Congratulations to both recipients.

We as a community thank you both for your contribution over many years.

It is always pleasing to see people being recognised for their efforts in various fields.

On Wednesday night we were able to recognise several special people at the Shire’s Australia Day awards ceremony in front of their family and friends. This continued on the Thursday with towns also recognising their citizens. Well done everyone.

Hosting Australia Day ambassadors in the Shire is also something we look forward to. Yvonne and I were able to spend some time with Penny Cook but unfortunately very little time with Dr Peter Spitzer.

Penny is a most delightful person. Many will remember her as an actor particularly for her role as a vet in the TV series, “A Country Practice”.

Saturday was a very special day in Moruya when the town turned out to recognise the rugby league achievements of Michael Weyman and participate in the in the unveiling of the sculpture of him by local artist, Terry Fuller.

Michael has achieved the ultimate goals of any player as a team member of a winning Grand Final team, playing State of Origin for NSW and then playing for Australia.

It is so nice to see those achievements recognised here in his hometown, using the skills of a local founder and sculptor.

Our thanks must go to the Moruya Chamber of Commerce for pursuing this wonderful project and to those supporters of Michael Weyman who made it happen.

Monday saw seven new trainees commence their 12-month term with Council and two new apprentices start apprenticeships.

The trainee program has been running since 2000 and the shire has benefitted from having such wonderful young people spend time on the team but more importantly the trainees have benefitted from spending a year in the workforce.

Clr Fergus Thomson

Mayor

Australia Day thank-you

FIRSTLY, congratulations to those great citizens, both young and old, whose contributions to the community were acknowledged on Australia Day.

Special wishes to Graeme Osborne and Georgia Burrough being named Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year and special congratulations to Trevor

Bennett on receiving an OAM. Well done Trevor!

We were certainly blessed with beautiful weather, with hundreds attending Breakfast on the Beach, what better way can you begin celebrating being Australian than enjoying breakfast overlooking our wonderful beach. Thanks must go to the members of the Lions and Surf Lifesaving Clubs, who once again excelled with the cooking and serving of a hearty breakfast.

This year the Narooma Rural Fire Service brigade members joined our group of helpers to set up Ken Rose Park for the flag raising ceremony, what a bonus that was, and we hope that they will come on board each year.

A big thank-you to all of you.

Thanks also go to members of CWA, Lions, Rotary, Quota, Narooma Scouts, Tony Fahey, Rev. David Oliphant, Narooma Golf Club, Narooma Sporting and Services Club, Easts Holiday Park, Woolworths and Council staff, for without their help and support the ceremony would not be held.

I want to recognise the participants in the ceremony this year for the positive attitude they conveyed to the audience, starting with our wonderful MC Daphne, ambassador Dr Spitzer, Councillor Lindsay Brown, as well as young Connor from the High School, who all emphasised the positives of living in the best country in the world,

Let’s all try and keep this message to the fore this year, stop and think before you have a whinge!

The acknowledgment to country was wonderfully performed by Recheal Daley.

To all you youngsters who participated in Quota's competition, a special thank-you, keep up the good work of learning about Australia, the co-operation of the schools and parents is appreciated.

Without the Narooma News publishing our news, where would we be, who could ask for a better Australia Day front page than last week’s young citizens at Australia Rock, so thanks to you all.

Of course to our Citizen of the Year Graeme, you are a gem, without your continued enthusiasm and always being there with your music and sound system, Narooma would be a at a loss, a well-deserved award at last and a special thank-you, to MC Daphne, as usual you proved that you are MC extraordinaire, thank-you.

Last but by no means least, thanks to all the people who attended the flag-raising ceremony or breakfast on the beach - thanks for celebrating Australia Day with us.

Margaret Saker

Narooma

Flag burning not on

I ALWAYS was taught to respect my countries flag and protect it from random destruction.

What we saw recently happening to our flag was disgraceful and considered in many civilized countries as a criminal act.

I am wondering if the AFP, who must have some very good images available, will prosecute those people who desecrated their countries’ flag, even if eminent people will possibly tell us that such a prosecution is not sustainable on many grounds.

May be they were not citizens.

