The players :-
Australian Human Rights Commission
Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing, Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra
seriously, that's what it is called !
Qld Government Department of Transport and Main Roads
a bit of an overlap with the dept of I T RD C and A it appears
Queenslanders with Disability Network
The federal Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 ( document ) made under subsection 31 (1) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 deemed all public transport to be fully accessible by the end of 2022 ( 2 whole decades !!, KenG ), with the exemption of trains and buses until 2032 !!!!!.
If you want to read the whole thing, G00gle - "Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002" this will take you to a pdf download ( 343 pages of it ! )
Searching this document for "exemptions" produces quite a few results, Part 33A Exemptions from compliance covers most.
Apparently a compilation was prepared on 1 May 2011 taking into account amendments up to Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport Amendment 2010 (No. 1) was prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing, Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra.
Queenslanders with Disability Network CEO, Michelle Moss, said there had been "notable progress in recent years" to the state's train network.
"There is still a way to go to meet our target of all stations meeting accessibility standards," she said.
Seriously, what's this dame on ?, must be good shit !
It must be said that much of this "notable progress" has been the proviision of ramps allowing ready access to trains and buses requiring staff to operate the said ramps.
I know from personal experience that transport staff are bloody marvelous when it comes to helping people with mobility issues and will take as much time as necessary.
Of course there are many railway stations which are either partly or fully unstaffed.
Several highly decorative species to brighten up your surroundings and won't cause any problems if they escape into your local park !
Why are lunch time meetings like this necessary ?
I'd like to be a fly on the wall when the good people at Save Straddie and Redlands2030 discover "gems" like this.
The article linked to in the above heading is © 2021 Save Straddie - All Rights Reserved
There are moves afoot to rezone some parts of North Stradbroke Island !!!
In brief the rezoning proposal involves twenty-five parcels of land covering 249 hectares, most of these areas are conservation zones !
They would be zoned as low-density residential and urban development :-(
F.F.S. Straddie is a priceless gem of a place.
Apart from some outstanding natural beauty, much of it's appeal is the very fact that it's not been developed ( read exploited) excessively.
I know this is "only" 249 hectares, just for clarity the suburbs of Greenslopes and Woolloongabba cover approximately 250 Ha each.
Allowing this re-zoning to proceed would ( I feel) set a very dangerous precedent.
Straddie should always look like this ↓
Main Beach from Point Lookout
Deadmans Beach
The article linked to in the above heading is © 2022 Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
The heading pretty much says it all !
To me this project known as the "Quandamooka Art Museum and Performance Institute (QUAMPI)" has all the hallmarks of just another SNAFU perpetrated by a government in total disarray.
This quote - "Queensland’s Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport would not answer questions about the rising costs and delay." signifies this most eloquently
The article referred to above is Copyright © 2022 Brisbane Times
UPDATE:
YOUTUBE ANNOUNCES BAN ON FAKE ‘RESCUE’ VIDEOS FOLLOWING LFT CAMPAIGN
National Geographic recently published this article regarding videos on YouTube - "How fake animal rescue videos have become a new frontier for animal abuse" which is quite revealing and should be of particular interest to any decent, fair thinking person.
Despite YouTube’s policy on animal videos their lack of affirmative action is a monument to apathy if not greed, these videos apparently get LOTS of views
YouTube has a flagger program intended to aid in weeding out unsuitable videos yet Lady Freethinker's attempt to join the flagger program was declined !
If (like me) you're an animal lover you'll be a fan of organisations like Lady Freethinker and object VERY strongly to anyone seeking to profit from any form of animal cruelty.
The above mentioned article is Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society & Copyright © 2015-2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved
A website called Senior Advantage misleads members on dud discounts, a
CHOICE investigation has revealed
The Senior Advantage website promises to save older Australians significant sums of money, however according to the ACCC, many of the tactics that Senior Advantage uses run counter to the Australian Consumer Law.
If you want to know about discounts available with a Seniors Card then look at the
Australian Government Seniors Card webpage
Alternatively go straight to your state's individual site :-
Note : All discounts and any other associated benefits offered to Seniors Card holders are available freely for the asking
Some conditions might at times apply but there is no need to join or subscribe or pay any fee to benefit from any offers made by any business.
The article referred to above is Copyright © 2020 Fairfax Media
One intersection, Sylvan Road and Kate Street, is (now) in Walter-Taylor ward (LNP) has a current active project assigned to it.
