Because it is beautiful.......(14)

Arts Northern River Image | Digby Moran, Bundjalung Boondies, 2012, acrylic on canvas, 250 x 180 cm

The message is being sent that the Clarence Valley does not want the Clarence River estuary industrialised and says "No" to a mega port

Letter by local resident and reply by Member of Parliament.

From: Judith Melville [redacted]
Sent: Wednesday, 17 August 2016 12:53 AM
To: ElectorateOffice Clarence
Subject: Unsolicited Proposal by Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd or Y.P.R. Australia Pty Ltd or Y.P.R Hong Kong or Deakin Capital Pty Ltd for privatization & development of Port of Yamba, NSW

CHRIS GULAPTIS

Member for Clarence

Parliamentary Secretary for the NSW North Coast

NSW Parliament House

Macquarie Street

Sydney NSW 2000

clarence@parliament.nsw.gov.au

16 August 2016

Dear Mr. Gulaptis,

Re: Future Strategic Planning & the Unsolicited Proposal by Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd or Y.P.R. Australia Pty Ltd or Y.P.R Hong Kong or Deakin Capital Pty Ltd for privatization & development of Port of Yamba, NSW

The NSW Government-owned Port of Yamba currently comprises “Goodwood Island wharf, a large shed that can accommodate vessels up to 120 metres in length, a small tug wharf and pontoon” which operate on a 24 hour basis [Port Authority of New South Wales Annual Report 2014/15].

The NSW Government has stated in its policy document titled “NSW Freight And Ports Strategy” (2013) that; “Future strategic planning by Sydney Ports will include the regional ports of Eden and Yamba”.

I ask you as the Member for Clarence and Parliamentary Secretary for the NSW North Coast to enquire on my behalf of both the Premier and Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight as to:

a) when this future strategic planning in relation to the Port of Yama is likely to be undertaken; and

b) whether the planning is likely to proceed as far as an intention for extension and technological upgrade of port infrastructure.

I further ask that you make known to Premier Baird and Minister Gay the fact that a number of residents and ratepayers in the Clarence Valley and, particularly those living on the banks of the Clarence River estuary, have publicly expressed concern about the NSW Government’s intentions towards the port [See No Yamba Mega Port at https://www.facebook.com/noyambamegaport/].

Many like myself are opposed to any strategic plan which involves the industrialisation of the Clarence estuary.

Especially if government leaves the door open to privatisation of the port or development along the lines set out in Australian Infrastructure Developments’ expanded proposal for a 36 sq. km infrastructure build covering an est. 27.2 per cent of the entire estuary area in additional to the approx. 20 km channel dredge to a depth of 18 metres [A.I.D. Australia Pty Ltd, Project 1 Port of Yamba at http://www.slideshare.net/DesEuen1/part-2-of-3-v1, September 2015].

Both houses of parliament will be sitting from 23 to 25 August and again from 13 to 15 and 21 to 22 September, which will hopefully allow you ample opportunity to approach the Premier and Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight.

In anticipation and appreciation of your assistance with this matter.

Yours sincerely,

JUDITH M. MELVILLE

[address redacted]

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: ElectorateOffice Clarence [redacted]
Sent: Wednesday, 17 August 2016 1:50 PM
To: 'Judith Melville'
Subject: RE: Unsolicited Proposal by Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd or Y.P.R. Australia Pty Ltd or Y.P.R Hong Kong or Deakin Capital Pty Ltd for privatization & development of Port of Yamba, NSW

Good afternoon Judith, and thanks for your e-mail about future strategic planning for the Port of Yamba.

I’m happy to raise your questions in this regard with both the Premier and Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, along with your opposition, and that of many others in the Clarence Valley, to a proposal by Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd for a ‘mega port’.

For your interest, I have publicly stated that I believe this project is ‘pie in the sky’ and certainly doesn’t tick any of the social or environmental boxes.

I will contact you again when I hear back from the Premier and Minister.

Regards – Chris

                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Letter by Greens candidate in the Clarence Valley local government election and reply from office of the NSW Premier.

To: premier@nsw.gov.au

Subject: Yamba Mega Port

Submitted on Tuesday, August 16, 2016 17:24

Submitted by anonymous user: [14.203.252.72]

Submitted values are:

Title: Dr

First Name: Greg

Last Name: Clancy

Organisation: Ecologist

Phone: [redacted]

Email: [redacted]

Street address: [redacted]

Suburb: Coutts Crossing

State: New South Wales

Postcode: 2460

Subject: Yamba Mega Port

Type of enquiry: Message

Message:

The company AID Australia proposes to build a mega port at Yamba, North Coast New South Wales. If this proposal was to be given approval it would have major impacts on the environment, economy and social aspects of the area. Any economic advantage of the port would be outweighed by the losses in the fishing and tourist industries. The estuary provides habitat for over 20 species of migratory shorebird that breed in the northern hemisphere. Australia is party to three international agreements to protect these species, a number of which are now listed as threatened. There are also locally nesting shorebirds that are listed as critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable breeding in the estuary. More details of the proposal and the potential impact can be found on the attached leaflet. This is concerning a large number of Clarence valley residents and visitors to the area who have agreed to fight the proposal tooth and nail. I ask that your government refuse this proposal if, and when, it is formally submitted and ask to be kept abreast of any developments with respect to the proponents submitting an application for development. Yours Faithfully Dr Greg Clancy

I would like a response: Yes, I would like a response

I would like to receive regular updates from the NSW Government: No

End of message

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reference: CMU16-19224

18 August 2016

Dr Greg Clancy

[redacted]

Dear Dr Clancy

On behalf of the Premier I would like to acknowledge receipt of your correspondence regarding the proposed Yamba Mega Port.

The Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight has portfolio responsibility for this issue and I have forwarded a copy of your correspondence for the Minister’s information and consideration.

If you have any further enquiries about this matter please contact the Hon Duncan Gay MLC directly on (02) 8574 5500.

Thank you for taking the time to write to the Premier.

Yours sincerely

M. Monahan

Director, Briefings and Correspondence Unit

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are two sides to the NSW greyhound racing ban - but only one is focused on stopping the widespread cruelty

The Greyhound Special Commission of Inquiry Factsheet, June 2016:

Of the 97,783 greyhounds bred in the last 12 years, between 48,891 and 68,448 dogs were killed because they were deemed uncompetitive as racing dogs – this equates to a “wastage” rate of 50 to 70 per cent.

Even by reducing the number of races to the minimum required for the industry to remain viable (593), at that wastage rate there would still be 2,000 to 4,000 dogs killed prior to reaching racing age each year.

Evidence of live baiting extends as far back as 2009 and with around 10 to 20 per cent of trainers engaged in the practice, the Commission concluded that there is endemic support for the practice and that GRNSW knew about the practice and did nothing about it.

Greyhound racing is only commercially run in eight countries. The largest of those is the United States where it has been in decline over a number of years with Arizona becoming the 40th state to ban the sport in June this year.

Deaths and injuries went unreported to GRNSW even following a Four Corners report in February 2015 exposing live baiting practices, and the establishment of the Special Commission of Inquiry in May 2016…..

the Commission finds that GRNSW engaged in the conduct knowingly and with the intention of sanitising the information that became available to the public concerning injuries suffered by greyhounds. The motive for the policy was the hope that, by doing so, substantial criticism of the greyhound racing industry in NSW could be avoided.”

“Given these views, and the highly entrenched nature of live baiting as a traditional training method, there is a very real risk that, once the harsh spotlight of this Commission is removed from the industry, the practice of live baiting will thrive once more. It is imperative that regulators take all available steps to try to ensure that this does not occur. That said, as history suggests, there is reason for pessimism on this front.”

The Northern Star lays out the economic reality of the ban on 16 August 2016:

A report prepared by Richmond Valley Council staff for tonight's council meeting includes a case study of a local pet supply shop which is expected to close if the proposed the NSW government's ban on greyhound racing goes ahead in July 2017.

The report recommends that Richmond Valley Council notes that the closure of the NSW Greyhound Racing Industry will lead to a loss of $10.5 million direct investment, 49 jobs and $2.4 million in salaries and wages to the Richmond Valley economy…..

According to the council report, if the greyhound industry ban proceeds Richmond Valley Council will be left with a redundant race track, lose annual revenue and is likely to have to take over maintenance of the facility.

If the industry closes council will also be required to re-home or euthanise the significant number of greyhounds that the current greyhound owners will be left with and in many cases unable to afford to feed leaving them with no alternative other to surrender them to council's animal shelter.

The race track was upgraded from a grass track to an all-weather loam track to improve safety at the start of 2015 at a cost of $850,000 which was funded by the Casino Greyhound Club.

The club pay council $6,500 per annum for the use of the facility.

On the same day a Clarence Valley resident Celeste Warren laid out the case to end this cruel sport:

W.M. Dougherty's letter (DEX 11 Aug, 2016) stated he sighted the paper advertisement from the state government supporting its ban on greyhound racing and was concerned it was 'all about dogs - no mention of humans.....no mention of ...jobs...millions of dollars...way of life...enjoyment....' and  'I got the idea that humans were more important than dogs'.  He was concerned the Baird government considered dogs more important than people.

I'd like to point out, in his letter, there was no mention of:  live baiting, destruction of hundreds of healthy non raceable dogs, each year, short life spans of racing dogs, a certain acceptance of cruelty in the sport as always having been done and not a major issue to be dealt with. 

Cruelty in the sport has been well known and a certain level of acceptance of it is held by those in greyhound racing and the general public.

Greyhound racing has had decades to eradicate cruel practice's and stop and prosecute those who partake in them.  They state they need 'more time'? to put a stop to the living 'wastage' - dogs - and the cruelty within the industry. When did they actually start to stop the 'acceptable' number of cruelty cases within the industry?  How much time do they need to effectively police themselves? 

The Baird government decided that enough time had passed for the greyhound industry to improve itself and seriously deal with its cruelty issues but it just wasn't as important as jobs, millions of dollars, way of life, enjoyment....  Not enough effort was given for the changes.  Not enough of those who love their dogs appeared to want to lobby for change to help other dogs and other animals used in grey hound racing, such as those who are live bait.

