Tim Mulherin acts on a whale of an idea for Queensland

Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland

The Honourable Tim Mulherin

06/08/2010

Whale pingers installed to reduce entanglements

New acoustic alarms, or pingers as they are commonly known, to help reduce whale entanglements are being fitted on shark nets from Mackay to the Gold Coast this week.

Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said the pingers were designed to alert whales to the location of shark nets to help them avoid entanglement.

"Last migration season six whales were caught in shark nets on the Gold Coast, " Mr Mulherin said.

"That is a relatively small number considering there are up to 13,000 whales migrating back to southern waters, but still six too many.

"While all of these animals were successfully released by our Marine Animal Release Teams, this type of operation is expensive and can be taxing on our officers - prevention is certainly a better option.

"Obviously any preventative measures we can take, such as these new pingers, to reduce entanglements is better than mounting a release effort."

Mr Mulherin said 90 pingers in total would be fitted to nets from Mackay to the Gold Coast with 300 manufactured in total.

"The pingers will be in place from now until the end of November which is the time when whales are making their southern migration," Mr Mulherin said.

"The pingers were recently tested in the water for 45 days to check their durability and showed that they can last in our ocean environment.

"Generally the pingers will only be on nets for 21 days at a time and will be changed over when the nets are changed."

Mr Mulherin said the alarms had been developed by a Queensland-based specialist acoustic device manufacturer and give off a louder noise for a longer listening period making it easier for whales to hear.

"It is important to recognise that these alarms are designed to alert whales to the presence of nets - they are not designed to scare them away from the equipment," Mr Mulherin said.

"With 13,000 whales expected to pass along the Queensland coast this whale migration season, the Bligh Government is committed to minimising the impacts of its shark control program on non-target species such as whales.

"As I announced last month we are also trialling the use of surfcams for eight Gold Coast beaches through the coastal watch system to help confirm entanglements.

"This system allows officers to remotely access the surfcams, generally used by the public to check surf conditions, and zoom in on nets to confirm if an animal is caught.

"Using this system will allow us to activate a release team for confirmed entanglements only rather than for false alarms."

Fisheries Queensland Shark Control Program Manager Tony Ham said that in total 90 pingers would be in the water at any one time - three on each net from Mackay to the Gold Coast.

"The pingers will be in place in time for the second half of the whale season when young whales are more likely to come closer to shore and become entangled.

"After that the pingers will be fitted to the nets from May 1 to November 30 each year."

To report whale entanglements call the shark control hotline on 1800 806 891.

Langbroek slammed over AFL somersault

Minister for Child Safety and Minister for Sport

The Honourable Phil Reeves

06/08/2010

LNP: Breathtaking hypocrisy on AFL

The LNP which opposed an AFL stadium on the Gold Coast is now pretending to support AFL, Sport Minister Phil Reeves said today.

"This is the most breathtaking hypocrisy by a political party in years," Mr Reeves said.

"The Bligh Government is building a brand new AFL stadium on the Gold Coast to support the game in Queensland and drive up event dollars.

"But when we announced this stadium the LNP were fiercely opposed and attacked it as an election stunt.

"Now Mr Langbroek has the gall to pretend he is an AFL supporter.

"What a joke. He will be seen for the fraud that he is on this topic.

"The Member for Surfers Paradise has become the 'Johnny come lately' when it comes to supporting AFL and the jobs it creates," Mr Reeves said.

Palmer palms away legal fight against Captain Bligh

Joint Statement: Premier and Minister for the Arts

The Honourable Anna Bligh

Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development

The Honourable Andrew Fraser

06/08/2010

Statement by Premier

Premier Anna Bligh, Treasurer Andrew Fraser and businessman Clive Palmer have today reached a settlement after mediation over defamation action brought by Mr Palmer.

Ms Bligh said the parties reached an agreement which meant the matter was now finalised and would not proceed to court.

"I'm very happy that we have been able to settle this matter and avoid the expense and inconvenience of having to proceed to a court hearing," the Premier said.

"This matter is now closed."

The Premier, Treasurer and Mr Palmer agreed to release the following statement:

In January 2009, in the course of discussing political donations, the Premier and Treasurer made certain remarks concerning Professor Palmer. As a result of those remarks, Professor Palmer brought actions against the Premier and Treasurer.

The parties have settled those actions on the following terms:

1.Professor Palmer will discontinue the actions.

2.Each party will pay his or her own costs of the actions.

3.There is no requirement that this settlement be kept confidential.

4.The parties agree there is an entirely legitimate role for individuals and entities to support political parties through either donations (in cash or in kind) or other efforts.

