Housing – It’s a post – Covid mess
Viv Markham. There’s a serious problem in the community at the moment, and that problem is housing ... Those even further down on their luck are camping out in tents, caravans and cars - out in the bush and on the outskirts of our towns ... And what is being done to help those doing it tough?
South Australia leads the nation through feral deer eradication program: Watt, Scriven
South Australia is leading the nation in removing feral deer, with the 10-year South Australian Feral Deer Eradication Program aiming to eradicate the pest from the state by 2032 ... There were an estimated 40,000 feral deer estimated in South Australia in 2022, and since the program’s commencement in May 2022, over 8,000 feral deer have been removed.
Keeping regional Queenslanders connected in emergencies: Rowland, Watt
Communities across South East Queensland and the Fraser Coast will benefit from more resilient and reliable telecommunications, with the completion of a new $4.4 million project to keep the NBN running during natural disasters ... An innovative and environmentally friendly technology, Hybrid Power Cubes power NBN fixed wireless towers using a combination of solar panels, a battery, and a compact diesel generator, ensuring uninterrupted power supply to fixed wireless towers when it is needed most.
Uncertainty remains for Queensland caged egg producers: QFF
The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) and Queensland United Egg Producers (QUEP) are carefully considering the ministerial endorsement of a national update to the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry (S&G) following a joint meeting of the federal and all state agriculture ministers in Perth last week ... As part of the update to the S&G, conventional cage egg production will be phased out, with each state left to decide the timeframe for this transition.
Buloke Times editorial: Veterinarians again
In April, the “Times” wrote about the plight of veterinarians (“vets”), of whom there are too few in rural areas. It appears that one of the major reasons for their not showing willingness to work in “the bush” is the treatment that governments offer them, in comparison with their willingness in other medical professions.
Bad medicine for regional Australia
Trent Twomey. Sixty-day dispensing may sound good, but dig a little deeper and it’s rural and regional Australia that will pay ... “You don’t know what you got ‘til it’s gone.” It may as well be the theme song for 60-day dispensing, where pharmacists will be required to dispense two months’ worth of medicine for the price of one month.
NFF responds to Agriculture Ministers’ meeting
The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has welcomed the National Statement on Climate Change and Agriculture, signed off by agriculture ministers at their meeting in Perth on 13 July 2023. Farmers have expressed concerns however over the proposed implementation of new poultry standards, and a lack of tangible progress on other issues placing pressure on the sector.
States and territories sign up for new national poultry standards: DAFF
Agriculture ministers from all states and territories have now endorsed the new Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Poultry ... The standards are the culmination of an extensive stakeholder and public consultation process and underpinned by contemporary animal welfare science.
Urgent Care Clinic deadline missed
An Urgent Care Clinic in Toowoomba, promised to be up and running by 1 July 2023, is yet to be finished ... The Federal Labor Government had promised the Toowoomba UCC, as well as 50 others around the country, would be up and running by the deadline ... So far, only eleven UCCs have opened, nine in Victoria and two in Western Australia.
Upstream pain begins
Sophie Baldwin. They often say things change with time but when it comes to water and the basin plan, it doesn’t seem to make much difference, especially for the Upper Goulburn River Catchment Association (UGRCA). The UGRCA has been concerned about the impacts of flooding on their properties and their towns ever since the MDBA floated their Constraints Management Strategy ... Landowner John Baynes's property is now so sodden, he has lost twenty-four 300-year-old river red gums, which have fallen over in his paddocks.
Covid vaxx discrimination Bill deadline extended
The reporting time for the Covid-19 Vaccination Status (Prevention of Discrimination) Bill 2022 and the Fair Work Amendment (Prohibiting Covid-19 Vaccine Discrimination) Bill 2023 has been extended to August 25, 2023. On February 9, 2023, the Senate referred to the committee with the bill’s intention to prohibit the commonwealth, states and territories and other government and non-government entities from discriminating on the basis of whether a person has had a Covid-19 vaccination in the provision of goods, services and facilities and also in employment, education, accommodation and sport, and amend the Fair Work Act 2009 by adding Covid-19 vaccination status as an attribute protected from discrimination.
