respectable website with a loyal following and ‘improve’ it beyond all recognition.

First they decide to give the website an ability to only function at optimum level via one browser. You know, one with only a small percentage of users across the country.

Then they remove some of the original functions they gave the website. Teeny weeny unimportant things like how to contact website administration.

Follow that up by reducing the number of posts on the home page to around a third of what was there before, removing the editor’s recommended read, ditching msm links, taking away the post rating function and sending the blog roll to a separate page - when it’s painfully obvious that most netizens don’t bother to turn the digital page or look for hidden features. Even a big mainstream media site like the ABC (Australia) has over half its readers not moving off the first page they light on, according to Alexa.

So if only about 11% of your home audience gets a really decent view of the new and improved website on their home or work PC monitor and around 80% of your total audience only stay for one page view anyway – just how long will a website’s followers stay loyal and not flitter off to a more attractive digital flower like wayward cyber-butterflies?

Even sturdy old bogong moths like me can feel an immediate urge to take flight once I catch sight of a 'rebuilt' boast.

Will Santa be travelling by flood boat this year?

What with BOM busily predicting minor flooding, rain steadily falling outside and frogs shouting for a water taxi, I’m wondering if poor old Saint Nick will be getting wet feet this Christmas on the NSW North Coast.

Click to enlarge

“The southeast Australian outlook for December 2011 to February 2012 shows the following: a wetter season is more likely across eastern NSW…

A persistently warm Indian Ocean is the main driver behind this outlook, although it is also consistent with the La Niña in the Pacific Ocean.”

Well done, Harry - you made parliamentary democratic processes work in spite of the political pre-schoolers you were obliged to adjudicate

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Harry Jenkins Federal MP for Scullins since 1986, resignation speech to the Australian Parliament as reported by The Australian on 24 November 2011:

'Today marks my 1,382nd day as Speaker of the House of Representatives. I have at all times tried to uphold the fine traditions of Speaker, and to the best of my ability have attempted to carry out my duties in the most independent and non-partisan manner possible.

As members are aware in this the 43rd Parliament, to further avoid controversial party political matters I have divorced myself from involvement with the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party. In this era of minority government I have progressively become frustrated at this stricture. My desire is to be able to participate in policy and parliamentary debate, and this would be incompatible with continuing in the role of Speaker.

As a consequence, when I vacate the Chair at the end of this short statement I will visit the Governor-General to tender my resignation as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

I thank all members for their co-operation which they have dispensed to varying degrees depending upon the individual.

I thank everyone who works for the Department of House of Representatives under the capable leadership of the Clerk Bernard Wright and the Deputy David Elder; they serve us well. My gratitude goes to the diverse range of officers of the Department of Parliamentary Services: from gardeners to guards, technicians and tradies, researchers to reporters, Hansard; they serve us well. To presidents Hogg and Ferguson with whom I served as co-presiding officer, and the members and officers of the other place with whom I had interaction, I thank them for their forbearance. All these people ensure that the Australian Parliament remains an enduring effective institution.

My staff in the Speaker's Office have assisted me and kept me well grounded; I believe that members would agree with me that they carry out their duties with integrity and professionalism.

Finally I acknowledge my eternal indebtedness to my "trouble and strife" Michele and the four generations of my family without whose support I would never have been able to achieve the high office I hold.

Late yesterday I ascertained that the Governor-general is available for my call before 9.30 therefore I must depart. I go placidly with my humour intact. I wish you all well.'

As I post Harry is taking part in a House of Representatives division as a humble backbencher once more. I wish him well.

New South Wales is not the only place struggling with the long-term consequences of mining

New Zealand contamination site centred on local public school in 2011

Click on image to enlarge

The Macleay River on the NSW North Coast is contaminated by antimony mining toxic by-products for millennia to come and, the Nymboida River sub-catchment of the wider Clarence River catchment is at risk from proposed antimony and gold mining accompanied by ore processing.

Yet the NSW Nationals MP for Clarence, ‘Steve’ Gulaptis, the Federal Nationals MP for Cowper, Luke Hartsuyker, and fellow-traveller, Clarence Valley Mayor Richie Williamson, offer nothing but motherhood statements or prate on about a limited number of short-term jobs generated by foreign-owned multinationals unlikely to pay more than a pittance in tax and repatriate significant profits to head offices overseas.

