Essential Report: Most voters appear to believe that either nothing will change for them under an Abbott-led government or that they will be worse off

This week’s Essential Report poll* finds that the majority of Australian voters surveyed are leaning towards the Coalition parties, however most also expect either no additional benefit or a worsening of general conditions/personal circumstances if they favour Tony Abbott & Co. at the September 2013 federal election.

Under a Liberal Government, respondents though that the economy overall (+10) and company profits (+25) would be better.

However they were more likely to think that workers rights and conditions (-22), benefits for people on Government support 
(-21), the environment (-14), interest rates (-12), job security (-12), public services, health services (-11) and the cost of living (-10) would all be worse. 22% think their own financial situation will be better, 31% think it will be worse and 42% much the same.

*The survey was conducted online from the 21^st to 24^th February and is based on 1,035 respondents.

The first career limiting move of the long lead in to the 2013 federal election campaign?

Who is this 'senior' staffer?

When it comes to state and federal election campaigns National Party staffers are renown on the NSW North Coast for a pit bull-like defence of their own MPs.

However, most wait until after the election writs are issued before they begin either publicly or privately embarrassing their parliamentarian or party candidate.

Not so this year, when one Canberra staffer of a leading federal agrarian socialist has recently called a local newspaper with a venerable masthead (and its staff) some very harsh names:

a partisan rag

grossly unprofessional

snide

failure

Thus managing to embarrass both the Federal MP for Wide Bay and his hopeful candidate from Casino.

Can’t see the National Party giving this particular dummy spitter a national award for excellence.

More likely he will find himself shifted sideways or sacked if the candidate does not do well at the ballot box. Personally I believe the bully boy should be shown the door now. 

Rumour has it that the hopeful candidate was seen hotfooting it into the newspaper office, allegedly to apologise for the staffer’s ill-advised words.

NSW Farmers asks O'Farrell to protect all strategic agricultural land, water resources and lots zoned residential from CSG and coal mining

NSW Farmers on 19 February 2013 as reported in the RuralWeekly:

The following motion was passed at this morning's executive council meeting:

NSW Farmers supports Premier O'Farrell's decision to take a tougher stand on CSG compliance, and extraction near iconic agricultural industries. We call on the NSW Government to improve this policy by taking the following steps:

1.   apply the 2km buffer to Strategic Agricultural Land and water resources, as identified in Strategic Regional Land Use Plans;

2.    apply the buffer to minerals exploration and extraction (including coal) - not just coal seam gas;

3.    apply this policy to all projects which have not yet received approval, or release legal advice detailing why this step cannot be taken; and,

4.    apply the 2km buffer to all areas zoned as residential (as opposed to setting a population-based definition).

Question for 2013: So exactly when is the Australian National University going to become an ethical investor?

In January 2013 local and national media reported that the Australian National University (ANU) was still a significant shareholder in Metgasco Limited, a coal seam gas exploration and production company operating without a social license on the NSW North Coast.

When caught out ANU pleaded that there were few buyers for Metgasco shares.

To date there has been no announcement that ANU has divested itself of the 2,500,000 Metgasco shares it held as of September 2012.

So how genuine is the University when it comes to ethical investment?

After a Student Union campaign, on Tuesday 11th October 2011 ANU's vice-chancellor Professor Ian Young announced the university investment fund would sell-off $1 million worth of Metgasco shares.

The next day Professor Young stated; We've had those shares since 2001…. They represent less than 0.1 per cent of our total investment portfolio.

However, share movement indicates normal investment trading from 2004-2012, rather than any desire on the university’s part to divest itself of all Metgasco shares from October 2011 onwards.

For interested readers – here is a brief history of ANU shareholdings according to Metgasco company documents:

Between 2004-2006 the Australian National University is not on Metgasco’s 20 Largest Shareholders list.

Metgasco Annual Report 2007

“Metgasco completed two private placements and a Share Purchase Plan during the year.

The Share Purchase Plan was strongly subscribed with over 70% of shareholders taking up their rights to participate.”

The Australian National University Investment Section - 1,250,000 shares representing 1.03% of all issued Metgasco shares as of 31 August 2007.

Making it the 14^th largest shareholder.

ANU holdings increased by an unquantified number of shares.

