Choppy waters ahead as report, newspaper article and letter concerning a Clarence River study all differ in detail

It seems that the difference between the 504 test sites identified in the UNSW Water Research Laboratory 211-page report on Clarence riverbank vulnerability and the 252 sites implied in the newspaper article raised some local eyebrows, but it was this paragraph which appeared to elevate the blood pressure of one particular reader who perhaps was remembering that the Clarence River is over 300 km long:

 While the study found there were sections of the river in those areas where management of activities was warranted, the majority of the river was suitable for water skiing and wakeboarding for vessels making up to 150 passes of the river a day.

The irate reader himself also had trouble with the number of sections in the 37 km study area. Though to be fair it appears he may be using the locally recognised distinctions between stretches of the river between Rogan's Bridge and Ulmarra.

The study has a contentious history with Seelands residents - see here and here.

The report

UNSW Water Research Laboratory (WRL) Report: Riverbank Vulnerability Assessment using a Decision Support System: Clarence River (Rogans Bridge to Ulmarra) - excerpts:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

The newspaper article

The Daily Examiner 30 December 2014:

The controversial activity of wakeboarding is generally suitable for the Clarence River between Ulmarra and Seelands, says the draft of a university report released this month.

The University of NSW Water Research Laboratory study, Riverbank Vulnerability Assessment Using a Decision Support System: Rogans Bridge to Ulmarra, looks at the effect of water activities on the river on riverbank health.

While the study found there were sections of the river in those areas where management of activities was warranted, the majority of the river was suitable for water skiing and wakeboarding for vessels making up to 150 passes of the river a day.

Data collection for the report was concluded in May.

To study the effects of erosion on the banks and three river islands, the 37km stretch of river and Susan, Elizabeth and Peanut islands were divided into 84 sections and each section had six test points - three on each bank.

The erosive potential for each section was broken into five categories: highly resistant, moderately resistant, mildly resistant, moderately erosive and highly erosive.

These categories were used to come up with the decision support system (DSS) ratings: allow, monitor and manage.

The study also found riverbanks were generally more vulnerable to erosion at mid-low tide and high tide. It also looked at the effect of wind waves.

The Clarence Valley Council, the NSW North Coast Local Land Services (LLS) and NSW Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) funded the report.

The Maritime Management Centre (MMC) in Transport for NSW is now seeking feedback on the report, to help inform the development of a draft management plan for the area.

One readers response

The Daily Examiner 5 January 2015:

Confidence eroded

I refer to the DEX article "Report finds wakeboarding 'generally suitable' on Clarence" (30/12).

Your readers should be made aware that this article is factually incorrect and displays a level of irresponsible journalism that has negative effects beyond the continuing reduction of the credibility of this newspaper.

The riverbank erosion study did not find the "majority" of the river was suitable for wakeboarding.

The UNSW Water Research Laboratory study examined only three relatively small sections of the navigable river and therefore could not and did not draw any conclusions on suitability of wakeboarding for the "majority" of the river.

In the limited study areas, about one third of the riverbank studied was assessed as requiring "immediate enforceable no wash zones" (i.e. no slow-tow wakeboarding) to prevent further riverbank erosion; another third was assessed as requiring zoning to prevent wakeboarding within 100 metres of the riverbank; and for the rest there was a requirement to monitor riverbank erosion and conduct small areas of remedial protection works.

To report the study results as finding wakeboarding "generally suitable" on the Clarence is a nonsense and a significantly irresponsible action.

As a result of this misleading article, and the lack of effective action by CVC and RMS, the river between Rogan Bridge and Moleville Rock that was identified as particularly vulnerable to excessive wash is inundated by slow-tow wake boats and the significant (according to WRL) riverbank erosion and damage is continuing.

At the recent WRL study presentation Professor Glamore stated "blind Freddie" could see the riverbank from Rogan Bridge to Moleville Rock was extremely vulnerable to wash erosion.

