Saturday 10 April 2010
Tell this VP that McDonald's is not wanted in Yamba
This is Kristene Mullen, a McDonald's Australia vice president and director of communications.
She's under the impression that Macca's is the best thing to happen to Oz since sliced bread.
Yamba residents and visitors on holiday can tell her differently at kristene.mullen@au.mcd.com or they can write to Peter Bush, McDonald's Australia CEO at Head Office 21-29 Central Ave THORNLEIGH NSW 2120.
Friday 25 February 2011
Long memories may plague Williamson in March 2011
On Facebook this month at No to McDonalds in YAMBA:
Dave Fleming Dont forget our spineless Mayor Ritchie Williamson's involvement in the Yamba Maccas when you vote in the state election next month.
Monday 30 May 2011
Moggy Musings [Archived material from Boy the Wonder Cat]
An it defies understanding musing: For a few months now a North Coast resident has been busy pretending to be a well-known former NSW Police Commissioner. A couple of my four-legged friends say their owners have received copies of some of his strange epistles which allege wrongdoing on the part of the Local Court. Yuk.
An I swear it's true musing: I was reading over my house slave's shoulder the other day and had to chuckle at one EEFector email displayed on the monitor which made me suspect someone in Frisco had been nibbling on catnip at the end of another long day fighting guvminn intrusion into teh internetz - EFF filed an amicus brief supporting online free speech today, asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourteenth Circuit to affirm a permanent injunction blocking a federal law that would violate the First Amendment by imposing penalties on website operators that publish indecent material without also using technological measures to block access by kittens. The Kitten Internet Protection Act of 2008 (KIPA) was passed after the Supreme Court struck down its predecessors, the Child Online Protection Act of 1998 (COPA) and the Communications Decency Act of 1996 (CDA). The government had argued that narrowing the law's scope to young felines would make the restrictive law pass constitutional muster. In the district court, EFF successfully argued that the law unduly restricted websites, and that supervision of online activities was best left to Ceiling Cat, not the government.
A Maccas musing: My little canine friend Veronica Lake tells me that McDonalds in Yamba is making itself even more unpopular in that small town by beginning to throw its money around in an effort to squeeze its fast food competitors out of Treelands Drive. Trouble is the other fast food chain franchise it is targeting happens to be run by a young and popular local family. The Westlawn Group doesn't come off too well in this scenario either, as it bumped Subway off its 'Yamba Fair' main road signage in favour of Maccas which isn't even a tenant in its shopping complex. Typical!
A loitering in the halls musing: With prosecution evidence in some disarray in an ongoing Clarence Valley trial, I had to laugh when I heard that one cocky defense barrister solicitor has been heard quietly singing during proceedings; "10 green bottles sitting on the wall and if one green bottle should accidently fall ..."
Saturday 10 July 2010
Moggy Musings [Archived material from Boy The Wonder Cat]
A thumbnail dipped in tar musing: Dear Boy, I found this in today's SMH. Woof, Rex the German Shepherd SHE IS intelligent, friendly and one of Kevin Rudd's closest confidants, but would rather chase tennis balls than talk politics. Rudd's golden retriever Abby - featured in today's Dog's Life magazine (unfortunately tagged ''Celebrity Dogs - Therese Rein'') - is probably also the only one of his team ever genuinely happy to see him. ''Ten minutes before the phone rings to signal he's on his way, she will go and wait at the door for him,'' Rein tells the magazine. ''She is gentle, undemanding and great company.'' More driven is the family cat Jasper, evidently an even bigger control freak than Rudd - beating him to his ultimate ambition. "Jasper disciplines us," says Rein. "He's the boss of the whole world.'' Listening to Rein, it is nice to imagine Parliament as a place where our leaders don't fight like cats and dogs, with Jasper as his master and Abby the Opposition Leader. ''They touch noses all the time,'' Rein says. ''They also, when they think no one else is listening, take turns chasing each other from one end of the house to the other.'' The Rudds are patrons of a charity that finds homes for abandoned golden retrievers, the mag reveals. Shame the PM isn't as dedicated to abandoned policies, some of which have proved to be dogs, too.
A Killer musing: I've received a deff threat!
