Under Brendan Nelson the Libs continue to cloak themselves with hypocrisy

"Whilst it is understandable that Mr Hicks thanked those who helped secure his release, the rest of the country will expect nothing less than an unqualified apology for his self-confessed material support for terrorism," the opposition leader said."

The Sydney Morning Herald article on Saturday:
 http://news.smh.com.au/hicks-needs-to-apologise-nelson/20071229-1jfs.html

 

The rest of the country will expect an unqualified apology? Myself, I'll accept the thankyou from Mr. Hicks.

The apology I expect is one from members of the former Howard Government for their complicity in the US rendition program and treatment of all Guantanamo Bay detainees.

 

If you're not too busy revising history Mr. Nelson, I'd like that apology now.  

North Coast Community Housing Company puts a Yuletide foot firmly in its mouth

I suppose that with the media reporting "A Galaxy survey commissioned by online auction website eBay has found two-thirds of Australians have received at least one unwanted gift.

The survey estimates $985 million was spent on unwanted Christmas gifts, up $35 million on last year." there may be some slight excuse for skewed thinking by one of the most prominent publicly-funded NSW North Coast housing agencies.

The Sydney Morning Herald on Boxing Day:

http://news.smh.com.au/almost-1b-spent-on-unwanted-xmas-gifts/20071226-1iz9.html

 

However, North Coast Community Housing Company had one foot firmly in the mouth when its December newsletter described this company's Christmas greeting to tenants as "truly magnanimous", and one of the authors went on to brag to a clientele struggling to make ends meet that he or she "haven't even started my shopping yet".

Yes, a socially insensitive Yuletide attempt at communication if ever there was one.

 

Clarence Valley Council admits there is little that can be done for property owners in the face of 'inevitable' coastal erosion

Of course, what Clarence Valley Mayor Ian Tiley told the community is not unexpected, but this would be the first time the inability of local government to offer traditional solutions to future coastal erosion has been so clearly articulated at a NSW North Coast level.

The mayor described rock armouring, sand pumping, beach replenishment, large-scale housing retreat and house buybacks as "Possible remedies have proven beyond the financial reach of councils."

Although the mayoral minute did mention three small vulnerable village areas, it remained silent about the fate of larger coastal towns like Yamba. Perhaps because this town is one of Clarence Valley Council's rate cash cows and it wouldn't do to scare the horses.

Even though parts of the town's ocean front residential land currently have a 1-in-1000 statistical probability of sliding into the ocean after a few days of constant rain combined with high tides and heavy seas.

The minute was also careful to lay bad planning policy on local councillors dead for a generation or more. Thereby neglecting to take responsibility for more recent decisions, especially those made by the former Maclean Shire Council under Mayor Chris Gulaptis.

Looking to state and federal government for a remedial or preventative policy is also totally unrealistic, in the face of what could be widespread erosion and salt water inundation predicted to occur along the Australian east coast due to climate change. There just wouldn't be money enough for what in the end would likely be stopgap measures.

King Canute couldn't hold back the ocean and neither can we on the North Coast.

 

Clarence Valley Council mayoral minute:

http://www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/content/uploads/Coastal_Erosion_Policy_November_2007.pdf

Neither alert nor alarmed - just plain stupid

The Daily Examiner on Saturday ran a small item which said that a rumour was going around that someone from Grafton had joined Al Qaeda and is now working alongside Osama bin Laden.

Sounds a bit like the old rumour that some of the newspaper's letters to the editor were being translated and sent to Al Qaeda to give aid and comfort to the enemy.

Such a load of bulldust! What on earth was the newspaper thinking.

With ASIO spooks and the AFP living on the edge of unreason since 2001, let's hope that The DEXy chicks will be the only ones having their doors broken down if this silly piece of nonsense gains credence among the Canberra mob.