Mood:  sad

Dear Tom,

Greetings from Voice, Dhaka. And hope you are fine.

It's after a long time again just to inform you and seek your cooperation, if any, for the victims of Sydr.

You might know that the monster Sidr one of the strongest cyclones
devastated at least 23 districts of the southern costal part of
Bangladesh last Friday on 16 November. Packing winds over 220 km an
hour, the cyclone demolished houses, crops, trees and shrimp firms
along its trail of devastation over an area of thousands of square
kilometers.

The death toll rose around 4000 while around 3000 people are missing, and 10000 persons are injured.

141 upazilas and 1,119 unions have been affected in the southern region of Bangladesh.The total number of affected families stands at 10.54 lac, representing 40.83 lac individuals.

Crops on 29,374 acres of land have been completely destroyed and on
8,55,525 acres have been damaged partially, according to the
government assessment. The number of completely destroyed houses
stood at 3,00,511 yesterday and the number of partially damaged
houses was 6,26,000. Besides, 3,84,000 trees have been damaged. Some
792 educational institutions have been completely destroyed and
4,393 were partly damaged. Embankments of about 57 kilometers (km)
of length have been damaged, and 58 km of road has been destroyed
completely while 87,948 km of road has been partly damaged.

Spread of diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases and acute water
crisis are the two main problems chasing the survivors. Safe
drinking water has become a major concern because the cyclone has
damaged the tube wells. Sweet water ponds have become saline, as the
tidal surge that swept through the area came from the bay. The tidal
wave entered more than 35 kilometers into the mainland. People are living with untold miseries having no food, shelter, water, medicine.

We feel we all should come forward to support the victims.

Keep fine and stay in touch.

Best regards,

Ahmed

Ahmed Swapan Mahmud
Executive Director
VOICE
House 67, Level-5, Block-Ka
Pisciculture Housing Society
Shyamoli, Dhaka-1207
Bangladesh
Tel : 88-02-8158688
E-mail : info@voicebd.org
Web : www.voicebd.org

Posted by editor at 5:44 PM EADT

Updated: Thursday, 22 November 2007 6:43 PM EADT

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Mood:  incredulous

We made contact with Noel Plumb who was the campaign manager of the Save the ADI Site Resident Action Group in the 2001 Lindsay contest and 2 other federal seats, and he was not surprised by the bogus flyer tricks in 2007. From his bush regeneration job in the field Noel told us that 6 years ago it was a similarly intense contest ("bidding auction") at the time between the Libs and ALP over the Lend Lease development (formerly Australian Defense Industry land) including use of false advertising in that contest. Noel corroborated the dishonest Liberal advertising also noted by a Liberal booth worker on the World Today programme earlier today (who confirmed false How to Votes were all part of head office toolkit in 2001 in Lindsay.) That sounds systemic.

It is known that senior figures of the NSW Liberal Division were actively involved in the false advertising smear in Lindsay this week, as well as husband of the candidate, and husband of the retiring Liberal MP, Kelly. Kelly being a "favourite" of Howard. Plausible deniability? Was their real sin getting caught?

Howard today said the leaflet accusing the ALP as forgiving of the Bali Bombers was "offensive" but he just didn't sound offended, or upset. He sounded slightly amused, or even bemused at the uproar. He surely has a streak of the White Australia in him, whether it's a generational thing or whatever. He even took the opportunity at one point to wax lyrical at the evils of terrorism.

It is also known Howard has visited Lindsay repeatedly. Which all makes the denials just sound too cute. If Howard's regime was not directly in the loop it is indirectly responsible for the slime mould that has grown and prospered in his NSW machine. A reckless negligence - which makes his strident rejections of direct knowledge quite jarring.

These were not gophers, these were senior operatives in the marginal.

At some points in the lengthy Q&A, notable for interruptions from the audience of Laura Tingle and Michelle Grattan despite being very senior journalists, Howard came across as cavalier and even proud of the moral chaos he has presided over: That he has seen the Trouble and saw that it was 'Good'. Indeed we perceived hints of a sociopathic demeanour in his protestations feeding off the wicked attempt to tear the social fabric of Lindsay. Always denying, but happy as Larry to be in the spotlight to make them, with that supreme confidence that he is the Chosen One. He was still certain "we will win on Saturday". Quite the actor is Howard.

