Rudd Government clears up Social Security anomalies for non-parent principal carers of children

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Dept. of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations appear to have recognised that not all children are cared for by blood or marriage relatives under a Family Court parenting order.

It looks as though from 7 January 2008 all non-parent principal carers of children will be able to apply for a 12 month bloc exemption from participation requirements for parenting payments, youth allowance, newstart and special benefits.

At last some commonsense prevails.

ComLaw:
 http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislation/LegislativeInstrument1.nsf/0/BCB69D7BEB03CD8ECA2573CC00036065/$file/ExplanatoryStatement.pdf

But where are all the Christmas Beetles?

This has been a strange summer so far around my garden and that of my near neighbours.

No Christmas Beetles, no blossom-feeding bats, few moths and only a handful of butterflies. Even the native bees don't seem to be out and about. And nary a possum clumping over the roof.

The recent rains seem to have encouraged a few more butterflies and moths (and the ubiquitous mosquitoes), but that's about it.

How's the urban wildlife around your town or village?

 

The Humpback Whale - Australia's line in the sand with Japan's whaling fleet

"Humpback whales are known for their magical songs, which travel for great distances through the world's oceans. These sequences of moans, howls, cries, and other noises are quite complex and often continue for hours on end. Scientists are studying these sounds to decipher their meaning. It is most likely that humpbacks sing to communicate with others and to attract potential mates.These whales are found near coastlines, feeding on tiny shrimp-like krill, plankton, and small fish. Humpbacks migrate annually from summer feeding grounds near the poles to warmer winter breeding waters closer to the equator. Mothers and their young swim close together, often touching one another with their flippers with what appear to be gestures of affection. Females nurse their calves for almost a year, though it takes far longer than that for a humpback whale to reach full adulthood. Calves do not stop growing until they are ten years old. Humpbacks are powerful swimmers, and they use their massive tail fin, called a fluke, to propel themselves through the water and sometimes completely out of it. These whales, like others, regularly leap from the water, landing with a tremendous splash. Scientists aren't sure if this breaching behavior serves some purpose, such as cleaning pests from the whale's skin, or whether whales simply do it for fun."
National Geographic:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/humpback-whale.html

Some idle thoughts on why the Australian Federal Police Association supported a Labor win?

Within days of the federal election the Australian Federal Police Association was doing the pretty with the still to be sworn in Rudd Government.

 

"Tuesday, 27th November, 2007

The AFPA congratulates the Prime Minister elect Kevin Rudd and the Labor Party on their election victory. The AFPA has developed a close working relationship with Mr Rudd and his shadow ministry and we look forward to working with the new Government. Prior to the election we received a strong commitment from Mr Rudd to work closely with us in our efforts to ensure that the professional and personal interests of our members would be protected. Importantly, the AFPA also had a good working relationship with all major political parties and we will to continue those relationships
There are two immediate issues that impact all Australian Federal Police employees; that being Mr Rudd's commitment to merge the AFP into a larger Government agency called the Office of Homeland Security, and the AFPA's strong opposition to AWA's or any other form of secret remuneration contract in the policing environment. The AFPA has already made it clear to Mr Rudd that the independent office of constable and independent office of Commissioner is paramount within any future Homeland Security model. At a more general level Mr Rudd has formally announced that he will increase Federal Policing resources and abolish WorkChoices in its current form."

Australian Federal Police Association statement & letter to Arch Bevis:

http://www.afpa.org.au/read/322.html

 

Given that the AFPA had been successful in subverting the Howard Government's attempt to bring its members under individual AWAs, one has to wonder if federal police were becoming rather excited at the thought that they might parley the AFP into an expanded and senior role in the mooted Office of Homeland Security.

While the idea of this new all-encompassing entity has not been received with much enthusiasm by the general public, the Rudd Government has not completely hit the idea on the head.

ABC News:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/29/2104943.htm

 

Or could it be that the Australian Federal Police was rather pleased at the thought that it would now have two ministers to approach and is hoping to play one against the other to increase its own power base.

 

It is interesting to note exactly who or what takes responsibility for the biography page of the new Minister for Home Affairs, Bob Debus.

"Date Created: Friday, 30 November 2007
Last Modified: Tuesday, 11 December 2007
Authorised By: Assistant Director, APEC 2007 Security Branch
Maintainer: APEC 2007 Security Branch"
Attorney General's Department:

http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/Ministers_MinisterforHomeAffairs

It's just not cricket

Bad blood between India and Australia continues in the 2008 international test cricket series, with Anil Kumble's repeated suggestion of Australian 'cheating'.

The whole sorry mess can be reduced to one sentence. A plague on both their houses.

'Up yours!': Japan's whalers reply to Australia

Media release

7 January 2008

President of the Japan Whaling Association responds to Australia

On December 19, 2007 Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs the Honourable Stephen Smith issued a joint media release with the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Mr. Peter Garrett. The release states that "Australia strongly believes that there is no credible scientific justification for the hunting of whales and is opposed to all commercial and 'scientific' whaling" and notes that "the Australian Government will step up efforts to end this senseless and brutal practice, using a range of diplomatic, legal and monitoring and surveillance initiatives" that "the Government is giving serious consideration to a range of options for international legal action against Japan" and that "the Government will develop its own proposal for improving and modernising the IWC which will include closing the loophole that allows for scientific whaling. "

In the proper context of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW) and the International Whaling Commmission (IWC) these comments of the Government of Australia are provocative and absurd. The fact is that the ICRW is about properly managing the whaling industry by regulating catch quotas at levels so that whale stocks will not be diminished. The Convention is not about protecting all whales irrespective of their abundance.

Further, the fact that Australia was a whaling country when it agreed to and signed the ICRW and subsequently changed its postion to anti-whaling following the closure of its industry in the 1970s does not change the Convention. If Australia can no longer agree to the Convention it should withdraw rather than subvert its purpose. Smith and Garrett can ignore these facts but they cannot change them.

