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Opinion

Power play, VNI West debate rages

Just as Transgrid has announced an expansion of the preferred corridor, an ‘Explosive’ energy report exposes serious flaws in the $20 billion Rewiring the Nation plan. Australia is on the verge of an energy crisis as politicians continue to close down traditional baseline power sources for the green dream.

Govt official says Voice will improve services, cut costs

Patricia Gill. Public servant of 30-plus years, Albany Noongar man Ken Kelly, says a Voice to Parliament will improve social outcomes and reduce future costs. Speaking at the Yes Campaign Walk on September 30, Mr Kelly sees a Voice as a way of keeping the Government of the day on track.

Farmers in Labor’s new superannuation firing line

Labor's superannuation changes are set to disproportionately impact family farms held in self-managed super funds (SMSF) if they exceed new thresholds. Leader of The Nationals, and Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud said family farms, particularly where their properties are in a SMSF, would be hit the hardest by Labor's superannuation tax grab.

Tyrrell says private members bill will protect prime agricultural land in Northern Victoria Region

Member for Northern Victoria Region Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell has introduced her first bill of the parliamentary year, aimed at protecting Victoria’s prime agricultural land from large-scale solar farm development. Mrs Tyrrell introduced The Planning and Environment Amendment (Soil Protection) (Solar Power Generation Facilities) Bill 2023 in State Parliament last week to protect precious agricultural land and water catchment areas from large scale solar farms.

Australia’s preparation for major bushfires: John O’Donnell

It is the author’s belief that Australia is not adequately prepared for upcoming bushfires.   To be frank, we as a society have learnt very little following 2019/20, especially in regards to bushfire mitigation. Communities, firefighters and the ecosystems are highly exposed over the coming El Nino period and a lot of bushfire skills have been lost.   Disaster and insurance costs are going up every year and will continue to go up with current adapted approaches.

The Buloke Times editorial: Qatar block and farm exports

There is no doubt that Australian airline Qantas has lost some of its shine recently. Events in the recent past include the departure of CEO Alan Joyce,   pocketing a "golden handshake" which is said to total $14 million;   the new CEO apologising for the poorer performance of her airline;   and the scandal of selling tickets for flights that Qantas knew had been cancelled.

Divisive referendum

The debate on the upcoming vote for the Australian Indigenous Voice referendum has become “divisive” in the region, says Member of Barker Tony Pasin ... “Differences of opinion and robust debate in an MP’s office are to be expected and indeed encouraged, but the tirade of abuse directed at my staff (I was interstate) was totally unacceptable ... Ordinarily, a constitutional convention is held prior to a referendum to seek consensus."

Wake up Australia – Renewable energy won’t save the planet if it costs the earth: Robert Onfray

Robert Onfray. I am not sure many people are fully aware of the massive engineering changes currently underway in our rural landscape. The changes are on a scale never attempted in this country before, and it is swallowing obscene amounts of money for minimal benefit and, indeed, no proof it will improve the climate ... Australian Rural & Regional News will open a page for discussion on this comprehensive and provocative article on the renewable energy transition.

Weir voting ‘no’

Local state Member for Condamine Pat Weir has revealed he will be voting no at the Australian Indigenous Voice referendum. In the past, when asked how he will vote Mr Weir has said he would take time to look at both sides of the debate before making an informed decision. Among his concerns was if the issue warrants amending the Constitution.

MDBA seeks blood letting

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has put its full support behind a proposed legislative change to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan ... The Authority has been the arbiter of truth, with them holding the reins on running the rivers (to the SA border), implementing the plan, reviewing their own work, setting the terms of reference for independent reviews of their own work, managing community concerns and even running defence for the lower lakes.  

AEC admission unsettles voters

As the referendum draws closer the tensions are rising. With a constitutional change that many believe will undermine the one person, one vote system, it now seems the very notion of one person one vote is in question. On X (formerly Twitter) a question was posed to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). @tickymcgrath wrote: “I voted today. Was asked if I’d voted already. What’s to stop someone from voting at numerous venues?”

