Lloyd Polkinghorne, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper
781 POSTS
Australian mortality rates soar
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has reported a surge in Aussies dying. In 2022, there were 75,593 deaths that occurred by May 31 and were registered by July 31, which is 10,757 (16.6 per cent) more than the historical average. May alone saw 16,124 deaths, 1,922 (13.5 per cent) above the historical average. Of those deaths, 4,465 were attributed to Covid-19, though it is hard to distinguish died ‘with’ from died ‘from’ Covid-19.
Erosion explosion
No action has been taken to address the explosion of erosion through hundreds of kilometres of Australia’s most iconic river, the Murray. The erosion is consuming red gum forests, one of which is RAMSAR listed, as well as compromising bank integrity, with floods looming. Private infrastructure is also being impacted with pump sheds, fences, lawns and watering systems all falling prey to hydraulic land clearing.
Raiders finals
Kendall Jennings. Football and netball finals were held on the weekend, with mother nature delivering sunny skies for winter. It is an achievement for any team to make finals and that fact alone needs celebrating. Saturday, the Raiders Under 16s netball hit the court at Woorinen for the qualifying final to face Kerang. Raiders’ fans gathered courtside to support the girls with club colours, streamers and cheers for outstanding play.
Ultimate authority
There has been much said about the Murray-Darling Basin Authority over the 10 years of Basin Plan implementation ... The latest attempt by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to justify the hydraulic land clearing and loss of capacity of the Murray River needs to be called out for what it is – mismanagement in breach of the 2007 Water Act.
Resilience Leadership Program
Kirstin Nicholson. Leitchville’s Matthew Hawken is part of a new program designed to strengthen the future of regional communities through capacity building and collaboration. The Drought Resilience Leaders Development Program is an initiative of the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund offered in 12 regions around Australia. The Mallee region program includes 25 people working in agriculture, financial service providers, irrigators and self-employed business consultants.
Reconnecting River Country Program
A plan to have community at the forefront of co-design was the feature of Western Murray Land Improvement Group’s (WMLIG) Reconnecting River Country Program (RRCP) Wakool presentation ... During the night, attendees were walked through the RRCP mapping tool. The maps are generated through computer modelling for various flow options from 15,000 megalitres per day up to 40,000ML/D.
Branching out – Part three of forestry conversations
This week, we look to views from the community. Thank you to those who were prepared to share their thoughts and continue the dialogue ... “My main concern was the mess on the floor and the impacts on the camping spots" ... “I still question that overarching authority from the EPA as to how the forests are managed. Are they being over-managed?" ... “I see lots of benefits in a working forest for the forest itself"
Growers award
Over 200 rice growers, industry representatives and stakeholders attended the Rice Growers Australia (RGA) annual conference in Yarrawonga last week ... Neville and Brooke Hollins from Woorak Ag at Burraboi were announced SunRice Grower of the Year.
