Infrastructure

“The State Government must provide financial assistance to thousands of Victorian businesses impacted by mass power outages,” writes the Opposition ... Half-a-million homes and businesses suffered power outages on Tuesday and thousands are still waiting to have their power restored.

Hydrogen and the potential of Gippsland and its industries to play a role in the hydrogen technologies seen as crucial for the energy transition are set for a higher profile in the region, with Federation University in Churchill the focal point ... “The aim was to bring these players to one platform... ": Professor Surbhi Sharma.

This 1.5-metre goanna found itself in trouble earlier this month when it became stranded at the base of Torrumbarry Weir. Goulburn-Murray Water Senior Storage Officer, Luke Simpson, found the tired and distressed looking goanna hanging on to the bottom of the weir gate...

Services are now being provided from Wilcannia’s Health and Wellbeing Centre in Bonney St, off Ross Street, following a move to the new facility over the past three days ... Services provided at the Wilcannia Health and Wellbeing Centre will be the same as those provided at the previous health service.

The peak representative bodies for Tasmanian and Victorian farmers have joined forces to call for fair land access rules in the face of rapid renewable energy developments taking over prime agricultural land. TasFarmers and the VFF released the Farm Access Code of Conduct which is aimed at promoting respectful and sensible infrastructure development on agricultural land.

Patrick Goldsmith. Yorke Peninsula Council deputy mayor Richard Carruthers has joined the increasingly loud chorus calling for the state government to take greater action on much-needed regional jetty maintenance. Mr Carruthers, of Ardrossan, said he has been approached by roughly 50 locals concerned about the future of the jetty within the past few months.

Regional-specific new build targets; bolstered and quarantined regional housing infrastructure funding; and better planning for growth are among the asks of government from the National Regional Housing Summit ... A Discussion Paper, presenting the latest regional housing stock data and featuring stories of communities who’ve successfully taken action to solve their housing issues, provided context to Summit.

In 1958, the Athenaeum Hall site was completely cleared except for the front concrete steps leading up to the main entrance and prepared for the construction of the present edifice, the Corryong & District Public Memorial Hall ... When plans were approved this building was the biggest single community hall (in floor area) in rural Victoria.

After 100 years of growing Australian food and fibre, and enhancing their farm’s environmental assets, the Ettershanks now face their biggest challenge, power lines. Under the recent release of Transgrid’s proposed route for the VNI West Interconnector, Simon and Carly Ettershank’s 2,000-hectare property now has twenty 75-80-metre-tall towers across their home. 

Do you know what it costs to fill up an EV with a fast charger - $30, $40, $50? Do you even know what it costs to run your house each night? ... If EVs are the future then we need to be frank about their pros and cons.

The Reckless Renewables Rally brought to together 116 regional community groups with a message for Federal politicians to suspend their reckless rollout ... ‘People living in our cities are being deceived. Rural and regional communities are being socially fractured, divided up and hollowed out by our own government and their energy corporation’s working in unison with home grown renewables zealots and foreign renewable energy company carpetbaggers’: Chairman of PRA Jim Willmott.

As Australians were stocking fridges and checking gas bottles before Australia Day, local farmers were receiving word that the towering transmission lines would carve through their properties. One farmer said it was the first contact they had from the company, stating “no personal contact” before receiving the news that left them feeling “side swiped.”

As Australian politicians take aim at globally dictated emissions targets, are everyday Australians left to carry the burden of the ‘green dream’? ... There were an estimated 100 million individual solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in Australia at the end of 2022, and it is estimated 2 billion solar panels will be required if we are to meet the 2050 emissions targets.

The deplorable state of roads will be back on the agenda when State Parliament resumes in February. Nationals Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, said it was alarming the number of road warning and traffic hazard signs that had been situated on our roadsides for an extended period of time, without repairs being done.

The time and date for a public meeting in the Naracoorte Town Hall regarding a $35m sporting complex, or two new basketball courts for $8 million, will be soon to be announced ... “If you were faced with the largest investment by our council ever, do we need to ask ourselves, is this a fair and reasonable representation of ratepayers and the community?": Cr Peter Ireland.