| MONTHLY NEWS - December 2007 |
| THIS IS PAGE 25 OF DECEMBER 2007 MONTHLY NEWS - MonNewsDEC25 |
WHY PETER DRAPER MP DOESN'T 'CUT IT'
One lesson from the federal election is that the community is sick of politician's behaviour and seek more
honesty, transparency and openness - in short decency.
Initial indications from the PM are he is alive to that and is taking steps to move in that direction.
It has been said that those who are not prepared to adapt to change will be left behind.
NOW - when Peter Draper MP for Tamworth, put out what we thought was an astonishingly emotional and
intemperate media release on 23 November 2007, we wrote to him and asked him for some information. We said we wished to do a critique
of his media release and the media release of alternate Health Minister, Jillian Skinner. We didn't receive a reply.
Eventually, we did our own independent research - without any assistance at all from Peter Draper MP.
We did our critique. We posted it on this website. Within 15 hours Mr Draper MP (or at least some-one claiming to be him) sent us Xmas
greetings - concluding by celebrating Australia as a wonderful country because of "free-speech".
Whether the reference to free-speech was a reference to the freedom of "peasants" to speech, a concession handed down to them from on
high by politicians, or whether it was a defence of Mr Draper's belief that he had the "right" to say anything he liked about another politician
- no matter how inaccurate/untrue it was, was not made apparent.
As we pointed out to Mr Draper, freedom of speech in Australia is only free to the extent that what one speaks is true. If what one speaks is
not true - that "speech" - may become very expensive and costly.
Since then, Mr Draper has not publicly admitted his errors or apologised to the alternate Health Minister for his emotive remarks.
Given that the self-appointed leader of the rural Independent's, Richard Torbay MP of Amidale, was clearly in touch with the community's
feelings (later as expressed in the federal election ) when he said that he intended to hold all MPs "to the most stringent standards of
integrity and honesty" and the community were tired of "slanging" matches and wanted issues based debate - one would have thought that
Mr Draper may have at least taken on board some of those sentiments.
It is quite possible that the errors made by Mr Draper resulted from his reliance upon a report on ABC Radio News, which misinterpreted
Mrs Skinner's media release and applied "terms" (not used by Mrs Skinner) to figures accurately supplied by her.
If that be so, then the "wrongness"of Mr Draper's statements are magnified, not mitigated. He has committed one of the errors of which he
accused Mrs Skinner - namely failing to use proper research techniques.
It may be that Mr Draper rationalises his serious errors, as simply the behaviour of "a politician".
That rationalisation would not be acceptable. First,because the community does expect, hopes and wants from politicians better behaviour.
Secondly because Mr Draper "trades" under what some perceive has become a proprietary trademark of "Independent". That "trademark"
is often associated with a decency in governance and a better standard of behaviour than that of traditional "politicians".
Unless Mr Draper now publicly comes out and acknowledges his error, explains the reasons for it and says sorry - he will be perceived as
'just another politician'.
He runs the risk of becoming known as the Dan Brown of the NSW parliament - one whose research is highly suspect and who writes
fiction.
It is about 3 weeks since Mr Draper's errors were exposed. He has not been 'man enough' so far to say sorry so far. It is for that reason he
does not cut it as an independent.
It is only after he says "sorry" that he will be free to move on. He needs to do the decent thing.
SOURCES :
Tamworh Hospital Emergency Department, November 2007 News page 30 [ here ]
Early Christmas Greetings from Peter Draper MP, November 2007 news page 31 [ here ]
Peter Draper - You have been caught out, December 2007 News page 2 [ here ]
Anna Henderson, Torbay's shock invitation to be Speaker in the Legislative Assembly , Northern Daily Leader, 30 March 2007 [ online ]
Richard Torbay MP, Torbay victory for the Bush, Media release, 29 March 2007 .
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
One lesson from the federal election is that the community is sick of politician's behaviour and seek more
honesty, transparency and openness - in short decency.
Initial indications from the PM are he is alive to that and is taking steps to move in that direction.
It has been said that those who are not prepared to adapt to change will be left behind.
NOW - when Peter Draper MP for Tamworth, put out what we thought was an astonishingly emotional and
intemperate media release on 23 November 2007, we wrote to him and asked him for some information. We said we wished to do a critique
of his media release and the media release of alternate Health Minister, Jillian Skinner. We didn't receive a reply.
Eventually, we did our own independent research - without any assistance at all from Peter Draper MP.
