Mood:  energetic

Picture: What’s going to happen to Morris? He’s fit, but the surf is up and he is going to need all the polling muscle he has built up over the last 18 months. His electoral fate comes down to the punishing Big Media rough and tumble this next 3 days. (Images from 27th March 2006 by this author, ripples of Cyclone Wati reach Sydney's Tamarama Beach.)

At the risk of coming across like a sycophantic Imre Salusinszky in The Australian this last week or so, I have sneaking admiration for Morris. He played Aussie Rules as a young bloke. Like that and woud kick a footy with him any day. He's a sophisticated Italian Aussie - tick for that too. And yes I'm envious because he's got a great family and career success.

But as a wonk I am really enjoying the washing machine beating he is getting in the mainstream press today, with more expected these next 3 mornings Thursday, Friday and Saturday. No wonder he looked boyish and subdued on ABC tv last night declining to condemn anti coal protesters as he braced for the press stories coming today. The threshing is ferocious and the bruising something fearsome.

As they say (eg Matt Price recent column), there is nothing so entertaining for a wonk as a pollie in trouble. Almost as relaxing as watching someone else work hard. Call it a streak of sadism.

And the press today had it all, not just the front page biffo regarding

- Sydney Daily Telegraph worst trains in the world story based on a serious study dishonestly covered up Sydney trains world's worst and having been on say the Paris underground and Santiago service I thinks it's probably good criticism, and not entirely 'comparing apples and oranges' even when you take into account greater density of population re pricing or greater areas to cover re infrastructure cost ; and

- Sydney Morning Herald safety threat from train disasters again from "suppressed documents" prised out via FoI procedures, and richly complemented by another secret school principals document of 10 years of failed maintenance in public schools Schools left to deteriorate Cover-up: rail crash risks compared to Granville

No there was too much 'funny' election grist in the press today really to meet my writing deadline, but here goes as best one can:

- Lord Mayor 'a hypocrite' on donations from developers by said lick spittle Imre, a very clever fellow, in The Australian quoting political donations expert researcher Norman Thompson who has quite a deal of credibility here. Yes a measure of truth regarding Clover Moore as Mayor and MP running this Saturday for showing ostentation as a career lefty, and for getting a bit patchy on ethical funding sources but this should be balanced against the great need in 2004 to oust the ALP state govt attempt at gerrymander of City Hall.

Unsurprisingly in 2004 the Liberal developer side of politics equally wanted the ALP out on the basis of your enemy's enemy is my ally and chipped in $30,000. That's the grey world of real politik. Declaration: this writer uses old Clover how to votes from the 2004 municipal election for note paper including this story and was a volunteer like Norman for that campaign. [And note coverage next day 22nd March Clover is reported helping to serve meals on wheels to poor residents - that's the spirit we admire Clover.]

- the revelation p9 of the Herald that Alan Jones of 2GB is AWOL this last week, actually laryngitis.

- the mesmerising elegance and intellect let alone ethical brilliance of Elizabeth Farrelly with one of her best  Voters face a stark choice which by the way balanced the revolving door every Wednesday of the duopoly federal MP gerrymander at top right of the same page with Tanya Plybersek MP (ALP) (this space should rotate to the 30% of political reps not ALP or Liberal);

- As if to balance the Herald shock horror story is a chunky advert p12 from Sydney Ferries Corporation in their rival The Sydney Daily Telegraph for an "Injury Management Coordinator". Which surely is a horse that has bolted?: Man dies after ferry collision - National - smh.com.au

- Patrice Newell candidate in the upper house and arguably spoiler to the Green Party gets the fluffy lifestyle spot with little colour pic p51 in "style food and wine" by Sue Bennett in the Teleg. Which reminds of her other half Big Phil Adams piece yesterday on the "oxymoronic politics" of the greenhouse debate like "clean coal and safe nuclear power". So true Phil (and don't forget the declaration of interest next time?): Oxymoronic politics rules the greenhouse debate

- After our sledge yesterday, to wit

"Mind you Ruddy (Kevin Rudd) as federal Opposition Leader seems to have his own PR blemish being conspicuously absent from the NSW election campaign by Morris Iemma formerly known as the parliamentary leader of the ALP in NSW."

