"Why I resigned from the Labor Party" –Queensland Public Sector Union general secretary Alex Scott

• It is with a heavy heart I submit my resignation from the ALP.
  
  I joined this party in 1983 with the youthful enthusiasm of a sixteen year old inspired by the leadership and vision of Bob Hawke and how our party could create a fairer and better Australia. While after all these years my deep respect and admiration for Bob Hawke remains I no longer believe that the ALP remains committed to that vision for our state and our country.
  
  The party I joined was a vibrant organization where members were encouraged to debate our competing ideas on how to build a better society. Our election campaigns were an opportunity to show these ideas to the broader community and when we won in Australia in 1983 and in Queensland in 1989 our party was elected because we convinced the community of our vision. These governments fundamentally changed our society and our economy and we all continue to benefit from these reforms.
  
  Our party no longer provides a vision for the future. Our party no longer encourages debate on ideas, ideals or ideology. Our parliamentary wing announces policies, normally during election campaigns, which often are anathema to everything we believe in and any attempts to challenge these policies are suppressed. We take the community and community debate for granted in between election cycles.
  
  I applaud the Gillard government’s commitment to address climate change but our party’s inability to maintain a consistent position on this issue, which truly is the moral challenge of our generation.
  
  Inconsistency is an indictment of the policy vacuum which our party has become and the broader community has recognized this.
  
  Rather than providing leadership on refugees, as Malcolm Fraser did, we attempt to replicate the opposition policies but choose a different island to lock away the refugees, away from the media and community’s attention.
  
  This might play well to the focus groups but it damages the moral core of party because this policy is only about winning votes not making a better world.
  
  The issue of refugees is a dog whistle issue for a deeper concern held by many Australians about the insecurities they feel about the future.
  
  By chasing the conservatives’ policies we are reinforcing those attitudes.
  
  We should be better than that. We are a party that used to believe in fairness and compassion, values which all most all Australians share. When we have policies which are part of a broader vision of our society we will win but currently we are selling our soul because we are afraid of argument. We should be leading public opinion not determining what we believe by what we think people want to hear. We can change what people think if we are right.
  
  Why have we not prosecuted the argument against the ABCC? As a unionist I am appalled that the parliamentary wing will not forward the policy that rank and file union delegates can have less rights that criminals. We will be criticized for any move against the ABCC but that does not reduce the basis for our position to defend workers rights. They are wrong. We are right. Bring on the fight and the community will support us just as they did when the parliamentary and industrial wings of the movement stood together on the waterfronts of Australia.
  
  At the state level the current term of the government has been dominated by the decision to privatize key public sector assets. This policy was announced without consultation with the party and yet this decision will frame the position of our party for years to come. All attempts to have this fundamental issue debated at a state conference were thwarted. This is in stark contrast to the heated and vigorous debates about privatization during the Hawke government. Those proposing privatization at the time took their position to the party and had the debate in full public view. Disunity was not death. Our party was stronger for the debate because members had their say. Why was this time different?
  
  Now the state government is seeking to outsource and privatize our schools, our hospitals and our prisons. Workers and the broader community will fight these attacks on core government services because we know what it means for Queensland if our services are run for profit and not for people. We will win the argument because we are right and because we talk to the community about our ideals and our vision. We are working for a better Queensland and a better Australia. The ALP is concerned solely with the next election and the community knows it.
  
  Unless the party changes, the community will punish this government, just as they punished the arrogant and out of touch New South Wales government.
  
  There is little left to the party but political machinery. As agents of social change we should be focusing on more than just winning elections and maintaining government. We have a responsibility to try to change the nature of our communities, to build greater empathy amongst citizens and encourage a more socially just and considered society. In my view the ALP is no longer an effective vehicle for achieving this sort of change.
  
  There are organisations doing wonderful work in communities and achieving real, genuine and lasting social change, and I intend to devote much of my time to helping them, because I believe that my aims will be best served by resigning from the party.
  
  I believe that the party can one day reform itself to put the community first and be effective at creating real social change. Given the way that party power is entrenched in the hands of such a small group of people I do not see any scenario where this reform happens quickly. While I will encourage my friends and colleagues to stay active within the party and push for reform, I’m not willing to wait for reform before trying to make a difference.
  
  The last term of the Queensland Government has been an administrative, political and policy nightmare. The machinery of government changes, the health disasters and privatisation have created a dark legacy for those involved.
  
  The Australian Labor Party has wasted a golden opportunity to make Queensland a more progressive place.
  
  No party has ever grown stronger by getting smaller.
  
  When I became Assistant Secretary of my union, back in 1994, I stepped back from party activity. This was a choice that I made to make sure I put QPSU members, and Queensland services first. I committed myself to working for a better life for Queenslanders through the trade union movement. Maybe I should have remained active to fight to keep the ALP a strong and vibrant organization which valued democracy and debate but when I made my decision in 1994 our party was not in crisis.
  
  Now it is. I remain passionately committed to fighting for Queensland.
  
  Given the state of Queensland politics I can no longer remain outside of the political debate.
  
  I believe I can achieve more for the community and for my members working outside the current party political structures. Queensland deserves better from all our politicians and their parties.
  
  I want to stop the strip mining of Queensland politics, where voters are resources that get used and discarded every election. As a community we have important things to say.
  
  The community needs a strong voice not just at elections but throughout the year so all Queenslanders can have their say about their government and their state. To create such a voice will require leadership, but even more importantly it requires the ability to work with members of the community who have been sidelined by the current processes and are justifiably cynical about all political parties. To engage genuinely with them I cannot be a member of any political party.
  
  It is for that reason I have decided to quit the ALP because membership of any party will reduce my ability to help build a real voice for a better future for all Queenslanders.
  
  I wish you the best in any endeavours to reform the party.
  
  Yours sincerely,
  Alex Scott
  General Secretary
  Queensland Public Sector Union
  
  Hat Tip: Raj Report

Cr Diane Forsyth on Howard and refugees

Tonight's quote....

• "Just been watching Q & A, I feel distressed and ashamed when watching the lies and the fear campaign orchestrated by John Howard and his cronies, aimed at mainstream Australians to reject and deny the tragic plight of refugee asylum seekers.
  Keep up the good work ABC..."

- Acting Mayor Councillor Diane Forsyth

Bring on the carbon tax, yeah right

The fact that Queensland is holding over $80 billion of debt, and following the rise in our dollar, Australia is now home to four of the 15 most expensive cities in the world.

The Australian reports that UK-based Economist Intelligence Unit says...

• "Sydney has moved up from 32nd place two years ago to sixth now and Melbourne is up from 38th to seventh, with a cost of living more than 40 per cent higher than New York.
  
  Perth and Brisbane, which are almost 25 per cent more expensive than New York, are ranked 13th and 14th.
  
  All four cities are now costlier than major cities including London, Vienna, Rome, Berlin, Hong Kong and Beijing, according to the survey, which compares the cost of living using more than 400 individual prices in 133 cities around the world.
  
  Tokyo, Oslo and Osaka take the top three places overall while Mumbai, Tunis and Karachi are the three cheapest.

How many times have you heard a tourist to our fair city say that the prices for basic things like eating out and tours, are way over the top?

The survey reported that just ten years ago, Sydney was ranked 71st; Melbourne 80th, Perth 91st, and Brisbane 93rd. The Australian says that the cost of living index of 100 for New York, costs in our cities have doubled in 10 years.

It's not the year of the Tiger

As Cairns continues its economic slump, the grounding of budget airline Tiger, will affect many, least of all, our spending backpacker market.

