Mood:  quizzical

Interesting to see former moderate Liberal MP now with NSW Chamber of Commerce determined to promote the sale of NSW electricity assets as soon as possible.

No matter what the uncertain price of carbon will be in the future. No matter what dirty deals the NSW ALP are renowned for in the past. No matter the deep concerns over lack of integrity of this ALP government generally.

The sale proceeds would create a war chest for the Iemma Govt and its mendicants in the run up to the next election and provide the best revenge Patricia Forsythe could have on the Liberal Party who dumped her:

Dumped ... Patricia Forsythe.

4 Dec 2005 Revengeful Right axes faithful Forsythe - National - smh.com.au

Is this actually her motive in harness for the NSW Chamber of Commerce?

This was Forsythe's suck job back in April 2007:

12/04/2007 - Premier Morris Iemma's announcement of a new cabinet has been welcomed by Patricia Forsythe, executive director of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce.

"The new cabinet balances the need for generational change and maintaining experience," Forsythe said.

"I congratulate new cabinet members, including Matt Brown, Linda Burney, Verity Firth, Kevin Greene, Kristina Keneally, Phil Koperberg, Paul Lynch, Nathan Rees and Graham West upon their appointment.

"The NSW Government must use its convincing electoral mandate to be bold and decisive in tackling the big picture issues.

Forsythe said that the Sydney Chamber of Commerce has advocated a number of priorities for the reelected government including:

- Public transport solutions need to be the number one priority of the government. Improving transport flow by fast-trucking integrated ticketing, universal electronic tolling, and strategic infastructure projects such as the North-West rail link. Continue working towards increased service reliability, decreased travel times and easing congestion.

- Privatisations of non-essential or uncompetitive state assets to reinvest the funds into better public services and major infrastructure projects, particularly in public transport. Government should consider privatisation of assets in the areas of waste management, electricity supply, prisons, lotteries and forest plantations.

- Tourism and major events agencies need greater financial support from the state government. Tourism and major events are key components of economic development strategy and criticial to building business confidence.

- Affordable housing in Sydney is being squeezed by a combination of falling building approvals, low vacancy rates and higher interest rates. Business will suffer as a result of their employees being priced out of the Sydney property market. The NSW Government must look at strategies to boost private investment into the property market to increase the supply of affordable housing.

Compare this somewhat more robust critique of the Iemma Govt from MP John Kaye:

 A-G report undermines power sell-off timetable
 
Media Release: 21 August 2008
 
Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell must reject Treasurer Michael Costa's power sell-off legislation if he takes the Auditor-General's report seriously, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye.
 
Dr Kaye said: "Mr Achterstraat's report leaves little room for rushing ahead with the legislation.
 
"Far from giving the plans a clear tick, the report exposed serious concerns about the costs of emissions trading, the failure to consider retention in public ownership and the enforcement of a reserve price.
 
"The Auditor-General made it clear that there is still great uncertainty about the impacts of the emissions trading system on the sale process.
 
"If the Opposition passes the legislation in September then Treasurer Costa will be off the leash and could run ahead regardless of the effect of carbon costs on the sale price.
 
"Neither the Auditor-General nor Treasury have calculated the retention value of the assets.
 
"The Opposition has been dudded. It has not been given a reference point for evaluating the costs and benefits of the sale and cannot safely say that privatisation stacks up financially.
 
"Mr Achterstraat's recommendation that a reserve price be set for the sale sounds a grave warning for Mr O'Farrell.
 
"Even if a minimum sale price were set, the Iemma government is so blindly committed to the sell-off, there is no assurance it would be adhered to.
 
"The Opposition will lose all economic credibility if it signs off on a fire sale. AGL has indicated it would not be interested in the assets. Two other key potential purchasers are in doubt and international stock markets are in turmoil.
 
"The report only addressed the narrow question of the sale strategy. The Opposition has to also consider the appalling environmental consequences.
 
"Barry O'Farrell has one last chance to hold Michael Costa back. He should not blow it," Dr Kaye said.
 
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

Posted by editor at 12:53 PM NZT

Updated: Friday, 22 August 2008 3:28 PM NZT

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Mood:  don't ask

Hi .....