Increased roadworks activity in region
Southern Downs residents can expect more activity on the road network and additional construction crews being deployed across the region to undertake flood repairs, with final approvals for last year’s flood event now secured.
Hogan and Williamson push for more flood funding
The push for more funding for the flood ravaged Northern Rivers region has been taken up by Member for Clarence, Richie Williamson, who questioned the Minns NSW Government on the massive reduction in buybacks offered and Federal Member for Page, Kevin Hogan, who launched a petition to fully fund the Resilient Homes Program as promised ... On Saturday Woodburn locals lined the bridge armed with signs, a town which felt the full brunt of the catastrophic flood, that still feels unheard as they struggle to rebuild.
The Murray River Group of Councils welcomes Minister Plibersek’s request to extend the timeframes to deliver the Murray Darling Basin Plan
Minister Plibersek has written to Murray-Darling Basin Authority Chair, Angus Huston, requesting an honest assessment of whether the plan can be delivered by the mid-2024 deadline. “The bulk of the impact of the Murray Darling Basin Plan has been borne by our communities across northern Victoria. We welcome the Ministers call to delay the implementation of the Murray Darling Basin Plan, so our communities can be heard and listened to”, Murray River Group of Councils Chair, Cr Rob Amos said.
$61.7 million Parkes-Peak Hill water project underway: King, Jackson, Plibersek, Keith
Work has begun on one of the largest water infrastructure projects in New South Wales, with the Parkes-Peak Hill Water Supply Project designed to put the region in a stronger position to manage water in a drier climate. The $61.7 million project will deliver a suite of water infrastructure upgrades to safeguard water supply and boost drought resilience, funded in partnership between the Australian Government, the NSW Government and Parkes Shire Council.
Information sharing at TCV meeting
Jenny Pollard. A crowd in excess of 100 people turned out for the Transmission Company Victoria (TCV) information meeting held at Charlton Park last Wednesday evening. TCV is a recently formed company tasked with the "early works" stage of planning the Victorian section of the Victoria to New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West) transmission line project.
Statement on EU free trade negotiations: NFF
Tony Mahar. Australian negotiators must continue to hold the line to ensure a fair and commercially meaningful deal with the EU. This was always going to be a tough negotiation. Fair access to the EU market is something the farm sector has sought for decades.
Misleading tactics used by transmission companies to dupe farmers: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has expressed concerns about misleading information being provided to farmers who may be impacted by the proposed VNI-West transmission project. VFF President Emma Germano said the Australian Energy Market Operator (which is planning the project on behalf of the Victorian Government) had released information to landholders designed to pressure them into signing away access to their land.
Scrapping of perverse rainfall regulation welcomed, means more trees planted – more carbon stored: VFPA
VFPA welcomes the Federal Government’s announcement to reverse the highly contested rainfall regulation, known as ‘water rule’, under the Carbon Farming Initiative (CFI) ... The announcement means the Australian Government will permanently remove this perverse rule from the Carbon Farming Initiative Regulation from 1 June 2024.
Radiation submission lodged
An SA Legislative Review Committee inquiring into radiation therapy in the Limestone Coast is underway in State Parliament. A written submission by the Limestone Coast Radiation Therapy Working Group includes the awful experiences of many forced to travel to Adelaide, including Naracoorte’s “Lisa” and “Graham Hinze”.
Lazy Labor mugged by reality as Basin Plan deadline looms: Centofanti
Just months out from the River Murray Basin Plan 2024 deadline, the Federal Labor Government has just woken up to the real prospect that, despite their election commitment, the Basin Plan might not be delivered in full and on time. It has been revealed that the Federal Water Minister, Tanya Plibersek, has written to the Murray-Darling Authority asking “whether the plan has any prospects”...
Big win for health in rural communities: AMA (NSW)
AMA (NSW) President, Dr Michael Bonning, said the expansion of the GP Single-Employer Model is a big win for patient access to quality health services in rural and regional communities in NSW. Dr Bonning said the Model, which allows doctors to train in State-run hospitals as well as private clinics, will provide funding for 80 rural generalist GPs in NSW from next year.