However what the professor did not understand was that being blind to the legitimate concerns of the community (which have now been scientifically validated) is apparently part of the job descriptions for DEX, CVC and RMS personnel.

What DEX should be investigating is why CVC has not taken any effective action and why RMS refuses to implement immediate boat wash restrictions as recommended by the WRL study.

John Griffith,

Seelands

Ever wondered what is included in Tony Abbott's Direct Action plan?

Australian voters have been hearing about Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s greenhouse gas emissions policy for some years now.

This appears to be the core of the opt-in Direct Action Plan:

The Emissions Reduction Fund is the centrepiece of the Government’s Direct Action Plan….

The Emissions Reduction Fund will provide incentives for businesses, not punish them…..

The Emissions Reduction Fund will focus on lowest-cost emissions reductions…..

Emissions reduction methods will set out the rules for estimating emissions reductions from different activities.

the Emissions Reduction Fund has three elements:

            crediting emissions reductions

            purchasing emissions reductions, and

            safeguarding emissions reductions…..

The safeguard mechanism will apply at the facility level rather than the company level and will be restricted to facilities with direct emissions of 100 000 tonnes of CO2-e a year or more. This approach will make the mechanism highly efficient by covering approximately 52 per cent of Australia’s emissions while limiting the number of covered businesses to around 130….

The Government will work with businesses to establish a flexible framework for complying with the safeguard in the unlikely event of baselines being exceeded…..

A menu of methods will be available so that businesses can easily participate in the Emissions Reduction Fund using the methods that best suit their specific projects…..

As occurs under the Carbon Farming Initiative, Australian Carbon Credit Units will constitute personal property with legal title registered on the Australian National Registry of Emissions Units. This will provide certainty for businesses and ensure that emissions reductions are credible. It will also give businesses the flexibility to sell their credits into the Emissions Reduction Fund or to use them in other ways, such as in voluntary offset programmes…. [Abbott Government Emissions Reduction Fund White Paper 2014]

As befits any Abbott Government policy, the Direct Action plan is still rather vague on precise detail.

However, this hilarious little anti-burping, anti-farting kill-em-early-and-kill-em-plenty management plan is apparently being considered for absorption into the Emissions Reduction Fund:

Herd management projects

(1) For paragraph 106(1)(a) of the Act, this determination applies to an emissions avoidance offsets project which can reasonably be expected to avoid emissions from cattle by any of the following:

(a) reducing the average number of days from birth to slaughter in the herd;

(b) reducing the average age of the herd;

(c) reducing the number of animals in the herd.

Greatest area of need for people with disability left unmet by Abbott Government according to the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations

Media Release 6 Jan 2015:

‘Greatest area of need for people with disability left unmet by Government’ said Matthew Wright, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO) and spokesperson for the disability peaks.

Responding to claims in The Australian newspaper by Minister for Social Services, Scott Morrison that the new peaks funding ‘supports the area of greatest need’, Matthew Wright said “The department has cut or not provided funding to the highest population groups of people with disability in Australia’.

Both the NDIS quarterly report and Disability Support Pension (DSP) statistics show consistently that intellectual disability, autism (also the fastest growing disability), mental illness and physical disability are the four most prevalent types of disability.

‘All of these groups including the National Council on Intellectual Disability, Autism Aspergers Advocacy Australia (A4), and Physical Disability Australia have not been funded as part of this process’.

Bob Buckley, Convenor of A4 said “No other disability organisation at the national level has any effective track record of representation or advocacy across the full spectrum of people living with autism.  People with some of the worst disability outcomes are again left without funded support.”

Support to over 200,000 Australians with a disability will be ceased as part of the process, and any protection from adverse action for the most vulnerable Australians will be lost’.

“Intellectual disability is consistently one of the top three primary conditions in DSP and NDIS data” said Mark Pattison, CEO of National Council on Intellectual Disability.

We are still urgently seeking a meeting with Minister Scott Morrison, said Matthew Wright. 

The disability peaks support the push for a Senate Inquiry into the process that has led to people with disability being left without essential support.

