Geoff Provest tells a monumental political whopper about Barry O'Robba's plan to fleece the poor

My Daily News on  20^th June 2012:

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

"It's greedy, it's grubby and it's wrong."

Mr Provest, a Nationals MP, has rejected the claims.

"Residents of public housing pay around 25% of their income on their rent and that is not going to change," Mr Provest said.

"In fact, because we know residents are going to do it tough under the Gillard/Elliot carbon tax, the lump sum carbon tax compensation payments have not been counted as income for rent purposes.”

This is what the NSW Minister for Family and Community Services Minister for Women Pru Goward said on the 14^th June in a press release:

“from March 2013 regular fortnightly carbon tax payments will be taken into account for the purposes of calculating heavily subsidised social housing rents.”

What makes it worse is that community housing tenants (who already pay more than 25% of their pension or benefits to their landlords) will also be fleeced of one quarter of the Commonwealth carbon price compensation – and community housing companies are probably the biggest social housing landlords on the NSW North Coast.
Provest has made a monumental fool of himself and shown the Nats up for the unrepentant liars that they are.

Janelle joins Yamba for a little Midnight Sports Finals action

Janelle joins Yamba Midnight Sports finals action

FEDERAL Member for Page Janelle Saffin will be cheering from the sidelines tomorrow night (Friday, June 29) when more than 20 young people from the Lower Clarence complete the inaugural Yamba Midnight Sports tournament at Yamba’s Raymond Laurie Centre.

Ms Saffin said she was looking forward to finding out from local youth, aged 12 to 18, what they thought about the seven-week program, modelled on a successful Midnight Basketball tournament held in Grafton recently.

“Both of these tournaments were partly funded under a $40,000 Safer Suburbs Program grant which I secured for Clarence Valley Council at the last election, and I am keen to see how this is benefiting young people locally,” she said.

“This free program each week has been offering a healthy team dinner followed by structured workshops on mural art, drumming and building self-esteem, and games of basketball and futsal.

“I’d like to commend the young athletes and hip hop artists from the Grafton area for making the bus trip north to help youth workers and volunteers with the workshops and sport. I’d also like to encourage families and members of the public to come along and watch the finals from 9.30pm.”

Tomorrow night’s workshop will involve two teams reviewing the tournament, which has been managed by former Grafton Vikings stalwart player Shane Brotherson.

Janelle will present the awards and certificates at the end of the night, along with Clarence Valley Councillor Sue Hughes, who will be representing Yamba Midnight Sports Committee Chair and Deputy Mayor Cr Craig Howe.

Yamba Midnight Sports is an Australian Government initiative, which is being partly funded by Clarence Valley Council and supported by the Yamba and Maclean Chambers of Commerce.

Other community supporters include Youth Directions Inc, CHESS Yamba, Maclean Community Health, Bulgarr Ngaru Medical Aboriginal Corporation, New School of Arts Community Centre-Street Cruise, Clarence Community Transport, Volunteering Clarence Valley, Raymond Laurie Sports Centre, Maclean High School, Yamba Rotary Club, Smokos Snack Bar, Juvenile Justice, and CRANES Community Support Programs.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Myths and facts about the NT Intervention from an indigenous perspective

From Stop The NT Intervention:

·        
* Yuendumu statement to Jenny Macklin signed by 236 people in 24 hours:

"We don't want this intervention! Children are worse off under this legislation... This is our land. We want the Government to give it back to us. We want the Government to stop blackmailing us. We want houses, but we will not sign any leases over our land, because we want to keep control of our country, our houses, and our property".

·        
* It costs tax-payers $7000 per person to administer the welfare quarantine (according to HREOC) which has seen people going hungry trying to access the most meagre Centrelink payments.

·        
* Three years after this “emergency” response there have hardly been any improvements in the situation.

The available statistics show that

-       the child malnutrition rate has increased

-       the unemployment rate has increased

-       the program to build new houses (SIHIP) has only delivered very few houses so far

-       school enrolments and attendance have basically not changed despite efforts to increase school attendance

-       Income management did not result in buying more fresh food and vegetables

Something fishy about a Clarence River virgin

Come in spinner and fall for this one hook, line and sinker.

Trawling around the net produced this interesting chat line that had quite a few fishos engaged.

First fisho, Crash71, said, "Heading down to Iluka in a couple of weeks and was wondering if anyone had any tips or pointers of where to start fishing. Never fished the area before but I have dreams of fishing the close in reefs from my tinny as well as chasing Jewies and Tailor from the wall, perhaps even a flathead or two in the river. So many hopes but no idea so hopefully someone can help me out with any knowledge they have of the area."

A number of fishos rose to the task.

1. kingcray:  "Always a feed of bream at Browns Rocks. Other than that fish the middle wall for flatties and jew. Should be plenty of blackfish along the walls."

