Showing posts sorted by date for query "des euan". Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query "des euan". Sort by relevance Show all posts

Tuesday 8 May 2018

Gladstone Qld inherits serial fantacist


Still trying to sell 'the dream", former truck driver Des Euan has moved on from Port Of Yamba NSW to Gladstone in Queensland....

The Observer, 16 March 2018:

North Coast Voices readers may recall that he was touting both the Yamba 'mega port' and the Gladstone mega logistics hub to the Dept. of Infrastructure and Development in August last year.

Following in his previous footsteps Euan has created a shell company, set up a website and is apparently well into his patter.

Both Resources and Northern Australia Minister and Liberal Senator for Queensland Matt Canavan and local state Labor MP for Gladstone Glen Butcher reportedly support Euan's scheme.

Perhaps the people Gladstone should ponder on the reasons why that ancient Roman maxim caveat emptor has lasted down the ages.

* Hat tip to Clarrie Rivers for supplying link the newspaper article.

Wednesday 25 May 2016

Queensland infrastructure fantasist to hold "summit" on turning the Clarence River estuary into a coal & bauxite loading port


On 2 June 2016 Desmond John Thomas Euen will be holding a “summit” at the Returned Servicemen's Memorial Club in Casino NSW.

This A “Key” Nation Building Infrastructure Plan Summit holds the promise of containing more spin than the federal election campaign.

Readers may recall Mr. Euen (seen left) as that almost compulsive creator of shelf companies - Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd (created 31.08.12), Y.P.R (AUST) Pty Ltd (created 13.03.14), A.I.D (HK) LTD (possibly created in 2015), and N.S.W. Export Logistics Pty Ltd (created 17.03.16) – and the man who wants to turn NSW Far North Coast fishing port and popular holiday destination, Yamba, into a coal port.

Euen appears to have sent out many invitations to attend and has listed the following invitees on various websites:


Local Yagel & Bundjalung Land Council Representatives
Supply Nation (Indigenous Business Development)
Mr Lester Rogers (General Manager of Moree Shire Plains Council)
Tamworth Mayor Mr Col Murray
Mayor Richie Williamson (Clarence Valley Council)
Regional Development Australia RDANI
Regional Development Australia (Mid North Coast NSW)
Liverpool Council South Western Sydney
Australian Rail Association
Australian Industry Group
Riverina Inland Rail Alliance Group.

He has also listed a changing kaleidoscope of presenters/keynote speakers.

Starting with:



Which changed to this:



Des Euen’s grand plans get little media coverage in the Northern Rivers and what it does must give this Queensland fantasist little comfort.

This is an example of the Clarence Valley’s enthusiasm for a coal loading facility in the Clarence River estuary, published on the front page of The Daily Examiner on 27 May 2014:


The idea of establishing the Port of Yamba as the centre of a massive transport hub on the northern NSW coast has surfaced again.
The proposal, labelled the YPR Project, is the brainchild of Desmond John Thomas Euen, the managing director of the $1, one share company Australian Infrastructure Developments.
It aims to create a transport network linking the coalfields in the north-west of the state to an international port in Yamba, all funded by private equity.
The YPR website claims it will be ready to make a big announcement next month.
"YPR (AUST) Pty Ltd is currently in dialog with the relevant departments of both the NSW and Federal Government."
"THE company expects to be in position to submit development plans and financial endorsements by June 2014," it read.
The news has sparked alarm in the conservation movement, with Lock the Gate activists promising to fight any attempts to set up infrastructure for a massive port in the Clarence River estuary.
But an expert in the field believes the "common sense test" rules it out.
Harwood Marine managing director Ross Roberts said he had been following Mr Euen's plans but had spotted some major flaws.
"Anyone can come up with big ideas and put them forward," he said. "But when they do, they have to pass the common sense test.
"The first thing you ask is: who is going to pay for it and then why would you want to do it?"
Mr Roberts said the current economy was contracting, so finding people willing to stump up the amount of money required would be hard.
"The other question is why?" he said. "In 1990 there were 22 ships operating out of the port, now there are none. That has to tell you something."
Mr Roberts, who does marine industry business around the world, said the Clarence estuary contained 100 islands and nowhere on the planet had he seen an attempt to create a huge port in such an area.
"Dealing with floods would be the first worry," he said. "Do they build up all the islands by a metre? Then where does that water go in flood?"
Mr Euen claims to be in talks with Federal and NSW government departments, but these claims seem exaggerated.
Last year Mr Euen met with a senior policy adviser from the office of Duncan Gay, the NSW Minister for Roads and Ports.
The minister's office said a senior staff member met with Mr Euen, who signalled an intention to submit a proposal, but did not receive the ministry's in-principal support.
The Daily Examiner contacted Mr Euen, who said he would be happy to outline the plans at "a mutually convenient time".