The Premier and Treasurer agree that Professor Palmer has not acted unlawfully in supporting the LNP.

Equally, Professor Palmer agrees that robust political debate is absolutely vital to a functioning democracy.

The Premier and Treasurer do not hold the view that any political donations made by Professor Palmer to the LNP were made for an unlawful purpose.

All parties agreed that each is honestly committed to the prosperous future of Queensland.

Flegg Flogged: LNP Member for Moggill 'delighted' by Labor BER program yet stands by Abbott promise to give QLD schools 'the cuts'

Minister for Education and Training

The Honourable Geoff Wilson

06/08/2010

LNP Member for Moggill 'delighted' by Labor BER program yet stands by Abbott promise to give QLD schools 'the cuts'

Education and Training Minister Geoff Wilson has welcomed today's release of the Federal Government's interim review of the Building Education Revolution (BER) program.

Mr Wilson said the report confirmed many key points already highlighted in the two independent Price Waterhouse Coopers reports commissioned by the Queensland Government.

"Young Queenslanders all over the state are enjoying learning in world-class facilities because of this Labor Government investment," Mr Wilson said.

"The BER program is delivering real work for Queensland businesses, real jobs for locals and new facilities for our schools.

"Even the LNP Member for Moggill acknowledged in a letter to me that he was 'delighted' by the BER program in his electorate and asked for additional funding.

"While I was happy to confirm extra Queensland Government investment it amazes me he continues to condemn the program.

"The LNP Member for Moggill has today criticised th e government for not spending money fast enough while standing by Tony 'the cuts' Abbott in his promise to stop building in Queensland schools.

Mr Wilson said Queensland had the second most P21 projects (1,592) and yet was delivering on time with a significantly lower number of issues.

"Today's report confirmed that the Queensland Government has made best use of industry capabilities and resources and 'appear to have better aligned the risk allocation associated with procurement in the pursuit of value for money.

"The taskforce also believed schools self-management of BER projects in the larger government systems would have been problematic and increased the risk of not delivering on time, or for predictable cost.

"The report stated that the Queensland Government system implemented a different procurement strategy so to engage different construction industry participants and ensure stimulus and work was delivered broadly across differing parts of the industry.

"It highlighted that construction managers were contracted at under 6% with a specific direction to engage smaller builders who ensured small firms were involved.

"The contract manager then assumed responsibility for those small businesses who lacked the occupational health and safety (OH&S) and environmental management systems and other experience necessary for work in schools.

Mr Wilson said he welcomed ongoing scrutiny of the program to ensure value for money was being delivered.

"I will not defend waste - if it is found immediate action will be taken.

"The delivery of BER in Queensland has been a partnership with projects designed to suit school community by the school community; no cookie cutter approach has been taken.

"Queensland has had no performance payments or bonuses with all money directed into school projects and savings reinvested into other projects at the school.

"Combined with the Queensland Labor Government's $850 million State Schools of Tomorrow program more than $10 million being spent on infrastructure in Queensland schools every day.

"Mr Flegg has continually complained of waste and mismanagement in BER delivery in Qld. Yet despite two inquiries by the independent auditor, not one claim has been substantiated.

"It's about time Mr Flegg put up or shut up.

"Anybody with evidence of waste or mismanagement is urged to send it immediately to the Director-General of Education Queensland, PWC or the Federal Government's BER Implementation Taskforce," Mr Wilson said.

The Bligh Labor Government is dedicated to best-practice learning supported by world-class facilities.

The Queensland Government has used independent quantity surveyors to audit BER projects at design and construction phases to ensure value for money.

Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC) were engaged by the Queensland Government to independently investigate any complaints and assess value in the program's delivery.

PWC Report 1 was published in September 2009 and focussed on whether QLD system of BER implementation would achieve value for money based on best practice.

PWC Report 2 was published in June 2010 and investigated 12 official complaints, interviewed stakeholders and reviewed sample of projects focusing specifically on delivered value for money.

Both reports confirmed systems and delivery were achieving value for money.

Do-it-yourself abortion guide to be launched online by Brisbane doctor Adrienne Freeman

CourierMail.com.au

CONTROVERSIAL MOVE: A Brisbane obstetrician
plans to launch a website with information on
abortion drug Misoprostol.


A BRISBANE doctor is poised to launch an online DIY home abortion guide featuring a controversial pill banned from public sale.

Prominent obstetrician Adrienne Freeman said her website Safe Home Abortions featured "how to" videos and a range of information and research papers extolling the virtues of abortion drug misoprostol.

The controversial website, set to be unveiled and submitted for medical peer review in October, is the latest twist in Queensland's highly emotive abortion debate.

