Preliminary investigation into proximity to natural gas wells and reported health status in Washington County, Pennsylvania

http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/wp-content/uploads/123/1/ehp.1307732.t003.html

A U.S. peer-reviewed preliminary investigation into Proximity to Natural Gas Wells and Reported Health Status, January 2015.

Referendum vote on establishing popular election of Clarence Valley Council mayor now unlikely to be held in 2015?

Arthur Lysaught in The Daily Examiner, 21 January 2015

On one level democracy lost out yesterday when the NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC) published the list of nominations for the one vacant councillor position in the Clarence Valley local government area by-election, because there was only one candidate on that list and therefore the election was cancelled.

That candidate is retired club manager and former one-year-and-a-bit councillor on the financially embarrassed former Grafton City Council, 62 year-old Arthur Francis Lysaught, (largely unknown along the Clarence Coast unless you like to bet on the horses) who by default now becomes a Clarence Valley councillor without facing scrutiny by the electorate.

Yet from another perspective democracy won, because the accompanying referendum on establishing that a mayor is to be elected by popular vote for four-year term may not go forward, because the NSWEC is highly unlikely to agree to proceed now there isn’t a by-election next month and the cost to council of a stand-alone referendum would be prohibitive.

Which means Clarence Valley voters will probably have more time to consider this question, as a new referendum cannot be scheduled until the general local government area elections in 2016 and, current mayor on a one-year term, Richie Williamson will not be able to run as a popular mayoral candidate until 2020.

Mayor Williamson has called an extraordinary council meeting for 27 January at which the status of this referendum will be discussed.

However, as one Lower Clarence resident remarked to me, it would not be a good look if councillors were to vote to still hold the referendum in 2015, with the very new, pro-popular election, councillor having no verifiable broad political support base within the electorate and also suspected of being a potential glove puppet of the mayor. 

When cafe advertising goes wrong

So Mark and Judy Hackett have moved a coffee shop into Yamba Fair with the comment:

"Quite a lot of people have come in already and we have been told it's nice to have somewhere to stop in for a while at this end of town."

Really? There's nowhere else to stop and have a coffee and toast at Yamba Fair? Never has been? 

So Yamba Fair Take Away and Cafe has just been a mirage all this time?  Couldn't have possibly been a mirage as I and many, many others have frequented this one and only coffee shop in the centre for many years.  Great coffee, food and service and people is what we know it for.

We are blessed in Yamba to have such a wonderful cafe culture here and are spoilt for choice in quality cafes and eateries.  The new Toast will have to really be on its game to equal the wonderful cafes here and the one already established there. 

So, establishing we are counting...that's two coffee shops in Yamba Fair now, two places to “stop in for a while at this end of town”.

Celeste Warren

Yamba 

Chris Davis publicly paying Queensland Premier Newman back or telling it like it is?

Former AMA Queensland President and former Liberal National Party MP Chris Davis - who quit the Queensland parliament in May 2014 and, subsequently the party, after being sacked from the ministry by Campbell Newman - delivers a blunt message during the state election campaign.

http://youtu.be/-3FrF7z76b8

Published on Jan 16, 2015

TV Ad featuring Dr Chris Davis, former Assistant Health Minister in the Newman LNP Government, expressing a scathing assessment of the LNP on several grounds, and calls for voters to not trust the LNP in the 2015 Queensland election

BACKGROUND

No Fibs 30 July 2014:

In March of 2014 he rose to prominence when he broke ranks with his government to defend public hospital doctors when new contracts were enforced with very little consultation. Initially seeking to be a go-between, he spoke at multiple rallies at which no other LNP MP dared to attend. Even during the most devastating of times when his daughter Jessica died in a road accident, Davis continued to front up at meetings to canvass doctor’s concerns and consult with one of the groups of Queenslanders he believed he could best represent.

Meanwhile, in the Queensland parliament, Premier Campbell Newman famously labeled these resistors “rabble-rousers”…..

By May of 2014 he’d been sacked from his assistant health portfolio but was battling his own party on a new front over the raising of the political donation declaration limit from $1000 to $12,400. Throughout his battles he’d always maintained a position of “judgement and conscience in the public interest”.

