Fuel and fertiliser update – what’s happening out on the ground out there?
Almost three months since the closure of the Straits of Hormuz, the federal government continues to issue statements couched in confident language about fuel and fertiliser "secured" and "shipments" and "cargoes" headed our way ... Australian Rural & Regional News put out some feelers to many of the Australian farmers' associations this week ... your story from on the ground out there is wanted.
Chalmers and Keating: A tradition of ambushing the entrepreneur
Amused by the now familiar angry interventions of the former Prime Minister, Paul Keating, on behalf of his acolyte and sycophantic follower Jim Chalmers, attempting to save him from the quicksand of the 2026 Federal Budget, Kookaburra has been taken back in time to December 1983.
Iluka’s top gun: Defence Force Chief of Capabilities Glen Braz
Iluka Public School alumni Glen Braz has risen through the ranks of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) over the past 39 years and last Friday he was appointed Defence Force Chief of Joint Capabilities. Born at Grafton Base Hospital, Glen’s mother Sue told the Clarence Valley Independent her son says he had “the ideal childhood” growing up at Iluka with his elder brother Mark.
Claims linking timber harvesting to bushfire risk rely on narrow, contested evidence, review finds: Forestry Australia
Public claims that timber harvesting increases bushfire risk are based on narrow and contested evidence, and should not be generalised across Australia's diverse forests, according to a new evidence review released by Forestry Australia. The review, Contested Evidence About Timber Harvesting and Bushfire Risk in Australian Landscapes, examines claims that timber harvesting increases forest flammability and bushfire risk.
Lismore remains committed to rail trail vision
Lismore City Council has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering the Northern Rivers Rail Trail through Lismore, despite this week’s unsuccessful federal funding outcome. The $42 million application was submitted in 2024, in partnership with Byron Shire Council, to progress the rail trail section from Lismore to Bexhill.
Livestock producers save millions in first year of mandatory eID roll-out: Scriven
South Australian farmers received $4.7 million in tag discounts and rebates during the first year of mandatory electronic identification (eID) for sheep and farmed goats. The state’s farmers continue to implement a national roll-out of individual eID tags for sheep and goats to strengthen our world-leading livestock traceability systems and support rapid responses to biosecurity threats.
Athol local Zane Hall to represent Queensland in PBR State of Origin Series
Maroons Out for revenge as Blues chase history in PBR Origin 2026. Zane Hall from Athol has been selected to represent the maroons ... "This means a lot to me personally. Pulling on the Queensland jersey for the fourth time straight. Seeing past origin rides represent their state, it's something every young bull rider dreams about."
‘We need more staff!’: regional employers are hiring, but we are closing the door to skilled migrant workers
Claire Higgins, Louise Olliff. Regional Australia has long struggled to attract skilled workers away from urban centres. In the years since the pandemic, however, the labour market in country areas has tightened even further. Unemployment across regional Australia is at historically low levels, meaning many job vacancies are going unfilled.
Albanese Labor Government helps secure more jet fuel and fertiliser: Albanese, Wong, Farrell, Bowen, King, Collins
After discussions between Australia and China, including between the Prime Minister and China’s Premier Li, the Albanese Labor Government has helped to secure three shipments of jet fuel, totaling more than 600,000 barrels or about 100 million litres.
“Frack off” – Limestone Coast erupts over fracking push
“Frack off” has been the resounding message coming out from the Limestone Coast following the premier’s announcement that the government plans to lift a 10-year moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the region, two years ahead of its 2028 expiry.
Welcome to Christine and Chris
The new store managers of our local Community Grocer - Outback store. When asked about restoring weekly deliveries, they said, "We're working on it at the moment. We have spoken to head office." ... They assure us that hot, take away meals are coming back.
Boy and Bear to headline The Reef Trail across two epic concerts: QMF
Turquoise waters, wide open skies and live music in unexpected locations define one of Queensland’s most striking regional music experiences as Qld Music Trails arrives in the Whitsundays with The Reef Trail.
Fingerboards mine proposal triggers nuclear action provisions: Mine Free Glenaladale
Robyn Grant from Mine Free Glenaladale said, “There was some disappointment in the community that the Minister did not reject this proposal outright, because of the serious environmental impacts it poses to Matters of National Environmental Significance in the region."
Further streamlining and strengthening the foreign investment framework: Chalmers
This second round of foreign investment reforms is all about making more improvements so the regime is much stronger where risks are high and much faster where risks are low ... These reforms will increase certainty for investors and will lead to faster and fewer approvals, reduced regulatory burden, and improved tools to address high-risk investment.
Northern Territory strengthens investment ties with Taiwan: Cahill
As part of the Finocchiaro CLP Government’s year of Growth, Certainty and Security, Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Relations Robyn Cahill is leading a targeted government delegation to Taiwan this week, advancing the Territory’s position as a trusted and competitive partner for one of our most important trading partners.
Queensland’s Fuel Security Plan – Crisafulli Government puts Queensland’s fuel security and energy plan on the global agenda: Last
The Crisafulli Government will detail its energy and fuel security plan to an international audience, with Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last travelling to Adelaide this week for the Australian Energy Producers Conference. The Australian Energy Producers Conference and Exhibition is one of the country’s premier energy forums...
Cook Labor Government delays Albany gas decommissioning: Sanderson, Whitby
Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson has secured a delay to the decommissioning of the Albany Gas Distribution System, giving the community more time to navigate the transition. Provider ATCO has decided to exit the market in Albany, with the three-year decommissioning process originally set to begin in the second half of 2026.
YP IT business named Australia’s best
For Pit Stop Technologies founder Plato Lagoudakis, the win still feels a little surreal. "Starting a business in a country town comes with its share of pressures and doubts. Being recognised on a national stage tells us we got it right, by staying true to who we are and where we're from."
AI rewriting history – don’t get me started
Harry Gumboot. It was ANZAC Day when the algorithm suggested I watch an AI generated documentary on Australian troops in Vietnam. It concerned the way Diggers had a far better success rate in the jungle than the Yanks*, due to factors that included moving slowly, using hand signals rather than speech, and failing to use aftershave (sic). Pretty basic stuff if you want to avoid alerting the enemy. The thing that irked me was the diggers appeared to be wearing WWI vintage French helmets.
Good vibes at Mardigrass26
Michael Balderstone. There was a good vibe at MardiGrass everyone agreed, but what does that mean? People were smiling, there were no altercations, or very few, people were happy, and even the police agreed it was a "good vibe". The vibe of thousands of people getting high together, that's what it was.
If junior sport is a classroom for life, how should club presidents and junior coaches measure success?
Less than 1 per cent of junior athletes go on to play sport at the highest levels. So, what is the role of a junior sports club, and how should its success be measured? The most premiership trophies with the highest number of junior dropouts is failure in my book.
White Cliffs mining saved: Federal native title deal ends mining freeze
The Commonwealth Government has formally issued a Native Title Determination for the White Cliffs opal fields, bringing to an end a period of administrative gridlock that had threatened the economic viability of the historic mining outpost. The declaration of the White Cliffs Main Field as an "Approved Opal or Gem Mining Area" under Section 26C of the Native Title Act 1993 now provides a legal framework for the granting and renewal of mineral claims.
