Politics

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says Victoria’s $25b dollar agriculture sector must not be forgotten in the face of a rapidly expanding data centre infrastructure boom sweeping the state. The VFF has today released an issues paper outlining the scale of potential development and competition for resources like land, water and energy. 

Wildlife and livestock surveillance activities are underway in South Australia following the detection of H5 bird flu in two vagrant migratory seabirds in Western Australia. Ground-based surveillance and drone surveys are being undertaken at sea lion breeding sites along the state’s west and far west coasts, as part of a coordinated response to the ongoing risk of H5 bird flu spreading to SA.

Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service (NTFRS) and Bushfires NT (BFNT) have declared a Fire Danger Period across parts of the Top End from 22 June to 4 October 2026, marking the commencement of the 2026 Top End bushfire season.

The formal listing of the historic MV Beardmore on the NSW State Heritage Register marks a significant milestone for the Clarence Valley community and recognises decades of tireless advocacy to preserve an important part of the region's maritime and industrial heritage, according to State Nationals Member for Clarence Richie Williamson.

Australia’s shift toward regional living has reached a record peak, with the latest Regional Movers Index (RMI) hitting its highest level in the March 2026 quarter. The RMI is a partnership between the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) and the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) that tracks population movements between Australia's capital cities and regions.

The much-anticipated Inverloch to Wonthaggi Trail, is now available for use and already proving a hit, with more than 600 riders setting off from both towns and meeting in the middle for a community celebration.

Cr Brett Tessari. The loss of the Superbike World Championship from Phillip Island is another devastating blow for our community, coming only months after the announcement that MotoGP will also leave the Island. My heart goes out to our local businesses, tourism operators, volunteers and community members who have supported these events for decades and who rely on the visitors they bring to our region each year.

Forest & Wood Communities Australia (FWCA) has written to Macquarie University researcher Dr Carmen da Silva seeking clarification regarding comments made during a recent ABC Sydney Radio interview in which she stated that Australians need to "try to stop native forest logging" in order to help protect native bees.

The 2026-27 NSW Budget delivers cost-of-living relief now, while continuing to rebuild the essential services and economic strength NSW relies on. Households are under severe pressure. Mortgages, rent, groceries and fuel costs are a constant challenge.

Ned Thomas. Scientists and government authorities are at odds over what a noticeable shift in desalination monitoring data is really showing. The Adelaide Desalination Plant at Lonsdale has come under renewed scrutiny following months of debate about the cause of the harmful algal bloom which has affected South Australian waters.

The Albanese Labor Government is helping to keep Australia’s farmers farming and our food production system strong, with the first shipment of urea locked in with industry and the Indonesian Government arriving in Australia today. Docking in Brisbane, this shipment of 47,250 tonnes of urea is part of the 250,000 tonne supply deal between Incitec Pivot and PT Pupuk Indonesia, supported by the Australian and Indonesian Governments.

The Federal Court has determined that a Territory law allowing the retrieval of livestock that strayed onto a neighbouring property operates concurrently with the NT Land Rights Act.

As H5 bird flu has spread around the world the wild birds most affected have included waterfowl, shorebirds, seabirds and birds of prey or scavengers. H5 bird flu has also been detected in domestic pets including cats and dogs, farm animals including dairy cows and sporadically pigs, sheep and goats, marine mammals including dolphins and seals and wild animals including foxes and polar bears.

The Cook Labor Government is responding to the confirmed detection ... of H5 bird flu in a single wild seabird found in the remote Cape Le Grand area, east of Esperance. Testing by CSIRO's Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness has now confirmed Australia's first case of the highly infectious bird flu in a brown skua, a subantarctic species rarely found on the WA south coast.

Testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) has confirmed H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (bird flu) in a brown skua in Western Australia. This is the highly pathogenic strain of concern that has been circulating globally, and is the first detection in Australia.  

Labor must do more to stop China’s 55 per cent imminent tariffs on Australian imports, in what has been described as a major blow to the Australian beef industry. Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan said from tomorrow [22 June 2026] , China will start its 55 per cent tariff, after Australia exhausted its 205,000-tonne annual duty-free beef quota.

The Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation (RAMJO) has condemned the Federal Government’s latest Murray-Darling Basin water purchase, saying the reported buyback of almost 86 gigalitres for more than $430 million is another blow to food-producing communities across southern New South Wales.

Farmers for Climate Action has produced a report ‘Energy Sovereignty for Regional Australia: Protecting Farmers, Powering the Future’ arguing that Australia's transition away from diesel should be accelerated through electrification, subsidies, infrastructure investment and changes to fuel tax arrangements ... When did advocacy become less about persuading people to voluntarily embrace change and more about finding another group to pay for it?

The Shire of Broome is calling for greater State Government support and clearer policy direction around public housing and community housing rate exemptions, amid growing concern about the long-term financial impact on regional local governments and ratepayers ... Across parts of the Kimberley, public housing accounts for around 30 per cent of housing stock, compared to approximately three per cent in metropolitan Perth.

Ready, Set, Esky: Scenic Rim Eat Local Month’s much-loved Winter Harvest Festival returns to Kalbar on Saturday 27 June, bringing together the region’s farmers, growers, producers, Food Ambassador chefs and artisans for one unforgettable day of food, farming and country hospitality. 

For communities across Lismore, recovery is no longer just something being planned - it’s being felt, as Lismore City Council reaches a milestone 150 projects now complete. Across the Local Government Area, works completed since the 2022 disasters include reopened and repaired roads, restored community buildings and sporting facilities, and enhanced flood pump infrastructure.

The Albanese Labor Government’s latest $430m Murray-Darling Basin water buyback will take more productive water out of agriculture and put more pressure on families already struggling with grocery prices, Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster said today. The deal involves the Commonwealth buying almost 86GL of water entitlements for environmental use at a cost of more than $430m.