Pair of crows on a street light, Brisbane Road.

We counted at least five pairs perched on light poles along the M1 [29/6/10]

Egg Corp Should Abandon Push For Free-Range Egg Con:

Greens Media Release [28/6/10]

The Greens are calling on the Egg Corporation to abandon their push to introduce standards that would allow chickens kept in cramped and enclosed spaces to have their eggs labelled as 'free range' (Feathers fly over plans to ease free-range egg rules' Sydney Morning Herald 28 June 2010, http://bit.ly/d7dOJ1).

Dr Kaye said:

"The Egg Corporation is pushing to increase the number of hens per hectare from 1500 to 20,000, and still have their eggs labelled as free-range.

"This is a shameless attempt by the big egg producers to re-brand factory farmed eggs as free-range. "Free-range isn't just a marketing tool. It is an ethical approach to food production that is receiving increasing support from consumers.

"For the label 'free-range' to have any meaning at all the eggs must be produced in an ethical manner.

"There is currently no legal definition of what constitutes a free range egg.

"The Greens are introducing legislation that would define free range at between six to ten chickens per square metre. The Greens would only allow for eggs to be labelled 'cage' or 'free-range', blocking moves by egg producers to fudge the truth by using euphemisms such as 'barn laid' for what are factory produced eggs.

"Consumers are increasingly turning to ethical suppliers for poultry and the industry will have to adapt to this new demand to survive.

"The Egg Corporation is underestimating the intelligence of consumers and trying to set a standard so low that many effectively caged birds are able to be marketed as free-range," Dr Kaye said.

Murdoch To Take Out Fijian Citizenship

"I decree that Bula means hello": Murdoch

In breaking news, the military dictatorshp of Fiji has banned foreign ownership of Fiji's media.

American citizen and owner of most of Australia's media, Rupert Murdoch, is reportedly seeking Fijian citizenship in response to the ruling.

Australia's New & Improved Foreign Affairs and Spooky Robot Minister has condemned the pacific nation's decision to determine its own media ownership laws.

"Look at Australia. A nation has much more press freedom and democracy when its media is mostly owned by Rupert Murdoch," he said.

"I 'heart' Rupert."

The Minister went on to explain that the Australian Government would do "whatever it takes" to amend any foreign media ownership laws so that Fijian citizens called Rupert could continue their conquest of Australia's national broadcaster and parliamentary democracy.

The coalition said they have agreed to rush the exception through in a special sitting of Parliament.

Devastating Beauty

Kari Goodnough Devastating Beauty June 2010
"Oil off the coast of Alabama"

Gala At The Old Museum

A dazzling night of Classical and Contemporary Ballet by the dancers of Queensland National Ballet and a Spectacular Showcase from Choreographer Martyn Fleming.

Featuring Guest Artists Talia Fowler - Fame & Winner of So You Think You Can Dance, Chrislyn Hamilton - Aust Idol finalist 2008 & Bang Bang Boss Kelly

Dates: Sunday, 11th July 2010 at 7:30 pm & Monday, 12th July 2010 at 1:00 pm

Tickets: Adult: $35 Conc: $25 http://www.webticketing.com.au/DisplayEvent.aspx?eventid=72

Venue: The Old Museum Building - Cnr Gregory Tce & Bowen Bridge Rd, Bowen Hills

Talia Fowler - studied with the Queensland Ballet Company for two years before being invited to join the Company as their youngest dancer in history. She completed a year with the company prior to auditioning for hit reality television show Channel Ten's So You Think You Can Dance. With her technical ability and versatility she became an audience favourite and after a gruelling schedule over several months, working with Australia's leading choreographers, she was announced as the winner of the 2009 Series.

Bang Bang Boss Kelly - "….We write songs that people are thinking, but didn't know how to say….." Take five ex-hardcore musicians, give them some traditional country music instruments, some potent lyrics, wicked harmonies and you have Bang Bang Boss Kelly. They sing songs rooted in old stories and new emails.

QLD National Ballet - The QLD National Ballet captivated and thrilled the judges and audiences at the recent 2010 Brisbane, Sunshine Coast & Wynnum Eisteddfods with their award winning performances in solos, duos and open age group ballet and contemporary. These outstanding dancers pirouetted home to The Old Museum in Bowen Hills with the Talia Fowler Trophy for Classical Ballet, a staggering 17 '1st Places', 8 '2nd Places', 11 '3rd Places' and 10 'Highly Commended'. Congratulations also to Jake Robinson - Winner of SCDE Senior Bursary (for the highest scoring solo competitor in this prestigious competition.

Artistic Director Martyn Fleming has had a long and distinguished career as a professional dancer nationally and internationally for over 20 years. Martyn was a Soloist and Guest Artist with Australian Ballet Company, a Principal Artist with Bejart Ballet Lausanne and Principal Artist with English National Ballet, London Festival Ballet and Opera Australia.

http://www.qldnationalballet.com.au/

Test Promises End To World People Shortage

…Reproduction, reproduction!
Put your pollen tube to work
Reproduction, reproduction
Make my stamen go to work …

'Reproduction' from the musical 'Grease 2' [1982]

We don't want to let any of those precious bodily fluids go to waste - do we?

An imaginary blood test that that tells young men whether or not they are shooting blanks is a major breakthrough that could solve the world people shortage crisis - according to fertility experts.

The test, which is being launched today at the Ponds Institute's Rosaries & Ovaries Unit in Rome, measures the ability of an individual to withstand propaganda telling them to breed, and indicates precisely when they will give in.

Fertility experts in one-paper towns all over Australia have welcomed the test as a way of manufacturing anxiety about reproduction for commercial purposes.

"It'z all about portraying vimmmen as breeding vesselz and commodifying relationshipz az functional cogz in ze corporate, consumerizt machine," said Professor Panic from Professor Panic's Fertility Clinic by the Sea.

Last night an anonymous 33-year-old Benowa man, who asked not to be named, said he would take the test immediately if it actually existed.

"For some reason I keep thinking tick tock biological clock, and barren Prime Ministers," he said, leafing through a copy of the local Murdoch Press.

Main Beach [27/6/10]

The "Who Does Julia Gillard Think Australia Should Be A 'Sanctuary' For?" Product Of The Week

The kind of person who would buy Ozi Cosies for their family and doesn't give a flying fuck about refugees fleeing wars and persecution because they believe the lies and hysteria disseminated by the Murdoch Press?:

'Sorry Johnny It's Time To Go' - by 'Suffering County

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUJirCTXCTw

Remember how this song was played over and over on 4ZzZ (102.1 fm) in the leadup to the 2007 election?

Greens Announce Federal Candidate For Richmond, NSW:

Greens Media Release [27/6/10]

Greens MP and lead Senate candidate Lee Rhiannon will join local Greens members today (Sunday) at 11am in the Mullumbimby Civic Hall to announce local publisher Joe Ebono as the Greens candidate for the federal seat of Richmond.

"The Greens have a large support base in north east NSW, including onTweed and Byron Councils, and Joe is an excellent candidate torepresent them," Ms Rhiannon said.

"Aged care, overdevelopment, employment and a sustainable future are key issues concerning people living in northeast NSW.

"Joe provides a strong voice on the issues that most concern residents in the area," Ms Rhiannon said.

"Joe Ebono is a publisher, broadcaster and performer who previously stood as the Greens candidate in Richmond in 2007. Founder of the Ebono Institute, he is the publisher and editor of a number of books about sustainable living and The Generator, a news service and radio show.

"It is a great privilege to be the Greens candidate for Richmond," Mr Ebono said.

"I plan to improve on the Greens' strong showing in 2007, and provide local residents a real alternative to Justine Elliot and her Labor government.

