It would appear that some lobbying is well-underway for former mayor Kevin Byrne to be appointed as the new CEO of Advance Cairns, an organisation that he formed whilst mayor of Cairns.
It's expected the role comes with a significant salary package.
Letters have now appeared in the Cairns Post giving support to Mr Byrne running the "non-profit" group. Mayor-elect Val Schier has made it clear that a review of the organisation's return on investment will be undertaken by Cairns Regional Council.
The former Cairns City Council funded Advance Cairns to the tune of $250,000 pa, along with a contribution from the Cairns Port Authority.
Additionally, James Cook University, CEC Group, and Ergon Energy throw in $20,000 each.
The following are also financial donors to Advance Cairns: HS Vision Group, GHD Pty Ltd, Telstra Country Wide, Williams Graham & Carman, Tong Sing, The Omega Group, CaPTA Group , Suncorp Group, Shangri-La Hotel, Savills real estate, Sofitel Reef Hotel Casino, Quicksilver Group, Piccones family, Pacific Toyota, MacDonnells Law, and BDO accounting.
Advance Cairns has just updated their website, and it appears that they have removed all references to China, something that was very prominent in the past.
CairnsBlog has been very critical of the amount of attention that this Council-funded body had in China. The former Mayor went on at least 8 trips to China to lead a "trade delegation". Numerous requests for information about outcomes were never answered.
I had never advocated that investing in China, as an emerging market, was contrary to what we should be doing. I merely questioned what ratepayers were seeing in return for such a large annual financial investment. Any shareholder should be asking such questions of their local Council.
Of course local government needs to play a key role in facilitating and stimulating economic growth. They have to guide, assist and lead new and any emerging business to our region.
However, I think it's a fair a reasonable question to ask in the months leading up to the local election. We've contributed around $2m+ to this body, and it would be good to know what we have achieved by this investment.
Whilst I have no doubt that Kevin Byrne would be a formidable candidate for the role, and his relationships with China would be held in good stead, I think we are at a time when we need to question and review the effectiveness of Advance Cairns before we invest one more cent.
I have heard that our new Chinese friendship garden is growing a treat, somewhere in the South of China.
Monday, March 31, 2008
China off the planet
Not really naked bike ride
Queensland Pride reports that nudity was conspicuous by its absence for the World Naked Bike Ride at Wynnum recently.
They said this was due to the police presence. The event is held in cities all over the world to “protest against oil dependency and environmental abuse, and to promote social acceptance of naturism and sustainable living”.
The ride in Brisbane, attracted six police cars two hours before the event at Glenora Park on the Wynnum North Esplanade. Police told the naturists that public nudity would not be tolerated.
A female rider attempted to cycle topless. “Put your bra back on!” screamed a voice from a police van.
Organiser Dario Western believed “family groups” had made complaints about the bike ride to attract the police. "It's unlikely future nude rides would be promoted in advance," he said.
Muslims up, Catholics down
Today we learn that Muslims now outnumber Roman Catholics for first time in our history.
The Vatican's 2008 yearbook says Muslims made up 19.2% of the world's population and Catholics 17.4%
As a lapsed Catholic myself, I have contributed to this downward decline.
"For the first time in history we are no longer at the top - the Muslims have overtaken us," Monsignor Formenti says in L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican's newspaper.
However, as a good spin doctor, he says that if all Christian groups were considered, including Orthodox churches, Anglicans and Protestants, then Christians make up 33%, about two billion people.
There are around 1.13 billion Catholics, and it's estimated that there's 1.3 billion Muslims.
It was said that Catholics as a proportion of the world's population is stable, and the percentage of Muslims is growing because of higher birth rates.
Council morning meetings
The new Cairns Regional Council will now hold its meetings in the morning.
Access to Council officers and staff is one of the reasons cited for the daytime meetings. The previous Council held it's various meetings and sub-committees in the evening.
Daytime meetings will also free up Councillors to attend community events and residents' association meetings.
The first full 'ordinary' meeting of the new Cairns Regional Council will be held this Thursday at 10am. This will include the swearing-in ceremony for new Councillors and the Mayor. It would be advisable to arrive by 9.45am.
VIEW Council meeting Agenda - Thursday 3rd April
What I want from the new Council
Residents speak out about what they want the new Cairns Regional Council to address....
"Kids have little to do. Besides the new Skate park, there's simply not enough here for them to do. There needs to be activities and things organised for them to do.
- Toni, Cafe Soul Organics, Smithfield
"I'd like to see a lot more done for women, young women. These are very important issues. Things that are life-threatening, like sexual abuse and teenage pregnancy.
- Gail, Cairns
"This new Council should sort out a legal nude beach. For years and years it's being ignored by the Council and the State Government. Bowen have finally done it. It's time Cairns sorts this out too.
- Bob, Kewarra Beach
"Business needs support. The last attempt about the Smithfield town centre was crazy. Council needs to provide good infrastructure and assistance to keep business alive.
- Luke, Cafe Soul Organics, Smithfield
"I want to see improved health facilities. The hospital is in need of more staff. They are stretched. We need more mid-wifes and a better hospital service in the region.
I'm also concerned about the destruction of the environment. The rainforest is being ruined. Look at Redlynch and Clifton Beach."
- Jenna, Redlynch Valley
"City parking is awful. There's hardly any place for local workers to park in and around the city.
I work in Grafton Street and there's no where close to park. It needs to be dealt with.
I voted for Kirsten Lesina, and I think she'll be great.
- Anthony, South Cairns
"I moved here from Townsville recently, and Cairns is starting to look like just another tourist town.
I can see why they say we don't want another Gold Coast up here. When I heard Val Schier say she didn't want that, she got my vote."
- Janelle, Holloways Beach
Nothing can be done: Pitt
At a meeting on Friday with Save False Cape activist Terry Spackman, Local Government Minister Warren Pitt said that, although he doesn't like it, "the owner has a legal right to develop it, so nothing can be done about it."
John Ewens of Starline Australia Holdings, has been developing the kilometer long site under Reef Cove Resorts for the last 2 years, amid huge scrutiny and difficulties. There have been a number of serious worker injuries and one death from large falling boarders.
Terry Spackman also asked the Minister who would pay for the clean-up of the site, now in obvious ruin from substantial sediment run-off on the abandoned site. This would be if the the developer John Ewens, and financial backer MFS went broke.
"If it is a threat to Trinity Inlet, then the State Government would intervene," Minister Warren Pitt said.
CEC, who was contracted to undertake excavation and construction on the site, is still hopeful for work to recommence. However, they are awaiting payment in excess of $1 million in outstanding dues for work carried out since December.
Meanwhile, former Liberal leader Andrew Peacock has quit as company chairman of MFS, in light of the financial turmoil of the group backing the project. He will step down in May. On Friday, shareholders were angry as they have seen a high of $6.85 last May to 99 cents when trade was suspended in January.
They have consistency blamed their state in a "downturn in global financial markets and the short-selling of MFS shares."
Legal funder IMF will fund a shareholder class action against MFS over the company's disclosures to the stock market in the lead up to its suspension from the ASX.
At least $750 million of investment money is tied up in MFS' Premium Income Fund. It is frozen due to the company's financial situation. Most is from everyday small family investors. New board director Chris Scott, said the MFS debacle had "buggered his life".
The meeting however did achieve something positive. They changed their name. Octaviar, as it will be now known, was the sister of Roman emperor Augustus and wife of Marc Anthony, who died in 11 b.c.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Schier wants openess and accessibility
Sunday's State Focus presenter Mike Frame believed that the public have put confidence in the new Mayor of Cairns Regional Council and that was a factor in the change for the Cairns region."You stand on the platform of transparency. It's something that a lot of governments around Australia could well take head of," presenter Mike Frame said.
"Openness is really, really important," Val Schier said.
"People want to know who's in on the decisions, and how they're made."
"My platform is one of involving people, in many different ways, and then being able to take their points of view into consideration when we make decisions, and letting them know those decisions in an open and transparent way. There won't be decisions behind closed doors," Schier told State Focus.
"One of the main reasons why people voted for me is because I am approachable. I like to think that I'm a good listener."
"People wanted to talk about my hair [rather] than about my polices. That's been a bit disappointing in some ways. I think people are questioning me already around a whole range of things I said I'd be able to do."
"I gotta tell you Val, your hair looks terrific!" Mike Frame said. "A lot of people made the same comments about Julia Gillard and she's one of Australia's leading ladies, and it looks like you're going to be one of the leading ladies in the far north."
"We have seven new people in there [Council] with inexperience in local government. We've got some older wise heads that we'll be taking some wise counsel from, and also people of different sides of the political spectrum," Schier says.
"The biggest challenge initially is to get that Council to work, to create good relationships and make sure that we're all heading in the same direction which is that we want the Cairns region to be looked after really, really well and guided in the way the majority of people want," Val Schier said.
"This is part of that new approach of being accessible and being able to connect with people. Local government is the level of government closest to the people, and we have to be available and responsive.
AUDIO Listen: Val Schier - State Focus
Beaches community forums called for
Sno can be forced into quitting if the blow torch is applied. He wont be able to rely on his duplicity as he wont be given the opportunity to hide behind Val and pass blame onto her as he readily did with Kevin Byrne.
I have it on good authority that he trembled with fear of defeat as early figures rolled in. We all know that his fragile ego would not sustain a determined effort to unseat him and he very well may throw in the towel.
To this end what is needed are two Community residents forums. One established for Kewarra/Trinity and the other for Smithfield/Lake Placid. There are numerous issues that need attention and above all we must keep him honest and accountable.
First hand experience shows that Sno preforms poorly at public meetings and much prefers one on one dialogue where his agility has allowed him to prevail.
I would welcome comments and input on the above suggestions.
Something free from Council
One of the last gracious acts of former Mayor Kevin Byrne, was to provide residents with a free call 1800 number.
The number is 1800 070 444
Customer service and cashiers will be able to provide first line contact with the community via the new number. Mobiles can also call this number.
The Mossman office will remain a key centre for the former Douglas Shire residents and will offer a full range of services.
Byrne said earlier in the month that the 1800 number had been established to enable people in the farthermost corners of the new Regional Council area to call the Cairns administration centre without incurring toll charges.
Both Douglas Shire and the former Cairns Council’s unexpended budgets will be analysed and consolidated during April. Financial statements will be prepared and presented to the new Council in May. It is expected that Councillors' workshops for the 2008-09 Budget will be held during April and May and interim annual reports would be prepared by September.
Byrne said that the merger process had presented significant challenges for the transition committee and staff.
“However, the sky will not fall in when both offices re-open for business [under the new Council]despite what some doomsayers may have predicted,” said Kevin Byrne said.
Byrne said that as chair of the transition committee he was proud of the efforts they had put in to ensuring the continuation of service delivery occurs right throughout the new Council area.
“I have nothing but admiration for the way staff from both councils have gone about the job behind the scenes. What they have achieved is highly commendable,” Byrne said last month.
“Soon the people of Douglas can put the dark days behind them and start to enjoy the same high levels of good governance the people of greater Cairns have enjoyed for eight years,” he said.
FNQ 2025 - A disgruntled preview
The FNQ 2025 Regional Plan discusses accommodating growth, to containing urban development to protect rainforests, hill slopes, farmlands, coastline and waterways. Alternative forms of transport and restricting urban and infrastructure development on the coast due to impacts of sea level rise are also included. Respondants in the first stage of the consultation wanted to avoid urban sprawl to increase densities in some locations.
It's an important over-arching document.
CairnsBlog contributing writer, Syd Walker believes there are some serious flaws for the sustainability of the draft FNQ 2025 plan. You will soon be able to comment on Stage 3.
Sometime very soon, a draft FNQ 2025 will be released, setting the direction for land use planning in this region for the next few decades.
The draft will be open to public comment, but from the outset the inside word has been to expect few changes to the draft in the final version.
This plan, in other words, if our State political masters and mistresses have their way, is almost done. After the great unwashed get to look at it, there may be minor tinkering around the edges – but nothing fundamental.
Not only is the fate of FNQ being determined, behind closed doors, at this moment. The State Government’s explicit intention is to make the plan statutory. In other words, if we ever want to change FNQ 2025, we must talk to the State Government about changing the law (although statutory reviews are likely).
One might think this is exciting widespread interest throughout the region, but until now, there has been little public focus on FNQ 2025. There hasn’t been much to get teeth into. Just a plethora of opportunities to be consulted - to what effect heaven only knows.
Before Christmas, I spoke to one of the planners by telephone. They were all very busy, but she was good enough to take a few moments off to answer my questions. I kept them brief.
First, I wanted to know about population growth scenarios. What scenarios were being used?
Second, I wanted to know about greenhouse emission targets. What targets were being employed?
The answer to the first question seemed to be: one - just under 2%. In other words, the planners are using only one population growth scenario.
The answer to the second question seemed to be: no and none. In other words, the planners have not been told to devise their proposals to achieve any given greenhouse emission target.
By now you may have sensed that I am a critic of what appears to be going on behind closed doors where planners are currently beavering away deciding our future.
I believe the applicable formula is something like this:
Unrealistic Assumptions IN = Silly Plans that Will Need Changing Soon OUT
I won’t comment here on the agenda that I fear may be driving FNQ 2025. I’ll wait till I can read the document and look at some of the small print.
My goal in this article is merely to highlight what I regard as obvious follies.
I’ll assume that nothing has changed in these basic FNQ 2025 guidelines since December.
First, a plan that is based on one, population growth scenario alone, is not a real world plan. It is not a plan devised so it can be easily adjusted to actual circumstances over time. It’s more like a plan that attempts to achieve (or exceed?) a predetermined population growth level, come what may. In other words, the current government apparently has no plan for the region’s prosperity that does not entail ongoing population growth. That’s a worry. What if tourism collapses, for example? How can such inflexible planning safeguard our best interests given all the unknowns of the future?
Second, a long term plan that will become ‘final’ in 2008/9, which fails to embrace a greenhouse emissions target, will need to be re-done rather soon. The idea that there will be no target is highly unrealistic. Australia is now a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol.
What weight, for example, can be attached to FNQ 2025’s proposals for long-term transport infrastructure if they don’t take greenhouse emission targets into account? None, I trust. But such a policy conflict will give rise to precisely what the plan is trying to avoid: planning uncertainty.
Now I will be really gloomy and give another reason why I believe the new plan may need to be scrapped within five to ten years.
The latest IPCC report did the world a great disservice in understating the likely problem we face with sea-level rise. Evidence is starting to come in fast that this may be a much more immediate and serious problem than the IPCC’s 4th Assessment report (2007) suggested when it marginally downgraded the Third Assessment Report’s estimate of end of century sea level rise, offering a figure of approximately half a metre for policy makers anxious to read the Exec Summary only.
When IPCC 4 was being finalized, scientific disagreement over the timing and extent of ice-cap and glacial melt as a factor in sea level rise was so great that the contribution to potential sea level rise of this crucial factor was simply left out of the estimate. Yet to leave out the biggest part of a calculation because that part of the answer isn’t clear is highly misleading.
Several millions of years ago, before the Pleistocene Epoch, the world was hotter than today by an average of some 2 or 3 degrees. At that time, sea level was higher by approximately 25 metres. Moreover, there is evidence of quite rapid sea level rises in the geological past - in the order of metres per decade.
We should take the prospect of substantial sea level rise within coming decades much more seriously.
For an informed, and very alarming discussion of these topics, I recommend Scientific reticence and sea level rise by J E Hansen of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
I hope worst case scenarios on glacial melt do not materialise. If not, before too long it’ll become clear that Cairns must effectively be abandoned, along with any more suburbs built between now and then within metres of current sea level.
Given uncertainty about sea level rise, unless we put coastal suburbs on floats, I believe the only sensible place for new development in this region is on the tablelands. That’s where we can be much more confident of long-term benefit.
A modern rail line, for instance, between the Tablelands and coast, is smart infrastructure to put in now. Under most conceivable scenarios it will be useful in the future.
But I fear the penny hasn’t dropped about sustainability and the global environmental crisis in Queensland’s portals of power, not yet, at any rate.
Don’t expect state of the art solutions to a low emissions future in FNQ 2025. If the draft of FNQ 2025 does aim for urban growth on the tablelands, it may mean, God forbid, that Myola is still within its intended ‘urban footprint’. (That would really raise the temperature around here!)