A sample of unfavourable comments left under the online article:

Fedup - Junction Hill

NO,NO,NO. In my opinion if this was to go ahead Yamba would be ruined. Maybe Mr Euen should look at why vessels have left the port. It would not have anything to do with siltation would it? Just take a look at what has happened in QLD with their coal loader and the subsequent pollution of the Great Barrier Reef. Who has the money to build this or is he in discussions with the Chinese who are after the CSG and anything else they can get their hands on.

yambaman - Yamba 

Hmm, fantasy indeed, the day this is approved is the day I blow up Oyster Channel bridge!

BigUglyWaz - Waterview Heights

Does anyone really think this is something more than a dream?

Have a look at the YPR website, google a few things and tell me you can see any of this happening, forget the cost involved, and the environmental destruction.

Port of Yamba Depths. "Shipping channel depths are maintained at 4.0 metres"

"..... the deepening of the Suez Canal from 18 m (60ft) to 20 m (66ft) in 2009 permits most capesize vessels to pass through it."

Capesize bulk carriers. "Due to their large dimensions and deep draughts, capesize ships are suitable to serve only large ports with deep water terminals in the world. As a result, they can serve a comparatively small number of ports in the world."

Probably going to need a little dredging to get those to carriers into the Clarence.

Maybe Clive can get onto this, something to spend his billions on after he finishes the Titanic II?

EmmaB – Yamba

Has anyone looked closer at this crazy plan? It can be found at http://www.ypraust.com.au/project-1-p....

Mr. Euen is expecting that ships of Post-Panamax and Capesize will come into his proposed port.

Post-Panamax ships are larger than 294,13 m (965 ft) long, 32,31 m (106 ft) wide and have draughts in excess of 12,04 m (39.5 ft).

Capesize ships are very large and ultra large cargo vessels with a capacity over 150,000 DWT. They are categorised under VLCC,ULCC, VLOC and ULOC and can be as large as 400,000 DWT or even more. They serve regions with largest deepwater terminals in the world and are primarily used for transporting coal and iron ore. Because of their giant size, they are suitable to serve only a small number of ports with deepwater terminals.

See: http://maritime-connector.com/wiki/sh...


grippy - Yamba

Just remembered you have the sacred Aboriginal reef at Yambas mouth.
Who will blow that up?

JohnHancocks – Maclean

I won't be parting with any of my savings for such a scheme - nor would I advise anyone else to contribute a cent toward anything connected to it.

Not that Mr. Euen doesn’t have a gift for convincing the gullible, as this excerpt from a Queensland Bauxite Limited 4 March 2016 announcement demonstrates:


[http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20160304/pdf/435lqnp45v0yyd.pdf]

I wonder if Queensland Bauxite can hear the laughter coming from south of the QLD-NSW border?

For readers who have never sighted Des Euan's unrealistic and ever expanding grand plan for Goodwood, Chatsworth and Palmers islands, as well as for lands on the Iluka side of the Clarence River estuary and the Mororo district, here it is all neatly laid out:

http://www.aid-australia.com.au/project-1/


UPDATE

Facebook Clarence Forum:

John Hagger 

I am told that the plan includes:

The removal of the existing breakwater to open up the river and

Incorporating Chatsworth, Harwood and Gilbert Islands into the Port complex
The apparent goal is to become the biggest Port in Australia.

The claims include:
25% Australian Infrastructure Development shareholding by 1st Nations groups.
Current guarantee of 51.2 Billion Dollars funding.
The support of Clarence Valley Council and other Councils.
That Clarence Valley Council was represented at a recent joint Council meeting in Namoi and voted in favour of the proposal.
Three (3) letters of support from Mayor Richard on CVC letterhead.

