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Business

When fuel prices jump, the whole freight network feels the shockwave: Dean Newman

"When fuel swings, manual systems fail. We need to change how we view carriers. They aren’t just ‘capacity,’ they are small businesses under immense pressure. The future of the industry depends on accelerated cash flow and intelligent route planning that slashes unnecessary fuel burn": Dean Newman, COO, Ofload.

Fuel, food and your family: What the Middle East war could mean for rural NSW right now

... in the practical, everyday ways that matter most to country families, what is happening right now in the Middle East is worth understanding clearly and calmly.

Long wait for green mine

An estimated 4 per cent of the world's NdPr, a high-performance rare earth crucial for batteries and electric vehicles, is under the ground a mere 135km north of Alice Springs. Yet a final investment decision has still not been made about a mine that was first proposed 23 years ago, but may be this year.

Barossa turns up the volume with Barossa Food & Wine Village

When the final siren sounds at Barossa Park on Saturday, 11 April, the party is just getting started as Tanunda’s main street transforms into the ultimate post-match destination with food, wine and entertainment. A hallmark event on the Festival of Footy calendar, the Barossa Food & Wine Village, returns for Gather Round 2026, reimagined on a bigger scale.

Council advocates for low-cost renewable electricity for residents

Gannawarra Shire Council has held discussions with the Victorian Minister for Climate Action, Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio MP and VicGrid representatives about its concerns regarding the construction of VNI West ... the project involves the construction of a 500-kilovolt double circuit transmission line that will connect the Victorian and New South Wales electricity networks.

The climate change vineyard: Why David Lowe’s 2021 pivot saved his 2026 vintage

Adaptation to climate change is happening at ground level amongst the vines in Australia. One winemaker in the vanguard is Mudgee winemaker David Lowe, who, in 2021, made a major decision in pivotting his certified organic and biodynamic estate away from "delicate French varieties" and towards hardy Mediterranean styles better able to handle a hotter, more volatile future.

Wyong’s Little Creek Cheese hauls in the medals

Ivona Rose. Wyong’s Little Creek Cheese has collected a gold, two silver and two bronze awards at The Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Produce Show 2026, as the business celebrates its 15th anniversary. The awards come from one of Australia’s most esteemed industry competitions...

North East Rail passengers set to be locked out of Sunshine transport hub: Cleeland

The Nationals Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland MP, has raised concerns in State Parliament this week about the redevelopment of Sunshine Station, warning the current design risks locking north-east Victorian passengers out of one of the state’s most important transport interchanges.

Infrastructure cost kills plan for new shop at Wyreema

The cost of creating a new roundabout adjacent to a proposed new commercial development near the Karara Gardens housing estate at Wyreema has caused the developer to withdraw from the project. An application lodged in 2024 proposed the construction of a shop and food and drink outlet ... Mr David Meara told the Toowoomba Regional Council that the project would be commercially unviable because of the cost of installing the new roundabout. The cost of the roadwork was estimated to be $800,000.

Bulk billing benefits locals

In a major boost for the Upper Murray community, Corryong Health has transitioned to a bulk billed medical practice as of of March 2nd under a recently launched Australian government Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program (BBPIP). The program has expanded eligibility for Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) bulk billing incentives.

Farmers gutted after compulsory acquisition amendment passes: VFF

"The Victorian Farmers Federation is gutted that Parliament has backed laws allowing farmers’ land to be taken for transmission lines before the environmental assessment is even finished": Brett Hosking, VFF President.

Regenerative agriculture and the return of an old economic fallacy

Beneath the agreeable language embedded in regenerative agriculture — soil health and sustainable ecosystems — sits a more consequential proposition: that modern, input-intensive agriculture has overshot its optimal point and that government policy should now encourage a structural shift toward lower-input systems. That is not a trivial adjustment. It is a claim about the production frontier of Australian agriculture. Claims of that magnitude ... warrant far more rigorous empirical scrutiny than they have so far received.

Fastest Wiener in the West to win $200 at Day of the Dackel 2026

Henley Park, Edenhope, VIC Dachshund fever is set to return when the much-loved Day of the Dackel trots back into Edenhope on Sunday, 29 March 2026 - and the fastest wiener in the west will take home a $200 cash prize in the Dackel Dash final. Hosted by the Edenhope Dachshund Museum, the popular celebration will once again transform Henley Park into a dachshund paradise...

Radiotherapy wins backing from MacKillop candidates

All five candidates contesting the seat of MacKillop have declared support for establishing radiotherapy services in the Limestone Coast, according to written responses provided to the Limestone Coast Radiation Treatment Working Group ahead of this month's state election ... Ahead of the meeting, candidates were invited to provide written responses to a series of questions regarding the provision of radiotherapy services...

Cotton industry celebrates contribution to Australian agriculture’s record $100 billion milestone: Cotton Australia

Australia’s cotton industry ... celebrating its contribution to the milestone set to be reached by Australian agriculture this year, with gross production value to exceed $100 billion – four years ahead of the 2030 target.

War has turned Ukrainian farmers into heroes

Ukrainian agricultural producers have managed to adapt to the changing market environment. In this new reality, farmers have little influence on events. Survival depends on the ability to adapt to circumstances, which in most cases are force majeure. This makes Ukrainian agriculture the most extreme agriculture in the world.

Regional growth without rail is a hollow promise: Siri Gamage

Dr Siri Gamage. We keep hearing about regional growth. We hear about decentralisation, productivity, housing pressures in capital cities and the promise of thriving regional communities. But here is the uncomfortable truth: growth without proper public transport is not a strategy. It is rhetoric.

Australian beef export volumes tested by new China quota: Rabobank

Australia’s beef exports are set to face some of the biggest adjustments compared with other international exporters as new import quotas announced by China in late last year reshape the global beef trade, Rabobank says in a newly-released report.

Drier conditions on the horizon after record year: ABARES

Australian agriculture is set to reach a record $101.4 billion in grosspproduction value in 2025-26 before easing in 2026–27, with both prices and output expected to soften. ABARES is forecasting combined agriculture, fisheries and forestry value to top $107.4 billion in 2025-26 – also a record - underscoring the strength of Australia’s primary industries. 

Raising awareness about shingles

It is rare for someone under the age of 12 to get shingles while people over the age of 50 are most at risk, according to the WA Department of Health. The department said shingles is a viral infection caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox and is a common health condition in older people.

Under the Hood: Scott Abdy is defying limits, one burnout at a time

Bundaberg burnout driver Scott Abdy was just three years old when doctors told his parents he would never ride a bike, and yet, here he is decades later, gearing up to return to the Rare Spares and Repco Rockynats 06 burnout pad with precision, power, and an unmistakable passion for skids. 

The hardest decision is to act

These words from Amelia Earhart capture a timeless truth about leadership. Earhart, who pushed beyond fear, convention, and uncertainty to chart new frontiers, understood that progress rarely comes from waiting. It comes from courageously stepping forward when outcomes are unclear.

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