And then he was gone. A resignation on a slip of paper passed late one night to the Queensland Speaker of the House initiated a by-election for his seat of Stafford.....

Clarence Valley Council still ignoring water quality woes?

With the number of days with temperatures over 35°C predicted to increase and average Clarence Valley temperatures predicted to rise by up to 1°C commencing as early as five year's time, one wonders when Clarence Valley Council is going to face the fact that temporary flushing of street water pipes will not remain a solution for long - whether the cause is heat, loose sediment, low/slow river flow at the uptake site or high demand in urban areas.

Child's wading pool filled with 'green' tap water
Facebook

Three excerpts from The Daily Examiner on 17 January 2015:

THE discolouration of Clarence Valley's water in isolated areas has been a recurring hot topic of conversation for more than a year, and the ongoing problem has affected at least one business.

Local company GDC Water Trucks had to refund a water delivery last week and replace it with another load, after filling an above-ground pool with water from council stand pipes.

"The pool guy said dump it and start again," business owner Trudy Clydesdale said.

"The water looked clear when it was coming out of the truck, but in large quantities it looked like mud."

They filled it from a different stand pipe hoping that would fix it but it didn't make much of a difference……

"The first pool we filled this summer was an in-built pool with a good filtration system so he just filtered it out.

"But those little pumps that come with the above-ground (pool) filters just don't cut it."

Clarence Valley Council yesterday advised GDC Water Trucks it would amend the water meter so they were not charged for the job, but fuel and labour would be on them.

"We're pretty happy. (The council) explained it is an issue at this time with the heat," Mrs Clydesdale said.

"He said they would come back over summer and they'll just keep flushing if need be."

TWO years ago, Kelly Clark used to brag to her friends and family interstate about how great the water was in the Clarence Valley.

Now the Iluka mum won't drink it, and is hesitant to bathe her son in it.

Earlier this week, Ms Clark filled up a paddling pool from the tap for her three-year-old son to play in to find the water was a brown-green colour.

"I've lived in the area for six to seven years and we used to have great water here," she said.

"Two years ago I filled the same pool up with crystal-clear water; last year it was slightly discoloured.

"I want to know what's happened in the last 16months. Why has it drastically changed?"

When she posted the picture on Facebook, it became clear she wasn't the only one experiencing water problems. "I've had heaps of (comments in my) inboxes and people sending me photos," Ms Clark said.

Facebook users wrote of water-quality issues in houses at Chatsworth Island, South Grafton, Junction Hill, Yamba and Grafton.

Many of those were saying they had turned to bottled water in favour of the discoloured tap supply, despite council assurances their supply was fine to drink……

"It doesn't seem right that we live in a western society, pay quite a lot for water and we can't even drink it.

CLARENCE Valley Council has confirmed no long term solutions are being considered for isolated water quality issues.

Council's director for works and civil Troy Anderson said council's water quality was regularly tested against all required guidelines and standards, and currently complied.

A report to Council regarding additional water treatment barriers was presented last November, but no further action was taken.

Mr Anderson said only three dirty water complaints had been received since the start of the year, and that in each case the mains were flushed until they ran clean.

If customers are experiencing water quality issues, they are requested to call Council on 66430200 so that the problem can be attended to. Council does not monitor social media.*

BACKGROUND

All clear on dirty water | Clarence Valley Daily Examiner

www.dailyexaminer.com.au/news/all-clear-on-dirty-water/2250424/

May 7, 2014 - THE council says it's safe to drink, but the unappealing colour of tapwater in households across the Clarence Valley this week has left some ...

Users still dirty over brown water - Grafton Daily Examiner

www.dailyexaminer.com.au/news/users...dirty...brown-water/2257414/

May 14, 2014 - COMPLAINTS of dirty tap water are still trickling in from around the region and Clarence Valley Council expects to see more in the next week.

Yamba's water woes continue but Clarence Valley Council just shrugs its shoulders

northcoastvoices.blogspot.com/.../yambas-water-woes-continue-but-clare...

Sep 20, 2014 - Intermittent but persistent problems with the quality of drinking water in the Lower Clarence continue, with episodes of discoloured/dirty water ...

