THE GREAT RAIL DEBATE

Hunter Business Chamber CEO Peter Shinnick (H, 8,11) argued that “The Newcastle rail line was built to service industries now vanished” and “the development of rail in the Hunter is linked to the growth of the coal industry” to imply that the passenger service was a minor sideshow.I believe he is wrong. Many of the vanished colliery lines into the city were never part of the Broadmeadow to Newcastle line he wants removed.For example the Burwood line to the coal staiths east of Honeysuckle.

The first passenger line (the birth of the Great Northern Railway) ran on this line from Newcastle (Honeysuckle) to Maitland (Victoria Street) and celebrated its 150th anniversary last year. It was commemorated with great fanfare, including the presence of the NSW Governor, Professor Bashir.

The passenger service from Newcastle was extended to Singleton in 1863; Murrurundi in 1872; Tamworth 1878;Armidale 1883, Wallangara (Qld) 1888 and south to Gosford 1887

Newcastle Railway Station, one of the great and historic passenger stations in the state, indeed Australia, was constructed in 1874-78 (although it existed in a primitive form from the late 1850s).It was extended in the 1890s, with overnight accommodation for passengers. It wasn’t built to service a minor branch line. Broadmeadow Station was only completed in 1887

The Great Northern hotel, built in the 1860s was constructed partly to service rail passengers and continued to do so until the 1970s-80s decline of the CBD.

I recall the marshalling yards at the east End in the 1950s-70s with many coal vans, most of which serviced Zaara Street Power Station, but just as many passenger carriages. The carriage shed preserved at Foreshore Park was a passenger carriage cleaning shed.

As an aside,Mr. Shinnick claimed Zaara Street Power station ceased operating in 1959 but it continued to brought on line for emergencies until the 1970s.

The great significance of the Newcastle heavy rail passenger line cannot be diminished by using red herring arguments about our industrial past.

Habib speech & book available

About 40 people heard Mamdouh Habib explain his story- it is an incredible tale of deception by Australian government so-called 'security' agencies. It shocked me to find out just how disgraceful and unprincipled the behaviour of these agencies, and the extent of their influence over the process and execution of law is.

Download Habib's main speech from here: link
Details of his book can be found by here
Photograph and link to Newcastle Herald story here

Click here to download full audio (1 hr) with

• Introduction- Niko Leka, Socialist Alliance
• Julia Collingwood- Habib's co-author, gave an excellent crisp speech beginning with the particulars of how she came to meet and work with Habib less than a year ago, and ending with drawing some chilling generalizations.
• Habib's talk (available separately as well)
• Question and Answer session.

Habib also brought a copies of the pamphlet produced by Australian-Muslim Civil Rights Advocacy Network in Arabic as well as English outlining the provisions of the anti-terror legislation and citizen's rights, it also can also be downloaded from the link

Habib explained the key issue is humanity, asking what is the meaning of the law when you can no longer even prove in court what the truth is. He is not allowed to identify ASIO officers in court, so how can he prove his story is true? He emphasised the point of the law is to keep you scared. He went into the details of how he had been asked by Australian security agenices to work for them on the basis of his extensive contacts overseas and linguistic abilities. He always refused these offers. What is stunning is that these security agencies had records of his phone conversations with his wife, dating back to 1993. It goes to show, that anyone can become a "person of interest" in Ruddocks dry phrase... at any time, and well before they know it.

But buy his book. Copies are available at the Resistance Centre, 472 Hunter St Newcastle.- and, think, how can we force an inquiry into the role the Australian Government played in this disgraceful affair?

Third power station shut down in five days

A third power station has been shut down by protesters in Victoria, one day after a similar action in Western Australia, and five days after a similar action in the Hunter Valley.

Two people have stopped and attached themselves to conveyors at the Hazelwood power station in the La Trobe Valley, and a large group of people walked onto the site early this morning.

Spokesperson for the group, Emma Russell said that the government has shown neither the will nor the ability to make the decisions necessary to prevent a climate disaster.

“We need to move on from coal, leaving no one behind. We offer our support to the workers of the Hazelwood power station. We believe it is critical that clean, renewable based industries are set up to provide new livelihoods after coal, such as renewable energy co-operatives and re-localised economies.”

In a public blog dedicated to the action, Ms. Russell linked the group's action to similar actions around the country.

“With direct action against coal infrastructure we wish to break the illusion of corporate control of our environments, creating space for community solutions for change. As this last week has shown with similar actions at Collie and Bayswater power stations, this sentiment is shared right across the country.”

Ms. Russell did not indicate whether she knew of other actions around the country but encouraged others to take similar action.