Australia together with other anti-whaling members of the IWC have sacrificed the principles of science-based management and sustainable use that are the world standard (and supported by Australia in other international fora and for the management of their own resources) as a political expediency to satisfy the interests of non-government organizations. This has made the IWC dysfunctional and threatens much-needed international cooperation required to properly manage and conserve all marine resources. It is of considerable concern therefore that Australia's stepped up efforts to end commercial and scientific whaling will undermine the work of the current Chairman (William Hogarth of the US) of the IWC to resolve the dysfunctional nature of the organization and return it to its proper functioning as a resource management organization.

Japan's whaling is not "senseless and brutal". Neither is it illegal in any way. The most recent review of Japan's research whaling program in the Antarctic by the IWC's Scientific Committee in December 2006 concluded that "the dataset provides a valuable resource to allow investigation of some aspects of the role of whales within the marine ecosystem and that this has the potential to make an important contribution to the Scientific Committee's work in this regard as well as the work of other relevant bodies such as the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources". The Scientific Committee also agreed to its earlier (1997) conclusion that the results from the research program "have the potential to improve management of minke whales in the Southern Hemisphere".

The suggestion of Smith and Garrett that somehow Japan's whale research program is a violation of international law and that Japan is not acting in accordance with its international treaty obligations is totally without foundation. Article VIII of the ICRW unequivocally provides the right of members of the IWC to kill whales for research purposes and further states that "the killing, taking, and treating of whales in accordance with the provisions of this Article shall be exempt from the operation of this Convention." Conversely, the fact that the Government of Australia has publicly stated that it no longer accepts the terms of the ICRW and yet continues to participate in the IWC is a self indictment that it has failed to meet its legal obligation to interpret and implement its treaty obligations in good faith.

Finally, Smith and Garrett note that "Australia values its extensive and mutually beneficial relationship with Japan" and that "as in any close relationship there are some issues on which we cannot agree". In the face of this disagreement on whaling, Australia's determination "to play a leading role in international efforts to stop Japan's whaling practices" is arrogant and an insult to Japanese people and their culture. A more constructive approach with less media hype is needed.


Keiichi NAKAJIMA
President
Japan Whaling Association


Japan Whaling Association:
http://www.whaling.jp/english/release/080107.html

"Australia's health system third best" - did the study really say that?

This is what News.com.au reported last Wednesday.

"AUSTRALIA'S healthcare system may come in for constant criticism, but compared to most other countries, it is one of the best.

Australia came third in a list of 19 industrialised countries surveyed for their ability to provide timely and effective healthcare to its citizens."

News.com.au full article:
 http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23026791-23109,00.html

 

Here's an abstract of the study cited in the article.

"Measuring The Health Of Nations: Updating An Earlier Analysis

Ellen Nolte and C. Martin McKee

We compared trends in deaths considered amenable to health care before age seventy-five between 1997–98 and 2002–03 in the United States and in eighteen other industrialized countries. Such deaths account, on average, for 23 percent of total mortality under age seventy-five among males and 32 percent among females. The decline in amenable mortality in all countries averaged 16 percent over this period. The United States was an outlier, with a decline of only 4 percent. If the United States could reduce amenable mortality to the average rate achieved in the three top-performing countries, there would have been 101,000 fewer deaths per year by the end of the study period."

Health Affairs: the policy journal of the health sphere:

http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/27/1/58

 

No, Australia was not awarded a gong for having one of the best healthcare systems in the world.

It merely has less people dying of treatable medical conditions than some other industrialised nations.

Inequity in public health care provision or limited access to private medical services is another matter entirely. As is quality of life for those with treatable illness or disease.

 

Regional and rural Australia, which always seems to be fighting to keep even minimum hospital and medical services alive in local towns, would recognise the difference in emphasis between these two reports on the study.

Here on the NSW North Coast we may not actually die in large numbers from treatable medical conditions, but that doesn't mean that we receive the same level of healthcare as metropolitan areas or that treatment outcomes always favourably compare with that of our city cousins.

Help Wanted: no bleedin' hearts, trade unionists or furriners need apply

It seems that former Prime Minister John Howard is availing himself of part of his 'retirement' package by advertising for a research assistant cum personal adviser.

This is a taxpayer-funded position to the tune of between $62,124 and $74,516 a year according to newspaper reports.

Apparently the hired staffer will assist with preparation for his Washington trip in March.

Yeah, like I really want my taxes to go towards helping Howard strut the world stage.

Australia sacked you, John. So for goodness sake do us all a favour, and just fade away into a very private and inexpensive twilight.

 

John Howard's death by a thousand cuts in 2008

John Winston Howard always appeared so sure that he would leave an enduring legacy.

So it must flick him on the raw every time the Rudd Government announces that it is looking to cut into this 'legacy'.

Now one of his pet jingoistic policies, a national history syllabus modelled on his own personal values and beliefs, is under threat.

 

"THE Rudd Government is expected to scrap plans to force the states to introduce compulsory Australian history classes in years 9 and 10 from next year.

The new Government is also expected to dump a controversial model Australian history syllabus released by former prime minister John Howard on the eve of the election, after it was criticised for being overly nationalistic and "barely teachable".

A spokeswoman for Education Minister Julia Gillard has told The Age that although history would be a compulsory component of the national curriculum for parts of the secondary school years, the new Government would work collaboratively with states and territories, rather than impose things on them."

In The Age today:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/howards-plan-history/2008/01/09/1199554741706.html

 

The Rudd Government cannot in itself lead us back from the xenophobic abyss towards which Howard was urging Australia - but it is so good to see that it is trying.

Three political halleluiahs and a vote for me

I must admit that, apart from watching the SBS TV delayed telecast of US public broadcasting nightly news, I'm not closely following the Democrat and Republican presidential nomination races that are in progress right now.

What I do see in the news and current affairs programs has me wondering.

It may be that American and Australian media just go for theatrical bytes when selecting film clips to accompany news stories, otherwise it is hard to explain the almost total lack of broad policy articulated by these presidential hopefuls.

Vagueness appears to be the order of the day.

Most of their public appearances look and sound more like Christian revival meetings than political rallies.

I keep expecting a robed choir to break into a hymn behind each candidate.

Perhaps Obama, Clinton, McCain, Romney, Huckabee etc., should look at what recently happened to an Australian prime minister who relied on repetitious, 'aspirational' speeches.