Des Euen has promised to send copies of the above claims.
He has also promised that the Port would not be used for Coal or Gas.

To date none of the promised papers have arrived.


Letter from Clarence Valley Council Mayor Richie Williamson to John Hagger posted on Clarence Forum 24 May 2016:

“Dear Mr. Hagger,

Thank you for your email regarding the Australian Infrastructure Development (AID) letter of support and whether it was signed by me.


It seems the letter (which was signed by me in 2011) is being used to grossly misrepresent the truth as the letter is about a different proposal all together. I also draw your attention to the top of the letter, dated 11/2/2011, which thanks Mr Euen for presenting his proposal, which was “The Trans Seaport Eastern Integrated Land Proposal” my recall was that this proposal was about transporting containers via the road network to and from the Port of Yamba from Port Kembla and Brisbane, hence the reference to the Pacific Highway upgrade and other road transport businesses that council had worked with in the past. The letter does not support this proposal, but the larger “transport hub” idea that I know you have also supported in the past.

The letter is in no way supporting the current AID proposal around rail from inland NSW to the Port of Yamba. Any claim by AID of my support is strongly rejected by me; in fact, I have been completely opposed to the rail proposal from the first time I heard of it.

Please see the links below as an example;



I stress Council has given no written letter of support to the present AID proposal and would be, in my view, highly unlikely to provide such a letter.

I also note the claim that; “I and/or a council officer attended a meeting recently in the Namoi district regarding the current AID proposal” is completely untrue and false.

I hope this clarifies this matter.

Richie"


The original list of invitees to the Euen “summit” posted at Linked in, courtesy of Google Cache on 11 May 2016:

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce MP
The Hon Darren Chester MP the Federal Minister for Transport and Regional Development
Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten MP
The Hon Anthony Albanese MP Shadow Minister for Transport and Infrastructure
 [ this would be an opportune time for both parties to show bipartisan support for private enterprise funded regional and nation building infrastructure development]
Premier of NSW The Hon Mike Baird MP and/or NSW Deputy Premier
NSW Minister for Regional Development and Infrastructure Andrew Constance MP
NSW Trade and Investment
Transport for NSW
INNSW
IA (Infrastructure Australia)
ACTU President Ged Kearney
National Farmers Federation
NSW Farmers Association
Qld Farmers Association
Victorian Farmers Association
Riverina Inland Rail Alliance Group
Namoi Cotton Farmers and other Regional Industry peak bodies as they come to hand.

Monday 25 January 2016

Port of Yamba Expansion Deconstructed*: Des Euen is running out of timetable very fast


This was Clarence Valley Mayor Richie Williamson in February 2011, on his own initiative, endorsing the heavy industrialisation of the Port of Yamba:
Click on image to enlarge

This was the Mayor in March a year later when approached by a journalist from The Daily Examiner:

Clarence Valley Mayor Richie Williamson was succinct in his opposition to the proposal.
"In the words of Darryl Kerrigan (in The Castle), 'tell 'em they're dreaming' - it's not going to happen," he said.
Referring to the plan and other dubious ideas of diverting the Clarence inland, Mr Williamson said: "They probably want to fill the carriages up with water and take them back."

By then Des Euen appears to have two deregistered shelf companies behind him and was on the way to creating a new one.

Come July 2013 and local sentiment had filtered down to Macquarie Street, with then state treasurer and now NSW Premier Mike Baird having this to say on the subject:

NSW Treasurer Mike Baird has denied speculation the Port of Yamba would be developed to load coal from mines in north-western NSW….
he project was not endorsed by the Northern Rivers branch of RDA, which said the project would be met with community opposition in the Clarence Valley.
Rumours have abounded since.
When the State Government leased ports in Newcastle and Port Kembla to the mining sector, many asked if Yamba was next.
Shenhua Watermark, a mining company owned by the Chinese government, was thought to be a potential buyer of the lease of Port Yamba.
The lease is controlled by the NSW Government corporation Sydney Ports.
But Shenhua confirmed it expects to be able to freight all of the coal from its Gunnedah mine out of Newcastle.
A Shenhua spokesman confirmed an environmental impact statement had sanctioned this action.
Mr Baird's office also denied any offer had been made.
A spokeswoman said the NSW Government's asset transaction program had been very clear; there were no plans to lease the Port of Yamba.
When asked if any approach had been made by the mining sector she gave the following response:
"The port is not for lease," the spokeswoman said.
"The Treasurer does not comment on private meetings, however, we are not aware of any approaches on this occasion."

