Lisamore Italian Festival returns for 2026
The much-loved LisAmore Italian Festival is set to return in 2026, bringing a vibrant celebration of Italian culture, food and music to the Northern Rivers. This year's event will be held on Sunday, 5 July 2026, with an exciting new home at the Lismore Showgrounds, reflecting the festival's continued growth and popularity.
Opinion piece – Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group to target serious online harms: Krissy Barrett
Krissy Barrett. When I became AFP Commissioner last year, I said I would have candid conversations with Australians to inform them about the threats they face ... But parents and caregivers now need to be aware of entrenched and emerging criminal threats because of rapidly-evolving technology.
Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group to target serious online harms: AFP, ACIC
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Krissy Barrett and Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) CEO Heather Cook will help spearhead new tech partnerships and AI solutions at a meeting with Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group (FELEG) agencies in London this week, amid growing online threats seriously impacting youth and vulnerable communities.
The next fuel and fertiliser shock is coming
On writing this, urea had slipped back below $1,000 a tonne and oil had fallen under US$90 a barrel. The headlines had moved on, the politicians were congratulating themselves, and the market was once again telling us that everything was under control. Problem solved. Move along. Nothing to see here. Except that is exactly what people said after the last fertiliser shock, and the one before that, and the one before that.
Following the approvals, following the money: TasFarmers
Tasmania's largest farm is set to be sold to UK investment manager Gresham House, one of Britain's largest managers of pine plantations and rural land investors, subject to final approval from Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board.
Indian delegation studying the Riverland’s irrigation industry
International attention has turned to the Riverland's irrigation industry, with senior Indian government officials visiting the region to study how growers are adapting to changing markets through crop diversification and agricultural transformation.
It’s official! Dark Sky Reserve declared for Sunshine Coast hinterland
The Sunshine Coast hinterland is now officially home to Queensland’s first internationally recognised Dark Sky Reserve, uniting the community, levels of government, agencies and businesses to preserve our star-filled sky. The Sunshine Coast International Dark Sky Reserve’s official designation by DarkSky International comes after a community push to preserve our starry nights...
Mute on nuke subs
The voice of Territorians in Canberra is barely a whisper: just four NT pollies are in the national Parliament. Only one of them, Labor Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, is on the Government front bench. We asked her for an interview on June 2 or 3 about Territorians likely to have a very specific take on the $368b AUKUS fiasco.
Major fertiliser breakthrough gives farmers confidence: TasFarmers
TasFarmers has welcomed the State Government's announcement of a new fertiliser supply agreement, saying it provides much-needed certainty for farmers preparing for the coming season. The agreement, facilitated through Indonesia and fertiliser manufacturer Incitec Pivot, comes after months of concern about global fertiliser availability driven by conflict in the Middle East and disruption to international supply chains.
Labor must push back on Trump’s new tariffs: Canavan
Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan said Labor must fight the Trump Administration’s proposed new 12.5 per cent tariffs. Senator Canavan said the Trump Administration’s proposed tariffs on Australian goods are unjustified and a clear breach of the Free Trade Agreement Australia has with the US.
World Press Photo
The Art Gallery of Ballarat brings World Press Photo to regional Victoria for the first time this August. Each year, the contest highlights the outstanding work of photojournalists and documentary photographers from across the globe.
Pixie earns spot at World Championships
Islander and 7th generation Pinetree's kid, Pixie Hanson, just had her first international race.
The people’s Cup hits the road again – Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour reveals 37 destinations for 2026 journey
The 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour is back with one of its most exciting journeys yet, with 37 destinations across Australia and the world revealed today at an official launch event at Flemington Racecourse.
There’s no social licence for Rushy’s sale: TasFarmers
The peak body for Tasmanian farmers has released its Rushy Lagoon Land Use North-East Community Impact Survey. TasFarmers said it had received concerns from numerous members regarding the proposed sale of Rushy Lagoon, and federal government support allowing a foreign-owned entity to purchase the property and convert it to a pine plantation.
Securing more fertiliser for Australian farmers: Farrell, Collins, Ayres
The Albanese Labor Government continues to secure essential fuel and fertiliser to keep Australian agriculture moving, with around 80,250 tonnes of additional urea now locked in through the Government’s $7.5 billion Fuel and Fertiliser Security Facility. Through Export Finance Australia, the Government has partnered with Incitec Pivot to support the purchase of two shipments of urea from Indonesia.
Texas energy giants to fuel Flinders Shire Council’s renewable boom
Flinders Shire Council is taking a leaf out of the Texas playbook to supercharge its economic future, welcoming a high-profile delegation of USA wind energy experts to the region this week as part of a tour of the state. The strategic visit aims to showcase how Flinders Shire is championing a pragmatic, economically driven approach to renewable energy development...
Littleproud welcomes review of Southern Downs water licence
Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud has welcomed the Queensland Governments decision to review the water licence granted to Cherrabah Resort, describing it as an important and positive step. Minister for Local Government and Water Ann Leahy has announced the State Department will review the water licence of Cherrabah Resort after its foreign owners applied to commercially extract and bottle up to 96 million litres of groundwater per year.
Chalmers and Keating: A tradition of ambushing the entrepreneur
Amused by the now familiar angry interventions of the former Prime Minister, Paul Keating, on behalf of his acolyte and sycophantic follower Jim Chalmers, attempting to save him from the quicksand of the 2026 Federal Budget, Kookaburra has been taken back in time to December 1983.
‘We need more staff!’: regional employers are hiring, but we are closing the door to skilled migrant workers
Claire Higgins, Louise Olliff. Regional Australia has long struggled to attract skilled workers away from urban centres. In the years since the pandemic, however, the labour market in country areas has tightened even further. Unemployment across regional Australia is at historically low levels, meaning many job vacancies are going unfilled.
Albanese Labor Government helps secure more jet fuel and fertiliser: Albanese, Wong, Farrell, Bowen, King, Collins
After discussions between Australia and China, including between the Prime Minister and China’s Premier Li, the Albanese Labor Government has helped to secure three shipments of jet fuel, totaling more than 600,000 barrels or about 100 million litres.
Further streamlining and strengthening the foreign investment framework: Chalmers
This second round of foreign investment reforms is all about making more improvements so the regime is much stronger where risks are high and much faster where risks are low ... These reforms will increase certainty for investors and will lead to faster and fewer approvals, reduced regulatory burden, and improved tools to address high-risk investment.Â
Northern Territory strengthens investment ties with Taiwan: Cahill
As part of the Finocchiaro CLP Government’s year of Growth, Certainty and Security, Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Relations Robyn Cahill is leading a targeted government delegation to Taiwan this week, advancing the Territory’s position as a trusted and competitive partner for one of our most important trading partners.