The other,Riding Road and Pashen Street, is in the
Morningside ward (Labour) has long been recognised by locals and
Space for Cycling Brisbane as dangerous and has been the subject of much campaigning since two girls were injured there last year with no action being taken by BCC
Councillor Kara Cook has been active in pursuing this issue apparently to no avail.
This article written by urban affairs reporter Lucy Stone for the Brisbane Times gives a good insight to this issue.
The article referred to above is Copyright © 2020 Fairfax Media
A report from a scientific panel commissioned by the Palaszczuk government clearly stating that fracking is an 'unacceptable use' of Channel Country Rivers and floodplains was suppressed from the public and declared 'cabinet in confidence' until Michael Berkman - Greens MP for Maiwar tabled the report in Queensland Parliament.
A short article on the Western Rivers Alliance website gives a brief introduction to this story
Queensland Country Life published a somewhat more
in depth article 13th May 2020 written by
Sally Gall which is an excellent "fill in".
The above mentioned article is © 2020 Australian Community Media
Well it's starting to look as though the anti 5G lunatics have taken over the asylum
It's as close to a perfect rerun of the "tin foil hat" hysteria of some years ago as would be possible
Paranoid delusions on a grand scale is just what the world needs right now NOT
Particularly worrying in the current context is the unprecedented ease with which heavily tarted up quasi-science and some not so subtly suggested conspiracy theories can be transmitted over social media platforms in an entirely uncontrolled manner
You can find videos of scientists and other experts crapping on very authoritively about the ways in which the very real dangers of this latest scourge can manifest themselves
Needless to say there is a veritable smorgasbord of devices, shields, etc available for purchase to protect you and your loved ones from the dreadful danger associated with electromagnetic fields of all kinds
A dose of reality is available from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA)
5G: the new generation of the mobile phone network and health
Misinformation about Australia’s 5G network
One thing immediately apparent is that so far none of these people (I'm certain there's lots I haven't seen yet) have any qualification or credentials suggesting they know anything about electromagnetic radiation beyond the most basic details / concepts and the same goes for biology.
Of course given the proliferation of WiFi in all it's forms this global emanation of mis-information will likely wipe out the proponents and their followers anyway.
The heading above (which links to the full story btw) is self explanatory. A record keeping error meant that someone's home address didn't exist for the purpose of NBN connection, however it did exist for the purpose of current service disconnection in a much as it was connected to the same copper street cable as all the other houses in the street. So when the time came to de-commission the cable any and all connections to it fell silent whether they officially existed or not !
Unfortunately you cannot have an NBN connection to a house that has no recorded existence and any attempt to do so will be thwarted at every turn. Your intended ISP will tell you it's an NBN problem and I'll let you guess what NBN Co's response would be :-)
Above are just two examples of Telstra street cables around Annerley, I'm sure there are plenty of other examples
So if your NBN connection is FTTN and it's a bit flaky your street cable(s) might be a bit past their use by date too !
In fairness NBN didn't even try to use FTTN here, the connections in my street were slated as Hybrid HFC, in the end I don't think they used any existing cabling
The above mentioned article is © 2020 Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
The Senate vote was just weeks after the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety released it's dreadful report
Quotes from the commission's findings include - "sad and shocking", "inhumane, abusive and unjustified" ...
The above mentioned article is © 2020 Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
Make what you will of this, I'm quite clear with my interpretation -
The above referenced article was written by
Michael McGowan and
© 2020
Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved
This facebook page has been set up so residents, visitors and those just passing through can log their concerns about road safety, particularly along Ipswich Road, Venner Road, Annerley Road and adjoining streets in Annerley
Please relate any accidents, near misses, road rage, excessive speeding or vehicles failing to stop at Red lights.
As much as anything I dread the prospect of (god forbid) someone's child being killed on an Annerley roadway and then seeing civic leaders / politicians making speeches about the need for more road safety training in schools etc
I think I'd smash my tv set if that happened.
The traffic density along Ipswich Road through Annerley - Moorooka is nearing saturation. The attendant problems this is throwing up are not only exacerbating the already lengthy delays experienced by motorists but also heightening the danger for pedestrians
Combined with hopelessly outmoded traffic control logic (particularly at the Annerley / Ipswich Road merge) the situation is utterly untenable. The cynic in me wants to say that nothing will be done to address the problem as a whole until someone important is killed or badly injured along this stretch of Ipswich Road
One local resident fed up with having her children face an ever increasing danger is taking action, following is an email she has written hoping to bring this issue to the unavoidable attention of those with the power to fix it.
