Lifelong social justice anti-war activist Bryan Law, passes away

Australian Anti-war and social justice advocate, veteran activist Bryan Law, has died in Rockhampton.  He was 58.

Bryan Law, who had recently moved from Cairns to Rockhampton awaiting trial for damage to a military helicopter, passed away after a long illness.  He was born in 1954.   

'War without end, not in our name'

He was a determined activist to the very end.

In the Cairns political landscape, the name Bryan Law is synonymous with speaking out and stirring the pot. Almost every Cairns resident is familiar with his actions and activism.  The Cairns Post infamously called him a serial pest, from a cub journo who had run out of adjectives. Serial he may be, but I prefer to label Bryan a veteran activist.

His partner, Margaret Pestorius, conveyed the news to CairnsBlog this morning. 

“Bryan passed away in Rocky.  They found him at home.  We heard this evening [Monday night].  We'll bring him home to Cairns.  We will hold vigil over the next few days in some way or another,” Margaret said. 

"He has been very sick for several years but wanted very much to stand trial for his ploughshares action - even though the trial really was a trial."

"Don't forget to stand up courageously for what is right like Bryan did," Margaret Pestorius said.

In November 2008 the veteran campaigner, political activist, and CairnsBlog columnist, underwent emergency open-heart surgery.  At that time, he had three Coronary Arterial bypass grafts, in a process that took over four hours.

"I'm still here," he told CairnsBlog at the time. "They've given me a 90% chance of surviving 10 years, so that's good I suppose."

Bryan ran for Mayor of Cairns.

Law stopping Prime Minister John Howard during a protest

Bryan Law with Steve Brech

What would the diggers say...indeed.

Bryan Law was a mighty man and a beautiful passionate soul with an amazing zest for social justice.

After he attacked an Australian Army Tiger attack helicopter with a blow from a garden mattock he told the judge at the initial mention of he elation.

“I’m glad I did it, your Honour," he told Magistrate Cameron Press.  “I’m glad that for however brief a moment that infernal helicopter death machine couldn’t fly. Couldn’t be used as a weapon.  In a time of depraved warfare in Afghanistan and of military slavery to the US empire, I’m glad I made this witness to the prophecy of Isaiah and the promise of our saviour Jesus Christ.  We must disarm."

Bryan was been arrested countless times, at least on 50 occasions.  He lost count.  He got under the skin of politicians who have taken him to court. Love or loath Bryan Law, he is one who draws a strong following from all sides. One thing is for sure - he is no armchair critic. He stands up, speaks out and acts with passion, vigor and compelling non-violent action.

He knew that after more than 30 years of activism, he was nearing the end of his battles, as his health deteriorated.

Under the banner of his organisation, Cairns Peace by Peace, he was there with his unique brand of civil disobedience and direct action.  

With Desley's "golden tiara"

With US peace activist, Kathy Kelly 

Bryan Law was there when the sealed road was being pushed through north of the Daintree River; when the Federal Government wouldn’t disclose the purpose of the top secret Pine Gap spy base; when Skyrail wanted to tear down the rainforest above Smithfield; when the USA boughtwarships into Cairns’ harbour; when the Queensland Labor government destroyed the historic Cairns Yacht Club building; when Cairns Community Radio blockedout locals.  He defaced hundreds of Cairns MP Desley Boyle's election signage, when she refused to stand up for locals of demolishing the Yacht Club building; when Cairns Council wanted to destroy City Place.  He participated in numerous protests and actions against US / Australia defence exercises, breaking into restricted zones and stopping events.  He caused a security scare when he swam in Trinity Inlet as the USS Blue Ridge was docking in Cairns.   

He took on The Cairns Post and won in court.

"It [Cairns Post] prints the most disgusting attacks on Aboriginal and Indigenous people, attacks which have no foundation in reality and which stir up the worst prejudices in our society and we’re here today to say stop it," Bryan Law said in 2002.

"Call me bitter and twisted, but the Yacht Club issue convinced me that the Labor Party has once again forgotten that it's job is to represent the community and engage with its values and desires," Bryan said in 2009.

Law was media-savvy, articulate and political astute, he always defended himself in court, standing up for his principles.

'War without end, not in our name' a slogan on his t-shirt he would stand by to the end.

“I will miss him for a multitude of reasons but most of all because of his beliefs, his integrity and his tenacity to right where he saw wrong,” former Mulgrave Councillor Ross Parisi said today.  “Ridicule and derision, by his political adversaries did not penetrate his shield of honor, it made him stronger and more determined to strive for what he believed in. It made him resilient.”

Ross Parisi said Law’s ability to articulate and persuade were some of his most endearing virtues.

He detested the abuse of power, particularly by those in authority.  He saw through the shallowness of impostors and pretenders.  

"Surrounded by all that, inside was a gentle man and a sensitive man, a caring man that loved his family, like only he could,” Ross Parisi said.

Cairns teacher and Greens political supporter, Steve Brech, said Bryan Law was his inspiration.

“After years of trying to ‘fight the system’, there I was presented with a real life Ghandi figure, full of peace, justice, democracy and a confidence I'd never encountered before,” Steve Breach said.  “Bryan will stay with me forever.”

Janine Aitken who stood for Council in 2008 and supported many of Law’s non-violent civil disobedience campaigns, remembers his passion for change.

Bryan Law with Aboriginal activist, Noel Pearson.

“While he may not have ever achieved the change he wanted, Bryan changed everyone he met,” Janine Aitken says.  “He challenged the way we looked at the world and was a great man with a brilliant sense of humour, guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.  I will miss him.  The thing with Bryan, there are plenty who knew him, but few that would stand up and claim him as a friend or even defend his right to say his piece when it differed from their own,” Aitken told CairnsBlog.  

“He was often banned from public discussions and in the last few years I've found myself arguing with others on why he shouldn't be blocked, an argument I would enviably lose.   But I am proud that I had the chance to call him a friend and I always did, despite our often opposing views.”

Former Cairns Councillor Diane Forsyth, who together orchestrated protests against the demolition of the Cairns Yacht Club in 2010, was saddened by the news of his passing.

“RIP Bryan Law my thoughts are with you Margaret, and Joseph,” Dianne Forsyth said.

Political commentator and blogger Leigh Dall'Osto says Bryan was a rare individual.

“He was one of those rare people who had passion and purpose and wasn't afraid to express either. He brought perspective, laughter and honesty to every conversation. We are all richer for having known him,” Leigh Dall'Osto said.  “He was the very definition of humanity and justice and fought along with his partner Margaret.  He will be sorely missed by many.”

