We should boycott Pacific Brands products

• Sky News: Pacific considering rethink on job cuts

• • 

  • Industry Minister Kim Carr met executives of the company yesterday, asking them to keep some or all of their Australian factories open.

    The Weekend Australian quotes a Pacific Brands spokesman as saying the minister's request will be reviewed by the board as soon as possible.

    • Reading between the lines ... Kimm Carr probably suggested that unless something is done by Pacific Brands, the company might be 'asked' to return the $18,000.000 taxpayer grants received recently. He might even have asked if the taxation returns of senior board management are up to date.
      
    
    
    • The Pacific Brands decision to go offshore is probably the most incriminating acts of commercial Un-Australianism committed by an Australian Company and their products should be boycotted. - post by gnaylor

Sykes: Commonsense needed in post fire clean up

Source: (State MP for Benalla) Bill Sykes Media Release

Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, in Parliament on Thursday 26 February called for commonsense to prevail as the massive clean up of fire damaged areas heads into full swing in many parts of Victoria.

“A key activity is making our roadways safe by the removal of burnt and dangerous trees,” Bill Sykes said. “Unfortunately VicRoads’ efforts in making roads safe in the Flowerdale area have been hampered by an overzealous interpretation of dubious Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) guidelines.”

“Post fire falling tree limbs can be dangerous. It’s a danger I am well aware of. In the past I narrowly missed serious injury myself by a falling limb during a fire mop up operation in bush land near Benalla,” Bill Sykes continued. “We need to ensure the safety of our fire fighters and the public is not compromised by the restricted removal of roadside trees.”

Bill Sykes said, “I call on the Minister for Environment and Climate Change to show leadership on this issue and immediately instruct DSE staff to apply common sense rather than zealously implementing guidelines which will be subject to intense scrutiny in the forthcoming Royal Commission. I remind the Minister that as his staff seek to protect a few hundred trees, government policies are being held responsible for the destruction of millions upon millions of trees in the fires of 2003, 2006-07 and 2009.”

The clean up and repair of fences and fence lines on properties bordering Crown Land is also of issue and demands a similar commonsense approach.

“I also call on the Minister for Agriculture to stand up for farmers and commit the Government to meeting 50 per cent of the cost of fencing between Crown Land and private property. This is what good neighbours do and what was recommended by the all-party Parliamentary Inquiry into ‘The Impact of Public Land Management Practices on Bushfires in Victoria’,” he said.

The Government is also been called to meet 100 per cent of the cost of replacing boundary fences against Crown Land which are destroyed by CFA/DSE instigated back burns from control lines on private property.

The Bushfire Royal Commission will provide a much needed opportunity to review and investigate existing DSE guidelines in relation to public land management practices; a likely outcome will see the implementation of revised guidelines and a reduction of the restrictions currently imposed on the removal of native vegetation.

Bill Sykes concluded his Parliamentary statement saying; “Now is the time for common sense and equitable sharing of the costs of recovery from these tragic fires. I call on the Brumby Government to step up to the mark.”

St John’s controversy deepens as minister tells MP

Council can waive rates

Written by PHILIP NOLAN.- Source: Wangaratta Chronicle

RURAL City of Wangaratta councillors had every right to block a council move to impose rates on St John’s Village residents.

That view has been re-iterated a second time by the Minister for Local Government, Richard Wynne, following representations by Ken Jasper (MLA, Murray Valley) this week.

Councillors, however, were told at last week’s council meeting that rates would be imposed as of 2009/10 following legal advice, and were asked only to vote a recommendation that this action be noted.

Two councillors, Rozi Parisotto and Lauren O’Neill, registered protest votes, but three other councillors, Roberto Paino, Lisa McInerney and mayor Ron Webb, supported the motion after chief executive officer Doug Sharp said council did not have the discretion not to rate the residents.

Cr McInerney said it was not the role of councillors to put forward an opinion on whether to rate properties.

"Our role as council is to note a legal report," she said.

However, Minister Wynne sees it differently according to Mr Jasper.

"Mr Wynne has again confirmed in personal representations this week that the decision on the rating of St John’s Retirement Village was a decision for the council," Mr Jasper said.

"The minister responded that democratically elected councillors are responsible for making decisions about the level of rates required to meet their community’s need for services.

"He said the Local Government Act defined what land is rateable and also outlined provision for exceptions.

"These provisions give councils discretion to waive or defer rates for individuals or by class of ratepayers on the basis of financial hardship.

"It is clear that issue is one for interpretation by the individual council and that councils have discretion in particular circumstances, and I believe there is a strong case for an exception to be made in this instance."

He said that St John’s Retirement Village was a great success story for Wangaratta

"While I recognise the right of council to charge rates, I have sympathy for the residents of St John’s who went in believing rates were not payable," Mr Jasper said.

"Many of the residents are on Commonwealth pensions and have not budgeted for the payment of rates.

"St John’s is a not for profit organisation which returns all funds into services for the aged."

Conflict is a real concern

Councillor calls on government to reconsider interest changes which are just too exclusive

Written by STEVEN BURKE. - Source: Wangaratta Chronicle

COUNCILLOR Anthony Griffiths is sick of being excluded from important decisions made by the Rural City of Wangaratta.

He is urging council to ask the State Government to reconsider recent changes to the Local Government Act, which force councillors to be excluded from discussions and voting on issues where they have the slightest conflict of interest.

At the most recent council meeting in Edi Upper, Cr Griffiths was forced to excuse himself twice due to a conflict of interest with the matters being debated.

When it came time for council to make the all important decision of whether to impose municipal rates on St John’s Village residents, Cr Griffiths had to be excused because both his wife and mother work at St John’s.

Then later in the meeting, when council was asked whether to grant a planning permit for a subdivision at Oxley, Cr Griffiths had to excuse himself because he is a board member of North East Catchment Management Authority, which had been consulted about the effects of the subdivision.

"Conflict of interest can be good if there is a real conflict of interest but they’ve broadened it to such an extent that if you’ve got any involvement in any division of any description you can’t be involved in any discussion or votes or what have you, hence my absence from the room on two occasions this evening," Cr Griffiths said last week.

He said he was concerned council would get to the point where it couldn’t make a decision, because more than half of the councillors would need to excuse themselves due to a conflict of interest.

"There are a number of councils around Victoria that have items on the table that they can’t deal with because for example, with community grants, if a councillor is on a community group, they can’t be part of the discussion," Cr Griffiths said.

Cr Roberto Paino echoed Cr Griffiths’ concerns.

"The problem is, if four councillors had relatives working at St John’s we’d have no forum," he said.

"I suppose the impact of that can be even greater when a particular councillor’s expertise in relation to the area or issue at hand is lost to council in debate."

Council moved Cr Griffiths’ motion that its officers prepare a brief on the potential impacts of the conflict of interest provisions of the Local Government Act on the decision making processes of council, and investigate the mechanisms available for council to make a decision in situations where a forum cannot be achieved.

