TEYS – the canary in the coalmine
Sheryl Lowe. "What followed ‘saddened” me, Member for MacKillop Nick McBride MP said on 5THE FM radio. “I realise there is a lot of fear around covid but Teys employees were refused service at businesses in Naracoorte and there was even a threat of the Woolworths Fuel outlet closing so staff wouldn’t have to serve them. The media continued to connect the outbreak to Teys but, Teys was the ‘canary in the coal mine,’ if you like. They detected covid in Naracoorte but were not responsible for bringing it to Naracoorte. It was already there.”
New principal for Naracoorte
Gabrielle Duykers. Naracoorte High School has gained a new principal, Lynette Corletto, who says she is passionate about inclusive education and helping students link their learning to future pathways.
Government signs up rural GPs after 19 months
Chris Oldfield. A fresh agreement between SA’s rural doctors and the State Government has been signed. The agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), aims to ease a rural GP crisis sweeping the State, affecting country health care and hospitals, including Naracoorte. Government contracts expired 19 months ago, causing grave concerns for SA branches of the Australian Medical Association (AMASA) and Rural Doctor Association (RDASA).
China bans Teys
Gabrielle Duykers. Teys Naracoorte is the latest abattoir to be banned from exporting its beef to China, joining nine others across Australia. The suspension came into place on January 29, according to an official notice from China’s General Administration of Customs. A specific reason for the decision or how the meat processing plant failed to meet trade access requirements was excluded from the notice.
Spotlight on incident control, mobile phone range and AVLs
Chris Oldfield. Lucindale CFS group officer Patrick Ross last week pointed to black markings on a map in the incident control room of the town’s fire-fighting base. He turned to visiting SA emergency services minister Vincent Tarzia and said: “This is where the fatality happened.”
Cath does Coonawarra proud
Gabrielle Duykers. In the latest addition to her many accolades, Cath Kidman of Wynns Coonawarra Estate has been crowned Viticulturist of the Year at the recent 2021 Women in Wine and Spirits Awards. Ms Kidman was one of 50 finalists to win one of the 18 award categories, with recipients spanning across 12 countries and regions around the globe.
Labor unveils MacKillop candidate
Gabrielle Duykers. Millicent mediator Mark Braes has the “monumental task” of contesting the seat of MacKillop for SA Labor at the upcoming state election ... Across the electorate, he said his primary concerns centred around “health and health needs”.
No NLC rubble roadside spraying before fire season
Chris Oldfield. There was no roadside spraying of gravel roads in the Naracoorte Lucindale Council district last Spring, according to operations manager Karl Manarangi. As the current fire season sparked, only the roadsides of council's sealed roads were sprayed ... “So, out there, in the district, we are actually waiting with bated breath for the roadside spraying to be done - with the 4ft thistles and that sort of thing" : Cr Cameron Grundy.

