Mood:  energetic

Iemma's power sell-off push poll is waste of public money
 
Media release: 18 February 2008
 
The Greens have received complaints that the NSW government has resorted to unethical and prejudiced opinion surveying to mask public opposition to electricity privatisation, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye
 
Dr Kaye said: "A number of people have contacted me after being cold-called by market researchers asking biased and loaded questions about attitudes to the sell-off of the electricity retailers and the long term leasing of the generators.
 
"From what I have been told, the survey was overtly designed to leave very little room for an anti-privatisation response.
 
"The questions were carefully crafted to make on-going public ownership look dangerous and undesirable.
 
"It was not surprising to see a report in the Sunday Telegraph of the results of a government opinion poll supporting the sell-off.
 
"This is tax-payer funded propaganda at its worst. It is a massive waste of public money and an abuse of the Premier's authority.
 
"If the government's polling is to have any credibility, Morris Iemma should immediately release the entire set of questions.
 
"Last year, Unions NSW commissioned their own survey which found 85 per cent opposition to power privatisation. It's hard to believe that there has been any significant softening in attitudes, given the run of appallingly bad news stories that have plagued the government's plans.
 
"It is much more likely that Premier Iemma asked for questions that locked in the answers he and his Treasurer Michael Costa wanted to hear.
 
"The Premier's spin doctors have been working overtime to take the sting out of the embarrassment of a Labor rank-and-file revolt.
 
"The government's polling results were made public on Sunday after the latest anti-privatisation meeting of party members on Saturday morning.
 
"The Iemma government is facing an internal uprising and they clearly want to distract attention by publishing their own bogus polling results," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

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

We wrote earlier today;

Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 8:25 AM

Subject: Prof Bob Walker expose of accounting re public power assets on Alan Jones 2GB - long interview 10 min. plus

> Walker may have been on Stateline or 7.30 last week with the same message on
> 2GB this morning. Can't recall exactly when - though Costa was on Stateline
> last Friday responding.
>
> But notably Walker gave a hammer blow to power privatisation with strong
> sympathy from Alan Jones on 2GB after 7 am this morning Monday 18th Feb  re
> 'another NSW State Bank' sell off financial joke.
>
> Combine with the Sunday fairfax poor approval lead re Iemma yesterday, and
> the lack of integrity stories re corporate donations in today's Herald and
> Hazzard MP with Alan Jones again for 10 min. just before 8am - usual
> resonating thesis about dictatorial attacks on planning with 500 public
> submissions kept confidential by Sartor, Part 3A etc etc.
>
> The govt's broad critics are getting critical mass, and the coalition side
> of things are smelling some blood as a result, and that's a real politik
> observation, not a barrack.
>
> Yours truly, Tom McLoughlin

Posted by editor at 10:16 AM EADT

Updated: Monday, 18 February 2008 2:55 PM EADT

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Mood:  a-ok

Picture: "Newshounds" certificate for helping raise $2K for East Timor charity with Sydney Media Monitors in 2001. Plenty more work to be done but this time as fifth estate blog discipline to keep this new Federal ALP Govt honest. 

“..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.

 

-         great interview Doogue with George Williams Sat radio national about 8.20 am

-         Laurie Oakes first column with Sydney Daily Tele yesterday Saturday gets banner pointer from page 1. Tight article some original personal material about Nelson.

-         Macca has chats with Emerald flood victims – hundreds of thousands of property value trashed in “flood free” greater than 1 in 100 year event areas. “The maps are being redrawn now”. That’s suggestive of capricious extreme climate.

Bega Valley doctor – Reeves. Looks grim about cover up. Coulthard very strong interview with medically abused women. This story will run.

Leadership all about character. LO raises fear factor in 93, under pressure lied about his voting record. Timidity is his trait.

Missed the start, re press roundup. Foreign minister Stephen Smith is the talent. Mostly about East Timor to first adbreak. Out take is Rudd down the barrel apology to Aboriginal Australian stolen generations. Powerful stuff.

Annabel Crabb and is the panel.Looking smart and corporate, curly locks gone for brushed look. She’s pretty hot and that’s just her intellect. Paddy stock.

Steve Lewis Sydney Daily Tele/ national tabloids stable news limited. Normal grey man suit as per most blokes on the panel

Downer not in govt job plans, communication lines open with him post parliamentary politics (?).

G8 summit in Japan, oz no invite yet?

Reverse vote against Declaration of Indigenous Rights at UN.

Out take Nicholson cartoon Rudd credibility gap on valid apology, but no compo. Good that Big Media have kept him on the Govt’s game.

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

Riley diary – fantastic images of Aborigial welcome, spiritual experience. GG speech amusing juxta, Jenkins dragged to Speaker. Was deputy and follows Dad.