Rural and Regional Health Services: Sophie Mirabella

Sophie Mirabella (Indi, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare, Women and Youth) Link to this | Hansard source

I rise this morning to speak about something that is of particular importance to not only my rural electorate of Indi, in north-east Victoria, but also all rural, regional and outer metropolitan areas: health and the review that is currently being conducted into the RRAMA classifications—the rural, regional and metropolitan area classifications. I called on Prime Minister Rudd and the Minister for Health and Ageing to ensure that this review into the rezoning of rural areas will not rob rural and regional areas of their particular status that allows them to attract doctors, nurses and other professionals by providing subsidies as an incentive to go to those particular rural and regional zoned areas. We all know that health is not only an important part of the infrastructure for particular towns or regions; it is essential. It is a basic need. It is far more difficult to attract a specialist or a GP to a particular country town than it is to attract them to a particular suburb in inner or middle Melbourne, Sydney or other capital city. We all know that, and that is why the previous government had a very proud record of ensuring that the problem was solved not with rhetoric but with real dollars on the table. This classification system allowed areas to be classified according to need and thus be given proportionately more subsidies to be able to attract those doctors.

We have heard from the Rural Doctors Association who have warned us that if there are deleterious changes to the rezoning system we will see an exodus of current doctors, a decrease of incentives for young doctors and young specialists to train in the bush and, obviously, possible closures of a lot of small regional hospitals. It is hard enough as it is, even with many of the incentives introduced by the previous government, which I had great satisfaction in joining with many of my rural and regional colleagues in lobbying for, to attract and provide incentives under the current system, let alone with any other changes. I will oppose, and the coalition will oppose, any changes that decrease the number of doctors and nurses in rural and regional areas. It is telling that, at a time when we have an ageing population and we have these concerns, nothing in the $42 billion package is directed to health, particularly to rural and regional health.

Skills to lift a Wangaratta workforce

Training program to help tackle shortages

Written by SALLY EVANS. - Wangaratta Chronicle

ONE of Wangaratta’s major employers is tackling skill shortages head on by launching its own total training program.

Burder Industries has received $50,000 in State Government funding to support a $75,000 training package involving all 60 workers at the local steel manufacturing plant.

The Skills for Growth grant follows increased production at Burder Industries, which includes front-end loaders and folklifts, and a severe shortage of skilled workers across Australia.

"Last year our outputs increased by 74 per cent on a 20 per cent staff increase," company general manager, Adam Fendyk, said.

"Finding that extra 20 per cent (of skilled workers) was tough."

Mr Fendyk hoped the new program would help recruit and retain skilled workers, and make operations at the company more efficient.

He said the company was under threat from foreign imports, particularly from Korea and Europe, and it was the intention of the training program to deliver a more competitive product.

For existing workers, Mr Fendyk said the initiative would provide career development, better participation in the workplace and improved understanding of workplace roles and responsibilities.

Kaye Darveniza (MLC, Northern Victoria) welcomed the training program as a win for jobs and investment in the rural city.

"The company’s long-term mission is to replace Korean and European imported agricultural machinery with its own Australian-made versions," she said.

"Burder will train its entire staff in lean manufacturing practices which will boost skills, productivity and long-term job security.

"This is fantastic news for the company and for Wangaratta."

Economic clowns are making our laws

Source: Citizens Electoral Council Media Release

In This Southern Land of Ours, Australia’s greatest poet, Charles Harpur, wrote:

With clowns to make our laws, and knaves
To rule us as of old,
In vain our soil is rich, in vain
‘Tis seamed with virgin gold!
But the present only yields us nought,
The future only ours,
Till we have a braver Manhood
In this Southern Land of ours.

On 21st August, 2007, less than a month after U.S. physical economist Lyndon LaRouche’s 25th July announcement that the global financial collapse was underway(within days of which the giant Wall Street investment bank Bear Stearns went under), newly-appointed shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey, then Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, replied to a letter from Citizens Electoral Council candidate Kundan Misra:

“I have noted your views,” Hockey wrote. “I however disagree vehemently with your analysis that the world is facing a collapse of the financial markets. The last few days have indicated that the financial markets, with the support of central banking institutions, are able to meet the demands that have been placed on them.”

CEC leader Craig Isherwood today blasted Australia’s political leaders as “dangerous fools,” whom the Australian people can no longer afford to tolerate.

“Joe Hockey is just one of a troupe of economic clowns, from all major parties, who have finally been shown up by the global financial collapse.

“For more than a decade, the CEC repeatedly warned many of these politicians, in person, that the global financial system was headed for collapse, and were often met with the same response as Mr Hockey’s.

“Now, knowing they were warned, these clowns can only whine, ‘nobody could have seen this coming.’

“Deputy PM Julia Gillard lied to the ABC on 7th November, 2008: ‘When we put the Budget together in May, obviously we weren’t predicting, and no one was predicting, the global financial crisis which then emerged.’ She repeated the lie as reported in The Australian on 24th November: ‘By a country mile, the biggest unexpected challenge is the global financial crisis. Its impact on the Australian economy a year ago—no one was predicting we would face an event like that.’ Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner made the same false claim on the ABC’s Insiders on 16th November, ‘But clearly we are in a completely extraordinary situation here.
We are in circumstances that nobody really could have predicted.’

“Why the lie? For the same reason former Treasurer Peter Costello recently pretended that he didn’t encourage everybody to pour all their wealth into superannuation before 30th June, 2007, which has now all been lost—they prefer to be seen as clowns, rather than criminals.

“Whether they are clowns or criminals, it is homeless families, impoverished pensioners, ruined retirees, and the growing ranks of unemployed who are now paying the price.

Mr Isherwood concluded, “As Charles Harpur said, nothing will change until ‘we have a braver Manhood, in this Southern Land of ours.’

“So I urge my fellow Australians, don’t be afraid of the change required to solve the crisis—get behind the CEC’s campaign for a Pecora Commission
(http://cecaust.com.au/main.asp?sub=articles&id=sign_Pecora_statement.html) to investigate the bankers and politicians who destroyed the financial system; support the Homeowners and Bank Protection Bill, and a National Bank to finance an economic recovery.”

Bill Sykes Speech: Bushfires Condolences

Dr SYKES (Benalla) -- On behalf of the people of the electorate of Benalla I speak in support of the condolence motion. I offer my sympathy to those who have lost loved ones or have been seriously injured or lost their home, property and livestock.

I also extend my gratitude to the over 4000 CFA (Country Fire Authority) volunteers, DSE (Department of Sustainability and Environment) staff and support agencies, including the SES (State Emergency Service), the police, Red Cross and community groups, businesses and the tens of thousands of ordinary people who have contributed to this effort. Scarcely a Victorian has not been touched by the fires. In the Benalla electorate, some have been burnt. Hundreds have fought the fires, and thousands have supported the firefighting effort, and thousands have grieved for those who have been hurt by the fires.

In the south of the electorate, the Rubicon valley has been burnt and is still at risk. We also still have risks to Enoch Point, Woods Point, Gaffneys Creek and Jamieson. Eildon, Thornton, Yarck, Strathbogie and Ruffy communities had some very nervous times. In the north, Mudgegonga, Rosewhite, Kancoona and the neighbouring areas of Bruarong, Stanley and Running Creek were burnt.

