Mood:  loud

Note our early story based on a personal interview in the family home below. We rang and spoke to Peter's father and have located Peter in general terms off on another of his adventures doing aid work actually.

We noticed this picture on the web too:

Monday, 8 January 2007

Why did student activist now minister Tony Abbott punch Peter Woof?
Mood:  quizzical
Topic: election Oz 2007

[...]

The editor had an interesting interview recently with long time qualified high school teacher here in NSW, and Canada, Peter Woof, a long time supporter of environmental causes.

He tells an interesting story from his parents lounge room in Killara  (a pretty exclusive north shore suburb of Sydney):

In 1978 25 year old Woof stood up to student politician, now federal government health minister, Tony Abbott who he says was allegedly caught doing unethical or perhaps illegal things like changing the locks on the student union offices and other things.

Woof says Abbott, a well known boxing enthusiast now if not then, punched Woof in the face. Woof was a 24 year old technician employed at Sydney University.

The date can be corroborrated by reference to civil assault suit documentation against Abbott presumably created for Woof in the Glebe local court at the time. Woof represented himself but was totally out muscled financially, he says, by 'half a dozen' barristers and lawyers who turned up at the preliminary hearing turning the civil suit into a high risk of huge legal costs against the alleged assault victim Woof.

Woof assumes these expensive lawyers taking a student activist dispute to another level were paid for by Abbott's 'rich father'. (It also suggests a serious fear of a  blossoming conservative political career almost destroyed at birth.)

This legal bullying tactic arguably at the expense of justice has the echo of the vexatious legal suit by Gunns Ltd bullying of Tasmanian environmentalists in the last few years.

Woof withdrew the civil suit he says under financial duress.

Peter Woof is a very experienced and qualifed person. He has an engineering degree. He is a qualified radio operator and mechanic who ws driving an LPG 4 cyllinder sedan in the early 1980's years before LPG was so popular. He owns his own house.

Woof is no shrinking violet. He is a friend and colleague of anti pirate whaler Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd fame.  Woof has participated in environmental protests including conviction for entirely peaceful protests against a nuclear warship in Sydney Harbour and the docking of a rainforest timber ship in the 1980ies and 90ies. During this period in 1986 Woof held down a high school teaching job in Bombala, a well known 'Timber Town' in NSW.

The Canadian teaching accreditation authority are aware of this lively history and have endorsed Woof's employment as a talented and committed non prosletising high school teacher. He is flying out today to continue his teaching job in remote Saskatchewan Canada

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provinces_and_territories_of_Canada

Woof notes that global warming has massively contracted the viability of traditional 'winter roads' (over frozen swamp and bog) in remote Saskatchewan, such that only one month mid January to mid February is now safe for high volume road transport during winter. This is too small a window he says to properly provision remote areas prefacing a depopulation of large swathes of North America in the future.

Peter Woof can be contacted by email on:

[pwoof dot bigpond dot net dot au]

Woof whose eyesight is suffering long sightedness in middle older age is no longer able to do much close work but obviously has some very interesting tales to tell still in his career of environmental advocacy back to the Franklin River blockades and earlier.

The alleged assault by Tony Abbott was openly discussed at a recent reunion of the Sydney Bushwalkers Club in 2006 and there are likely to be several sources to corroborate this version of student activist history of the 1970's here in Sydney.

One such witness in the 1970's approached Woof (attending with his elderly parents) at the dinner and said words to the effect of "It's a pity Peter you didn't knock Tony Abott's block off when you had the chance."

Obviously the student politics back then was very willing. Woof's social companion who made this comment unprompted is now a senior executive with a NSW Govt agency (details held by the editor).

Posted by editor at 9:51 AM NZT

Updated: Friday, 13 July 2012 9:03 AM NZT

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Mood:  quizzical

Every few years we have a public debate about preservation of the Snowy Mountain Parks due to wild horse populations. Just like feral camels damage the landscape.

We have been involved in this debate since the early 1990ies when 3 state MPs Smith, Schultz and Cochrane made it their mission to attack the NSW Wilderness Act 1987. The Act passed with bipartisan support but these rednecks believed in logging of public lands, high impact recreation and opposed anything proposed by the green movement. Our job was state organiser with the Wilderness Society at the time.

We caught via excellent local detective work of regional environmentalists Cochrane & Co misleading the Fahey Coalition Cabinet with a diagram showing townships and air strips in so called proposed sterilised wilderness areas. Not that we were in Cabinet, but sharp eyed Tumut residents took a photo of a diagram on local tv news and noted the false map boundaries and briefed us on the alarmist sham. We had a nick name for the land use sleaze "Horse Rorts" (a play on words of the infamous federal Minister Ros Kelly "Sports Rorts" scandal).

Cochrane MP in particular has been associated with horse riding commercial tourism interests in Kosciuszko National Park ever since.

We have kept the above cartoon and letter that ran in the News Ltd paper The Australian  from15 years ago because it tells another side of the colonial story, when you remove the white arm band view of history.

That is that most horseman in the bush were Aboriginal blokes on low or no wages, and they weren't in the moutains but the plains. Second that "in the ranges horses had a very limited role" and the pioneers mostly walked. This puts a whole different view on the legendary fiction of the poem called The Man From Snowy River.

Horses, it appears, were never an integral part of the Australian Mountain heritage, they are a modern popular construct of film and literature not real history.

Posted by editor at 9:06 AM NZT

Updated: Tuesday, 16 March 2010 9:14 AM NZT

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Mood:  chatty

Author’s general introductory note   

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. Perhaps the greatest utility is the headline synthesis above of the 3 or 4 shows followed in this session.

For actual transcripts and/or video feeds go to the programme web sites quoted including Riley Diary on 7. And note transcripts don’t really give you the image content value.

Other sources of pollie talkies on Sunday include SkyNews paytv Sunday Agenda, Radio National Monica Attard Sunday Profile show. And of course Sunday night shows SBS Dateline, Sixty Minutes and now Sunday Tonight on 7.  

Media backgrounders.  

- away from Canberra beltway it’s been a boring as batsh*t week with the big media defaulting to Lara and Clarky trivia on the front pages selling vicarious sex as news, as if.

10 Meet the Press:  8- 8-30 am 

Press round up, talent is Greens leader Bob Brown, with Hugh Riminton in the chair. Social welfare policies in focus – dental, parental leave, support from the Greens.

Brown – we need a population policy after 430K increase in one year without an [official] govt policy [what a scandal] Brown is staunch again saying this “is not a green government’ whether it’s forests, climate etc. Humour out take is cartoon of Abbott from The Australian.

Panel is Stanley 2UE, Stephanie Balogh Courier Mail/News Corp.

Second guest is Heather Ridout, lampooned by the Coalition in previous times as Heather Sellout, but she picked the winner of the 2007 election. Waffles on about parental leave. Ridout waffles about nuclear, and energy security in northern hemisphere. [Highly ignorant about safety issues of nukes after child cancer study in New York State of 2002 proven by 8 reactor closures].

Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.

Riley Diary 7, from 8.40am 

http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend   

9 Sunday newshour Laurie Oakes interview 8.44 am 

Julie Bishop on so called people smuggling. Missed a chunk of it. Increasingly looks like the talking skull.

LO takes a mild tone – softly softly catchee monkee on complex tax, parental leave.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes

Insiders 2: 9- 10am

“Fascinating week” says Barry. [Actually away from Canberra beltway it’s been a boring as batsh*t week with the big media defaulting to Lara and Clarky trivia on the front pages selling vicarious sex as news, as if. Lenore Taylor is right it’s “scatty” “even sillier”  in her piece this weekend about “season’s bleatings” this last week.].

Film package has terrible shallow pop music.

More interesting discussion and footage of tense atmospherics with Premier Keneally. Her personal popularity is noted by Fran Kelly, says definite rudeness by PM. [Might be misunderstanding PM on right side of people view of NSW Govt.]

Swan is the guest by remote screen and conceptual discussion of Henry Tax review, sophistry about refusing to release the Henry Report.

Amusing package of Groucho Marx on Abbott oppositionism. Talk about Julia Gillard heir apparent. Ruddock and Howard still in profile pulling strings, Ruddock in particular angling for one of his daughters to go into politics.

http://www.abc.net.au/insiders

Inside Business with Alan Kohler  .

Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/ 

Posted by editor at 10:34 AM NZT

Updated: Tuesday, 16 March 2010 10:01 AM NZT

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Mood:  lyrical

But there are many possible metaphors to draw from the sport of surfboat racing. Earlier today Adam Spencer abc 702 amplified a story about state parliament being like The Muppets. It was funny.