Kevinator tag used. Mr People skills tag on Abbott still. Plays rich spouses card. Bronwyn Bishop ‘kept man’.

Juxta of Obama, superb speechifying versus workmanlike Ruddy. O dear.

Q&A learned Rudd is very good at controlling the agenda, re ambush on consultation, ambush on legislative agenda, dragged opposition into the tent. [like Latham but smoother]. “A certain approach” revealing itself how keenly he watches the issue and precisely presents them to the public.

Brian Burke affair in the mud affect Rudd. ‘We know he had contact before’ referring to News Ltd Milne story eg Sunday Tele. [Burke has kept the emails of maybe just trivial logistics]. May not be hooked. Wait and see.

Insiders 2: 9- 10am

Same footage at MTP down the barrel apology of Rudd., Footage of Peter Slipper etc.

Sunday press round up

Misha Schubert, Malcolm Farr, discussion re Iemma and power privatization. Glenn Milne story re emails content or how many. MTP Smith interview ‘Bourke is relic of the past’. It’s hard testing by the Big Media and this is very healthy.

Explanation goes to candour.

Segue to Gillard on the screen looked pretty sour, and painful smile greeting, trying. Pulls the shutters down. BC compere says maybe you should just release them in spirit of openness.

Legal advice about compensation obtained. “About building a bridge to future – renewed vigour on health, education services, economic opportunities, closing gap” political line. [Chris Merritt The Australian legal editor makes the same argument – political not legal, compare Faris QC via crikey.com.au]

[draining voice, trumped by mofrobro film review on 9].

“working families” x 2

Everyperson segment

………………

Farr – was shimmering day, saturated in politics. Those ephemera (my word) will fade but the apology will stand up.

Schubert – no jot of difference, wrong, will make a difference after decades. Validated and have an effect for their kids and kids.

Milne great speech, very moving. Daily concerns will move in re economics etc as per Your Shout segment.

Schubert agrees ambush and BC notes Rudd is working the politics effectively like a 5 am starter.

Paul Kelly soliloquy, Nelson had coalition baggage to contend with rather than words just itself, eg Howardism agrees Kelly noting Abbott point about turned backs.

Footage re bipartisanship. Andrew Bolt refers to punch drunk Liberals.

Milne notes talk back in the cities different to the bubble. Howard AWOL – Milne yes, Farr, Schubert disgree.

General discussion: 4 Corners preview re Costello leaked agreement of leadership deal. McLachlan had been touting the agreement. Minchin, Sinodinis wanted Howard out at the 10^th anniversary.

Footage of W Bush quarantining Chinese Olympics from global concerns – the Dalai Llama crow, the global warming crowd, the Darfur crowd’ Flippant asks BC?

Predictions: Schubert – ALP using taxpayer money to deal with high court challenge in seat of McEwen federal election result, big precedent use of our money. Farr …. Milne Howard glad he lost Bennelong so not on the backbench now.

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

Posted by editor at 10:17 AM EADT

Updated: Monday, 18 February 2008 3:02 PM EADT

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Mood:  sharp

We understand from a source that Yvette Andrews (pictured middle above) who was until recently the Honourary Board President of the Addison Rd Community Centre (that is appointed by a faction of the Board as below), has now been appointed as the "temporary" General Manager on a $65K per annum wage.

Andrews was elected as an onto the Board around November 2006 otherwise of no significant connection to the centre except ALP aligned contacts. It's a narrow voting base for the Board, with only some 22 of 42 tenants with a franchise to vote. It helps if you have experience in a Party Machine.

Andrews was formerly a staffer to now retired Meredith Burgman MLC, and president of the Legislative Council. She is also co author with Burgman of the Ernies feminist satire awards.

Apparently at one Board meeting in 2006 4 of the 7 Board members now including Andrews had caucused and voted for her as President. That's bootstraps genius really.

We are advised that her position now as GM will be temporary for 6 months. Meanwhile there has been no public advertising of the job which has not been officially filled for 4 months, which one might think was sufficient time to do it. The last person who was GM Ian Laird was appointed by an open job advertisement and selection process. Laird resigned to go to another position in October 2007.

So 4 months later there is still no open public advertisement of the choice paid position at your local community centre. An advert might look like this:

Addison Rd Centre General Manager 'Job Vacancy' closing date 1st April 2008

There was a widely held view or rumour that Andrews would be employed by Senator John Faulkner in Canberra but that does not appear to be the case anymore. This writer publicly raised concerns about governance under Andrews tenure as President over recent months namely

• allegedly sanitising a 4 year rent free deal for one tenant with a new lease on still very discounted terms
• allegedly orchestrating the sabotage of the centre website gateway work (main web address http://www.addisonrdcentre.com.au/ is still offline for 2 months now), work done by this writer under direction of the previous GM;
• a duly lodged internal grievance procedure was effectively turned into a deadletter by way of fraudulent jurisdictional exceptions, and is now referred to the Australian Services Union (by this writer)

These concerns were referred by this writer to the office of both Liberal (Marise Payne) and Green Senator (Kerry Nettle) office as loyal Opposition and done in a way the ALP were aware of it. It's a matter of speculation whether Andrews was unemployable after that as a political staffer given the heat that might arise in Senate Estimates committees, especially working for Senator Faulkner, famous in that forum. Several key tenants have federal government grants at the ARCC.