He lost.

  

Vale George Moore, Australian jockey

Dear George,

I was an infrequent racegoer in my youth and always cautious with my bet. 

Like most track novices I had a theory about winners - ears pricked forward and stepping out calmly in the saddling paddock.

I would have been wrong more times than I was right with that yardstick.

However, most of my bets were on any horse which had Tommy Smith as trainer and George Moore as jockey.

Always for a win or a place, you never failed me and I went home with extra coins jiggling in my pocket.

I'm sorry you're gone, George. You'll always remain a fond memory.

Good on ya mate,

Pete 

Rudd Government looking to thwart Howard's attempt to empty kitty ahead of 2007 federal election

After almost eleven years in office it was becoming apparent that the complaisant former Howard Government had allowed substantial bureaucratic inefficiencies to flourish
However, when John Howard began to promise money like a drunken sailor ahead of the 24 November 2007 federal election, I suspected that he might also be attempting to reduce government coffers just in case the Coalition was voted out of office. So I was rather glad to see the following.

"Federal Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner says the Howard Government's pre-election promises will be the first to be cut under moves to slash Government spending.

Bureaucrats have been asked to start identifying the former government's commitments in a bid to cut billions of dollars in spending ahead of the May budget.
Mr Tanner has told Sky News he would prefer not to disrupt contracts that are already under way.
"In many cases, decisions that were made just prior to the election campaign have not been implemented," he said.
"They have not actually been actioned. Contracts haven't been signed, money hasn't gone out the door.
"That does mean that it's in some respects less difficult to focus on those kind of commitments than those things that are already the subject of existing contracts."
Mr Tanner says spending cuts are needed to put downward pressure on interest rates.
"We are in a tough environment. Inflation is getting beyond the 3 per cent level, that is the outer limit of the Reserve Bank zone," he said."
ABC News report:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/07/2133067.htm?section=australia

Good move, Minister Tanner. Time to cull the former Howard Government's attempt at pork barrelling and rein in an unwieldy and fiscally inefficient bureaucracy.
Your own party's election promises are going to be hard enough to fund as it is, in light of sustained inflationary pressures .
The Australian article today:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23015322-5013871,00.html

It's still a case of "Brendan who?"

Google Trends results for the last 30 days still show that very few people are bothering to search the internet for information about Federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson in comparison to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

Rather a poor showing for a new Liberal Party leader. A low profile before he became leader and a continuing low profile since.

Will Australia finally start to care once the new parliamentary term begins?

Google Trends result:

http://www.google.com/trends?q=%22kevin+rudd%22%2C+%22brendan+nelson%22&ctab=0&geo=all&date=mtd&sort=0

Winners and grinners on the NSW North Coast

Because many of us are a little wet and muddy right now as the North Coast flood plains do their thing, I thought we might look back at some of the North Coast's artistic achievers to cheer ourselves up.

North Coast artist Patricia Piccinini's work "Thicker than water". Photograph at http://www.artsnorthernrivers.com.au/

"Mapping Ulgundahi" by Frances Belle Parker, winner of the ABC North Coast ArtsNest 2007 Award.
Photograph at http://www.abc.net.au/

Ross Tamlin's "Beached Cod". Ross is a past winner in the Bentley Art Show. Photograph at http://www.visualartsnetwork.com.au/

Debrah Novak's "Cygnets during a performance of Swan Lake". Debrah has won numerous photography awards.
Photograph at http://www.arthouseaustralia.com.au/

Aunty Jack to host ripper Australia Day in Clarence Valley

Graham Bond of Aunty Jack fame will be the Australia Day Ambassador for the Clarence Valley this year.

He will be at three events in the Valley over the 26 January long weekend and everyone is bound

to enjoy a day which will "rip your bloody arms off".

There will be an awards ceremony at Ford Park, Yamba the night before, starting at 5pm.

A breakfast and rally registration in Memorial Park, Grafton on the morning at 8am.

And a family beach outing and barbeque at Main Beach, Yamba starting at 11am on the day.

Also this Australia Day on the North Coast, the Rotary Club Duck Race will kick off at 10am on Coffs Creek, Coffs Harbour.

The folly of allowing developments in flood-prone land

Persons associated with proposals to develop West Yamba would be well advised to take special note of a decision of the NSW Land and Environment Court.

In an article headed Court agrees climate-change risk rules out housing plan
The Sydney Morning Herald (January 8, 2008) reports:

"Many may be pleased to know the Land and Environment Court can overturn not just a council decision but a ministerial one.

The court recently ruled invalid a concept plan approved by the Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor, for a controversial residential subdivision and retirement complex at Sandon Point, on the coast near Wollongong. The action was brought by a resident, Jill Walker.

The court agreed the department should have considered the flooding risk from climate change as it was an aspect of the public interest that potentially had a bearing on the justice of the decision.

The decision is a win for residents who have been protesting for years against the development of the flood-prone 25-hectare site by Stockland Development and Anglican Retirement Villages.

Deacons Lawyers said councils would have to ensure risks from climate change in flood-constrained coastal areas had been addressed by developers and that they considered such risks in their decisions."

Comment:
The land at West Yamba is flood-prone. Allowing further development in the area will require fill being obtained from elsewhere in order to raise the area above designated ASL requirements. That may solve current problem associated with the West Yamba site but one doesn't have to be Einstein to understand that water which would normally find its way to this naturally occurring flood storage area in times of heavy rainfall will be diverted elsewhere. And just where is elsewhere? Think about it. Land that is currently occupied and considered flood free will not necessarily carry such a tag in the future.

Yes, further development at West Yamba will create a new set of winners (just think 'developers and their associates'), but there'll also be a crew of losers who'll be up the creek without paddles in times of high local rainfall and/or flooding that results from waters flowing downstream from the catchment area.

Clarence Valley Council should have this matter uppermost in its collective mind. So too, should Minister Frank Sartor and all others who will be called upon to give consideration to any hair-brained proposals to develop West Yamba.

Remember, the law attaches great significance to the concept of precedence. Hence, this decision of the Land and Environment Court has implications for West Yamba.