This got us thinking in some tangential creative fashion about those days of rowing (not paddling!) a 415kg tub around the bay in Warrnambool. Indeed PM Malcolm Fraser dropped in one day to have a go in the same seat as ours 2nd stroke oar, as per the pictures in our old scrap book above and below.

Now the boats are 210kg speedsters out of fibreglass and hollow carbon fibre oars, apparently including women's crew. Not in my day but it's all good moving with the times.

We went to a 29th year school reunion (not 30th, go figure) and recounted with pleasure an anecdote of the 1980 Austalian Titles - the only junior boat crew to finish our heat. And this is where the prime ministerial metaphor kicks in:

There we are at Wanda beach, Sydney, all the way from the Bass Strait, South West Victoria. A young crew with 2 years left in the age bracket. It's all good experience. The surf is running high.

Bang goes the starter pistol. Leap over the gunnel like jumping a barb wire fence, feet to land on the foot straps on a diagonal board. Easy to say, hard to do. Slide on the seat with your togs wedged up bare arse. Dig in hard to overcome the monolithic inertia of boat on shallow water, like a cockroach with 5 legs: 4 rowers and 1 sweep oar to steer.

Only - as rarely happens - Lee the sweep calls out "DIG IT IN" abrupty. It's all on trust.  Our backs are to the waves. We know the drill. If a wave is breaking in front of us, we have to stop to avoid being crunched, then start again which lifts the bow safely over the theshing whitewater and on again. In this sense it's a race of skill with ourselves never mind the other 5 crews.

We trust Lee as only teenage lads can investing in our sports coach. And he delivers us out of the jaws of the thrashing broken wave. Off we go again with "PICK IT UP!". But in seconds  he screams "DIIIGGG IT INNN!" a second time. Uh oh, not good. Never done this twice before. We are in the crunch zone now. It's pure faith. We should be rowing hard not making like a sitting duck. The curling water smacks the ocean surface, like a low mortar round deep in earth going "WHOA-UMP". As it breaks just in front we manicly pull on the heavy oars simply to hold position and prevent being swatted all the way back to the beach - the ulitmate embarrassment - going backwards. Teenage forearms and fingers strain to hold the boat in place. Not a word though. In the moment. It's bodies and training, and trust and teamwork. And Lee screams over the din "PIIICCKKK IT UP!"

We peek at the crews at left and right struggling beside us as we raise the blades out  of the water and literally point them at our rivals before dipping them back in. One at least is blown away as the line of surf varies along the shore line. But the real foe of we puny human beings has not finished with us yet.

Can't remember if Lee called out. Can't remember if we cried "Come on" 20 years before Leyton Hewitt ever won a grand slam. Probably we did like all those times before at 1/4 time and 2 goals down in local VFL (later AFL). The time was now, the players were us.

The biggest wave in the set was now heading straight for us and there was only one way out, forward, and over the top. And we pulled frantically short choppy strokes to get momentum. Not enough time or open water. Already sweaty. Breathing hard. And up we turned.

The body knows what the eyes can't see behind us. And up. And up. The length of a 25 foot boat at 45 degrees and then air. Like forever with oars swinging useless in mid air but only really a second or two.

Like a race memory it flashed before us, first time out in novice C grade seniors at Jan Juc carnival year before, relocated from Torquay because the surf was too big. We flipped, with oars flailing wildly. We knew what to expect when it all turns to custard.

And then another THUMP more wooden this time of boat and ocean reconnecting.

We look around to see if arms, legs, boat, crew were still intact. Lots of shouting. Some scrambling going on at first stroke oar. What the f*ck? Ricky is jumping into the sweep position with his curved blade. Where is Lee? The horror dawns on us - we lost the sweep in the deluge. Goodbye Captain! More shouting. There are no other boats either side. Smited. Everyone of them, and good riddance too. The Victorian wannabes were in town!

Was it schadenfreude that spurred us on? Was it crazy brave? Off we went, like a side winding crab, 2 versus 1 imbalance in the oars and Ricky steering. I rowed alone on my side the rest of the 500 metre course. Half way to the bouy we realised there was a time limit on each race. And we had to navigate the swell back onshore too. We made it in a race of one.

I had a photo of our boat flying over the 3rd cruncher wave but it got spoiled by spilled coffee a few house moves ago. I will always remember a comment back on the beach - "you guys are too smart to be boaties". This is a sly variation on the old self mocking boast of boaties around the club "we're not very smart but we can lift heavy things".

We got eliminated very next race by bigger older rowers in crews out of the central machine of the surf life saving movement in NSW and Qld.  But it didn't matter. We had a memory we could hold dear for decades, at school reunions and blogs and stuff. The beer tent was looking good, another thing that's changed over the years.

Which brings us to Mal Fraser PM and Member for Wannon going for a row down on a flat, flat day at Warrnambool beach with the senior boat crew in 1982. He copped a rogue wave which even made the cartoons.

It seems to us insulation is like a big wave set. Getting wet is okay, just don't let it wash you onto the beach going backwards.

* This story dedicated to Lee Oakley (sweep), Ricky Clissold (1st stroke),  Lewis Atkinson (2nd bow), Tom McLoughlin (the writer, 2nd stroke)), and  Peter Ryan (bow), Victorian State Title holders junior boat crew 1981-82 for Warrnambool Surf Life Saving Club.

Posted by editor at 11:08 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 12 March 2010 11:44 AM EADT

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Mood:  energetic

What wicked ways the state ALP have with their financial, access and careerism hooks in the NSW green movement. But even umbrella groups dependent on govt grants spit the dummy every so often.

Here is a letter you won't read on the unreal, sanitised so called "real dirt" blog of James Woodford based on the south coast of NSW. It was forwarded via a non signatory (ironic) being the convenor of ChipStop being Harriet Swift, an authentic regionally based (Bega) authority figure on forest conservation, former journalist, tree changer, artist with blowtorch (literally). H confirms just now that the omission was incidental and it's "a good letter".

And so it is, only it's somewhat hypocritical too, in varying degrees, given the same lead green group (former staff and board) and Jeff Angel still current mentioned in the letter, were financed by the Carr Govt to reach exactly this corrupt "resource security" outcome for industry in publicly owned forests. We know because we resigned from the board of the same Nature Conservation Council over this very issue in 2000, having been elected twice to the position. Notice this sent recently:

Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 6:25 PM

Subject: resource security and shuffling deck chairs ... Re: [chipstop] 40 NGOs ask the Premier to save the Mumbulla koalas

If and when the koalas are saved it will be at the price of other forest and other animals in the absence of broad logging industry reform. It might even be Brown Mountain in East Gippsland across the border depending on how litigation goes there. Or forest in the Upper Deua catchment which was once identified wilderness quality. Or giant brown barrels in Coolangubra. No one really knows. But it will mean shuffling the deck chairs.

People will say you have to make a stand somewhere. I agree. But I know this is no lasting solution either. The loggers will move to the next forest, with quolls, Yellow Bellied Gliders etc. This is the terrible terrible consequence predicted as far back as 1991 by this text in this leaflet here

1991 The Wilderness Society - Briefing note to media and legislators on 'resource security'

which was the covert price NSW NCC chair and director of the TEC signed up to with 20 year logging guarrantees as per the Regional Forest Agreements. It was also implied in the peace plan agreed by select players in the 1995 state election campaign. These were pre emptive buckles by the green movement. Under duress no doubt.

According to Dailan Pugh/NEFA quote in The Australian weekend magazine in 2008, only 1/4 of the forest identified by the scientific process for a comprehensive, adequate and representative reserve system was achieved by the NSW Govt decisions 1998-2000.

Tom.

So here is the official greenie letter and below that again is a screenprint from the dirty Woodford blog waxing lyrical about in his words "one of the nation's most loved creatures" in the extinct form ..... but not on the Woodford blog when it involves loggers from the spouse's former employer (NSW State Forests as a PR officer).

Below that a speech from Harriet Swift to a public meeting at Tathra town hall earlier this month which is actually the real business free of ALP land use corruption.

[PDF file from ChipStop website]

Woodford ommission of this koala logging furore, yet he dares write about extinct koalas here:

The last word to the admirable Harriet Swift SE NSW town hall meeting last Monday night:

If this hall had a back window, in a few months or weeks from now we could look out from here and see this logging. What are we doing about it?