We understand the faction behind the appointment of Andrews as President of the Board shown above (at their last AGM in Nov 2007) are:

• John Reynolds of ARTV
• Natalie McCarthy a subtenant (other position?)
• ALP local councillor Rae Owen (who is now replaced by Greens Peter Olive since as the numbers changed on the Local Council), and 
• Yvette Andrews voting for herself (casting vote).

Interestingly we are advised that Andrews has been appointed as General Manager virtually unanimously by the new Board , in the absence of a publicly advertised job selection process, endorsing a proposal from Andrews herself that the Board employ her. In short one might call that a rout of governance control at the ARC by the Andrews faction. One Board member has advised us he insists on public advertising of the GM position in 2 months in to her 6 month tenure.

Our response here at SAM is don't hold your breath waiting to see the adverts. More likely it's an April fool's schedule.

As the former acting GM Peter Talmacs told this writer earlier in February 08, advising that he had resigned as acting GM, there are "power games going on" and yes "you have been treated badly/vindictively".

Actually there is no real news in power games. This is normal for any community organisation but what makes it different this time is when the power games compromise the good governance of your and my community centre.

• A secretive 4 year rent free tenancy? Get real.
• Sabotage of the cyber gateway?
• Turning the objective mediation, conflict resolution policy into a dead letter?
• Failure to advertise the GM position for 4 months and another 2 or more months, making a total of 10 months with no GM duly appointed by transparent job selection process?

That's "bad governance" as we pointed out to one of the Board members by phone earlier today:

Picture: At back Terry Cutcliffe ARCC gallery curator, grifter and schemer (?) on 4 years rent free 500sqm on community land making a platform for the ALP Left aristocracy? Or simply champion of Indigenous Rights and community service? Or maybe both? This photo mid 2007 NAIDOC day celebrations had Linda Burney refer to Terry's marvellous home overlooking Earlwood, but she didn't mention the tennis court. This writer attended a tennis party coincidentally (?) held on the anniversary of Sept 11 WTC death of 3000 plus Americans, about 2004. Cutcliffe hounded the last GM out of the ARCC and is regularly sledging the Green Party as "hopeless".

And we are advised by a tenant that the other main management job of office administrator job will not be publicly advertised either, though this is not confirmed.

Time will tell.

It's your community centre, and you have a right to know what is going on there on your community land. It doesn't belong to a gerrymandered few at a fraught AGM. It doesn't belong to the local ALP Left aristocracy. It doesn't belong to the odd scheming tenant who manages to hussle a 4 year rent free period for some 500 sq metres of precious community space, with all the opportunity cost that involves.

 Picture: New General Manager Yvette Andrews in the middle too stodgy or risky to get a job in Canberra with the new Federal Govt?

Additionally, there may well arise the perception that this turn of events is a 'jobs for the old girls network': There is a widespead knowledge at the AR(C)C that the previous GM Laird was hounded out of his job, and was keen to move on to another position in October 2007. Actually what he said was "to get out alive".

Depending on who you ask some will say all to the better. Many will say not (one Board member Stavros Economidis in 2007 said he was the 'best GM in 30 years'). What written above doesn't turn on the ex GM's merits. He has his enemies and barrackers. SAM will stay agnostic in this post because we don't have the evidence of all the to and fro, and we don't need to say.

Only to note the barrackers could well logically argue that the current situation looks bad because Andrews was in the vanguard of the hounding of Laird out of his job, and wrote him some hate mail in his last week. This is known, and it shows a quite unprofessional approach.

Now Andrews literally has his job, no open job selection process. As one long time user of the community garden and a critic of the previous GM said to this writer recently: "Isn't there legal requirements for that?" The accusation surely will be a scenario that the hounding related to coveting the ex GM's job rather than the merits of his job performance.

Alternatively, if Andrews did expect to go to Canberra for work, that she coveted his job for some other factional mate regardless. Could this be what acting GM (Oct 07 to Feb 08) Peter Talmacs referred to as "power games are going on"?

There is added credence to this view from the belief of one tenant in the centre that Reynolds on the board (shown popping his head up in the picture above) is a cipher for his business partner Jill Hickson, a very ideological and energetic political campaigner. But has she overstepped the boundaries of  open goverance here?

 Picture: Jill Hickson is a busy behind the camera and behind the scenes at the ARCC.

