Business

A new program designed to tackle regional skills shortages in the housing and planning sectors is being established through a State and Local government partnership ... the Grow Your Own program is a joint initiative between the Malinauskas Government and Local Government Association – focused on training local talent and providing pathways to grow regional councils’ planning workforce.

Rex has again been officially recognised as Australia’s most punctual and reliable airline according to Federal Government data for the month of August ... "Besides being consistently Australia’s most reliable airline, we are proud that during COVID we did not de-staff the call centre in a disingenuous attempt to discourage requests for refund," said Rex Deputy Chairman, John Sharp AM.

Serena Kirby. Nearly 100 classic vehicles lined Strickland Street last weekend for Denmark’s annual classic car show. The event, now run for the third time, again drew a large crowd of car enthusiasts ... Owned by Albany resident Bill Dixon and one of only two in WA, the lovingly restored 1917 Rauch & Lang vehicle featured seven batteries in the boot and seven under the bonnet.

As the Victorian Labor Government’s closure of the state’s native timber industry fast approaches the December 31 trigger point, New South Wales timber harvesters met with Senator Jonathon Duniam, Shadow Minister for the Environment, Fisheries and Forestry, and Sussan Ley, Member for Farrer and Deputy Leader of the Opposition to highlight the importance of the industry to the local economy and forest and fire management.  

While many countries around the world look at their handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Covid-19 inquiry appears to be about as effective as a cloth mask for a virus particle size of 50-140 nanometres. The inquiry will not have the same powers as a royal commission and will exclude decisions made solely by state and territory governments during the pandemic response...

The Zack Lockes Flock will be hosting a Big Blue Picnic as a mental health month activity next month in the grounds of St Mark’s Church Warwick. The Big Blue Picnic is a fundraiser for Beyond Blue and will incorporate the official opening of St Mark’s Blue Garden.

One of the north coast’s largest beekeepers, Clarenza based Bee Services owner Steve Fuller says transitioning from eradicating Varroa mite to managing the problem was the best solution for the industry, but the full impact of the insect might not be known for two or three years.

The search for the missing Yamba Public School time capsule is over after organisers received devastating news last week that pinpointed the metal cylinder’s location and shattered the dreams of excited locals eager to view its contents. To mark Yamba Public School’s YPS 100th anniversary in 1983, a time capsule was buried on the old school site to be opened in the year 2000...

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?

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.