In February 2011, Bryan Law wrote on CairnsBlog of his frustration over many years trying to make a change.

“I’ve spent 30 years proving to myself that an ordinary citizen is able to deploy the power of non-violence effectively to move towards peace and social justice.   I’ve learned that getting a 'Yes' from government isn’t enough. Government needs continual scrutiny and correction.

“I follow Jesus, Gandhi, Dorothy Day and Dr King.  I’ve been given limited opportunities to organise collectively with others, and amplify that non-violence power to compel better behaviour from governments. The power that democratised Parliament still exists but is diffuse and uncoordinated.” Bryan Law wrote. 

Bryan always maintained a respectful relationship with the Police.

“On the whole I’d say that ‘our’ biggest weakness is a lack of experience in cooperation and mutual aid in our political life. Gossip, jealousy, fear, and ‘better than’ feelings disable us and make us smaller than we need to be.”

He said in February 2011 that he would not return to Cairns, in order to under-taken his most brazen act against Australia’s involvement in the Afghanistan war, cemented his name in the history books for attacking a Defence helicopter.

He carried out the protest in July 2011 that saw charges of $200,000 of damage levelled against him by the Federal Police and Department of Defence.

“The final public event I’ll attend in Cairns will be the ANZAC Eve vigil at the Esplanade Cenotaph on Easter Sunday,” Bryan said.  “After this, I’m going to Rockhampton to prepare for and carry out a ploughshares action against a US warplane during Exercise Talisman Sabre.”

Law justified his actions saying that it was repugnant that the Australian government was spending $6 Billion in the budget for acquiring new defence weapons.

“That’s for tanks, fighter/bombers, air warfare destroyers, drones, cruise missiles, satellites, networked electronic C3 systems - and $5 Billion to maintain existing weapons systems,” Bryan said.  “Expect the same each year for at least for the next 20 years. There is already $57 billion committed by the Rudd-Labor government over the next 20 years to the large weapons acquisitions, and the current Defence Capability plan Plan calls for $159 Billion worth of acquisition commitment by 2018. There's a call in a recent issue of The Australian for 12 nuclear powered attack submarines, at $2 Billion each, so we can ‘defend ourselves against China’ - our bestest buddies and trading partners.”

In 2005, Bryan Law, along with three other peace activists, broke into the highly-sensitive US Defense communications facility in the Northern Territory desert at Pine Gap.  They were eventually acquitted of all charges under the Special Defence Undertakings Act 1952.  Al Jazeera TV interviewed Bryan Law after the action, when, at the time, he had 30 arrests and 4 jail terms to his credit.

In October last year, he went swimming in the ocean, for the first time in 15 months.

"I went for a swim in the sea yesterday at beautiful Yeppoon, Bryan said afterwards.  "Last time I swam was just around the corner at Rosslyn Bay, just before the Rocky Tiger ploughshares action. It's taken four surgeries and a lot of treatment to recover from complications of diabetes. Yesterdays' swim, while preparing for Talisman Saber 2013 was a real hoot."

His first beach swim in years.

“After the Talisman Saber exercise, I expect to spend the rest of my life either in prison, or carrying out further acts of disarmament. I feel like I’ve reached a place of calm clarity - OK there’s a bit of fear too, and I’ll be sad to be separated from my family. Persistence is king.”

Bryan lived by his own mantra.  He said if you want peace, work for justice.   A year ago, I asked Bryan if it was all worth it.

Making peace lanterns 

“If more citizens of good conscience in Cairns took up nonviolence and civil disobedience as a tool for political and social formation in Cairns we might achieve a better class of politician, and a better class of democracy than the standard we presently,’ Bryan said.  “Meanwhile my family will do what it can.  So I’ll end where I began. Is it worth it? Yup!”

Bryan is survived by his partner Margaret Pestorius and their son Joseph.  

A vigil will be held over the next few days at Bryan’s home in Fernley Street.

• Bryan looks back at 2008
• Bryan Law and Pine Gap direct action
• Al Jezera interview

Entsch fountain dream to save City Place

The latest plan from Federal MP Warren Entsch for a redeveloped Cairns City Place, is causing a stir.

City Place in the heart of Cairns CBD has been redesigned more often than a Baghdad shopping mall.  The latest pipe dream still has zero shade or tropical trees.  What next?  A giant mosquito?

Even Warren's pretend love-child, Jack Andrew Wilkie-Jans is far from amused.

"I'm sorry, I am a great supporter of Warren Entsch and he is a friend of my grandmother's and has always supported me, but Land of the Fountains is cray-cray!" Jans said this morning.

Jans says the proposal looks way out of proportion and too much emphasis on rocks, the characters used to symbolise Far North Queensland look to be a mish-mash of tourist souvenirs.

"So if Lake Street doesn't get opened up, we could get stuck with this?'  Jack Jans says.   "Please send in better ideas or designs for fountains!  If people want to go down the central, fountain approach then that's fine, but at least get the design to be apart of public art or something with sculptural artists such as Gianni Sabaini, to design a water feature/sculpture. Otherwise fountains depicting events of significance to our history will end up looking like a god-awful child's diorama."

The design and plan has been created by local architect Garry Masters, and Warren Entsch says it is part of a project called Land of the Fountains, which they say will bring both short and long-term economic benefits to Far North Queensland.

"Before going too much further, think about your photo album from a holiday overseas, whether these travel snaps are of ancient ruins, pretty villages or a modern city, there is a common theme – people love to pose in front of fountains," Warren Entsch wrote in today's Cairns Post.   "Then what do they do? They send their photos to friends all over the world, and in doing so are promoting the region at no cost to the tourism industry."

"Now picture a Far North Queensland take on this, with a network of 21 large, individually designed and constructed fountains depicting our early history and significant events. Located throughout the Cairns, Douglas, Cassowary Coast, Cook and Tablelands regions, they would provide a meeting place and hub for residents and visitors, Entsch says.   "These fountains would be built from a combination of reinforced concrete, polished granite and marble, bronze statues and natural materials such as the boulders seen at Mossman Gorge, with programmable light and water displays."

Warren Entsch says this is especially timely given that a public consultation process for City Place will take place over the next two months, where people have the chance to outline their vision for the CBD.

