Tips and rumours

Who hates the mining tax? You can get on the telly… Here’s an email from Jessie Cooke, an organiser in the Newcastle Uni Mining Club (yep, there is such a thing). She also runs the student chapter of AusIMS (the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, which controls the course content of the geology course and has made submissions denying climate change to the CPRS and the Garnaut Review).

I have been asked to forward on an email concerning the Government’s proposed Super Tax. MCA is looking for people willing to appear in advertising commercial explaining how they will be affected by the tax. This will take place this Friday. If you’re interested I will forward your details on to Kate Cunningham. Following is a description of what they’re after.

Cheers,
Jess

Plush Films have been asked to film a series of television commercials showing how this proposed new mining tax will affect not only the mining industry and the people it employs, but also the industries and people indirectly employed through mining.

I want to find the most people that would be happy to either:

1. Read the script in entirety for a 30 second spot.
2. Read a line that is part of a 90 second script, that might be  something like: “…long term damage to the communities, families….”  or  “….investment and industries that do so much for this country…..””….Hurt mining and you’re hurting Australia…..” “…..Thank you….”and/or perhaps just be included in another spot:
3. Just say their name e.g. ” Kate Cunningham, Secretary, Leichhardt” and this would be included in a commercial that has a professional voice over artist delivering the script.

I’m looking for all sorts of people and situations….Families….engineers in mining or site office environs……big caterpillar trucks……communities……all sorts people and places that will be impacted by the trickle down effect of this tax.

Kind regards,
Kate Cunningham

Neal’s comeback on ice. Rather than Belinda Neal contesting the seat of Gosford instead of Marie Andrews at the next state election, it is known in the close knit ALP Central Coast circles that Jamie Clements, campaign director for Robertson candidate and Neal decapitator Deborah O’Neill (who enjoys sending the community to sleep with her long, ‘passionate’ speeches) is preparing to angle for the seat instead.

Brown should debate. There’s a push on to include Greens leader Bob Brown in any federal election leaders’ debates. A new Facebook group — Include Greens Leader Bob Brown in Federal Election Leaders Debates — has quickly attracted 2,000-plus fans.

Gold Coast ponzi scheme? Which noted one-time business director is being looked at by ASIC and the police fraud squad for fleecing investors of millions of dollars in a ‘ponzi style’ scheme? He has now done a runner on all his investors and cannot be contacted. He’s at least $14 million in debt…

The Chinese and our NBN. A lot of work is going on behind the scenes to explain how one of the key beneficiaries of the national broadband network will be the Chinese government’s Huawei. Given recent security concerns in doing business in China, should we be concerned that our communications backbone will be built by China? The Indian government has prohibited Chinese firms from building their networks due to known security issues, but these have been ignored by NBN.

Chalco’s employment feasibility. CHALCO Australia has said it won’t pull out of the bauxite project for Aurukun and Bowen. So why have they given one month’s notice to all their feasibility study staff, effective June 11?

How to scare off even more international students. Why is it that as international student numbers rapidly decline, universities here in Sydney are ramping up the private-for-profit student accommodation sector? Some new developments will be charging students well in excess of $300 per week to rent a room that is, quite literally, the size of a shoebox. Such upward pressure on rents means that many prospective students, international and local, will have to study elsewhere, if at all. Expecting any leadership from the NSW Labor government on this critical issue would be a complete waste of time, but what about the federal government? Where is the subsidised, affordable student accommodation from a government that prides itself on social inclusion?

Queensland nurse shortage. I’m a doctor in a 500+ bed hospital in Queensland. Last night there were more than 20 too few nurses on the night shift (slightly worse than usual). One highly-skilled nurse is not getting her visa renewed and will have to leave Australia because she can’t get her qualifications recognised by the immigration department. She trained in Queensland.

Small-town mining. The impacts of the government’s super profits tax is already hitting hard…