Now read today: Rudd to bring star power to campaign Is this the metaphorical helicopter rescue service in our headline for Morris in the Big Media Surf? (ha ha)

- Minister Tebbutt education minister as we reported yesterday ('Minister Tebbutt, UN$W under Hilmer $ellout the sustainability business') is implicated in doing over the Solarch facility at UNSW sited at Little Bay in the eastern suburbs. Conveniently as she debates with Trioli there is a matey piece about the UNSW staying in the sustainability business after all, maybe, in ten years, perhaps: Science turns sun, surf into green energy (ten years regretably is political shorthand for never never)

-  Strong moderately scary advert in the Herald by the National Seniors with a pox on both major parties "Poor responses from both parties highlight policy shortcomings"

- A reminder on the madness of USA gun culture by Mark Coultan on the back page of the Herald Even superheroes can die in gun-crazy Gotham  - too bad Morris is busy promoting it Lee Rhiannon MLC - Greens E-Brief No. 163 

- And MY FAVOURITE from the press today, a little complex but oh so embarrassing to our favourites at the NSW Police and Daily Telegraph:  Drug raids cancelled POLICE were forced to cancel a major drug operation on Sydney trains and buses last week because the State Govt feared another transport meltdown.

Actually the strap line reads in the paper version "Panicky Government cancelled police operation" but it's not that embarrassing to the Govt on sound public policy grounds, because it was only ever a pre election anti drugs Law and Order Industry beat up and self indulgence designed to do over the progressive Green Party on decriminalising drug users, harm minimisation and sanctioning of dealers.

This is clear from the choreographed front page and 2 page follow up mugging of the Greens on the very same Thursday last week edition of the Telegraph. Prepared in concert by the Telegraph, Iemma Govt and NSW Police. Only we were spared the cynicism via one broken pentograph the Wednesday night before on a harbour bridge train instead which put 40,000 commuters in very angry public transport treacle, and wiped the cynical pre set media beat up of the Greens in favour of a beat up of the ALP itself.

Now the police and Telegraph via their old slugger Luke McIlveen (well known to Media Watch discipline), are recycling the half warmed last weeks news, after the Greens have rebuffed the cynical dishonest reportage of their drugs policy. Which reminds us of the amusing comment by the Herald veteran Damian Murphy on Monday p9 under the headline "It's unofficial: the Greens have won" being a sledge on their rival the Daily Telegraph for their web based election site clearly being monstered by Green party supporters - and who could blame them for some cyber discipline after all their Big Media malice.

And what were the police going to find anyway? People drinking out of cans of coke?:

"Coca-Cola denies ever having used cocaine in earlier versions of its drink but will not say whether the natural leaf forms part of its secret recipe.  Until a few years ago the Atlanta based company bought tonnes of leaves annually." in Things go better without Coke, say Bolivians - World - smh.com.au dated 19th March 2007.

Posted by editor at 9:34 AM NZT

Updated: Thursday, 22 March 2007 10:26 AM NZT

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Mood:  silly

Peter Costello is doing the PR lifting for the PM in the news today. And no wonder when these cartoons below from across the major dailies Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Sydney Daily Telegraph are reaching critical momentum, let alone the serious content in the text stories.

This opinion piece by a preferred leaker for the Treasurer Peter Costello, rival to the PM, is also more woe to Mr Howard for wetting the powder of his loyalist hard man Minister Tony Abbott:

Glenn Milne: Boot in his mouth 19 March 2007 AS the waves of scandal whipped up by Santo Santoro lap ever higher and the Government gulps for air, the recriminations inside the Coalition have already begun.

Mind you Ruddy (Kevin Rudd) as federal Opposition Leader seems to have his own PR blemish being consipicuously absent from the NSW election campaign by Morris Iemma formerly known as the parliamentary leader of the ALP in NSW.