Please direct all media enquiries to Mr Matthew Wright on 0428 608 861. 

Even Liberal Party rank and file detest Tony Abbott

Letter to the Editor in The Sydney Morning Herald on 24 December 2014:

Tony Abbott will never learn. His harsh and inhumane policies on refugees, young people, the unemployed and so on have already (and deservedly) earned him acute unpopularity. Now he appoints his henchman Morrison to apply his blowtorch to all social welfare recipients.

One thing he can be sure of – he heads a one-term government. The untrustworthy Bill Shorten, of all people, is destined to become our next prime minister by absolute default.

Having once been NSW and federal president of the Liberal  Party I have to say shame on you Abbott, Morrison and Hockey. You three may get your just desserts. But in the process you will have dumped on the entire Liberal Party community.

John Valder 

Bayview

Lapse in taste by News Corp

Hot on the heels of News Corp founder Rupert Murdoch's December 2014 callous tweet comes The Guardian 9 January 2015 report of this exercise in bad taste:  

News Corp Australia’s most popular magazine insert has advertised for fashion interns by using a photo of a young woman dressed in underwear on all fours on a bed.

Best Headline of the Holidays

BOOM, BOOM! Best of Tony Abbott Jokes

Found on Twitter  ‏@wrb330 

News Corp masthead accuses rival media outlets of "co-opting readers into group think"

On 3 January 2015 The Australian decided it was time to give its readers the chance to laugh at the editorial staff by accusing others of its own journalistic sins:

This may come as a surprise to @JohnQuiggin but we love a contest of ideas. And we’d love to see the same ethos alive at other media outlets. We’d take great delight if controversial, unorthodox views were to be found on a regular basis on, say, Fairfax websites or the ABC. Sadly, with few exceptions, the editorial policy appears to be more about co-opting readers into groupthink, the enemy of rigorous, informative and productive public debate. Memo to the ABC’s Mark Scott and Greg Hywood at Fairfax Media: Journalism is not sociology.

GROUND ZERO: a rather strange use for a little Google api

Carlos Labs asks: Have you ever wondered what would happen if a nuclear bomb goes off in your city? 

Here is ground zero on what would possibly be three popular targets if the political opinion polls were weaponised:

Remembering Julia Gillard - Part Two

Julia Gillard became Prime Minister of Australia on 24 June 2010. After the federal election in August 2010 she formed a minority government. Ms. Gillard ceased to be prime minister on 27 June 2013.

Below are the measurable effects of her government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL GREENHOUSE ACCOUNTS Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, June Quarter 2012

Emissions increased in the June quarter 2012, with trend emissions growth subdued at 0.0% and seasonally adjusted and weather normalised emissions increasing 0.4% on the

previous quarter (Figures 1-3).

The fugitive emissions sector increased in trend emissions for the June quarter 2012 (section 2.4). This increase was offset by decreases in emissions from the electricity (section 2.1) and industrial processes (section 2.5) sectors, which resulted in zero trend growth for the quarter.

Annual emissions for the year to June 2012 are estimated to be 551.0 Mt CO2-e. This represents a small decline in emissions of 0.1% when compared to the year to June 2011.

                                                                    

The national carbon pricing mechanism (popularly known as the carbon tax) introduced by the Labor Gillard Government began on 1 July 2012.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL GREENHOUSE ACCOUNTS Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, June Quarter 2013

Emissions increased in the June quarter 2013, with both trend and seasonally adjusted emissions growing by 0.3% (Figures 1-3).

Agriculture (section 2.6), industrial processes (section 2.5) and transport (section 2.3) sectors contributed to the quarterly trend increase in emissions. This was partially offset by trend decreases in emissions in the stationary energy excluding electricity (section 2.2) and fugitive emissions (section 2.4) sectors.