We have always had a stream of arrivals into Cairns on the 1:20am Tiger service from Melbourne, however the three-week grounding after one of their planes flew too low into Melbourne Airport, will have a big impact on Cairns. The pilot used a navigational database with a wrong descent altitude, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said today.

Cairns is still hurting, as we still record one of the highest and most constant unemployment figures in the country, even though some economic commentators try to forecast brighter things for the local economy, we are yet to see some real signs.

On top of this, the news that the State Government will now not relocate some of their administration offices or departments to Cairns, a move that would have boosted the local depressed environment - a failed election lure - we are going to have a long hard road ahead.

And we hardly need stuff-ups like the lapse of safety that a Reef operator experienced last week, something that is a timely wake-up call for the industry, but would have no doubt had an impact on visitors and their choice of leisure activity whilst visiting our region.

What are you doing for NAIDOC week?

- NAIDOC Week

Statement by Passions of Paradise

Here's a statement just released from Passions of Paradise.

They also supplied two images showing Michaelmas Cay and the moorings. The vessel Coral Sea Dreaming was at the mooring marked "public" which is the closest one to the beach.

I'll make a separate blog about this however the salient matter in all this torrid affair, is that Passions say the utilise a "Queensland-approved Dual Active Headcount” by the affected tourist confirmed that this did not occur last Saturday afternoon.

• MEDIA INFORMATION 1 July 2011
  
  Snorkelling incident on 25 June 2011 at Michaelmas Cay
  
  Statement by Passions of Paradise Managing Director Alan Wallish
  
  On 25 June 2011 there were three vessels including a large passenger catamaran, two overnight dive boats and the Passions of Paradise catamaran at Michaelmas Cay. On this particular day there were approximately 150 people snorkelling and swimming at Michaelmas Cay.
  
  On average 250 – 300 people visit Michaelmas Cay per day. Michaelmas Cay beachfront is approximately 200m long, is approximately 2.4 hectares in a medium tide and is a marine bird sanctuary. It is generally considered one of the safest places to snorkel in Cairns because it has a sloping beach leading into shallow water. The water is between 1 – 3 metres deep in the areas where there is coral. It is a popular area for families and suitable for swimmers of all abilities because it is well protected from winds and currents. Passengers snorkel between the beach and the boats.
  
  On 25 June 2011, Mr Ian Cole was seen snorkelling approximately 10 – 20 metres from the beach in water approximately 1 – 3 metres deep. After snorkelling to Coral Sea Dreaming (an overnight dive boat affiliated with Passions of Paradise) and speaking to the crew, he was then returned to Passions of Paradise. A period of 20 minutes had elapsed before he was back on board Passions of Paradise.
  
  The location has two snorkelling rest stations and there were a number of other snorkellers in the water at that time. A crew member of Coral Sea Dreaming was on snorkel lifeguard watch.
  
  Passions of Paradise utilise a Queensland approved “Dual Active Headcount”. Each passenger is assigned a unique number and their name is attached to that number on a computerised list. The staff member in charge of head counts greets each passenger, asks for the passenger’s name, asks their assigned number, checks that they match and marks it off the list. Once all passengers are identified and marked off, the list is given to the Master of the Vessel. The Master of the Vessel then searches the list for any names not marked off and, if satisfied all passengers are on board, countersigns the list.
  
  This is the company’s standard safety procedure which passed a Workplace Health and Safety audit only two weeks earlier. Staff members in charge of head counts undergo strict training in these procedures before they are allowed to undertake the task.
  
  Passions of Paradise has since taken the initiative to go beyond standard Workplace Health and Safety procedures. This includes utilising two crew members to carry out the final tally count and passengers now sign against their names.
  
  The crew member in charge of the head count on 25 June 2011 has since been dismissed. He speaks and writes fluent English.
  
  In response to the incident on 25 June 2011, Passions of Paradise had direct contact with Mr Ian Cole. This included a number of telephone conversations and text messages. Passions of Paradise also had a face-to-face meeting with Mr Cole on 27 June 2011, where he was shown the head count documentation used that day. On the boat, Passions of Paradise refunded Mr Cole’s ticket, then on 28 June 2011 provided a letter of apology and enclosed a gift of “dinner for two” at a local restaurant to leave him with some happy and positive memories of Cairns.
  
  The Passions of Paradise staff and management are deeply affected by the incident and sincerely regretful.
  
  Passions of Paradise is a small family run business with a close-knit crew and this has affected every single staff member and management personally. Passions of Paradise has been operating for 22 years and has won 14 regional, state and national industry awards during the past 11 years. They have been awarded an Australian Tourism Award for Best Adventure Tour and inducted into the Queensland Tourism hall of fame. Passions of Paradise takes 25,000 passengers annually to the Great Barrier Reef and since the company’s inception has taken almost 400,000 passengers to the reef.
  
  No similar incidents have occurred in this time.

Abandoned Reef tourist shunted and ignored by Passions operator

28-year-old Ian Cole of Michigan, USA is disgusted at the way that a Cains-based tourist operator treated him after abandoning him to fend for himself in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef on Saturday afternoon.

"I just wanted them to do the right thing," Ian Cole told CairnsBlog. "Their actions showed that they were more interested in protecting the company's reputation than convincing me that this incident wouldn't happen again."

On Saturday June 28th, Ian Cole, who has been visiting Australia for the last six months, paid $150 for a day trip on Passions of Paradise tour. There were 70 passengers on board, however when the vessel departed the Reef and headed back to Cairns, they only had 69 on the boat.

Ian Cole of the United States told CairnsBlog he was stricken with panic when he looked up from snorkeling around Michaelmas Cay, 3pm on Saturday, in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. He was around 50 kilometers from land and discovered his host boat was no longer there. The Passions of Paradise catamaran had left after a staff member and the boat's captain, signed off on a full passenger manifest.

"I had already been out in the water for a few hours that day," Ian Cole said. "My first thought was that I had swam the wrong direction; my second thought was sheer panic. At that point I was pretty tired, so when the horror of being left behind riddled my body. I began to struggle and started taking water in through my snorkel."

The abandoned tourist swam to Coral Sea Dreams, an overnight tour boat a 15 minute swim away from where

"I was in shock when they told me my boat had left. I thought they were kidding," Ian Cole recounts. "I nearly drowned. In my eyes, this is clearly a failure of the management to create an environment that promotes safety and competency."

Passions operations manager, Scotty Garden refused to discuss the disastrous incident yesterday.

"You'll understand that I can't talk about this at all," he told CairnsBlog, and referred my call to Col Mckenzie of the Association of Marine Park Operators for look after damage control. The response was defense and dismissive of any wrong-doing or problem with the company.

"I'm quite stunned this happened," Mckenzie said yesterday afternoon. "This is one of our flagship operators and they have a perfect record. They have recently been audited and passed with flying colours."

"It was reported to Work Place Health and Safety; to Marine Safety Queensland and a diving inspector. They did all the right things," Col Mckenzie said yesterday. "This was nothing more than a single breach by one staff member not following the rules. He was trained and passed all the tests, he just didn't do what he should have. That's all. He has paid the price and lost his job." Mckenzie was dismissive that there was any danger to the abandoned guest.

"The fact that this guy [Ian Cole] talked about this shows that he's just seeking self-exposure, and wants to be portrayed as a hero, you know, a survivor," Col Mckenzie said. "There's no lesson to be learnt from this. He is just making a mountain out of a molehill, and trying to maximize his own self-exposure. It's just bullshit. He was never in any danger. It was just like being left behind on a beach."

