Cairns needs a second highway access now

Petition for second southern roadway into Cairns

Daniel Strudwick

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

© The Cairns Post

Business leaders in one of the fastest-growing parts of Cairns are lobbying the State Government for a second southern roadway into the city, angry that the proposal has been neglected for so long.


Road rage: Business leaders and residents at Gordonvale and Edmonton yesterday launched a petition calling for a second southern access to the inner-city. They say plans to upgrade the Bruce Highway are not enough.

Chamber of Commerce and the Edmonton District Traders Association yesterday launched a petition in favour of a second access, which was promptly supported by LNP politicians and candidates. The groups said they wanted to gather thousands of signatures to prove the "overwhelming community desire" for another roadway that would link the booming southern corridor to the inner-city.

The Bligh Government’s 20-year strategy for the Bruce Highway includes plans to upgrade a 3.4km stretch of the road south of Cairns to the standard of a six-lane motorway during the next four years. But it doesn’t promise the second roadway that business leaders and the Opposition said was vital.

The LNP’s candidate for Mulgrave, Robyn Quick, threw her support behind the new petition, signalling that a second access would be a key election platform during the campaign.

Chamber president Brett Moller said businesses recognised the benefits of the existing upgrades under construction at White Rock. "However, they are requesting that forward planning take place now to finalise a future route into the city from the Gordonvale area," Mr Moller said.

Edmonton Traders Association secretary Fran Lindsay said a second access would protect lifestyles, improve safety on the busy Bruce Highway and provide alternative routes during a disaster. A 2009 petition by the Southern Corridor Action Group gathered 1500 signatures but had little impact on the State Government’s plans for the Bruce. "This issue has been reported and discussed for 30-40 years … we cannot delay any longer," Mrs Quick said.

Of the options put forward during the past decade, Mrs Quick supports what is known as the far eastern proposal that would see the roadway routed through east Trinity with a bridge across the Inlet. But she said the near eastern option preferred by the area’s business groups should also be investigated.

Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch also supported the campaign, saying it would result in fewer headaches for residents and business owners whose properties would need to be acquired to make way for construction.

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My opinion

The Bligh Government needs to bite the bullet and accept there is a need for a second limited access into Cairns from the south. What they are proposing is needed anyway. Townsville has one from the north and south and it was gained without any fanfare. What is needed is that both Pitt and Entch, both State and Federal Government sing from the same page. If  politics is not put to one side and planning begins for a second access from Wrights Creek to Ray Jones Drive, the public will do it for them come the next election.

Ross Parisi
08.02.2012

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Wivenhoe Dam | Brisbane flood inquiry exposes a potential coverup

Queensland minister Stephen Robertson called before floods inquiry

• by: Jamie Walker, Queensland Bureau Chief
• From: The Australian
• February 07, 2012 5:15PM

Queensland cabinet minister Stephen Robertson has been called before the floods inquiry, where he will be exposed to searching examination about his knowledge of the operation of Brisbane's Wivenhoe Dam in the lead up to the flooding of the city last January.

Mr Robertson, the Minister for Energy and Water Utilities, says he has been asked to be available to attend the inquiry any time from tomorrow until Friday.

He has already provided the inquiry with a written statement, as has Premier Anna Bligh. “I will continue to provide the commission with my full cooperation,” Mr Robertson said in a statement.

The inquiry today released Ms Bligh's sworn statement, in which she insisted she had no direct involvement in the operation of Wivenhoe Dam before last year's floods. In a sworn statement to the inquiry she set up to look into the floods, the Queensland Premier said the “choices or timing” of mitigation strategies for the dam which acts as Brisbane's flood shield happened at arm's length from her. “The documents that I have attached to this statement show that the choices and timing of dam operations were being taken by the operators of the dams, in consultation with Bureau of Meteorology and each of the local government authorities in the catchment area,” she said in her statement, released today by the inquiry.

Ms Bligh provided to the commission voluminous documentation covering all discussions, correspondence or briefings she participated in concerning the dam's operation between January 7 and January 12 last year. Thousands of homes were inundated in the flood, and the inquiry was dramatically recalled to examine inconsistencies, exposed by The Australian, in earlier evidence about water releases from the brimming dam into Brisbane River.

Ms Bligh answered a series of questions put in writing to her by inquiry head Justice Cate Holmes. Asked whether her understanding of flood operation strategies for the dam had changed since the day of the flood on January 12, Ms Bligh said: “My understanding of the flood operations strategies that were used in the operation of the Wivenhoe Dam has been further informed by the interim report of the commission delivered in August 2011.”