By August 2013 Mayor Williamson had adjusted his position and was singing a slightly different tune according to The Daily Examiner:

"We would welcome responsible and sustainable development and jobs in the Clarence Valley," Cr Williamson said.
"And any proposal that reflects that should be given due consideration on its merit."

Also in 2013 Euen began to link to material on the Internet such as: http://www.slideshare.net/informaoz/michael-sutton-paper  - a document said to be a presentation at two-day Regional Ports Conference in 2013.

Mr. Euen added at least one other registered company to his personal stable of shelf corporations in 2014.

In May 2014 NSW Nationals MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis came out with a strongly worded statement for ABC News :

But Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis says the plans are a pie-in-the-sky idea.
He says a reef at the mouth of the Clarence River has indigenous significance, and the area is plagued by flooding.
Mr Gulaptis says nearby residential and agricultural areas could also be affected.
"There are significant constraints with Yamba," he said.
"Anybody who lives in the local area understands the dynamics of the river, they understand the problems that you need to overcome.
"And those problems, to be quite honest, are insurmountable.
"I don't think that we would tolerate that level of environmental destruction."
"Where he's proposing it is just out of the question to be quite honest."

In that same ABC news item, Mayor Williamson moves back in line with community sentiment:

The Clarence Valley Mayor Richie Williamson says while there is potential for growth at the port, something of the scale being proposed by Mr Euen is unlikely.
"I'm struggling to come to terms with the proposal... there's some issues that certainly need to be addressed," he said.
"Building a 650-kilometre train line for a start is something that I'm struggling to come to terms with, to even service this sort of facility.
Cr Williamson says Y-P-R Australia has had some early discussions with council regarding the development, but the information provided is limited and it is not a realistic plan.
"I don't really know the exact parcel of land that is subject to this development at this stage, let alone the impacts of flooding and river depths and the cane industry, the tourism industry, the fishing industry, the environment and our general way of life," he said.
"The details have been very very scant.. it seems to be a long way off, if ever... and I think there would be considerable opposition".

In 2014 Des Euen placed two more presentations online  and, in June made a presentation to Moree Plains Council on Yamba Port & Rail 2023, followed up by contact with an Inverell councillor who spruiked for him at a September council meeting.

Somewhere along the line Euan launched another two documents into cyberspace:


The public service began weighing in by 20 October 2014 when Nationals Senator John Williams questioned Infrastructure Australia and the Australian Rail Track Corporation at a Senate estimates hearing:


Click on images to enlarge


Alert readers will notice that the completion date for the industrialization of the Clarence River estuary is given as 2023 - less than seven years away as I write this post.

Even some supporters of the 'New England rail trail project' apparently have their doubts about Mr. Euan and his proposal:

“I’d contrast that with what we have seen, where we know that all around NSW and including in Northern Tablelands, there are groups that are putting proposals into the transport and planning office,” Mr Goldstein said. 
“Anyone who is proposing any kind of major infrastructure project in NSW needs to sit down with minsters and with planning authorities. 
“They can’t expect to get anywhere without having those conversations.” 
He said there are still some considerable doubts over the project. 
“It’s a big if,” he said. “I think there are too many ifs to give a satisfactory answer.”

Come early 2015 and another slideshow blipped its way across Clarence Valley radar screens: 
http://www.slideshare.net/DesEuen1/the-new-transport-era-yamba-port-rail.

Sometime in 2015 there also seems to have been an unofficial name change to one of his little companies and yet another appeared allegedly created in Hong Kong.

At one unknown point in this timeline Des Euen has apparently acquired a professional lobbyist, Keith Blythe of Creative Customs Strategies.

