Tony Abbot under the influence of one of his many political delusions

ABC TV Lateline  6 July 2012:

TONY ABBOTT: Admiral Barrie, along with all other serving members of the armed forces, understands that the armed forces are under the direction of the government of the day. That's what civil control of the military means.

Oh dear, here is Opposition Leader Tony Abbott displaying his ignorance concerning the constitutional implications of the oath set out below.

Because when push comes to shove over turning back the boats, it is convention not law which has naval vessels on operational duty strictly obeying policy directions from the government of the day.

Mr. Abbott would also do well to remember that the Australian Constitution places the Queen’s representative, the Governor-General, as Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces, not the Prime Minister or any other politician.

Something both Whitlam and Fraser had to come to grips with during their epic battle for control of the Australian Parliament.

DEFENCE (PERSONNEL) REGULATIONS 2002 - SCHEDULE 2

Oath or affirmation for enlistment of member

(regulation 24)

Part 1 Form of oath

I, (insert full name of person) swear that I will well and truly serve Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her Heirs and Successors according to law, as a member of the

(insert Australian Navy , Australian Army , or Australian Air Force )

(insert

for the period of (number of years) , and any extensions of that period,

or

until retiring age, )

and that I will resist her enemies and faithfully discharge my duty according to law.

SO HELP ME GOD!

(person's signature)

Taken and subscribed before me on (insert date)

(insert signature, name and title of the person before whom the oath is taken and subscribed)

Note The oath may be taken before an officer of the Navy, Army or Air Force, a Warrant Officer of the Navy or Air Force, a Warrant Officer Class 1 of the Army, a Justice of the Peace, a Commissioner for Affidavits or a Commissioner for Declarations.

Part 2 Form of affirmation

I, (insert full name of person) promise that I will well and truly serve Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her Heirs and Successors according to law, as a member of the

(insert Australian Navy , Australian Army , or Australian Air Force )

(insert

for the period of (number of years) , and any extensions of that period,

or

until retiring age, )

and that I will resist Her enemies and faithfully discharge my duty according to law.

(person's signature)

Made and subscribed before me on (insert date)

(insert signature, name and title of the person before whom the affirmation is made and subscribed)

Note The affirmation may be made before an officer of the Navy, Army or Air Force, a Warrant Officer of the Navy or Air Force, a Warrant Officer Class 1 of the Army, a Justice of the Peace, a Commissioner for Affidavits or a Commissioner for Declarations.

Another ill-informed voter who listened to Abbott & Co?

 

Well, here’s one receptionist who is probably rueing the day she ever listened to the carbon tax nonsense being spouted by Tony Abbott and his mates:
“A CEMETERY has admitted it was a mistake to blame the carbon tax for an increase in the price of a burial plot.
A receptionist at Springvale Cemetery in Melbourne's eastern suburbs reportedly told the Maliki family last week that a $55 charge would apply to a family burial because "even the dead don't escape the carbon tax".
The Opposition and some funeral industry figures have previously suggested cremation prices would rise due to the carbon tax, a claim refuted by the Gillard government.
The communications manager of Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust, which administers Springvale Cemetery, told The Australian Online the suggestion to the Maliki family was a mistake.
"It absolutely was in error," Rebecca Atkins said. "Internally, we're going to have to find out who made that comment.
"There is no price increase due to the carbon tax. Our fees go up every year on 1 July and that's in line with CPI and they have done for 30-odd years.
"It's just the timing, I guess. That's where the confusion lies."

Strawweight Gulaptiz as useful as pockets in a singlet

Clarence Valley community members have every reason to remain well and truly p*ssed off with their local MP, Chris Gulaptiz ( note: spelling is intentional, it indicates he's past his use-by-date).

IF, the Nationals have the temerity to ever again nominate a candidate in Clarence they should at least ensure that person has graduated and is no longer on trainer wheels.

It's all very well and good for Gulaptiz to join the picket line at Grafton Jail, although party line dancing seems to be a format he's more acquainted with, and jump up and down telling anyone who'll listen to him about how "disappointed" he is with the Government and Premier about their refusal to budge.

But, at the end of the day, Gulaptiz is absolutely useless.

End of story!

Clarence Valley Community to rally again tomorrow, Tuesday 10 July 2012

Greg Hunt is in error, is in error, is in error.................

On 29 June 2012 ABC online published what appears to have been a media release from Coalition spokesperson for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage, Greg Hunt.

In this release Mr. Hunt specifically named two companies and one industry as included in the listed 294 big polluters directly paying a carbon ‘tax’ from 1 July 2012.

Intrigued by these claims, I went looking for the proof.

This following is what one of the named companies, Mackay Sugar Pty Ltd,  has told government, shareholders and the Australian Stock Exchange over the years.

