Federal politics

This week, the Federal Government excused itself from its obligation to reduce our carbon emissions which lead to extreme weather situations. Of course, many other farmers across the nation (as well as householders) have installed solar panels.  With our abundant natural resources of sunshine, wind and water, we’ve taken a leaf out of nature’s book and for example, last year, installed solar panels for both sheep properties so that we have an independent supply of power for all our needs.

The Murray–Darling Basin Authority has started releasing a small volume of water from Hume Dam to maintain airspace for the inflows expected from rain forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology over the coming months.

Nationals Senators have announced they will move amendments to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act to remove Australia’s prohibition on nuclear energy.

The National Farmers’ Federation has welcomed the formal appointment of Troy Grant as Inspector-General of Water Compliance for the Murray Darling Basin. "We expect the role of Inspector-General will deliver improved outcomes for Basin farmers, communities and the environment," NFF CEO Tony Mahar said.

The mighty Murray is experiencing high flows from a rain event further up the catchment. On Wednesday, the river had 17,200 megalitres per day flowing past Koondrook Barham at a height of 4.748m. Alarmingly the riverbanks compromised under the last nine years of river regulation, Murray–Darling Basin Authority management, are falling away before our eyes.

In a legal first, Environmental Defenders Office is heading to the Federal Court to challenge a New South Wales Regional Forest Agreement ... On behalf of client the North East Forest Alliance, EDO will argue that when the North East RFA was renewed, the Commonwealth did not have regard to endangered species, the state of old growth forests or the impacts of climate change, as the EDO will argue it was required to do.

The Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee has released its Issues Paper and initial schedule of public meetings for the 2021 Regional Telecommunications Review.

The National Farmers' Federation is seeing red at the United Nations Food Systems Summit and has urged the Government to do its best to stop uninformed and alarmist outcomes being supported. The NFF, on behalf of Australia’s livestock sector is working closely with the Global Meat Alliance, the Global Dairy Platform and other nations, who share our concerns, in responding to the UNFSS.

Rous County Councillors voted 5–3 to keep the Dunoon Dam out of the region’s future water strategy and instead tap into ground water aquifers in Alstonville and Tyagarah ... “The community feedback on the council’s strategy was overwhelmingly in favour of the Dunoon Dam project with more than 10,000 of the 13,000 submissions received supporting the dam being investigated as a future water project. It is outrageous that the majority of elected councillors have completely ignored the community consultation process and Rous County Council staff recommendations”: NSW parliamentary secretary for Water Infrastructure, Sam Farraway.

China’s anti-dumping duties have seriously disrupted Australia’s wine trade, the latest research report from ABARES has found. The report, Australian wine in China: Impact of China’s anti-dumping duties, investigates the short- to medium-term consequences of China’s punitive anti-dumping measures on Australian wine exports.

Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch said he was blown away by the progress of a number of Cape York communities during last week’s trip across the Peninsula ... He said he was particularly impressed with the work being done by the Lockhart River and Mapoon councils. “I was very, very encouraged to see what they are doing.” ... While in Weipa, Mr Entsch said he had a positive sit down with Rio Tinto to discuss normalisation.

There has been much tut-tutting and pursed lip condemnation of the recent anti-lockdown protests in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane but almost no analysis of why the protests occurred ... Where is the politician prepared to come out, listen to and discuss their problems with the protestors? Sending pontificating condemnatory "statements" from afar only creates more anger. Rather than quenching the fires of dissent, the response being suggested by the NSW Government may indeed fan further flames of rebellion.

“Defence intends to utilise RAAF Base Scherger during Exercise Talisman Sabre 21 as the facility provides an important opportunity for the practice of rapid airbase activation and subsequent flying operations from the Royal Australian Air Force’s northern austere bare base and strategic outpost,” a Defence spokesperson told Cape York Weekly.

A staff shortage in Bamaga has led to criticism of a policy change that snubbed NPA from employing overseas workers. Companies in Weipa, Cooktown and Thursday Island can employ Australian-based overseas workers in hospitality jobs, but businesses in Bamaga cannot ... “There is now a very small and limited pool of skilled labour, especially in the hospitality industry where chefs and food and beverage professionals are as scarce as hen’s teeth," says Chris Foord, Bamaga Enterprises GM.

The Morrison Government continues to support the growth of Australia’s civil space sector, with Commonwealth approval granted for a second rocket launch facility licence in South Australia. The licence, awarded to Southern Launch, will enable the company to establish a sub-orbital rocket testing facility at Whalers Way, 680km West of Adelaide. If tests are successful, the site could be used for much larger orbital rocket launches in the future.

Sadly, it has become painfully clear that our political leaders have lost the capacity, and even, it would seem, the willingness, to compare the impacts of varying public policy positions. The evidence of this is in the crude lockdowns which provide an opportunity for politicians and bureaucrats to look like they are 'doing something' and that they are 'in control' when in fact neither proposition is correct.

Kirstin Nicholson. “I’d like to say I was elated, but the reality is, with everything that’s been going on, even after we had booked them, I still wasn’t necessarily sure that we would end up on a flight. You try not to get your hopes up because in this whole thing there is no guarantee,” says Kate Slater.