I'm gonna be in the paper today, but wasn't given enough of an opportunity to complain about Ipswich Road (and those who administer it). Letter to Stephanie Guo, who responded to an email I sent when Jo was nearly hit by a car running a red-light at the 7-11 near us, and Mark Bailey, who I am trying to convince to get red light cameras installed at this, and many other, intersections through Brisbane:
I am writing to enquire about the proposed change to the Ipswich/Longueval intersection you said was on the cards for 2016/17
I have been filling in Hoon-Online forms regarding the vehicles I see running red lights there (although, driving around Brisbane recently made me realise that cars run red lights in the river city CONSTANTLY) and have also been working on a campaign focused on the Annerley section of Ipswich Road, where, according to a survey I ran, there are two more intersections - at Villa Street, and at Venner/Waterton - desperately in need of attention
I have also conducted two petitions signed by over 500 people wanting a traffic review or a reduced speed limit for a section of Ipswich Road
Apparently BCC only records traffic issues if they result in a police call-out or a death, thereby skewing the results away from all the minor prangs and near misses
And, in fact, away from incidents like that I recently discovered a friend was involved in, where her car was hit a truck travelling through the red light at Longueval. She called 000 but the police told her they didn't attend accidents like hers - and so BCC has no record of it happening
She, along with many parents I have spoken to who live on the Eastern side of Ipswich Road, makes her children walk up the hill to the intersection at the junction of School Road to cross Ipswich rather than risk them getting hit by a B-Double at the bottom of the hill
I have included Mark Bailey on this email as I have been trying to convince him of the merits of installing a red light camera at the Longueval Street intersection - and on many other intersections around Brisbane - to shift the balance and the rights away from those with the most power on the roads: those in cars
BCC CANNOT claim to be promoting safe walking environments if they do not address the roads where drivers break laws and endanger pedestrian lives with impunity
I will be writing a letter to Mayor Quirk on this issue if you are unable to give me assurances BCC takes this problem seriously and is going to do something about it
Sincerely,
Ilithyia Bone
Wild Bird Rescues GOLD COAST on Facebook
Here's the full text of the posting -
Many will be shocked by this mornings announcement that Gold Coast Council plans to fill in beautiful Black Swan Lake in Bundall and turn it into a car park
Last year the Council voted to preserve and clean up the lake; a project that is well advanced
The call to fill in Black Swan Lake and displace all wildlife came from Cr.Gary Baildon, supported by the Mayor (of course) and others
The Bulletin reports that Cr.Baildon claimed the nearby Gold Coast Show Society faced an uncertain future and needs a car park
Staunch objector Cr.Bob La Castra said 'I've never heard such utter and complete rubbish in my time in Council'
So much for Cr.Baildon's claim. Cr.Young and others voiced concern over the way this proposal had been presented with no prior warning
Below are the email addresses of the mayor and those councillors who voted to fill in Black Swan Lake.
The mayor is reported to have said that displaced birdlife will just relocate to the nearby Botanic Gardens, which shows what little he knows
The resident swans in the Botanic Gardens will not tolerate incursion by any other swans
Nor will many of the other birds
Please take a moment to send Cr.Baildon and others an email telling them respectfully
what you think of their plan to destroy the lake and kick out the wildlife
Unless you make your feelings known this kind of skulduggery will continue
Cr. Baildon division7@goldcoast.qld.gov.au
Mayor Tate mayor@goldcoast.qld.gov.au
Cr. Vorster division11@goldcoast.qld.gov.au
Cr.Caldwell division3@goldcoast.qld.gov.au
Cr. Critchlow division6@goldcoast.qld.gov.au
Wednesday July 20th 2016
The above titled media statement issued by Deputy Premier, Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Trade and Investment The Honourable Jackie Trad -
"... the Government would reintroduce a state trigger for proposed developments which share a common boundary with a Queensland heritage place, to prevent a repeat of the controversial development next to Customs House approved late last year."
A couple paragraphs -
"We know Queensland communities care deeply about protecting local heritage sites, but recently we’ve seen far too many significant places jeopardised with the stroke of a pen."
"Introducing this new trigger is a further step the government is taking to ensure there is greater scrutiny in the development assessment process, after giving the Queensland Heritage Council a stronger consultative role earlier this year."
Friday Jul 22nd 2016 from ABC News -
from the above title story -
"The University of Queensland (UQ) has lost an appeal to block the construction of a high-rise tower next to Customs House in the Brisbane CBD."
"Brisbane City Council approved the development on December 22 last year, deeming it was "code assessable" and did not require public submissions."
