NT

Out now! Available here!

How come the value of cattle stations is skyrocketing? The bar of the Centralian Beef Breeders Association was a good place for a pub test ... The  [Alice Springs] News  spoke to several of the bar’s patrons on the condition of not naming them, about what is clearly a historic switch from a 150 years old family-based industry to investment opportunities for big companies, some from overseas, and superannuation firms.

In a night filled with nostalgia, gratitude, and camaraderie, the Tennant Creek Branch of Bushfires NT marked a significant milestone on Saturday night at the Sporties Club as they celebrated 25 years of dedicated service to the local community. Members, both past and present, as well as invited guests gathered to commemorate this remarkable achievement.

Out now! Available here!

From the Western Australian deserts to the NSW rainforests, the new projects combined will protect 7.5 million hectares of land and 450,000 hectares of sea Country – bigger than the size of Tasmania. This is on top of existing IPAs which currently cover 87 million hectares of land and over five million hectares of sea Country – the majority of Australia’s national estate.

A tender has been released to improve disability access for the lower plunge pool at Edith Falls, to supply and install a hoist to provide visitors in wheelchairs safe access into the plunge pool. The hoist will be designed to fit in with the natural landscape and will be fitted with a mechanism so the person in the wheelchair can operate it in a safe manner.  

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.

The NT Government is charging you five times as much for electricity compared to what Fred next door is paying for solar. Got an envelope? Turn it over. Here we go ... Just 13 per cent of the town’s electricity consumption is from solar. A mere 3 or 4 per cent comes from the Uterne Solar Farm ...

Buffel grass has been declared a weed and a management plan will now be formalised towards reducing its impact in Central Australia, according to Environment Minister Kate Worden ... The Arid Lands Environment Centre says it welcomes "this historic decision" following "a decades long struggle to confront one of the greatest threats to the arid and semiarid lands."

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.  

It has been 40 years since the small Barkly community of Canteen Creek was established and the residents are in celebration mode. Set on Alyawarr land around 180 km southeast of Tennant Creek, Canteen Creek was established by Raymond Butcher Mick who wanted to move his family from town back to the bush to develop a strong connection to the land.

Out now! Available here!

The NT Government has reduced its minor subsidy for the iconic tourist attraction Henley on Todd to an extent where the event cannot take place this year, according to MLA for Braitling, Josh Burgoyne ... “The dry river boat races have been occurring in Alice Springs since the 1960s with locals and tourists racing against one another.”

Bob Beadman ... on the one hand there is a view that the courts are too harsh. The social reformers, a few academics, and the unaffected in the suburbs of our major capital cities subscribe to this view, I suspect. And on the other hand, the victims of repeated break-ins, or home invasions, regularly by repeat offenders on bail, believe the courts are too lenient.

After a thorough investigation, the Banking Code Compliance Committee (BCCC) has found that Westpac breached its obligations under the Banking Code of Practice over its handling of its Tennant Creek branch closure in September 2022. The BCCC has determined that Westpac failed to comply with the ABA Branch Closure Protocol and did not provide adequate support to affected customers in the remote Tennant Creek community during the transition period.

This week, we shine a spotlight on Lorraine Gibson Napaljari, who has chosen to assist others in unconventional yet deeply impactful ways. Lorraine, a Stolen Generation member, made a life-altering decision four years ago ... the pursuit closest to her heart is supporting Elders in navigating the challenges of daily life.

The Board of Tennant Creek Transport announced this week that all their services, including the door-to-door service, town bus, and the Greyhound Connect service, will cease operations effective from Sunday. Despite being financially stable, the service has encountered persistent issues that finally rendered its continuation impossible, chiefly the ongoing struggle to recruit and retain an adequate number of drivers.

Out now! Available here!