In our own humble opinion it's res ipsa loquiter - an old legal phrase meaning the matter speaks for itself. Over to you ALP Left in Marrickville, including Anthony Albanese MP from the same Left faction - do your worst. Which of course you will. Attack the person instead of address the real governance issues outlined above.

There will be accountability and transparency over time and yes even personal satisfaction/justice. It's bankable. The SAM editor's attitude has hardened over the last month or so over the failed cyber gateway and fraudulent jurisdictional exclusion of a genuine greivance lodged, and we have a real head of steam and it's good community media copy too. We have identified a new angle already and there are bound to be many.

If the ALP Left are so committed to the local Indigenous community, as they want to believe, why can't these have the chance like everyone else to apply for the GM position in their local community centre? Simply because the job is not advertised for 6-10 months, if ever. It's outrageous, and shameful.

This writer was on a job selection panel as a local councillor for Bondi Ward for a high powered departmental director's position at Waverley in the late 90ies and we are know enough to know this whole matter needs a shakeout.

Picture: Ideology over common sense? Blind or commendable passion? Community owned billboard with an individual agenda, photo taken back on 27th December 2006 (by unknown) organised by Gallery curator Terry Cutcliffe which lasted about 2 days. The ARCC caretaker Kerry Lindstrom had the duty to paint over this billboard due to public complaints, presumably from traffic along busy Addison Rd.

Posted by editor at 10:07 AM EADT

Updated: Sunday, 17 February 2008 10:17 AM EADT

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Mood:  irritated

In August 2007 an area known as Lot 196 at Maroota which is 45km north of Sydney looked like this - a desolated sand mine with little or no progressive rehabilitation in 20 years, now operated by Dixon Sands (Penrith) Pty Ltd:. You can imagine this as the "after" photo.

But in 1984 it was a perched wetland in the Hawkesbury Valley with myriad species and likely rare and endangered species: There are no photographs available for the "before" picture but there are these diagrams from a 1984 Environmental Impact Statement for an earlier sandminer PF Formations Pty Ltd which gives the idea (via creekline and "perched water table" :

The people who are copping it most apart from the environment are probably the kids and teachers here at Maroota Public School because the wind whips up the sand which apparently after long term exposure can even cause silicosis. But no one in big business or govt cares about that very much. The lack of rehabilitation over 20 years is the proof of that:

We made the second of two pro bono chunky legal/ environmental submissions to the NSW Department of Planning on this situation in Maroota yesterday 15 February in cooperation with a community activist Neville Diamond:

 M. 1997-2008 - litigation history of Neville Diamond 'for Dixon Sands (Penrith) Pty Ltd'

The full text of this second submission, another fairly brutish 3250Kb sized document will be posted on the internet here

15 Feb 2008 - Objection to Old Northern Road Quarry, Lot 196 Maroota, NSW

 , excluding a sensitive appendix B alleging fraud by scientific experts in the 1990ies who we submit airbrushed the perched wetland/groundwater of 1984 out of existence - but proven by the EIS diagram above, and a hell of alot of other evidence in that 1984 and similar 1989 document.

This presence of sandmine dam into groundwater aspect is critical because if the main storage pond on Lot 196 intersects the ground water table (which it clearly does) it must have water licensing under the Water Act 1912 Part 5. The sandminer has never had such a license presumably because it has implications for the fraught local controversy regarding over use and competition for a scarce resource (hence a govt Maroota Groundwater Study from about 1996-8). The imperative of business is to stay clear of dam/groundwater use licensing as much as possible to avoid reconciliation of water use calculations by govt. The business strategy is to say as much as possible dams are above groundwater table and simply catching surface water. Such is the suspicion of systemic corruption of the water use accounting at Maroota and NSW generally.

Notice this from our first submission in January 2008:

We understand that statewide the Dept of Water Annual Report 2005-2007, 2006-7 p28 reports no prosecutions statewide for breaches of the Water Act 1912 in either year, only 2 penalties for the Water Management Act 2000 in 05-06, none in 06-07, and only 1 prosecution under the Rivers & Foreshores Improvement Act 1948. These low figures of enforcement are derisory compared with 90,000 ground water bores and 13 900 surface water licences according to the 06-07 Annual Report.

Even so we can't say if 2 experts in particular lied, including before Judge Talbot of the Land & Environment Court in 2003, or alternatively just got it wrong and betwixt those two is a potential defamation suit and not for publishing here. .... yet, and maybe never.

