Previous Front Page Headline Items

2005: September   October  November   December      
2006: January February March April May June July August September October November December

31/05/2006 The Myths of Marine Parks
27/04/2006 Abuse of Power Democracy or Both?
27/04/2006 Guidelines for New 4WD Rules Released
27/04/2006 Congratulations to Horse Riders
19/03/2006 The Cost of Power in 2007
15/02/2006 Premier Fails Science 101
04/12/2005 Community Clubs Still Under Gun
04/12/2005 Hunting Ferals in State Forests
04/12/2005 Congratulations to Horse Riders!
04/12/2005 Just Ban Fishing Altogether
04/12/2005 Family Camping Under Threat In NSW
02/11/2005 Media on 4WD
02/11/2005 Killing Machines
02/11/2005 Upper Houses
02/11/2005 Another 4WD Study
26/10/2005 100M for Yanga and Brigalow
14/10/2005 Sailing Into Oblivion
14/10/2005 Flannerys Tome
14/10/2005 Funding for NGOs
14/10/2005 Manning By Stealth
28/09/2005 NSW Fisheries Consultation NOT
28/09/2005 Greens Block Feral and Weed Control

31/05/2006 The Myths of Marine Parks

Another in the long line of Green mythology! Marine Parks (MPAs) have just been declared up and down the NSW Coast in the first stage of what will become the Marine equivalents of the adjacent coastland where 50% of the NSW coast is locked up in inaccessible NPs and Wilderness.

I have put some of the science about MPAs <<here>>, make this your first stop!

The NPA have been spruiking a Q'n'A about MPAs and I have replied in some detail <<here>>.

The page <<here>>looks at the NCCs record on this issue and the page <<here>> lists the top 10 lies about MPAs.

The main basis proposed by the NPA (and its comrades the NCC and The Wilderness Society) for MPAs is an imaginary effect called the "spillover effect". The only "spillover effect" is the spillover of Green preferences to keep the ALP in power in 2007!

WHAT EVER IT TAKES!

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27/04/2006 Abuse of Power Democracy or Both?

Just as the NSW Government gets ready to release the budget forecast for 2006/7 and NSW people prepare to wear the pain of public service cuts and taxes comes this blatant example of waste of public money.

A few weeks ago a small community at Durras on the South Coast became fed up with an allegedly local community group touting extremist views about their environment. So they decided to ensure the "Friends of Durras" really did speak for the local community of Durras and joined the local community group en masse. The committee, realising that they no longer had the support of the community or the "Friends of Durras" resigned. So that's it democracy in action ... well think again!

THE NEW COMMITTEE OF THE FRIENDS OF DURRAS ARE BEING SUED BY THE NSW GOVERNMENT!

Yes you read right: a group of local residents and owners are being sued by the NSW Government sponsored Environmental Defenders Office (EDO)! Why because the community had the audacity to ensure that their local community group actually spoke for the local community and not some radical extremists.
The EDO is funded by the Minister for the Environments office and in this case is acting in the sole interests of one or two people as opposed to the hundred or so locals who joined "Friends of Durras".

This follows on from the disgraceful situation where the head of the NSW Government sponsored Nature Conservation Council has received potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars from the NSW Government sponsored Legal Aid to pursue private legal action while desperate people can't get Legal Aid for legitimate purposes.

Just more wasted money into the Green slush fund from Minister Devious' bunker.

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27/04/2006 Guidelines for New 4WD Rules Released

Although available to the RTA internally the guidelines for new rules are available here.

Basically the rules ban any lift above 150 mm and only allow lifts between 50 and 150 mm under strict engineering conditions. Further drivers wanting to lift their vehicles in the 50-150 mm range will have to show a need.

Meetings with the RTA, 4WD Associations and equipment manufacturers will hopefully occur next week when many of the unanswered questions will be resolved.

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27/04/2006 Congratulations to Horse Riders

Congratulations to Nicole Melrose and Gavin Morton and their horses BJ and Rusty. They found the lost toddler Cooper Jones alive in bushland on the NSW South Coast.

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19/03/2006 The Cost of Power in 2007

“Lie back and think of England" was the catch cry as English women accommodated the visiting American soldiers. I wonder if the heavies of Sussex Street said something similar to the Premier concerning the Greens. How else can you account for the sickening fawning of the Premier on the Greens at the recent launch of his environmental policy.

"Like Labor governments before us we rely on our historic partnership with the conservation movement"

"When the conservation movement joins with Labor to pursue common goals great things can be achieved"

"It's a special and enduring relationship and tonight I renew that relationship not just words up with concrete measures and plans"

"I am proud to announce an ambitious five-year agenda towards 2010 the next chapter in our more proud history of environmental achievement."

By far the biggest announcements were those concerning the three marine parks: Cape Byron, Manning and the South Coast.