There is another curious item (picture) at the bottom of our cartoon collage below, of Defence 'Wanker' .... err Minister, in the Howard government, Brendan Nelson in a report about the controversial $6/$15B billion deal with US arms dealer Lockheed Martin

(listed on google this way:"Lockheed Martin - We never forget who we're working for. As a lead systems integrator and information technology company, nearly 80% of Lockheed Martin's business is with the US Department of Defense and the US ...")

is also a very unflattering image. The headline "cockpit" possibly alludes to rumours about his vigorous love life (?) pushed by scurrilous ezine Crikey.com.au at times, and the whole picfac orchestrated by the minister is a response to this big hit on him here last Sunday night in the very high rating 60 Minutes here:

Dogfight You can forget health, forget welfare, wait till you hear how they're spending your money now. Fifteen billion dollars of it. All for a new war plane. A top secret project called the Joint Strike Fighter, our biggest defence purchase ever. But then Liam took a look at the fine print. For some strange reason, our defence chiefs have gone into the deal without seriously considering any other plane.

Posted by editor at 9:59 AM NZT

Updated: Tuesday, 20 March 2007 3:45 PM NZT

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Mood:  down

MEDIA RELEASE - 19 March 2007

Intimidation, vandalism at Greens candidate's home

cuts close to heart

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon has called on police to fast track their investigation of the destruction of a large number of native trees along the driveway leading to the property of Conny Harris, Greens candidate for the seat of Wakehurst.

Greens MP Ms Rhiannon said: "Dr Harris and her family were put in a dangerous situation last night. More than 10 native trees were cut down with a chainsaw and the family were blocked from using their driveway.

"This vandalism occurred between 11pm last night and 5 am this morning. The trees cut down were part of a massive bush regeneration project Dr Harris has been involved in.

"Dr Harris lives with her husband and three children in Oxford Falls. Both Dr Harris and her husband are doctors at public hospitals and were unable to attend work today.

"Dr Harris has a strong local profile as a conservationist and I can only guess that this act of vandalism has been done to intimidate her.

"She is recognised locally as an authority on eucalypts and native vegetation and lectures to plant groups and on community education days. This act of vandalism has caused her a lot of personal distress.

"Dr Harris' family have experienced this type of intimidation in the past. She has had her letterbox stolen and property vandalised.

"Emergency Services personnel have visited Dr Harris' property this morning to work out how to restore access to the family home.

"The police need to take this investigation seriously because the threat to Dr Harris and her family has been very upsetting."

Greens candidate Dr Harris said: "This kind of dirty politics is very irresponsible.

"These native trees are close to my heart and my family feels threatened.

"I am a doctor at a public hospital and was unable to get my car out of the drive and go to work today. This act has potentially harmed more people than just my family."

Posted by editor at 3:46 PM NZT

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Mood:  special

Sydney Event 4-4-07 - The impacts and history of online activism

Posted by editor at 2:26 PM NZT

Updated: Monday, 19 March 2007 4:01 PM NZT

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Mood:  irritated

Picture: From "Ray of hope for solar power showcase after dark years of neglect" By Claire O'Rourke and Stephanie Peatling
March 15 2003 at http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/03/14/1047583701205.html with caption reads "Brighter future ... Climate Action Network's Kylie Hitchman, Danny Kennedy [until recently head of campaigns Greenpeace Australia], Philip Freeman and Janice Wormworth at the Solarch site. Photo: Robert Pearce" The article below reveals Solarch was burned down in suspicous circumstances in

Minister Carmel Tebbutt defending the seat of Marrickville is implicated badly in this terrible turn of events in Little Bay in south eastern Sydney, according to our source:

 "Check page 31 of the UNSW Strategic Plan 2006-10.  Little Bay site is said to have been purchased.  And it was the NSW Minister for Education - Carmel Tebbutt - who gave the green light for the site to be sold. "

No surprises that the University of NSW under soulless bean counter Fred Hilmer is also implicated after deciding to sell off the highly successful and popular Arthur St permaculture garden at Randwick.

Shameful betrayal of the public interested as it related to the age of dangerous climate change (notwithstanding fluffy 'don't you worry about that' type stories on the science of global warming these last few days). Our informant writes:

Posted by editor at 11:56 AM NZT

Updated: Monday, 19 March 2007 3:50 PM NZT

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Mood:  smelly

Our contributor Lynda writes:

Posted by editor at 11:38 AM NZT

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Mood:  lazy

Picture: images lifted off the Fairfax web site this morning, with thanks for this important public interest aspect to the cunning politicisation of an icon.

