Business

People First Bank has announced a significant new partnership with the award-winning, locally based FKG Group to develop a new five-storey head office in Toowoomba’s CBD ... The new head office at 502 Ruthven Street will accommodate up to 400 employees in a modern, adaptable work environment.

Little movement at the station Local Member for Groom Garth Hamilton is deeply concerned with the progress of the Toowoomba to Brisbane Passenger Rail business case project … "It is damning that after nearly two and a half years, we still cannot confirm whether the Minister has been briefed on such an important report and that the full report has not been released."

As warmer weather sets in, Darling Downs Health is reminding local residents to be on the lookout for snakes. In the first two months of snake season, September and October, 39 people presented to emergency departments with snake bite injuries within the Darling Downs region.

Cameras flashed and joyful chatter emerged as stall holders and visitors at the Chelmsford Night Markets turned their eyes towards the brand new water tower projection art illuminating the town square for the first time ... The virtual artwork, which is brought to life through state-of-the-art projection technology, pays tribute to Walter Burley Griffin’s design...

The storage imperative: Powering Australia’s clean energy transition is authored by Associate Professor Guillaume Roger from Monash University’s Faculty of Business and Economics. His analysis shows that how we trade electricity today, and the financial instruments that support such trade, are inadequate to deal with intermittent energy and storage.

Narrandera Shire Council has secured a renewable electricity supply agreement with Iberdrola Australia through to the end of 2030 as part of a buyer’s group facilitating a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for 13 regional councils in New South Wales. The agreement secures the supply of over 390-gigawatt hours of electricity to 163 large council sites and streetlighting across regional NSW...

Peter Moyle. What a great month – at last consistent clear weather on our scheduled walks. We revisited the secluded and difficult to access 38/38 Chasm, a wonderland of ferns, waterfalls ... Our annual pilgrimage to The Gibraltar Ranges National Park finished the month.

Neil Amor. Ten years ago, the Nimbin community came together to ensure the continued growth of an organic, sustainable food culture ... with the financial support of the community and the hard work of a legion of volunteers, despite some tough times getting things up and running, the Nimbin Organic Food Co-op has grown to supply the local need and has become a thriving business.

I am often pulled aside and asked how to approach a specific coaching conversation with someone. Usually, the nature of the topic may be a little delicate or uncomfortable, so they are looking for the best way to broach a topic. Often these coaching conversations are unplanned, so are in the moment and require the right tone, framework and context to be an effective and respectful moment.

Hugh Schuitemaker. A desire to see sustainable medical care provided for Riverlanders has seen a former local doctor receive a major national award. Renmark-based retired GP David Rosenthal recently received the 2024 Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) Distinguished Service Award for five decades of dedication to rural, remote, and First Nations healthcare.

Sam Freeman. I wanted to personally share with you today’s news that the Australian Government announced an $80m financing facility to support the continued operations of the Rex network and their intention to extend the Federal Government Regional Flight Booking Guarantee. This is great news for Rex.  It provides resources for investment needed to improve the business and the operational performance of the regional network including increasing the size of the active regional Rex fleet.

Interested business are encouraged to submit an expression of interest to participate in any of five key trade exhibitions to be held in Asia and the Middle East in 2025. Food, beverage and hospitality events have proven to be a great avenue for WA businesses to showcase their products and establish trade relationships.

The latest agricultural lending statistics provided by the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) show an increase in lending to the farm sector of 6 per cent in 2022-23, reaching $120.5 billion. Executive Director of ABARES Dr Jared Greenville said that while the amount of debt had risen, the reasons point to ongoing investment in the sector.

Michelle Daw. The nurses’ union has called for an urgent review of patient admission criteria and security measures at Yorketown Hospital after a terrifying incident where a patient allegedly threatened two nurses with knives. Union representatives argue the hospital’s current security systems fail to protect staff, prompting calls for stronger safeguards to ensure the safety of healthcare workers and patients alike.

Local farmer Jim “Spud” Hepworth, a Litchfield, Watchem and Donald stalwart and fourth generation cereal and sheep, farmer has starred in a short film that has gone viral overnight. The video, released ... by a local group called Farms For Food, has had over 69,000 views in 24 hours. Mr Hepworth spoke about the community impact that changes such as mineral sand mining and new transmission lines have had in his region.

Well, he’s back. This time, he’s not just set on “Making America Great Again,” but is doubling down with a pledge to “Make Our (American) Farmers Great Again.” But how, exactly, does he plan to pull this off? And should Aussie farmers brace for impact? A glance at Trump’s past as President, alongside his promises for the next four years, paints a picture that’s hard to ignore.

A single bus route in a small community might seem trivial to the Cook Labor government, but for the families who depend on it, it’s far more than just transport. It’s a lifeline that keeps communities viable, allowing families to live and work on the land while ensuring their kids can attend school without spending hours commuting each day ... This decision underscores the growing divide in our state ...

Honestly, I’m stumped, and I say this as someone who once worked for a Minister for Agriculture and “Food.” In all my years in government, I don’t recall anyone requesting a sit-down with the Minister for Food ... If a food giant like Kraft Heinz or Mars Wrigley came sniffing around WA, do you think they’d trawl through the yellow pages for the Minister for Food?

Anna Mabin likes to make people happy. And she does that by helping people find clothes they feel confident wearing making them feel good about who they are. Through her business AM Styling she shops and styles for individuals who want to look better and wear clothes that suit their lifestyle.

Essential Energy sent text alerts to more than 4400 customers who are affected by an unplanned power outage ... Areas impacted by the outage include Codrington, Bagotville, Bora Ridge, Coraki, Swan Bay, parts of Bungawalbin, Broadwater, Kilgin, Woodburn and Evans Head.