Sydney IMC

Five people died in Piles Creek Somersby. They died because Gosford City Council failed to repair and maintain those corrugated steel culvert pipes which it became responsible for maintaining when the road became councils responsibility. The latest news is two eight foot diameter steel pipes in the upper reaches of Mooney Mooney Creek where it runs beneath Peats Ridge Road. These two pipes have been lined with concrete twice to protect the bottom of the pipes from rotting away with rust.

This article has been re-posted as the original has been lost. It was written by the victim as an email which is reproduced below:

Ivan Milat continues to state that he is innocent and has been framed in the matter of the Backpacker Murders. He says that he cut off his finger due to refusal of access to necessary law books and a computer to type up his application for a review, not to get attention or to make an escape attempt.

Ivan Milat says: "The High Court informed me they received my application on 18th December 2009 and accepted it. It has been filed and I am applicant No. 356 of 2009. I've sent off the necessary documents to the Respondent in my matter - the Supreme Court."

There's been controversy around hiring practices at Humanist House. We've recently had a Special General Meeting to give control of day to day operations of the Society to the Executive. It was a very difficult meeting, and I thank everyone who turned up and supported the resolutions, and I particularly thank those members who helped with meeting process.

Update Jan5,2009: Two climate prisoners released but still facing charges

Danish authorities are continuing to detain an Australian, Friends of the Earth activist Natasha Verco, for a third week since the Copenhagen climate conference. She will appear in court in Copenhagen on Monday January 4th 2010.

The Copenhagen meeting was an abject failure - with rich countries like Australia pushing false solutions of offsetting and carbon trading, and avoiding urgently needed emissions reductions. But instead of taking action, the authorities locked up those who actually were.

Related: FOE Sydney | Climate Justice Action

Greenpeace today unveiled a message for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd: a banner on the iconic Sydney Opera House saying: "Stop the Politics - Climate Treaty Now". Five Greenpeace activists scaled one of the sails of the Opera House to do the banner drop.

The banner drop ocurred at 9.20am with police quickly sealing off the area to tourists and the banner was taken down by 10am. The activists have each been charged with trespass.

December 12 is a global day of action on climate change as negotiators and world leaders meet in Copenhagen to do a global deal on climate change. "While they talk the talk, we're walking the walk all over the world, from New York to Tokyo, Mumbai to Paris and all over Australia. So get your walking shoes on and be part of the most important Walk Against Warming ever." says Walk against Warming. Vigils around the globe are also being organised 11-13 December through the 350.org website

2009 is set to become the Fifth hottest year on Record, with Australia part of a rich cabal trashing climate talks, and recently given the Fossil of the Day Award for Greenwashing carbon capture and storage. Spin by climate deniers about hacked emails between scientists is threatening to drown out the call for a strong climate deal in Copenhagen. Australian Governments continue developing coal while paying lipservice to sustainable alternatives, with insufficient emissions targets and a market based emissions Trading System.

As part of the public inquiry being carried out into Carenne Special School on Sydney Indymedia, I contacted Gerard Martin, member for Bathurst about serious issues at the school. I asked him whether or not he still believed the organisation at the centre of the Carenne Gate affair still delivered best value for dollar following the release of documents on Sydney Indymedia clearly showing they had defrauded the NSW government.

Mr Martin's reply was:

While many recipients of Australia Day Awards are good citizens and deserving, others are not.

It is scandalous that public officials are nominated for the Public Service Award each year and the process is shrouded in secrecy. Neither the nominators nor the nominees are made public before January 26th, so the general public have no opportunity to lodge objections or allegations of corrupt conduct of these senior public servants.

The Sydney Peace Prize for 2009 was awarded to Australian journalist and author John Pilger. He delivered his acceptance speech at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday 5 November. The prize citation reads: "For work as an author, film-maker and journalist as well as for courage as a foreign and war correspondent in enabling the voices of the powerless to be heard. For commitment to peace with justice by exposing and holding governments to account for human rights abuses and for fearless challenges to censorship in any form."

Related: War is Peace - Pilger on Obama

MEDIA RELEASE

Aboriginal elders and environmental activists are calling for mining in the Lachlan Catchment of New South Wales to be halted as the Wyangala Dam dries up.