In addition to the $426 million announced that night this government had just spent $100 million in acquiring two national parks. Further the buyout for commercial fishermen and the loss of thousands of jobs in the two new Marine Parks (both unnecessary!), will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. This on top of the $500+ million for the bloated NPWS. Now add the loss of 4000 public service jobs, an environment tax on all Sydney households, diving taxes, millions of dollars in hidden grants and subsidies to extremist conservation groups, failure to act on water and energy issues.

When our roads are a disgrace, our hospitals can't pay their bills, our transport and power and water infrastructure is a shambles: this is the cost of the public's dalliance with the Greens! Graham Richardson would be proud.

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15/02/2006 Premier Fails Science 101

When Carr was Premier he made some of the most stupid and ignorant statements about climate change and other scientific issues. It seems his replacement also failed Science 101:
"Australia had its warmest year on record"
Wrong, apart from the fact 2005 is not over yet the statement from the BOM said: "Australia has experienced its warmest start to a year on record (since 1950)". But in any case it is only the hottest year since we started recording properly (~1930) the geological record clearly shows that Australia has experienced much hotter years.

Conversely Perth has just had its coldest start to a summer since 1960 and the northern hemisphere has also had its coldest and earliest start to Winter for a century. And people have been freezing to death all across the world in record setting cold and snow even in India: what does it all mean? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Like our current warming, these are just "blips" in the climate cycle.

"Brazil had its first ever hurricane"
Wrong, Brazil has had lots of hurricanes in the past there just haven't been newspapers and TV stations around to report them! In fact the last a few hundred years have been relatively quiet in terms of hurricane activity. Australia has had its quietest cyclone season since the 70's (when we had a mini cooling incidentally!)

"Siberia's permafrost showed signs of melting"
Well of course! How does the Premier think Siberia's peat bog came into existence? Because at one time it used to be a temperate forest and swamp. In other words it is an entirely natural event that the peat bog will unfreeze according to the earth's climactic cycles. The stupidity of the Premier's comments are absolutely gob smacking

"For New South Wales, global warming means longer and more destructive bushfire season's, prolonged drought and harsher storm seasons"
Wrong, actually global warming means more rain! And the geological record shows that the worst storm seasons occur during cooler periods the earth's climate.

"That's why I recently wrote to the Prime Minister requesting him to convene a national summit on climate change and emissions trading."
Why then does the Premier only consult with the extremist conservation movement on matters relating to climate change and refuses to debate the matter with the scientific community.
I think it is very clear where the Premier is getting his scientific advice from!

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04/12/2005 Community Clubs Still Under Gun

Although exemptions for some clubs have been granted (Boy Scouts, CWA etc) the process appears to be very arbitrary. The Minister for Lands has still refused to detail the exact guidelines upon which a community clubs exemption for Crown land leases will be made.

As a result the future of many sporting facilities such as rowing, sailing and golf clubs still hangs in a very uncertain balance with as many as 700 community facilities facing the prospect of skyrocketing rentals.

However in private questioning following question time the Minister has guaranteed that the government will not institute market rate lease values for land which is managed in Trust by Local Councils.

In view of the emerging problems with both child and adult obesity and cardiac disease Dr Jenkins has called on the Minister to immediately exempt all sporting and outdoor recreation clubs such as sailing, rowing and golf clubs who are at the present time still liable to these exorbitant rents.

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04/12/2005 Hunting Ferals in State Forests

Following a question by Dr Jenkins in Parliament today the Minister for Primary Industries has revealed that a limited pilot scheme for the hunting of feral animals in State forests will go ahead next year.

Although the Minister did not release the guidelines for this effort he did say that issues concerning safety and liability had basically been addressed but he did not release information about which forests will be involved in the pilot scheme.

Although not a hunter or gun owner himself Dr Jenkins welcomes this effort to control the devastating effects of feral animals on our native wildlife and hopes that is the success of the program will see its extension into the National Parks reserve.

Dr Jenkins also said that the effort may eventually aid the plight of many farmers suffering the effects of wild dogs and other feral pests.

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04/12/2005 Congratulations to Horse Riders!

Congratulations to Nicole Melrose and Gavin Morton and their horses BJ and Rusty. They found the lost toddler Cooper Jones alive in bushland on the NSW South Coast.

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04/12/2005 Just Ban Fishing Altogether

Whether you agree with their activities or not the Minister's knee-jerk reaction to a group of fishermen catching White Pointer Sharks (WPS) at Stockton Beach is absolutely ludicrous!

By banning baits above 200g and heavy fishing gear the Minister has also effectively banned anyone fishing for Kingfish, Bluefin Tuna, Spanish Mackerel, Jewfish, Flathead or Snapper as well. Fishing for all of these species may also require baits in excess of 200g and/or heavier fishing gear.

