Opinion

Member for Mallee, Anne Webster, this week has released a petition calling for the reversal of the vaccine mandate. “Mr Andrews has crossed an important line. Where the Victorian government should be encouraging vaccinations, he has begun coercing the public with an economic exclusion notice. “The premier needs to explain how this mandate is proportionate to the risk of COVID-19, especially given the pace of the voluntary roll-out in Victoria. One of the founding principles of our democracy is the freedom to choose.   Although, some laws limit our right to choose, this is done based on risk, necessity and proportionality."  

The NSW Upper House inquiry into floodplain harvesting hadn’t even finished hearing evidence when a barrage of media releases came from the Victorian and NSW National Parties ... What caused this great flurry of excitement by the Nationals? It appears the excitement was generated by how floodplain harvesting sits as an offence under s60A of the Water Management Act. This does not mean floodplain harvesting is lawful, it just means that provision doesn’t catch it.

Australians let us rejoice for we are one and free – unless you are not a recipient of the COVID-19 shot? ... Where do passports and border permits all fit in a socialist society? ... Have we seen any centralisation of our wealth, assets, governance?

My dream came true. There are not many times you get to say that in a lifetime. My dream was to edit an independent newspaper free from the shackles of a corporation. To write news stories that I thought mattered rather than stories that would ‘sell’.

Geoff Helisma. Five north coast MPs – Janelle Saffin, Chris Gulaptis, Geoff Provest, Ben Franklin and Tamara Smith – have jointly written to Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Deputy Premier John Barilaro, expressing their fears that the government’s Covid 19 policy is a threat to the health of their constituents. “We are really concerned that, without policy changes, our region will suddenly become deeply vulnerable to a major influx of newly freed Sydneysiders, while we are still short of the 70 per cent safety target,” the MPs write.

An attempt by Labor to increase penalties and offences for timber workers and timber harvesting has nothing to do with forest management, and everything to do with inner-city politics. Member for Western Victoria  Bev McArthur, has told the Victorian Parliament that Labor’s legislation is about sacrificing jobs in the bush to appease inner-city ideologues.

The National Farmers Federation is concerned about the significant cost blow-outs associated with the proposed Hume-Link Transmission Line, with costs blowing out by 250% to $3.317 billion.   Proposed transmission lines across Australia within the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) Integrated Systems Plan (ISP) have caused significant issues with land-use conflict amongst farmers, and now are leaving households out of pocket.

Despite COVIDSafe Plans, masks, social distancing and vaccinations, both New South Wales and Victorian Parliaments remain suspended. Are politicians not essential? Surely good governance is! What is it called when a state is run by one side of politics with no accountability or questioning?

Australian Greens forests spokesperson, Senator Janet Rice, has welcomed the announcement that Western Australia will end all native forest logging by 2024, and called on the Commonwealth and other state governments to follow suit and end the destruction of Australia’s forests.

The shock announcement by the WA Labor Government to end native timber harvesting in the state in just two years shows complete lack of understanding of forestry. Forest & Wood Communities Australia said it was unfathomable how any government can ignore IPCC advice that forest management was an important tool to reduce and sequester carbon ... “Climate Action Minister Amber Jade Sanderson even categorised sustainable forest management, which sees a tiny fraction of WA’s native forest is harvested and regenerated under the most stringent restrictions of anywhere in the world, as deforestation!": FWCA MD Justin Law

Mark Latham. NSW One Nation supports people fighting for their rights through the Australian legal system during this time of massive government failure in our State. We have record mental health cases, youth self-harm, businesses collapsing, and people losing their jobs and being isolated socially. The NSW Lockdown has failed in every respect. This is why we support the court challenge by NSW religious bodies to return to religious practice in a Covid safe and responsible way.