The earlier submission 31st January 2007 can be found via our story here:

Thursday, 31 January 2008

Saving Maroota environment from open slather sand mining?
Mood:  sad
Topic: ecology

Posted by editor at 6:34 AM EADT

Updated: Tuesday, 19 February 2008 6:45 AM EADT

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Mood:  accident prone

We came across this educational experience in our old files on work for the Mirrar Traditional Owners campaign in the Northern Territory, Spring 1998, Third Opinion magazine, out of print now:

Posted by editor at 8:47 PM EADT

Updated: Friday, 15 February 2008 9:03 PM EADT

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Mood:  on fire

All this suggested quite a worried attitude about retailers going out of business. And we can see the logic in that. We reported recently on 3 other suspicious fires in the general area, 2 last month and one another 2 years before:

Wednesday, 6 February 2008

Chicken shop explosion calls up range of possible motives
Mood:  quizzical
Topic: local news

Our colleague on the sand mining sagas had a point of view about another motive - protection racket (!?) But this was pure speculation. In the meantime what really matters is that the air in the shopping complex was not the usual crisp cool fresh air conditioned norm. In fact it was uncomfortably warm. We took our tea at the little UniLodge arcade over the road instead.

And the scorch marks were damn high on the building too, and the number of high powered generators out in the street were going for it full bore trying to keep the retail heaven going. Below are more pictures of the fire that remains unexplained:

 

 

 

Posted by editor at 7:24 PM EADT

Updated: Friday, 15 February 2008 8:20 PM EADT

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Mood:  irritated

A profound game breaker in the dangerous climate change scenario was published yesterday and this is where lifestyle, transport and survival of the planet all converge in one all mighty scary confrontation of the profound ecological limits of  'neo liberalism' as a way forward for Australia and humanity.

'Secret' $5 billion tollway to tunnel under city | NEWS.com.au [2007]

.

Then this ran yesterday in a hammer blow to the credibility of the top ALP and neoliberalism generally:

 - Shipping emissions twice level of airlines SMH Feb 14 2008

Super gigantic container vessel "Xin Ya Zhou," meaning "New Asia," China's first with complete proprietary intellectual property rights, is delivered to the owner in Shanghai, East China, Sept. 8, 2007. [Xinhua] 

"This is a clear failure of the system. The shipping industry has so far escaped publicity. It has been left out of the climate change discussion. I hope [shipping emissions] will be included in the next UN agreement. It would be a cop-out if it was not. It tells me that we have been ineffective at tackling climate change so far."

- Costa confirms talks on new power station - National - smh.com.au 13th Feb 2008

- Bulldoze old power stations, says adviser - Environment - smh.com.au 14th Feb 2008

- from back in 2007 the hugely greenhouse embedded super container ships First China-made 8530-TEU container ship delivered

Meanwhile the global credit crunch is also taking its toll [Media release follows]:

Credit agency report tells Iemma to dump electricity privatisation

Media Release: 14 February 2008

A new report by Standard & Poor's gives a clear warning that this is a particularly bad time to be privatising the electricity industry, according to Greens MP John Kaye.

Dr Kaye said: "The Iemma government sets its entire economic policy direction by the credit ratings handed out by Standard & Poor's.

"Premier Iemma cannot selectively ignore this report which graphically describes the impacts of the drought, the carbon market and global financial turmoil on the sale price of the electricity industry.

"Standard & Poor's is not the first organisation to say that potential buyers are being made nervous by the climate of financial and policy uncertainty.

"The Greens, the union movement, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and energy industry experts have been telling NSW Treasurer Michael Costa for months that he has embarked on a dangerous path that could result in a fire sale of assets.

"Mr Costa wilfully ignored our warnings but now he and the Premier have no choice but to take notice.

"This report gives the Premier the excuse he needs to reign in Michael Costa and put the sell-off on ice.

"It would be irresponsible to forge ahead with privatisation now that Standard & Poor's have warned potential buyers of the risks," Dr Kaye said.


For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

Posted by editor at 6:01 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 15 February 2008 6:55 AM EADT

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Mood:  rushed

The famous Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki was a world class geneticist until he got into the history of his discipline. As he tells it (from memory via ABC radio national in the dim mists of time) he found that the leading scientists of the early 20C were pretty much gungho eugenicists and probably racists. As we understood his reflections it was carthartic and he decided to redirect his enormous talents not least advocacy into ecological sustainability.

So we thought of Suzuki when we saw the above advert (7th Feb 2008 p5 The Australian) which manifests a very serious disagreement even into the agri business and global commerce as explain here in the Big Media:

GM ban bolsters state split | The Australian 9th Feb 2008

and

             SA's GM crop ban divides the State
11 February 2008

The issues are further expounded here:

Media Release from Ian Cohen MLC
Friday 8 February, 2008
 
South Australia – new homeland for NSW canola farming refugees?
 
Mike Rann is to be congratulated for today extending South
Australia’s moratorium against the growing of genetically modified
food crops.
 
“Mike Rann’s decision today in favour of an indefinite extension of
their moratorium cuts straight through the GM industry spin coming from
Ian Macdonald’s office here in NSW,” said Upper House Greens MP Ian
Cohen.
 
