Federal politics

Following the release of the State of the Environment report, the peak national organisation representing over 1,000 forest scientists and professionals in Australia has joined in supporting Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek’s calls for more reform in the area of environmental law ... “The current approaches to management of Australia’s forests are not working – we believe we need to reform our philosophy of land management, our approach to conservation and how we manage our forests,” Forestry Australia President Bob Gordon.

Learn more about Foot & Mouth Disease/ Lumpy Skin Disease + Q&A

It’s been seven weeks since the election in which Labor promised it would deliver the basin plan in full. Last week, a private jet jaunt around selected parts of the basin saw Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek doubling down on the promise ... Once again, the plan rolls on with decisions made on high and an attitude of propaganda rather than collaboration and information sharing. I suppose when one body implements, oversees, reviews and funds the science, it would be hard to get any outcome other than the one they seek.

Narrandera Shire, along with Hay, have recorded the highest unemployment rates in the Riverina, according to the latest unemployment data released by the National Skills Commission, whilst neighbouring Lockhart has recorded one of the lowest ... Regional Development Australia Riverina chief executive officer and Director of Regional Development Rachel Whiting says it's no cause to celebrate because the Riverina has more jobs than people to fill them.

Trade policy and reducing agricultural support have a strong role to play in guaranteeing international food security, according to the latest Insights report from ABARES ... “Trade plays an important role in helping improve the distribution of food and its affordability. Open trade helps move food to where it’s needed and can promote higher incomes, creating better access to food" : Executive Director of ABARES Dr Jared Greenville.

The Nationals Leader, Shadow Agriculture Minister and Member for Maranoa, the Hon David Littleproud MP has claimed the Federal Labor Government’s response last Thursday to foot and mouth disease (FMD) is inadequate and leaves Australia vulnerable. Following a briefing from the Department of Agriculture, Mr Littleproud said Labor’s new protocols to respond to the threat of FMD failed to go far enough to protect against a disease that could cost the nation almost as much as JobKeeper.

Making more out of the recent wet conditions and strengthening the resilience of the Murray–Darling Basin's ecosystems is the focus of this year's Annual Basin Environmental Watering Priorities ... MDBA's General Manager of Applied Science, Dr Matt Coleman said with more water in rivers and storages now was the time to capitalise on the fantastic fish and bird breeding events that have occurred and set our plants and animals up for even greater success.

More than three years after it was first announced, the Archer River Roadhouse has a mobile phone tower. Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch made the announcement in early 2019 that Archer River was getting a phone tower under the federal government’s blackspot program.

Hepburn Shire Council is working in partnership with the City of Ballarat on advocating for a mountain biking program to be included in the 2026 Commonwealth Games and for competition to be held at the Creswick Trails. With this week’s State Government announcement that the games will be held between the 17-29 March 2026 both Councils are calling for both Mountain Biking to be included in the Victoria 2026 program, the Commonwealth’s first Regional Games and for the Mountain Biking program to be conducted at the Creswick Trails.  

New data collected in the 2021 Census has revealed South Australia’s veteran population is more than double the figure previously on record ... This is the first time a comprehensive snapshot of the current and former serving population in South Australia has been developed, following the addition of a targeted question about military service history in the 2021 Census ... Approximately one-quarter of the former serving community is in regional South Australia, mainly in the South-East of the state encompassing the Limestone Coast, Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and the Murray and Mallee regions.

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has welcomed the Federal Government’s new biosecurity measures announced following the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) to Australian tourist hotspot, Bali ... “We would also like to see an increase in frontline biosecurity officers at return airports and ongoing reviews into the appropriateness of additional intervention methods such as footbaths”: NFF President Fiona Simson.

Biosecurity officers are boarding planes on arrival and playing a new biosecurity message on all inbound flights from Indonesia, reinforcing Australia’s strict biosecurity measures and providing FMD-specific advice to travellers. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt said the Albanese Government is very serious about keeping this devastating disease out of Australia.

NSW Farmers President James Jackson has slammed government officials for being wishy-washy on biosecurity controls such as foot baths ... “The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry says they can’t have antiseptic foot baths at airports because a child might fall in them,” Mr Jackson said.

“I commend the new Water Minister for getting on with business, but the truth is, these projects were well on their way to being signed off before the change of Government ... What we really need now is a Basin Management Plan rather than a water recovery plan. There are plenty of ideas about ways to achieve good environmental outcomes without the need for further water recovery and they should all be on the table as a way to offset any further water recovery,” Senator Davey said.

The Australian Government has announced $37.9 million towards the Lower Murray Water Efficiency project to better equip the Sunraysia water delivery network to combat a changing climate. This project delivers 2.5 Gigalitres (GL) of water savings back to the environment, First Nations Peoples and securing urban water supply.

The Australian and South Australian governments have announced $2.7 million to improve water infrastructure in South Australia, while delivering 126 ML of water savings to the environment. The Marion Water Efficiency Project will enable the City of Marion to reduce water use from the main Adelaide water supplies, which are often pumped from the Murray–Darling Basin, and help future-proof iconic sites like the Coorong and Lower Lakes.

The Elliott basketball court was the setting for the Barkly Regional Deal Governance Table meeting recently. This was the first time a Governance Table meeting was held outside of Tennant Creek, following a commitment from the Governance Table to speak with people across the Barkly to hear their priorities for their community and region.

Australia’s $13 billion Murray-Darling Basin Plan is in its tenth year. The plan had key objectives to save the Murray, restore the balance and do so in an adaptive way based on best available science ... The sheer insanity of the basin’s direction can be demonstrated by the huge almond plantations adjacent to the Murray. What were dryland farms 20 years ago are now intensive irrigation areas often using more water than rice or cotton per hectare with no regulation on salinity.

Gannawarra Shire Council and Murray River Council Local Government Areas have been earmarked by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) for the development of 500kV high voltage transmission lines and terminal stations. KerangLink, also known as Victoria New South Wales Interconnector West (VNI West) is planned to proceed “as urgently as possible” after the government’s plan to close Australia’s main energy source, coal fired power generation, faster than expected.

Victorian farmers are encouraging international travellers to enact simple preventative measures to help keep the potentially devastating Foot and Mouth (FMD) livestock disease out of Australia. Victorian Farmers Federation President Emma Germano said that news of the disease reaching the popular holiday island of Bali in neighbouring Indonesia is very concerning for farmers.