I agree it is almost certainly against the law. I called [as suggested Law Society Animal Committee representative] and spoke to
her. I think an honest response is best out of respect for your moral view
of this and possibly your religious view of preservation of life in all
circumstances.

Of course I've been following the saga but I've stood off the issue for some
various reasons

- I have a perspective about the proportionality of the situation - 3-5
million kangaroos (and their joeys) are killed each year, so the public
interest in this young whale is very selective

- the Daily Telegraph are keen to promote whale protection but not for very
honourable reaons if my guess is right, more as opportunity to wedge the
federal ALP and wrong foot Peter Garrett on a sensitive topic.

- nature does not contemplate surrogacy of abandoned juveniles. Every death
is food for another creature. There is no waste in nature. Even sharks are
endangered and need to eat.

- my main concern is a humane end and minimisation of suffering.

- in terms of environmental protection expenditure I couldn't justify many
months of surrogate care in comparison with no guarantee of behavioural
adaptation to the wild. Money spent there is money taken from another nature
protection issue.

So on balance I've resolved to stay off this issue. I do respect people
feeling otherwise and not accepting the line from the state govt and the
NPWS just covering their backsides. Fair enough scepticism I would say. But
it's a moral choice we all need to contemplate according to our conscience
in good faith.

Sorry I can't be of assistance and I don't object to being lobbied about it
and respect the motive behind it.

Lastly from experience all this public concern will result on something good
coming from it. That's the way of political capital - it has to find a form
of expression somehow and somewhere, and can be wonderfully surprising in
some ways - say council elections, or end to the Tas pulp mill, or a new
generation of activists or something.

Yours truly

Tom

Posted by editor at 11:33 AM NZT

Updated: Friday, 22 August 2008 11:38 AM NZT

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Mood:  quizzical

In the early morning radio news bulletin today Premier Iemma demanded Opposition Leader OFarrell would have to take a position once the AG released his report today. That there would be 'nowhere to hide' said Morris Iemma.

Indeed he spoke like a man who had already been told what was in the Auditor General's report?

But that couldn't be right could it as Opposition Leader OFarrell gave an interview soon after to Adam Spencer on abc 702 stating all the caveats they had depending on what was in the report.

It's possible this was all opportunistic rhetoric on Iemma's part but he sounded very certain about it all. So did the A-G give a copy to the govt ahead of the release time today?

And why is it reported as a "green light" for a sale anyway when he was on abc Glover show later in the day saying it was parliament's decision not his whether it should be sold, only that he didn't have any major objections on the govt process provided there was a reserve price - a pretty big proviso that, and separation of assets in the tenders to increase likelihood of economic use of adjacent land etc.

Meanwhile most voters know they will get screwed either by the ALP, the buyers or the Opposition in bed with big business, as they have been in the UK.

Posted by editor at 8:49 PM NZT

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Mood:  d'oh

 

Sydney radio listeners got a bit of a surprise this morning.

Their favourite ABC announcer Deb Cameron with ratings on an upswing - no doubt related to her kind tone and bright intellect - suddenly threw her considerable presence behind the kangaroo hunting agenda.

Then even more surprising it turns out she was prefacing a story about a report actually from a conservation group for eco tourism for kangaroos which was contrary to game shooting of big red kangaroos:

 21 Aug 2008 Tourist bonanza in roo viewing reserves - National - smh.com.au

What gives? Where did the balanced journalist go? Or was that supposed to be from the previous story? It was a confusing sort of morning drinking up the greenies at The Wilderness Society over the long running Gunns pulp mill issue, then crossing back for some redneck chaser on kangaroo hunting? Is editorial so crude?

Let's just make one thing clear - this is not a comment piece in the flippant/obnoxious Joe Hildebrand style regularly niggling at Cameron in the Saturday Telegraph when he's not exercising his sexual frustrations. This is meant to be a serious critique on how Big Media do what they do, even on our ABC.

The conservationists who have really researched this area know most Big Reds never get past 2 or 3 years of age before the huge kangaroo shooting industry get them. There are profound issues of damage to the genetic health of the whole Red kangaroo population as alpha males are never identified to procreate because they never get to the 5+ years to emerge as a breeding champion keeping the mob vigorous and strong.