Howard had his supporters at the Press Club breaking into polite applause - especially the sophistry about emancipation of women candidates - applause several times but not the serious journalists of the press gallery who were neutral and highly sceptical as they pursued the issue de jour. The clapping had the feel of a mini stack in the room perhaps of bureaucrats and staffers who have prospered under the Old Man. Sure the spouses might not be guilty like their husbands but it still looks like a strong character test to be associated with these not so much "foolish" as evil characters who have now confessed to what might well be "criminal offences" according to the ALP.

In fact it's a sickeningly divisive and nasty development in Lindsay, which calls up this other advert on another sickening reality which was in The Australian 13th Nov 2007:

Even as Howard spoke in a doting way of his grandson he just didn't sound sincere about the urgency of climate change either. It's almost as if he doesn't really give a stuff so late in the game. It feels intuitively like the voters will feel the same about him.

Posted by editor at 1:41 PM EADT

Updated: Friday, 23 November 2007 9:04 AM EADT

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Mood:  down

[Direct lift from Crikey.com.au of 21st November 2007 follows]

4. Kevin Rudd’s $110 million gift to Gunns pulp mill

The Tasmanian Times' Lindsay Tuffin writes:

Richard Flanagan in his Stop the Pulp Mill rally speech last Saturday in Hobart, here on Tasmanian Times, seems to have been the first to notice the extraordinary subsidy Kevin Rudd’s ALP has given to Gunns pulp mill, hidden in the form of Martin Ferguson’s recent announcement of a supposed transport package to Tasmania, but which on close examination would appear to be yet one more extraordinary gift to Gunns in excess of $100 million.

What was missed by all the media was that Martin Ferguson had simply given Paul Lennon exactly what he had asked the Federal Government for back in June, all in order to get logs by rail from the southern forests to the northern pulp mill.

While the improvement of the rail network may arguably make it a more viable alternative to roads for a range of freight, there is no doubt the aim of the package is to help Gunns. The commercial viability of Gunns mill is often publicly questioned, but with subsidies like this (on top of the $1 billion of subsidies the Tasmanian forestry industry has already received over the past twenty years), Gunns could be running a T-Model Ford factory and still making a fortune out of taxpayers’ money.

This gift to John Gay and Robin Gray is known to have caused consternation privately in some parts of the ALP, which are concerned at the increasing public outrage at the proposed mill. As Flanagan argued, "How can Kevin Rudd claim to be fair dinkum about climate change when he is promising more money to support a pulp mill that will burn half a million tonnes of forest a year in the monstrosity of its electricity generator?"

The total cost of improvements to the rail network to benefit Gunns is $110 million, and it is revealed in an examination of the following articles and media releases.

1. This article from the Mercury June 2007 establishes, out of Paul Lennon’s mouth, that the primary aim of his proposed Brighton Transport Hub is to transport logs from the south to the north by rail and that the proposed Karanja - New Norfolk rail improvement is to access by rail the logs from the southern forests.
2. This article from the Mercury 2 November 2007 details Federal ALP’s Tasmanian Transport package. Out of the total of $203 million promised, $30 million is to rebuild the railway line from Karanja to New Norfolk; $24 million to straighten and re-align the main north south rail track; and $56 million for the Brighton transport hub, a total of $110 million.
3. Under the revealing title "Labor Announces $303 Million To End Southern Tasmania’s Logjam", Martin Ferguson’s media statement details how straightening the north south rail track "will allow increased speeds, longer trains and bigger loads, cutting turnaround times, delivering greater efficiency and the ability for rail to compete with road for a greater share of the freight task."
4. This Tasmanian Government document details the proposal for the "Removal of tight curves on steep grades on the approaches to Rhyndaston tunnel and two other sections south of Antill Ponds. Remove around 50 tight curves on a steep 1:40 grade between Rhyndaston and Antill Ponds. The project will increase the pulling capacity of northbound trains by at least 40%."

It also spells out that the increased loads likely (as opposed to simply desired) are because of log freight going north for Gunns. It states that: "The use of rail to transport logs from the southern forests to the proposed pulp mill and other processors will see a significant reduction in log trucks on the public road network, but will require upgrade of the rail network to cater to this task."

