Federal politics

NSW Farmers is calling for natural disaster declarations to allow relief funds to flow as torrential rains continue to soak vast parts of the state, causing widespread flood damage. State and federal leaders had pledged to make disaster assistance available to affected communities after flooding in the Lachlan Valley last week, but since then farming regions right across the state had been inundated, with predictions of further flooding in already-drenched areas.

Eighteen of Australia’s small news publishers who produce public-interest journalism, are banding together, to negotiate collectively to secure commercial agreements with Google and Facebook for supply of news content on their platforms. Called the Public Interest Publishers Alliance, these important Australian publishers, from around Australia, attract multicultural audiences, focus on issues at a local and regional level, and cover news that affects LGBTQI communities. The group includes valued titles such as: The Australian Jewish News, Australian Rural & Regional News, Australian Chinese Daily, Out in Perth, Q News, Time Out and more.

Australia is in the grip of an unprecedented alien attack on its native wildlife and environment, with experts warning more of our unique flora and fauna is in danger of disappearing by 2050 unless urgent action is taken.  

More details have emerged about a proposed spaceport that would result in a billion-dollar industry in Cape York. Space Centre Australia visited Weipa and Napranum last week to meet with stakeholders and community members and discuss plans for the project, to be built near RAAF Base Scherger.

Mark Knowles. Torres Cape Indigenous Council Alliance chair Robbie Sands has written an open letter to PM Scott Morrison, calling on him to stop a bill that would require voters to show ID before casting their ballot as it would discriminate against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in remote communities by limiting their right to vote if they cannot produce ID ... Outspoken North Queensland MP Bob Katter said he was against the proposed changes.

Australia’s peak farm body has ridiculed a policy proposal to scrap the Fuel Tax Credits Scheme – reportedly being floated by Andrew Forrest – saying it would be devastating to regional Australia. National Farmers’ Federation Chief Executive, Tony Mahar, said it was bad policy that would damage livelihoods in country areas.

The Tasmanian Government will today lodge its official funding submission with the Australian Government to initiate the Tasmanian Green Hydrogen Hub Project at Bell Bay confirming it as one of Australia’s strategically important locations for the development of the emerging green hydrogen industry.

Nicholas Rupolo. The NSW Farmers Association has grown tired of the state and federal government’s inaction on agricultural labour shortages ... The state’s grain harvest was forecast to be worth $6 billion to the state economy but harvest forecasts have been revised down as a result of worker shortages ... The inability to access labour is made worse by growing costs associated with harvesting that have proven to be a major issue.

Australian governments are seeking stakeholder feedback on a consultation paper that seeks to increase liquidity and flexibility in the east coast gas market through enhancements to the Wallumbilla Gas Supply Hub and the pipeline capacity trading framework ... Stakeholder feedback on these options will inform development of a roadmap for Energy Ministers to consider in early 2022.

$5 million will be available between three leading Northern Australian universities for research into water security in Northern Australia. The money from the Federal Government, through the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA), is for Charles Darwin University (CDU), CQUniversity Australia (CQU) and James Cook University (JCU).

The National Farmers’ Federation has welcomed the appointment of eight members to the Advisory Group on water markets in the Murray-Darling Basin. “The NFF is pleased to see the Group has a well-balanced mix of stakeholder representatives, technical experts, and especially, water users. We also support the appointment of Mr Daryl Quinlivan as principal adviser on the Advisory Group,” NFF CEO Tony Mahar said.

"Farmers must have a secure and reliable supply of workers to make sure they can look after animals, get the crop off trees and out of the ground as we work towards Christmas. As we see borders opening up, so to, are the retail and tourism markets. We simply must do better in the workplace arena," NFF President Fiona Simson said.

This map is demonstrative of the unrelenting push by Australian bureaucrats and politicians to force rural and regional Australians out of the bush and into the cities and large regional centres.

Emma Pritchard. Members of the Glenreagh Rail and Station Preservation Society (GRASPS) fear a historic building they have been campaigning to save and restore for many years will soon be demolished. Concern for the future of the 106-year-old Glenreagh Railway Station Precinct was heightened this week after GRASPS learned the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) had recently visited the site and fenced it off.

The Australian Rural Health Education Network (ARHEN) today welcomed the Final Report from the House Select Committee on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and the recommendations to improve access to services for people in rural and remote Australia.

The National Farmers’ Federation says a critical report released by the ACCC should be a wakeup call for governments, failing to curb the chaos on our waters. The 2020-21 Container Stevedoring Monitoring Report confirms Australian importers and exporters are struggling amid a perfect storm of extreme congestion and delays, reckless industrial action, and skyrocketing costs.

In the lead-up to the G20 meeting in Rome and the COP 26 Summit in Glasgow, and after some necessarily tough negotiations with their Liberal Party Coalition partner, the National Party obtained some concessions it says are designed to prevent the 'heavy lifting' of emissions reductions being placed unduly on rural and regional Australia.

Geoff Wakeman is not against the principles of environmental watering. He does, however, have a huge problem with the way it is being used in the Gunbower Forest/National Park, particularly around Cohuna ... As a geologist, his interest was piqued when he came across some commentary surrounding the Barmah Choke, which prompted him to take a closer look at what was happening out in the Gunbower Forest. It was then he became alarmed.