* WARNING: If you make a complaint about poor water quality to Clarence Valley Council be prepared to be receive a letter/email stating any or all of the following - there is no current water quality problem/there have been no previous reports of dirty water in your street/ implying you not telling the truth.
If you talk to the media expect that doubts will be sown concerning what you have said about water quality.

Tony Abbott's "trouble with the truth" started long ago

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is well-known for admitting to a very flexible relationship with the truth.

Looking back, it is also possible he even displays a unhealthy capacity for self-delusion.

Here is one political commentator ruminating over aspects of Abbott’s character.

Writing in The Monthly on 16 December 2014 Russell Marks observed:

In The Monthly on 27 May 2014 Marks looked at what Abbott had said and when (about himself, his party and the government he expected to lead) and, here are some of those quotes:

“We are the party of political honesty.”

-ABC TV’s Q&A, 19 March 2009

“The Coalition is against new taxes.”

-Interviewed by Madonna King, 612 ABC Radio, Brisbane, 25 January 2010

REPORTER: “Mr Abbott, how can you be taken seriously when you’re talking about lower taxes but one of your first major policies was paid parental leave to be funded by tax on business?”

TONY ABBOTT: “Well, it’s a temporary – what I hope will be a temporary levy on a very small number of businesses. It’s very important, as the Howard government acknowledged, sometimes when your fiscal circumstances are tight, to do what is absolutely necessary there may have to be levies or charges. This is not something that I take any pleasure in.”

-Doorstop interview, Sydney, 30 March 2010

“The Coalition is allergic to new taxes.”

-Interviewed by Michael Bailey, Radio 4RO, Rockhampton, 18 May 2010  

“We have well and truly learnt our lesson. The last thing we want to do is expose ourselves to the wrath of the Howard battlers.”

-ABC TV’s Q&A, 5 April 2010

“What you'll get under us are tax cuts without new taxes.”

-Doorstop interview with Greg Hunt, Pure Solar, 14 March 2012

“All of the commitments that we make will be designed to promote the national interest, not to try to curry favours with any particular group.”

–Joint doorstop interview with Nigel McKenna, Adelaide Ice, Regency Park, Adelaide, 26 April 2013

“The carbon tax will go, but no-one personal tax will go up and no-one's fortnightly pension or benefit will go down.”

-Budget reply speech, House of Representatives, Parliament House, 16 May 2013

“The great thing about the Coalition is you know exactly what you will get from the Coalition.”

-Interviewed by Chris Uhlmann, ABC TV’s 7.30, 8 July 2013

“We will be a consultative, collegial government. No surprises. No excuses.”

-Interviewed by Chris Uhlmann, ABC TV’s 7.30, 8 July 2013

“I can promise that no school would be worse off under the Coalition.”

–Joint doorstop interview with Russell Matheson, Camden, NSW, 15 July 2013

“I won’t be doing deals with independents and minor parties.”

-Press conference, Parliament House, Canberra, 4 August 2013   

“In order to ensure [education] funding certainty, we will honour the deals that the government has so far made and we will match the offers that the government has so far made in terms of funding.”

–Interviewed by Sabra Lane, ABC Radio’s AM, 5 August 2013

REPORTER: “All your promises that you're announcing during this election campaign, they will be implemented in full. That is a rock solid commitment?”

TONY ABBOTT: “I will do what I say we will do. I want to be known as someone who under-promises and over-delivers.”

–Joint press conference, Colo Heights, NSW, 13 August 2013

REPORTER: “The condition of the budget will not be an excuse for breaking promises?”

TONY ABBOTT: “Exactly right. We will keep the commitments that we make. All of the commitments that we make will be commitments that are carefully costed.”

–Joint press conference, Colo Heights, NSW, 13 August 2013

“I want to be known as a prime minister who keeps commitments.”

-Joint press conference, Colo Heights, NSW, 13 August 2013

“I’ve seen the disaster that this government has done for itself by saying one thing and doing another, Jon. I don’t want to be like that. I really don’t. If we do win the election and we immediately say, oh, we got it all wrong, we've now got to do all these different things, we will instantly be just as bad as the current government has been and I just refuse to be like that… Before polling day you’ll know exactly what we’re going to spend, exactly what we’re going to save, and exactly how much better the budget bottom line will be under the Coalition.”