Alfred Schroeder

Narooma

Fishy fishing claims

HO hum! A new year is underway but it appears some things will never change.

January has yet to finish and readers have already been subjected to two letters from John Perkins claiming that fishing has never been better because of our wonderful Batemans Marine Park.

As usual, Mr Perkins' claims are based on anecdotal fishing reports and selectively chosen statements by marine park proponents.

From a piscine perspective Mr Perkins can be likened to a one-eyed parrot fish who, instead of swimming in circles to fully appraise his surroundings, chooses to lurk in his Durras wrasse-hole and only see half the picture.

In reality there is no empirical evidence to show any change in fish abundance or fishing success since the creation of the BMP.

The scientific monitoring required to demonstrate any change simply hasn't been done.

Whereas there is general agreement amongst anglers, myself included, that the removal of trawling from the BMP has led to improved catches of flathead and the like there are no quantitative data, such as a time-series of standardised catch rates, to verify or disprove this belief. There is certainly no evidence to suggest that the numerous 'no-take' zones within the BMP have increased fish abundance.

The primary function of marine parks is to protect biodiversity. Many claims about their use as a fisheries management tool are spurious.

'No-take' zones based on a good knowledge of the fishery concerned, such as known spawning aggregation sites, have been shown to be a very effective management tool.

However, the random establishment of 'no-take' zone in the belief that they will automatically benefit fish populations has in most instances achieved nothing. Marine parks should not be seen as a substitute for traditional fisheries management techniques.

It is not being overtly cynical to state that the strong support for marine parks by many scientists is largely driven by the availability of copious research funding from conservation groups and foundations.

It is notable that most of the (mainly descriptive) research in NSW marine parks is being carried out by university based scientists receiving such funding. Fisheries based scientists are very thin on the ground.

In this regard it should also be of great concern that the current NSW government is hell-bent on closing the Fisheries Research Institute at Cronulla as this has the potential to further erode effective fisheries management in our state.

Richard Tilzey

Central Tilba

CEFE - Not rocket science

A STRATEGIC approach to significant emissions reductions is not beyond us.

If we invest in renewable energy, and insure against the problem of intermittency by backing up with natural gas, there is no need to build any new coal-fired power stations in Australia.

As coal-fired power stations reach the end of their working age they can be strategically retired. The necessary generating capacity is replaced by renewable energy and we steadily transition to a low carbon economy.

Renewable energy and natural gas are power sources that work well together. Renewable energy is clean and limitless but has the problem of being intermittent.

If you look at introducing a broad suite of renewable energy technologies, the problem of intermittency diminishes but doesn’t disappear. The wind might not blow on a day that is cloudy in a region that has no access to hydro or wave technology.

The perfect interim solution is a judicious expansion of the natural gas industry in Australia.

The advantage of natural gas is that electricity generation has only half the emissions of coal fired electricity, and it can be turned on and off quickly.

If we build new gas generating plants in concert with renewable energy we can start closing down coal generation, and if we can do that we will significantly reduce emissions.

Over the next 20 years we could close all of Australia’s coal fired power stations and still have dependable energy to power our hospitals and heavy industry.

It is true that a transition to a low carbon economy cannot be made on the basis of wind energy alone.

It is equally true to say the necessary transition cannot be made without a significant expansion of wind energy in Australia.

Renewable energy is probably 10 years away from providing steady base-load power for Australia.

Matthew Nott

www.cleanenergyforeterniet y.net.au

Marine park science lacking: recreational fishers

WELL first, I must thank Mr Perkins for the part of me being called a Narooma “local fishing identity”, but I am afraid you John are the one who has no understanding on marine park matters

First I took your advice and typed in marine parks and I have spent many hours trying to find a report that has been previewed by any other than scientist that support marine parks as there is none.

I will give you one example John of the voodoo science that was used for the Batemans MP.

