Employment

“This is a heartbreaking announcement for 300 workers, their families, and the wider community. It’s also a clear signal that our food manufacturing industry on which our region relies, is under increasing strain — from rising input costs to workforce challenges and from uncertainty driven by the Murray-Darling Basin Plan”: Chair of the Murray River Group of Councils, Cr. Dan Straub.

Sergeant Jim Richardson has taken up his new role in Nhill with a clear focus: community connection, education, and proactive engagement. With over four decades of experience in policing, including 31 years based at Goroke, Jim is no stranger to the needs and strengths of rural communities.

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has today released its 2025 Federal Election Scorecard, revealing how the major parties stack up when it comes to agriculture and regional Australia.

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has issued a stark warning that mounting red tape and increasingly complex labour laws are choking access to the workers agriculture desperately needs, placing Australia’s food security, farm viability, and regional economies at serious risk. 

After 40 years of devoted service at Emu Creek State School, teacher aide, Liz Donnelly has retired from the school that has played such an important role in her life. Liz's story is the story of Emu Creek in many ways.

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) has recently awarded two waste facility operational services contracts to locally-based not-for-profit organisation Ability Enterprises, which will give residents a second chance through employment at Council.

A world away from Sydney, Moulamein’s latest police officer Matt Edwards is feeling at home in the country ... dreamed of an AFL career ... “I wanted to be a footy player first; if that didn’t work out, my backup was always to become a cop.”

With placards in their hands, smiles on their faces, and their fists triumphantly raised high in the air, staff and members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) Clarence Valley Branch at Grafton Base Hospital (GBH) had cause for celebration on April 3 after they finally received the news they had been fighting hard for throughout the past couple of years.

Squadron Leader Alistair Smith, from 2 Operational Conversion Unit, has been in Victoria for the past two weeks for the Australian International Airshow held at Avalon as the AIA25 Detachment Commander and one of the F-35 Lightning II pilots ... Alistair is the son of former Birchip residents Eileen and Ian Smith and completed his primary and secondary schooling at Birchip P-12 School.

The Barkandji Rangers are coordinated by the Barkandji Native Title Group Aboriginal Cooperation (BNTGAC). The program is a ‘career pathway for Barkandji Traditional Owners’, a stepping stone to further employment with organisations such as NSW National Parks.

Weld Australia is proud to announce a strategic partnership with two of the world’s leading welding technology organisations—EWI (formerly the Edison Welding Institute) and the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) Group. This collaboration will provide Australian manufacturers with direct access to cutting-edge automation solutions, world-class research and development (R&D), and advanced training programs.

Victoria has long faced the devastating impact of powerline-related bushfires, with outdated Single Wire Earth Return powerlines responsible for 30 to 40 fires each year. Despite almost ten years of successful trials, partially funded by the Victorian Government, which prove that early fault detectors for powerlines can prevent bushfires, the technology has yet to be widely rolled out ... ARR.News asked some further questions of IND.T CEO, Professor Alan Wong.

Kerry Anderson. Encouraging trainees and apprentices in any trade or vocation can motivate them in their long-term career aspirations. 2023 winner of the Castlemaine Rotary Apprentice/Trainee Awards, Griffin Day, says that the experience is one that has stayed with him.

Customers of Allora Butchery would have noticed a polite young man helping Aaron and the crew last year.

Christine Webster. The Australia-wide problem of being unable to attract enough doctors to rural areas is impacting heavily on the Waikerie Medical Centre and local community ... Dr Wanguhu said young doctors often preferred to take up posts at medical centres in Barmera, Berri and Renmark where they were not required to work in an emergency hospital.

If you have driven south on the Cobb Highway recently, you’d have seen a veritable village pop up on the horizon. This sea of modular buildings set on a hard ground base is home to 250 people, workers for Transgrid and Elecnor. Calling it a camp is almost deceptive, but in a positive way.

Sean Cunningham. In today’s society where careers change often, 43 y/o John Howitt has proven that dedication, commitment and hard work can stand the test of time. Well-known in the Narrandera community, John recently celebrated an incredible milestone - 35 years of service at Kurrajong Recycling.

Michelle Daw. A Moonta butcher has called for the Federal Government to top up apprentice wages to make them more appealing to young people. Rhys O’Donohue of Moonta Gourmet Meats has two apprentices and said he was always looking for more.

The National Farmers’ Federation’s flagship gap-year program AgCAREERSTART has begun for another year, with dozens of young people kicking off their agricultural careers this week. AgCAREERSTART connects farmers with 17-25 year olds who are looking to work on Australian farms.  

A pilot international exchange program between Canada, the UK, New Zealand and Australia has been developed to offer participants an opportunity to gain diverse perspectives as well as foster personal and professional growth ... “The pilot international exchange program offers a unique opportunity for emerging leaders in forestry and forest management to participate in a 3-month paid international work placement,” Ms Martin said.

On November 11 last year the WA Premier all but confirmed the project will go ahead. The only question is how much the Feds will stump up and how much influence will the unions have on the final design.