Business

Queensland’s 2026 sugarcane crush will officially get underway this week, with harvesters rumbling into life across the state’s far north. Tableland crews will fire the starter gun on the 7 month harvest, with the first rakes of cane due to go through the rollers at MSF’s Arriga mill on 18 May. 

Seeing the healthcare barriers faced by rural families inspired Armidale medical student Fleur Steen to pursue medicine, and now a national grant is helping support that goal ... Now studying medicine at the University of New England in Armidale, Fleur said growing up in rural communities made her aware from an early age of the challenges many people face when trying to access healthcare.

Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny has signed off on the Environment Effects Statement (EES) for the Warracknabeal Energy Park – marking the most significant milestone in the state approvals process. Once complete, the 219-turbine wind farm would deliver more than 1.5 gigawatts of renewable energy – enough to power up to 1.2 million homes.

Gippsland Critical Minerals welcomes today's determination by the Commonwealth on the Fingerboards Project under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The Commonwealth has confirmed four controlling provisions, with GCM’s environmental and technical studies already underway in response to each...

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Primary Industries will hold public hearings in Sydney and Dubbo as part of its inquiry into factors shaping social licence and economic development outcomes for critical minerals projects across Australia.

The Nationals Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland MP, has announced a major shift in Victoria’s energy planning, with a proposal to roll out Urban Solar Parks across industrial and commercial precincts if elected to government in November. The policy would transform large rooftops on warehouses, factories, shopping centres and industrial estates into energy hubs...

It was certainly not an average Mother's Day in Maldon, with fluttering gold hearts, music on and off the train, a brass band and even a bespoke song. That's because it was the Maldon Notable Day Out on Sunday 10 May, held in honour of the National Trust's 1966 declaration of Maldon as Australia's first Notable Town.

“The real test with the Budget is whether the dollars announced reach rural people, First Nations communities and primary care in thin markets where healthcare access is hardest”" Susi Tegen, NRHA Chief Executive.

TTV met with six parties yesterday, calling for pre-election commitments on three policies, one of which proves technology that has already detected 90 unplanned fires across Victoria in two seasons.

South Australia’s $16 million Forestry Centre of Excellence is now complete, putting Mount Gambier on the international map of forestry research, innovation and collaboration. The centre is a key project of the Malinauskas Labor Government in its long-term commitment to deliver stronger forest and timber industries for South Australia.

The Brisbane major parties need to get over their egos and remember they govern for Queensland, not for political point scoring, Leader of the KAP and state Member for Traeger Robbie Katter has said. Mr Katter praised the KAP’s Member for Hill, Shane Knuth, for tabling a biofuels mandate bill that would force big oil companies to use more ethanol and biodiesel, kick starting a revitalisation of the biofuels industry in Queensland.

The Seedbed Conditioner creates the perfect seedbed and root zone for crops at a fraction of the current power (HP/KW) requirement and cost of seeding. Over 15 years of paddock-scale research this machine always produced large yield increase, which averaged 25 per cent with a range of 10–40 per cent.

Bosisto’s today launched its new purpose-built, sustainable eucalyptus oil distillery near Wedderburn, Victoria. The more than $10 million investment will strengthen local manufacturing capability and enable significant expansion of Australian eucalyptus oil production capacity.

Bong Bong Picnic Races, 20 November 2026.

The May Budget delivered by Treasurer Jim Chalmers has elicited criticism, and some praise, from many quarters, as illustrated by the following statements from the National Party, Beyond Zero Emissions, National Farmers' Federation and the NFF Horticulture Council, National Seniors Australia, Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals, TasFarmers, Grain Producers Australia and NSW Farmers.

Eight months after the death of 46-year-old Naracoorte man Cody Williams, his family says they are still searching for answers - and demanding accountability so no other family experiences the same heartbreak. In a confronting and deeply personal letter to The [Naracoorte] News, local resident Donna Armoogum details the final days of her brother’s life...

Madison Eastmond. A Riverland out of school hours care (OSHC) program has recently celebrated one year of success. The Monash Primary and Preschool OSHC program has now been offering their service to the local community for over a year, with the initiative recording double the numbers of enrolments during the last school-holiday period since they opened their doors.

Matt Barrie. The freight industry doesn't ask for much attention on Budget night. But when the shelves are stocked, the construction sites are running, and the mines are operating – a truck driver made that happen. Last night's Budget should have done more for them.

This is a responsible Budget that is all about resilience and reform. It’s all about getting Australians through the global oil shock and building an economy that works for more people. We’re delivering more cost-of-living help and building a more productive economy, a better tax system, a fairer housing market and a stronger and more sustainable budget.

More than 500,000 Australian children were placed into institutional or out-of-home care during the last century, with many experiencing neglect, abuse and a loss of identity that continues to shape their lives today. Often referred to as Forgotten Australians and Care Leavers, this cohort includes Stolen Generations, former child migrants, and former Wards of the State, including more than 400,000 non-Indigenous children.

More than 2,700 delegates including 730 travel buyers from 32 countries have converged in Adelaide this week for the nation’s largest ever tourism tradeshow - the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE26). Attendees have been meeting with 1,400 Australian industry representatives from more than 700 tourism organisations at the vibrant event held in the Adelaide Convention Centre.