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sydney alternative media - non-profit community independent trustworthy
Tuesday, 29 May 2007
Tim Flannery and the Cultural Icons playing at a big media near you
Mood:  on fire
Topic: globalWarming


If John Howard thinks he is free of the troublesome priest of greenhouse science, Prof Tim Flannery, think again PM.

There was Prof Flannery introducing Noel Pearson's rage against systemic white government on Australian Story last night - Pearson and Flannery both a product of quite a deal of white society (including big business) sponsorship from Keating back to 1993, and the fallout of the Mabo decision, and big law firm jobs. To be fair Pearson is back where it counts for years now. And Flannery has his green vocation which is also admirable.

[To digress from Flannery a moment re Australian Story, Noel was keen to work with the The Wilderness Society in the early 1990's coining the phrase "indigenous wilderness", just as I worked with Steve Lalor the NSW Aboriginal Liaison Officer in the NSW branch of TWS. What was more revealing in the show last night was the marked shift of traditional owner Marandoo Yanner proving that Black politics has as many fraught twists and turns as Canberra, given Yanner was all for the Wild Rivers legislation till recently. Yanner was playing us greenies shamelessly there on the screen.

And chubby poetic Alec Marr of TWS is no slouch with a clever yarn .... just like Flannery as per The Australian colour mag).

There is plenty more to run in the morality of the North Qld situation and Noel Pearson is kidding himself if he thinks he can use a Big Media bullypit alone via non journalistic Australian Story, leveraging black skin on a visual medium to win this argument over future land use and big developers. Recall Jabiluka owner Yvonne Margarula's brother murdered in a knife fight in a mining town. That's what big white vice in the name of development does to Traditional culture too. Witness Marcia Langton part funded by uranium miner ERA in her academic career. That's quite a grey moral world of land use politics.]

The point is Flannery is building an alliance with Margaret Fulton, a cultural icon if ever there was, and thus bouncing back from the Coalition Govt chill with a vengeance. Indeed consorting with 2 other living treasures in 2 days of Big Media - Margaret Fulton described as "Australia's best-known and most-loved cookery writer", and Noel Pearson perhaps the most articulate English speaking Black Australian that has ever lived. That's alot of kitchens there PM, and Black and White barrackers let alone ABC watchers. In cahoots with nemesis Prof Tim Flannery.

And grand dame Fulton getting the royal treatment on Trioli 702 radio mid morning today and previous weeks from memory just reinforces the point.

It's the attack of the cultural icons: PM - to be frank - you are cactus, individual ALP hypocrisy on IR regardless.

And notice this evolving issue of food sourcing by distance in Tim's Flannery's quote

" There's an old Italian bloke and I just buy whatever he's got because it's grown about a kilometre away from where we buy it ..."

Which is exactly what this grist article is about there in the USA:

Alisa Smith and James McKinnon chew the fat on their 100-mile diet ...


Posted by editor at 1:27 PM NZT
Updated: Tuesday, 29 May 2007 8:04 PM NZT
No cure for the common cold - but try inhaling vapour clouds of eucalyptus in hot water
Mood:  surprised
Topic: health

 

The SAM blogger has had the dreaded onset winter lergie for some 4 weeks now - it's rotten. The colder than average home base here in the old building doesn't help either.

Some like oranges, garlic etc but what really works for us beside rest and fluids is careful use of eucalyptus drops about $4.50 for 100ml at the supermarket depending on the brand.

Boil the kettle, pour into a pot. Put in 10 or 15 drops (a short pour) and slowly breathe in the heady mix gradually and out again. It's strong stuff so be sure to read the directions and don't ever drink the stuff. Do this as long as you like or the vapour cloud lasts (a minute or two). No need to boil on a cooker either as adequate volalitility just off the boil, and quite comfortable temperature.

2 or 3 times a day is really working to clear our lungs, and it somehow feels patriotic too.


Posted by editor at 12:33 PM NZT
Updated: Tuesday, 29 May 2007 1:10 PM NZT
Monday, 28 May 2007
Police setting APEC pre publicity tone is a self fulfilling prophesy of aggressive clashes and ignores real threats
Mood:  not sure
Topic: legal

Picture: Truck accident in Rockdale about 5 years ago. Images taken by this writer as a local resident/witness. If one looks closely at the top image you can see a truck has flipped onto its side and is being lifted about a metre aloft with wheels at right angle to the ground. It looks strange because the heat of the fuel fire has literallly vaporised half the metal tank on the trailer. No one was killed in this accident which in itself must have been a minor miracle. There were some people sleeping in the burnt buildings nearby at the time of the one vehicle accident at a sharp corner just before the rail bridge. 

Note this pre publicity by the police and their captured political representatives in State Government in the press today:

APEC gets tough on protesters | The Daily Telegraph 

This writer spent 2 years on Bondi Safety Committee 1996-97 as an elected local councillor and we learned to never let the police set the tone of pre event publicity. The principle looks the same today even as big as the APEC conference will be in Sydney in September 2007.

Police inevitably predict aggressive clashes with the public and suggest criminal behaviour by protesters which is the police paradigm and in fact what they plan for. This has the effect of promoting their own importance and budget in a highly convenient fashion for the bureaucracy. It is also self fulfilling prophesy because the minute number actually looking for sport at the police expense take it as an invitation to come on down and box on. 

In a sense they all get what they want at the expense of the broader public. But there is a much more serious aspect of distraction from  real risk profile for such an event.

What worries this writer most is not loud ferals, even pushy ones, or mindless street violence. And certainly not organised recognised non govt groups who never want the reputation for violence. What worries me, and should worry everyone not least Big Media and Govt:


1. is those 7 or so missing rocket launchers reported in the Murdoch press and media release of the federal/NSW police. Still missing?


2. Canberra is set up for gatherings away from the largest centre of population, not just for one offs like APEC, but to avoid opportunistic coups via a big rally taking over the parliament house (theoretically possible in Sydney of 4M but not Canberra).