In his press release the Minister is alleged to have said that GWS are territorial however the most recent research shows in fact exactly the opposite, that in fact Great White Sharks migrate across vast swathes of the ocean.

Further the Minister alleges that is the activity of these fishermen that is attracting the GWS to the area which is just the most stupid thing I have ever heard! It is the large schools of fish which are attracting the sharks not a couple of yocals dangling a few fish heads in the water!

Why doesn't the Minister just bite the bullet and ban fishing altogether from Newcastle to Hawks Nest in preparation for the Manning Marine Park!

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04/12/2005 Family Camping Under Threat In NSW

Two recent developments have put another nail in the coffin of the ability for families to get out of the city for a quiet weekend in the bush or for the travelling public to rest themselves and stock.

1: Travelling Stock Routes

The first is the loss of the Travelling Stock Routes (TSR). Originally used for driving stock the TSRs are now mainly used by local farmers or by the travelling public particularly, those travelling in outback NSW or with a horse or other stock.

However recently the government has been closing access to TSR's and preventing the travelling public a place to spend the night while on the road. In some cases we have been able to negotiate agreements with a Rural Lands Protection Boards to allow recognised groups with current liability insurance certificates access to these areas. However in many areas this has been unsuccessful. In some cases the government is converting the TSR's to National Parks and therefore effectively banning access to the travelling public and holiday makers alike.

2: The Family Holiday in Council and Other Camping Grounds

In another development aimed to stop people enjoying the environment the government has put in place a regulation which bans more than 12 people camping in any one place in a large number of camping grounds around NSW. As a direct result of this many family groups who camp together or other organised groups such as the boy scouts or sporting or recreational groups can no longer camp together. We have already had several instances where Rangers have ordered groups to split up due to breaching this stupid rule.

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02/11/2005 Media on 4WD

Surely not! Almost all the recent articles both in the printed press and on TV have actually given the 4WD issue a fair covering. The emphasis was on the fact that all vehicles are dangerous to children regardless of whether they are a 4WD or a normal sedan. Even the ABC pointed out that the vision out of the rear of a Commodore is almost identical to that of the worst of the 4WDs. They also almost universally pointed out that the greatest responsibility lies with the driver and not the vehicle.

Most of the proponents support some form of rearward facing warning system whether that be a small camera or ultrasonic devices. The truth is that with most cars now fitted with LCD screens the addition of a $20 CCD camera is an almost meaningless expense.

However one statistic has been misrepresented (and one person in particular is responsible for this deliberate attempt at deception): the simple fact is that 4WDs are concentrated in the family sector. Accordingly you would expect that 4WDs would be overrepresented when it comes to accidents with child pedestrians in and around the home simply because of the fact that 4WDs are popular in this sector.

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02/11/2005 Killing Machines

So is every motor vehicle on the road for that matter not just lifted 4WDs. If anyone is run over by a B-Double you ARE going to die, that’s just physics. The crap about visibility is just that CRAP!

Having said that no one would let the real "monster trucks" drive around so somewhere between the normal 4WD and the "monster truck" a line in the sand can be drawn.

However there will need to be exceptions for certain types of vehicles for forestry, mining and other agriculture purposes and outside of the city people often have to cross large obstacles and deep creeks etc.

So one answer is to allow maximum lift of say 2"/5cm but anything higher requires an engineering certificate.

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02/11/2005 Upper Houses

A recent Sun Herald had several articles about abolishing the Upper House.

Just as importantly as their wastefulness however is that fundamentalist groups like the Greens have used the Upper House as a legislative weapon to blackmail government's of both persuasions into adopting extreme viewpoints on the environment and other social issues. Rather than being a brake on the extremes of government, as our forefathers had intended, the Upper House has become a vehicle for ramming unwanted radical change down people's throats!

State Governments are an anachronistic hangover from a bygone era when it took a week to get a message or a person between Sydney and Brisbane. With today's modern communications and transport the same task can be achieved either instantly or within one hour respectively.

I say: don't stop with the Upper House, bring on the vote next week and eliminate all State Parliaments! They are a complete waste of billions of dollars of taxpayers money and in almost every case a duplication of either (or both) of the Federal Government and local councils.

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02/11/2005 Another 4WD Study

No prizes if you guessed that this study found 4WD owners are fat, balding, socially irresponsible and selfish. Further the ALP think tank Australia Institute (who commissioned the "study") considers you to be so below human that legislation is immediately needed to remove you from society!

A few months ago another so called "study" found that 4WD owners had small "appendages". So all we need now is another study to find we are "ugly" as well and we have the complete set! You have got to wonder how Ray keeps a straight face?

On a more serious note you have to ask why ACA continues to air this rubbish and why they never give anyone with a contrary opinion any air time for any balance. I have tried to contact the producer of ACA (Mr Robert Carmody) on numerous occasions to ask for some opportunity to address this stuff but he has never replied.