That is resilient to harsh environmental factors but also such as disastrous illness like the face tumours cutting down Tasmanian Devils towards extinction. The overall population of Red Kanagaroo might still be big but we are weakening them with huge culls every year putting the whole lot at risk. All species cull per year is anywhere from 3-5 million per year depending on drought conditions.

But if you ask the kangaroo shooting and meat industry they skate over such fine details. But someone who doesn't ignore this reality is such as report author UNSW academic David Croft.

So why did the ABC 702 morning team ambush Croft with the hunting agenda in an interview based on the report on page 5 of the Sydney Morning Herald? No mention of hunting tourism there. The nearest it comes to is a proposed policy of dingo predation to increase the drama of a wildlife experience to compare with the savannah of Africa to get the eco tour dollars in.

Indeed the World Today show later same day made it clear it was a report launched by a "conservation group".

So here is the back story if our observations count for anything

- James Woodford who worked at Fairfax Sydney Morning Herald with Deborah Cameron has been on the show saying commercial use of kangaroos for domestic consumption is a sound idea. Another favourite Bob Beale also ex SMH pushes the same barrow. No in depth analysis of centuries of parasite control in domestic agricultural meat production compared to wild animals. No understanding of genetic diversity issues in the Big Red population after Tasmanian Devil's crash. And that's before we get to the welfare and rights issues of the critters that worry quite a few people.

- A renewed push last week for more kangaroo meat consumption again not really understanding the innate caution of the majority of the population against off farm wild meat. An innate common sense in fact.

- Cameron instead takes what can fairly be called a perverse and indeed shallow approach to the report called The Kangaroo Trail to fit within her own biased sources rather than sticking to the content of the reportage in the press today.

To her credit she read out the backlash reaction which we found amusing. There are some really salient points she can learn from in the politics of this issue well beyond vegetarian, animal rights/welfare issues of game hunting:

1. Her schtik is kind tone, bright intellect, and here she wants to kill the mummies of little joeys regardless of audience sensitivities. That's a jarring disjunction. And it's going to cannabalise her own ratings.

2. As one wag spindoctor Sue Cato pointed out, you can't get fuzzy about a doomed baby whale on the North Shore and promote hunting of skippy and her joeys. 2nd disjunction.

3. For those a bit sharper on the media watching it was mean and tricky to ambush David Croft with a preface that is totally skewed or even perverse interpretation of the report in the SMH and the report he is launching. A question or two maybe not the actual lead in. That's just wrong.

4. One policy of the increasingly reviled Iemma Govt is throwing open huge areas of public state forest for game hunters with absolutely no scientific backing for their thrill kill sport, and real alarm over public safety.  These shooters have nothing much in common with elite professional shooters who actually know how to conduct an efficient cull according to season and geography in combination with land use managers. (As happened with rabbits at Centennial Park.) These guys are gun freaks and and gun industry spruikers out of the USA.

 5. We wonder why exactly Deborah Cameron thinks she is better than Eleanor Hall's straight reportage on the ABC World Today here? Has the ratings gone to her head? Hope not!

All in all the Cameron's team seriously miscalculated. The signs were there earlier in the show with the diplomatic contrary reactions of scientist David Croft. When we rang the show a staffer even admitted they knew he was anti kangaroo hunting - so there is the proof it wasn't lack of research but a deliberate ambush interview. I didn't think the ABC descended down there. Sad stuff and contrary to the science he was promoting of the 50 different species.

Dingo predation is one thing, professional shooters one thing, hunting for pleasure rather than food or necessity, well ... the two major parties might have policies that support this but that still leaves about 40% of the voting public who think it's sick or misconceived.

And so this is probably another example of govt funded radio systemic bias to the policies of the only two parties who have held the treasury benches for the last 50 years plus, and where the other 40% are left roundly p*ssed off with the announcer on today's show. Our advice to the otherwise successful Deb Cameron - when you are in a hole stop digging and take a breather. You might even decide to climb out!

