A NSW Nats ROFL

Now NSW Nationals MP for Ballina Don Page is probably a nice bloke in private, but I had to laugh at his expense last Thursday as he did his well-polished softshoe pollie dance.
There he was, his phizog in almost every frame and one sound bite (along with captioned name and job title) of a teev news story about six groups in Bangalow receiving funding from the NSW Government's climate change grants.
Then in The Far North Coaster online magazine he was at it again congratulating the successful applicants who scored a combined total of $59,000 in grants.
All done without Page managing to identify the state government in question as the Rees Labor Government.
Fair dinkum, the opportunistic pettiness of pollies as a species is beyond imagining!

Paternalistic system entrenched by state pension grab says CPSA, but doesn't reveal full extent of Commonwealth-State duplicity

Excerpts from recent Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association media releases concerning the recent increase in the base pension rate for single pensioners:

Paternalistic system entrenched by pension grab

"By taking a quarter of the pension increase away in public housing rents, state governments are entrenching the paternalistic notion that pensioners should be grateful for anything that they get" said Charmaine Crowe, CPSA Policy Coordinator.
"It says to pensioners in public housing that they owe the state governments something because they were lucky enough to secure public housing in the first place."
CPSA calls on the Federal Government to make good on their assurance that they will "take whatever actions are required to ensure that this money is delivered permanently to the pensioners of Australia" (Treasurer Wayne Swan, ABC Radio, 29 September 2009).
"This pension increase is in response to the fact that the pension was seriously inadequate - seriously inadequate for pensioners in public housing, as it was seriously inadequate for home-owners and pensioners renting privately."
"Pensioners are sick and tired of having to battle to get anywhere. It seems as soon as pensioners win one battle, they're faced with ten more."
"The extra $30 a week is needed for pensioners to pay higher electricity bills, pay higher water bills, and to pay for higher-priced groceries. By taking away a quarter of the increase, it is clear that state governments do not comprehend the cost pressures facing pensioners everyday."

State governments see dollar signs in the pension increase

"The increase in public housing rents also tells private landlords that it's okay to charge pensioners more for a roof over their heads." "It's disgraceful that some of the poorest people in our community will be footing the bill for state infrastructure, when every cent they receive is needed for the essentials in life."

What the CPSA doesn't point out is the fact that the Rudd Government went as far amending the Aged Care Act 1997 in order to honour its commitment to protect the September 2009 pension increase for those single pensioners in aged care accommodation, but only quarantined $20.18 per fortnight. So that these pensioners are also not seeing the full benefit of the recent $60 per fortnight increase in the base pension.

What the Rudd Government has done is use this pension increase as a backdoor way of increasing funding to both the NSW Government public housing sector and public/private aged care providers.

Making a mockery of its 2009-10 budget pledge; The Government is reforming the pension system to improve pension adequacy, make its operation simpler, and ensure its sustainability into the future.
The global financial crisis is a timely reminder of the importance of an adequate safety net for older Australians. and Jenny Macklin - Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs joined us the morning, pensions fall under her portfolio.
She confirmed that the budget announcement of $32.49 for single pensioners will be money in the hand. That is - on top of their current payments and allowances

This is a cynical exercise worthy of the former Howard Government and, I expect that quite a few pensioners on the NSW North Coast will remember Labor's tricky move when it comes time to cast their votes at the next state and federal elections.

North Coast Voices turns two in blog years

North Coast Voices celebrates its second birthday today.

Everyone here would like to say a big thankyou to all who have visited this blog and stayed to read and sometimes comment.

A special thanks also to those locals who decided to participate by using Guest Speak to add their views to the post mix.

22 ways to leave your leader.......

The political career of Australian Liberal Party Leader of the Federal Coalition Opposition, Malcolm Truffles Turnbull, is still under threat from his own colleagues and now Peter Costello has thrown another by-election into the ring.

In an effort to give them all a little {ahem} spine and free up political space for things that really matter, here's 22 Ways To Leave Your Leader for those that remain........

Use a louder voice, Joyce,
Hop on the home bus, Truss,
Break a few rules, Jules,
Keep giving him the flick, Nick
Lose another preselection seat, Pete,
Be brave enough to punt, Hunt,
Take to the poodle p*ss, Chris,
Pass that ETS bill back, Mac,
Threaten to leave, Steve,
Tell TehBull to take a hike, Mike,
Give Hockey a rave, Dave
Support giving Mal the sack, Jack,
Leave him not a fig leaf skerrick, Eric,
Dob for a nice new job, Robb,
Make a beaut plan, Keenan,
Swear to another on a bible, Nigel,
Try to out-jockey, Mr. Hockey,
Leave the rich git on his own, Stone,
Poll the lot by phone, Tone,
Ring the final bell, Hel,
A new leader forge, George,
Backbenchers all, just take back his key
And set yourselves free.

Snap! The very real rewards of business failure

Two perspectives on Greed Unlimited.

From the Brisbane Times last Monday:

The basic wage of Babcock & Brown Infrastructure's boss has risen by more than $300,000, despite the company's shares losing 90 per cent of their value, a market analyst says.
Jeff Kendrew was appointed chief executive officer of Babcock & Brown Infrastructure in June 2007.
On November 12 last year he was also named executive director.
News Limited says Mr Kendrew's basic wage has risen from $365,000 to $700,000, while shares have fallen from $2 in 2007 to less than one cent.

From Stephen Mayne's email newsletter The Mayne Report on the same day:

Will someone shove a cake of Sunlight down the throat of John bluddy Winston bluddy Howard.....

For a man who stated that he was going to refrain from political commentary after he retired was tossed from office, former Aussie prime miniature JW Howard is forever popping up in the media with yet another observation on world affairs or national politics.
This time he combines both (along with some gratuitous brown-nosing) by calling for an increase in troop numbers in Afghanistan.
Yer, right.
Let's send more young men into a region where no invading First World power has 'won' a war in living memory.
Where temporary victory is inevitably followed by successful insurgency, until the 'foreigners' finally take their military bat and ball and go home. Just ask Russia.
And where Australia is supposedly fighting for democracy by supporting a corrupt Afghan government which only holds power because it could rig a national election on a grand scale right under the West's nose.
So will someone do the world a favour and stuff that arrogant little man's gob with Sunlight soap or lock him away in a backroom at Wollstonecraft where his stupidity will only be heard by four beige walls.

Of course if it comes to L'l Johnnie's own hip pocket nerve, he is not as quick to front the microphone.
The media attention was suddenly unwelcome when asked if he is to have a well-paid role in a restructured NRL.
Last Wednesday ABC News Radio reported that he would not comment because he was travelling.
Tha's right! The same 'travelling' he was doing when he opened his mouth about Afghanistan.

Image of the wee richardhead from Pop Culture Caricatures and Cartoons

First Dog On The Moon takes the mickey out of Monsanto with Canolabees

First Dog On The Moon cartoon from Crikey
5 October 2009
Click on image to enlarge

* This post is part of North Coast Voices' effort to keep Monsanto's blog monitor (affectionately known as Mr. Monsanto) in long-term employment.

Link to Austalian Indigenous Languages Database

Wilhelm Schmidt map 1912

AUSTLANG provides information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. The core of AUSTLANG is a database which assembles information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages from a number of sources.

The database contains the following information about each Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language:

• alternative/variant names and spellings
• history of the number of speakers
• geographical distribution
• classifications from various sources
• resources
• documentation
• programs
• researchers

Browser requirements here.