3. Is Howard secretly hoping there will be an attack to get votes in a patriotic fervour?


4. The petrol tanker scenario. See these pics above of a truck accident in Rockdale 5 years back we locals of the time witnessed  - large volumes of fuel and a spark can destroy anything, including melt the tanker in half, like a hot knife through butter. That's scary.


None of these are protester related, marbles or stuff like that. Those are so marginal and in truth this writer has never ever witnessed that in 15 years of ngo activity as God is my witness, 6 or so arrests for peaceful protest without conviction, and solicitor now. That said, we don't like seeing anyone get hurt, democracy activists police or anyone. For moral reasons but also quite practical - draconian blow back by the system. Gandhi is my way even if we can't be a saint like him.

We were quite surprised indeed to read the quite calm and brutal article in the Herald recently on the history of lethal attacks on political leaders. This was suggestive of activity way beyond the aims or objectives of the local ngo movement I've known this last 15 years in Sydney. Here is the reference, and we had to wonder how responsible the article was but here it is anyway relying on the Herald as precedent:

Gunning for democracy works, just don't miss - Opinion - smh.com.au

Postscript #1 May 29th 2007

As we hear of alleged sadism of police filming capsicum spray victims on their mobile phone, and police 'on patrol' at the local McDonalds (read feeding their face), we notice the Peerless Hack on APEC in the press today below: Coincidence really given we put a version of the above comment piece on that Daily Telegrpah story which they did publish. Here is the Akerman headline and notice the yellow sunshine and bogus image of Deputy Premier John Watkins in their graphic:

Stay tuned for our analysis of the "natural gas" and "other working groups looking at other aspects of the energy industry".

These are great euphemisms by Hackerman refering to the Bush-Howard Global Nuclear Energy Partnership spread of radioactive stain across the world. Indeed this is confirmed by Nigel Wilson recently in the business pages of the Australian so no point in denials. It's salad days for the nuke pimps with a missile defence shield boosting an arms race and thus nuke weapon deterrent here too on Australian soil. If only Howard can win the next election. And if there were any doubt about Mr Yellow take a look at this image:

Here is the web link to the story at:

APEC more than insular views with my comment, but will it go up?

"Piers, you are being euphemistic about the

"working groups looking at other aspects of the energy industry"

Not so much "natural gas" as in fact the Bush-Howard Global Nuclear Energy Partnership spreading radioactive risk to the world.

Nigel Wilson, an excellent News Ltd journo says APEC will do as much in The Australian business section p20 24 May 07.

Trouble is, nuke industry boosting of missile defence shield promotes an arms race and nuke weapon deterent here on our soil. Are you ready for the apocalypse, what about your daughters?

Come on Piers, publish this. I've copied it."


Posted by editor at 4:53 PM NZT
Updated: Tuesday, 29 May 2007 12:17 PM NZT
Oh dear, blogster Tim Blair implies climate change worrier Rupert Murdoch is in terrorism denial
Mood:  accident prone
Topic: big media

 

Last Saturday Tim Blair made a bizarre implication in the high circulation Sydney Daily Telegraph Saturday edition satire. We have pictured the article above with a few additions in our mischevious way. The implication in the text found here May 26th

Just swap weather for terrorism | The Daily Telegraph

is quite clear - that his own boss Rupert Murdoch owner of News Corporation, British PM Tony Blair, Australian Opposition leader Kevin Rudd all on record as very concerned about climate change are actually indulging terrorism denial. They are not actually named but the smear is there in a very clumsy mud feast:

 "Tough language is borrowed from the war on terror and applied to the war on weather," Gorin wrote - presciently, since at that point the trend was nowhere near as obvious as it is now. "Freud called it displacement. People fixate on the environment when they can't deal with real threats."

Tim Blair quotes someone called Gorin in approving terms.

Never mind these three world leaders all support various kinds of military action on what we term errorist violence, not least in Afghanistan, and Big Rupert and Tony Blair the whole hog  in Iraq also. And support bucket loads of action on climate change too. Rupert suffering 'Freudian displacement'? Big call Tim.

No doubt columnist Blair meant to limit his smear of terrorism denial to named targets like Green senator Bob Brown, and Al Gore to scare off cultural icons like super fish Ian Thorpe at Foxtel environmental tv show now, rocker now MP Peter Garrett, and think tank academic Clive Hamilton and Professor Tim Flannery who indeed are global warming activists. But the mud is spread liberally to all. In a grand non sequitur Tim Blair figures anyone worrried about climate change is indulging 'Freudian displacement'. This must be so by their alleged lack of advocacy on terrorism issues. And there we were thinking it's a walk and chew gum kind of reality.

Tim Blair has scattered merde under the cover of satire so wide he managed to smear the most influential media mogul in the world who just happens to pay his wage. Go figure. Truly the clown proves to be the fool. Hope Rupe can take a joke at his expense in his own press. Here is the uber Murdoch only 2 weeks ago worrying about climate change in his more upmarket The Australian, and notice it's a story by ex coal industry lobbyist Matthew Warren who surely understands from where the bread and butter is supplied: May 12th 2007

Capitalism clears the air | Features | The Australian

"THE business response to the risk of climate change is quickly gaining momentum. This week News Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch made headlines when he announced his plan to make the world's biggest media company carbon neutral by 2010. He is the latest and biggest corporate mover on an issue increasingly being driven by business rather than governments."

Is blogster Blair actually bipolar? We only ask because a symptom of such often high functioning folks is the propensity to high risk behaviour, and you don't get much more high risk within a local News Ltd newspaper by implicitly smearing Big Rupert 

The only question in our mind now is: "Does Big Rupert google his own name very often as per the title to our micro news blog here?" Perhaps we will know by next Saturday.