Posted by editor at 3:55 PM NZT

Updated: Thursday, 21 August 2008 7:10 PM NZT

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Mood:  chatty

 
Theatrical release poster for The Dark

“Our boy” is what Neil Armfield is supposed to have said on the cutting floor analysing rushes of  Candy starring Heath Ledger. It’s a movie I’ve avoided because drug use is too disturbing for the son of a son of an alcoholic. The implication though is clear – the guy had a sliver of genius amongst we 6 billion or so.

We also avoided Ledger in the emo/gay favourite Brokeback Mountain. But we did catch a DVD of Lords of Dog Town on the foundation of the 1970ies skateboarding sport craze. Based on a real life Aussie character.

Sliver of genius cutting across the wave face of life … and wiping out as some do.

Heath Ledger played chess well they say and worked at his subversions of the Establishment. He spoke against the Iraq war on a chat show in 2003. He hated the celebrity press, some of whom hated him back and shame on them.

Damn, damn, damn, we wrote sincerely on the news of his premature death amongst acclamations and dissension over his arguable importance.

Recently Andrew Bolt, a professional right wing contrarian claimed Dark Knight was a paean to Dubya Bush's stand against terrorism. Mmm. We expressed doubt from ignorance but now we have seen the whole 3 hours worth and can offer some serious reflections.

Yes it is a movie that leaves you thinking some days later. That’s a good sign.

The saying ‘good art doesn’t preach, it’s nuanced and let’s the audience find and prefer their own meanings’ seems to genuinely apply here.

There are some very obvious references to grim movie No Country For Old Men

(a) the coin flipping, references to fate, you lose the toss you die

(b) the dog attack on Batman early on.

These are maybe ripoffs - leveraging a better crafted story for a narrower audience into a blockbuster mass one - or maybe a compliment. Depends on your cynicism perhaps.

‘Our boy’ does his craft and his colleagues and himself proud. If method acting preparation didn’t’ screw him up then nothing would. He comes over so real. The Joker is capital B bad. Audiences drink up a complex villain the way we never quite get why children die no matter how many ‘facts’ about poverty, illness, madness, genetics, criminality.

Some stand out line for this writer:

(a) “Some men just want to see the world burn” observes Michael Caine as the butler; and

(b) “It’s not about money, it’s about sending a message” as The Joker puts the flame to a multi million dollar pile of dough;

(c) “What doesn’t kill you, makes you … stranger” by you know who.

The movie descends into the blockbuster staples of car chases and shoot outs but it’s The Joker that grounds the narrative as Ledger did in Dogtown playing Skip the drunken entrepreneur. My companion who despises ‘mindless Hollywood violence’ wanted to walk out bored, contemptuous. But that would be a 1% audience reaction proving the rule. Even she was impressed by the pencil trick.

We noticed some curious echoes in the show too – Gotham General Hospital gets blown up. A cliché but the falling bricks somehow reminds of the Canberra hospital demolition tragedy. The allegedly beautiful love interest was fairly plain by movie star standards but I got to like her for her savvy and guts which is what you want in a lawyer after all. Not least her sad foreknowledge.

So what about the politics? Well it’s there, post 9-11 with all this crazy destruction an obvious echo, and sinister duality of authority figures in the age of rendition, but what it means is up for grabs. Pick your angle in the kaleidoscope of imagery and buttons being pushed. In the end it is a cartoon of life.

Harvey Two Face could be the USA national character – handsome, strong, smart with madness in his soul from love lost. Or just a plot line.

Batman could by Dubya or more likely the national USA psyche – the running hero who is resilient enough to take false accusations for the greater good. Or Batman could be Osama depending on which side of the corruption soliloquy in Syriana you prefer.

The Joker could be Osama the terrorist “who just wants to see the world burn” as per World Square destruction, or he could be Dubya - seeking Christian evangelical Rapture meaning a world burnt to a crisp initiated out of a conflict in the Middle East. Or so they say. And what is the shock and awe bombing of Iraq on a false pretext other than a desire to see something burn – if only for revenge.

But here is what I conclude the politics of the movie is about – that fear and pain leading to revenge results in madness and chaos and misery. And that’s an accusation pointing in many directions.

