Media Release

The NAB Rural Commodities Index* is now 25.2% below year-ago levels, largely reflecting steep declines in cattle and lamb prices and a high chance of an El Nino event forming in coming months. The Index dropped 0.7% in April and a further 3.4% in May, reports the NAB June Rural Commodities Wrap released on 21 June 2023.

NSW Farmers has welcomed a Parliamentary Inquiry into undergrounding powerlines, calling it a win for common sense and community safety. Multiple renewable energy projects proposed or under construction in regional areas would require new power lines to connect them to the grid, Energy Transition Working Group chair Reg Kidd said, but too often landholders were being ignored by the big developers.

Ecology, community and renewable timber were on the agenda last week as the NSW Minister for Agriculture, The Hon. Tara Moriarty MLC spent time in Bagawa State Forest near Coffs Harbour.  Minister Moriarty said the field visit provided a deeper understanding of how State forests are managed to balance multiple uses and objectives.  

Last week, Mayor Suzette Beresford and CEO Ms Cassie White of Paroo Shire Council attended the "Our Communities Our Future" conference hosted by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) in Canberra ... Mayor Beresford had the chance to connect with the Hon. Catherine King, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, and Local Government during the ACLG dinner.

In the face of already numerous adversities, the Northern Rivers of NSW is grappling with yet another concern: food security. Floods, bushfires, and the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic have exposed vulnerabilities in the region’s food system but also presented an opportunity to re-think how food is grown, distributed and consumed.

The winners of the highly anticipated 2023 Victorian Architecture Awards have been unveiled, celebrating collaboration and sustainability in design and paying tribute to the influential role of architecture in shaping the way we live, work and play across Melbourne and regional Victoria ... The Regional Prize winner, Warrnambool Library and Learning Centre was heralded for its triumphant contribution to the local community, further receiving an Architecture Award for Public Architecture.

The growth of the Australian national cattle herd is on track to increase throughout 2023, resulting in a high supply of both young cattle and finished weight animals to market well into 2024. This is according to the latest Cattle Industry Projections update from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), which notes that the national cattle herd will reach its highest level since 2014 at 28.7m head.

Do you want the chance to witness stunning wildflowers in bloom and learn why they are so special? Then mark your calendar for Monday, July 3, to book a spot at the Sunshine Coast Wildflower Festival, with guided walks running from Saturday, August 19, to Sunday, September 3, from Bribie Island to Noosa.

The National Farmers’ Federation has warned a consultation panel assessing the phase-out of live sheep exports that Australia’s status as a favoured food exporter will suffer should the ban proceed. In a submission to the consultation process, made public on 20 June 2023, the NFF has named broader trade impacts among several reasons the phase-out plan must be scrapped.

Signs of weakening demand for dairy are spreading across markets. According to a new report from Rabobank, the cumulative effects of high food price inflation over the past 24 months, along with slowing economic activity in 2023, have translated into lower dairy demand in developed and emerging markets.

Tweed Shire Council and the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) have updated mapping of bushfire prone land across the Tweed Shire area ... The latest Tweed Shire mapping has been developed based on NSW RFS guidelines and is the culmination of input from Council’s bushfire, GIS and ecology technical staff, as well as external expert advice.

Fitting neatly into co-curricular studies and specifically, the Connecting to Cattana Wetlands program, year 6 students at Trinity Anglican School (TAS) White Rock campus were treated to a special presentation this week about migratory shorebirds by zoologist, microlight pilot adventurer and children’s book author, Milly Formby ... TAS’ year 6 students were captivated by Milly’s presentation which provided a practical perspective to their studies of Cattana Wetlands near Smithfield...

Opposition Leader Shane Love has called on the Premier to remove Minister Tony Buti from the Aboriginal Affairs portfolio and to install a new Minister who is up to the task of implementing the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage (ACH) Act. Mr Love said community unease was at a high, and the Government was only ‘adding fuel to the fire’ by failing to provide adequate support to the community and brushing off concerns.

A new app is allowing members of the public to act as citizen scientists by reporting koala sightings and providing accurate location and population data ... The Minister also announced $520,000 in grants for six projects that support long-term koala conservation in South East Queensland.

The Local Government Association of South Australia has acknowledged State Budget which aims to deliver cost of living relief and address the state's housing and health crisis but has warned the government has missed an opportunity to engage closely with councils on meaningful funding to support local communities. LGA President Dean Johnson said while the State Government’s spending on measures to address housing affordability and availability were a step in the right direction, greater investments were needed to improve long-term liveability, regional health and local economic growth.

The National Farmers’ Federation has released a new certification scheme, aimed at helping farmers choose tools and services which protect their farm data. The new scheme – which builds on existing schemes available in the United States and New Zealand – will certify products marketed to farmers to ensure they comply with the Australian Farm Data Code (the Code).

For the third consecutive year, South Australian River Murray irrigators will start the 2023-24 financial year with 100 per cent of their water allocation. The floods have contributed to high River Murray system storages, with the major dams at 90  per cent capacity - 26  per cent above the long-term average for the end of June.

The Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens Zoo & Aviary is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from the community to rehome five of its adult goats. The goats have been on display for several years but had to be relocated due to recent changes at the zoo.

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal has approved special rate variations of up to 64.3 per cent for country councils in a move farmers say will smash local communities ... “Every time you turn around someone’s putting their hand in the farmer’s pocket, and these rate rises will just further squeeze businesses and households in these areas": NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin.

The first ever whole-of-government strategic plan for water across the Northern Territory has been released by the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Security, Lauren Moss. The Territory Water Plan is a package of actions that will set the foundation for delivering water security for all Territorians – now and into the future.

The Roadmap to the 2026 Basin Plan Review was launched by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority with a commitment to work with communities throughout the 3-year journey.

The first group of workers from Papua New Guinea to be employed in Australia’s aged care sector under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme has arrived in regional Queensland. The eight workers from PNG provinces including Western Highlands, New Ireland and Morobe will be employed by Southern Cross Care at aged care facilities at Chinchilla, Murgon and Taroom in Southeast Queensland, where local aged care staff have been hard to find.