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26/10/2005 100M for Yanga and Brigalow

In answer to a Question in Parliament asked by Dr Jenkins the NSW Government has released details of the funding for the Brigalow Nandewar National Park. The NSW Government has allocated nearly $40m to fund the management of the Brigalow region. This does not include money usurped from the "recycling" fund to buy out the mill industry.

When you include the $30m used to buy Yanga this means that the NSW Government has allocated nearly $100m on acquiring/managing National Parks this year.

In a period where we are facing crumbling power, water and public transport infrastructure, dangerous main highways, failing health systems, terrorism attacks and a potential bird flu epidemic that could kill millions of people in NSW do you think spending $100m to secure Green preferences at the next election is good government?

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14/10/2005 Sailing Into Oblivion

NSW Legislation has resulted in land being rated at market value will impact all clubs such as fishing, sailing, kayaking, rowing, sea scouts, SES volunteer clubs and others which have a clubhouse on Council or Crown Land. Even football and soccer clubs may be affected.

One Sailing Club are facing a rise from $1028 to $12,000!! Community Clubs are key elements in the social fabric of communities in NSW and provide an important recreational and social activity for thousands of adults and children. They represent an important part of the local culture and social networks. If you apply for a rebate the Government wants examine all your books and bank details.

The Premier and the Minister need to make a clear statement that they are not using this as a backdoor tax to fix their budget deficit problems and that all community clubs will be exempted from this tax.

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14/10/2005 Flannerys Tome

Want to read a short critique of Flannery's book? Then go here.

Basically I consider this book is a load of sensationalist rubbish and almost all the so called "facts" are either half truths and the rest are simply wrong!

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14/10/2005 Funding for NGOs

Federal Senator Abetz is examining ways to toughen up disclosure requirements for the Australian Conservation Foundation, WWF Australia, the Wilderness Society and the RSPCA.

About time! Although some of them may have started with good intentions most of the so called environmental groups have been hijacked by the extreme left. As a consequence more of the money (donations and grants to save animals) gets spent on propaganda than anything else!

The "environmental" organisations have misused their charity status and their political wings for blackmail purposes for far too long. In 1998 the Wilderness Society said support depended upon political parties willingness to:

"provide environmental organisations with adequate levels of administrative funding by increasing the Grants to Voluntary Conservation Organisations program".

which is just blatant blackmail! And just one of their boasts on their website:

"Another effect was to move Liberal voters concerned with the environment directly or through preferences to Labor. This was one factor that impacted on the Liberals in Brisbane."

Ask any of the organisations how much of their budget they actually spent on "grass roots" conservation like habitat restoration, weed control, feral control, tree planting etc etc?

ALL "CHARITY" ORGANISATIONS WHICH ARE FUNDED BY DONATIONS AND/OR GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE EXPLICITLY BANNED FROM ANY POLITICAL ACTIVITY WHATSOEVER EITHER DIRECTLY, BY DONATION FORWARDING OR IN KIND (i.e. PRINTING OR DISTRIBUTING HOW-TO-VOTE CARDS).

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14/10/2005 Manning By Stealth

Has the Manning Marine started already but by stealth? $400,000 for the Manning Marine Park Office had been allocated and rumour has it that the commercial buyout has commenced in Port Stephens.

Did the Minister tell the whole truth the other night at budget estimates when he said:

"No decision has been taken in relation to the funding of any proposal to buy the Manning Shelf Marine Park. Consideration of the bioregion assessment is still being conducted by the Government."

The buyout for Byron Bay MP cost NSW tax payers $4 million, how much will the infinitely larger Manning Park cost NSW, $60 or 80 million and where will this money come from Minister?

When the NSW Government created the Brigalow Bioregion it diverted millions from a Recycling Trust Fund collected from Sydney residents supposedly dedicated to RECYCLING.

Will the buyout money for the Manning Bioregion be diverted from the Recreational Fishing Licenses?

Could this Government be so cynical to divert money from recreational fishing licenses to buyout commercial fishermen and so they can ban (them all) all fishing?

Time to fess up Minister: where is the money coming from?

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28/09/2005 NSW Fisheries Consultation NOT

When is NSW Fisheries Consultation not Consultation?
All the time it seems! in the same way that be New South Wales government "consulted with the community" concerning the Byron Marine Park they have now "consulted with the recreational fishers" over new bag limits.

The Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, released two discussion papers proposing changes for recreational fishing rules last week. The Minister said that “two discussion papers have been prepared in consultation with the commercial and recreational fishing advisory councils” but information leaked from the peak ministerial advisory body, the Advisory Council on Recreational Fishing (ACoRF), revealed that the committee has not discussed the issue since October last year and it is apparent that the committee had not even sited the discussion papers prior to their release.

If you want more information read the Press Releases here and here.

