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Letter to the Alice Springs News Editor – Still no NT Government action on buffel
Alex Vaughan. Why is Central Australia almost the only region nationally at an increased wildfire risk across autumn? The National Council for Fire and Emergency Services unequivocally links this risk to buffel grass invasion and buffel grass regrowth and curing, enabling fire conditions to overcome the longstanding norm for fire regimes across arid and semi-arid lands where “wildfire frequency is typically once a decade”.
Amid widespread transmission line confusion … “VNI”ˆWest must return to the drawing board”
“Victorian Labor’s attempt to again reboot consultation on transmission lines is an admission consultation has failed abysmally on VNI-West,” Member for Mallee, Dr. Anne Webster, says. The State Government has introduced a Bill to establish VicGrid, claiming the new brand will “modernise the way new energy infrastructure is planned and developed in Victoria while giving communities a voice in the process”.
Rural doctor says change needed to overcome doctor shortage in regions
We've got a GP shortage problem across the board that requires numbers," according to Dr Paul Mara AM, a general practitioner (GP) who has served as a rural doctor for 40 years and inspired the single employer model (SEM) being trialled across the country ... After watching his practice struggle to retain staff for years, Dr Mara cleverly used government funding to develop a unique training model that better coordinated a pathway for GPs to work in rural communities.
The Riverine Grazier editorial: Don’t let our story end – Why Facebook’s decision matters to Hay
A decision by a large, faceless US based company miles away in their corporate offices may not seem to have much impact, here, out in Hay, or in Balranald or Ivanhoe. Our local newspaper – YOUR newspaper – surely feels no impact from Facebook or Instagram. Or does it? ... The decision by Meta to stop paying for the news it allows to be shared across Facebook and Instagram will have a direct impact on our newspaper and the support we can offer our readers and communities.
Meta puts news at risk
Andrew Schreyer, Country Press Australia President. Australia's largest organisation of newspaper publishers has attacked the announcement by Meta it will no longer negotiate deals with publishers once current agreements expire ... Meta’s actions undermine our democracy in the way the company displays such disdain for the work of the news industry ... The most popular Facebook pages in most regional and rural communities are those of the local news publishing company, yet Meta says people don’t go to Facebook for news or political content.
Some facts about EU farmers
I keep hearing that we should emulate European farmers by driving our tractors through the streets protesting against our Federal government’s attempts to stop farmers from farming. However, before farmers rush to the tractor, it's crucial to understand the vast differences between Europe's agricultural sector and Australia's ... This is what happens when farmers get into bed with government and take their coin. It’s a lesson we should learn.
What Facebook’s decision to quit news means for local followers
Facebook's announcement it will no longer support news on its platform means that members of community pages where Yanchep News Online now posts will instead need to follow the local publisher’s Facebook page to be able to access that content. But Yanchep News Online, who has never been part of a deal with Facebook is also concerned that if the Australian Government and Facebook get into a stoush over the social media platform’s decision to stop supporting news in Australia it could result in another news ban.
For better or worse, here’s the ‘final’ story on the NRLX dispute
I have chosen to write this as an opinion piece rather than an article. My reason for this is I have struggled to get information about the NRLX dispute even in its resolution. This opinion piece is an exit story on the dispute.
Sick and waiting
Sick and waiting for hours to be seen by a doctor at the Naracoorte Health Service (public hospital). How does that feel? And if that’s not bad enough, how about waiting for four hours for an ambulance transfer?
Buffer prevents livestock slaughter
Member for Benambra, Bill Tilley, fears laws designed to protect livestock from wild dogs will be scrapped and promised consultation with people in the Upper Murray is nothing but lip service. Member for Northern Victoria Region, Wendy Lovell, told the Victorian Parliament last Wednesday that the Victorian government had surrendered to ill-informed propaganda from lobby groups without talking to the farmers who will be most affected.
The U.N. and World Women’s Day
Oscar Tamsen. The United Nations' UNESCO BMW agency which has spearheaded the annual International Womens' Day in Australia and elsewhere on March 8 each year is still considering whether it should launch a similar celebration for men throughout the world. Some time ago -- in 2003 -- this world organisation received an official request from Chinese sources, backed by other interested authorities, for both genders to be represented by a joint celebration on the same day.
The government is lost at sea
Why do both sides of federal politics continue to think we need to have a shipbuilding industry as part of our naval defence sector? Every year we spend billions of dollars trying to build ships in Australia when the most cost effective thing to do is import them off the shelf from our allies.
Utes the end of an era
This week I thought I would join the lack of EV charging stations across regional WA together with the Australian government's adoption of the strict new Euro 6d emissions standards and give you my views on what this is likely to mean politically and its potential to redefine Australia.
Digging for cultural heritage: McArthur
Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs) are significantly delaying building projects while charging higher prices for their Cultural Heritage Management Plans (CHMPs), a compulsory requirement for land development under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006. Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, called on the Minister for Treaty and First Peoples in Parliament to immediately and comprehensively review the legislation. “The Cultural Heritage Management Plan sees cash end up in bank vaults and indigenous artefacts in storerooms."
Trading shots over WA firearms reforms
The debate between the gun lobby and the Minister for Police Paul Papalia has recently reignited following the announcement of the state government's firearms buyback program. Mind you, it's a pretty one-sided debate, with the gun lobby launching ads at the Minister and missing badly, while the opposition remains hunkered down in a safe house up on the hill, hoping not to get caught up in the firefight.
DPLH versus Maddox
Remember the Toodyay Boygerring Brook case that fired up the Aboriginal Heritage debate in March 2023? Tony Maddox will see his day in court with the trial starting on 22 February ... The outcome of the case will be pivotal in how farmers approach Aboriginal cultural heritage going forward. Mr Maddox has engaged Christian Porter as his barrister ...
Who’s getting the Twelve Apostles?: McArthur
Questions have been raised about the future ownership of 32 hectares of Twelve Apostles land at the centre of the Labor Government’s compulsory acquisition campaign. Despite the current owners being willing and able to develop and privately fund a magnificent visitor centre, the state government is proceeding with its plan to waste at least $108 million of taxpayers’ money on a publicly funded precinct.
Third of NAB’s regional banks wiped in CEO’s reign of terror
After slashing NAB's regional branches by a third Ross McEwan is bailing before a senate inquiry into the closures reports. Miniscule savings at the cost of trashing the bank's reputation in a critical lending base. What will his legacy be?
Fact finding trip proves South Australia’s lower lakes are “fake lakes”
NSW farmers and politicians have been lied to about the state of South Australia’s Lower Lakes, with Independent Member for Murray, Helen Dalton, calling on NSW Premier Chris Minns to visit the area immediately. "We have all been conned and it must stop," Ms Dalton said.
Electricity does not come cheap in the bush
Do you know what it costs to fill up an EV with a fast charger - $30, $40, $50? Do you even know what it costs to run your house each night? ... If EVs are the future then we need to be frank about their pros and cons.
The ute is going, going …
Did anyone notice the announcement dropped just before Christmas of the new emissions rules that will impact sales of most of the popular utes SUVs and 4WDs farmers and tradies rely on? ... For those who know their cars, the days are numbered for the number series 75s, 80s, 300s, 150s, 300s, not to mention the Raptors, Rams or even the bog standard Hilux, Triton and Nivara.
Liberals wage war on South Australian farmers: Close, Scriven
"The memories of the opposition appear to be shorter than the brief time they were in Government. The feral deer culling program was approved by then Environment Minister, David Speirs. If the South Australian Liberals have abandoned their support for a deer culling program, then they need to come clean with farmers as this is a significant policy shift": Susan Close.