At the largest public rally since the Franklin River protests of the early 1980s, 15,000 protesters raised their hands when asked if they would they be willing to blockade the pulp mill site in the Tamar River Valley and if necessary go to jail.

Like Kevin Rudd’s gift to Gunns, the prospect of the largest civil disobedience campaign in Australia’s history failed to rate a mention in the national media.

Posted by editor at 8:23 AM EADT

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Mood:  spacey

Picture: No regrets in a life with Kevin.Therese Rein looks up with admiration at her 'partner in life', at the Press club (lifted off abc tv news last night and online). Sue Dunlevy of Sydney Daily Telegraph referred to Therese not hubby Kevin, as clearly qualified to be Australia's economic manager (cue laughs). And if Therese admires Kev, this implies safe hands too? Cue next front in the economic credibility battle for Kev in the last critical election days:

Picture: Rudd does the Kerry OBrien Rap last night on 7.30 re the GST ('you can't unscramble the egg') and other economic concerns. Note what we call 'the death glare' Kerry applied equally to John Howard the night before. Also, where can you get those '7.30 lamps'?

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

10 tv news carries Bernie Banton on his death bed, a hero of tradies everywhere for getting the bastards who spread asbestos through society. Goodbye blue collar vote for the big business candidate John Howard? More here:

Banton's pact to die at home 3:43pm | Asbestos campaigner Bernie Banton only has days to live, his doctor says.

The Blue Mountains (a marginal seat) cops a belting from unusually punishing hailstones reinforcing the dangerous climate perception.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING for LARGE HAILSTONES and FLASH FLOODING ....For people in the HUNTER, SOUTHERN TABLELANDS, ACT and parts of the NORTHERN RIVERS, MID NORTH COAST, METROPOLITAN, ILLAWARRA, SOUTH COAST, NORTHERN TABLELANDS and CENTRAL TABLELANDS Forecast Districts. Issued at 4:22 pm Wednesday, 21 November 2007.

At least Julia Gillard was similarly caught in a rain storm and embarrassingly late for a public debate on radio with Peter Costello.

Australians on a big ship observing a boat load of ostensible refugees, including a bunch of kids, are reported 'as too scared of draconian immigration laws to rescue the poor blighters'. The company officers later rebutts the claim by the Greens. More here:

Boat people's rescue delayed - National - BrisbaneTimes ... 

Overall not such a good look for PM Howard's hardline agenda. On the other hand rival candidate Kevin Rudd did look good in front of the Press Club today:

I'll end secrecy: Rudd 3:51pm | Kevin Rudd pledges to end the culture of Howard government secrecy.

Mark off another crucial final day for the ALP versus the Coalition?

Posted by editor at 5:08 PM EADT

Updated: Thursday, 22 November 2007 5:40 AM EADT

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Mood:  special

Some classic political reportage on the 'idiot box' last night:

A quiet lyrical deadly serious interview by Kerry OBrien of PM John Howard (that everyone sees as on the skids, though no one really knows) was enthralling for the unusual rapport between prey and quarry. Which was which we will only know after the vote on Saturday.

Insight with Jenny Brockie was a pseudo version of the Insiders show with so many heavy weight press gallery staff (Taylor, Hartcher, Middleton) as well as the impressive academic Steven Keen and articulate swinging voters.

The possibility of Turnbull replacing Costello at the top of the Liberal Party came up in the to and fro: Yesterday we wrote this on the Dani Ecuyer website comments section on some of the curious possible permutations and combinations:

Well it would certainly help if Howard lost the election. And if Wentworth helps with that result then well and good. On the other hand there is an even better outcome in our humble opinion being Rudd victory and Turnbull victory, which I hasten to add no one this side of the election can possibly quarantine one from the other. So yes, its important to work for George Newhouse to win in case Wentworth is the decider on getting Kyoto ratified. You never know.

Why would Turnbull be a useful victor too and in what circumstances? Because Turnbull winning IN A LOSING SIDE (which is too clever to play for I admit) would be a ferocious advocate for Kyoto, decimation of the Howard Clones and a complete reorganisation of conservative side of politics not least a Republic. And he would be a very effective opposition on a tricky ALP. Peter Costello - kiss your political *rse goodbye if Mal wins in a losing election?