1. SERCA reps have met with the State Minister for the Environment, local MP Mike Kelly and advisers to the federal Minister for Forestry and the Environment.
2. We have approached all Japanese paper companies asking them not to buy native forest woodchips from the Eden chipmill because it cannot guarantee that they don’t come from koala habitat. 13 Australian ENGOs signed. We have a strong group of major Japanese groups approaching Nippon Paper asking for the same thing.
3. A group of all the major conservation and animal welfare groups in Sydney is making a joint approach to the State Premier and Ministers. For many of these groups this will be the first time they have involved themselves in forests and logging issues.
4. Those stories about the SE koalas that have been in the national media over the past couple of weeks are not just good luck. They represent an enormous amount of work by many people.
5. Well over 1,000 people on Facebook have signed on to a group called Save the Mumbulla and FF koalas
6. Local groups are forming to resist the logging, but – importantly, working together. I’m not one of those who sneers at people for looking after their backyards. On the contrary, I believe we have a special responsibility to. If we don’t, who will? It was logging in Tanja State forest on our boundary many years ago that first got me into the forest campaign in a serious way and I’d like to think I have given FNSW a few headaches in that time. However, as a forest campaigner I have also always been strongly opposed to arguing for my backyard at the expense of somewhere else. My local forest at the expense of the one down the road or Australia’s forests at the expense of those in some other country. It’s not an ethical message. Forests NSW always tries to force us into that paradigm and we mustn’t fall for it. They always offer what appear to be “concessions” in terms of what they call “resource neutrality.” That means the forest must yield the same amount of woodchips whether they get it from one place or another. If they make a provision for a powerful owl, it doesn’t mean less forest is logged, it just means it’s logged more intensively in the places that don’t have a powerful owl roost.
7. Right now, the industry doesn’t need most of this wood. The woodchipping industry is still suffering from the GFC. In 2009 it spent most of the year on a 4 day week. For weeks at a time it was closed altogether. Its stockpiles of chips and logs were enormous. It was asking contractors to store logs in the forest rather than deliver them to the chipmill because it couldn’t store them. It had to clear bush inside the chipmill to expand its log storage area. Forests NSW has take or pay contracts with SEFE that can force them to keep on taking logs even when they don’t want them. We might even be doing them a favour if we could persuade State Forests not to take any pulplogs from these forests.
8. One final thing: there has been some suggestion that we will do better if we pretend we are not greenies. I take issue with that. I am a greenie and why should I be ashamed of that? In the longer term, the more politicians realize that greenies are well informed, ethical and energetic and numerous, they’ll start to pay more attention to the environment.

 - Harriett Swift

 

Posted by editor at 9:10 AM EADT

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Mood:  cool

Former premier Bob Carr was forced out in 2005 as his polling crashed, allowed by the ALP machine to limp along in the job until his 10th anniversary before resigning.

Not many people have really analysed the net environmental consequence of Carr's main boast of forest protection of NSW eastern division forests. The story is not nearly as good as Carr would have people believe. Carr is known as a thespian so a reality check is again in order.

Especially because Carr has leapt into PR mode in the last few days via Get Up organisation urging protection of redgum forests in south west NSW. A good message from a damaged messenger. And if he is acting out of a guilty conscience, at least it's in evidence unlike ex PM Paul Keating who failed Australia's forests dismally with his initiative of so called Regional Forest Agreements.

We recently briefed south east region conservation groups and Get UP organisation as follows:

Subject: [chipstop] Links re Carr's dodgy green credentials, prior to redgums in GetUp Re: [chipstop] RE: [SERCA] FW: Join Bob Carr: Save the River Red Gums

Yes history of the 90ies is stale 10 years old, but the current ALP is a product of it's past with same habits.

On redgums Carr is surely posturing for the next state election. And he might be well motivated. And he might be riddled with guilt! Who knows. The message is right, but the messenger is damaged goods. 

I remember in harness for TWS in 1994 pre election he promised to save wilderness areas. But his policy actually said 365K ha out of 713K ha identified under the legislative process Wilderness Act 1987 passed with bipartisan support.

Alan Hansen who worked for Opposition Env Minister Pam Allan rang me personally to complain about exposing this detail in the official newsletter of TWS. They seemed to think the green movement were ALP serfs.

This was the best clue the ALP were unreliable later in the 90ies, as I said regarding RFA decisisons 20 year resource security industry holy grail. It was also why the ALP cut me and TWS out of negotiating "a peace plan" pre 1995 election. Too independent, and too honest. They were ALWAYS going to cut forests in half. This regarding the late 90ies decisions:

 "To hide this reality Carr went the big lie PR option - ‘biggest forest decision in the world’. I still remember The Wilderness Society putting out a list of bigger conservation decisions worldwide - about 20 of them - in a brutal lampooning of Carr’s arrogance. With environmental friends like Carr who needs enemies."

Here is that TWS media exposing Carr going the proverbial big lie, which I web posted for posterity years back (at Carr ALP dodges 1995-99 refer "Box 4" breakout item) including this:

Apart from deliberately and dishonestly conflating the notion of "forest protection" with "new national park", the other variation on Carr's boasting was that his government had created one million hectares of reservations in NSW and this was a "world record". The Wilderness Society as quoted in Parliament by Ian Cohen MLC has shown convincingly using World Conservation Monitoring Centre figures that NSW as a unit is still behind 74 other countries in terms of terrestrial protected areas, and just below the 6. 29% of land area conserved on average per country. For the 4 year term of office Carr has made less significant conservation decisions than

• Brazil (3.5 million ha in 1990, 6 million ha in 1979-82),
• Indonesia (3 million ha in 1978-81,
• 2.5 million ha in 1980-82),
• Columbia (2 million ha, 1977).
• Even in Queensland in one year 1977 a million hectares of national park was created, and in NT nearly a million hectares in 1990.
• There is not space here to list other protection decisions in China,
• USA (4 different states) or
• Venezuela

that outstrip or equal Bob Carr's "world record" fantasy.

Just as the RFA maps dishonestly conflated existing national park with new national park decisions - in order to dwarf the large swathes of logging area, actually much bigger than new national parks. I have those maps here:

Saturday, 25 July 2009

Redgum forests: Secret RACAC maps don't reflect too well on Carr's record in exhortation to Premier Rees
Mood:  sharp
Topic: nsw govt

I have posted an original copy of that TWS leaflet of 1991 this morning about the logging industry holy grail of resource security on public land, initially defeated but back with a vengeance now, regretably:

The Wilderness Society brief on 'Resource Security' 1991

Who knows, maybe Carr is trying to make amends with the Redgums to do the full job? Miracle if it's true.

Yours truly, Tom

Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 9:40 PM

Subject: [chipstop] RE: [SERCA] FW: Join Bob Carr: Save the River Red Gums

 We saved the South East forests, the North coast icons and the Pilliga. These were all generous conservation outcomes, and no unemployment resulted.
Im sorry but what the? hes such a liar. still good on him for doin the get up thing & your right sean - great exposure. -still, in case anyone has forgotten whose signature is on the RFAs, Bobs got a lot to answer for.
cheers

---

To: serca_members

This is fantastic.   Can we get the same exposure for our koalas?

Seán

---

To: Sean Burke
Subject: Join Bob Carr: Save the River Red Gums

--- A message to GetUp members from Former NSW Premier Bob Carr ---

Dear GetUp Members,

From the air they are bands of green that emerge from the Great Dividing Range and run along the banks of our major rivers as they snake west. On ground they are stately silhouettes, mighty arms akimbo, hefty trunks streaked red on white: statuesque, unmoving, some hundreds of years old but with the look of eternity. The river red gums are the guardians of inland Australia.

Enter these forests. Set off a mob of kangaroos. Then hear the silence settle. Look around and be filled with the wonder of being in ancient Australia.

Log these? Log them for another 5 years until the old ones are all gone and we are left only with straggly regrowth? Log them when 80 per cent of the landscape along the Murray has already been cleared? When on some stretches 75 per cent of the trees are already dead or dying or stressed because of drought and climate change? Log them for firewood and railway sleepers and fence posts?

Many parts of our country are in flood, but the Murray-Darling, food bowl of our nation, is still cracked and dry. The River Red Gums that stand guard on its banks are a gift to future generations. They are of national significance, and it falls to all of us to protect them.

The NSW Government has announced that 80 per cent of the red gums will be protected as national forest, but reports suggest some 16,000 hectares will be logged for another 5 years. I intend to seek clarification of this, but you may wish to let NSW Premier Kristina Keneally know you think the future of these mighty trees is very, very important:

www.getup.org.au/campaign/murray_river_gums

The most reliable estimate is that there are only 136 jobs in red gum logging on public lands across NSW. Timber jobs are 0.2 per cent of employment in the region. All can be accommodated in new national parks.