“They have extended their moratorium because they are concerned about
the damage to their agricultural sector that GM food crops represent.
 
“They want to maintain their clean green image, which their
Government recognises is critical to the marketing of South
Australia’s food and wine products.
 
“If it’s critical in SA, why isn’t it critical in NSW?
 
“The South Australian Premier’s press release also demolishes an
argument repeatedly put to the Parliament here about price premiums for
GM free crops.
 
“Ian Macdonald told the Upper House on the 28th November last year
that ‘Australia is, in fact, not achieving price premiums for bulk
non-GM canola in the international marketplace’ .
 
“Mike Rann today quotes ABARE as indicating ‘that in some of this
season’s markets there were significant premiums for GM-free
canola’.
 
“Farmers in NSW should pay close attention to what happened today in
SA.
 
“Our farmers have been hung out to dry by the NSW ALP, by the Liberal
Party and worst of all by their own people - the Nationals.
 
“SA’s Agriculture Minister is right to warn that ‘we must be
mindful that there’s simply no turning back once the moratorium has
been lifted’,” said Mr Cohen.
 
Further Information: Ian Cohen: 0409 989 466 or Nic Clyde on 0417 742
754

Nic Clyde
Adviser, Greens MLC Ian Cohen
Macquarie Street, Sydney, 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3305, Fax: +61-2-9230 2267
Mobile: 0417 742 754
Web: www.iancohen.org.au

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

Media Release from Ian Cohen MLC
Tuesday 5th February 2008
 
Legal advice torpedoes protection for GM-free farmers
 
New legal advice obtained by Greens MP Ian Cohen warns that biotech
companies will still be able to sue NSW farmers for patent infringement
despite the so-called ‘legal liability’ protections negotiated by
the Coalition at the end of last year.
 
“Our advice is that the Gene Technology (GM Crop Moratorium)
Amendment Act 2007 will not protect NSW farmers against patent
infringement actions that may be pursued by biotech companies.
 
“Whilst the amendments will provide some cover for farmers in NSW
courts, it will provide none against the Patents Act which is
enforceable through the Federal Court.
 
“Farmers were relying on the Opposition to make sure they were
protected by a solid legal liability regime. Instead, they buckled under
the Government’s pressure and now farmers are left with a legal Swiss
cheese standing between them and the biotech multinationals.
 
“The Coalition told the Upper House in November of last year that
their amendment would ‘ensure that if a non-GM grower gets GM material
on his property, he will not be liable to prosecution as a result’.
Clearly this is a promise they were never able to make and cannot keep.
 
“It’s no surprise that a Rural Press survey of farmers in October
of last year found that only 27% want the option of growing GM grain
crops. Farmers tell us this is because farm gate benefits remain
unproven and legal liability issues have not been sorted out. In
addition, the community tell us they don’t want to eat GM foods.
 
“Farmers have been sold a dud with these GM canola amendments. The
crop is famous for the promiscuous pollination that makes segregation
from GM-free product impossible. Unfortunately our major party
politicians are equally infamous for their promiscuous pollination of
bad legislation.
 
“The moral majority are right on this one – the only way to protect
against GM foods is to ‘just say no’,” said Mr Cohen.
 
 
Further Information: Ian Cohen: 0409 989 466 or Nic Clyde on 0417 742
754

Which leaves us to ask - What would David Suzuki think about all this as surely one you might trust on such science and ecological concerns of cane toad like GE super weeds jumping fences, hybridising with wild plants, over leaping species boundaries with unknown ripple effects in the very chemistry of life at protein and amino acid level replicated off the DNA itself, of terminator genes annexing farmers to multinational dependence. Even the CSIRO seems to be embroiled in hosting a debate on this matter.

Next best source would be Bob Phelps of the Gene Ethics Network in this debate for 20 years as per Online Opinion listing:

 

Bob Phelps, Bob Phelps is Director of the GeneEthics Network. Author's website: GenEthics Network

We need to take five and consider the future of our GE-free reputation Environment - 13/08/2003 US genetic engineering on the skids Science & Technology - 15/11/2001 Generically Manipulated Optimism: fast track for GMOs October 2000 Feature - 15/10/2000

We managed to contact Bob Phelps and our interpretation of the situation on the real politik dynamic is:

• There are contrived monopolies being contructed with Big Agri Industry parallel movement of 1. $300M private equity (including names like Cornish in a recent Stock & Land, found in Victoria) are gearing up to go on an acquisition crusade, with 2. vertical integration of farming by such as Dow, Bayer and Monsanto to control seed availability and screw the family farmer that way.
• truth telling scientists like John Williams, as a member of the Wentworth Group, and Maartin Stapper recently sacked from CSIRO allegedly for speaking out on GE, allegedly being suppressed (?). More detail The People versus Victoria | newmatilda.com 13 June 2007 by Katherine Wilson

On the pro-GM side was State Treasurer and Innovations Minister John Brumby, a fierce GM food advocate. Below him was Agriculture Minister Joe Helper, by name and nature. Rubbing shoulders with them were Premier Steve Bracks, CSIRO, the DPI, and most of the media.

