We hope to be judged by what we have done, rather than by what we have said we would do.
[Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott speaking on his first day in office, 18 September 2013]
Sunday 22 September 2013
Saturday 21 September 2013
What Tony Abbott has decided to include in his prime ministerial portfolio
Excerpt from the Administrative Arrangements Order made on 18 September 2013 – RTF 292KB
THE DEPARTMENT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET
Matters dealt with by the Department
Advice to the Prime Minister across Government on policy and implementation
Assistance to the Prime Minister in managing the Cabinet programme
National security policy co-ordination
Counter terrorism policy co-ordination
Cyber policy co-ordination
Intergovernmental relations and communications with State and Territory Governments
Co-ordination of Government administration
Australian Government employment workplace relations policy, including equal employment opportunity and administration of the framework for agreement making and remuneration and conditions
Australian honours and symbols policy
Government ceremonial and hospitality
Commonwealth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy, programmes and service delivery
Promotion of reconciliation
Native Title
Community development employment projects
Reducing the burden of government regulation
Women's policies and programmes
Legislation administered by the Minister
Administrative Arrangements Act 1987
Aboriginal Affairs (Arrangements with the States) Act 1973
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Act 2013
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Queensland Discriminatory Laws) Act 1975
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Queensland Reserves and Communities Self‑management) Act 1978
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Amendment Act 2005
Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay Territory) Act 1986
Aboriginal Land (Lake Condah and Framlingham Forest) Act 1987
Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976
Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment Act 2006
Auditor-General Act 1997
Australian Capital Territory Government Service (Consequential Provisions) Act 1994
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Act 1989
Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995, Part 10, except to the extent administered by the Attorney-General
Coordinator-General for Remote Indigenous Services Act 2009
Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006
Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Consequential, Transitional and Other Measures Act 2006
Defence Act 1903, Part IIIAAA insofar as it relates to the powers or functions of the Prime Minister as an authorising minister and sections 58F to 58Q, 61, 61A, 61B, 61C, 118A and 118B
Equal Employment Opportunity (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987
Flags Act 1953
Governor-General Act 1974, except to the extent administered by the Minister for Finance
House of Representatives (Quorum) Act 1989
Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Act 2010
Indigenous Education (Targeted Assistance) Act 2000
Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security Act 1986
Judicial and Statutory Officers (Remuneration and Allowances) Act 1984
Long Service Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Act 1976
Low Aromatic Fuels Act 2013
Maternity Leave (Commonwealth Employees) Act 1973
Native Title Act 1993
Native Title Amendment Act 2007
Native Title (Technical Amendments) Act 2007
Office of National Assessments Act 1977
Ombudsman Act 1976
Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (Repeal) Act 1986
Parliamentary Presiding Officers Act 1965
Petermann Aboriginal Land Trust (Boundaries) Act 1985
Public Service Act 1999
Remuneration and Allowances Act 1990
Remuneration and Allowances Alteration Act 1986
Remuneration Tribunal Act 1973
Royal Commissions Act 1902
Royal Powers Act 1953
Royal Style and Titles Act 1973
Senate (Quorum) Act 1991
Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory Act 2012
Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Act 2012
A culture of political untruths continues within the NSW O'Farrell Government
The New South Wales Family and Community Services Minister is facing fresh accusations that she misled parliament over caseworker numbers after the opposition obtained leaked departmental emails.
Pru Goward has repeatedly told the house that the Government has fully funded more than 2,000 caseworker positions, but the Opposition says it has obtained documents that show she was advised in June there was not enough money to pay for them.
They say the documents also show Ms Goward asked for a cabinet minute to be drafted in July requesting the extra money.
When asked about the matter in question time yesterday, Ms Goward refused to say whether asked for the cabinet minute to be prepared.
The Opposition's community services spokeswoman Linda Burney says it is unacceptable.
"The meeting took place in June and Minister Goward went on to claim in August and September, on ten occasions, that the positions were funded," she said.
"You cannot claim on ten occasions something that you know to be patently untrue."...
* Photograph from The Sydney Morning Herald
Friday 20 September 2013
"Name supplied" - readers invited to guess who penned the letter
There are definitely times when newspapers publishing letters to editors shouldn't publish writers' names. However, today's edition of The Daily Examiner is not one of those times. One has to hope this was an oversight by the Examiner.
Coal Seam Gas: an object lesson for Northern Rivers communities is coming out of Colorado USA
These photographs and videos set out below are coming out of Colorado in the United States and, show just part of the gas and oil fields flooded in September 2013.
Is this the level of risk Prime Minister Tony Abbott, NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell, Metgasco Limited, and its main backer ERM Power, are willing to expose the flood-prone Northern Rivers region to?
http://vimeo.com/74683562
The Daily Examiner 19 September 2013:
So Metgasco is heartened by what the Liberal/Nationals governments are saying at state and federal level and plans to "ride a rising tide" to corporate prosperity on the backs of local communities.
Perhaps its board members should give some thought to both past and recent North Coast flood event history.
Then look at those news photographs of literally one thousand plus flooded gas wells, miles of broken pipelines, drifting condensate tanks and floating chemical barrels contaminating Colorado countryside right now.
Of which one Weld County, Colorado resident stated in the media:
“We probably shouldn’t have had the oil and gas development in a flood plain to begin with. That would have been the prudent thing. But, it’s done now. Now we have deal with the result of having made that decision.”
I can assure Metgasco that Northern Rivers residents are noting the lessons those photographs teach.
1984 Newspeak lives in 21st Century Australia! There is no such thing as "coal seam gas" in the lexicon of the NSW O'Farrell Government
This move by the NSW Coalition Government would be laughable if not for the deceit behind it.
The Sydney Morning Herald 16 September 2013:
The phrase "coal seam gas" is set to be wiped from official documents in NSW and possibly across Australia as governments come under increasing pressure over the contentious energy policy area.
A leaked briefing note prepared for NSW energy and resources minister Chris Hartcher recommends the phrase and its acronym CSG be replaced with the standard term "natural gas from coal seams".
The document says the move is designed to "improve clarity and consistency of the terms used to describe coal seam gas in departmental correspondence, communication and content".
It says the change is a recommendation of the federal Standing Council on Energy and Resources, whose members include ministers from each state and territory and the commonwealth.
In May the council published a National Harmonised Regulatory Framework for Natural Gas from Coal Seams which is designed to ensure "regulatory regimes are robust, consistent and transparent across all Australian jurisdictions".
"This is part of a national harmonisation initiative adopted by all governments," the NSW briefing note says.
The note recommends that references to "coal seam gas" and "CSG" be removed "where possible" in sentences on websites and in marketing material and standard responses to letters.
In internal briefing notes "natural gas from coal seams" should be used in the first reference, it advises.
However, CSG and coal seam gas are condoned on social media to track the national debate.
"Social media relies on CSG or coal seam gas references and hashtags (ie: #CSG)," the note says.
"In order to participate and track conversations it is therefore acceptable to use CSG or coal seam gas on Twitter and Facebook. CSG is also a recognised online search term and is a relevant key work for Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). This will assist the public in finding government information on the issue".
A handwritten addition to the note says the government "will need to ensure same approach" is followed within two independent agencies, the Land and Water Commissioner and the Office of the Chief Scientist.
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