I know of some who worked in the industry in Queensland and I saw some of those dogs and saw the result of how they were 'taught' to race.

Will any government also expect other animal sports to 'pull their heads in' or lose them with a banning of their sports?  Probably not.  Why?  Because animal welfare is never, I repeat, never, as important as humans...their money, jobs, enjoyment and rights.  The greyhound industry in NSW is not as great a money spinner as other animal racing is.  Greyhound racing is an easier animal welfare issue for the state government to score points on.  It relieves some animal cruelty issues without too great a dent in the state coffers.  Still, those who care for animal welfare and rights as ''one eyed' as 'we' are, will take what little tidbit we can get in gaining a little more help for our furry friends.

So, Mr. Dougherty, rest easy as animals will never be as important as you and yours.  Enjoy the Queensland races.

Laughing at One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts

Former mining engineer and former Galileo Movement project officer, Senator Malcolm Roberts, is as politically bizarre as it is possible to find in the Australian Senate.

Below is an understandable response to CSIROh! Climate ofDeception? ... Or First Step to Freedom?:

Malcolm Ieuan Roberts three-page CV can be found here.

Australian child sexual abuse royal commission choosing its words carefully

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, media release, 15 August 2016:

Statement on immigration detention centres

15 August, 2016

The Royal Commission does not ordinarily comment upon operational matters. However, because of the level of public discussion in relation to immigration detention centres the Commission indicates the following.

The Royal Commission has an ongoing investigation in relation to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection’s response to allegations of child sexual abuse in detention centres. Whether or not a public hearing is warranted has not been determined.

The Royal Commission is conscious that a Child Protection Panel was established by the Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection in May 2015. The Panel’s terms of reference indicate that ‘a final report will be provided to the Secretary by mid-2016 covering both better practice and a comprehensive sample of reviews.’ The Royal Commission anticipates that the report will deal with the Department’s response to, among other matters, allegations of child abuse in detention centres. The Royal Commission will have regard to that report in the course of its investigation into immigration detention issues.

Human Rights Law Centre advice to Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual...

https://www.scribd.com/document/321201052/Human-Rights-Law-Centre-advice-to-Australian-Royal-Commission-into-Institutional-Responses-to-Child-Sexual-Abuse

If you have flu symptoms stay away from aged care facilities, pregnant women and friends with very young children this winter

NSW Health, media release, 16 August 2016:

Protect vulnerable people as flu cases rise: NSW Health

​NSW Health is urging people with flu symptoms to stay away from aged care facilities and vulnerable groups following a spike in influenza presentations to emergency departments and 22 new influenza outbreaks in residential aged care facilities in the last week.   

NSW Health's latest Influenza Report shows that more than 1950 confirmed influenza cases were reported from across the state last week.

Most cases are caused by the influenza A(H3N2) strain of the virus, which is covered by the 2016 seasonal influenza vaccine. Small children and older people tend to be more susceptible to severe influenza infection when influenza A(H3N2) is the predominant strain.

NSW Health's Director Communicable Diseases, Dr Vicky Sheppeard, said when flu was introduced to aged care facilities it was difficult to control as flu vaccination was not as effective in the elderly.

"Nevertheless, as older people are particularly susceptible to contracting the flu it's important they have the vaccination every year to reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death," Dr Sheppeard said.

"So far this year we've had 79 outbreaks in residential aged care facilities, affecting around 942 staff and residents, with 45 associated deaths reported in elderly residents with significant underlying illness. It's important that friends and family who may have the flu stay away from these facilities while they are unwell to help prevent the spread of the virus."

Dr Sheppeard said all pregnant women were also strongly advised to have the influenza vaccination to reduce the health risks to themselves and their babies.

"Pregnant women who get influenza are at greater risk of developing serious complications, such as pneumonia, which may result in their hospitalisation," Dr Sheppeard said.

"Children born to vaccinated mothers also have a reduced risk of contracting influenza in the first six months of life."

Dr Sheppeard said while influenza presentations at emergency departments continue to increase each week, the NSW Health system was well prepared to manage the cases.

"The NSW Ministry of Health, Local Health Districts and NSW Ambulance work together to manage surges in demand and improve the transfer of care times for patients during peak periods at hospital emergency departments," Dr Sheppeard said.

"During peak times we encourage people to seek advice from their GPs and Healthdirect, a 24 hour helpline that provides immediate health advice on line from registered nurses."

Symptoms that indicate you have flu include: fever and chills; cough, sore throat and runny or stuffy nose; muscle aches and joint pains; headaches and fatigue; nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

The following precautions can be taken to minimise the risk of developing influenza:
• Get vaccinated every year – preferably before winter starts
• Wash your hands regularly, cover coughs and sneezes, and encourage others to do so as well
• Ask sick people to stay away until they are well
• If you are vulnerable to severe influenza see your doctor as soon as flu symptoms start as early treatment of flu can help prevent complications.

For more information see the NSW Health factsheet:
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/influenza_factsheet.aspx.