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Ukrainian grain: Nothing personal, it’s just business

The large volume of production and broken logistics have made Ukrainian grain an attractive target for politicians and businessmen ... ARR.News asks Ukrainian market specialists: how much will the cost of Ukrainian grain decrease if problems with exports persist?

Future for hydrogen in Gippsland

Solar, wind and battery storage will not be enough for Australia to meet its net zero emissions target by 2050, according to a senior CSIRO researcher – and using fossil fuels to produce hydrogen is still much cheaper than using renewable energy. Dr Vicki Au, from the CSIRO’s hydrogen industry mission, with 20 years’ experience in research and development, said other solutions, including hydrogen, were part of the energy mix required to achieve the net zero target.

Welcome back, windmill — Donald’s biggest fan

Monday, September 18, saw the Webb windmill restored to its former location at Apex Park. The completion of a near-on 20-year project, funded by Donald 2000, involved the use of a crane from West Cranes, Stawell, and the erection drew the attention of many locals and visitors alike to the popular park and camping site at Donald.

Tax move could force closures

Michelle Daw. General practitioners warn a move by the state government to enforce payroll tax on GPs who are not employees could make their practices unviable and force them to close. Revenue SA announced the proposed imposition of payroll tax on South Australian GPs in June...

More ‘Back-of-Boat’ lobsters to lift local supply: Punch

Western Australia's prized western rock lobsters will be even more readily available to WA seafood lovers, with a major boost approved for direct Back-of-Boat lobster sales this 2023-24 fishing season. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has increased the landing limit for back-of-boat sales from 200 to 999 lobsters per fishing trip.

Indigenous Australian Datathon 2023: Igniting a blaze of innovation and empowerment!

Brace yourselves for the triumphant return of the Indigenous Australian Datathon (IAD) as it gears up for its third consecutive year in Cairns, from the 3rd to the 5th of November 2023. Spearheaded by KJR in collaboration with James Cook University (JCU), tech pioneers and communities, IAD is set to create waves of innovation uniting Traditional Owners, technologists, data professionals, start-ups, and students in an extraordinary quest to revolutionise the future of Australian communities.

New Legana Primary School making headway: Jaensch

Construction of the new Legana Primary School is well underway, with steel and timber framing for the general learning area buildings largely completed and preparation of the slab for the administration building now in progress ... “The new school is expected to open its doors in 2025 to students from the Legana and Grindelwald areas": Minister for Education, Children and Youth, Roger Jaensch.

Greenhouse credentials of Australia’s canola industry recognised by the European Commission: CSIRO

New analysis from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has led to the European Commission’s recognition of the Australian canola industry’s low-emissions credentials for the second time, enabling local canola growers continued access to lucrative international markets.  Australia is a major supplier of canola to the European Union (EU) biodiesel market, with over 1.8 million tonnes exported annually to European countries.

Moah Creek Wind Farm reaches key development milestones: Energy Estate

The Moah Creek Wind Farm project has recently reached two development milestones. Firstly, it has been granted planning approval from the Queensland State Assessment and Referral Agency ... consent from the Queensland Government under the Planning Act 2016 for the construction of the wind farm and its associated vegetation clearing.

Banks’ disconnect from regional Australia never more obvious

The chief executive of the Australian Banking Association Anna Bligh did not read a single submission to the 2021-2022 Regional Banking Taskforce she was a member of. This astonishing disclosure came out under questioning during a hearing of the Senate inquiry into regional bank closures ... CBA's Matt Comyn was the first to come before the senators and except for dropping the information that CBA will be making its Bankwest brand an entirely digital service he might have snuck through without a mention here.

Australian Musical Theatre Festival continues to perform during winter: Street

“The Australian Musical Theatre Festival was developed to bring a cultural festival to our state’s north during winter, and it is now an established feature of our annual events calendar,” Minister  Street said.

Varroa reveals need for biosecurity boost: NSW Farmers

NSW Farmers says the federal government must force importers to pay for the biosecurity threats they create. The calls came after authorities admitted defeat on eradicating Varroa mite after more than a year of fighting the invasive pest.

Bundaberg Region joins national Garage Sale Trail

Get ready to dust off those long-forgotten treasures and clear out the clutter because the national Garage Sale Trail is returning to the Bundaberg Region in November. Bundaberg Regional Council is proud to be partnering with Garage Sale Trail  in 2023, the nationwide community-based initiative which encourages friends and families to embrace sustainability...

Northern Rivers Rail Trail launches business Connect Program

Tweed Shire Council is inviting businesses and commercial operators to share in the success of the popular Northern Rivers Rail Trail (Tweed section) and sign up to its new Connect Program ... the Connect Program is designed to connect commercial operators and businesses to the award-winning Rail Trail which opened in March.

Golden Plate Awards – judges’ comments

How do our local restaurants, pubs, cafes and wine bars compare to others in regional Victoria? Tourism Victoria has honoured the Golden Plate Awards program as ‘a tool of excellence in industry improvement' Judging of the Golden Plate Awards is far and wide throughout regional Victoria, but is headquartered right here in Maldon.

Time to show and shine – collectables come to Birchip

The George Cartwright oval in Birchip was transformed into a mecca for vehicle lovers on Sunday, September 17, with 154 vehicles of all kinds, including cars, motorbikes and trucks competing in the fourth Buloke  Collectable Vehicle Club annual Show ‘N’ Shine.    

Would Labor treat Middle Kingdom like they treat the Middle East?

Am I missing something or does this Federal Labor government have a problem with the Middle East? ... The government’s decision to reject extra Qatar Airways flights into Australia gives us a hint of what they are thinking ... Similar to live exports, the Government can give no coherent reason as to what makes up this social licence ...

Flying thoughts on air freight

At the bottom of all those outgoing planes is spare cargo space or what they call belly cargo which we can fill with rock lobster going to China and chilled lamb and beef going to the Middle East ... If the government is banking on boxed sheep meat replacing live exports, then its decision on Qatar is a step backwards.

$1.3billion offer for teachers

The state government has provided a revised offer of more than $1.3billion to the South Australian Education Union to fix pay and working conditions for public educators. The union has confirmed it is considering the revised offer, putting on hold plans for additional teacher strike actions. This newspaper [Naracoorte Community News] has been informed that the revised offer includes workload reduction, country incentives, and mentoring time.

I would walk 500 miles for dementia: wrap up

When I decided I wanted to do this walk for dementia awareness in honour of Mum, I thought it would be nice if a few friends joined me for a walk along the river. Maybe we would do a little bit of walking here and there across the month of September, wear a piece of tartan for fun and at a push perhaps I could raise $500.

Haines slams housing call

Independent Federal Member for Indi Helen Haines has criticised the Labor government and the Coalition, after the major parties voted down her amendments to the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) Bill moved by Senator David Pocock in the Senate on Dr Haines’ behalf last on Wednesday. “The housing crisis is the biggest issue facing regional Australia yet it is a complete blind spot for this government,” Dr Haines said.

Extending the region’s vision

Post bushfire recovery, agriculture remains a priority for UMI and the Agricultural Recovery Working Group has now become focused on areas identified in the Upper Murray 2030 Vision Plan. Diversity enables resilience and the vulnerability of farmers relying solely on the stability of standard beef or milk prices is a catalyst for this group to investigate what options are worth exploring.

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