We did our critique. We posted it on this website. Within 15 hours Mr Draper MP (or at least some-one claiming to be him) sent us Xmas
greetings - concluding by celebrating Australia as a wonderful country because of "free-speech".
Whether the reference to free-speech was a reference to the freedom of "peasants" to speech, a concession handed down to them from on
high by politicians, or whether it was a defence of Mr Draper's belief that he had the "right" to say anything he liked about another politician
- no matter how inaccurate/untrue it was, was not made apparent.
As we pointed out to Mr Draper, freedom of speech in Australia is only free to the extent that what one speaks is true. If what one speaks is
not true - that "speech" - may become very expensive and costly.
Since then, Mr Draper has not publicly admitted his errors or apologised to the alternate Health Minister for his emotive remarks.
Given that the self-appointed leader of the rural Independent's, Richard Torbay MP of Amidale, was clearly in touch with the community's
feelings (later as expressed in the federal election ) when he said that he intended to hold all MPs "to the most stringent standards of
integrity and honesty" and the community were tired of "slanging" matches and wanted issues based debate - one would have thought that
Mr Draper may have at least taken on board some of those sentiments.
It is quite possible that the errors made by Mr Draper resulted from his reliance upon a report on ABC Radio News, which misinterpreted
Mrs Skinner's media release and applied "terms" (not used by Mrs Skinner) to figures accurately supplied by her.
If that be so, then the "wrongness"of Mr Draper's statements are magnified, not mitigated. He has committed one of the errors of which he
accused Mrs Skinner - namely failing to use proper research techniques.
It may be that Mr Draper rationalises his serious errors, as simply the behaviour of "a politician".
That rationalisation would not be acceptable. First,because the community does expect, hopes and wants from politicians better behaviour.
Secondly because Mr Draper "trades" under what some perceive has become a proprietary trademark of "Independent". That "trademark"
is often associated with a decency in governance and a better standard of behaviour than that of traditional "politicians".
Unless Mr Draper now publicly comes out and acknowledges his error, explains the reasons for it and says sorry - he will be perceived as
'just another politician'.
He runs the risk of becoming known as the Dan Brown of the NSW parliament - one whose research is highly suspect and who writes
fiction.
It is about 3 weeks since Mr Draper's errors were exposed. He has not been 'man enough' so far to say sorry so far. It is for that reason he
does not cut it as an independent.
It is only after he says "sorry" that he will be free to move on. He needs to do the decent thing.
SOURCES :
Tamworh Hospital Emergency Department, November 2007 News page 30 [ here ]
Early Christmas Greetings from Peter Draper MP, November 2007 news page 31 [ here ]
Peter Draper - You have been caught out, December 2007 News page 2 [ here ]
Anna Henderson, Torbay's shock invitation to be Speaker in the Legislative Assembly , Northern Daily Leader, 30 March 2007 [ online ]
Richard Torbay MP, Torbay victory for the Bush, Media release, 29 March 2007 .
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
EPIPHANY - A WONDERFUL WORD but it may be devalued if over-used
Epiphany ~ n, manifestation, especially of Christ to the Magi......or of a superhuman being [ 1 ]
Epiphany [ i píffənee ] ~ noun : Christian festival celebrating Jesus Christ's divinity: a Christian festival marking the visit of the Magi to
celebrate Jesus Christ's birth or, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the baptism of Jesus Christ.January 6. [ 2 ]
epiphany ........3. a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some
simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience. [ 3 ]
The use of the word in the third sense is increasingly popular.
However, it's over-use for that purpose, will devalue a wonderful word for a 'once in a life-time' experience, into something common-place.
Now people experience it seemingly regularly. Smoking is bad for me, exercise is good etc.
However, the call by Danny John in the Sydney Morning Herald for an epiphany to avoid a bloodbath, in the case of Centro Property
Group, which has been caught up in the now-crippled United States commercial credit markets - may not be too far from the mark.
Is now the time to cash out of the stock-market - even if it means turning "paper losses" into actual cash losses ???