Expect instead plenty of new settlements designated for the Cairns coastal plain, a little more concentrated than before, but effectively new extensions to the sprawling mini-city of Cairns.
They are settlements that, if built, may eventually become interesting habitat for puzzled fish.
A skimpy weather report
Was it a weather report or simply an excuse for a Bikini girl gallery promotion? Good on ya Cairns Post!
Confusion for Tablelands Council merge
Blake reassures public
This follows some commentators that have said people are 'terrified about the next four years' under the new Council.
Alan Blake, on John McKenzie's radio show has said things will go on, and there's no need for alarm.
He reports that some businesses have threatened to take their business elsewhere if it becomes to hard to deal with the new Council. Blake says there should be no reason for such action.
"It's true that my phone has been running hot since the election," he says.
The reported panic amongst some after Cairns 1st pursued a more open and accountable approach to development and town planning throughout their campaign.
"There won't be a lot of change. The city is strong. We have a strong growth rate," says Alan Blake. "We have five councillors that have eight or more years experience," he told John McKenzie.
"If we have a mayor who is anti-development, the mayor chairs the planning committee. However we have a full council that votes on this," he says.
"We have tightened up hill-slope development," says Alan Blake. "There is very little room to move. If there was a builder or a developer, that didn't agree with [a decision], they would take to to the planning and environment court and they get a decision.
Blake says that there's a strong management team in Council to help with the transition.
"The CEO's job, if it was to change, has to come before Council," Alan Blake said in relation to the possibility of a change.
AUDIO: Listen to Alan Blake on 846 AM
Public allowed to speak at Council meetings
Incoming Mayor Val Schier, chaired the meeting, with assistance from Acting CEO, Noel Briggs.
The election of Deputy Mayor was discussed and it is likely that long-term Councillor Margaret Cochrane will be appointed at next week's meeting.
The appointment of Standing Committees and membership of each Committee was also discussed, along with the representatives on Boards of the Cairns Regional Gallery and Advance Cairns.
The Councillors’ Code of Conduct was on the agenda and how the new councillors should interact with Council staff.
Two things dear to the new Mayor's heart, is the public access of Council information and the ability for ratepayers to speak at Council meetings. Her Cairns 1st team campaigned for a more open and accountable style of local government and she was keen to set the scene from the first meeting.
There was objections from existing Councillors about allowing the public to speak at full Council meetings.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
76 minutes you won't regret
Luciano Pavarotti, Syd Barrett and Patrick Swayze all were diagnosed with it.
Thanks to David at KiwiBlog, he told me about a story in the NZ Herald today about an inspirational speech by Carnegie Mellon University Professor Randy Pausch. He spoke as part of a “last lecture” series where lecturers are meant to pretend they are near death and want to sum up the most important lessons for their students.
Pausch, who is in his late 40s, didn’t have to pretend, as he has terminal pancreatic cancer, with between two and five months to live.
Here's his lecture (below), which is 76 minutes long, but it will be one of the better ways you can spend an hour or so this weekend. Here's his speech in text form and the powerpoint slides, if you can't access the video. More than six million people have watched it to date.
He makes you focus on what really is important in our lives. I doubt anyone cannot be touched by the speech.
Pausch says he's most proud of project Alice, and his Time Management lecture, which he first gave 10 years ago, and repeated in November. Here's the rest of Randy's lectures.
Here's his book The Last Lecture, that is due out in a couple of weeks. You can listen to his intro.
Here's the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network TV advert featuring Randy Pausch.
Here's a few words from Randy last Wednesday...
- "The last few weeks have been tough; I've been in bed most of each day, having to ration my energy, which is very unnatural for me. Total exhaustion is very frustrating. However, I am starting to, very slowly, gain more energy each day.
Tuesday's trip to the cardiologist yielded great news: my echocardiogram showed that my heart function is definitely returning: my "ejection fraction" (measure of blood ejection by the heart) was at its low point 25%; it's now up to at least 45%, and "normal" is 55 to 70% . Also, my cardiologist says a lot of the fatigue may be caused by one of my blood pressure medications (coreg), and next week they will probably swap that out for another drug, now that I'm doing better.
On the kidney front, my nephrologist is extremely encouraged - for those of you scoring the game at home, my creatanine level (peaked at 3.9) is now down to 3.1, and he says that's a very strong indicator my kidney function is going to return.
The only bad news is that the tumors have apparently decided they've been chivalrous enough; my CA19-9 went up from 103 to 170; while not definitive, it's a strong indicator that they are on the move. So I need to hurry up and get healthy enough for our next round of treatment."
More about pesticides in the Barron River
Syd Walker continues his tale about the H2O in the Barron River...
Following the howls of anonymous outrage that followed my earlier article on CairnsBlog, I was lucky to have a chance to speak with someone who actually knows what he’s talking about.
Yesterday I had a phone conversation with Dr Jon Brodie, a water quality scientist based at James Cook University in Cairns. In what follows, I have tried to combine his information with my own commentary. Any errors in interpretation are my responsibility.
A knowledgeable man, Brodie has experience testing numerous rivers and coastal marine areas in Queensland. He has a grasp of what information on this topic is - and isn’t - available in FNQ.
Brodie was not effusive, but he was not reticent either. He was willing to answer questions and to mention relevant work undertaken by others.
I asked him quite specific questions about pesticide levels, possible conseqences, tecniques for removing pesticides from drinking water, water quality guidelines and new work in the offing.
It appears there isn’t any data about pesticide concentrations in the Barron River – not in the public domain, at any rate.
Brodie believes the Barron is likely to contain traces of a wide range of pesticides, reflecting the diversity of cropping and other land uses in the catchment.
Organochlorines were banned in 1987. The newer generation of pesticides tend to be more short-lived, with half-lives in the order of one year. Some breakdown products, however, are also be toxic and have their own breakdown pathways. The combined effects of different chemicals in this complex brew are another unknown.
Unless the water supplies for Kuranda and Mareeba have an advanced filtering system (Brodie mentioned activated charcoal filter as a solution), the pesticide content of the river is unlikely to be filtered out of municipal water supplies.
Communities which draw a water supply from the Barron, such as residents of Kuranda and Mareeba, may therefore wish to consider their own home filtering arrangements.
Also, if Val Shier and the new Cairns Regional Council are keen to use the Barron for drinking water in Cairns, an advanced filtering system will be needed to ensure the supply in not contaminated with pesticides.
Under national Australian Water Guidelines, any trace of pesticide in drinking water is regarded as unacceptable. If discovered, it triggers (or should trigger) action to discover the source and remedy the problem.
In practice, at least in Queensland, that doesn’t appear to happen. Of course, by conducting few if any tests for pesticides, no breaches of the AWG are detected, so no follow up action is required. Convenient!
Brodie has experience testing numerous rivers up and coastal marine areas in Queensland. The pesticides detected tend to be consistent for similar industries, irrespective of the catchment.
For instance, sugar cane farming is typically associated with atrazine, diuron, hexazinome and ametryn; plantation forestry with simazine; grazing lands with tevuthiuron. There are many more different chemicals used with smaller agricultural industries such as potatoes, bananas and the numerous commercial varieties of tropical fruits.
Brodie is less concerned than I have been about biological concentration in fish in the middle Barron River. He thought modern pesticides would be unlikely to bioaccumulate in river animals.
But he couldn’t be sure – or rule out the possibility that heavy metals in the river that might accumulate in fish. He thought significant heavy metal contamination of the Barron is unlikely, but no evidence = no certainty. On the other hand, he expressed rather more concern than I expected about the possibility that the water supply for Kuranda and Mareeba is unsafe. But he made it clear that no-one really knows. With regard to pesticide content, there’s no data.
Apparently a series of Water Quality Improvement Plans (WQIP) are being rolled out for catchments around Australia.
The study for the now-amalgamated Douglas Shire was done first in FNQ and a WQIP published in December 2006. But that study didn’t look at pesticides and only the most cursory references to pesticides can be found in the final report. A WQIP for Tully in is progress.
Brodie told me that the local not-for-profit ‘natural resource management’ organization Terrain has obtained the contract to do a WQIP for the Barron River.
However, apparently Terrain didn’t get much money to do this study and intends to do a desktop plan, using only existing data. No new testing, in other words. It will, however, identify 'information gaps'.
Which brings us back to the beginning: There is no publicly available data on pesticide concentrations in the Barron River. (We know that already).
Without new testing, pesticides could effectively remain off the agenda, even in the Barron’s yet to be prepared Water Quality Improvement Plan.
Catch 22.
After talking with Dr Brodie, I made a couple of web investigations of my own.
I wondered about the local Catchment Management Association and its efforts to clean up the river.
On its website, the Barron River Catchment Management Association refers to targets for sediment, phosphorous and nitrogen, but makes no mention of targets for pesticide reduction.
It is as though there is a conspiracy of wilful ignorance about the extent of pesticide pollution in the Barron River.
(Almost) no one wants to know. No one with power and resources wants to think about it. Don’t spoil the party – we’re all pretending to protect the river and it’s vital we don’t offend the farmers!
Heck, farmers can even apply via Terrain for a $5,000 grant towards the purchase or modification of shielded spray units for Diuron and Atrazine!
Close eyes and hope for the best.
One final thing. I looked up the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. Chapter 10.6 is the Guide to monitoring and sampling frequency. I read with interest that testing for pesticides in ‘raw water’ (storage, stream or bore) should be “one sample per month should those pesticides previously detected water, or where their likely use they might be detected.”
Can someone - anyone - in Government, whether local, State or Federal, please explain how that standard is met for the Barron? If not, can we please make it happen - fast!
Water quality is not a joke and it should not be insider information. Public health is at stake.
The community deserves some real answers and action, as appropriate, based on publicly-available and adequate data.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Candidates declared
Ken Gorton, the Returning Officer for the Cairns Regional Council election, has declared this afternoon, the Notice of Election results. They are posted on the ECQ website and the successful candidates are:-
Mayor : Val Schier (Cairns 1st)
Div 1 : Paul Gregory (IND)
Div 2 : Nancy Lanskey (IND)
Div 3 : Robert Pyne (IND)
Div 4 : Kirsten Lesina (Cairns 1st)
Div 5 : Alan Blake (IND)
Div 6 : Linda Cooper (Cairns Unity)
Div 7 : Diane Forsyth (Cairns 1st)
Div 8 : Margaret Cochrane (IND)
Div 9 : Sno Bonneau (IND)
Div 10 : Julia Leu (IND)
A formal Declaration of the Poll will be held at 11am on Monday 31st March at the foyer of the Cairns Regional Council offices.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Local 2020 summit
Member for Leichhardt Jim Turnour is inviting far northern families, business owners, young people and senior citizens to participate in local 2020 summit, ahead of the Australia 2020 summit in Canberra later in April.
On 5th April 2008, Jim will host a local summit to ensure the best local ideas are collected and included in national process. He wants to encourage people from all walks of life to have a direct say in the Australia of the future.
Please register you name by telephoning Jim’s office on 4051 2220.
If you missed Jim's maiden speech a couple of weeks ago, here it is, on his sister's blog...
“Political leaders and governments impact the daily lives of the citizens they represent. The good ones provide leadership and vision that can inspire great endeavour and achievement and that can heal historical pain and suffering.
Through legislation, they shape the foundations of the country and the society they envision. So the decisions we make in this parliament can improve the lives of every Australian, whether they know it or not. And I can think of no more important or rewarding work than to be part of a government ready to provide that leadership, to be part of a government ready to shape the foundations for a fairer and more prosperous society that ensures that every Australian—no matter their economic, social or cultural background—has the opportunity to participate fully and reach their potential.
This is the Labor ideal, and I am proud to be part of a Labor government. I therefore come to this parliament recognising the power that we as a government possess and determined not to waste the opportunity that I have been given to help shape a fairer and more prosperous Australia.
FULL SPEECH
Has King lost his marbles?
Gavin King, currently Chief-of-Staff of the Cairns Post, is like an annoying boy who exhibits crass behaviour as a badge of pride. King reminds me of the kind of maladjusted youth who, shown an unusual flower, spits at it to demonstrate his manliness.
Taking him on is probably unwise and I have avoided it until now. But enough is enough. King pushed beyond my limit last Saturday.
In his hit-piece on Val Schier’s first week, King made some reasonable points. But he doesn’t know when to quit while ahead - and mixed fair comment with ignorant nonsense.
In the process, he revealed, yet again, more about his own prejudices than the subject matter.
Take this: "In these environmentally enlightened times, our pockets of rainforest will never be bulldozed..."
Is that so, Gavin? I haven't done a region-wide survey, but why don’t you visit the Kuranda area and take a look for yourself? You are mistaken. You exaggerate the ‘Enlightenment’ and are apparently oblivious to what’s happening, nearby.
King continues: “...but Val’s crowd still bang on about ‘sustainable development’ and ‘innovative tropical style?. What on earth does that mean? Unit blocks of mini-Queenslanders on stilts? Energy efficient light bulbs? No air-con??
That is like saying that because you don’t understand Algebra, it must be ‘crap’.
It’s true that sustainable development is a concept that at present seems more like a quest than a destination. It’s true there are perilously few practical examples beyond the small-scale. It’s true there’s ongoing debate about the most appropriate definition of sustainable development and the best ways to operationalise the concept.
But does that mean it’s OK to sneer at anyone who uses the term? Apparently so, if you have a leadership position at the Cairns Post.
Val Schier, and her new Council, may not have a magic bullet that will deliver sustainability in region, in our times. But at least Mayor Schier is interested in the idea and engaged in the process of trying to understand and deliver it. That’s significant progress for Cairns.
As for ‘innovative tropical design’, I cannot understand why any normal person would find the idea objectionable.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Pyne delivers on first promise
The new Division 3 Councillor, Robert Pyne has delivered on his first election promise.
During the campaign, Robert had to enlist the help of every volunteer he could find.
He asked for the help of his 10 year old daughter, Katie.
"If you help me during the campaign, I'll get you whatever you want," Robert said.
Following his successful election, Katie asked for her wish to come true, and yesterday Robert delivered.
Katie took her dad shopping for a puppy to join the family.
Fairy, Fury, Flip, and Fleur were an abandoned family without a home at YAPs. in need of a loving home.
YAPs, situated at Smithfield, is an animal refuge to rescue dogs and cats around the region. They also have boarding kennels available. YAPs re-home abandoned, abused and unwanted animals.
Now, three month old Fleur, a Kelpie Cross, is the latest resident in Division 3.
"I'm a great supporter of the work YAPs do in the community. From a public policy point of view, it is extremely important to support the work that they undertake," says Robert Pyne.
Along with Katie, the Pyne's resident dog, three year old Duchess, is also delighted with her new companion.
Personally if I was Katie, I would have asked for that awful multi-unit high-density high rise on Woree's old to caravan holiday park to be demolished. That would have been my election wish.
Cyclone Pancho a Cat 2
Cyclone Pancho on the West Australian coast is brewing up a storm.
Although it's still 1,200 kilometers off the coast from Exmouth, that is expected to half in the next two days.
You can follow the action here.
The world is flat
Average salary now $79,334
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
ANZAC Day @ Pine Gap
Cairns peace activist and 2004 Mayoral candidate, Bryan Law heads back to Pine Gap spy base in the Northern Territory over ANZAC weekend. He will again attempt to breach the perimeter high-security fence. He did this in 2005. Law, along with three others, known as the 'Pine Gap 4', were acquitted of charges under the Special Defence Undertakings Act 1952, last month.
He tells us why.
I’m going to Pine Gap next month, even though it’s difficult and expensive, and I’m going to do another long walk through the desert, even though it’s difficult and dangerous. The cause seems hopeless, but I remain optimistic.
I’d particularly like to praise Terry Spackman, who turns 70 in the week after ANZAC Day, and whose heart and courage is as big as the sky. Terry continues to be a prime force behind the exposure of False Cape, and he hardly ever gets the recognition he’s due for all his good works in Cairns.
Here's a photo of Terry taken outside Pine Gap, with Edward Cranswick, during our trial in June 2007. They’ve just been released by Commonwealth Police, without charge, for climbing the fence into the alleged prohibited area.
This is an invitation to all Christian and Gandhian nonviolence activists who want to advance their knowledge and practice of nonviolent direct action in Australia together. Other faiths welcome!
ANZAC DAY - April 19 - May 3 Peace Gathering
For years I've dreamed about reclaiming ANZAC Day from the war glorifiers, by re-consecrating it as a day of peace in memory of all those who've died in war.