"I mean, his demands were unreasonable. He wanted a written apology. I think his requests were morally reprehensible," Col Mckenzie said.

Ian Cole staunchly refutes the accusation and was stunned at the defensive and complicit response from the Marine Park Operators Association spokesperson.

"His response is very upsetting. I engaged in a professional and respectful way and all I sought was for this company to do the right thing following an incident that was totally unacceptable," Ian Cole said.

The recording system that Passions of Paradise have in place to ensure all passengers are accounted for and on board, is average at best. Responsibility was vested in a single crew member to physically speak to each passenger to confirm their identity and cross them off as present on the manifest. However on Saturday's tour, this obligation was delegated to a relatively inexperienced crew member in his 20's, a backpacker from France who had only been with the company for less than six months.

Why such an integral safety check was given to inexperienced crew, who is not even native to the English language, is cause for serious concern.

Both Ocean Spirit and Sunlover reef operators confirmed with CairnsBlog that they employ dual-count system, whereby two staff members make a count that is replicated until it correlates to each other and the manifest.

Ian Cole was assigned passenger number 17. He was the only passenger named Ian and clearly the only number 17.

On the way back to shore, Passions tried to cajole Mr Cole with a free trip, and refund of his ticket and offered him "anything he'd like from the bar" including hats and t-shirts. It was a clear admission of wrong-doing.

"When I finally returned to shore and reflected on the events, I didn't hold any disdain towards Passions, but I realised that action needed to be taken," Mr Cole said. "I asked that the owners write a formal letter of apology to the events that occurred, and a detailed explanation of the new safety measures that would be implemented to prevent future tragedies like this."

"I had no interest in ruining the careers of the staff members that performed their jobs with integrity, but I needed to know that this was an isolated instance that would not happen again," Ian Cole said. "Considering the severity of this event, I think this was a simple and fair request."

Passions did not comply with Cole's request, instead they informed him that an incident report was lodged with proper authorities including their insurance company.

Company management evaded a meeting requested by Mr Cole, who waited until midnight Monday to receive a promised letter or telephone call, but nothing was forthcoming.

"I had an airline ticket booked for Brisbane on Tuesday morning that I ended up missing as I wanted to stay in Cairns until I had the letter," Cole said. "This cost me my flight. They knew this fact but I believe they deliberately delayed my request. I was told that one of the managers had an injured leg and couldn't meet."

Both directors Alan Wallish and Beau McCormack signed a letter that was left at the booking office for collection at 3pm Tuesday.

• "Please accept this letter as an apology for your unpleasant experience on board our vessel.
  
  We hope that the rest of your time with us was a more positive experience and that you have been able to take away some great memories of the reef and your holiday with us."

A dinner voucher was included.

"The letter fails to deal with or acknowledge what happened," Ian Cole says. "I sought them to record the events that occurred on Saturday afternoon, and what measures they would put in place to prevent this from happening again. Frankly it is just fobbing me off."

Passions boast a Queensland Tourism Award and have won a Hall of Fame acknowledgement. Their brochure presents a line up of accolades and labels itself as "Cairns most awarded small tour operator."

The last known incidence of passengers being left behind on the Great Barrier Reef to fend for themselves was in 1998 with the infamous disappearance of Tom and Eileen Lonergan. Since that time, Cairns and Port Douglas tourist operators have come under much scrutiny to provide stringent safety standards, especially in the area of accounting for the collection and safety of passengers. It appears apathy towards safety has taken root.

The company terminated the employment of the crew member when the boat returned to Cairns on Saturday afternoon.

Queensland Workplace Health and Safety has received a report, and acknowledged there was a "incident" on the Great Barrier Reef.

Cairns tour operator leaves diver behind on Great Barrier Reef

In a story that eerily mirrors the disappearance of US tourists Tom and Eileen Lonergan, who were abandoned on the Great Barrier Reef by their tour operator in 1998, another visitor was left for dead on Saturday.

On Saturday morning the young male overseas visitor to Cairns, who asked not to be named, took a day-trip on the Great Barrier Reef. He was told before booking the trip "how good this particular Reef operator operator was."

At the end on the afternoon's snorkeling, following a head count carried out by the crew, the vessel departed. However they left behind a male passenger in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

In January 1998, Tom and Eileen Lonergan were left behind due to a faulty head count by the crew, and were never found despite a massive sea search, that involved 17 aircraft, helicopters and boats. It was an incident that had wide-spread ramifications for all Reef operators in the region and exposed a lazy system of accounting for passengers, that appeared widespread.

On the weekend's incident, the overseas visitor, fortunately survived.

After the boat left where he was snorkeling in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, he paddled for at least 5 minutes, where he was able to join another boat. He was then transferred by dinghy to the original operator, which took another 20 minutes.

According to the distressed guest, the crew member who did the head count was immediately sacked. The embarrassed Reef company pampered the aggrieved guest and was given a refund on trip. They even provided free drinks and merchandise in an admission of wrong-doing.

This type of incident should never have happened.

The names on Saturday's Reef trip were on a passenger list and there was one name not crossed off, however this was not the guest who was left behind in the water. According to the man, the captain personally checked that the missing member was accounted for, but since his name was crossed off, the Captain didn't know he was missing and not back on the boat.

The industry went through reform of this crucial safety measure after the Lonergans incident 13 years ago. It's totally unacceptable that a Reef operator would shortcut such a fundamental part of protecting it's passengers.

10 days after the Lonergan's disappearance, a diver's buoyancy control device was found near Indian Heads, about 105 km north of Port Douglas. There was no tank attached, and Mrs Lonergan's green and grey wetsuit that was found washed ashore. It had tears in the buttocks area, presumed to have been caused by a shark. A dive slate was also found on a beach and this was confirmed as being the Lonergans'.

It's a sensitive subject for Reef operators, and many say it's often a very stressful process as

Two well-known Reef operators were prepared to talk with CairnsBlog about how they manage he counting process to account for guests. Ocean Spirit's operations manager Roy Raniga said his company managing the counting with the use of clickers (counter).

"We have two people go around the boat, and they do a manual count," Roy Raniga said. "We ask passengers to stay in one place, while the two crew members go around. If it doesn't match up, they will do it again until it does. This can sometimes take several times."

Roy Raniga says you don't take these sort of things lightly.

"It's people's lives that are at stake. I can tell you that our people are very rigorous

about this. We've never had any incident like this."

Sunlover's operations manager Dominic Waddell says his company cross reference with the reservations manifest before they leave the harbour.

"We don't leave unless we have the correct numbers and they all tally up," Dominic Waddell said. "The same thing happens from departure on the Reef. We account for who we've gone out to sea with, and we don't leave until we have everyone accounted for. I've witnessed up to six or seven head counts, and this can take 25 minutes. However long it takes, so be it, until we get the correct numbers. "

Dominic Waddell says there's much confusion in busy periods like Chinese New Year and public holidays when there's so many people on the boats.

"They move around and some young kids might be sleeping under blankets," Dominic Waddell says. "It can be quite hard, but our policy is to not go anywhere until we have the numbers that we believe are correct, and as a result, we have a 100% safety record in 18 years."

Waddell says there's various operations on the Reef.

"Ours is one end of the spectrum, as there's dive boats that have a buddy system with a staff member. It's just too obvious, and you can't miss people. We have manifest for the staff and passengers," Dominic Waddell says. "I know for a fact that some organisations do a different style of diving where people buddy up with someone who you may or may not know, and you go off and do your own dive, and the vessel [moves] up and down. That's a different product than we offer, ours is much more supervised."