Just to remind our elected representatives in all three tiers of government that mercury and arsenic have consequences, here is a media report from New Zealand this month as one small community struggles with the reality of soil contamination from arsenic laden mine tailings dumped during the last century:

The Ministry of Health advises Moanataiari residents to:
- Take care with personal hygiene (i.e. hand washing after handling soil);
- Make sure children don't eat or play in soil;
- Remove footwear before going indoors to avoid carrying soil dust indoors - particularly for households with very young children;
- Cover soil (e.g. grassing, paving, gravel) to reduce dust and direct access by young children;
- Not to eat home grown fruit and vegetables, especially young children, until further quantification of the contamination is available and the risk can be assessed, unless it is known that the garden soil is clean fill. If you choose to eat home grown fruit and vegetables, then thoroughly wash produce that may be contaminated with soil, and peel the skin off root vegetables;
- Don't be concerned about the drinking water supply, it is separate (and safe);
- As always, if unwell for any reason, see your doctor.

Terror Nullius: From Howard to Gillard

Excerpts from EVIDENCE-FREE POLICY MAKING? THE CASE OF INCOME MANAGEMENT by Eva Cox* in The Journal of Indigenous Policy – Issue 12

The 2007 introduction of the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) was the result of an odd amalgamation: an  exposé' on the ABC's Lateline program, prejudice against Aboriginal communities, an upcoming election and the need to look decisive. They had some bureaucrats with outdated proposals for paternalistic control of welfare recipients dating back to the 1990s, when policy changes in the UK and USA undermined the right to welfare entitlements that had been part of the post-war welfare state.

There's not a single action that the Commonwealth has taken so far that … corresponds with a single recommendation. There is no relationship between these emergency powers and what's in our report.'

There are many large gaps between available evidence and the corresponding decisions, and this set of legislative changes exemplified the need in a democracy for those aware of the risks and damage to point out the problems and be heard. Many groups giving evidence to the Senate Community Affairs Legislation Committee9 and participating in the consultations cast doubt on the income management program, but the Government officials had already made up their minds and took notice only of what supported their conclusions. Our review shows how counterevidence was manipulated, ignored and misused, suggesting that decision makers had already decided on their course of action before ‗consultation processes' or evidence taking began.

Given this wealth of information that has not been considered appropriately, this issue of the Journal argues that the Government is failing to meet its own stated standards for use of evidence in policy-making and often ignores its own advisers' views of what is good policy and what works. In this case, there is an additional twist as the income management policy appears to have been used for wider political purposes such as major changes to income support policy.

The (government) press release fails to mention that the government research cited was based on the opinions of individuals rather than on objective data.

We are the co-authors of a study published today in the Medical Journal of Australia, which shows that the federal government's income management policy is not making an impact on tobacco and health food sales in remote community shops in the NT. Smoking and poor diet are responsible for much of the health gap between indigenous and other Australians.

We are concerned that indigenous affairs minister Jenny Macklin has responded to our study by highlighting the results of the government's evaluation. She has told journalists that the government intends to press ahead with plans to roll out income management more broadly, and has appeared to dismiss our findings.

* Eva Cox is a sociologist who has taught research methods at two universities and has twice run her own research consultancy. She has also worked with politicians and in senior public service positions and has engaged in policy making, evaluation, advocacy and bureaucratic implementation of programs. She delivered the 1995 ABC Boyer lectures on A Truly Civil Society. She is currently a Research Fellow at Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at the University of Technology, Sydney

Terror Nullius 2
Acrylic, oil, ochre and charcoal from the Finke Rivr on wood
560mm x 410mm

Teh Parrot in breach of Australian broadcasting rules

Well who woulda thunk it – Alan Jones found to be spouting inaccurate nonsense over the airwaves.

