CATEGORY

Media Release

NFF condemns ‘appalling attack’ on cattle class action victims: NFF

National Farmers’ Federation President David Jochinke has labelled the Federal Government’s recent correspondence on the live cattle class action as an “appalling attack on victims”. In a letter the Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus sent to the NFF and provided to media last week, the Government has accused the victims of trying to line their pockets.

Findings shared from Australia’s first hydrogen microgrid: Cook, Buti

The Cook Government has ... released a Public Knowledge Sharing Report on the Denham Renewable Hydrogen Microgrid - the first of its kind in Australia. The project, which is now fully operational, includes a 704-kilowatt solar farm, 348kW hydrogen electrolyser and a 100kW fuel cell located in Denham, providing an innovative alternative to diesel generators.

Devastating water buybacks on the way for Northern Victoria: Lovell

The Commonwealth government has betrayed Northern Victoria by announcing further water buybacks from irrigation districts that will drive up costs for irrigators and devastate farming communities. Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek announced on 4 July that as part of the plan to recover 450GL of water in the Murray-Darling Basin, the Government will put out an open tender to purchase 70GL of water from the southern Basin ... latest plan does not apportion additional recovery fairly between states, but merely seeks to buy the cheapest water wherever it is, which could hurt Victoria further.

Regional students left behind as absentee rates rise: Cleeland

Regional Victorian students are struggling to keep engaged in the classroom, with new data revealing a concerning increase in rates of student absenteeism across the regions. Department of Education data has confirmed 354,549 days of school were missed by Year 7 students in regional Victorian Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 2023 - an increase of 33.6 per cent compared to 2019.

Labor’s unfair water buybacks system means South Australia will do the heavy lifting: Centofanti

South Australia is at risk of being taken advantage of as Labor prepares to open tenders for water buybacks to meet the recovery target of 450GL for the Murray-Darling Basin. The Albanese Labor Government has mounted its recovery goal on the destructive model of water buybacks, but there is no fixed volume to be recovered from each state, or each catchment or each water right type, which puts South Australia in the firing line.

Agriculture needs to do more to attract and educate young people: Nuffield Australia

As Australia’s agriculture industry continues to struggle with labour shortages, universities in other countries better prepare their students to work in agriculture. That’s the finding contained in Kathryn Fleay’s Nuffield Scholarship report ... Kathryn, an agronomy and operations manager from Western Australia’s wheatbelt, researched how Australia could shore up its agricultural workforce, particularly through university degrees with strong ties to the industry.

Commodity prices, production and exports ‘beefing up’ and some consumer pressure expected to ease, says Rural Bank

Commodity prices, production and exports have broadly lifted in the first half of the year, with beef the standout performer in Rural Bank’s Australian agriculture mid-year outlook 2024 (the Outlook), released today. With an overall outlook favourable for the second half of the year, despite some variability across sectors, some cost-of-living relief is also expected to reach beyond the farm gate.

Aboriginal rangers share rich cultural heritage in the ruggedly beautiful Pilbara

When a group of Midwest Traditional Owners visited the Pilbara recently they gained a whole lot more than a training experience. The Yamatji, Jidi Jidi and Nanda groups from the Midwest were hosted by the Yindjibarndi group at Millstream Chichester National Park, south of Karratha.

Transformed freight vision can supercharge Victorian economy: VFF

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says the Victorian agriculture industry can propel the state’s economy and surpass $20 billion dollars of food and fibre exports by 2030 if the Victorian Government focusses on road maintenance, lowering costs and improving freight efficiency. In a submission to the Refresh of the Victorian Freight Strategy, VFF President Emma Germano said having a plan to maintain and fix regional roads would be key to reinforcing agriculture…

Investing in water security across the Northern Territory: Plibersek, Worden

A joint investment of $8 million is being made to the Community Infrastructure Assessment project which will allow for water services in 55 remote communities to be assessed ... The Federal Government is also investing $2.3 million to develop a detailed business case for the expansion of the Ord Irrigation Expansion project.

Voluntary water purchase in the Basin kicks off soon: Plibersek

The Government is progressively returning 450 gigalitres of water to the environment by 2027, with voluntary purchase just one of the ways that water will be recovered. Under the Voluntary Water Purchase Program opening the week of 15 July, the Commonwealth will launch its first tender to buy up to 70 gigalitres of water entitlements from willing sellers in parts of the southern Basin.

