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  • Inquiry needed to assess impact of a changing climate on NSW beaches

    Media Release                                                  
    Inquiry needed to assess impact of a changing climate on NSW’s beaches
     
    The Greens will seek to send legislation that will grant property
    owners the right to build, without development approval, temporary sea
    walls on beaches as protection against rising sea levels to a
    Parliamentary Inquiry this week.
     
    “If this Bill goes ahead it will begin the fortification of our
    coastlines, with rock walls encroaching on to our most treasured beaches
    in the not-too-distant future,” said NSW Greens MLC Ian Cohen.
     
    “The implications of this legislation as well as the issues it’s trying
    to address are enormous and it mustn’t be rushed through the Parliament.
    Minister Sartor hasn’t even released guidelines with the Bill.
     
    “The Greens will be seeking to send the Coastal Protection and Other
    Legislation Bill to a Parliamentary Committee so that the full impacts
    of climate change and coastal inundation on NSW coastal communities and
    coastal ecosystems can be investigated. Recommendations can then also be
    made as to the best whole-of-government response.
     
    “A broader investigation into rising sea levels is urgently needed. The
    State Government is clearly failing to grasp the severity a changing
    climate is already having on our coastline.
     
    “Sea level rise and coastal inundation is occurring right now from
    Kingscliff in Northern NSW to the South Coast of NSW. Our office is
    being contacted by people who are literally watching the beaches in
    front of their properties disappear.
     
    “Planning for rising sea levels is one of the toughest things any
    government anywhere will have to do.
     
    “We need a whole-of-government approach, not one that pits neighbour
    against neighbour and beachfront dwellers against the rest of the
    community. Yet Minister Sartor’s preference is to rush a band aid
    solution through the Parliament by the end of the week.
     
     “The State Government is simply delaying the inevitable – that is
    implementing a policy of stage, planned retreat for communities affected
    by rising sea levels.
     
     “The short-term vision of this current State Government is on show
    once again. This legislation should be called the ‘Coastal Private
    Property Protection’ Bill due to its prioritisation of private property
    protection over public beaches,” said Mr Cohen.
     
    Further Information: Cate Faehrmann 02 9230 3305 or 0412 207 043
     
    Cate Faehrmann
    Adviser
    Greens MLC Ian Cohen
    NSW Parliament
    Macquarie St
    SYDNEY NSW 2000
    p +61 2 9230 3305 m +61 412 207 043
    —

  • Gas found after N Korean nuclear fusion claims

     

    Xenon is produced during the nuclear fission process.

    The readings last month were eight times more than normal.

    Nuclear fusion promises limitless energy but can also be used to make hydrogen bombs.

    Tags: nuclear-issues, government-and-politics, world-politics, north-korea, south-korea

  • Kristine Keneally headed for a rout

     

    Kristina Keneally

    Has Kristina Keneally failed as NSW Premier?

    Related Coverage

    “The result … is, of course, disappointing but it is one we expected,” the Premier said.

    “The people of [Ms Paluzzano’s] electorate were … angry they had to be put into this situation where they had to go back to the polls. I knew when I took on this job it was absolutely tough … but you know, I’m also very tough.”

    Despite Ms Keneally’s claims, internal Liberal polling had Labor’s primary vote in Penrith at 33 per cent after the resignation of Ms Paluzzano, with support falling to 24 per cent as ministers David Campbell, Ian Macdonald and Graham West resigned.

    And Ms Keneally’s “net favourability” rating (the difference between her approval and disapproval rating) also fell from 20 to 15 in just three weeks. Focus group comments revealed voters for the first time were starting to blame her for the rot.

    “She is probably a nice person, but not in charge; things just keep happening around her and all we get’s more excuses,” one voter told researchers. Another said: “[Ms Keneally] doesn’t really seem to be in charge of her party and is more and more distracted by the antics of the rest of [Labor]. How can you run a state like that!”

    While Ms Keneally yesterday tried to play down the implications for the state poll in March, some within Labor fear it could be reduced to 15 to 20 seats in the 93-member Legislative Assembly.

    One Labor MP said yesterday the problem was that “people think we’re crooks”.

    65 comments on this story

  • Kevin Rudd’s health adviser quits

    It’s a case of every man/woman to save themselves or go down with the SS Kevin
     
    Neville Gillmore.
     
    Kevin Rudd health adviser quits

    • From: AAP
    • June 20, 2010 9:18AM
     
     

     Minister Kevin Rudd’s top mental health adviser has quit, accusing the government of a lack of vision and commitment to a problem that affects millions of Australians.

    National Advisory Council on Mental Health chairman John Mendoza tendered his resignation on Friday in a letter to Health Minister Nicola Roxon and council members.

    In the letter, obtained by Fairfax newspapers, he said he had regarded his appointment as the “most important public service responsibility of my life” and felt a “deep sense of disappointment” in quitting.

    “It is now abundantly clear that there is no vision or commitment from the Rudd government to mental health,” he wrote. “The Rudd government is publicly claiming credit for the increased investment in mental health when almost all of this is a consequence of the work of the Howard government.”

    Related Coverage

    Professor Mendoza’s resignation came as leaked figures revealed the expansion of the Better Access program, which provides rebates under Medicare for services such as general practitioner mental health plans and visits to psychologists.

    Most experts on the advisory council believe the program is sucking money from where it is needed _ on services for growing numbers of mentally unwell young people – and that it is shutting out men, the poor and rural Australians.

    Professor Mendoza described the program as “a mess” that should be overhauled into taxpayer-funded teams of psychologists and other professionals, such as mental health nurses and social workers.