Posted by editor at 3:12 PM NZT
Updated: Tuesday, 29 May 2007 10:29 AM NZT
Caroline Overington's restless feet as Scott of the ABC takes out some Ruddy insurance
Mood:  caffeinated
Topic: big media

Sent: Monday, May 28, 2007 11:24 AM, Subject: .......ABC Scott takes insurance, Overington's restless feet

On another tack I finally yesterday managed to read Caroline Overington of The Australian colour magazine article profile piece of Mark Scott 12 months as head of the ABC, April 28-29 2007:
There are some real talking turkey moments in the story.
 
 
- Scott says he's from the sensible centre - it's a bogus claim - evangelical Christianity is not that, long line of govt privileged senior positions in the family is not that,
 
 
- Says he has always believed in public duty - easy to say on a 6 figure wage, in fact sleazy to say in that context .
 
 
 
- A blessing for Scott is head of JJJ called Bracken - but my take out for a genuinely rebellious inclusive youth radio network would be that comfort level with the older generation means something is wrong because by its intrinsic nature youth should expect progress from the past and the present and to be "comfortable" with the present means stagnation, even young fogey rot setting in .
 
 
- the pitch for online advertising was also sleazy - Seachange should be free to download, other abc produced materials should be free to download. Not a sales precedent for selling advertising. The ABC remains the keystone of our democracy and just imagine Gunns advertising their latest eco tourism venture on the science show website or Catalyst.
 
 
 
- Get the picture? Conflict of interest writ large.
Indeed Overington's piece has a context which reveals a virtual 5 page job application to the ABC via Scott profile. She has been writing whimsy lifestyle pieces about discovery of Bob Dylan (good) late in life (bad). Has young kids so presumably wants a change of pace .
 
 
 
- notice this edgy rather painful jab at her in her own newspaper for daring to stray in the Amanda Meade industry gossip column The Media in Murdoch Press:
3rd May 2007 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21661400-22822,00.html

Broadcasting a mistake

CAROLINE Overington quit The Australian for a job as a radio current affairs reporter on the ABC yesterday. The 37-year-old author told the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Chris Mitchell, the day after the launch of her book Kickback: Inside The Australian Wheat Board Scandal at Sydney's Gleebooks on Tuesday night. Overington, a former staffer of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, who won a Walkley last year for her coverage of the AWB story, apparently wants to be a broadcasting star, the next conservative Maxine McKew. She was keen to learn all about broadcasting and find out if she could do "one of the big jobs in broadcasting". Overington, who just had a profile of ABC managing director Mark Scott published in The Weekend Australian Magazine, said she didn't have an offer from the ABC at the time of writing the largely positive piece. Last year Overington also won the Sir Keith Murdoch Award worth $15,000 at the second annual News Awards and was happily pictured in an embrace with Rupert Murdoch. Late yesterday she shocked everyone, including Mitchell, when she changed her mind and decided to stay at the Oz. She said the decision to leave had been "the silliest" mistake she'd ever made. The ABC had already announced her appointment in an email to staff yesterday. ABC director of news and current affairs John Cameron said he was "shocked and confused" when told of the backflip by Diary last night.

 
 

 
I sounded out a sub editor at The Australian a little while ago after this quote was published and he volunteered it was "bizarre", more harsh than my word "flighty". He preferred "erratic".
Overington is no light weight. She won the argument over AWB scandal being a big bad story and got the professional kudos everywhere for that including within the Murdoch press. My feeling CO really wants to leave having admitted to Sarah McDonald in quiet 702 morning space after 10 am standing in for Trioli again only recently (promoting her book Kickback launched by Rudd no less http://eventmechanics.net.au/?p=854) that some staff at her paper rejected her approach, or the gravity. The sniping above would only reinforce that situation.
 
 
 
So in doing her profile piece she has opened a window on Howard's man at the top of the ABC. What is intriguing also is Scott apparently sniffing the wind and taking out some insurance for an ALP Rudd victory post Howard leadership role at the ABC. That's a man with alot of bureaucratic savvy running in his family. But will it work and more importantly will the ABC sell it's soul via online advertising as per the Quentin Dempster thesis?
It's all in the democratic mix this march to the election. And may God have mercy on our souls given the last 10 sad years of ....not least environmental destruction.
 
 
Cheers, Tom McLoughlin ecology action australia

Posted by editor at 1:24 PM NZT
Updated: Monday, 28 May 2007 8:04 PM NZT
Sunday, 27 May 2007
Sunday political talkies: ALP families reach for their better selves in Rein company sell off
Mood:  chatty
Topic: election Oz 2007

 

 

Author’s general introductory note (skip this if you know this regular weekly column):

 

 

This is not a well packaged story. It’s a contemporaneous traverse of the Sunday television free to air political talkies indicating the agenda of Establishment interests: Better to know ones rivals and allies  in Big Politics and Big Media. ]

 

 

Indeed it’s the tv version monitoring task similar to what Nelson Mandela refers to here in his book Long Walk to Freedom (1994, Abacus) written in Robben Island prison (where he was meant to die like other African resister chiefs of history in the 19C), at page 208

 

 

“..newspapers are only a shadow of reality; their information is important to a freedom fighter not because it reveals the truth, but because it discloses the biases and perceptions of both those who produce the paper and those who read it.”

 

 

Just substitute ‘Sunday tv political talkie shows’ for "newspapers" in the quote above.

 

 

For actual transcripts go to web sites quoted below except with Riley Diary on 7. And note transcripts don’t really give you the image content value.

 

 

 

 

Media backgrounder:

 

 

ALP know how important this election is and are reaching for their better selves.

