Contributor, ARR.News

After careful consideration, the Minister for Energy and Mining, Tom Koutsantonis MP, has declined an application by Terramin Australia Ltd to develop the Bird In Hand gold underground mine at Woodside. Terramin’s concept for its proposed Bird in Hand mine, and related applications for a Mining Lease and a Miscellaneous Purpose Licence, have undergone comprehensive assessment by government, including an eight-week statutory public consultation.

The Victorian Government is overseeing the slow demise of National Parks, ignoring the very rules that established their existence and importance in the state. In State Parliament, the Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, has asked the Minister for the Environment to immediately review a decision made last year to change public access rights to the Grampians National Park.

The Australian Government has nominated Murujuga Cultural Landscape for inscription on the World Heritage List. The formal nomination was submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in late January 2023. If accepted, Murujuga would be the second site in Australia listed for World Heritage Status for First Nations cultural heritage.

Queensland Police is preparing to launch two new high-tech Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) in the state’s north as part of ongoing trials in assisting frontline officers. The advanced Teledyne FLIR SkyRanger R70, used by militaries across the globe, has joined the QPS fleet and is undergoing testing ahead of its deployment to Townsville and Cairns.

Mayor of the South Burnett, Brett Otto is urging local farmers and landowners to be vigilant when entering into discussions with proponents of renewable energy developments, including wind farms, solar energy sites and transmission lines. The South Burnett region will play a major role in the Queensland Government’s Energy and Jobs Plan and is expecting an influx of renewable energy infrastructure developers.

After fires, pandemic and floods, the Kangaroo Valley Agricultural and Horticultural Show is on track to return with a vengeance. The two year hiatus has only served to make the community even more welcoming and the organisers even more organised for what is set to be a wonderful two day celebration of life in Australia's most beautiful valley.

NSW Farmers is calling for a substantial investment from the state and federal governments to make their traceability reform achievable. A move to electronic identification (eID) for sheep and goats will far exceed the $20 million offered by the federal government, and with a timeline set for mandatory tagging, farmers are in the dark on what financial support will be made available.

The Tasmania Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) supports the Australia-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement in principle ... However, the TFGA is concerned about recent demands from the EU to implement a Geographical Indications (GI’s) regime requiring Australian dairy producers to stop using traditional names such as Brie, Parmesan, and Cheddar.