December 2014 - Clover Hill Diaries - Join Me and Be the Change

Random Acts of Kindness

As a follow on to my post yesterday which I probably could have called Deliberate Acts of Meanness I came across this video today and it so moved me to tears I thought I wouldn’t stop

Watch it – its worth every second

I have never stood behind some-one in a queue that didn’t have enough money to pay for something so I started to think of any acts of kindness that I have performed this year.

None came instantly to mind and I started to think about the random acts of kindness people had performed for me this year and I was overwhelmed with names and reflected on just how lucky I am to know these people

There is even ( goes without saying) a website encouraging simple acts of kindness

I was going to say thank you to all the people who were so kind to me this year by listing them and then I thought I will forget some-one and so what I will say instead is

A Simple Act of Caring Creates and Endless Ripple

I hope it comes back to you

Coles and Woolworths – will we vote with our wallets

I have been thinking about the brave people who have stood up to Coles and were counted on behalf of farmers and suppliers everywhere.

Coles CEO John Durkan at the $80m Devondale Dairy facility opening in Laverton Photo The Australian See story here

The whistleblowers who have gone to the ACCC and achieved these outcomes ‘Humbled Coles admits it did wrong’

FOOD and liquor giant Coles faces penalties of $10 million and may have to pay as much as $16m in refunds after admitting that it engaged in unconscionable conduct with small grocery suppliers.

In an embarrassing mea culpa, Wesfarmers group managing director Richard Goyder and Coles managing director John Durkan apologised unconditionally for the retailer’s dealings with suppliers after reaching a historic settlement with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

“I believe that in these dealings with suppliers, Coles crossed the line and regrettably treated these suppliers in a manner inconsistent with acceptable business practice,” Mr Durkan said.

“Coles sincerely regrets and apologises for its conduct in these dealings.”

I was talking to some-one just a few weeks ago who participated in a series of supplier roundtables Coles CEO John Durkan played an active role in. This person said Mr Durkan was laughing and joking like he didn’t have a care in the world

Looks like he knew he had Wesfarmers support no matter how the case turned out

Mr Goyder said both Wesfarmers and Coles “sincerely regretted” the unacceptable conduct, but voiced his support for Mr Durkan, dousing concerns he would be forced out for playing a major role in one of the cases brought by the ACCC.

Now its Woolworths turn to provide answers to the ACCC, See story here Woolworths accused of bullying Suppliers

WOOLWORTHS has been accused of bullying suppliers into paying millions of dollars to fund a discount war, prompting the competition watchdog to examine whether the supermarket giant is in breach of competition and consumer laws.

How brave do these supermarket suppliers whistle-blowers have to be. Its not as if they alternate channels of distribution the size of Coles and Woolworths in this country. They are the courageous people who are prepared to stand up for what is right first and foremost

I have appeared before the Senate Inquiry on Milk Price. It wasn’t much fun. I have even supported a fellow farmer who went to the ACCC about what he ( and I ) believed was unconscionable conduct towards a number of dairy farmers. He had been fighting this cause for quite a while and he told me all he needed was one or two more farmers to to back him up. . No matter how much proof we got it was obvious we were wasting our time. Those were the days before Rod Sims headed up the ACCC.

I have even been threatened. I remember the day well. The phone call came through the morning after I won the Bob Hawke Medal. I remember smiling to my self when I saw who the caller was and actually said I cant believe XXX would be the first person to ring and congratulate me . Well he wasn’t, he was threatening to sue me for something I said at the senate inquiry. That was a very traumatic day spent on the phone to my lawyer to see if he had a case which of course he didn’t. But it left a nasty taste in my mouth and I am in awe of the whistleblowers who start the process and remain in it for the long haul

And sadly do consumers really care?. Do we stop shopping in Coles and Woolworths.? Will this effect their bottom lines?. Will they just find more and less obvious ways of putting pressure on their suppliers?

