The intellectuals running the Royal Australian Mint are at it again with a secret plan to scrap our 5 cent coin.
This will lead to a consumer rip-off of unimaginable proportions with retailers reluctant to round bills DOWN to the nearest 10 cents.
You can be sure that prices ending in 5c will be bumped up by another 5c.
In the middle of a recession when every cent counts for Australia's battlers, only the fuzzy-headed bureaucrats at the Australian Mint could have dreamed up this idiotic plan at this most-inopportune time.
One and two cent coins were scrapped almost 20 years ago, when they had become an almost valueless nuisance.
But a few 5c pieces today can add up to a tidy amount.
Now is not the right time to scrap our little echidna.
If the Australian Mint wants to win any public praise, it should scrap the antiquated "Royal" from its official title.
Imagine having the portrait of King Charles of Australia on our coins in the future.
Perish the thought!
PAUL TULLY - paul@tully.org.au
Queensland Government's wise move to publish school results
Despite the bizarre opposition of the Queensland Teachers Union (QTU), today's publication for the first time of a comparative report card across all Queensland schools is a sensible and long-overdue move.
These figures enable parents to properly judge and compare the performance of schools across the state.
Why the QTU President Steve Ryan would be opposed to the honest and transparent publication of these results is simply beyond the comprehension of a parent of schoolboys in Grade 2 and 5 - like me, who values today's important milestone in Queensland education.
SEQ impure water explanation leaves us gobsmacked!
The official dismissal of public concerns after E.coli bacteria were detected in a SEQ water reservoir in March must be disturbing to the community.
Residents were not informed at the time which makes the claim by acting Water Grid Manager Barry Dennien that all communications were done in "an honest and transparent way" look absurd.
How can they be honest and transparent if there is no communication at all?
The spin doctors have taken over the SEQ Water Grid!
Barry Dennien is also quoted as saying the March incident was "not unusual" compared with other metropolitan water authorities around Australia.
Which is like saying Jack the Ripper wasn't such a bad chap compared with Osama bin Laden!
The State Government has acquired an on-going hot potato since taking over water management and distribution in SEQ last July.
By all reports, Barry Dennien is a decent and professional guy but he has a duty to keep the public informed of all health scares and to stop the spin-doctoring of media statements which fool only some of the public some of the time.
Residents were not informed at the time which makes the claim by acting Water Grid Manager Barry Dennien that all communications were done in "an honest and transparent way" look absurd.
How can they be honest and transparent if there is no communication at all?
The spin doctors have taken over the SEQ Water Grid!
Barry Dennien is also quoted as saying the March incident was "not unusual" compared with other metropolitan water authorities around Australia.
Which is like saying Jack the Ripper wasn't such a bad chap compared with Osama bin Laden!
The State Government has acquired an on-going hot potato since taking over water management and distribution in SEQ last July.
By all reports, Barry Dennien is a decent and professional guy but he has a duty to keep the public informed of all health scares and to stop the spin-doctoring of media statements which fool only some of the public some of the time.
Attorney-General moves against idiot rock throwers
New legislation to target rock throwers was passed in State Parliament tonight.
For years, the Ipswich Motorway has been the scene of idiots lobbing rocks onto cars and trucks from pedestrian bridges.
Maybe these clowns can now be controlled and jailed if necessary.
The Attorney-General and the State Government should be congratulated for this tough stand.
Below is the full text of the Attorney-General's media statement issued this evening.
Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations
The Honourable Cameron Dick
21/05/2009
New laws passed to target rock throwers
Any person who throws a rock at a vehicle on a Queensland road can now be sent to jail, under new laws passed in the State Parliament tonight.
Attorney-General Cameron Dick said Queensland authorities now have access to the most comprehensive range of rock throwing laws in the country.
"Throwing rocks at vehicles is dangerous and deadly behaviour, that puts the lives of innocent Queenslanders at risk," Mr Dick said.