An email from the former Marine park manager Geoff Kelly stated that new scientific information had been produced by the scientific community that closed Nangudga Lake down to everybody, yet to this date not even the Marine Parks Authority up to the Premier’s office has ever seen or heard of it and this matter has been tabled at the Batemans MP advisory committee and still I wait for an answer many years on

Now your statement that $1.1 million was spent to study many important areas including climate change has got me stumped as when I sat in the advisory meeting at Batemans Bay that night and watched the power point display and the committee were only advised it was used for a few baited cameras and still I would say it was a total waste of $1.1 million as the fisherman have been doing this for the past 100 years as it is called a burly pot on the back of your boat

Now we did agree that the removal of trawlers is a great benefit to us, the fish, the environment and it should have been done 30 years ago but the most disturbing think you have written in your letter is you can compare marine parks to national parks and how

I will quote you (Marine Parks have been established with the best knowledge available ) trouble is it was all from overseas and had nothing to do with Australia and you must agree that the land national parks are based on science that is previewed and not too many people complain as they can see the benefits yet to draw the line with a sanctuary zone in the ocean is just plain crap as it proves nothing other than a tool for government to grab money from some poor bastard that drifts into it and is $550 lighter in the pocket.

If there is a problem with fish stocks we do have the DPI NSW Fisheries and they too believe it or not have a few scientist working for them.

Dave Clark

President NSSC Fishing Club

Marine park science lacking: recreational fishers

WELL first, I must thank Mr Perkins for the part of me being called a Narooma “local fishing identity”, but I am afraid you John are the one who has no understanding on marine park matters

First I took your advice and typed in marine parks and I have spent many hours trying to find a report that has been previewed by any other than scientist that support marine parks as there is none.

I will give you one example John of the voodoo science that was used for the Batemans MP.

An email from the former Marine park manager Geoff Kelly stated that new scientific information had been produced by the scientific community that closed Nangudga Lake down to everybody, yet to this date not even the Marine Parks Authority up to the Premier’s office has ever seen or heard of it and this matter has been tabled at the Batemans MP advisory committee and still I wait for an answer many years on

Now your statement that $1.1 million was spent to study many important areas including climate change has got me stumped as when I sat in the advisory meeting at Batemans Bay that night and watched the power point display and the committee were only advised it was used for a few baited cameras and still I would say it was a total waste of $1.1 million as the fisherman have been doing this for the past 100 years as it is called a burly pot on the back of your boat

Now we did agree that the removal of trawlers is a great benefit to us, the fish, the environment and it should have been done 30 years ago but the most disturbing think you have written in your letter is you can compare marine parks to national parks and how

I will quote you (Marine Parks have been established with the best knowledge available ) trouble is it was all from overseas and had nothing to do with Australia and you must agree that the land national parks are based on science that is previewed and not too many people complain as they can see the benefits yet to draw the line with a sanctuary zone in the ocean is just plain crap as it proves nothing other than a tool for government to grab money from some poor bastard that drifts into it and is $550 lighter in the pocket.

If there is a problem with fish stocks we do have the DPI NSW Fisheries and they too believe it or not have a few scientist working for them.

Dave Clark

President NSSC Fishing Club

More alarmist counsel on climate change

SINCE 2006, Mr Matthew Nott has offered us alarmist counsel about man made dangerous global warming after an inspired read of a book by Professor Tim Flannery.

Mr Nott's ad hominem diatribe against Professor Ian Plimer, is a piece of remarkable hypocrisy after five years of his repetitive preachings based on the spin dispensed by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UNIPCC).

Consider this:

The UNIPCC’s role is “to assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation”.

Formed in 1988, it has dispensed contrived global warming policy summaries (its science) to meet political/financial self-interests. It is rapidly gaining a reputation even worse than the UN’s “Oil for Food” disaster.

It is out of control. It has never met the required ethical probity standards. Its policy summaries are untrustworthy and unusable.

Several analysts have authored reports confirming this awful situation, including, “What is wrong with the IPCC? Proposals for a radical reform” by Ross R. McKitrick Professor of Economics at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada This author has in depth knowledge of the UNIPCC. (available electronically in the Library, Mr Nott). Everyone should read it!

Mr Nott’ claims "2010 was the hottest year ever recorded, the last ten years were the hottest decade ever recorded ...." is repeating the UNIPCC’s spin. It is wrong.