She confirmed she had, on January 11 last, asked the then director-general of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Ken Smith, to seek an independent review of the impact of planned water releases from the dam into Brisbane River.“I formed the view that further advice should be sought, by way of a second opinion, on whether or not the proposed releases were appropriate,” Ms Bligh said in her statement.” She forwarded a copy of the subsequent report by consultant Brian Cooper to the inquiry.

Separately, Ms Bligh clarified comments she had made this morning backing the decision of two of the senior dam engineers under scrutiny by the inquiry to take special leave. She had been asked at a press conference whether there was any reason to hire special protection for the men and other SEQWater flood engineers involved in the inquiry. Ms Bligh said at the press conference she was not aware “of anything like that”.

Clarifying this, she said this afternoon: “I have subsequently been advised that SEQWater approached the Director General of DERM (Department of Environment and Resource Management) who in turn contacted police on Saturday in response to claims from a media outlet that death threats had been made against these engineers.“Police were unable to verify the threat but recommended that security be provided for the employees as a precaution. “Queensland Government Security (QGS) was then approached by SEQWater with a request for the provision of security services at a number of properties. “QGS staff were only rostered on to meet known commitments over the weekend therefore, due to the short notice of SEQWater's request, QGS did not have the required in-house capacity to service all properties immediately. “To ensure SEQWater's requirements were met, some private security guards were engaged for a short period of time to make up the shortfall until more QGS personnel became available. QGS regularly outsources security services to manage peaks and troughs.”

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My Opinion.

What I can't understand with all this, is why wasn't all this information revealed when the inquiry proper was in train. Is someone to blame here for shoddy inquiry investigation or are we about to witness the uncovering of a 'Watergate style' coverup that goes right to the top of the Queensland Government. If it wasn't for the Courier Mail's diggings or the State election then would this matter have been revived? This is not very smart for a Smart Government.

Ross Parisi

07.02.2012

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ALP / Unity candidate Richie Bates to be the 'king maker'

Below is the result for the Mayoralty to 7.pm on 07.02.2012.


What it shows is that Ian Thomas leads the primary polling. Val Schier sits on a base ALP support of 27%. The two conservative candidates have 22% of the primary vote.

As anticipated, due to the lacklustre calibre of Mayoral candidates there is no one candidate with an unassailable lead. The result will will come down to the distribution of 2nd preferences. On these figure if Val Schier is  to win the Mayoralty, she will have to do a preference deal with either of the candidates.

The animosity that exists between Community Alliance and Unity, stemming from the personal ego driven fallout between ex Mayor Kevin Byrne and current deputy Mayor Margaret Cochrane could well be exploited by Val Schier and or his campaign coordinator with the ultimate aim of securing either or of the conservative parties second preference.

This is where ALP Unity member Richie Bates could well play a vital part in building a bridge between Manning and Schier. Bates has the opportunity to be the 'king maker'.
My gut feeling is that Australian voters do not take well to spoilers. Margaret Cochrane is seen as a spoiler and as such could well crash and burn.


Cochrane. Margaret - Community Alliance   18 (22%)
 
Manning. Bob - Unity   18 (22%)
 
Schier. Val - Independent   22 (27%)
 
Thomas. Ian - Independent   23 (28%)
 
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Anna Bligh | the web encircles her Government

Anna Bligh called for review into Wivenhoe Dam operation before Brisbane flood peaked

• by: Mark Solomons
• From: The Courier-Mail
• February 07, 2012 12:00AM

Premier Anna Bligh ordered an "independent review" be completed overnight into the management of Wivenhoe Dam just as it became apparent that engineers had lost their ability to protect Ipswich and Brisbane from flooding.

The Courier-Mail can reveal that at the height of the crisis on January 11, two days before Brisbane flooded, the Premier and her top adviser Ken Smith instructed Water Grid chief Barry Dennien immediately to hire an expert to produce the report after the trio discussed "the importance of ensuring public confidence in the operation of the dam".

The revelation, contained in an explosive new statement from Mr Dennien to the flood inquiry, raises questions about what Ms Bligh knew about the running of the dam even before the cities were flooded.

The Premier released a statement late last night confirming she ordered the urgent review after meetings on January 11 when she "formed the view that further advice should be sought, by way of a second opinion, on whether or not the proposed releases were appropriate".

Ms Bligh has previously dodged questions about pre-flood briefings, saying last month: "I honestly can't answer the question. I was asking, 'are people safe?'."