When is an election stunt actually a breach of the electoral laws against inducements to buy votes?

We wrote in late 2006 on Sydney indymedia

(and here it is 14th August 2006 Easy being green washed as huge coal loader destroys credibility of free light globes PR at inner city electorates? )

of the free light globes Easy Being Green programme http://shop.easybeinggreen.com.au funded by the NSW Govt in marginal green shaded seats of Balmain and Marrickville in 2006. Were these effectively buying votes on March 24 2007?

Well those give aways suddenly stopped theoretically two months after our IMC article (with credit due to Sydney Indy Media function and this writer), what a coincidence, after an audit showed (to paraphrase) 'the budgeted take up has been filled': 'Lightbulb giveaway is switched off' The Australian - 14 Oct 2006.

Now we see the brilliant PR free advertising for the Iemma Govt around a visual feast of yellow hats on the big meeja last night and today. Clever. Costing say $100,000 (?) in free hat ware and a reward for those who took the trouble to register and be organised to assist in the worthy goals of safety in a crowd, and to promote sun smart behaviour especially for kids. The free night time head lamps purely decoration?

 Picture: Our ugly but lovable toll gouging coat hanger because in the end it is indeed ours, but is it ALP Premier Morris Iemma's? Image lifted from tourism company http://www.bridgeclimb.com/

So you might think giving away hats IS justifiable and good public policy, but you might also call it very cunning leverage of incumbency to the morning and night political tv news bulletins. A real triumph of PR positioning all at taxpayer expense like those water adverts, and green light globes.

Iemma's team can all refer to the 75 year chronology as simply good luck one week before the vote that festivities precede the state election. A schedule, we say, that has been cynically exploited to this writer's impression by the incumbent government to throw a free party, the PNG version of killing and cooking pigs for a free feed for the voters.

This event in fact was so highly choreagraphed it has been revealed it was 'months in the planning, involving hundreds of people to organise' according to the Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk: 75th Anniversary spokeswoman on Adam Spencer 702 abc radio morning show this morning: How calculating and very unsurprising. It might even explain why bureaucrats took their eye off the ball with recent transport stuff ups when big ships visited here and unlucky failed maintenance caused a melt down. A bureaucracy under pressure to deliver the political premium rather than bread and butter daily competency?

A good party with a free yellow hat or headlamp for maximum PR visibility but a lousy provider? We think so.

Indeed the Opposition acknowledge just how political the event is by having  their big ticket roads policy on today Monday 19th March 07 in an attempt to meet this orchestrated PR coup.

Even an apparent suicide at North Sydney station yesterday according to radio reports was unable to stop the Iemma PR juggernaut, he is that 'good'.

The Herald today in its wrap around went with a front page equivalent of the manipulative PR yellow sea of hats being the headlamp hats for the night walkers (another $50k plus?),  but the tv bulletins dwelled on the daylight yellow caps yesterday, and this carried over to the wrap the Daily Telegraph. There's heaps of votes in that free coverage. Paid for by .... you the taxpayer: Politics won't be denied on Bridge's big day | NEWS.com.au

How cheap are peoples votes in our NSW Democracy - the cost of a yellow cap, or a little head lamp? Probably.

Posted by editor at 9:21 AM NZT

Updated: Monday, 19 March 2007 11:35 AM NZT

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Mood:  sharp

All this muck in state and federal politics, as well as dodgy financial reporting by CEO Fletcher in Coles retail business giant as here The World Today - Coles accused of misleading shareholders could make one believe the community sector are surely above this moral corruption.

Alas not. Only the stakes are so much smaller. The emotional investment seems just as obsessive.

Example: A tenant at the local ARC wants special treatment. Reverse Garbage, Ethnic Child Care, The Bower, Art Studios, Sunday Markets all have visitors by car who on some occasions park on the grass degrading both the turf (which heaven knows is knocked around in the drought) and compacting the roots of the trees.

It’s usually a simple matter of the garden staff on the job politely but firmly asking the driver  to get ORFour grass and use the very adequate car park areas. And they usually are quite happy to. Almost invariably because they actually support and respect the shared objective of a successful community centre.