A liddle birdie tol' me musing: Rumour sez that the creator of the Facebook page YES to McDonalds in YAMBA complained in his submission to Clarence Valley Council that a local newspaper was biased and refused to publish his material. The paper is rather puzzled by this so the story goes, because it never received any additional stuff from him.
A strange but true musing: Commencing in May 2010 dogs in Danvers, Massachusetts, can now pray to Ceiling Cat during Sunday services at Calvary Episcopal Church.
Just Married musing: Cecilia, a 15 year-old German cat just got married to her owner. The happy couple dressed up for the occasion - Mitzscherlich in a wedding suit and top hat and 15-year-old Cecilia, who loudly meowed her way through the exchanging of vows, in a white dress. Wonder where they're honeymooning?
A that's some cat musing: Oscar the Siamese lives in Noosa Waters and every morning he hops on his Dad's paddleboard and goes for a ride down the canals if you please.
A She's in luurve! musing: My little canine friend Veronica Lake is going around with stars in her eyes. The object of her affection is a dashing white and tan fellow living on a corner of her street. One Milo by name. She is wrapt in the fact that he is "such a gentleman".
A cherished member of the family musing: More than 50 per cent of pet owners are willing to put their life on the line for their four-legged friends, a new study has found. The New Zealand-based poll found that 58 per cent of people would return to a danger zone rather than allow their pets to perish, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Add your opinion to the poll here. Furry kidz rule!
A super pooch musing: Bravo to the male bull terrier cross who was plucked from rough seas on Saturday afternoon by two men who were on a day trip to High Island, about 6km off the coast of Fishery Falls, south of Cairns, according to Cairns Local News. The brave fella's name must be Digger!
Boy
Sunday 1 April 2018
UNITED LAND COUNCILS IN THE NEWS AGAIN: Nicholas Petroulias appears before NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption and represents himself at hearings
The Commission is investigating whether any public official, being a Awabakal LALC Board director, acted dishonestly and/or in breach of their duty as a Board member in relation to a scheme involving proposals from 2014 to 2016 for the sale and development of properties (“the Sale and Development Scheme”) owned by the land council.
The Commission is also investigating whether any Awabakal LALC Board director acted dishonestly and/or in breach of their duty as a Board member in purporting to retain, or retaining, Knightsbridge North Lawyers or anyone else to act for the land council in respect of the Sale and Development Scheme.
Further, the ICAC is investigating whether any Awabakal LALC Board director: acted dishonestly and/or in breach of their duty as a Board member by participating in, or aiding or assisting any person in relation to, the Sale and Development Scheme including dealings with Sunshine Property Investment Group Pty Ltd, Sunshine Warners Pty Ltd, Solstice Property Corporation Pty Ltd and Advantage Property Experts Syndications Pty Ltd and/or Advantage Property Syndications Ltd; and whether they received any financial or other benefits as a reward or payment for their involvement in, or for their assistance or services rendered in relation to, the Sale and Development Scheme or any connected matter.
The Commission is also examining whether any person or persons encouraged or induced any Awabakal LALC Board director to dishonestly or partially exercise any of their official functions in respect of the Sale and Development Scheme and any other land council property, or otherwise engaged in conduct connected with corrupt conduct within the meaning of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988.
The public inquiry will start at 10:00 am and will be held in the Commission's hearing room on Level 7, 255 Elizabeth Street, Sydney. Chief Commissioner the Hon Peter Hall QC will preside at the public inquiry, and Counsel Assisting the Commission will be Dr Nicholas Chen SC and Ms Juliet Curtin.
The inquiry is set down for approximately three weeks. A witness list for at least the first week of the proceedings will be published on the ICAC website prior to the commencement of the public inquiry.”