Extremism in the Wheatbelt?

Nazis in the Wheatbelt, hidden nests of white supremacists, who would have known that our sleepy regional country towns are nests of Neo-Nazi racism? ,,, our WA farmer Labor member for the Agricultural Region, Darren West MLC claimed opponents of the Voice were "voting with" Nazis and white supremacists, both during debate on the proposed Indigenous advisory body in Parliament and in an online Facebook post.

Immigration – Something is not right

Imagine building half of Perth in three years because that's what's needed to accommodate the nearly one million people that are expected to arrive between 2022 and 2025 ... No doubt, some will trek inland to the smaller country towns but don't expect them to stay long as the Federal government has recently moved to introduce new visa rights making it easier for migrants who have taken one of the regional work visas to bail from the bush and retreat to the big cities, leaving the businesses that sponsored them in the lurch.

Buti needs to but into the ATAR debate

After the heritage debacle Tony Buti is on notice by his backbench. After this year's ATAR results come out he will be on notice by the State's parents. By the next election, if he does not leave his mark on education, he will be like those kids who did not take the hard route through school, wondering what his next job will be.

Whitewash for Albanese Covid-19 inquiry

While many countries around the world look at their handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Covid-19 inquiry appears to be about as effective as a cloth mask for a virus particle size of 50-140 nanometres. The inquiry will not have the same powers as a royal commission and will exclude decisions made solely by state and territory governments during the pandemic response...

‘No’ risks ‘return to servitude’

Patricia Gill. Noongar Elder Lester Coyne ... spoke at the Six Seasons Dijlba Field Trip on Sunday at Parry Beach ... He believes a Yes result in the referendum would enable his people to design their own programs based on their needs and not on what the Government of the day saw fit. “Many programs are short-term, designed by bureaucracy for the benefit of the Government,” he said.

Ukrainian grain: Nothing personal, it’s just business

The large volume of production and broken logistics have made Ukrainian grain an attractive target for politicians and businessmen ... ARR.News asks Ukrainian market specialists: how much will the cost of Ukrainian grain decrease if problems with exports persist?

The Buloke Times Editorial: Greenwashing

Recently, this column wrote of the misuse of words in relation to wind and solar "farms". The latest criticism relates to greenwashing products of, inter alia, the agricultural sector. The Senate Standing Committee on Environment & Communications has decided to have an inquiry into "greenwashing", by which is meant claims made by companies on the environmental benefits of their products;  the impact of these claims on consumers; regulatory examples; advertising standards; and legislative options to protect consumers.

Would Labor treat Middle Kingdom like they treat the Middle East?

Am I missing something or does this Federal Labor government have a problem with the Middle East? ... The government’s decision to reject extra Qatar Airways flights into Australia gives us a hint of what they are thinking ... Similar to live exports, the Government can give no coherent reason as to what makes up this social licence ...

Flying thoughts on air freight

At the bottom of all those outgoing planes is spare cargo space or what they call belly cargo which we can fill with rock lobster going to China and chilled lamb and beef going to the Middle East ... If the government is banking on boxed sheep meat replacing live exports, then its decision on Qatar is a step backwards.

MP criticizes reforms

Member of Barker Tony Pasin has warned that the Labor government’s Aboriginal Heritage Reforms could undermine private property rights in the region. Mr Pasin claimed the reforms would force property owners to undergo expensive mandatory cultural surveys for basic activities such as mending fences or planting trees.

Fire management in WA: The Bushfire Front responds to EPA Report 1745

Claims that prescribed burning will not assist with wildfire control are spurious. ... The EPA report on their review of the FMP failed to mention that a West Australian Parliamentary Committee, after hearing multiple evidence, recently concluded that an additional review of prescribed burning practices by Government was NOT warranted. This is a blatant and serious omission.

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