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The Cairns Post Tuesday, December, 21, 2010 $1.10

-10C ... The coldest place in Cairns

FORGET about the heat and humidity, Scott Humphries, 16, has the coolest job in town.

In a room set at minus 10C, Scott has been helping keep the ice supplies at Cousins Ice Manufacturing in Cairns well stocked for the seasonal rush, with the factory producing up to 30 tonnes of ice a day.

Weather bureau senior meteorologist Tony Auden said heavy showers over the next few days would bring some relief from humidity, which hit 89 per cent yesterday.

"You can expect to see some heavy showers throughoutr the week and rain on Christmas Day," he said. "Tenperatures will remain a consistent 31C to 34C for the rest of December."


SOUR FRUIT
Farmers take big cash hit as crops fail

GROWERS are facing beavy financial losses as the full effect of unseasonal weather takes hold.

While some banana and sugar cane crops are left to rot in fields, other fruit and vegetables are failing to flower, leaving growers with potentially large losses.

Too much rain and a warm winter have been the problem for most crops.
The weather caused a 25 per cent increase in banana supply, while the some conditions meant cane sat in the field, too soaked to cut and crush.

While the flow-on effect of prices to consumers is being monitored, farming leaders say poor crops will impact on many local communities.

Mark Nucifora from the Cassowary Coast Banana Growers said farmers were upset the low prices some supermarkets were paying for the fruit were not being passed on to consumers.

He said a 13 kf carton of bananas fetched between 6 and $12 at the markets, compared with a high of between $22 and $28 last month.

"It's got to a point where it becomes not worth it," he said. "It would be cheaper for you to chop the fruit up in the field if you are getting below your cost of packing and let it rot on the ground. There is over-supply, and low demand."

Problems with locally grown potato and mango crops have forced prices up in super-markets. And now lychees, and exotic fruit like arecibo, madrona and abiu have been hit hard. Innisfail area exotic fruit growers Rod and Jan Ingram said of the hundreds of trees they have, just a handful have flowered.

"Unless we get a very late flowering, it looks like we will not get a crop at all," Mrs Ingram said. "Most people are in the same boat because of all the rain."

Mareeba District Fruit and Vegetable Growers association president Joe Moro said it was a similar story on the Tableland.

"It was a mild winter with no real cold snap that mango growers need, so we have been both mango and lychee crops affected dramatically," he said.

"There are one or two growers with a bumper crop of lychee and then a huge number with no crop at all."

Things are not so grim for avocados crops, Avocado Australia chairman Jim Kochi, of Atherton, said.

"We are expecting a reasonable year. The Sheppareton variety will yield a good crop, but the Hass will be down by 40 to 50 per cent," Mr Knochi said.

Tableland potato grower David Nix said the rain has meanbt some growers have had to put off digging.

"Those with potatos still in the ground will be looking at lower prices for their crops," he said.


Network plan puts price on progress

Peter Veness

HOUSEHOLDS are likely to pay about $56 a month to secure basic access to the $35.9 billion national broadband network.

The NBN business plan, released yesterday, shows telcommunications companies will have to pay a monthly rate of $24 for a basic 12 megabits per second package.

When this service is sold to families and businesses, retailers are likely to charge about $56 per month.

The long-awaited plan also promises a seven per cent rate of return for the company rolling out the network, NBN Co Ltd. The assumption is based on a 70 per cent takeup of the network by businesses and homes.

Further to the expected rate of return is the prediction of a $13.4 billion capital raising from the markets by 2015.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard launded the business case, saying taxpayers' investment "will be returned with interest". "What this document is telling you today is the NBN is viable," she said.
"That's before you go to all of the economic benefits for business."

But Opposition Leader Tony Abbott declared the plan was yet more evidence of a government unable to deliver promises on time or on budget. "The roll-out of the NBN was promised to be completed in eight years," Mr Abbott said.

"We now learn that it will not be complete until 2021, three years later and 14 years after labor's original failed NBN tender."

Communications Minster Stephen Conroy has admitted a range of factors could influence the timing of the network's rollout or budget. "They include the labour market," Senator Conroy said. "The (rollout) is over a nine-and-a-half-year period but Australia is already moving towards a degree of labour shortages." "The whole Australian economy has that as a capacity constraint.

