Newman Government’s second anniversary: doctors, lawyers and another MP pay rise: @Qldaah analysis

Campbell Newman’s Liberal National Party (LNP) has completed its second year in office. However, the March 26 anniversary was marred by more controversy. Newman began the week by announcing a proposal for new alcohol related violence laws: Life for one-punch killers, user-pays drunk tanks among new booze plans for Queensland. This would see tougher penalties […]

Corruption fighter Tony Fitzgerald QC names Queensland power abuses: @Qldaah analysis

On Friday, March 28, 2014, Tony Fitzgerald condemned Campbell Newman’s Liberal National Party (LNP) government for proposed changes to Queensland’s Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC). In a written submission to the parliamentary committee reviewing the bill, Mr Fitzgerald described the move as: “the final step needed to remove the Commission’s independence entirely and bring it completely […]

#leardblockade: Whitehaven Coal under criminal investigation for allegedly false statements on environmental offsets for Maules Creek mine

Evidence by Environment Department to Senate Estimates Environment and Communications Legislation Committee about Whitehaven Coal’s plan to fell the critically endangered Leard State Forest for a coal mine Senator WATERS (Greens, Queensland): Can I move now to the Maules Creek coalmine approval. Can the department table a copy of the independent review into the offsets issue? Mr Tregurtha : Under […]

Griffith grudge match: Glasson’s Gladiators vs Butler’s Battlers @GriffithElects reports

By Jan Bowman  @GriffithElects 25th January 2014 Having a Prime Minister as the sitting member drew significant attention to Griffith during the 2013 federal election, but there is a sense that this time around the eyes of the nation will be on Griffith with renewed interest, many seeing this by-election as the first test for […]

Who’s been naughty or nice? Silly season starts in Griffith @GriffithElects reports

By Jan Bowman  @GriffithElects 27 November 2013 When he announced his retirement at the end of the first sitting week of Parliament, Kevin Rudd surprised not only his own colleagues, he also shocked his old foe Dr Bill Glasson. Glasson had only recently returned to work, and after some hesitation (he admits to exhaustion following […]

An uneasy truce: Sally MacKinnon reports

  By Sally MacKinnon I live on top of a mountain on the edge of Lamington National Park, the largest protected subtropical rainforest in the world. It is on the eastern edge of the Scenic Rim region, a Local Government Area (LGA) in south-east Queensland covering 4256 square kilometres. It is home to approximately 39,000 […]

#CSG showdown in Gloucester @1earthmedia reports

By Mark Anning reports from Gloucester, NSW The NSW Government is considering an application by giant gas company AGL to begin the controversial and risky process of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, at Forbesdale, just south of Gloucester in the Manning Valley NSW – less than 300 metres from the nearest family home and less than 600 […]

#CSG: Conspiracies, mouthpieces and independence: Mark Anning @1earthmedia reports

By Mark Anning On 28 July 2013, the oil and gas industry peak body – Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) – issued a press release, stating: “The recent coal seam gas episode of ABC 2’s Shitsville Express was a pleasant surprise – a balanced piece of reporting on coal seam gas.” Shitsville Express […]

Lobbyists and public commentary: Reith in the spotlight – Mark Anning @1EarthMedia reports

By Mark Anning It was interesting to see the opinion piece written by Peter Reith for The Drum – Fracking scare campaigns threaten our prosperity – especially considering Reith is a paid political lobbyist and chairman of the Victorian Government’s task force on the eastern gas market. “The public debate is soon mired in myriad false claims, partly […]

Black Rain: Waiting for results in Tara – Rob Rimmer reports

By Rob Rimmer On August 2, 2013 Western Downs resident Steve Ansford made a complaint to Origin Energy’s local office at Chinchilla regarding mysterious environmental and health impacts occurring on his property at Upper Humbug Road, near Tara in Queensland. For the second day running, southerly winds appeared to have brought an overnight shower: drops […]