2. theoldlegend: "Mosey on up to Browns Rocks, go past the green beacon for about 60 metres or so and sound around for the drop off. That should put you on to them. About 2 hours before the top and a couple of hours after the top should be the best times. Then there's always flatties on the Yamba side of Middle Wall at low. Try for jew on the Iluka side of Middle Wall towards the eastern end provided the tide's not roaring too much."

3. 095rat: "Good jew at high tide on full moon near the end of middle wall (Iluka side),used stinky old pillies I had intended to use as berley."

Crash71 was so appreciative of the advice offered: "Can't wait to talk to a local at the boat ramp or pub. I contacted Ben the owner of Dizzys Bait & Tackle at Iluka and he was sensational. I chewed his hear for 10 or 15 minutes about whats on at the moment and where a Clarence River virgin should start fishing. Can't wait to call in on arrival and continue our chat, I'm also very keen to support his shop as he has already provided good info & it seems only fair he profits from his knowledge.

"Both 'Kingcray & the Old legend were spot on regarding Browns Rocks. It appears the bream are schooling around there and the flathead (reportedly) are also being caught from the rocks and further upstream. Appreciate the advice, cheers."

So, now, we're all in the picture about where to drop a line. Tight lines, one and all.

Credit: Sourced from AusFish

Most unbelievable headline of the year

NSW gets tough on CSG industry

Updated: 14:35, Saturday June 23, 2012

Clarence Valley Council rips the green heart out of Maclean, the 'Scottish Town'

Maclean's small and unique central business district has once more fallen victim to the unelected triumvirate which governs the Clarence Valley Local Government Area, with more of its green heart ripped away to please the developer, IGA Metcash.

Despite the eloquent pleas of those councillors hailing from the 'Scottish Town', a majority at the 26 June 2012 Ordinary General Meeting voted to further reduce the size of Cameron Park - until it will resemble nothing more than a barren pocket handkerchief of sun damaged turf between so-called improvements jammed together willy-nilly (see Item: 13.080/12  below).

McLachlan Park which straddles the town's vital flood levee is also under threat to compensate for the original carpark land sold to IGA at an almost bargain basement price.

Once again Clarence Valley Council has broken faith with Lower Clarence residents and ratepayers.

Avid council watchers tell me that It is not hard to work out that this unelected triumvirate is possibly taking full advantage of nine shire councillors who have formed into dysfunctional cliques and, that on most matters it favours National Party political aspirant Mayor Richie Williamson's faction.

Item: 13.080/12 REPLACEMENT PARKING OPTIONS FOR MACLEAN CBD

….options to replace Maclean CBD public carparking lost due to the sale of 3,750m² of Centenary Carpark to Metcash for a supermarket development.

1. Cameron Park, Maclean

Plan A (attached) shows an arrangement whereby 15 additional 90º nose-in spaces can be provided by encroaching 6.0metres into Cameron Park green space. While acknowledging that this is contrary to Council's September 2011 resolution that Cameron Park green space be excluded from consideration, the space sought in this instance is approximately 230m² (out of total green space of approximately 5,500m²) and is located on that section of the Park having least public usage.

Plan A also indicates the provision of an additional thirteen 90º nose-in spaces immediately adjoining the swimming pool. This would require the relocation of the three long-vehicle spaces currently at this spot, and it is proposed to relocate those to the northern side of Argyle Street, shown on Plan B.

2. McLachlan Park

A concept plan prepared by the Maclean Chamber of Commerce for the upgrade of McLachlan Park incorporates 45º nose-in parking. Council staff have refined that plan to provide 16 additional spaces (29 new – 13 existing), including 3 in the carpark beside Spar following demolition of the existing toilet block (refer Plan C)……

3.5 Cameron Park

Remove 7-9 trees and excavate topsoil from 6 metre wide strip, construct carpark and line mark for 15 spaces; construct carpark adjacent to pool and line mark for 13 spaces. In conjunction with those works, the remainder of Cameron Park should be upgraded including new toilets, improved playground, additional seating and BBQ shelters. An improvements plan will need to be prepared and all works could be funded from the proceeds of the supermarket site sale.

3.6 McLachlan Park

The preliminary concept plan suggests the following works:

 Remove 5 Camphor Laurel trees

 Remove existing footpath and excavate 2-3 metres into park.

 Underground power along park frontage as required.

 Construct retaining wall along edge of excavation, designed to protect the integrity of the levee.

 Relocate the bus bay approximately 30 metres to the north.….

The total number of replacement spaces is now 86, leaving a shortfall of 23 spaces.

Mapping here.

Before Clarence Valley Council moves further with this park theft, local people might like to write or email councillors (details here) and tell them just how 'thrilled' they are at the prospect of losing more of Maclean's public, passive green space.