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.
Budget promises millions for MIA
The current Federal Government has pumped more than $300 million into the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area with $46.4million for Narrandera alone on extra programs and projects and according to Member for Farrer Sussan Ley last week’s budget shows there is more to come. “As well as the promised cost-of-living measures and fuel excise cut, there’s the NBN wireless towers speed and capacity upgrade – with more money also committed to add new mobile phone coverage and cut some increasing congestion on local phone towers,” she said.
Delay to Gingin Emergency Services Centre
When the new emergency services centre was announced for Gingin last year it was expected to be finished by April this year but the project is running behind with some site works among the jobs still to be completed.
Has fire and flood risk and mitigation management gone astray in south eastern Australia? : John O’Donnell
Over the last few years, there have been a lot of natural disasters in south eastern Australia as all are aware. It is opportune to review risk and mitigation management in regards to natural disasters in south eastern Australia and this article assesses both fire and flood risk and mitigation management.
2022 Budget: Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association
When it comes to the big-ticket items for Tasmania the federal budget doesn’t meet Tasmania’s needs for agriculture. The infrastructure spend on water and roads only provides small change for Tasmania. Water is 0.18% of national spending and roads are 0.55%.
Regional NSW transitioning to clean energy
The NSW government has announced a draft declaration of the South-West Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), supporting greater investment in solar, wind and storage projects. The recently published draft would see a fifth formal REZ established in an effort to replace the state’s dependence on coal, this time across NSW’s regional towns of Balranald, Buronga and Hay.
Mundaring Weir and the pipeline to Kalgoorlie: Frank Batini
This remarkable project was, at the time, the longest water pipeline ever constructed in the world. Inspired by C Y O’Connor, the Chief Engineer for the Public Works Department, supported by J. Forrest, the Premier and costing an eye-watering 2.5 million pounds of borrowed money, the work was completed in early 1903 when the first pump was turned on. Water arrived in Kalgoorlie two days later.
$2.57m airport upgrade
Kirstin Nicholson. The expansion and upgrade of the Cohuna Airport has moved a step closer with the announcement of a $2.57 million grant from the federal government’s Community Development Fund. Initially announced as an election promise in 2019, the grant has now been confirmed by Anne Webster MP and former deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack at a presentation at the airport on March 18.
Progressing the world’s largest renewable energy system: NT Gov
The Territory Labor Government will introduce legislation this week to facilitate the $30 billion Sun Cable Australia-Asia PowerLink project ... The Solar Project (Australia-Asia Power Link) (Special Provisions) Bill 2022 will provide certainty that key commitments in the Territory’s Project Development Agreement with Sun Cable will be met. The legislation will clarify and streamline existing processes, increase project certainty, and support Sun Cable to secure project financing.
New Echuca-Moama river crossing opening ahead of schedule
The new $323.7 million Echuca-Moama Bridge project, the largest transport infrastructure project in northern Victoria and southern NSW, is set to open to traffic before the Easter holidays – months ahead of schedule.
Bendigo to Canberra and back by QANTAS – Mandarin Class – only $1808!
This item was mean to be Kookaburra's Post-Budget report, but given the costs and inconveniences of regional air travel in Australia, it is now a Pre-Budget complaint. Not being a government supported Mandarin - merely a lowly citizen - Kookaburra decided that no rational person could agree to pay the fares demanded by QANTAS to fly from Bendigo to Canberra.
Sites announced for mobile network upgrades
Yanchep, Yanchep East, Gingin, Lancelin and Guilderton are all set to benefit from infrastructure upgrades to mobile network sites designed to improve mobile phone services for communities during emergencies. One hundred and forty-one infrastructure upgrades in WA will be funded as part of the second round of the Commonwealth mobile network hardening program, worth $10.9 million.