 

 

Front pages all about Therese Rein IR history, issue management. Said the right words – going to do the right thing for the country and for husband aspiring PM Kevin Rudd. As such any victory for ALP will always be in part due to her avoiding future conflicts of interest. Ita Buttrose on ACA or TT (?) she is the perfect capitalist wife for an ALP leader. Fascinating backgrounder from Amanda Gomes as then BRW journo that her dad was a paraplegic war veteran thus she specialized in work placements for so called intractable cases: Reported in Crikey.com.au It'll take more than a chat to sway Ms Rein Friday, 25 May 2007

Another subtext about all this is Treasurer Costello's wife Tanya was a high flyer with ANZ bank on a "6 figure wage" and refused to acknowledge any conflict of interest, when obviously there was a real perception of potential conflict if not actuality:  Why won't pollies or regulators move on the bank cartel? Tuesday, 28 February 2006 [Is that repeat entry on their database or new story at Wednesday, 1 March 2006?]

 Is this one mentioning Tanya Costello? Was there any legal duress on Crikey to delete the story? Do a search on crikey.com.au and you can't find the original story about Tanya Costello at ANZ. Mmmm Banks gouging millions on penalty fees -- but is it legal? Thursday, 22 February 2007. And not just Costello: Forget-Santo-what-about-the-PMs-conflict. Excellent work by crikey there and Mayne in particular.

And notice this from Kim Beazley at a doorstop 3rd August 2006:

 

"JOURNALIST: Tanya Costello, apparently, has been given a top job at the ANZ bank by friends of the Costello family. Do you think it’s appropriate?

BEAZLEY: I’ve been in politics for a very long time and the families of politicians bear tremendous burdens. I make life extremely difficult for my kids and my spouse as time goes by so I am always very, very cautious to make judgments. But we’ll take a look that. We’ll take a look at the circumstances but we’d want to know a fair bit more about the circumstances before we rushed to judgement."

 

Our other impressions: The whole affair will bolster Rudd’s standing with business no end. There will be niggling issues of whether it’s a confession of guilt. Kerry Obrien/Glen Milne target the 45c tradeoff for award conditions per hour is the hammer blow causing the sell down. The old story how rich people get rich. Syd Sunday Teleg muck rakes with 64 year old ‘sergeant major’ type, and 23 year old whiner. Pretty thin stuff. Also that she is decisive when the time comes, and does listen. Still involved in international business side of things.

 

 

That’s why her apology is warranted Kev so let her just make it, for being too good a business woman, a metaphor for our society being too good at profit and thus destroying our ecological limits ….that the ALP is doing better on in terms of rhetoric at least as per PG below.

 

 

Which brings us to evil blairt aka Tim Blair – virtually accusing anyone concerned about weather as ignoring terrorism as an issue. It’s a “child’s view” of history to quote Paul Kelly on the 1967 referendum in the news everywhere today. One other evil child being Anita Quigley’s pouting petulance about carbon tax on airtravel. Quite logical – just shows how she can’t even get market measures in her own paradigm. To evidence the point notice who the so called  terrorist deniers are – Ian Thorpe doing a Foxtel promo in the same Telegraph sister Sunday paper. The whole ALP who support the war in Afghanistan against the Taliban. Tony Blair who is as loud in Iraq as Climate Change.

 

 

It’s all “Freudian displacement” says Blairt. To realize how child like he is – consider we revere NASA for sending the first man to the moon. And Dr James Hansen the world leading expert warning us of 5m sea rise potential in 90 years is from …. NASA. As Al Gore says, listen to the doctor or die denying a problem.

 

 

That’s what I call a bad case of denial.

 

 

The last two weeks have been full of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership promoted by Bush-Howard hawks, with diverse variants of the expanded sector including missile defence which leads to escalated weaponry of Iran, China, NKorea, which leads to nuclear weapons deterrent on Australian, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea soil. Great revenue for the nuclear industry at the expense of an apocalyptic nuclear weapons exchange.

 

 

The end of the world, no less.

 

 

As to sorry day one cannot go past this movie Australian Atomic Confessions made with funding from the NSW Film and Television office by our Friend Greg Young and others in 2005 how Blacks were effectively murdered to do nuke weapons tests in the 1950ies in Australia under the Australian Government of Robert Menzies Liberal Party. [Declaration - we donated Greg Young's airfaire to a film festival screening in Taiwan in 2006 partially re imbursed by the festival organisers.]

 


Similarly we noticed the so called diplomacy by Rio Tinto this last week to get at Jabiluka uranium after repudiation across the board in 1998. But what they maybe don't realise is they can't bring Yvonne Margarula's dead brother back to life killed in a mining town by ultra violence.

 

White vices in a miniing culture and Aboriginal society don't mix very well is the point. [Declaration legal adviser to protester camp in 1998.]

 

 

10 Meet the Press 8-8.30 am

 

 

Deborah Rice looking as gorgeous and smart as usual.

 

 

 Peter Garrett – lead singer follows the lyrics written elsewhere by someone else. Ipsos McKay polls of 1000, 45% undecided who best on Climate Change (CC), with 35 leading 20 ALP v Coalition. 24%, 25% v important or important.

 

 

Sounding like an Opposition v Coalition on CC but more importantly v Greens.

 

 

Footage of Tuckey about late leadership changes. Panel of Steve Lewis Australian deep conservative, but presses quite effectively on lack of target with alp by 2020. Garrett negative carping on Coalition re tests of carbon trading.

 

 

Alison Carabine (r) of 2UE on panel too. 30% increase.

 

 

 

Garrett sledges Howard for twisting words around (!). The irony.

Garrett looking sleepy and a bit fraught. Dancing on his seat and rapid fire. Not so reassuring style really.

 

 

Topic goes heavily on whaling, PG doesn’t step back from tackling Japan more intensely. “Not aggressive, but firm.”

 

 

LC – celebrities – more show than substance? Quite an insightful dig at PG himself. Lacking substance as per the polls.

 

 

Rubbery figures does Howard lovers leap stale lover, Rudd playing Spanish guitar. Repulsive Howard then jumps onto fake platform, to advert of NCIS – looking for a mass murderer – Iraq anyone?

 

That disturbing advert implying a rape horror of fast mail. Like the 2 minute noodle advert. Real cringeworthy theme.

