Managing director of Ebono Institute and major sponsor of The Generator, Geoff Ebbs, is running against Kevin Rudd in the seat of Griffith at the next Federal election. By the expression on their faces in this candid shot it looks like a pretty dull campaign. Read on
During some winters a significant amount of snow falls on parts of California. During other winters — like this one (so far) — there is much less snow. But more than 130 years of snow data show that over time snowfall in California is neither increasing nor decreasing.
Scientists have documented for the first time that animals can and do consume Archaea – a type of single-celled microorganism thought to be among the most abundant life forms on Earth. Archaea that consume the greenhouse gas methane were in turn eaten by worms living at deep-sea cold seeps off Costa Rica and the West Coast of the United States.
While many are acquainted with the problems caused by CO2 emissions, the harmful effects of the release of nitrous oxide into the atmosphere have been far less well known. Only in recent years has the international scientific community begun to understand the scope of the threat posed by N2O emissions.
During some winters a significant amount of snow falls on parts of California. During other winters — like this one (so far) — there is much less snow. But more than 130 years of snow data show that over time snowfall in California is neither increasing nor decreasing.
Drastic reductions in Arctic sea ice in the last decade may be intensifying the chemical release of bromine into the atmosphere, resulting in ground-level ozone depletion and the deposit of toxic mercury in the Arctic, according to a new NASA-led study.
Scientists have documented for the first time that animals can and do consume Archaea – a type of single-celled microorganism thought to be among the most abundant life forms on Earth. Archaea that consume the greenhouse gas methane were in turn eaten by worms living at deep-sea cold seeps off Costa Rica and the West Coast of the United States.
The Greenland ice sheet is likely to be more vulnerable to global warming than previously thought. The temperature threshold for melting the ice sheet completely is in the range of 0.8 to 3.2 degrees Celsius of global warming, with a best estimate of 1.6 degrees above pre-industrial levels, shows a new study.
Drastic reductions in Arctic sea ice in the last decade may be intensifying the chemical release of bromine into the atmosphere, resulting in ground-level ozone depletion and the deposit of toxic mercury in the Arctic, according to a new NASA-led study.
The NSW public service does not have enough senior bean counters, the Auditor-General has said, after finding billions of dollars worth of errors and 1256 mistakes in the state’s financial records submitted last year.
Department accountants erred 14 times with figures between $20 and 50 million; there were four errors worth between $50 and 100 million; six errors between $100 million and $1 billion; and one error was greater than $1 billion, the Auditor-General’s report said.
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Errors ranged from simple spreadsheet mistakes and data entry failures to errors in applying Australian Accounting Standards, the report said.
Auditor-General Peter Achterstraat made hundreds of recommendations to improve standards.
The report reiterates findings by the chief executive for the NSW Commission of Audit, Dr Kerry Schott, released on February 22, that poor performance across the board had led to the deterioration in the government’s finances and hurt the state’s overall economic performance.
The Auditor-General’s report to the NSW Parliament, released on February 29, highlighted how government agencies continue to submit financial reports for audit with numerous errors and incorrect accounting methods.
“There are insufficient suitably qualified finance personnel in many agencies, which limits their ability to establish and maintain robust internal control environments, to correctly interpret accounting standards and to produce high quality financial statements,” Mr Achterstraat said.
“I identified 1256 misstatements, 540 of which needed to be corrected by the agencies before I could issue my audit opinions. Agencies’ 30 June 2011 financial statements contained 25 individual errors each exceeding $20 million,” he said.
Mr Achterstraat also found that deficiencies in information security exist across numerous agencies, that computer system disaster recovery plans for financial systems do not exist or are out of date, and that agencies were having difficulties following their own policies and procedures.
The NSW public service is also having difficulties managing its $200 billion building and infrastructure portfolio.
“I made 76 recommendations to agencies without the necessary checks in place to effectively control and manage their assets, including acquisitions, disposals, recording, depreciation, regulations and stock takes,” he said.