"As you can see from the artist’s impression, there’s no doubt that a spectacular water feature would provide a much-needed heart for Cairns," Entsch said.  "Just up the road, Munro Martin Park is another key CBD area that has never reached its full potential.   Wouldn’t it be great to drive down Sheridan St and see people having a lazy picnic on the grass around the fountain, while their kids play nearby?"

There was mixed support for the idea, which would mean the saving of City Place.

Local political and community activist Margaret Pestorius says it's a good idea.

"It's Lake St because there was a lake there. I reckon a system of water features and fountains would be great. Seems it may have been a meeting place - a food place. Water and food, sounds good," says Margaret Pestorius.

However Beverley Prescott says it's not correct to say that Lake Street was named from the fact of its being a lake.

"The street was named after Captain Lake, of the A.S.N. Company’s steamer, Victoria," Prescott says.  "The steamer, Victoria, conveyed the Government officials to open up Cairns as a port of entry, which was done in the customary style by a luncheon on the steamer on November 1, 1876."

As the debate rises over the future of City Place as a public space, Nickie Comley is pleased with the discussion.

"Keep community spirit alive and City Place is the perfect place to inject some real sense of spirit in this city...  Lets not just become another boring city with no soul."

Well said.

Douglas rate rise disputed ahead of de-amalgamation referendum

In just under two months, on 9th March, residents of the former Douglas Shire, which in part embraces the Division 10 of Cairns Regional Council, will have a referendum to decide if they will go it alone.

Estimates are that ratepayers will have to fork out up to $1,000 each extra in the first year to help fund the $9m cost of amalgamation.  Some proponents have argued they should have been returned to the financial position they were prior to joining up with Cairns Council.

Details and postal vote forms for the poll are available from ECQ.

Last week Friends of Douglas Shire wrote to State Minister of Local Government David Crissafulli and challenged the assessment by the Queensland Treasury Corporation about the future financial sustainability of a new Douglas Shire, with the QTC concluding that a new Douglas Shire is not financially sustainable in the long term.

"Friends of Douglas Shire vehemently disagrees with this assessment," Robert Hanan told CairnsBlog.   "We have commissioned an independent assessment of our own, using a highly regarded economics consultant."

In the report, the consultant commissioned by Friends of Douglas Shire found glaring anomalies in the QTC's assessment.

"There was a $100 million error in the assessment of the assets of a new Douglas Shire," Hanan said.   "The consultant has also raised concerns about an apparent significant over estimation by QTC of the annual costs of materials for the new Shire and an over estimation of the numbers of new staff to be employed, both of which add millions of dollars annually to the costs of running the Shire."

FODS has informed the Minister about these "errors and anomalies" and has requested he instruct the QTC to properly inform residents of Douglas Shire about how these costs estimates have been arrived at.

"The Minister has also been provided with a copy of the report of the independent consultant," Robert Hanan said.  "It is understood the Minister has referred the report to the QTC with a request for an explanation of the concerns raised by FODS.  These are serious matters and if they are not properly resolved could lead to mis-information being provided to the community in the lead up to the referendum on de-amalgamation.  Indeed this is already happening."

Hanan says FODS is adamant that a new Douglas Shire is financially sustainable.

"We will have the capacity to fund capital works and ongoing operational commitments into the future without any need to increase rates and charges beyond annual CPI increases," Robert Hanan said.   "Importantly, the assessment by the independent consultant supports this view."

"FODS is planning public meetings in the near future to inform the community about these matters.  We are  making every attempt to get more information from the Minister about how the QTC has arrived at its numbers and the justification for them."

Hanan is also asking those who support de-amalgamation to donate to the campaign in the led up to the referendum.

'Insurance companies prey on Cairns' financial misery' - Darren Hunt

Katter's Australian PartyFar North Queensland spokesperson, Darren Hunt, has claimed that the multi-million dollar profits of insurance companies since the 2011 summer of disasters, highlights the need for the return of a state government insurance office.

“The recent announcement of the obscene amount of profit posted by insurance companies since the summer of disasters shows they are preying on the misery of Far North Queensland residents," Mr Hunt said.

"While they count their money like Scrooge McDuck, we still have people in affected areas unable to return to their homes and that is not good enough.  We are sick of hearing Warren Entsch, the Member for Leichardt, and others bang on about how bad it is and do nothing or call for another pointless review," Hunt says.

Darren Hunt says there is no need for another report or review.

"We don’t need one," he told CairnsBlog.   "We need an alternative that will keep these insurance companies to account. These companies are out of control and the only way to bring back affordable premiums for the people of FNQ is the re-establishing of a State Government Insurance Office.”

“Without the need to make multi-million dollar profits an SGIO could have taken the money received in premiums to secure or subsidise the cost of re-insurance."

Hunt says Queenslands have had enough and threatened to leave their insurer and join a State Government Insurance Office and watch how quick the premiums of the others would drop.

“A SGIO will be able to offer much more reasonable premiums as they don’t need to make these obscene profits we are seeing here and we call on the Newman government to implement this as a matter of urgency,” Darren Hunt says.

Cairns Solar Eclipse hopes for a cloud-free sunrise

With just over 8 days to go, the Solar Eclipse that will sweep across Cairns and Far North Queensland next Wednesday 14th November morning, will be a hit and miss with a lot of cloud cover spasmodically appearing in recent days.

I snapped this stunning cloud-free sunrise a few days ago from Yorkeys Knob beach, just a few kilometers north of Cairns.

You can see False Cape in the background with near-perfect viewing conditions for our eclipse next Wednesday morning.

Sunrise is around 5:42pm approx at the moment, so don't forget to rise early and get a great spot to capture this wonderful moment.

My friend and confessed eclipse freak Michael Aisner from Boulder, USA, who is coming here to catch his tenth eclipse since 1979, says it's a total obsession with an insanely elegant rare phenomenon.

"What a charge-up seeking out and standing in the moonshadow of perhaps the grandest of all imaginable celestial and natural events," Michael Aisner says.  

"The sun at 93 million miles, the moon at only 250 thousand and they happen to 'appear' the same size in the sky. Bizarrely the sun is 400 times farther - our round moon 400 times smaller – voila a perfect fit."

Aisner says if you add to this utter rarity – looking up are sentient creatures contemplating the majesty and specialness of it all.

"Are we the singular creatures in all the infinite universe to be thusly treated?  Rush! Plugs me in every time. Bonus is I get to see much of this earth, meet odd bearded people and share it with appreciating worthy eclipse partners," Michael Aisner says.

Is the media more left or right ?

University of Western Sydney student and social media player, Debski Bebski, whose pages include "Julia Gillard - Worst PM in Australian History", has just produced a startling graphic of Australian media commentators.