“It is our responsibility to ensure that electricity production is run by those who are interested in long-term sustainability, not those driven by short-term profits. We need to take our power back from privatised industry. This is our future, this is our responsibility; together, we should take action.”

Hunter residents have planned a vigil at Eraring power station on November 22, office occupations in December to occur simultaneously around the country, and a flotilla of kayaks to prevent coal from leaving Newcastle harbour next March.

29 arrests at Bayswater power station

Around thirty protesters from climate action group Rising Tide walked onto the site of the Bayswater power station yesterday, preventing the delivery of coal to the station for six hours.

Bayswater power station is New South Wales' equal biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions, along with Eraring power station.

29 people were arrested on the coal piles while four were arrested inside the power station. The group inside had chained themselves to both conveyors with a lock-on pipe and had to be cut off.

Spokesperson for the group, Georgina Woods said that Australia's greenhouse gas emissions were continuing to increase as a result of Australia's dependence on coal-fired power, leading to the slow death of the Great Barrier Reef.

“Where is the plan to phase out facilities like these? Why are we twiddling our thumbs?” Ms Wood asked.

“The nation and the world are watching and we will not get another chance. The people that are here today are parents and grandparents, professionals and tradespeople. We are demanding a commitment from the Government today: Australia’s greenhouse emissions must start dropping from 2010, we must do whatever it takes to save the Barrier Reef from wipe-out and the world from devastating runaway climate change.”

Workers onsite reacted in an overall positive manner to the protest, with some taking photographs and thanking the activists.

The large group had offered to leave the site without fuss once they had made their point, but police insisted upon processing all of them for trespass. A recent report has suggested that the effects of climate change will lead to an increase in crimes such as carbon accounting fraud and domestic violence, tying up resources for police.

The group inside have been charged with both entering enclosed lands and refusing to leave enclosed lands.

Ms. Woods said that more and more people would take action if the Government continued to allow greenhouse gas emissions to increase.
Photos by Conor Ashleigh (top) and Damien Baker (bottom)

A: Waiter, waiter, there's a poo in my ice-cream!
B: Quiet down, or everybody will want one....

Milk of Human Kindness

dear editor,

I am dissapointed that in the bastion of free speach the public forum my letter was changed to the point that the words were not my own but an editors personal opinion of what he or she though i said.wether it was an idividuals opinion or a collective opinion that is for each and everyone to decide their own opinion on this matter, this is what is called free will.

to make light of this point the statement i made "apparently that only works for american whales"was sarcasim, the statement"i believe there have been some successes overseas in this regard" implies something different.The statement"I argee"when i did not make such a statement.Sandra appeared to be of the opinion that their was worse.The point i was making i think it is a statement of fact that we witnessed the worst.for outcome focused burecrats, well the whales dead. If they tried their best i would have applauded but since it appears to me that that they didn't i am appalled that they call it their best.You slipped in " no doubt" infront of my statement about np and gov doing their best, i think that by all the other letters in the press sandra included have doubts as well. using the word "our people"implied i was somehow part of the effort to save the whale.i used the words "those people"pointing to the individuals whose names i did not know, who tried to do better.you changed the word i wrote "usurp"to undermining thus taking away peoples freedom to form their own opinion of the word.the addition of "baby" whale although a fact is also an emotive word and my letter was a statement of fact from the point of veiw that np and gov have lost sight of one of humanitys best traits to have a go.the original letter was because of my love of gods creatures great and small.

i have written in all honesty i have done this to make my thoughts clear to the public to the best of my ability on this matter.

what was done is the true meaning of subversion of free speech and will.

i would appreciate printing this letter in full unedited,with my original letter and saturdays printing of the letter so people can form their own individual opinions.

vocatus atque non vocatus, deus aderit .

terry ford

The Billion Dollar Bailout

Dear Prime Minister,

Thank you for your fast action on the world financial crisis, and we do not want to begrudge any one an increase in pensions or extra cash to spend. But this evening we are worried that we might be missing an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone here.

This world crisis might be a blessing in disguise. The billions that are being spent on bailing out our 'old' economy should be directed to laying foundations to the 'new' one, that will deliver us from our collective climate change peril.

Why not invest this money in renewable energy innovation and kick start a new economy based upon a clean world? These billions could put a water tank in every yard, and solar panels on every roof, reducing our water and power bills during the tough times ahead.

The old world economy is in collapse because it has been based upon corruption, war mongering and enslaving the world for our energy and power. We have acted like fossil fuel junkies. It has to change.

Let's nation build for a new cleaner greener world that is free of this anguish.