It’s a movie that is almost certainly an hour too long but then any chance to see more of ‘Our boy’ is fine by me. Good one Heath, wish you could have stayed.

Posted by editor at 3:56 PM NZT

Updated: Tuesday, 19 August 2008 5:01 PM NZT

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Mood:  silly

Again today we read of a rescue "on Mt Cook" which is false. These lucky folks were no where near Mt Cook in mountaineering terms or even common sense terms. Is it because all the real sports journos are in China for the Olympics?

Is it a desperate attempt by the Telegraph to get value for cheque book journalism? The great irony is this writer called their office on Saturday to tip them off about the error of geography. They said no staff for the Daily Telegraph on Saturday. So I asked to go to their website and told those folks presumably using the same text.

Then they made the same error again on the Sunday Telegraph so I blogged on it here:

Talking Turkeys in the Big Media: A case study on how Mt Sealy became Mt Cook
Mood:  incredulous
Topic: big media

Now the error just runs on again to Monday 18th August 2008. These folks should consult the "independent trustworthy" SAM micro news website more often!

We don't know why the error kicks on but we do know that the 6 Aussies rescued thankfully last weekend were not "on Mt Cook" but rather the Sealy Range/Mueller Glacier some 5 to 10 km south, or if close to Barron Saddle then as much as 12 km south of Mt Cook.

Take a look at our Google map from yesterday with Mt Cook at top to the north, Mueller hut and Mt Cook Village like YHA in the middle, and Mueller Glacier and foothills to the dominating Mt Sealy in the south:

That's a long way from Mt Cook - in fact a whole urban  village separates Mt Cook from Mt Sealy. Those silly folks at News Corporations Sydney Daily Telegraph. The real story today covered in both newspapers is this sad story:

 Three die in NSW snowfields An avalanche in the Snowy Mountains killed one man, and two others died in freak skiing accidents.

Posted by editor at 9:53 AM NZT

Updated: Monday, 18 August 2008 12:26 PM NZT

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Mood:  chatty

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

“..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.”

           

Media backgrounders

 * Take out the Trash #1? Iemma shelves his secret $5B tollroad tunnel under Marrickville? Such a little story, such huge political-economy implications. Is it really true? Is it the policy bribe to get Carmel Tebbutt back in the Cabinet going south in the polls fast? She wouldn't cop ventillation stacks in her electorate so push it all back on Cranky Franky Sartor at Rockdale with the M5 East x2? Big winners and losers in this story hardly commented on in Big Media.

* Emancipation anyone? League stakeholders wisely decide to cut a deal before Australia's double headed answer to Mohamed Ali gets a replay here.

* Simon Marnie refers to ex federal treasurer Peter Costello having a friendly chat with Nelson on his return from OS – on his own in a report pre 7 am Sat 16 Aug – is this true?

* Take out the trash #2? Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett delays verdict on expansion of Beverley U Mine until 29 August 2008 "the government does not anticipate any further delays".  (from News Corp The Oz 14/8/08 p31). The mine is owned by US based General Atomics via local subsidiary Heathgate Resources. Beverley uses in situ leaching which is bound to impact the local environment.

* Sunday Telegraph goes big on the latest cheap junk from China - $12-18K cars/utes

* TB - a debilitating illness that destroys ones mucous linings, also known as Tim Blair - in the Sydney Saturday Telegraph goes on another of his fanciful diatribes alleging lack of efficacy in the green energy sector. Like Gerard Henderson it's what he leaves out that matters. For example UK citizen Allan Jones OBE visit recently after results Woking in UK:

Woking Borough Council in Surrey England reduced CO2 emissions by 77.5 per cent from 1990 to 2004 by installing 81 decentralised energy systems - nearly 10 per cent of the UK's total number of photovoltaics.