"Unlike the old parties, the Greens understand that aged care is about more than bed numbers. Aged care is about maintaining links with the community.

"Community consultation is at the core of Greens policies and initiatives to build a sustainable future for an energy challenged world.

"Greens policies and values get a lot of traction in North east NSW where issues such as unemployment, rampant development and protecting the environment are very important to people.

"I will be campaigning hard for a sustainable future for the northeast NSW," Mr Ebono said.

Partial Lunar Eclipse From The Gold Coast [26/6/10]

Rock For The Regent

Tickets

The Magic Yellow Brick Wall

From 'The Automatic Earth' [24/6/10]:

Self Knowledge

From 'The Architecture of Happiness' by Alain D Botton [2006]

Let's Rewrite Recent Political History Shall We?: Psephologist

... Days of wine and roses, days of wine and roses
All the artists flew in and all the arseholes flew out in '72 ...

'Gough', The Whitlams [1993]

The Museum Of Democracy, Canberra

What's a psephologist? Well, psephologist is a term that has emerged over the past few years to make political commentary in Australia sound robust and exhilirating - which it isn't.

Psephologist describes frat boys, paid shills, the same, tired old academics and corporate media cronies and hangers on who spend their time spinning neoliberal talking points, ignoring the views of the electorate and pontificating whether or not Rupert Murdoch likes a particular politician.

Anyway, 'Spring Hill Voice's' resident psephologist has listed Australia's Prime Ministers in no particular order.

Australia. How Far To The Right Can We Go?

Such is life.

First time we've seen Rudd looking almost convincingly Prime Ministerial

In a shock-horror revelation late last night, Australia is moving to the right. Insiders have been publishing stories about the grass roots dissatisfaction with how 'left' Australia has become under the last three Prime Ministers (PMs).

The 'Right-Right, Right-Left-Right' faction of the Lyndon La'Rouche inspired 'Citizen's Electoral Council' has long complained that Australia is sliding to the slight 'Left' of the 'ExtremeRight'. However, the powerful 'Extreme Right' has levelled similar accusations against the 'Slightly Left Extreme Right' faction of the 'Extremely Right Are You Looking At Me, Let's Go Outside' faction of the powerful 'Ultra Lite Right' off-shoot of Kevin Rudd's 'I'm All Right' sub-faction.

In a factional move thought to have confused just about every thinking Australian, and no Canberra journalists, the powerful 'Powerful Extreme Right You Are' faction of the ALP has launched a coup attempt on PM Rudd. Deputy PM, and PM-By-This-Time-Tomorrow, Julius Gillard has announced that she has every confidence that nothing like this could ever happen to her.

"Under me, if I happen to find myself in the big chair at lunch tomorrow, this government will immmediately cease its dangerous experiment with a mixed economy, equity, human rights, rule of law and environmental protection, and so on," she said.

PM elect, Julius went on to explain where she felt the last PM had gone so wrong:

"I'll suck up to, and be sucked up to, by all the important extreme centrist factions of the extreme 'Right Wing'. I'll appear on Alan Jones. I'll ring Barrie and Rupert and Friends each Sunday and ask what kind of Coffee and Snacks they'd like me to bring in," she added, "They like that in a PM."

An uninformed inside source who couldn't remember his name was quoted by every Murdoch paper, and immediately afterwards by your ABC and all Fairfax outlets, as saying:

"Frucka cluckin' duck! What the Frarc was that all about! All we said to the Christian Lobby was 'maybe we should think about how we spin our support for murdering Arabs and Muslims and maybe tone it down a bit', and "Kazaaaaam!", we get hit with this shit - meltdown!"

He tucked his singlet into his underpants as he staggered off like a punch-drunk place-getter in a mis-matched fixed fight, mumbling "we lurched too far to the crazy communist socialist left."

Save The Cassowary

The endangered Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii) is found only in the tropical rainforests of Far North Queensland. The Cassowary is known as a "keystone" species, crucial for the preservation of rainforest diversity because of the role it plays as a major seed disperser. Cassowaries disperse seeds for up to 150 rainforest plant species, some too large, the rest too poisonous to be dispersed by other animals. Therefore the preservation of this species is vital for maintaining the diversity of Queensland's Far North, World Heritage Valued rainforests. (Latch 2007)

It is unknown how many cassowaries remain in the wild, however estimates suggest that it could be as few as 1000.

The cassowary has a slow reproduction cycle where the chicks are dependent on their father for up to 18 months after hatching, making the remaining populations very vulnerable to disturbances. If an adult male with chicks is struck by a car or dies from other causes, his dependant chicks will also perish.

The number one threat to the cassowary is habitat fragmentation for residential development in the Daintree Lowland Rainforest and at Mission Beach. This continues despite their dwindling numbers, pushing them closer to extinction day by day.

Send a letter to Minister Garrett today

Fake Erections For Sale In Australia

Sex is alright, but it's not as good as the real thing

For years women haved faked it, but now counterfeit erections are flooding the Australian market.

Fizzer Pharmaceuticals is a fake organisation pretending to be a Pharmaceutical business when it's actually a perverted neo-con monolith ploughing and thrusting its way into your mind and sexual organs with the co-ordination of the big-mega-media monoliths that run the new world fascist order.

No, this isn't a snappy ad campaign from the Gruen Transfer! It's a fact. They are thrusting their horrid organs into your face and your wallet and your mind. You are accepting this because you are stupid, forlorn, mindless or complicit or all of these. Your choice.

Fake toothpaste has never been a problem. Fake Aspirin or Paracetemol hasn't been big in the headlines either. But fuck with the biggest fuckers of all - big-fucker Pharma and it's an international emergency.

Although they are not believed to be harmful, anyone exposed to fake erections should seek medical advice immediately.

Researchers Unravel Short Arse Riddle

... They got little hands
And little eyes
And they walk around
Tellin' great big lies
They got little noses
And tiny little teeth
They wear platform shoes
On their nasty little feet ...

'Short People', Randy Newman [1977]

Remember when you visited Cooks' Cottage and the tour guide explained that the doorways and ceilings were tiny, because in the olden days people were shorter than today because of environmental factors such as diet? Well, wipe it from your memory.

Some people are tall and some people are short, scientists have announced.

But dominionism is the narrative, and researchers from the Pond Institute's Man's Superiority Over The Universe Unit are publishing the results of a study online for everyone to see.

Professor Panic said he studied 4,000 people and worked out some of them were short arses and some of them were long, thin streaks of misery.

"Some of zem were ugly, some of zem vere bootiful, some of zem vere hairy, zum vere not so hairy, zum ar boombahs, zum are skinny minniez and qvuite a vew vere complete assholes," he said.

"Ov course, all zese genetic variants ar ov course, genetic."

'Shuffling back to the dark ages'

The unraveling of the short arse riddle is apparently some kind of breakthrough, but you wouldn't know that by reading this story.

In fact, I'm no luddite, but it comes across as downright spooky.

Australia. Both Labor And The Coalition Have Sold You Out And They Think It's Hilarious

House of Representatives Question Time [21/6/10]:

Deputy Mayor, Committee Chair positions reaffirmed: GCCC Media Release [21/6/10]:

Cr Daphne McDonald has been unanimously reaffirmed as Deputy Mayor of Gold Coast City Council.

The full Council today confirmed the position of Deputy Mayor, as well as current Committee Chair positions, for the remainder of the Council’s current term (October, 2012).

Gold Coast Mayor, Ron Clarke, said speculation about Cr McDonald’s position had been ‘just that – speculation’.

“Cr McDonald has done a tremendous job as Deputy,” Cr Clarke said.

“She has always provided me, as Mayor, with excellent support whenever I’ve had to call on her.”