Two hundred and forty farms were burnt, approximately 16 houses and, very tragically, John and Sue Wilson lost their lives. Many other lives and properties were saved through the preparedness and courage of individuals, by the angels -- the sometimes not-so-pretty angels in the big red trucks -- and by good luck and at times what must be considered an act of God.

I wish to acknowledge some of those who have contributed to this magnificent effort by the community to battle the fires from hell. In doing so I apologise to the many whose names I do not have time to mention, but be assured my gratitude extends to all who fought the fires and all who supported the effort.

All the 81 CFA brigades in the Benalla electorate contributed by sending trucks and crews to the main fire front or by remaining home on high alert to protect their own and neighbouring communities.

And thank God some did stay at home, as we needed them when fires broke out at Mansfield, Stewarton, Mount Beauty and Rosewhite. A couple of these fires were started under suspicious circumstances.

Local DSE, Parks Victoria and Hancock's plantation staff were in the thick of things. There were also magnificent behind-the-scenes efforts by regional fire coordinators at Benalla and incident control centres at Alexandra and Ovens. People such as DSE's Peter Farrell and Kevin Ritchie, and CFA's Alan Davies and John Boal kept cool heads at Benalla whilst coordinating much-needed resources for the front-line troops. These men were ably supported by police, SES and support staff, including Dobbo, Sally, Lauren, Jenny, Carol and many others.

Closer to the fire front, Murrindindi shire councillors and council staff have performed an outstanding job under extremely difficult circumstances.

I particularly want to acknowledge the efforts of mayor Lyn Gunter, chief executive officer Mark Henderson and councillors Kevin Bellingham and Peter Beales. Those who know their individual stories would understand why I speak of them in particular.

In Alpine Shire mayor Nino Mautone, chief executive officer Ian Nicholls and Trevor Britten and many other staff along with volunteers such as Cheryl Sanderson have given a tremendous effort to help the fire victims and the relief and recovery effort.

Post fire, the efforts of Andrew Embling at Alexandra must be acknowledged. He has been out on the road with Les Hume -- Andrew looking after the stock requirements and Les looking after people's requirements. It is little wonder that Andrew was honoured with a Medal of the Order of Australia last year. The ubiquitous rural outreach worker Ivan Lister is also poking around the Murrindindi shire doing what he does best -- helping people in their time of need.

At Mudgegonga the efforts of Loretta Carroll and the whole Carroll clan and neighbours have been outstanding. Loretta and her sister Therese, brother Paul, and Bill, and other extended family members and neighbours have operated a fodder depot from day one and have done a magnificent job distributing hay so generously donated by fellow farmers.

Speaking of hay donations, a special mention must go to Melinda Spinks of Goorambat near Lake Mokoan. Melinda and her husband, Wayne, initiated and so far have coordinated the supply and delivery of 18 semi-trailers of hay to the fire victims. The Goorambat area is part of the Broken Valley irrigation system, which has had zero water allocation this year. That is a magnificent effort by those people.

Returning to speak about the fires, I must acknowledge the outstanding efforts of the ABC team for broadcasting timely fire updates. The ABC's efforts were complemented by Tony Tynan and his team at 3NE Edge FM at Wangaratta, Mary Smith and her team at Mount Beauty community radio, and Peter Rice and his team at UGFM Alexandra. All have made magnificent contributions to the fire effort.

Mary-Ann Egan and Siobhan Carson also deserve special recognition for their role in communicating sound advice to many nervous communities, including at Eildon, Yarck and Strathbogie. As the member for Narracan mentioned, timber harvesters and earthmoving contractors deserve recognition for their outstanding contributions. People such as the ageing Allen Ashworth and the Stilo brothers worked extraordinarily long hours under extraordinarily tough conditions, but they did the job and never complained -- well, not much in the case of Ashworth!

Power company staff and telecommunications staff also worked under extraordinarily difficult conditions, restoring power and communications. At wildlife rescue centres -- in particular, Gabby Mehegan and her partner Rick -- workers did their bit to save native animals hurt by the fire. DPI staff, especially the animal health staff, have again performed admirably.

The animal health staff have the gruesome task of assessing burnt livestock and arranging feed for those that can be kept alive, salvage slaughter for those that are a little bit injured and immediate destruction for those that are seriously injured.

There were many examples of leadership and courage, and many amazing escapes, in battling the fires. At Mudgegonga hall last Thursday night over 250 locals publicly expressed their immense gratitude to local CFA captain Andrew Cross. The crowd also acknowledged the selfless efforts of Lizzie Jones and Doug Connor who, in the middle of the night on Black Saturday, rang farmers in the Running Creek area to alert them to the impending dangers. Their actions enabled farmers to muster their stock and save hundreds of livestock from being burnt.

There have been many such acts of selflessness, courage and leadership by often unassuming and unintended heroes.

Amongst the lucky escapes which have made it to the media was the Yarck CFA's truck crew's near-miss when their truck was caught in the fires, but fortunately good training and cool heads saw them live to tell the story.

There are many more stories that have not made the national media but which will be indelibly etched in the memories of those whose lives and properties were saved, and which will become part of local folklore. Those stories will be told and retold around the campfires and in the lounge rooms in north-east Victoria for generations to come.

I close by again offering my sympathy to those hurt by the fires, including my good friends David and Jennifer Barton of Marysville. To those I have thanked, I thank you again, and to the thousands who I have not thanked or mentioned, I say many thousands of thanks.

Sophie Mirabella Speech: Student Unionism Bill

Sophie Mirabella (Indi, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare, Women and Youth) Link to this | Hansard source

As shadow Minister for, amongst other matters, youth, I rise today to speak on the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities, and Other Measures) Bill 2009.Whilst the bill does indeed contain other measures, its primary purpose is to impose a new tax on the one million students attending universities across the nation, whether the students are full time, part time, studying on campus or external. Whether or not they have a need for the services and activities which the $250 fee is intended to prop up, they will all be hit with what amounts to a new compulsory annual $250 tax, equating to $250 million around the nation taken from students, who can least afford it.

The opposition will be opposing this bill. At a time when students are doing it tough and the government is splashing around $42 billion, including money for a so-called education revolution, they are slugging students with a $250 tax. The bill represents a broken promise—surprisingly!—by the Labor Party.

Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Link to this | Hansard source

No!

Sophie Mirabella (Indi, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare, Women and Youth) Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, member for Casey, it is a broken promise encapsulated in this bill. Did the Labor Party promise at the 2007 election that it would introduce this tax? Did it tell students at universities that it would force them to pay $250? No, it did not. In fact, it did the opposite. At a doorstop in May 2007 the then shadow minister for education, now the Minister for Foreign Affairs, said:

I’m not considering a compulsory HECS style arrangement and the whole basis of the approach is one of a voluntary approach. So I am not contemplating a compulsory amenities fee.