"People driving on Queensland roads should not have to fear rocks being thrown at their vehicle.
"Under the laws passed tonight, people who engage in this reckless behaviour can be sent to jail, whether someone was hurt as a result of their actions or not."
Mr Dick said the new laws create a specific offence under the Summary Offences Act 2005, to target rock throwing, laser pointing and other specified conduct which endangers or is likely to endanger the safe use of vehicles.
"In Queensland we already have tough law s targeting offenders who throw rocks at vehicles, with the intention of injuring or killing someone," Mr Dick said.
"These people can be charged with a range of offences including manslaughter, murder, wilful damage, or endangering the safe use of a vehicle with intent.
"But the new laws passed by the Parliament tonight will allow police to charge offenders even if they can not prove intent, and no one is injured.
"These laws send a strong message - throwing rocks at vehicles is never a joke. It is a serious offence which can now result in up to two years in jail.
"The Crime and Misconduct and Summary Offences Amendment Bill 2009 also provided for amendments to the Crime and Misconduct Act 2001, to ensure the CMC can continue to crack down on serious and organised crime.
"The amendments passed have rectified the effects of a recent Supreme Court decision in the case of Scott v Witness C (2009) QSC 35, which limited the major crime investigation and intelligence activities of the CMC and its outcomes in specific matters referred to it by the Crime Reference Committee.
"The amendment ensures that major crime referrals, used by the CMC to investigate and punish serious criminal activity, including networked criminal paedophilia, terrorism and criminal activity by established criminal networks or outlaw bikie gangs and their associates, can continue to be used.
"The passing of these laws, together with the new rock throwing laws, demonstrates the Bligh Government's commitment to safeguarding the community against the full spectrum of criminal activity.
"We are ensuring our law enforcement officers have the power to investigate and prosecute both the most serious criminal activities and also the smaller, yet potentially deadly activities of people who act with complete disregard for others."
Brisbane dams reach 72% - It's time to ease restrictions!
Surely we should not have to wait until December for easing of the current, drastic water restrictions.
That would be outrageous and unfair.
SEQ residents have pulled together to minimise water use over the past 3 years.
There is no reason to have to wait another 7 months to ease the current restrictions which were implemented when Queensland was gripped by the worst drought in the state's history.
We were promised an easing of restrictions at 60% but now that it's 70%, there is no justification for any further delay.
LinkWater can't even apologise for today's water main debacle in Brisbane
It might not have been Link Water's fault, but as owner of the pipeline, the least the company's General Manager Andrew Moir could have done was to apologise for today's shambles which caused water loss for thousands of households and damage to at least one Anstead property estimated at tens of thousands of dollars.
If LinkWater's General Manager cannot do the honourable thing and apologise, the Company should give him the Royal Order of the Boot and engage someone in his place who possesses at least one ounce of compassion and humility - two characteristics sadly lacking with Andrew Moir today.
Woolworths bites the bullet over trolley problem
WOOLWORTHS has bitten the bullet on trolley pollution, installing coin-operated trolley stations at centres including Sandgate, Moorooka, Buranda, Toowong and Bulimba.
The Urban Local Government Association of Queensland last week moved to ensure other shopping centres follow Woolies' lead after reports that up to 500 trolleys recently were collected in a six-month roundup across Logan City.
The association, representing 70 per cent of local government voters, approved a plan which could allow councils to force supermarkets to install coin operated trolley docks.
Ipswich councillor Paul Tully says ALDI supermarkets already had a $2 refundable trolley scheme.
"You rarely see an ALDI shopping trolley in a park or local creek," he said.
The association also wants brakes installed on trolleys to stop them rolling off and hitting vehicles.
"The days of getting back to your car in a shopping centre car park and finding a dent in the side of the vehicle will hopefully soon be over," Cr Tully said.
A Woolworths spokeswoman said the company was aware certain suburbs had particular issues with stolen trolleys.