Bev McArthur raises councillor bullying case in Parliament: McArthur

Bev McArthur raised the case of a Victorian councillor who experienced the weaponisation of complaints process by their ideological opponents. The Member for Western Victoria and former Councillor of Corangamite Shire said “there is a steady rise in political intimidation of conservative Councillors in Victoria's local government sector ..."

Knuth blasts government for blocking Crocodile Control and Conservation Bill: Knuth

State Member for Hill, Shane Knuth, has unleashed his fury at the Queensland Government for the forced withdrawal of his Crocodile Control and Conservation Bill from the Health, Environment, and Agriculture Committee ... "In my 20 years in parliament, I have never been forced to withdraw a private member's bill on what I would call a technicality. This is another example of how broken our parliamentary system is in Queensland": Shane Knuth.

Buffel grass declared a weed: Worden

The Lawler Labor Government has declared buffel grass a weed and will now move towards reducing its impact in Central Australia by formalising a weed management plan. The recommendation to make the declaration under the Weeds Management Act 2001 was informed by the work of both the Technical Working Group, and the Buffel Grass Management Strategy 2024-2030, as developed by the Buffel Grass Weed Advisory Committee.  

Starter gun fires on Mossman cane crush: Canegrowers

The sight of cane harvesters firing up in paddocks across Queensland’s most northernly district has come as a huge relief to Mossman growers, with a one-year commercial deal between growers and MSF Sugar enabling the 2024 cane crush to finally get underway.  After months of sensitive negotiations with the State Government, trucks have begun hauling Mossman cane 100km down the Captain Cook Highway to MSF’s Mulgrave Mill at Gordonvale.   

Record interest in livestock and biosecurity initiative: VFF

The Victorian Farmers Federation’s (VFF) livestock biosecurity and welfare initiative, Stock Sense, is experiencing record high attendance at its Victorian events and workshops, reflecting a growing appetite amongst producers and the community for its resources. VFF Livestock President Scott Young said the initiative has never been more important since launching in its current format in 2021.

Norco Co-operative drives industry innovation with first-to-market ice cream technology and new Cape Byron sticks range

For Norco, Australia’s oldest and largest dairy co-operative, its great tasting ice cream has always been crafted for indulgence, but the latest innovation from the 100 per cent farmer owned co-operative is set to take its premium portfolio to the next level ... Housed at its iconic ice cream factory in Lismore, Norco Co-operative is the first company in Australia to invest in a new machine which produces up to two centimetre inclusions in ice cream: taking ice cream decadence to the next level.

Strong growth in dairy, forestry, hobby farmland prices: ABARES

ABARES has expanded the Farmland Price Indicator to include a new series of experimental estimates by farmland type. Users can now access and download specific information for beef, dairy, cropping, forestry, orchard and even hobby farmland type via the ABARES Farmland Price Indicator dashboard.

Australian-made test designed to detect serious disease in livestock shows promising preliminary results

To help protect Australia's livestock industry from the threat of infectious diseases, a revolutionary diagnostic test designed to swiftly detect infections in livestock has been tested by the CSIRO. The test is being developed by ZiP Diagnostics, a pioneering biotech company, and it is designed to provide early detection for diseases such as foot and mouth and lumpy skin disease.

Western Riverina drought resilience planning workshop invite

Murrumbidgee Council is inviting you to contribute your insights, experiences and ideas to how we can improve our region’s drought preparedness into the future. Preparation of a Western Riverina Regional Drought Resilience Plan (RDRP) has recently commenced.

Community information sessions for Rochester Flood Study review

Campaspe Shire Council is inviting community members from Rochester and surrounding areas to attend a series of information sessions as a comprehensive review of the Rochester Flood Study is launched. Following the significant flooding events in 2011, 2022, and most recently in 2024, this updated study aims to reassess and enhance flood mitigation strategies to better protect the community.

Opposition explores benefits of nuclear energy in Port Augusta: Speirs, Patterson

Leader of the Opposition, David Speirs ... travel to Port Augusta for the first time since the Federal Coalition announced the Spencer Gulf city as one of seven locations it proposes to build zero-emissions nuclear power plants. The State Liberal Opposition is keen to explore the viability of a civil nuclear industry in South Australia – and its potential to lower energy prices...

All categories