The message is being sent that the Clarence Valley does not want the Clarence River estuary industrialised and says "No" to a mega port

Letter by local resident and reply by Member of Parliament.

From: Judith Melville [redacted]
Sent: Wednesday, 17 August 2016 12:53 AM
To: ElectorateOffice Clarence
Subject: Unsolicited Proposal by Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd or Y.P.R. Australia Pty Ltd or Y.P.R Hong Kong or Deakin Capital Pty Ltd for privatization & development of Port of Yamba, NSW

CHRIS GULAPTIS

Member for Clarence

Parliamentary Secretary for the NSW North Coast

NSW Parliament House

Macquarie Street

Sydney NSW 2000

clarence@parliament.nsw.gov.au

16 August 2016

Dear Mr. Gulaptis,

Re: Future Strategic Planning & the Unsolicited Proposal by Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd or Y.P.R. Australia Pty Ltd or Y.P.R Hong Kong or Deakin Capital Pty Ltd for privatization & development of Port of Yamba, NSW

The NSW Government-owned Port of Yamba currently comprises “Goodwood Island wharf, a large shed that can accommodate vessels up to 120 metres in length, a small tug wharf and pontoon” which operate on a 24 hour basis [Port Authority of New South Wales Annual Report 2014/15].

The NSW Government has stated in its policy document titled “NSW Freight And Ports Strategy” (2013) that; “Future strategic planning by Sydney Ports will include the regional ports of Eden and Yamba”.

I ask you as the Member for Clarence and Parliamentary Secretary for the NSW North Coast to enquire on my behalf of both the Premier and Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight as to:

a) when this future strategic planning in relation to the Port of Yama is likely to be undertaken; and

b) whether the planning is likely to proceed as far as an intention for extension and technological upgrade of port infrastructure.

I further ask that you make known to Premier Baird and Minister Gay the fact that a number of residents and ratepayers in the Clarence Valley and, particularly those living on the banks of the Clarence River estuary, have publicly expressed concern about the NSW Government’s intentions towards the port [See No Yamba Mega Port at https://www.facebook.com/noyambamegaport/].

Many like myself are opposed to any strategic plan which involves the industrialisation of the Clarence estuary.

Especially if government leaves the door open to privatisation of the port or development along the lines set out in Australian Infrastructure Developments’ expanded proposal for a 36 sq. km infrastructure build covering an est. 27.2 per cent of the entire estuary area in additional to the approx. 20 km channel dredge to a depth of 18 metres [A.I.D. Australia Pty Ltd, Project 1 Port of Yamba at http://www.slideshare.net/DesEuen1/part-2-of-3-v1, September 2015].

Both houses of parliament will be sitting from 23 to 25 August and again from 13 to 15 and 21 to 22 September, which will hopefully allow you ample opportunity to approach the Premier and Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight.

In anticipation and appreciation of your assistance with this matter.

Yours sincerely,

JUDITH M. MELVILLE

[address redacted]

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: ElectorateOffice Clarence [redacted]
Sent: Wednesday, 17 August 2016 1:50 PM
To: 'Judith Melville'
Subject: RE: Unsolicited Proposal by Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd or Y.P.R. Australia Pty Ltd or Y.P.R Hong Kong or Deakin Capital Pty Ltd for privatization & development of Port of Yamba, NSW

Good afternoon Judith, and thanks for your e-mail about future strategic planning for the Port of Yamba.

I’m happy to raise your questions in this regard with both the Premier and Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, along with your opposition, and that of many others in the Clarence Valley, to a proposal by Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd for a ‘mega port’.

For your interest, I have publicly stated that I believe this project is ‘pie in the sky’ and certainly doesn’t tick any of the social or environmental boxes.

I will contact you again when I hear back from the Premier and Minister.

Regards – Chris

                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Letter by Greens candidate in the Clarence Valley local government election and reply from office of the NSW Premier.