Cr Clarke today (21/6) moved a general business item reinstating Cr McDonald as Deputy Mayor.

The motion was seconded by Cr Ted Shepherd, who added that all current committee chairs also be reaffirmed for the duration of the Council.

“Both were passed unanimously.”

With the pending transfer of water assets from Council on 1 July, the future of the current Water Management Committee will be decided on 19 July, after Council’s mid-year recess.

Oil Spill Risk Makes Marine Protection A Federal Election Issue:

ACF Media Release [21/6/10]

Rising community and environmental concern about a lack of action to provide safeguards against the risk of large scale oil spills in Australia will be a high profile issue leading up to the federal election, Australia’s leading conservation groups said today in a joint statement.

An unprecedented alliance of 32 environment groups including the Australian Conservation Foundation, WWF Australia and Pew Environment Group are calling on all political parties to commit to a network of large marine sanctuaries this coming election to provide safeguards for Australia’s unique marine life.

In the face of one of the world’s worst environmental disasters, the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the United States has clamped down on the oil and gas industry with a range of measures including a moratorium on new oil approvals in sensitive areas.

Late last year, Australia suffered the major 10 week Montara oil spill off the Kimberley coast.

In stark contrast to the United States, Australia’s Resources Minister subsequently gave new approvals to the proponent of the Montara oil spill and released 31 new oil and gas leases over environmentally sensitive areas of Australia’s oceans, which had been identified for protection.

“Everyone knows prevention is better than cure,” said Australian Conservation Foundation CEO Don Henry. “That means protecting Australia’s important and iconic marine areas including Australia’s South West marine region, the Coral Sea and the Kimberley with marine sanctuaries.”

“Since the Montara oil spill less than a year ago, 31 new oil and gas approvals have been made in Australian waters but no action has been taken to safeguard our marine life and coastal communities from the high risks associated with industrial development”, said Greg Bourne of WWF-Australia.

“A network of large marine sanctuaries is backed by science as being the best way to protect our unique marine life, allow fish stocks to recover and provide safeguards against the impacts of threats such as oil spills”, said Michelle Grady of the Pew Environment Group-Australia.

In light of Australia’s failure to act on the very clear risk posed by deepwater drilling, the alliance of environment organisations is calling on the Rudd Government to release the Montara Inquiry findings without delay, and for all political parties to commit in the lead up to this federal election to:-

Australia lays claim to the third largest marine jurisdiction of any nation on Earth, and a marine area almost twice the size of our continent. Australia’s marine life is considered to be the most biologically diverse on the planet. Yet, less than 5% of Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone is protected from oil and gas, and most of this area sits in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and around the subantarctic Macquarie, Heard and McDonald Islands.

Historians Ponder Leichhardt's Inability To Complete His Arts Degree

Did Ludwig Leichhardt's mispent youth lead to his untimely demise?

A study is underway in outback Queensland to solve a century old mystery which has confounded the nation since the olden days.

Why did the explorer Ludwig Leichhardt never complete his arts degree, and could this be the reason why he disappeared?

Leichhardt and his party vanished when they were crossing Australia from east to west, and it is understood he may have carved the letter "L"into some trees.

"Ja votever. Nobody really cared about the crazy old kraut back then, and nobody cares now," said Professor Panic from the Ponds Institute's Dredging Up Whitefella Imperialistic Endeavour For Propaganda Purposes Unit.

"Ve sink he may have carved ze letter 'L' for loser, because he velt like a big fat loser because he never did finish zat arts degree," he said.

It is understood Leichhardt got in with the wrong crowd while studying the Universities of Göttingen and Berlin back in the olden days.

Professor Panic said his study would dispel the prevailing myth that Leichhardt was just a cranky old Prussian.

Meanwhile, Ned Kelly's skull.

"End Of Empire" Product Of The Week: The Weee

News From The True Food Network

Phar Lap To Be Reunited With Final Turd

No horse shit!: Phar Lap's final turd is currently held at Menlo Park, California, in a private collection believed to be the world's only collection of turds of famous murdered racehorses

Revered champion race horse Phar Lap is so revered his revered remains will soon be reunited with his final turd, under an historic deal to mark the 150th anniversary of the Melbourne Cup.

Phar Lap's owner, David J. David, was so grief stricken at his demise in back in 1932, he reportedly kept bags of Phar Lap manure, some of which he used on his tomato plants with extraordinary results.

Dennis J. Oliver Jnr. III, the owner of a collection of famous murdered racehorse turds, said he stumbled upon the bag of Phar Lap's manure in an old stable ten years ago.

"The manure was well preserved, it was as if Phar Lap had only just pooed it out - and so we believe it was his final turd," he said.

"Also, nothing would grow in it. No bugs would go near it, and those that tried would die horrid and instant deaths. It was almost as if the final turd was cursed. Or maybe full of a toxic cocktail of potassium-meta-bi-sulphate, perhaps. It was a lot like that."

Phar Lap's final turd will be reunited with his other bits and pieces in Melbourne later this year.

In a weird and freaky display of oddness, the skeleton will be experiencing an 'out of body experience' on one prominent stand and it will be flanked on another prominent stand by the body. The brain, thought to be the largest equestrian brain ever preserved, will answer questions from a formaldehyde-filled interactive perspex box at the entry to the exhibit.

The champion horse's penis will be available for media questions at a specially orchestrated media event prior to the public opening of the exhibition, where it is expected that they will not notice any difference from the usual way these things are done.

The turd will sit neatly between the tastefully remodeled skeleton and the tastefully stuffed corpse in a perspex display case.

Turds from similar sized horses will be placed in an innovative, interpretative "interactive" area where visitors can step in them and walk them through the museum, just like they would have done in the olden days.

Phar Lap's heart will be auctioned off at an exclusive, celebrities only, black tie charity event on the opening night and all proceeds will go to the "Pond's Institute Awareness Campaign" to help raise awareness.

Mr Oliver Jr. III said that he threw his full support behind the campaign.

"If there is only one thing we can do as a society, surely it is to raise awareness. Without awareness we have nothing, going forward, don't we?" he rhetoricised.

The exhibition will be open to the fee-paying public due to popular demand.

The Empire Is Dying

It Is Taking A Lot Of Innocent People With It

Michael Leunig:

Nero fiddled while Rome burned!
This was seen as arrogant, indulgent and stupid.
Now, if Nero had been truly smart, he would have organised a fiddling contest while Rome burned
A competition!
A match!!
A FIDDLING DUEL

Nobody would have noticed or cared if Rome was burning. NO WAY! Not with a match in progress.

MORAL: When any sort of contest is in progress, turn away from it, go to the window and look out carefully at the world.

Have a careful look at this:

http://www.collateralmurder.com/

The incident was investigated and the U.S. military concluded that the actions of the soldiers were in accordance with the law of armed conflict and its own "Rules of Engagement".

NOW FEEL FREE TO RETURN TO THE WORLD CUP (or other drug of choice)

Bonhoeffer Four Trial - Not Guilty!

Jacob Bolton, Jessica Morrison, Simon Moyle, and Simon Reeves and supporters Outside Geelong Court

"The followers of Christ have been called to peace. And they must not only have peace but also make it. His disciples keep the peace by choosing to endure suffering themselves rather than inflict it on others. In so doing they overcome evil with good, and establish the peace of God in the midst of a world of war and hate."- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Reflections From Trial And Action [16/6/10] - Jessica Morrison

The sun was rising over the city as I set out from home. The walk through Exhibition gardens provided a space for centering and reflection on the day to come - facing court for a previous action, and helping facilitate another one. Cat Stevens may not have been pleased with my rendition of Morning Has Broken, but the possums didn't seem to mind!