The consultant's report, later used to brief ministers and at least one Treasury official, gave the dam operation a clean bill of health - despite its author being unable to obtain any information on half of the key questions he posed and the fact that the event was not yet over. Mr Dennien's statement describes him meeting Ms Bligh and Mr Smith on the morning of January 11, after they all attended a gathering of the State Disaster Management Group. "I told them that Wivenhoe Dam had never experienced an event as big as the current event," Mr Dennien wrote. "While I commented that I had no personal reason to suspect that the dam operations were not appropriate, our discussion concerned the importance of ensuring public  "With that imperative in mind, it was agreed between the Premier, Mr Smith and me that an expert should be urgently retained to undertake an independent review. "I was instructed by the Premier and Mr Smith to immediately arrange the commissioning of an expert to assess how the dam operation was being performed against the requirements."

Brian Cooper, a private consultant, was chosen that day from a list of four people provided by DERM's dam safety manager Peter Allen. Mr Cooper was hired that afternoon, just as the releases from Wivenhoe were being ramped up. Mr Cooper was asked to provide preliminary advice by 9am the following morning and a "formal written report" by 4pm.

As his report came in, at 3.30pm on January 12, there was major flooding in Ipswich and Brisbane after massive releases from Wivenhoe that peaked at 7pm the previous evening. Mr Cooper's review concluded that "the actions taken and decisions made during the Flood Event appear to have been prudent and appropriate in the context of the available knowledge available (sic) to those responsible for flood operations and the way events unfolded." But he complained he could not access key information.
Ms Bligh said last night she was happy for the commission to release her statement in full.

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Anna Bligh's full statement to The Courier-Mail

I dealt with this in my own statement to the Commission. I have provided the following information to the Commission.

I stated that while I was made aware of the continuing impacts of the changing weather forecast, my understanding and key area of inquiry was the impact of any downstream inundation. Any reference to strategies implemented during this time was provided through the technical situation reports which were distributed during this time to all the Local Government and State Government member agencies.

I recall that my then Director-General, Mr Ken Smith, advised me on the afternoon of Monday, 10 January 2011, that there was the likelihood of potential severe flooding in Ipswich and Brisbane with inundation levels that could be at the 1974 level of flooding. As a result of this briefing I conducted a media conference with the State Disaster Coordinator, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Ian Stewart, to make this advice public.

Further, I can recall, that after the briefings at the SDMG meeting held on the morning of Tuesday, 11 January 2011, where the scale of the planned Wivenhoe Dam releases and their downstream impact was outlined in detail, I formed the view that further advice should be sought, by way of a second opinion, on whether or not the proposed releases were appropriate. I instructed my Director-General to engage an independent expert to provide a second opinion on the appropriateness of proposed releases.

I understand that this is when my Director-General implemented my requests through the Department of Environment and Resource Management to engage Mr Brian Cooper. Mr Cooper was asked to provide independent expert advice about the release strategy.

During the period of 7 January 2011 and 12 January 2011 there were a number of press conferences held and media releases distributed which describe my knowledge of events as they were unfolding.

I have also provided copies of all aforementioned reports, transcripts of press conferences and the report by Mr Cooper to the independent Commission. I understand the report by Mr Cooper has been attached to previous submissions and is on the Commission of Inquiry website.

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CHAIN OF EVENTS

January 11, 2011

7.17am

SEQ Water Grid Manager CEO Barry Dennien receives email from director of operations Dan Spiller warning Wivenhoe Dam lake level is at 73.51m and rising at 25mm an hour. Releases, which have been at 2750 cumecs since 7.30pm on Monday, January 10, may need to be increased “and this may result in river flows in the lower Brisbane River approaching or exceeding 5000 cumecs’’.

8.00am
State Disaster Management Group meeting starts at Kedron attended by Premier Anna Bligh and her then director-general Ken Smith.

8.04am
Bob Reilly, head of dam safety at DERM, sends an email to Debbie Best, acting head of DERM, warning that “I hope everyone appreciates we are now in a situation with respect to Wivenhoe where our options … are much more limited than they were before. The most immediate issue, he writes, “is not the safety of the dam itself, but ensuring water levels do not rise to 75.5m. At that level, ‘fuse plugs’ start to progressively fail, resulting in … uncontrolled release of floodwaters’’.

10.54am

Mr Dennien receives email from Peter Allen, dam safety director at DERM, listing four possible experts to report on the operation of Wivenhoe.

11.42am

Elaine Smouha, Water Grid Manager director of governance and regulatory compliance, emails Ken Smith telling him of plan to hire Brian Cooper.

1pm

Releases exceed 4000 cumecs for the first time, as inflow hits all-time peak of 11560 cumecs.

