Politics

The Group Captain for the Southern Border region of the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) has resigned after being asked to return his official vehicle. Lankeys Creek volunteer brigade member, John Hawkins, claims that on May 17th he had been told by his RFS manager that his Group vehicle - a 2005 Toyota Landcruiser with 600lts of water (classed as a Cat 9) - was to be taken off him, with no replacement available ... In his resignation letter, Mr Hawkins also took the RFS to task over a number of other issues.

Central Darling Shire Council will have an operating deficit of $1.225M for 2024/2025 and is facing an extremely strained and desperate financial outlook. It comes as Council prepares for a number of essential, but unaffordable expenses. General Manager, Greg Hill said this was happening at a time when an application for $1.3 million in Natural Disaster Declaration assistance for storm damage had been declined.

The Northern Territory has 17 of the world’s most in demand critical minerals, including lithium, rare earths, graphite and copper and in independent report ranks the Territory in the top 10 globally for investment attractiveness, and 3rd globally for Mineral Potential behind WA and Nevada in the US ... An outcome evaluation report by Deloitte has shown that the first four years of the Resourcing the Territory initiative – introduced by the Territory Labor Government in 2018 – has helped significantly boost investment in resources exploration in the NT.

Two new prime movers are set to be delivered to QFES as part of an Australian first trial. The Volvo trucks - one running on Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and the other electric – will support operational logistics at Caloundra and Townsville ... the HVO-powered truck comes with the latest 13-litre Euro 6 technology, allowing it to run on either the alternative fuel or regular diesel.

Rachel Hagan. Primary producers and other residents have packed the Yorke Peninsula Council gallery to witness an impassioned debate about whether farmers should be asked to pay an increased rate across the next financial year. The special council meeting, held at Minlaton on Wednesday, May 22, became heated at times as councillors argued about whether to charge farmers higher rates than they currently pay to help cover the costs of services such as road maintenance.

Regional Victorians can breathe easy after five years of advocacy and the Victorian Liberal-National Opposition’s criticisms embarrassed the State Government into pausing its $10 million doctor tax, the Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health, Dr Anne Webster, said at the weekend.