Law & order

The Victorian Labor Government voted against a private member’s bill seeking to repeal the prohibition on nuclear energy activities. Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, spoke in support of the bill stating that the future is nuclear. “Nuclear energy is the cheapest and most reliable zero-emission clean energy source of minimal impact." ... As of June 2023 there are 57 nuclear reactors under construction worldwide and 21 are under construction in China. France announced plans to build six new reactors and to consider building a further eight.

In a major nationwide operation against organised crime and illicit tobacco, Australian police have arrested 25 individuals and executed multiple search warrants across several states, including Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. The focus was on disrupting the activities of the Comanchero and Finks Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCGs). As part of this extensive crackdown, Nhill was included in the operation.

Michelle Daw. Prompted by its investigation into 26 reports of off-target impacts of the herbicide Overwatch on Yorke Peninsula, Primary Industries and Regions South Australia says it will crackdown on non-compliant use of agricultural chemicals ... PIRSA has referred the reports to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority but has not yet received feedback. Manufactured by FMC Australia, Overwatch is a pre-emergent herbicide which is applied during seeding time in April/May to control annual ryegrass and some broadleaf weeds in broadacre crops.

Basin communities, farmers and businesses will join forces for the nation’s largest ever protest next week against the Albanese Government’s controversial water bill. The coordinated action led by Deniliquin, Griffith and Leeton councils, along with key farming groups such as NSW Farmers and businesses, will see towns across multiple states host demonstrations on Tuesday, November 21, sharing the message that a rewrite of the Murray Darling Basin Plan will cost thousands of jobs and slash almost $1bn worth of food and fibre from farms.

The Country Mayors Association of New South Wales has joined forces with the Police Association of New South Wales and NSW Farmers to call for a Parliamentary Inquiry into crime, law and order in rural and regional New South Wales ... “It is estimated one-third of New South Wales’ population live outside metropolitan areas,” Mayor Chaffey said. “But we are still second-class citizens when it comes to the safety of our communities.

Tasmania's peak farming body welcomes the introduction to the Tasmanian Parliament today of the Water Miscellaneous Amendments (Delegation and Industrial Water Supply) Bill 2023. Proposed changes to legislation will mark a significant milestone in Tasmania's water management by enabling water utilities such as Tasmanian Irrigation to supply industrial users for green hydrogen production.

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TFGA) says it cannot support the government's proposed Tasmanian Fire and Emergency Services fire levy funding models in their present form ... TFGA President, Ian Sauer said, “While we support the move toward a fairer, more efficient funding system with a single source of funding, in some instances we’re seeing farmers' contributions increase under one proposed model by a staggering 1000 per cent, and under the other model by at least 230 per cent in contributions, which is  unacceptable and certainly not equitable.”

Territorians are invited to have their say on end of life choice, with community consultation underway to develop a Northern Territory framework for Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD). As part of the consultation phase, Territorians can have their say through an online survey, or during face-to-face community meetings in Darwin, regional and remote centres across the NT.