How can I be so certain? First, because Victoria has just done it. As of June 30 last year, logging stopped forever in 91,000 hectares of red gum wetlands. The outcome is jobs positive because there are 30 new park ranger jobs in four new parks, 10 jobs in forest management and 24 jobs in the tourism sector.

Second, because NSW offers loads of experience in world-significant nature conservation made possible through industry restructuring without job losses. We have had 30 years of these arguments. Each has ended with decisive conservation victories, and the outcomes have been endorsed at state elections. In my experience - and I was environment minister in the Wran government between 1984 and 1988 - the case made by conservationists starts by looking over-reaching. But it always ends up being vindicated.

My Government led Australia on nature conservation. I am proud of creating some 300 new national parks. We saved the South East forests, the North coast icons and the Pilliga. These were all generous conservation outcomes, and no unemployment resulted. We can do it with the river red gums, but Government need to be reminded that nature conservation has public support:

www.getup.org.au/campaign/murray_river_gums

In their bones country and city people alike know that as the continent's population climbs (to more than 40 million by mid-century, according to the latest estimates) we will count precious every hectare of national park this generation has declared.

Sincerely,
Bob Carr

Bob Carr was the longest continuously serving NSW premier.

This message was sent through GetUp.org.au and your personal details have not been shared with Mr. Carr or anyone else.

Posted by editor at 1:38 PM EADT

Updated: Thursday, 11 March 2010 2:18 PM EADT

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Mood:  lyrical

Memories of coffee and chocolate ...

Posted by editor at 11:24 AM EADT

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Mood:  loud

But how would Costello know, (long term lap puppy of former PM Howard pictured above).

We posted this very real threat to humanity in a western country, here on a crikey comment string late last week:

“Infant Deaths And Childhood Cancer Drop Dramatically After Nuclear Plants Close
November 30, 2001, New York, NY”

“Dramatic declines in local infant death and childhood cancer rates occurred soon after the closing of eight nuclear power plants, according to a new report announced by New York State Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, Radiation and Public Health Project, and the STAR Foundation. The study documents a 17.4% reduction in infant mortality in the downwind counties within 40 miles two years after reactor closing, compared to a national decline of just 6.4%. Large declines occurred in all eight areas near closed reactors, and remained above national trends for at least six years after closing. The information appears as an article published in the March/April 2002 edition of Archives of Environmental Health.

“We finally have reliable peer-reviewed accurate data attaching the nuclear power plants to death and injury in the host communities, this is a sobering and significant scientific study and we all need to take it seriously,” stated New York State Assemblyman Richard Brodsky. “It is critical that more studies of this type be performed, so that we fully understand the risks posed by nuclear reactors,” added Westchester County legislator Thomas Abinanti.

“Nuclear power is a failed experiment that is expensive and dangerous,” said Scott Cullen, Executive Director of STAR. “This study confirms the best of public health principles: that when you remove a known cause of illness, health improves,” said Cullen. “What is gratifying about the research is that it showed childhood health measures increasing so dramatically and quickly after the reactors closed and provides good news that we can strive towards.”

In three of the eight areas with available data, cancer diagnosed in children less than five years of age declined 25.0% in the seven years after reactor closing, compared to a 0.3% increase nationally. Children exposed to radiation are of increased risk for cancer, says Joseph Mangano, MPH MBA, the principal author of the study who is affiliated with the New York research group Radiation and Public Health Project.

This study is most relevant to New York City because over 8% of the nation’s population lives within 50 miles of the Indian Point reactor. Counties downwind and within 40 miles of Indian Point include the Bronx, Dutchess, Manhattan, Nassau, Putnam, Queens, and Westchester in New York, and Fairfield County in Connecticut. Over 8.5 million persons live in these counties, where 110,000 babies are born each year. “

etc

at

http://www.radiation.org/press/releases.html

with link to http://www.radiation.org/spotlight/closed.html

Posted by editor at 11:39 AM EADT

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Author’s general introductory note   

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. Perhaps the greatest utility is the headline synthesis above of the 3 or 4 shows followed in this session.

For actual transcripts and/or video feeds go to the programme web sites quoted including Riley Diary on 7. And note transcripts don’t really give you the image content value.

Other sources of pollie talkies on Sunday include SkyNews paytv Sunday Agenda, Radio National Monica Attard Sunday Profile show. And of course Sunday night shows SBS Dateline, Sixty Minutes and now Sunday Tonight on 7.  

Media backgrounders.  

- Our image last Sunday of Rudd in doctors gown seems to have scooped the big media by 48 hours. It was a cliché that was always going to happen, and sure enough it did on front page of the Sydney Telegraph and tv pictures. But the green light was obvious first with Ruddster body language leaning into the camera during the interview on Insiders which is why we ran with the image ahead of the rest. Exhibit 1: Tragic life watching wonky political media.

- Keating’s Lend Lease sponsored giant phallus over land at Barangaroo reminds of Keating as overdevelopment consultant to Westfield at Bondi – regional sized facility in sub regional centre sucking life out of family retail elsewhere. This was around 1997 and we were councilor at Waverley in Bondi Beach ward. Keating consultancy was covert, revealed some years later. In 1996-7 a similar Mac Bank – Lend Lease private proposal for heavy rail station in the park at the Beach – raising the prospect of … you guessed it high rise over Lend Lease air space rights … on the water. The locals rejected this potential monster out of hand. In conclusion as we always say with Keating – self interest is always trying – just like his declared consultancy for power privatization with Wylie Lazzard investment bank. So was Keating now or then a covert paid consultant for Lend Lease in 1997 over the Bondi Rail private development proposal.

- Opinion section of SMH on web is now “National Times” so can’t get a line on leading article so easily anymore. Also to compete with Crikey?

- Front of SD Telegraph off their web front page again can’t easily guage their press front page blowtorch. Maybe international web access until we get to the local library like this http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx

- This week SAM noted Frank Ernest Sartor NSW Env Minister talking frogs, to learn the SD Telegraph has a frog logo on their environment blogger rip of SAM here which also uses a frog for years now? Go the Frogs.

- Marginals in Sydney in play over redgums and other forest  like Marrickville, Balmain, Strathfield, Coogee and no doubt more.  In this sense big Saturday telegraph story about redgum sawmillers is right about politics but they ignore the science which is all for conservation via Govt Resource Audit Council.

- PM Rudd getting aggressive in echo of rival Abbott over health, or is it his father’s death coming back in his dreams?

- Peter Costello hopelessly wrong about safety of nuclear power in his Fairfax opinion piece in cheap shot at insulation fatalities by comparision. Notice this quote and links from a US public interest study on closure of 8 reactors, as posted by SAM on Crikey comment string late last week:

“Infant Deaths And Childhood Cancer Drop Dramatically After Nuclear Plants Close
November 30, 2001, New York, NY”

“Dramatic declines in local infant death and childhood cancer rates occurred soon after the closing of eight nuclear power plants, according to a new report announced by New York State Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, Radiation and Public Health Project, and the STAR Foundation. The study documents a 17.4% reduction in infant mortality in the downwind counties within 40 miles two years after reactor closing, compared to a national decline of just 6.4%. Large declines occurred in all eight areas near closed reactors, and remained above national trends for at least six years after closing. The information appears as an article published in the March/April 2002 edition of Archives of Environmental Health.”

With full quotes at

http://www.radiation.org/press/releases.html

with link to http://www.radiation.org/spotlight/closed.html

- We helped with a charity case in the Supreme Court NSW Equity Division which is still to have a costs hearing. Now we read in this weekend SMH that Justice David Lloyd who found the state govt involved in “land bribes” has retired from the Land and Environment Court – which is big news in itself. We had another charity case smashed by Justice Lloyd on the basis the client was a bankrupt – at the hands of corrupt sandminer and council mates.

Now Lloyd the respected Beak is being blocked it is implied in SMH by politicians in the state Govt to work on in the Supreme Court Equity Division. Interesting because we wrote up case #1 mentioned above (we are named in the title as next friend for the client with mental illness) in the Equity Division and sent it to the media officers for the Supreme Court for the information of the chief judge. As evidence of where the legal system has worked to protect the most vulnerable.

