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Opinion

Wool’s history of boom and bust here to stay

A recent analysis by EP3 of the wool market got me thinking about wool, which seems to be staggering around and yet again threatening to repeat its long term boom and bust cycle, despite what we are repeatedly told about the huge demand for clean green natural fibres.

Neglecting older Australians – A missed opportunity for workforce inclusion and economic progress: Hugh Christie, TFGA

Australia is now grappling with a labour shortage across multiple sectors including health, aged care and agriculture. And our policymakers seem to continue to overlook retirees as part of the solution to the crisis.

Let’s talk about a Voice to Parliament

This week is National Reconciliation Week, the crucial annual event observed in Australia to promote reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians ... The Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Maldon, on Djaara Country, is deeply committed to cultivating understanding, respect, and relationships with the Dja Dja Wurrung people, as well as with all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Senator speaks on the “Voice”

Alison McEwen. Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Senator for NT, addressed the Victorian Nationals State Conference held in Creswick ...  The attendees were interested to hear that it is estimated that large numbers of the population do want the indigenous First Nations people to be included in the Preamble of the Constitution! This statement coming from an indigenous Senator who is a member of the Nationals, who in turn are saying Vote No to the Voice, was a surprise. Jacinta said this is the most divisive referendum ever held.  

Outrage at South Australia’s use of Murray River water

Farming and community groups across the NSW Murray region have come together to express outrage at a revelation that water will be piped from the Murray River to supply a new hydrogen plant in Whyalla. At a time when South Australia keeps screaming that it needs more water for its environment, the groups say this week’s announcement reinforces that its priority appears to be getting as much cheap upstream water as possible, regardless of the national consequences.

Not easy under Albanese for Australian farmers

The Nationals leader and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud said the first 12 months of an Albanese Labor government had been tough for Australian agriculture, with the full effect to be felt in the coming few years ... Mr Littleproud said farmers and processors were making investment decisions not to plant and not to invest, because the government could not provide them confidence of a stable workforce, which was driving down supply and consumer prices up.

Victorian timber industry felled early: The Riverina State

David Landini. The closure of the Victorian native timber harvesting industry has not occurred due to legal threats; it has occurred due to the Green orientation of the Victorian urban population and this population’s insurmountable political power ... There are more Green voters in Victoria, mostly in the urban areas, than the total number of voters in the 10 marked electorates.

The Blueprint Institute’s ‘Branching Out’ report – a critique

‘Branching Out”, the latest report on the NSW native forestry by the Blueprint Institute, was released on 26 April and put into the media with the subeditorial line “Report outlines economic benefit of ending native forest logging’ ... The Report should be marked ‘draft’ given its deficiencies - and that is being generous.

Money, power and guns

Money ... It's time to pull stumps on Metronet and accept we are not New York or London ... Power ... exploring the unforeseen consequences of over-investing in renewables ... Guns ... no logic in capping firearm numbers for recreational shooters, sporting shooters or primary producers ...

Gannawarra Shire Council adopts flag policy

The new policy governs the flying of flags ... locations in the municipality where flags can be flown on a temporary basis, and the process to apply for a request to fly additional flags ... My petition titled ‘Fly the flag, be the change’ was to highlight a grave inequity and discrimination that existed, one based on what appeared to be fear and phobia more than logic or science ... Council shelved the request, citing the need for a flag flying policy.

Livelihoods destroyed at the hands of the Victorian Premier: Wellington Shire Council

"In three years, we haven’t seen any evidence or sign that the Premier ever had plans to deliver on his promises to support the native timber industry with new pine plantations or any form of alternative supply. Now the livelihoods of hundreds of locals are shattered in an instant without a single word from the Premier or his government": Cr Ian Bye, Wellington Shire Council Mayor

A budget for the ages – Grim, dark and deceptive: Bev McArthur

On 23 May 2023, the Premier Daniel Andrews said: “We’re doing everything we promised Victorians we’d do – and we’re not wasting a moment getting on with it”. What he perhaps should have said was: “We promised some things – we even promised to govern for all Victorians – but we will deliver only some things, dump plenty of others, and govern for a few.” For me there’s only one headline from this budget: Victoria is broke.

