Cartoons of the Week

Jess Harwood

Mark David

NSW Liberal Party Minister Don Harwin fined $1,000 for deliberately breaching current COVID-19 public health order

Special Minister of State, and Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts, Liberal MLC Don Harwin - a member of the NSW Parliament for the past 21 years - was caught deliberately floughting the current COVID-19 public health order.


Liberal power broker Harwin (pictured), whose principal place of residence is in well-heeled Elizabeth Bay, was found by The Daily Telegraph on 8 April 2020 at his $1.3 million beachfront investment property.

He has apparently been travelling back and forth to his holiday home from Sydney for the last three weeks, has allegedly been entertaining at least one guest at Pearl Bay in that period and, been seen wandering in and out of stores in a shopping centre on one of those trips back to Sydney.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian is refusing to sack Harwin from her ministry.

NSW Police Public Site - News, 9 April 2020:

A man has been issued a $1000 Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN) by police conducting inquiries into the circumstances surrounding his recent travels to a holiday home on the Central Coast.

Police were alerted yesterday (Wednesday 8 April 2020), that a 55-year-old Elizabeth Bay man had relocated to a holiday home at Pearl Beach, in contravention of current Ministerial Direction under the Public Health Act.

After reports he had breached the order, the man returned to Sydney today (Thursday 9 April 2020).

As part of inquiries, investigators from Central Metropolitan Region attended the Elizabeth Bay home unit and spoke with the man.

Following further inquiries, the man was issued a $1000 PIN via email just before 9pm, for failing to comply with noticed direction (Section 5 – COVID-19).

NSW Police Commissioner Fuller said the directions are in place to protect the lives of people in NSW.

“Police have been given these powers to ensure the community spread of COVID-19– which we know is devastating communities across the globe – is minimised,” the Commissioner said.

“You only need to look at the statistics to see that people are dying where appropriate measures have either not been established or are ignored.

“No one individual or corporation is above these laws – anyone suspected of breaching the orders will be investigated and if a breach is detected, they will be dealt with in accordance with the Act.

“On behalf of the community, I strongly urge those with information about breaches to contact police.”

Anyone who has information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of a COVID-19-related ministerial direction is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.

Homelessness an issue in NSW Northern Rivers region during COVID-19 pandemic

The Northern Star, 9 April 2020, p.7:

If you’re sleeping rough and you’re exposed to COVID-19, it’s not simple to self-isolate. 

But it’s expected support services will be put in place for people in that situation across the region. 

Northern NSW Local Health District chief executive Wayne Jones has explained health authorities would liaise with service providers and local councils to make sure help was available for rough sleepers.

He said those experiencing homelessness would be given accommodation support if they need to self-isolate. 

Byron Shire Council’s director of corporate and community services, Vanessa Adams, said she was keen for the council and local agencies to talk with the health district so they could make sure help reaches those most in need.

At the last street count in August 2019, the shire had 171 rough sleepers. Ms Adams said this was “a disproportionately high number of people” for Byron’s population, compared with Sydney’s 330 people living on the streets.

“People who are sleeping rough often have underlying health issues that’ll increase their vulnerability to something like a pandemic,” Ms Adams said.

She said it was “absolutely vital” to help them at a time like this. “It’s not just the accommodation, it’s the services that go with that,” she said.....

Pasture dieback confirmed on NSW North Coast

According to the NSW Department of Primary Industries:

Pasture dieback is a condition killing large areas of sown and native summer growing pasture in Queensland. The size of areas affected varies. It starts as small patches and can spread to affect large areas. In some cases whole farms have been affected. It is not limited by landscape or soil type. Livestock avoid grazing these areas making them unproductive. 

Pasture dieback was first identified in Central Queensland and has now spread from Far North Queensland to the NSW border. Suspected pasture dieback was reported on a property in northern NSW in autumn 2019.

Figure 1: Small patch of dieback affected pasture. Photo: S J Baker

Sown species known to be affected include:

• Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris)
• Digit grass (Digitaria eriantha)
• Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana)
• Green and Gatton panic (Megathyrsus maximus)
• Bambatsi panic (Panicum coloratum)
• Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum)
• Paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum and P. plicatulum)
• Creeping bluegrass (Bothriochloa insculpta)
• Sabi grass (Urochloa mosambicensis)
• Signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens syn. Urochloa decumbens)
• Para grass (Brachiaria mutica syn. Urochloa mutica)
• Setaria (Setaria sphacelata)
• Purple pigeon grass (Setaria incrassata)
• Forest bluegrass (Bothriochloa bladhii ssp. glabra)
• Indian couch (Bothriochloa pertusa)

Other species known to be affected include:

• Black spear-grass (Heteropogon contortus)
• Forest bluegrass (Bothriochloa bladhii)
• Golden beard grass (Chrysopogon fallax)
• Giant rat’s tail grass (Sporobolus pyramidalis)

There are potentially more grass species that could be affected.

On 9 April 2010 The Daily Examiner and The Northern Star reported:

The first NSW case of pasture dieback, which kills sown and native summer growing grasses, has been identified on the state’s North Coast.