Annual emissions for 2012-13 are estimated to be 545.9 Mt CO2-e. This represents a 0.1% decline in emissions when compared with the previous year.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL GREENHOUSE ACCOUNTS Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: June 2014

Emissions increased in the June quarter 2014, with trend emissions growing 0.4% on March 2014; increases in the stationary energy (section 2.2), electricity (section 2.1) and agriculture (section 2.6) sectors were partially offset by decreases in transport (section 2.3) and fugitive emissions (section 2.4). Seasonally adjusted emissions increased 0.2% (Figures 1-3).

Annual emissions for 2013-14 are estimated to be 542.6 Mt CO2-e3. This represents a 1.4% decline in emissions when compared with the previous year.

Over 2013-14, there was a decline in emissions from electricity (section 2.1), reflecting lower electricity demand and changes in the generation mix. Emissions from transport (section 2.3), industrial processes (section 2.5) and agriculture (section 2.6) also declined over the year. These declines were partially offset by increases in the fugitive emissions (section 2.4) and stationary energy (excluding electricity) (section 2.2) sectors.

The national carbon pricing mechanism was ended by the Abbott Liberal-Nationals Coalition Government on 1 July 2014.

Professor of Geology and Director of Melbourne Energy Institute at University of Melbourne, Mike Stanford, 4 November 2014

Across the National Electricity Market (NEM) we are tracking towards an extra 14 million tonnes CO2 for FY2014-15 compared to FY2013-14. If we get lower than average rain, electricity sector emissions might grow by a few more million tonnes and exceed 10% over the year.

The pertinent numbers are shown in the figure below. In the first hundred days since the repeal NEM emissions were up 4 million tonnes on the equivalent period last financial year according to figures from the market operator AEMO.

CEDEX Carbon Emissions Index, November 2014

In the June 2014 CEDEX® report we said “it now appears that June 2014 may mark the low point of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions for the foreseeable future”.  That is what is now happening. 

Why the rest of Australia is hoping the 31 January 2015 ballot box delivers a fair go for Queenslanders

Once the age of digital news dawned it would be fair to say that a good many Australians began to know something of the politics (and the woes of long-suffering voters) in states other than their own.

Such is the case with Queensland.

However, many of their fellow citizens are not just hoping that Queenslanders get a a fair go and that Campbell Newman's regime dies at the state election ballot box on 31 January 2015 because of the personal, societal, economic, institutional and environmental damage the Liberal-National Party has inflicted

No, it's also because of an unhealthy political friendship. An association with the person and ideology of this man below, seen in too many photographs with Premier Newman for their bond to be ignored.

Click on image to enlarge

Ongoing community concerns about Clarence Valley Council's redevelopment of Maclean's McLachlan Park is not confined to trees, parking, toilet blocks or loss of green space

Map excerpt showing the Clarence Coastal Zone & surrounding zones

The coastal zone is illustrated on the maps produced to accompany this policy which will be available for public inspection at all local councils. Mapping of the coastal zone is based on the following criteria.

* three nautical miles seaward of the mainland and offshore islands;

* one kilometre landward of the open coast high water mark;

* a distance of one kilometre around:

   all bays, estuaries, coastal lakes, lagoons and islands;

* tidal waters of coastal rivers to the limit of mangroves, as defined by NSW Fisheries’(1985) maps or the tidal limit whichever is closer to the sea;

* with the line on the maps being taken to the nearest cadastral boundary and/or easily recognisable physical boundary, in consultation with local councils. [NSW Coastal Policy 1997, Part A & Part B]¹

McLachlan Park in the Lower Clarence Scottish Town of Maclean has been raising the ire of residents and ratepayers ever since the $1.13 million redevelop plan for this park, sitting virtually atop the town's levee, was first disclosed in all its 'glory'.

This time the issues of local government transparency and accountability, as well as using Clarence Coast Reserve Trust monies raised in Yamba to meet the mounting costs associated with this redevelopment, are at the bottom of this particular exchange between one ratepayer and Clarence Valley Council, reproduced here with permission of Mr. Hunt.