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28/09/2005 Greens Block Feral and Weed Control

The NSW Greens have opposed legislation which would enable National Parks to control feral animals and noxious weeds in NSW. The legislation introduced into State Parliament by Dr Jenkins had wide Cross Bench and Opposition support.

Predatory feral animals are listed as a key threatening process to almost all native animals, birds and reptiles. Foxes and wild dogs cost the agricultural industry millions of dollars each year. Hidden away unseen in National Parks and Wilderness areas noxious weeds like blackberry and lantana now obliterate vast areas of NSW

This legislation was specifically aimed at the Wilderness areas which have become a hidden and protected source for spreading both feral animals and devastating weeds into both surrounding agricultural and natural environments.

By refusing to support this legislation it is now very clear what the cynical Greens agenda is at the political level: continue the environmental crisis for our native animals and plants by refusing to support measures which could help solve the problem: more environmental crisis means more votes!

Its time true conservationists took control of the environmental agenda back from extremist politicians and put the emphasis back on environmental issues and not left wing social agendas.

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19/9/05: Extreme Green or Greed

Extreme Greed or Extreme Green!

In another blatant example of where the need to make money overrides all commonsense and all decency and all logic a pearl farmer has been granted exclusive access to 30 ha (that's 70 acres!) of prime navigable fishing waters in Port Stephens.

I pity the people of Port Stephens, on the one hand their access to public water is being removed by uncaring extremist environmentalists (The Manning marine Park) and on the other hand their access to navigable fishing waters is being removed by uncaring extremist greed.

29/8/05: Wrong on Teachers

Government Gets It Wrong on Teachers

A guarantee was given by the Minister that existing teachers would not need to get teaching qualifications to continue teaching. Although the words could be argued one way or the other the intent was very clear in the minister's second reading speech.
 
Three groups of teachers are affected:
 
1: Outstanding professionals: maths, scientists, writers etc.
2: Leading artists, craftsmen and women
3: Inspirational Sports people: Does Cathy degree?

Basically you can say goodbye to people in groups 2 & 3 because no school can afford to have two teachers per class: supervisor and guest! In my opinion I think this will result in a serious loss of placing inspirational people in our classrooms. Some had the the pleasure of being taught for a term by Julius Sumner Miller and no, he was not supervised! Imagine having Dr Karl for a term of physics or Cathy Freeman for sport term?
 
---------------------------------------
Ministers reply in Parliament (my bold emphasis):

However, I will respond now to the questions raised by the Hon. Jon Jenkins, which I believe will not be addressed in Committee. He asked about teachers who do not have teaching qualifications but who bring other attributes to their role that make them valued and important members of the staff of an educational institution.

The advice I have received is that existing teachers without teaching qualifications will not need to get teaching qualifications in order to continue teaching.

29/8/05: New Bag Limits

New Bag and Size Limits: Extremists Win Over Science Again?

Without even the slightest shred of scientific evidence the NSW Government is doing it's Green masters bidding and limiting size and bag limits further. Although there are some justifications for the most part not one of the designated species is under threat from rec fishing. In particular the bag limit of 20 per day and in some cases 1 per boat limits will severely penalise those who fish for large families and/or friends or those who only visit the coast once a year for example. There are better alternatives to manage fish takes.

You can go to the NSW Fisheries website www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au and download the new rules.

Please put in a submission and copy it to me here or post it to me at the address here.

6/8/05: ACT Govt Slammed

ACT Supreme Court Slams ACT Government Interference in 2003 Bushfire Inquiry

Under the completely fraudulent guise of "apprehended bias" the ACT Government had been doing it's Green masters bidding and had tried to stifle the Coroners inquest into the 2003 fires which destroyed 3 million ha of bush including 2/3 of Kosciuszko NP and hundreds of homes in Canberra.

And now Coroner Maria Doogan has been exonerated of the charges made against her. The Coroner not only has been exonerated of all the allegations, but the request by the prosecution that should the Coronial Enquiry into the 2003 fires be allowed to proceed, then a new Coroner be appointed to conclude the Enquiry, has also been flatly denied.

You can read the full decision <<here>> but there is one telling quote from his Honour in the decision that says it all about political interference in the courts:

"It may be understandable that departmental officers accustomed to treating courts as a sub-branch of their department may have failed to appreciate the impression that could be created in this manner."

Perhaps now we can get a decent decision about the fires instead of politically inspired whitewashes like our own.

6/8/05: Carr's Exit

Carr's Exit a Sad Irony

Premier Carr announced his retirement from politics. I have to say I feel no sadness about his departure. I find it ironic that although he holds the environment as a high point, from a simple conservation point of view, he has done an enormous amount of damage by leaving a legacy of unmanageable National Parks and Wilderness areas. Further he has left an environmental bureaucracy stacked with ideologically driven extremists who disregard basic science and treat the community as some evil to be expunged from the natural environment. Whether he did this cynically to secure green preferences and keep his government in power or whether he had been conned by the propaganda of the extremist environmental movement is irrelevant now: the damage is done and it will take decades to recover from!