When selecting media personalities to appear in this list, they were chosen on being the most read and viewed in Australian media and journalistic content.

The left-hand side indicates those in the media with a "left-wing" agenda.

Those on the right reflect those with a more "right-winged" perspective.

When you have a look at the overall media as a whole, you begin to see how one sided it really is, Debski says.  Particularly when the only "right-wing" programme on TV is Andrew Bolt where as the "left-wing" media have an array of political programs on most TV stations. For some people, TV is the only way they get their information.

Interesting observation.

Saturday SoapBlog - LNP's next target: what you say online

Just a few short months into the new Queensland State Government, numerous community agencies and advocacy groups, along with many Government departments, most notably Health, have been stripped of funding.  

The Environmental Defenders Office, Tenancy Advocacy, Association of Healthy Communities, FNQ Volunteers, are just some of those that are fighting for their financial survival.  Most of these organisations had contrary views to the conservative Liberal government.

Along with new attitudes to stamp their agenda on the political map, the Queensland State government is now looking at controlling how social media is regulated, including blogs, Facebook, Twitter and online discussions.  

Welcome to Joh Bjelke-Petersen Version 2.0.


Late last evening, as the early wet season rain cloud swept across the Cairns coastline, 30-year-old Queensland Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie said that social media websites must be held accountable for removing content which has the potential to influence trials.

It comes as a working group was formed at yesterday's Standing Council on Law and Justice in Brisbane.

The group will look into what they call a "growing problem" of prejudicial comments in online social media. 

“This issue has reared its head in a number of high-profile cases and it is critical for the State and Federal Governments to act now to prevent further problems,” Jarrod Bleijie said. “Irrespective of the context or forum, nobody should be making comments which could have an impact on a trial before the courts.  The problem goes well beyond the individuals and rests with the social media sites that allow them to be posted."

Bleijie says he wants companies behind the website to work with the Government to help find a solution. 

“Creating laws in this space can be problematic as one blanket law is probably not going to suit every jurisdiction.  There is a real opportunity for these organisations to say ‘we will not let our social media sites participate in these activities’ and they should be proactive on the matter,” Bleijie says.

The announcement comes just days after local Federal MP Warren Entsch exposed the identity behind the anonymous Hillbilly Watch blog, that had attacked him with name-calling and a series of criticisms.  Whilst my CairnsBlog had also targeted Entsch in the past, I had always done this under my name and openly discussed issues that I wanted raised and exposed. My only concerns with online commentators and bloggers is that they contribute openly and transparently, and not behind the veil of secrecy  thereby diminishing their argument and losing respect for their position in contributing to the debate.

The Queensland Government has also expressed serious concerns about the time and cost related to making defamation claims against posts on social media.

“A real problem we have is that some organisations are based overseas and do not have offices in Australia. “This makes it virtually impossible for someone in Queensland to pursue defamation action, Jarrod Bleijie says. "There is a great deal of ground to cover in this area, but this working group is a good start in determining the initial plan of attack.”

Bleijie says the new working group will consult social media organisations, news media organisations, justice officials, law enforcements authorities and the courts, before making recommendations.  However this now concerted effort appears more about censorship and control, that will almost definitely attempt to stifle rigorous, free and open debate in the emerging arena of online discussion.  Politicians like Entsch, fear that social media is one forum with they no longer have control, like that have enjoyed for many years under the rules of the old Fourth Estate.

Cairns, for a long while, was dominated by one newspaper, and with print media steering doing the barrel of their own self-inflicted suicide, the rules and the game of public discussion and criticism have been rewritten without the establishment's involvement or sanction, and it's pissing them off greatly.

When I started CairnsBlog in 2007, there were no blogs or online forums with other views from the stable of NewsLtd, and traditional media hadn't embraced or worked out how to address the desire by the masses to share their views in such a dynamic and interactive way.  Now there's a plethora of blogs in Cairns that caters for everything and anyone, no matter how many brain cells you have.

Such  moves by the State government should ring alarm bells for everyone that wants and encourages free and open debate to criticise, humiliate and debate of politicians without fear or favour and without the worry of the thought police knocking on our doors and telling us what we can say.  After all, it is us the people that own and run the internet, and we will continue to advocate and champion the fundamental right of totally free speech.

It's likely that if Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen were alive today, he would be arranging a same-sex union with Premier Campbell Newman and consummating the marriage on the first night.

Fires on Cairns Sunbus subject of urgent investigation

Here's some photos from today's Sunbus fire, near the corner of Airport Drive, on the Captain Cook Highway, Cairns. 

This is the second fire on a local Sunbus, in recent weeks, and the Transport Workers Union have launched an inquiry into the safety of local Cairns buses.

 During today's incident, about 10 passengers were onboard at the time of the incident.

Delfin Lend Lease ‘No corporate citizen’ for South Cairns - Cr Rob Pyne

Cairns Regional Councillor Rob Pyne has criticised Delfin Lend Lease for the failure to fully consult with the community in relation to the sale of their iconic sales office on Forest Gardens Boulevard. 

"I'm bitterly disappointed that the company rejected an offer from local community group, St. John’s Community Care, to purchase the building for community use,” Cr Pyne said.

”St. John’s provides support to the frail aged and people with disabilities as well as a range of home and community care services in the Far North.”

Delfin Lend Lease also owns and manages Cairns Central shopping centre in the heart of Cairns.

Theo Bacalakis of St. Johns confirmed their proposal was rejected outright.

"We submitted a formal offer to purchase the property, only to be advised that Delfin had declined our offer to purchase the property, in favour of an offer from a private developer," Theo Bacalakis said.

St. Johns is a not-for-profit charitable and benevolent institution, and doesn't rely on Government grants to provide the infrastructure necessary for its community services.  It does however receive substantial government funding to provide direct support to its clients.

“The Delfin Forest Gardens property is the ideal location for St. Johns,"  Rob Pyne says.  "It has good access for those people of the southern corridor who need to access the community centre for services, and to combat any social isolation that they experience."

"The property also has a building that would ideally meet the need of those people who would use the Centre.  I am sure Cairns Council would have considered supporting the St. John’s bid, but we were not given the opportunity," Pyne said.

Pyne says that the community benefit of St. John’s proposal would not have disadvantaged Delfin Lend Lease financially.

"The community benefit would have been considerable.  There is very strong support within the community for this centre to remain for that community purposes, so I certainly call on Lend Lease to reconsider the St. John’s offer,” Rob Pyne said.

