Councillors divided over post flood motion
A motion to address community and business concerns following the 2021 and 2022 floods that devastated the region has divided councillors at the May 23 Clarence Valley Council meeting. The motion was moved by Cr Novak and seconded by Cr Alison Whaites before Climate Change Committee CCC chair Cr Greg Clancy asked Cr Novak how many meetings of the committee she had attended.
New Roma LifeFlight chopper base officially opens: Chisholm
LifeFlight Australia’s highly anticipated, brand new Roma helicopter base has officially opened its doors, with a formal ceremony on 30 May 2023, to mark the momentous occasion ... “For people in real need in isolated circumstances – there is no sight better than the vision of a LifeFlight rescue helicopter coming into view during an emergency”: Australian Country Choice CEO Anthony Lee.
Qantas steps up to fill gap
Following Rex Airlines’ decision to exit its operations from Whyalla, Qantas has announced additional flights to help address the gap that will be created by Rex’s departure ... “There is still a lot of work to be done to fill the gaps in service, so we are working extensively with the broader airline industry to explore options to help minimise the impact of Rex’s decision”: Mayor Phill Stone.
Activists ought to be called out on harassment tactics: NFF
Australia’s peak farm body has slammed radical animal rights activists following a spate of illegal and intimidating encounters with law-abiding industry participants, and joined calls for the Government to exclude them from policy making processes. The call follows evidence from the pork industry in yesterday’s Senate Estimates hearings, with Chief Executive of Australian Pork Limited, Margo Andrae, detailing alarming examples of recent protest activity.
The Blueprint Institute’s ‘Branching Out’ report – a critique
‘Branching Out”, the latest report on the NSW native forestry by the Blueprint Institute, was released on 26 April and put into the media with the subeditorial line “Report outlines economic benefit of ending native forest logging’ ... The Report should be marked ‘draft’ given its deficiencies - and that is being generous.
Money, power and guns
Money ... It's time to pull stumps on Metronet and accept we are not New York or London ... Power ... exploring the unforeseen consequences of over-investing in renewables ... Guns ... no logic in capping firearm numbers for recreational shooters, sporting shooters or primary producers ...
No community consultation on bank closures
A senate Inquiry into regional bank closures has forced senior executives of the ANZ Bank into embarrassing admissions which reveals there is never any community consultation before branches are closed. In evidence before the Inquiry sitting at Ingham in Queensland, ANZ senior executives admitted all decisions about branch closures were taken by managers in state capital cities and local communities had no opportunity to voice objections about the impact of branch closures.
NSW Farmers set target for EID
The state’s peak agricultural body says mandatory electronic identification tags for sheep should cost no more than $1 per tag, setting a clear target for state and federal governments ... farmers were still worried about how much the scheme might cost their businesses, and made it clear there must be financial support to implement traceability reform.
Limited tickets remain for River reflections – Narrabri: MDBA
The Murray–Darling Basin Authority's annual water conference River reflections is on in Narrabri on 14–15 June, and the final program is now available. The 2-day forum is a showcase of the communities, industries and ideas in water management and will include an address by MDBA Chair Sir Angus Houston.
Williamson pleads for help for struggling prawn industry
Newly elected Member for Clarence Richie Williamson has called on both the state and federal governments to step up and financially support the struggling Clarence River prawning industry. Mr Williamsons impassioned plea via a private members bill in NSW Parliament last week is a month after he joined forces with Federal National’s Member for Page, Kevin Hogan, to financially assist the industry where about 50 locals haven’t received an income for 18 weeks.
The facts on regional road programs: King
The Albanese Government’s review of the Infrastructure Investment Program will consider how the Commonwealth can further support local councils through much needed road funding programs such as Roads to Recovery Program and Black Spot Program. We know how important these programs are to local communities, especially in our regions, and the Government is committed to ensuring these programs continue to deliver for communities in the best way possible over the long term.
