Opinion

For International Women's Day, Pennie Scott, independent candidate for the federal seat of Riverina, outlines her policies on key issues affecting women and answers some questions on this from Australian Rural & Regional News.

John O'Donnell identifies the multiple barriers to effective low intensity or ecological maintenance burning of forest areas across south east Australia and opportunities to address these.

The Game Management Authority (GMA) has announced the arrangements for the 2022 duck season, including changes to the start times, daily bag limit and hunted species ... State Member for Bendigo, Maree Edwards told the Times that she has read the GMA’s release regarding the decision to open duck hunting this year and feels it is imperative that the Government takes significant advice from the GMA.

The costs in human and animal suffering, infrastructure, farmland, wildlife, the list goes on, is immense. What makes it so appalling is that, with good planning, both in terms of infrastructure, such as dams, and planning laws restricting development on floodplains, much of this horrendous waste and loss could have been at least mitigated, and, I suspect, in many cases, avoided altogether.

The Russia Ukraine conflict will have large ramifications for global and Australian grains and oilseeds markets, and particularly wheat, according to agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank. The loss of access to all Black Sea wheat exports has not occurred in more than 100 years.

CANEGROWERS has welcomed the opportunity for the significant issues and concerns that surround the reef regulations imposed on farmers to be aired in the Queensland Parliament.

Robert Onfray looks closely at the history and status of this apex predator in Australia and considers our options for living together.

Given the importance of AGL’s assets in the eastern seaboard energy network and the stated intention of Cannon-Brookes and Brookfield to bring AGL’s current net zero target forward by 12 years to 2035, principally by closing some of AGL’s coal-fired power stations early, Kookaburra decided to take a closer look at Cannon-Brookes and the company with which he is most associated, Atlassian Corporation plc (NASDAQ: TEAM).

Moves by Water Minister Kevin Anderson to pave the way for the handing out of licences for floodplain harvesting as early as this week are likely in breach of the Commonwealth Water Act and could set up a future government to have to fork out billions of dollars in compensation, says Cate Faehrmann, Greens MP and water spokesperson and chair of the recent NSW Upper House Committee into Floodplain Harvesting.

The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains has condemned a move by the Andrews Labor Government to suck a significant slice of revenue out of the pockets of regional newspapers. Mr Walsh said the Nationals strenuously opposed the Regulatory Legislation Amendment (Reform) Bill 2021, which means more than 400 requirements in Victoria that must be published in print media could potentially be pushed online to a central government website.

Geoff Helisma. Volunteer environmental organisation, Clarence Valley Environment Centre (CEC – established 1989), has released the results of a survey it commissioned, “to undertake koala scat detection [using a specifically trained] dog … in the Shannondale area, [in order] to assess koala presence/absence after the droughts, fires and floods”.

Research using effective survey methods shows that koalas are generally increasing with expanding National Parks and Lock It Up and Let It Burn conservation polices. The valleys are occupied by towns, so the koalas are moving in. Disease, dog attacks and road trauma are symptoms of irruptions, not causes of decline.

Friends of the Koala  welcomes  the federal government’s decision to up list koalas in Queensland, New South Wales  and the Australian Capital Territory from ‘vulnerable’  to ‘endangered’.  

East Gippsland in the far SE corner of Australia, has long been seen as the stronghold of many natural values including old growth and rainforests and remarkable wildlife species that evolved with and still depend on these healthy, intact habitats.

The adorable Greater Glider is in trouble. It is threatened by fire and logging and its population has crashed by over 80% this century ... VicForests – a logging company owned by the government – wants to clear much of what’s left of the Greater Glider’s habitat.

Some stories just keep on giving! The ambush of Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the National Press Club on Monday 31 January by Peter van Onselen raises many questions. The first point is that we have only van Onselen’s word that the message was sent by Gladys Berejiklian and that a Minister was the recipient and replied. Van Onselen does not say whether the Minister is a Federal Minister or a State Minister.

Regional Victorians have been ignored in new moves to update the state’s hunting regulations. A meeting with non-hunting stakeholders last week flagged several overdue reforms but did nothing to address longstanding concerns: too many hunting grounds, too close to homes and businesses, and the three-month duck shooting season is excessive.

Trevor Whittington. Last week the Minister asked in the Farm Weekly, what more could they have done to consult with industry on the outbreak of BJD. For WAFarmers and the Minister to end up exchanging letters in the Farm Weekly it is a clear sign of a breakdown in communications between industry and the Department.

Chris Jordan AO is the Commissioner of Taxation. He was previously Chair of KPMG and partner in Charge of the New South Wales Tax and Legal Division of KPMG. Commissioner Jordan has expressed a desire for ATO officers to carry guns.

John O'Donnell analyses recent positive US policy developments and land management commitments aimed at confronting the US wildfire/ bushfire crisis and finds that there is much Australia might learn from the US strategy.