But not last Friday. Our imperious visitor was too important to bother with that. Then our anonymous tenant refused to take any responsibility for their ignoble guest plonked on the median strip, indeed was instantly and emotionally and verbally abusive, dishonest, aggressive and indeed corruptly seeking special exemption virtually threatening our employment for simply doing our job.

It was all so small and yet indicative of possibly a much greater and unsafely corrupt mind set. Certainly of arrogance and snobbery in this case. To be called a “nice boy” at 42, a part time solicitor with two degrees is quite hard to take really.

Fortunately we did not reciprocate and the General Manager who employs me treated this particular tenant with the merit s/he deserves. He merely required a file note to evidence the situation and helpfully there were witnesses.

And we all have our own power and can chose to exercise it in a proportionate and transparent way in what might be called upward management. It’s mainly a matter of careful analysis beyond the impertinent melodramatic histrionics where to insert the knitting needle.

So now it’s a work ban on this tenant at least by this worker. No removal of rubbish, no weeding or mowing, no special favours with mulching the back yard or pigeons in the roof, indeed no web updating of the fast improving  Addison Road Centre - ARC Home website which we have been seconded to assist with until we receive satisfaction.

We will win in the long run as night follows day. That's my version of accountability for low level corruption in a community centre: Qualitatively no better than other bottom feeding federal or state politicians or big business corruption but quantitatively an order of magnitude smaller. Indeed we will not be sidetracked.

The human condition, ain’t it lovely?

.......................

Postscript #1:  We have received correspondence disputing our version of events described above and now publish this record verbatim:

"Excuse me.....Can you not park there please [still 30 metres away walking down the front drive]....We don't want people parking on the grass and it's an [bad] example to all other people who drive into the centre. ....[no response].... I work here as a gardener at the centre. ....."

Posted by editor at 12:27 PM NZT

Updated: Tuesday, 20 March 2007 5:50 PM NZT

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Mood:  down

Either way the NSW Public are facing 4 more years of bad governance under the influence of either major party, ALP or Liberal- National Coalition. Democracy is effectively broken here as illustrated by this sorry image:

Picture: ALP’s moral credibility: Huge sandmine hole next to Wollemi World Heritage national park on one side and Yengo NP/McDonald Wilderness on the other, 40 km west of Sydney next to the Singleton Road. The sand "pulled out" goes into the ALP controlled construction sector. The mine by Birdon Contracting Pty Ltd was illegal 1986-96 then given retrospective approval by Hawkesbury River Shire Council, and proceeded without valid development consent from 1996-2007 according to Environmental Defenders Office written legal advice. It is due for takeover by Adelaide Brighton Pty Ltd and most likely will be expanded to 270 ha and approved by Minister Frank Sartor in due course. It is killing the water flow in Tinda Creek into Wollemi natural heritage area. There is no real restoration of these huge sand mine sites. They are usually left as quicksand slurry pits (called 'lake' in the spin). Photo by SAM editor 14th March 2007.

Mark Colvin the veteran reporter and presenter of the ABC PM show last night posed the question: What if they held an election and no one came?

This apparently was in response to Peter Debnam's press conference earlier that day posing his own rhetorical question to the effect of: Why are NSW voters in the latest marginal seats Galaxy poll such masochists to still prefer the ALP 58:42 two party preferred? : Debnam throws in the towel

Good question Peter.

It’s a devastating answer in the headline above: Frank Sinatra was a Sicilian* and many other things too: An apologist for mobster killers in the mafia (like the ALP are killers of clean government and good public interest policy with their family cronyism devoid of merit), but the crooner wasn't racist, he loved his black brother entertainer Sammy Davis Junior. Similarly the NSW ALP bruvvers are not white supremacists but they are corrupt as the day is long:

It’s also worth remembering Nile has voted for every forest destroying legislative instrument ever presented since at least 1992 to this writer's memory. Nile has just targeted a Federal policy question proposing a ban on Muslim immigration in a state election no less:

Nile wants Muslim pause - State Election 2007 - smh.com.au,

and notice this demolition of the crackpot Nile election policy:

Thus young Australians are flirting with neo Nazi policies, like this convicted criminal who should have been sent to jail: Cronulla rioter guilty and free

But if John Robertson of the NSW Labour Council is right yesterday interviewed on radio there is a bigger cohort of voter concern than racial intolerance, namely 7 or 8% out there supporting the Your Rights at Work campaign against Debnam’s sponsor, PM John Howard and his “extreme industrial relations” turning our society into a ruthless Darwinian jungle.