I shared a car to Geelong with friends who have all been a part of my exploring nonviolent activism.

People began to converge in the park opposite the Geelong courthouse and when we started our morning circle we had 30 people gathered. We acknowledged that we were on the land of the Watharong people, and honored the elders and the struggle for justice for Indigenous people. After some silence, Simon Moyle read a quote from Thomas Merton (part of which is at http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show/38593) encouraging us to be faithful, and not focus too much on results. Simon Reeves read the Lyrics of the John Butler Trio song (mmmm bugger, which was it!?). I shared the Bible story that had inspired our action - Jesus entering Jerusalem, weeping for them that they would know what would bring peace - then entering the tables and blocking people moving in and out. Jacob then led us in the Lord's prayer.

More people joined as we walked silently to the courtroom, swelling the numbers to over 50. Some vigiled and leafleted outside, while others joined us inside. It was a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by such support. There were family, church friends and leaders, local Geelong activists as well as people who'd traveled interstate. Some (like the bevy of fathers present) might not have even agreed with our actions, but chose to come along in support. The rest of the seats in the courtroom were filled by a school group, and some others who were also facing court that day.

We were surprisingly called up as the first case (later finding out the Court Coordinator scheduled us there to clear the court area - they wanted all these extras out of the way!), in front of Geelong's Chief Magistrate Mr Saines. We indicated that we were pleading guilty, not because we were feeling a sense of emotional guilt - but that we wanted to take full responsibility for our actions. The prosecution read the brief of evidence, which included the statement that the base has been closed for the day. My favorite bit however is when they talk about Simon M and I 'disappearing into the darkness'! The Magistrate found the charges proved, and we moved on to our sentencing statements. We all shared about our own lives, giving a context of people who give a shit about the world enough to do many things - including resisting war. We talked about Swan Island, the Afghan war, the history of Civil Disobedience and our faith.

The Magistrate then gave his verdict. He indicated that the debates about Afghanistan continue to go on, and that this is important. He warned us about using our faith as a justification for breaking the law, noting many awful things have been done in the name of 'a higher power' - and I thought his caution was well founded. He then referred to Section 19B of the Commonwealth Crimes Act, which gives a Magistrate the freedom to dismiss charges. He then stated that given the nature of the offending (the lowest sort of offending behaviour) and the character of those of us charged - he would dismiss the charges. We were flabbergasted! WOW - dismissed the charges....not even a slap on the wrist but an acknowledgment that, even though the facts are proven, that he wouldn't find us 'guilty'.

Our supporters spontaneously clapped the Magistrate.

The group made their way to Geelong Trades Hall where the locals generously hosted us (including putting the heaters on hours before - boy we were grateful!) and we shared our (mostly freegan) lunch.

Then we were off to Part 2 of the day - another action at the gates of Swan Island.

On arriving at Swan Island I got a sense of the breadth of our law enforcement bodies. There were uniformed Victorian Police, water police decked out in full gear, Local Laws officers, Special Interest Group members, and a swag of un-uniformed members.

The group, about 40 in number walked together for about 500 metres, where a roadblock had been established, to the gates of Swan Island. There we listened to words of Malalai Joya and Simon M shared the story of our first Swan Island action. People then chalked their messages on the road, and signed the 'I pushed the emergency stop button on the Afghan war' commemorative banner. Chip Henriss then talked from the perspective of an ex-soldier. My sister phoned from Afghanistan, where she shared her experiences of being an Aid worker. We then held a die in where we remembered the names of those who have died in this war - civilians and military. At the end of this time the police asked us all to move. 9 people stayed, and were arrested for hindering a police officer. They have been released at this stage with an indication they may receive a summons in due course.

I meant to write so much more detail....but tiredness overcomes me! Perhaps I'll fill out the detail a little later...maybe those who were there could share some thoughts....

If anyone wants to set us up a basic website, that would be great.

Thanks so, so, much to the many people who went into making today a great day. I couldn't name you all (I'm sure I haven't even tagged u all!!).

More info and pics at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=95652832956

US/Australian Military Nukes Exercise Over Sydney Risks Public Safety:

Greens Media Release [18/6/10]

Following revelations on tonight's Channel 7 News of a secret US/Australia military training operation in April and May which used nuclear material to track weapons of mass destruction around North Head, Middle Head and near Cataract Dam South of Sydney, Greens MP and Federal Senate Candidate Lee Rhiannon has called on the Federal and State governments to place more detail on the public record.

The joint US exercise involved Australian and US defence forces and Federal and NSW Police from 27 April to 29 May 2010. Day and night flying of US military helicopters occurred and a 'radioactive training source' was reportedly used.

At the time, the Defence Force reported the activity as 'routine' and did not admit it was to practice tracking weapons of mass destruction.

"Tonight's revelations leaves many unanswered questions. The government needs to justify why these exercises had to use radioactive material," Ms Rhiannon said.

"The safety of residents and defence staff should be the highest priority. The Federal and State governments must now fully disclose what occurred.

"Military exercises are needed but why should the public be exposed to radioactive material.

"The Australian Defence Force have attempted to play down the use of the radioactive material, but they have admitted that the exercise was 'based on tracking weapons of mass destruction'.

"The Federal and State governments must come clean on exactly what kind and how much radioactive material was used in these exercises.

"Was this operation so secret that even emergency services were kept in the dark? Did any accidents occur, either during transportation or as part of the exercise? Are there alternatives to conducting this exercise with radioactive material?

"For the Defence Force to claim that, 'at no time during this exercise was any danger posed to the general public' is both patronising and misleading.

"History is littered with examples of nuclear accidents during similar exercises, involving Russian, US and Japanese military.

"The way to deal with the potential of a terrorist nuclear threat is to shut down the industry.

"The most likely target in Sydney is not a suitcase of nuclear material but the ANSTO facility at Lucas Heights.

"In June my Federal colleague Senator Scott Ludlam helped reveal serious accidents at Lucas Heights, including in August 2008 where a worker at Lucas Heights dropped a vial of highly radioactive material in a containment cell.

"One Lucas Height worker received a substantial dose of radiation,showing accidents that happen can be swept under the carpet unless tenacious whisteblowers reveal all," Ms Rhiannon said.

Unruly School Children On Bus: Shock!

This bus driver was so traumatised by badly behaved school children on his bus that he turned into a plastic mannequin

School children are playing up on the bus, according to Queensland's only public transport advocacy group.

The shocking revelations of bad behaviour on the bus are supported by a cranky, old bus driver from Ipswich, and have sent shock waves rippling throughout South East Queensland.

This week long beatup is not news and doesn't serve any beneficial purpose for the community.

It is all about reinforcing stereotypes and disseminating paternalistic and disciplinarian messages and talking points, which uptight, hypocrite squares really like.

In related bullshit, you should get a Go Card immediately, even though no-one is buying them because they are a rip off and public transport should be free.

Get Your Religious Beliefs Off My End Of Life Choices Senator Polley

Here's what Senator Polley said in The Senate yesterday [16/6/10]:

Multiple Accidents Are A Grave Warning

Save The Kimberley Blog [16/6/10]

OIL SPILLS: Cable Beach. The Timor Sea. The Gulf of Mexico. As we digest the daily updates on BP’s oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, those of us considering the impacts of the potential industrial development on the Kimberley coastline see more and more reason for great caution.

Even the President of the United States is now heralding a new era equal to the impact of September 11 in which the environment is not put at such risk because the world will no longer tolerate it.

This would seem to spell significant delays if not abandonment of the Woodside proposal to bring gas onshore in the Kimberley because it conflicts with basic good sense in the light of these recent events.

Why? Well, the last twelve months saw the WA and Federal government pushing so hard for greenfield industrial development on the Kimberley coastline that indigenous permissions, critical to its go-ahead, were plagued by their indecent haste.