TB then ignores the other immensely effective green technology with a proven efficacy - the off switch for easily 20% conservation. And the odd $1B solar energy first step in a potential further 33 rollout by those well known 'greenies' BHP Rio Tinto and Woodside and other big business joint venturers. TB hasn't got a clue nitpicking about long life light globes. More reportage on that huge solar energy play including TB's own News Ltd sister paper here:

13 Aug 08 Australia as a solar energy leader, says WorleyParsons | The ...

 

13 Aug 08 Worley weighs up $1b Pilbara solar plant | brisbanetimes.com.au

 

13 Aug 08  [press date but curiously posted on the web as 16 Aug] Big guns turn their sights on solar | The Australian by John Durie in Martin Collins column - formerly Chanticleer back page Australian Financial Review i.e. a sharp cookie]

* Take out the trash #3? Meanwhile the WA Liberals in state election mode blow the whistle on poor gas pipeline safety in their north west sector - as we stated on a string on Crikey.com.au last Wednesday: 

Here's another political angle of interest - the Libs in WA expose poor ALP governance on gas pipeline safety (Australian p14 yesterday, today p12) - but doesn't this also demonstrate that the gas pipeline sector itself are a risky proposition for potentially catastrophic effect of leakage from a large scale carbon capture sequestration pipeline? In the gas explosion on the Apache Energy Varanus Island pipeline in north west WA it was 'only' billions of dollars in lost economic production. But in a populated area it would be thousands of deaths from asphyxiation from a lethal CO2 cloud bleeding out - say overnight - colourless, odourless, soundless [tasteless] ... and oh so fatal. Even the CEO of local Exxon subsidiary Mobil Australia said on the Kohler ABC business show that the he didn't want CCS to "sour" any current oil fields till at least 2020-2025 when they are finished. The implication is very clear - if it's not safe for over lying oil fields, its NOT SAFE FOR PEOPLE.

I bet the Barnett Liberals didn't realise they were also blowing the whistle on CCS? Or maybe we should give 'em credit? Notice too BHP etc joint venture on $1B solar potentially x 33 rollout if the economics stand up. Maybe they know something about CCS that Mobil already talked about with Alan Kohler ? - it's a crock. Someone should tell Martin Ferguson too. 

 * Curious allegation in The Oz Media last Thursday about ABC and Ch9 "colluding" on sharing footage. This follows Crikey getting spanked and for posting an ABC film of the National Press Club (for being a commercial operator using tax payer funded materials without permission). Max Uechtritz used to work for the ABC and is now a chief nob at Nine, or was but who really knows these days.  Just saying. Nothing personal Big Max - we've seen you swinging those fists against the dark forces of organised crime on tv.

* Another cracking story about Fijian local press reporter, pregnant and all, being harrassed by the dictator Bainimarama. Which doesn't sit too well with Jocelyn Scutt 'cleared' to work for the same dictator as reported in the same News Corp newspaper. What a mess.

* Same excellent The Media with some more chapter and verse from Rowan Callick on dictatorship control games at the Olympic for visiting journalists.

* Meanwhile the big miners like BHP leverage their PR with advertising spin with many full page colour adverts about how they mined the metal for the medals at the Olympics - only the Gold one looks in their pic looks like uranium from their Olympic Dam U mine. Radiation like Coca Cola fizzy drinks is not a good health product.

* someone called www.ForTheNextGeneration.com runs a full pager in the News Corp broadsheet about a disputed island between Japan and Korea. The black blocking must have been murder with the printers. Who is it?

* Can't be sure but sharp axe Christian Kerr (Thurs 14th Aug) possibly echoes our SAM line about Senator Xenophon leveraging other issues to push saving the Murray river - in a comment by moi as riposte to Bernard Keane sledge of X on crikey last week Wed 13th (dates check out).

* Take out the trash #6? MP Dr John Kaye on the hunt still over Tillegra Dam blowing out in cost for Iemma AND maybe being unsafe too for poor geology. Has the ingredients of another big stuff up? p12 14 August The Oz.

* Everywhere angst about new statutary 'tort' of privacy in the Big Media. Plenty of traffic both ways on this. Ackland in SMH says it's another attack on free press. ALRC says its needed due to technological change

10 Meet the Press:  8- 8-30 am

Press round up conspicuously avoids the dumb mistake story about mountain rescue in NZ.

Andrew Robb, shadow foreign affairs. Skate over Russia and China authoritarianism. Something about illegal foreign workers.

Out take footage of Rudd hiding behind children for a picfac. [So shallow. Should stop doing this manipulative stuff or the Big Media should.]