A natural fit for Justice Lloyd surely. The NSW govt could be heading to ICAC over this one a la Tim Moore/Greiner Affair (Moore is a Commissioner at same L&E Court today) if ICAC were not so disempowered. Former chief of ICAC was Justice Cripps – who we understand in private practice made face to face deals with Sam Haddad around 2000 for a sandminer client, when previously Cripps was Chief Judge of the L&E Court 1985-1992, and then appointed boss of ICAC 2004-2009. Wheels within wheels eh in the State of ALP.

The ICAC website doesn’t seem to show Cripps biography anymore. But we grabbed it in a previous SAM post, and notice he is working with another Govt appointment the Sentencing Commission or something. Lloyd must be pondering such favour ….

10 Meet the Press:  8- 8-30 am 

Intro film wrap curriculum, health reform. Dep PM Gillard is guest.

Bonge in the chair.

JG crocodile tears for Belinda Neal lost pre-selection. [Metaphor for crony ALP loss in next NSW state election?] Gillard State Govt’s will go broke paying for health. Q. Politics of referenda, senate vexed. Grab of Abbott compare with insulation competence.

Humour out take more revealing for pollies using children again. Big Media are starting to notice the exploitation.

Meet The Press - Watch Political Video Online - Channel TEN.

Riley Diary 7, from 8.40am 

http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend   

9 Sunday newshour Laurie Oakes interview 8.44 am 

Minister Roxon in black style clothes, too formal methinks. Perhaps for gravitas. Preselection on Neal. Anzac Day. Missed a fair bit of it.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/oakes

Insiders 2: 9- 10am

Uhlmann in the chair. Pop package PM Rudd focus. Laura Tingle AFR (smart), Brian Toohey, Phil Coorey – all Fairfax.

Dwell on Belinda Neal replacement. Deborah O’Neil has the goods by sound of her.

Joe Hockey as shadow treasurer and guest. Blah blah.  Vox pop as usual. Panel on PM apology and education. Toohey says Rudd is a bad policy maker who thinks he’s good.

http://www.abc.net.au/insiders

Inside Business with Alan Kohler  .

Refer http://www.abc.net.au/insidebusiness/ 

Posted by editor at 11:13 AM EADT

Updated: Sunday, 7 March 2010 11:25 AM EADT

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If there is no evidence of a sinister crime, could a 3 year old child walk such a long way and die of dehydration? Trying to find where the planes fly? Or even be abducted and released get lost and similarly die of heat and dehydration?

From our uni science classes we always recall the surface area volume ratio of living things. Smaller volume (as for a small child) means relatively bigger surface area to lose heat and perspire. Some UN and other web pages discuss dehydration mainly in respect of global problems of Acute diarrhoeal diseases:

The symptoms become increasingly severe with greater water loss. One's heart and   respiration rates will increase to compensate for decreased   plasma volume and   blood pressure, while body temperature may rise because of decreased sweating. Around 5% to 6% water loss, one may become groggy or  sleepy, experience headaches or  nausea, and may feel tingling in one's limbs ( paresthesia). With 10% to 15% fluid loss, muscles may become spastic, skin may shrivel and wrinkle, vision may dim, urination will be greatly reduced and may become painful, and delirium may begin. Losses of greater than 15% are usually fatal. [1]http://rehydrate.org/dehydration/index.html

We actually walked from Melbourne Airport in January 2010 all the way to the first tram stop which must be about 5 km. It was hot dry flat country. We did find a tap along the way. We had bad shoes we threw away the next day.

Our purpose was to learn more about the layout of Mebourne complete with compass. We walked to and from Kingsford Smith airport in Sydney same trip partly to avoid the outrageous premium on the train ticket.

We've done similar at Avalon to train line at Lara in Victoria in 2006 or so. A bit eccentric but it's also quite interesting.

Posted by editor at 10:03 AM EADT

Updated: Saturday, 6 March 2010 10:06 AM EADT

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Mood:  smelly

'The ecological equivalent of a Tasmanian Tiger. Sounds like a motor bike. '

Oh gawd. Which is the biggest clue this is a PR choreography, with timing at the control of the government, perhaps even to offset the growing furore over forest destruction reported here on SAM recently? (Redgums and koalas in southern NSW):

Sky News: 'Extinct' yellow frog reappears in NSW4 Mar 2010

'Extinct' super frog back from dead - Local News - News - General ...

'Extinct' yellow frog reappears in NSW | Environment | BigPond News 

Bell frog back from dead 30 years on - Local News - News - General ...

Bell frog thought to be on last legs spotted alive and kicking 4 Mar 2010

Yellow spotted bell frog makes big comeback - watch for the movie ...

'Extinct' yellow frog reappears in NSW 4 Mar 2010

'Extinct' frog species found alive after 30 years - ABC News ...4 Mar 2010

Frank Sartor's bell frog impersonation - ABC News (Australian ... 4 Mar 2010

 and so on.

Posted by editor at 10:19 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 5 March 2010 10:40 AM EADT

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Mood:  hug me

  6:44   Industrial logging linked to frequency and severity of fire 

Posted by editor at 9:44 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 5 March 2010 10:24 AM EADT

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Mood:  don't ask

Child death is a terrible thing.

Here is this story leading the web press today:

Boy drowns walking dogs

SHANNON TONKIN Luke Selwyn, 6, fails to return after going for a walk with his family's two dogs as police find his body in a dam.

Posted by editor at 9:09 AM EADT

Updated: Friday, 5 March 2010 10:30 AM EADT

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Mood:  incredulous

At the time we noted here on SAM that a former SMH environment reporter James Woodford who now doubles as a "real dirt ....environmental news" blogger on the NSW south coast  ("the real dirt, the whole dirt, nothing but the dirt"), author and opinion writer on SMH still, was seemingly ignorant of the koala furore in his tree change domestic bliss. We hope it was ignorance but we believe otherwise. We detect a history of airbrushing NSW Govt "dirt" being the source of many if not all of his stories as a journalist on the drip.

Since then the green movement on the NSW south coast has been in uproar for a solid 6 weeks over this vandalism of icon species habitat, as per media releases and articles below. Indeed what would the United States side of the Premier Keneally family think of such wanton killing of koalas creating a regional extinction in a section of NSW?

We have now received this notice of a public meeting featuring Deborah Tabbart, a high profile koala campaigner from the Australian Koala Foundation:

Public meeting:

Logging threats to the South Coast at Murrah, Mumbulla and Tanja

Guest speaker: Deborah Tabbart, Australian Koala Foundation

7pm Tathra Town Hall

Monday 8th March 2010

Related community and/big media follow, all apparently invisible to dirty blogger James Woodford even when it's his own backyard (but not here 6 hours drive away!): 

Additional public meeting here nearby forest at Western Yurammie

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

[The Canberra Times]

Koalas face big logging threat

BY ROSSLYN BEEBY SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT REPORTER

26 Jan, 2010 01:00 AM

A colony of koalas in state forest near Tathra on the NSW South Coast could be wiped out by woodchip logging scheduled to begin within weeks, the ACT Conservation Council says.

Executive director John Hibberd has written to Federal environment minister Peter Garrett and NSW Premier Kristina Keneally urging them to intervene to save the Mumbulla State Forest koalas.

''This is the only known koala colony on the far South Coast, and represents the last remnant of the once extensive koala populations in the Bega Valley,'' Mr Hibberd said.

''Shooting, clearing, feral animals and fire have all decimated the koalas of the region. We cannot afford to risk these koalas now.''

The NSW Government launched a comprehensive survey of the area three years ago after local Aboriginal land council staff unexpectedly discovered two koalas in the Mumbulla forest.

The first stage of the survey, the largest of its kind undertaken in NSW, assessed 400 sites and more than 12000 trees.

Early results showed evidence of koalas at about 50 sites in forest between Gulaga and the Mumbulla mountains.

Based on these findings, the NSW Environment Department issued a statement which described Mumbulla as ''a stronghold of the species'' on the far South Coast.

The Government has not released the final results of the two-year survey, but the early findings were posted online as evidence of the survey's success.

The logging operations, due to begin in March, will harvest high quality timber as well as woodchips for export to Japan. Forests NSW is required under state conservation laws to leave a percentage of koala habitat trees in the area being logged.

Artist and former fashion designer Prue Acton said the threat to the South Coast koalas highlighted the need to stop a national decline in koala numbers by listing them as a nationally threatened species.

'' While the Commonwealth has not yet listed this animal as a threatened species, there is enough evidence around now about its decline that we simply cannot afford to take any further risks with its future,'' she said.

Mr Hibberd said the koalas needed sufficient space for their young to move into new territories, and any post-logging fires ''will spell the end for them''.

