Opinion

Why is it that school teachers feel the need to torture the parents of their pupils? ... younger son for some reason decided to learn the violin. The teacher even let him bring it home to practice ... Ode to a Violin ...

Jens Roestel. Australia imports roughly 8,800 tonnes of honey per year ... When tested in a recent study about 18 per cent of honey found on Australian supermarket shelves showed signs of alterations ... companies spend a lot of time and effort to produce fake honey.

The trouncing of Labor may be rivalled by the rise of the Greens when the 2024 election goes down in history. In The Centre, Asta Hill got close to sitting CLP member Joshua Burgoyne, 2261 to 1937 votes on preferences in Braitling. The Parliament has its first Green member, Kat McNamara, who beat former Chief Minister Natasha Fyles in Nightcliff by 36 votes after preferences ...

Rosalie Auricht. The states in the Murray-Darling Basin have been arguing, seemingly forever, about how to look after and share the rivers ... At the MDBA River Reflections conference in Albury, the audience was asked to explore ‘what does a healthy river mean to you?’ ... "no carp, native fish are increasing in abundance, and no dead fish ..."

Remember ‘terra nullius’ the legal term that rose to prominence in the Mabo case? ... my focus in this opinion piece is not on terra nullius and who owns the land but on aqua nullius and who owns the water ... the Albanese government shows no sign of learning from the referendum disaster and is pushing ahead with building indigenous veto powers into a new National Water Agreement plus revving up the Commonwealth's Heritage Act.

The Victorian Public Service Enterprise Agreement includes $300m one-off cost-of-living payments for public servants while Victorian families and businesses struggle with increased taxes and no sign of relief from cost-of-living pressures ... Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur said, "the $5600 cost-of-living bonus for all public servants is more than 7 per cent this year for an average employee!"

There is an old saying “not a lot of sense is common!” There are things that should be taken as a given in life. Things such as manners, not talking over people, being polite, saying please and thank you, looking at people who are talking to you, and assuming best intentions when dealing with colleagues. To be respected you must first be respectful. So, when our elected Members of Parliament require a code of conduct on how to act and behave to prevent bullying, sexual harassment, and inappropriate behaviour, you have to ask what happened to common sense?

The answer to the Kyogle Council election referendum question is simple – Yes or No. The problem is the question itself isn’t simple and is complicated by bringing two concepts together that have only one answer – Yes or No.

Back when Kookaburra was young and out for adventure, he used to jump into a car and drive overnight to the Western District of Victoria, traversing half of New South Wales and then half of Victoria to get there. A nap at a truckstop near Tocumwal was about the only break as the miles signs (in those days) clicked by. The sun rising near Maryborough whilst the car thrust its way forward through the ranges and down to Beaufort signalled the journey was nearing its end. A quick pit stop and then out on that last stretch to Stockyard Hill and my destination – a poll Dorset sheep stud owned by some old family friends – who always managed to find a spare room for the blow-in.

I have repeatedly pointed out that there is no empirical evidence to suggest that capping the number of firearms reduces community risk, unless that cap is zero. You can only use one firearm at a time ... the Government's heavy-handed restrictions undoubtedly impact the enjoyment and utility of firearms for passionate shooters, many of whom play an important role in vermin control ... we don't represent them - we represent primary producers.

ARR.News was approached by PETA with "a gripping and timely opinion piece from an undercover investigator who has firsthand experience of the live export industry..." The full, frank and fearless debate on this highly contentious issue continues here on ARR.News with further responses from both PETA and Trevor Whittington, CEO WAFarmers.

Alex Nelson .... historically leaders of political parties whose electorates are based outside of Darwin always result in failure ... In Lia Finocchiaro, we have yet another Chief Minister whose electorate of Spillett is a part of Palmerston, leading a new government with 16 members at latest count.

As the industrial sprawl of green energy marches across the government-identified Renewable Energy Zones (REZ), Gannawarra Shire Councillor Garner Smith has renewed his call for negotiating lasting benefits from the VNI West project and renewable developments for Gannawarra residents. “Personally, I do not see an overall long-term benefit for communities like Gannawarra, out of either the VNI West power line or the renewable projects. Little to no long-term employment, unattractive infrastructure on a scale that the community does not comprehend and a benefits package that lacks detail and sounds more like welfare than an opportunity.

We all know Woodside, Australia’s biggest gas producer, but many might not realise it is also one of the country’s biggest CO2 emitters ... the Australian energy sector has been all too willing to overpromise on what is achievable in reducing their CO2 footprint, as a result they are now desperately searching for solutions. This, unfortunately, is where WA farmland comes into play ... That win-win plan is to plant trees – lots of trees – on productive farmland and then lock that land up for the next 100 years so it no longer produces food or fibre.

In view of the Australian Koala Foundation's march in Canberra planned for 1 September 2024, and its advocacy for a federal "Koala Protection Act", Australian Rural & Regional News felt it timely to ask some questions on koala matters and maybe even start up a useful, and very probably robust discussion ... ARR.News approached Dr Brad Law, Vic Jurskis and then Deborah Tabart OAM and the AKF for their response to questions ...

Calls to declare productive agricultural plant as a Weed of National Significance (WoNS) are misinformed and risk jeopardising an important livestock feed source, according to the National Farmers’ Federation. NFF Sustainable Development and Climate Change Committee Chair Mr Angus Atkinson said buffel grass was a vital resource for livestock operations and was carefully managed by producers to support grazing operations.

Don Fuller. In my view Blair McFarland’s policies are short on policy suggestions – besides they need more funding for the Basics Card. It is dependence on government to provide failing solutions again! There is no mention of the essential importance of education and the need for employment to reduce the devastating impact of a welfare-based society and how these vital areas can be improved.

Professor Rolf Gerritsen. Later this month we Territorians will vote in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly election. Recent opinion polls indicate a tightening contest as the Labor Government rallies under the surprisingly effective Ms Lawler ... here are my 10, Lichtman-adapted variables.