Waddell says he knows his operation well enough to understand where the faults would be.

"We have even sent crew back into the water to satisfy that no one is there. We would do a head count until we find everyone. It's a worry and I'm glad that our operation is water-tight for the procedures we've got in place," Dominic Waddell says.

However Waddell is critical of some of the smaller operators that have a high turnover of staff.

"They often have quite young staff. The implication of safety and how they manage that. I'm not putting anyone down, but I think our crew, being older and experienced, and there's not a high-turnover of staff," Dominic Waddell said. "The industry can be vulnerable to quite young staff."

As someone suggested to me, surely in this day and age there could be some kind of tag or wrist band that a diver could wear that needs to be 'swiped' when they get back on the boat. We have micro chips in the dog and barcodes on everything at the shops, it wouldn't be hard.

The young male who was left on the Reef on Saturday afternoon, is still in shock and did not wish at this stage to publish the details of the Reef operator.

Tony says, Julia says. Who do YOU believe?

Don't miss Leung's 'Unbelievable' on ABC tonight

Séances, Scottish ghosts and Patrick Swayze are all in tonight's next installment of Lawrence Leung's ABC Unbelievable at 9.30pm.

Skeptics, charlatans and atheistics will love this show. It's also uploaded on iView.

''Get rid of the grubs, the bogans and the layabouts,'' - Kevin Byrne

A biting comment from former and wannabe return mayor, Kevin Byrne, on a Post article this morning...

• ''Lets have a reality check here and look at some history.
  
  Cairns Central sucked the retail life out of the CBD and it is still recovering and now you have a CRC that wants to suck further life from it with a cultural precinct.
  
  Unless you have good shops, hotels and people living in the CBD and visitors to support the retailers this will be another white elephant project.
  
  It is not the trees and green spaces that will make the CBD thrive but PEOPLE. Be prepared to get rid of the grubs, the bogans and the layabouts and you might have a chance of reigniting the CBD.''
  
  - Posted by: Kevin Byrne of PNG 11:15am today
  

Is this a different sort of layabout than those that hog around at Villa Romana with a gobful of pasta and a gutful of free red wine? I wonder if someone has had too much sun and kava in the islands.

UPDATE...

The Cairns Post has now removed the comment although they haven't removed the other one from 'Kevin Byrne of PNG' on the Duyfken. Funny thing is their comments are supposed to be moderated.

DNA results confirm Machans Beach teenager Declan Crouch

Cairns Police have this evening confirmed the human remains discovered at Machans Beach 10 days ago, belong to missing teenager Declan Crouch.

Police have thanked the State Emergency Service, members of the public and the media for their assistance in this difficult investigation that the Cairns community were moved by.

A report is now being prepared for the Coroner.

Council worker's death shocks staff after 23 years service

Late last evening a Cairns Regional Council employee was hit by a car at Manoora, killing the 66-year-old Mooroobool man at the scene.

Walter Robert Greenfield was part of a Council team work undertaking line marking on the roadway in Pease Street, between Anderson Road and Jensen Street just before 11pm.

Cairns Regional Council issued a statement and said it is mourning the loss of a long-time staff member, following the fatal roadwork incident last night.

"The employee was a valued member of the organisation," Council CEO Lyn Russell said. "He has been with Council for more than 23 years. This is a very sad day for many people within our organisation and community."

“I offer my personal support and that of Council to his family and workmates affected by his death."

Russell says they will fully cooperate with Police and Workplace Health and Safety investigations.

Track the race today

Wanna follow the race today? Live tracking here.

Free swim coaching Saturday morning

With around 1500 athletes in Cairns this weekend for Challenge Cairns, there's loads to see as this mammoth sporting event engulfs our region.

Five-time ironman and founder of Bare Fish Swim coaching, Dunstan Bertschinger, who is racing in this weekend's triathlon, is offering Cairns locals a free swim session for anyone who would like to be more relaxed and at ease in the water.

You don't have to be a top swimmer, non-swimmers and beginners are especially welcome.

Meet at the small beach, to the right of Yorkeys Knob Boating Club, boat ramp. Saturday 11am to 12 midday.

"This is my way of connecting with the local community, and share some of my experience as an athlete and a coach," Dunstan says. "I will give a brief presentation, show folk some simple exercises to use in the water. There will be a chance to ask any questions about swimming or the race in general."

This invitation goes out to local residents and competitors.

Dunstan founded Human Growth Coaching Services in 2006, and has helped over a thousand people to swim with less effort and more enjoyment. Dunstan is also a facilitator for The Work of Byron Katie and is influenced by a wide range of teachings including Eckhart Tolle, Rudolf Steiner, and the Dalai Lama. He works to incorporate key elements into his swim coaching in a way that is accessible and relevant.

Cairns cycling spokesperson, Richie Bates, says this weekend's event is great for our region.

"They don't get much better and bigger than this. An elite-level triathlon for the far north that anyone can compete in," Bates says. "This signature event in Cairns will be recognized all over the world."

• 11am to 12 midday. Saturday.
  Meet at the small beach, Yorkeys Knob Boating Club.
  (This is just to the right of where at the Swim start, boat ramp.)
  
  
• Facebook event link
• Sign-up to Bare Fish for free online swim coaching.
  
  

Human remains discovered at Machans Beach

Late this afternoon Police located remains, believed to be human, in a swamp area during searches near Machans Beach.

The area around the discovery is currently a crime scene and a further search is underway for evidence which may assist with the identification of the remains.

At this time investigations are continuing, and Police have be unable to confirm if there is a connection between the disappearance of 13-year-old Declan Crouch, who went missing on Wednesday 9th March, after returning home from school at Machans Beach. Declan turned 14 on April 5th.

There have been no leads in his sudden disappearance after numerous searches of surrounding properties and around local creeks and rivers around Machans, including the Barron River. both areas are known to have a crocodile population on the fringes of the Cairns Airport.

Family of Declan Couch believed had run away.

Stupid Labor government to spend $63m "how to use internet" propaganda

Today we learn that this digital-dumb Labor Government will throw $63 million to teach us

how to use the internet or the "national broadband network" as they like to call it.

SBS reports...

• [This will help Australians] to work, get an education and receive healthcare from home are aimed at making the country one of the world's leading digital economies by 2020.
  
  Federal broadband minister Stephen Conroy outlined at a major technology conference in Sydney his vision for the kind of country Australia could be in nine years time on the back of the roll-out of the $36 billion NBN.
  
  ....Senator Conroy said Australians had once watched the film Minority Report and thought they would never see many of the advanced technologies portrayed in the 2002 US whodunit science fiction film.
  
  "It's already here," he said. "This is coming faster than we think and the job is for all of us to work with the community, work with industry, community groups, not for profits ... and to begin what is a massive job of education."
  

They will pour $23.8 million over three years to set up `digital hubs' in each of the first 40 installed communities.

"The hubs will help the residents gain the skills needed to best use the NBN," Conry says. They will also spend $12.4m for small businesses and non-profits around the first communities that are connected "to best use the network."

$5.5m will go to regional areas access healthcare through "telehealth" services. I hope this is not another dodgy FuelWatch website.

WTF? We all have been using the net for close on 20 years, and now a government want to tell us how to use the net? Excellent use of taxpayer dosh, eh?