LNP must declare views on Crime and Misconduct Commission changes

LNP MPs should publicly declare their views on Queensland’s Crime and Misconduct Commission, Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk says, following revalations about a private meeting between Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney and Mr Douglas, the immediate past chair of the Parliamentary CMC Committee.

“It is time all Newman Government MPs let Queenslanders know if they support the shadowy plans of the Premier and Deputy Premier to somehow interfere with the CMC or if they support the views of backbencher Alex Douglas who has said the CMC is operating well,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney says he plans to have a private chat with Mr Douglas who as the immediate past chair of the Parliamentary Crime and Misconduct Committee has openly expressed confidence in the CMC."

“The fact the Deputy Premier thinks Mr Douglas’s comments warrant a private discussion only adds to the air of uncertainty over the government’s plans for the CMC’s governing legislation."

“Why does an MP’s statement that the CMC has been acting fairly suddenly spark a private visit from his party’s deputy leader unless Mr Seeney is somehow trying to change Mr Douglas’s mind?” Ms Palaszczuk said.

The Labor Opposition says Mr Douglas was well informed on the status and operations of the CMC because of his service as chair of the PCMC during the last term of State Parliament.

“Mr Douglas was PCMC chair and had access to all the information the all-party parliamentary committee had before it when it conducted its regular review of the CMC,” she said. “It is well past time LNP MPs said where they stand on the CMC. We have heard from Mr Douglas now we need to hear from all the others.”

Bus on fire, Cairns airport road

The access to Airport Drive, the Captain Cook highway is closed due to a bus that has caught fire. The bus caught fire on the inbound lanes of the Captain Cook Highway near Cairns Airport Drive. Both inbound lanes are now closed. Motorists are urged to avoid the area and use the Cairns Western Arterial Road until the situation is resolved.

Questions need to be answered about Cairns MP Gavin King's secret email

The leaked email leaked from Cairns Regional Council by Cairns MP Gavin King, still has a number of glaring questions unanswered.


The confidential email that Gavin King sent to to Mayor Bob Manning and his Deputy Terry James, was a deliberate attempt to hide the agenda of City Place redevelopment without any involvement from the community.

King was communicating about official business from his Parliamentary email address, yet deliberately chose to send it not to Council, but to Manning's and James' private home email accounts.   Why?

This was no mistake, but a concerted and deliberate action to hide dialogue about an important debate at the heart of our city.

What other emails has Gavin King sent secretly to Councillors and the Mayor since being elected to serve and represent the people of Cairns?

With today's announcement that King, and with Federal MP Entsch and Councillors will meet to sort the mess out around City Place and their priorities, the email from King that exposed LNPs agenda for Cairns' CBD, showed a real desire to exclude the people and any consultation with the community.

Obama of Barr for President?

My friend is a USA citizen, has just received his voting paper for this year's US Presidental elections.

If you like peace and freedom, Roseanne Barr might be a good option.

Hillbilly blog identities exposed is a good thing

The self-proclaimed 'satirical analysis' Hillbilly Watch blog, that cites itself a watchdog of 4CA Radio host John Mackenzie, has outed in Federal Parliament by the Member for Leichhardt Warren Entch.

Local blogger and Facebook political moderator Ross Parisi said, the toothless tiger ACMA, will now be called upon to investigate and scrutinise whether HillbillyWatch has breached the law.

It's headline crys...

• "Cairns bigot and loudmouth John Cueball (formerly the worst toupee in the business) MacKenzie, washed-up radio lout, and his cronies like the former Cairns Post, now LNP MP (Misogynist Prick) for Cairns Gavin "Don't Rape Me" King."

HillbillyWatch started up just over two years ago and has always published under the curtain of anonymity, all the time firing at anyone they wished. The often childish and vile name-calling has been it's hallmark, instead of mature and strong public debate.

Warren Entsch used his parliamentary privilege to out one of those behind Hillbilly Watch...

• "I rise to name and shame Brian Lawrence McCarty, the main blogger behind hillbillywatch.com," Warren Entch said in the federal Parliament on Monday.
  
  McCarty is a 58-year-old American who lives at 7 Whitehaven Court in Clifton Beach. Information accessible online shows McCarty worked as a sound engineer in Hollywood but moved to Cairns in 1998. He attempted two web ventures, coralseastudios.com and webjazz.com, and I am told both turned out badly.
  
  I have received written advice from a former associate that McCarty, desperate to refinance Coral Sea Studios, attempted investment fraud using fake website content and stolen identities. Since 2008, he has been working at the Baskin Robbins ice-cream franchise on Cairns Esplanade, describing himself as guest relations manager. This associate identifies McCarty as having a severe personality disorder, with a dark side driven to, 'defame strangers and damage their businesses'

Besides McCarty, there are others involved covertly with HillbillyWatch.

Deryck Thompson, of the Machans Beach Community Association, a supporter of Val Schier and the Labor Party.

McCarty gave a small donation to Cr Linda Cooper's successful re-election bid on Cairns Regional Council, without disclosing his address, a breach of the Local Government Act.

Deryck Thompson donated $1,150. It's odd that Schier would be associated with such people, especially McCarty.  There are other identities involved with contributing to Hillbilly Watch.

Brian McCarty and his cohorts have been going by the alias of 'Mick Glennie' of Edgehill.

There is a wealth of critical attacks about McCarty's dodgy business dealings online.

Whilst I was the community relations officer at the Red Cross Blood Service, I had some ugly run ins with Brian McCarty. His Baskin Robbins ice cream business on the Esplanade wanted to offer some vouchers to blood donors, but his demands were outrageous and I was warned by other staff to avoid dealing with him. He became aggressive and verbally violent on the phone. He then wrote to the Australia chief of the Red Cross venting his anger and threatening all in sundry.

I then went down to the Cairns Esplanade and asked neighbouring business what they knew of McCarty. A tour agent said he had a history of yelling at people, and would often lock up cycles that were packed near his store so the owners couldn't retrieve them. In another ugly incident, McCarty stormed in to McDonalds one Monday morning after an violent stabbing that left the victim's blood along the footpath, and demanded that they clean it up.

Of course it's been no secret that Warren Entsch has been on a mission for sometime to curtail or close down Blogs and online discussions that are critical of himself and others.

Last year I wrote two pieces critical of Entsch, and he was on a mission thereafter to attack me.