SOURCES :
[ 1 ] Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary, 2nd ed, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1984
[ 2 ] MSN encarta online dictionary [ online ]
[ 3 ] Dictionary.com online dictionary, Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. [ online ]
[ 4 ] Danny John, Without an epiphany there'll be blood on the floor , Sydney Morning Herald, 18 December, 2007. p. 19 [ online ]
Andrew Carswell & Ross Kelly, Centrol triggers 3.5% sharmarket slump, Daily Telegraph, 18 December 2007 p. [ online ]
Turi Condon, Billions lost in credit crunch , Daily Telegraph, 18 December 2007 p. [ online ]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Epiphany ~ n, manifestation, especially of Christ to the Magi......or of a superhuman being [ 1 ]
Epiphany [ i píffənee ] ~ noun : Christian festival celebrating Jesus Christ's divinity: a Christian festival marking the visit of the Magi to
celebrate Jesus Christ's birth or, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the baptism of Jesus Christ.January 6. [ 2 ]
epiphany ........3. a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some
simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience. [ 3 ]
The use of the word in the third sense is increasingly popular.
However, it's over-use for that purpose, will devalue a wonderful word for a 'once in a life-time' experience, into something common-place.
Now people experience it seemingly regularly. Smoking is bad for me, exercise is good etc.
However, the call by Danny John in the Sydney Morning Herald for an epiphany to avoid a bloodbath, in the case of Centro Property
Group, which has been caught up in the now-crippled United States commercial credit markets - may not be too far from the mark.
Is now the time to cash out of the stock-market - even if it means turning "paper losses" into actual cash losses ???
SOURCES :
[ 1 ] Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary, 2nd ed, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1984
[ 2 ] MSN encarta online dictionary [ online ]
[ 3 ] Dictionary.com online dictionary, Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. [ online ]
[ 4 ] Danny John, Without an epiphany there'll be blood on the floor , Sydney Morning Herald, 18 December, 2007. p. 19 [ online ]
Andrew Carswell & Ross Kelly, Centrol triggers 3.5% sharmarket slump, Daily Telegraph, 18 December 2007 p. [ online ]
Turi Condon, Billions lost in credit crunch , Daily Telegraph, 18 December 2007 p. [ online ]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AND SPEAKING OF FINANCIAL CRISIS
When we saw this headline :
Abbas plea for $6.5b to fend off hardship
we thought that the famous and fabulous Swedish pop-group were facing a bleak Christmas, unless they had a sudden epiphany.
Thankfully, the article was not about them at all - but the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
When we saw this headline :
Abbas plea for $6.5b to fend off hardship
we thought that the famous and fabulous Swedish pop-group were facing a bleak Christmas, unless they had a sudden epiphany.
Thankfully, the article was not about them at all - but the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UMSHINI WAM
Umshini wam is an anti-apartheid song, which originated at the time the ANC was banned in South Africa and members
were engaged in a struggle (often by the use of arms) to return political rights to the native population.
Umshini wam has been adopted as the theme song of Jacob Zuma by his supporters.
After President Mbeki delivered his Report to the ANC Conference in Polokwane, Limpopo, the crowd broke into applause,
but supporters of Mr Zuma (who out-number Mbeki's supporters about 2:1) drowned out the applause by singing
umshini wam.
Confusion exists as to the exact meaning of the words of the song. Some say it means Bring me my machine - referring to the desire on the
part of the ANC at the time it was banned, to secure the political machinery necessary to democratically participate in the determination of
their own destiny. Others claim it means Bring me my machine gun - and advocates the taking of power at the point of a gun.
The commencement of the vote for president was delayed at the ANC Conference as arguments were thrashed out over the procedures for
the vote. Credentials of delegates have been challenged. The system of voting (manual or electronic) has also been a point of contention.
On the other hand, the South African Department of Arts and Culture has warned that the song De La Rey - is a potentially subversive one
and may be high-jacked by right-wingers as a call to arms.
It is a song about Koos de la Rey . It is sung by Bok Van Blerk .
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Umshini wam is an anti-apartheid song, which originated at the time the ANC was banned in South Africa and members
were engaged in a struggle (often by the use of arms) to return political rights to the native population.
Umshini wam has been adopted as the theme song of Jacob Zuma by his supporters.
After President Mbeki delivered his Report to the ANC Conference in Polokwane, Limpopo, the crowd broke into applause,
but supporters of Mr Zuma (who out-number Mbeki's supporters about 2:1) drowned out the applause by singing
umshini wam.
Confusion exists as to the exact meaning of the words of the song. Some say it means Bring me my machine - referring to the desire on the
part of the ANC at the time it was banned, to secure the political machinery necessary to democratically participate in the determination of
their own destiny. Others claim it means Bring me my machine gun - and advocates the taking of power at the point of a gun.
The commencement of the vote for president was delayed at the ANC Conference as arguments were thrashed out over the procedures for
the vote. Credentials of delegates have been challenged. The system of voting (manual or electronic) has also been a point of contention.