I've been able to do little bits in Cairns, sometimes with Stu and Michael Martin (no relations) and Margaret Pestorius. I've made some displays featuring testimony from original WW1 ANZACS from Gallipoli and France - to remind people the original ANZACS proclaimed the futility and horror of war. During WW1 Australia defeated two conscription referenda and dedicated itself to international peace.
I know from the little bit so far that lots and lots of people engage with ANZAC Day. It's a prime site for action. (Margaret tells me the memorialisation of the fallen came out of community movements and committees of folk around Australia in the 1920s and 30s who wished to remember their loved ones).
In 2008 war has changed, society has changed and ANZAC Day has become a day to promote and valorise nationalist military capacity rather than to embrace peace. It's time we changed that back.
PINE GAP NVDA
For the past two and a half years I've been involved with Christians Against ALL Terrorism, and the very successful nonviolent direct action (NVDA) we carried off by inspecting the "technical area" of Pine Gap in December 2005.
A key objective of that action was to demonstrate the powerful effect a well planned and executed small group intervention could produce in a national context, at a time when numbers in the peace movement were small and conditions were hard. Here's a reflection I wrote about my experiences in that action. Here's an article about it from Frank Brennan (a Jesuit priest and hero of mine) from Eureka Street this month.
It has always been my intention to follow up Pine Gap NVDA 1 with Pine Gap NVDA 2.
(Persistence produces results).
In consultation with the Pine Gap 4 I used the conclusion of our recent appeal to announce that a second Citizen's Inspection of Pine Gap Terror Base by Christians Against ALL Terrorism will occur at dawn on ANZAC Day, 25 April, 2008. This announcement has received considerable coverage and ongoing interest from media, both mainstream and independent, across Australia.
I've booked Campfire in the Heart, a retreat centre in a community of prayer and hospitality at Alice Springs, between 19 April and 3 may 2008 to act as a base from which to organise the next Act of interventionary NVDA.
If you want to explore nonviolent interventionary action, share insights, hone your skills, or celebrate the developing peace networks on earth, come to Campfire in the Heart this April for ANZAC Day. Participate in your way in a full range of available nonviolence activities and options (including solidarity actions for the Samuel Hill 4 who are on trial 24 April in Rockhampton for Talisman Sabre 07).
There's some possibility we'll do a vine and fig tree liturgy/action. A small group of loving activists committed to nonviolence can do anything!
We'll be seeking 4-6 people from among locals and visitors to make the dawn attempt on ANZAC Day - to penetrate the Technical Area of the Pine Gap Terror Base. I'll be one of them, and my Grandfather mate Terry Spackman will be another.
There will be solidarity actions around Australia and in New Zealand.
We are going to shine the ANZAC light on Pine Gap, and ask why we've abandoned our friends across the Tasman for a murderous Imperial master like the USA and its rampant militarism.
WHY?
There was a special moment during our trial in June 2007 when two dozen support crew gathered together with the defendents at Campfire in the Heart and we did an appreciation circle where supporters were affirmed for all the qualities they brought to our common task (we were a community of peace-makers). My wonderful wife and teacher Margaret Pestorius was being praised for her persistent and powerful organizing of music, liturgy and collective action.
Her response to this praise came as a statement "Every skill you want can be taught".
Convention Centre lures business
Ross Steele at the Cairns Convention Centre reports that a team from 20 local tourism businesses has just visited Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane.
He says the annual roadshow provides an opportunity to meet 250 clients and event organisers to discuss holdings their meetings in Cairns.
The International Confederation of Principals will hold their 2013 World Congress in Cairns.
These businesses were part of the roadshow:-
Cairns Convention Centre; Cairns International Hotel; CaPTA Group; Destination Cairns Marketing; Down Under Tours; Events NQ; Hilton Cairns; Kuranda Scenic Railway; Off-Site Connections; Pacific International Hotel; Shangri-La Hotel; Skyrail; Sofitel Reef Casino; Stageworks; Novotel Cairns Oasis; The Quicksilver Group; Tjapukai; and Wildlife Tropical North Queensland.
The exodus grows
David Farrar at KiwiBlog reports that New Zealand's February migration statistics show an acceleration in the rate at which people are leaving New Zealand.
- 7,406 people left NZ for good last month. That is a massive 1,850 people a week or 255 people a day. Yep everyday one of those 767-300s which fly out internationally was full of people not planning to return.
Net migration to Australia has increased dramatically in the last four years. In the year to Feb 2004 net migration to Australia was only 10,623. For the year to Feb 2008 it was 29,586. Net migration to Australia has tripled in four years.
What is also interesting is not only are more New Zealanders leaving, less are returning. In the Feb 2004 year 39,483 NZers left - this has increased by 17,500 to 56,932 in the current year.
But some NZers return. In Feb 2004 year 27,539 people returned. In the year to Feb 2008 only 22,849 returned. The net migration of NZers (those with NZ citizenship) has increased in four years from 11,944 to 34,093.
A letter from Paul
======================
From: Paul Freebody
Sent: Tuesday, 25 March 2008 5:37 PM
To: Sno Bonneau; Val Schier; Kirsten Lesina; Alan Blake; Margaret Cochrane; Julia Leu;
Cc: Briggs Noel; ~~Councillors
Subject: Good Luck Kirsten
Hi Everyone,
You would all probably know by now that it seems Kirsten Lesina got me by 8 votes give or take a vote on preferences!
Well done Kristen, you should be very proud of your effort to unseat an incumbent who run a very strong campaign.
It is a credit to you. I sincerely wish you all the best in the future and at an age of 21, I am sure you have a long political career in front of you.
Kirsten the offer still stands if I can ever be of help in matters regarding Division 4 than please pick up the phone and just call.
To save having to do another email to staff and Councilliors I take this opportunity to thank all of you for the experience of the past 8 years and the support and professionalism you have shown towards me in your positions.
It has been a great ride and I have learned a great deal and made some life time friends. I think my family is more disappointed then me as they worked very hard during the campaign.
The fact that I have a beautiful wife and 3 great boys allows me to move on and put this disappointment behind me.
I am sure your new division 4 Councillor will do a great job and I feel I hand over the reins in good condition. Kirsten go and get them and good luck with your future as you have had earn it!
I will say good bye and wish you all the best
Sincerely Yours
Paul
Cheers
Paul Freebody
General Manager (Freebody Group)
Mb: 0418 741 160
Cairns QLD 4870
Lesina and Lanskey in, Freebody and Martinuzzi out
In final results that will no doubt be questioned by a re-count, Kirsten Lesina now has a 14 vote lead ahead of sitting Councillor Paul Freebody in Division 4.
Nancy Lanskey, in the southern Division 2, has pulled ahead of Jeff Martinuzzi by 20 votes, after the final preferences were counted this afternoon.
Final votes still two days away
Monday, March 24, 2008
False Cape still in ruin
Prior to the Council elections, I was extremely concerned with the devastation from the abandoned works at the False Cape development site.
I was pleased to provide exclusive video footage of the environmental destruction on the site.
Late last week, Coates Hire removed the construction site office from the property.
Local Councillor Paul Gregory, who was returned unopposed at the Council election, has in the past attended the local Koombal ratepayers meetings, along with Council's town planner Peter Tabulo. He was very supportive of the False Cape development at the time. When questioned why the Council was giving the Esplanade away to the developer for the site access road, they were informed that they could change the name of the area given away to road reserve, or whatever else they liked, and therefore not give "esplanade" away.
Over the last three months, the wet season rainfall has caused havoc and the newly exposed roads and house sites have taken the full effect of the elements.
Boulders the size of houses are simply falling down the hillside, exposing more hill slopes to substantial sediment run-off. The sediment control traps are now totally ineffective. Although the previous Cairns City Council, under the guidance of town planner Peter Tabulo, said the site was being monitored, there has been no prevention action undertaken on the kilometer-long construction site.
Former Deputy Mayor Terry James was also vague if the $650,000 bond was held in trust with the National Australia Bank, after asked where the money was at the Sustainability Forum three weeks ago.
Natural Solutions were touted as the 'independent' erosion and sediment control officers who the Department of the Environment and Water Resources (formally DEH) have contracted to look at False Cape, however this is not known to be the case. There is concern that Natural Solutions are not an environmentally conscious organisation, as they have been in bed with the False Cape developer, John Ewens, since day one. Activists following the collapse of construction and the aftermath since the site was abandoned, would like to see a truly independent officer look at the site.
Natural Solutions are also part of the C&B Group. Former Deputy Mayor Terry James' brother, Peter James, who is the CEO of Conics (previously C&B). C&B are the planners responsible for the False Cape development.
Save False Cape activists will be meeting with Local Government Minister Warren Pitt, this Friday.
Fixing up this mess is going to be the first real test of the new Schier-led Cairns Regional Council. She has inherited a substantial and complicated problem, made all the more messy by a complicit previous administration that did not act with vigilance and with the environment uppermost in it's planning mind. The Council's allowance of wet season works has exacerbated the erosion and sediment run-off destruction.
Some have suggested that a post-grad student could do a great thesis on the failure of government and the environmental judicial system in regards to False Cape. Sadly, I think they're right.
Here's some photos that Terry Spackman has taken over the last few days. They show the entire site is now falling apart and is dangerously unstable.
CairnsBlog calendar
The CairnsBlog calendar, situated on the right hand sidebar of the Blog, is now updated.
I've loaded a raft of local events into the calendar system.
Included are the weekly children's storytimes at local libraries; AFL fixtures; regional markets; community meetings; Chamber of Commerce activities; theatre events at Coca, Rhonda, Little and Civic, CAFNEC, music events; activities on the Nard, and key Cairns Regional Council dates.
I aim to make this calendar as comprehensive as possible.
If you click on the event, coloured in red, the full details are displayed. You also have the option to click the 'more details' and add the event to your own calendar. You can then sync the CairnsBlog calendar with your Microsoft Outlook.
A featured full page view and printable version is here.
Just a note, you'll need Java installed to enjoy all the calendar features.
If you'd like your local event, community meeting, school fete, or 21st stripper's night added, just email me the details. If it's of general interest to the community, I'll gladly include it.
An open letter to Val
Fay Agee of Trinity Beach had a bad weekend. An Easter walk with her along the beach turned nasty. So she's written to the incoming Mayor for some help.
- Dear Val,
Firstly, congratulations on your recent election win and I hope you had a very happy Easter. I was disappointed that Janine didn’t make it.
I have just had the most terrifying Easter Sunday experience which has now become the proverbial “last straw”. When Janine was campaigning, she came across the same problem in Trinity Beach with the dog situation here.
Yesterday, I was walking my dog, Sam [on a leash, licensed and de-sexed] at Taylor’s Point and we were attacked by three large dogs.
One of these dogs looked like a Pit Bull and grabbed my dog by the throat and latched on - the other two were barking and biting in a ‘pack’ frenzy. All three dogs were not on leashes, not muzzled, as clearly the Pit Bull should have been and not restrained in any way whatsoever. The owners of the animals were calling them but in the meantime Sam and I were in the middle of the terrifying melee.
I kept hold of the leash because it had a metal choke chain and was actually preventing the Pit Bull from tearing into Sam’s flesh – he wouldn’t have stood a chance if I had let go. The three dogs were larger than poor Sam and I was terrified they were going to attack me as well.
I literally screamed for the owners to call their dogs off till my throat was raw and eventually a couple raced up to the scene. The young man took a flying football style kick at the Pit Bull who flew off Sam, however, it just got right up again and started charging back. The owner managed to restrain the animal and called off the other two. He apologised, citing that the dog in his arms was the problem. Sam and I just cut short our walk and headed home, very shaken, luckily with only a few scrapes and no major injuries.
Only a few days ago that Mareeba man was in hospital and I count myself very lucky. However, this is not just a one-off incident. This is about the 7th or 8th time that we have been attacked going for a walk in our local neighbourhood.
I have got to the stage where I carry a big stick with me to defend myself against animals that are not restrained behind a fence, or who are out on walks with their owners and not on a leash. Attacks happen from dogs both big and small and on one occasion I was beating off a dog with owner passively standing by! This dog had been reported to Council.
I feel it is a ridiculous situation where I cannot take my dog for a walk in my own neighbourhood without fearing for my own safety and the welfare of my pet. Yes, Australia is a country of dog lovers and people I know hold them often in more regard than they do their own children, but like children, they come with responsibility not only for their safety, but the safety of others.
I feel the only way this situation is going to improve is by an information campaign and the implementation of deterrents such as hefty fines. Certainly the laws are in place, but they are currently being ignored. There would not appear to be any enforcement actions in place either.
I think the biggest issue here is that people are getting hurt needlessly and had a child been walking their pet, the outcome may have been very different and doesn’t bear thinking about.
Please Val, I am sure this is not only a Trinity Beach situation, can you do something about this?
Kind Regards,
Fay Agee
Trinity Beach
24 March 2008
Will Val Schier poison Cairns?
Contributing CairnsBlog writer Syd Walker swims in the Barron River most days, and he ponders the health of the river.
Walker has campaigned before and during the recent election for comprehensive monitoring of the Barron River water quality.
The apparent lack of hard data about pesticide levels in the Barron is at the centre of his concern.
Why would Val Schier, the newly elected Mayor of new Cairns Regional Council, with a mandate for greener and more humane policies, risk the health of the Cairns population by giving them potentially toxic water to drink?
I hope she won’t, and that’s good news for Kuranda.
It would mean that at long last, someone in government may test the Barron River and its biota for pesticides and other toxic chemicals - and make the data public.
I’ll explain. On John McKenzie's 846 AM talkback radio last week, a few days after her election, the new Mayor was asked a question about expanding Cairns’ water supply.
In her reply, Val Schier enthused about proposals to divert some of the Barron River flow - presumably from the lower Barron - for use in Cairns.
Barron River Land Use, GBRMPA:
I wonder if she has ever inquired what is poured into the Barron catchment, year in, year out, by the tablelands farming community? I wonder if she has any handle on rumours of toxic leaching from Mareeba landfills?
I wonder if Val Schier - like Friends of the Earth Kuranda - has ever asked State Government representatives detailed questions about Barron River water quality. Friends of Earth Kuranda was fobbed off with evasive waffle. How did she go?
Without real data on this, Mayor Schier is very unwise to pledge Barron water to her thirsty residents.
On the other hand, with real data, users of the lower catchment can apply - if necessary - real pressure on the upper and especially the middle catchment river ‘users’ to clean up their act.
Will it be necessary to detoxify the Barron by implementing significantly different agricultural, waste management and sewerage practices upstream of Kuranda?
Without any real data on the pesticide or heavy metal content of Barron river water, who on earth knows?
Let’s hope Val Schier will find out - and make the data public, ASAP.
Of course, if the plan is to filter out all nasties before they enter the water supply of Cairns, the public needs real information about that too.
Perhaps Cairns can secure a safely filtered town water supply from the much-abused Barron? Apparently Kuranda does so at present - although who can be sure about that?
Even so, questions about water quality will persist until we get honest and comprehensive answers. Is biological concentration occurring? If so, are fish in the middle Barron safe to eat? They seem to be a significant part of the local diet, especially for Aboriginal people in the Myola valley.
Are we still poisoning the indigenous people of this land? And what about the Coral Sea and the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef - the ultimate destination for any persistent toxins in the Barron?
Over to you, Val. You should now have ready access to information the State Government doesn’t seem keen to obtain or release.
Do us all a favour - coast dwellers and Tablelanders both.
Let’s have the facts!
- MORE INFO:
See more on this subject from Syd Walker questioning the quality of the Barron River.
Also, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority published this analysis.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Libs charged for racial slur
I blogged in late November, in the days before the Federal election, about a fake racial leaflet that was distributed around Sydney's west.
Five people will be charged under the Electoral Act over the offensive.leaflet
Although Police have not released the names, those that are expected to be charged include: Gary Clark, husband of the Liberal Lindsay MP Jackie Kelly; Greg Chijoff, husband of the Lindsay Liberal candidate, Karen Chijoff; Jeff Egan, member of the state Liberal executive. All were stood down by the organisation for their involvement.
They will appear in court on April 29 and most probably be fined up to $1,000 for not printing the official authorisation on the leaflet.
- VIDEO ABC News
Late Night Kids
Time Out, the Cairns Post's entertainment weekly, thought children should be allowed up past their bedtime for the upcoming Hi-5 children's show.
