Opinion

John Hasell, President, WAFarmers. I write on behalf of the Western Australian farmers and service businesses that rely on the live sheep trade to support their families and communities. A trade that for purely political reasons your government has decided to end on the logic that it has lost its social licence to operate.

Clarence Valley pharmacist Michael Troy from Southside Pharmacy has voiced his concerns surrounding the Federal Government’s proposed changes to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), which will allow Australians to purchase two months’ worth of medications for the price of a single prescription from September 1 ... “There is nothing about this proposal which makes logical sense for our local community, or for us as a small regional business”: Clarence Valley pharmacist Michael Troy.

Earlier this week during his Run for the Voice ultra marathoner Pat Farmer ran to Yanchep National Park from Optus Stadium before heading north the next day. It was dark when Mr Farmer arrived at the Yanchep Inn on Wednesday, May 3 but a small group of people were there to greet him including Noongar cultural guide and didgeridoo player Derek Nannup.

Robert Onfray. As we celebrate World Endangered Species Day on 19 May, I thought it timely this month to look closely at how species are faring in Australia, particularly in reserves authorities have established to protect them ... We don’t hear about this aspect of monitoring in our reserves because the government, bureaucrats and environmental activists don’t want the public to know just how poorly managed our reserves are.

‘Have Your Say’ consultation is now open on a redraft of existing legislation that underpins Australia’s agricultural levy system ... The new legislation aims to provide a simpler, clearer legislative framework so industries can keep benefiting from their investments in research and development, marketing, biosecurity, emergency responses, and residue testing.

Frank Batini and Michael Freeman. We are convinced that the reports of rainfall change in the southwest region of Western Australia being linked to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are not   correct. We believe this despite all the media reports, climate change modelling, Government documents and peer-reviewed research papers from Universities that say the opposite. We feel very lonely ... ARR.News asked some further questions of Frank and Michael.

The Manager of the Goldfields Hotel was not a happy camper this week when a customer emailed him the latest Tourism Central Australia (TCA) Dining Guide publicised on its website to promote restaurants and caf̩s in the central NT region ... "The Barkly seems to be the Bermuda Triangle of the Territory Рforget the Berrimah Line Рit should be the Capricorn Line Рeverything north of Alice is forgotten about": Jason Groves.

How is Aboriginal cultural heritage defined in the Guidelines? ... Are there any records we can search to identify heritage sites? ... What is an exempt activity? ... If I need a permit or plan what are the timelines? ... Isn’t there a better way?

The Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) has criticised the inclusion of ‘hydrogen highways’ in the National Electric Vehicle Strategy as outdated and inefficient ... The President of AEVA, Dr Chris Jones, said that the recent emergence of rapid battery-swapping services, combined with the conversion of heavy trucks from diesel to electric power, have eliminated any potential benefit for hydrogen in the long-distance freight sector.

Australia’s future food and fibre production is being threatened by surging land prices, NSW Farmers says. NSW Farmers Young Farmers Council chair Martin Murray said the price rises meant young people looking to enter the industry will find it harder to get a start.

Gavin Butcher. When the WA Premier announced it was changing direction in the management of native forests to one guided by improving forest health and climate resilience he was on a potential winner ... Here was a unique opportunity to end the forest wars and set up a sustainable future for all. Alas the government has fluffed it.

The Voice is not on the agenda of two of the three local governments in the Central Australian bush, and it is understood that this is also the case with the MacDonnell Regional Council ... Adrian Dixon, President of the Central Desert Regional Council, said the Voice had not been spoken about in the council and there had been no consultation about the Voice ... And  Barkly Mayor Jeffrey McLaughlin says:  “We don’t need a Voice, we want an Ear first.”

Despite the cheap price of land in the Wheatbelt, and the abundance of jobs, country towns are not being bowled over by first home buyers, so what’s going on? ... We are following the route that the rust belt States across America have experienced for the past 50 years as cities like Detroit has collapsed from 1.7m people in the 1950s to 700,000 today ... for the benefit of the National Party, Liberals and Labor if listening, here is a policy idea which you could run with at the next election.

As our nation struggles with the ambiguity and to some the divisive nature of 26th January as a national day of celebration young Australians have turned to Anzac Day for a sense of clarity in what it is to be Australian? The sight of Australian High School students shedding tears over the graves of their ancestors in the cemeteries of Gallipoli or the sense of pride they feel when hearing their National Anthem played in Anzac services in Villers Bretonneux in France or the Menin Gate in Belgium, suggest there is a need to know our nation has contributed to a higher moral cause and so generates a sense of pride in their country.

Emma Pritchard, Rodney Stevens. High school students will be banned from using mobile phones at school from Term Four 2023 in an election commitment from the Minns Labor government designed to improve students learning and social development ... While students will still be able to carry their mobile phones to and from school, the ban will apply during class, recess, and lunch ... I don’t really agree with it: Cooper.

Despite evidence to the contrary, the WA Minister for Forests (Jacki Jarvis) continues to argue that the WA timber industry had to close because it has run out of wood as a result of reduced growth rate due to climate change, quoting reports from CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology as evidence. Neither of these organisations has any involvement in the determination of timber yield.

John O'Donnell assesses the Productivity Commission's limited recommendations regarding natural disaster management in its latest report, "Advancing Prosperity", and concludes that the PC and governments have missed key opportunities to better nail natural disaster management across Australia.

An Australian-first program designed to restore critical environmental water flows to the Murray-Darling Basin, while meeting the ongoing needs of local irrigators and growers, has been proposed as an “immediate, affordable and genuine” solution to the nation’s Basin Plan – avoiding the need for short-term, unpopular water buybacks as announced by the Federal Government.

The Victorian Minister for Regional Development has completely avoided answering a question in the Victorian Parliament regarding the forced takeover of private land near the 12 Apostles ... “Why are you removing another safeguard of the private property rights which define civilised society?” Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur asked.