To: premier@nsw.gov.au

Subject: Yamba Mega Port

Submitted on Tuesday, August 16, 2016 17:24

Submitted by anonymous user: [14.203.252.72]

Submitted values are:

Title: Dr

First Name: Greg

Last Name: Clancy

Organisation: Ecologist

Phone: [redacted]

Email: [redacted]

Street address: [redacted]

Suburb: Coutts Crossing

State: New South Wales

Postcode: 2460

Subject: Yamba Mega Port

Type of enquiry: Message

Message:

The company AID Australia proposes to build a mega port at Yamba, North Coast New South Wales. If this proposal was to be given approval it would have major impacts on the environment, economy and social aspects of the area. Any economic advantage of the port would be outweighed by the losses in the fishing and tourist industries. The estuary provides habitat for over 20 species of migratory shorebird that breed in the northern hemisphere. Australia is party to three international agreements to protect these species, a number of which are now listed as threatened. There are also locally nesting shorebirds that are listed as critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable breeding in the estuary. More details of the proposal and the potential impact can be found on the attached leaflet. This is concerning a large number of Clarence valley residents and visitors to the area who have agreed to fight the proposal tooth and nail. I ask that your government refuse this proposal if, and when, it is formally submitted and ask to be kept abreast of any developments with respect to the proponents submitting an application for development. Yours Faithfully Dr Greg Clancy

I would like a response: Yes, I would like a response

I would like to receive regular updates from the NSW Government: No

End of message

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reference: CMU16-19224

18 August 2016

Dr Greg Clancy

[redacted]

Dear Dr Clancy

On behalf of the Premier I would like to acknowledge receipt of your correspondence regarding the proposed Yamba Mega Port.

The Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight has portfolio responsibility for this issue and I have forwarded a copy of your correspondence for the Minister’s information and consideration.

If you have any further enquiries about this matter please contact the Hon Duncan Gay MLC directly on (02) 8574 5500.

Thank you for taking the time to write to the Premier.

Yours sincerely

M. Monahan

Director, Briefings and Correspondence Unit

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Memo to potential investors in the Yamba Mega Port scheme

No Yamba Mega Port map

Dear Potential Investors,

You may have seen promotional material created by Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd or Y.P.R. Australia Pty Ltd for the unsolicited proposal often called the Port Yamba Development (Eastgate) or the Yamba Port Rail Project.

The material probably looks rather intriguing to many of you.

However, there are some matters that this promotional material either does not address or merely skates over.

Today is Wednesday, 10 August 2016.

This is the Port of Yamba Development project timeline still up on Australian Infrastructure Developments’ official company website:

Even if one allowed for the possibility that the NSW Baird Government is politically suicidal enough to give consent for a mega port in the Clarence River estuary and that the first terminals would not be operational until 31 December 2018, that only leaves Des Euen, Thomas Chiu and Lee Purves a mere 873 days to push this project to Stage 1 bulk terminals completion.

Before any part of the extensive port expansion scheme can be progressed there is the sensitive matter of Dirrangun reef, the breakwater walls and possibly the internal training walls, to be addressed. 

Once the potential impact of the removal or significant alteration of breakwater walls sinks in with the communities of Iluka and Yamba I suspect that the friction between community and Yamba Port Rail proponents will increase dramatically.

If any activity required to open up the river entrance for those mega ships looks like placing Dirrangun at risk I’m sure that the Yaegl people, who have now spent twenty years fighting to legally protect their river and dream time reef, will not be happy with the port expansion proceeding and they will have a right to be concerned. A right that is now legally recognized as existing since before written history began in Australia.

As neither Des, Thomas or Lee has held a public information night for Lower Clarence communities to date, that particular failure is going to place a drag on the company’s project timetable from the start.

The hypothetical clock is now ticking.

The dredging of an est. 20km of navigation channel inside the river, at the very least is going to require:

*negotiations with NSW government departments/agencies;

* a least two advertised tender invitations if investors are not planning to just throw their money away;

*sediment sampling at the proposed dredging site and particle size distribution and acid sulphate soils testing to assess sediment properties over the full depth to be dredged;

*assessment of potential impacts on threatened species including wading birds along the est 20 km length of the dredging site;

*assessment of potential noise impacts including what day or night hours of dredging/placement are acceptable; 

* the creation of a dredge spoil management plan;and

*consultation with Birrigan Gargle Local Aboriginal Land Council, Yaegl Traditional Owners Corporation as native title trustees, the general public, local residents and commercial operators, commercial and recreational fishermen, waterway users and environmental groups.