Leopards cannot change their spots

Writing in The Sydney Morning Herald (January 8, 2008), Peter Roebuck has written what most fair dinkum Aussie cricket followers are thinking: "Ricky Ponting must be sacked as captain of the Australian cricket team."

Roebuck wrote:
"If Cricket Australia cares a fig for the tattered reputation of our national team in our national sport, it will not for a moment longer tolerate the sort of arrogant and abrasive conduct seen from the captain and his senior players over the past few days. Beyond comparison it was the ugliest performance put up by an Australian side for 20 years. The only surprising part of it is that the Indians have not packed their bags and gone home. There is no justice for them in this country, nor any manners.

That the senior players in the Australian team are oblivious to the fury they raised among many followers of the game in this country and beyond merely confirms their own narrow and self-obsessed viewpoint. Doubtless they were not exposed to the messages that poured in from distressed enthusiasts aghast to see the scenes of bad sportsmanship and triumphalism presented at the SCG during and after the Test. Pained past players rang to express their disgust (my emphasis). It was a wretched and ill-mannered display and not to be endured from any side, let alone an international outfit representing a proud sporting nation."

Comment:
Events as the SCG during the second test went from the sublime to the ridiculous. Ponting set the ball rolling with his petulant behaviour when dismissed in Australia's first innings. Previously given a "life" by an umpire's mistake, Ponting returned to the sheds after his dismissal (which, admittedly was not a clear-cut decision) and carried on like a spoilt three-year old brat.

Ponting later attempted to claim the high moral ground when he recalled Rahul Dravid because he was not sure if he had held a chance from Dravid at second slip.

However, Ponting's halo slipped again in India's second innings when he claimed a catch in the final session on day 5. Ponting also had the temerity to wave his upright index finger at the umpire on another occasion when the umpire was considering whether a ball had carried to an Australian fielder. The umpire subsequently gave the Indian batsman out - did the umpire jump, or was he pushed?

Ponting's captaincy must be terminated. No ifs. No buts. Leopards don't change their spots - Ponting's behaviour and attitude isn't something that appeared out-of-the-blue overnight.

On a final note, hands up anyone who would like to become a full time cricket umpire. Just as I thought. Although I've been critical of umpires Bucknor and Benson for their performances in the second test in an earlier post, most first-class cricket umpires do an A-1 job. Much of the decision-making by umpires must remain in their hands and on the field. Technology is not, although Channel 9's team thinks otherwise, the only solution. It is helpful in a number of aspects, but it must never replace the immediate and spontaneous actions and decisions that make the game worth going to see live at the ground.


Read Peter Roebuck's "Arrogant Ponting must be fired" at
http://www.smh.com.au/news/cricket/arrogant-ponting-must-be-fired-roebuck/2008/01/07/1199554571883.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

Million dollar Yamba

"CASHED-UP investors are driving a coastal property boom the likes of which has not been seen before, but traditional hotspots are missing out, as buyers demand value as well as a view.---------

In Yamba, four hours' drive south of Brisbane and eight hours north of Sydney, agent Mike Macqueen said good blocks of land were still available for under $1million, but beachfront land would cost more.

"The big difference now is we're getting a lot of investors from the Gold Coast coming into the area," said Mr Macqueen.

"There's nothing much left in Byron Bay and the area around there, so they're coming that bit further down."

The Australian yesterday:
 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23015416-5010800,00.html

 

I don't think it would take this article in The Australian to make longtime Yamba residents aware of the fact that out-of-town developers are eating up available land and leaving little for ordinary people wanting a family home.

Yamba is all but surrounded on all four sides by ocean, river and lake. With available vacant land fast disappearing, this white shoe brigade from north of the border are pushing hard to overdevelop 

their speculative lots. 

Clarence Valley shire councillors seem to be doing the bare minimum to protect this small coastal town.

  

Not racism - just a genuine concern for whales which inhabit Australian waters

Yesterday the news was full of reports that an anti-Australian, pro-whaling video sourced out of Japan was on the Internet.

The video by SasukeZ7 erroneously implies that Australia is being racist in its anti-whaling stance.

It had been viewed over 100,000 times when I clicked on.

Pity that all ethical debating rules went out the window when this visual tirade was created.

If the author had taken time to think he/she would realise that Australia opposes any country whaling in the Antarctic, not just the Japanese fleet.

Link to video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8lvep0-Ii0

 

In SasukeZ7's YouTube profile is a bald statement that Australia's Professor Tim Flannery supports Japanese whaling.

Bet that will impress Tim, as he had expressly stated his relief that Japan has abandoned plans to kill endangered Humpback whales.

In addition, his general support for Minke whaling was qualified and he drew attention to problems with how these mammals are being killed.

Not too sure that he was impressed by the fact that the Japanese fleet intends to also hunt 50 endangered Fin whales.

The Daily Telegraph article in December 2007:

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22987914-5001021,00.html

 

As a piece of crude propaganda SasukeZ7's video did nothing to change my views, but it did manage to irritate. I suspect that many others would feel the same.

Australia coming of age

The Northern Territory's deputy leader Marion Scrymgour stepped in as Chief Minister yesterday, and will stay in the role while Paul Henderson is on holiday.
However briefly, this makes the deputy leader the first indigenous person to head an Australian government. You little bewdy, Marion!
Photo from abc.net.au

More NSW North Coast flood pictures

Photographs of NSW North Coast flooding in January 2008 from ABC News and The Age.

Rudd meets with US Congressional Leaders delegation

"PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has taken a break from his summer holidays to meet two of the United States' most powerful parliamentary leaders today.

Mr Rudd met the 13-member US Congressional Leaders delegation at his Sydney residence, Kirribilli House, this evening.
There was expected to be a host of issues on the agenda during their meeting, including the US-Australian alliance and security issues such as Iraq and Afghanistan."

News.com.au yesterday:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23014031-29277,00.html

 

This should have made for an interesting exchange of ideas.

Congressman Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the leading Democrat in the delegation, appears to believe the only errors made in going to war in Afghanistan and Iraq were that not enough troops were sent and that combat forces deserve a pay rise.