Given the collective common sense of NSW North Coast National Party MPs is obviously not that high, it came as no surprise that Chris Gulaptis failed to rule out Euen’s grandiose plans when speaking to The Daily Examiner in June 2015:

A PROPOSAL to upgrade the Clarence Valley's link to the Northern Tablelands has been gaining traction in the corridors of Parliament House, Sydney, says the Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis.
Mr Gulaptis said he has been discussing a proposal to upgrade the Gwydir Highway between Grafton and Glen Innes with the Member for Northern Tablelands, Adam Marshall, with a view to forming transport hubs at either end.
"We're about to have an upgrade north-south link with the Pacific Highway, so having an east-west link to the Tablelands is the obvious next step," Mr Gulaptis said.
"When I began discussing it with the Member for Northern Tablelands, he thought it was a great idea."
The pair has presented their idea to State Minister for Roads Duncan Gay, who has encouraged them to work on it……
He said the east-west link would complete the requirements for a transport hub near Grafton, where road, rail and air links were all close by as well as suitable, available land.
He did not rule out including the Port of Yamba, but said there were still issues to consider there.

At the time it was rumoured that Gulaptis and Euan were in contact.

It is now only two years until 2018 and, Des Euan had told the world that he expected that part of his proposed bulk shipping terminal would be operational by then. 

I can find no evidence that: he has a commitment to his plan from either the federal or state governments; his company has purchased land on Goodwood Island; anyone entered into dredging or construction contracts relating to any port expansion; he has even begun organizing the many proposed development reports/assessments that would be required. 

In January 2016 Mr.Euan himself is somewhat uncharacteristically silent. Perhaps he has been too busy trying to breathe new life into his daydream by cut and pasting mythical new project start and completion dates into the pages of his power point slide collection.

* And yes, I am laughing at Mr. Euen's peculiar theory of port expansion lobbying

Friday 16 January 2015

The Port of Yamba infrastructure romancer soldiers on


If there is one thing that can be said about Queensland’s former truck driver and wannabee infrastructure entrepreneur, Des Euen (left), it is that he is persistent.

A dated suit, a striped tie, a fancy corporate title, a couple of $1-1 share companies with no visible cash or staff and an unworkable idea1 – then he’s off to turn the small Port of Yamba into an international coal port/container terminal & transport hub by 2023.

From first sod to finished port complex in just eight years from now - based on a unsolicited proposal which is yet to get through the Baird Government’s front door.

Mr. Euan has been touting his 'dream' for at least the last two to three years and, he turned up again last December on the website of IQPC’s Infrastructure Privatisation 2014 but it is unknown if he actually participated in the two-day event.

Mention of him popped up again this week when this short email landed in my Inbox:

Hello, I have upset Mr Euen also! He gets very upset when you send links to your blog page to councillors in the region. He has threatened me with legal action. Is he full of hot air and bluff? Keep up the good work.

Apparently the self-promoting Mr. Euen thinks that he should decide when he is mentioned on the Internet and the manner in which he is mentioned.

1. Brief Background:


Saturday 6 December 2014

Moggy Musings [Archived material from Boy the Wonder Cat]


A running joke musing: Not content with proposing a coal terminal in the Port of Yamba and later changing it to a transport hub which would ship agriculture, produce, forestry, petrochemical products, refined fuel, minerals and assorted machinery - now Desmond Euen is turning his eyes to Casino and Murwillumbah.
The Northern Rivers Guardians' Facebook page carries this notice of the Northern Rivers Railway Action Group Save our Tracks Forum; Yamba Port and Rail proposal’s managing director Des Euen will be one of the speakers at the Rail Meeting at Lismore Workers Club on Saturday the 22nd of November in relation to his intention to reopen the Casino to Murwillumbah rail service. The meeting goes from 2pm to 5pm. Hope to see some of you there.
There appears to be no end to Des Euan's self-promotion drive.

A matter of journalistic spine musing: My faithful slave has been quietly giggling ever since she found out the excuse APN's The Daily Examiner was giving for not picking up the phone and asking Clarence Valley Council about its taping of conversations occurring in council chambers - apparently it just didn't have the manpower available at the moment.
Her giggles turned to a hoot of laughter on Wednesday 17 November 2014 when the much smaller free community newspaper the Clarence Valley Review, with fewer journalists and a smaller budget, managed to publish a Page 3 article on the subject, Little brother is listening.