4.08pm

Ms Smouha emails Mr Cooper with draft consultancy agreement.

----------

January 12, 2011

9.12am

Mr Cooper emails initial report to Mr Dennien.

9.47am

Mr Dennien sends initial report to Water Minister Stephen Robertson.

3.31pm

Mr Cooper sends Ms Smouha his final report.

5.05pmIpswich flood peaks.

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January 13, 2011

2.54am

Brisbane flood peaks.

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January 14

5.25pm

Ms Smouha sends final report to Ken Smith.

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January 17

8.53pm

Ms Smouha emails Mr Dennien saying Ken Sedgwick, Assistant Under-Treasurer at Queensland Treasury, wants an update on the report.

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St George floods | Does it show Bligh's Government as all spin and no substance?

Facebook friends fight the flood around St George

• by: Andrew Fraser, St George
• From: The Australian
• February 07, 2012 12:00AM

Ella Worboys waits on a boat beside her grandmother's home, sealed in plastic, as floodwaters from the Balonne River rise around her. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen Source: The Australian

AS the floodwaters rose relentlessly around St George, Ella Worboys and her family agreed on this much: sandbags were not going to cut it this time.

The south Queensland cotton-growing centre was a ghost town last night after most of its 3000-odd residents heeded police orders to flee before a record-breaking flood hit. Hastily constructed levees were all that stood between the town and the Balonne River, which was surging towards its highest mark of more than 14m. Police reported that 54 homes had been inundated.

St George is the latest community in the firing line in southwest Queensland, with Mitchell and Roma to the north still cleaning up from floods that also stranded thousands in northern NSW. The drowning of an 18-month-old on a farm outside St George took the death toll to two, after mother of two Jane Sheahan was swept away in Roma on Friday.

This is the third flood to hit St George, 500km west of Brisbane, in as many years and the Worboys, whom The Australian visited last January, are old hands at dealing with them. Last time, they relied on sandbags to protect the home of family matriarch, Maureen, 80, who is riding out the emergency on the Gold Coast. Such is the size of the flood bearing down this time they realised nothing would stop her house going under, so they decided to try to "waterproof" it.

Ms Worboys, 22, whom The Australian featured on the front page during last year's floods, took to Facebook. Sixty volunteers turned out on the weekend to tape up windows, doors and every possible gap in the structure in the hope of keeping the inside dry.

It is a long shot, Ms Worboys admitted, but as the water rose above the floor level of the house yesterday, she said anything was worth a try. "It's kind of surreal the way it keeps happening," she said. "We had so many years of drought; now we've had three floods in three years. "But Facebook was great. We had a lot of people turn up to help, others came by with food and plates of sandwiches. It's not just the family - everyone pitched in. It's a new way of doing it, but we didn't have much choice."

As she was speaking, St George's favourite son, Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce, turned up in shorts, boots and gaiters to see how the family was getting on. "How's your hydrological work of expertise going?" Senator Joyce asked."We'll all know soon enough," replied Ella's father, Jim Worboys.

Queensland Police Commission Bob Atkinson said about 300 of the town's residents had defied orders to leave. While the police had the power to force them to comply, they would not be physically forced out of their homes. "That's not viable or practical," Mr Atkinson said.Police went door to door to plead with those remaining to join the evacuation while there was still time.

Lenore Banks caught one of the last planes out with five-month-old baby, Shelby, and children Lachlan, 13, and Max, 11. Her husband stayed behind. "I don't know what's going to happen to us or how long we're going to be away for," Ms Banks said. "Could be a couple of days, could be two weeks."

St George Mayor Donna Stewart said council crews worked through the night to build up the levees to withstand a flood of 14.7m. Originally, the Balonne was predicted to rise to 15m, 1.5m above its highest mark set in 2010, but there was relief last night as the Bureau of Meteorology scaled back its forecasts, with the river now expected to peak at 14m today. "We're confident the levees will hold," Ms Stewart said.

However, homes outside the barrier would still be inundated. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said 248 homes had flood damage in Mitchell and 386 were damaged in Roma. "This natural disaster is still unfolding," she said. "When we have tallied the extent of the damage caused by these floods, we will be in a better position to consider how the reconstruction will be dealt with."

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My Opinion

In politics criticism is easy to come by and sometimes constructed on spurious grounds but there are occasions where Government is justifably criticised. I believe the case of the floods inundating St George is a case in question.

On the ABC evening programme last night I was surprised to hear the Mayor of Balonne Shire Cr. Donna Stewart's lament that the Bligh State Government had failed to fund the Shire's levee bank proposal. As a result the Shire was again coordinating the temporary lifting of 4 km of levee bank because her Council could not get any funding from any authority.

