Thursday 26 April 2012

Oi, Bazza! Don't frack with us on the Northern Rivers


Clarence Valley residents Varpu Rantanen, Seanine Cooper an Larissa Cooper
at the coal-seam gas meeting in Casino last week

“CLARENCE Valley residents opposed to coal-seam gas mining were among dozens who turned out in force at a public meeting in Casino on April 19 to discuss the O'Farrell Government's draft Regional Strategic Land Use Policy and new Aquifer Interference Regulations.”
Rest of journalist Emma Prichard’s 23rd April story in The Daily Examiner here.

 

Tuesday 24 April 2012

The strange things journalists write


Until recently, newspapers were not allowed to report on suicide and I think the original rationale for that was well-intentioned: to stop sensationalist journalism on such a personal and tragic event. [The Daily Examiner,20 April 2012,p12]

A rather curious statement which history refutes.

Even a quick search of Trove and NSW State Library records will show that since at least the 19th Century through to this 21st Century  Australian newspapers at national, state and local level (including The Daily Examiner) have been reporting on attempted suicide/suicides; naming names, ages, places of residence and often describing methods used.

In August 2011 the Press Council of Australia issued a specific standard of practice for suicide reporting, which did not lift any supposed universal media ban but sought to clarify best practice.

Keerrong & The Channon Says No To CSG: becomes first NSW North Coast community to lock its land and roads




Hundreds of committed citizens of Keerrong and The Channon form a human map of our roads and creeks. The legal system and governments have failed us. Now we're taking a stand. We won't let gas miners contaminate our water, air and land with toxic chemicals. Through grass-roots public meetings and surveys, we reached a 99% majority decision to close our roads and valleys to Coal Seam Gas mining. We're saying to the miners: 'You're not coming here'. As we present the CSG-free road declarations to our mayor, we celebrate the strength of community. This video launches the CSG-free Community Strategy in the Northern Rivers, NSW Australia. We're taking back our communities from the gas miners.

To find out how to make your community CSG Free, go to
http://www.csgfreenorthernrivers.org