 

 

 

2nd guest Tom Calma on health and Aboriginal policy inequality. HREOC – Not one single item to improve inequality of life opportunities. Steve Lewis asks a bit frustrated.

 

 

 

 

Transcript in due course www.ten.com.au/meetthepress

 

 

7 Weekend Sunrise, 8.35-40 am Riley Diary  - Come on 7 time to start streaming this on your website???!!!!

 

 

Good segueway for new compere Costello running running running ….Like her.

 

 

Very amusing Costello Rocky museum steps.

 

 

Therese Rein affair. Human and honest line by Rudd, and good point about modern working women but stuffed the language re stay at homes being appendages, which is exactly how women were treated  for ages.

 

Q and A – Andrew with MR.

Sunday 9

 

Q and A with Laurie Oaks missed the start of it – to avoid disgruntled employees in future.

 

Feature on toxic air.

 

Oaks with Deputy PM Mark Vaile. Significant conflict of interest for Therese Rein if husband Rudd became PM. Wealth based on govt policy of job creation. Big sacrifice.

 

 

http://sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/default.asp

 

 

Insiders 2

 

Mal Brough is the talent on 40 year anniversary of referendum on Aboriginal policy, in a reaction perhaps to the marginalization of South Africa in the UN etc.

 

Panel – Fran Kelly radio national, Brian Toohey A Fin Review, Piers Akerman Murdoch press Sydney

 

Paul Kelly soliloquy – big decision for Rein, did the right thing, re apparent conflict of interest. Showcase their own relationship.

 

 

Home page is http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/

 


Posted by editor at 11:06 AM NZT
Updated: Sunday, 27 May 2007 12:43 PM NZT
Friday, 25 May 2007
Bogus Barry Chipman and the great statistics fraud from the logger industry
Mood:  sharp
Topic: ecology
 


 

Recent correspondence to Crikey.com.au 
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 8:37 PM
Subject: Bogus Barry Chipman, bogus statistical deceptions

Barry Chipman (comments, 24th May 2007) is an expert at statistical deception. The genius is in his simplicity. Here's how the trick works. Limit the area of comparison in order to expand the proportion of forest allegedly protected. Here is the real statistic your readers need to know - in 1788 Australia only ever had 10% forest cover. By 1992 this was halved to only 5% forest cover. These figures come from the Resource Assessment Council Reports of 1992 (C'th Govt).  In 2007 there is likely even less than 5% forest cover but it may still be a reasonable working number. Last time I looked, Tasmania was part of Australia, not an isolated geographical construct not least sucking tax dollars out of the mainland. Then there is the global loss of forest cover. That's an even worse story of numbers. Keep your grubby hands off our forests Barry.
 
Signed, Tom McLoughlin, ecology action sydney
 
 
This is what Bogus Barry had to say yesterday on crikey.com.au ezine

 

Barry Chipman, Tasmanian state manager, Timber Communities Australia, writes: It looks like John Hayward (yesterday, comments) who recently claimed to be representing Tasmanians Against Pulp Mills, has exposed the greens' real agenda and that is to lock up all forest on private land in Tasmania. Clearly he is not satisfied with the 47% of native forest already in reserve. A reserve system that covers 2.9 million hectares of Tasmania's total land mass which includes 1.4 million hectares of native forest. These figures are not TCA's but can be downloaded from the Australian Government's website. For those wanting to know how the company proposing the pulp mill for Bell Bay manages its forest estate on its own freehold land, this information is available in a completely open and transparent way here and shows that 19% is already managed as conservation reserves. These two publicly accessible documents show that Tasmania's forest industry and its dependent communities have no hidden agendas and are proud of the balance achieved between conservation and timber values.

This is what the best scientists in Australia had to say in 2004, direct quote:

Statement of support for change on Tasmania's forests

9 September 2004

The Tasmanian Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) is widely perceived in the scientific community to have failed to deliver the intended protection for environmental, wilderness and heritage values that state and federal governments committed to when they signed the National Forest Policy in 1992.

The scientific processes in the Tasmanian RFA were overwhelmed by political compromises. Established criteria for forest conservation were not fully applied. There are large areas of high conservation value forest that would have been reserved if the RFA criteria for forest conservation had been fully applied.

Logging practices and the conversion of native forests to plantations have intensified in the seven years since the signing of the RFA, resulting in record volumes of export wood chip production. This intensification, combined with the well-documented inadequacies of the conservation reserve system (exemplified by the large areas of unlogged Eucalyptus regnans tall open-forest that remain unprotected) has produced highly modified forested landscapes with diminished landscape values.

There is an urgent need for Commonwealth government intervention to significantly improve the forest reserve system and to adequately protect landscape values. We believe that the conversion of native forests to plantations is highly undesirable, and is contrary to the spirit of the RFA, the National Plantations Policy, the Forest Stewardship Council and the Australian Forestry Standard.

In light of the extensive changes that have occurred in many of the most productive forest ecosystems in Tasmania, we believe that the reserve system should be significantly extended to include all high conservation value forests.

Signed,

Professor Tim Bonyhady FAAH FSSA, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT

Professor Ralf Buckley, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD

Professor Mark Burgman, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC

Professor David Gillieson, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD

Professor Richard Hobbs FAAS, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA

Professor Peter Kershaw, Monash University, Clayton, VIC

Professor Jamie Kirkpatrick AM, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS

Professor Charles J Krebs, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra, ACT

Professor Tony Norton, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC

Professor Harry Recher AM, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA

Professor Jann Williams, LaTrobe University, Bendigo, VIC

Associate Professor Jeremy Bruhl, The University of New England, Armidale, NSW

Associate Professor Brendan Mackey, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT

Associate Professor Nick Reid, University of New England, Armidale, NSW

Dr Deborah Rose FASSA (Senior Fellow), The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT

Dr Matthew Appleby, Tea Tree, TAS

Dr Colin Arrowsmith, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC

Dr Geoff Bedford, Cremorne, NSW

Dr Sarah Bekessy, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC

Dr Kirsten Benkendorff, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA

Dr Joe Benshemesh, Alice Springs, NT

Dr Sandra Berry, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT

Dr Mark Breitfuss, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Herston, QLD

Dr Karl E C Brennan, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, WA

Dr Don Driscoll, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA

Dr Alaric Fisher, Jingili, NT

Dr David Fraser, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC

Dr David Green, Rosny Park, TAS

Dr Ron Grenfell, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC

Dr Graeme Hastwell, CRC for Australian Weed Management, Brisbane, QLD

Dr Robert Henzell, Uraidla, SA

Dr Andrew B Hingston, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS

Dr Amy Jansen, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW

Dr Simon Jones, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC

Dr David Keith, Wildlife Research Institute, Sydney, NSW

Dr Dylan Korczynskyj, University of Notre Dame, Fremantle, WA

Dr Michelle Leishman, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW

Dr Gary Luck, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW

Dr Gang-Jun Liu, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC

Dr Michael McCarthy, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC0

Dr Tein McDonald, Woodburn, NSW

Dr Peter McQuillan, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS

Dr Silke Nebel, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW

Dr Kirsten Parris, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC

Dr S. "Topa" Petit, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA

Dr Emma Pharo, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS

Dr Pieter Poot, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA

Dr Lynda Prior, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT

Dr Libby Robin, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT

Dr Jonathan Stark, Fern Tree, TAS

Dr Alan Stewart, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW

Dr Barbara Stewart, Mullumbimby, NSW

Dr Elizabeth Tasker, NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, Hurstville, NSW

Dr Fleur Tiver, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA

Dr Arn Tolsma, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Heidelberg, VIC

Dr Rodney van der Ree, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC

Dr Steven Ward, Mortdale, NSW

Dr Brendan Wintle, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC

Mr Keith Breheny, Midway Point, TAS

Mr Christopher M Carr, Armidale, NSW

Mr Oberon Carter, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Heidelberg, VIC

Mr Yung En Chee, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC

Mr Paul Finn, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD

Mr Garry Germon, Gloucester, NSW

Mr Tim Heard, CSIRO Entomology, Indooroopilly, QLD

Mr John Hibberd, Kestel Reserch Pty Ltd, Wapengo via Bega, NSW

Mr Daniel Hunter, Dhurringile, VIC

Mr Boris Lomov, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW

Mr Michael McBain, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC

Mr Wieslawa Misiak, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS

Mr Julian Reid, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra, ACT

Mr Paul Rymer, Woolloomooloo, NSW

Mr Matthew Sheehan, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS

Mr Phil Spark, Tamworth, NSW

Mr Garon Staines, Terrigal, NSW

Mr Paul Thomas, Lawson, NSW

Mr Christopher van Buggenum, Thirroul, NSW

Ms Rose Andrew, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT

Ms Janet Cohn, NSW Department of Environment & Conservation, Hurstville, NSW

Ms Nicole Cranston, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT

Ms Naomi Davis, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC

Ms Kate Hammill, NSW Department of Environment & Conservation, Hurstville, NSW

Ms Jane Jelbart, University of Western Sydney, Avoca Beach, NSW

Ms Melinda Laidlaw, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD

Ms Deborah Landenberger, University of Newcastle, Elermore Vale, NSW

Ms Samantha Lloyd, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW

Ms Nicky Meeson, Midway Point, TAS

Ms Maggie Nightingale, Alice Springs, NT

Ms Shirley Pipitone, Flynn, ACT

Ms Catherine Pohlman, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD

Ms Frances Quinn, The University of New England, Armidale, NSW

Ms Sally Radford, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW

Ms Elizabeth Rickwood, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT

Ms Karen Ross, NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, Hurstville, NSW

Ms Monica Ruibal, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT

Ms Libby Rumpff, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC

Ms Justine Shaw, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS

Ms Andrea White, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC

Ms Joanna Willmott, Kurrajong, NSW

Ms Jesse McCoullough, Albion Park, NSW

Miss Amanda Nascimento, Port Kembla, NSW

Contact: Professor Tony Norton ph.(03) 9925-3279; fax.(03) 9663-2517

Email: tony.norton@rmit.edu.au

 

 


Posted by editor at 1:07 PM NZT
Updated: Friday, 25 May 2007 1:32 PM NZT
Thursday, 24 May 2007
Traditional owners serve eviction notice on Govt loggers, support for Gulaga this Sunday May 27
Mood:  special
Topic: nsw govt

 ATTENTION - BIG NEWS - An 'Eviction Notice' was served this morning on 'Forests NSW' by sixteen traditional land owners of the Yuin people. (More information soon -23-May-2007)

See Interview with traditional elder.

© Photo - Andrew Brown

Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 1:43 PM
Subject: [chipstop] Forest Stand for Gulaga.

Be at Central Tilba this Sunday  May 27 ­ for the  Forest Stand for Gulaga. This is a simple community style event which you can participate in. The Forest Stand is an opportunity for people to come from all over  and show their support peacefully next Sunday.  More info see:

www.tilbalogging.com

Gulaga Mountain needs your help now. It is a special place with important meaning for the Aboriginal community. Its beautiful spotted gum forests are home to numerous threatened species.  Logging of Compartment 3046 of Bodalla Forest (Gulaga Mountain) started on  14 May. You can join the blockade on Punkalla Road, (north of Central Tilba) or help in other ways. Check the website for details.
harriett

 


Posted by editor at 7:11 PM NZT
Updated: Thursday, 24 May 2007 7:21 PM NZT
Is Paul Keating financially conflicted over ALP Port Botany expansion plans, still capt whacky or crazy like a fox?
Mood:  accident prone
Topic: nsw govt
The old slugger ex PM Paul Keating is back self justifying, distracting, drawing fire from a fraught IR story involving 'Mrs Rudd" ie Ms Therese Rein  (and worth remembering Peter Costello's wife ostensible conflict of interest working for a bank as wife of the Treasurer, with Peter Costello's strong rebuttal - she is an independent emancipated woman who runs her own affairs independent of her manbag - not really sufficient but quite plausible and he got away with bar one Stephen Mayne at crikey.com.au ).