Staying with this hypothetical scenario. Once these lengthy negotiations, assessments and consultations are finalised I suspect the actual dredge and spoil disposal would take up to three years to complete. After all this dredge has to remove at least est.13 metres of river bed in every square metre of a continuous 20 km long line an est 60m wide.

Add to this the time needed to purchase privately held regionally important farm land which the company hasn’t even commenced yet – land held by a number of individual owners some of who are adamant they will not sell - and then allow time for the rezoning process which is bound to be resisted by local residents and affected Lower Clarence communities.  Now those 873 days are beginning to look very inadequate.

At this moment you may be thinking that if all the individual planning procedures were undertaken at the same time the port expansion might move forward faster. However, any large project is only as fast as its slowest strand of required assessment/modelling/
testing and this particular project is being undertaken by a company which admits it has never handled any sort of development project before.

By the time one factors in the many studies required to create a viable development application to commence construction of the built environment then 2023 would not be seen as a long enough time frame to finish Stage 1 bulk terminals.

Some of these studies would be obliged to include the sourcing, transport and stabilzation of enough fill to raise 36 sq.km of terminals and berths above projected flood levels and modelling of existing & changed flooding conditions - because all the proposed terminal & berth areas will be submerged in a 1 in 100 flood to est. depths of 0.05 to 2.8m unless the land is raised. 

At this point in the development process state and local government may become alarmed at the amount of flood water in even a 1 in 20 year flood that will be displaced by a mega port at the end of this ancient floodplain. 

Displaced water (that has likely in some flood events to come at some speed down both the Clarence River and out of the Esk River) which will almost inevitably inundate the proposed remaining undeveloped half of Palmers Island, along with low lying sections of  Woombah, Iluka, Yamba and Wooloweyah, as well as exacerbate upriver flooding as far as Maclean. Quite rightly both tiers of government would quail at the thought of this occurring in conjunction with a king tide entering the mouth of the Clarence River and the clock might be permanently stopped on the mega port scheme then and there.

If not and planning madness prevails, the fact that a freight road bridge and new road/s would need to be built so that bulk product can actually reach the bulk terminals - because Stage 1 will not see a completed Pacific West Rail Link stretching from the coast to north-west NSW - and 2023 turns into a rather sad phantasy because the number of planning hoops the company has to jump through just grew in number.

Australian Infrastructure Developments and its shadowy backers would be foolish to believe that Stage 1 would be remotely achievable by 2028.

It is hard to imagine that Australian Infrastructure Developments will ever be able to establish the social contract with the Clarence Valley it needs to proceed, when its grand plan will diminish or destroy so many existing aesthetic, environmental, cultural, social and economic values within the estuary.

Twelve years is a long time to have investment money tied up in a mega port scheme that in all probability will be successfully scuppered by Northern Rivers people power.

Twelve years in which your company reputations and that of your principal shareholders will be held up for global scrutiny. 

Given the power of almost instant communication that the Internet will give to over 50,000 people and the ability of anyone of those with a personal computer to identify and research your company or superannuation fund, are you sure that the hope of future financial returns is worth the public relations risk?

If you think I exaggerate, ask Metgasco Limited what community resistance across the Northern Rivers did to its plans to develop gas fields.

So, potential investors – you might like to consider taking your money and committing it to an infrastructure project in a locality that actually wants what you believe you have to offer.

This is entirely friendly advice, because I like many others would prefer quietly enjoying the Clarence River estuary and the easy, relaxed lifestyle its healthy environment allows me, rather than spending the next twelve years as part of a peaceful but relentlessly effective grassroots protest movement making your corporate lives a misery.

Sincerely,

Clarencegirl

Mouth of the Clarence River

Hopefully the Yamba Mega Port proposal is dead in the water for the foreseeable future

After five years of wondering if the NSW Government would be mad enough to consider an unsolicited proposal to industrialise the Clarence River estuary by constructing a privatised international mega port built on the back of foreign investment, concerned Clarence Valley native title holders, residents, business owners, commercial fishers and farmers now appear to have an answer.

