Law & order

A public environmental review has been set for a mineral sands project proposed for about 21km east of Ledge Point and 800m south of the Moore River due to the extent of further information required, the number of preliminary key environmental factors identified and the moderate level of public interest in the project. When the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) published its decision to assess the Bidaminna project proposal it said out of the 156 submissions received 153 had called for public environmental review.

A muscled up NSW Police Force’s Raptor Squad will now have permanent bases in regional NSW, expanding to the state’s Northern and Southern regions to target and dismantle organised criminal networks. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the launch of the Raptor North and Raptor South squads will deliver an extra 30 staff, comprising investigators, Operations Support Group (OSG) operatives, and Traffic and Highway Patrol officers, to build on NSW’s crackdown on organised crime and criminal networks.

A magistrate has suspended the rock lobster fishing licence of a Yanchep man and prohibited him from being on any vessel used for rock lobster fishing for six months. In Joondalup Court on January 6 the 33-year-old man was also issued with fines, penalties and court costs totalling $11,014.30 for unlawfully interfering with fishing gear and selling recreationally caught lobster.

They say justice never takes a holiday, neither does crime it seems. Sadly, our sleepy safe community has been rocked by a wave of burglaries and vandalism. The not so jolly criminals appeared to get the jump on Santa with an early morning shop visit to Barham IGA before Christmas.

The Tennant Creek Police force put on a touching show of solidarity with their Queensland counterparts by lighting up the station with blue lights on Wednesday night to honour the two police offers who were tragically killed in the line of duty on 12 December. To coincide with the state service of Constable McCrow and Constable Arnold who were killed in an execution-style ambush at a remote Wieambilla property in Qld.

Passengers aboard the Memo Club’s courtesy bus last Saturday received a shock when a rock came flying through the side window, shattering glass everywhere. Luckily the passengers were uninjured, however it meant the Memo was without a bus for a few days while it was in for repairs.

Christmas is usually that time of year when people are in a giving frame of mind, with families and friends coming together to enjoy the holiday festivities. Unfortunately, a Christmas grinch has reared its ugly head, leaving bad taste in the mouth of Narrandera resident, Brett Deahm ... on two different occasions ... someone stole three inflatables ...

Rockhampton residents have embraced the school holidays with families out and about enjoying events, activities, and facilities in the Rockhampton Region. School holidays are meant to be an exciting and wonderful time of the year, but unfortunately, a spike in vandalism and graffiti is putting a dampener on the festivities.

A farmer has been fined for grazing cattle on state owned land in the City of Wanneroo. The Department of Planning Lands and Heritage (DPLH) said the 72-year-old man had been found guilty in the Joondalup Magistrates Court for illegally grazing his livestock on state government owned land in Pinjar.

Supt Mark Grieve. From a policing perspective, the Barkly region has much to be proud of as we look to close out 2022. We’re leading the Territory in the reduction of crime with Tennant Creek specifically ... When it comes to reducing crime, it’s important to realise that whilst police play a significant role, ongoing education and engagement is key.

Chris Oldfield. The Liberal Shadow Cabinet will continue to support a moratorium on fracking in the SE which runs until 2028. It will also continue to work on land access through agricultural properties to mines because “both agriculture and mining are important to the economy”.

Peak industry body for Queensland horticulture, Growcom is calling on the federal government to engage in genuine and meaningful discussion after the passing of the new Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022 so industry can understand how it will be implemented. Growcom CEO Rachel Chambers said when discussing a Bill called ‘secure jobs, better pay’ you need to have the business owners, the people who create the jobs for employees, around the table. Without employers there is no employment.

As car thieves and other juvenile and youth offenders are disengaged with society and seeking notoriety by using social media, police call for public assistance in securing vehicles and identifying stolen cars. Last week, Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon addressed the media as questions surrounding the nature of youth crime on the Downs were circling in the community.

Prominent local lawyer Jason Goode, of local law firm Farrell Goode, has been named a finalist in the NSW Law Society’s prestigious Rural Practitioner of the Year award in recognition of his tireless support of this region. Mr Goode, who is joint president of the Riverina Law Society and a member of the society’s rural issues committee, has spent the past 30 years working to bring much-needed attention to the issues that are unique to this area.

The National Farmers’ Federation has acknowledged the concessions granted which will see the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill pass the Parliament this week, but warns that the consequences for the food supply chain remain largely unknown. NFF President Fiona Simson said it was disappointing to see a government so disinterested in the genuinely held concerns of employers.

Sarah Martin. Cape York police, including Sergeant Ken White, are urging locals to secure their homes and vehicles to help prevent a rise in crime in the community, following a spate of break-ins. Two people have been charged and police are warning residents to lock it or lose it after another week of home invasions, burglary and fear for Cooktown locals.

Native timber harvesting in Victoria has stopped after a ruling on 4 November in the Supreme Court, prompting a savage attack on the Andrews Government’s culpability by the Liberals Gary Blackwood ... “This is a disgraceful indictment on the Andrews Government, who have been lobbied for months to adjust the Code of Forest Practice so that it reflected exactly what has been in place to protect the Greater Glider for many years”: Gary Blackwood, retiring Member for Narracan and Opposition forestry spokesman.

The NSW Government last week withdrew what is referred to as the dual consent private native forestry bill, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Private Native Forestry) Bill 2022. It is possible in the past week to look at news headlines concerning all mainland eastern States and see open contemptuous rampant hypocrisy at play.  But the conduct around this Bill is possibly the better example.