Bloggers now covered by shield laws in Australia?

From Senator Scott Ludlam on 3 March 2011:

The Australian Greens welcomed the passage of new shield laws for journalists and whistleblowers through the Senate today.

The Greens shadow spokesperson for Communications, Senator Scott Ludlam, successfully secured amendments to the bill to afford the protection of the shield laws to citizen-journalists, bloggers and independent media organisations as well as news professionals from the mainstream media.

"Effective shield laws for journalists and public service whistle-blowers act as an encouragement to vigilance and integrity," said Senator Ludlam. "If journalists cannot protect their sources, we will not have people coming forward to expose wrong-doing and abuses of power."

The amendments to the EVIDENCE AMENDMENT (JOURNALISTS' PRIVILEGE) BILL 2010 of which the senator speaks are as follows:

(2) Schedule 1, item 1, page 3 (lines 13 and 14), omit “in
the normal course of that person’s work”, substitute “is
engaged and active in the publication of news”.
(3) Schedule 1, item 1, page 3 (line 17), omit “a medium”,
substitute “any medium”.

One has to wonder if Scott Ludlum is being a trifle optimistic with regard to how the courts may view these clauses and just how far they may protect bloggers.

Quote of the day on scientific whaling

The Institute for Cetacean Research in Japan, despite its unflagging efforts, has never told us a thing about the whale apart from that it tastes good with a dab of wasabi. Undaunted, that venerable institute's research continues.
(Anson Cameron at ABC The Drum)

Who knew the water raiders had a chapter so close to home?

Regional Development Australia (Mid North Coast) is according to its own website; an Australian Government initiative that brings together all levels of government to enhance the growth and development of regional Australia. To find out more please download the PDF here. The Mid North Coast covers the local government areas of Greater Taree, Port Macquarie Hastings, Kempsey, Nambucca, Bellingen and Coffs Harbour……
With our high, regular rainfall on the Mid North Coast, conditions suit many irrigated agricultural crops currently grown in the Murray-Darling Basin, including fruit and nuts, (grapes, citrus, stone fruits, tomatoes), vegetables (peas, green beans, cabbages, cauliflowers, pumpkins, onions, asparagus and potatoes), cut flowers, cultivated turf and hay production. Opportunities also exist for relocation of dairy and beef cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, goats, deer, bees, ostriches, alpacas and horses…
Much work has already been done in initiatives to improve water quality and capacity here…..

Presumably RDA Mid North Coast is a not for profit community-based organisation auspiced by the Federal Government.

What is fascinating about this entity is that it made a submission to the House Standing Committee for Regional Australia INQUIRY INTO THE PROPOSED MURRAY‐DARLING BASIN PLAN endorsing intensive farming practices which also stated; We believe members of the Murray-Darling Basin communities who are unable to sustain high irrigation farming practices in their locality may benefit from relocating to the Mid North Coast and being able to continue their farming practices, and provide skills and an increased agricultural base in the Mid North Coast.

Small problem with this generous offer though – irrigation farming requires water and under the NSW Water Management Act 2000 there are existing extraction limits set for most water sources in coastal regions.

Additionally, one local government area covered by RDA Mid North Coast relies heavily on interbasin water transfer to survive and, this water comes from the Clarence River catchment.

It seems the more the Clarence Valley attempts to honour an historical link with Coffs Harbour, the more that area is likely to demand as a 'right'.

What part of the Not A Drop campaign to stop water raids on the Clarence River and its tributaries doesn't this merry band of board members understand?

Liberal Senator Mary Jo Fisher embarasses both herself and The Rocky Horror Show

Watching the Liberal Party of Australia unravel under the inept leadership of the Hon. Tony Abbott has an awful fascination.
Nevermore so than in this excruciating video of 2 March 2011 - that "tits on a bull" comment combined with a "pelvic thrust" for the camera exposed Mary Jo Fisher in a way she must later regret.
Didn't her staff manage to medicate her that morning?