After a number of local people decided to make their concerns as visible as possible through word of mouth, the creation of a credible Facebook presence, distribution of factual leaflets outlining the proposal, the sale of bumper stickers,  a pop-up protest, a science-based information night, writing letters to politicians and lobbying to make the mega port scheme a local issue at both the July 2016 federal election and recent local government election, many more people began to discuss the issue and three things came to pass:

* eight of the nine recently elected Clarence Valley councillors have stated their opposition to the mega port proposal and, both state and federal MPs representing the valley also publicly indicated their lack of support for the scheme;

* the unsolicited proposal is in disarray with Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd having to admit that it cannot progress the proposal due to state government planning policies and strategies relating to NSW ports; and

* the NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, Duncan Gay, has now stated the following.

Letter from NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight on the subject of the Port of Yamba, 2016

https://www.scribd.com/document/325740039/Letter-from-NSW-Minister-for-Roads-Maritime-and-Freight-on-the-subject-of-the-Port-of-Yamba-2016

This letter expands on a previous letter from Minister Gay to a NSW Greens member of parliament advocating on behalf of yet another concerned local resident.

As the contents of both letters correspond with the view of the Dept. of Premier and Cabinet directly put to a Lower Clarence resident on 17 August 2016, I am hopeful that the proposal for an international mega port in the Clarence River estuary - as envisaged by either Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd or United First Peoples Syndications Pty Ltd in conjunction with United Land Councils Ltd - will not be considered during the life of this current state parliament.

Once again Clarence Valley communities have demonstrated that when it comes to protecting the Clarence River system on which we all depend; they can act swiftly, with purpose and to effect.

Time for Nationals MP for Page Kevin Hogan to do more than shrug his shoulders

The Daily Examiner, Letter to the Editor, 6 July 2016:

Hogan no hero on Yamba mega port proposal

THE Nationals' Kevin Hogan was quoted in a June 26 Daily Examiner article as stating of the Yamba mega port proposal that "it was disappointing this was still an issue. There is absolutely no chance this will ever happen. It's absolute pie-in-the-sky stuff. The project is not feasible and has no support at any level of government."

Fine words which display little understanding of the situation.

For starters, neither the Turnbull or Baird Governments have formally rejected this proposal for the industrialisation of the Port of Yamba as set out by Australian Infrastructure Developments Pty Ltd, because the first stage documents are still being prepared for submission to state government according to the company directors.

Then there is the fact that in May this year a Moree local government councillor made a pro-mega port presentation to the Namoi Councils Joint Organisation and, two of the persons present were a regional co-ordinator with the NSW Dept. of Premier and Cabinet, which has the carriage of unsolicited proposals such as this, and the chair of Regional Development Australian Northern Inland.

The end result of that meeting was that Australian Infrastructure Developments was sent a letter inviting it to a joint organisation meeting to further explain its 36 sq. km Eastgate plan for the Clarence River estuary.

As the Baird Government has already privatised three major coastal ports (Newcastle, Port Kembla and Botany) to consortiums which include foreign investors and will be required to sell off more assets in order to receive federal government funding for future public infrastructure under the Asset Recycling Initiative, there is no guarantee that this particular privately funded overdevelopment won't be considered by Macquarie Street.

Finally, there is the matter of the degree of National Party support - examples of this being a NSW National Party member agreeing to be the talking head for a promotional video for the mega port, at least one North Coast Nationals politician being happy to be photographed while being lobbied on export potential by a mega port supporter, and Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce allowing the company CEO a photo opportunity to accompany his April 2016 corporate statement in which Mr. Joyce was quoted as saying he could see no impediment to the proposal [being submitted to the NSW Government].

None of this inspires confidence in Mr. Hogan's view that the matter should not concern Lower Clarence.

Concerned residents can let the issue rest when the Baird Government formally announces it has rejected the unsolicited proposal and the Turnbull Government publicly supports that rejection.