You know what I think. I think many of these whistleblowers are Woolies and Coles staff. It must be very tough being asked to do things you know in your heart are wrong. I will guarantee not too many of them are laughing and joking when they reflect on the consequences on the actions of their employer,

This Christmas as I have a glass of wine and share Christmas with my friends I will toast the brave whistle-blowers and the ACCC and hope that we as consumers will find some way of making their efforts worthwhile

Hope lives here – a year in reflection

Hope starts here with the most amazing group of young people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and working with . Young people who are proud and loud to be part of the next generation of amazing group of people who feed, clothe and put a roof over our heads – our farmers and their support networks. Young people who so believe in a bright future for agriculture in this country and want to take everyone on that journey with them

Young people who nominated me for Australian of the Year who so inspire me to one day be worthy of that title

The students and teachers I meet as part of my Archibull Prize journey with the art judge Wendy Taylor who channel artists I have never even heard of

Books I read with heroes who listen to music and read classics and watch movies I also have never even heard of

I had parents who owned a record player they never used and my first LP was the Bee Gees and I bizarrely came first in music in Year 8 and had never heard of Bach let alone Tchaikovsky

I collect the names of the great novels and movies classics I will watch one day instead of the sitcoms that currently I escape to at night to lighten my load

But I am forever grateful I am wise enough to surround myself with people I can learn and grow from

I salute those people who recognised my heart is in the right place and I can make a difference with the right support networks

I cringe at stories that allow the freedom to the press to incite racial hatred in this country

I cringe at stories of the power supermarket duopolies like this and this

I cringe about a world that is more interested in stories and give oxygen to airheads like this than stories about people who are starving or being forced into the sex trade or genital mutilation

I cringe when I read stories about people who deny climate change is a reality when 99.9% of our scientist tell us it’s a reality which will destroy the future of our planet and our young people who will inhabit it unless we stand up and be counted now

This year I lost 20 kgs eating great Australian produce that was high in protein, low in processed carbs and contained good fats. I was proud that my family supplies 50,000 Australians with this healthy diet combination.

I was proud so many Australian farmers t look after more than 60% of Australia’s precious landscape and care and are committed to animal wellbeing no matter what the extremist groups would have the general public have us believe

I sit here and read the latest Louise Penny novel and listen to my ancient IPod collection of romantic ballads that range from Bruce Springsteen to Van Morrison, and of course the Bee Gees to Sarah McLachlan and think what an enigma I am

I am heartbroken that our Australian Christmas has been precluded by a siege that saw 3 lives lost in Martin Place and 8 lives taken in Cairns and sad that people I love and admire have lost people so dear to them

I am so lucky to have wonderful friends who support me equally at my worst and at my best

I am so lucky to wake up in paradise every day and I look forward to the exciting challenges, opportunities and new beginnings 2015 will bring

I wish everyone I hold so dearly the best life has to offer and look forward to helping creating with them the world every one deserves to live in

Hate is not an emotion. Its a disease that eats you alive from within

Like the rest of the world I woke up to the heartbreaking news that the siege in Martin Place had ended in tragedy

I write this post this morning to remind people that hate is not an emotion. Its is a disease that eats you alive from within

I just cant imagine what it would be like to have family and friends directly involved in a life threatening situation like the Martin Place siege and my heart bleeds for them

But I have seen the way Australians are talking and thinking about people who follow the Muslim faith change over the last 12 months and it truly saddens me.

Like everyone I have access to a plethora of background information on the man behind the siege and until anybody can prove otherwise I will remain firm in my commitment that the siege is not the work of an organised terrorist group.

“This is a one-off random individual. It’s not a concerted terrorism event or act. It’s a damaged-goods individual who’s done something outrageous.” Source

Lets all remember no matter what religious affiliations we have every religion has its fanatics who will use their beliefs to help justify barbaric acts

As I thought about the community yesterday and how this would be impacting on our day to day lives I am so proud of Rachel Jacobs who initiated the #illridewithyou campaign and our fellow Australians who followed her lead.

Read the Rachel Jacob’s story behind the #hashtag here How #illridewithyou began with Rachael Jacobs’ experience on a Brisbane train

Lets remember when we reflect on this tragedy. Hate is not an emotion, it is a disease that eats you alive from within.

Some reflections that have also moved me

This post on the Lindt Facebook site

This reflection by a year 9 class in this post If Martin Bryant was a Muslim

Today’s reporting of the incident in Martin Place exemplifies what the students identified. We will always be afraid of terrorists if we keep making them. This lone gunman in Martin Place is a psychopath, the media made him a terrorist.