"That is why we have taken the step to introduce coin-operated trolleys," she said.
"Seven Woolworths stores in the Brisbane area have already been fitted with coin locks and a further three will roll out in the next few weeks."
ALDI says the system works.
"We have found the coin-in-slot system to be a key preventative measure in the dumping of trolleys," the spokeswoman said.
The Urban Local Government Association of Queensland last week moved to ensure other shopping centres follow Woolies' lead after reports that up to 500 trolleys recently were collected in a six-month roundup across Logan City.
The association, representing 70 per cent of local government voters, approved a plan which could allow councils to force supermarkets to install coin operated trolley docks.
Ipswich councillor Paul Tully says ALDI supermarkets already had a $2 refundable trolley scheme.
"You rarely see an ALDI shopping trolley in a park or local creek," he said.
The association also wants brakes installed on trolleys to stop them rolling off and hitting vehicles.
"The days of getting back to your car in a shopping centre car park and finding a dent in the side of the vehicle will hopefully soon be over," Cr Tully said.
A Woolworths spokeswoman said the company was aware certain suburbs had particular issues with stolen trolleys.
"That is why we have taken the step to introduce coin-operated trolleys," she said.
"Seven Woolworths stores in the Brisbane area have already been fitted with coin locks and a further three will roll out in the next few weeks."
ALDI says the system works.
"We have found the coin-in-slot system to be a key preventative measure in the dumping of trolleys," the spokeswoman said.
Woolworths bites the bullet over trolleys
Woolworths has bitten the bullet on trolley pollution, installing coin-operated trolley stations at centres including Sandgate, Moorooka, Buranda, Toowong and Bulimba.
The Urban Local Government Association of Queensland last week moved to ensure other shopping centres follow Woolies' lead after reports that up to 500 trolleys recently were collected in a six-month roundup across Logan City.
The association, representing 70 per cent of local government voters, approved a plan which could allow councils to force supermarkets to install coin operated trolley docks.
Ipswich councillor Paul Tully says ALDI supermarkets already had a $2 refundable trolley scheme.
"You rarely see an ALDI shopping trolley in a park or local creek," he said.
The association also wants brakes installed on trolleys to stop them rolling off and hitting vehicles.
"The days of getting back to your car in a shopping centre car park and finding a dent in the side of the vehicle will hopefully soon be over," Cr Tully said.
A Woolworths spokeswoman said the company was aware certain suburbs had particular issues with stolen trolleys.
"That is why we have taken the step to introduce coin-operated trolleys," she said
"Seven Woolworths stores in the Brisbane area have already been fitted with coin locks and a further three will roll out in the next few weeks."
ALDI says the system works.
"We have found the coin-in-slot system to be a key preventative measure in the dumping of trolleys," the spokeswoman said.
The Urban Local Government Association of Queensland last week moved to ensure other shopping centres follow Woolies' lead after reports that up to 500 trolleys recently were collected in a six-month roundup across Logan City.
The association, representing 70 per cent of local government voters, approved a plan which could allow councils to force supermarkets to install coin operated trolley docks.
Ipswich councillor Paul Tully says ALDI supermarkets already had a $2 refundable trolley scheme.
"You rarely see an ALDI shopping trolley in a park or local creek," he said.
The association also wants brakes installed on trolleys to stop them rolling off and hitting vehicles.
"The days of getting back to your car in a shopping centre car park and finding a dent in the side of the vehicle will hopefully soon be over," Cr Tully said.
A Woolworths spokeswoman said the company was aware certain suburbs had particular issues with stolen trolleys.
"That is why we have taken the step to introduce coin-operated trolleys," she said
"Seven Woolworths stores in the Brisbane area have already been fitted with coin locks and a further three will roll out in the next few weeks."
ALDI says the system works.
"We have found the coin-in-slot system to be a key preventative measure in the dumping of trolleys," the spokeswoman said.
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