Sensible review of the geological record will reveal how the climate has responded to solar activity over say the past 1000 or so years. It will clearly indicate the cyclical phases of Earth’s warming and cooling periods, and equally clearly, show why the latter decades of the 20th Century to now, being part of such a phase, enjoyed some rising temperature consistent with that phase, within the geological record, without any indication of dangerous global warming.

Now, based on the USA’s NOAA Climatic Data Centre ‘Temperature Dataset’ released 19-01-12, the myth of dangerous global warming from human CO2 is unravelled.

Between 1912 -1961 the Earth’s statistical temperature increased by +0.52*c, and atmospheric CO2 levels increased by +18ppm. Yet, between 1962 -2011 when the statistical temperature increased by +0.41*c, CO2 levels increased by +74ppm.

Clearly both global warming and cooling happen in our climate system regardless of CO2 emissions.

Neville Hughes

Surf Beach

Marine park balance required

JOHN Perkins is one of those rare greenies who actually goes out and gets his hands dirty on a number of projects around South Durras, and he should be commended for most of those.

However, he is blissfully naive regarding the Batemans Marine Park.

Properly established Marine Parks can have a valuable place in the Australian environment.

The Batemans Marine Park was set up against the guidelines of the government, who had already established the Jervis Bay Marine Park in our marine Bio Region.

The State Government policy was one Marine Park per bio Region (except for us).

This Marine Park was established without conducting any base studies, detailed analysis of fish stocks or a socio economic impact study. This is akin to building a house and then drawing the plans.

Despite what Mr Perkins says, most Marine Scientists have criticised the way the Batemans Marine Park was established and the methodology used. There is unfortunately a simple reason why the second Marine Park was established in this Bio Region, and that was votes from the Greens.

The reality was and is, that NSW Fisheries were nowhere to be seen when the Batemans Marine Park was announced and established.

Because their scientists have stated that more benefit to fish stocks and habitat would have been achieved by better fisheries management practices across the state not just in politically created “no go zones”.

As for Mr Perkins commenting on the good fishing season - it has been a good one, but it has also been excellent down at Eden, and around Sydney where there are no sanctuary zones. Next thing we will hear that Marine Parks can fix the Greek economy.

Mr Perkins has again made the mistake of comparing the management principles of terrestrial National Parks with the management of aquatic resources. Don't just expound the generic Green rhetoric, let NSW Fisheries manage the whole marine environment.

John Moore

Kianga

< b> The old blokes Dreamtime

Last Sunday I fished Narooma

Wagonga Inlet down Fosters BAY

Smack in the middle of the "Sanctuary Zone"

Where Politicians and Pelicans hold SWAY

Me fishing performance is legendary

Record catches well known.

Heavenly blessed with uncanny skills

I nomally fish ALONE.

No sooner had I dropped the pick

A master of rod and REEL

A forty kilo Kingy I played to the boat

Got chopped off by a rotten SEAL.

There's some Fishos would throw a fit

Lash out, create a FURORE

Looking at the fishhead I said, "Dreay Me"

Gently nudging the seal away with an OAR.

It's hard for me to acknowledge

These Marine Park conversation LARKS

When three baits in succession

I caught sizeable Grey Nurse SHARKS.

With barely time to make the weigh in

Win a meat tray I would HOPE

Hauling in the pick, a baby whale

Got it's tail tangled up in the ROPE.

Later the Weigh Master asked "Got a witness, a snap?"

I'd planned up the channel without a MOTOR

Three flamin' sharks gnashing at my ankles

And he wanted a bloody PHOTO!

Actually I'd kicked the sharks overboard

Sorta realeased them to the WATER

And cut the tow rope at the Bar

Cause goin' Close to whales y' shouldn't OUGHTA

It must be that I'm getting old

At times I feel that WAY,

With mother sharks and whales waiting outside

Now I only fish the BAY!

Though I didn't win a meat tray

Still an answer I would WISH

Why Fisho, Bowlo's serve hamburgers

Instead of beaut fried FISH!

Y'know, fishin' my bay I purr like a tomcat

Happy as a Labrador PUP

Nothin's as good as Dreamtime fishin'

It was about then that I woke UP!

"Laugh More - Live Longer"

Barry Lake

Narooma

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