Now, it appears there was never any valid agreement from Aborigines to sign off on the deal.

And the Federal Court is hearing an action against the KLC that Premier Barnett has said will prevent an ILUA being signed (for use of the land) by his previously confident June 30, 2010 deadline.

Throughout, Woodside and the WA government has appeared to stubbornly resist consideration of viable alternatives.

Then came disturbing hints that all is not safe and sound in the world of offshore mining.

In the same 12 months, oil spills have affected the Kimberley, the Great Barrier Reef and now the world’s greatest economy, with the worst-ever oil spill offshore southern USA.

These accidents have caused concern due to an apparent lack of accountability and the absence of fix-it-up engineering to battle what industry previously boasted about as state of the art technology — their wizardry now gone horribly wrong.

Woodside has constantly trumpeted “latest technology” for its Kimberley projects. But what good is cutting edge technology to enable such exploration and exploitation of the world’s resources if an error results in a devastating disaster of international proportions?

As President Obama has said overnight, the World will now change and demand more from our governments and resource giants in terms of environmental safety.

Those in political and economic power in this country would be wise to note some of Obama’s stern words to American oil companies: “For a decade or more, the cozy relationship between the oil companies and the federal agency was allowed to go unchecked,” President Obama said in a statement released late Tuesday afternoon. “That allowed drilling permits to be issued in exchange not for safety plans, but assurances of safety from oil companies. That cannot and will not happen anymore.”

We have reached a moment in history when there will be more confident arguments against the proliferation of industrial development in the invaluable and pristine Kimberley region.

Greater scrutiny will precede projects before irreparable damage can be done.

Let’s hope this will stop the incessant reporting of yet more environmental devastation here and around the world as the Kimberley’s future gets decided by those who have clearly underrated the risks. ...

Shock, Outrage, Fury Over Comments Made By Religious Fundamentalist

Sad spectacle: The so called secular nation of Australia begins all sittings of Parliament with a christian prayer

The nation has erupted in uproar at offensive remarks made by a religious fundamentalist.

You really can't satirise this, the hypocrisy of the outrage, fury, shock, horror is just too bogus.

Thanks ALP, for getting this bloke into The Senate.

When Is The Death Knell For Fossil Fuels Going To Sound?

In Due Season?

Around Australia, a frenzy of taxpayer funded roadworks - such as these on the Gold Coast Highway, Labrador - don't look like stopping any time soon

Australia's oldest public urinal. Russell Street, Toowoomba

The Queensland Government wants tourists to come and enjoy our new and improved zero tolerance lifestyle.

That's the new tourism campaign currently being rolled out as part of the Sunshine State's "Who Needs Proper Governance When You Can Announce Pointless Laws Which Have Nothing To Do With Civil Order, Everything to do with Distraction, and Only Serve To Curtail Freedom And Reinforce Authoritarian Messages?" strategy.

The Government said its 12 month trial of the new tourism campaign in South Brisbane and Townsville was not racially motivated at all.

"It's not about fucking revenue raising either," yelled a Government spokesman, who was urinating behind tree while responding to a journalist's suggestion that there are already sufficient laws to cover public nuisance offences.

Meanwhile, the real public nuisances who dob on their neighbours, use leaf blowers to blow leaves and dust into their neighbours' gardens, tip oil and paint down the drain, bother citizens on a Sunday morning with their religious paraphenalia, speed through pedestrian crossings and down the back streets of Spring Hill after collecting Penelope and Alysious from private school and let their Pouffeneys bark all day long will be rewarded with vox pops in the only daily paper.

Our Best Opportunity To Protect Australia's Native Forests

An email from the Australian Greens [15/6/10]:

Brisbane In Top 8 Capital Cities: Report

Brisbane's Burnett Lane. A smelly, noisy, dirty, wind tunnel - always has been, always will be

In a report exclusively leaked to 'Spring Hill Voice', Brisbane has been ranked second behind Adelaide in a list of Australian capital cities. For the second year in a row Brisbane has held onto its ranking as second, despite strong competition from Canberra, which was third on the list.

The Premier and Lord Mayor were said to be pleased with the ranking but other Premiers have complained that the list unfairly discriminates against their capitals and have criticised the ranking criteria for being too rigidly narrow.

The list, compiled by the Pond's Institutes National Geography and Pointless Rankings Unit, studied the names of the Capital cities of each Australian State and Territory. The cities were then ranked according to alphabetical order.

The rankings were not determined by the shittyness of a city's public transport, how many decades it has been a one paper town, prevalance of ugly, shoddy architecture, or whether or not it has an environmental vandal of a Lord Mayor who has shut down City Hall to the citizens, or even the number of musicians whose songs are used in car commercials.

The full rankings are as follows:

1. Adelaide; 2. Brisbane; 3. Canberra; 4. Darwin; 5. Hobart; 6. Melbourne; 7. Perth and 8. Sydney.

A Strong Economy Needs A Healthy Environment

The Australian Conservation Foundation's 2010 National Agenda For A Sustainable Australia

Do you want Australia to shift to a clean economy? Do you support serious action to turn around the decline of our rivers, wetlands, forests and oceans? Do you want to live in healthier, more energy and water efficient cities and towns?

Read our 2010 National Agenda for a Sustainable Australia »

A federal election year is a big opportunity to make your hopes and views known.

ACF has a plan of action with 23 practical achievable steps to turn our hopes into reality. The plan is summarised in our 2010 National Agenda for a Sustainable Australia.

It spells out a series of specific and measurable actions a federal government would take if it was serious about reducing pollution and leading the transition from energy wasting cities to cleaner, more liveable cities. It outlines the steps needed to turn around the degradation of ecosystems that are vital to our wellbeing and the health of our country.

ACF has mailed the plan to all Federal Members of Parliament.

However, to lift our hopes and plans into mainstream political debate we need your help. We need the combined voices, letters, emails and other local actions, small and large, of thousands of ACF supporters.

What can you do?

1. Talk about the plan of action with your family, friends and work colleagues. Share the hope you have for a sustainable future by talking about the practical steps toward achieving it. Invite people to local events where climate and environmental action solutions are being discussed. If you run into some headwinds help dispel myths using ACF’s resources.

2. Help lift the ACF plan of action into your local community conversation. Send an email or letter to your local paper using information from our National Agenda and fact sheets to help draw attention to issues that are relevant to your community. Keep writing (enlisting a few local friends to join you if need be) until you see your letters or stories appear.

3. Help broaden community and business support for the plan of action. Phone, email or mail relevant parts of the plan of action to local businesses, chambers of commerce and community organisations asking them to publicly support the plan of action.

By working together we can influence government and help create a better Australia.

Trickles, Floods and the Escalating Consequences of Debt

From 'The Automatic Earth' [14/6/10]:

Coffee In A Can: Latest Military Industrial Complex Spinoff Product For Dumb Western Consumers

As a dumb western consumer, I can report that this product, which has recently appeared in service stations, is a rip off (it costs around 6 bucks) and utterly vile - unless you are a fan of Cafe Bar coffee. Consider investing in a thermos.

Best Custard Apple Of The Season

Roadside stall Mt Mee, where the views over the Glasshouse Mountains are breathtaking

What's Wrong With Kevin?: A 'Spring Hill Voice' Exclusive

... So remember those who win the game,
Lose the love they sought to gain
In debentures of quality, and dubious integrity

Their small town eyes will gape at you
In dull surprise when payment due
Exceeds accounts received at seventeen ...

'At Seventeen', Janis Ian [1975]

He's a narcissistic, cold, calculating, rabid, free-market ideologue and Rupert Murdoch arse kisser.

