IPART told Clarence Valley Council is dysfunctional, manipulative, dishonest, deceptive, wasteful, incompetent and other similarly 'complimentary' terms

In February 2016 Clarence Valley Council lodged an application with the Independent Pricing And Regulation Tribunal (IPART) for a Special Rate Variation (SRV) of 8% p.a. (including the rate peg limit) for five years, starting 2016-17, in accordance with Section 508A of the Local Government Act 1993. From 21 August 2015 through to 25 September 2015 Council undertook public consultation on the proposed 8% p.a. SRV by implementing the Community Engagement Strategy for its ‘Financial Sustainability – the Road Ahead’ process, which included applying for an 8% p.a. SRV for 5 years and reviewing Council’s discretionary services.

IPART received over 50 submissions, predominately from individuals.

Having sampled a fair number of these frequently uncomplimentary submissions here are just two examples from former local government councillors.

Read the remainder of the submission here.

Read the remainder of this submission here.

With NSW local government elections at the end of the year, I suspect that Mayor Richie Williamson will have to tap dance wildly to secure his re-election if the sentiments contained in most of the submissions are any indication.

Another Liberal Party official tacitly admits wrongdoing

After almost eight years of putting his hand on his heart and signing all those Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division) financial disclosure documents, Simon McInnes (left) is bowing to the inevitable….

The Australian, 29 March 2016:

NSW Liberal Party finance director Simon McInnes will today stand down from his role as the party executive with responsibility for campaign finances.

His resignation as party agent comes ahead of the NSW Liberals amending their disclosures to admit receipt of illegal donations from property developers, which will see them face a fine up to the nearly $700,000 — or equivalent to the dollar value of the donations unlawfully received.

The Australian can also reveal the Liberal Party has not ruled out legal action in the Supreme Court against the NSW Electoral Commission if it withholds up to $4.4 million in funding ahead of the federal election.

Mr McInnes is expected to resign as the Liberal Party’s agent to state director Chris Stone today, but will not resign from his role as finance director. The party’s agent is the person legally responsible for management and disclosure of election campaign finances to the NSW Electoral Commission.

Mr Stone is preparing to meet the NSW Electoral Commission to identify which of the Free Enterprise Foundation donations were earmarked for the federal campaign and which for NSW…….

With the Liberal Party preparing to amend its disclosures, it would be inconsistent for Mr McInnes to authorise the new ­returns, given he signed off on the last disclosures that did not ­include details of the $700,000 ­donated via the Canberra-based trust, the FEF……

The FEF publicly disclosed to the AEC $1.15m of donations from major companies, including property developers, in 2010-11.

Political Cartoons of the Week

Jon Kudelka, The Australian, 29 March 2016

Geoff Pryor, The Saturday Paper, 26 March 2016

Mining exploration company Anchor Resources active again on Dorrigo Plateau

Image from Blicks River Guardians

Dorrigo Environment Watch Inc:

Calling for Cancellation of ALL Mineral Exploration Licences on the Dorrigo Plateau

A Dorrigo landholder has for the past 6 years fought to stop antimony exploration activities on their property. The exploration company, Anchor Resources Ltd, breached the Mining Act 1992 in 2011 and was subsequently fined. Since that time there has been constant pressure from the exploration company for a new land access agreement regardless of the landholder not wishing to have exploration activities on the property. This matter has been held up in a prolonged arbitration process despite the exploration licence expiring on the 3rd March 2016.

More recently Anchor Resources Ltd, which also holds two other substantial exploration licences on the Dorrigo Plateau has been identified by Delisted Australia as a ‘Worthless Share Company 2015/2016’ (http://www.delisted.com.au/capital-gains-tax/capital-losses-2015-2016). 

Dorrigo Environment Watch Inc. questions how a landholder can be subject to such prolonged stress by a government process that supports an exploration company that is considered worthless financially? Where is the natural justice and procedural fairness for landholders? The financial capability of Anchor Resources Ltd clearly does not comply with the requirements of financial solvency as part of the exploration licence approval process, and yet the NSW Government has done nothing. Dorrigo Environment Watch Inc. request that the NSW Government immediately cancel all exploration licences held by Anchor Resources Ltd. We also question the integrity of the current process given that no government action has yet occurred to cancel these exploration licences and that a landholder has been subject to unnecessary and prolonged stress. Our recent invitation to Melinda Pavey, MP for Oxley to visit the site and discuss the issues, was declined.

Dorrigo Environment Watch Inc. reiterate that any form of mining on the Dorrigo Plateau is an inappropriate land use given the significant biodiversity, agricultural, World Heritage and water catchment values of which the Plateau is nationally and internationally renowned. The current land use policies, planning and environmental laws do not adequately or fairly protect the Plateau’s natural assets from inappropriate land uses, such as mining.

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Arbitration decision released 29th March 2016

Breaking news..........Anchor Resources Ltd granted a 3 year Landholder Access Agreement as a result of Arbitration. It is understood at this early stage that the access agreement is to initially undertake remediation at Wild Cattle Creek from prior exploration activities and then to continue with their exploration activities planned since 2011. More details to be provided soon......................

The hidden delights of an as yet undeveloped block of land at Iluka in the Clarence Valley

These are photographs supplied by an Iluka resident highlighting some of the biodiversity of a 19ha lot which is currently the subject of a 162 lot subdivision development application before the Northern Joint Regional Planning Panel and Clarence Valley Council.

Rainbow bee-eaters (Merops ornatus) - listed as a Migratory species and a Marine species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Protected under JAMBA international treaty.

Native orchid

Flowering gum tree

Strangler fig

Coastal cypress pine (Callitris columellaris)

Part of the tree cover

Wallaby track

Coastal banksia (banksia integrifolia)

Red stinkhorn fungus (Phallus rubicundus)

Female koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) with joey

Banksia laden with cones

Native fungus

Young native staghorns, ferns and orchid plant attached to tree

Mature fern speciman

Wattle (Arcacia)

Native fungus

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Young native staghorns, assorted ferns and mosses

River lily (Crinum pedunculatum)

Tree canopy

Drop Bear distribution map for the wary travellers in Australia

http://australianmuseum.net.au/drop-bear

Around the size of a leopard or very large dog with coarse orange fur with some darker mottled patterning (as seen in most Koalas). It is a heavily built animal with powerful forearms for climbing and holding on to prey. It lacks canines, using broad powerful premolars as biting tools instead…

Drop Bears can be found in the densely forested regions of the Great Dividing Range in South-eastern Australia. However there are also some reports of them from South-east South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges and Kangaroo Island…..

Drop Bears hunt by ambushing ground dwelling animals from above, waiting up to as much as four hours to make a surprise kill. Once prey is within view, the Drop Bear will drop as much as eight metres to pounce on top of the unsuspecting victim. The initial impact often stuns the prey, allowing it to be bitten on the neck and quickly subdued.

If the prey is small enough Drop Bears will haul it back up the tree to feed without harassment from other predators…..

Bush walkers have been known to be 'dropped on' by drop bears, resulting in injury including mainly lacerations and occasionally bites. Most attacks are considered accidental and there are no reports of incidents being fatal.

There are some suggested folk remedies that are said to act as a repellent to Drop Bears, these include having forks in the hair or Vegemite or toothpaste spread behind the ears. There is no evidence to suggest that any such repellents work.