Producers should contact NSW Department of Primary Industries or the Exotic Plant Pest hotline, 1800 084 881 if they suspect their pasture has the condition.

NSW DPI Pasture Systems development officer, Sarah Baker, said it’s important to identify where pasture dieback is occurring to determine its spread and impact.......

“Pasture dieback causes summer growing grasses to turn yellow and red, become unthrifty and eventually die.

“Cases of suspected pasture dieback were reported during the 2018-19 summer, but with drought masking the condition, confirmation was impossible at the time.

“Recent rainfall has assisted us in identifying dieback, which previously had been found only in Queensland.” It has been estimated the affected area in Queensland is at least 200,000 hectares and could cover up to 4.4 million hectares, with the cause still to be confirmed.

The size of areas affected varies. It starts as small patches and can spread to affect large areas.

In some cases whole farms have been affected.

While control options remain dependant on identification of the cause, producers can continue to maintain production with broadleaf species, including legumes and brassicas, which are not affected by dieback. Re-sowing perennial grasses into dieback affected areas is not recommended. However, annual winter growing forages, including oats and dual-purpose cereals can help fill winter feed requirements.

NSW DPI is working with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology and industry, through Meat & Livestock Australia, to explore the cause of the condition.

As researchers work to better understand pasture dieback, including investigations of insect involvement, NSW DPI is developing options for future management. More information is available from the NSW DPI website www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/pastures-and-rangelands/establishment-mgmt/pests-and-diseases/pasture-dieback.

MEMO TO THE REST OF AUSTRALIA: Give us an even chance here in Northern NSW - stay away until the COVID-19 public health orders are officially lifted

Northern NSW Local Health District, 7 April 2020:

If there’s one thing that you can do these school holidays to help our communities minimise their risk to COVID-19, it’s to stay at home. 

Northern NSW Local Health District Chief Executive, Wayne Jones, is urging people who would have ordinarily been travelling to beautiful Northern NSW over the holidays to reconsider their plans, and steer clear. 

“For every person who doesn’t come to our region, it makes it easier for us to manage our own physical distancing needs here in Northern NSW,” Mr Jones said. 

“If travellers stay away, it means there is less chance of new cases being brought into our region. 

“Whether you were planning to holiday in a house, an apartment, a resort or in the bush, please cancel your plans and stay at home. 

The warnings from Police are very clear, a holiday is not a reasonable excuse to travel these holidays. 

“We understand that these measures are negatively impacting our travel and hospitality sectors, but the quicker we can contain any community transmission, the more likely it is that we’ll be able to start our recovery process sooner,” Mr Jones said. 

“We want our region to be accessible for everyone again soon, but right now we need a break. 

“Our hospitals and our staff will be here for those who need us; please don’t make it more difficult for them. 

“Please keep your distance, so that we can, too. It’s that simple.”

Clarence Valley Council has put campers on notice, with rangers set to step up day and night patrols in coastal areas in order to reduce the number of people illegally camping in car parks and secluded spots in the Clarence Valley

The Daily Examiner, 7 April 2020, p.7:

Clarence Valley Council has put campers on notice, with rangers set to step up day and night patrols in coastal areas in order to reduce the number of people illegally camping in car parks and secluded spots in the Clarence Valley. 

With the Easter long weekend fast approaching, the council’s director of environment, planning and community Des Schroder said with the coronavirus pandemic continuing there should not be anyone from outside the region travelling for a holiday in the Clarence. 

“NSW Government health directives are clear. Travelling up and down the coast for ­leisure purposes is not ­classified as essential travel,” he said. “We understand there are some people with no permanent address; in those very specific cases they should locate to one of our caravan parks that are open for essential travellers only and follow social distancing advice. They should remain in those locations until the NSW Health orders are lifted. 

“Our rangers will also be keeping an eye on people not following the health directives and will be reporting them to the police if required. 

“The only reason people should be at the beach is to exercise. Once you complete your exercise you should return home immediately.” 

People using beaches for exercise are reminded to:
• Keep at least 1.5 metres away from other people 
• Remember that these measures also include in-water activities (surfing and swimming) 
• Limit gatherings to no more than two people (unless from the same house-hold).....

And now for some good news......

https://youtu.be/SmNIfFFHzpE

Gayini* (formerly Nimmie-Caira), a property totalling 88,000 hectares of NSW wetland on the Murrumbidgee floodplain was handed back to the Nari Nari people on 20 March 2020. 

Gayini is now legally owned by the Nari Nari people who have been its spiritual custodians for at least 50,000 years. 

Gayini is an amalgamation of 19 parcels of land that were purchased in 2013 for $180 million under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan water buyback scheme. 

This property has been co-managed by the Nari Nari Tribal Council since May 2018 as part of a consortium including The Nature Conservancy, the Murray Darling Wetlands Working Group and the Centre for Ecosystem Science at the University of NSW. 

The handback was facilitated by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and made possible through co-funding from the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation and The Wyss Foundation Campaign for Nature.

There are around 2,000 cultural sites on the property including burial sites, middens and camp sites.

NOTE:
* Gayini is the Nari Nari word for water.