So are Gillard, Swan and Tanner. Of course, so is Tony Abbott.

Always has been, always will be. So there you have it.

He's also a right-wing religious fundamentalist and never had any intention of doing anything for Australia other than continue pursuing the Howard Government's racist, sexist, anti-environment, screw the working class agenda.

Anyone with a vague interest in Queensland politics over the last couple of decades can see this is why he was elevated to the office of Prime Minister in the first place.

And although the Rudd Government are on the nose with the electorate, expect nothing more than lying and gutter politics from both sides in the lead up to the election.

They're also probably waiting for a false flag terrorism opportunity, or the impending economic catastrophe to really hit our shores before they finally announce the election.

What a bunch of deadshits.

So why does everybody hate the Prime Minister?

Because they have been betrayed.

The electorate are not buying the relentless, controlled, faux debate concocted by a bunch of rectangular-framed, eyeglass wearing, chardonnay sipping media luvvies about the Prime Minister's personal style, vocabulary, potty mouth, sleeping or eating habits.

They also don't care which mining magnate or former political colleague he has recently pissed off.

If the Rudd Government want to remain in power, they need to enact policies in line with what the electorate want, instead of being led by the nose by neoliberals.

Blogger

Download contents of your mind, even when there aren't any

From '100 Bullshit Jobs ... And How to Get Them' by Stanley Bing [2006]:

Netball The Big Winner From Council: GCCC Media Release [11/6/10]

The Northern Gold Coast Netball Association and the Burleigh Fire Dragons Rowing Club can now look forward to a bigger and brighter future.

Chair of Council’s Community and Cultural Development Committee, Cr Bob La Castra, said both clubs requests for leases had been endorsed at today’s full council meeting.

“Now that full council has adopted the committee’s recommendations the clubs will be able to plan for the future activities with certainty,” he said.

Cr La Castra said the Northern Gold Coast Netball Association had requested a ten year lease over a two storey building located at the Runaway Bay Sports Complex to house the association’s administration services.

“I think it’s important that netball clubs on the Gold Coast are able to plan their training schedules and weekend fixtures in advance,” he said. “Use of this building will allow them to do that.”

“As a father, I also understand that there are more than 4 900 registered netball members in the city and there will be a lot of parents who will appreciate knowing in advance where and when they have to drop off the kids.”

Cr La Castra said the Burleigh Fire Dragons Club had also requested a lease to secure tenancy at their current location on Galeen Drive, Burleigh Waters.

“The club’s membership has steadily increased over recent years and the club now needs somewhere secure to store their equipment and hold informal gatherings.

“The club has competed internationally at the World Club Crew Championships in Penang, Prague and Macau so I’m not surprised they’re running out of room to store things.”

Cr La Castra sad both of the clubs promoted a culture of participation in active and healthy outdoor activities.

“It’s fantastic to see people getting involved in these clubs and I think anything that gets people out and about is worthwhile supporting.”

Can You Own A Sound?

On June 11, 4ZzZ plays host to the Australian premiere screening of Copyright Criminals.

For more than thirty years innovative hip hop performers have been re-using or sampling portions of previously recorded music. What was once known as a 'borrowed melody' is now labelled a "copyright infringement".

Copyright Criminals is a new film which examines the creative and commercial value of musical sampling and the related debates over artistic expression, copyright law, and (of course) money.

Tracing the rise of hip hop from the urban streets of New York to the multibillion-dollar industry it is today Copyright Criminals features legendary hip hop figures such as Public Enemy, Da La Soul and DJ Spooky.

Friday June 11 will see the 4ZzZ Carpark transformed into an outdoor theatre for not just the screening of Copyright Criminals but also the launch of DJ Monkey Marc's solo album 'As the Market Crashed'.

Renowned for his work with Combat Wombat, Monkey Marc will be treating Brisbane to his unique blend of instrumental hip hop, dub and world flavoured beats complete with a VJ set.

Local multimedia artist FiShHeAD (http://www.agedmusic.org/) will be playing audio and visual material produced through the ABC's social media space pool.org.au.

The all ages evening will kick off at 6pm with veggie food provided by Espresso Train Catering, part of the Nundah Community Enterprise Co-operative a not-for-profit organisation.

For more information: www.copyrightcriminals.com www.monkeymarc.com

Elanora "Outrage" Corrected

Portraits on the M1 sound barriers at Elanora, which were given moustaches back in February, are now baby faced once again [10/6/10]!

Whales In King George Square!

No, not representatives from Greenpeace or the Sea Shepherd (this is Brisbane after all!), just PR for whalewatching cruises in Moreton Bay

Choox And Pee Wees, Kangaroo Point [10/6/10]

"Choox And The City" - intersection of Leopard and Vulture Streets, and a menacing Pee Wee on the look out for News Ltd. scribes, at the foot of the Kangaroo Point Cliffs

Queensland Urban Utilities Board Announced: Media Release [10/6/10]

The eight member strong Board of Queensland Urban Utilities was announced today, with outgoing Brisbane City Council CEO Jude Munro confirmed as Board Chair.

Ms Munro will be joined by seven other Directors as Queensland Urban Utilities prepares to begin servicing residents and businesses in Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset regional council areas from 1 July.

Queensland Urban Utilities has been providing water and wastewater services to the Brisbane City Council area since November.

Owned by the five councils, Queensland Urban Utilities will be one of the largest water retailer-distributors in the country.

Ms Munro said:

"This will be one of Australia's biggest and best water businesses.

"We recognise the significant challenges ahead in building water and sewerage infrastructure to support the growth corridors to the west and south of Brisbane.

"We worked in partnership with the community to conserve water during the drought and we look forward to continuing that partnership."

The combined experience of the Queensland Urban Utilities Board includes public and private sector leadership across water policy and governance, local government leadership, finance and economics, strategy and corporate development, commercial and financial law and infrastructure delivery.

Ms Munro said:

"The experience of the incoming Queensland Urban Utilities Board will provide guidance and leadership to the organisation when it becomes a statutory authority and merges the water operations of five local governments from 1 July.

"I look forward to working with the Board and the executive management team at Queensland Urban Utilities."

New Cape York Culture And Conservation Partnership:

ACF Media Release [10/6/10]

The Wuthathi Land Trust, the Australian Conservation Foundation and the US-based philanthropic organisation, The Christensen Fund, have joined forces on a project to foster Indigenous traditional knowledge and help protect one of Australia’s most spectacular areas.

The Wuthathi people are the Traditional Owners of Shelburne Bay on Cape York Peninsula with members in Injinoo, Lockhart River and Cairns.

“This cultural regeneration project is another step towards our aspirations to preserve and pass on Wuthathi culture and tradition,” said Wuthathi Land Trust representative Ray Wallis.

“It means we are a step closer to developing plans, underpinned by Wuthathi traditional knowledge, to help us sustainably use and manage our estate.”

“ACF is honoured to be a partner with the Wuthathi land Trust in this project,” said ACF Cape York officer Leah Talbot.

“We fully support the incorporation of Indigenous land management techniques and knowledge that better protects biodiversity and culture, with contemporary approaches to conservation. It is about linking Indigenous culture and values with conservation and this project will be a great way to achieve this goal.”

The Christensen Fund has put $US50, 000 towards the project.

“The Christensen Fund believes the world’s cultural and biological diversity is priceless,” said Christensen Fund Northern Australia Program Officer Henrietta Marrie.

“And in Cape York Peninsula they are interlinked and must be maintained. The Christensen Fund objective is to strengthen local groups on the ground. So, we are pleased to support such a worthwhile project with fantastic partners.”

The funding will support two ‘on country’ trips for Wuthathi Traditional Owners. Information gathered will be used to develop a Wuthathi Cultural Regeneration Strategy to complement a Culture and Conservation Framework produced in 2004 also with the support of ACF.