In the current edition, they report that the popular kid's show starts at 10:30pm - at night. In fact, it reads as if the show goes right through the night until 2:30pm the following day!
I hope they can get a babysitter for the parents.
Don't wait up. Might have a beer or two at Brothers afterwards, and a spin at the pokie.
PS: The real times for Hi-5 are listed on the CairnsBlog calendar in our sidebar on the right.
Factman is alive and well
CairnsBlog regulars (there's now 4,380 of you) will probably feel that 'Factman' is one of the family. Maybe like a naughty cousin that says the most inappropriate things at Christmas dinner, and we excuse, but still allow into our home.
On the 10th March, 'Factman' revealed his identity as Murray Langdale, none other that the Technical officer and Investigator at Cairns Works & Services, at Cairns City Council.
In the last two weeks of the Council election campaign, John Babet of the Cairns Ratepayers Action Group asked a number of public questions of the then Mayor, about missing records in the Mayor's official register of interests. In his many attempts to connect with the Mayor, Babet resorted to telephoning Kevin Byrne at home.
On radio, the Mayor called Babet a "notorious trouble-maker, which elicited a sharp response on this Blog from the covert "Factman".
As a public service, we reprint it here.
----------------------------------
- Posted by Factman to Cairns Blog.net at Mon Mar 10, 04:01:00 AM
Sent: Monday, 10 March 2008 4:01 AM
Subject: [Cairns Blog.net] Cairns Mayor referred to Crime & Misconduct Commission
Factman has left a new comment on CairnsBlog "Cairns Mayor referred to Crime & Misconduct Commission...":
I have met and had dealings with Babet and have found him to be a complete idiot and a serial troublemaker.
Nothing he brings to my attention has any substance to it, he just makes trouble to satisy [sic] some inner turmoil.
He has an inferiority complex and has an insatiable need to create trouble and bring attention to himself.
Why else would he involve Kev's wife and daughter in all this? Kevin Bryne, has nothing to fear from this man.
In fact, it is Babet who should now be shaking, as the Crimes and misconduct commission do not like being used in this way.
You have gone too far this time.
Shame on you Babet, shame.
From: "Fact Man" factman.cairns@gmail.com
To: john@spiritus.com.au
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 8:23 PM
Subject: Aoology
Hello John,
I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for my rude and offensive posting about you on the CairnsBlog site.
I was over reacting to your phone message involving K Byrne's wife and daughter in any perceived wrongdoing by the Mayor.
I realise know that you had no intention of harming them.
I remember your name and face from some dealings years ago, and would be happy to meet with you upon my return.
Again I apologise for my comments about you made quite inappropriately by myself.
Yours faithfully,
Murray Langdale
----------------------------------
From: John Babet
To: Fact Man factman.cairns@gmail.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 6:15 AM
Subject: Reply: Aoology
Hello Murray, I have never met you, nor know of you ... your Aoology [sic] Apology should be posted on the Cairns Blog ... any further action will depend on our meeting on your return ...
----------------------------------
On 16/03/2008, john@spiritus.com.au
Hello Murray, in the absence of a Public apology on Cairns Blog, legal proceedings will be commenced ... you have 24 hours.
----------------------------------
From: "Fact Man" factman.cairns@gmail.com
To: john@spiritus.com.au
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2008 3:12 AM
Subject: Re: Further to : Aoology
John .. I am presently on holiday in the UK.
I am only able to access gmail on a once a week basis. I need to return to Cairns and check my email history regarding you as I am sure I have dealt with you regarding a stormwater
easement at the rear of your property in 2003 sometime. If this is not the case I will offer you an apology on CairnsBlog.
I will be returning to Cairns on 7 April and will contact you shortly thereafter.
Murray Langdale
----------------------------------
From: john@spiritus.com.au
Sent: Sunday, 23 March 2008 7:53 AM
To: Fact Man
Subject: Reply: Further to: Aoology
Murray, I have no storm water easement ... have never met, or spoken with you!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Sharon and Kevin, together at last
We all know those MasterCard adverts that say... "priceless".
Well here's one that should have been out before the election, and is truly remarkable.
Here's Sharon posing at Rusty's Markets on the Friday before the election, sporting a unique custom-made t-shirt.
Sharon is staunchly anti-Kevin Byrne, so was proud to wear her special t-shirt in the weeks leading up to the poll last Saturday.
As she approached the then Mayor, who was touting his policies amongst the crowd at Rusty's, Kevin assumed Sharon was a supporter. He gave her a hug and posed for a photo.
He didn't notice the huge sign on her t-shirt as Sharon was carrying her fruit and veges.
The t-shirt says, back and front, "ANYONE BUT KEVIN BYRNE FOR MAYOR".
Kevin must be blind, but he really can pick his constituents.
Priceless.
Earliest Easter for 100 years
According to National Review, Easter will not be this early again until 2160. It can in theory be one day earlier than it is this year, but will not be until 2285, and last was in 1818.
Easter is observed on the Sunday after the first full moon on or after the day of the vernal equinox which is normally 21 March.
My mate David Farrar at Kiwi Blog works out the science and shows that 2008 Easter Sunday is the 23rd day of the third month.
HatTip: Kiwi Blog
Ten days that shifted Cairns – Part 1
CairnsBlog contributing writer Syd Walker, reflects over the last few weeks..
Val Schier, the first Mayor of the new post-amalgamation Cairns Regional Council, is a lucky woman.
The Cairns region is fortunate too. Unexpectedly, on March 15th, it voted out the arrogant, developer-dominated Mayor Byrne, previously Mayor of Cairns City Council. It now has a new Mayor and a new chance to face up to the problems of the present and the future.
Yet, on March 15th, when Cairns and the new Mayor struck a rich seam of good luck – most pundits were taken by surprise.
The result made a mockery of Cairns Post opinion polls. It belied the view of many insiders. Kevin Byrne wasn’t the only one to complain “No-one saw this coming!”
So was the hand of Lady Luck in play? Or had something else occurred - something under-reported by the mainstream media and essentially unacknowledged by the victor?
I believe so, and was uniquely privileged to form that opinion.
Through circumstances I neither chose nor predicted in advance, during the first half of March 2008, I spent more than a week at Michael Moore’s (of CairnsBlog) house in Cairns. I had my own little campaign to run – as a candidate for Division 8 on the Tablelands. Michael was my host at a time of need, when I was unable to travel easily to my own homebase. Given the frenzy of activity surrounding his small house, this was an act of great kindness - quite characteristic, in my experience, of the generosity of this exceptional man.
As a consequence, my take on the recent Cairns election is rather different. I saw what I saw. I listened. I observed. I asked the odd question. Here’s a behind-the-scenes election narrative you won’t read in the Cairns Post – nor is it likely that Val Schier will dwell on this subject matter. They’d both rather forget it.
Ten days out from the election, even someone who avoids commercial media as assiduously as I do couldn’t help but notice that Byrne was hurling money at his re-election.
The print and electronic media equivalent of Byrne’s huge billboards was rolling out to bamboozle the Cairns populace. For people in the region keen on change, this cynical but rather clever advertising was a disaster. It was predictable, tawdry - yet awesome in its scale.
There are obvious parallels with the way Howard clambered back into power at each successive Federal election since 1996, each time deploying a bigger, better, more dishonest and more expensive PR and advertising package than his hapless opponents. Until 2007, that is. That’s when Howard met his nemesis. He met an opposition leader who knew what was coming – and took smart pre-emptive measures. Consequently, Howard lost the last Federal election – big-time.
Val Schier and her 2008 Cairns 1st team must clearly have known that Byrne’s mega-spend was coming at them too. He’d done the same thing last time, in 2004. Byrne’s support from the local development lobby must only have grown in the intervening years. Like Kevin Rudd before her, Val Schier could and should have predicted the avalanche of negative advertising that was launched against her in the second week before the election. Like Rudd, she should have had an effective strategy to counter it.
Remember that, at the time Byrne's advertising assault got into full gear, he was already slated to win. Now, building on an auspicious starting position, came a torrent of ads that, without an effective response, might well have sealed the election for Byrne. They played on Byrne’s ‘experience’ and portrayed his opponents as lightweights and clowns. Where was Val Schier’s response?
In the last Federal election, Kevin Rudd was able to counter the Howard Government’s advertising barrage, because he inoculated the electorate against it. It was like a mass vaccination program – and it worked.
Rudd – and the trade unions who also command advertising budgets not to be sneezed at –injected into the electorate the notion that Howard’s mega-spend was not a reflection of his real popularity, but rather evidence of the scale of unaccountable vested interests that lay behind him.
This was very successful, and in the end may have turned Howard’s advertising against him. The more people saw of it, he more they distrusted what they saw. Having parried the incumbent’s main blows – Rudd then pushed forward to victory, riding a wave of change.
But Rudd began this strategy early. Federal Labor didn’t let matters drift until ten days before the election before hammering home in the electorate’s mind the predictability that the Howard Government’s would yet again employ the reins of power for unfair electoral advantage.
Yet there I was, ten days before this year’s local government elections, trying to get my own leaflets ready and organize my own campaign. And in the background, in and around Mike Moore’s living room, the buzz of the Cairns Regional Council election was intense. The progressives, it was clear, were worried…
At one stage, thinking I may have missed something, I innocently inquired about Val Schier’s strategy to counter the incumbent Mayor’s advertising barrage. I asked a few Cairns 1st insiders. The people I spoke with seemed rather vague. No-one wanted to be disloyal. But if there was a good Cairns 1st strategy in reserve, no-one I spoke with seemed to have a clue what it was.
Not that the contest was entirely one-sided - or that Byrne was universally popular or respected. Far from it. Since his election in 2000, the Mayor had alienated thousands of Cairns residents by his high-handed manner and backward-looking ideas and policies. Val Schier had a profile - after all, she’d nearly won in 2004. She showed steady competence. She had a team with enthusiasm and didn’t waste resources running against well-established progressive independents.
From mid-2007, CairnsBlog had led the charge in attacking the Mayor’s out-of-touch, out-of-time policies. The inquisitive new medium had rich veins to mine. Toxic subterranean deposits of local politics were found to run deeper and deeper, as more and more alienated Cairns folk came out of the woodwork to tell their stories and share what they knew. Taking considerable risks – risks no other local media were willing to take – Mike Moore’s blog held up a mirror to the old Council and exposed it, warts and all. Many of the warts had never been mentioned in the local ‘mainstream media’. Some had been reported, then quickly buried. CairnsBlog brought them to light.
Yet compared with the audience of commercial radio or TV – or the readership of the Cairns Post – CairnsBlog in 2007/8 was a still minor player.
Byrne and his team clearly saw the new web medium as a significant threat – hence the copious contributions of ‘Factman’ and other frequent Council-insider CairnsBlog commentators. But the old guard relied on dominance in the mainstream media to pull through. On that terrain, Val Schier’s team had an uphill battle getting its message across to the Cairns community.
Ten days before the election, I spoke to a nice but not very ‘political’ man who works for an instant print service in Cairns. “Byrne seems to be doing a good job”, he said. “He’s got the experience. Why change?” Those casual remarks seemed to encapsulate a general view. Another 4 years. Why not?
Then something happened. What I witnessed began, for me, around ten days from the campaign. Mike Moore isn’t the only hero in this saga. There are others. People who went out on a limb to bring about change. People driven by a determination to open up local government in this region. People whose demand for accountability and due process was ultimately to trigger a change of Mayor.
Real historians – and real journalists (if there are any left) - can pour over the entrails of the Cairns election in detail, talking to different sources and piecing together a more comprehensive story. I don’t intend to do that. I’ll just report on some of what I saw and heard, in the background, in between struggling with my own challenges and watching the weather forecast.
People can observe events and read all kinds of things into them. It’s a well-known phenomenon.
I am not immune. So I won’t tell you what I saw. I’ll tell you what I think I saw.
I think I saw the election unexpectedly won for Cairns 1st… right in front of my eyes.
The irony is that Val Schier was a reluctant participant.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Barack race speech
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are neck and neck as the USA presidential candidate race draws to a close. With over 2 million views on YouTube, it's easy to see how quick the pendulum swings in favour of either candidate.
This will be recorded as one of the great speeches of recent times, certainly in the evolution of US politics. You can read the transcript, or view the speech below.
Maybe it's just a dream, but I would have loved to have seen such passion and vision expressed in our recent local election campaign. This is when politicians shine.
And here's Jon Stewart of Comedy Central's The Daily Show analysing the speech...
Unsexiest people awards
Letter to the Editor
- "CBD needs to be Jazzed up" Cairns Post March 20th P13.
Desley Boyle's comments really typify the political bullshit we are constantly being fed by our so called local representatives.
Our CBD is in fact already stuffed up by a combination of her State Government and development policies that have destroyed the ambiance and colonial charm of Cairns.
No wonder tourists who might want to experience live music or mix with the locals and explore our history are leaving in droves. The casino over development, destruction of local clubs and institutions such as the Game Fishing Club, Masonic Club, Johnos blues Bar, Tawnys Restaurant, Boat launching ramps and thousands of once free car parks,not to mention the views of Trinity Inlet could be some of the major reasons locals are avoiding the city and tourists too obviously.
Of course it is not even going to end there. The impending loss of our greatest living heritage building "The Aquatic" (Cairns Yacht Club) and its replacement by a further possible eight High Rise apartments, will complete the destruction of the Wharf St district.
Desley Boyle's dismissal of the thousands of locals who wished to see "The Aquatic" saved as a historic music and dance venue will find that the real truth is the need for more revenue for Brisbane as the driving force for the destruction of our once relaxed and laid back city life style, with not a word from Desley Boyle about our real Aussie local heritage and history.
Singapore known as a major tourist destination decided to demolish the historic and famous Bugis St district in the 70,s, cost to their tourism was a drop of over 30% in visitors as transit and destination travellers avoided the place.
Much the same will probably happen for Cairns, if not already. But I guess Desley Boyle will be out there putting out more media babble about new ways to improve our falling tourism.
Bob Rendall,
Bayview
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Citizen journalists
Contributors to CairnsBlog will now have their writings seen by a far greater audience than just the just Cairns, Douglas and the Tablelands.
The Queensland University of Technology, in association with the Local Government Association of Queensland and On Line Opinion, has created a website which monitors blogs from around Queensland covering the local councils.
Dr Jason Wilson, a research associate with the Creative Industries Faculty at QUT, has contacted CairnsBlog seeking permission to post a selection of Strewth! contributors on his Queensland Decides site, to which we’ve agreed.
As part of the overall research project. Wilson has set up a 'hyperlocal citizen journalism'. As well as the existing partnership of us at QUT CIF, On Line Opinion, SBS, Cisco and the Brisbane Institute, the Local Government Association of Queensland is also on board.
"Maybe the best thing about it for me so far has been discovering some very strong local blogs in regional Queensland," says Dr Wilson. "Where communities are often desperately short of media diversity...trust me on this - I grew up in Townsville!"
QLD Decides monitors, among others, Cairnsblog, Strewth! and Strewth Reloaded in Hervey Bay on the Fraser Coast. "Both blogs have raised the hackles of local media and politicians alike - a sure sign that they’re doing a good job. Hyperlocal never looked so necessary," say Wilson.
Strewth! notes blogs are springing up all over the State as people decide they are no longer satisfied with having their news sanitised and trickle-filtered down to them by an entrenched establishment whose only interest is maintaining the status quo.
“Citizen journalists”, as Dr Wilson calls them, "are taking control of the agenda and reversing the flow of information, much to the chagrin of the established powers who are seeing their positions being undermined and eroded."
It brings to mind a line from a John Lennon song: “Power to the people - right on.”
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Male soap-use a crime
I know this will seem like blatant advertising, but what the hell, it's my party and I'll scrub if I want to.
A specialist unit called the LYNX Anti-Soap Squad (L.A.S.S.) have been formed to eradicate this foul habit, for the benefit of mankind - and womankind.
"Males caught using soap will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," says their advert. You can dob in ya mates and culprits for a generous reward on soap criminals to the L.A.S.S.
Scrubbers.
Basil Brush is a racist
Boom Boom.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
No war march filmed by police
The march, organised by Cairns Peace by Peace, commemorated five years since Australian soldiers have been in Iraq.
Susan wasn't talking about the 86% humidity we had around midday, nor the ocean breeze. She was talking about the small army of police, with Federal instructions to capture everyone on film. Even the Cairns Post photographer appeared to scare off the police officer when he tried to catch them on camera!
