Business

For the first time, the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW will provide impartial information and an external dispute resolution service to landholders and community members impacted by new major renewable energy transmission infrastructure and renewable energy infrastructure projects ... The Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW will provide a ‘no wrong door’ referral service for residents ...

Jenny Pollard. ... Last Saturday’s Charlton Show was certainly blessed by the weather gods with perfect conditions for outdoor entertainment, especially after the previous day of heavy rain and wind. With big crowds in evidence, increased pavilion exhibits and some very positive feedback, by day’s end 2024 was shaping up to be a success story for the hard-working committee ... “As a youngster, Maddi’s commitment to the Show first started with her bringing along animals for the pet nursery ..."

There’s many elements that go into creating a good wine and it’s the winemaker’s job to blend them together to create the perfect drop.   WA’s Rosenthal Wines’ winemakers are themselves a special blend because they’re not just winemakers and business partners - they’re also best friends. Coby Ladwig and Luke Eckersley first met 25 years ago when they were at Uni.  

Emily McInerney. It was announced at midday Saturday ... that power has been restored, via generator, to customers living in rural areas outside of Broken Hill, after Essential Energy completed aerial inspections of the power network and confirmed it was safe to re-energise. More than 12,000 customers were impacted by unplanned outages following a storm that moved through the area on Wednesday night, bringing down transmission towers and causing damage to the electricity network.

The Albury to Illabo (A2I) section of Inland Rail will enter the construction phase after the project received NSW Government planning approval on Friday. The approval from the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure is a significant milestone, and opens the way for construction to begin in 2025.

The first regatta in 30 years made a splash on the Clarence River ... The West of the Range Regatta had four pubs competing with handmade rafts. The rafters had to paddle from Dave Ross’s place up the Clarence River, pass under the bridge and land at Tabulam.

Federal MP Kevin Hogan is disappointed the inquiry into how insurers dealt with flood claims has resulted in more red tape. The Federal Government has released its final report and recommendations for the inquiry into insurers’ responses to 2022 major flood claims.

Main Street Maldon was treated to an informal parade of early Ford Falcons on Saturday, as a stream of gleaming colour glided through town. The 23rd Early Falcon Nationals, an Australia-wide classic car enthusiasts club event, took place over the weekend in Bendigo with a day drive to Maldon for lunch.

Norco Co-operative, Australia’s largest and oldest dairy co-operative has been recognised for its vital role in driving economic growth, creating jobs and contributing to the overall wellbeing of the Northern Rivers Region at the 2024 Northern Rivers Business Awards. Previously winning the Excellence in Large Business Award for three consecutive years, this year Norco, for the first time, received the prestigious Business of the Year accolade…

Jenny Pollard. “Life is better in the garden”. How many gardeners would agree with that?! From the attendance at last Sunday’s North Central Garden Club’s (NCGC) Charlton Open Gardens Day, the lure of that precious space you call your own resonates with a lot of people!

The Victorian Farmers Federation is urging the Victorian Government to safeguard the state’s most strategically significant agricultural land from renewable energy development. VFF President Emma Germano said the transition to renewable energy can’t come at the cost of losing the state’s most valuable farmland.    

Metha.ai, a company launched from MIT in 2022, is revolutionising the agricultural sector by reducing methane emissions from livestock with its groundbreaking AI-driven microbiome analytics technology. Metha.ai’s proprietary technology not only cuts emissions by 30-40 per cent but also enhances milk yield efficiency by 5-10 per cent…

Bev’s Baubles and Jewellery continues to be the lead trader in the newly established Donald Shared Shop, and has been joined by Snowy’s Vintage Homewares, Benson’s Bow Ties and Bandanas, Horizons Vintage and Antique Furniture, Ask for Art, local author S.L. Davies and 1mile2 go Photography. There are extra craft, brica-brac and hobby-type products being sold on consignment through the shop and on behalf of additional smaller businesses.

The Sailing Season officially started … and was scheduled to begin with the Alan Carson Memorial Commodore’s Cup ... the weather gods intervened. In the interest of safety the Race Officer of the Day declared racing abandoned ... The following weekend (12 October) there was a marked improvement in the weather conditions and 13 boats took to the water and racing was successfully completed.

The Village Business Expo took place … with a great atmosphere and great attitudes abounding at the Maldon Golf Club. Collaboration was the word of the day, with Rebecca Barnett of Maldon Bakery declaring: "if you don’t have money, you need to have friends" … Expo organiser Luz Restrepo reinforced the idea of working together.

Sydney has struggled with water shortages since European settlement, relying on various schemes over the years, including the Tank Stream and Botany Swamps ... Warragamba Dam remains one of the world's largest domestic water supply dams, standing alongside iconic projects like the Opera House and the Snowy Mountains Scheme.

Customer-owned banks are giving back to their communities at a rate nearly nine times higher than the major banks, according to the Customer Owned Banking 2024 Impact Report released today.  Credit unions and mutual banks dedicated 5.2 per cent of their profits to community and charitable organisations, totalling $38.4 million. In contrast, major banks contributed 0.6 per cent of their profits.

Amidst changes to regulations and community engagement requirements, the Queensland Government is seeking feedback on its approach to renewable energy projects. Queensland is now over half way to the 2030 renewable energy target, with renewables generating over 27 per cent of Queensland’s energy needs.

Condamine candidates Pat Weir (LNP) and Elissa Parker (Greens) addressed an audience at an “Energy Done Right” Forum facilitated by the Darling Downs Environmental Council at The Irish Club in Toowoomba last week ... Questions focused on issues such as the expansion of coal seam gas into the Cecil Plains district.

After rocky progress over the past four years, rehabilitation of the Bluff Falls tourism area at Cudgewa North following the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires is almost complete. In June last year, a residents’ action group was formed to progress the recovery project and it sought the support of the community to get the tourism site re-opened.