Wednesday, 30 September 2009
Voting Starts ...
My Postal vote package came yesterday, and I have ticked the appropriate boxes, but the curious thing is that only my package came, my wifes does not seem to have arrived yet, I understand that different areas are sent out at different times, but I don't understand why my wife's should not be delivered on the same day, we do live in the same house and we are both on the rates as rate payers, but for some reason her package has not come, has she been denied the right to vote, we shall see ... curious thing about this election it simply requires you to tick the boxes of the 6 candidates that you would like to fill the 6 vacant positions, you must not tick more that 6 boxes, but there seems to be nothing stopping you from ticking less than 6 boxes, so if you felt that only one of the candidates was worthy of the position you could just tick one box, one imagines that the six candidates with the most ticks are elected, as we have reverted back to the first past the post system as opposed to the preferential voting system, I would predict that we will have a less than 30% uptake on the vote this year, I feel that the council could spend a lot more effort promoting these elections ...
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Nature at its best
as posted here
THE City of Gosnells Eco Walks and Talks season is on again and with wildflowers in full bloom now is the time to experience nature at its brightest.
Gosnells chief executive Ian Cowie urged people not to miss the chance to enjoy walking through Ellis Brook Valley with naturalist Marc Lane and see some of Perth’s most spectacular bush reserves.
“Each walk allows you to discover new wildflowers and local birds, insects and animals,” Mr Cowie said.
“In October and November there are also night stalks at Ellis Brook Valley and Mary Carroll Park respectively, where people can bring their torches and spotlights for a guided night-time ramble to discover the local nocturnal animals.”
Mary Carroll Park is one of Perth’s main breeding wetlands and a haven for waterbirds, songbirds, migratory birds, reptiles and turtles.”
People can enjoy a range of special activities such as Breakfast with Friends on October 4, where breakfast in the park is followed by an informative walk around the lake learning about bush site rehabilitation and observing waterbirds.
Also at Mary Carroll Park on November 1, the Adventure with Nature walk offers a stroll around the lake and the opportunity to discover a unique ecosystem with naturalist Eric McCrum.
Mr Cowie said other walks included the Wetlands Ramble at the Brixton Street Wetlands in Kenwick on October 24. “This walk is followed by morning tea with live music by Peta Lithgo and Malaika,” he said.
“At the Flora Walk on November 7, people can also discover the amazing and unique plant life at Brixton Street.”
Friends of Ellis Brook Valley, Friends of Mary Carroll Park and Friends of Brixton Street Wetlands run the walks with support from the City.
For a brochure or more information contact Leisure Services on 9452 9901 or visit www.gosnells.wa.gov.au
as posted here
THE City of Gosnells Eco Walks and Talks season is on again and with wildflowers in full bloom now is the time to experience nature at its brightest.
Gosnells chief executive Ian Cowie urged people not to miss the chance to enjoy walking through Ellis Brook Valley with naturalist Marc Lane and see some of Perth’s most spectacular bush reserves.
“Each walk allows you to discover new wildflowers and local birds, insects and animals,” Mr Cowie said.
“In October and November there are also night stalks at Ellis Brook Valley and Mary Carroll Park respectively, where people can bring their torches and spotlights for a guided night-time ramble to discover the local nocturnal animals.”
Mary Carroll Park is one of Perth’s main breeding wetlands and a haven for waterbirds, songbirds, migratory birds, reptiles and turtles.”
People can enjoy a range of special activities such as Breakfast with Friends on October 4, where breakfast in the park is followed by an informative walk around the lake learning about bush site rehabilitation and observing waterbirds.
Also at Mary Carroll Park on November 1, the Adventure with Nature walk offers a stroll around the lake and the opportunity to discover a unique ecosystem with naturalist Eric McCrum.
Mr Cowie said other walks included the Wetlands Ramble at the Brixton Street Wetlands in Kenwick on October 24. “This walk is followed by morning tea with live music by Peta Lithgo and Malaika,” he said.
“At the Flora Walk on November 7, people can also discover the amazing and unique plant life at Brixton Street.”
Friends of Ellis Brook Valley, Friends of Mary Carroll Park and Friends of Brixton Street Wetlands run the walks with support from the City.
For a brochure or more information contact Leisure Services on 9452 9901 or visit www.gosnells.wa.gov.au
as posted here
Report cards for schools only fair
as posted here
Educators have widely opposed the Federal Government's push to publish school performance information online at the end of this year because of fears it will stigmatise schools that perform poorly.
Teachers and principals have threatened to boycott the next round of national tests in May unless the Government passes laws to prevent the creation of so-called "league tables" that rank schools based on raw scores. They argue that "naming and shaming" struggling schools will damage students and school communities.
The new online report card will allow parents to compare all schools' performance in national literacy and numeracy tests, the percentage of students graduating from Year 12 and how well each school has progressed in lifting student performance.
Controversy on whether this should be available publicly has been red hot in the Eastern States, with NSW passing laws to fine newspapers for using the information to create league tables that compare schools.
But few from the Eastern States realise that WA has been leading the rest of the nation in giving parents access to school comparisons - and the sky has not yet fallen.
Each year, _The West Australian _publishes Year 12 academic results for private and public schools and ranks the top 50. It also prints the results of national literacy and numeracy tests from State schools. It is only fair that private schools should also have to reveal their performance.
Attempts by the teachers' union and others to prevent publication of school performance data is akin to censorship. A school can't address poor standards if it doesn't know whether they've fallen.
This newspaper has championed school transparency because public money goes into State and independent schools and the community has a right to know how well those schools are doing their job.