In March last year I wrote about Warren's new Parliamentary website that he got a Brisbane business to do, to the outcry of local web developers and designers. In October 2010 I wrote about Entsch's media advisor whose business owed more than $250,000 to a raft of media business in Cairns, an ironic and compromising position to be in I cited. These two stories enraged Warren and he told many that he would be making it his priority to outlaw and close down blogs.

Of course, prior to this I had interviewed Warren on many occasions as Labor's tenure in Cairns was appalling and worth throwing out. These are many stories and video interviews still on CairnsBlog of Entsch supporting the access that I extended to his point of views.

Another local identity who has been attacked by Hillbilly is local author and marketing consultant Andrew Griffiths. Andrew is a strong advocate for social media, however has detested the anonymous carry of like HillbillyWatch.

"As for Hillbilly Watch – the only things he has left out [about me] is that I A) eat babies B) cause cancer and C) was responsible for 911," Andrew Griffiths told CairnsBlog. "To be honest I just laugh at this crap. Anyone who knows me – knows me. But he will get his day. I assume it is Brian McCarty – who is a lunatic as you know. I also love the fact that he writes like a little spoilt brat. The only thing he didn't do was threaten to give me a wedgie. But as always, I hate bullies – and I hate people that are too gutless to speak up and confront someone head on."

"I have always respected you for doing that Mike – I haven't respected a lot of your contributors though I have to say," Andrew Griffiths said.

Local activist Bryan Law has also welcome McCarty's name being published.

"I'm happy to see Mr McCarty exposed. Some of the abuse he writes and incites is of a very low calibre and if he tires of abusing public figures he has a go at their spouses and children... often with all the sophistication of a disordered sex pervert. I'm glad he's been named," Bryan Law said. "The issue isn't defamation, it's accountability and it cuts both ways. [CairnsBlog owner] Michael Moore has been sued and harassed by former Councillor Alan Blake because he published openly. Hillbilly Hack is vile but safe because he hides."

Here's the video from Colin Riddell of Entsch's speech in the Federal Parliament.

Warren Entsch has called the antics of HillbillyWatch "cyberbullying" and says there's a "disgusting lack of accountability in social media." There's a case to answer there, but there is a distinct right by any citizen to publicly criticise politicians in a manner that is open and transparent.

"In Cairns, public figures have become the target of an American-registered website called Hillbillywatch.com, which claims to be a satirical pro-Cairns blog but in reality is a forum for trashing
reputations and fuelling obscenities," Warren Entsch told the Federal Parliament on Monday night. "Much of what is posted is too vulgar to mention in this place. The
site focuses on a local radio host, describing him as a 'caustic, divisive, destructive, and cancerous plague on Cairns'."

"A local Member [Gavin King] is referred to as 'the MP (misogynist prick) for Cairns, the 'don't rape me' paid local liar for the LNP," Entsch said. "A council candidate [Barry Neall] is labelled as a 'bitter old bigot who runs a website known euphemistically as 'Residents against Aboriginals?', and vocal conservationist Colin Riddell, who has just successfully campaigned to have a cruelty provision, particularly in relation to turtles and dugongs, enacted in the State Parliament, is advised to 'take it right up the keister from his LNP mates … do you like it this way Colon?"

"Dangerously, this site is not afraid to insinuate sexual misconduct, and the articles generate spiteful remarks with no fear of reprisals, let alone consideration of their target's mental health," Warren Entsch said. "One local resident who is frequently targeted heard I was going to tackle this issue. She told me, 'Freedom of speech does not come with a carte blanche licence to ridicule, defame and publish blatant untruths about others under the cowardice of anonymity. The vitriol exhibited is unacceptable to those who try to live by a code of decency and respect for all. Its originator must be made accountable.' "

"This is a site that targets individuals, and while it may not be physical violence it can easily take the form of these written attacks. I am often vilified, but my policy is to simply ignore it as these people thrive on acknowledgement. In this case, while I do not want to offer it any promotion, I am speaking out because I will
not be left with blood on my hands if this harassment gets to be too much for one of its victims'" Entsch says.

"The major problem with these social forums is that while complaints can be lodged with the relevant authorities, the task of revealing their identities, or prosecuting, is extremely difficult," Entsch said. "These people, and I understand that there are a number of contributors to Hillbillywatch, are hiding behind anonymity."

"Well, no more. If they want to publish on Twitter, Facebook or online forums, they should be transparent and accountable for the impact their comments may have."

"Free speech is one thing, and I have nothing against clever satire. But I strongly support any moves by this House to put better processes," Warren Entsch says.

Entsch is right to expose Brian McCarty.

Whilst the Blogsphere is big enough for everyone with a view, when people hide behind fake or invisible identities and take aim at anyone without revealing themselves, it's a cowardly way to contribute to the public or political debate.

I believe there is a place for all kinds of exposure and strong criticism of public officials and politicians. In fact that is where social media and blogs have over-taken mainstream media and newspapers by far. However this doesn't allow for disgusting name-calling, outright abuse and cheap shots, all whilst hiding anonymously behind a fake name and website.

POSTSCRIPT  &  APPOLOGY

I have amended the story above after a complaint from Todd Hartley, CEO of Choice Australia Management, to remove his name from any connection with Hillbilly Watch. I unconditionally appologise for any harm caused by this.

"Your erroneous comments have caused significant concern to me.  I request you note the error on your blog and apologise to me for the damage caused by this error," Todd Hartley wrote to CairnsBlog.

Cairns Council will act on CBD transit plan, rebuffing Queensland State Government

Cairns Regional Council is shirking the Queensland Government, accusing that it has failed to adequately fund and commit to the Lake Street Transit upgrade.

"I'm really disappointed Cairns MP Gavin King and his capitulation on the CBD," Councillor Richie Bates said today. "There was plenty of good news ahead and Council is ready to fix Lake Street's issues."

"Despite the failure of the State Government to fund and carry out their transport infrastructure obligations, Council is prepared to get the job done."

Bates says that the redirection of over $30 million in funding from the CBD into the Bruce Highway as another example of the neglect that the economically-depressed city is feeling at the hands of the new LNP government.

"Yesterday's assault on a Lake Street Sunbus driver emphasises the importance and urgency of fixing the City Centre and it's transport issues," Richie Bates says. "Adequate consultation with all the stakeholders will be will be a key component of the Council-driven project as it moves forward."

Mareeba and Port Douglas a step closer to Council de-amalgamation

The former Douglas and Mareeba Shires have passed the first process to de-amalgamate from Tablelands Regional Council and Cairns Regional Council.