    A spokesman for Ms Roxon thanked Professor Mendoza for his service and agreed that more needed to be done. “However, the minister rejects Mr Mendoza’s assertion that the government has no commitment to mental health.”

    AAP

  • Rudd told to sort mining tax or face axe

     

    Related Coverage

    The warning came as Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner yesterday launched another broadside at the mining industry, describing it as being led by “the billionaire liberation front”.

    The remarks – coupled with Mr Rudd’s direct warning last week to industry leaders that Labor had “long memories” – show the Government has little intention of backing down.

    “Do not be misled by the distorted advertising campaign, and do not be misled about projects that will be abandoned when they were fictitious from the start,” Mr Tanner said.

    “This is about Australia’s long-term sustainable growth. It is about ensuring that the prosperity that flows from our natural wealth that is in the ground can be distributed for the benefit of all Australians, across all sectors of the economy, all regions and all participants in our society.”

    At a Labor conference in Melbourne, Mr Tanner also played up the Government’s policy credentials, highlighting the dumping of WorkChoices.

    Mr Richardson also noted Mr Rudd’s policy credentials. He applauded the PM for sticking to his commitment to introduce a parental leave policy last week, but questioned whether it was enough to help at the polls.

    The comments pre-empt tomorrow’s Newspoll, which has been flagged by some Labor MPs as a critical factor as to whether Mr Rudd should remain as leader. Some insiders believe a significant slide could act as a trigger for a leadership spill.

    Despite the disastrous turn, installing Julia Gillard wouldn’t necessary change the party’s fortunes, Mr Richardson said.

    “It certainly wouldn’t be worse,” he said. “In 2007, (Rudd) was the best campaigner I ever saw, but something happened to that bloke and they are all trying to find him again.

    “If they do, then there’s a chance of getting up, but lately that hasn’t been happening.”

    Mr Rudd was also saved by the fact a coup was also logistically difficult to organise once parliament rose.

    Although many MPs are calling for Ms Gillard to be installed, while the Deputy Leader herself still had faith Mr Rudd could change Labor’s fortunes, Mr Richardson said she was unlikely to put her hand up for the job.

    “She’s being loyal,” he said.

    25 comments on this story

  • Penrith result highlights Labor’s struggle

     

    “It probably means that federally there is no way the Labor Party is going to hang off until the new year for an election,” he said.

    “Kevin Rudd wouldn’t want to face the polls anywhere near when NSW goes to the election.”

    NSW Premier Kristina Keneally says she is disappointed but not surprised by her party’s record defeat.

    But Ms Keneally does not think the Penrith result will be replicated when the whole state goes to the polls in March.

    “By-elections are very different creatures to general elections. By-elections are always fought within a specific context on a specific set of circumstances,” she said.

    She has blamed anger at the former Labor member for Penrith, Karyn Paluzzano, for the party’s poor result.

    “In this case the former member did not act with that integrity that the electorate expects and when I was out in the electorate I heard that over and over again,” she said.

    “People were disappointed that the former member had acted without that integrity that is expected by elected representatives.”

     

    Greens vote

     

    The Greens more than doubled their vote in the by-election.

    Greens candidate Suzie Wright received 12.6 per cent of the primary vote.

    At the 2007 state election the Greens only got 5.5 per cent of the vote in Penrith.

    Mr Green says the Labor Party should be concerned.

    “Labor has even finished behind the Greens in a couple of booths in Penrith which indicates that at the general election it is not only the Coalition that Labor has to worry about,” he said.

    “In some seats Labor is really going to struggle to stay ahead of the Greens and defeat the Greens in seats like Marrickville and Balmain.”

    Greens MP Lee Rhiannon says the Greens are hoping for a Lower House breakthrough in the federal election.

    “Our numbers people assess that Balmain is the seat where we have the best chance, with Marrickville not far behind,” she said.

    “But we’re aware that it’s very tough coming forward and being able to win a lower house seat in an election where there’s no proportional representation, so we’ll give it everything we’ve got.”

    Meawhile, Ms Wright is angry a non-Greens pamphlet was handed out at polling booths yesterday telling people to vote for her first, then Labor second.

    The material was authorised by a Labor councillor who also authorised the ALP’s how-to-vote cards.

    Ms Wright says Labor did not ask for permission to use her name on the pamphlet and she is writing to the Electoral Commission about to matter.

    “I would have liked to be consulted because I think it is a Green grab. They are trying to get the Greens preferences without actually talking about it to anybody,” she said.

     

    Hero’s welcome

     

    Stuart Ayres, 29, was given a hero’s welcome at a victory party last night after he was voted in.

    He says it is a privilege to be chosen to represent the people of Penrith.

    “I will make sure that I will dedicate every waking moment to making sure Penrith gets everything it deserves and making sure it stays on the map for the right reasons,” he said.

    “For someone who loves this city so much to be able to represent it in parliament is a huge privilege and I thank the people of Penrith for giving me that.”

    Labor’s candidate John Thain says he will run again at the March general election.

    “I always knew that it would be difficult but I am determined that I am still going to serve the people of Penrith and I’m ready to have another crack in 10 months,” he said.

    NSW Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell told Liberal supporters in Penrith it is the first time the party has won a western Sydney seat in two decades.

    “So what we have seen tonight is Penrith and the lower Blue Mountains change itself,” he said.

    “Vote for politics that is about honesty and integrity, vote for politics that’s about focussing on the issues and getting results. Vote for new politics, not the old politics of Labor.”

    Tags: government-and-politics, elections, federal-state-issues, states-and-territories, australia, nsw, penrith-2750