Turnbull has enormous talent and quite some good aspects which presumably PROF (not Mr) Flannery respects. On this aspect I tend to agree with Overington while ignoring her disrespect to the ALP’s Newhouse in terms of talent. Turnbull is a towering figure in Australian politics really right back to his Kerry Packer, and Spycatcher litigation. He could do alot of good on climate change.

But the reality is ML is simply on the wrong side of a Howard operation (”that f*cking c*nt Howard” quote is probably true) and ecological history being made right now. Big Mal even seems to know it with his philosophical sad tone these last few days, and resort to fairly desperate nomination quibbles/ byelections (the coalition would lose) or not. He seems to get this climate change thing is bigger than all of us, and in that he would be right.

Another subtext - Howard has footsies on 7’s TT with Costello not just for rah rah pitch for more votes - ALSO IN CASE HE LOSES (election and/or Bennelong) COMBINED WITH A TURNBULL WIN because even Costello is preferable to Turnbull taking over ‘his’ Party.

Methinks Howard tried to finish off Turnbull’s vaulting ambition and capacity parking him in the death’s head portfolio of environment in a pro resource extraction Govt (not least Coalition partners the Nationals). Didn’t work. Will Turnbull survive this next hurdle?

In the absence of a Green or indy Ecuyer winner no.1 vote, we have to consider the merits of either major. I do tend to agree this side of the vote in the game of chance we have to work to take Wentworth off the govt and Prof Flannery surely gives too little weight to the prospect this seat could turn the whole result. There is no doubt he wants Rudd to win in my estimation so he is being a little contradictory with his endorsement in case Wentworth is the cusp. He [Flannery] used to flirt with nuke power ([read]Turnbull) quite a bit too over the years (his tours in PNG were grants via the mining industry I recall), but seems keener on geothermal these days.

Yep this election is a doozy alright. It’s already trespassed into just about every other aspect of my working life like big ones will do.

And there is no doubting the willingness of the fight in Wentworth with a blowtorch front pager in the fairly low circulation The Australian today (but a favourite paper for conservatives in Wentworth) about ALP young star Rose Jackson being 'anti Zionist', like probably 50% of the student body in Australia over injustice in Palestine. Rose Jackson no doubt is fair game but she is still early 20ies raising the question "Is this child abuse by the Turnbull campaign?"

This indirect test of obvious Yid Newhouse and his dedication to the State of Israel, is likely a balancer for this damaging attack on Turnbull for throwing $10M of tax payers funds at a dubious so called 'local rain making' company at the expense of an Israeli backed competitor for similar grants .... which story with Jewish angle ran, wouldn't you know it ... on the 7.30 Report the night before. And a very interesting twisty turny story it was with an electoral supporter of Turnbull getting a leg up with our money. Ouch:

19/11/2007 - Turnbull under fire for $10m water deal

Posted by editor at 7:59 AM EADT

Updated: Wednesday, 21 November 2007 8:44 AM EADT

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Mood:  bright

Gregory Peck as Captain Horatio Hornblower from the 1951 film Captain Horatio Hornblower

 

Peter Debnam MP is a  retired navy man. He's a bit like the CS Forester novels of the fictional hero Hornblower  - a humble midshipman, wist champion,  navigational genius like Cook, implacable foe like Nelson, to become Admiral Hornblower - because Peter Debnam likes a dip at Bondi Beach every morning as part of his fitness regime, just as Hornblower would have the bemused crew hose him down with fresh sea water: Forester had his character dance around like a scolded Native Indian under the force of the bilge pump.

In the swim ... Peter Debnam.

We find Debnam's commitment to rude good health at his age damn impressive while the slovenly (!?) big media generally preferred to satirise (presumably out of envy) the nakedness of the then Liberal Leader in the March 2007 state election.

Debnam holds the local seat of Vaucluse in the heart of much bigger marginal federal seat of Wentworth held by his colleague Malcolm Turnbull. The ex Liberal leader appeared to us of moderate and reasonable disposition (if not policy) at a polling booth way back in the 1996 federal contest. He pulled into line some nasty jackals on the booth from his side of politics, just a pity it was needed. He gave this writer a hearing about these low life perhaps because we took 10% of 'his' vote for a minor party in the 1995 state election and had since become a local councillor.