Local Government Minister David Crisafulli has announced that the former Douglas Shire and Mareeba Shire Council will be examined by Boundaries Commissioner Colin Meng for possible de-amalgamations.

Robert Hanan of Friends of Douglas Shire is pleased with the decision, but is cautious about any early celebration.

"It's still a long way to go," Hanan told CairnsBlog. "This is a good decision, and our financial modelling showed that we did a good submission."

Hanan said he hopes that if the de-amalgamation is successful, the re-established Douglas Shire should expect some money back from Cairns Regional Council that consumed Douglas when the former Labor State Government merged the Councils in 2007.

"There's a strong argument for the return of some money. We will be footing a $3 million bill for this," Robert Hanan said.

Douglas Shire included the boundary just north of Ellis Beach, Wangetti, Port Douglas, Mossman, Daintree, Cape Tribulation, to just South of Wiujal Wujal Aboriginal community, along the Bloomfield Track route.

Isis, Livingston and Noosa Shires have been approved for review. and each will have to find money to pay for the cost to separate. A decision is expected by the end of November.

Cairns MP Gavin King forgets to mention huge staff cuts in Preventative Health

With massive Government sector job cuts across Queensland, an important Preventative Health team has been cut in half, something that new Cairns MP Gavin King failed to disclose in recent discussions on ABC.

The loss of 50 jobs in Preventative Health could have major impacts on some Indigenous communities where syphilis outbreaks can cause many other serious health issues, including for pregnant mothers.


Cairns MP and LNP newcomer Gavin King has only talked about 400 jobs with the Dept of Environment and 20 odd jobs in Tourism. This deception needs exposing. Why he forgot to mention the 50 dedicated preventative health care specialists from the Cairns Public Health Unit, who were all axed from their positions last week, is extraordinary. The staff cuts in this vital public health unit has failed to rate a mention in King's radio interviews.

The Federal Government’s Initiative of ‘Closing the Gap’ in Indigenous health will remain unachievable in Queensland if only front line health service provision is relied upon.

In fact, not one media outlet has published this information. The Nurses Union, a very large and powerful group of health workers, seems to want to protect those that are front line. Many people work behind the scenes to make the nurses able to function efficiently and do their jobs.

Others such as those in Public Health, work to keep people out of hospital, and to stop the spread of infectious diseases.

When 50 health professionals from the Cairns Public Health Unit were told by the new Liberal National Party State Government that their services were no longer required, given just two weeks, to finish up, local State MP Gavin King, along with other media, failed to mention the decimation of these healthcare workers. King deliberately ignored this fact when he spoke to Fiona Sewell on ABC radio. He mentioned the 20 jobs axed from Department of Tourism, but all from Corporate Office in Brisbane. He mentioned the 400 jobs from the Department of Environment, but only 2 local jobs.

The majority of these positions are made up of nurses, doctors and other specialised health care workers who all have a mandatory tertiary qualifications in health, and many have a Masters of Public Health as well. These officers are each specialised in their own fields and have spent many years in their chosen career in public health.

The Cairns Public Health Unit services a population of over 250,000 people.

These specialised and dedicated team of professionals work to keep the general public informed of health risks like smoking, unsafe sex, handling bats etc), to stop the spread of infectious diseases (Hendra virus Dengue fever, tuberculosis, influenza, salmonella food poisoning etc), to maintain clean and safe drinking water (checking of water supplies for E coli or other contaminants), and many other activities that protect the population they serve. Much of their work involves in trying to improve conditions in Indigenous communities. After all, North Queensland has nearly half of the Queensland's Indigenous population living here.

One such specialist, celebrated her 20 years with Queensland Health last Wednesday, only to discover two days later, that she no longer had a job. This person is known internationally for her work on improving Indigenous nutrition in Papua New Guinea and Far North Queensland. It beggars belief that this well-renown health professional has been put out on the scrap heap along with her colleagues.

Another dedicated specialist in sexual health has been overseeing a syphilis outbreak in a remote Indigenous community. Much of this work involves contact tracing and ensuring patients receive the appropriate treatment. Sexual health officers from Cairns have had to go to this community to help test and treat patients in order to eradicate this infection. Cases of the disease are still being reported.

It seems that those that are left in Corporate Office in Brisbane, think that Thursday Island is off the coast of Cardwell.

Queensland has taken a step back 20 years and will never achieve Closing the Gap in Indigenous health in Queensland, without the preventative work going on behind the front line services.

Another $1.2 million on another report for Cairns Entertainment Centre

Cairns Regional Council has voted to spend $1.2 million for another report for a performing arts centre.

This is in addition to $12 million that has already been spent on planning for this facility at two other locations but previous Councils. Only Councillors Robert Pyne and Julia Leu voted against the expenditure.

3. CONTRACTUAL MATTER - CAIRNS PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

• APPOINTMENT OF CONSULTANTS ................................................................. 64
  P. Tabulo: 26/7/18-05: #3717198
  Moved: Mayor Bob MANNING
  Seconded: SCHILLING
  
  That:
  1. Council appoints the consultants as listed below for the preparation of the Concept Plan for a Performing Arts Centre as required in the Heads of Agreement with Ports North. These appointments are made in accordance with Local Government (Finance, Plans and Reporting) Regulation 2010, section 184 because of the specialised nature of the services that are sought, together with their experience and association with the previous Cairns Entertainment Precinct, making it impractical for Council to invite quotes or tenders for this Concept Plan stage.
  
  2. Savills Project Management be appointed to manage the preparation of the above Concept Plan and to undertake Phase 1 of the preparation of the Business Case as also required in the above Agreement for the sum of $328,640.
  
  3. The scope of the Business Plan be agreed with the State and Federal governments.
  
  4. Council delegates authority in accordance with Section 257 of the Local Government Act 2009 to the Chief Executive Officer to finalise any matters relating to the appointment of consultants for the proposed Performing Arts Centre and to also resolve contracts from the Cairns Entertainment Precinct project that will not be necessary to progress the Performing Arts Complex.
  