Judith M. Melville, Yamba 

On  7 July 2016 Namoi Councils Joint Organisation continued its conversation with the greedy Australian and foreign corporations intent on laying waste to the aesthetic, environmental, social, cultural and economic values of the Clarence River estuary for their on financial benefit.

This is the second time this organisation has listened to a presentation of an expanded proposal which is yet to make it into the first stage of the Dept. of Premier and Cabinet's unsolicited proposal process.

Policy Platforms of Candidates in the Clarence Valley Local Government Elections, Saturday 10 September 2016 - Part One

North Coast Voices contacted as many Clarence local government election candidates as was possible and issued an invitation to supply their policy positions for our readers.

Here are the first four candidates in this series.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PETER ELLEM

Peter Ellem with wife Susan and daughters, from left, Lily, Tess and Zoe

Yamba resident, Walkley Award-winning journalist, editor of  The Daily Examiner and Coastal Views newspapers from 2001 to 2007 before becoming the Grafton-based policy/media adviser to the former Federal Member for Page Janelle Saffin from 2007 to 2013.

In November 2011, Mr Ellem gained further political experience by standing as Country Labor's candidate in a by-election for the State seat of Clarence. He is running as an independent candidate for CVC and funding his own campaign.

Mr Ellem said his forebears had helped pioneer the Clarence Valley from the 1860s, and he was motivated by a desire to serve all local communities to make the Valley the best possible place for families and individuals to prosper.

Mr Ellem and his wife Susan have raised three daughters Zoe, Tess and Lily here in the Valley.

“Clarence Valley Council is our largest employer and its staff do a lot of good work in the community, but its long term financial position is unsustainable and should be of concern, particularly to ratepayers, but to all residents,” Ellem said.

“As an editor, I led the popular Not A Drop campaign against moves to dam and divert the mighty Clarence River westward, and campaigned for the Grafton Base Hospital redevelopment, fast tracking of the Pacific Highway upgrade and second Grafton bridge crossing.

“I managed multi-million dollar budgets for a top 100 company, and I would bring the same common sense approach to the real challenges facing the council.

“As a public servant, I liaised with five Northern Rivers councils to successfully lobby for major infrastructure projects and grant programs, and to keep capital works projects on track and to budget.

“CVC needs some new blood – progressive councillors who will try to ensure good governance and greater transparency wherever possible.

“We need to encourage appropriate development under existing planning controls to protect and create local jobs. However, growth should not be at the cost of our wonderful environment or existing industries like tourism, fishing and farming.

“This is why I will fight to stop the proposed mega-port from swamping and destroying the Lower Clarence. I have also consistently opposed coal seam gas exploration and mining in the Valley and the wider region.”

Fighting for the Clarence Valley

* Strong financial management to keep rates low

* Sustainable development for local jobs

* Support communities in sport and culture

* Protect the Clarence River from mega port, diversion and CSG

How to vote for renewal:

Novak, Debrah - Independent

Clancy, Greg - The Greens

Kingsley, Jason - Independent

Ellem, Peter - Independent

De Roos, Joy

Text and photograph supplied by Peter Ellem

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MARGARET MCKENNA

Margaret McKenna

I was born in Grafton, went to school here and then "did my time in Sydney" before returning to start a family in this beautiful part of the world.

My first taste for politics was when I was the Mayor of Grafton Junior City Council in 1977.  I have spent many years involved in charity work locally and overseas with Rotary and other community groups and when I sold my Accountancy Practice in 2008 I decided my next "charity work" would be as a Councillor.

I was elected in 2008 and again in 2012 and I feel privileged to be able to represent my community to shape the world we live in.

My years as a Registered Tax agent has demonstrated my ability to understand complex financial matters but also my ability to explain things in a "down to earth" manner to people of varying backgrounds. 

My interests would be exemplified by some Council Committees I have chaired.

Heritage Advisory - protecting our natural and built heritage, Tourism  Advisory,  and the Clarence Regional Library Committee.

I am the current Chair of the Coast & Estuary Advisory Committee. This has given me the opportunity to work conscientiously to get the Coastal Zone Management Plans for Brooms Head and Wooli to the Minister for approval. I want to see this completed to give these communities security and protection.

I am opposed to the Yamba Mega Port.