First adbreak Teachers Union effective advert about teachers in wrong subjects.

Panel is smart with Fran Kelly and Glenn Milne

Robb sledges Rudd “embarrassing” regional security organization.

FK asks great question about uranium exports to “tinderbox region” bad idea. Robb takes a lifetime to answer and weave his spin why we should.

Footage of Nelson [in nightwatchman job] at 17% going backwards. Milne tough question –

Robb political rhetoric resonates about 1996 5% swing to Govt in Lindsay. Compare Gippsland and NT tone set big swing against govt.

Robb skates away from Costello leadership story.  Go to second adbreak with cartoon about Dubya and Putin cold war standoff.

Whining teachers federation advert – but effective.

Paul Howes AWU unionist in dirty industry sector. [Wants to weaken climate change policies.] Starts off on Work Choices.

 Howes wants strong regulation on illegal foreign workers regarding bad treatment of same – rife in the agriculture sector. Not worried about criminal elements. Talks up harmony and welcoming country. Is worried about industries collapsing under labor shortages while not welcoming per se wants to engage and be proactive.

Free pollution permits until level playing field for overseas – says it will export jobs with no greenhouse cuts [– a do nothing policy in fact when we can leverage our preferred location and buyer market geo political economic advantages to make that playing field – walk and chew gum]

Riley Diary 7, 8.35 am

After the Olympics.

Insiders 2: 9- 10am

Press round up, Gerard Henderson looking chuffed at his front page story and feature yesterday [not realizing it damages Coalition by living in the past?] but instead refers to Iemma sleaze employment and wages policies plundering the public purse for mates.

Meglo refers to letter to witness – is it interfering with a witness? Referral to police under crimes act.

Much wry amusement about just how bad the Iemma Govt is – consensus. Public just want the trains and hospitals to work, not amazing lateral thinkers on high wages.

Talent is Treasurer Swan – rusted on loyalty to Fuelwatch. Believes in competition.

Bracks report $1.5B to car industry. Always been transitional assistance. Says it’s all normal, lifts innovation. Long term assistance – 65K employees he says.

 All the usual segments - refer website

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

Posted by editor at 12:51 PM NZT

Updated: Tuesday, 19 August 2008 11:45 AM NZT

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Mood:  incredulous

Yet they got it wrong on abc 7am bulletin following morning! As did Sydney's Sunday Telegraph today, as did abc tv 7pm news bulletin last night as did the Fairfax SunHerald today.  As have Ch9 Sunday news hour at about 8.35 refering to rescue on NZ highest mountain. Au contraire.

The slopes of Mt Sealy are as far away from Mt Cook as Bondi Beach is from the Opera House/Sydney CBD. They are both in Sydney but that's about it. It's like saying a person was rescued on Mt Kosciuszko because they were on Mt Franklin which is also 'in Mt Kosciuszko National Park'. It's like saying they were rescued on Everest when they were on the footslopes of basecamp ... .of K2. Are these folks in the Big Media living in a fantasy or what?

If they can't be trusted on this basic fact what else do they get wrong on much more serious domestic and geopolitical issues? God only knows.

To restate what every trained mountaineer in probably NZ or Australia, including the bushwalkers rescued, can tell you, and which makes Australia look like a laughing stock to the New Zealanders - Mt Sealy range on the Mueller Glacier is about 5 km south and west of Mount Cook Village (shown ambiguously as 'Mt Cook' in the SunHerald grahic - which is bullshit). Aoraki/Mt Cook is 7 km north of the Mt Cook Village.

Nothing here detracts from the excellent rescuers, or the good effort of the rescued to protect themselves with good survival measures when they realised they were in real trouble. The bitter cold and fatigue can be as dangerous as an avalanche. No need to vandalise the map of the Mount Cook National Park or invent the facts.