Terrence Henry Lawler - government appointed Administrator of the Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Terrence Henry Lawler - government appointed Administrator of the Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Omar Bin Abdullah - building design consultant & sole director/shareholder Alamco Pty Ltd (currently under external administration)
Steven Mark Slee - former CEO Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council, former director
Awabakal Cooperative and Yarnteen College
Cyril Philemon Gabey - one of three directors at The Indigenous Business Union Pty Ltd (IBU) (deregistered 15/01/2017)
John Terry Hancock - former board member Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council Eleanor Swan - former board member Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council
WEEK 2 WITNESS LIST
Tuesday 3 April
Wednesday 4 April
Thursday 5 April
Tony Zong (Shuxin Zong) - sole director and shareholder of Sunshine Property Investment Group Pty Limited, a commercial fitout & building company
Friday 6 April
Tony Zong (Shuxin Zong) - sole director and shareholder of Sunshine Property Investment Group Pty Limited, a commercial fitout & building company
Larry Warren Slee - former board member Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council, father of Steven Mark Slee
WEEK 3 WITNESS LIST
Monday 9 April
Larry Warren Slee - former board member Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council, father of Steven Mark Slee
Leonard James Quinlan
Dr. Raymond Kelly - former board member Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council
Tuesday 10 April
Dr. Raymond Kelly - former board member Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council
Ronald Wayne Jordan - former board member Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council, employed by family business
Ian Sheriff - solicitor *not questioned on the day*
Mr Chen described Ms Bakis’ appointment as “more than a little curious”, given that the land council had been making use of a “highly experienced” commercial and property lawyer.
Thursday 1 July 2010
Bl**dy Typical Pollie or The Nats At Play
Rumour round the water cart is that now McDonalds has its Yamba development consent safely tucked under the arm, the North Coast Nationals are looking to create a little mischief by encouraging locals to bombard the NSW Minister for Local Government with letters complaining about Clarence Valley Council's conduct.
And pollies wonder why they're considered lower than a snake's belly!
Coral snake gif found at Google Images
Wednesday 6 February 2013
Yamba versus McDonalds revisited
Click on image to enlarge text
Friday 30 April 2010
McDonald's Corporation: In Litter We Trust
Images of McDonald's litter from around the world including Australia
Despite numerous media releases promising a responsible approach to the waste it produces McDonald's Corporation fast food outlets around the world manage to produce large amounts of branded litter in and around the building.
Local government sometimes tries to curb the litter-making machine by insisting that McDonald's undertake daily 'litter patrols' as one condition of a development consent.
However, this and other measure do not appear to be very effective if this article in the U.K. Daily Echo on 23 April 2010 is any indication:
IT was a mountain of rubbish that had left him McFurious.
The growing mound of burger wrappers along Dave Elgram’s street had not been cleared for so long that he decided to take matters into his own hands.
Armed with a litter-picker the dad of three collected a bin liner full of McDonalds rubbish and tipped it on over the restaurant floor in front of shocked staff.
Now the 44-year-old is vowing to return to the store in Burgess Road every Monday with a fresh bag of rubbish until staff clean up his street.
Likewise, the fact that one NSW councillor could collect a backpack of McDonald's rubbish to show his fellow Wollondilly Shire councillors just last year is hardly reassuring:
``I went to four different McDonald's outlets the other night and was horrified by the rubbish thrown everywhere,'' he said. ``I know it's not McDonald's fault, it's the people who dumped it there but we live in a catchment area and I don't want to see this rubbish in our drinking water.''
In 2008 Choice magazine reported:
Branded litter, such as packaging from McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Cadbury and other retailers, accounts for 24% of the overall waste stream, with highways a major dumping ground, according to an Australia-wide study by Keep Australia Beautiful. The study, released in late September, also reveals that the two biggest culprits are Coca-Cola and McDonald's, which contribute close to 10% each of the branded litter.
These national figures broke down to 14.7% of all branded litter in NSW being McDonald's litter, which was the highest percentage for any branded fast food, drink, or confectionery/snack food items in that state at the time.
In 2010 a two-day litter survey of ten British cities found that McDonald's litter made up 29 percent of all gutter share.
In Litter We Trust could almost be this foreign multinational's official corporate legend.
However this is only a small part of the problem for regional areas such as the Clarence Valley, because eat-in customers at the proposed McDonald's fast food outlet in Yamba will add considerably to local government's landfill waste disposal needs in ever decreasing site options.Sunday 19 September 2010
Fast food giant McDonalds 'enraged' over PCRM's public service announcement [video]
Washington-based health lobby Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has commissioned a provocative new fast-food commercial drawing attention to the link between heart disease deaths and fast food.
Given that McDonald's Australia is on schedule to impose its presence on the small NSW coastal community of Yamba before Christmas 2010, I'm sure that this ad is being noted and that residents will bring it to the attention of Clarence Valley shire councillor Margaret McKenna who brazenly argued that McDonald's food was "nutritious" before voting for the multinational's development application.