Move Parliament to Sydney: Keating

Paul Keating CATHARINE MUNRO | Paul Keating believes Australia should abandon Canberra as the capital and move Parliament to Garden Island in Sydney.

Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 12:10 PM
Subject: Re: IPART inquiry

This report from Lynda Newnam [below] relates somehow to Paul Keating on 702 radio this morning more than I suspect people really know. Keating was on the shill for Westfield to shepherd through that retail monster at Bondi Junction which has even broken the back of the real estate values in Double Bay with empty shops and red balance sheets. This was 97-2000 or so. He kept that very quiet until it was locked in.
My intuition is he is doing Brereton and NSW ALP dirty work with his comments to Trioli 702 radio show today that shipping containers should all go to Botany Bay, and close down the Sydney working harbour concept as it has died of natural causes.
No talk about decentralising to Newcastle and Port Kembla. In fact Trioli pressed him on Botany people hating that congestion already and he either missed or deliberately misheard her comment, going the sledge on 1930's nostalgia in Port Jackson. That shows what an insulting wanker he really is. (He did over the forest protection lists dudding Faulkner in 1995 too.)
Keep a weather eye and probe on where Keating is located in relation to expansion planning consultant dollars for Port Botany and the ALP Right self interested trough.
And as for his idea of a moving the capital from Canberra to Sydney - two responses
1. probably drawing fire in the 12 hour news cycle as Mrs Rudd gets in a spot of bother and needs to time to choreograph a response on Work Directions company and shaky employment contracts in the IR debate. Not so serious but needed time to regroup would be my expectation there. Keating is good at that vaudeville distraction with his natural bog Irish blarney
2. In Chile they had to move the capital to Valparaiso after coup and counter protests, and the principle applies in every country - if the national parliament is in the major city then opportunistically any political force can raise say 1-200,000 protesters to seek a coup. That's why they all have to be away from the major population centres - to literally protect democracy from itself. Thus we have Washington, Ottawa, Valparaiso, Canberra etc.
And then you have all the other security issues like we are going to have with APEC. Keating sure is a cunning old bugger but more trouble than he is worth.
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 10:08 AM
Subject: IPART inquiry

Hi everyone,

This is probably our last inquiry on the Port and it is all about traffic management - road and rail - and efficiency of supply chains.  The document is short - around 60 pages - and easily browsed.  You can download it for telephone for a copy(details below).   You don't have to address all the questions just choose those that apply.  But I would  stress how important it is to make your voice heard.  There are few areas in the Botany Bay catchment that will be unaffected by the traffic generated by the port.  The current footprint can achieve 2.6million(Dept of Planning figures) to 4million + TEUS(stevedores figures).  If the footprint is increased we will be looking around 6million + TEUS (Corrigan was suggesting 7million at the Commission of Inquiry).

This inquiry and any publicity associated with it is the last hurrah.  In the coming months the Federal government will be making commitments to the inland Gladstone/Toowoomba to Melbourne rail line.  It will be our opportunity to argue that the billions to be spent in Sydney supporting an expansion of the port footprint is a very bad state planning decision that exacerbates congestion problems in Sydney while ignoring the opportunities presented along the inland line and elsewhere.

The Government wants a 3rd stevedore for the new terminal and this was the reason why the COI recommendation for(effectively) 2 smaller terminal expansions was overruled.  The 2 stevedores operating at present, DP world(ex P&O) and Toll(ex Patrick) do not want another stevedore.  The MUA does not want another stevedore - there is a threat of using chinese labourers on special visas.  The Queensland Government will be leasing 2 berths to a 3rd operator(HPH) in 2010/2011 and this was announced in April.  It could be that HPH is not interested in Sydney but it is very unlikely. 

The Government also wants 40% of TUES moved in and out of Port Botany to go by rail.  At present about 20% go by rail.  Experts in rail freight/supply chain say the 40% cannot be achieved.  The Government also wants to spread the hours of the trucking operators to  24/7.  Again experts say that it can't be done because most small operators(trucks and warehouses) cannot afford to do it.  The Brereton report recommends 'penalities' for truck operators moving during peak hours.  The stevedores, and you can read the details in the IPART paper, operate a scheduling system that the truck operators have complained about.  The government has a quarrel with both the stevedores and the truck operators.  The Truck operators have a quarrel with the stevedores.  So IPART is an opportunity for the government to 'bash' both parties by pitting them against each other. 

Nevertheless the terms of reference are broad enough for a full review of the supply chain and that is why it is so important for groups like us to be asking questions - individually and collectively.  We may not have the hard data but we can be assured that there have been no comprehensive studies done of the supply chain in Sydney.  The government(and Sydney Ports) have not been interested in planning beyond the big picture.  That picture includes large land releases in the south-west and north-west for residential and wharehousing (1million plus sq meters of wharehousing over the coming few years), major infill developments off the major arteries and around the port and inner west, and intermodals such as Moorebank, Enfield, Eastern Creek, Ingleburn, Menangle and Minto.  This is solid labour party planning to build up and increase labour electorates and perhaps channel rewards to supporting land developers.  We can ask questions about rail, about the effectiveness of developments based on assumptions that 24/7 can be achieved.  We can ask for hard evidence of how supply chains operate.  We can ask about the F6, ramps for the M1, the expansion of the M5, and the M4East.  The government may hold to a big picture but the devil is very much in the detail.