There may be an argument that the mega port will provide Economic benefits but the River already provides economic, social and health benefits.

- It is a potential for environmental noise and visual pollution.

-Tourism is one of the Lower Clarence’s major economic assets. Recreational fishing is a big part of our water based tourism and is a multi million dollar industry (and one of our major industries in the Valley) and will be destroyed. ‘

- Fishing - both Recreational and professional will suffer. Currently the commercial fishing industry is worth at least $90m annually, and generates over 400 jobs

- traditional owners must be respected

- our environment and Eco system has a delicate balance and should be respected. 

A mega port will damage the environment and ambience for tourists but most importantly,  and frightening to think of, how our local residents will be affected.

My proudest moment in the past 4 years?  Standing up for the Maclean residents who needed me to fight for the survival of the camphor laurel trees in McLachlan Park. It certainly wasn't a successful battle but I faced fierce criticism and very strong opposition from 8 Councillors and I faced it head on and didn't give up on the trees and the community . It wasn't about what I wanted or what I thought was right, it was that after listening to the community I decided they need strong representation. I proved to myself and others that I would stand up and speak up for our community and those with no voice

My future priorities:

-  financial sustainability without a Special Rate Variation

-  continue my push to get the Grafton Riverfront Plan substantially commenced, to see the McLachlan Park redevelopment completed and then continue the Maclean Riverfront Precinct Plan.

- ensure CVC water supply remains available and affordable by ensuring water assets at Nymboida are owned by CVC, not sold off by the State Government.

- further investigate free overnight 12hour camping where there is no commercially available facilities 

- provide shade over all our parks with swings and all council owned eating areas

- Increased recycling incentives to minimise dumping on our roadsides and waterways. 

"NO CSG

NO MEGA PORT

NO SPECIAL RATE VARIATION 

NO DAMMING THE CLARENCE

Our River is for Tourism, fishing and for our children."

Text and photograph supplied by Margaret McKenna

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GREG CLANCY

Greg Clancy

A Clarence Valley resident for almost 40 years, I have played a major role in the environment movement, from the Washpool and pulp mill campaigns to today’s mega port proposal. 

I am standing for Council to represent those who care about social justice and environmental issues. I will work to ensure meaningful community engagement in Council’s decision-making.  I chose to be a Greens candidate because I share and will be guided by the core principles of ecological sustainability, social justice, grassroots democracy and non-violence of the Greens.

My vision for the Valley is a healthy, prosperous and united community respecting our natural world. Social and environmental values are not at odds with a good economic base. Development and employment need to enhance our Valley not degrade it.  Ecotourism and renewable energy have great potential.

Small businesses and the self-employed, the backbone of the north coast, need to be allowed to prosper, bringing work and self-respect to our many unemployed.

The ongoing loss of public sector jobs from Grafton is disturbing. Tertiary educational facilities such as TAFE need to be maintained. While the reopening of Grafton Gaol is good for jobs, we need to address the reasons why there are so many inmates.

Mining threatens the Clarence Valley. Proposed Gold and Antimony mines should not be allowed in our catchment. Coal Seam Gas, although put on hold, could rear its ugly head again in future. I oppose schemes to create a mega port at Yamba and to dam the Clarence to divert its water west. Water running to the sea is not ‘wasted’ – it supports the health of the estuary and our fishing industry.   

I believe I would make a good councillor. As a consultant ecologist who also has experience working for various government departments (including planning), I have an extensive knowledge of relevant planning and environmental legislation. My doctorate is in wildlife ecology and I was the Ecological Society of Australia’s scientific representative on the Clarence Regional Vegetation Committee.

• No mega port at Yamba
• A healthy dam-free Clarence
• Keeping the Northern Rivers free of gas mining
• Local biodiversity protection through full implementation of the Clarence Valley Biodiversity Strategy
• Sustainable employment and industry, including ecotourism and ‘clean’ small businesses
• Support for minority groups, Aboriginal communities and outlying villages.

