Why move to Birchip?
Local Buloke Shire Young Citizen of the year (2024), Blake Lee, and Birchip P-12 teacher, Marian Haddrick, have created an advertisement for the township of Birchip to encourage a swell in population to take up the available employment opportunities in the region.
Creating more new jobs for regional Victorians: Pallas
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) regional labour force data, released yesterday, shows that another 6,700 people in regional Victoria found jobs in the past month ... According to the ABS data, unemployment remains low in many areas of Victoria, including Warrnambool and the South West (2.2 per cent), Hume (2.9 per cent), Bendigo (3.1 per cent) and Geelong (3.5 per cent).
Community urged to speak up on phone services
Independent Member for Indi, Helen Haines, is encouraging individuals and community groups to take part in a federal government review examining the existing and future telecommunication needs of regional communities ... "Regional communities are held back by unreliable NBN coverage, mobile phone blackspots and slow internet speeds during peak holiday periods," Dr Haines said.
New BoM radar improves accuracy
Images from the new Toowoomba weather radar are now live on the Bureau of Meteorology’s (BoM) website and app. The radar is located in an elevated position between Goombungee and Crows Nest. BoM Senior Responsible Officer for Queensland, Dr Peter Stone, said that the new radar will add coverage to current radar gaps to the west and south-west of Toowoomba.
Phones ring in new beginning
Phone lines to the Lucindale Health Centre have been reconnected during times local nurses are rostered on duty. From Reedy Creek, Keilira and Woolumbool to Spence, Callendale, Furner, Biscuit Flat, Greenways and everywhere in between - the Lucindale community can once again ring the local health centre they built themselves.
Author interview – Jill Griffiths
Author Jill Griffiths describes her debut book, 'What's For Dinner?' as “an exploration of the food on the table and the farming that puts it there and what it all means for people who grow food and those who eat it”. Australian Regional & Rural News reporter, Serena Kirby, spoke with Jill recently to learn more about her background, how the book came about and some of the fascinating things she discovered in the process.
ANZAC qualities: lessons for leaders
Courage, egalitarianism, mateship, resilience, sacrifice, adaptability, camaraderie ... The ANZAC spirit is ageless. By embodying these ANZAC-inspired qualities, leaders can create a positive and emotionally safe team culture to help inspire resilience and excellence into their teams, especially as we navigate through times of uncertainty and adversity.
Peter on target
It’s a good thing Englishman Peter Shuttleworth loves chatting to strangers when he’s holidaying. If he hadn’t struck up a conversation with the also holidaying John and Glenda Cleave back in 2013, he would never have discovered Cohuna ... once he heard there was a clay target club down the road, he came back for the club’s annual Anzac Day Shoot the following year – and kept coming.
Ord Valley Muster, 17-25 May 2024
The Boab Metals Ord Valley Muster, the Iconic Kimberley Festival, has a packed program of events across nine days ... in Kununurra ... From big concerts to station luncheons, laugh-out-loud comedy, Indigenous culture, arts, fashion and family-friendly festivities, the Boab Metals Ord Valley Muster kicks off the East Kimberley’s tourism season.
How feasible is nuclear power for Australia?
Nuclear remains a topical and contentious issue for Australia, with Labor firmly opposed to this form of energy while the Coalition wants to build nuclear power stations on the sites of existing coal fire stations. Alan Finkel, former Chief Scientist of Australia believes it is worth removing the legislated ban on nuclear power. “Nuclear power is a credible source of abundant zero-emissions electricity, but it would take 20 years to commence operations from a standing start in Australia,” Dr Finkel said.
What car is Australia driving?
According to vehicle marketplace Car Sales, 1,216,780 vehicles were purchased in Australia in 2023, breaking the previous record of 1,189,116, set in 2017. But what is the most popular?