While Congressman Roy Blunt of Southwest Missouri, the senior Republican in the group, seems to think everything is going just fine in Iraq, supports a continued US presence in Afghanistan and knows that all is peachy keen at Guantanamo Bay .

Now that the Prime Minister has met with some of his new best friends, will we see a further softening of Federal Labor's stance on Australian military involvement in Iraq?

Hey Hughie, tone it down a little!

On the NSW North Coast this morning the seas are high and dirty brown, beaches are eroded, with some towns and farm land awash with flood water.

Counting on my fingers, this has to be at least the third natural disaster declaration in the last twelve months on the Northern Rivers.

Severe storms, large hail, even a mini cyclone. Now bl**dy floods - we just can't win a trick.

Ballina Shire Council has a great arts idea

One of the things often missing from the NSW North Coast living experience is public art.

Most of us have to be content with the odd small, outdoor mural on local government property and little else.

So it was nice to read that Ballina is doing something positive.

 

"Creative pieces of public art are popping up around the Ballina Shire, giving tourists something to gawk at and the locals something to talk about.

The art works are in line with a Ballina council policy aimed at increasing the number of public art works in the Shire.

New commercial, retail and tourist developments worth more than $1 million must include public art to the value of at least $15,000."

The Northern Star article:

http://www.northernstar.com.au/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3759843&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

Cricket: Questionable umpiring decisions spoil the Second Australia v. India Test Match

Much has been said and written about the poor performances of umpires Steve Bucknor (West Indies) and Mark Benson (England) in the Second Cricket Test Match played between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground (January 2 - 6, 2008).

A number of very dubious (no, make that downright wrong) umpiring decisions favoured the home team. Ironically, Australia's Andrew Symonds who was a prominent member of the cast in the umpiring controversies was named Man of the Match. Many experienced cricket-goers are convinced Steve Bucknor was easily THE man of the Match. Well, he did make a very big impression on it!

Bucknor's time in the centre must now be drawn to a sad and sorry close. Honestly, he should have stepped aside at a time when he was on top of his game and been remembered for the fantastic contribution he made to the game.

A full report of the game and its score card is at:
http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/baggygreen/engine/match/291352.html

Are we turning into a nation of rude bores?

Surfing round the Net I've come across some rather acrimonious debate and the occasional over-the-top individual tirade.

Single instances like this on Friday last are not uncommon.

"The lies and the filth that exists there is the reason why Bogpond is fast approaching the status of supernova. One of their servers sh*t itself late last year and it will most likely never be seen again. That leaves two servers - once the server hosting IRC Services dies in the ar$e, that's it boys and girls and that puts Herle and her pals Smeg and Fatso out of a job."
Get out those knitting needles ladies. You'll go back to the role of housewife very soon the way Bogpond is sacking their engineering teams."

At http://iserv.com.au/ 

NB. Two words in this quote altered to avoid offence.

 

It seems that journalists are now beginning to baulk at being on the end of similar treatment. 

"SOMETHING worrying is happening to column readers. They are becoming rude. Menacingly rude — and just plain mean — when they don't agree with you.

Get a load of this: "Your article was stupid. How dare you leave out (thing I felt was really important here). You are totally unethical and should not be allowed to write in the newspaper ever again." Or this one. "You liar! I have forwarded your article to all my friends so they can see the left-wing drivel passing for informed comment these days."

The Age opinion piece yesterday:
 http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/insults-deter-quality-debate/2008/01/04/1198950070621.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

 

With the almost instantaneous connection to online comment pages, it is only natural that at some time many of us will make the odd 'off' comment before the brain engages our two-finger typing.

But when did we begin to accept monumental across-the-board personal rudeness as a norm? 

Footpath and road etiquette on NSW North Coast

Mobility scooters are a feature of many NSW North Coast towns and villages because of the high number of retirees, so I wasn't surprised to discover that Ballina considers itself the scooter capital of Australia and is worried about footpath etiquette between those 'scooting' and those walking.

The Sydney Morning Herald today:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/scooters-give-mobility-but-endanger-pedestrians/2008/01/05/1198950127841.html

 

In parts of the Clarence Valley mobility scooters tend to be found on local roads just as often as on footpaths.

While these scooters are a great help with mobility for the aged suffering chronic illness and those with disabilities, I have noticed a new group of users creeping onto the scene. Those who have permanently lost their driving licences after failing either the annual medical or driving skills test.

Mobility scooters are obviously being seen as a Clayton's car rather than a second pair of legs.

 

With the speed some of these scooter 'drivers' are consistently travelling, their insistence on right of way when they do deign to use a footpath, increasing bulk of some scooter models, and relatively low visibility on busy roads, it is no wonder that the NSW Local Government Association is reportedly seeking a state-wide review of mobility scooters.

 

As a pedestrian, I have found myself tooted out of the way on local footpaths, had to smartly skip to the side on shopping mall covered walks and been bumped on the legs in internal concourses. It is obvious that a few people using these scooters have little idea of the rules applying to their use.

A review by the NSW Government would be very welcome.

Where is Australia's commitment to stop whaling in Antarctic waters?

Where is the Australian Government's commitment to stop whaling in Antarctic waters?
Well it's off taking a Christmas holiday, along with Kevin Rudd.
The annual Japanese whale hunt is now halfway over and not one league of ocean has been covered by the promised monitoring ship.
Well done, Kev and Pete. Such determination and action - you're really doing us proud.
The whaling nations must be laughing fit to burst.

Hey baby, it's wet out there! NSW North Coast flood pictures

Today's pictures of NSW North Coast January 2008 flooding, from The Australian, The Northern Star, SkyNews and Yahoo7 News.

Where's the blanket opt-out clause, Senator Conroy?

Now the Federal Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy is quite welcome to consider me lacking in grey matter, but I am still puzzled by his announcement of federal government internet censorship at ISP level.

 

Senator Stephen Conroy talked of a mandatory system but also mentioned an opt-out clause.

"Conroy said Internet users would be able to access uncensored material by opting out of the service".

AFP:

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jV6oxYm5XnWf5WcGysJhPn0fY8Vw

 

This censorship regime appears to begin on 20 January this year and I cannot for the life of me find any mention in relevant documents of a blanket opt-out provision for those not wishing to participate in this brave new world.