River Murray under threat by Labor’s $600m hydrogen plant that won’t lower energy bills: Patterson, Girolamo
Peter Malinauskas’ experimental hydrogen plant could raid precious water resources from the River Murray to operate, it has been revealed, alongside confirmation SA households won’t see a cent of energy bill relief despite $600 million taxpayer investment ... “We are the driest state in the driest continent in the world, and Peter Malinauskas doesn’t know where he is sourcing the huge amounts of water needed to run this experimental hydrogen plant that does nothing to reduce the cost of SA electricity bills": Shadow Minister for Energy and Net Zero, Stephen Patterson.
South Australians urged to call for River Murray promises to be fulfilled: Close
This is the Productivity Commission’s second five yearly review into the effectiveness of the implementation of the Plan and it focuses on what needs to change for it to be delivered in full ... The Productivity Commission is consulting widely on its review including with Basin governments, environmental water managers, peak bodies, researchers and academics, Aboriginal people and Basin communities.
Australia delivers half a million lumpy skin disease vaccines to Indonesia: DAFF
Australia has handed over 500,000 doses of lumpy skin disease (LSD) vaccines to Indonesia as part of the Australian Government’s work to fight exotic animal diseases before they reach our shores. The vaccines are part of 1 million doses the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is providing to assist Indonesia to control LSD.
Forestry Australia welcomes return of China timber exports
"Australia is the sixth most forested country in the world but is a net importer of timber products. The current approach is not working if we want to continue to provide local timber products to support affordable housing and flow-on benefits to meet society’s needs. We are in effect, exporting our forest management challenges to other nations, when we have high environmental standards and highly skilled professionals and scientists to appropriately manage our resources locally": Dr Michelle Freeman, President of Forestry Australia.
Banks scrap closure plans
The decision by two major commercial banks to scrap the closure of several branches across small towns in regional South Australia has been dubbed "a win for the community”. Bank SA and Westpac branches will remain open indefinitely in regional South Australian towns, including Naracoorte and Kingston. The decision by the banks in February to terminate in-person banking in the regional communities angered customers...
Immigration reform won’t help SA’s labour needs
The proposed immigration reforms recently announced by the government have the potential to hobble the economic growth of smaller South Australian towns in the future. That’s the view of Shadow Minister for State Migration and Regional Population Growth, Sam Telfer, who argues the reforms are “focused on the wrong levers”. Mr Telfer told The News that the reforms would impact regional South Australian businesses and won’t address their labour needs.
Why should Australian farmers pay their competitors bills? :Bev McArthur
In last week’s Federal Budget, the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, announced a new levy on farmers to help raise an extra $1 billion over four years to help overhaul the nation’s biosecurity protections ... “Australian farmers are not the ones posing the incoming biosecurity threat, so why are they the ones specifically paying for it when every Australian gets the benefits of good biosecurity?”: Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur.
The more the federal government spends, the poorer we all become
Nothing to see here. Move along. The $20bn spending spree with increases to JobSeeker payments, rent assistance, energy bill subsidies, cheaper medicines, and a boost to wages - if they are not inflationary, then what economic school does the Treasurer hail from? ... Unfortunately this generation of politicians has no recollection of value destruction so is spending as if there is nothing to see and nothing to fear.
Budget 2023 in a nutshell: No relief for bush says Ley
There are certain elements of the Budget the Coalition supports, but Federal Member for Farrer Sussan Ley thinks most people were looking for something to ease the cost-of-living crunch ... "The government also has a self-imposed delay in funding for important projects in our region. In short they are spending less in the MIA and taking longer to do it, which is hugely disappointing": Federal Member for Farrer Sussan Ley.
Westpac a no-show after public humiliation at first senate hearing into bank closures
Westpac should have been fronting up at the second hearing of the Senate inquiry into regional bank closures in Cloncurry this morning but after the beating it took during the first hearing at Sale in March, it appears it was not prepared to face an angry mob in a town where it was planning to close its local branch ... It has presented an ideal opportunity to have a close look at the grilling its executives received at Sale and remind readers that this is the bank with the worst track record leaving communities without banking services.
Inland Rail Review outcomes for Gowrie to Kagaru projects: ARTC
In line with the Government’s response to the independent Inland Rail review, ARTC is now taking a staged approach to deliver Inland Rail. The section of Inland Rail between Beveridge in Victoria and Parkes in New South Wales (NSW) has been prioritised for completion by 2027.