Even allowing for posturing by unionist Robertson to claim electoral credit (who interestingly also spoke at the Climate Change Rally late last year 2006 in person with more here Climate march gallery 3.12.05), Robertson is surely right to a degree. Worker rallies of 40,000 last November 30 in the Sydney CBD with many more across NSW show that his point is fair.

Yet as a result of a systemic money politics, incumbency and diverse gerrymanders by the two party sleaze bags, 30% or more voters still feel there is nowhere else to go than Coalition or ALP despite racism,or corrupt policy (see examples listed below).

At least this election the rise of the Independents is being seriously discussed as per this candidate out in Windsor the othe day:

Picture: Steven Pringle resigned from the Liberal Party after losing pre-selection allegedly to the Christian Right of the Party in the seat of Hawkesbury and is recontesting in what is said to be an interesting contest 2007 New South Wales Election. Hawkesbury Electorate Profile ...

Quentin Dempster on Stateline last night 16th March posed yet another question: Will Peter Debnam, who presents as already defeated here resign a week out from the election so his more moderate rival and deputy Barry O’Farrell MP can go to the polls for the Liberal Party?

Debnam chuckled with hollow bravado at the impertinence of that question, just as Iemma and his Minister Tebbutt chuckled with arrogant assurance on the screen last night during the main ABC News bulletin.

And then there is the painful rise of the third force in politics: The Greens Party. They copped it again last Wednesday and Thursday in the 'Daily Idiot' as Leunig accurately cartooned last weekend, meaning The Sydney Daily Telegraph over their “liberal” drugs policy. Here are their sister News Limited papers chiming in:

Greens drug policy 'absurd, disgusting' - The Australian - 13 Mar 2007
Nile calls for MP drug tests - Melbourne Herald Sun - 14 hours ago

[Interestingly David Penberthy, the editor of the SDT running most strongly on the drug issue against the Greens is related to another Penberthy in the newspaper game of yesteryear at the Nationwide Review which crashed and burned.]

Indeed the Greens are portrayed by sleazy Iemma for the ALP as “ludicrous, ridiculous, unscientific” for their policies on harm minimisation. For years now the ALP have sought to position the Greens as pro drug use possibly to project their own guilt over huge donations from the clubs and pubs lobby. The Coalition are green baiting as usual via their Daily Smelly mouthpiece as much as possible possibly because their ex Premier Nick Greiner works for Big Tobacco. The hypocrisy surely is that more people are killed and hurt by alcohol and tobacco in society than other problematic drug use.

Picture: Fortune favours the brave? Lee Rhiannon MLC who is leading the Greens upper house ticket, gave a strong defense of rational drugs policy with fortunate back up by world class expert Dr Alex Wodak on ABC Trioli show recently.

The Greens up till 2003 have been too little and naïve to meet and demolish this stereotyping but I heard on ABC Trioli show late this week the policy bullies hit the wall, and the bigger they are the harder they do hit: MP Lee Rhiannon for the Greens stood and faced the attack and beat the ALP/Coalition policy thugs pointless.

The Greens don’t condone drug use but they do support reallocation of resources into harm minimisation and health approaches. Funny that, just like the scourge of prostitution was taken out of the hands of corrupt police and politicians into the decriminalised health and planning sector.

The truth is the Law and Order Industry (humorously called LauraNorder) need illegal drugs to run their huge budgets, power, prestige and jobs for the boys and girls.

Sydney does listen to Trioli in significant measure and she started out harsh and sceptical but she backed off good and proper as Dr Alex Wodak  of St Vincents Hospital slam dunked the major parties with this, to paraphrase:

'Q. Alex Wodak is Lee Rhiannon of The Greens right?

Ans. Yes. All the evidence internationally says they are’.