 

To ensure this super net nanny did not obstruct totally innocent sites, limit search engine results or slow down a home PC, it seems that an individual would have to approach (in writing or electronic form) every ISP, proxy or mirror site he/she uses, in order to obtain a content exemption by request and provision of hardcopy proof of age or other required document.

 

What is all the more galling for my one computer, one person, child-free household is the fact that Senator Conroy is merely acting as the former Howard Government's barrow boy in this matter.

The ACMA began to look at mandatory Australia-wide internet censorship before the November 2007 federal election.

 

So, if the senator has an explanation it's time to air it.

 

The Australian article on the nanny-state:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22999432-16741,00.html

Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA):

http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_310905

Restricted Access System Declaration:

http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310563/ras_declaration_2007.pdf

RAS Explanatory Statement:

http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310563/es_ras_declaration_07.pdf

First unofficial water report card of 2008

Australia has a water report card of sorts from a survey undertaken by The Australian.

 

"Since the introduction of water restrictions, households in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane have saved 1.1 trillion litres of water -- as much as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane together used in 2006-07.

In 2006-07, the biggest reduction, in percentage terms, was in southeast Queensland, where residents were limited to 140 litres each a day starting in April last year. This week, the Queensland Water Commission said water use in the state's southeast had been less than that target for more than seven months."

The Australian article yesterday:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23004494-601,00.html

 

However, using a broad rule of thumb, Clarence Valley residents and visitors used an estimated 247 litres of water per person yesterday and I suspect that the rest of the NSW North Coast has a similar consumption pattern.

Let's all try to do better for the remainder of 2008.

North Coast Water online:

http://www.ncwater.nsw.gov.au/cmst/ncw002/nova.asp

NSW farmers welcome Rudd Government drought plan and climate change focus

Despite the Federal Opposition's weak carping the Rudd Government is being viewed favourably by one peak farming body. Though it is a pity that Agriculture Minister Tony Burke appears to have brought the Monsanto-inspired myth that genetically modified crops generally withstand drought conditions.

 

"The New South Wales Farmers Association says the Federal Government's planned changes to drought relief payments could help ensure the industry is viable well into the future.

Yesterday, new Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said he would consider paying incentives to farmers to encourage them to change their practices to address climate change.

Mr Burke also hinted at research grants worth around $75 million for farm organisations, including more support for genetically-modified crops able to withstand drought.

Association president Jock Laurie says he wants more information about the plan.

"We need to sit down and get a lot more detail," he said.

"But one of the things the Government has said prior to the election and after the election in any discussions that we have had with them is that they have a very strong focus on climate change.

"They want to make sure that a lot of the programs that they have got in place in relation to research and development, education, and now they are talking about drought relief, is very much focused on climate change and focused on the long-term future of the industry and making sure that it can remain viable well into the future."

ABC News yesterday:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/04/2131590.htm

George Bush uses backdoor to reward Friend John

The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research has announced that it will be giving John Winston Howard the 2008 Irving Kristol Award for, wait for it, having made "exceptional intellectual or practical contributions to improved government policy, social welfare, or political understanding."

Almost choked on my wheeties laughing at this institute, which has close ties to the Bush Administration and US Republican Party.

Went to its website to find out more and discovered that "John Howard is one of the world's most successful democratic politicians."  Which made my laughter turn almost hysterical.

My mirth became paralytic when I went on to read that Howard had been "retirement by the voters in last November's national elections." and that "After September 11, 2001, Prime Minister Howard forged a strong alliance with the United States and Great Britain in the global war on terror, sending Australian troops to Afghanistan and later to Iraq."

Only in neo-con America could such an contrary, autocratic political bully be described in this manner.

I don't usually put links in my posts but everyone deserves to enjoy the joke.

http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.27308,filter.all/pub_detail.asp

NSW North Coast homeless struggling in soggy conditions

Spare a thought for those without a roof over their heads right now.

 

"INCESSANT rain has left homeless people scrambling for cover, according to a Tweed charity worker. Rosies, Friends on the Street Tweed co-ordinator John Lee said the continuing bad weather had made the homeless more vulnerable.------------- "The rain has made it worse for the homeless, especially if they have children," Mr Lee said. "The weather has gone berserk, and because of the Christmas-New Year period all the motels are booked out as well.---------------------The Tweed, Mr Lee said, urgently needed affordable housing. "For a family of five in a standard caravan park it can cost $50 a night and $350 a week for a tent site," he said. "Some people just can't get off the bottom rung."

The Daily News full article yesterday:

http://www.tweednews.com.au/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3759832&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

 

Note:

Minor to moderate flood warnings are current for the Kyogle and Lismore areas today.

Hotting up across Australia - one for those climate change sceptics out there

Bureau of Meteorology media release yesterday.

2007 a record warm year in southern Australia

For many Australians, 2007 was the warmest year on record, although when averaged across the whole of the continent, it was only the sixth warmest year.

Other features of the Bureau of Meteorology's 2007 Climate Statement, issued by its National Climate Centre, include near average rainfall but with a dry winter and spring following rain in southern Australia earlier in the year.

Statistically, the mean temperature for Australia was 0.67°C above average in 2007, making it the sixth warmest year since high quality Australia-wide records commenced in 1910.

But in the southern half of the continent temperatures were well above normal, with the Murray Darling Basin, South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria all recording their warmest years on record.

A grim feature of the year has been extremely low water availability across parts of Australia. Despite promising rains during the first half of the year, July to October was particularly dry. It was not until November that rain returned to much of the continent with the emergence of a La Niña event.

Overall, annual rainfall was average to above average across northern and central Australia, and average to below average in the southwest, with mixed results in the southeast. Patchy rainfall across southern Australia means that long-term droughts persist in the far southwest and in the southeast, including the Murray Darling Basin, all of Victoria and northern Tasmania. South-eastern Australia has now missed out on the equivalent of an average year's rainfall over the duration of this continuing 11 year drought.

Since 1 January 1908, the Bureau of Meteorology has been responsible for collecting, managing and safeguarding Australia's climate record. It is this national climate archive that allows data recorded today to be placed in historical context.

