Business

Renowned Sculpture Artist, Andrew Whitehead was in Coolamon recently to install his work 'For Keeps' in Cowabbie Street ... "For Keeps" shows three children playing marbles and is inspired by the paintings of country towns in Australia by D'arcy Doyle.

Christine McKee. Sustainable food and sustainable employment were at the top of the list four years ago when planning began for a local food co-operative. Today, a network of local food producers and a greengrocery form the hub of Acres and Acres Co-op.

A Supreme Court bombshell in Queensland this week as dozens of police and health workers, including paramedics, won a mammoth legal battle over mandatory vaccination, with the Supreme Court declaring they were unlawful ... It’s been nearly three years since Australian state premiers and chief medical officers forced Australians to choose between a novel Covid-19 vaccine within a phase three trial and feeding their families.

Suzie Christensen. Community feedback on the improved short-term communications options for LHI was gathered in November 2023. The survey results showed that the majority of residents are in favour of preserving the Island’s unique way of life when it comes to connectivity.

Farmers across Australia have been left bamboozled this morning by the Government’s attempt to legislate a new tax on farmers, despite a tidal wave of expert criticism. The Albanese Government this morning tabled new laws to establish the ‘Biosecurity Protection Levy’ - intended to raise $50 million from farmers to bankroll activities that assist importers, airlines and other risk creators.

A number of landowners on the Eastern side of Allora have been approached by Wind Prospect Pty Ltd to discuss plans for turbines in or near their property. The Victorian-based wind-power company is believed to be planning construction of up to 60 wind turbines and more than 30km of high-voltage power lines and towers in the Allora area.

John Williams. In the 1950s, reports of "flying saucers" became a cultural phenomenon. And Nhill was not alone when it came to such sightings. It was 10 minutes to midnight on an October night in 1954 when three local residents saw what they thought was a flying saucer.

I am so, so happy to say that after multiple ultrasounds, CT scans, X-Rays, procedures, a biopsy, a major surgery, 4 months of living in Melbourne and separated from family, countless doctors appointments, hospital admissions, ER trips, blood tests, echocardiograms and 31 weeks of chemotherapy, my baby is finally in remission.

Figures suggest that there are as many as 800 Clarence Valley men diagnosed and currently living with prostate cancer. Yet there are virtually no specialised medical staff nor treatments available locally for the condition.

More than 190 graduate nurses and midwives will commence work throughout the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) in 2024. They are among more than 3400 graduate nurses and midwives to begin work across the state this year.

Why do both sides of federal politics continue to think we need to have a shipbuilding industry as part of our naval defence sector? Every year we spend billions of dollars trying to build ships in Australia when the most cost effective thing to do is import them off the shelf from our allies.

Following three years of herd growth leading to the largest cattle herd in 10 years in 2023, the Australian cattle herd is expected to ease by less than 1 per cent to 28.6 million head by 30 June 2024, according to Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) latest Cattle Industry Projections.

The Hush Foundation, whose mission is to transform healthcare cultures with kindness and the arts, is delighted to launch its inaugural Kindness in Healthcare Writing Prize, in memory of the late author and doctor Kath O’Connor. Kath was a General Practitioner in Central Victoria and had just finished the second draft of her beautifully crafted novel, Inheritance (Affirm Press, 2023) when she died of Ovarian Cancer in 2019 at the age of 48.

Yorke Peninsula Country Times was again recognised as one of the best papers in the state at the 2023 Country Press South Australia awards ... Third-year cadet journalist Patrick Goldsmith scooped the Best Sports Story Award for his piece about Coobowie’s Jamie Tape and editor Rhiannon Koch won the Best Editorial Writing category.

Jenny Pollard. After four days of full-on activity, Charlton has surely earned a place in the spotlight for community endeavour as both a host and in partnership with the burgeoning OK Motels Contemporary Music and Arts Small Town Festival, which played out last weekend ... with the fun and innovative  activities like “Marry Your Friends – A Celebration of Holy Mate-rimony”...

“I’m surrounded by a thriving arts community and a number of really good potters. I think artists here are inspired by the environment and pottery allows you to literally be in touch with the elements. Being in a community that appreciates, fosters and values artistic pursuits gives you courage to express yourself artistically; it lifts you up and celebrates what you do without the hindrance of competition": Rachel Falls Williams.

Scientists at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, have achieved a breakthrough in molecular plant pathology, marking a technological leap forward for breeding durable disease-resistant crops. Plant pathogens – organisms which cause plant diseases - greatly reduce agricultural productivity and are a persistent threat to global food security.    

The Beetaloo-Sub Basin on-shore natural gas resource will be at the forefront of the world’s transition to renewable energy and enable a new economic era for the NT, estimated to increase economic activity by over $17 billion ... Tamboran a key stakeholder in the Beetaloo Sub-Basin, released their initial production results from well testing.  

Confusion reigns amongst farmers and other landowners in southern Gippsland as the state government's new kid on the bloc, VicGrid, has pushed aside their negotiations with existing companies over the various transmission projects that will be built across the region under the government's renewable energy policy. This comes across the background of the blackouts caused by storms last week that brought down transmission lines and electricity poles that led to the closure of Loy Yang A power station.

Robin Letts. It was 1948, the year after I had left the Royal Australian Naval College at HMAS “Cerberus”, to take up a position with the family newspaper, “The Donald Times” ... During an informal chat prior to the running of the 1948 Melbourne Cup, Howard had told me of a small wager he had made on a horse called Rimfire, to be ridden by Birchip jockey, Ray Neville.

Blake Lee. In just 15 days’ time, Birchip’s main street will become a vibrant, action packed site for locals and tourists alike as the community comes together to host the Mali Heart Street Art Festival.  The March long weekend is set to be an eventful one for Birchip, with travellers from all across the state choosing to spend their weekend in the area to enjoy the hospitality and activities on offer with the locals.

Dr Lyn Rabbetts recently graduated at a ceremony held at the Convention Centre ... hosted by the Flinders University after successfully completing her PhD in Palliative Care Nursing. Lyn’s thesis was titled, Finding Balance as an invited guest: Registered Nurses lived experience of providing home-based palliative care in rural communities.