Hunt for Mareeba prison escapee

A 40-year-old prisoner has escaped from Lotus Glen Correctional Centre near Mareeba, late on Sunday night.

Andrew John Palmer was serving a custodial sentence at a prison farm attached to the main correctional facility and was discovered missing around midnight.

The offender is serving a four year sentence for attempted robbery and break and enter offences and was not due for release until August 2014.

Palmer was sentenced in March and was last seen at a headcount at 8.50 pm Sunday and reported missing at 11.50 pm Sunday.

The escapee was serving his sentence at the low security prison farm section of the complex. I don’t think he’ll be doing much farming once he’s rounded up.

He's described as 179 cm, 80 kg, medium complexion, green eyes and clean-shaven with short brown hair. He also has numerous tattoos including the grim reaper and a Harley flag on his left arm; a sleeve from shoulder to elbow on his right arm; a wizard and mermaid on his chest; demons on his back and feathers on his right leg.

• Contact local police station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000

CAPTION CONTEST: Wazza gets a talking to

This week Chief Opposition Whip and local MP, Warren Entsch, sent out a angry email outing a number of "disloyal" Coalition MPs for not turning up for an important vote in the House.

Yesterday, one of those named, Malcolm Turnbull, had a bit to say to bully-boy Entsch. I wonder what words were exchanged?

1. "Look here mister, I'm a Zillionaire, and I've heard about your plantations up the Cape, so just watch out or I'll be the one outing you..."
2. "Entschy, this whole gay marriage thing, how about we go steady and see what it's like. What do you say?"
3. "I have my own iPhone App. What you got? An ear ring and a motorbike? Whoopee!"
4. "Hey Wazz, pull my finger... and I'll show you my latest fart joke. Go on... please..."
5. ..... your turn.....
   
   

The Hobbit starts filming in Wellington

I'm off for some good ol happy clapping

Tonight I'm going to treat myself to a good ol conservative rabble-rousing in the hicks.

There's a fundy-tastes-like-a-real-Christan meeting in Atherton - they always select a quiet redneck rural town to whip the locals into a frenzy.

This is being put on by the so-called Australia Family Association and the National Civic Council, both homo-hating, leftie-hating enablers.

The speakers are talking about “What are the threats in the ‘Green Agenda’?” and “How the homosexual lobby views children.” Lovely.

The dinner at the Barron Valley pub will boast a who's-who of Tableland glitterati and business chiefs. Dr Michael McAuliffe will speak, as will Peter Westmore, the national president of the NCC, along with Tim Cannon of the AFA.

They're be joined by the local committee of the Civic Council comprises Pastors Robert Marshall and Thor Bouttell; Ed Collins; Diana Killen; Rosa Lee Long; Rev Leo Newell; Leo and Carol O’Connell; Pastors Phylis and Tim Pianta; K J Ramke; D R Walker, and Bob Stewart of Bob's Agricultural.

What is interesting is that there are two MPs involved in this joyous event. The mad MP for Kennedy, Bob Katter, who played a key role in the last election, and infamously said that there were no gays in his electorate, and if there was, he'd "walk backwards to Broome". What a tosser.

The other is Dalrymple MP Shane Knuth, from the old conservative school of the Nationals.

I'll be taking a couple of others along to see what this mob is up to. It should be fun, and I get a free meal out of it. I really thought these old rallies were dead and buried, but not it seems in a rural conservative post-Sir Joh Queensland.

As I'll be under-cover, wearing a long coat , dark glasses and moustache, I feel like I'll be on a Navy Seal assignment, ordered by Obama.

I'll duly file a report, complete with revealing pix, later, and dead bodies.

Blair on his way to Oz and New Zealand

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair who served from 1997- 2007, is about to make his first speaking appearance in Australasia since leaving office.

In July he will speak in New Zealand share his "unique insights and experiences in leadership, negotiation and innovation."

Blair, who spends around $386,000 on security guards annually, is selling tickets for his Australian event at $1500 a pop with a "happy snap included." $10,000 will get two people one of 60 spots at his Melbourne dinner on July 27th.

I was invited to pay $1200 to attend his dinner in Auckland.

I thought they didn't allow terrorists and war criminals into New Zealand?

Lyons House goes into voluntary liquidation

At a special general meeting last evening, the membership of Lyons House Inc, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation service, voted to wind up the Association.

Lyons House has been in financial turmoil after the management committee terminated two senior managers who were failing to disclose information to the management committee, including contracts and salary details.

To safeguard remaining assets and to enable full payment of staff entitlements and creditors, members unanimously voted in favour of voluntary liquidation.

Tony Jonsson and Gerry Mier of KPMG were appointed as liquidators.

Committee President David Couplan-Jones says negotiations are still proceeding with other like-minded organisations, to explore the possibility of the Association's facilities and services being continued.

Awkward, dear lordy

Slanderous Labor email bags Richie Bates ahead of selection vote

An internal Party email was sent to Cairns Labor members ahead of the weekend's vote to select their candidate for the next State election, shows the skullduggery and disloyalty to a open democratic vote inside the Labor camp.

Last Tuesday a vicious campaign was in full flight amongst local Labor members, in a concerted effort to keep out Richie Bates from getting the nod as their party's next candidate in the next State election.

The Party's AWU faction lead the charge to ensure that union representative Richie Bates was not going to get the numbers in the Cairns selection. Members who contacted CairnsBlog since the weekend's vote said there was intimidation, threats and visits from senior factional officials from Brisbane. A number of older members were telephoned as late as Friday night, with the threat of complying to support Lesina.

Labor members said both former branch president Mike Bailey and sitting MP Desley Boyle, were behind the desperate effort to keep Bates out.

"This is old school bullying, however Richie can hold his head high for not stooping to these gutter tactics," a frustrated Labor member said. "The branch members have had enough of this quite frankly"

"Unfortunately I expected some of that," Richie Bates told CairnsBlog.

The email was in part spurred after a story in last week's Australian, where Bates was quoted as saying "lucrative assets like QR National, which underpin Queensland's economy well into the future, should be retained."

The Australian predicted that a number of pre-selections across the State on Saturday would support candidates against Bligh's privatisation agenda. It said Labor insiders were tipping the left faction's Richie Bates for Cairns...

• ...Richie Bates from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, would take the seat of Cairns with rank-and-file support over the AWU's Kirsten Lesina. Mr Bates has been an outspoken critic of Ms Bligh and her government's privatisation program, which included selling the commercial arm of Queensland Rail.
  
  "We are already seeing the first signs of QR National getting rid of jobs and damaging rural and regional communities," Richie Bates said.

However Bates told CairnsBlog that this was not an issue any longer.

"The reality is we have moved on and I don't believe the electorate would have seen this as a negative for me," Bates said after the vote against him on Saturday.

Labor insiders have said that it was probably former Cairns branch president, Mike Bailey who was one of those behind a campaign to discredit Richie Bates. They say he helped set up an anonymous email address, keep.cairns.labor@hotmail.com. The email instructed members not support Bates.

The message was titled "Candidate Richie Bates means the whole campaign will be focused on the past.- that will damage Labor in Cairns." It sent to a heap of ALP branch members on Tuesday last week.

• From: KeepCairns Labor keep.cairns.labor@hotmail.com
  Sent: Tuesday, 17 May 2011 12:55 PM
  Subject: Candidate Richie Bates means the whole campaign will be focused on the past.- that will damage Labor in Cairns
  
  If Richie Bates is Labor's candidate then the media will make the whole campaign in Cairns about two things:
  
  * Assets Sales
  * Richie Bates' opposition to Anna Bligh.
  