Geelong’s regional airport under threat: McArthur
Concerned residents protesting a controversial new windfarm recently met at Lethbridge Airport to oppose a proposal which will see sixty 270 metre high wind towers of skyscraper proportions placed in an area northwest of Geelong. Local residents, farmers and the communities of Bannockburn, Lethbridge, Teesdale, Meredith and Shelford are being left in the dark as to the exact location and impact of this vast renewables project.
WA farmers looking to the sky and Canberra
... the water reserves in WA farmers' dams are now running dangerously low and farmers are being forced to quit stock at rates that are competitive with the price of a bullet ... What's the trade got to do with the weather? For our farmers, the link is so obvious they remain dumbfounded that the Government has not joined the dots.
What’s Watt got to say now?
Minister Watt, it's time to face up to the reality and accept the consequences of the government’s policy to ban live exports ... Your policies have contributed to driving away buyers and the boats that are essential for alleviating the pressure on the sheep market ... The fact that the live export report you commissioned remains concealed speaks volumes about the economic motivations behind the political decision. The report reportedly confirms what every farmer knows, that the local processing industry cannot replicate the competitive dynamics provided by exporters in the market.
Turning on the microphone during Youth Week in Grafton
There have been some new voices going live on air at local radio station 2GF recently as the business opened its doors and handed over the microphones to a couple of enthusiastic teenagers during Youth Week 2024 ... Among them was Paisley Padayachee, the 14-year-old daughter of popular breakfast announcer Misty Fisher...
New Tom Price Hospital campaign launched by Shire of Ashburton – Council and residents fed up with broken promises
“Bandages won’t fix broken promises”, is a grassroots campaign led by the Shire of Ashburton, following community demand to get the Minister for Health, Amber-Jade Sanderson, to follow through on her election promise to build the new Tom Price Hospital. The Tom Price community was promised a new hospital on 26 February 2021 as part of the 2021 State Election.
Scrap the biosecurity bill: NSW Farmers Association
NSW Farmers has fronted a Senate Inquiry to call for the proposed biosecurity tax on farmers to be scrapped, with farmers already paying their fair share of biosecurity dues. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said despite a last-minute redesign, farm leaders remained opposed to the biosecurity levy bill and would continue to urge parliamentarians to vote against the levy’s introduction over the coming weeks.
Push to streamline EV charging zones
Cracking down on people parking in designated electric vehicle charging station spaces is one focus of a range of new road rule changes. Two new offences have been brought in to stop non-electric cars from parking in EV parking areas, and stop EVs parking in a charging area when not being charged.
“Farmers grow food – not power lines”
Jenny Pollard. The message was clear as farmers from around the Charlton district greeted representatives from the Transmission Company Victoria (TCV) with farm machinery bearing signs of dissatisfaction, as last Wednesday’s meeting about the Victoria to NSW Interconnector West (VNI West) at the Charlton Shire Hall opened to the public.
In-depth discussions with TCV”ˆspecialists: Communities “drop-in”
More than 120 landholders and community members “dropped in” to Transmission Company Victoria’s (TCV) community information sessions last week for one-on-one discussions on all aspects of the VNI West project. Held in Kerang, Charlton and Stawell, the informal five-hour sessions were a direct response to community feedback...
Parrtjima pulls near record crowds to Alice Springs: Potter
Parrtjima – A festival in light has wrapped up for 2024 after once again lighting up Alice Springs in all its glory. The iconic Territory tourism drawcard delivered unforgettable experiences and attracted extraordinary crowds, marking its second-biggest opening weekend ever with over 8000 attendances ... including the unforgettable theatrical experience of Arelhe Urrperle...
Award for providing a voice to people living with MS in the Queensland community: MS Australia
MS Australia has today announced Ms Rachel Kerr as the recipient of the 2023 John Studdy Award in recognition of her commitment, dedication and service to people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) ... Since her diagnosis, Rachel has contributed tirelessly to the Queensland community, advocating for the rights and wellbeing of regional people living with MS.
