Saturday 16 April 2011

God help us - it's the Shooter's Party at work


In The Daily Examiner letters column on 7 March 2011:

Shooting pains

The Manning River Times reports the Shooters and Fishers Party have wasted no time in taking advantage of the balance of power in the state's upper house, now held by elephant shooter, Robert Borsak and Previous MLA, Robert Brown.

According to the article, Warwick Murray, a local shooters' representative, is reported as saying: "We're keen to see shooting made a larger sport in schools", and also pushing for hunting to be allowed in national parks.

It is clear that the obnoxious Shooters Party Bill, which was rejected by the previous Labor Government, that would have allowed the shooting of a range of native animal and birds, as well as feral species, in national Parks using guns, bows and arrows, and packs of dogs, is still squarely on their agenda.

God help us if the Coalition Party is prepared to do deals if it needs their help to introduce its legislation.

JOHN EDWARDS

South Grafton

Friday 15 April 2011

Dubbo's Mutton lambs it up about radio law

Former Lower Clarence resident, Richard Mutton, who now hails from down town Dubbo, has thrown his two cents worth into the discussion about radio station 2DU retrenching its announcers Angela Clutterbuck and Ash Keenan and cutting back its "live and local" weekend broadcasts.

Mutton has a bit of form (colloquially known as self interest) when it comes to commercial radio.

Mutton previously had a stint with UNE Radio in Armidale in his student days, where his call sign was "Swinging D*ck", and then moved on to commercial radio at 2GF in Grafton where he double-dipped while on the Education Department's payroll.

While he was live-to-air in Armidale, the same cannot be said about most of Mutton's late-night graveyard sessions on 2GF. Mutton pre-recorded most of his programs for 2GF and then sat at home and listened to himself.

Enough said!

Dubbo's Daily Liberal carries a report detailing Mutton's latest 'effort'. The hypocrisy of the bloke knows no bounds.

While I feel for Clutterbuck and Keenan, having Mutton batting for them isn't a good look.

There are some things a politician should not say on Facebook or in the media


Think a lot but say little. Anon

Nationals MP for Clarence, Steve Cansdell, shows his ignorance of the law as he unfairly abuses a Local Court magistrate on Facebook for the benefit of his 608 friends and assorted readers:


Snapshot 14 April 2011

Steve Cansdell ‎2010 Yamba Riots, police van burnt, cops rocked by drunken mob. All charges dropped & these Grubs walk free. Pissweak Magistrate 18 hours ago via Selective Tweets

Yamba solicitor Bob Thompson took Steve Cansdell to task for similar comments elsewhere. Thompson rightly drew attention to the fact that this NSW Nationals MP was publicly commenting before all matters concerning the 2010 Yamba riot were concluded before the courts and that Cansdell was prejudging the nine juveniles caught up in the original incident:

Excerpt from Thompson's letter to the editor
The Daily Examiner 14 April 2011

Click on image to enlarge

Major stuff up by NSW Police a candidate for Ripley's Believe It Or Not

Update:

In The Daily Examiner on 15 April, Steve Candell states that he wishes he had moderated his language when he made a Facebook comment about the result of the Yamba riot trial, but he stands by the sentiment. I suspect that what Mr. Cansdell actually regrets is the negative publicity his intemperate comments have generated and this Daily Examiner editorial of the same day:

Saffin continues to demonstrate her commitment to the Page electorate


On the NSW North Coast it would be hard to find an elected representative in any of the three tiers of government who is as committed to her electorate as the obviously hardworking Labor Federal Member for Page Janelle Saffin MP.

The Punch 7 April 2011:

There were 14,234 cases diagnosed in 2007 (the latest national data). One death for every three cases diagnosed. Bowel cancer has not, as yet, captured the public’s imagination. It does not have a legion of popular ambassadors at its front. There are no supermodels, pop stars or sportspeople selling the bowel cancer story. We are told by journalists: “It’s not a story for breakfast”. There is no ribbon for bowel cancer; there is no agreed colour to unite the cause. And, most importantly, there is no national screening program.

Currently, one in five bowel cancers is diagnosed at stage four, the most advanced stage, when the cancer is often terminal. This is particularly tragic given bowel cancer is easy to treat when detected early. It is a double blow to those dying of the disease to learn there is a simple $30 test that can pick up the cancer early.


Excerpt from Ms. Saffin’s 8 April same day email response to one resident in her electorate who expressed concern that the National Bowel Screening Program winds up at the end of this financial year and, asked for her representation on his behalf at ministerial level:

Please be assured I shall do so personally for you and that I have made representations already. I am aware of the programme and its worth to many of us.

Regards Janelle