A complex of industry lobbyists followed including the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) and their PR arms, like the IPA's Australian Environment Foundation (not to be confused with the citizen-supported Australian Conservation Foundation). Driving these were multinationals Bayer and Monsanto, leading the vastly-funded gene technology industry.

And on it went. A squad of vocal scientists in receipt of GM funds were plotted alongside the panel appointed to review the bans. On the panel: the lovable Sir Gus Nossal, who has spoken cautiously in support of GM food crops, and Merna Curnow, who represents the pro-GM Grains Research Development Corporation. (Not much is known about the third panelist, Christine Forster.)

Finally, there was Australia's Chief Scientist, the formidable Jim Peacock: friend of John Howard, founder of GM companies, lodger of contentious GM patents, who recently called those opposing GM foods 'self-serving unprincipled minorities.'

If the whiteboard's pro-GM camp reeked of fiscal and political power, the GM-free side had people power. Celebrity chefs Margaret Fulton, Charmaine Solomon, Maggie Beer and Stefano Di Pieri sat alongside nutritionist and biochemist Dr Rosemary Stanton, epidemiologist Dr Judy Carman, medical scientist Professor Stephen Leeder, and erstwhile CSIRO soil scientist Dr Maarten Stapper, who claimed to have been sacked for speaking out about the dangers of GM crops.

Supporting them were health and environment groups and, well, most people. In every poll taken to date, the public is overwhelmingly opposed to GM food. So are an even larger majority of polled farmers, who don't want GM food crops.

Finally, there were allies like celebrated geneticist Dr David Suzuki, who has said: 'Any scientist or politician who tells you [GM] foods are safe is either very stupid or lying.'

• Premier Brumby in Victoria is a crude 'economic development at any cost' dinosaur as per this [PDF] media release Brumby's GM canola: doomed to fail 5th Feb 2008, just like the blind faith in the growth fetish driving highly controversial dredging in Port Phillip Bay for super container ships (echoing Iemma in NSW at Botany Bay).
• Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suits by Big Agri against independent farmers in North America who try and buck the stitch up, or unlucky farmers who get contaminated by GE crops, have been rife in the USA with confidentiality settlement agreements. Refer  Monsanto vs Schmeiser, with Percy Schmeiser, a real cropping expert with his own wikipedia entry 

      Monsanto vs Schmeiser
The Classic David vs Goliath Struggle...

• The European Union have maintained a ban on GE foods apparently as per this report in the New York Times late 2006 which closes down our market there if we go GE

Both Sides Cite Science to Address Altered Corn By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL A proposal to ban the planting of a genetically modified corn strain sets up a bitter war within the European Union. December 26, 2007

• Have no doubt about it, big money politics is in play here as per Katherine Wilson referenced above:

So when GeneEthics (a network of farmers, scientists, foodies and concerned citizens) failed to get studies showing negative impacts of GM into media reports, its supporters raised enough money to buy a series of advertisements in the Grains Research and Development Council's magazine, Ground Cover. After publishing one ad, Ground Cover, dependent on big agribusiness dollars, cancelled five subsequent GeneEthics ads. 'The GRDC is funded by farmers and taxpayers, yet we can't even buy space in their journal. This was the only way of reaching an audience of 50,000 graingrowers,' said GeneEthics executive director Bob Phelps. As Jeffrey Smith's Seeds of Deception documents, this is the norm for scientists worldwide who attempt to publish research showing the negative impacts of GM. The free market of ideas, says Phelps, is free not just to those who can afford it, but to those who agree with it.

Posted by editor at 7:17 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 15 February 2008 5:16 AM EADT

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Mood:  happy

Dynamo Dave was an enthusiastic supporter of Tradtional Owner Yvonne Margarula in 1998 in the Northern Territory.

Sadly Dave died of cancer in 2006 here in Sydney. Out of his belongings this historic activist flag was rescued and can be flown today to celebrate the national event of sorry day in Federal Parliament.

We noticed all of SBS, ABC2, 7, 9, 10 carried the live feed. How unusual to see the only dedicated community tv channel so badly under resourced on TVS31 being forced to carry nursing home exercise routine - not that there is anything wrong with that.

ABC 702 radio carried the broadcast and unlike the chamber microphones picked up the crowd in the main hall slow hand clap of Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson. Ouch. PM Rudd looked disconcerted, and Nelson himself looked in real pain at the end of his generally sympathetic speech - trapped by dinosaurs in his own ranks. Jon Faine with the narration for the ABC made it clear later what the noise was.