However I note a second staggeringly ironic comment in his departure speech. He said that he would like to spend time with his wife enjoying the beautiful things and he says he wants more time for recreation. All I can say is that those privileges have been taken from thousands of New South Wales people by locking up some of the most precious places and banning many precious recreation activities in NSW!

I find it possibly even more ironic that his prospective home is in Queenstown New Zealand where there are no bans on fishing, camping or 4WD and they actually encourage horse riding and these other activities through their national parks in the South Island!

Although I hope his replacement (I presume Scully will be anointed but scuttlebutt is that Iemma may have the numbers by next week) will be less enamoured with the extremist environmental movement he will suffer the same hobble as Bob Carr did: the ALP can't win an election and can't pass legislation without green preferences!

Update: It appears as I predicted a few minutes after the announcement that Iemma has got the prize. However I think Neville Wran's comments really put Carr in his place in history: "His greatest achievement was he kept winning elections". That really says it all about both sides of politics: it's not about the looking after people or doing good deeds, its about getting POWER and keeping it! A little bird of the Kiwi variety has told me the NZ retreat has been disposed of, NZ'ers must be looking skyward and offering praise!

a luta continua (the struggle continues!)

 29/7/05: National Parks Out Of Control

It's Official: National Parks Out Of Control

"Poor fire management...destroying flora and fauna"
"Weeds and feral animals not being controlled"....
"Historic sites not protected"....

These are just some of the quotes from an internal report into NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service which echo exactly what I have been saying over and and over again both inside and outside Parliament.

I have been continually calling on the New South Wales government to set up a trained and equipped volunteer organisation to help look after our national parks.

There are at least 10,000 people were ready and willing to offer their services completely free of charge and ready to start work next weekend. Many of these people had already given hundreds of hours of volunteer service to the National Parks and some have even undergone official training in feral animal control. The existing volunteer efforts have already contributed millions of dollars of free labour to the NPWS.

Every citizen of NSW who has any interest in the environment should be asking the Minister why he continually refuses to set up a formalised volunteer service for the National Parks.
 

28/7/05: Email Snooping

Government Allows Email Snooping

The NSW Government has refused to accept an amendment put forward to the Workplace Surveillance Bill which would have prevented employers from reading private emails addressed to employees.

In refusing to accept Dr Jenkins' amendment they have given approval for employers to read all emails to and from an employee including those from unions, health providers, family and other private communications. If these were normal letters or telephone conversations the employer would be risking jail.

7/9/05: Diving Tax and Severe Restrictions

DIVERS CRUSHED BY THE DEEP GREENS

You can read all the official details >>here

The  really scary part is that this tax will almost certainly be extended to all marine parks controlled areas. If this tax parallels the land based national park system (and there is no reason to believe that it will not) then the tax will be progressively extended and expanded to include all marine park areas.

In the land-based national park system an entry fee was generally only charged on high-value areas such as Kosciusko but gradually the tax was extended to cover more and more high-value national parks and now we have the National Parks pass system which is required to enter any national park.

If the government follows the same scenario then you can expect tax to be extended as follows:

1: tax on high-value areas such as GNS aggregations zones
2: extend tax to other high-value areas such as MP sanctuary zones
3: extend tax to cover all marine park access: a MP Pass

I can also tell you that the next step will be to completely isolate sanctuary zones and aggregation zones from mechanised access (that's boats!). In the land-based system these areas are called wilderness and it is simply a matter of fact that the marine versions of wilderness will be applied in the Manning Marine Park which will run from Newcastle to Nambucca Heads. I ponder as to when the first Marine Wilderness will be declared or when surfers and swimmers will have to pay $20/day to enjoy a swim at the beach?

If these restrictions were based on good science and community consultation then I would be wholeheartedly supporting them. However the reason I am so stridently opposed to them is that they are instigated by a quasi-religious fundamentalist approach to managing our environment.

The louder and more persistent your protests are the longer you will delay these taxes and restrictions. If these activities are important to you, your family and your friends then eventually you may have to consider whether you vote to continue to support governments which impose these restrictions.

This move parallels the strategy used in land based National Parks 10 years ago and is a continuation of the environmental fundamentalist's vision of pantheistic utopia where man and all signs his evil technology are banished from wherever possible.

Don't be fooled by the false support of the NCC and NPA for the diving community either, just like they have done in the past with the Kosciuszko huts and the bushwalking fraternity, the support is feigned on the one hand while on the other the fundamentalists continue the push towards a utopian Wilderness free of humans!

It is time for people to say enough is enough: our time spent doing the things we enjoy with our friends and family are precious respites from work and everyday stresses and need to be protected.