I have had over 30 years’ experience in running a small business. I have also been heavily involved in many community groups, including:

•  Susan and Elizabeth Islands Recreation Trust,
•  Coutts Crossing Tidy Towns Committee,
•  Clarence Valley Branch of the National Parks Association,
•  Grafton District Services Country Music Club and
•  Grafton District Services Big River Jazz Club.  

How to vote:

Clancy, Greg The Greens

Tibbett, Brett Independent

Kingsley, Jason Independent

Ellem, Peter Independent

Ellem, Trevor Independent

Hughes, Sue Independent

McKenna, Margaret – Independent

De Roos, Joy - Independent

Text and photograph supplied by Greg Clancy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

KAREN TOMS

Karen Toms

I am self-employed. I have served two terms on Council and represented Council on many committees covering a range of issues.

If I am re-elected I will continue to work hard representing my community and getting our finances in order. I want a Council that treats its residents with respect. One that answers questions quickly respond to enquiries quickly. I want to help build back trust. I want a Council that listens even when it is a complaint, especially when it is a complaint.

We have an enormous amount of infrastructure that needs attention and yet we are still spending millions on new things.

I did not support the previous 37% Special Rate Variation application. Even IPART didn’t approve. They approved the variation for one year only, the application was for 5. Even so 5 councillors wanted to try again and have set it up to apply again after the elections. This time for a WHOPPING 41% Special Rate Variation.

I assure you if I am re-elected I will not support this proposed increase in your rates.

I’m certain a rate rise of 41% over 7 years will put financial pressure on our families our retirees and our residents who rent.

The stupid thing about the excessive rate increases is they will not fix the problem we face. Even the experts agree.

I am also concerned by our huge debt of $130 Million. Some of this debt is good debt (sewerage water) BUT WE MUST WORK ON REDUCING THE BAD DEBT. OUR General Fund is actually like having a credit card with no limit. It is a trap to think it is our money sitting there to be used. It is borrowed money generating interest bills our community have to pay.

We pay millions of dollars in interest, which could be put to better use if we reduce debt. We own an enormous amount of unused property that could be sold to reduce debt, and reduce our maintenance backlogs. Instead we have had majority of Councillors who have supported charging the ratepayers excessive rates rather than taking another course of action.

More of the same will not improve our financial situation. Experts Ernest & Young advised Council to reduce debt to a manageable level. We’ve had TCorp tell us we have gone from a weak outlook to a neutral outlook. They also say they are not sure about some of our modelling and want it checked. This is nothing to be happy about, in my opinion.

I will continue to work and challenge all unjustified spending, analyse every cost/benefit before commitment.

I will not support building new infrastructure unless a strong business case is put forward that proves it will not burden the ratepayers further.

During my 8 years on Council, I have earnt a reputation for asking questions and being a strong advocate of scrutiny and transparency.

I will continue standing up for you. Please give me your number 1 VOTE and support those who will do the same.

Thank you

Text and photograph supplied by Karen Toms

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

No Yamba Mega Port group puts port question to candidates in Clarence Valley local government election

No Yamba Mega Port

29 August 2016 · 

With an upcoming council election on 10 September we contacted all candidates standing for the Clarence Valley Council to ask their stance on the proposed Yamba Mega Port.

This is what we asked:

1. Do you support the proposed Yamba Mega Port?:
A. No
B. Yes
C. Unsure
D. Yes, with qualifications

2. Please provide an explanation of your position.

A summary of all answers to question 1 can be seen in the table below.

The statements provided in response to question 2 will be posted individually over the next few days.

NOTE:

Arthur Lysaught, elected unopposed at a council by-election in 2015, is overseas for the duration of this local government election campaign and the 10 September polling day.

Brett Tibbett, a first time candidate, is a surprising absence from this list.

Individual statements supplied to No Yamba Mega Port by candidates to date:

Debrah Novak
Ian Saunders

Greg Clancy
Peta Rogers
Brett Tibbett - no statement supplied
Ursula Tunks
Karen Toms
Jason Kingsley
John Hagger

Peter Ellem
Richie Williamson
Marty Wells

Trevor Ellem

Joy DeRoos

Keith Bates

Sue Hughes

Jim Simmons

John Riggall
Arthur Lysault - no statement supplied

Margaret McKenna

Andrew Baker