-Interviewed by Jon Faine, ABC Radio 774, Melbourne, 30 August 2013

“No cuts to education, no cuts to health, no change to pensions, no change to the GST and no cuts to the ABC or SBS.”

-on SBS TV on election eve, 6 September 2013

“In a week or so the governor-general will swear in a new government. A government that says what it means, and means what it says. A government of no surprises and no excuses.”

-Election night victory speech, 7 September 2013

 During his election night victory speech in September 2013, Tony Abbott made the following commitments:

“I now look forward to forming a government that is competent, that is trustworthy and which purposefully and steadfastly and methodically sets about delivering on our commitments to you, the Australian people.”

“In a week or so the governor-general will swear in a new government. A government that says what it means, and means what it says. A government of no surprises and no excuses. A government that understands the limits of power as well as its potential. And a government that accepts that it will be judged more by its deeds than by its mere words.”

“I give you all this assurance – we will not let you down. A good government is one that governs for all Australians, including those who haven’t voted for it. A good government is one with a duty to help everyone to maximise his or her potential, indigenous people, people with disabilities, and our forgotten families, as well as those who Menzies described as ‘lifters, not leaners’. We will not leave anyone behind.”

–Election night victory speech, Sydney, 7 September 2013

It is hardly surprising that in 2015 Abbott has an entrenched reputation for political dishonesty and failure to keep election promises.

And we wonder how Tony Abbott gets away with it?

For those among us still wondering how Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott manages to convince Coalition backbenchers to toe the line with regard to his punitive policies, here is the answer – by and large they are stupid.

Take Kevin Hogan the Nationals MP for a large federal electorate on the NSW North Coast, who on the morning of 15 January 2015 was quoted in The Daily Examiner:

Member for Page Kevin Hogan said the policy would not affect Clarence Valley residents because, in the majority of cases, doctors in the region saw patients for over 10 minutes.

"I don't support the city-based corporate six-minute medicine model of healthcare where doctors churn through 10 patients every hour as a policy," Mr Hogan said.

The policy to reduce the Medicare refund by $20.10 for GP visits under 10 minutes duration would not affect Clarence Valley residents?

The estimated resident population of the Clarence Valley is in excess of 51,000 persons.

Research done at the Family Medicine Research Centre in conjunction with the Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney reviewed data from BEACH (a continuous national study of GP activity) and reported in June 2014 that between 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013 only 10% of GP visits were timed as 6 minutes or less while a total of 12% were less than 10 minutes duration1.

So if every person visited the doctor only once a year it is likely that an estimated 6,120 visits to local doctors in the Clarence Valley would have been short consultations – leaving non-concessional patient(s) around $33-$38 out-of-pocket on each of these visits.

Across the entire Page electorate those GP consultations affected would have numbered over 15,994. More if one considers that Australians go to the doctor on average between 3.73 to 3.78 times a year and in NSW the figure is probably slightly higher.

Even leaving aside concessional patients within those 15,994 plus visits, that’s possibly in excess of $200,000 extra per annum that people in the electorate would have been paying from 19 January 2015 - before national outrage forced a government backdown on 15 January.

This backdown didn’t include the planned $5 across the board Medicare rebate cut for all visits to the local doctor from 1 July 2015.

This measure will see in excess of $765,000 come out of combined local pockets each year for GP visits within the Page electorate. Across the Northern Rivers region it will total an est $4.7 million per annum.

The Member for Page is clearly wrong in his assumptions.

Of course the Clarence Valley is affected by the Abbott Government’s attempts to dismantle Medicare and the health care universal safety net. His entire electorate will suffer.

Given the the last national census revealed that the Clarence Valley continues to have a higher proportion of households with incomes below $600 per week (33.8%) than New South Wales (21.7%) or Australia (21.1%) it is possible that this area will be affected more than most.

Kevin Hogan has obviously taken the Prime Minister’s word as gospel and not bothered to do any independent research himself, which given the prime minister’s track record, makes the Member for Page a very stupid politician.

1. Australia-wide in 2013-14 only 8 doctors referred to the Professional Services Review by the Department of Human Services (DHS) were the subject of "inappropriate practice" findings. In that financial year no referrals to DHS for suspected fraud were recorded.