Critics also argue that revealing school comparisons will put too much emphasis on literacy and numeracy at the expense of other subjects.
But surely the main purpose of schooling is to ensure that children get a sound foundation in those skills. Every other part of the curriculum depends on those basics.
There are also complaints that teachers are "teaching to the test". But if setting compulsory tests requires students to learn some skills and then demonstrate them, then surely that is a positive outcome.
And if it forces schools to look at ways to improve their students' performance, even better.
as posted here
Educators have widely opposed the Federal Government's push to publish school performance information online at the end of this year because of fears it will stigmatise schools that perform poorly.
Teachers and principals have threatened to boycott the next round of national tests in May unless the Government passes laws to prevent the creation of so-called "league tables" that rank schools based on raw scores. They argue that "naming and shaming" struggling schools will damage students and school communities.
The new online report card will allow parents to compare all schools' performance in national literacy and numeracy tests, the percentage of students graduating from Year 12 and how well each school has progressed in lifting student performance.
Controversy on whether this should be available publicly has been red hot in the Eastern States, with NSW passing laws to fine newspapers for using the information to create league tables that compare schools.
But few from the Eastern States realise that WA has been leading the rest of the nation in giving parents access to school comparisons - and the sky has not yet fallen.
Each year, _The West Australian _publishes Year 12 academic results for private and public schools and ranks the top 50. It also prints the results of national literacy and numeracy tests from State schools. It is only fair that private schools should also have to reveal their performance.
Attempts by the teachers' union and others to prevent publication of school performance data is akin to censorship. A school can't address poor standards if it doesn't know whether they've fallen.
This newspaper has championed school transparency because public money goes into State and independent schools and the community has a right to know how well those schools are doing their job.
Critics also argue that revealing school comparisons will put too much emphasis on literacy and numeracy at the expense of other subjects.
But surely the main purpose of schooling is to ensure that children get a sound foundation in those skills. Every other part of the curriculum depends on those basics.
There are also complaints that teachers are "teaching to the test". But if setting compulsory tests requires students to learn some skills and then demonstrate them, then surely that is a positive outcome.
And if it forces schools to look at ways to improve their students' performance, even better.
as posted here
Monday, 28 September 2009
Perth ‘bouncing back for international property buyers’
as posted here
The city of Perth in Western Australia is seeing its property market bounce back after a recent slump, it has been stated.
Perth went from being one of the cheapest places in the country to being more expensive than Sydney by 2006, valuation manager at Propell National Valuers Travis Coleman told the New York Times.
This boom was followed by a 12 per cent slump in prices, but the paper noted that the market in the city is now recovering, aided by the development of new mineral and gas projects in the state.
It observed that the average price in the city for a home is now AU$375,000 (£202,000).
The best place for those moving abroad to buy in Perth is the suburb of Bassendean, according to St George Bank.
In a list of the top locations in the country for value, the lender said it is "one of the few suburbs within the inner ring which still has a median house price below AU$500,000."
The other district it recommended in the city was Thornlie, due to its combination of affordability and proximity to amenities.
Written by Jamie Musk
as posted here
The city of Perth in Western Australia is seeing its property market bounce back after a recent slump, it has been stated.
Perth went from being one of the cheapest places in the country to being more expensive than Sydney by 2006, valuation manager at Propell National Valuers Travis Coleman told the New York Times.
This boom was followed by a 12 per cent slump in prices, but the paper noted that the market in the city is now recovering, aided by the development of new mineral and gas projects in the state.
It observed that the average price in the city for a home is now AU$375,000 (£202,000).
The best place for those moving abroad to buy in Perth is the suburb of Bassendean, according to St George Bank.
In a list of the top locations in the country for value, the lender said it is "one of the few suburbs within the inner ring which still has a median house price below AU$500,000."
The other district it recommended in the city was Thornlie, due to its combination of affordability and proximity to amenities.
Written by Jamie Musk
as posted here
Petrol tipped to fall to $1 a litre
as posted here
THE price of petrol is heading back toward $1 a litre, an economist says amid continuing falling prices.
Nationally, the cost of unleaded fell by almost a cent in the past week, fresh figures from the Australian Institute of Petroleum reveal.
CommSec economist Savanth Sebastian says the fall in prices is far from finished.
"The key Singapore unleaded fuel price fell by over 12 per cent last week,'' he said, adding it was the biggest weekly decline in nearly eight months.
"This should translate into further savings for Aussie motorists.''
The strength of the Australian dollar against the greenback and oil companies' cutting of their margins in recent weeks mean the good news for motorists will continue.
"CommSec expects petrol prices to fall by two to three cents a litre over the next fortnight,'' Mr Sebastian said.
"In fact, motorists in some capital cities could be paying close to $1 a litre at the low point in the discounting cycle with the assistance of shopper dockets.''
as posted here
THE price of petrol is heading back toward $1 a litre, an economist says amid continuing falling prices.
Nationally, the cost of unleaded fell by almost a cent in the past week, fresh figures from the Australian Institute of Petroleum reveal.
CommSec economist Savanth Sebastian says the fall in prices is far from finished.
"The key Singapore unleaded fuel price fell by over 12 per cent last week,'' he said, adding it was the biggest weekly decline in nearly eight months.
"This should translate into further savings for Aussie motorists.''
The strength of the Australian dollar against the greenback and oil companies' cutting of their margins in recent weeks mean the good news for motorists will continue.
"CommSec expects petrol prices to fall by two to three cents a litre over the next fortnight,'' Mr Sebastian said.
"In fact, motorists in some capital cities could be paying close to $1 a litre at the low point in the discounting cycle with the assistance of shopper dockets.''
as posted here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)