Shaggy Dog Comments...

Among the luminaries who turned up in Grafton on Saturday night to celebrate 'Our' Ian Causley's two decades in politics was rebel Queensland MP Bob 'mad hatter' Katter. Bob and Ian go way back and share a fondness for the sugar industry, not to mention a willingness to be somewhat outspoken. Bob, now an independent, told the crowd he'd still be a Nat if Our Ian was party leader.

The night culminated in an auction by former auctioneer-turned-MP Thomas George. While Bob had been enjoying himself, he was starting to wonder what had happened to his stetson. It seems Ole 'Lightfingers' George (what's that joke about count your fingers after you've shaken hands with an auctioneer?) had helped himself to the Katter hat, which became the first item up for grabs. Showing his continued support for Bob, Our Ian stumped up $600, the highest bid for anything in the auction, and returned the hat to Katter.

Speaking of the Nats, Peter Graham, the feisty young No. 2 on Cr John Chant's ticket is someone to watch. When the day finally arrives that Our Ian decides to grab his super and head back to the farm, we won't be surprised to see Mr Graham putting up his hand for the job. Funny thing is Shaggy didn't know Peter was a card-carrying member of the National Party until he launched a fierce attack on the ALP at Monday night's Meet the Candidates evening. It provoked the Labor ticket head, Jenny Dowell, to get up and defend her Party's honour. But she turned the tables on him when she asked if the person railing against party politics and standing as an independent was in fact a Nationals member. Mr Graham responded that he was proud to be a Nat.

Just in case you're a driver who scoots down the coast, using the brake only for the few brief seconds when you pass the speed camera, be warned that the RTA has built a better mouse trap. From May, the RTA will be trialling point-to-point speed cameras, which photograph your cars number plate between two points and then analyses the time it took you to cover the distance. The system will be installed in two places on the Pacific Highway - a 12km stretch near Chinderah bypass, and the notorious 35km 'dead zone' between New Italy and the Yamba turnoff. Travelling at the speed limit of 100kmh, the New Italy stretch would normally take 21 minutes. Someone doing 110kmh would take about 19 mins. The trial will run until the end of the year and any motorists caught speeding during that time will receive warning letters from the RTA.

You may remember back in January when we reported on how Ballina councillor Alan Rich had grand visions of Ballina Council being electrified by microphones and other gizmos so the good citizens of the shire wouldn't miss a single syllable of the pearls of wisdom emanating from the esteemed representatives during their endless hours of thoughtful deliberation. He copped a big thumbs down. Last month, a funny thing happened. When Ballina Council held its extraordinary meeting to debate the rezoning of the Tinkerbell site for a shopping centre, the gallery was packed to overflowing and many people couldn't hear a word. Cr Peter Moore, who excused himself from the debate because of a conflict of interest, ended up outside with the ratepayers, when he had a road to Chambers - if not Damascus - conversion. Just three days later, Cr Rich tried again, proposing that Council explore options for a public address system to use during meetings (as they do in Lismore and Richmond Valley). He was supported by Cr Moore and this time the motion got up. It was a good day for Cr Rich, who's more used to knock backs, but managed to get a trio of proposals approved, including a brochure for gallery visitors to explain the rules of a council meeting, and the introduction of a 15 minute public question time during the meetings - a chance for residents to quiz their elected reps on what they're up to.

Shaggy saw Norpa's latest show, the brilliant Dislabelled on Tuesday. The comedy-cabaret stars two deaf women, Caroline Conlon and Sofya Gollan, talking about life as an "acoustically challenged" person. We all learnt how to swear in sign language (so if you're a boss whose staff have been making funny hand signals at you this week, you now know why), not to mention chat someone up, and Shaggy was singled out as the audience 'victim' (we're now the proud owner of our own sign name). But we had a surprise in store for Caroline when we said hello after the show. Shaggy reminded her that we grew up in the same street just a few doors apart and went to primary school together. After 25 years, a friendship has been renewed.

Don't forget daylight savings ends this Saturday night. The good news is you get an extra hour to sleep in provided you remember to put your clocks back an hour before you go to bed.

Lost: one banner. Answers to the name The Echo. The paper's marketing manager is keen to find it. If anyone has an Echo banner lying around the place please give her a call on 6622 2888.

Good dogs and candidates out on the noonday run

It's not what you'd call dog whistle politics, but in the hunt for the canine vote, the Action Now! team gathered with a candidate's best friend this week for a photo op at Lismore's new fenced, off-leash dog area near the Ballina Street bridge.

The area is part of the riverbank redevelopment being overseen by mayoral candidate Brian Henry (left), who is chair of the Wilson's River Redevelopment Steering Committee. He's pictured with Maryan Fisher (Richard Fisher's wife, with Stella the wonder dog) and Action Now! candidates Robin Osborne (with his German shepherd Gracie), Richard Fisher (and his little pup Jaffa), Dillon Brice (with his dogs Oscar and April), and Jenny Deans, with Richard's son Nicholas and her dog Sam.