Labor using coalition system to tax flood grants
The Labor Party have hit back at claims by Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan that the government is taxing flood grants stating they are working with the same system they inherited from the coalition ... Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the Albanese government was working within the constraints of a system they inherited ... “This is the usual practice, which the Government also used in response to the Feb-March floods."
Horticulture calls for meaningful discussion following passing of Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill: Growcom
Peak industry body for Queensland horticulture, Growcom is calling on the federal government to engage in genuine and meaningful discussion after the passing of the new Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022 so industry can understand how it will be implemented. Growcom CEO Rachel Chambers said when discussing a Bill called ‘secure jobs, better pay’ you need to have the business owners, the people who create the jobs for employees, around the table. Without employers there is no employment.
A bumper year for agriculture despite flooding: ABARES
“Crops in Western Australia and South Australia benefitted the most from spring conditions, with total production in both states forecast to reach new record levels. Total production in Queensland is forecast to reach the second highest on record, despite parts of the Darling Downs missing out on plantings after being impacted by the floods. In other parts of the country, the results are mixed with both flooding and water-logging impacting winter crop production": Jared Greenvillle, ABARES.
Major win for Traditional Owners
Thousands of generations of shared history across Cape York and the Torres Strait has been formally recognised by the Federal Court of Australia. Celebrations were held on Thursday Island as Justice Debbie Mortimer announced the historic Native Title consent determination, which covers about 65,000 square kilometres of land and sea.
World Soil Day – soil needs a partnership approach: DAFF
This year the theme of World Soil Day is ‘Soil: Where food begins’, highlighting the importance of healthy soil as a crucial element of food production ... “Soil in good condition is more productive. It has higher water-holding capacity, supports biological activities and resists erosion during extreme climate and weather events": Lisa Nitschke, DAFF.
Giants of the sky to bolster WA’s firefighting firepower: Dawson
The addition of two Large Air Tankers (LATs) will significantly strengthen Western Australia's firefighting capability as emergency services prepare for a busy bushfire season. A C130 Hercules LAT, which will remain in WA for the high threat fire season, was unveiled on 5 December 2022.
Central Queensland primed for Defence future
Boosting Defence Force presence in Central Queensland would provide maximum capability gains for Australia’s Defence Forces while remaining substantially out of range for the most likely enemy long-range weapon systems. That’s the finding of a compelling submission to the Federal Government’s Defence Strategic Review compiled by independent defence consultants commissioned by key local government and regional development authorities in Central Queensland.
The Victorian election and the Riverina State
David Landini, Riverina State Group. The Victorian election, with the re-election of the Daniel Andrews’ Labor government, and the election of seven Greens Members of Parliament, ensures that the suppression of natural resource-based industries such as irrigated agriculture and timber harvesting will not only continue, but actually accelerate and expand. That these Members of Parliament are all urban-based, while the industries being suppressed are all in the country, demonstrates the cultural and economic division existing between the urban and country populations.
Choke hold
Even with more than 100,000 megalitres a day crossing the South Australian border, SA Water closed the barrages due to seawater flowing into the freshwater estuary. SA Water satellite imagery also shows the current flooding is still not moving down the Coorong. The real risk of constraints relaxation may be felt closer to home. The modification of the Barmah Choke has been seen as the crown jewel for accessing held environmental water. The choke protects Echuca-Moama and Koondrook-Barham from large Murray floods from Hume Dam, currently on display with the flows heading north down the Edward-Wakool system ... Community concerns over constraints relaxation flooding farmers and potentially impacting townships has been labelled as scaremongering by MDBA Chief Executive Andrew McConville.
Labor are taxing our flood grants
Shadow Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Kevin Hogan said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed grants given to businesses and farmers will be taxed ... “In his answer he said they will be taxed. This is huge blow to our small businesses and farmers”: Shadow Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Kevin Hogan
Concerns remain despite IR Bill concessions: NFF
The National Farmers’ Federation has acknowledged the concessions granted which will see the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill pass the Parliament this week, but warns that the consequences for the food supply chain remain largely unknown. NFF President Fiona Simson said it was disappointing to see a government so disinterested in the genuinely held concerns of employers.