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

 http://www.naroomanewsonline.com.au/news/local/news/general/nsw-government-must-release-all-koala-data-constance/1753455.aspx
".....protect koalas and honour the regional forest agreement."

NSW Government must release all koala data: Constance

17 Feb, 2010 10:22 AM
LIBERAL MP Andrew Constance has called for the release of all NSW Labor Government information pertaining to koalas on the state's Far South Coast.
"It is in everybody interests that all data is publicly available so that the wider community and the timber industry can see how the Department of Environment and Climate Change and Forests NSW are addressing any concerns relating to koalas," Mr Constance said.
"The advice I have is that there are a number of well established koala colonies in the region and it is in everybody's interests that the community and the industry have confidence in what the State Government is doing to protect koalas and honour the regional forest agreement.
"The government has to be open, accountable and transparent so that any debate undertaken in the community is done with all information available.
"Whilst claims that there is only one colony left, the government must outline what colonies exist in both the National Parks system and State Forests on the Far South Coast and what measures are being undertaken to protect such colonies from being decimated by wildfire.
Bob Brown in the 1990s claimed the national park in the Tantawanglo as the most important koala habitat in south east NSW with an estimated 40-45 adult koala population.
"If there is an issue with any koala colony on the Far South Coast then an explanation needs to be given by the Minister Steve Whan, who has had nothing to say thus far on this issue, on how any concerns will be addressed.”

Join the cause on Facebook 

Save the Mumbulla and Five Forests Koalas from logging

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/438225?m=10453d7c

 

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

[19 Feb 2010, full copy PDF link on image]

 

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

 

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

Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 9:57 PM

Subject: [chipstop] koala report

 Koala surveys in the coastal forests of the Bermagui–Mumbulla area: 2007–09 – interim report

"Figure 1 indicates that there have been few reports of koalas in other coastal and foothill forests of the Eden Region since 1996. This reduction in reporting rate suggests an overall decline in the regional population. "

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BODALLA KOALAS THAT WERE IN THE TUROSS RIVER CATCHMENT?  WERE THEY MADE LOCALLY EXTINCT DUE TO LOGGING IN THEIR HOME RANGE?  COMPARTMENTS 3036 & 3037 HAD KOALA RECORDS IN 2005, HAVE THESE KOALAS PERSISTED?

ADVISE MAKE ALL FEED TREES LISTED AS PROTECTED THROUGHOUT THE EDEN AND SOUTHERN FOREST REGIONS

ADVISE THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE OF ESFM BE THE IMMEDIATE ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT POLICY ADOPTED BY THE GOVERNMENT

ADVISE LET NATIVE FOREST STAND.

GET YOUR KOALA MASKS READY!

[South East Forest Rescue]

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

 

 

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

Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 10:27 AM

Subject: another letter on koalas

Hi All,

 Sorry to keep sending these emails, but we are trying to get the attention of the state government on this urgent koala issue. A preliminary DECCW report released yesterday confirmed that there is a small healthy recovering population of about 50 koalas on the NSW south coast. ForestsNSW intends to log these forests irrespective of the findings, possibly as early as Monday. This will almost certainly spell the end for these koalas, which are nearly extinct on the south coast.  It’s been shown that letters and phone calls, especially to your local members, are one of the most effective ways of getting politicians to respond – better than emails. On the other hand, since time is very short, a letter, email or phone call to one of the pollies below might be the best strategy.   It would be great if you could adapt this letter in any way you want and send it.  Many thanks, and no obligation,PS You might like to watch this fantastic Youtube video produced for Japanese viewers by Japanese-Australian campaigner, Anja Light.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_3UeZ96vKk

 

The Hon Ian Macdonald, MLC,Minister for Mineral and Forest ResourcesGovernor Macquarie Tower
Level 36, 1 Farrer Place, SYDNEY NSW 2000 

OR 

Premier Kristina KeneallyMember for Heffron,Shop 117, 747  Botany Road, ROSEBERY NSW 2018   

Dear          ,  

Your urgent action is needed to save the koalas of the far south coast.  The preliminary DECCW report, released yesterday, confirmed a small healthy recovering population of about 50 koalas on the NSW south coast, in the Mumbulla forest.

ForestsNSW intends to log this forest very soon, irrespective of the findings of this report, of any debate on the findings, or of the public release of the full report, including the koala habitat mapping.  In addition, the compartments will be burnt after logging, which will further decimate the remaining koalas.

 Logging and burning could result in the extinction of south coast koalas, by destroying habitat and expansionary corridors, and by directly killing koalas in both surveyed and unsurveyed areas. Compartments in other as yet unsurveyed forests are also due to be logged and burnt in the near future, and these may also contain small populations of recovering koalas that have not yet been identified.  

Australia’s top koala experts recognise the far south coast as a region where our national icon is in serious trouble. Koalas have a range up to 50km, so leaving small ‘cells’ for koala habitats is not effective to safeguard populations. These koalas need space if their population is going to grow to a viable size, capable of withstanding disease, drought and fire. Koalas must find trees with nutrient rich leaves for their highly specialised diet, and males need to find new territory.  The requirements of koalas are poorly understood, so it is impossible to ascertain what trees they will need, and in which direction they will need to move. These forests are also home to other endangered species, such as Long-Nosed Potoroos, Sooty Owls and Eastern Grey Headed Flying Foxes, as well as being critical habitat for the endangered Swift Parrot.

The NSW government appears to be placing very short sighted interests over the survival of this courageous animal, over our natural heritage and over the expansion of industries such as tourism on the south coast. The koala, one of our iconic native animals, could face destruction in these forests, for the sake of a very short term supply of woodchips and sawlogs, when there are now enough plantation resources on-line in Australia to ensure that no native forest needs to be logged.  

The NSW Labor government has a wonderful opportunity here to demonstrate its environmental credentials in the lead up to the next election. We don’t believe that this Labor government will want to leave the demise of the koala on the south coast as part of its legacy. You can save these animals and we are asking you to act now by putting an immediate halt to logging in the south east forests. 

Yours sincerely,

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

[ABC SE NSW radio] 

 Claim: Koala survey a "hurdle"

Posted Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:39am AEDT

Forests New South Wales has labelled an interim report into the state's South East koala colonies as "another hurdle" to its logging plans.

After two years of fieldwork the report was released this week, identifying a healthy koala population in areas including the Mumbulla State Forest, near Bermagui.

The department says it must begin logging in parts of the forest, because it is tied to a supply agreement with the timber industry.

Regional Manager Ian Barnes says there are many years left in the agreement.

"The government, in good faith, in exchange for the loss of resources by creating new national parks, gave an assurance to the industry that supply would be continued for 20 years," he said.

"So we've got at least 10 years to run on that agreement."

Mr Barnes says the report reveals more koala activity than expected in parts of the forest, which complicates arrangements under the Regional Forest Agreement signed in 1999.

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

[ABC radio SE NSW]

Community battles to save koala colony

Posted February 27, 2010 08:47:00

Conservationists say they will confront loggers head-on in an effort to save the habitat of a small colony of koalas on the far south coast of New South Wales.

Surveys by the Environment Department have found evidence of a recovering population of around 50 koalas in the Mumbulla state forest, south of Bermagui.

The New South Wales Government is due to start logging parts of the forest next month.

Most of the timber is to be sent to a mill in Eden, which exports some of it as woodchips to Japan.

John Hibberd from the ACT Conservation Council says if NSW Environment Minister Frank Sartor lets the logging go ahead, the koala population will be wiped out.

"I think it's absolutely staggering that we're still having this debate," he said.

"The south coast is marked by fantastic beaches, beautiful forests and yet we're prepared to log the forests and destroy an iconic species like koalas for the sake of supporting a foreign-owned industry that's heavily subsidised by the NSW taxpayer."

Mr Hibberd will meet with Mr Sartor in Sydney today together with other conservation groups.

A meeting between environmentalists and Mr Sartor yesterday failed to reach any agreement to protect the koalas.

Noel Plumb from conservation group Chip Busters says it is almost inevitable there will be direct conflict in the forests.

"The community is not going to allow this koala population to become extinct because you've got an arrogant state forest agency that won't listen to anybody," he said.

Meanwhile, deputy director-general of the Environment Department, Joe Woodward, says State Forests has agreed to hold off on some of its logging plans in the area.

"Importantly, [State] Forests have stated that they won't be going in and initially logging in those areas where the koalas have been identified," he said.

"Then we'll be having further discussions with State Forests to work out what can be done to protect the koalas."