  The result is damage to Labor-especially here in Cairns.
  
  The story below in today's paper (the Aust p.7) is just a taste of what will unfortunately dominate the whole campaign damaging Labor.
  
  Richie Bates below describes Anna Bligh below as "getting rid of jobs and damaging rural and regional communities".
  
  Even if you think Richie is a ok candidate it is just a fact that his record means the media will only talk about division, asset sales and attacks on Premier Bligh.
  
  That means Labor will be damaged in Cairns.
  
  Please consider this when you vote on Saturday, I know I will.
  
  Plebiscite voter this Saturday
  
  PS you may wonder why I haven't put down my name- It's because I don't like the fights that some have bought to our branches and don't want to be a target. I hope you respect that and also consider my message- its too important- we can't be responsible for losing Cairns for Labor.
  
  

Of course the coward behind the slanderous email didn't put a name on it.

In March, Labor Party deputy chair Mike Bailey, sent me a raft of inappropriate messages from his government email address Mike.BAILEY@communities.qld.gov.au. This is in contravention of it's terms of use, and he was caught out. Bailey led a campaign to oust Stuey Traill, blindly supported by his government-paid job, it seems.

Bailey also sent out a letter to members under his name, which was worded similar to the anonymous email.

It is believed that senior Labor party officials were in Cairns last lobbing against a vote for Bates.

After the close vote on Saturday, Lesina says that the party is still unified within and she received emails offering support, even from those that voted for Bates as the preferred candidate.

Kirsten Lesina also says it was a "clean campaign," however this angry internal email would disprove that. "It's been a very clean pre-selection campaign, because Richie and I are good mates, so that's been good."

Yesterday Kirsten didn't respond to questions about any knowledge of the erroneous email, but undoubtedly had to be aware of it's wide circulation.

"I hop on a plane to Brissy first thing this morning. I will give you a call around lunch time," Kirsten Lesina wrote in a 6:30am email, in response to two emails at 2pm yesterday afternoon.

Another disgruntled Labor voter who attended the pre-selection says he was disgusted that whilst in Brisbane last week on Cairns Regional Council business, Councillor Lesina used the opportunity to meet with senior Labor Party hierarchy about the Cairns pre-selection.

"The people who voted for Kirsten at electoral college should be ashamed of themselves," she said.

There is now a move to encourage Richie Bates to run for the State seat of Cairns as an independent, and also as a candidate for Council, something he missed out against Alan Blake in 2008.

As a strong and consistent fighter for union right and protections, Bates will be a valued addition to local or State government, whatever he chooses.

Sunbus is rather cloudy as new timetables hit the streets

The Sunbus bus network has changed, and not everyone is impressed.

The new timetables are now online and are confusing many regular commuters and drivers as well it seems.

For instance, northern beach services now centre around Smithfield as a hub.

There are only three morning and three evening services direct to Yorkeys Knob, other than those times, you will need to transfer at Smithfield Shopping Centre.

There was outcry across the region a month or so ago, when Sunbus proposed to remove a number of services, and effectively making commuters to connect to other bus services, many which didn't connect within a reasonable time, especially around popular morning and evening times.

If you are a bus commuter, I suggest you check out the new timetables and maps, to see if it will affect you adversely.

I'd love to hear from anyone who can master and understand the new timetables in one sitting.

Termintor, governator, now the populator

Looks like he'll be broke.

(populator or should that be sperminator)

Kirsten Lesina Labor candidate for Cairns

In a razor-close vote at Labor's pre-selection meeting in Cairns today, first-term Cairns Regional Councillor Kirsten Lesina, was selected as the party's candidate in the seat of Cairns for the next Queensland State election.

However a majority of local members preferred the only other candidate on the ballot paper, railways union delegate, Richie Bates.

Bates won the local ballot 31 votes to Lesina's 27.

However, Labor's electoral college system, that allows for additional votes from factions and representatives not in the local area, tipped more votes to support Lesina from the party's right.

Reputedly there were five votes that would have also supported Lesina. These included a postal vote that didn't get done, and two who didn't attend the pre-selection meeting at Brother's League Club.

This again shows that the Labor Party is very much removed from the wishes of the local members.

Over the last year, Bates supported ousted party member, Electrical Trades Union organiser Stuey Traill, after nearly two years of campaigning against the Labor Party's sell off of assets that led to a series of membership terminations across the State. Such support would not have helped Bates in the Cairns selection with incumbent MP Desley Boyle determined to elect a successor from the party's right faction.

"None of this sorry affair is his fault," former Labor party member and Cairns Regional Councillor Robert Pyne told CairnsBlog this evening. "I would dearly love to see Richie run for council. He is a man of great integrity, passion and has commitment to his community."

24-year-old Kirsten Lesina pipped former Mulgrave councillor Ross Parisi as the youngest representative, when she was elected just weeks after completing her law degree at James Cook University in March 2008.

On Thursday, Cairns Regional Council paid for Councillor Lesina to fly to Brisbane for the day to receive the Healthy Queensland Awards on behalf of Cairns, where the Regional Council was awarded $50,000 in State funding, second only to Cassowary Coast Regional Council. However two Labor insiders believed that Lesina used the opportunity to meet with Labor hierarchy about the impended Cairns selection.

"This is an outright disgrace, if she has used ratepayer's money to meet with Labor party bosses in Brisbane when she was on Thursday," the party member said, who attended today's pre-selection, and asked for his name to be withheld. "This is the way they operate you know."

Lesina confirmed that she did have an "informal coffee with someone" while in Brisbane on Council business. Lesina said she had two hours free before the function in the afternoon, and that the Council officer who went as well, also "had a coffee with someone."

"It wasn't planned, it was an afterthought. My flight got in at 11am, and I didn't have to be at the awards till 1pm," Kirsten Lesina said. "So I had coffee with a friend, I don't think that should be a problem."

The State election will see a re-match against former Cairns city councillor, Paul Freebody, who lost to Lesina in 2008. Freebody is LNP's hope of making what many claim as an historic claim for the seat of Cairns, that has been held by Labor for the best part of the last 100 years.

The announcement that Lesina is the candidate that will run against the LNP's Paul Freebody, has been greeted with joy, as Liberal party insiders told CairnsBlog they believed a contest against Richie Bates would have been "formidable" and "although close, difficult to win."

"This is our preferred candidate for the ALP, I can tell you that for sure," a LNP officer said.

In a candid chat with CairnsBlog on Friday, Kirsten Lesina said she was feeling confident about her chances, in the face of some opposition from those who say she should complete her inaugural Council term.

"Yes, I'm feeling good about it," Lesina said. "It's been a very clean pre-selection campaign, because Richie and I are good mates, so that's been good."

Lesina said that it would not be a unanimous vote.

"There will be people voting for one or the other, but I think that everyone will rally around the candidate chosen, and that's been indicated from basically everyone."

Lesina has said that the local economy is her biggest priority if elected at the next MP for Cairns.

"There are a number of things, but one of them is to keep improving the economy obviously, and keep up with Anna Bligh's promise to create more jobs, and given the way Cairns is at the moment, I think that is very important."

She also cites the ongoing upgrade of the Cairns Hospital as important. Kirsten Lesina said, in reflecting on her last three years as a councillor for Cairns region, has been helpful.

"I've also been working on a lot of State issues with Desley [Boyle]. About a third of my [council] division is in the Cairns electorate, so that's been good, getting to know people locally and in the broader region about issues," Lesina said. "I think that will definitely be a help. I also helped people with federal issues when I was working for Jan [Senator McLucas], so I will be completing the trifecta."