That was in May, just five months before the last election was called. So not only did Labor not promise to introduce such a compulsory tax, the then shadow minister actually gave a commitment to a voluntary amenities fee. What do the colleagues of the Minister for Foreign Affairs think of forcing increased fees on our university students? During debate on the higher education support bill on 14 October 2003, the member for Wills said:

But there is good news, because Labor will not support any measures to increase fees for Australian students or their families. In my book education is not about how much money your parents have.

The Minister for Finance and Deregulation and member for Melbourne, Lindsay Tanner, said in that very same debate, on the same day:

The reality is that Australian students and Australian families have pretty much reached the limit of their capacity to contribute to their own education or their children’s education.

So, before the 2007 federal election, the current Minister for Foreign Affairs promised not to introduce a compulsory amenities fee and the member for Wills stated that Labor would not support any increase in fees for Australian students. On top of that, we had the current minister for finance state his belief that students could not afford to pay any more. Now, after the election, the Labor Party is introducing a compulsory $250 amenities fee. All this proves that any promises the Labor Party makes before an election are absolutely meaningless. It will say and do whatever it thinks will get it elected.

As stated by the Minister for Youth:

… the bill will also provide universities with the option to implement a services fee from 1 July 2009, capped at a maximum of $250 per year to invest in quality support and advocacy services.

The minister went on to say:

Universities that choose to levy a fee will be expected to consult with students on the nature of the services and amenities and enhanced advocacy that the fee would support.

In other words, before deciding what types of services and amenities the university can spend its compulsorily levied fee on, it is going to have to consult with students. Who will these students be, exactly? I think they will be a very small group of student politicians. They will be the so-called representatives of the student union, representatives who are elected by, at the very best count, 10 per cent of the student population—and more like five per cent if you are at Sydney or Melbourne universities. You can be sure that these student politicians will be representatives, definitely, of their own vested interests and the advancement of their own political careers. They certainly will not be representative of the majority of students on campus because the majority of students on campus do not bother to participate in student union elections. There may be some criticism from the other side of the House on that but it is within the rights of tertiary students to attend a university and engage, or not engage, in whatever activities they may choose—including voting and being involved in student unions.

In addition, the minister, in an attempt to allay any obvious concerns about what such compulsorily levied fees could be spent on, said:

… the bill prohibits universities from allowing the expenditure of any funds raised from a compulsory student services and amenities fee to support political parties, or support the election of a person to the Commonwealth, state or territory legislatures or to a local government body.

This clause is really meaningless. It will allow the compulsory fee to be spent on a whole range of political activities. It does not expressly prohibit funding of campaigns for or against political causes or particular legislation, or of any campaigns that the student unions may run. Nor does the bill expressly prohibit the use of compulsorily acquired funds to be channelled to the student media to promote whatever cause they desire. In fact, this is expressly allowed under the guidelines. Worse still, the new student services and amenities fee guidelines, which are supposed to outline exactly what services may be funded by the new fee, will be tabled as a disallowable instrument—but not until after the bill has been passed. So we are not quite sure exactly what form the guidelines will finally take when they are tabled.

The bill does not prevent student money being taken out of allowable activities and diverted into other, disallowable activities. We saw this cross-subsidisation occur in Victoria when the then government introduced legislation—similar in some ways to the current legislation—which purported to limit the activities that could be funded. They purported to do that by listing the activities, but student unions could take money from an activity which was allowed to be funded by the compulsory so-called amenities fee and could spend it on an activity that was not expressly allowed. In other words, a student union could receive money to run a cafeteria, take money out of the till and spend it on political propaganda. Or the student union could receive money to provide administrative support and use that money to fund the wages of someone who was employed to do that but who in fact spent their time campaigning for the re-election of the union president, for example. The student union could receive funds to provide important services, ostensibly—but we all know how much those funds can get eaten up by administration costs. It is quite frightening when you look at some of the figures before the commencement of voluntary student unionism. Monash University collected over $8.5 million in compulsory fees in one year and a whopping 56 per cent of that went towards administration costs. One wonders about the range of activities that would be covered by a very imaginative and creative student union body classifying all sorts of activities as administration costs.

So we have a government who told the Australian people before the 2007 election that they would not introduce a compulsory amenities fee and they are now asking us to take them on trust and pass the bill and then at some later date they will introduce into the House guidelines which outline how the new compulsory regime will work. As they never intended to stick to their promise of not introducing a compulsory amenities fee, so they never intended to prevent political activities, causes and salaries from being funded under this proposal.

Of course, the minister will point to the fee guidelines as some sort of guarantee against the use of compulsorily acquired fees for political purposes, but quite frankly they are not worth the paper they are written on. Firstly, the list of items that can be funded is quite extensive and broad, but in any case, as we know, the content of the fee guidelines is largely irrelevant because, in addition to what has been said, there will be no system of monitoring or policing whether or not the universities comply with these guidelines. That is right: there will be no system of reporting back to the education minister so that judgments can be made on whether this quarter of a billion dollars of student taxes is being well spent. The bottom line is this: there will be no accountability. It will essentially be up to individual students to become the whistleblowers and to raise any concerns they might have about how their amenities fee is spent, and even then they would have to get access to accounts to prove their suspicions, and even then, if a breach is found to have occurred, it is at the minister’s discretion whether any penalty is imposed.

Can it get any worse? Yes, it can. The legislation provides the Minister for Education with the discretion to approve additional amenities and services that may be funded by the compulsory fee. We have the Minister for Education—a former union lawyer, a staunch union supporter and, importantly in this context, a compulsory student union advocate—and she will be the person given the legislated authority to make changes to the guidelines and decide what other services can be funded by this fee. Does anyone in this House honestly believe that the minister—someone who was a student union politician and who was the beneficiary of compulsorily acquired union fees—will actually act to restrain the political and other activities of young left-wing student politicians of today? Of course she will not. No-one honestly believes that.

Daryl Melham (Banks, Australian Labor Party) Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Melham interjecting

Sophie Mirabella (Indi, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education, Childcare, Women and Youth) Link to this | Hansard source

I see my friend across the chamber smiling. She will do the exact opposite. She will do everything in her power to make it easy for ordinary students to subsidise the activist student political elite on her side of politics.

The Minister for Youth and Sport stated in her second reading speech that this bill is not compulsory student unionism. It is a pretty big claim, and it is a false claim. She might like it to be so, and if she is genuine in her wishes then I have some empathy, but when a government is bent on imposing a tax on students to pay for amenities and services that a majority of students will probably choose not to use or, in the case of 130,000 external students, may never have the opportunity to use—they will never have a direct say on what sort of services this money should be put toward—one can only surmise that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it is a duck. This is compulsory student unionism. If you force students to pay a fee that will fund the political activities of the student union without the students’ consent, you are breathing life into a student union that is unaccountable but financially very powerful. It is like compulsory bargaining fees in the workplace. The union is happy for you not to be a member of its association, but the worker still has to pay a fee—which, incidentally, is often the same amount as a union membership fee.