When I questioned police officer Mardi, she told me it was for "intel" [intelligence]. "It will stay in my office," she reassured me, but wouldn't allow to pose for a CairnsBlog photo
Bring back Joh!
Sno, please pick up the phone
John O'Grady has been fighting on behalf of a number of residents along the Bluewater canal estate on Riverside Parade, Trinity Park, to get a "dredging tax" dumped by Council.
O'Grady fought and challenged the Council's right to impose this tax, and won the battle for his own lot. However is still trying to get the levy, which is around $2,000 per lot, removed for every resident. Most don't even have a boat access from the side of their property.
He took his campaign onto John McKenzie's 846am radio show, following Kevin Byrne's final words on Monday morning. O'Grady highlighted some of the reasons why he felt residents didn't feel included nor listened to under the last Council. I was surprised as I tuned in. This kind of caller would be a rarity in the past. It seemed like there was a new radio show in town.
After his local Councillor Sno Bonneau was returned to office in the weekend election, with a 30% swing from his previous margin, John O'Grady has been trying to get a response. He's hoping for a change of heart from his Councillor and the new Council.
===============
From: John O'Grady
Sent: Sunday, 16 March 2008 12:24 PM
To: cairnsblog@gmail.com
Subject: A fresh change in the air
Michael, one of those 'good to be alive days' I think.
I have today written to Sno Bonneau and asked him to now support the good people of our community. Here's what we wrote;
Hello Sno and congratulations on your win.
It now appears to be a time for a fresh start in Council and in the way Council deals with ordinary people and their serious concerns.
A hard lesson may have been learnt by those that did not do enough for the communities they were there in their roll to support.
As much as you may not like the idea, there are a number of us that today all feel we helped play a small part in toppling an out-of-touch and arrogant Council.
I now ask you to support the people of Riverside Parade and Bluewater to abandon this ridiculous wealth tax disguised as the 'special levy'.
The issue will clearly not go away and (as you have seen) is gaining momentum and support from beaches people.
Will you support and put forward a motion to abandon the "special levy"?
Kind regards.
John O'Grady
www.wethepeopleofcairns.com
===================
From: wethepeople info@wethepeopleofcairns.com
Sent: Tuesday, 18 March 2008 9:21 PM
To: cairnsblog@gmail.com
Subject: No answer from Sno
We have again written to Sno
Hello Sno,
You have not returned our email and replied.
As per my comments (on behalf of WTP web site) John McKenzie talk back show on Monday, we fully intend to take the matter of Council's 'wealth tax' (hidden in the 'special levy') to a new level following the election outcome.
John McKenzie has stated he will follow up with you about this ridiculous wealth tax (we will remind him) that the old administration you supported implemented.
Further, and following a meeting with 9 local concerned & affected ratepayers on Monday night, we have all agreed to host a meeting with a national media crew that has shown a great deal of interest in both the web site and what is happening with this Council tax.
I now ask you once again, will you fully support us (boat berth owners, yorkey's and Bluewater and waterfront owners) to propose to move a motion to abandon this travesty in light of Council's Rob Reilly (cairns rates) stating in writing to our question on why we are paying this ridiculous tax Rob Reilly has claimed we are paying for this for a "Safer Access to the Sea" We say:
Since When do private Citizens (some do not even own a boat) have to take responsibility for
Public Safety in a Public Waterway?!!!!!!
If you will not fully support us, will you be available to attend the public meeting with the media to explain your position?
Regards.
John
Monday, March 17, 2008
AWA all over
Today the last steps were undertaken to dismantle the Howard government's Work Choices legislation.
However, former PM John Howard has said that Work Choices is still Liberal policy. He told an audience in Washington last week that Rudd's plans to reverse the industrial relations law would 'hurt the economy.'
His party had since pledged to back Labor and pass legislation banning Australian Workplace Agreements (AWA's).
Journal Lisp
Scottish-born journalist John Swinton (1829-1901) had the courage to blow the whistle on the corrupt establishment forces at a banquet given in his honour by colleagues in New York in 1880.
When someone present proposed a toast to an independent press, Swinton responded:
"There is no such thing, at this date of the world's history, in America, as an independent press. You know it and I know it.
There is not one of you who dares to write your honest opinions, and if you did, you know beforehand that it would never appear in print.
I am paid weekly for keeping my honest opinion out of the paper I am connected with. Others of you are paid similar salaries for similar things, and any of you who would be so foolish as to write honest opinions would be out on the streets looking for another job.
If I allowed my honest opinions to appear in one issue of my paper, before twenty-four hours my occupation would be gone.
The business of the journalists is to destroy the truth, to lie outright, to pervert, to vilify, to fawn at the feet of mammon, and to sell his country and his race for his daily bread. You know it and I know it, and what folly is this toasting an independent press? We are the tools and vassals of rich men behind the scenes. We are the jumping jacks, they pull the strings and we dance. Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes."
(Source: Labor's Untold Story, by Richard O. Boyer and Herbert M. Morais, published by United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America, NY, 1955/1979.)
Some things don't change
What they're saying
I wandered around Smithfield Shopping Centre Sunday afternoon, and asked a few shoppers how they felt about the outcome of the election... 
"No, I’m not happy with the result.
Kevin was a better candidate.
Val isn’t experienced enough."
-Trevor, Redlynch
I’m happy Kevin Byrne has gone. I’m glad that Val won."
-Tony, Thursday Island
Renee, Kewarra Beach
"I think Val will do a good job."
-Mandy, Smithfield
"I was a Kevin Byrne supporter,
but didn’t know who won.
Yeah, I wish he got in."-James, Kewarra Beach
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"It was great that Schier won. I’m pleased for her."- Greg, Smithfield Seafood market
-Eve, Lake Placid
the final vote. But I was a
supporter of Cairns 1st. Glad she’s in!"
-Colin, Smithfield
Gutted Byrne concedes no plans for future
Peter Michael writes in the Courier Mail that Cairns voters were put off by a "pro-development stance and backed a rank outsider to a stunning upset amid claims of lesbianism, secret slush funds and high-rise hotels on the Daintree. "
He reports that Byrne, "once touted as a possible Liberal contender for the Federal seat of Leichhardt, the outspoken former army officer paid the price for a radical mood for change in the north."
"I am totally gutted, nobody I know saw this coming. I have no plans for the future," Byrne told the Courier Mail.
Mention was made about Byrne's threatened legal action at CairnsBlog over "wild allegations his wife was a lesbian and he was a stooge of developers". I discussed this when this silly comment about the mayor's wife was also highlighted in the Weekend Australian. As most pundits will know, this subject was not even mentioned throughout the local campaign. Some Murdoch journos seem so lazy, they simply reprint from their sister newspaper.
The Mail also suggested that as the Advance Cairns CEO's role is vacant (the former mayor's brainchild) "[Byrne] is not likely to be out of a job for long."
This is a stunning revelation to claim. Val Schier stated clearly at the Cairns International Mayoral debate just three weeks ago, that this is one organisation that needs reviewing in terms of funding and purpose. Furthermore, to think that there was even a remote possibility that Byrne would even apply as the new CEO of this questionable quango, is preposterous, to say the least.
I doubt anyone in Cairns and Douglas could imagine Byrne running Advance Cairns, jaunting off to China every year, whilst Val stayed at home doing the knitting. It's just not going to happen.
2008 Cairns Regional Council
Division 1
Councillor Paul Gregory (IND, Unity endorsed)
Elected unopposed.
Division 2
Nancy Lanskey (IND)
Division 3
Councillor Robert Pyne (IND)
Terry James ousted.
Division 4
Kirsten Lesina (Cairns 1st).
Paul Freebody ousted.
Division 5
Councillor Alan Blake (IND)
Kathy Plath ousted.
Division 6
Councillor Linda Cooper (Unity)
Councillor Annette Sheppard ousted.
Division 7
Councillor Diane Forsyth (Cairns 1st)
Councillor Deidrie Ford ousted.
Division 8
Councillor Margaret Cochrane (IND)
Sitting, returned
Division 9
Councillor Sno Bonneau returned.
(IND, Unity endorsed)
Division 10
Councillor Julia Leu (IND)
Mayor
Val Schier (Cairns 1st)
Councillor Kevin Byrne ousted.
About Val finishes filming
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Peace walk this Tuesday
This Tuesday you're welcome to 'recruit for peace, not for war!'. Meet at City Place, 12 midday.Division 4 still undecided
The final count in Divison 4 is still very close, with incumbent Unity Councillor Paul Freebody ahead 191 votes following counting of pre-polling votes.
It's expected, after preferencing from lowest polling candidate Norman Miller, Cairns 1st Kirsten Lesina will close her margin to around 56. This would require a substancial swing on the remaining postal votes, which although unlikely, is not impossible.
Final after pre-polling counted:
Paul Freebody 2,879 (41.57%)
Kirsten Lesina 2,688 (38.81%)
Norman Miller 1,359 (19.62%)
Recount ordered for Division 2
Division 2 candidates Jeff Martinuzzi and Nancy Lanskey will be having a restless night tonight.
After the pre-poll votes were counted today, Martinuzzi of Val's Schier's Cairns 1st team, is ahead by only one vote, at 2,297 (36.39%). Lanskey is on 2,296 (36.37%).
Unity's Kaye Kingham gained 1,720 votes.
A formal recount is expected to be ordered. Along with postal votes, it is expected that the final will be announced within the week.
Mayor elect Schier claims victory
At 3:05pm this afternoon, Val Schier officially claimed victory as the Mayor-elect of the inaugural Cairns Regional Council.
The final race was close, as the final pre-polls votes were counted today.
Former Cairns Mayor Kevin Byrne has emailed Val, offering his congratulations and wishing her all the best.
3,011 additional pre-poll were counted. Postal and un-enrolled votes, are still to be counted, however this result is substantive for the final decision. Final results:
Val SCHIER 30,279 (46.89%)
Kevin BYRNE 28,854 (44.68%)
Peter SANDERCOCK 1,980 (3.07%)
Selwyn JOHNSTON 3,468 (5.37%)
Review of election
There have already been calls for a review into this weekend's elections.
This was the first time an election has been run by the Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Greg Hallam of the Local Government Association says that there have already been a number complaints. "A review is needed. Clearly, there needs to be a complete review of the whole process," Hallam says.
There was a lot of problems around postal voting and people not being able to get through to the ECQ.
"There is enough serious concern out there. We want a full review of the conduct of the election so we do not make the same mistakes," Greg Hallam says.
This is the first time ECQ have run the election. Councils have run elections in the past and have more localised knowledge.
Sustainable Transport blog
The team behind last week's CAST (Cairns Action for Sustainable Transport) meeting in Edge Hill, have set up a blog. Ride on over to have your say.
Police presence symbolic
When I attended the final Cairns City Council meeting last Thursday, I was perturbed to see the arrival of two armed police officers, near the chamber doors.
No mention was made to the meeting why they were there. I wondered if there was an incident that required their attendance.
Maurice Milliner from Yorkeys Knob Residents Association was one of the many in the gallery to bid farewell to the old Council, that came into being only eight years ago.
"I was there to see the end of a Council that had progressively distanced itself from the community. We were hoping for a new era in local politics in Cairns," says Milliner.
However, Milliner was also concerned about the police presence at the main doors. "I felt we had a right to know what was going on," said Milliner.
It was later discovered that Mayor Kevin Byrne had order the two police officers attend and 'guard the doors' to the Cairns City Council chambers in case there was any 'dissent'.
He has since commented that, at past meetings, this has happened. I've asked around some long serving Councillors, and cannot find any evidence of this.
I suspect the Mayor was worried someone might yell out 'Good Riddance!' as the final meeting drew to a close. We wouldn't do that Kevin. As much as we were angry about the betrayal of this Council, we have respect for due process and democratic order.
So, the very last Council meeting of Kevin Byrne will go down on his record with the heavy hand of the law holding fort. The symbol of two police offices standing guard will remind everyone the regime they operated under. This is how we will remember Kevin Byrne. I suspect it's only time when some of the 1,000 staff will come forward to share their stories with the public.
The Council Chamber is a sacred space where the peoples' representatives come to debate and consider, to plan and to protect, to celebrate and acknowledge. Yet this last administration saw this as a space to intimidate and strike fear amongst his people. To Byrne's credit, he succeeded in moving forward his single-minded agenda.
I've sat in on many Council meetings where the infamous 'Byrne Button' was used at will to cut off the Councillor's microphone when the chair sees fit. Even last month, when Councillors Sheppard and Cochrane were fiercely debating the Beaches Town Centre plan to include community consultation, Sheppard was abruptly interjected twice as the Mayor allowed Town Planner Tabalo to take the floor. Sheppard will not return to the Chamber under this new Council, but she can justifiably feel proud that she challenged the Mayor to the very end. And for the record, Sno Bonneau's defence of the beaches plan, was tokenistic at best.
Few have stood up effectively in opposition over the last eight years in this chamber. For the last three years at least, we've had a majority of independents, however it's hard to find an example whereby they're used that majority to effect change. One was when they voted against the mayor on not endorsing the Villa Romana extension, however, months on the Council is still playing football with the owner, instead of executing it's mandated motion.
My wish is that the new Mayor will order the Council's sparky to disconnect that silly microphone button before the next Council meeting.
The other change I'd like to see happen in that Chamber, and a few will be surprised by this. The new mayor needs to demolish the high-rise front Mayoral bench. It serves no benefit other than instill a sense of separation from the Council and the people that come to view the proceedings. It makes those that preach from it's pulpit, seem out of touch and disconnected. The Council should all sit at the same level. The same jackhammer Val Schier will take to Villa Romana, should be used to remove that high-set seating that is a legacy of the past and a symbol of arrogance.
No longer will this chamber be used as the tool against the people. Soon it will rise in judgement and it will again belong to us all.
Val Schier has already said that the residents of Cairns will be welcome to speak at the Council meeting. This in itself is an amazing declaration. She will allow a time, at the conclusion of each meeting, for those gathered in the public gallery, to ask questions or express their view so their elected Councillors can listen. Imagine turning up to your footy club monthly meeting and not be allowed to speak?
This is democracy. Like Rudd's ascension, he delivered the ratifying of Kyoto and honouring the apology to a generation of indigenous people, Val Schier will now be given the opportunity to show the 165,000 residents of the new Regional Council area, that she will run a government of the people, for the people.
It is a concept that was foreign to the previous administration and something that we are in dire need of at this point in our growth in Cairns.
The only reason the police would need to visit Council chambers, is to protect what may be lost to the shredder over coming days.
Port Douglas booth
It was a 6am start for the team behind the polling booth at Port Douglas: Wayne, Jeanette, Ruth, Julia, Maurice, Anna, and Hans.
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Division round up
There were some big shake ups in the inaugural Cairns Regional Council Election.
The new Cairns Regional Council will boast a number of new faces, and a new direction, under the leadership of Val Schier. The Mayor's Unity brand was almost completed decimated, and without Byrne's presence, it's likely it will fade into history.
The eco-sensitive Douglas Shire constituency, didn't support the development-friendly Kevin Byrne or his local Unity candidate.
Division 1
Incumbent councillor, Paul Gregory was returned unopposed.
Division 2
This is the narrowest of victories and is still too close to call. Cairns 1st Jeff Martinuzzi is only 8 votes behind independent Nancy Lansky. Both are well-known and liked identities in the southern communities.
Division 3
Former Mayor Tom Pyne, will continue the legacy in his son, Robert Pyne in Division 3. Pyne won every polling booth, leaving former deputy mayor, Terry James out in the cold. James had only recently relocated to Mt Sheridan.
Another first, Pyne will be the first disabled Councillor to grace the Council Chambers, offering the ability to raise the profile about disability issues in the community. After knocking James off his perch, Pyne deserves the title as the Maxine McKew of the north.
Division 4
It appears that sitting Councillor and Unity candidate Paul Freebody, sustained damage after his defamation case landed him in court in the days prior to the election. He also attracted bad publicity around his amateur election leaflet that was distributed early in the campaign.
Freebody enjoyed a 13 point lead in the 2004 election.
The youngest candidate to run in the Cairns Regional Council election, Kirsten Lesina of Cairns 1st, could still out-poll Freebody, following preferences from Norman Miller. There's only 105 votes between them on election night.