Metgasco Annual Report 2008

The Australian National University - 2,712,000 shares representing 2.05% of issued Metgasco shares as of 17 September 2008.

Making it the 11^th largest shareholder.

ANU holding increased by 1,462,000 shares.

Metgasco Annual Report 2009

The Australian National University - 2,500,000 shares held representing 1.34% of issued Metgasco shares as of 15 September 2009.

Making it the 11^th largest shareholder.

ANU apparently divested itself of 212,000 shares

Metgasco Annual Report 2010

The Australian National University - 2,283,333 shares representing 0.91% of issued Metgasco shares as of 22 September 2010.

Making it the 12^th largest shareholder.

Apparently ANU divested itself of 216,667 shares.

Metgasco Annual Report 2011

On 17 June 2011 “the Company launched a Share Purchase Plan (“SPP”)….

In mid-2011 we raised new capital of $21 million via a targeted placement and a Share Placement Plan for existing shareholders….”

The Australian National University - 4,206,409 shares representing 1.25% of issued Metgasco shares as of 16 September 2011.

Making it the 10^th largest shareholder.

ANU holding increased by 1,923,076 shares.

NOTE: On Tuesday 11 October 2011 ANU informed the Students Association that it was intending to sell an estimated $1million worth of Metgasco shares, after a campaign by students which one would presume occurred over a number of weeks or months.

Metgasco Annual Report 2012

The Australian National University - 2,500,000 shares representing 0.64% of issued Metgasco shares as of 21 September 2012.

Making it the 17^th largest shareholder.

ANU apparently divested itself of 1,706,409 shares.

ANU’s current total number of Metgasco shares held is now the same as its September 2009 total.
 

UPDATE:

ANU Environment Collective

 

Further Update

The Daily Examiner 26 February 2013:

A GROUP of students is claiming victory today after learning the Australian National University sold its remaining shares in gas mining company Metgasco.

Vice-Chancellor Ian Young sent an email to ANU Environment Collective spokesman Tom Swann this morning revealing the shares had been sold.

"I am informed by the ANU Investment Office that the university has now divested itself of all shares in Metgasco," Mr Young's email read.

APN Newsdesk has contacted ANU seeking confirmation about the sale and answers to other questions.

Mr Swann said the EC campaign to have ANU sell its shares in Metgasco began two years ago after the group was contacted by activists in areas where Metgasco was mining…..

Clarence River Flooding January-February 2013

By now almost everyone in Australia will have seen at least two recent photographs of towns and villages nestled along the NSW North Coast's Clarence River and its tributaries - it has been hard to miss those January and February flood images on the nightly television news and in the online media.

This is yet another perspective captured at 4.30pm on Sunday 24 February.





Click on graphs to enlarge

Real time data for other NSW rivers can be found here.

Did the Japanese whaling fleet pollute Antarctic waters?

 

http://youtu.be/8Iu8JbTQ8-c

 

Sea Shepherd 17 February 2013:

 

In the early hours of the 17th of February, while the SSS Sam Simon was tailing the South Korean owned Sun Laurel, fuel bunker ship to the Japanese whaling fleet, the Sam Simon crew noticed the smell of diesel fumes coming from the wake of the Sun Laurel, over one mile ahead.

Captain Luis Pinho radioed the Sun Laurel at 3:00 am AEDT, approximately 15 minutes after the Sun Laurelentered Australian Antarctic Territory, informing them that they smelled diesel fumes, could see fuel slicks in the wake of the Sun Laurel, had collected water samples, and would be reporting the Sun Laurel to the authorities.

On the 17th of February at approximately 4:00 pm AEDT the Sam Simon recorded an audio transmission between the Captain and Bosun of the Sun Laurel - the Japanese whaling fleet's refuelling vessel. In this recording, the Captain of the Sun Laurel refers to the oil spill that the Sam Simon had documented and collected samples of hours earlier. The Sun Laurel Captain informed his Bosun to take care covering refuelling hoses, and that if oil dropped into the water there would be a “big problem”, as the Sam Simon had caught the Sun Laurel leaking fuel into the wake behind them earlier that morning.

Sea Shepherd Australia believes this transmission is further proof of an oil spill by the Sun Laurel in Antarctica's pristine waters, and has reported the incident to Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).