Contributor, ARR.News

In a move which calls into question its positioning as the “better big bank”, Bendigo Bank has announced the closure of 10 branches - five in regional communities where they are the last remaining bank branch ... Only a full reversal of this move will protect the 32 full time equivalent roles and the essential service they undertake in their local communities ... including Queenstown in Tasmania, home to the West Coast Wilderness Railway.

A new showroom displaying Holden heritage vehicles is revving up Gippsland, giving car enthusiasts another reason to visit the region. Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos was at the Trafalgar Holden Museum to announce that the new showroom, the Neil Joiner Holden Heritage Centre is now open. 

The illegal importation of 62 tonnes of pork and other animal protein from Thailand into Australia proves the urgent need for increased funding and resources for frontline biosecurity services ... a District Court judge sentencing her to a 24-month intensive corrections order and 150 hours of community service ... “The two cases demonstrate that food smugglers can get away with breaching our biosecurity laws too easily and for too long before being found out, and face too small a punishment”: CA Chief Executive, Dr Chris Parker.

Work has started in Stockinbingal on building an accommodation camp for workers on the Illabo to Stockinbingal (I2S) section of Inland Rail. The accommodation camp will provide a home away from home for 350 workers who will be helping build the 39km of new track over the next two years.

Landowners along the Tasmanian North West Transmission Development have overwhelmingly rejected a last-minute strategic benefit payment offer made by the Tasmanian Government. TasFarmers CEO Nathan Calman said the offer delivered at the eleventh hour through TasNetworks broke pre-election commitments made to negotiate in good faith.

After careful consideration of what the NSW Government Budget 2025/26 means for rural, regional and remote Councils, the Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA) sees a reactionary budget that is fiscally responsible in a time when investment in the regions is needed ... “Overall, not a lot for the CMA in the 2025-26 NSW Budget to be excited about. However, we continue to advocate for equity for rural, regional and remote communities in the State.”

The sudden closure of the Mokoan Hub and Café at Winton Wetlands is incredibly disappointing and has left our local community reeling. My thoughts are with the hardworking staff who lost their jobs with no warning or transparency. They deserved far better.

Some of Western Australia's most unique reptiles have been rescued from smugglers who were attempting to send them interstate through Perth Airport. In one case, a package containing eight live bobtail lizards destined for Sydney was intercepted, resulting in a $2,500 fine.

Tasmania’s peak farming body, TasFarmers, is today releasing its bold long-term vision for the state, calling on all political parties to commit to strategic policy that supports the growth and sustainability of agriculture ... "The policy platform outlines key reforms across multiple areas, including local government rates, invasive species management, freight, and workforce development.

Eliza Pike. Perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA) affects up to one in five mothers and one in ten fathers across Australia – and for the seven million people living in rural and remote communities, these challenges are often intensified by barriers to mental health care ... With Gidget Foundation Australia seeing a 132 per cent increase in clients accessing perinatal mental health counselling since 2020, access to timely, specialist care has never been more important.