There are some unintended consequences in this bill for universities. The bill is going to create a huge headache for universities, and I do not think it has been well thought out. Universities, in their desperation to obtain additional funds, may not have had a good look at this bill. Firstly, the SA-HELP loan scheme, which creates a new loan enabling a student to borrow money to pay this new fee, is going to create a massive bureaucratic burden for universities. Secondly, the new representation and advocacy guidelines place new and unfunded obligations on universities. These obligations were never foreshadowed and, disgracefully, they are tied to core education funding. For example, the draft guidelines already require the education provider to effectively fund resources and infrastructure for student unions. What could that mean? That could mean offices, salaries, elections and any other matters that can be considered relevant to the so-called advocacy services. These guidelines are so broadly worded that they could be interpreted to impose virtually any obligation on the university regarding student representation on that campus.

This bill illustrates an extraordinary obsession—perhaps a bit of nostalgia by the education minister and the Minister for Youth and Sport, remembering the good old student days and the fun they had when involved in student politics—to prop up student unions, organisations that currently attract a small minority of students as members. In addition to every struggling student, we are now going to have university administrations also subsidising the political careers and pet issues of the elite class of student activists.

Back in 2005, when the Howard government took the historic step of legislating for voluntary student unionism, there was a huge outcry that student services would collapse, and that has not been the case. It was a historic step for those who believe that freedom of association for students is a fundamental right and that students are mature and old enough to decide whether or not they should join a union and where they should allocate their money. The Liberal Party believed then and still believes that people who are, by and large, adults should be free to choose how they should spend their hard-earned money and what they should spend it on. They should not be forced to pay a levy for services that they may or may not use. The historic Howard government voluntary student unionism legislation in 2005 put a stop to the enforcement of ‘no ticket, no start’ on all university campuses, and it was a great day for many students, many of whom were not politically motivated and still are not politically motivated but were grateful that they could attend a tertiary institution for the primary purpose of achieving their education without being forced to fork out additional funds to the student union.

The bill back in 2005 put the often exorbitant fees back in the pockets of students, allowing them to decide where that money should be directed. We have seen since that time significant savings for students. Students on average have saved over $240 a year and those who have chosen not to become members of student unions have saved on average $318. So we have seen a fall in the cost of union membership, which is a good thing. It forced student unions to be responsive to student demands, make themselves attractive, advocate the reason why students should join them, and also lowered their fees. It has also meant that students’ money has not been diverted in such a blatant manner to political parties and causes in that very blatant way we have seen on many occasions over the past few decades but most recently during the 2004 election, when the National Union of Students spent around $250,000 campaigning against the Howard government.

The accusations that voluntary student unionism has led to the collapse of student services are just bluster of an unrepresentative minority of students. Many services, counselling and medical services for example, are still available at almost every university in some form. In fact, the imposition of this fee and working through the amenities fee guidelines may often lead to a duplication of services at some campuses.

We have seen some interesting activities. For example, the RMIT Student Union produces a radio program on 3CR every week called Blazing Textbooks, which, as its website states, seeks to promote ‘an anti-capitalist perspective on current issues in education from around Australia and the world’. Hardly mainstream, but an interesting perspective to take. And they are entitled to take it, but it shows where their priorities lie. At the same time the website blames voluntary student unionism for the decline in its advocacy services. Any fair-minded person could see that this student union has placed greater priority on producing this radio program and having their bit of ideological fun than actually providing the sort of advocacy services that students would want and that would be relevant to students.

We have also seen a recent example where the student union at the University of Melbourne removed about $18,000 from its clubs and societies budget to give those funds to the National Union of Students. So you tell me where the benefit is for students there, when those members who are members of the clubs and societies I am sure would have vehemently disagreed with that money being taken out and given to the National Union of Students. But under these guidelines and under this bill that would be not only a legitimate but a necessary allocation of funds. You could easily argue within these broad guidelines that it was essential in the interests of advocacy and representation of students that the National Union of Students received even more funding.

The Australian Liberal Party is passionate about freedom, about freedom of association, and it is one of the party’s fundamental tenets. Whether it is membership of a union, an employer organisation or a student representative body, an individual should not be forced to join an organisation against their will. And we should not separate students from the argument of voluntary association. By and large they are adults, by and large they have the ability to decide for themselves. We have always believed it is not up to politicians, it is not up to the minority who are involved in student politics, to decide what is in the best interests of students. We believe that students can best decide that for themselves. But the Labor Party in coming to office at the recent federal election has said, ‘No, let’s turn back the clock, let’s return to the status quo, let’s compel students to pay for something that they don’t want and may not use. Let’s help out those student union friends of ours who are struggling to adapt to the 21st century. Let’s go back to creating a nice cushy cash flow with no accountability and no consequences.’

This bill is a new tax on students. It is a disgraceful return effectively to compulsory unionism. It represents a shameful broken promise. It is poorly drafted and will cause the government far more headaches than it has actually realised. And it treats adult students with utter contempt. It is only a very thinly veiled attempt to reinvigorate student unions, guilds—call them what you like. We in the coalition say no to new taxes, leave students alone and treat them with some basic respect. Student unions can survive and thrive if they are accountable to their membership, if they respond to the needs and wishes of their members. But this bill and these guidelines will not only return to the bad old days of effective compulsory student unionism but they go even further by imposing these draconian obligations on tertiary education providers. I urge the House to oppose this bill. It is regressive, it is a huge cost impost on students, and I hope I do not see it come to light!

All bets are off

Without Bush, Howard and Blair, the 'Coalition of the Willing' is no more

It’s a different day.”Without Bush, Howard and Blair, the 'Coalition of the Willing' is no more. Now with the global economy in tatters, it is significant that this has been made public.

In an exclusive interview with Telegraph TV, ahead of a speech at Chatham House on Wednesday, Morris Reid, a former adviser to President Bill Clinton, said: “The special relationship (with the UK) is over and dead. It’s a different day.”

Reid’s speech entitled “Europe must show leadership and stop waiting on the United States” will make the point that “it is not smart for European politicians to think the American President needs to care about their concerns. And it is also not smart for Gordon Brown to expect Barack Obama to do the things he needs to do at home.”

In other words, all bets are off when it comes to creating a 'New World Order' allowing England the freedom to support the economic structure and global warming policies that best fits their own circumstances.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Clinton praises special relationship (guardian.co.uk)

Robert Mugabe's secret plan against white farmers

• Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe's secret plan against white farmers - Telegraph

  • 

Why do they not stop this man?

The Commercial Farmers' Union estimates that at least 100 farmers have been targeted for eviction and invasion in the last two weeks.

Details of the plan, seen by the Telegraph, make clear that a co-ordinated campaign against the farmers is underway despite the new power-sharing government with the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

The land grab, which began in 2000, precipitated the country's collapse, as it destroyed commercial agriculture, the mainstay of the economy, while Mr Mugabe used gifts of farms to shore up loyalty in his divided party.