I find this unbelievable considering that St George has been inundated 3 years running and as a result of the floods and the natural disasters of 2011 the Bligh Government had set up a Government body to oversee the rectification of the flooding and the removal of red tape.

Where is the much publicised Queensland Reconstruction Authority? Why hasn't it funded the lifting of the levee bank?  Why hasn't Anna Bligh intervened and directed the Authority to fund the construction of the levee bank?

The above questions gives reason to the community observing, that sadly the Bligh Government is more spin than substance.

Ross Parisi
07.02.2012

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Rudd's supporters never say die.

Independent MP Rob Oakeshott drawn into campaign by Kevin Rudd supporters

• by: Lanai Vasek and James Massola
• From: The Australian
• February 06, 2012 5:36PM  

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, flanked by media adviser Kate Sieper and chief of staff Philip Green, arrives late for a caucus meeting in Canberra. Picture: Ray Strange Source: The Australian

Key independent Rob Oakeshott says he's been approached by Kevin Rudd supporters about his attitude to a possible leadership challenge to Julia Gillard.

However he said he would be “thoroughly unimpressed” should a “self-obsessed” Labor seek to change leaders.

As Labor MPs ended their first regular caucus meeting of the year, Mr Oakeshott said he was happy to talk to any member of parliament who could “command a majority on the floor of the house” if there was any future leadership spill.

The MP for Lyne, who was key to Labor forming minority government following the 2010 election, said he had been sounded out by Kevin Rudd and/or his backers about a potential challenge. “Yeah, at different times,” Mr Oakeshott told Sky News, when asked if he had been approached by the Rudd camp.

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A Labor powerbroker has conceded ousting Kevin Rudd might have been a mistake, but warned that dumping Julia Gillard would be even worse.

Asked if Mr Rudd's supporters had canvassed whether he would support a Rudd government, Mr Oakeshott said: “Only in very general terms.” “And I've been very clear over the past 18 months that I would weigh up what is in front of me if it did happen and I would be thoroughly unimpressed if it did,” Mr Oakeshott said.

However the MP said the approaches had not been recent. Mr Oakeshott also said if the government was to change leaders “all bets are off”. “All I've said is I will talk to any member of parliament who can command a majority on the floor of the house if the Labor party, in my view, was so arrogant and so self-obsessed that they dropped the ball on the reality that 18 months ago one person was left to be chief and sole negotiator on behalf of the Labor party and negotiations were done with a range of crossbenchers, handshakes were done,” Mr Oakeshott said.

His comments follow those of fellow independent Tony Windsor, who said today he did not believe a leadership challenge was imminent and that speculation was being blown up by the media. Mr Windsor said the Labor Party was being drowned by leadership tensions but the party had a good story to tell. “If a few people in the Labor Party want to throw that away, for their own short-term political positions, well I think that would be a bit of a shame,” he said.

The continued speculation came as a Nielsen poll showed Labor's primary vote at its highest since March 2010, up 4 points to 33 per cent. Ms Gillard brushed off the poll and questions about her dealings with Mr Rudd and his potential leadership challenge, saying she dealt with him frequently in his capacity as Foreign Minister. “On everything else I'll leave you to your fevered speculation, which doesn't need any facts or any commentary from me for it to continue,” Ms Gillard said.

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Life In Australia: Cairns

For those of you who have nostalgic feelings about Cairns of yesteryear pour yourself a glass of wine and click on the following link and ponder.

LNP | No show derided by the public

LNP skips chance to have say at Cairns forum

Daniel Strudwick

Monday, February 6, 2012

© The Cairns Post

 
No-show: This group at yesterday’s forum to hear candidates' views show their disappointment at LNP candidate Gavin King's absence. Picture: TOM LEE

Campbell Newman's candidates in the Far North have been criticised for dodging a community public forum to grill state election hopefuls on issues affecting their electorates.

About 100 people attended the question and answer session at City Place yesterday, but only candidates from Labor and the minor parties returned organisers’ invitations.

Those who fronted the forum were given the first public opportunity of the election campaign to field questions from the community – with health, the environment, education and indigenous affairs most hotly debated.

The LNP’s Cairns candidate Gavin King bore most of the flak for his absence although Michael Trout and David Kempton also were absent. Mr King said he was busy door-knocking, running a street stall and spending time with his family yesterday.

Audience members shouted "Where’s Gavin", and unionists in the crowd had repurposed signs from a 2006 campaign by the Electrical Trades Union that criticised Warren Entsch for snubbing an invitation to debate IR reforms at the time.