Mackay Sugar on average produces about 850,000 tonnes of raw sugar. The company sells primarily to Sugar Australia (for its Racecourse sugar mill) with any excess sugar product being exported. It also produces 180,000 tonnes of the by-product molasses annually which is mostly sold on the domestic market.

The company has also diversified into electricity production from cane by-product. It is currently expanding its renewable energy investment by constructing a 36MW renewable electricity plant at the Racecourse site which will supply about 30% of the Mackay district’s growing electricity needs. As a renewable energy generator/user, the impact of the carbon price on Mackay Sugar’s milling operations will be managed.

In other words, it is highly likely that Mackay Sugar (although listed as a liable entity) will have little or no exposure to direct payment for its greenhouse gas emissions and, therefore there should be a correspondingly small risk that the sugar Clarence Valley shoppers pick up from local supermarket shelves will contain a price increase attributable to Mackay Sugar’s Clean Energy liabilities in 2012-13.

Mr. Hunt also mentioned that Kraft Australia Holdings Pty Ltd (of Vegemite fame) will be raising prices because it is one of those identified big polluters. Unfortunately for Mr. Hunt this multinational company is not on the Federal Government list of liable entities for this financial year. So one has to suspect that he has been taken in by the multinational's lobbying in the media for grant monies/tax relief.

Finally, Mr. Hunt included an entire Australian industry as one of these big polluters liable to directly pay for its carbon emissions. Again, he is on shaky ground because neither dairy farmers nor dairy manufacturers are liable entities this year according to both the Federal Government and the Australian Dairy Industry Council Inc.

He also neglected to mention that corporations and local governments can stay off the list of liable entities by altering production/ business practices and/or switching to higher levels of renewable energy use through co-generation/biomass schemes and the like.

Any price increases on electricity or groceries due to carbon pricing will be directly attributable to lazy companies, that failing to address their own greenhouse gas emissions, expect their wholesale/retail customers to subsidise this folly though those very same increases being passed on to local consumers of the final product in the supply chain.

I’m sure Greg Hunt is well aware of all these points and has taken advantage of the gullibility of hard-pressed mainstream editors to create a little political mischief.

Proud to be tackling climate change

Well, b*gger me dead 2

Teh Mad Monk manages to show off his ar$e and his tonsure at the same time


Since this little bit of grandstanding, Abbott has taken to cultivating a discreet comb over to reduce the size of his bare paddock and, was that the beginnings of sideburns I saw him sporting yesterday or just a bad ABC makeup job?

Grafton Gaol Picket Line - 8 July 2012 Update

Some, like Nationals federal candidate Kevin Hogan and Nationals NSW MP Chris Gulaptis came for the photo opportunities afforded by news cameras, others came to support their community during the long, cold haul on the picket line last night.

Below are some of these long haulers.

Former Country Labor candidate for the Clarence by-election Peter Ellem, second from left, shows solidarity at the Grafton Gaol picket line with United Services Union Regional Organiser Craig Chandler, Corrective Services teacher Sharryn Usher and husband Robert, Public Services Association Assistant General Secretary Shane O'Brien and Grafton Gaol Assistant Superintendent Damien 'Bluey' Carter.

The picket line 7 July 2012

The Daily Examiner Editor Jenna Carney and photographer Debrah Novak were also on the line last night.

It is understood that, earlier in the night, a local tow truck (called by police to move a vehicle blocking the entrance to Grafton Gaol) refused to cross the line.

At 3pm on Sunday 8 July it was reported:

Police at the scene have now dispersed and the six remaining prisoner transfer trucks were seen leaving the area and have not returned.

These transfer trucks are expected back tomorrow morning.

The picket line holds firm.

*Photographs found at The Daily Examiner or supplied by protest participants.

ssssssSnake MP

Lower than a Snakes Belly

This is the Member for Clarence, Chris Would I Lie To You? Gulaptis.

Posturing in a protest T-shirt after signing a petition he knew was going nowhere.

A day later and he‘s offering a Northern Rivers Jobs Plan to replace the 107 people he and his mates in Macquarie Street just sacked at Grafton Gaol.

But under this plan they won’t be giving money to farmers, cane growers, cattlemen, trawler owners, timber mills, quarry operators, car yards, supermarkets, local retailers, publicans, accountants, real estate agents, security firms or companies under 2 years old to create new employment opportunities in these businesses.

You know, just the sort of places where jobs might be created in a region like the Clarence Valley.

Swinging Voter No More

South Grafton

* GuestSpeak is a feature of North Coast Voices allowing Northern Rivers residents to make satirical or serious comment on issues that concern them. Posts of 250-300 words or less can be submitted to ncvguestspeak AT gmail.com.au for consideration.