21/6/05: MANNING MARINE PARK GOES AHEAD

21/6/05: NORTH SYDNEY TAXES FAMILIES

9/6/05: AUSTRALIAN ENVIRONMENT FOUNDATION

The Australian Conservation Foundation has threatened legal action over the Australian Environment Foundation's name. They have said in a letter that the AEF name has infringed their trademark. Kersten Gentle the AEF spokesperson said:

“Apparently the ACF believe that they are the only ones entitled to use the words Australian and Foundation and anyone else using them is trying to “pass themselves off” as the ACF.
 
“That is absurd. The AEF has nothing to gain by being associated with the ACF, and the ACF has everything to gain by having another environment group in the field – one plus one can equal three.”

The ACF logo is on their web site at acfonline.org.au whereas the AEF logo is:

Draw your own conclusions as to whether there is a problem but in my opinion there is no chance of any mis-conception at all.

Australian Environment Launched Today in Tenterfield

It was appropriate that the Australian Environment Foundation was launched on World Environment Day in Tenterfield the home of Federation of Australia. the launch of the Australian environment foundation or AEF follows on from the inaugural meeting of the founders on the 150th anniversary of the Eureka stockade in December last year.  I am very pleased to be one of the founding members show my support for the aims of the AEF by placing the Southern Cross at the top left-hand corner of all my web pages.

The AEF has been found by a group of scientists, environmentalists and land managers who are frustrated by the hijacking of the environmental movement by extremist ideologies.  They are disturbed by the unscientific principles being applied to land management and the consequent damage to our environment.

The main goal of the AEF is to lobby government and other public bodies for evidence based and solution focused land and water management practices.

Kersten Gentle described the six key values of the AEF:

• Scientifically evaluated evidence

• Community based education and choice

• The use of technology and technological advancement

• Appreciation of the dynamic nature of the environment

• The preservation of biodiversity

• Balance between competing claims and interests

The first major project of the AEF will be to put together a high profile scientific panel of senior academics from around Australia to review and critique the corrupted and perverted school science curriculum dealing with environmental issues which the extreme Green movement has inculcated into our education system over the past 10 years.

I would encourage all readers to visit the AEF web site at: www.aefweb.info  and become involved with this long term process for the benefit of us, our children and our children's children.

2/6/05: Extremists "Create" Industrial Dispute to Stop Volunteers in National Parks

What would you say if you heard that the Fire Brigade had threatened industrial action because the volunteer Rural Fire Services had offered to put out a fire or the police rescue squad had threatened industrial action because the volunteer State Emergency Services offered to rescue somebody from a car crash? Would you say this is absolutely ridiculous?  What do you think the government's response would be?  Would they sit back and support this sort of ludicrous industrial threat?  No bloody fear they wouldn't!

Well that's exactly what happened in the National Parks and Wildlife service.  Volunteers in the National Parks have been prevented from carrying out feral animal control and other essential tasks because the extreme Green organisations have created an imaginary industrial relations issue over volunteers working in the National Parks.

At a time when the state's budget is stretched to the limit and health services, education and transport require massive borrowing to support infrastructure the New South Wales government refuses the offer of assistance from thousands of willing volunteers (and millions of dollars!) to assist in the maintenance of national parks by offering no resistance to an artificially created industrial relations issue over volunteer workers.

A case of screaming ranting ideology overriding all sense and all logic!  No wonder NSW has the highest number of endangered species and the highest number of extinct mammalian species in the world if this is the basis upon which our national parks and wildlife service is managed!

5/5/05: Yet Another Carr Tax

The average family should be aware that they could be slugged with another Carr government tax. Car registration fees may be reduced for owners of vehicles with small engines whilst increasing for those with large ones, including most four-wheel-drives.

Is the proposed new tax on vehicles going to become another  ideologically driven anti 4WD witch-hunt or will it be based fairly across the whole vehicle population?

Keep in mind that the average family Commodore is as larger and/or as wide and uses almost the same amount of fuel as a 4WD of the same weight.

This new tax is another con job driven by the extreme Green Movement who have managed to deceive the Government that human emissions of greenhouse gases are causing global warming. This is a lie!

23/5/05: One Rule for Some...One for the Others!

Towards the end of April - beginning of May about 500 people gathered in a national park on the north coast of New South Wales.  The gathering was a celebration of alternative culture and lifestyle.  Some people call them hippies others would call them flower children but whatever you call them they seem to be a fairly harmless group of people simply communing with themselves and nature in a National Park. Good luck to them I say.

However, if that's all this was it wouldn't be worthy of a front-page item.  However what they did by gathering in such numbers without either a permit or proper toilet, shower or cooking facilities in a National Park is highly illegal.  And this is where the problem is.  If this gathering had been horse riders, bushwalkers,  campers or any other group except a bunch of flower power children they would have been either arrested and/or fined and certainly not allowed to continue with their gathering. However instead of bringing down the full force of the law on this gathering the National Parks and Wildlife Service in it's infinite wisdom ordered numerous portable toilets and other facilities to this gathering and allowed it to continue!