Picture: Ripples of Cyclone Wati reach Eastern Suburbs beaches some 1,000 km south of the big storm. Taken by this writer 27 March 2006

Yesterday Debnam is reported like this [Greens media release follows]:

NSW minister and shadow agree: clean coal is an oxymoron
 
Media Release: 19 November 2007
 
NSW Opposition Energy Spokesperson Peter Debnam has joined Environment Minister Phil Koperberg in stating an important but self-evident truth of climate change. It is time for their state and federal leaders to listen, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
 
Dr Kaye said: "Last week when Peter Debnam called clean coal an oxymoron, he was echoing Phil Koperberg's condemnation of the technology in September.
 
"With the future of the electricity industry in NSW hanging in the balance, it is time for the debate to be driven by the realities of low emissions sources, instead of a bunch of convenient untruths peddled by the coal industry.
 
"Even the most enthusiastic clean coal technologists agree that carbon capture and storage technology is highly unlikely to be available for commercial applications before 2025, if ever.
 
"The Iemma government cannot now use the clean-coal excuse to build a new coal-fired power station.
 
"Two 700 MW coal units would pump out 122 million tonnes of CO2 between  completion in 2012 and the first possible date at which carbon capture and storage might become commercially available.
 
"Even then it would be difficult if not impossible to convert the plant into a clean coal power station, if the technology is ever proven to work cost-effectively.
 
"Peter Debnam and Phil Koperberg have unmasked the myth that clean coal is relevant to the current debate about new energy sources for NSW.
 
"The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report released this weekend makes it clear that this state must act immediately to reduce emissions.
 
"Premier Morris Iemma and Opposition leader Barry O'Farrell should listen to their colleagues and reject the clean coal oxymoron," Dr Kaye said.
 

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

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

Given Debnam is effectively thwarted in his ambitions at State level we responded, perhaps too cynically, to his latest surprising political 'dance' routine reinforcing savage criticism of NSW Liberal Party leader PM Howard (for not supporting the Kyoto Protocol) as follows:

"Debnam is deliberately shoring up Turnbull's vote and as insurance for his federal colleague [in] this part of the city against [a] post election bloodbath [in the Coalition]? And maybe as a jump to the federal sphere in some
way?"

In terms of influence on local Liberal aligned voters in Wentworth we wonder if Debnam may also be seeking to gazump this apparent spoiler front page cover in the most recent Wentworth Courier (bottom right hand side of this collage) re Mal Turnbull's predecessor and rival Peter King, a refugee from the same party who may be implying Mal, the govt party and the ALP have all been lazy on local issues:

Posted by editor at 6:57 AM EADT

Updated: Tuesday, 20 November 2007 3:16 PM EADT

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Mood:  sharp

[mail out of Get Up follows who also interviewed former UN Weapons Inspector Hans Blix recently]

Dear friends,

When Sam McMillan and Louise Barry - two young Australian women who know the real cost of war - began their quest for answers, they were only two people. Then, GetUp members joined the call and suddenly we were 40,000 strong. Last week, Sam and Louise personally asked you to join them for this final push, and we grew to 60,000 in 48 hours. But still their calls to meet the Prime Minister remain unanswered - and the Foreign Minister last week merely brushed them off.

But the stakes are far too high to just give up. So Sam and Louise will travel back to Canberra this Thursday to make one final attempt to deliver our petition and get some answers. And to help them put peace back on the national agenda, we're planning an online media blitz with a powerful new web ad to get the message out to hundreds of thousands of more Australians.

How far can we spread Sam and Louise's message? That is up to you. Just $50 can show the ad directly to 3000 Australians, $100 will double it. Please click below to see the ad and give what you can:

www.getup.org.au/campaign/OurOwnPlanForIraq

We've seen throughout this election how effective the internet is in framing the national conversation - now we want to put Iraq right where it should be: on webpages viewed by voters and in the forefront of Australians' minds on the eve of the election and before Sam and Louise take their message to Canberra. For good measure we've also booked a full page ad in the newspaper read by the very people who can really influence the PM - voters in his own electorate.

