Media Release

Regional Development Minister Don Punch has welcomed the first inbound Chinese wine trade mission to Western Australia since the lifting of wine tariffs earlier this year, with delegates set to tour the Great Southern and Margaret River wine regions this week ... WA will host 11 premium wine buyers from 10 Chinese companies from 29 September to 6 October 2024, with a focus on premium wines, and specific interest in wines of WA provenance.

Flinders Shire Council is excited to announce its participation in the Central Western Queensland Remote Area Planning and Development Board (RAPAD) Energy and Economic Forum, held in Barcaldine last week. The event attracted a full house of stakeholders from across Queensland, all united by a shared vision for the future of energy and economic development in the region.

Matthew Harrison, uTas. A webinar was held  relating to how planting trees on farm impacts on biodiversity and natural capital. A range of models were used to examine spatially-explicit carbon sequestration and changes in biodiversity over time.

Cattle prices surged by 6.3 per cent month-on-month in August, highlighting strong demand and boosting the NAB Rural Commodities Index*, which remained unchanged overall despite significant variability among individual agricultural commodities. NAB’s August Rural Commodities Wrap, released today, notes that while the overall index held steady, global dairy prices also partially recovered after sharp declines in July, contributing to the positive momentum in cattle prices.

Skyrocketing cocoa prices are putting strong pressure on chocolate producers around the globe, who will likely pass on the burden to consumers, according to a new international report by food and agribusiness banking specialist, Rabobank. In the report Soaring Cocoa prices: The worst is yet to come, the bank says the main impact of the cocoa crisis still lies ahead, as companies hedge prices and supply contracts up to a year in advance.

Marnie Davis. The Indigenous - Aboriginal Party of Australia (IAPA) is calling for immediate government intervention relating to Australia’s escalating housing crisis. The IAPA seeks immediate intervention to protect vulnerable families, particularly First Nations peoples, single parent families, and our elders from homelessness and housing insecurity.

Members of The Country Women's Association of Victoria Inc. (The CWA of Victoria) will be feeding hungry show-goers from their famous cafeteria at this year's Melbourne Royal Show. With 15,605 scones consumed in 2023, what will be the magic number be in 2024?  From cooked breakfasts and hearty lunches to enjoying sweet treats including slices, sponge cake and scones with jam and cream - all items are 'guilt free'...

Charles Sturt University is opening its doors to Year 11 and 12 students to give them the best chance at success for their HSC exams. The University will open its libraries across its Wagga Wagga, Albury-Wodonga, Orange, Bathurst, Dubbo and Port Macquarie campuses, as well as online, to allow students free access to study spaces and educational materials.

A Sunshine Coast aerodrome that dates back to 1931 is set to soar into the future as a hub for aviation innovation, maintenance and advanced manufacturing. Caloundra Aerodrome, owned by Sunshine Coast Council, will be expanded with the development of an exciting new precinct called Caloundra Aerospace Park. There will be a range of lots available within the 6.3 hectare land release ...

A delegation of Australian agricultural representatives was in New Delhi last week fostering deeper ties with local food processors and promoting complementary links at a showcase of India’s food processing sector. World Food India (WFI) promotes India’s booming food processing and manufacturing industries, which Australia is well placed to support with the supply of high-quality inputs.

From major flooding and storm response to countless emergency calls and bushfire support, the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Broken Hill Unit is celebrating 40 years of saving lives and creating safer communities. Formed in 1984, the NSW SES Broken Hill Unit has a proud history of protecting the people of Far West NSW during floods, storms, and other emergencies.

Lismore City Council has delivered a $7 million wastewater project, unlocking development opportunity for up to 600 new housing lots in Goonellabah. Completed in partnership with BASEC Engineering, DGP Water and Ledonne Constructions, the Pineapple Road Sewerage Scheme involved the installation of a new pump station and over four kilometres of pipeline, creating 30 local jobs.

The Australian and Queensland governments will be progressing further planning work to protect the future rail corridor between Salisbury and Beaudesert. The Salisbury to Beaudesert Passenger Rail study explored the long-term passenger and freight needs in the corridor and has recommended heavy rail as the best way to address forecast passenger demand.

In a mission to develop a long-term sustainability program for the Rubus Berry industry, Hort Innovation and Lifecycles are embarking on a Life cycle assessment (LCA) project aimed at generating comprehensive information and metrics about the environmental performance of raspberry and blackberry production in Australia.

From 23 September the community in Byron Shire is the first in NSW to have a legally enforceable means to regulate holiday letting beyond the State caps. After a decade of campaigning Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) in Byron Shire is capped at 60 days for un-hosted holiday lets in most of the Shire.

Serrated trailing edges have broken off wind turbines endangering CFA volunteers, farmers and livestock in the vicinity of the infrastructure. Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur raised this issue in the Parliament citing it as dangerous and reckless. “My question for the Minister for Agriculture concerns news that turbines at the brand new Golden Plains wind farm are falling to pieces."

City of Coffs Harbour’s exceptional art gallery and museum has been making waves in its first 12 months and the next major exhibition will be a deep dive into local surf culture.  Swell Chasers: Surf Stories from the Mid North Coast will open at Yarrila Arts and Museum (YAM) [in November] ... the community can get involved right now.  

Surfing became the obsession of a legion of bored and restless teenagers in 1960s Australia, kids looking for adventure and freedom from the stultifying norms and expectations of their straight 1950s upbringing ... The arrival of the exciting new phenomenon and its far-reaching impact are recorded in a thrilling documentary film showing at the Byron Bay Film Festival in October.

Featuring Floodlights and James Range Band - 10 days of live music and workshops through remote communities in the Northern Territory ... Celebrated  live music and workshop program  Guts Touring  is back for another year, unveiling the two bands who will be performing throughout the Northern Territory for their 2024 program.

The Miles Government is investing $8.7 million to restore crucial habitat and address a key disease threat to the iconic koala. Two organisations - Queensland Trust for Nature and Healthy Land & Water - will share in $8.5 million for habitat restoration while Queensland University of Technology and the University of the Sunshine Coast will share in $200,000 for research into koala chlamydia.