Resilience Leadership Program
Kirstin Nicholson. Leitchville’s Matthew Hawken is part of a new program designed to strengthen the future of regional communities through capacity building and collaboration. The Drought Resilience Leaders Development Program is an initiative of the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund offered in 12 regions around Australia. The Mallee region program includes 25 people working in agriculture, financial service providers, irrigators and self-employed business consultants.
Reconnecting River Country Program
A plan to have community at the forefront of co-design was the feature of Western Murray Land Improvement Group’s (WMLIG) Reconnecting River Country Program (RRCP) Wakool presentation ... During the night, attendees were walked through the RRCP mapping tool. The maps are generated through computer modelling for various flow options from 15,000 megalitres per day up to 40,000ML/D.
Lab-on-a-chip trial looks to up biosecurity detection times: DAFF
A diagnostic tool using nano technology to rapidly detect high-risk plant pests and pathogens in the field will undergo feasibility testing in a biosecurity innovation pilot kicking off this month. The lab-on-a-chip project will investigate if portable nano-biosensors improve the efficiency of plant disease detection at Australian borders and in-field surveillance.
Bins 4 Blokes initiative rolls out across the Coast
An initiative to help men with incontinence is being rolled out across the Sunshine Coast. In collaboration with the Continence Foundation, Sunshine Coast Council has installed 102 male incontinence product disposal bins at public amenities locations across the region.
Federally funded projects put under the spotlight
Lockyer Valley Mayor, Cr Tanya Milligan recently hosted Federal Member for Wright, Mr Scott Buchholz MP, for a tour of the region’s current federally funded projects. Council was successful in securing grant funding of $675,000 from the Australian Government’s Bushfire Recovery Grants Program. The cash injection is designed to reduce the risk of catastrophic bushfires in the Lockyer Valley ...
Hogan: NSW Government’s flood response ‘too slow’
Geoff Helisma. Reacting to NSW Government’s Flood Inquiry report released on Wednesday August 16, Page MP Kevin Hogan put out a media release – “Too slow, too slow, too slow.” ... Mr Hogan is critical of the government’s reliance on the report’s findings and the time it has taken for the report’s release.
NSW funds for farmers come a cropper
Cane farmer Tony Carusi said time was critical for planting sugarcane. “It takes time to get the ground ready and we have ideal weather conditions,” Mr Carusi said at his farm near Woodburn ... A Primary Producer Grant was announced by the State Government five months ago to help farmers after the floods. The criteria for the grant are still unknown and the grant has stalled. No money has been given to farmers yet.
Mildura Weir to be removed to make way for high river flows: MDBA, GMW
The Mildura weir will be temporarily removed to allow high Murray River flows to pass through, the Murray–Darling Basin Authority and Goulburn-Murray Water announced. MDBA Executive Director of River Management Andrew Reynolds said the weir needed to be removed ahead of increased flows expected to arrive by mid-September.
Mouse tours arm growers with latest management advice: GRDC
Grain growers across the wheatbelt have gathered to hear the latest advice for managing mouse damage to crops this growing season at a series of in-paddock workshops with Steve Henry, leading mouse expert and research officer from Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO. The field walks visited 11 locations across four days, from Calingiri down to Beaumont, as part of a Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) investment addressing increased mouse activity in WA’s grainbelt.
Urgent action needed now: mayor
Samuel Davis. Cape York mayor Patricia Yusia doesn’t want to talk about the Indigenous Voice to parliament. Not while a desperate housing crisis is crippling her communities in the Northern Peninsula Area. So, when Cr Yusia met with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Horn Island last Thursday, the discussion was to the point.
Council to consider new limits on cat ownership
Patricia Gill. The Shire of Denmark is reviewing local laws concerning the keeping of cats with a limit of two animals older-than-six months per household being considered in an effort to curb the feral population. The Shire will also have more power to restrict the movement of cats and those that cause a nuisance ... consultation is underway on the proposed rules which the Denmark Shire Council will likely consider in September.