A when a half-truth is a pork pie musing: An 18 November 2014 Clarence Valley Council mayoral minute states: There is a shift in NSW towards allowing elected mayors to serve in office for periods of longer that one year, as is the current practice. The NSW Government Fit for the Future report states that “We will introduce longer terms for Mayors and clearer roles for council leaders. These changes will help to bring more stability and accountability to councils”.
What the minute didn’t state was that this only applied to a mayoral election by councillors according to the Baird Government.
Something that will occur at mayoral elections in the Clarence Valley which will be held every two years after 10 September 2016 if Mayor Richie Williamson fails in his bid to establish popular mayoral elections and a mandatory 4-year mayoral term in the Clarence Valley.
Hopefully, councillors will insist that this fact is included in the For and Against cases the council is obliged to advertise before the 21 February 2015 referendum, in which valley voters will be asked if they want to have a mayor elected by popular vote, with ratepayers funding that second type of election as well as the election of nine councillors.
In 2012 Coffs Harbour City councillor and mayoral elections totalled a combined $289,290 cost against that council's bottom line according to the NSW Office of Local Government.

A council by-election musing: There is one rumour doing the rounds that retired Grafton District Services Club manager and friend of Clarence Valley Council Mayor Richie Williamson Arthur Lysaght is considering standing at the 2015 Clarence Valley local government by-election and another that disgraced former NSW Nats MP for Clarence Steve Cansdell is thinking of standing as well.

A shirt-fronted Tony Abbott musing:
Best of all was reading the 35 page G20 Climate Finance Study Group –Report to the Finance Ministers – 2014 aka The Green Fund document – a fund Mista Rabbott has been resisting at various international forums since he first came to office. No doubt about it, he was right royally shirt-fronted by the world’s most powerful between 15-17 November 2014.

A microchipping musing: Clarence Valley Council is holding a reduced-rate microchipping day for cats and dogs at Grafton Animal Pound on Saturday 15 November 2014 from 11am to 2 pm. No appointment necessary. Cost $27 with payment by EFTPOS or cheque only. Remember to bring your cat in a carry cage or your dog on a lead. The pound is located at 16 Induna Street, South Grafton. Phone contact is 6642 5689 (direct) or via council's switchboard 6643 0200.
Council is trying to organise a second reduced rate microchipping day sometime next year specifically for public and social housing tenants. If you love your moggy or doggy please get it a microchip so that it has a chance of coming home if it accidentally becomes separated from its human family.

A local government election musing: Clarence Valley Council is understood to be holding a by-election in February 2015 to fill the vacancy caused by the tragic death of Cr. Jeremy Challacombe.

An itchy feet musing: Which North Coast local government general manager has never stayed more than four years in any job since about 1992? Eight jobs in 22 years. Wow! He’s got almost 20 years to retirement and at this rate should be able to cram in at least 7 more councils before collecting his superannuation.

A Love, Tony musing: These letters to aged pensioners that Prime Minister Abbott churns out appear to be making a bit of a stir - in November 2014 Centrelink's call centre automated response lists "Prime Minister's Letter" as one of the options. Tony Dum-Dum sent out individually addressed letters in which he informed pensioners that their pensions will not be reduced. Obviously lotsa members of the grey brigade don't believe him if Centrelink has to channel calls in this way. On a feline scale of trust Mr. Wabbott scores NIL.

A sad musing at 11.21am 28 October 2014: A local Clarence Valley couple died in a car crash in Tyson St at around 2.30pm on Monday, 27 October 2014. The husband is believed to be a Clarence Valley shire councillor.

A who dunnit musing: If Clarence Valley Council's general manager answered all the numerous questions he took on notice from Cr. Baker on 14.10.14 he was careful not to say during the subsequent monthly meeting and, Cr. Baker is apparently being equally silent. Some local wags have been jokingly taking bets as to whether the general manager was asked who was really behind the two complaints which triggered the unsuccessful Code of Conduct proceedings against Cr. Toms.

A rod for their own backs musing: Clarence Valley Council is about to place its 2014 Draft Keeping Of Animals Policy (bees, birds, livestock, poultry, dogs, cats, ferrets etc) on public exhibition. While few would dispute council’s right to make policy on this issue; the fact that people living on land zoned residential will have to seek permission and meet certain building/enclosure standards if they wish to keep three or more dogs or cats will pose a problem, if council does not clearly define the seeking permission process in its policy, how/by whom this will be managed and, how frivolous/malicious complaints will be dealt with. Laughingly, it seems to believe that the only risk it takes is if residents ordered to get rid of their pet moggies ‘n’ doggies challenge the order in court. What they are actually setting up is a classic scenario for a rapid escalation in neighbourhood disputes - for this policy as written has the potential to be used as a tool for spiteful payback.