Please encourage everyone you know to read/scan the IPART document and respond.  At present the port moves 1.4million TEUS with 80% of those going by trucks.  Their long term vision includes larger trucks(super B doubles - on Prince Highway, Foreshore, King Georges, M5, December 2006) and treble the number - at least.  And it includes a trebling of freight trains, at least.  Don't be deceived by the 3.2million cap on TEUS.  In the IPART terms of reference they are already referring to 3.9million and given the evidence from the stevedores we should expect around 6million.  Sartor can lift the cap on TEUS with the stroke of a pen. The major competitor Port Melbourne is planning for 7million TEUS by 2035.

Any questions please email me at chairperson@botanybay.info

Regards,

Lynda Newnam

www.botanybay.info

Review of the interface between the land transport industries and the stevedores at Port Botany

Invitation for Submissions The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (the Tribunal) is assisting the NSW Government with a review of the interface between the land transport industries and the stevedores at Port Botany, under Section 9 of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal Act 1992. The volume of containers handled at Port Botany is growing rapidly, and truck congestion and road transport efficiency are causing concern to industry participants. The Tribunal will examine charges and access arrangements relating to the road vehicle booking system, rail access arrangements and other services provided by the stevedores, and will make recommendations on how the efficiency of the land side logistics chain could be improved.  As part of the review, the Tribunal has released an Issues. Paper and invites submissions from stakeholders and the general public. Submissions may be sent via portbotany@ipart.nsw.gov.au.

The Issues Paper is available from the Tribunal’s website at www.ipart.nsw.gov.au or can be obtained by phoning Betty Carter on (02) 9290 8483. Submissions should be made by 8 June 2007. Information regarding the process for lodging submissions and the Tribunal’s privacy policy may be obtained from the Tribunal’s website www.ipart.nsw.gov.au.

Inquiries should be directed to Dennis Mahoney on (02) 92908494 or portbotany@ipart.nsw.gov.au James P Cox, Chief Executive Officer and Full Time Member Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal PO Box Q290, QVB Post Office NSW 1230


Posted by editor at 2:05 PM NZT
Updated: Thursday, 24 May 2007 9:20 PM NZT
Road workers clash at Irish monument - Hill of Tara as election approaches 24 May
Mood:  loud
Topic: world

 

Picture Hill of Tara ancient Irish heritage threatened by road builder

SAM news website also received this from our Australian contact:

From: Maireid Sullivan
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 10:08 AM
Subject: vicious attack on M3 protesters near Hill of Tara

News just in!

On the 22nd of May 2007 saw the contractors forcing the double toll road through Tara Valley with a vengeance. After three days of blockade by the protestors at the gates of the machinery compounds that stopped the destruction work - things suddenly changed. A massive amount of machines and personnel began to push this unwanted road. The Campaign to Save Tara group stood in front of the diggers, blocked the gates and tried to stop this destruction of our culture by putting their bodies in the way of the machines. The protestors were attacked and beaten by the workers while the Gardaí looked on - this event lasted 12 hours.

The national election will be held 24 May.
This has become an election issue, since Sinn Féin, Labour and Greens have announced they will reroute the M3 freeway away from the Hill of Tara region.
Vote Save Tara Valley now!

Maireid

For the GlobalArtsCollective.org
and the Anam Cara for Tara arts action campaign
...........................
We also notice this corroborating source at an Irish 'indymedia 'self publish site

What can you do to help Save Tara?

author by Con Connor - Ireland's Druidschoolpublication date Thu May 24, 2007 01:32Report this post to the editors

You can ring or email the Irish newspapers and tell them of your disgust at procedures at Tara. You can tell your friends and family to Vote Save Tara Valley in tomorrows general election. A detailed report on human and animal bones and teeth found on the ground in Tara Valley today and Irish newspaper contact details and the phone contact details of the Camapign to Save Tara can all be seen at - http://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/913570 and a report called "Brutality at Tara" can be seen at http://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/913321 I spoke with and stood with the Campaign to Save Tara at Collierstown today. Many of them are sore with bruises and cuts from the unprovoked violent attack by Irish workers of Howley Construction but their spirit is strong. More people are needed to stand with them at Collierstown to stop the toll road. Phone contact details in the links above
Please share this message with friends.

Grá
Con
http://www.druidschool.com

Related Link: http://www.druidschool.com/site/1030100/page/471039
............
More background here The Hill of Tara

IRELAND'S SHAME: A SUPERHIGHWAY ACROSS THE HILL OF TARA
By T.S. Kerrigan
'What's next, a shopping center connecting the Lakes of Killarney? A strip mall in Dingle? Unprincipled people seem to be in charge of Ireland's cultural future... .' Click
here to see the full article.
..............
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 12:17 PM
Subject: The spirits on the Hill

The spirits on the Hill
Irish Independent
Tara plan 'an attack on medieval studies'
Tuesday May 22 2007

OF all the issues at stake in the general election campaign, the 
controversy over the M3 motorway and the Hill of Tara enjoys an almost 
unique consensus.
During last week's TV debate the Leader of the Opposition asked the 
Taoiseach what ever happened to the promised Airport Metro.
Mr Ahern cited objections from the public. You can't simply steamroll 
over the wishes of the people.
The M3 is a case in point. The historical and cultural significance of 
the area around the mystical hill was highlighted yesterday at a 
conference in TCD.
The big guns of academia rolled out to lend their support to the 
campaign to have the €850m road rerouted.
They made their case with glee, revelling in their medieval expertise. 
We would be the first generation in 5,000 years to deface Tara.
How could Enda Kenny expect to be crowned king if he didn't make a stand 
on this issue?
Three weeks ago, the Minister for Transport turned the first sod on the 
motorway, oblivious to the fact that his colleague, the Environment 
Minister, already knew that a large and ancient site lay directly in the 
path of the new road.
It was the first of several bizarre episodes in an extraordinary 
election campaign.
One could be forgiven for imagining ancient, mischievous influences at play.

Posted by editor at 1:30 PM NZT
Updated: Thursday, 24 May 2007 2:46 PM NZT

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