Photo from John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland
An artist's impression of the hideous monstrosity of a building being erected next to Customs House can be seen here
If not for anything else the Queensland Deputy Premier, The Honourable Jackie Trad should be famous for espousing the virtues of her boss Annastacia Palaszczuk. This despite many carefully crafted statements both preceded and followed by seemingly endless examples of apparent contradiction, blame shifting and ineffectiveness
This latest example is typical ..
Can we assume that Ms. Trad Minister for (among other things) Local Government and Planning was blissfully unaware of the proposal to erect a thumping great monstrosity of a building right next to one of Brisbane's priceless heritage treasures, Customs House. Presumably we're supposed to accept that she was also unaware that Brisbane City Council can rubber stamp approval for such a major building project as " code assessable " obviating the need to call for public submissions !!
Has it escaped everyone's attention that part of the appeal of places like Customs House is the setting not just the building itself FFS !
In fact there is official heritage recognition of this in as much as heritage building listings will often include a curtilage
Australia ICOMOS Incorporated refer to "setting" in their publication "Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance" AKA
The Burra Charter 2013
Article 1.12 (page 3) -
"Setting means the immediate and extended environment of a place that is part of or contributes to its cultural significance and distinctive character."
associated margin notes -
"Setting may include: structures, spaces, land, water and sky; the visual setting including views to and from the place, and along a cultural route; and other sensory aspects of the setting such as smells and sounds. Setting may also include historical and contemporary relationships, such as use and activities, social and spiritual practices, and relationships with other places, both tangible and intangible."
Citation:-
Australia ICOMOS Incorporated, 'The Burra Charter: The Australia ICOMOS Charter for Places of Cultural Significance, 2013', pp. 3 (pdf page 5), viewed 3rd January 2018, http://australia.icomos.org/wp-content/uploads/The-Burra-Charter-2013-Adopted-31.10.2013.pdf
As you can see from the street view below the existing low-rise nature of this small part of Queen Street right on the edge of the Brisbane River remains light and open amid the surrounding high rise " jungle ". The construction of a huge 47-storey tower albeit on " stilts " will over shadow this small oasis in more ways than one.
The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP was sworn in as Minister for the Environment and Energy on 19 July 2016
Much hoo-ha surrounds the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, so what protection exists under the EPBC Act ?
Nine matters of national environmental significance are protected under the EPBC Act
The same list appears on this page -
Significant Impact Guidelines 1.1 - Matters of National Environmental Significance
There is provision for exemptions -
Under s158 or s303A the Minister for the Environment may only grant an exemption if he (she) is satisfied that it is in the national interest to do so
Toondah Harbour includes 3., 4. and 8. above. So in order to obtain an exemption from the protection provided by the act the construction of the Toondah Harbour development must be in the national interest !!
Significant here is the fact that the Minister for the Environment has delegated environmental assessment and approval to the Queensland Government. This bilateral agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Queensland relates to environmental assessment allowing the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment to rely on specified environmental impact assessment processes of the State of Queensland in assessing actions under the EPBC Act. What isn't clear is whether that delegation extends to exemptions (in the national interest).
Headlines regarding illegal material imports from China have been showing up on and off since February this year following a noticeable lull since the Great Wall and Cherry vehicle asbestos exposé which began back in 2012 and amid safety concerns ended in 2014
On the face of it one could be forgiven for thinking that this re-emergence of asbestos runs a close parallel to the China Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) which came into force on 20 December 2015 !
Here's a few headlines from the ABC -
Dozens of Australian building sites contaminated by illegal Chinese asbestos imports, authorities say
Asbestos illegally imported from China provokes questions and anger in SA
Fears over asbestos imports spark call for better border controls for building products
The articles referred to above are Copyright © 2016 ABC
The Queensland Government has published a number of web pages on this subject on the old Dept. of Employment and Industrial Relations website marked "© The State of Queensland (Dept. of Justice and Attorney-General) 2012-2016" !
The federal government have created the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency and on July 1st 2015 amalgamated Dept. of Immigration and Border Protection and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service into the Australian Border Force (ABF).
I grow weary of this ... here we have yet another serious ongoing problem
There's a mountain of information, advice, precautions, etc, etc yet the problem persists
The use of all forms of asbestos has been banned in Australia since the end of 2003. This means that the import, manufacture, supply, sale and use or reuse of asbestos and asbestos-containing products is no longer permitted
This suggests that the magnitude of the task of preventing illegal importation is way beyond the resources of the ABF
To put it another way they're way under funded and under manned at the coal face (so to speak) so there simply isn't enough people to do the work required.