A what about me musing: More than a little worried about when I'll get my Sunday dinner - my two-legs just realised that there are only nine weeks left until Christmas and she has retired whimpering to the bedroom. What's the problem? Santa pays for everything doesn't he?

An into the light musing: A very cool kitten just told me I had named the wrong redevelopment - so I've adjusted accordingly.
The projected project costs at concept stage for works/operations/maintenance depot and office rationalisation have been one of those closely guarded secrets beloved of Clarence Valley Council’s general manager. At a Corporate, Governance & Works Committee Meeting on 14 October 2014 a motion by Cr. Toms (Seconded by Cr. Simmons) to publish these costs was unanimously agreed to and a little light has entered in time for community discussion of this issue. *Cheshire cat smile on the dial*

Boy

Saturday 4 October 2014

Desmond John Thomas Euen wants a sea port - Part Two


In the words of Darryl Kerrigan (in The Castle), 'tell 'em they're dreaming' - it's not going to happen
[Clarence Valley Mayor Richie Williamson, 5 March 2012]

plans are a pie-in-the-sky idea
[NSW Nationals MP Clarence Chris Gulaptis, 27 May 2014]

Sixty-four year-old Queenslander Des Euen’s current goal in life is to turn the small working port at Yamba, on which local fishing and tourism industries also heavily rely, into a generic freight hub at the end of a phantom west-east rail line and, in the process destroy a significant Yaegl cultural and spiritual site, Dirrangun reef.

He has created a website Y.P.R. Australia and registered a second company in March this year Y.P.R. (AUST) PTY LTD.

Like his first company, this second incorporated entity has Mr. Euan as sole director and secretary. All its shares are owned by him through his first $1-1 share company AUSTRALIAN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENTS PTY LTD.

When talking up his plans Mr. Euen apparently alternates between generic freight hub and port to ship bulk petrochemicals/mineral ores, depending on his audience.

He appears to be more phantasist than self-educated businessman and, like all good teasers he always promises to reveal more later.

However, the holes in his grand plan have now drawn the mainstream media’s attention.

This was The Armidale Express on 1 October 2014:

The company YPR, owned by managing director Des Euen, wants council endorsements of the project from Armidale, Glen Innes, Inverell, Uralla and Guyra. 
But after an investigation The Armidale Express has revealed several organisations YPR has listed on its website as endorsing the project have not given approval. 
One such organisation is engineering consultants Aurecon. YPR’s website names managing director Andrew Keith as giving his support. 
But when The Express contacted Mr Keith, who is actually leader of mine services, he said while he spoke with Mr Euen neither he nor Aurecon had given anything resembling an endorsement. 
Another apparent endorser is David Liddiard, a prominent indigenous businessman who is a well-known advocate for indigenous issues. But again Mr Liddiard said he had talked with Mr Euen but hadn’t endorsed the project.
Mr Liddiard was very concerned when he discovered there were fears the project could damage a culturally significant reef at the mouth of the Clarence River. 
“If it’s going to interfere with indigenous sacred sites then I’m pretty against that,” he said. 
Clarence Valley Council, which includes Yamba, told The Express YPR’s website used to feature a logo which implied it supported the project. 
A spokesman from that Council said Mr Euen had not provided them with enough information to make an endorsement. 
That logo has since been taken down. Another apparent endorsment is from Moree Plains Shire Council. 
But while that council supported the project through committee resolution, but its executive projects officer John Carleton said this was different from an endorsement.

Rather surprisingly Mr. Euen appears somewhat camera shy, so this is the only image of him I have been able to find to date:


Perhaps Des Euen would like to explain how he expects a flood-prone Clarence River estuary port limited by a channel depth of 4.0m to the Goodwood Island common user berth, with a typical high tide maximum draft of only 5.0m (and a river mouth bar on which commercial shipping in the past was sometimes stuck until the next high tide) - will be able to accommodate his aspirations.