Friday 29 June 2012

While divisive politics are played at a national level, a humanitarian perspective finds local expression


REFUGEE ISLAND
What a difference an "E" makes
crossing from Yamba Bay to the far side of Yamba Road,
Yamba on Friday night 29 June 2012

A hat tip to Clarrie Rivers' sharp eye

Coal Seam Gas Mining: "The NSW Government intends to allow widespread use of wastewater 'holding ponds' across NSW and the Northern Rivers"


Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition 24 June 2012:

The Northern Star
on the subject of holding ponds.

23 June 2012:

25 June 2012:

26 June 2012:

METGASCO did not tell a parliamentary inquiry the company was disposing of coal seam gas wastewater at the Casino sewage treatment plant.
The Northern Star on June 13, revealed the company disposed of more than 1.3 million litres at the plant in the 10 months to March......
But Metgasco chief operating officer Michael O'Brien made no mention of the disposal when giving evidence to the NSW Government inquiry into coal seam gas on December 8.
Under questioning from Greens MLC Jeremy Buckingham, Mr O'Brien explained the company disposed of water in "above-ground holding ponds".
"The only way you deal with produced water and drilling fluids is to hold them in these ponds?" Mr Buckingham asked.
Mr O'Brien responded: "Currently, for our production pilots, that is the case, but when we go into production we will look for a beneficial use for the water."


* Photograph of protester chained to mining equipment from Lock The Gate.

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

My Daily News on  20th 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 14th 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.

Thursday 28 June 2012

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