What was that about expert, scientific, public policy Morris? Who are the honest politicians in the election? Who have the proverbial courage, so often associated with voter shyness for being ahead of their time? Who indeed are ridiculous, preposterous, ludicrous and indeed liars? The ALP and Coalition, demonstrably so.

Dr Wodak even quoted the hero of right wingers (like shrieker Miranda Devine) for his case: free market economist Milton Friedman abhorred the prohibitionist failed polices over 8 decades in relation to unhealthy illegal drug use.

The Greens are in favour of criminal sanctions for all dealers of drugs, says Rhiannon. Rhiannon is also quoted in the news bulletins as not taking alcohol or other drugs herself personally. And another difference this election is that Jamie “horny goatweed” Parker (who by the by more than anyone haughtily encouraged this writer in person to get out of the Green Party in 2000, literally in the office of Lee Rhiannon in Macquarie Street), is not a candidate in Balmain.

Indeed Horny Goatweed got mugged 3 days out from the vote in 2003 while the Daily Smelly has shot its bolt a premature 10 days out with time for such counter attack by The Greens on the real facts and real expert advice.

Therein is the difference 2003 to 2007 apart from Parker losing his preselection (jumped or pushed?) and keep in mind politics is all about timing. Indeed I was moved to call and congratulate Rhiannon’s performance on Trioli's show with the advice – hold fast, its tough with black and blue bruises inevitable, but you are turning the corner on critical public policy reform.

Indeed Trioli doesn’t "have children" but Rhiannon does and criminalising youthful idiocy/despair into a life of crime is no way forward for any political analyst with half a brain. On the the Daily Telegraph's own biased terms over 25% of NSW voters agree with the Greens already and it will grow.

But the last word on drugs surely goes to liberal minded Democrat, Arthur Chesterfield Evans MD who fronted the drug test stunt by Fred Nile MP in state parliament press room calling for “a mental health test” as well. Laugh out loud. If it’s anything like the character test re stewardship of God’s creation that Nile has already dismally failed then Nile has no chance.

Truth is Iemma/Carr’s ALP majority this last 12 years have never been worried about “scientific” policy for the welfare and good government of NSW. Nor were they in the lead up to the Wood Royal Commission into police corruption. This writer worked in parliament and witnessed the ambition and shame that forced both major parties to go along with independent John Hatton MP now retired.

These major parties have always preferred feather nesting 'ludicrous ridiculous' policy to quote Premier Iemma back at himself, whenever democracy was asleep or apathetic. Here's one current list of such tragedies but it's only limited by space not examples:

1. East Darling Harbour site has toxins apparently:

Sartor told of toxic site 5 years ago

We hear the ALP’s excessive development plan is a bastardised version of architect Phil Thalis’s design (pers comm Sydney City Councillor) and he is really not happy. Jack Mundey famous for Green bans and on the government advisory committee rejected the bogus plan that ex ALP PM Paul Keating (that old developer mate from Bondi Junction) defends, and Jack the old unionist has gone very quiet since Maritime Union boss Robert Coombs was given a choice preselection into State Parliament via seat of Swansea. The whole thing reeks.

2. Legal and illegal land clearing in the millions of hectares with duchessed greenie Jeff Angel on the government’s peak advisory committee during this time 1998-2005, for more see report 27th Feb 2007 here: 

The fact ex ALP Premier Carr mitigated this unfolding disaster just prior to his buckle in mid 2005 to the incoming Iemma forces puts the ALP ahead of the Coalition on land use but only barely, with Debnam way ahead on water policy. The Desalination Plant is just just more ALP construction industry cronyism it seems. Indeed The Greens identify Iemma’s “unscientific” policy on land clearing with this:

“ The government’s mapping does not pick up clearing where canopy is less than 20%. As a result it does not recognise clearing of open woodlands or grasslands. These areas are responsible for around 60% of all legal clearing in NSW. I challenged [Minister] McDonald about this technology in a meeting we had late last year. He promised to provide evidence that would support its effectiveness. Nothing has been forthcoming.”

Ian Cohen MLC, Green Party press release 28^th February 2007, doing Jeff Angel’s job 10 years late but better than never.