One excuse given by the NPWS was that this was a relatively disorganised group of people with no clear leadership.  This is absolutely and totally false, this event was organised years ahead and we can readily identify the group and local organisers.  I can guarantee you if this was any other group they would already have been charged and issued with either a fine or summons or both!

I trust the director-general of NPWS will inform all directorates that the same courtesy and leniency is to be extended to other visiting groups in the National Parks in future.

25/5/05: Snowy River Gets Better but Costs Money and Time!

Teams of contractors are being flown in by helicopter to clear the willows from the banks of the Snowy River. But this process will have to go on forever and cost millions. Why does the NSW Government resist the offer to create a fully trained volunteer force for the NPWS?
This project does not address the ubiquitous blackberry or the hundred other noxious weeds and ferals which are taking over all the southern parks.

23/5/05: Cororner's Findings on 4WDs!

If ever there was a more stupid and ignorant coroner's finding I certainly haven't heard of it. If this is an example of someone who is supposed to protect us and our families from being killed by preventable misadventure then God help us!

Here are some questions I would like to have asked the coroner:

1: Should we ban every vehicle which runs over a child or is this just a 4WD thing?

2: What about the vehicles which have no vision out the back like buses, station wagons, vans, people movers etc or is this just a 4WD thing (these other vehicles are statistically the most likely to run over children)?

3: Should we now ban any vehicle other than vehicles with a low bonnet or perhaps even ban "short drivers" or is this just a 4WD thing?

4: Should we ban every vehicle over 2 tonnes (large sedans, delivery vans, people movers etc) or is this just a 4WD thing?

5: What has the weight factor got to do with seeing children over the bonnet or is this just a 4WD thing?

6: What about 4WDs which have low bonnet and high seating and superior vision (i.e Land Rover) or is this just a 4WD thing?

8: What about addressing the issue of responsibility: where was the parent? where was the school supervision?  and the driver. Who can we blame...ahh of course, blame the 4WD!
 

23/5/05: 200,000 Hectares of Forest Preserved in Tasmania but not as National Park or Wilderness!

Prime Minister John Howard yesterday committed nearly 200,000ha of Tasmania's forests to be protected from clear fell logging.  You can read more about this in Trac Talk but the really good thing is not 1ha of this land will become a National Park or Wilderness area.  Regardless of your politics I suggest you say a small thank you as it appears that this forest will remain accessible for normal people and their families to enjoy.

18/5/05: Trouble in National Parks Association's Kosciuszko  Paradise?

I know that many people in the environmental movement, especially scientists, feel the way I do about the quasi religious extremism that has become part and parcel of being green today. So occasionally they give me a little tidbits as to what's happening in the inner circles. At the head of the screaming fanatics is an organisation known as the National Parks Association (NPA). Although originally started as an environmental group it has basically been taken over by pantheist "man and his machine are evil" ideologues. But some internal trouble may be brewing for the high priests of the NPA!

Many of the rank and file members of the NPA are cross-country skiers and/or bushwalkers who want the high country huts in Kosciuszko National Park to be rebuilt to facilitate their recreation activities as do many other Park users including horse riders and 4WD visitors. This follows on from a NPWS heritage expert report recommending the huts be rebuilt. In the report, the committee argues that the social and cultural significance is so important that they should be rebuilt. The Environment Minister has also given assurances that the huts will be rebuilt.

However there's a strong rumour that the high priests of the NPA are  pressuring the Department of the Environment and National Parks not to rebuild the huts on the one hand while reassuring the rank and file members they are doing everything they can to ensure the huts are being rebuilt on the other.

Perhaps the NPA should make a clear public statement on this issue so its members and the public know where they stand!

Keep in mind that it is the NSW 4WD Association who is mainly actively involved in the rebuilding program!

1/5/05: 600+ Submissions to Tweed Council

Jon handed nearly 600 submissions to the Tweed Council yesterday requesting to keep 4WD and Fishing access on Tweed's Beaches.

1/5/05: Small Boats the Big Losers in Harbour Foreshore Reshuffle

In another attack on peoples recreation the NSW Government will radically change the way leases and other Harbour foreshore facilities will operate. The changes will effectively result in the removal of small boats from Sydney Harbour. Read more <<here>>.

You can get a copy of the draft <<here>> and email a submission to the Maritime authority at jhannan@maritime.nsw.gov.au.

23/4/05 PETITION: ROYAL COMMISSION INTO 2003 BUSH FIRES

In January 2003, disastrous bush fires raged across NSW. These fires have never been investigated properly and Labor governments have prevented proper investigations completing. This needs to be fixed. Read more and sign the petition <<here>>