Mr King also copped a dig from election rival Darren Hunt, who told the crowd: "The three of us who are from here are here to represent the people and the one person who’s not, well enough said."

The LNP’s northern campaign co-ordinator, Dennis Quick, said the party’s candidates weren’t made to attend and could respond to the invitation individually.

Voters in the audience expressed disappointment at the LNP’s absence, given it was a chance to hear about party policy ahead of the March 24 poll. "I don’t know much about the LNP’s policies, because I think we’ve heard far more from Labor and Katter’s party," said a swinging voter from the seat of Mulgrave. "I’d like to hear about how some important health promises are going to be delivered because I’m happy with the services we have but concerned about waiting times."

Other voters in attendance proved the potential impact of Katter’s Australian Party in marginal Far Northern seats, with one saying: "I wouldn’t mind giving my vote to a minor party and I wouldn’t mind being allowed to shoot flying foxes too."

Cairns City Forum organisers will hold two sessions in April for council and mayoral candidates ahead of the local government elections on April 28.

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Kevin Rudd may challenge Julia Gillard before Queensland state poll

Leadership change or not, Kevin will have to put up or shut up by June.

• by: Dennis Shanahan, Political editor
• From: The Australian
• February 03, 2012 12:00AM

A challenge from Kevin Rudd to Julia Gillard as prime minister is now possible within the next eight weeks as despair grows within government ranks.

As Labor MPs prepare to attend a prime ministerial "ideas session" at The Lodge in Canberra on Sunday night ahead of the resumption of parliament on Tuesday, there is a view there could be a challenge to the Prime Minister before the Queensland election on March 24.

Before last week's involvement of the Prime Minister's office in the Australia Day debacle near the Aboriginal tent embassy, there was an understanding among Labor MPs that the leadership would not come to a head until at least April or May. Labor MPs had said Mr Rudd's involvement in the election in his home state of Queensland meant there was an effective truce on the federal leadership to avoid causing problems for the state Labor campaign.

Now Labor MPs and supporters of the Foreign Minister are suggesting there could be a tilt at the leadership within the next five federal parliamentary sitting weeks, during the extended Queensland election campaign, which Labor Premier Anna Bligh is expected to lose.

While Ms Gillard's supporters reject the possibility of a leadership challenge and believe the latest change in deadline is a tactic to frighten the Prime Minister, some Labor MPs say it is possible."The odds are there won't be anything until after March 24 but it is still possible something could happen before then to cause a leadership spill," one Labor MP told The Australian yesterday. "There are three scenarios: there could be an overwhelming movement next week when we all get back to parliament; the Prime Minister could call for a ballot; or the mood of hysteria could build (to) where another mistake could spark a challenge."

Speculation about the leadership has gone into overdrive within the ALP since former party leader Simon Crean attacked Mr Rudd this week for not being a "team player" and being a "prima donna" who could not become prime minister again.

Mr Rudd refused to criticise Mr Crean for his comments but the public division has led Labor MPs to the view there will be a leadership contest and it will be between only Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard. The Rudd camp has now increased the pressure on the Prime Minister by suggesting the possible timetable for a challenge has come forward from March 24 to any time during the resumption of parliament.

Yesterday, Tony Abbott continued his campaign against the government over allegations of the misuse of a credit card by NSW central coast MP and former union official Craig Thomson, and accused Fair Work Australia of delaying investigating the allegations. The Opposition Leader said the Coalition would pursue the government next week in parliament over the allegations and investigations into Mr Thomson's behaviour.

Earlier, Liberal Party Deputy Leader Julie Bishop told a meeting of the opposition frontbench the government was a dysfunctional rabble. "I expect there will be a challenge to Julia Gillard's leadership in the next few weeks," she said, adding it would be before the Queensland election on March 24. "Senior ministers are publicly attacking each other and Kevin Rudd is more likely to attend one of our meetings than Julia Gillard's."

Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan continued to back his leader yesterday, citing her determination to help rebuild Queensland after last year's natural disasters as evidence of her "guts and determination". "She's got strong support because she's a really strong leader," Mr Swan, a Queenslander, said in Tully in the north of the state. "She's demonstrated that time and time again. We've got a terrific team and we all work well together."

Mr Swan insisted Mr Rudd was doing a good job. But Industry Minister Greg Combet expressed frustration over the instability. "I must say I lose patience with people who are talking to journalists and there's no name attached to it and you wonder who on earth it was," he told ABC radio. "We've got a huge job to do, and I focus on my job and I think all of my colleagues do their best to focus on theirs."