Here's a Big Media sample:

Kevin Rudd says sorry

Prime Minister apologises to stolen generations.

• Annabel Crabb: Ancient tensions fail to mar apology
• Speech gets standing ovation in Redfern
• Britain urged to back Rudd's apology
• Thunderous applause in Sydney for Rudd's speech
• A nation apologises
• 'Sorry speech was magnificent'
• Long queue to witness Rudd speech
• Family saddened by apology that comes too late for some
• A nation shocked by tales of sorrow
• Protest against intervention
• Welcome ritual marks opening of Parliament
• Tears for those who vanished, never to return
• Mother's regret carried to grave
• Bondi BBQ for live apology
• Rudd's apology revealed
• Finally their voices will be heard
• Slideshow: The day we said 'Sorry'
• Video: A historic speech
• Slideshow: Sorry won't ease shock
• In their own words: Why we should be sorry
• Why I need the apology
• Poll: Rate the apology

In all this emotion we notice the astute and jealous politics of the ALP to own the reconciliation agenda. Whether this is all virtue or self interest we are still pondering. ABC's Chris Uhlmann in the Canberra press gallery also noted the role of calculating wedge in his comments to Tony Jones on ABC TV. Seven's Mark Riley and Ch9 nightly news coverage note some Rudd staffers played to the crowd reaction against harsh aspects of Nelson's speech, rather than keep a bipartisan neutrality.

Highlights for SAM micro web news included the pride and enjoyment of academic Jackie Huggins, and the softer side of very tough minded Marcia Langton on 7.30 last night. Fred Chaney, ex Coalition MP was beaut too. The dead straight to camera apology of PM Rudd with not a blink or quaver. The reference to St Paul which we wrote only recently in our traverse of Brideshead Revisted about action with love over loud words otherwise it's merely a 'clanging gong'.  And even the nerves of Opposition leader Nelson showed how very serious this matter was.

Tragically the Coalition party were vulnerable to this wedge for a long term history of lost opportunity to embrace an ancient and impressive culture though obviously people like former MP Fred Chaney, and ex PM Malcolm Fraser, from that side of politics are absolute champions for cross cultural understanding. We get the impression these two at least are regularly welcomed in fellowship by their Indigenous compatriots. It just goes to show it doesn't have to be that way.

We got the feeling Nelson's spirit was willing and humbled by the event but ambition for his side of politics as traditional land barons got the better of him.

Many years ago we had an appointment in Canberra but by night we had no where to go and no budget either. We crept into the Aboriginal Tent Embassy ready to grovel but it was otherwise deserted. Our boldness came from having visited there with Winiata, and Paul Ferguson, Aboriginal blokes at the Croobyar forest protest on the NSW South Coast in '94. Steve Lalor was our Aboriginal Liasion colleague at The Wilderness Society back then. And then there is young Jimari in our guidance for about a year later in the 90ies.

The moving conversations with elder Guboo Ted Thomas of the NSW South Coast. Meeting Yvonne Margarula at Jabiru courthouse, and her stalwart defender Jacqui Katona both in Sydney.

The rascally kids out at Mootwingee sharing a kick of the footy. The dignified elders down from Cape York. Monkey Mark local rap artist.

Eddie Mabo in our honours law degree thesis in 1989, who changed our jurisprudence.

This is their day for a fair go in their own country.

Postscript #1 14 February 2008

 We took some time to trawl the active comment threads on crikey.com.au not least the absence from the ritual of John Howard, machine man par excellence whose divisive ways finally exhausted Nov 24 federal election 2007. He still has proxies there in the parliament too.

We came across this major reversal Howard suffered early in his prime ministership which we are proud to have helped in our small way:

While we are in cynical mode another thought about ALP virtue overlap with self interest - the northern and western half of the country needs as many willing workers in the booming resources sector as they can train up and get. And there is good precedent for this in the cotton sector in NSW:

7.30 Report - 08/01/2007: Aboriginal Employment Strategy gives ...

Rudd's wife is a very rich re-employment expert. It all seems to add up economically speaking. It does make us wonder this motive of the Howard 'Intervention' in 2007 ongoing also. That Marcia Langton for one says must remain 'hard edged' (as per 7.30 above).

Only the profound morality of the occasion even managed to overwhelm these grasping realities. As we wrote on crikey.com.au threads paraphrasing the literary giant de Lampedusa in The Leopard  'history is often  lost in the retelling, with all the different perspectives and adaptation to the times'. We feel like this is one of those times so big it's nearly impossible to perceive it all. Maybe like God herself. Very emotional.

Posted by editor at 3:15 PM EADT

Updated: Thursday, 14 February 2008 7:13 AM EADT

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