Politics

Patrick Goldsmith. The state government’s announcement of a $20 million funding allocation across four years for deteriorating jetties has been labelled as inadequate by Yorke Peninsula stakeholders. Almost 40 jetties across the state, owned by the government but leased to councils on 50-year terms, must vie for the new funding announced in the state budget ...

Patrick Goldsmith. Just four months after focusing its efforts entirely on Yorke Peninsula for Country Cabinet, the state government has left the region without much to celebrate ... "It makes for two budgets in a row where we’ve seen little investment in our area. In the glossy budget overview there was precious little for a number of regions and we suffered the absolute embarrassment of not even being listed": Member for Narungga Fraser Ellis.

Last week, Mayor Suzette Beresford and CEO Ms Cassie White of Paroo Shire Council attended the "Our Communities Our Future" conference hosted by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) in Canberra ... Mayor Beresford had the chance to connect with the Hon. Catherine King, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, and Local Government during the ACLG dinner.

In the face of already numerous adversities, the Northern Rivers of NSW is grappling with yet another concern: food security. Floods, bushfires, and the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic have exposed vulnerabilities in the region’s food system but also presented an opportunity to re-think how food is grown, distributed and consumed.

Do you want the chance to witness stunning wildflowers in bloom and learn why they are so special? Then mark your calendar for Monday, July 3, to book a spot at the Sunshine Coast Wildflower Festival, with guided walks running from Saturday, August 19, to Sunday, September 3, from Bribie Island to Noosa.

Four MPs and seven mayors have sent a letter to the Premier Chris Minns. They are asking the State Government not to forget the Northern Rivers and to deliver the next part of the flood recovery funding for the Resilient Homes program.

Federal MP Kevin Hogan isn’t holding back in his criticism of the State Government halving the number of buybacks of Northern Rivers flooded homes. The decision to drastically cut the Northern Rivers homes buybacks was made even worse by an announcement that the Federal Government would be boosting buybacks in Queensland by an additional 300 homes, Mr Hogan said.

Tweed Shire Council and the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) have updated mapping of bushfire prone land across the Tweed Shire area ... The latest Tweed Shire mapping has been developed based on NSW RFS guidelines and is the culmination of input from Council’s bushfire, GIS and ecology technical staff, as well as external expert advice.

Opposition Leader Shane Love has called on the Premier to remove Minister Tony Buti from the Aboriginal Affairs portfolio and to install a new Minister who is up to the task of implementing the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage (ACH) Act. Mr Love said community unease was at a high, and the Government was only ‘adding fuel to the fire’ by failing to provide adequate support to the community and brushing off concerns.

A new app is allowing members of the public to act as citizen scientists by reporting koala sightings and providing accurate location and population data ... The Minister also announced $520,000 in grants for six projects that support long-term koala conservation in South East Queensland.

The Local Government Association of South Australia has acknowledged State Budget which aims to deliver cost of living relief and address the state's housing and health crisis but has warned the government has missed an opportunity to engage closely with councils on meaningful funding to support local communities. LGA President Dean Johnson said while the State Government’s spending on measures to address housing affordability and availability were a step in the right direction, greater investments were needed to improve long-term liveability, regional health and local economic growth.

For the third consecutive year, South Australian River Murray irrigators will start the 2023-24 financial year with 100 per cent of their water allocation. The floods have contributed to high River Murray system storages, with the major dams at 90  per cent capacity - 26  per cent above the long-term average for the end of June.

It’s not only the timber industry that’s in decline, the government’s forestry agency, the Forest Products Commission (FPC) is also sinking fast. The WA 2023-24 Budget Papers indicate that this commercial business is failing under the Labor Government. It is predicted to continue to make losses in coming years.

The Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens Zoo & Aviary is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from the community to rehome five of its adult goats. The goats have been on display for several years but had to be relocated due to recent changes at the zoo.

A diligent Minister who had applied himself to the detail would have recognised the risks of running with a system that was overly complex and open to abuse. A competent Minister would have delayed the start date when they recognised that neither his department, the IT system, the LACHS or the industry was ready. But Buti did neither.

Promotors of the Voice like to emphasise its benign nature: “We just want to be listened to. We have no veto rights.” A more robust approach has emerged at last week’s writers festival in Alice Springs ... Mr Mayo made it clear that the Voice not only expected to be heard, but that advice given would be carried out by the Parliament and the Executive.

The Clydesdale horse is so often referred to in Australia as the “horse that built a nation” and it’s true. Australians have a great affection for the great horses of Scotland and the breed has graced the paddocks and show rings of Australia for more than 100 years ... They have crossed very well with other breeds and are very much the quiet achievers in the sport world.

Victoria’s roads will continue to worsen after the State Government confirmed this week there is no additional funding for repairs after floods last year. Roads Minister Melissa Horne was lost for answers on Wednesday as a Public Accounts and Estimates hearing heard that the Government’s road asset management budget has been cut 25 per cent in this year’s budget.

The farmers invited by Member for Mallee, Dr. Anne Webster, met with the Nationals leader David Littleproud, shadow ministers and senators, with Dr. Webster saying Mallee communities were being railroaded into accepting the $3.3 billion VNI West project. "I am deeply concerned for the region and fear Labor is railroading the community over thousands of kilometres of prime farmland and irrigation districts for a project that will have an enormous cost blow-out and detrimental consequences," Dr. Webster said.

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal has approved special rate variations of up to 64.3 per cent for country councils in a move farmers say will smash local communities ... “Every time you turn around someone’s putting their hand in the farmer’s pocket, and these rate rises will just further squeeze businesses and households in these areas": NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin.

Westpac Bank has moved to allay Tennant Creek residents’ concerns it would abolish its automatic teller machine (ATM) services in town, after news spread the former bank building will be taken over by a new tenant. A Westpac spokesperson said the corporation will continue to provide customers with access to cash in Tennant creek via a new agreement with Precinct ATM.

Barkly Regional Council Mayor and Councillors were in Canberra earlier this week to attend the Australian Local Government Associations annual National General Assembly. Mayor Jeffrey McLaughlin, Deputy Mayor Russell O’Donnell, Councillor Pam Corbett and Acting CEO Russell Anderson attended the conference which this year incorporated the Regional and Development Forum.