Infrastructure

"I focus today on energy policy, because this is a government that 97 times promised before they were elected that they would reduce power bills permanently by $275 per annum. That promise was officially broken on January 1, this year. They hate us talking about it. It was a big promise, it was a bold promise, and it is broken": Member for Mallee, Dr Anne Webster.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says the Essential Services Commission’s decision to grant Transmission Company Victoria (TCV) an electricity transmission licence must not be treated as a license to steamroll landholders in the path of planned renewable energy projects. Amongst a raft of new powers, the licence enables TCV workers to legally enter farms and carry out preparatory works for the VNI West powerline without the need to obtain landholder consent. 

As she positioned herself on the starting block, adjusted her goggles, and concentrated on her breathing while focusing on the water in front of her, it was a moment 16-year-old Andrea Thomson was determined to savour ... Andrea was one of the first swimmers to dive into the 50m Grafton Olympic Pool at the Clarence Regional Aquatic Centre during its public opening on February 15.

If you have driven south on the Cobb Highway recently, you’d have seen a veritable village pop up on the horizon. This sea of modular buildings set on a hard ground base is home to 250 people, workers for Transgrid and Elecnor. Calling it a camp is almost deceptive, but in a positive way.

Hugh Schuitemaker. The decade-long dream of a well-known Waikerie Football Club figure has been realised with the completion of a major new community facility ... “They say it takes a village to bring up a child. It has taken much more to get this facility funded and built”: WFC Build Committee chair Brendan Sidhu.

By now, most farmers will have heard that the State Labor Government is “flying the kite” on taking back ownership of WA’s rail network. For some, particularly the Tier 3 romantics, the idea of reviving a government-run rail system is a dream come true.

The Crisafulli Government has officially opened the new Tara Hospital - and commenced work on new staff accommodation - reinforcing its commitment to delivering easier access to health services in rural and regional Queensland.

Toowoomba Regional Council has requested support of up to $200 million for the Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project (CDSIP) as its single highest priority in budget submissions to the State and Federal Governments. Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald said water security is critical for the Region and a key focus of Council.

The NSW Government has been urged to show its commitment to regional NSW by backing a feasibility study into a community-supported water-saving project. Narrandera resident David Farley, who has spent time abroad developing water management strategies that support both the environment and agriculture, is calling on NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson to back a $1 million feasibility study for the Lake Coolah project.

The visionary Bradfield Scheme – which by design diverts excess floodwaters from the upper Tully, Herbert and Burdekin river systems – could have ameliorated the devastating 2025 North Queensland floods had it been built, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter has said.

Following a meeting of representatives from councils across the border region in Wodonga last week, the decision was made to march on the Victorian Parliament in a united campaign for the construction of a new Albury-Wodonga hospital.

In an ironic twist that many joked could have conspiracy written all over it, last Monday’s Community Meeting in Murrabit, to discuss the VNI West transmission line project, at the Murrabit Golf Club, lost power just before the meeting commenced.

Murrumbidgee Irrigation (MI) is looking forward to kicking off the Urban Channel Pipeline Project this year, which will provide a range of benefits to the communities of Griffith and Leeton ... The project is designed to replace inefficient aging channels around Griffith and Leeton with 47.5 kilometres of new pipeline.

Students and parents of the flooded Broadwater Public School had hoped they would be back at their rebuilt school this coming term ... They return to school on day one of term 2, more than three years after the 2022 floods severely damaged the small school.

Community, affordable housing, creeks and dams in a rural village — how could this be possible? About 50 people were at an information session in Kyogle to hear more about the Afterlee Ecovillage ... Town planner for the project Shane Sylvanspring said, “All sites are good even if you’re the 60th person.”

The Crisafulli Government has delivered a key election commitment with all wind farm developments becoming impact assessable from Monday, 3 February. The new planning pathway for regulating wind farms is the first step to requiring all renewable projects be impact assessable and subject to the same rigorous approval process as other major development projects.

WA Labor has promised to build a career station in Yanchep if they are re-elected at the March 8 state election. When making the announcement this morning Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said if Labor was returned, planning for the new career fire station would take place after the election with it to be built in about the following 18 months or so.

About 12.30pm Western Power said weather conditions had impacted Western Power’s network with dozens of pole top fires affecting power supply to about 38,000 homes and businesses throughout Perth and the Mid West and Wheatbelt regions.