NSW

A growing health crisis in the Clarence Valley which has locals waiting up to a month to see a doctor has seen the Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan call on the Albanese Government to “End the Rural Doctor Crisis now” … infrastructure and services in the Clarence Valley are insufficient to cope with the population growth, and the wait to get an appointment to see a doctor is increasing.

The revival of the Nymboida River, which was devastated by fires then floods over the past three years is well underway and the endangered Eastern Freshwater Cod are already benefitting from work by the Clarence chapter of Oz Fish … 5km of exotic weeds being removed from the riparian zone and 1000 local native plants established in their place. 

The accolades keep on coming for Maclean High School’s champion Cattle Show Team who took home a swag of awards at the 2023 Ekka at Brisbane Showgrounds this month … “We had 17 students and 15 cattle we took to the Ekka”: Maclean High School Cattle Show Team head teacher Chris Kirkland.

The Albanese Labor Government has struck an historic agreement to deliver the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in full, including 450 gigalitres of water for the environment. The agreement, made between the Federal, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory governments...

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Here is a summary of the Kyogle Council meeting on Monday, August 14. Councillor Danielle Mulholland brought up the issues around the Bonalbo Multi Purpose Service … The monthly financial report elicited a discussion about how and where council invests its money.

The stuff-up about the number of homes that would be getting a buyback, house raise or retrofit deserves an apology, Simon Draper said. IndyNR.com interviewed NSW Reconstruction Authority chief executive Simon Draper and he said the information given was incorrect and it had a negative impact on the community.

The abolition of the popular $250 travel card for seniors living in regional areas at the same time as the Labor Government is lavishing Gold Opal Cards on Sydney seniors is unforgiveable ... Richie Williamson says ... analysis showed just how much worse off senior motorists in regional NSW have become under Labor.

Vic Jurskis. Laura Chung from Sydney Morning Herald tells us “Members of one of the healthiest koala populations in Sydney are dying at an alarming rate, as chlamydia-infected koalas and housing development” get closer. Makes you wonder how many different koala ‘populations’ there are in our State Capital ... Premier Chris Minns has a terrible dilemma.

NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin says it’s time for Australia to stop bending to European demands that would cripple food and fibre production. The latest broadside on Australian agriculture came in the form of a motion to Labor’s federal conference – inspired by European laws – that would directly limit what farmers were able to do on their properties.

Melbourne’s Spring Street had a break from monotony as cars and buses were replaced with tractors, trucks and utes with banners as hundreds protested the planned Victoria-NSW Interconnector West project. An estimated 45 tractors, 10 prime movers and about 20 utilities brought commuters to a standstill as part of a ‘Stop the Towers’ rally...

The REA Wagga Wagga Horse Trials held their biggest event to date in Narrandera last weekend. The competition boasted 268 starters on the day from all over Australia including Albany (WA), Mornington Peninsula (Vic), the Central Coast, Sydney and locals from throughout the region.

Teacher shortages continue to impact regional schools as a scathing report found "considerable gaps" still exist between metropolitan and regional students' access to education in NSW ... Luke Di Salvia of Leeton and formerly Narrandera said the lack of data being gathered was "concerning" but he was unsurprised at the report's findings around teacher shortages.

Narrandera's talented fashion designer Lillardia Briggs-Houston has been named fashion designer of the year at Australia’s fourth annual National Indigenous Fashion Awards. These awards recognise excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fashion and textile design.

A strong congregation attended the last service at the Cohuna Baptist Church on Sunday afternoon. 71 people from across the district and further afield came to celebrate 63 years of Christian faith and fellowship and see the doors close for the last time. Low numbers and an inability to maintain financial viability saw the decision to close the church.

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Biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of fire ants into NSW are being ramped up ... NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty visited the Tweed Heads region to discuss a cross-border task force with biosecurity compliance experts ... Ms Moriarty said the enhanced task force would ensure a coordinated approach between both jurisdictions.

A new lease of life has been injected into an historic local town with visitors raving about the beautification of Ulmarra after a $3.4 million makeover by Clarence Valley Council. The Ulmarra CBD revitalisation includes new footpaths, drainage, road sealing replacement on Coldstream Street, new landscaping and trees planted, new street furniture, a new pedestrian crossing, and a raised intersection at Coldstream Street and River Street.

Lestatt Hammond-Hurst from Glenreagh will represent NSW in the baking category at the WorldSkills Australia 2023 National Championships in Melbourne ... “In preparation for the competition, I’ve been working hard on my consistency, and making sure everything I take out of the oven looks perfect and has the same texture and colour."

ARR.News sought the response of FCNSW regarding recent protests against native forest logging, recent timber harvesting and plans for harvesting in the site of the proposed Great Koala National Park and measures to prevent injury to koalas and other wildlife.

The Rev. Canon Naomi Cooke was appointed the ninth Dean of Grafton on August 12. Describing herself as very excited to join the vibrant community of the Clarence Valley and the Christ Church Cathedral, she is looking forward to engaging with residents and the diocese...