Councils need Federal funding support for emergency road repairs
“Relentless rain and flooding has led to many regional roads falling into severe disrepair and the expected deluge this week will only exacerbate the problem. I have driven on many regional roads recently and have spoken to several regional Mayors and they all agree the roads have never been worse – anywhere you go": Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack.
Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council Communique: MDBA
Murray-Darling Basin Water Ministers met on Ngunnawal Country (Canberra) to discuss the next steps to deliver the Basin Plan, delivery of water market reforms, the impacts of climate change on water resources, and opportunities to strengthen First Nations' role in water management and ownership. Most of the Murray–Darling Basin is the wettest it’s been in a long time.
David Littleproud on regional listening tour
The Nationals leader and member for Maranoa David Littleproud has launched a national regional listening tour to listen and learn from regional voters, particularly those who left the party at this year’s election. Mr Littleproud said the party had to be honest about the election result and he genuinely wanted to hear from regional locals, particularly female voters and those who felt disillusioned before the federal election.
Water buybacks to further damage Northern Victorian dairy industry: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation’s United Dairy Farmers of Victoria (VFF UDV) says Northern Victoria’s dairy industry would be further damaged by water buybacks and the recovery of the 450GL up-water target ahead of this week’s meeting of State and Federal Water Ministers to discuss the Murray Darling Basin Plan. VFF UDV President Mark Billing said the group strongly opposed the recovery of the 450GL saying it would lead to losses in dairy production and local jobs.
Thermal assisted aerial cull removes more than 1000 feral deer from Fleurieu Peninsula: Scriven
An aerial cull of feral deer on the Fleurieu Peninsula culled more than 1000 deer from forests, farms and private conservation properties in September 2022 ... Aerial culling is the most effective landscape-scale tool currently available for rapidly reducing the impacts of feral deer.
Have your say on the National Soil Action Plan: DAFF
Public consultation is now open on Australia’s first national action plan on soil ... “As the first action plan under the 20-year National Soil Strategy, it is important that there is a focus on setting good foundations for future actions to halt and reverse soil degradation and improve soil health”: DAFF
Carp eradication plan must be made public immediately: Centofanti
The long-awaited National Carp Control Plan has now been handed to the federal Agriculture Department, but there is no news on when it will be made public. The South Australian Liberal Party is calling on the Labor Government to publicly release the plan immediately.
Inland Rail independent review announced: King, Gallagher
The Australian Government has announced the appointment of Dr Kerry Schott AO to lead an independent review into the Inland Rail project ... The review will consider the process for selecting the Inland Rail route, including stakeholder consultation, and assess the project’s scope, schedule and cost.
NFF calls on Government to listen to farmers on Methane Pledge
The National Farmers’ Federation is urging the Federal Government to continue its constructive consultations with agriculture as part of any Global Methane Pledge. As more than 100 countries around the world, including the EU, the US, and Indonesia pledge a 30 per cent global cut in methane emissions by 2030, the spotlight has fallen on Australia to follow suit ... "For agriculture, the best way to reduce emissions further is to arm us with cost-effective technology solutions – not to pursue punitive taxes or regulate farmers out of existence": NFF's Tony Mahar.
Dowden explores human element of wild dog management: National Wild Dog Action Plan
Managing wild dogs is not easy work with community engagement simply not about the deployment of tools into the landscape by the people whose assets are threatened by incursions. According to Western Australian landholder Debbie Dowden, it requires human action, which means working within the complex dynamics of human nature.
Council says ARTC comments regarding Inland Rail route are misleading
Lockyer Valley Regional Council says recent quotes attributed to the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) regarding the proposed Inland Rail route through the Lockyer Valley region are both incomplete and misleading. Lockyer Valley Mayor, Cr Tanya Milligan is calling for transparency from the ARTC, saying it is vital they tell the full story so impacted communities have a realistic understanding of the impacts.
Australian Government delivers increased communications network resilience for SES on Lord Howe Island: Rowland and Plibersek
The community of Lord Howe Island is now better prepared for emergencies and natural disasters following the installation of backup NBN Sky Muster satellite services at the Lord Howe Island State Emergency Service unit ... The satellite will mean that services are more resilient during natural disasters.
Urgent action needed to address regional banking crisis: FSU
Finance Sector Union national secretary Julia Angrisano said the union is calling on the Federal Government to inquire into the provision of local banking services, particularly in regional areas and supported calls for a moratorium on regional bank closures.
Regional banking taskforce’s botch job is no laughing matter
Regional Australians found themselves as the butt of a nasty joke at weekend, with both the new Federal Government and the Opposition treating them like idiots over the critical issue of bank closures. In the ultimate dodgy trick, the final report in to the Taskforce into Regional Banking was snuck out at 4.52pm on Friday evening before a long weekend by the Albanese Government despite the report being a Coalition document overseen by two shadow ministers (Michael Sukkar and Perin Davey) whose current portfolios have nothing to do with treasury, finance, business or regional Australia.
Regional Banking Taskforce – final report: Treasury
The Regional Banking Taskforce came together for meetings in Sydney, Orange, Mildura and Canberra to hear and discuss how bank branch closures have impacted individuals and regional communities, and to work collaboratively to identify possible solutions ... The Taskforce’s final report made 7 recommendations ...
Mapping report shows salinity still a significant issue: MacTiernan
Sustainable land management in Western Australia has been boosted by a ground-breaking initiative that has more accurately calculated the extent of salinity in the agricultural region to support new approaches to conserving natural assets and agricultural productivity. The 'Mapping salt-affected land in the South-West of Western Australia using satellite remote sensing' report by the national science agency, CSIRO, and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) was released at a forum in Perth.
Responding to the challenge of de-banking: Chalmers and Jones
The Albanese Government welcomes the Council of Financial Regulators’ paper on potential policy responses to address the problem of de-banking in Australia. De-banking, where a bank declines to offer or withdraws banking services to a customer, can have a devastating impact on businesses and individuals. It can also put a handbrake on competition and innovation in emerging sectors of the economy.
Trappers to support pastoralists manage wild dogs: Scriven, Watt
South Australian pastoralists inside the Dog Fence will continue to benefit from the services of wild dog trappers, with funding for the trapper program guaranteed for the next four years ... The wild dog trapping program is open to landowners or managers inside the Dog Fence who have baited and still experience impacts from wild dog attacks.
River management flowing in the right direction but scope for improvement: Grant
The report highlights the complexities of water management and notes that each Basin government holds information about rules, entitlements, allocations, and environmental water - there is no single source of information. This is something the Inspector-General has noticed as part of a trend, with states operating under their individual jurisdictional powers.
Grants deliver $27k+ for community
Five local groups are among winners from the latest round of Toowoomba Regional Council community grants, with RM Equestrian Centre securing the lion’s share of the $27,106.59 total. Across the Region, 54 successful applications totalled $237,437.76 and 16 applications were not approved.
Strategy Group’s ‘positive’ meeting with Minister
The Murray Regional Strategy Group (MRSG) has been buoyed by positive engagement with new federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek ...MRSG Chair, Geoff Moar, said it was a positive meeting and that, “We felt we covered more ground today than we have in a very long time ... The Minister understands that we do not support more water buybacks from our region, and also acknowledged there are a number of problems which need a flexible approach if they are going to be fixed.”
Renewed focus on Inland Rail in state’s south: NSW Farmers
Farmers and landholders in the Riverina are having their say on Inland Rail, according to NSW Farmers. NSW Farmers Treasurer and Inland Rail Taskforce chair Peter Wilson said there must be benefit for landowners and the broader farming community if railway lines were to cut properties in half.