ARTC Inland Rail opens track between Narrabri and Moree: King
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has opened 83km of upgraded Inland Rail track between Moree and Narrabri, with the first grain train set to run in the coming days. With trains now running on this section of track for the first time in seven months, ARTC is urging people travelling on roads between Narrabri and Moree to take extra care near the rail line and at all level crossings.
Blowing in the wind in your window
If you love the view from the top of your farm looking out over the surrounding countryside, then let’s hope you are not near the coast or major power lines or in a windy part of Western Australia because the state and federal governments and the men and women with white shoes are quietly pouring over maps looking for sites that will become tomorrow’s wind farms.
Banking taskforce report opens the gate for mass closures
The number of banks closed in regional Australia in the six weeks since the Albanese Government quietly released the Coalition’s Regional Banking Taskforce final report is comparable to a dam opening its spillways. The blame for the acceleration – at least 71 branches across all states and territories – can be laid squarely at the feet of the two opposition MPs who led the inquiry, Michael Sukker and Perin Davey, and Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones, who released the report.
Murray Darling Basin Authority is out of touch: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation has expressed outrage towards the comments made by Murray Darling Basin Authority Chief Executive Andrew McConville in his Rural Press Club address, 10 years after the Basin Plan gave the green light to take water from farming communities. VFF Water Council Chair Andrew Leahy said Mr McConville’s commentary ignored the ongoing impact of the Murray Darling Basin Plan on farming communities and sounded like it was designed to appease the Federal Labor government ... “We expect the MDBA CEO to be professional and impartial, not a political sycophant. It seems he needs to re-read the Basin Plan as he forgot to mention in his speech that the 450GL is only possible if there are no negative social and economic impacts”.
Major Event Review of the 2019–20 Victorian bushfires shows need for major forest management overhaul: Forestry Australia
A comprehensive report into the 2019-20 Victorian bushfires highlights the need for a major overhaul of current forest management strategies ... “This report confirms that to avoid future repeats of 2019-20 and protect human life and biodiversity, forest and fire management must be viewed and managed at a landscape scale, with active management over long timeframes, using expert knowledge of forests and their processes”: Forestry Australia Vice President Jim Wilson.
Flood emergency: Council to levy governments for funding of upgrades
Both the Narrandera Shire Council Mayor Neville Kschenka and General Manager George Cowan will lobby the State and Federal Governments for funding for upgrades to highways as well as the town’s water supply and stormwater systems ... Submissions will be lodged with the NSW Government seeking support for routine flood damage repairs, highlighting the importance of betterment to the Newell and Sturt Highways and the Narrandera town water supply and stormwater systems.
Food industry warns government of long-term food supply chain disruptions: National Food Supply Chain Alliance
The National Food Supply Chain Alliance, made up of nine influential national food industry associations, says long term supply chain issues, including ongoing natural disasters and labour shortages, are set to increase food prices for the foreseeable future ... The Alliance has, over the past two days, met with government and the opposition to explain the risks to the economy and Australians’ wellbeing should a National Plan not be developed and implemented as a matter of urgency.
Labor’s reasons for Ag Shows funding cuts
Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has been asked for an explanation as to why the grants have been discontinued and if there is potential for any other funding for the various agricultural societies which run local shows ... "While there were many competing priorities for funding in the October Agriculture Budget, the Albanese Government's overriding priority was to strengthen Australia's biosecurity defences ...": Senator Watt.
eDNA methods put to test as part of the battle against varroa mite: DAFF
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is testing new methods for detecting environmental DNA (eDNA) of varroa mite under the Biosecurity Innovation Program’s Biosecurity molecular screening using eDNA project. A/g Deputy Secretary of Biosecurity and Compliance Peter Timson said eDNA technology is being evaluated as a mobile, rapid, and efficient way to evaluate for pest species on the biosecurity front line.
Stop building on floodplains chorus growing
Rodney Stevens. The united chorus of ‘Stop building on Floodplains’ from federal and state leaders during the devastating and ongoing flooding in NSW during 2022 could reshape communities and country towns. Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt last week called for new laws to be introduced to stop homes being built on floodplains and other disaster-prone areas.
Emergency funding pipeline critical for grain flow: GPA
Grain Producers Australia is calling on federal political leaders to deliver urgent solutions to fix infrastructure damage that’s having devastating impacts on farm viability and community safety ... The severe and untimely weather is also having a major impact on local road networks, exacerbating an already strained grains supply chain – not only on the east coast of Australia.
