Here one day...
One thing about council, when it says it's ready to go, it’s ready to go.
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On Wednesday last week, it said ‘Right, five trees in the CBD have to go’, and by Sunday afternoon they were gone. Being hyper-observant, On the Pulse drove to work on Monday morning, hit a gap in the tree line and thought to itself ‘Wait a minute…’, and promptly decided to ring the mayor to find out how come council workers were working on Sunday. And, most importantly, were they paid an award weekend rate? With a lot of talk about that in certain quarters lately, it was better safe than sorry.
On the Pulse was also curious to know how much the CBD tree removals cost, along with those that came out along Campbell Street three weeks ago.
The mayor said the removal contract was given to a contractor (so much for any overtime for council staff), along with the instructions to do it with the least inconvenience to the public, which he assured On the Pulse was not akin taking the trees in a short, sharp, decisive dawn raid. However, he had no idea how much it cost (or even if he could even tell On the Pulse when he found out, because ‘in confidence’ pricing aspects might apply). Then said he would be out of town for a week and the general manager was on holidays. So, dear reader, you know as much about what’s happening as On the Pulse, but it is worth remembering, sooner or later our mayor will have to return home.
Airing complaints
On the Pulse was left with its bottom jaw hanging on the desktop earlier this week, when it heard the news that the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) dismissed BJ’s complaint against a prominent city radio presenter. It started with an ‘interview’ in June, when Kyle Sandilands decided to tackle BJ on Johnny Depp not following quarantine procedures with his dogs. For his time, BJ was called an “absolute clown”, told he sounded like “an idiot off the street mouthing off to the camera” and told to “have some decency”. When BJ fired back and then hung up, the announcer ever-so decently called him a “wanker” and a “loser”. Even though ACMA had to use the Macquarie dictionary for guidance, it came to the conclusion that most of the language used by the radio announcer was not offensive or indecent within the context of a robust debate, and ruled there was no breach of any codes of decency or treatment of his guest. BJ’s from the bush, so On the Pulse reckons he won’t drink from that waterhole again, but it may have opened up a whole new ‘ring and abuse’ interview technique.
Bee alert
Speaking of bio-security and BJ, On the Pulse was pleased to learn that Australian beekeepers have taken the offensive against the Varroa mite and American foulbrood (already in Australia) by breeding bees that are ‘clean freaks’. It’s true. Beekeeper, former chairman of the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council and finalist for the Plant Bio-security Farmer of the Year Award, Lindsay Bourke, teamed up with Jody Gerdts from Bee Scientifics in the USA to breed bees that display extremely high hygiene traits.
The bees clean out their brood nest at the first whiff of a pest or disease. Bees with the genes can smell disease and pests in their brood nest, and remove the affected cells before the problem spreads. Work on the same idea was undertaken at the University of Suffolk in England from 2008, but nevertheless On the Pulse was pleased to see it adopted and improved here; like cricket, but just not lately. What about our women’s team, eh? How good are they?
When the Varroa mite arrives in Australia, we will lose 50-70 per cent of pollinating hives. The impact on pollination and food security will be significant, and that’s when On the Pulse will be glad of those obsessive compulsive apiaries and the amount they lessen the impact.