On the other hand, the South African Department of Arts and Culture has warned that the song De La Rey - is a potentially subversive one
and may be high-jacked by right-wingers as a call to arms.
It is a song about Koos de la Rey . It is sung by Bok Van Blerk .
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ENGINE ROOM OF STATE's ECONOMY
Frank Sartor, MP Minister for Planning, says the Hunter region is the
"engine room of the state's economy".
This is based on the value of state-significant developments approved
by Mr Sartor 2006-07, so given it is up to Mr Sartor in the first
place to classify a development proposal to be of state significance,
and then to approve it or reject it - it may not necessarily be an
objective and independent method of assessing which region is the
"engine room". The Hunter may also have been assisted by it's cyclical
coal industry - which is going 'gang-busters'.
Anyway :
of Wollongong
modifications to the Bengalla mine at Muswellbrook - were
included in the $2.6 bn.
near Minmi, $125 m redevelopment of the prime
Royal Newcastle Hospital site. $75 m worth of developments
at Honeysuckle also added to the list.
SOURCE :
Sartor report reveals Hunter is state's ... . grow zone , Newcastle Herald,
18 December, 2007 p.1 [ online ]
MEANWHILE - A Merewether mansion with views of Newcastle city, harbour and the coastline to Port Stephens sold for $3.4 million (a record
Newcastle price).
Sarah-Kate Scicluna , Record $3.4m not what they wanted, but still a ... Magnificent price, Newcastle Herald, 18 December, 2007 p.1 [ online ]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Frank Sartor, MP Minister for Planning, says the Hunter region is the
"engine room of the state's economy".
This is based on the value of state-significant developments approved
by Mr Sartor 2006-07, so given it is up to Mr Sartor in the first
place to classify a development proposal to be of state significance,
and then to approve it or reject it - it may not necessarily be an
objective and independent method of assessing which region is the
"engine room". The Hunter may also have been assisted by it's cyclical
coal industry - which is going 'gang-busters'.
Anyway :
- $2.6 billion of projects were approved in the Hunter - which is
of Wollongong
- Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group's $922 m coal-loader
- Approval of the Austar mine at Cessnock, the Anvil Hill pit at
modifications to the Bengalla mine at Muswellbrook - were
included in the $2.6 bn.
- Included in residential developments - $350 m, 947-lot
near Minmi, $125 m redevelopment of the prime
Royal Newcastle Hospital site. $75 m worth of developments
at Honeysuckle also added to the list.
- Total approvals in NSW under "state significance" classification
SOURCE :
Sartor report reveals Hunter is state's ... . grow zone , Newcastle Herald,
18 December, 2007 p.1 [ online ]
MEANWHILE - A Merewether mansion with views of Newcastle city, harbour and the coastline to Port Stephens sold for $3.4 million (a record
Newcastle price).
Sarah-Kate Scicluna , Record $3.4m not what they wanted, but still a ... Magnificent price, Newcastle Herald, 18 December, 2007 p.1 [ online ]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MERRY CHRISTMAS
NSW Police strike force Pymont arrested a total of 6 men,
most from regional areas in NSW, but also including a man in
Sydney and another man in Melbourne.
The strike force investigation took 11 months, involving
nearly 60 police in NSW, Victoria and the Australian Federal Police.
SOURCES :
Man denied bail on child porn charges , Northern Daily Leader, 18 December 2007 [ online ]
Terri Van Di, Child porn ring smashed: Ex-cop in Port court , Port Macquarie News, 17 December 2007 [ online ]
Simone Plews , Ex-cop faces 26 child porn charges , Port Macquarie News, 17 December 2007
Christmas in jail for porn suspect , Central Western Daily, 18 December 2007 [ online ]
CHILD PORN RING - Area News, 17 December 2007, [ online ]
Porn accused was to teach next year , Area News, 19 December 2007 [ online ]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NSW Police strike force Pymont arrested a total of 6 men,
most from regional areas in NSW, but also including a man in
Sydney and another man in Melbourne.
The strike force investigation took 11 months, involving
nearly 60 police in NSW, Victoria and the Australian Federal Police.