The Annual Australian Climate Statement 2007 can be viewed at:
http://www.bom.gov.au/announcements/media_releases/climate/change/

State climate summaries can be viewed at:
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/index.shtml

Petroleum merry-go-round

All day yesterday the Australian media was shouting out that oil had reached $100 per barrel and petrol prices at the pump would soar within days.

While increased petrol prices appear unavoidable, it was strange that not one media outlet managed to report the following.

"Oil prices eased Thursday [my emphasis] after soaring to touch a record $100 a barrel overnight on escalating violence in Africa's leading oil producer, a weaker U.S. dollar and a view that global demand for oil will outstrip supplies."

CNN.com yesterday:

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/BUSINESS/01/03/oil.update.ap/index.html?iref=topnews

 

I guess the fact that the 'magical' $100 mark only lasted a few hours wasn't thought to make a good story.

However, it doesn't take a crystal ball to realise that teaching the car to eat grass may be the only way to go on the average family budget. 

 

Life wasn't meant to be queasy

Leader of the Opposition Brendan Nelson is determined to give us all a chundering good time on each and every occasion he fronts the media.

His latest attempt to induce mass nausea was, "We've all seen this happen before where a newly-appointed minister goes out to consult with Australian farmers and before you know it ... we know that those consultations can be turned into a drought as far as money is concerned for Australian farmers."

Who on earth is writing his lines? Besides being a rather pathetic attempt to play on words - doesn't he remember that for the last decade all those newly-appointed federal ministers were drawn from the mob he now leads.

We intend to honour all our election promises - just don't ask us how or when

During the 2007 federal election campaign Labor promised that a Rudd Government would:

"Lift pensioners' utilities allowance from $107.20 to $500 a year

Extend utilities allowance to the disabled and carers"

The Sun Herald report:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/indepth/0,,5013913,00.html

ABC Radio "World Today" report: 

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2007/s2078467.htm

 

After discovering that Centrelink operators knew nothing more about this election pledge than what was reported in the media and realising that the first 2008 utilities allowance payment for old age pensioners was due this March, I telephoned Minister for Human Services Senator Joe Ludwig's parliamentary office today.

To be told, by the very helpful staffer who answered, that the Rudd Government intends to honour all its election promises but that no other information was available at this time.

 

With so many people on the NSW North Coast living in comparative poverty (especially in the Clarence Valley where an estimated 40% of residents are in this uncomfortable situation) the Rudd Government needs to get cracking, and provide some certainty to aged and disability support pensioners with regard to a firm timeline for the promised increase and extension of this utility allowance.

Ministerial ethics

With the Federal Opposition now gathering its forces to block the new Rudd Government at every turn once Parliament sits in February, Brendan Nelson & Co are bound to raise a cry of ministerial misconduct.

So here are the conduct guidelines. Don't rely on the media - make up your own minds when the time comes.

 

Ministerial ethics guidelines:
 http://www.pmc.gov.au/guidelines/docs/ministerial_ethics.rtf

Good times in the Clarence Valley?

ABC News reported yesterday.

 

"It was identified as one of the most economically disadvantaged regions in the country during the federal election, but a new report shows business is booming in the Clarence Valley.

An economic profile released this week shows the value of goods and services produced in the region has grown by 8 per cent in the last year, leading to the creation of more than 1,700 new jobs.

The Clarence Valley Mayor, Ian Tiley, says growth in population and the manufacturing sector are key factors.

He says the challenge now facing the council is ensuring infrastructure keeps pace.

"The Sartor planning reforms propose we get less developer contributions from these new industries, these new developments," he said.

"That will impact on everybody because it'll mean that we won't be able to provide the same level of infrastructure in the past.

"Inevitably too when you have growth of this nature there is pressure on your infrastructure."

ABC News:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/02/2130090.htm?site=northcoast

Clarence Valley Council media release:

http://www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/content/uploads/071218_Clarence_Economy_on_Track.pdf

Clarence Valley Council economic profile:

http://www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/content/edu/Clarence%20Valley%20Economic%20Profile%202007.pdf

 

What Mayor Tiley didn't mention is the fact that decades of growth in the Clarence Valley come on the back of continuous land clearing, subdivision, increased urban lot density and often exceeding established building heights. With a significant number of sensitive coastal development consents coinciding with either business interests of sitting councillors or political interests of successive NSW governments.

 

What Clarence Valley Council's media release didn't mention is, that despite the rosy economic growth it alleges, at least 40% of the population continue to live on or under the poverty line.

This is not about to change anytime soon.

Memo to Tim Gartrell

Dear Tim,

Thankyou for the campaign flyer exhorting me not to vote for Howard, Costello or the Nationals, which arrived in yesterday's mail .

It's been a full forty days and forty nights since the federal election.

I think Labor may safely assume that it has come out of the political wilderness.

Time to start saving on office postage.

Therefore I look forward to not hearing from you again until 2010. 

TTFN,

Pete

Australian national archives just a tad out of date

Thought I would have a browse through the National Archives of Australia yesterday and much to my surprise found this online entry which is now more than a little out of date.

 

"John Winston Howard

 

John Howard has been the Member for Bennelong (New South Wales) since May 1974. He served in Malcolm Fraser's government as

• Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs (1975–77)
• Minister for Special Trade Negotiations (July–December 1977)
• Treasurer (1977–83)
• Minister Assisting the Prime Minister (May–December 1977)

In April 1982 Howard became Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party. During the Hawke and Keating governments he was twice Leader of the Opposition (1984–89, 1995–96). Howard became prime minister in 1996."

National  Archives of Australia, 1 January 2007:

http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/explore/prime-ministers/howard.aspx

 

A search for Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister of Australia using the same search page yielded absolutely nothing.

Time for archive staff to pull their collective fingers out and remedy the situation. An online version of "Kevin who?" is not exactly appropriate.

Gone but not forgiven

It seems that one elder statesman in the Liberal Party is not adverse to putting the boot into gone-with-a-whimper-not-a-bang John Winston Howard.

 

"MALCOLM Fraser has reopened his long-running feud with John Howard, accusing Mr Howard of opposing Australia's large intake of refugees after the Vietnam War.