The minister's opposite number, Malcolm Turnbull, challenged the very foundation of the plan, saying it delivered no "nivana for cheaper broadband".

"It's supposed to deliver universal and affordable broadband, and yet the broadband price that they've talked about today... is comparable, it is certainly no cheaper than may comparable prices for 12 megabits per second for broadband ADSL2+," he said.

Reaction outside political circles was largely positive, although University of New South Wales competition expert Frank Zumbo raised a series of concerns. "In addition to the many questions and concerns relating to the cost and revenue assumptions used in the NBN Business Plan, there are concerns surrounding wholesale and retail pricing of NBN services," he said.

"This will lead to price disparties at both the wholesale and retails level adversely affecting consumers, particularly those consumers in regional Australia."


Get ready for Blitz Mark II

Gavin King

THE CBD Revive team is already targeting new sections of the city centre for a series of blitzes next year to continue the momentum behind the cummunity push to revitalise the CBD.

Retailers, local businesses and the arts community will work in partnership with 'The Cairns Post' to transform other areas of CBD streets following the success of the Grafton St blitz last week.

A series of smaller blitzes, black spot fixes and recognition of businesses doing their part to revitalise the CBD will take place in the lead-up to the next big blitz event.

The community sprit and street party atmosphere of the Grafton St blitz - organised and staged with just a week's notice - will be enhanced at the next big event early in the new year.

'The Cairns Post' editor Andrew Holman said he was overwhelmed by the level of interest and support from residents and the business and arts community. Mr Holman said the huge volume of feedback and ideas from readers during the campaign would be collated and analysed to help drive specific projects, issues and targets in the CBD.

"The CBD Revive campaign has captured the imagination of the business and arts community and more importantly, local residents, who have shown incredible pride in the city," he said.

"We're not just talking about big structures or millions of dollars, we're talking about little things that can happen right away, whether it's fixing pavers, decorative lighting, cleaning up shopfronts or adding some entertainment and life to our streets.

"Cairns is a vibrant city, and there have been so many people wanting to help and contribute."


...and an early gift from parking officers

Daniel Strudwick

THEIR profession is not usually associated with spreading Christmas cheer.

But parking inspectors in Cairns have been directed not to issue fines to first-time offenders in the lead up to Christmas Day.

Vihicles with overdue meters will receive cautionary notices until Saturday, sparing drivers the usual $20 fine.

"Council is aware that this is a season when everyone is trying to do so much and often juggling children when trying to shop," acting Mayor Margaret Cochrane said.

"However, the caution will be issued to an individual vehicle only once. We do hope people don't take advantage of the generous attitude." fines for parking in loading zones, but stops and disabled car parks still apply.


Grafton St revival: A big hand for these helpers

*Grafton St Blitz retailers: Swiss Cake and Coffee Shop, Babble On Books, The Temple, Cairns Framing Studio, Meldrum's Pies, Fettas Greek Taverna, Asian Foods grocery store, Beethoven 105 Cafe, Crown Hotel, Shoe Box.

*Materials and services: InsideOut Group, Telstra, Cairns Hardware, Pressure Cleaning Queensland, Under Pressure Cleaning, Cairns Enviro Blast Solutions, Rope Access Pressure Clean, Bright Black AV, Zinc FM, Ozi Chalk Art and Sign Studio, Events NQ, Cairns Regional Council.

* Evenbt managers: Melissa Robertson, Craig Mathews (Promo-sapien), Andi Mether(Zest Events), Claire Robinson.

*Site assistants: Allen Grove and Alex

*Visual Artists: Marnie Hutchinson(The Temple - Cairns, Palm Cove), Hayley Gillespie - Beautiful Spaces shop in Lake St

*Musicians: David Hudson, Johnny Nicole, Roz Pappalardo, Kirk, Gail, Peter and Steve from The Get Reel band, Ray-Lee Russel, Terry Doyle, The Venus Project, Kian and Tribal Tantrum, Cairns Ukulele Club, Paradise Concerts; Kirtley Leigh Paine, Caroline Lloyd-Doolan, Amy Stevens