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

SERCA South East Regional Conservation Alliance ChipBusters Conservation Council ACT Region MEDIA RELEASE - 27 February 2010 Koala Crisis Deepens in South East Forests The crisis surrounding the possible extinction of koalas in the South East Forests deepened yesterday, as conservation groups met with the NSW Environment Minister, Frank Sartor. “The Minister is deeply concerned at the situation but seems embattled on many fronts with forest issues,” said spokespersons for the South East Regional Conservation Alliance (SERCA). “State Forests will not rule out the start of logging in the key koala areas as early as next Monday but are also effectively blocking negotiations (to protect the koalas) with the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).” “It was apparent to us in the discussions with the Minister and his senior officers yesterday that State Forests has refused to supply the critical, specific timber-supply figures that would enable Minister Sartor to negotiate for alternative supply arrangements with the Minister for Forests.” “The Minister repeatedly expressed his concern that alternative supply arrangements had to be put in place because of contractual commitments to the logging industry". Concerned environment groups say "Such figures are, according to their  own logic, critical if the koalas are really to be protected from the intensive logging and wood-chipping operations now proposed by State Forests in the koala area.” “State Forests has also broken its public commitment, made at a community meeting in Bermagui in 2007* that there would be genuine community consultation about the future of these forests once the NPWS koala survey was released by DECC.” The completed Report was finally released by DECCW only on 23 February 2010 but without the maps critical for clear community information. The survey covers approximately 10,000 hectares of the Mumbullah and Murrah State Forests which lie between Bermagui and Bega. “This survey does however confirm south coast conservationists and community groups statements of the past 10 years, that there is a small but potentially viable population of koalas barely hanging on in the south east forests.” Noel Plumb, John Hibberd and Prue Acton "expressed the deep concern of their respective organisations to the Minister that, given State Forests' present attitude, there would inevitably be direct conflict in the these forests if State Forests attempted to start logging operations. Members of  the south coast communities are sick to death of 40 years of woodchipping and associated environmental destruction, we are determined to save the  Far South Coast koalas.” For further comment; John Hibberd,  Conservation Council ACT Region, Mobile 0407292657;   Prue Acton O.B.E. SERCA Merimbula ph. 0264945144, m. 0419393203. www.serca-online.org.

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

MEDIA RELEASE 28 February 2010

Koalas Doomed in South East Forests

Sell Out In the Wind

Conservation groups today claimed that the NSW Department of Environment (DoE) was dooming the last remaining koala colony in the South East Forests by caving into the NSW logging agency, State Forests. 

“DoE has effectively sold out on the survival of the last koalas in the South East Forests as it tries to negotiate with State Forests on a grossly unequal basis”, said spokespersons for the groups.

“We insist that conservation representatives be included in the negotiations to ensure the koalas get a fair go at survival.”

“DoE has failed to insist on the critical information on timber supply from State Forests so that it can actually negotiate on the basis of alternative supply sources. This information is vital to get around the claimed short term supply problem for a local timber mill.”

“ We know that the reality is that most of the timber, up to 90%, felled in this region goes straight to the Eden chipmill. State Forests has been caught time after time trying to claim a supply crisis for saw mills when none exists, or should exist if State Forests was competent.”

“DoE has tried to hide its desperate situation with the misleading statement that State Forests won’t be “initially logging in those areas where the koalas have been identified” but all this means is that State Forests intends to woodchip the forests all around the actual koala sightings.” **

“The end result will be the same – extinction of the last koala colony in the South East Forests from lack of sufficient forest habitat to feed and shelter them.”

For further comment, images;

Prue Acton SERCA 6494 5144 (Merimbula).

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

 

Posted by editor at 12:05 PM EADT

Updated: Thursday, 4 March 2010 1:52 PM EADT

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Mood:  not sure

Picture: File picture of this long running saga as per ex premier named in the banner.

Earlier this week the front page of The Australian led with a confronting/compassionate speech by federal Agriculture minister Tony Burke along the lines that it would have been alot kinder to implement transition out of drought declared farms 7 years ago. He mentioned self harm by farmers in recent years despite being on Exception Circumstances subsidy and even after the drought had broken because they had exhausted their capital, reached the ceiling of EC benefits, and have no great prospects by the next drought or capacity to loan for current investment. Leading to self harm. A hard story to be sure.

Subject: redgum pr via Lake Cargelligo Re: [chipstop] Emailing: Riverina red gums get protection from logging - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

I was wondering what the expert analysis would be of the redgum outcome. Notice Premier Keneally's people did PR choreography for this rural regional logging policy story by announcing water pipeline for Lake Cargelico which ran radio and tv last night.

Home | NSW Premier1 Mar 2010 ... $19 million pipeline to secure town water supplies for Lake Cargelligo. Premier Kristina Keneally and Federal Minister for Climate Change

She foreshadowed this over a month ago and got praise from The Greens for this (fair enough)

LAKE CARGELLIGO TOWNSHIP WATER SUPPLY SECURED: STATE-FED - NSW ... 3 Jan 2010

This is surely her regime offsetting the backlash for literally any redgum forest protection by showing she cares for remote communities from Sydney - clever PR.

This cynical view of government choreography of regional rural stories seems to match with this expected reaction from local conservative authorities:

Riverina ABC reportage:

Red gum park decision 'miserable' 3 March 2010

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/03/2835113.htm?site=riverina 

Shires fear new parks to oust loggers 4 March 2010

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/04/2836093.htm?site=riverina

How does that state government decision match up with the tough love of Minister Tony Burke we wondered, and with some chagrin: 6K cubic metres p.a. does seem quite low volumes compared to the east coast, but perhaps also quite high ecological effect for a generally dry environment with low growing rates?

Just now 9.30 am over the ABC radio 4 March 2010 we hear the next twist that 'a sawmill will close' in the Riverina having effectively decided to forego a 5 year logging future in the river redgums of the south west. So it seems Minister Burke's message of tough love has already had a further influence. 

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

Here is text of environment groups below another file picture in this long running saga (as per ex premier 3 previous named in the banner above):

[2nd March 2010]

http://www.npansw.org.au/website/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=647&Itemid=419

  

similarly

  

http://www.wilderness.org.au/articles/browns-in-charge-keneally-backs-down-on-red-gum-protection

  

Groups Unite to Condemn Red Gum Back Down

Seven environment groups from across two States condemned the decision made today by the NSW Government to back down on the protection of River Red Gum wetlands.   "Despite yesterday’s rhetoric of new national park protection for Red Gum, the State Government has kept the best areas open to logging for five years” said Peter Cooper, Campaigner for The Wilderness Society Sydney. “This is disastrous - these forests cannot sustain another five years of intensive logging damage." "The Millewa forest, identified as an area significant enough for national park protection, will wait five years before it is protected.  This is an exceedingly generous outcome for the forestry industry but a very poor one for conservation," said Mr Cooper. “This was the decision to judge Premier Keneally’s environmental credentials and she has clearly failed.  We are still to see any serious environmental outcomes in this term of Government and Premier Keneally has reversed the promises made for these forests.” “Use of the NSW Environment Trust to continue logging is entirely inappropriate  – vast funds will be spent without delivering the environmental outcomes which were promised.” The weakness of the NSW red gum decision compares starkly against a similar decision to protect River Red Gum forests made by the Victorian Government in Dec 2008,” said Jonathan La Nauze, Friends of the Earth spokesperson. “When Victoria protected 91,000 hectares of Red Gum it was described by environment groups as ‘one of the most significant conservation decisions in the state’s history’.  The NSW decision today was described by the groups as an ‘empty shell’.” “The Victorian Government delivered world class National Parks, including the full protection of the Barmah forest.  Yesterday the NSW Government delivered a compromised outcome on the other side of the Murray River, with the unprecedented step of opening up half the Millewa to logging for the next five years before making it national park.” “The Victorian Government delivered a jobs positive outcome which saw a net increase in employment for the region.  The NSW Government has condemned the region to remaining stuck in the past by a protracted phase-out of industrial-scale logging and delaying the opportunity for new jobs creation”, said Mr La Nauze.  ................................... #2 http://www.wilderness.org.au/articles/activists-dump-red-gum-firewood-on-premier-keneally2019s-doorstep Activists dump Red Gum firewood on Premier Keneally’s doorstep The Wilderness Society Sydney Inc. Media Release 25 February 2010 Activists from The Wilderness Society have today dumped a load of River Red Gum Firewood on the doorstep of Kristina Keneally’s Heffron office to highlight the destruction of the Murray River Red Gum Forests. The firewood was accompanied by a banner reading “Kristina, your choice: River Red Gum National Parks or River Red Gum Firewood”. Today’s action launches a renewed campaign to communicate the need to protect the Murray River Red Gum Forests to the members of Ms Keneally’s electorate. The Wilderness Society has become increasingly frustrated by the Premier’s lack of response to the December 2009 recommendations by the NSW Natural Resources Commission, which recommended the creation of over 100,000 hectares of new River Red Gum reserves. A decision on creating new National Parks, as recommended, is currently before the Premier, from which the people of NSW will gauge her environmental credentials. “Today’s action highlights the simple choice that Premier Keneally must make” said Peter Cooper, Campaigner for The Wilderness Society “She must chose between allowing the Murray River Red Gum Forests to be destroyed for firewood, or protecting them, as recommended by her own scientists”. The NRC’s report confirmed the importance of the conservation values of these forests, as well as the environmental crisis the face – with up to 80% of trees stressed dead or dying in areas – and painted a damning picture of the impact of logging on the forests.

