Home of my own: Eight people move in to new affordable housing units
There were 120 applicants for the eight new affordable housing units in Casino. Eight people now have a home to call their own. Momentum Collective with support from the State Government opened the $2 million affordable housing building in South Casino on May 6.
Budget 2022: $690 million on the table in record investment for remote housing: NT
The infrastructure program for remote housing will rollout more than $690 million worth of works ... Representing a significant transfer of power to remote Aboriginal communities, select tenders are offered to locally-based Aboriginal Business Enterprises as part of our commitment to building the capacity of these communities, helping them to become sustainable into the future.
The devil is in the detail – still a lengthy wait for Lockhart River
Lockhart River won’t see a fix to their telecommunications for at least a year, although the wait could be even longer. Despite last week’s announcement that Telstra would be awarded $3.5 million to improve the mobile phone networks in Lockhart River, Seisia and Cooktown, there is no plan in place to make it happen.
Housing tops agenda at regional TCICA meeting
TCICA chair and Kowanyama mayor Robbie Sands said that at least $1 billion was needed over the next decade in the Cape and Torres Strait to address housing shortages. “Both major parties have been silent on new Indigenous housing in remote communities, ignoring the fact that our people are facing entirely preventable diseases like rheumatic heart disease because of severe overcrowding,” he said.
Councils warned: ‘Don’t lose access’
Chris Oldfield. Regardless of the number of cars using a road, if there is access “don’t lose it”, a leading Australian road expert, Tyrone Toole has warned councils. Even if a local government body thinks there is no other way than to delete a road, Mr Toole suggests the council “takes another look at it”. His comments followed questions by The News regarding the Shuard’s La debacle – a 600m stretch across a wet low-lying area enabling all-weather access to farms. Without community consultation, Naracoorte Lucindale Council deleted it and others from its road register.
Starting the discussion: How to build back better
Lismore City Council has released a discussion paper that presents some broad brushstrokes for how Lismore can build back better ... Lismore City Council’s General Manager John Walker said now is the time for the community to have their say in how we plan for Lismore’s future.
Telecommunications fix to improve Cape York connectivity
Three Cape York communities will today be announced as recipients of federal funding as part of the government’s Regional Connectivity Program. Lockhart River, Seisia and Cooktown will all benefit from a combined $3.5 million to fix their broken or nonexistent telecommunications infrastructure. And the good news for locals in those communities is that it isn’t dependent on the election result – the funding is in the budget.
Electric vehicles break the barrier: NSW Ministers
“Now that we’ve rolled out the final chargers along the Barrier Highway, located at Wilcannnia, Cobar, Dubbo, Parkes, Orange and Lithgow, it means drivers travel no more than 300 kilometres to recharge their vehicles when making the 1000-kilometre journey between Sydney and Broken Hill”: Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole.
More protection for the Cotton Tree coastline with new Maroochy Groyne works to start
Sunshine Coast Council will start coastal protection works on Stage 2 of the Maroochy Groyne Field Renewal project next week to help shield the Cotton Tree foreshore from the current and future impacts of coastal erosion.
Electorate win for MacKillop, Party loss
Sheryl Lowe. From sheep farmer to Parliament House, first term Member for MacKillop Nick McBride MP gained ground in the March State Election with a convincing win over his opponents, but the Liberal Party was defeated in a landslide swing towards the Labor Government. He was also defeated in his bid for Leader of the Opposition but told The News he will continue to advocate for his constituents in MacKillop during his second term in office.
Human resources and equipment important for good roads
Chris Oldfield. Council amalgamations, redundancies and retirements have resulted in the loss of experienced staff when it comes to managing road networks. And often council managers are trained in different fields, not civil engineering. “They are busy doing everything else they have to do,” national road chief Tyrone Toole said. So, road networks deteriorate and costs increase.