Brisbane's Regent Theatre Can Be Saved

The Queensland Government say they will not save Brisbane's Regent Theatre, except for the foyer and staircase.

This means that all of the other valuable heritage features, such as the Showcase Theatre and Regent Bar will be destroyed.

The truth is, up until a couple of years ago, under the Heritage Act 1992, the Minister was able to declare significant things as a heritage place and protect them.

This government deliberately changed the Heritage Act 1992 and removed that power.

Having already lost so much of our heritage, especially in Brisbane's inner city, it is important to protect what remains.

The purpose of the petition is to encourage the government to bring back the power of the Minister to declare heritage places, and to use that power to save ALL of the Regent Theatre:

Workers Stitching Soccer Balls In Pakistan, India, China and Thailand Continue To Experience Alarming Labour Rights Violations:

Clean Clothes Campaign Media Release [8/6/10]

New research reveals that workers stitching soccer balls in Pakistan, India, China and Thailand continue to experience alarming labour rights violations.

Problems highlighted in the report are:

The CCC is shocked that after all of these years, low wages and other labour rights violations are still the norm and not the exception in the industry.

Why Is Caboolture So Angry?

Actually, Caboolture folk are remarkably pleasant - especially given they have such a stingy, mean spirited Council

There are nine public computers (with internet access) at the Caboolture library.

Only one of the nine computers is available at no charge and use is limited to fifteen minutes a session. The remaining eight computers may be used by the public as long as they pay a fee.

Today [8/6/10], a lady and her daughter waited nearly one hour to use the free computer - they were job searching. While they were waiting, half of the pay per use computers remained unoccupied.

The queueing procedure was obviously causing unnecessary stress to library staff and patrons.

This cannot be justified.

People need a decent amount of computer terminals for free access to the internet.

Speaking of Caboolture library, here's a very placid pee wee we snapped in the carpark.

See the pee wee? Does he look like he's grumpy or wants to dive bomb a small child?

Co-incidentally, the 'Sunshine Coast Daily' reported today [8/6/10]:

Shepherd Armstrong Knacker
Merrill Lynch Account Number 934-23F917
December 01, 2004 - December 31, 2004
Net Portfolio Value: $731,778.56

From 'So Much For That' by Lionel Shriver [2010]:

June 8: World Weasel Word Awareness Day

It's that time of year again - World Weasel Word Awareness Day!

This year's focus will be on the chronic misuse and overuse of:

"in terms of",

"going forward" and

"oh! ab-so-lute-ly!"

World Weasel Word Awareness Foundation spokesperson Amelia Wordyrighty said that in order to raise awareness of weasel words, victims should respond proactively.

"If you hear anyone utter "in terms of", "going forward" or "oh! ab-so-lute-ly" on World Weasel Word Awareness Day, you should punch them in the nose," she said.

"That should sort them out."

Ms Wordyrighty said that the World Weasel Word Awareness Foundation receives no government or corporate funding.

"Our organisation believes that by raising awareness in such a pro-active manner, we can really make a difference ... going forward .... woops!" she said, as a passerby punched her in the nose and took a World Weasel Word Awareness Day badge.

How Is This Appropriate Australian Air Express, QANTAS And Australia Post ?

It's bad enough Unit can get away with plastering their exploitative logos and images masquerading as marketing on bus shelters. But on the back of an Australian Air Express/QANTAS/Australia Post van? And we're supposed to accept this because of their "good guy" donation to Legacy Australia?

Australia Should Lose No Time

From 'Whaling Around Australia' by Max Colwell [1969]:

ACF Urges Pilotage For All Great Barrier Reef Ships

ACF Media Release [6/6/10]

As a sovereign state Australia can stop ships that have not met certain safety standards from entering ports in the vicinity of the Great Barrier Reef, according to legal advice obtained by the Australian Conservation Foundation.

“Australia has a capacity to deny access to an Australian port on a non-discriminatory basis to foreign shipping in support of marine navigational safety standards within the Great Barrier Reef region,” the legal opinion from leading international law of the sea expert, Professor Don Rothwell says.

While Australia “is not to hamper foreign vessels engaged in innocent passage, there is no bar to the coastal State (Australia) applying its laws and regulations to ships engaged in innocent passage through the territorial sea”.

The legal advice says by amending the Navigation Act 1912 (Cth) Australia could extend the compulsory pilotage area to cover more of the Reef than it does now.

ACF executive director Don Henry welcomed the legal opinion and urged state and federal governments to act now to prevent further ship groundings.

“Let’s not pretend we are powerless to stop incidents like the grounding of the Shen Neng 1,” Mr Henry said.

“We mustn’t let dangerous drivers loose in these pristine marine environments. If governments don’t act now we are likely to see more disasters on the Reef and they could be a lot worse than the grounding of the Shen Neng 1.

“I urge the Federal and Queensland governments to re-examine the issue of pilotage for all ships that that travel through the Great Barrier Reef.

“There is a strong case for compulsory pilotage for all ships that go through the World Heritage area and a requirement that ships use routes outside the Great Barrier Reef wherever possible.

“The time for hand-wringing is over; it’s time for action to protect the Reef.”

Don Henry has been executive director of ACF since 1998. His first major conservation role was president of the Moreton Island Protection Committee.

Newcastle Climate Activists Win Conservation Award

ACF Media Release [5/6/10]

Rising Tide, the Newcastle-based climate group, has won this year’s Peter Rawlinson Award for tirelessly and fearlessly drawing attention to the looming climate crisis.

In 2009 Rising Tide generated national media coverage when its activists abseiled down the front of Parliament House on Federal Budget day with a banner that read “Carbon Budget Blowout”, co-convened a huge summit for community climate action groups, stopped work at a notorious aluminium smelter for several hours with a non-violent protest, jointly organised a peaceful sit-in at Parliament House a week before the Copenhagen climate talks and staged a day-long blockade of the rail line into the world’s biggest coal port at Newcastle.

Australian Conservation Foundation executive director Don Henry said Rising Tide was a loud and vital voice in Australia’s broad environment movement.

“As a small and agile group Rising Tide does things that bigger national groups like ACF simply can’t do,” Mr Henry said.

“Since its birth in 2004 Rising Tide Newcastle has made a lot of people sit up and take notice of the climate crisis and what we as Australians need to do to be part of the solution.

“Rising Tide prove that a small, committed group of volunteers can make a big impact.”

A new report by ACF and the ACTU, Creating Jobs - Cutting Pollution: the roadmap for a cleaner, stronger economy, shows if governments act now to shift Australia from a pollution dependent economy to a cleaner economy it would create more than 60,000 new jobs in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley by 2030.

ACF’s annual Peter Rawlinson Award acknowledges the outstanding voluntary contribution of an individual or group to conservation. Dr Peter Rawlinson was ACF’s Treasurer and Vice President and one of Australia’s leading biologists and conservationists. He died while doing field work in Indonesia in 1991.

Putting Faces To Names

Remember When Brisbane Had A Pub For Everyone?

The National Hotel on the corner of Queen and Adelaide Streets was built in 1889

Long gone ...

"Warren In The Pink", from 'Australian Pubs' by John Larkins and Bruce Howard [Rigby Limited, 1973]:

Press Release By Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia

From the Free Gaza Movement:

Parliamentary Petition to save the heritage listed Hornibrook Bridge:

If The Government Were Serious About Preserving The "Western Arm" Of The Spit (Marine Stadium Is An Important Fish Breeding Habitat), They Would Put A Stop To The Littering And Four Wheel Drives Chewing Up The Dunes

And the first rule of development is ...... ? In April, the "NDA" (Sea World Drive, Main Beach) was cleared of trees

Rock Stars And Musicians Step In To Solve Planetary Catastrophes

I read the news today oh boy ...