Here's a google earth with the relevant location labels in the story so far (just ignore the little squares which indicate photos available at that place): It looks like they went from the village (eg YHA) to the foothills north west to Mueller Hut, then south along the ridge lines or up Mueller Glacier to get to Barron Saddle Hut. The dominating mountain in this area is Mt Sealy. If they wanted to go to Mt Cook they would have had to go up Hooker Glacier, or another northerly valley or ridge route. Conclusion: It's not a Mt Cook story even if it's in Mt Cook NP:

Posted by editor at 9:34 AM NZT

Updated: Sunday, 17 August 2008 12:44 PM NZT

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Mood:  d'oh

It's no big deal but we have noted that both SBS tv (6pm promo)and Channel 9 (6pm news) have misreported the story of the rescue of the Sydney Bushwalkers putting it on "New Zealand's highest Mountain".

(It's bullshit - they were rescued on the slopes of Mt Sealy about 12 km south and west of Mt Cook, and to similarly rescued 5 km south and west of Mt Cook Village. Mt Cook is about 7 km NORTH of Mt Cook Village. Why the media even on Sunday morning press are persisting with this cliche and dishonesty is becoming quite a study for ABC Media Watch now.)

We missed Ch7 and 10 while out and about.

We flicked this email to Mountain Recreation at Wanaka and the principal Geof Wyatt responds as follows:

From: ecology action australia
Sent: Saturday, 16 August 2008 2:45 p.m.
To: mountainrec
Subject: Dear Mt Recreation

 You may be interested in this blog post with pics commenting on how far Mueller Glacier is from Mt Cook despite the press reportage here in Australia today that they were rescued "halfway up Mt Cook" at 1,800 metres:

 http://www.sydneyalternativemedia.com/blog/index.blog/1834556/rescued-australian-climbers-actually-12-km-south-of-mt-cook-unlucky-or-stupid/

 Glad they were rescued all the same. Interested to know what affect any climate change might be having as per this post too from a climbing festival in Blue Mountains in Sydney last year:

 

http://www.sydneyalternativemedia.com/blog/index.blog/1671145/australian-climbing-festival-gorgeous-risk-agreeable-people-on-a-full-diet-of-personal-exploration-friendship-humour/

 

Cheers Tom McLoughlin, editor SydneyAlternativeMedia.com/blog

 

tel. 0410 558838, 02-9558 9551

 (Summer school 1988-9 Mountain Recreation)

 PS who was the guide in those days? I've forgotten his name. dark hair, skinny fit as hell medium height. It wasn't Geof Wyatt on our course.

Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2008 5:12 PM

Subject: RE: Dear Mt Recreation

Agreed – media here doing it too. Brian Weedon was the likely Instructor/Giuide.

Rgds, Geoff w

 

Geoff Wayatt

Mountain Recreation Ltd

183 Warren St.PO Box 204, Wanaka, New Zealand

Ph/Fax (03) 443 7330  Geoff's Mob: 0274 344 786

www.mountainrec.co.nz

Posted by editor at 8:24 PM NZT

Updated: Sunday, 17 August 2008 11:18 AM NZT

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Mood:  accident prone

We took a walk up Hooker Glacier in 1989 in Mt Cook National Park north toward the awesome Mt Cook itself. This was after doing the moutaineering course with Geof Wyatt's climbing school at Mt Aspiring* National Park near Wanaka in another part of the New Zealand south island. Including a climb of Mt Aspiring soon after.

The reports in the press today refer to 6 lost Aussie climbers (more like trekkers?) "half way up Mt Cook" (p3 Sydney Daily Telegraph) in the vicinity of Metelille Glacier, travelling from Meuller Hut to Barron Saddle Hut.

Here are the Mt Cook Guidebook images showing these risky or unlucky 'climbers' are just outside the urban village on a grade 1 minus 'doddle'. That's on a scale of 1 to 7 in the guide book with 7 being hardest (though higher off the scale is said to be possible).

That's not to say dangerous weather can't be life threatening even close to home just like Thredbo here, but this is not an intrepid Mt Cook ascent adventure story. For a start Mt Cook is a good 12 kilometres north of here (based on the 1 km scale in the diagram above, at bottome right corner). At first we thought it was even more but realise that was just our very old memories of fatigue, apologies for any confusion.

Here are a few more revealing images regarding location and geography - all within the 'Mt Cook National Park' hence I suppose the confusion in the general media.

Posted by editor at 10:32 AM NZT

Updated: Saturday, 16 August 2008 1:56 PM NZT

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