This has been going on for years! The country cannot feed itself and there is a cholera epidemic that has decimated the population. The UN mumbles in protest and Australia sends millions in aid ... Why doesn't somebody get rid of this evil maniac. ... Greg Naylor

Zimbabwe cholera cases top 80000: WHO
Tehran Times, Iran - 22 Feb 2009
GENEVA (Reuters) -- More than 80000 people have now been infected with cholera in Zimbabwe’s six-month-old outbreak which has killed 3759, the World Health ...
Zimbabwe's cholera crisis worsens as number of dead and infected ... eGov monitor
Number of Cholera Cases in Zimbabwe Epidemic Tops 80000 - WHO Voice of America
Zimbabwe: Water rehabilitation projects fight cholera ReliefWeb (press release)

Greg's View of Todays News - 02/23/2009

• Another 150 million carbon tonnes can be cut: Turnbull - Weekly Times Now

  Mr Turnbull has flagged a more ambitious greenhouse gas reduction target than the government's 5-15 per cent by 2020, and a less complex scheme for achieving the target.
  "We could, at relatively low cost ... cut an additional 150 million tonnes a year by 2020, and do that very, very realistically without rocket science technology," he told ABC Radio.

  • 
    • You know, I believe the oppositeon could reduce carbon emissions more than is planned by the governments Emission Trading Scheme. However, I am not sure the oppositeion has any understanding of why they should do better. - post by gnaylor

• Minchin accuses ABC of carbon pollution bias - ABC News
  

  Liberal Senator Nick Minchin has accused the ABC of bias for referring to carbon dioxide emissions as carbon pollution.
  
  The Federal Government has labelled its emissions trading scheme as the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

  • 
    • If 'carbon emissions' are not 'carbon pollution' then what's all the fuss about the need to reduce them. - post by gnaylor

• Seasonal workers scheme hits hurdle over employment status - ABC News

  A disagreement has emerged between the labour hire firm contracting the 50 islanders who arrived last week and the Australian Workers Union (AWU).

  • 
  • That framework agreement, which was drawn-up with the peak body representing labour-hire firms, saw the seasonal labourers given all the rights of permanent employees, even though they would only be in the country for seven months.
  
  
  • "They're working under the same conditions as the Australian workers are working," he said.
    • ... and therin lies the reason why the orchards and vineyards cannot attract Australian workers - and why they have to resort to bringing in third world country nationals who have no choice but to be explouted. - post by gnaylor

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

GP clinics offer hope where new patients simply can’t get in

Source: Wangaratta Chronicle

Written by STEVEN BURKE.

THE opening of two new bulk billing services will spread the load currently being carried by local medical practices.

The shortage of general practitioners in Wangaratta has got to the point where two of the town’s four existing clinics have closed books.

Both Wangaratta Medical Centre and Ovens Medical Centre are currently not taking any new patients, while six of the eight doctors at Phillipson Street Clinic also cannot take any new patients.

A representative from Ely Street Clinic said its books were open and that bulk billing was available.

And Northeast Health Wangaratta (NHW) could also benefit from the new clinic.

A representative from NHW said the hospital had 1000 more admissions to its emergency department in the last financial year, compared to the previous 12 months.

The hospital could not confirm if the spike in admissions could be attributed to a doctor shortage in Wangaratta.

New hope to ease GP pain

Bulk billing service is up and running again

Written by STEVEN BURK - Wangaratta Chronicle

THE wait is hopefully over for patients struggling to see a doctor in Wangaratta, with the opening of a new dedicated bulk billing service last week.

The new practice, staffed by Dr Olivia Stuart, is Ovens and King Community Health Service’s (OKCHS) second attempt at running a clinic in Wangaratta.

The first ran for two months last year, with OKCHS saying it was forced to shut due to a lack of patients.

But OKCHS manager of corporate services, Peter O’Keefe, is hopeful the new clinic will be around for good.

"The board of OKCHS is fully supportive of the venture and hopefully with a bit more advertising, it will stay open," he said.

Mr O’Keefe believed the clinic would fill a gap in medical services in Wangaratta.

"There are new people coming into town who could have to wait for months to see a doctor," he said.

"The feedback we’ve been getting is that most of the clinics have closed books."

He said the bulk billing service was available to anyone.

"In the past, people probably thought this was just for people with a health care card, but it’s not," he said.

The new clinic has had strong bookings in its first week of operation and could expand in the future.

"That’s the plan," Mr O’Keefe said.

"If we see the demand is there, then we will look to source another doctor."

Clinton has her priotities on China challenged

• Clinton Criticized for Not Trying to Force China's Hand - washingtonpost.com

  • 

BEIJING, Feb. 20 -- Human rights violations by China cannot block the possibility of significant cooperation between Washington and Beijing on the global economic crisis, climate change and security threats such as North Korea's nuclear program, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday.

Amnesty International and a pro-Tibet group voiced shock after Hillary Clinton vowed not to let human rights concerns hinder cooperation with China.  If this new world order is to emerge, new approaches must be taken in these matters. 

Has Australia - or any other country for that matter - raised America's torture of prisoners at Abu Grabe as a pre-curser to signing up trade agreements between agreer countries?  Not likely!   For Hilary Clinton to raise human rights issues in her diplomatic trip through Asia would be a bit like calling the kettle black. - post by Greg Naylor

Private Rail system costs more than owning it

Despite service, Connex coins it - The Age

The French own Connex

Despite an average of 20 cancelled trains a day, Connex still raked in $175 million in payments from the Government for services provided and in ticket sales.

in 2007 — it sent home $11 million in profits to its French parent company Veolia.

Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky has conceded it is no cheaper to keep privately operated companies running Melbourne's rail system.

But she says the Government wants the trains and trams kept in private operation, rather than returned to Government hands, because of the international expertise and innovation companies like Connex bring.

The government is totally out of step on this one.

• Where is the "international expertise and innovation" that Connex has brought?. The standard of service would not be tolerated overseas.


• Why is the state government purchasing both new and old trains rather than Connex?.


• Why did the state government buy back the country rail infrastructure?

  paid a total of $65 million

Also revealed in yesterday's Track Record report was Yarra Trams' poor performance. It was paid a total of $65 million, but had payments of $1.96 million deducted for running too many trams late.

The publicly operated V/Line was forced to pay $128,000 in penalties for late and cancelled trains.

Out of council hands

Source: Wangaratta Chronicle 21 Feb 09

State moots change to property valuations

Written by STEVEN BURKE.

PROPERTY valuations for rating purposes could be taken out of the Rural City of Wangaratta’s hands, if a State Government proposal is approved.

The government recently released a discussion paper outlining a plan to hand over the management of all property valuations to the Valuer General’s office, thus eliminating council from the process.

Council’s business services director, Ray Park, said if adopted, the proposal would mean anyone with concerns about the value applied to their property would need to contact a call centre, instead of speaking to someone at the local council offices.

He said there were some potential positives to be gained from the proposal.

"The advantages of the proposal are that there can be more certainty that all the valuations across the state are conducted on the same basis and can be directly comparable," Mr Park said.

"There’s also the potential for some cost savings."

But Councillor Roberto Paino said he was concerned costs may in fact rise.

"As we all know with previous experience, with all manner of government departments where they say they’re going to have a monopoly on the system and any discount will be wonderful, it never is," he said.

"What generally happens is that costs rise and they generally rise excessively.

"If you look at the submission, it has suggested cost savings of 10 per cent over 10 years could be achieved.

"Show us the proof - there isn’t any."

