Infrastructure

A drive to establish new industry and jobs using Latrobe Valley's brown coal in non-energy ways is effectively dead after the state government stopped funding research into the work, a decision denounced as "folly" and "ideological madness" by local leaders. Australian Carbon Innovation at Federation University, which since 2011 has been researching the non-energy use of brown coal that does not produce greenhouse gas emissions, will close on June 30 after the government pulled the plug on funding.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald and Deputy Mayor Cr Rebecca Vonhoff last week stepped up the call for external funding for the $270 million Cressbrook Dam Safety Improvement Project ... Without grant funding, Council’s submission to the State Government said the full cost of the dam wall upgrade will be transferred to ratepayers through increased water charges.

The company which had been looking into the possible creation of a wind farm in the Goomburra district, east of Allora, has abandoned further action on the matter. Wind Prospect Pty Ltd’s Regional Development Manager, Michael Sale, told The Clifton Courier this week of the decision.

Carey Brennan. On Thursday, April 11, approximately 80 farmers filled the Donald Memorial Hall supper room to hear from the Buloke Shire and several speakers, to find out exactly what the Victorian NSW Interconnector (VNI) West Transmission Lines project means for this district.

If it’s good enough for the NSW South Coast then it should be good enough for the NSW North Coast – as City of Coffs Harbour fights to keep the prized public land at the Jetty Foreshores in the hands of the community.  Mayor Cr Paul Amos has won support for a Mayoral Minute which detailed inconsistencies in the NSW Government’s approach to public holdings.  

The Opposition has introduced a motion into State Parliament supporting an open-minded, non-ideological investigation into the potential for a civil nuclear industry – including energy generation – in South Australia. Leader of the Opposition David Speirs introduced the motion to explore nuclear energy opportunities in South Australia in Parliament on Wednesday.

Bridges remain an issue for the federal government to cross in the upcoming budget, with GrainGrowers calling for additional urgent targeted funding to address current safety and efficiency issues. The call follows the recent announcement by the federal government of $45 million for regional safety upgrades.

Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams was in Geelong today, to mark one year of  making regional public transport more affordable by capping the daily regional fare at the same price as the daily metropolitan fare.  Passengers have been showing their enthusiasm for cheaper regional travel, with more than 22 million trips taken since the fare cap commenced.

During a recent sitting of parliament Wendy Lovell, Liberal Member for Northern Victoria, highlighted the Labor government’s continuing failure to act on the Shepparton Bypass. Following the release of the Shepparton South East Precinct Structure Plan, Ms Lovell urged the State Government to commit to funding at least Stage 1 of the Shepparton Bypass in the 24/25 Budget.

Regional communities continue to pay the price of Labor’s mismanagement as key rail upgrades for lines across regional Victoria remain undelivered. Train lines in Shepparton, Warrnambool, and Gippsland were promised upgrades by the end of 2023, but the Allan Labor Government’s mismanagement of Victoria’s infrastructure pipeline has seen all three projects suffer delays and result in cost blowouts.

As notified last November, despite an upgrade of television towers in the Gemfields at a significant cost – council has been advised by specialists that a lack of repeater bases, weather events, and interference from newly built structures are preventing consistent signals from reaching residents. The television towers in the Gemfields will be decommissioned from November 30, 2024.

A $35million sporting hub reliant on ratepayer cash has been officially ruled out by the Naracoorte-Lucindale Council. The council decided in its March meeting to handball the “project lead” back to the sporting clubs involved.

Narrandera Shire Council’s brand new pump track in Marie Bashir Park is now open and ready for riders of all ages and skill levels. The pump track features smooth, flowing berms and rollers, varied terrain for beginners to advanced riders, a bike-friendly surface that’s easy on tyres as well as nearby parking and amenities.

Narrandera Shire Council delegate Cr Peter Dawson believes that the council must continue its representation on the Newell Highway Taskforce or the northern end of the highway will continue to be upgraded and very little done at the southern end. However he said it was evident that most of the works along the Newell Highway were being carried out in the northern section and very little in the Southern.

Major works are underway on Connells Bridge Road with upcoming works to commence on Wheatvale Plains Road ... Southern Downs Council’s Chief Executive Officer Dave Burges said "Both Connells Bridge Road and Wheatvale Plains Road are susceptible to prolonged closures during floods and they sustained major damage in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 events which left the roads closed for multiple weeks.

Sarah Herrmann. Moonta was hit by a particularly unfortunate power outage on Easter Monday ... while a large part of northern Yorke Peninsula was also off the grid ... with small hospitality businesses taking a hit ... Pasky Grab & Go Deli owner Sheree Moroney said the outage created ‘absolute chaos’ for her business.

Clarence Valley Council will make a submission to a NSW Government inquiry looking to impose a levy on councils with dams calling for the idea to be scrapped, as it is another means of shifting costs onto councils ... Mayor Peter Johnstone said a previous attempt by the NSW Government to impose a levy on councils with dams failed.

Patrick Goldsmith. Six Yorke Peninsula jetties ear-marked for repairs have been allocated a combined $4.18 million — the most of any region in the state — from the South Australian Government’s Jetties Renewal Program ... Within YPC’s pool of jetties, 85 per cent of piles in the Edithburgh jetty and 62 per cent in Ardrossan jetty are rated as having less than 25 per cent life left, while the Port Vincent Fisherman’s jetty collapsed into the water last year. YPC mayor Darren Braund reiterated how important jetties are to the appeal of the region.