______________________________

From: Ray Hunt [redacted]
Sent: Saturday, 3 January 2015 11:55 AM
To: david.morrison@clarence.nsw.gov.au
Cc: Richie Williamson; Craig Howe; Sue Hughes; Jason Kingsley; Margaret McKenna; Jim Simmons; Karen Toms
Subject: Re: McLachlan Park

Mr David Morrison,

  Its unbelievable.

  Your email 24-12-14 is acknowledged, (apparently) on behalf of Mr Peter Birch, Director of Environment, Planning and Community to my simple inquiry three months ago, viz: How was it possible that the CCRMS Coastal Zone definition (p30) which expressly specifies a 1 km strip along the coastline, can include reserves in Maclean some 20ks up river?

Three months to think about it, yet you avoid the question.

The CCRMS was adopted by the Minister 18-12-02 pursuant to Sect 114 Crown Lands Act and no operations can be undertaken unless it is in accordance with the CCRMS.

  I also note your comments on the inclusion into the CCRT, the Herb Stanford park. But again you do not explain how this park some 20ks up river can be included into the CCRT when the CCRMS coastal zone definition expressly specifies a 1k strip along the coastline.

Whatsmore, when that matter came before Cllrs at the CCRT meeting 8-10-14, even the Cllrs were not informed.

  It is this same lack of accountability, reminiscent of the past, when Cllrs were not warned when they were deciding CCRT matters, enabling CCRT revenues to be exploited and pay for Councils services.

  Due to this lack of accountability, I had little choice but to lodge a complaint with Crown Lands with whom the reserves are vested and was in possession of the CCRMS which it knew or ought to have known was flawed.

Unfortunately, without first consulting me, Crown Lands sent it to Council as the Trust Manager and Mr Birch gave his undertaking to address the issues I raised.

But it seems no one wants to be accountable.

  Its more than a coincidence that one day after responding to an inquisitive Mayor that I had lodged my complaint with Crown Lands and not Council, Crown Lands informed me it was not responding to my complaint as it had requested the Trust to respond and the Trust (Mr Birch) gave its undertaking to do so.

Then came your email (apparently) on behalf of Mr Birch, that "Council was not obliged to reply to matters raised by me to Crown Lands---"

So who is obliged?

With great respect that obligation now rests with you.

  There has been no entrapment here. Mr Birch, a senior officer in Council and representing the Trust manager, was fully aware of the situation and freely gave his undertaking to address the issues I raised concerning Councils management of the CCRT.

I hope the integrity of senior operational staff has not sunk to the depths where they can openly lie to the community and not be held accountable.

  The issue of the Coastal Zone however, is not the only issue that remains unexplained. So too are the issues of  Sect. 10 CLAct ( management for the benefit of the people of NSW) and Councils perceived conflict of interest as the CCRT Manager as well as Councils lack of accountability and community consultation meetings.

Iluka, Yamba and Brooms Head are just the few communities that are making significant sacrifices to their valuable CBD water front lands to contribute to the CCRT. But there is no benefit, fairness or equity to them.

  In particular the Harbour St., residents are subjected to noise, traffic congestion, obstructed views and depressed land values, so that unquantified amounts of CCRT funds can be spent on the beautification of Macleans multi million dollar CBD water frontage, improving views and increasing land values to the River St. residents.

It is not unreasonable for those few communities that are making those significant sacrifices, to want a say in the management of the CCRT that has extensive socio-economic impacts on their lives.

  But more to the point. Why are you trying to prevent it? In doing so, operational staff are exceeding their administrative functions and usurping the role of Cllrs and their policy making functions of directing and controlling the affairs of Council. Your behavior demonstrates your intentions to protect Councils perceived conflict of interest in an indeavour to exploit the CCRT.

  If reserves are funded from the CCRT caravan park revenue, then the larger "the CCRT Manager" can make the caravan park to generate more CCRT revenue, the more savings "the Council" makes to service the wider Clarence Valley.