Mr Achterstraat also investigated 13 allegations about waste and mismanagement at the Roads and Traffic Authority, now known as Roads and Maritime Service, on two large long-term information technology contracts worth $28 million.
The RTA paid $112,000 over two years for services that were not provided nor did it investigate allegations that it was being charged excessive prices.
“I am concerned that there has been a significant amount of the annual spend under one contract, nearly 63 per cent, on additional services … RTA has essentially set up a monopoly arrangement for the provision of these services,” he said.
“These findings on two significant contracts put in doubt whether RTA was effectively managing its IT services contracts more generally, and therefore whether it was getting value for money,” he said.
Greens MP Jamie Parker told the Herald NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell must implement the report’s recommendations.
“The fact that agencies are submitting reports riddled with errors reflects systemic problems of mismanagement and chronic under-resourcing, which won’t be solved by cutting jobs and public sector wages,” he said.
But the Auditor-General’s office is not perfect either – a press release promoting the report listed the wrong number for its media contact Barry Underwood.
The New South Wales Government says proposed laws to ban MPs from also serving on local councils will prevent conflicts of interest.
But critics say the plan is a thinly veiled attack on Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.
Ms Moore is one of 29 MPs in State Parliament who would be affected by the new rules.
Local Government Minister Don Page says councillors who are elected as MPs will be given 18 months to decide which role they want to keep.
They would be forced to quit the other.
“I think that’s what the community expects, that if you’re elected to State Parliament you give it your 100 per cent. You don’t have some other job on the side,” Mr Page said.
The Government plans to introduce the laws before the next council elections are held in September.
Lake Macquarie independent MP Greg Piper, who is also the city’s Mayor, admits the two roles can take a toll.
But he says the real reason for the laws is clear.
“Let’s be under no illusions about the decision by the Premier. This isn’t about Greg Piper and it’s not about the 27 other members who might be either mayors or councillors,” Mr Piper said.
“This is about Clover Moore. This has always been about Clover Moore and it’s one of the most cynical and hypocritical processes I’ve seen.”
Ms Moore also believes she is the target.
She says holding the dual roles works well and prevents duplication.
“I can be very effective representing the same community on the same issues at both state and local levels,” Ms Moore said.
“It’s not only for me representing the City of Sydney but it’s particularly for country members too, where their communities are a long way from the Sydney Parliament and it’s an opportunity to be able to be really effective for your local community.”
Treasurer Mike Baird says the proposal simply brings NSW into line with other states around Australia.
“To jump from one level of government to the next, that is the issue, and we are just being consistent with every other state, and I think that every community would be happy to have their member focused on their primary responsibility,” Mr Baird said.
THE strident reaction of the military’s cheer squad to six reports released by Defence Minister Stephen Smith about the so-called Skype-sex scandal proves the point of the $12 million exercise.
The “boys’ club” culture must be changed if Defence wants to attract more women and live up to community expectations, but judging by its vocal supporters, there is a long way to go.
Rather than vilify the minister, former generals and lobbyists such as the Australian Defence Association would do well to check their own records.
Women cadets have been subject to misogyny at the Australian Defence Force Academy for decades, and male cadets at Duntroon have been bastardised since its doors opened.
If the full report does indeed find that ADFA boss Commodore Bruce Kafer should have foreseen the damage that proceeding with unrelated charges would cause to the female RAAF cadet at the centre of the scandal, then those calls should cease.
The attacks by the “old and bold” on a minister with a strong reform agenda are nothing new. The question is, do they reflect the views of serving military brass? The answer is almost certainly no.
The vital Defence cultural reform agenda is far too important to be hijacked by those who appear to regard the military as their private turf and who create the impression that they speak on its behalf.
In the wake of this week’s murder of 16 Afghan civilians by a rogue American soldier everyone from the minister and chief down have much more on their minds.
Leaders such as General David Hurley are more than capable of speaking for themselves and, like all well-trained military officers, he knows that he answers to the elected government of the day through the Defence Minister – full stop, end of story.