The new proposal could also dilute council’s close relationship with ratepayers, according to Cr Rozi Parisotto.

"This type of strategy takes away the connection that council can have with their ratepayers and who best knows about the region, but council itself?" she said.

"This new process would mean you would not have that direct contact and it eliminates the directness and the decision making that could be quite easily made by council."

Council has made a submission in response to the draft paper outlining its concerns.

Councillor asks minister to rule

Written by STEVEN BURKE. Source: Wangaratta Chronicle

MINISTERIAL discretion could save St John’s Village residents from paying municipal rates.

That’s what Rural City of Wangaratta councillor, Lauren O’Neill, is hoping, after she contacted the office of Local Government Minister Richard Wynne this week in response to council’s decision to impose rates on village residents from the 2009/10 financial year onwards.

Council passed the motion by a vote of three to two at a meeting in Edi Upper on Tuesday night, after it received legal advice that the units at St John’s were rateable.

Cr O’Neill, who voted opposing rating residents along with Cr Rozi Parisotto, has referred the matter to Mr Wynne, asking for a ministerial ruling on the issue.

"I’ve spoken with the minister’s office and they are quite willing to look at the issue," Cr O’Neill said.

"It’s hard to say (what the decision will be) as we’ve got a situation where two councils (Colac-Otway Shire and Rural City of Wangaratta) have two

Legal action in rate fight

Source: Wangaratta Chronicle 21 Feb 09

St John’s considering appeal against council decision on village

Written by STEVEN BURKE.

THE St John’s Village board’s fight to keep its residents from paying municipal rates is far from over, with legal action being considered.

The village is still in shock over a split decision by Rural City of Wangaratta councillors, three votes to two, to impose rates on St John’s elderly residents.

Legal advice currently being sought by the St John’s board will decide whether that decision is challenged at a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) hearing.

St John’s chief executive, Joe Caruso, said the decision to seek legal advice was made at a board meeting on Wednesday night.

"The board has requested a legal opinion in regards to our position and we will then be looking at challenging council’s decision through VCAT," he said.

Mr Caruso said he remained unconvinced council’s hands were tied and that there was no other option but to impose rates on the village.

He believes council does have the discretion not to apply rates under the Local Government Act, again referring to the example of aged care facilities in the Otway Shire.

"There are three facilities within that council that have been granted an exemption from paying rates," Mr Caruso said.

"They provide a three tiered level of care on a similar model to St John’s."

At the crux of the issue is St John’s argument that it is a charitable organisation and a care provider, and should therefore be exempt from rates.

"Our residents do not actually own their properties - what they have is a contract which gives them right of occupancy," Mr Caruso said.

Currently some 19 "terrace" units at St John’s are rated, while 75 new units are also set to incur rates.

But it is the potential rating of 31 of the original "self-care" units which has Mr Caruso most angry.

Council’s report presented at Tuesday night’s meeting states the units "may also be involved" and “it would appear the properties are all rateable under the terms of the Local Government Act”.

Religous fanaticism bubbling along

• Counselor suspended after teens hear Christian music

  • A Southern California counselor with nearly two decades of experience with foster children is challenging a decision that she be punished after four teens she took on an approved day-long outing encountered a beach festival – and heard Christian music.
  
  What is the world coming to? Last week it was about a nurse getting the sack because she offered to pray for a patient ... and yet we are expected to build prayer rooms for Muslims

CATHOLIC bishops in the Holy Land have expressed outrage over what they call "repulsive attacks" on Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary after an Israeli TV program spoofed them ... if we criticise an Israeli, we are branded anti-semetic. Just to keep things balanced, a religious watchdog group has joined a campaign to strip the Arkansas Constitution of a provision prohibiting atheists from holding office and testifying in court.

"The free expression of religious belief, together with what James Madison called 'the full and equal rights of conscience,' should apply to people of all religious traditions -- including atheists. Government should no more penalize a person for professing atheism than for professing a belief in Christianity, Buddhism, or Islam," the Becket Fund letter said. ... and right here on our own back door, the Border Mail wont let Keiran Bennet place an atheist ad in their papers. post by gnaylor

Discontent in our fire fighting ranks

• 'Territorial' fire crews hamper bushfire effort - ABC News
  

  

Members of both the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board (MFB) have complained after being told their services were not wanted during the height of the fires.

The United Firefighters Union says it has documented the numerous complaints it has received from frustrated firefighters.

In the 2006-7 fires around Whitfield and Mansfield, during the mopping up phase, DSE firefighters - who were paid employees - were stood down and the exhausted CFA Volunteers were left to clean up - and received not a cent for it. So, I am not surprised to hear of this territorial dispute with the latest fires.

The Victorian Government has to comes to terms with this paid and unpaid fire services. CFA Volunteer firefighters should be paid for their time on the fire ground in accordance with the DSE payment rates - including overtime rates. If this does not happen, you can expect the CFA Volunteers to start refusing to go outside their own brigade areas during future fires. - posted by Greg Naylor

Greg's View of Todays News - 02/19/2009

• Move towards protectionism worries Crean - ABC News

  Federal Trade Minister Simon Crean says he is increasingly worried about moves towards protectionism as a result of the global financial downturn.

  
  

  • 
    • This is a bit like carbon trading - if we do it and the others don't, we are at an economic disadvantage.
    
    
    • With protectionism, if any government puts it's workers jobs in jeopardy, they had better expect rebellion of its workers.
      
    
    
    • Obama's move to buy American is the right thing to do by the American people - so what if other countries don't like it. Obama's job is to manage his own country.
    
    
    • Would we stand still if Kevin Rudd allowed foreign workers in to do our jobs for half the pay. Not bloody likely. - post by gnaylor
    
    
  • "If America starts closing off its markets for steel, why doesn't Korea, Japan, all of those countries start closing off markets to America?

• Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Sykes: how the bushfire Royal Commission will work

Source: (State MP for Benalla) Bill Sykes Media Release

Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, has endorsed the establishment of a Royal Commission into Victoria’s bushfires.

“These bushfires have caused unprecedented harm to Victoria, not only through the loss of life, property and livestock but also through the emotional trauma caused to survivors and the families of victims. Now that the Royal Commission has released the terms of reference I encourage people to contribute to the inquiry,” Bill Sykes said.

The Commission, led by Justice Bernard Teague, will operate under broad terms of reference including the cause and circumstances of the bushfires, the prevention, management and communication of bushfire threats and risks, immediate management, response and recovery in the event of a bushfire, communication and equipment systems, land use planning and management, fireproofing of housing and other buildings and public communications and community advice systems.

The Commission has the scope to include any other matters deemed appropriate in relation to the 2009 bushfires.

Justice Bernard Teague has said the Commission will include first person accounts by bushfire survivors. These accounts will be collected during round table hearings at locations throughout fire affected areas to commence early March 2009.

“I encourage people who have been directly impacted upon by these bushfires to make every effort to attend these meetings. In the past week I have visited bushfire affected and threatened areas in Bonnie Doon, Strathbogie, Merton, Yarck, Eildon, Thornton, Alexandra, Myrtleford, Bright, Rosewhite and Mudgegonga and have first hand knowledge of the issues faced by people. I will continue to address these issues but urge people across the Benalla Electorate to also contribute to this important inquiry,” Bill Sykes said.