Growers award
Over 200 rice growers, industry representatives and stakeholders attended the Rice Growers Australia (RGA) annual conference in Yarrawonga last week ... Neville and Brooke Hollins from Woorak Ag at Burraboi were announced SunRice Grower of the Year.
Barmah-Millewa future flow options prepared for feasibility study: MDBA
Six potential options that could address the declining regulated flow through the Barmah–Millewa reach of the Murray River have been detailed in a report released by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) ... Capacity through the Barmah–Millewa reach has been reduced from 11,300 megalitres per day in the 1980s to 9,200 megalitres per day today.
Industry leaders back biosecurity measures: DAFF
Agricultural industry leaders have taken a tour behind the scenes at Sydney International Airport to scope out Australia’s biosecurity measures. Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and Australia's Director of Biosecurity, Andrew Metcalfe AO said the visit was a chance for industry leaders to see biosecurity protections in action.
Outback Queensland is the backbone of Australia’s energy: Littleproud
Leader of The Nationals and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud has applauded Senex Energy’s decision to invest $1 billion into its Atlas Roma North natural gas developments in the Surat Basin and raise its natural gas production. Mr Littleproud said the decision by one of the industry leaders in natural gas to invest more in the Maranoa region highlights the crucial role outback Queensland plays in powering Australia and making energy more affordable across the nation.
Salt caverns and minerals across Australia unlock our nation’s hydrogen industry: King
“Geoscience Australia has uncovered potential for the development of multiple caverns underground in salt deposits across the Canning Basin in Western Australia, the Adavale Basin in Queensland and the offshore Polda Basin in South Australia ... Chalice Mining, through their Julimar project, have uncovered a massive supply of palladium, platinum, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold ... ": Minister King.
Community to lead pilot program
Doomadgee will lead a state-first “Closing the Gap” pilot to identify how best to roll-out priority programs like health, housing, and early childhood in First Nations communities in Queensland. Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council mayor Jason Ned said his community looked forward to taking a lead role in government service reform.
Building Better Regions funding
“All of these projects, not only in the Riverina and Central West, but, indeed, right throughout regional Australia were recommended for funding. It’s just that the Australian National Audit Office believes that some projects scored higher in the Department’s estimations for funding. But no-one knows their own local area and their local people’s wants, needs and expectations better than a local MP. Departmental officials are not elected and the decision-making has to remain with the Minister and Ministerial Council" : Michael McCormack, Member for Riverina.
Inaugural National Biosecurity Strategy released: Watt
Minister Watt said the National Biosecurity Strategy would provide clear direction to ensure our system remains fit to meet the challenges of the next decade and beyond ... “This strategy has been under development for more than a year and I’m really pleased that a new spirit of cooperation between Federal, State and Territory Agriculture Ministers has seen the strategy finalised and released so soon after the change of government, " Minister Watt said.
Northern Australia back on Federal agenda: McDonald
The Federal Government has relented under fierce criticism and agreed to back a motion moved by Senator Susan McDonald to reinstate a parliamentary body to oversee issues and development in Northern Australia.
2022–23 Murray River outlook dominated by managing wet conditions: MDBA
Full water storages coupled with a 50% chance of another La Niña in 2022–23 are driving management strategies in the River Murray System for the year ahead, according to the MDBA's 2022–23 Annual Operating Outlook ... Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) Executive Director of River Management, Andrew Reynolds, said the Annual Operating Outlook explains how the river would be run based on a range of potential climatic and rainfall scenarios.
Legislation to protect forestry workers passed: Tierney
The Sustainable Forests Timber Amendment (Timber Harvesting Safety Zones) Bill 2022, brings stronger penalties to deter dangerous protest activities that puts the safety of both forestry workers and people who illegally enter dangerous work sites at risk. The new legislation introduces offences and updates existing penalties to deter dangerous protest activities in Timber Harvesting Safety Zones and prevent harm.