Right-to-life groups yesterday branded the website a hazard to women.

The website's home page reads: "Plain and simple instructions are given and scientific evidence and personal practice experience are detailed.

"Pregnancies can be terminated at any gestation by administration of misoprostol."

Dr Freeman said she was inspired to launch the website because of Cairns woman Tegan Simone Leach.

Ms Leach, 20, is to face court on October 12 for allegedly attempting to procure her own miscarriage using imported misoprostol pills from Ukraine in December 2008.

She faces a maximum penalty of seven years' jail under the state's Criminal Code Act.

The case – believed to be the first time such a charge has been laid since the law was introduced more than 110 years ago – sparked heated debate in State Parliament last year.

Parliament closed a loophole in the Act that could have led to criminal charges being laid against doctors who prescribed the misoprostol drug.

Dr Freeman, a GP since 1972 and specialist since 1982, says women have the right to choose when and where to terminate a pregnancy.

She is still fighting a ruling by the Health Practitioners Tribunal last year that found her guilty of unprofessional conduct after she helped a sex worker abort a 19-week-old fetus at home in 2003.

"No matter how careful people are in their lives there will always be a need for pregnancy terminations," Dr Freeman said.

"The website simply makes already published knowledge available in one place – particularly for women in remote and regional areas, where there is nowhere for them to turn to."

Cherish Life Queensland state president Teresa Martin warned of potentially "frightening" ramifications if abortions were performed at home.

"What we really need is true and honest websites that point women in the direction of honest and true counselling to find out what they want to do and to give them options," she said.

Children By Choice spokeswoman Kate Walsh stopped short of supporting the Safe Home Abortions site but said it highlighted the "archaic" treatment of Queensland women seeking abortions.

"But serious questions need to be answered about our health and legal systems when women in Queensland are so limited in their options," she said.

Students and immigrants caught in Australian racket: 'Innocents' help commit credit card fraud

TheAge.com.au

 

AN ORGANISED crime ring is recruiting unwitting Victorians to commit credit card fraud, police say.

 

The ring advertises on legitimate job sites, offering large sums of money for people willing to work as ''dispatch managers''.

 

Detective Senior Constable Tim Johns said the ring used stolen credit card numbers to buy items over the internet, such as cameras, laptops, or expensive bicycle parts. The items would be shipped to the recruit's home, where a courier would collect the goods and ship them out of the country.

 

Senior Detective Johns said the group was preying on international students and new migrants, and did not pay people for the work they did.

 

''Once the recruit has worked for a month and starts asking for payment, the syndicate stops replying to their emails and the recruit is never paid.'' He said police had uncovered $100,000 worth of fraud committed by the group and three recruits in Victoria, NSW and Queensland. But he believed that was the ''tip of the iceberg''.

 

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

 

ACCC Nobbles Horse Betting Group

http://smarthouse.com.au

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has nobbled a horse betting operation who was using software that they believed was likely to mislead or decieve consumers after they claimed punters could earn between $50,000 to $70,000 working from home.

Sports betting software company, Intervest Global Live Pty Ltd, has stopped an advertising campaign on SeekCommercial after raised concerns about claims made for a horse betting software program called "Trilogics".

Intervest Global has acknowledged, in a court enforceable undertaking, that a number of claims in its advertisements about Trilogics software and how much people had earned from using the software were likely to be misleading or deceptive.

Intervest Global had represented in advertisements:

that it guaranteed that customers would earn $50,000 - $70,000 from home by using the software, when Intervest Global did not offer a guarantee of this nature.

that customers had earned a certain amount of average income from using the software in 2008, when Intervest Global had no basis for making that representation, that it had many customers who had been with Intervest Gobal for 10 years, when again Intervest had no basis for making that representation, and that the software was a franchised business, when it is not a franchise.

"It is fundamental that businesses must be able to substantiate every claim that they make about a product, particularly where claims about earnings and guarantees are designed to lure in potential buyers," ACCC deputy chair Peter Kell said.

"Consumers should be wary of businesses promising big returns from sport or horse betting products," Mr Kell said. "Remember that sports betting is gambling, not an investment, and the ACCC has been contacted by many consumers who have lost money through sports betting products."

The ACCC has been working with the Queensland Office of Fair Trading, Queensland Police, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission and the Australian Taxation Office to develop coordinated enforcement and consumer education strategies to tackle these types of sports betting products.

The ACCC can now issue notices that require businesses to substantiate claims that they make. If they breach the Trade Practices Act 1974, businesses also risk being issued with infringement notices of $6,600 for corporations and $1,320 for individuals, under the ACCC's new powers.