  Performing Arts Complex- Concept Plan Consultants
  
  Consultant Discipline Proposed Fee including Expenses
  CA Cox Rayner Architect $372,099
  WT Partnership Cost Planner $46,000
  Acoustic Studio Acoustic Engineer $87,012
  Schuler Shook Theatre Planner $70,170 25
  Arup Structural Engineer $86,100
  Arup Mechanical Engineer $74,500
  Arup Traffic Engineer $50,000
  Cardno Civil Engineer $61,975
  SPP Hydraulic Engineer $71,500
  Steensen Varming Electrical Engineer $46,000
  Steensen Varming Vertical Transport Engineer $5,000
  Certis BCA Consultant $32,000
  Cundall ESD Consultant $34,950
  Urbis Town Planner $35,500
  PricewaterhouseCoopers Economist $138,811
  
  TOTAL 1,211,617
  
  Motion Carried
  Councillors Pyne and Leu voting against the motion

Brisbane-centric LNP must stump up for Cairns

LNP Cabinet Ministers should be embarrassed showing their faces in Cairns at this weekend’s Community Cabinet after delivering their first State Budget in Parliament which scrapped infrastructure, slashed services and cut jobs in the region.
 
Member for Mulgrave and Shadow Treasurer, Curtis Pitt, said the LNP’s 2012 State Budget almost wiped Cairns off the funding map with the scrapping of major infrastructure projects and critical underfunding of others.
 
"Treasurer Tim Nicholls could easily find $3.5 million in the State Budget as a first instalment for planning the Premier's pet project --  a new Executive Building for himself and his Ministers in the Brisbane CBD," Mr Pitt said.
 
"But as the Cairns Chamber of Commerce has said the LNP needs to start developing an 'outside-of-Brisbane mindset'. So far all the LNP Government has delivered for Cairns and the Far North are cuts to jobs and services.
 
“It is the height of rudeness for the Newman Cabinet to try and come to Cairns the weekend after the meanest Budget in a generation is delivered and try to sell their slash-and-burn policies to the people of Queensland.
 
“I think the people of Cairns will see the LNP’s transparent spin for what it is. Once again, as the Cairns Chamber of Commerce says, ‘token commitments rather than definitive plans for action’ and ‘give-a-dog-a-bone’ commitments' are not good enough for our city and our region."
 
Mr Pitt said the Member for Cairns Gavin King should be ashamed he has now officially lost more than $90 million for the people of Cairns with further implications across Far North Queensland.
 
“Mr King has lost the $57.3 million Cairns Entertainment Precinct and $33 million worth of investment in the Cairns CBD upgrade, with the LNP only allocating $5 million for the CBD upgrade,” Mr Pitt said.
 
“It should be noted however that after all the claims by Mr King of co-called ‘phantom money’ in the last budget under Labor, there is no funding identified for the upgrading of the $5 million for the upgrading of the Cairns CBD in the budget papers.
 
“The people of Cairns should be incredibly disappointed that Mr King has let the LNP Government rip infrastructure investment out of Far North Queensland.
 
“This will have wide-ranging impact on jobs and industry in the whole Far North.
 
“Even when the LNP commits $40 million for the Trinity Inlet dredging project, it is well short of the expected cost of between $80-100 million.
 
“This and other cost blow-outs show how shonky the LNP’s election policy costings were."
 
Mr Pitt said on top of scrapping infrastructure projects in Cairns the LNP government has also slashed hundreds of government jobs in the region.
 
“In response to last week’s Budget, hundreds of people took to the streets in Cairns to protest the LNP Government’s axing of 14,000 jobs,” he said.
 
“A couple of weeks ago we saw concerned doctors and nurses protesting outside Cairns Base Hospital in response to the revelation the LNP are slashing nearly 3000 Queensland Health jobs.
 
“The people of Cairns are seeing this mean and tricky LNP Government for what they really are.”

'Crocodiles must go from Cairns and Port Douglas' - Michael Trout MP

The MP for Barron River, Michael Trout, says crocs must go. There must be no more deliberating on the safety or otherwise of crocodiles, he says. Action must be taken now before a life is lost.


“There’s no time for pussyfooting around the crocodile debate," Member for Barron River, Michael Trout says. “Our crocodiles are proliferating, with record numbers being sighted around Far North Queensland from Port Douglas to Innisfail.”

“Our tourism industry will be the endangered species if the issue of removal of these dangerous reptiles is not addressed immediately. It’s only a matter of time and another human is going to be attacked. We’ve just recently nearly lost a child, and I really wonder how the parent felt about the comment that the croc was probably after the pet dog."

“If the pet dog had not been there, the child would have been the target. If the dog was taken in front of the child, the child would be traumatised for life.”

Trout says there was only one path to go down now, and that is zero tolerance with crocodiles being removed from all populated areas.

“Crocodiles don’t stay in one place. Spring is here, and during Spring, crocodiles start moving around again," Michael Trout says. “Anyone at Clifton or Palm Cove will tell you about crocodiles swimming parallel to the shore between the two beaches, and numerous crocodiles have been spotted between the two beaches in the estuarine creeks and on the beach in recent years. Last year the beach was closed week after week following numerous sightings."

“I’m just amazed we haven’t had a fatality recently, but if we don’t act now, there will be consequences,” he said. "At Lake Placid, once a popular recreation/swimming area for locals and tourists alike, is now deserted following several crocodile sightings. Crocodile signs and grim warnings have replaced splashing and laughter on a hot day as salties move into freshwater areas. The Kiosk is closed along with everything else. Rafting companies can’t allow their customers to enjoy a swim after a half day tour."

“We have enough problem enticing tourists to Cairns during the summer due to stingers, but now we have a proliferation of crocodiles in estuaries and on beaches in our northern suburbs, in popular swimming areas such as Lake Placid, and crocs turning up in drains and waterways in the middle of the city."

“One of the most popular, iconic family activities in Queensland is Surf Life Saving. The majority of Queenslanders at some stage of their lives have spent their leisure times on the beach, safe in the knowledge that life savers were present to ensure their safety.

“Now Surf Life Saving Clubs are having difficulty persuading parents to let their children attend nipper training and events. Numbers are dropping significantly, and our Life Savers of the future are diminishing rapidly in turn.

“One particular outrigger canoe club operating out of Port Douglas reports an alarming increase in sightings and a few frightening incidences," out says. “Undoubtedly the crocs are becoming more game, to the point where one was hit with a paddle while canoes were leaving the ramp. A sleeping dog was taken from the back of a moored yacht on the piles."

“I won’t rest until this matter is dealt with in the only way – removal of the crocodiles – not only for the sake of preserving life, but to avoid the death of tourism. I’m not talking about culling, just removal. It’s time to take action, and that doesn’t just mean removing a few rogue crocs from around well used boat ramps."

Michael Trout says that since he started campaigning before the last election, this was one of the biggest issues facing the region that he has pledged to take action on.