Big miner stings taxpayers – the impact of bauxite mining on water yield: Frank Batini

Frank Batini. Probably the world’s largest mine, in terms of area, is Alcoa’s bauxite mine, located in the northern jarrah forest, within a biologically rich area, close to the State’s capital city (Perth) and on its domestic water supply catchments ... In 2007, Alcoa reported that the loss in water yield from five monitored catchments, where mining had occurred on part of the landscape, was 40-50 mmpa greater than in the un-mined forest. In the intervening 16 years the trees have grown and would now be using much more water.

The facts on regional road programs: King

The Albanese Government’s review of the Infrastructure Investment Program will consider how the Commonwealth can further support local councils through much needed road funding programs such as Roads to Recovery Program and Black Spot Program. We know how important these programs are to local communities, especially in our regions, and the Government is committed to ensuring these programs continue to deliver for communities in the best way possible over the long term.

River Murray under threat by Labor’s $600m hydrogen plant that won’t lower energy bills: Patterson, Girolamo

Peter Malinauskas’ experimental hydrogen plant could raid precious water resources from the River Murray to operate, it has been revealed, alongside confirmation SA households won’t see a cent of energy bill relief despite $600 million taxpayer investment ... “We are the driest state in the driest continent in the world, and Peter Malinauskas doesn’t know where he is sourcing the huge amounts of water needed to run this experimental hydrogen plant that does nothing to reduce the cost of SA electricity bills": Shadow Minister for Energy and Net Zero, Stephen Patterson.

South Australians urged to call for River Murray promises to be fulfilled: Close

This is the Productivity Commission’s second five yearly review into the effectiveness of the implementation of the Plan and it focuses on what needs to change for it to be delivered in full ... The Productivity Commission is consulting widely on its review including with Basin governments, environmental water managers, peak bodies, researchers and academics, Aboriginal people and Basin communities.

Nailed it!

Kevin Moloney. So anticipation built when news broke that a new food offer was to open in the same building as its antecedents ... We also learned the restaurant would be called Franco’s, so we started Googling to check the pedigree of the new kid on our food block.

The more the federal government spends, the poorer we all become

Nothing to see here. Move along. The $20bn spending spree with increases to  JobSeeker payments, rent assistance,  energy bill subsidies, cheaper medicines, and a boost to wages - if they are not inflationary, then what economic school does the Treasurer hail from? ... Unfortunately this generation of politicians has no recollection of value destruction so is spending as if there is nothing to see and nothing to fear.

Yellow lights won’t fix potholes: Bev McArthur

... Victoria, the state whose debt is greater than the combined debt of NSW, Queensland and Tasmania, will illuminate multiple iconic venues across Victoria in yellow this week. It is being done in the memory of those “impacted by road trauma, to mark National Road Safety Week.” While the symbolism and education is worthy, Member for Western Victoria and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Roads and Road Safety, Bev McArthur, said the Government’s money would be better spent actually fixing the state’s dreadful roads.

Mayor Otto calls for the Biosecurity Levy to be removed

South Burnett Regional Council Mayor, Brett Otto has joined National Party Leader and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud in questioning the federal government recent budget announcement to impose a levy on farmers to fund biosecurity. Mayor Otto has called on the federal government to reverse the decision, saying it is another impost on struggling farmers.

Council’s hire-local policy reaps results for Barkly community service centres

In a social media post this week, Mr McAdam claimed BRC was suffering from 111 positions vacant ... In BRC’s media release on Wednesday, it was on a positive note about adopting a hire local policy which had reaped great results for its eight community service centres in the Barkly.

‘New water plan is a disgrace’: Les Turner

Les Turner, CLC CEO. The twice-rejected Western Davenport water allocation plan unmasks the Northern Territory government’s disregard for Aboriginal rights and sites and lacks social licence ... Alekarenge community leader Graham Beasley  says: “That’s our country. We should be involved. What’s going to happen to our sacred trees?”

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