'A Day In The Life', The Beatles [1967]

ABBA will get back together to solve the GFC

World leaders and officials are hoping rock stars and musicians can help them solve all manner of planetary catastrophes now that movie directors have failed.

Speaking at a recent Rupert Murdoch conference organised by a Rupert Murdoch publication, acclaimed director of Rupert Murdoch movies James Cameron said responsibility for saving the world rested on the shoulders of the world's rock stars and musicians, given that world leaders have rejected his ingenious plans to stop the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico.

"One week was hardly enough time for my colleagues and I to fix the world's problems," he said.

"Morons."

Cameron's extensive experience directing robots was turned down by world leaders and officials, who have now pinned their hopes on restoring some semblance of earthly stability with the more melodius members of the entertainment industry.

'Spring Hill Voice' can exclusively reveal that The Clash have been asked to handle middle-east foreign policy, Marvin Gaye will return from heaven to tackle race relations and Pink Floyd are set to handle education.

DEVO will confront the existential crisis currently facing the western way of life, while ABBA will stage a comeback in order to tackle the GFC.

Edwin Starr is also about to be recalled from heaven to direct the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but if he's unavailable Bruce Springsteen is on standby. John Lennon is putting the final touches on an international arms control treaty which he will communicate through Yoko Ono.

It is understood that Neil Young and Sandie Shaw will collaborate on a challenge to the puppets and robots currently running the world's so-called parliamentary democracies.

Helen Reddy will cover women's issues and Kiki Dee has offered to do health care, pending the availability of Sir Elton John.

Nobody has been appointed to compose a response to climate change, or to replace James Cameron in his efforts to stop the Gulf of Mexico oil slick because corporate media opinion columnists have these issues under control.

In related news, as our federal parliamentarians continue representing the interests of quarriers and international financiers, how many more bogus awareness raising publicity stunts such as nude snorkelling off Magnetic Island must we endure?

Thai Labour Advocate Arrested

'Clean Clothes Campaign' reports:

The Clean Clothes Campaign is shocked and angered by the the arrest of Somyot Pruksakasemsuk. Somyot is founder of the Center for Labour and International Solidarity Thailand (CLIST) and worked with the CCC on numerous campaigns and Urgent Appeals, including the landmark Eden case in the mid-nineties and more recently the MSP case in 2006.

Somyot is a former project coordinator for ICEM (International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions) in Thailand. The CCC joins ICEM in calling upon partners and supporters around the world to write to the Thai prime minister and to Thai embassies in your countries to call for his immediate release.

Somyot was arrested together with Associate Professor Suthachai Yimprasert, after they presented themselves to the police when they heard of their arrest warrants. Suthachai was released yesterday following petitions by students and the faculty.

Although they had been following events closely in their capacity as journalists and academics, neither of them are members of the Red Shirt core group.

According to the latest information we received Somyot is being held at Adisorn Army Base in Saraburi, 115km North of the capital Bangkok, and will be detained until at least 6 June. We understand that the Criminal Court agreed with the Centre for Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) on Friday the 28th to extend the detention of Somyot for another seven days, and that in violation of international human rights standards and national judicial law, no charges were pressed against them, and no proper inquiry session has been arranged during his detention.

We understand that Somyot is held in solitary detention and made to wear military clothing. We are seriously concerned for his health and safety.

Budget Leak Exclusive!

The New Speaker's Corner

'Spring Hill Voice' can reveal that free speech is an exclusive privilege in next week's budget.

Secret new documents, obtained by typing them up, prove that the Blighty government has allocated over $1.4 million to a Private-Public-Partnership (or "HaHaHa") to deliver on its promise of greater democracy and freedom of speech in the budget.

The $1.4 million will be spent on raising awareness and marketing the new "Speaker's Corner" as well as consultant's fees and other costs.

The Chief Blighty had a top media consultant liase with a popular tabloid journalist and a prominent ABC radio morning announcer and her prominent tabloid editor husband as well as a team of media and marketing experts, and top media advisors and consultants, to co-ordinate and announce the new celebration of a properly functioning and diverse discourse in a unicameral and mono-media modern world citystate democracy.

The media/marketing/awareness campaign has the working title of "Speaker's Corner - Just Like The Old Days", and has already met with great media exposure.

It is believed that the budget allocation for the project will be increased substantially next year. A source close to the initiative said:

"Wow, we've done all this on a shoestring. I'm so proud to be a small part of a great democracy, imagine what we can do next year when we can get even more allocation to help us with design and market research? I bet we'll even have a design contest or tendering for construction competition in the pipeline eventually. This is so exciting!"

In related news on the functioning state of our democracy, the daylight saving survey results will be audited and collated into league tables.

Renowned Movie Directors Called In To Solve All The World's Problems

You feel like Steve McQueen
when you're driving in your car
and you think you look like James Bond
when you're smoking your cigar
it's so bizarre, you think you are
a new kind of, James Dean
but the only thing I've ever seen of you
was a commercial spot on the screen ...

'Moviestar', Harpo [1975]

Along with Cecil B. De Mille, Stanley Kubrick and Jim Henson, Orson Welles has been recalled from heaven. He will address the lack of media diversity in the western world

World leaders and officials are hoping movie directors can help them solve all manner of planetary catastrophes.

Revelations that James Cameron is brainstorming with scientists and other experts to come up with ideas to stop the massive oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, have prompted calls for other movie directors to step in and help solve all the world's problems.

David Lynch has been asked to handle middle-east foreign policy, Spike Lee will tackle race relations and Richard L Gravenese is set to handle education.

Sam Mendes will confront the existential crisis currently facing the western way of life, while Oliver Stone is tackling the GFC.

Cecil B. De Mille is about to be recalled from heaven to direct the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as is Stanley Kubrick who is putting the final touches on an international arms control treaty.

Ridley Scott will cover women's issues, Michael Moore offered to do health care but he's a communist, and nobody has been appointed to direct climate change.

It is understood that Jim Henson will also return from heaven to collaborate with James Cameron on a challenge to the puppets and robots currently running the world's so-called parliamentary democracies.

Only American movie directors are involved in this planetary project because we're all Americans now, or hadn't you noticed the large number of yankee commentators, academics and experts around the place?

How "Smart Living Easy Thinking" Brisbane Treats Its Heritage

This:

Keating House, May 2010

Is supposed to be an improvement on this?:

Keating House February, 2008

Indooroopilly's heritage listed Keating House was painted, given a new roof and had its windows and doors boarded up in September 2008 after an EPA "crackdown" on derelict heritage properties.

Sometimes I Wish We Were All Blue Or Colourblind

Signal Box by Elysium Greene, across the road from Biggera Waters State School

Equality Bad For Society: Study

Over the last few decades Australia has witnessed a rise of feminism

The quest for gender equality is not only responsible for an array of societal ills such as the destruction of the family unit, decline in morality and taking jobs from men, but may also be to blame for the statistically unverifiable rise in violence among women, according to a recent study.

Professor Panic, from the Ponds Institute's Barefoot 'n Preggers Unit says his research establishes that women ought to remain disempowered for the greater good.

"Ov courze I have no evidence or proov zat feminizm makes vimmen and girlz violent, but it iz an excellent distraction to ze real issues, az vell az a useful talking point and ideological thought bomb," he said.

"Excuse me, I must qvickly go now. I am having lunch vith my fellow irrelevant, old has beens vith cashew dickz at ze Gentlemanz Club down ze road."

In related news, if you're a baby boomer, you should work until you drop dead or you might get a horrible disease and then drop dead.