The Royal Commission will provide an interim report by 17 August 2009 to enable early recommendations to be implemented before the next bushfire season. A final report will be due by 31 July 2010.

Written submissions by the public have been invited by the Royal Commission with a submission address to be announced by early next week.

“I will be advising all media, community and professional organisations and agencies throughout the Benalla Electorate where they can send submissions to as soon as this information becomes available and to advise the dates, times and locations of all round table hearings,” Bill Sykes said.

To view the Terms of Reference visit http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/images/stories/media/mediareleases/160209_-_elizabeth_the_second_by_the_grace_of_god_queen_of_australia.pdf

British Pubs ordered to install Big Brother CCTV cameras

The change we need?

Big Brother-style plans to force pubs to install CCTV cameras raise ‘serious privacy concerns’, the surveillance watchdog has warned.

Police are telling pubs, clubs, restaurants and off-licences they will not support their licensing applications unless they agree to train the intrusive cameras on their customers.

Britain is certainly leading in the 'Big Brother' surveillance stakes. We may not like it, but as new technologies are developed, we can expect governments to utilise them in their fight to maintain the rule of law.

The unfortunate reality is that once one country successfully adopts such a policy, it's allies will quickly follow.

Would you prefer to be a rich smoker or a poor non-smoker?

• Smoking 'worse for your health than being working class' - Telegraph

  • 

Scientists found that rich smokers were more likely to die young than non-smokers from the least affluent backgrounds.

My perception is that a greater proportion from the least affluent backgrounds tend to be smokers than their rich counterparts - probably why they are richer!

Smokers of all social classes were found to be at a higher risk of dying early than non-smokers from the lowest classes, the study, published online in the British Medical Journal, found.

Well, there you are kiddies, smoking is not good for your health!

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Help at hand for fire affected farmers and small business

Source: (State MP for Benalla) Bill Sykes Media Release

Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, welcomes the inclusion of small business and primary producers within the scope of funding grants available for those affected by the Victorian Bushfires.

“This is a welcome extension to the range of grants currently being offered to those directly affected by the bushfires,” Bill Sykes said. “Small business and primary producers across the State have been hit hard by these fires and it is important that these sections of the community are not overlooked.”

The Victorian Government announced assistance for businesses and primary producers directly impacted by the 2009 bushfires on Wednesday, 18 February. The assistance package is made up of two components:

• Clean-Up and Restoration Grant
• 2009 Bushfire Assistance Loan
  

The Clean-Up and Restoration Grant is a one off grant of $5,000 for immediate repair and restoration costs with additional funds available up to a total of $25,000 for businesses and farmers who have sustained direct damage as a result of the 2009 bushfires. This may include damage to farm buildings, crops, pasture, stock, fencing and/or tools. The Clean-Up Grant will assist in the removal of debris, animal welfare and business restoration as well as the hire of tools, equipment, fencing repairs, materials, trades and services. Eligibility for the additional $20,000 will be assessed on the extent of damage.

The 2009 Bushfire Assistance Loan, accessed through Rural Finance Corporation, will assist small businesses and primary producers whose physical assets have been destroyed or damaged by bushfire. Loans for 15 years of up to $200,000 are available at a concessional rate of 3.2% for the first five years. As well as providing essential working capital finance, loans may be made for the replacement of lost or damaged structures, livestock, fodder and equipment.

“Small business and primary producers are an integral part of our community. I am relieved these groups have been recognised by State Government as needing specific assistance to help with the recovery process after the bushfires. We should be examining every possible means to ensure the rebuilding of rural Victoria has positive outcomes,” Bill Sykes said.

To sign up for business counselling and general business advice contact Business Victoria hotline on 13 22 15. Applications forms for the Clean-Up and Restoration Grant and the 2009 Bushfire Assistance Loan for primary producers and small businesses are available from www.ruralfinance.com.au or call 1800 255 925.

Greg's View of Todays News - 02/18/2009

• Speedway - Win A Ride In A Race Car This Saturday

  The Wangaratta Motor Sports Club are throwing their full support behind the Victorian bushfire appeal, with all proceeds from a raffle at this weekend’s race meeting going directly to the appeal.

  • 

  • Racing will start at 4pm and will continue until around 11.00pm with all categories racing several times during the night. Finals at the end of the program will follow preliminary heats.

    Entry to the track is $20 for adults, $15 for pensioners, with children under 16 admitted free. A full commentary, event program and catering facilities are offered, as well as access to the pits for those interested in taking a closer look at the competing cars, and for a chance to meet the drivers.

• Turnbull sees merit in carbon tax - ABC News

  Federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull has not ruled out supporting a carbon tax as a way of cutting greenhouse emissions.
  The Federal Government says it wants a carbon trading scheme to start by July next year, but there are increasing criticisms of the plan. The Greens say it is too generous to the big polluters.

  • 

  • "A carbon tax has got the obvious advantage that if individuals make investments in energy efficiency, if individuals try and use less energy in their house under a carbon trading scheme, those efforts would be pointless," he said.

    "But under a carbon tax those efforts would help reduce Australia's emissions, so a carbon tax is quicker, it's fairer and it won't discourage individuals from trying to do their bit."
    • A 'carbon trading scheme' is a con that does not reduce carbon emissions at all. As pointed out in this article, it protects the major polluters at the expense of everyone else.
      
      Reducing carbon emissions is a job for everyone - it should not become just another 'free trade market' where the wealthy thrive by trading credits and juggling the books. Blind Freddy can see that whenever you create a new market, you also create a new form of corruption. That is not what is needed in a new world order. - post by gnaylor

• More Aust troops needed 'if Afghan war is to be won' - ABC News

  A retired Australian general who helped to command the Coalition forces in Iraq says Australia must be prepared to put up to 6,000 troops into Afghanistan. Australia has about 1,000 soldiers currently deployed in Afghanistan.

  • 
  • Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has consistently called for NATO countries to increase their troop numbers.
    • ... but Auatralia is not a signatory to NATO so why should we be there in the first place, let alone consider sending more troops.
      
      I'm not sure that many Australians understand anything about the Afghanistan conflict - post by gnaylor

  • "Of course our troops operate in the south in Oruzgan province, so I expect we would be working together, but none of us really know what this announcement means in practical terms," he said.

    "We know the numbers but it's a little unclear what Secretary [Robert] Gates and the US administration has in mind.
    • If it is unclear what Secretary [Robert] Gates and the US administration has in mind, how can Australia consider deploying more troops. - post by gnaylor

• Ai Group wants changes to Fair Work Bill - ABC News

  The Australian Industry Group has proposed a substantial number of amendments to the Federal Government's Fair Work Bill.

  • "The Bill substantially reduces the rights of employers and substantially increases the role and power of unions."
    • It seems the intention of the Bill has been lost - should it not be about protecting the rights of workers against unfair work practices. After all, the Bill is to undo the damage done by the Howard Government's 'Work Choices" law. - post by gnaylor

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.