Division 5
The race was always going to be one between sitting councillor and Unity defector, Alan Blake and newcomer Richie Bates of Cairns 1st. Blake had an election night lead of 459. Sitting Councillor Kath Plath, polled the lowest, who also associated with Paul Freebody in production of her election leaflet. Plath will not be returned to the Council bench.
Division 6
A decisive win for newcomer, former City Life editor and radio personality Linda Cooper with 2,496 votes. Cairns 1st Mark Buttrose polled just under long-serving sitting Councillor Annette Sheppard, who has lost her seat at the Council table.
Division 7
Diane Forsyth's third attempt at running for Council paid off. She clearly polled highest on election night, striking out sitting Councillor, Unity's Deidrie Ford, and former policeman, Jeff Lyon, who polled the lowest of the three candidates. Ford suffered a blow when she was caught removed opposition election signs, just three weeks out from the campaign.
Division 8
Sitting Councillor Cochrane gained nearly 44% and was rewarded with loyalty after parting ways with the Mayor's Unity party a year ago. A negative Unity letter campaign to Northern Beach residents against Cochrane, appeared not to have gained support among voters. Cairns 1st Vet Paul Matthews, gained 39% of the vote.
Division 9
Cairns 1st Janine Aitken polled strongly, yet only bet incumbent Councillor Sno Bonneau in the Smithfield booth. Bonneau had a 30% swing against his 2004 vote, however will be returned as the Councillor for new Division 9.
Division 10
Former Douglas Shire CEO, Julie Leu led the election night vote by a decisive 2,052 ahead of her nearest rival, Unity's Bill Phipps-Turner. Pitt, Johnston and Davis were the next highest polling candidates, in a race that consisted of 8 candidates, encompassing the largest geographical area.
A new order for Cairns
Although neither Byrne or Schier has conceded or claimed victory, it looks likely that within the next 48 hours, Cairns' will usher in it's first female mayor in 130 years.
Schier holds the lead on 27,509 votes or 47.11%. Incumbent Mayor, Kevin Byrne, gained 25,843 on the election night count, 44.26%.
There was a decisive swing across the region, against the Byrne style of leadership. Unity's massive advertising budget, predicted to be between $300,000-$400,000, appears to not have swayed voters. Exit polling verified that the series of negative advertising probably worked against them in the last week.
"It turned us off," said Sue and Terry Johnson of Edgehill. "We were undecided up until the last week, but the tactics like those advertisements were very aggressive. It made our minds up."
It appears that many voters felt that Cairns city was loosing control of developments and town planning seemed to have little checks and balance.
Developments like False Cape, GlenCorp apartments at Clifton Beach and Woree, the Villa Romana debacle, private certifier approvals, and many 'material change of use' applications have left the community angry at the role of their Council.
Returning Officer Ken Gorton has confirmed that there is still 5,700 pre-poll votes to be counted and an additional 2,000 postal votes. It may well be Tuesday before all the postal votes are counted.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Val Schier - New Mayor of Cairns
BYRNE, Kevin 25,843
SANDERCOCK, Peter 1,823
JOHNSTON, Selwyn 3,214
SCHIER, Val 27,509
FINAL - ELECTION NIGHT
Division 3
Robert PYNE 3,626
Terry JAMES 2,134
======================
Division 5
Alan BLAKE 1,803
Richie BATES 1,344
=========================
Division 4
Paul FREEBODY 2,450
Kirsten LESINA 2,345
===========================
Division 6
Linda COOPER 2,496
Mark BUTTROSE 1,853
====================
Division 10
JOHNSTON, Pete 532
PHILLPOT, Dixie 267
HANLY, Danny 220
LEU, Julia 2,829
DAVIS, Rod 451
COX, Melinda 260
PITT, George 598
PHILLIPS-TURNER, Bill 777
Robert Pyne wins Division 3
Robert Pyne has won Division 3 with 3,626 votes.
Deputy Mayor Terry James has been ousted with 2,133.
Pyne won all three polling booths.
Val votes for Val
Maybe there was a blessing at Mother of Good Counsel School in North Cairns this afternoon, or a divine intervention.
Whatever the calling, Val Schier was hoping for something from above today as she cast her vote in the Cairns Regional Council election.
"It's not a difficult decision," she said as she ticked the box for herself and her Division 7 colleague, Diane Forysth.
"This is an important election, and I hope the will of the community is to change," Val said to the waiting media. This is Schier's second bid for the Cairns mayoralty, and along with seven in her team contesting most divisions, she appeared happy and buoyant that the long campaign has come to an end.
"It's been a long few months," Val told CairnsBlog. "I've visited most polling booths today, and there seems a real mood in the community for change. We'll just have to wait and see," she said.
After a rather rainy damp day around the region, voting appeared to be very strong all day long. It's expected that the first election results will be due in around 7:30pm.
Having it off in the Weekend
It seems even Padraic Murphy at The Weekend Australian can't understand simple English when he takes a swipe at CairnsBlog today.
He says that I called the Cairns Mayor's wife a lesbian - not that there's anything wrong with being a lesbian. Some of my best friends are lesbians. In fact, the jury's out on my neighbour's cat.
If Padraic even bothered to telephone me or read what I actually wrote some months ago, he would have understood that I made no claim at all. That's why, when the mayor got his knickers in a knot and tried - for the second time - to throw a defamation charge at me - he failed.
What I did write, was a number of parody headlines that I suggested the Cairns Post could run (instead of stories purporting to be stories). I claimed they were all false, besides the last one that referred to the illegal extension to the Esplanade restaurant Villa Romana, which, as we all know, is true.
Local legal defamation expert Robert Miller, says that there's is no way what was written could be considered defamatory, maybe just bad taste. Not if you're a lesbian though. Gosh, it's amazing how easy that word rolls off your tongue...
So, any normal intelligent reader would see it was a joke, maybe in poor taste - but that's debatable - but a joke all the same.
Furthermore, Kevin Byrne wants the Weekend Australian to believe that I was / am Val Schier's campaign manager. Well, that's not true at all. It's obvious that I'm a strong supporter of a change of local government, and anyone - even Padraic Murphy at the Weekend Australian - could deduct that from my writings. But I'm not Val's campaign manager.
All in all, The Australian gave a poor local election summary of the campaign, which could have compared two starkly different options between Byrne's Unity and Schier's Cairns 1st.
I used to think The Australian was one of the last bastions of good writing in our print media, but when I see ill-conceived and hasty put together stories like today's round-up of the Cairns political race, I doubt I'd fork out the $2.20 anytime soon.
Terminal 5 opens
The Queen yesterday opened the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow.
18 years to design, 20,000 workers to build, cost $9.3 billion AUD (£4.3 bn), and seven years to build. Two rivers had to be diverted to accommodate the massive new structure.
Terminal 5 is 40m high, 176m wide and 396m long. The new building was designed by Lord Richard Rogers. The new terminal will handle 30 million passengers per year, taking Heathrow's total to 90 million, making Heathrow the world's busiest airport.
It is also the UK's largest ever single site archaeological project, with over 100 hectares of land that was investigated during pre-construction. 80,000 artifacts were discovered, including pottery, worked flint, a hand axe dating back to 3000BC, a wooden bowl and bucket dating back to 1500BC -1100BC. A suitcase, lost by Dorothy Johnston from Dunedin whilst on holiday in 1956, was also found.
Only under this old Council
Election Day Schedule Val Schier
7.45 – 10.30am Hambeldon State 79 Stokes St Edmonton
10.40- 12.00pm St Theresa’s School 135 Robert Road Edmonton
12 .10- 1.00pm Woree State School Windarra St
1.20 -1.30pm Media: Val casting ballot Mother of Good Counsel School North Cairns Sheridan St
1.30- 2.00pm Lunch Break campaign office
2.10- 3.30pm Edge Hill State School Russell St/Pease St
3.35- 4.30pm Whitfield State School McManus St
4.40-5.45pm Our Lady Help of Christians 18 Balaclava Rd Earlville
8.30pm Brothers Club, English St, earlier if results clear
Friday, March 14, 2008
Byrne out, Fresh faces
I've been looking forward to writing this column.
It signals the end of the line for questioning and battling what we see as this local Council's inability and incompetence to work with the people.
I started this exercise only mid last year, and was spurred to do so from many far from satisfactory interactions with the Cairns City Council.
Little did I foresee that 9 months on, over 800 articles later, a combined regional council, I'd be here still ranting away. It was always my intention that CairnsBlog would have a place in the community beyond the local election. I'm happy to announce that it will, regardless of the outcome on Saturday.
What has become crystal clear over recent months, is that much of the existing local commercial media is in the emergency waiting room. Like our Base Hospital, they need open heart surgery.
When they receive a press release, it appears they don't ask question. When they get a response from the mayor, it appears they don't challenge his reply, they just print it. It's plain lazy.
When I read the Cairns Post's editor's comments extracted from their advertising promo sheet, he says (rather honourably):
"[Newspapers] tackle the issues that matter by campaigning for change, highlighting wrongdoings, demanding action, and keeping our elected representative honest. Great newspaper are champions of the community they are part of celebrating and sharing in the triumphs and successes."
I just wish even half of that mantra was true.
Media, in all it's forms, has a very valuable role to play within our community. They can stimulate debate, but more importantly, they need to speak for those that can't.
I missed the Media Mix drinks tonight at Sapphire Bar. I would have loved to been their, regardless if I was welcome. But here I am still bashing away at the keyboard in the last hours of the Byrne local government. My hope is that every word I type may convince another voter.
Independent journos, like what I've attempted to contribute to the local debate over the last few months, walk a fine line. We are often not as balanced, unashamedly so. We fight for causes that others won't touch and will back individual viewpoints, regardless of their popularity.
The mayor, in his first election advertisement some months ago, claimed that his Council would not support those of minority interest. If a Council can't represent and listen to everyone in the community, then it's a very sad day for democracy.
Under Val Schier's leadership, residents will be given an opportunity to speak at Council meetings. And you won't have to apply in writing to do so.
Why is it that the Mayor sees there's no place for an historic Yacht Club, that's been here for 100 year? Why does he feel that there's no place for live music in the city? Why does he feel he doesn't have to declare his full business interests? Why does he treat residents with contempt and shouts at them? Why does he threaten anyone with defamation when they wish to debate issues publicly and question Council expenditure with him?
This is not a city people feel they are connected with under Byrne leadership.
I hope and pray for a dramatic change this weekend. The will of the people will speak.
Since November, I deliberately allocated my full time to the blog and activism to instill new ideas and facilitate community discussion, for anyone, no matter what political persuasion. I think I've been fair in giving everyone a fair go. I've had to do very little censorship.
The debate has been very dynamic. With the growing audience on CairnsBlog, now around around 1,500 - 2,000, locals every day log on and share their views. CairnsBlog only had it's beginning mid last year. Financially, it's be difficult however, I hope that my small contribution to the election debate has assisted and will facilitate change in our local government.
The more I've got to know those running for office over the last 8 months, they more they became friends than political candidates. Most are genuinely committed to make change and contribute to the community in a way few ever do.
I have to record that I sincerely believe that Val Schier has been a strong and consistent fighter for this community. Among personal tragedies along the way, she has been a true battler and her contribution is admirable.
Let's hope that her legacy does not end this weekend, and that this is only the beginning of making the Cairns region something we can again feel proud to live in.
Mayor's register still incomplete
Tim Dunne from the Investigation Department of Local Government Queensland, has confirmed that Kevin Byrne will need to complete a full declaration of his register of interests, and it is "required to be given to the CEO before giving the oath of office."
It has been proven this week that the register is incomplete over the period Kevin Byrne has been Mayor of Cairns.
Three companies have been left out of the history of his records.
More corruption discovered in last hours
Peter and Gayle Todd live at 28 Clifton Beach Road.
He demanded they come urgently, and yesterday afternoon, Council inspectors were on his doorstep .
It also doesn't appear on the illustration plans for buyers from Glen Corp (see right).
The Todd's property is marked by the red circle. There was a lawn bowls area air-marked on the original plans.
Parisi reviews his election picks
Ross Parisi, at the age of 23, was the youngest ever elected Councillor in Australia. He won 5 elections in a row and was a Cairns Councillor from 1976-1989 and 1994-95.
Parisi is one of the best political commentators in our region.
- There are certain times in ones life, when one must take a stand on issues that tug at their heart and express an opinion in the hope of adding to positive dialogue.
As a person with Council experience, having being first elected at the age of 23 and having won 5 elections, I have some idea of the political landscape and i recognise political talent when I see it.
I have added my name and support to two divisional candidates in this critical election. Every election is important but I believe this election is a defining moment.
I have endorsed Robert Pyne in Division 3 and Janine Aitken in Division 9. In my opinion they are both outstanding candidates.
I have a particular interest in Division 9 as I live there and want the best for the area and this can only be delivered by the most suitable person.
Recently,I attended two community forums at which Cr Sno Bonneau's representation was criticised and no confidence was expressed. This stemmed from a lack of consultation and truthful representation....as someone pointed out 'which face of Sno do you believe today'
It is not possible for a Councillor to always agree with his constituents but to lose their respect is terminal.
I do not want this form of representation for me and more importantly for Division 9 residents. We deserve honest and accountable representation.
In Janine Aitken we have a fresh face with new ideas who is not tared with the brush of being there too long...13 years of the same representation is too long for a healthy democracy....we need renewal.
Cr Sno Bonneau has abandoned his old division which included the townships of Palm Cove and Clifton Beach where he is derided and has chosen to stand in Division 9 where is not known as well for his antics.
No number of glossy and slick brochures are going to mask his nodding, lazy representation and his general incompetence. He has had 13 years to get it right and now want you to give him more time.
Miss handled issues such as the Smithfield Town Centre, the over development of Units in Clifton Beach, the infamous Rock Wall at Clifton Beach and lack of honest dialogue are just a sample of his ineptitude.
It is fair to say that Division 9 requires special skills which I do not think Cr Sno Bonneau has. The expanding University with the potential of the new hospital as an addition. The New Smithfield Shopping Centre Precint. Caravonica School off street parking. The Lake Placid flood Mitigation. The review of the Town Plan to take into account Global Warming. These issues plus more need new ideas and renewed enthusiasm.
It is time for the residents to have their say. It is time for a change. It is time to seize the moment.
Therefore, I have no hesitation in endorsing Janine Aitken in Division 9. I am sure she will not disappoint you and will represent you honestly and you will know where she stands on issues.
Polling indicates Byrne out
Polling undertaken by Byrne's Unity have showed a dramatic departure of support.
CairnsBlog has learnt that at least two polls, undertaken over the last month, have showed less than 35% of voters would vote for Kevin Byrne or a Cairns Unity candidate.
"This is the reason why we're doing a series of large [yellow] adverts," a Unity supporter told CairnsBlog this today.
"Yes, they're worried, why do you think we are resorting to this?"
A series of negative adverts have appeared in the Cairns Post and the Cairns Sun published by Byrne's Unity Team. This is reactionary advertising and displays a sense of serious concern by the Byrne team.
It's obviously there is an air of desperation in this advertising. They are trying to retain some sense of respect for their style of government.
The people have had enough.
Election results
The Electoral Commission Queensland will carry the results live on their website tomorrow evening for the Cairns Regional Council election:
Silvia writes a letter
Silvia Dumpmanis had a rather awful experience, whilst helping out at pre-polling, situated at the De Jarvis Pavillon at the Cairns Showgrounds.
It's a wet and rugged battleground.
- I've never had such an unpleasant time with any booths in all my life as at pre-polling here in Cairns for local elections.... I used be an ankle-biter size how-to-voter with my Dad - now I'm over 50.
Everywhere, always, it was friendly. Not now. Jeff Lyon - candidate for Division 7 running against Unity Councillor Deirdre Ford and Cairns 1st Diane Forsyth - was to be into control, totally, of who goes where, as voters arrive in advance of Saturday, to cast their vote.
Jeff Lyon, Annette Shepherd, Alan Blake and Norman Miller have set up their camp (table and chairs) at the entrance where it's covered.
Just a bit further down, under cover is Thelma Spelta and bit further down is Cairns 1st. I'm one of their many supporters. The last, but not least, is Unity.
First day of pre-polling, Jeff Lyon received a message from a voter that they were bombarded with us 'how-to-voters'.
He really wants the front entrance all to himself and the rest of the independents.
When Annette and Norman Miller's helper went for lunch yesterday, Jeff was on guard there.