I explained these facts of life about Green Party preferencing to the ALP in some parts but not others (say Monaro or Blue Mountains) due to Coalition support for land clearing last Wednesday to Riverstone Liberal Candidate Kevin Conolly outside Windsor Railway station at 7.15 am. Conolly supports his Party's repeal of 330K ha Goonoo Pilliga conservation reserve because of lack of park management funding.

Picture: Future MP Kevin Conolly? Former Catholic school teacher, presumably from the intolerant Christian Right faction of the Liberals. Conolly is after an upset from the ALP on about 11% margin Riverstone - State Election 2007 - smh.com.au. His federal Counterpart Kerry Bartlett is also doing it tough on minus .5% in the seat of Macquarie (and was out leafleting the commuters) after a federal westward redistribution taking in ALP strong holds of Lithgow, also more neutral Oberon etc.

We saw a ‘picfac’ of another rural regional Liberal Party candidate too, chubby Prue Goward in the Sydney Morning Herald 15^th March 2007 Pushing Prue: can she speed into leadership? with alternative headline Goward seen as Libs' saviour on the Fairfax website:

Did she get her inspiration from this other biker political animal "Randall Nelson OAM AKA Animal" as described on his business card?

Picture: “Animal” is a Christian preacher in Kings Cross whose business card reads prophetically “When we do Right No-one Remembers When we do Wrong No-one Forgets.” Is this why the primary vote of the ALP and Coalition is going south and will continue to do so until the dam breaks?

Coalition candidates should read this letter from an enlightened farmer to save our animals so to speak: Letters: Farmers' argument comes down to reserves versus reserve fodder

3. Matthew Moore the Freedom of Information editor for the Sydney Morning Herald reveals 15^th March 2007 the cheating over a hidden document preparing the way to bulldoze Beacon Hill public school on valuable land for developers. Simply more corruption. See

Ohhhh you wanted That document!!???

4. Telegraph report March 5^th 2007 p17 that BHP-Billiton’s Appin Area 3 mine, southwest of Sydney has indeed cracked the Upper Cataract River as predicted by critics, 5 months after approval:

“Last October, The Daily Telegraph reported that the [Sydney Catchment Authority] had advised the State Government the mine should go no closer than 350 m to the line of the river. The operation, however, was permitted to go within 100m.”

Simply corruption.

5. Hundreds of thousands or even millions of feral critters live in our rural areas both national park and farmlands. Iemma has appeased cowboy shooters by allowing them into public recreation reserves like the USA where hunters take over. There probably is a place for professional full time efficient sharp shooters following a scientific kill program, accountable to government employers, but Iemma in a sleazy deal has the whole community

“Living in fear of stray bullets” (p26th March 4^th 2007 The Sydney Sunday Telegraph),

says Robyn Gregg with toddler on knee, from Kulnurra north of Sydney regarding shooters in McPeherson State Forest. This is corruption of public policy and anti science and frankly outragous pandering..

6. Our climate change friend John Robertson, an ALP crony above all else, is described thus by profoundly likeable and good planning writer Elizabeth Farrelly as follows:

“… to list Currawong [heritage area next to Kuringai NP] after so controversial a sale [by the NSW Labor Council] would be to invite damages. Why didn’t [Minister Sartor] do it when it was easy? The answer may lie with the Heritage Council. A public body with very private meetings, it is chaired by property type Mike Collins and lists among its members none other than Comrade John Robertson, an electrician who is also, as luck would have it, secretary of Unions NSW. See what I mean? It’s that cosy family feeling. Cosy nostra. Full circle.”

 in Currawong is still oriented towards family ...2st Feb 2007.

That’s res ipsa loquitur (the matter speaks for itself) a perception of corruption in the governance of heritage land by this NSW government.

.....................

All of the above criticism risks offending Gandhi nonviolence when he says, as for politics so in life,

"10. Avoid exploiting weakness in your opponent. Aim for integrity, not simply to win. "

meaning adversarial point scoring in a race to the bottom, muck raking negativity, is not a sound basis for good governance. But the point about peaceful but confronting Gandhi was that he did still aim to win for the public interest with integrity and that is the way forward to reform NSW politics.

* this writer is 1/8 Italian and proudly so.

Posted by editor at 7:49 AM NZT

Updated: Saturday, 17 March 2007 1:04 PM NZT

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