SOURCES :
Man denied bail on child porn charges , Northern Daily Leader, 18 December 2007 [ online ]
Terri Van Di, Child porn ring smashed: Ex-cop in Port court , Port Macquarie News, 17 December 2007 [ online ]
Simone Plews , Ex-cop faces 26 child porn charges , Port Macquarie News, 17 December 2007
Christmas in jail for porn suspect , Central Western Daily, 18 December 2007 [ online ]
CHILD PORN RING - Area News, 17 December 2007, [ online ]
Porn accused was to teach next year , Area News, 19 December 2007 [ online ]
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
OPINION PIECES - ON ZUMA
THE ANC may or may not be aware of it, but the country is reeling at the scenes
of disrespectful populism that are being broadcast from Polokwane.
There is shock among ordinary people at the sight of chanting ANC members
shouting down President Thabo Mbeki and his cabinet ministers in what appears
to have become a vindictive assault on his person and his leadership.
Mbeki’s presidency has had its flaws and there have been some grounds for
criticisms of some of his policy failings.
His decision to seek another term in office instead of seeking and grooming a
successor early on in his presidency has backfired dramatically and the ANC has
signalled it wants change.
But none of this justifies the boorish behaviour of Jacob Zuma’s supporters who
have sent an alarming signal about the kind of political culture that will accompany
a Zuma presidency, should this materialise, in the coming days.
What appears to be underway is more than a battle for leadership positions. It is the
seizure of the party by a faction that wishes to take full control and throw out the
establishment in its totality.
This is an alarming development which has major implications for the future of this country.
Zuma has been at pains to stress that he is in favour of party unity and will not depart from the party’s existing policy framework.
But his backers appear to have other ideas.
Zuma, should he take office, will be beholden to the populist trade unionists who put him there.
They are likely to demand a discernable leftward shift in economic policy as repayment for their loyalty.
Zuma will have to withstand this pressure — and be prepared to pay the attached political price — if he is to establish himself as
the real leader of the ANC.
Ray Harley, Zuma will run the ANC, but who will run Zuma? , The Times, 18 December 2007 [ online ]
Many of the ANC's rank and file are disappointed that the post-apartheid era has not produced the economic security and regular
jobs they dreamed about. Wealth is still skewed to other races, or to new ANC elites and their cronies. South Africa needs a new
president in 2009 who can offer some hope of gradually fulfilling these dreams, a better one than Mr Mbeki. But Mr Zuma is not
that candidate. The best that can be hoped is that this debacle will hasten the demise of one-party dominance, and give South
African voters some real electoral choice. But at what cost before then?
Machine-gun man in South Africa, Sydney Morning Herald, 18 December, 2007. p 10
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THE ANC may or may not be aware of it, but the country is reeling at the scenes
of disrespectful populism that are being broadcast from Polokwane.
There is shock among ordinary people at the sight of chanting ANC members
shouting down President Thabo Mbeki and his cabinet ministers in what appears
to have become a vindictive assault on his person and his leadership.
Mbeki’s presidency has had its flaws and there have been some grounds for
criticisms of some of his policy failings.
His decision to seek another term in office instead of seeking and grooming a
successor early on in his presidency has backfired dramatically and the ANC has
signalled it wants change.
But none of this justifies the boorish behaviour of Jacob Zuma’s supporters who
have sent an alarming signal about the kind of political culture that will accompany
a Zuma presidency, should this materialise, in the coming days.
What appears to be underway is more than a battle for leadership positions. It is the
seizure of the party by a faction that wishes to take full control and throw out the
establishment in its totality.
This is an alarming development which has major implications for the future of this country.
Zuma has been at pains to stress that he is in favour of party unity and will not depart from the party’s existing policy framework.
But his backers appear to have other ideas.
Zuma, should he take office, will be beholden to the populist trade unionists who put him there.
They are likely to demand a discernable leftward shift in economic policy as repayment for their loyalty.
Zuma will have to withstand this pressure — and be prepared to pay the attached political price — if he is to establish himself as
the real leader of the ANC.
Ray Harley, Zuma will run the ANC, but who will run Zuma? , The Times, 18 December 2007 [ online ]
Many of the ANC's rank and file are disappointed that the post-apartheid era has not produced the economic security and regular
jobs they dreamed about. Wealth is still skewed to other races, or to new ANC elites and their cronies. South Africa needs a new
president in 2009 who can offer some hope of gradually fulfilling these dreams, a better one than Mr Mbeki. But Mr Zuma is not
that candidate. The best that can be hoped is that this debacle will hasten the demise of one-party dominance, and give South
African voters some real electoral choice. But at what cost before then?
Machine-gun man in South Africa, Sydney Morning Herald, 18 December, 2007. p 10
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