Federal politics

Australia must act now if it is to seize the opportunity to play a significant role in decarbonising domestic and global steel production and utilise the nation’s significant international comparative advantage to create a competitive Green Iron industry, Magnetite Mines has asserted in the company’s submission to the Australian Government’s Green Metals Consultation Paper.  

As the Federal Government gets to the pointy end of its Regional Migration Review, peak bodies for farmers, backpackers and tourism have released a new report highlighting the economic value of backpackers in the regions. The report by Aither was commissioned by the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), Backpacker & Youth Tourism Advisory Panel (BYTAP) and Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC).

John Hassell. On 16 July members of the ‘Keep the Sheep’ group of industry peak bodies fighting to retain the live sheep trade signed off on a letter to the WA Minister for Agriculture, Jackie Jarvis, in response to the Albanese government's disgraceful vote to put live exports to the sword. Now I won’t print the whole letter, but it is worth knowing what WAFarmers, the Pastoralists and Graziers, WA Shearers, Livestock Transporters, Stud Marino Breeders and the Live Exporters Assn are asking in the letter, so I'll quote the key bits ...

The Albanese Government will strengthen competitive settings through an open approach to market for the Sydney Airport Slot Manager, as part of overarching reforms to the slot system at Sydney Airport. The competitive tender to be released today (Monday 5 August) will require prospective slot managers to demonstrate how they will deliver on the Government reforms announced earlier this year, following recommendations from the Harris Review and the ACCC.

Landslips, roads, bridges and a new clubhouse have had tenders announced by Richmond Valley Council so work can begin. Most of the projects are funded under Transport for NSW’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, except the Tatham bridges, which are being funded through the Australian Government’s Emergency Response Fund Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program 2022-2023.

"It is disappointing the Commissioner did not communicate the content, and intent, directly with the membership well in advance of his speech": Acting NT Police Association President, Lisa Bayliss ... Independent Member for the Araluen electorate in Alice Springs, Robyn Lambley, described the apology on social media: "What a croc! Garma has become a ridiculous display of patronising political rhetoric and pantomime."

The Senate’s Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Reference Committee ... called for a delay in the shutdown of Telstra and Optus’ 3G networks until more is done to work out how many devices could be impacted by the shutdown (including non-phone devices). The committee has heard from a variety of different stakeholders about the impact the shutdown will have on devices that hadn’t been considered when the decision was made, including medical devices, emergency phones in elevators, and even surveying equipment.

Lee Mead. As you probably already know, Maldon township was discovered by heritage architects during the 1960s and recognised as having a significant number of original, unique, intact gold-mining era buildings and streetscapes. And as a consequence, was declared Victoria’s First Notable Town by the National Trust.

John O’Donnell identifies numerous instances of what he sees as poor and inadequate governance at local, state and federal level, many of them being cross sector issues, highlighting the importance of working more effectivly together to address them. John goes on to identify possible ways to influence better outcomes.  

Building Community Trust, aimed ‘to explore the critical importance of trust in governments, between governments, its institutions and its citizens’ was the theme for the 2024 Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly. Narrandera Shire Council Deputy Mayor Sue Ruffles represented Narrandera Council at the event.

As the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) and the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) continue to change the rules in their favour, irrigation communities are proposing a dramatic change that aims to benefit food producers and Australia’s largest irrigator, the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder.

Forestry Australia is leading an Australian initiative to expand Australia’s carbon credits across all native forest tenures, including State forests, private native forests, forests managed by Traditional Owners, national parks and conservation reserves. The Forestry Australia  ‘Enhancing Native Forest Resilience’  proposal is a forest-sector-led submission to the Australian Government’s Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee EOI process for Australian Carbon Credits Units (ACCU) Scheme methods.

Councils from across Western Queensland are calling on governments to do everything possible to ensure Rex Airlines continues to service its regional routes in Queensland. We are alarmed at the current situation and what this could mean for the vital service Rex flights provide for our remote and rural areas ... These flights are fundamental to residents in our part of the world, and we need these services to be maintained.

Overnight it was announced that Regional Express Holdings and a number of its subsidiaries have entered voluntary administration. Samuel Freeman, Justin Walsh and Adam Nikitins of Ernst & Young Australia (EY Australia) have been appointed Joint and Several Voluntary Administrators by the Rex Group’s respective Boards of Directors.  

The NFF Horticulture Council welcomes Prime Minister Albanese’s appointment of the Hon Julie Collins MP as the new Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Small Business. Council Chair Jolyon Burnett said having a minister from a state where primary industries remained a significant contributor to the local economy should ensure a keener ear would be given to the needs of the sector.  

The Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce & Industry, in partnership with the Moroccan embassy in Australia, DFAT, Austrade and the Moroccan Australian Business Council, is proud to announce that we are conducting a Trade Mission to Morocco in October 2024. The Trade Mission is designed to gain business in a country where the scope of business is extremely bright and where sectoral opportunities are very strong.