International

Townsville is a step closer to a huge industry and jobs boost from a proposed advanced manufacturing facility at the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct that would refine ore to produce critical materials for use in new-technology batteries. Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said the proposed Townsville Energy Chemicals Hub (TECH) had been declared a prescribed project and would support North Queensland’s economic recovery.

Register now for Nuffield Australia's free Virtual National Conference, allowing you access to excellent speakers and discussion from your home, office, or tractor cab!

NFF Chief Executive, Tony Mahar has welcomed remarks by Minister David Littleproud at the  United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) in a session devoted to leader's statements.

Widespread global disruption to supply is set to see Australian farmers again move to lock in fertiliser and other inputs early for the season ahead, Rabobank says in a recently-released report. This is despite global fertiliser prices at near-decade highs and expected to remain elevated in the short to medium term.

The World Fisheries Congress might be over, but all of the presentations will be available online for another six months, so it’s not too late  to register. In the meantime, if you missed it, here are some spoilers for you.

An international contingent from NASA have been released from quarantine at the Centre for National Resilience today, to prepare for an historic rocket launch from Arnhem Land. The 27 essential personnel will travel to Nhulunbuy to undertake 40 days of work with Equatorial Launch Australia (ELA) at the Arnhem Space Centre.

Tony Piccolo. The local Afghan Community in the South East have told State Members of Parliament of their fear for the safety and wellbeing of family and friends living in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of allied forces and the installation of a new Taliban Government. The community shared their stories with a delegation led by religious leader Sheikh Ghulam Ali Haideri and State Member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo who visited Naracoorte to offer support to people who are dealing with the confronting and difficult fallout from the events in Afghanistan.

Gabrielle Duykers. A Zambian refugee camp seems an unlikely environment to foster an art career, but for one Mount Gambier man, that is where it all began. Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sadiki Kamundele is a skilled sculptor and painter, who works in a variety of mediums.  

Fund manager Gunn Agri Partners has picked up an avocado orchard in northern NSW, looking ahead to higher retail prices for the popular fruit after this year’s massive harvest. The group has paid $11 million for the orchard despite avocado prices plunge from as much as $4 to just $1 each this year as strong seasonal conditions in Western Australia particularly created a bumper crop ... Gunn Agri bought the asset for a European institution with a mandate to invest in permanent Australian crops assets.

Australian farmers and businesses will get more opportunities to reach new markets and create more jobs through global trade as Peru becomes the eighth economy to bring the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) into force. Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan today welcomed Peru joining Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam as a Party to the CPTPP.

Wallabies assistant coach Dan McKellar has spoken from Townsville. The side were given an official welcome to country upon arrival in Townsville this afternoon ahead of their eToro Rugby Championship Test against Argentina on Saturday night. McKellar grew up in North Queensland and went to school in Townsville.

The domestic softwood timber industry in NSW has received a significant boost with the NSW Government directing Forestry Corporation to divert selected softwood log exports impacted by the China trade embargo, to domestic markets. Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for Forestry John Barilaro said this will see at least an additional 270,000 tonnes of timber enter the domestic supply chain over the next three years.

The Western Downs is rolling out the red carpet and welcoming the best of Australian short films as part of an exciting partnership between Western Downs Regional Council and Flickerfest Short Film Festival.

Kirstin Nicholson. Regardless of the weather, runners and walkers can be seen pounding the paths of Garden and Gilrule Parks in Cohuna every Saturday morning. They are part of a global organisation called parkrun. parkrun is a free, timed 5km event held every Saturday morning, not just in Cohuna, but all over the world, originating in England in 2004. Runners and walkers of all ages and fitness levels are welcome and it doesn’t matter how fast or slow you are.

Macquarie has sold its 105,000 hectare Lawson Grains portfolio for more than half a billion dollars to Sydney-based New Forests and Canada’s Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo). The portfolio comprises more than 70 assets – or 10 aggregations – across Western Australia and New South Wales that Macquarie Agriculture had collected since the fund’s launch in 2012.

Minister for Resources and Member for Townsville Scott Stewart said the Port of Townsville was a key piece of infrastructure when it comes to developing hydrogen exports. “Sun Metals is one of Townsville’s most innovative businesses and it’s exciting to have their sister company, Ark Energy, plan to export renewable hydrogen to South Korea from Queensland’s publicly-owned port,” Mr Stewart said.

Claire Rankin. Evans Head surfers are stoked to back one of their own as he steps on to the world circuit. Halftide Boardriders club at Evans Head is trying to raise $25,000 to help club member Callum Robson compete overseas.

Geoff Helisma. A small team of Lower Clarence women have found a great way to do charitable work while they exercise among the waves. ‘Swell Sisters’ – Clair Morton, Shannon Grainger, Emy Alexander and Georgie Smith – are on a mission to raise funds for  SurfAid ¸  which provides “a hand up, rather than a handout, to people in remote communities connected to us through surfing,” says Clair.

The Tasmanian Liberal Government has agreed to  continue its landmark quarantine arrangement with Victoria which sees Tasmania quarantine seasonal workers from the Pacific Islands, in return for the Victorian Government assuming responsibility for Tasmania’s commitment to assisting Australians returning from overseas.