Not only could this be the last opportunity to hold the PM accountable for taking us to war on false pretenses and without parliamentary or popular approval, it is also an opportunity to tell Mr Rudd if elected that he has a mandate for peace. This is our opportunity to change the course of history for the better, propelled with Sam and Louise's ambitious message. Donate now to take their urgent message directly to hundreds of thousands of Australians who can vote us out of this war on Saturday:

www.getup.org.au/campaign/OurOwnPlanForIraq

Sam and Louise simply want the man responsible for dragging Australia into this conflict to hear from the Australian people and provide some answers about how he intends to end it. Mr. Howard can ignore two Australians. And he can try to ignore 40,000, or maybe even 60,000. But at some point, if we keep adding new voices, we become too many Australians for even Mr. Howard to ignore. And what happens then? Our voices are heard. We get some answers. And we take one giant step closer to restoring accountability and ending this war. Please give what you can:

www.getup.org.au/campaign/OurOwnPlanForIraq

Thanks for making it possible,
The Get Up Team

PS - Want to see what happened last week when Sam and Louise tried to talk to the Foreign Minister? You'll see why we need to go straight to the top. Click here to see the video.

Posted by editor at 6:45 AM EADT

Updated: Tuesday, 20 November 2007 2:58 PM EADT

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Mood:  irritated

Another regional rort:  Abetz must explain
Hobart, 19 November 2007: 
 
Forestry Minister, Senator Eric Abetz, has overseen a massive taxpayer-funded slush fund that has dished out more than $32 million in the past year to a series of questionable projects under the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement (TCFA).

Greens Senator Christine Milne said, hot on the heels of a nationwide expose of the Coalition's regional rorts' program, details revealed under Freedom of Information (FOI) expose the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement as another rort, with evidence of poor accountability, apparently ineligible projects funded and a total lack of strategic co-ordination.

"The Minister for Forests needs to explain why, for example, funding has been given to big businesses to fund new equipment and mill upgrades which any other company, in any other industry, would regard as the cost of doing business.  The Minister must also tell Tasmanian taxpayers why a total of $964 250 has gone to N.E. Victorian timber company, Buffalo Valley Logging, and what is its relationship if any, to CK Forest Management and its $91 625 grant.

"Why did the Howard Government have a special column for 'electorate' in its grants' application table? ... A whiteboard by any other name.

"The Community Forest Agreement has become a slush fund.   Under the TFCA program, grants totaling $32.2 million have been paid in full.  Of these, seventeen should have provided audit reports by now - only three did so on time, and seven have provided no reports at all. 

"The Greens will refer its administration and outcomes to the Commonwealth Auditor General for investigation.
"We also know the TCFA funds had not been fully allocated as at 1 October this year, and it is our firm understanding that, just before the election was called, Senator Abetz wrote to forest business operators, recommending they rapidly access more public money out of the Commonwealth's TCFA funding pot. 
"Is Senator Abetz effectively urging contractors and others in the timber (LOGGING!) industry to squeeze more public money out of the $250 million TCFA funding pot, without proper justification or purpose?
"We want to know, and Australian taxpayers are entitled to know, if this allegation is true.  "In the interests of accountability and transparency, Senator Abetz must release details of the letter and the select group to which it was sent.
"Announced by the Prime Minister with great fanfare in May 2005, the Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement was always intended to be a multi-million dollar, pro-logging package which has locked in continued old-growth logging of Tasmania's carbon-sink forests.
"The TCFA was nothing more than just another political fix to get John Howard re-elected with the assistance of the CFMEU, and to bring in Work Choices.
"There was nothing in the Agreement to proscribe a transition from native forest logging into the plantation sector, into genuine value adding and job creation that protects our spectacular forests into the future.   There was also nothing in the fine print to make sure the money set aside for the Agreement was being expended in the most appropriate, legitimate way," Senator Milne said.

For more information:  Cassy O'Connor (Hob) 02 6224 8899 or 0400 628 939
Tim Hollo (CBA) 0437 587 562



Cassy O'Connor
Communications' Adviser
Senator Christine Milne

Posted by editor at 6:37 AM EADT

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