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

  

#3

  

http://www.wilderness.org.au/articles/will-keneally-keep-her-red-gum-promise

Will Keneally keep her Red Gum promise?

 

 

 

The Wilderness Society Sydney Inc.
Media Release
2 March 2010

The National Parks Association of NSW and the Wilderness Society Sydney have this morning unfurled a large banner outside the Premier’s office to urge her to deliver today on her promise for large new Red Gum National Parks.

A large banner reading ‘Stop logging the Murray River Red Gum forests’ was strung between the trees outside Governor Macquarie Tower in Sydney. A decision on the future of the forests is expected today.

“This will be a chance to rescue Labor’s abysmal environmental record and put the Premier on the map for the environment” said Belinda Fairbrother, spokesperson for The Wilderness Society.

“The NSW Government has not delivered any major conservation outcomes in this term and delivering on their green promises is crucial to their integrity with the electorate.”

Since 2007 Labor has overseen windbacks in planning laws, massive expansions in coal mining and a blanket approval to a car rally in World Heritage rainforests. Hunting and tourist developments in National Parks are still on the agenda.

“Premier Keneally must create new National Parks across the River Red Gum Forests, as promised, if she wants to be able to present any environmental credentials to the people of NSW” said Carmel Flint, Spokesperson for the National Parks Association of NSW.

“The NSW Government needs to implement the decision of the independent umpire – the Natural Resources Commission.  They mustn’t turn their back on the best technical advice.”

Environmentalists have expressed deep concern around the concept of ‘transitional parks’, where logging is phased out over a number of years.  Millewa forest, the centrepiece of the National Parks system promised last year, is at risk of becoming damaged goods through ‘phase-out’ logging.

“The environmental crisis facing these forests is extreme, with over 80% of trees stressed, dead or dying in some areas.

The forests simply won’t cope with a transitional period that allows logging to continue – logging must end now if there is to be anything left worth placing into National Park” concluded Ms Flint.

Posted by editor at 10:12 AM EADT

Updated: Thursday, 4 March 2010 10:49 AM EADT

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Mood:  a-ok

Some screen shots above but excluding numbers for 3 days 9 and 10 Feb and 3rd March in usual period taken from 3rd of the month. Also taking into account Feb is a short month. While not being an expert on reading web stats it seems our pageviews are about 30K per month on a general upward trend, after a huge kick off early in the piece - perhaps a story about Simpson of Gallipoli

As we always say, it's not the numbers as the audience that interests us. We aim to reach the beltway in big media and big politics. Perhaps this is impertinent, overly optimistic, arrogant but you have to have a goal.

We got this nice feedback earlier this week:

Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 9:44 AM

Subject: Re: I called EP for PM/AM show and counselled them ....

Gosh you are good, with a good memory and excellent research skills!

Thanks for letting us know that Tom. I will pass this on to others as well.

There's going to be more of this stuff too I am sure...

Regards

.......

Electorate Officer for .......... MP.

Posted by editor at 8:43 AM EADT

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Mood:  special

But it sounds grim there with 80% of the country affected. Remember in 2004 January tsunami in Indonesia the death toll went from a few thousand to well over 200,000.

We fear a major jump from 700 plus deaths confirmed early on in the 6th, 7th, 8th regions of this long thin neighbour of the Pacific.

The quake was a monster by all accounts. Even allowing for good construction codes, the tsunami only 15 minutes later sounds catastrophic. We heard Chile's ambassador here say on abc public radio a wave of 8 to 10 metres hit Conception and travelling 3 to 5 kilometres inland. That's danger writ large.

We got out some photographs of our trip (with an ex girlfriend) native Chilean in 2002 with our terrible old camera. We recall getting slightly drunk on red wine in a Santiago apartment on a 4th floor listening to Victor Jara for the first time when a mild tremor shook the light globe. No drama.

We recall a bus-train-ferry trip from the capital to Peurto Mont via Temuco and Chillan via local markets and even watching Spider Man movie release in a town with a statue of national hero Bernardo OHiggins. An Irishman in a Spanish speaking country. Just another charming aspect of a diverse country.

More background here in one of our first clumsy web pages, yet a successful collaboration with social movement in Chile: Patagonia ecology solidarity project to prevent a US $3 billion dollar hydro smelter project threatening fjordlands, lake and 3 rivers by Canadian miner Noranda.

We wrote in crude Spanish via the website translator:

Subject: tsunami 15 minutos después de temblor ...... Re: Hola Mitzi, Marisol, ¿Usted es seguro?
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 13:49:19 +1100

El embajador chileno aquí en Australia de la radio pública dice la onda de 8 metros, 3 a 5 kilómetros interiores en Concepción y pueblos.... También 700 muertos sobre todo en 7o (?)
región

[The Chilean ambassador here in Australia on the public radio says a wave of 8 meters, 3 to 5 kilometers into Concepcion .... Also 700 dead persons especially in 7th (?) region

Tom McLoughlin

Marisol at Ecosistemas green group in Chile:

Sent: Monday, March 01, 2010 1:59 PM

Subject: RE: tsunami 15 minutos después de temblor ...... Re: Hola Mitzi, Marisol, ¿Usted es seguro?

si eso es así...realmente la ola...ha afectado muchísimo a la costa de la 8, 7 y 6ta región. hay mucha gente desaparecida
y a sido decretada zona de catástrofe en estas regiones.

El problema ahora es la conectividad de las carreteras y las comunicaciones, para hacer llegar la ayuda.
ver: www.tvn.cl

 

[if that is like that ... really the wave ... it has affected very much to the coast of 8, 7 and 6ta region. there are many missing people
and to been decreed zone of catastrophe in these regions.

The problem now is the conectividad of the highways and the communications, to make the help come.
to see: www.tvn.cl]

 

We will try and post some beauty pictures tomorrow of the ocean and mountains and people we know as Chile. 

Posted by editor at 8:05 PM EADT

Updated: Monday, 1 March 2010 8:11 PM EADT

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Mood:  energetic

Seems big media think Peter Garrett is going to be dogging it. We added this comment to First Dog cartoon today which got the 'under moderation treatment' so far:

Serve that dog some hot dinner.

Meanwhile those of us who like critters might want to consider this remaining to do list for Mr Garrett.

- Mitigating the $43 Billion (that a real billion not a Joyce billion) Gorgon development, class 1 nature reserve at Barrow Island etc

- Ancient rock art in the Kimberley - everywhere in a resources hot spot

- Whaling v Japanese earth rapists

- Old Growth forests in Tas, NSW, Vic under the EPBC Act

- $2B Tas pulp mill wheels falling off in a state election, while GMO plantation estate of Euc. Nitans appear be naturally toxic to waterways (Australian Story).

- Arnhem Land Aboriginal employment programme over 1 M hectares

- Cape York World Heritage negotiations with the Pearsons in a preface to Barak Obama meeting local Black jurists like … said Pearson shouter (?)

- Tillegra Dam/Kooragang Island wetlands decision, worth $500M to $1B cost to the NSW Govt

… and probably lots of other stuff I have no clue about.

But apparently this is less important than insulation according to the latte set in the big media.

Posted by editor at 7:29 PM EADT

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Mood:  mischievious

Bike paths and protesters eh? Where have we heard that name Nicole Campbell before? Not an ALP hack doing Meredith Burgmann's work for her in the ABC news today?

Here is Ms Campbell back in 2004 in the Not Happy John campaign days.

Posted by editor at 7:12 PM EADT

Updated: Monday, 1 March 2010 7:24 PM EADT

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