You don’t have to win to feel like a winner

“Speed eliminates all doubt. Am I smart enough? Will people like me? Is my bum too big in this plastic jumpsuit?” ― David Sedaris (with a slight tweak)

Agriculture can be a pretty tough operating environment when you are part of a small dedicated team trying to drive change and map out a bright future

There has been plenty of self doubt and self reflection on my behalf over the last 18 months. Many times I have questioned myself and my methods and my personality style and taken the next step and sought the advice of a business coach and done a number of courses to give me the strength I needed to stay on track

So to that wonderful group of people who nominated me for Australian of the Year I say a huge thank you – best Christmas present ever. Your faith in me will help ensure the doubters are just an insignificant noise and give me the inner strength I so needed to stay focused

To agriculture in general please take a little time to pat some-one on the back who is trying to get the best outcomes for everybody. Too often we wear out out our champions and they just walk away

Some more of my favourite self doubt quotes that ensure I don’t take myself too seriously

It doesn’t matter if I’m off the beat. It doesn’t matter if I’m snapping to the rhythm. It doesn’t matter if I look like a complete goon when I dance. It is my dance. It is my moment. It is mine. And dance I will. Try and stop me. You’ll probably get kicked in the face.”
― Dan Pearce, Single Dad Laughing

“Self-doubt is a persuasive mistress; careful not to shag her or you’ll never get your balls back.” – Simon Hunt”
― Dannika Dark, Twist

Show me a farmer who doesn’t care

When the term ‘social licence to operate’ first came on the radar for agriculture in this country about six or seven year ago everyone looked wise and then rushed to the nearest bathroom to ask Dr Google what it meant

It’s one of those terms like sustainability that has a mind blowing number of definitions. 90% of them in a lingo nobody understands and far too many people used that excuse to put it in the too hard basket

For me as a farmer having a social licence means the community trusts that I care as much as they do about the environment, producing safe food, my employees and my animals that they don’t feel that it is necessary to ask the government to create an ad infinitum list of red and green tape regulations to make sure I do the right thing

The NSW Government has pulled social licence well and truly out of the too hard basket and put it very visibly on the table as part of their AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY ACTION PLAN DISCUSSION See here

I was very honoured and excited to be part of the discussion on the four social licence policy items proposed in the Industry Action Plan at the SOCIAL LICENCE TO OPERATE – CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITY workshop yesterday

I was also so proud to have one of the Art4Agriculture Young Farming Champions as a speaker at the event. Josh Gibert’s topic was ‘Social Licence the Narrative’ and wow did Josh do a fantastic job. I will blog Josh’s presentation on Art4Agriculture Chat

Pip Courtney facilitated the event brilliantly and a number of actions were put forward at the end of the day.

I personally have no concept of why many of our farmers are tip toeing around social licence. After we all want the same thing as the community and our consumers.

Safe, affordable, nutritious food and quality fibre produced by people who care

Find me a farmer who doesn’t care because if you can that person doesn’t belong in agriculture and they need to be told that. I am confident that will be a very short list.

Agriculture has not told its story well and as a result we are often seen as a sunset industry in this state, Minister Katrina Hodgkinson MP, Director General Scott Hansen and their team are determined to shine the light on agriculture again.

Our farmers have a very important role to help them do that. Let’s start by making our journey a partnership with the community

After all we do want the same thing

Safe, affordable, nutritious food and quality fibre produced by people who care

Lets tell our story, take community on the journey with us and the narrative must be underpinned by why we do it.

Why am I feeding our calves?. Marian MacDonald tells you why here

You can find the AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY ACTION PLAN here

Tadpoles on the hop

I live in the most special place and have created this wonderful little tropical paradise outside my kitchen window

Its become a haven over the years for some wildlife I wish would move elsewhere but today I looked out my kitchen window to see the the frogs were back and it is obviously breeding season and this morning I was inadvertently a voyeur

In my rush to get the camera there was far too little attention paid to focusing

I love this one – it so looks like they are kissing

This one I will leave up to the imagination

You can read all about frogs in NSW here