I just went walk-about there. My goodness, what an explosion of anger from him.
I heard him saying to someone on his mobile phone, that if I put this on the CairnsBlog and say anything derogatory about him, he'll sue me.
He also said that I'm always writing on this blog. Well, this is my first time EVER for writing to any blog. Anyway, he was all by himself there. There's plenty of room there.
He couldn't handle a Cairns 1st supporter being in his space.
So, in the rain, the independents direct with their arm and hand, which way the voters could go. They should go along the path in the rain. That means that Cairns 1st supporters and candidates need to dash out into the rain to offer our how-to-vote card. And we did. Now I had bronchitis.
Jeff Lyon, good luck (in suing me).
~ Silvia Dumpmanis
Bully Boy Byrne
He did it then. He does it now. And he'll do it again, if you vote him back.
Much has been said about the way our Mayor communicates with people and organisations. He writes angry emails and often shouts at them, waving his fists at them.
I saw him on WIN's A Current Affair last week waving his pointed finger in someones face shouting at them. I was shocked the the leader of our city would act in public like this.
He has a habit of trying to get his point across by shouting. I often wonder if it's his army background that makes him so aggressive and confrontational. Kevin Byrne thinks he can get his way with such aggressive and bully-type tactics.
Is this the type of person you want running your city any longer?
At the Mayoral debate at Cairns International three weeks ago, Kevin Byrne came up to me, and started shouting and pointing his dirty finger right in my face. "You're a lier" he shouted, to the shock of onlookers.
He continued his rant and rave. "You told lies about my wife on that website," he said. "I'll never shake your hand until you apologise."
Well, there was an apology given, and I had no desire to shake the hand of a man who has disenfranchised so much of his community.
Byrne was referring to a parody I'd written about supposed Cairns Post headlines I suggested in October last year. I was questioning articles in the Cairns Post purporting to be news...
- "Where's the story about Amanda Byrne's lesbian affair?
What about the alleged incident of Cr Alan Blake's trip to Korea on a 'fact finding' mission?
Where's the tale about Tom Hedley waking up with Anna Bligh sans his trousers?
Why Dr Paul Matthews phoned in sick because he caught house flu?
Where's the news about the 8 meter Esplanade extensions to Villa Romana...
oh, that one was probably true.
It was obvious to any reader able to read English that the only "headline" that was true, was the last one...and we all know about Villa Romana!
Byrne quickly engaged Council lawyers Williams Graham Carmen, that donated to his election campaign.
- From: John Hayward jhayward@wgclaw.com
Sent: Monday, 29 October 2007 12:01 PM
RE: Michael Moore & Councillor Byrne
We have received instructions to write to you regarding this article on blog site: http://www.cairnsblog.net/2007/10/this-is-story.html
We issued an appology. Four weeks later Byrne instructed Council's lawyers to write a second time to seek "$500 in costs". I wrote back, through Rob Miller, and said that no fee was agreed nor would one be paid. We heard nothing back.
One commentator has suggested Kevin Byrne has taken out up to 50 legal actions against his residents he wants to suppress.
It's a tactic that backfires. You'd be hard-pressed to find a politician with a thin skin like Kevin Byrne.
Kevin Byrne doesn't front community residents' meetings. He doesn't believe in engaging the community to debate and express their views. And his main advertising platform for this election is that minority groups will not be welcome (again) under his leadership.
You have to ask who's the real bully in this town?
Who’s behind the Cairns 1st team?
In start contrast to Byrne's Unity's mob, where he won't disclose who's financing them prior to the election, Val Schier’s Cairns 1st Alliance has announced the funding behind their election campaign
When asked on ABC yesterday why Kevin Byrne wouldn't reveal his donors, he said "I don't have to!"
Cairns Regional Council mayoral candidate Val Schier said that people want to know who is funding the advertising that they are seeing in on television, radio and in newspapers.
The Cairns 1st campaign has cost $117,000. Half of this – $57,000 – has come from contributions from the eight individual candidates.
$17,000 has been from various fundraising activities over the past four years including trivia night, raffles and a Muso’s night when some of Cairns’ top musicians donated their services for an evening of entertainment and fundraising.
Just Purple New Media designed and managed the Cairns 1st website and Lynnette Griffiths who has designed the logo and all advertisements have put $10,000 value on their contribution.
Schier says Cairns 1st is not a Labor team, but $5,700 has been donated by ALP supporters who have held a garage sale and a theatre night.
The remaining $27,300 of contributions have come from:
- Artists, including Peter Kingston and Sam Tupou - fundraising art auction which raised $12,000
- 48 friends and supporters, including Murdoch McPherson, Michael Bryan, Silvia Dumpmanis, Joy McLoughlin, Jon Metcalfe, Alan Ringland, Klaus Zwanzger, Barry Daniels, Denis Walls and Kay Graham – $8,660
- Businesses including NQ Recycling agents ($1,000), Arup ($400) and MacDonnells ($2,000) totalling $4,000
- James Wilson – Val Schier’s son - $2,000
Under the Local Government Act, donations over $199 have to be disclosed 15 weeks after the election is held.
"We are pleased to let the Cairns community know that we are not beholden to any developers or big corporate donors,” Schier says.
The voters of Cairns and Douglas have a clear choice and a stark difference between the incumbent.
"Byrne and his team will not be as open and transparent as we are prepared to be,” says Val Schier.
Spin is out of control
The dishonest Unity Team have a new TV commercial trying to fool you about their environmental credentials in the form of the 'cleaner seas initiative'.
It's enough to make you jump into a toxic Trinity Inlet.
According to the commercial, it seems that due to their unknown desire to protect the environment, Cairns City Council is now in the process of spending $120 million dollars to clean up discharge waters that flow to the reef.
And they are claiming all the credit for taking this initiative.
Let me tell you that the driving force behind this initiative was the State and Commonwealth Governments.
In fact, the Beattie government claims to have kick started the initiative. The council's own website confirms the real reason why the Cairns City Council has a cleaner seas initiative. It was required to upgrade its sewage treatment plants by the Coastal Management Act.
Yet Byrne wants to take the credit for doing what the Council is actually required to do by law.
Cleaning up the seas has been seriously on the Queensland and Australian agenda for at least a decade.
Here is the plan for moving forward. It is mainly about cleaning up the quality of other waters that flow into the reef.
Tell the truth Unity.
Negative is their middle name
Cairns Regional Council Mayoral candidate, Val Schier, has spoken out in response to the full-page negative advertising that has been authorised by the current Cairns City Council Deputy Mayor, Terry James, for Kevin Byrne and the Unity team."It's disappointing that the Unity team, with all the power of incumbency, has stooped to a dishonest smear campaign in the last days of the election campaign," said Ms Schier.
"I have made it clear that rates will not be raised and that our commitments will be funded from the existing budget," she said.
"There is a lot of room for re-allocation of existing budgets.
"For example, why would we go ahead with stage two of the $38 million Botanic Garden upgrade when suburbs require rates to be used for footpaths and drains that need to be unblocked?"
Schier said that progressive councils on the Sunshine Coast and in Townsville had rating systems that do not just rely on Unimproved Capital Value evaluations set by the state Department of Natural Resources.
"This Council has been using a blunt instrument in an attempt to maximise revenue raising and has not taken into account the needs of ratepayers, particularly pensioners and those on fixed incomes."
Schier said that she and her Cairns 1st candidates have run a clean, focussed, grass roots campaign and can't hope to compete with the big budget dishonest advertising of the developer-backed Unity team.
It looks like they are running scared as the general population have seen through this.
Trinity Inlet under threat from toxic waste
Cairns 1st have undertaken a sample analysis of a sample taken in a drain that flows directly from the Portsmith Landfill reveals shockingly unacceptable levels of heavy metals are flowing into Trinity Inlet.
DATA REPORT ANALYSIS
“The sample, undertaken by SGS, a NATA accredited laboratory, indicates that the level of zinc is 1000 times greater than the acceptable standard set by ANZECC for a marine water environment,” said Mayoral candidate, Val Schier.
‘It further shows that the level of lead is 400 times higher, copper 1000 times higher and nitrogen 2000 times higher than an acceptable level.
“It is alarming and enormously disturbing that run-off from the landfill, with this level of toxicity is polluting tidal wetlands,” said Ms Schier.
Cairns 1st has been trying to make the general public aware of what has been going on at the Portsmith landfill since we learnt that what the Cairns City Council was saying and what was actually happening were two different things.
Schier announced on 22 January 2008 that she was concerned that untreated household and industrial waste was being diverted from the Bedminster composting system onto the Portsmith Landfill which Cairns City Council had said was only being used for the dumping of building materials and green waste.
Kevin Byrne and his media spokesperson, Gary Schofield, stated that no untreated waste was going onto the landfill and that it was being built up to enable it to be capped and turned into parklands.
Val SChier says this is demonstrably untrue.
"It is clear that the Bedminster system is not able to deal with the volume of waste going into it, the excess waste is not going to the Mareeba landfill, the alternative dumpsite, and instead truck after truck are dumping tonnes of untreated waste a day on the landfill site.”
Cairns 1st Division 5 candidate Richie Bates said that Trinity Inlet is a major fish habitat which has been threatened previously, 20 years ago, by toxic dump leachate flowing into it from the Portsmith dump site.
“The dump was supposed to be closed and now we find out that it is polluting the inlet which is used on a daily basis by fishermen,” Bates says.
“How are they going to feel when they hear this news and what impacts might eating fish from the inlet have on people’s health? This is scandalous.”
The Environment Protection Agency has advised that, following the reporting of concerns by Cairns 1st, they visited the landfill site last week and have taken their own samples for analysis.
Why Kevin Byrne and Unity are unfit for office
I was looking through the files, and saw some interesting leaflets that I thought I'd share.
I moved to Cairns just before the 2000 election, and quickly settled into Yorkeys Knob. There were promises from Big Kev that he would deal with the Northern Beaches access roads if he was elected. They have a history of flooding and blocking residents in almost every wet season.
"Continue extensive flood mitigation work, with particular emphasis on the northern beaches."
This was Byrne's claim in 2000. You'll see his election leaflet below from that year, saying "Getting the Job Done."
Then along came the 2004 election. Nothing. Hardly a pot hole was filled on the northern beaches road.
Byrne came along to the Yorkeys residents 'meet the candidates' function in February 2004.
I asked the question why the beach access roads work hadn't been dealt with as per his 2000 promise. The answer was pathetic: "We have undertaken the engineering reports and this will now commence in the next year."
So, eight years on, still nothing done. Broken promises to a community that is sick and tired of politicians that make promises and don't deliver.
You see, Byrne's agenda was actually the opposite. All along he was focused on building and sub-dividing new low-lying areas, not dealing with existing problem areas.
The last eight years have actually created more and more flooding of residential communities due to land that is flood-prone. The land been built on and drainage systems have been ill-conceived and simply can't cope.
This wet season will play havoc to the Byrne's re-election chances. The current Council's track record on planning for the the Wet and the extremes it delivers, is pitiful.
Residents of Gordonvale that have been affected by neighbouring new development as extensive land is now covered with house block, which used to act as a natural sponge.
Overnight, the Koombal causeway, next to the False Cape disaster site, has almost collapsed.
It is now considered dangerous by local residents.
It is badly undermined particularly at the southern end and the concrete already cracked.
A heavy vehicle would break through.
I'm sure, reading these 2000 Election leaflets you can spot numerous other broken promises.
The Byrne Council is not only out of ideas, it's sadly incapable of managing strategic infrastructure for a quality life we all desire.
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Thursday, March 13, 2008
PALM advocates for live music
People Advocating Live Music (PALM) is a volunteer community group with an interest in developing a thriving live music scene and music industry in Cairns and our tropical region
Ray Elias
People Advocating Live Music
Tel 0423 048 475
PO Box 112 Redlynch
Qld 4870
No connections to Villa
Aitken releases 'Sno Bonneau Report Card'
Cairns 1st Division 9 candidate, Janine Aitken has launched a 'Report card' about her opponent, in the lead up to this weekend's election.
“There are many areas where unit development on the northern beaches is poorly conceived,” says Aitken. “He has failed the community.”
Aitken also claims that Sno Bonneau is not an independent. “It’s clear that he supports Kevin Byrne and the Unity Party, this is why they have chosen not to run anyone in the Division and also endorse him,” Aitken says. “Bonneau is Kevin’s man in this Division.”
Only two will context for Division 9 in the Cairns Regional Council elections this Saturday.
“The residents of Kewarra, Trinity Park, Trinity Beach, Smithfield, Caravonia and Lake Placid need to be aware of how he failed the people over the last four years,” says Janine Aitken.
“Sno has a record of avoiding community meetings like the plague. Talk to the good people of Clifton Beach: He’s missing in action,” says Janine Aitken. “There are many areas where he has failed to work with the community for a mutual outcome.”
“The proposed town centre at Smithfield, twice the size of Cairns Central, was supported by Sno before the community revolted,” says Janine Aitken. “It was driven entirely by commercial interests and not the community,” she says.
“Only after such anger in the community, was there a token community clause put in. Why didn’t the local Councillor advocate for his residents before? He failed the community.”
“Our community needs a representative who will not fail them any longer,” says Aitken.
“I would like to challenge Sno Bonneau on his record.”
Accountable government
It's almost retrospective time.
The campaign is nearing the eleventh hour. I couldn't be more pleased. Not that it's over but more to the point that it's exhausting, and I'm not even running for office.
One of the most important things to come out of this election campaign is that people want a more accountable and open local government.
There's been many examples that the Byrne-led local Council it not. It's not accountable to the people. It does not like consulting with the people.
Tomorrow Val Schier and her Cairns 1st team will open her books and announce how much they've spent and who donated. This is a tremendous way to show the community how up front a Council under her leadership will be.
It's expected that Cairns 1st have spent around $100,000, almost twice the amount they did on the 2004 election. Just over $6,000 was contributed by each candidate towards their group's advertising and common costs. The balance has come from a series of fundraising events like a quiz night and art auction.
Val Schier confirmed on ABC Far North yesterday that she has received no donations from developers.
ABC host Pat Morrish asked Mayor Byrne if he would be doing the same, and reveal his financial supporters.
"The fact that you haven't revealed who has supported your campaign financially, raises questions," Morrish put to Byrne. "Why won't you do that?"
"I don't have to," Kevin Byrne said. "We'll do it after the election."
"There's that old saying that who pays the piper picks the tune," Pat Morrish suggested. "People do want to know."
"It has never happened in my Council. It has never happened in my life in public service. It's not about to start now."
The mayor then became very agitated at the suggestion that he had bowed to his financial supporters over the last four years. In the 2004 campaign, his Unity party received donations totalling over $261,000, many were from property and construction related organisations.
"You have no evidence of that. It has never happened," he said aggressively.
Morrish said that people feel that the mayor was too close to developers and that is the public perception. "That's why they ask the question," she said.
"You're inferring that I am in the pocket of these people," Byrne said. "I'm not in their pocket. Never have been and never will be."
Here's the full interview on ABC's Far North yesterday morning:
BYRNE ON Pat Morrish ABC Wednesday March 12th
What is the Mayor hiding?
The Cairns Ratepayers Action Group visited the Mayor's office at 3:30pm yesterday afternoon, to collect the Mayor's Statutory Declaration on his business interests. Here's the response:
- Hello Kevin,
Thank you for the mention while being interviewed yesterday by Pat Morrish on ABC Radio ... "a notorious trouble maker" .
You must be mellowing old soldier. Coming from you, that's a compliment compared to the way you denigrate people who disagree you. Perhaps ABC should do a survey of what people of Cairns call you?
As you know visited the Council office yesterday at 3.30 pm to collect your statutory declaration, remember the one you mentioned to Pat Morrish on ABC radio yesterday.
It was disappointing you weren't in to give me your famous two fingers salute, and your mate John Hawkes, acting CEO, was supposedly in a meeting.
You said on ABC your Pecuniary interest declarations in the Cairns City Council register were audited late last year and that the register accurately reflects your current interests. Who did the audit ?
Kevin lets not continue with your smoke and mirrors games ... your ASIC recorded interests, within various time frames, do not tally with your declarations.
Your latest declaration may be accurate only because you have changed things.
Let's take one example... you have never declared your interests in Brydale Pty Ltd registered 19/08/05. You were the sole director. Are you are trying to say that just because you "sold" your shares to a mate before the audit last year that your declarations are true?
Give us a break, you're not fooling anyone.