Mr Fraser claims Mr Howard approached him in a corridor following a cabinet meeting in May 1977 and said: "We don't want too many of these people. We're doing this just for show, aren't we?"

The Australian article yesterday:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22993100-601,00.html 

 

Wonder what other 'quotable quotes' will surface in coming months? Perhaps something which would indicate the younger John Howard's intentions in attending an anti-Vietnam War rally broken up by right wing elements. 

Bless Julie Bishop's little cotton socks

Last Friday The Age reported Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop as saying "that coalition policy, after officially dumping Work Choices, would revert to backing laws that existed during the first decade of the Howard government."

 

Sort of a small problem there, Ms. Bishop. It seems that the former Howard Government may have been busy erasing the obsolete acts.

Bit hard to support those old IR laws when it appears these been variously amended,superseded or repealed.

Rather like trying to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

 

ComLaw and Workplace Relations Act 1996:

http://www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/management.nsf/lookupindexpagesbyid/IP200403482?OpenDocument

 

Ah Brendan, Brendan....

There's something rather pathetic about watching Mr. "My 100 per cent support" Brendan Nelson try to defend that dodgy Howard Government decision to buy $6.6 billion worth of Super Hornet aircraft.

A little dignified silence might have been the wiser course, as the Rudd Government reconsiders his past deeds as Minister for Defence and those fighter plane purchase contracts.

All Brendan's bleating has done is remind us all what a dismal minister he actually was. 

 

Time to cut that credit card in half as banks raise rates

News.com.au reports today that bank interest rates are still rising.

 

"AUSTRALIAN households are about to be swept up in the global credit crunch, with the major banks raising interest rates across the board in an effort to protect their profit margins.

Lending rates for almost all loans - particularly fixed home loans, investment loans and some credit cards - have risen in recent weeks by more than the Reserve Bank's 25 basis-point increase in November.
Most at risk are credit card holders, who owe the banks a record $31 billion and face interest rates of up to 19.9 per cent as the Christmas bills fall due in coming months.-----------------------------------

CommSec equities economist Martin Arnold said despite record employment levels, some families would have been forced to borrow to survive over Christmas."

News.com.au article today:

http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,23636,22993714-462,00.html?from=mostpop

 

Cutting the credit card in half may be the only way many NSW North Coast residents will survive increased debt this year.

The high interest rates on these cards are an added burden for low-income and pensioner families, who frequently use such credit lines as an emergency fallback measure in the face of an ever increasing cost of living.

Scarcity due to drought and high transport costs now see everything in the butcher's window 

(except sausages, mince and offal) at prices in the $13-$25 a kg range. Bread and dairy prices have also risen along with many other staples.

Bulk-billing GPs and other non-public hospital medical services that do not insist on upfront payment are often hard to find, and the cost of transport to North Coast medical specialists is becoming prohibitive.

Service fees and charges on basic utilities have been creeping up in recent years, so that these costs can sometimes exceed the total cost of actual electricity, water or telephone use for single or two person households.

That significant bloc of North Coast residents living in comparative poverty is likely to find that 2008 will be a rather grim year.

Increased credit card debt due to high interest rates will only make it harder to cope.

The phrase "Advance Australia Fair" sounds rather hollow right now.

Amateur pyrotechnicians = dangerous nuisances

Many New Year celebrations featured FIREWORKS, but most of the fireworks were unauthorised and illegal.

Responsible individuals and organisations respect lawful directions associated with fireworks displays. In NSW this involves making application to WorkCover to conduct public displays of fireworks.

WorkCover's website provides a search facility that shows listings of notified displays. The listings enable authorities and members of the public to take appropriate action in preparation for the displays. The website is http//www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/fireworks_search.htm

In addition to the nuisance factor associated with illegal fireworks, the far more important factor of PUBLIC SAFETY need addressing.

Unauthorised and illegal fireworks should not be tolerated. Contact POLICE, LOCAL COUNCIL and WORKCOVER to report incidents of such activities.
Authorised fireworks displays between 01-Nov-2007 and 31-Jan-2008 were registered with WorkCover. The list isn't very long, so obviously most fireworks are unauthorised and illegal.

Heavy seas, wind and rain bring in New Year on the NSW North Coast

The Courier Mail photo of the bar at Tweed Heads on the NSW North Coast

Wild weather in south-east Queensland flowed somewhat weakly through to northern New South Wales, resulting in heavy seas, strong winds and sporadic rain as we saw the New Year in.
Although the rain was welcome on the coastal strip it was not excessive and has not resulted in any significant run-off into local rivers so far.

Climate change predicted to dominate Australian economic outlook in 2008

Business Spectator predicts that "Climate change is expected to be the big issue for 2008, dominating public consciousness, affecting company strategies and influencing other issues such as development of alternative energy sources."

 

According to Craig James, chief equities economist at CommSec, other big economic issues are thought to be:

* Inflation/unemployment trade-off

* Agflation

* Aginvestment

* Industry consolidation

* Nuclear energy

* Global labour shortages

* La Nina

* Hilary Clinton

* Recession

 

Business Spectator full article yesterday:
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Economic-outlook-2008--climate-change-will-dominat-A9VFT?OpenDocument

It's the year 2008: one European city-state and one Antipodean nation are regressing

According to The Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, the Vatican announced this week that it will be training hundreds of new exorcists world-wide, because the young are being exposed to Satanism through the media, rock music and the internet.
And I thought all those devil vibes were coming out of the Bush Administration and the Pentagon!
It seems that Cardinal Ratzinger now Pope Benedict XVl cannot decide which century he is actually residing in.
Perhaps it's time for a few good, level-headed Aussie members of his flock to remind His Holiness that it is now 2008.

Meanwhile, according to ABC News on the same day, the new Federal Telecommunications Minister Stephen Conroy told Australia that all internet connections will soon be subject to mandatory ISP filtering in order to shield the young from violence and pornography.
Leaving us all to wonder exactly how much online news and current affairs will make it past this enthusiastic censor, if such 'filtering' causes regional download speed to decrease even more than the current snailpace or if the mooted opt-out function does not reliably work.
Has Senator Conroy been speaking with his Pope?