Politics

Council has received funding for the demolition and replacement of a total of 31 timber bridges with the construction of stronger, safer and more durable concrete bridges as part of the Fixing Country Bridges Program administered by Transport for NSW. Tenders for 16 of these bridge projects have been endorsed by Clarence Valley Council this year total $19.35m.

Horticulturists and agriculturists who take water from aquifers in the Gingin groundwater area south of Gingin Brook and Moore River will have any reductions to their entitlements delayed, according to the Gnangara groundwater allocation plan.

Clarence Valley Council's Resilient Clarence project proudly sponsored the Festival of Small Halls at the Wooloweyah Hall on the 26 May and the Dundurrabin Community Centre on the 27 May as part of the Woodfordia Inc Resilience Tour 2022. Using storytelling and music to connect people, the Resilience Tour is travelling to small halls in bushfire impacted communities.

It will take until the end of next year before the details of the voluntary house raising scheme are sorted. This isn’t what homeowners want to hear. They want to make a decision now. Do they use flood recovery grants or home insurance payouts to raise their house? If they do, they won’t be refunded when the house raising scheme details are confirmed.

The peak national organisation representing forest scientists and professionals has refuted claims that native forest harvesting in Tasmania has impacted negatively on the climate. Forestry Australia President Bob Gordon said on the contrary, the carbon sequestering power of growing trees meant sustainable forestry played a key role in reducing the state’s carbon emissions.

The cuttlefish have arrived, which means it’s time to celebrate with Cuttlefest 2022! Cuttlefest is a three month festival of events and activations happening in and around Whyalla to celebrate the annual congregation of the Giant Australian Cuttlefish.

The Tweed’s first flood-free industrial land swap project is one step closer to fruition with construction works planned to begin at South Murwillumbah in August. The innovative plan will see eligible business landowners swap their flood prone land with Council owned, flood free land at Industry Central, located in Lundberg Drive, South Murwillumbah.

Freight operators and farmers will benefit from the completion of upgrade works on three freight lines in north-west Victoria. Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne said the works have been carried out on the Mildura, Sea Lake and Manangatang lines to improve the condition of the track and reduce the risk of infrastructure faults which can delay grain loading.

In true outback spirit, an iconic Alice Springs arts hub has bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic, with a huge jump in visitor numbers and an impressive calendar of events.

A Katherine company has been selected to build 20 new homes on a new subdivision at Beswick ... around the corner to the remote community of Gapuwiyak, an $18.2 million investment will yield 28 new homes ... The northeast Arnhem Land community has helped to plan the new homes, and will be involved in all aspects of construction.

The NSW Government is making a major investment to better prepare communities and respond to bush fires, by committing $315.2 million over the next four years to complete the recommendations of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry in the 2022-23 NSW Budget. Premier Dominic Perrottet said $191 million has been allocated to the Rural Fire Service (RFS) to help keep NSW communities safe through vital hazard reduction works, maintenance of strategic fire trails and the procurement of new fleet ... ARR.News asked the Ministers a few questions and received a response from a NSW RFS spokesperson.

Three state of the art High Clearance Vehicles are now in permanent operation for the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), expanding flood rescue capability by helping volunteers get to hard to reach places. The vehicles, known as Unimogs, have been handed over to the SES by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) after being used on deployment in military operations.

Minister for Environment James Griffin said Bush Heritage Australia and South Endeavour Trust have signed permanent conservation agreements for Naree Station and Yantabulla Station ... “The wetlands form part of the Paroo River catchment, which is the last free-flowing river of the Murray Darling Basin. It’s considered among the top 20 sites for waterbirds in Australia." ARR.News has some questions for the Minister.

On the evening of 8 June 2022, the Great Koala Protected Area Bill 2021 was debated in the New South Wales Upper House. The debate demonstrates the complexities and many of the fundamental points of disagreement relating to the protection of koalas in New South Wales.

Delegates at the River reflections annual water conference heard about the challenges we all face due to climate change and how we must work together to make the Murray–Darling Basin ready for a more variable, drier and hotter future. In his address, The future of the Murray–Darling Basin, Murray–Darling Basin Authority Chair Sir Angus Houston said we must adjust our approach based on what we have learnt and continue in partnership with experts, communities and First Nations People.

Kendall Jennings. District residents met on a chilly Wednesday evening at the Koroop Hall to raise concerns for the Gannawarra Shire Council Planning Application P21147 to use and develop land for a rotational outdoor pig farm. The farm, located at 127 and 191 Orrs Road and 1399 Cohuna-Koondrook Road, Gannawarra, will have up to 5,000 pigs.

What has caused this estimated 20 million cubic metres of sand in the riverbed between Yarrawonga and Picnic Point to be such a problem now? .... Why did gold mining centuries ago only raise a problem now? How did the sand from the upper reaches get through the settling pond of Lake Mulwala constructed in 1939? And even more alarming, where have the beaches gone around Cobram and surrounds in the last 12 years?