Media Release

South Australia has recorded its first confirmed case of H5 bird flu in a vagrant migratory seabird found on a beach on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The confirmed case - a southern giant petrel - was found by a wildlife welfare organisation on 14 June at Knights Beach, Port Elliot.

...South Australia has recorded its first confirmed case of H5 bird flu in a vagrant migratory seabird found on a beach on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The confirmed case, a Southern Giant Petrel, was found by a wildlife welfare organisation on 14 June on Knights Beach at Port Elliot in a debilitated condition and taken into care.

The 2026-27 Budget delivers lower debt, $73.5 billion lower than it would have been under Labor, based on MYFER 24-25, by 2029-30, and delivers a surplus in 2029-30. 

The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) welcomes the Queensland Government’s reintroduced Regional Planning Interests (Condamine Alluvium) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 (the Bill), which has adopted the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee in full.

The new One Nation MP for Farrer has blindsided families and farmers, by voting with the Teals and Greens in Parliament House against Australian regional jobs and communities. The amendment, moved by a Teal MP, demanded the Labor government cap the fuel tax credit – a scheme which allows for a rebate to businesses that use heavy machinery for the fuel tax they pay.

In a Western Australian first, 1.5 kilograms of white truffles have been unearthed from the soil of Australian Truffle Traders’ farm in Manjimup. Family business Australian Truffle Traders discovered the bianchetto white truffles, known scientifically as Tuber borchii, on their Southern Forests farm yesterday.

Australia Post’s Group CEO and Managing Director, Paul Graham, will have tough questions to answer when he fronts a Senate inquiry into Australia Post’s secret plans to close up to 36 metropolitan licensed post offices and entice regional and rural LPOs to move from perpetual to fixed-term licences as part of a ‘format conversions’ strategy.

Today’s publication of the ‘What we Heard’ Report following public consultation on the Basin Plan Review shows a clear united message: priorities have shifted, move on from “just adding water”.

The MDBA today released the What we heard report, reflecting the key themes and perspectives raised during the public consultation on the 2026 Basin Plan Review. MDBA Chief Executive, Andrew McConville said people have plenty of different views about how water should be managed, but there was a clear message underneath it all: the Basin Plan matters, and people want it to work better.

The statement of the Minister for Regional NSW and responses from Regional Cities NSW and the Member for Oxley highlight the NSW Budget 2026-27 measures aimed at rural and regional NSW, and the strengths and shortcomings of those measures.

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has delivered its long-awaited regulatory decision on the herbicides paraquat, and diquat. The APVMA announcement of the decision, together with the responses collected here, from Grain Producers Australia, Parkinson's Australia, Graingrowers and NSW Farmers, show that the decision has been neither universally approved nor condemned.

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says Victoria’s $25b dollar agriculture sector must not be forgotten in the face of a rapidly expanding data centre infrastructure boom sweeping the state. The VFF has today released an issues paper outlining the scale of potential development and competition for resources like land, water and energy. 

Wildlife and livestock surveillance activities are underway in South Australia following the detection of H5 bird flu in two vagrant migratory seabirds in Western Australia. Ground-based surveillance and drone surveys are being undertaken at sea lion breeding sites along the state’s west and far west coasts, as part of a coordinated response to the ongoing risk of H5 bird flu spreading to SA.

Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service (NTFRS) and Bushfires NT (BFNT) have declared a Fire Danger Period across parts of the Top End from 22 June to 4 October 2026, marking the commencement of the 2026 Top End bushfire season.

The formal listing of the historic MV Beardmore on the NSW State Heritage Register marks a significant milestone for the Clarence Valley community and recognises decades of tireless advocacy to preserve an important part of the region's maritime and industrial heritage, according to State Nationals Member for Clarence Richie Williamson.

Australia’s shift toward regional living has reached a record peak, with the latest Regional Movers Index (RMI) hitting its highest level in the March 2026 quarter. The RMI is a partnership between the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) and the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) that tracks population movements between Australia's capital cities and regions.

The much-anticipated Inverloch to Wonthaggi Trail, is now available for use and already proving a hit, with more than 600 riders setting off from both towns and meeting in the middle for a community celebration.

Cr Brett Tessari. The loss of the Superbike World Championship from Phillip Island is another devastating blow for our community, coming only months after the announcement that MotoGP will also leave the Island. My heart goes out to our local businesses, tourism operators, volunteers and community members who have supported these events for decades and who rely on the visitors they bring to our region each year.

Forest & Wood Communities Australia (FWCA) has written to Macquarie University researcher Dr Carmen da Silva seeking clarification regarding comments made during a recent ABC Sydney Radio interview in which she stated that Australians need to "try to stop native forest logging" in order to help protect native bees.

The 2026-27 NSW Budget delivers cost-of-living relief now, while continuing to rebuild the essential services and economic strength NSW relies on. Households are under severe pressure. Mortgages, rent, groceries and fuel costs are a constant challenge.

The stars have aligned for Outback Queensland, with the Charleville Cosmos Centre earning national recognition as one of Australia's must-visit experiences in Tripadvisor's prestigious 2026 Travellers' Choice Best of the Best Awards. The Charleville attraction secured the No. 6 spot in Tripadvisor's Top Attractions in Australia, placing it alongside some of the country's most iconic tourism experiences and landmarks.

The Albanese Labor Government is helping to keep Australia’s farmers farming and our food production system strong, with the first shipment of urea locked in with industry and the Indonesian Government arriving in Australia today. Docking in Brisbane, this shipment of 47,250 tonnes of urea is part of the 250,000 tonne supply deal between Incitec Pivot and PT Pupuk Indonesia, supported by the Australian and Indonesian Governments.