A Clarence Valley Infocus Competiton 2019 winner

There were five winners in the 2019 Clarence Valley Infocus Competiton.

The photograph of one of those winners, Samantha Clarke of South Grafton, caught the eye of The Daily Examiner on 14 February 2020:

"Yuraygir Phoenix"

This photograph was taken on the September 2019 fireground near Brooms Head in the Lower Clarence Valley.

All five winners will be showcased as part of the plunge Art and Culture festival at the Grafton Regional Gallery and Ferry Park in Maclean during April 2020.

Tweets of the Week - #sportsrorts edition

Abetz own goal #auspol pic.twitter.com/Hnk4X3OXhw

— Anthony Chisholm (@AnthonyChisholm) February 13, 2020

In which the answer to Liberal Senator for Tasmania Eric Abetz's question reveals that #sportsrorts was a fact.

@ScottMorrisonMP informed that the audit office has just given evidence that 43% of the grants under the sports scheme were ineligible. #SportsRorts #auspol pic.twitter.com/ghpIpOjovb

— David Marler (@Qldaah) February 13, 2020

In which Australian Prime Minister & Liberal MP for Cook Scott Morrison cuts and runs after caught misrepresenting the Auditor-General's report concerning #sportrorts

Cartoons of the Week

Reg Lynch

Jon Kudelka

Mark David

Quote of the Week

"Love does no harm to a neighbour,” instructs the Bible, “therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.” The god invoked to oversee the religious discrimination bill avers such radical lefty chat. Instead, Voltaire’s suggestion that “If god [does] not exist, it would be necessary to invent him” describes the Liberals’ preferred “religious” entity with some prescience. It’s a small and petty, vengeful creature that squats in medical trauma and old bigotry, a deity conjured of conservative political resentment, and convenience." [Columnist Vanessa "Van" Badham, writing in The Guardian on 12 February 2020 on the subject of the Morrison Government's Religious Freedom Bills]

A NSW Government independent expert inquiry into the 2019-20 bushfire season providing input to NSW ahead of the next bushfire season is underway - how to make a submission

NSW Government, 3-10 February 2020: 

Dave Owens APM, former Deputy Commissioner of NSW Police, and Professor Mary O’Kane AC, Independent Planning Commission Chair and former NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer, are leading the six-month inquiry, which is reviewing the causes of, preparation for and response to the 2019-20 bushfires. 

Submissions for the NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry are now open. 

Your response and feedback will help to inform the Inquiry's report...  

Use the online form below to make a submission. You can also provide your feedback by:

• Email: inquiries@bushfireinquiry.nsw.gov.au
• Post: NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry, GPO Box 5341, Sydney NSW 2001
• Phone: If you have limited computer or internet access you can make a submission over the phone by calling the Bushfire Customer Care program on 13 77 88
• In-person: at any Service NSW service centre(external link) or at a Mobile Service Centre(external link)

The deadline for submissions is 27 March 2020, but this can be extended for those directly impacted by the fires.

Terms of Reference 

The Inquiry is to consider, and report to the Premier on, the following matters. 

1. The causes of, and factors contributing to, the frequency, intensity, timing and location of, bushfires in NSW in the 2019-20 bushfire season, including consideration of any role of weather, drought, climate change, fuel loads and human activity. 

2. The preparation and planning by agencies, government, other entities and the community for bushfires in NSW, including current laws, practices and strategies, and building standards and their application and effect. 

3. Responses to bushfires, particularly measures to control the spread of the fires and to protect life, property and the environment, including: 

• immediate management, including the issuing ofpublicwarnings 
• resourcing, coordination and deployment 
• equipment and communication systems. 

4. Any other matters that the inquiry deems appropriate in relation to bushfires. 

And to make recommendations arising from the Inquiry as considered appropriate, including on: 

5. Preparation and planning for future bushfire threats and risks. 

6. Land use planning and management and building standards, including appropriate clearing and other hazard reduction, zoning, and any appropriate use of indigenous practices. 

7. Appropriate action to adapt to future bushfire risks to communities and ecosystems. 

8. Emergency responses to bushfires, including overall human and capital resourcing. 

9. Coordination and collaboration by the NSW Government with the Australian Government, other state and territory governments and local governments. 

10. Safety of first responders. 

11. Public communication and advice systems and strategies.

Young storytelling in the Clarence Valley: ‘Yaegl Biirrinba' (This Is Our River) and 'River to the Sea'

https://youtu.be/srBp_713-5g

‘Yaegl Biirrinba' (This Is Our River) was created in June 2018, the result of a five day Desert Pea Media storytelling workshop. Co-written by, and starring, an incredibly talented group of Indigenous young people enrolled at Maclean High School, community members and local Elders - with support from DPM staff and local services.

https://youtu.be/sHZlCtpbZgM

‘River To The Sea' was created in December 2018, the result of a five-day Desert Pea Media storytelling workshop. Co-written by, and starring, an incredibly talented group of young people, community members and local Elders from Maclean and Yamba NSW - with support from the DPM team and Maclean High School Staff.

Republican Super Pac hopes to defeat President Trump and Trumpism at the ballot box - one attack ad at a time

The Lincoln Project states that its mission is to: Defeat President Trump and Trumpism at the ballot box.

A fascinating aspect to this project is that it is a super PAC* which was created by conservative and registered Republican voters.

It has been running strong political attack ads since January 2020.

This one targets Trump and the evangelical Christians who support him.....

https://youtu.be/yoglNFN5-Js

While this ad targets a Republican senator who voted to acquit Trump of both articles of impeachment.......

https://youtu.be/PgmXzmwaDhU

NOTE
* According to the US Federal Election Commission; "Super PACs are independent expenditure-only political committees that may receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, labor unions and other political action committees for the purpose of financing independent expenditures and other independent political activity."