Kirsten Lesina has been less that forthcoming on challenging her party's asset sale programme.

"We've sold the rails, the ports and the forests were leased, so there's only one where we've actually sold. But that's been done, and I don't think it's going to be undone," Kirsten Lesina said. "It's a done deal. I understand that people feel concerned about it and I completely understand, but it's happened."

Regarding any further privatisation plans, Lesina expressed concern.

"After what happened in New South Wales, we'd be mad to sell off anything like electricity or anything like that. Even if there was a will for it, I don't think it would happen."

In the recent NSW election, Labor paid the price after the State sell off of electricity.

The large anti-Labor backlash across the country and indeed throughout Queensland, will see a tough fight for Labor to retain Government. Many believe they will be whipped out at the next election.

When the State election is called, that is currently expected to be very close to the next Council election in March 2012, Lesina will need to stand down from her Council role and forfeit salary. It is probable that the Council election date may well move, if indeed the State election is not called early, as many pundits are predicting.

"If Lesina wants to be the first candidate in a million years to lose the seat for Labor and then to return to Council and lose that seat as well, she'll be political history," a disgruntled party supporter told CairnsBlog this evening.

Richie Bates posted a short message on Lesina's Facebook page on Friday.

"Good luck tomorrow, see you at Brothers!"

Lesina responded: "You too!"

The Rapture... believe it, or not?

Not.

Kuranda man charged with murder

A 51-year-old Kuranda man has been charged with murder and will appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court tomorrow.

The arrest follows the death of 22-year-old Aboriginal woman Erica Liddy who was found with serious head injuries at a Freshwater bus stop on April 12th.

Erica Liddy, originally from Coen, had her family with her for the last three days, before her life-support was switched off.

Erica was found unconscious around 2am at a Freshwater bus stop near the corner of Kamerunga and Old Smithfield roads.

Meet the next MP for Mulgrave

Born today, next line in the Pitt dynasty, and a probable future MP.

MP for Mulgrave, Curtis Pitt, snapped this photo on his mobile phone of his new baby in the last hour.

"Say hi to our new baby girl, four weeks early, and 6lb 8oz (2.940kg) and 43.5cm," Curtis Pitt announced this afternoon, as he introduced his new daughter to the world via social media.

"Kerry and I are still deciding on her name. Mother resting and Dad very happy. Tristan looking forward to meeting his little sister."

Just after midday, Curtis posted this message to his 1400 Facebook readers: "Mad rush to be at the hospital with Kerry. Doctor's advice that our new bub comes today - four weeks early though."

Premier Anna Bligh congratulated Curtis Pitt, who is also Minister for Disabilities, Mental Health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships.

"Curtis tells me they are yet to decide on her name but mum and baby are doing well and dad is very proud," Anna Bligh said. "I hear big brother Tristan is pleased as punch with his new baby sister."

All name suggestions for the new baby will be passed onto Cutris.

All the best from the team at CairnsBlog.

Tropical Alternatives film festival returns this weekend

The story of a doctor's "wife" will be the opening feature on Friday evening at this year's Tropical Alternatives Film Festival . It is the work of 25-year-old first-time director, Jonathan Duffy.

Duffy and his partner of some years, Doctor Vincent Cornelisse, left big city life in Brisbane for a tiny country town two years ago to take over a rural practice.

"As a gay couple we weren't sure what sort of reception we'd get from the new community," Jonathan told CairnsBlog.

As the doctor's "wife", Jonathan managers his partner's medical centre at Biggenden, 340 km north-west of Brisbane.

"We were living in Brisbane, close to the middle of the city, so in comparison it was very small and very quiet," Vincent said in an interview with ABC. "We were nervous about moving to the country and unsure what reception we would get as a same-sex couple."

"We had our concerns about it, because neither of us had ever lived in the country. We'd only ever lived in the city, and even in the city there's a fair amount of homophobia. Country Queensland has a particular reputation for being homophobic, more so than the city," Vincent said.

"But there was a method to our madness. I considered moving to a larger rural centre, but we thought if we go to a smaller country town you end up knowing everyone personally. It's much harder to hate you as a person than it is to be homophobic."

"Getting away from a big city was a great thing for us. It made us mature a lot as people, and made us more open minded and easy going," Jonathan says. "While Vincent was working the long hours that come with being a country doctor, I worked hard to find employment and become part of his new community. I listened to every comment anyone said about a previous doctor's partner, and one thing I worked out quickly is that, in my experience, the doctor's partner isn't exactly renowned for being a member of the community."

However, that all changed. "Before I knew it I had more jobs than Vincent and was working more hours. It meant I got to know a lot of the community, and they got to know me apart from Vincent."

Jonathan Duffy will introduce and launch his debut movie in Cairns, however Vincent won't be able to make it.

"I'm bringing a piece of the country to the world premiere in Cairns, Jonathan says. "Thanks to Coleen Cunliffe for lending me your husband, as mine was booked out. I can't get an appointment with him for ages, and it's not good enough!"

The Tropical Alternatives Film Festival opens in Cairns at JUTE Theatre on Friday night and features three locally made documentaries, a short film competition and the best of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival.

The festival will also travel to Port Douglas and screen at the Clink Theatre.

Friday May 20
6pm TAFF Shorts (70min)
7pm Drinks and Food
8pm Opening and The Doctors Wife

Saturday May 21
2om The Bedroom Commandments
3:30pm Orchids:My Intersex Adventure (1h)
5pm Bear City (104min)
7pm Sea of Purple (106min)
9pm You Should Meet My Son (90min)

• on Facebook and schedule and bookings

Hasta la vista,baby

"I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry," Arnold Schwarzenegger said today.

Last week he announced his separation after 25 years of marriage with Maria Shriver. However today Arnie revealed it was because he had fathered a child with a member of his household staff, the Los Angeles Times says.

Schwarzenegger had the child 10 years ago, and kept the secret from his wife most of this time.

Yesterday, on her Facebook page, Maria wrote the following poignant quote...

"You can lead a man to the trough but you can't make him drink. But when you create a thirst, he will want to drink."

Profound or spooky?

Here a video she recorded just a few weeks ago, that hinted more about herself than her audience...

John Mackenzie allows Prime Minister's gay jibe

"You'll get me into trouble," was the only thing 4CA talkback host John Mackenzie said this morning as he allowed a phobic caller to vent his innuendo on radio this morning.

Mackenzie allowed a caller to slander the Prime Minister and her partner, Tim Mathieson.

"That Gillard boyfriend, he's gay, isn't he...." the caller said.

"Now, you'll get me into trouble," Mackenzie said, after allowing the comment to be broadcast.

Radio 4CA rarely ever enact the cut off switch for obscene callers. All broadcasters have a broadcast delay system, usually between 3 and 7 seconds. It's a method that delays broadcast of live material that allows the station to prevent profanity and undesirable material from making it to air.

Mackenzie's caller went on to further degrade the Prime Minister.

"If I ever get drunk enough to wake up next to her..." the caller said.

"Now I think you've gone to far," Mackenzie said, still allowing the offensive comments to be allowed on his show, before ending the call.

However this is mild when it come to the disgusting and racist rants that Mackenzie himself blurts out, and of course the station never engages the delay system when this happens - in an act of self-censorship.

If you really want to follow this vile radio jock, look no further than Hillbilly Watch where Mick Glennie tells it straight about this radio hostess.