Your Statutory Declaration should be in the following words ...
I Kevin Michael Byrne declare that during all my tenures as Mayor my declarations in Cairns City Council Registers of pecuniary interest were a true record of fact.
You have been given a reasonable time. Please comply with the law and be transparent with the people of Cairns ... NOW.
John Babet
Cairns Ratepayers Action Group
Here's the full interview on ABC's Far North yesterday morning:
BYRNE ON Pat Morrish ABC Wednesday March 12th
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Schier leads Byrne in Douglas
According to a survey conducted by 20/20 Group Australia, Val Schier is leading the Cairns Regional Council mayoral race in the Douglas Shire.
The survey also revealed that candidate Julia Leu was the clear leader in the Cairns Regional Council Division 10 race.
The survey was conducted at the Port Douglas Chamber of Commerce Candidates Luncheon held yesterday which was attended by 100 members of the local business community.
The 20/20 Group Director Gaye Scott said there were 48 valid responses for the mayoral candidates survey and 51 valid responses for the Division 10 candidates Survey.
“Mayoral candidates Kevin Byrne, Val Schier and Selwyn Johnstone had 10 minutes to address five set questions,” Gaye explained.
Division 10 candidates Peter Johnston, Danny Hanly, Julia Leu, Rod Davis, Melinda Cox, George Pitt and Bill Phillips-Turner had seven minutes to answer a different set of five questions.
“Our survey asked guests who they intended to vote for and if they had changed their mind after the speeches were made”, Gaye Scott said.
The survey also asked guests to rate each speaker’s presentation and list main strengths and weaknesses.
“It should be noted that this was a comparatively small survey and that the results may not be indicative of the results across Division 10 on Saturday,” Gaye Scott said.
Mayoral Candidate Results
In the mayoral race Val Schier scored 54% of the votes followed by Kevin Byrne on 33%, Selwyn Johnston with 7%. 6% undecided.
“Some people did change their minds after listening to the candidates at the luncheon with Selwyn Johnstone picking up three votes from both Val and Kevin,” Gaye said.
Kevin Byrne did collect the most votes for a “very good” and “excellent” presentation while Val Schier was mostly voted as “very good” and Selwyn Johnston was mostly voted as “good”.
Kevin Byrne’s main strengths were described as “experienced” and “strong” while his main weakness was described as “arrogance”.
Selwyn Johnston’s strengths were described as “independent” and “genuine” while his main weakness was described as a “lack of experience” and “no clear vision”.
Val Schier’s main strengths were described as “enthusiasm” and “passion” while her main weakness was described as “negative attacks on Kevin Byrne”.
Division 10 Candidates Results
“Division 10 candidate Julia Leu had 65 percent of the vote at the Luncheon which was seven times more than her nearest rival,” Gaye Scott said.
Following Julia Leu was Rod Davis, Melinda Cox and Danny Hanly, all on nine percent, while Bill Phillips-Turner had four percent of the vote and George Pitt had two percent.
One person was undecided and Peter Johnston was unable to sway the Port Douglas business community for a single vote.
“After the speeches, four people changed their voting preferences and Melinda Cox picked up three votes and Danny Hanly picked up one as well,” Gaye Scott said.
Julia Leu received the most votes for an “excellent” or “very good” presentation, followed by Rod Davis, Danny Hanly and Melinda Cox.
Julia Leu’s main strengths were described as “experience” and “local knowledge” while her weaknesses were described as “too bureaucratic” and “gender”.
Danny Hanly’s main strengths were described as “community minded” and “passion” while his weakness was described as “lack of experience”.
Rod Davis’s main strengths were described as “experienced” and “good ideas” while his weaknesses were described as “on previous council” and “too scattered”.
Melinda Cox’s main strengths were described as “community engagement” and “honesty” while her weaknesses were described as “lack of depth of experience” and “on previous council”.
Peter Johnston’s main strengths were described as “experience” and “skills and qualifications” while his weaknesses were described as “lack of knowledge of Douglas Shire” and “not local”.
George Pitt’s main strengths were described as “genuine” and “experienced” while his weaknesses were described as “on previous council” and “no clear vision”.
Bill Phillips-Turner’s main strengths were described as “experienced”, “local knowledge” and “Unity member” while his weaknesses were described as “on Unity team” and “already has demanding job”.
False Cape development
These drawings depict how the False Cape site was reconfigured under the Cairns City Council to maximize the number of house blocks for the developer.
Plan of Development in accordance with Consent Order dated 4th December 1987
1987
2006
Plan of Development in accordance with Cairns City Council Operational Works Approval 2006
Modification of approval conditions without triggering concurrence agencies
Incremental creep.
Better late than never
"KiwiFruit,
Hot of [sic] the Press! Be a good boy and post it up For Me.. Regards, Paul."
Lets be transparent Mr Mayor
At 3.30 pm today mayoral candidate Kevin Byrne will be visited at his Council office by the spokesperson for the Cairns Ratepayers Action Group.
CRAG requests a statutory declaration that Mr Byrne declarations on the Cairns City Council's Register of Pecuniary Interests are correct.
This follows on from CRAG's public letter last week to Mr Byrne, requesting that he answer questions of public interest about his business and financial interests whilst Cairns mayor.
Pat, Fiona and Mrs Slocombe's pussy
I wake up most morning's with Pat in my bedroom. She's almost part of the family.
However today I was shocked.
In between interviewing Kevin Byne and Val Schier, ABC's Pat Morrish was trying to read a question about the British TV show Are you being served? in her morning radio quiz.
Pat tried several times to get a question out for her listeners. Then she got the giggles. Her producer Fiona jumped in and saved the moment. "Pat's on the floor right now," she exclaimed.
And the question: What's the name of Mrs Slocombe's pussy?
In the TV show, Mrs Slocombe often referred to "my pussy". It was the source of many a double entendre.
No matter how many times she tried, Pat couldn't utter the "p" word. Pat got the giggles. The microphone was repeatedly cut, in order to block her uncontrollably laughter. I don't think I've ever heard her loose it before. It was hysterical radio.
I dare say the ABC staffroom is having a great chuckle this morning about the consummate broadcaster's moment of public mirth. She's not only human, she's our Pat.
This year Pat Morrish celebrates 26 years in public broadcasting. She will retire and smell the roses at the end of August.
By the way, it was Tiddles.
Same old, same old
A few weeks ago, I bought to attention the substantial list of donations to Kevin Byrne's Unity party in 2004.
Then I came across these press clippings (below) from the Cairns Sun in 2000. These are interesting, given the current debate about political donations and affiliations, in light of the Mayor steadfastly refusing to declare if his interest recorded, are correct.
The author of these press clippings, is now Council's chief media spin doctor. Funny how some things go. Robyn Holmes used to work tirelessly holding Kevin Byrne to account. I wonder what changed for her? Maybe if you can't beat em, you may as well join them.
Back in 2000, local journalists often stood up to ask Mayor Byrne and his Council hard questions. Even as recent as 2004, in the lead up to the last election, the Post's Kerri-Ann Stout was investigating local politicians and Council's closed door meetings, among other matters. She was a fearless local writer and was not afraid, nor was the Post, in running strong questions. This is the job of the Fourth Estate.
Today it's hard to find journalists doing this style of investigative reporting. Even the TV media seem to not have the resource or the hunger to question and probe.
I chatted to a local radio journalist in Port Douglas during yesterday's candidate's forum, and he said they simply don't have the resources or the time. I think it's more than that.
The day we take things on face value, we may as well resort to commercial news that is constructed in 30 second sound bites.
We have a print media that often rolls over. They print stories like "Babet Warned by Police". One telephone call to the Cairns Police discovered that this was totally untrue. Yet it took nearly a week for the Cairns Post to admit it was wrong and print an apology. Why do they write story based on three-party pressure from political parties that has a vested interest in their spin?
On Saturday, the Cairns Post ran a set-up story about a disgruntled former staff member who worked under Val Schier six years ago. The Post ran the same story in the week leading up to the 2004 council election.
Saturday's headline was totally misleading and indicated that she was forced out of her State sector job. This was not the case at all. In fact she stood up to the system and the real outcome of that event was one of courage and determination to hold true to her principles.
Yesterday, the Post ran a story about the Villa Romana debacle and quoted Kevin Byrne saying that it's not a Council responsibility, it's the State Government. WIN TV also concluded their report on the issue quoting the Cairns Mayor who said it's no longer a matter for the Council.
'Reporters' should question and dig deeper. The Council have so far failed to act and represent the people on this long-running matter. Our local media could have done a little bit of research and put hard questions to the Mayor and asked why his Council does not support the removal of this illegal extension. He could have instructed Dept of Natural Resources to request the property owner to remove it forthwith. So what do we get instead? A light story that misses the whole point of who is really the culprit in this scam.
Sure, question and expose issues around Cairns 1st, who are the primary alternative. But please do the same to the Mayor and incumbent local government administration. The media have an important role to play in the local debate, and with the pressure of Byrne's Unity team contributing substantial advertising revenue to the Cairns Post, they appear to feel obliged to support where their bread is buttered. Certainly a quick tally of the Post's stories would indicate this.
Some of the local print media are becoming a lightweight in researching stories and investigating the news makers. They simply grab a press release and stick it in their paper.
This is sad. Blogs like this should not have monopoly on questioning and holding public officials to account, like John Babet and his Cairns Ratepayers Action Group have done. Where is the mainstream media in championing this issue? Where was the Cairns Post in the exposure of the Mareeba Shire Council's Mayor's non-disclosure of property at the time of taking the Myola decision? Why did the Council pressure WIN TV to run a retraction to state that that important council meeting was open, when in fact it was closed? They rolled over.
In the lead up to the 2008 local Council election, The Cairns Post have not had the courage to hold to account the current administration. Now is the time to question the current Council's track record and dish out their report card. What were their achievements? Have they achieved the promises they presented four years ago? They haven't done this. Most media are reactionary, and not proactive in digging up and investigating.
Why have they consistently failed to ask about the Mayor's pecuniary interests, which remain under a cloud? I challenge The Cairns to do this. Tomorrow, Thursday, will be the last opportunity.
The Post, and other media, are quickly loosing the faith of their audience.
Byrne's Unity didn't respond
It appears that candidates are prepared to 'talk the talk', but are just learning to walk on sustainability issues, says.
Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC) asked all candidates to complete a survey on sustainable development, however of the 32 Cairns candidates, only 11 responded. 7 were Independents, 4 from Cairns 1st. None were received from Kevin Byrne's Unity candidates.
Of the 30 Tableland Regional Council candidates surveyed, only ten responded.
CAFNEC says there is often a low level of understanding about sustainability. They have put the results on their website of each candidate’s views on planning for sustainability.
"We continue to lose our remaining natural areas, including important wildlife corridors and key riparian zones.," says Steve Ryan of CAFNEC. "These green zones are continuously eroded by nearby development and wildlife is disappearing from our landscape. As wetlands and native river vegetation are cleared or degraded by development, natural flood protection services and wildlife populations become impacted."
"Although trees are being planted by council and non-government entities to improve vegetation around some rivers such as the Barron, longer-term strategies for ensuring protection and enhancement of a connected system of riparian/wildlife corridors is greatly needed," he says.
“The planning schemes offered by our Local Governments as protection of our natural and scenic landscapes can be changed at will, and are on a regular basis. The recent clearing of an identified wildlife corridor in Myola demonstrated just how easily a council Planning Scheme can be undermined," said Steve Ryan.
Here's an excerpt from the recent Myola decision:
Mareeba Shire Planning Scheme alterations for Development Application to Clear in an identified wildlife corridor. Allowable clearing area increased by 500% at the stroke of a pen.
Full Approval Document available.
The reality is that although the concept of sustainable development is getting through to some candidates, as evidenced by their use of this term in their election campaigns, a bolder vision and stronger actions are needed to make it a reality in local government decision making processes.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Page and Lennon not defamed
At 3:15pm this afternoon the Jury in the case of defamation before the Cairns District Court delivered their verdict.
The four-women jury found in favour of Councillor Freebody and The Cairns Post.
The allegations of defamation were bought by John Page and Greg Lennon, who accused Cairns City Councillor Paul Freebody and The Cairns Post, had defamed them in a letter published in the Cairns Post in October 2004.
It is expected that Page and Lennon will have to pay costs in the case, which could be up to $100,000, including the cost of the jury.
It's a sad day when a decision like this endorses the actions of a City Councillor, supported by the city's newspaper, to write and publish such a letter. It is understandable why Page and Lennon felt hurt and defamed by the letter. However, this jury did not come to that conclusion. The letter was published only a week after the Queensland Racing Tribunal completely vindicated an earlier related charge against the pair.
Let's hope that the good Councillor has learnt that writing such letters against others in the community, is not acceptable nor an appropriate way to convey his opinion, no matter what that opinion is. I somehow doubt he will.
There have been no winners in this case.
Pecuniary Interest Register - Cairns Mayor K M Byrne
Actions speak louder than words.
-----Original Message-----
From: John@Spiritus [mailto:john@spiritus.com.au]
Sent: Tuesday, 11 March 2008 9:01 AM
To: Michael Moore Cairns Blog
Subject: Fw: URGENT- PECUNIARY INTEREST REGISTER - CAIRNS MAYOR K M BYRNE
John Hawkes ... CCC
Hello John, have spoken to Tim Dunne, head of the Investigations Dept at the Qld. Dept of Local Government ... he confirms that our grounds are reasonable, in that an ASIC search of Kevin Byrne produced a voluminous list ... when compared to the photo copy we have of Kevins declarations in the Council Register there is a variance between the two .
Please no more delays as the 24 hour deadline is 12.14 pm today.
----- Original Message -----
From: "John@Spiritus"
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 8:46 AM
Subject: URGENT- PECUNIARY INTEREST REGISTER - CAIRNS MAYOR K M BYRNE
Tim Dunne - Manager, Investigations, Qld Dept Local Govt.
Hello Tim, further to our previous discussions ... here is the reply from
acting CEO John Hawkes, who is normally General Manager Works ... he is Byrnes right hand man ... what next ? ... all best
----- Original Message -----
From: "Hawkes John"
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 10:18 PM
Subject: PECUNIARY INTEREST REGISTER - CAIRNS MAYOR K M BYRNE
John,
I refer to your email of today's date and include below the Section of the Local Government Act 1993 relevant to your request.
In order for me to progress this request I am obliged to establish that your suspicion is based on "reasonable grounds".
Would you, therefore, please forward any relevant information to support such grounds.
Yours faithfully,
John Hawkes
Acting Chief Executive Officer
Cairns City Council
Ph. (07)40443320
email: j.hawkes@cairns.qld.gov.au
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1993
----------------------------------------------------
Chapter 4 - LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILLORS
Part 3 - ENTITLEMENTS AND OBLIGATIONS
Division 2 - Obligations of councillors
Section 249 - Queries on contents of register
Queries on contents of register
249.(1) A person who suspects on reasonable grounds that a register does not contain particulars that should be in the register may inform the chief executive officer of the local government.
(2) The chief executive officer must immediately inform the councillor concerned.
(3) The councillor must, within 30 days of being informed-
(a) establish whether the register should be amended to make it a true record of fact; and
(b) if the register should be amended-give the chief executive officer the appropriate particulars in writing.
(4) If the councillor establishes that the register does not need to be amended, the councillor must-
(a) complete a statutory declaration to the effect that the particulars in the register are a true record of fact; and
(b) give the statutory declaration to the chief executive officer.
-----Original Message-----
From: John@Spiritus [mailto:john@spiritus.com.au]
Sent: Monday, 10 March 2008 12:14 PM
To: Cottrell Samantha
Subject: PECUNIARY INTEREST REGISTER - CAIRNS MAYOR K M BYRNE
Acting CEO
Mr John Hawkes
Cairns City Council. C/ Personal Assistant Samantha
Cotterell
Hello John,
As suggested by the Investigation Dept of the Dept of Local Govt., we
request that you immediately obtain a statuatory declaration from Mayor
Byrne that his declarations of pecuniary interests in the Council
Register are correct ... if they are incorrect please have him
immediately correct them , and email us a copy.
By email please confirm receipt, and advise within 24 hours, actions
taken by you, and response, or lack of response, from Kevin Byrne.
Sincerely,
John Babet Cairns Ratepayers Action Group (CRAG)
ph 0411 877 506
email john@spiritus.com.au
10 March 2008