Barry O'Farrell robs around 1,400 pensioners living in the Page electorate

Saffin calls on O’Farrell Government to stop slugging pensioners

Page MP Janelle Saffin has slammed the O’Farrell Government for taking part of the Federal Government’s recent pension increase away from public housing tenants.

Premier O’Farrell has announced a hike in public housing rents from March next year.

Ms Saffin said the NSW Government is using Labor’s pension increase as an excuse to hit public housing tenants.

“This cash grab will affect about 1400 public housing tenants in Page.

“The Federal Labor Government is delivering a boost for pensioners to help them make ends meet, but Barry O’Farrell wants to take a slice of it for himself.

“Local pensioners are sick and tired of seeing the NSW Government hit pensioners every time the Federal Labor Government gives them a bit of extra support.

“All pensioners in Page have received a lump sum payment from the Federal Government in recent weeks of $250 for singles and $380 for couples. From next March they will get a permanent boost to their regular payments.

“But Barry O’Farrell’s decision means a maximum rate single pensioner in public housing will be paying an extra $84.50 in rent a year.

“Federal Labor is delivering the pension increase as a separate, stand-alone supplement. The accepted practise is to leave pension supplements alone when public housing rents are calculated.

“In 2009 when the Australian Labor Government brought in the biggest ever increase to the pension, I lobbied the then State government to quarantine the increase from public housing rent rises,” Ms Saffin said.

“Barry O’Farrell has betrayed local pensioners.”

June 15, 2012

Media contact:  Lee Duncan 0448 158 150

Whale Meat FAIL

ABC News June 13 2012:

Japan's whaling research body has failed to sell the bulk of meat harvested from its last round of what it calls research whaling, despite inviting bids months ago.

A report released by Japan's Dolphin and Whale Action Network reveals there have been 13 rounds of public auctions for the whale meat, but 900 tonnes of it has failed to sell.

That is three-quarters of all the meat harvested from the last round of so-called scientific research whaling in the north-west Pacific.

The meat sales are supposed to help cover the cost of the whaling fleet.

Japanese taxpayers have been subsidising the fleet for years because few people eat the meat, complaining it does not taste good

Whale meat photograph from Google Images

The Chris Gulaptis Travelling Photo Show



Chris Gulaptis as he appears
 on  the NSW Parliamentary website

Clarence MP, Chris Gulaptis, has made a very bold attempt to get himself in The Guiness World Records. Gulaptis, who it seems is camera shy in Macquarie Street and is yet to sit for a portrait shot for the parliamentary website, appears no less than twenty three, yes 23, times on the latest taxpayer funded newsletter hitting letter boxes across the electorate of Clarence.

In a late development, the lads at our local watering hole reckon the reason the local member's photo isn't on the website is because Farry O'Barrell put a freeze on public spending at parliament house so we'll have to wait until the 2013/14 budget when carpenters can be employed to undertake the task of increasing the width of the top of the doorways at the photo studio. Currently, all doorways are standard sized, but enlarged doorways are needed if the Member for Clarence is going to get his swollen head through them.

A timely reminder that suspected corrupt conduct can be reported online to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption

Reporting Corruption

Members of the public and public officials are encouraged to report suspected corrupt conduct to the ICAC.

You can report allegations online. All reports are carefully assessed.

Report corruption here.

Moves to have a crematorium on the Lower Clarence

Clarence Valley Council has a proposal before it to have a crematorium on Chatsworth Island.
The hot spot earmarked to get the new facility is 441 Chatsworth Road, Chatsworth Island.
That location is currently occupied by a two-storey brick home that sticks out like dogs' b#lls. 
It's just a stone throw off
the Pacific Highway immediately south of the Mororo Bridge near the Iluka turnoff.

The last price tag on the property which covers about 1.75 acres (7,000 m²) was $325k.

Image credits: LJHooker, Maclean