Mackenzie's talkback has lost many of it's audience over recent years, as more get their news and information from online or social media. Current audience numbers are 3,900, made up of 1,700 male and around 2,200 female.

• You can make a complaint to 4CA by email to Kim OLoughlin or telephone 4042 8000 or 0408 580 992.

Go ride ya bike, says Mayor Val Schier

Cairns Bicycle Users Group is co-ordinating a ride this Sunday, along the new track, that is shared between walkers and cyclists.

Meet at Centenary Lakes on Greenslopes Street at 9am and enjoy the new 20km circuit, and you might even get to share a word with Cairns Regional Council Mayor, Val Schier.

There'll be a free sausage sizzle at the end. Bargain.

11-hour reprieve sought for financially distraught Lyons House

Yesterday the management committee of Lyons House announced that the organisation’s financial situation did not permit the continued operation and reluctantly notified staff it would cease operating and terminate employment with one week’s notice.

"We are extremely disappointed that Lyons House staff could not be paid out their full entitlements at this time but with the steps we have taken, a safeguard has been put in place to hopefully ensure payment," president of the committee David Couplan-Jones said yesterday.

"We are saddened by the loss of a such a valuable community-based organisation that has provided a much needed resource in the Cairns area for over 35 years," Couplan-Jones said.

Late yesterday Sue Boisen from Congress Community Development and Education Unit met with the committee to discuss emergency support for Lyons House and the retention of some of the current services.

"As a result of Sue Boisen's meeting late yesterday, we have written to Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon and Senator McLucas, and local MPs, to seek urgent support, that may prevent complete closure," Couplan-Jones said.

Boisen was apprised of the current situation that Lyons House is in, with not enough cashflow to pay wages, and needing to terminate all staff contracts at close of business May 16th.

"Ms Boisen discussed the possibility of CCDEU continuing to operate the bulk of Lyons House programs, with funding body permission and new agreements entered into with CCDEU and the funding bodies," David Couplan-Jones said. "We provided financial cash flow and liquidity status and the list of assets owned by the agency. She then followed up with her senior officer, and has authority to explore further with the committee and funding bodies to support the retention of programs and services and the Lyons House premises."

CCDEU already provides a Queensland Indigenous Alcohol Diversion Program in Townsville and are expanding into Cape York, with a view to have a base in Cairns. Two of Lyons House current programs have agreements until June 2012 the QIADP residential rehabilitation program and the Drug and Alcohol Counselling Service both funded by Queensland Health.

Couplan-Jones says the other programs that could continue would be Queensland Communities Drug Court Program and Federal Health and Ageing Residential Rehabilitation.

"If these four programs were retained, some staff could be retained also and there would be no disruption to the clients," Couplan-Jones said. "I realise this is very late in the day, however if there is a will to continue with a scaled down suite of services, the Lyons House committee would do whatever we could to hand over the programs and assets to CCDEU, with the full support of the Dept of Health and Ageing; Queensland Health and Communities."

Couplan-Jones says CCDEU realise they may need to provide resources to cover the shortfall.

"These issues will need to be worked through with the funding bodies, the committee and CCDEU. There are substantial assets that would be transferred that could offset the need to provide an initial cash injection."

They have asked the Health Minister to consider this option "favourably for the welfare of the clients’ and the retention of many of the excellent staff."

"The alternative is to disrupt and destabilise clients, lose a valuable community resource for the Cairns region and the services of many good staff, both indigenous and non-indigenous," Couplan-Jones says.

Meanwhile, on John Mackenzie's 4CA talkback radio show yesterday, MP for Leichhardt Warren Entsch was scathing about the demise of Lyons House, and took aim at Cairns Regional Councillor Diane Forsyth, who was a former director and currently is a member of the committee. Forsyth is a member of the Labor Party, whilst Entsch is a member of the Liberal National Party.

"Di Forsyth and her mob need to be removed," Warren Entsch said. "And former CEO Margaret Renfrey and John Ellis reinstated. Forsyth lead a group of unprofessional people with no qualifications which tried to often interfere."

"The committee has been unable to answer a list of questions from Government agencies," Entsch said. "The same people involved in the misappropriation of funds at Douglas House, are involved with the Lyons House issue."

Entsch said clients are "petrified" that their personal records will be given to the management committee.

"The committee was reported to the Police for trying to hack into the computers with a butter knife. The CMC is investigating inappropriate dealings, particularly in relation to Councillor Diane Forsyth."

The president of the management committee, David Couplan-Jones slammed the mis-management of the two sacked managers, Margaret Renfrey and John Ellis, who he says, withheld vital information the board requested. They are seeking an extra six months redundancy payout. This is on top of the three months already received. The cost to Lyons House would be $85,000.

• CairnsBlog coverage:
• Attack on Lyons House is "media driven propaganda"
  
  Cairns Post story "slanderous" and less than half the story

Flat earthers welcome

There's a free carbon-questionable forum, at Council's Civic Reception room in Spence Street tonight.

The meeting will be presented by Mark Ogge and Patrick Hearps of Beyond Zero Emissions, authors of the Zero Carbon Australia Report.

The event has been organised by Cairns and Far North Environment Centre.

Be there by 6pm.

MARK BEATH: The delusion of CEC

Local economic commentator, Mark Beath, looks at the demise of Cairns' construction giant, CEC.

Much comment and activity at the Journal of Ignorance on the demise today of CEC.

Not kosher blogging maybe, but will just update as I go here with thoughts. Many peculiarities and even the accounts published yesterday vary materially from announcement as recently as April 29. Events as far back as 2008 are worthy of attention as is the role of Warren Entsch as an 'independent' director and Chairman.

To start my delusion of CEC before delving back as far as events in 2008, CEC did finally lodge accounts yesterday afternoon. However, bottom line on the CEC net position showed net assets of negative $41million? You should compare this with the ASX release just a few weeks before on 29 April which stated...

• "Following the above impairments the accounts would show Negative Net Assets of around $27.6 million."

Oops, just a bit of a divergence here boys? In less than two weeks? So, lets go back in time to 2008.

Cairns entered 2008 on the back of a large debt fueled construction boom despite the first ripples of the GFC in late 2007 in the USA. At the end of February 2008 CEC surprised the market with a bad result and some recent high profile value investors fled (ie 452 Capital) the share register. This result preceded calls by the bank, CBA, to reduce property related debt.

CEC, in 2008, then announced a joint venture deal on its substantial land bank with Trinity Properties. These companies were previously closely aligned when CEC floated and shared directors including Keith Delacey and a senior Trinity exec. This deal collapsed early in 2008 with accusations that the CEC properties didn't stack up to values. Property write downs in that year by CEC don't seem to align with the indicated shortfall in property values in the failed JV.

CEC has had many opportunities to do something and has frequently referred to possible joint ventures, syndications, or capital raisings. Almost any company listed on ASX with any property related activity raised huge capital in 2008/2009. Selling assets was not the sole option of CEC to satisfy the bank.

So why didn't CEC follow the market? Did the directors make judgements based on Roy Lavis (26%) maintaining control rather than the interest of all shareholders?

The most striking deterioration at CEC since it listed in 2004 was not the financials but the quality of the board. In 2004 it was an outstanding board. It is now Roy, his son, and an 'independent' Chairman, who replaced Warren Entsch, with political connections also as main background and Entsch's renowned sycophancy with Roy. It's an appallingly weak board which should scare any investor.

Small CEC shareholders deserve a damned lot more than has been delivered here.