This may benefit the wider Clarence valley, but it exploits those few communities that are making significant sacrifices to generate the revenues for the CCRT. There is no benefit for them.

Their facilities are left to deteriate in a long waiting list, unable to compete in a competitive tourist market.

Yamba for example:

#   Resurface Ford park as promised 10 years ago and include potable recycled water sprinklers from the Yamba STP that crosses Ford park before it is discharged to sea,

#   Upgrade Yambas zig zag path in Flinders park as promised 15 years ago and improve surrounding aesthetics.

#   Upgrade Yambas rock pool to include barriers and pump to maintain water quality and a safer environment.

#   Assist the funding of volunteer Landcare groups

#   Make the CCRT financial records more transparent to Cllrs and the community.

  If fairness and equity and indeed productivity is to be achieved in the management of the CCRT, those few communities that have made significant sacrifices to fund the CCRT, must be given an effective voice in its management to prevent them from being exploited in the manner you are doing.

I have suggested Sect 355 C'tees or Precincts similar to the Ballina Coastal Reserves Management Plan.

  Accordingly, I respectfully await the Trusts response in addressing the issues I have raised.

Ray Hunt

Yamba

On Wed, Dec 24, 2014 at 1:55 PM, David Morrison <David.Morrison@clarence.nsw.gov.au> wrote:

Dear Ray,

I am responding to and acknowledge your email of 28 September 2014 forwarded by Crown Lands on the 1 October 2014. I am also responding on behalf of Council's Peter Birch.  Council also acknowledges your email of 28 October 2014 to Crown Lands and forwarded to Council on the 3^rd November 2014. Council notes that your email of 28 October to Crown Lands was primarily to lodge a complaint about Council and Council's role as Trust Manager of the Clarence Coast Reserve Trust (CCRT). Council is not obliged to reply to matters raised by you to Crown Lands, but will provide a response to Crown Lands if required.

On matters raised in your email of 28 September 2014, Council provides the following response:

Inclusion of non-coastal zone reserves within the CCRT

Council notes that Kevin Cameron has provided a reply in regards to this matter, and concurs with it.

Application to the Minister for Crown Lands to include Herb Stanford Park (R8422) in the CCRT

Herb Stanford Park (R8422) is gazetted as road reserve. No Trust has been appointed to this reserve and the gazetted purpose does not meet the definition of a public reserve under the Local Government Act 1994. However, Council and the community of Maclean have developed this park over time for the benefit of the Maclean and wider Clarence Valley Community. To ensure its ongoing care, control and management the CCRT have applied to the Minister to have this small but community important reserve included as part of the CCRT.  

Redevelopment of McLachlan Park

The adopted budget for the redevelopment of McLachlan Park will be undertaken largely with grant monies ($500K – Regional Development Australia Fund; $300K – Better Boating Program) and from the sale of Operational land in Maclean ($500K). The CCRT may contribute some monies to complete the redevelopment of this reserve if required, but it will not be in the order that you claim. Similarly, Council and Council as Corporate Manager of the CCRT will apply for grant monies as opportunities arise to offset the majority of the cost of the proposed redevelopment of the Calypso Caravan Park.

Management of Crown Reserves in general

Council and Council as Corporate Manager of more than 90 Reserve Trusts manage more than 200 Crown Reserves covering approx. 1240ha on behalf of the people of NSW. This is in addition to the 272ha of Community and Operational land owned by Council and developed as public open space. Council is aware of its responsibilities as Trust Manager of Crown Reserves under the Crown Lands Act 1989 and will aim to ensure equity of service provision across all public land managed by Council on behalf of residents and visitors to the Clarence Valley. This may include grouping Crown Reserves under fewer Reserve Trusts to improve the efficiency of the management of Crown Reserves on behalf of the people of NSW.

I trust that this clarifies the situation for you.