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Queensland Reconstruction Authority fails to speed up recovery

Mission Beach protesters vent anger at cyclone Yasi service

AAP

Thursday, February 2, 2012

© The Cairns Post

Cyclonic Yasi victims have staged an angry protest outside a commemorative service on the first anniversary of the devastating storm.


The group of Mission Beach residents said they were annoyed at  the lack of recovery in the town and confronted their federal  independent MP Bob Katter as he left the event at St Clare's  Catholic Church in Tully on Thursday morning.

Protest spokesman Boyd Scott, who runs a backpackers` hostel in  Mission Beach, said very little had been done to repair tourism  infrastructure.  "The one thing that could've been fixed straight after Cyclone  Yasi - tourism - hasn't been and it's just a no-brainer," Mr Scott  told AAP.  "Nothing at all has been done. Tourism infrastructure is just  not a priority." 

Mr Katter told the protesters he had a "Violent fight" with the  Cassowary Coast Regional Council to hurry up the spending of relief  funds.

The category five cyclone tore through the Cassowary Coast  region of north Queensland on February 3 last year, damaging  thousands of homes, businesses and farms.

Inside the multi-denominational service, Queensland Premier Anna  Bligh said the residents of the Cassowary Coast had been  inspirational in their recovery from the cyclone.  "We all know that the community of the Cassowary Coast and Point  Hinchinbrook were sorely tested last year," she said. "But when you were sorely tested, we know that you were not  found wanting. "We give thanks to all of those from this community and from all  around Queensland and Australia who reached out, who opened our  hearts and gave us a hand when we needed it."

The service was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Wayne  Swan and Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley.

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Elverina Johnson bids to be mayor of Yarrabah

Melanie Petrinec

Friday, February 3, 2012

© The Cairns Post

INDIGENOUS advocate Elverina Johnson hopes to become the first female mayor of Yarrabah on the back of policies she believes will ensure the town becomes a thriving economic hub.

Ms Johnson, a proud Kunganji woman, announced her candidacy for mayor of Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council this week and outlined an ambitious vision for her hometown’s future.

She told The Cairns Post she wanted Yarrabah, a self-governing community since 1987 and the largest of 16 Aboriginal councils in Queensland, to be viewed the same as any other small town across the state. "We should be functioning with the facilities that a small town has, and at the moment, we don’t have that," she said.

Ms Johnson, who in 2010 presented a paper to the United Nations on life in Aboriginal communities, believes the Alcohol Management Plan is failing and the town would benefit from a small tavern. "I think having a tavern would help people to engage better socially with each other," she said.  "Because at the moment, the Alcohol Management Plan is not helping the situation or the people, because it just creates more law enforcement and more people are getting caught drink-driving."

More facilities for young people in the town were a must, Ms Johnson said.  Ms Johnson is a community engagement officer. She believes she has the skills to take the community "to a completely different level".

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Work still outstanding 12 months after Yasi

Natalie Dixon

Thursday, February 2, 2012

© The Cairns Post

Today: Once cyclone ravaged, the streets of Cardwell have come a long way in 12 months, but there's still work to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=E5CmdY-Td0M

On February 3 last year, the biggest cyclone in memory smashed into the Far North Queensland coast. Residents lost their homes, farmers lost their crops and businesses lost their livelihoods. How is the impact zone faring one year on?

CYCLONE Yasi blew the winds of change harder and faster than ever when she crossed into the lives of Cassowary Coast residents a year ago.

Now, in the enduring aftermath of the monster storm, the physical scars of that February night are being mended with a slow but relentless grind.The road back to normality is still a dot on the horizon for those sticking around to see their region rebuilt, with layers of bureaucracy stifling reconstruction and some of the work still years away.

During the past year, $12 million of reconstruction work has been completed on council assets at the Cassowary Coast – a fraction of the $174 million it is expected to cost to fix all of the council’s damage. Only about half of the houses demolished after Yasi were rebuilt in time for Christmas, but most residents are now back in their homes or have a move-in date in sight. Thirty-six residents are still in emergency housing and many more are sleeping at friends’ and families’ homes.

A snapshot of the recovery process came yesterday when Cassowary Coast Regional Council released its first anniversary report on the reconstruction effort. It highlighted the "mountain of work" already done and the tough slog that still lies ahead.

The council has amassed more than 850 submissions seeking National Disaster Recovery and Relief Arrangement money, grouped into 55 packages at different stages in the bureaucratic chain. Only one of the packages has been approved for the state and federal cash. The rest are still being compiled by the council, assessed by engineers, costed, audited or waiting for government approval.

