A reminder that the Australian battle against HIV/AIDS is not over yet

Although the level of Australian HIV/AIDS infection has fallen over the years, the battle to eradicate this disease continues.

HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections in Australia Annual Surveillance Report 2011

The Australian August 27, 2012:

THE Grim Reaper of the 1980s AIDS awareness campaign has been resurrected in new Queensland government advertising to combat the rise of HIV infections in the state over the past decade.

http://youtu.be/OJ9f378T49E

I'm Kevin and I'm here to show you how stupid I am

Showing us all that there are nothing but weeds in his top paddock, Nats second time around hopeful Kevin Hogan called on his political opponent at the next federal election Janelle Saffin MP to “stand over” that the multinational telco Telstra until it reverses its decision to close its Goonellabah Call Centre in the Lismore district.

Yeah, right – the federal government can bully a private company about its commercial decisions at the drop of the hat.

Even NSW Nats MP for Lismore Thomas George can do little more than offer “sympathy to the 116 Lismore-based employees who have been made redundant”.

Pic from The Daily Examiner

Trapwire bunkers down now those being watched are turning the tables on its spying activities

Going to surveillance agency Trapwire Inc (after its outing as a global super spy also allegedly operating in Australia under government contracts with its parent company, Abraxas Applications) and looking for its management structure at  http://www.trapwire.com/management.html and one was likely to find this displayed:

Which is an incredibly unwise move on this digitally savvy company’s part as Google Cache clearly demonstrated, allowing Imugr gallery to post management personnel profiles on 14 August 2012.

While The Pirate Bay created mirror sites for Trapwire documents removed from US government websites.

Clarence Valley Council Election 2012: Mr. Baker acts coy on financial situation

It will come as no surprise to find out that one of the candidates in September’s Clarence Valley local government election, land and property developer Andrew Baker, was a trifle economical with the truth when he announced that two companies in which he was a director and major shareholder had been placed in receivership by the National Australia Bank.

Yes, despite protestations to the contrary, it now appears that the Maclean Hotel Holdings Pty Ltd business had been placed in the hands of the receiver still owing money to businesses other than the bank.

The second ‘Baker’ company originally mentioned is allegedly involved to the extent that it holds assets which have been cross-securitised. The name and eventual fate of this company has not been made public to date.

Although Creditor Watch Express lists Maclean Hotel Holdings Pty Ltd, Holder Baker Pty Ltd, Gulmarrad Developments Pty Ltd and Lanai Pty Ltd as being Under External Administration And/Or Controller Appointed - effective on all four companies as of 20 August 2012.

Which makes one wonder about Mr. Baker's statement in the second newpaper article; While I have stated that two companies are in receivership, Maclean Hotel Holdings Pty Ltd is the only one.

However, what is also fascinating about The Daily Examiner interviews with Mr. Baker is the lengths he is prepared to go to in order that a fuller picture of his business interests are not published:

Can you please name the companies you remain involved with (to save me an ASIC search)? This really should be a matter of public record in any case so people can be assured that you register your pecuniary interest when these companies come before council.

I am aware of the need to register pecuniary interests and will do so if elected. The ASIC search approach will give you accurate, independent verification of the information you seek.

A somewhat inane response to the journalist in question, as the fact of the matter is that in the Lower Clarence many of the companies Mr. Baker is associated with are well-known:

Lanai PtyLtd

ABN 11 067 844 259

Narandbak Investments Pty Ltd

ABN 97 003 700 669

Yamba Maclean Landscaping Services Pty Ltd

ABN 63 103 591 742

Maclean Hotel Property Trust

ABN 19 122 431 577

Maclean Hotel Holdings Pty Ltd

ABN 67 132 925 985

Holder Baker Enterprises

Business Name

BN98083179

Holder Baker Pty Ltd

ABN 20 122 621 694

Holder Baker Property Trust

ABN 23 496 031 552 28

Holder Baker Partnership

ABN 79 748 42 977

Gulmarrad Developments Pty Ltd

ABN 60 131 904 026

Gulmarrad Village Pty Ltd

ABN 33 131 903 985

A.F BAKER & N.V BAKER & G.J HOLDER & L.A HOLDER

Trading Name HOLDERS AND BAKERS

ABN 16 114 678 578

Update:

Holder Baker Pty Ltd was also served with a notification of the appointment of a receiver and manager as trustee for the Maclean Hotel Property Trust.

The Daily Examiner: You voted. Reader: No I didn't!

On 23 August 2012 The Daily Examiner published an article in which it stated it was running an online poll asking this question: Which of the candidates for Clarence Valley Council would you vote for?

One Lower Clarence resident and regular reader of the newspaper contacted me with this concern.

He stated that not only did he not find the poll displayed online at the time, but when he finally discovered where it had been hiding on 28 August this statement was attached; You have already voted.

In his opinion this was a somewhat bizarre assertion as he assures me that he never had the opportunity to participate.

I can only suspect that this reader may not be the only phantom voter recorded and a software glitch is at the bottom of the Vote That Never Was, because it is unthinkable that someone at the newspaper was massaging the vote.

Which means this published poll is not worth the kilobytes it consumes:

*

Yamba residents have until 14 September 2012 to tell Clarence Valley Council that it needs to find somewhere other than Main Beach to dump its additional stormwater

Clarence Valley Council is considering routing surface run-off and storm water from at least ten private properties on Pilot Hill at Yamba onto one of the town’s principal tourist attractions, Main Beach.

Concerned residents have until 14 September 2012 to tell Clarence Valley Council what they think of this idea.

I’m sure no-one wishes the owners of these properties to continue living with the existing level of land slippage risk, but many would not see polluting the beach below as being an acceptable solution to the problem.

Attachment 13.081/12 outlining the stormwater options.

Minutes - Ordinary Council Meeting - 26 June 2012

According to Clarence Valley Council:

The draft Plan recommends Option 4. (Refer Item 13.081/12 from Civil & Corporate June meeting.)

The consultant and Council staff recently met with eight residents to present the draft Plan. It is recommended that the document now be placed on public exhibition for two months and submissions called for during that period. All affected landowners will be individually advised and discussions will be held with representative of the Crown Land Division as owners of the crown reserve.

Following the exhibition the draft Plan will be brought back to Council to determine the preferred course of action and timetable/costing aspects of that option.

The plan is now on public exhibition until 4.00pm, Friday 14 September 2012

To view plan visit Council's offices at 2 Prince Street, Grafton or 50 River Street, Maclean or download a copy below.

Make a submission in writing addressed to:

The General Manager
Clarence Valley Council
Locked Bag 23
Grafton NSW 2460

or

Email: council@clarence.nsw.gov.au

Clearly marked: Submission - Yamba Coastline Management Plan.

Further details can be obtained from Cassandra Hewat on 6645 0205 or via email cassandra.hewat@clarence.nsw.gov.au.