Law & order

Blockade Australia activities which stopped Sydney peak hour traffic on 27 June 2022 is an experience which timber harvesting contractors have been confronting for years. In the week ended August 5, 2022, on five successive days, protestors entered timber harvesting sites in Northern NSW and placed their personal safety in danger to such an extent that work ceased.

Detectives have charged 24-years-old Lachlan Mark Freund of Cambooya in relation to the alleged murder of 25-years-old Thor Morgan in March ... Following an extensive investigation as part of Operation Uniform Tyne, police dive squad officers recovered a firearm from a northern branch of the Condamine River on July 26, which police will allege was the weapon used in the incident.

Patricia Gill. The Shire of Denmark is reviewing local laws concerning the keeping of cats with a limit of two animals older-than-six months per household being considered in an effort to curb the feral population. The Shire will also have more power to restrict the movement of cats and those that cause a nuisance ... consultation is underway on the proposed rules which the Denmark Shire Council will likely consider in September.

VicForests has been given a green light to log areas of Greater Glider habitat in Victoria’s Central Highlands, the Supreme Court has ruled ... Three parcels of forest known to be home to the endangered glider will be opened for logging despite VicForests confirming that they have not surveyed the areas ... ARR.News asked some questions of Kinglake Friends of the Forest.

Samuel Davis. Sly grog swindlers peddling cask wine and spirits are fuelling a spate of senseless and violent acts in western Cape York, angry community leaders say ... “The sly grog has been bobbing up for the last three weeks. There are people not turning up to work, threatening managers ... What is our community coming to? At the end of the day, it’s about personal responsibility": Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council CEO Edward Natera.

The Transport Administration Amendment (Rail Trails) Bill 2022 alters the Transport Administration Act 1988 to provide a streamlined process that may enable regional rail trails where and when the community wants them. Minister for Cities and Active Transport Rob Stokes said the Bill unlocks opportunities for communities and fixes outdated and onerous legislation that required a change to the Act for each rail trail.

With more than 110,000 hectares of red gum forests now put into National Parks, red gum reserves or Indigenous protected areas across the state, open dialogue can ensure active management remains to manage the aggressive regeneration of these red gum forests and balance the social, economic, cultural and ecological aspects.

A recent controversial social media post has highlighted the importance of communication, engagement and balancing expectations. The target of the post was the red gum forestry operations on Campbells Island back in early 2020. A meeting held at Murray Connect on Monday, July 25, saw industry, community members and forestry start a conversation over harvesting, management, rules and sustainability. In a three-part article, we will break down some of the rules, regulation and concerns.

There is more certainty for farmers and the environment after the NSW Government’s licensing and measurement reform became law in Water Sharing Plans for the Border Rivers and Gwydir Valleys. Minister for Lands and Water Kevin Anderson and Minister for Environment James Griffin have approved changes to the Border Rivers, Gwydir and Macquarie Water Sharing Plans.

The Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) has released its regulatory priorities for FY 2022-23 and has set its sights on the irrigated agriculture industry in the Murray, Murrumbidgee and the Far North Coast ... “Our regulatory priorities identify and target problem activities, areas and industries that may have high levels of non-compliance with water laws or the potential to cause harm to the environment or surrounding community”: NRAR’s Director of Regulatory Initiatives Ian Bernard.

As they said in the days of the old wild west, Jack Langley is the new law-man in town - but not in the gunslinger sense. The 23-year-old Narrandera resident recently became a solicitor with Farrell Goode Solicitors at his admission ceremony where one of the judges on the bench was Justice Natalie Adams, who is originally from Narrandera.

“The Mulloon Institute heartily welcomes the Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek’s calls for structural reform and new environmental legislation,” said Mr Gary Nairn AO, Chairman of the Mulloon Institute and former Federal Liberal MP. The Institute restores degraded landscapes across Australia for improved agricultural productivity, enhanced environmental outcomes, improved biodiversity including habitat for threatened species, and greater community resilience to drought, bushfire and flood.

State Emergency Service volunteers were on their hands and knees last week, helping police search for clues tied to the murder of Thor Morgan in Toowoomba back in March ... “What we do believe is that a person involved was also involved in discharging a firearm at that spot, firing a number of shots across this road,” Senior Sgt McCusker said.

The latest State of the Environment Report paints a dire picture for the ongoing survival of Australia’s threatened species under ever increasing pressure from feral animals and weeds ... “Invasive species are the common denominator: foxes and feral cats fuelled by rabbits are the major driver of mammal extinctions while foreign plants are a source of major weed problems impacting landscapes throughout Australia. :Andreas Glanznig, Chief Executive of the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions.

Following the release of the State of the Environment report, the peak national organisation representing over 1,000 forest scientists and professionals in Australia has joined in supporting Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek’s calls for more reform in the area of environmental law ... “The current approaches to management of Australia’s forests are not working – we believe we need to reform our philosophy of land management, our approach to conservation and how we manage our forests,” Forestry Australia President Bob Gordon.