ACMA Media Release 123/2011 issued on 23rd November 2011:  

Radio 2GB breaches rules on factual accuracy and presentation of significant viewpoints

Sydney radio station 2GB has breached the commercial radio codes of practice by failing to present factual material accurately and by not making reasonable efforts to present significant viewpoints.
The breaches relate to certain segments of The Alan Jones Breakfast Show broadcast in February 2010. During the segments, Mr Jones was highly critical of the operation of native vegetation laws and their administration by the (then) New South Wales Department of Environment and Climate Change.
The ACMA found that 2GB did not present nor take steps to present more than one significant viewpoint about the operation and administration of native vegetation laws in NSW.
‘The codes require licensees to make reasonable efforts or give reasonable opportunities to present significant viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance,’ said the ACMA Chairman, Mr Chris Chapman. ‘Licensees can do this either within the same program or across similar programs but merely presenting substantially identical viewpoints is not sufficient to satisfy the code.’
The ACMA also found that one of the segments contained a factual error.
The complainant also alleged 2GB breached the code rule against broadcasting material likely to encourage violence for its own sake but the ACMA did not uphold this complaint.
The ACMA is in discussion with 2GB about its response to the breaches.
Investigation Report 2540 can be found on the ACMA website.

Most amusing tweet of the week puts things into perspective

GOOGLE: "I know everything!"

FACEBOOK: "I know everyone!"

INTERNET: "Without me you're all nothing!"

ELECTRICITY: "Keep talking, bitches."

SocialMedia411

Tweed News going to Saturday only, Coffs Advocate being stripped down to giveaway - which APN masthead is next?

About the only advantage coming out of APN’s surgical strike on its NSW North Coast newspapers is that the online presence still remains for those pale print ghosts, the Tweed Daily News and Coffs Coast Advocate.

mUmBRELLA 21^st November 2011:

“Tweed’s 123-year-old Daily News and the 104-year-old Coffs Coast Advocate will both move to reduced frequency, while free titles the Gold Coast Mail and Robina Mail will be closed in a move that will lead to 35 redundancies.

In the latest set of Audit Bureau of Circulations figures, the Daily News was selling just 3,689 copies. The paper started life in 1888 as the Tweed and Brunswick Advocate. It became The Tweed Daily in 1914. At one point it was one of only two daily newspapers in Australia to have an offset printing press.

Instead the Daily News will sell a print edition only at the weekends with a cover price of 50 cents instead of the current $1.30. It will go on offering readers online updates via the mydailynews across the week….

the free weekly Tweed Border Mail will continue to be distributed during the week to 30,000 households in the Tweed/ Coolangatta/ Murwillumbah region.

APN has also swung the axe in the Coffs Coast market with the 104-year-old daily Coffs Coast Advocate, which covers the NSW mid north coast, becoming a twice weekly freesheet, circulating on Wednesdays and Saturdays. On its paid for days it had been averaging 2,959 sales.

In a statement, Warren Bright, CEO of APN Australian Regional Media said: “In each of these markets, although the audience for paid daily newspapers has been declining there remains very strong demand from both advertisers and the community for the twice weekly newspapers that we are retaining.

“We also have strong digital audiences in each market so it makes sense to combine a constantly updated digital news service with this modified print offering.”

APN said there were no further plans to make closures in its other markets.”

Granny Herald on 22^nd November 2011:

“APN recorded a $98 million loss in September.

The Coffs Harbour mayor, Keith Rhoades, said the job losses would be felt in communities already reeling from hundreds of job losses in Grafton.

''The disappointing part would be for … particularly the elderly community who may not be fully conversant with online.''

Well, what did you expect?

Nothing surprising in this move by NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell – he’s a Liberal Party MP and leads a Coalition government after all. L'état, c'est moi is their motto and their business model.

“A BAN imposed by the O'Farrell government on the release of all public service briefs prepared for the incoming administration was unjustified, the Office of the Information Commissioner has said.

The office has recommended that government departments reconsider decisions to refuse access to briefing folders, often referred to as ''blue books''.

The availability of the documents is seen as a test of the new government's accountability. The Premier, Barry O'Farrell, declared in May that all the briefs are cabinet documents and exempt from release under the state's freedom-of-information laws

The decision put Mr O'Farrell at odds with the Federal Labor government and was disparaged by freedom-of-information experts.

The books contain departmental information prepared in the months before the election on election promises, the costs and difficulties in implementing them, along with advice on any pending urgent decisions….”