16歳の男の子が製氷工場でバイトをしているという記事です。　暑いケアンズで最もクールな仕事だそうです。
当分ケアンズは暑いです、蒸し暑いです。

今年は雨が沢山降ったのでフルーツはバナナを除いて全般的に実りが少ないので高いです。
バナナは逆に安すぎて農家が儲けにならないと嘆いています。

みんなバナナを食べよう！栄養価があって安いバナナを食べて不景気を乗り越えましょう！
(2010.12.22 07:52:14)

今年の日本の夏はホントしんどかったですよ。
都心に近いのにわがマンションにはクーラーないし・・・
そして、仕事であるコメの作柄も最悪でした。
でも獲れなかったわけではないので、価格は暴落。
とにかくえらい１年でした。
今年ももうすぐ終わりますね。
来年はいい年になってほしい！

☆

(2010.12.22 12:47:54)

ちゃりメラマンさん
我が両親は熱中症対策をどうするか？で会談してました。
高原の安い民宿で夏を乗り切るのがよろしいのでは？という結論になったようです。

来年は良い米が沢山取れるように願いたいです。
(2010.12.22 18:05:48)

*performers: Avril Duck and the Tropical Arts troupe， Rhiannon and Maryanne Popovic - "The Face Painters"， Models Jarrah Buckingham， Paula Hammond， Leah Thomas， Bridgette Thompson， Michael Lawag， and Allen Grove， Velvet Elderd and drummers "ARC Beat" from ARC Disability Services， Cairns Flash Mob， Cainrs Rock N Roller Derby crew， Paul Barron and Tanks Arts Centre Events， Daniel Wallwork and Kain Shepherd of Community Partnerships CRC.
(2010.12.22 20:30:19)

インターネット回線快速化に向けて政府が動いています。
日本並みを目指しているようですが仮に達成した時には日本は更に更に進んでいることでしょう。

私が開店する通りで整備活動とお祭を兼ねた催しが行われ、その動きを継続してケアンズ中心街を活性化しようという記事です。　それから協力してくれた店主，企業，ボランティア達に感謝を述べています。

駐車違反の切符を発行する人達がクリスマスの期間、初犯の人に限り警告状を出すだけで勘弁してくれるそうです。
今日もシティーに繰り出しましたけど何か過疎ってる印象でしたけど？
(2010.12.22 20:39:37)

それは鍵です。

若くて美しい女から｢私の部屋にいつでも来ていいのよ！｣

でしたら最高なのですが


店の鍵です。

｢くれくれ！｣と一ヶ月以上いい続けてやっと貰えました。

明日からむさい男が二人、ペンキを塗ります。
(2010.12.22 20:46:37)

ペンキを塗るのは二人だが、

明日は電気屋のお兄ちゃんが見積もりに来る。

東欧かアラブ訛りがヒドイ，何言ってるか理解不可能・・・

多分向こうも｢アジア臭い英語で何言ってるかさっぱり分らねえ～｣とこぼしているかも知れないが。
(2010.12.22 20:56:30)

長い長いタイピング練習お疲れ様です。
久々じゃないですか？
これぞまことのタイピングって感じですね。

ケアンズはバナナはいくらで売られてるんですか？
シドニーでは＄2～＄3位です。
昔みたい99セント/キロにはなりません。

鍵もらえてよかったですね。
これでますますやる気が出てくるんじゃ？
まことさんでも理解不能な英語は相当やばいんじゃ？
まぁ確かにそういうことは相手も思ってますよね（笑）

(2010.12.22 22:16:42)

シドニー異端児さん
最近母上に買い物は任しているのでバナナの値段は分りません。　記事には安すぎて農家では利益にならない、農家から買い叩いた値段がスーパーでの販売価格に反映されていないと述べられています。

開店したら私も休みは当分取れそうもありません。　長いタイピング練習は今のうちかもしれない。
目標は若くて美しい女子を雇用する！
(2010.12.23 04:06:55)

Good morning.

少しだけしばれる朝を迎えた日本の長崎です。

今日は天皇誕生日で休日だからなのか

静かな夜明けでした。

冷たい水で家の周囲を清めてみました。

明日のホワイトクリスマスの聖夜を

期待して天に拝みながら。

Have a happy holiday.
Thank you.
(2010.12.23 09:15:06)

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