News

On 23 August 2021, the Ombudsman release a redacted report into his investigation of Council’s historic billing practices. The trigger for the investigation was a complaint in 2018 from the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement on behalf of Aboriginal people into Council’s electricity and water billing practices ... Council acknowledges, and is sorry for, the harm and mistrust caused by its past billing practices, is committed to implementing all of the recommendations in the report, and welcomes all community input as to how we can move forward together.

National Indigenous Radio Service. A recent investigation by the South Australian Ombudsman has found the remote council of Coober Pedy in the state’s north, pressured Aboriginal residents into requesting money from Native Title funds to help pay off their overdue electricity and water bills.

After four months of delivery in the metropolitan area, the Heavy Vehicle Driving Operations Skill Set will now be delivered through South Regional TAFE to address the shortage of truck drivers in regional WA.

In a cultural first for Australia, a sapling from a sacred tree revered by the world’s Buddhist community has been imported from Sri Lanka in what can only be described as a great biosecurity success story.

Claire Rankin. Evans Head Fish Co-op may be forced to close temporarily because of covid, its chair Bill Litchfield said. He was “extremely concerned” about how the snap lockdown has impacted the co-op and fishing industry.

Frog scientists are concerned about a large number of sick, dying or dead frogs across eastern Australia. The mass deaths in NSW, Queensland and Victoria may be an indicator of a known fungal pathogen or a new strain.

Phantom Bonnie was ahead of the pack at Casino Greyhound Racing Club.

Angie Day. Grafton Hockey Association recently hosted a highly successful “Doin’ it for Holly” Round on  Saturday August 14. The day is named in honour of Holly Butcher, a local Graftonian and hockey player who sadly passed away in 2018 at the age of 27 after a battle with Ewings Sarcoma. In her final days, Holly wrote a very moving letter titled “A bit of life advice from Hol” ... One of Holly’s final requests in her letter was to encourage people to become blood donors, so one of the big focuses of the “Doin’ it for Holly” day was the “100 lives Challenge”.

Geoff Helisma. Not too long ago, the space behind the Anglican church building in  Wharf Street, Maclean, was used as a place for vehicles to turn  around; nowadays it’s a vibrant vegie garden, with each raised bed’s  name inspired by ‘Gifts of the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:22-23) and the  garden, itself, christened ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ ... “It’s worthwhile, viable, beneficial to the community and marvellous for those of any age who want to get out and share life with others.”

Under the proposal, a portion of the site will be transferred to the Grafton Ngerrie LALC to support better outcomes for the Aboriginal community, and successfully resolve an Aboriginal land claim. Another parcel of land adjacent to Grafton Base Hospital will be transferred to NSW Health ... the SE portion, which comprises significant heritage items, will be set aside for future adaptive reuse with heritage protections in place ...

Queensland Resources Minister Scott Stewart said the Federal Court will recognise the Warrgamay People’s long-standing rights to more than 185,000 hectares of land and water at a virtual hearing ... the decision covers an area from Lucinda on the coast, up to and along the Seaview Range and into Girringun National Park.

The use of the feed additive Bovaer ® (3-NOP) was recently evaluated as part of an MLA-funded project on reducing enteric methane emissions in Australian feedlot operations, and was found to reduce methane production by up to 90%.    

Australia’s aquaculture sector continues on a trajectory of steady growth, but the entire industry has experienced disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the  latest edition of ABARES’s  Australian Fisheries and Aquaculture Statistics.

The Morrison Government has given regulatory approval for a commercial rocket launch to take place later this year from a newly licensed launch facility in South Australia.

Caloundra State High School students have created a wildflower world with a difference at the  Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden. The  free augmented reality experience  is on until 10 September and  offers visitors  the chance to immerse themselves in nature while learning about these beautiful flowers through the magic of technology.

The Territory Labor Government has released the first Closing the Gap NT Implementation Plan in partnership with Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT and Local Government Association NT.