Rocketing into space from the Territory
The Northern Territory Space Strategy 2022-2026 builds on the success of Territory Space industry 2020 and establishes a vision for the Northern Territory to be recognised as the home of high altitude pseudo-satellites in the Indo-Pacific region, Australia’s premier space launch location and a leading regional centre for ground station facilities.
Proposed bridge closure causes panic
Helen Dalton held a community meeting at the Tooleybuc Sporting Club on Thursday, April 14 to address concerns with residents that the Tooleybuc Bridge would be hard closed for six weeks to complete repair works. With the bridge being a lifeline for the border community and the major transport route for trucks travelling to and from Adelaide to Sydney, locals feared that the closure would be the final nail in the coffin for local businesses.
Disaster funding for infrastructure upgrades and strategies
Geoff Helisma. At yesterday’s Clarence Valley Council (CVC) meeting, councillors are likely to have allocated $1 million of Category D funding under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements ... Staff advised councillors that the $700k allocated towards updating its flood plain documentation is “intended to ensure CVC has robust business plans and costings for future funding opportunities”.
Don’t forget us – Lockhart River desperate for action
Lockhart River mayor Wayne Butcher is hoping a close federal election race in Leichhardt will be the catalyst for a major upgrade to the town’s disgraceful telecommunications network ... “We are not asking for 5G like the cities, we are simply asking for a reliable 4G service ... There is a lack of understanding in the capital cities about how bad we have it here.”
Councils urged to seek expert help
Chris Oldfield. When it comes to roads, 'a stitch in time saves nine’ and it is a lot cheaper for councils to look after them, says one of Australia’s leading road research experts, Tyrone Toole. Only in very poor countries has Mr Toole seen bitumen roads ripped up and replaced with gravel ones ... for councils to do such things in Australia, Mr Toole said it would be a sign of “desperation” and “a backwards measure”.
Report points to region’s glaring gaps
Gabrielle Duykers. Access to housing, education, mobile service, and high-quality freight infrastructure are the most significant development issues facing the region, according to a recent report. The 2022 Regional Strengths and Infrastructure Gaps report – developed in partnership with Regional Development Australia Limestone Coast (RDALC) and Infrastructure Australia – was assembled to highlight opportunities for supporting the regionalisation trend that occurred as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Battery powered electric trucks
Electric truck maker Janus has debuted the first battery-powered prime mover in Australia and has plans to set up battery swap stations up and down the eastern seaboard within months. Narrandera Shire Council's EDM Peter Dale recently attended a showcase of Janus products. Mr Dale met with representatives for Janus to discuss the merits of the company establishing facilities in Narrandera.
Rural voters urged to make rural health matter at ballot box
“We urge rural voters not to be fooled by flashy, ribbon-cutting announcements about new hospital buildings or equipment. Yes, quality health infrastructure is important – but the focus needs to be on getting more doctors and other health professionals into rural and remote towns to deliver services…both this year and in 20 years" : Dr Megan Belot, Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) President.
Did the new highway make the flood worse? Transport authorities respond, residents seek class action
Residents know about floods. They know how to prepare. The March 1 flood blew them and their homes out of the water as the Richmond River rose way above what anyone had predicted or ever expected. It has led some residents to question how and where the water was trapped and why it took longer to recede than previous floods.
Council’s flood response: 1000 homeless, $150 million repairs
“The social and economic fabric of the Northern Rivers region is slowly being unravelled as the days and weeks go by,” the Richmond Valley Flood 2022 Response document reads. That is a sad statement, but true. The expectation is that it will take at least three years for the valley to recover.
Senator drills Federal Govt over weather radar delay
“An assistant secretary from the department falsely claimed Tennant Creek’s new weather radar will be complete this year and was unaware the project’s completion has been delayed until 2023 ... At the last round of Senate Estimates in February, I was disappointed to find out only three out of 28 initiatives of the Barkly Regional Deal have been completed since the deal was signed in 2019” : Senator Marlarndirri McCarthy.