The council has requested a one-year extension on the NDRRA cut-off so it can have until July 2014 to finish rebuilding the community. Mayor Bill Shannon insists the process cannot be rushed, but the challenge lies in convincing residents that patience is required. "I need to make the point that when you’re dealing with public money, you have to be very careful," Cr Shannon said. He said the last of the submissions in the council’s hands are likely to be finalised by the end of the month, and money should be granted more rapidly as the State and Federal governments ramp up their responses.

Meanwhile, the door closed yesterday on the Queensland Reconstruction Authority’s Far Northern frontline operations in Innisfail, with boss Mike Keating declaring his branch’s recovery task done.  Sup Keating said within the next 12 to 18 months people would see work on the Cardwell foreshore, Clump Point and Dunk Island jetties started.

- Additional reporting Daniel Strudwick

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Cyclone Yasi | despite the QLD Reconstruction Authority the devestation still lingers

Recovery still a long way to go after Yasi

Thursday, February 2, 2012

© The Cairns Post

A tough year: The Nucifora family, Ariana, Mark and Elise will mark the first anniversary of cyclone Yasi today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cspBAG5p1Bw

MARK and Elise Nucifora lost their home and banana farm in cyclone Yasi, just days after discovering they were expecting their first child.

The monster storm flattened their crops and their home had to be demolished after a shed was blown into it. A year later and they are still renting, with designs for their new house yet to go before the council. But they are not alone.

Only about half of the houses demolished when Yasi crossed the coast in February 2011 were rebuilt in time for Christmas, but most residents are now back in their homes or have a move-in date in sight.

During the past year, $12 million of reconstruction work has been completed on Cassowary Coast Regional Council’s assets, only a fraction of the expected $174 million bill to fix the damage.

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Rudd to challenge Gillard after Qld election but will Windsor allow it?

Simon Crean sandbags Julia Gillard as leadership tensions rise

• by: Dennis Shanahan and Matthew Franklin
• From: The Australian
• February 01, 2012 12:00AM

Labor's leadership tensions are boiling over into public disputes as more Gillard government MPs are accepting there will be a leadership move against Julia Gillard this year.

Senior ministers moved yesterday to defend the Prime Minister, who remains besieged by poor polls and questions about the administration of her office after the Australia Day riot, and Labor MPs continued to promote the idea of a Kevin Rudd challenge some time after the Queensland election on March 24. A former Labor leader and one of Ms Gillard's staunchest supporters, Simon Crean, fuelled the leadership fight after attacking the Foreign Minister, declaring he could not be prime minister again and was not "a team player".

Other ministers rushed to defend Ms Gillard and deny her leadership was in trouble as allegiances within the influential NSW Right shifted towards Mr Rudd. More Labor MPs are conceding that the latest political debacles for Ms Gillard have sealed her fate as Labor leader and a leadership bid was inevitable.

Tony Abbott continued to press for a "change of government" and demanded the Prime Minister give "the people" an election. Mr Crean began the public criticism of Mr Rudd and his supporters after the latest Newspoll, published exclusively in The Australian yesterday, showed Labor's primary vote flatlining on 30 per cent and Ms Gillard giving ground to the Opposition Leader as preferred prime minister.

Senior right-wing ministers Tony Burke and Bill Shorten also publicly denied any split among the Right over support for Ms Gillard. In one of three interviews on the polls and leadership, Mr Crean told Fairfax radio in Melbourne that Mr Rudd "can't be prime minister again" and that he wasn't a team player. "He's got to accept that," the Regional Development Minister said. "That's a question that should be put to him and I think every time it's been put to him he does accept it," Mr Crean said. "There is no capacity for challenge. There is no contender that has the numbers. And the sooner the party wakes up to that . . . the better off we will be."

Ms Gillard, still being queried about her staff's role in the ugly incident at The Lobby Restaurant in Canberra on Australia Day, refused to comment on the latest Newspoll, leadership speculation or reports of a rift in the NSW Right over support for Mr Rudd. Environment Minister Mr Burke, a leading NSW right-winger, said there had not been "a shift" in the NSW Right and "there will not be a change", but he declined to say that Ms Gillard had the NSW right wing's unanimous support.

Industrial Relations Minister Mr Shorten, a key player in the Victorian Right, pledged strong support for Ms Gillard and denied the Right faction was split."Polls go up and polls go down," Mr Shorten said."Everyone knows that I'm a very strong supporter of our Prime Minister. I think she's a very strong leader and in tough times you need strong leaders. I support Julia Gillard."
Mr Shorten would not comment on Mr Crean's remarks about Mr Rudd.

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