Yours faithfully

David Morrison

Acting Director Environment, Planning and Community

David Morrison

Manager Strategic & Economic Planning

Clarence Valley Council

Locked Bag 23, GRAFTON NSW 2460

P: (02) 6643 0204

F: (02) 6642 7647

M: 0408 296 365

www.clarence.nsw.gov.au

______________________________

Foot Notes

1. NSW Environment Minister Rob Stokes has announced the development of reforms to the State’s coastal management laws, including improved technical support and new funding arrangements for local government coastal management initiatives.

The coastal reform package is expected to come before the State Parliament at the end of 2015 and will replace the 35-year-old Coastal Protection Act, which the Minister said no longer achieves the desired integrated and balanced approach to coastal management. [National Seachange Taskforce, 20 November 2014]

Remembering Julia Gillard - Part One

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was in office for a total of 1,098 days from 24 June 2010 to 27 June 2013. 

After 21 August 2010 she was at the head of a minority government, yet she ranked first out of 24 Australian prime ministers for the numbers of pieces of legislation passed per day with a rate of 0.495.

The Guardian 28 June 2013
Click on image to enlarge

Is Prime Minister Abbott so desperate to control the message and lift his flagging polls that he risks alienating Australian mainstream media?

This was how The Australian commenced its 5 January 2015 article about Prime Minister Abbott’s latest public relations misstep:

TONY Abbott’s office has triggered frustrations with the media by excluding a TV crew from the Prime Minister’s sudden visit to Baghdad, limiting access to his speech to Australian troops and joint statement with his Iraqi counterpart.

A camera crew sent by the major TV networks was left in Dubai when Mr Abbott flew into Iraq with his personal staff, forcing the media to rely on footage provided by the Prime Minister’s office.

This is how individual journalists reacted to the unannounced Iraq trip on Twitter:

What Iraqi News knew on 29 December 2014:

(IraqiNews.com) On Monday, the official government spokesman, Saad Hadithi revealed that the Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott plans to visit Baghdad in the coming days, while noting that Abbott will discuss with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi the support and the equipment of security forces to confront the organization of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Hadithi said in an interview for IraqiNews.com, “Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott will visit Baghdad in the coming days to meet with President Minister Haider al-Abadi to discuss military cooperation between the two countries.”

He added, “Abbott will discuss with al-Abadi the subject of development, training and equipping of security forces with weapons and ammunition,” adding that, “Australia has shown its willingness to provide military support to Iraq to face the terrorist gangs of ISIS.”

This is part of the 5 January speech Australian journalists were not allowed to hear as it happened:

This is my first visit to Baghdad. It is my first visit to Iraq.

Iraq is a country which has suffered a very great deal. First, decades of tyranny under Saddam Hussein. Then, the chaos and confusion that followed the American-led invasion. Most recently, the tumult, the dark age, which has descended upon Northern Iraq as a result of the Daesh death cult, but Australia will do what we can to help.

These are some of the images of varying quality which Team Abbott appears to have released to the media and/or posted on Facebook:

These are the poor quality propaganda videos his personal media crew created:

http://youtu.be/XCrDn8j812Y  http://youtu.be/Ba4XP0rhWL0

However, the Prime Minister's attempt to control the media message was not successful as one can see from this interpretation of that 5 January speech in The Sydney Morning Herald later the same day - which contained only one mention of 'death cult' and opened with this message about a war of which he approved and agreed to Australia's participation in:

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has blasted in his strongest terms yet the US management of Iraq following the 2003 invasion, branding it a period of "chaos and confusion".

It seems the days when Abbott just had to don a helmet and flak jacket to have the media treat him like a hero have long since passed and his latest attempt to reverse the public relations situation is only making matters worse.

I imagine Jane McMillan is thankful she is on holidays and not returning to the the prime minister's office as his media chief. 

To quote Bruce Hawker writing in The Age: When a Prime Minister is on a collision course with public opinion there can only be one result.

UPDATE

Political cartoonist Alan Moir sums up what appears to be the general response, to the Prime Minister's visit to Iraq, in his latest effort for The Sydney Morning Herald on 6 January 2015: