Commercial kangaroo shooting
This year, the State Government - as part of its Kangaroo Harvesting Program (KHP) - has set the quota for commercial shooting of kangaroos in the central region of Victoria at 65,100 grey kangaroos. The total 2023 KHP quota for the entire state is 166,750. This means that a significant percentage (around 40 per cent) of kangaroos culled in Victoria will be coming from the central region.
First Territory Water Plan ensures water security for all Territorians: Moss
The first ever whole-of-government strategic plan for water across the Northern Territory has been released by the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Security, Lauren Moss. The Territory Water Plan is a package of actions that will set the foundation for delivering water security for all Territorians – now and into the future.
Roadmap to the 2026 Basin Plan Review announced: MDBA
The Roadmap to the 2026 Basin Plan Review was launched by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority with a commitment to work with communities throughout the 3-year journey.
Queensland communities welcome first PNG aged care workers to Australia: Conroy, Wells
The first group of workers from Papua New Guinea to be employed in Australia’s aged care sector under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme has arrived in regional Queensland. The eight workers from PNG provinces including Western Highlands, New Ireland and Morobe will be employed by Southern Cross Care at aged care facilities at Chinchilla, Murgon and Taroom in Southeast Queensland, where local aged care staff have been hard to find.
NLC to borrow $1.52 million
A loan for $1,522,500 million at around 5.29 per cent for the next five years will be taken out by Naracoorte Lucindale Council on June 15. The borrowed funds will be used to help upgrade SA’s biggest saleyards, Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange (NRLE). Turning 50 this year at its current site and considered a jewel in the council's crown, the “user pays” facility is self-funded by the district’s biggest ratepayers, its primary producers.
Teacher shortage
South Australia is facing a teacher shortage crisis that is “deeply affecting” schools in country towns like Naracoorte. Highlighting this, Australian Education Union (SA Branch) president Andrew Gohl says the government needs to provide improved conditions and incentives to hire and retain educators in rural areas ... He said teachers were burning out at rates never seen before, with half of them planning to leave in the next five years.
Prescribed burning: Call for full State inquiry
The Denmark Environment Centre is calling on the State Government for a full and independent inquiry into the impact of its current prescribed burning practices. This follows the release last week of a report, Icons to Ashes, on the practice as examined in the Walpole Wilderness Area. The report calls for an urgent rethink of burning practices, highlighting that regular burning is having a big impact on forests and wildlife and has been scientifically demonstrated to be increasing the risk of bushfire.
“It’s time for action” Productivity Commission told
Last week’s round of Productivity Commission meetings on the impacts of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan had an overwhelming response ... It was reported the commissioners were surprised by the attendance, which gave them a stark lesson in the passion of local communities and the frustration at a failing Murray-Darling Basin Plan and governments which refuse to address its shortcomings ... The Speak Up Campaign ... was represented by chair Shelley Scoullar ... Also at the hearing was Wakool River Assocation chair John Lolicato ... Southern Riverina Irrigators CEO Sophie Baldwin said the large turnout at the meeting was an indication of just how badly the basin plan has impacted our region ...
Recovery delays cause concern
A number of Cudgewa North residents, concerned about the delays in rehabilitating the Bluff Falls tourism area following the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, claim that Parks Victoria is not doing enough to get the recovery project underway. They say that there has been a lack of communication about the works.
4% increase for ratepayers
Urban residential ratepayers will have an annual increase in their rates of close to $130, or 4 per cent, after Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) adopted its 2023-24 Budget last week. Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio said Council’s $651 million financial plan would maintain and upgrade existing services and facilities while planning for a brighter future for current and successive generations.
Main Roads must immediately halt illegal use of monitoring devices: Love
Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Transport Shane Love MLA has strongly condemned the State Labor Government for its continued unlawful use of traffic monitoring devices throughout WA. An Auditor General Report has exposed Main Roads WA for utilising 180 vehicle monitoring devices on local roads, despite being fully aware since 2016 that such usage is strictly limited to highways and main roads under the Surveillance Devices Regulations 1999.
Lessons in water management across the Pacific: MDBA
A renowned sustainable river ecologist has identified water management in the Murray–Darling Basin as a model for other countries seeking to support communities and healthy rivers into the future. Addressing the MDBA's annual River reflections regional water conference in Narrabri, Professor N LeRoy Poff from the University of Canberra and Colorado State University said the Murray–Darling Basin Plan was a beacon for other nations on how integrated water management at the Basin scale can work.
Farmers come to Canberra to fight transmission lines: Littleproud, Webster
Dozens of concerned farmers have descended on Canberra, urging Federal Labor to rethink its plan to build hundreds of kilometres of poles and wires through regional Victoria. The farmers met with The Nationals leader David Littleproud and Federal Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster, who echoed the group’s concerns.
Fishing ban without a plan threatens prawn industry: Saunders, Williamson
Leader of the NSW Nationals Dugald Saunders and the Member for Clarence Richie Williamson have called on the NSW Government to be more transparent about the support being provided to the Northern Rivers prawn industry. Shadow Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders said a last-minute ban has been dropped on the industry without any certainty about the future.
Canberra creates farmer confidence collapse in WA: NFF
Startling findings from two different surveys have highlighted the devastating impact the proposed live sheep export ban is having in Western Australia, according to the country’s peak farm body. Data released from Rabobank shows that while confidence edged higher nationally, WA bucked the trend recording a further dip into negative territory.
Artfully done – Wool Bay’s tank officially opened
Yorke Peninsula Council’s latest addition to the Southern Yorke Peninsula Water Tower/Tank Mural Trail was officially unveiled at Wool Bay ... Painted and designed by Sam Brooks and Harley Hall, with the assistance of Mark Harding, Rachelle Plazeriano and Gary Nowlan, the art – which adorns a tank and shed on Green Flat Road – follows the story of Wool Bay from Narungga First Nations to European settlement.
Rabbitohs stars spread ‘Close the Gap’ message
Communities across the region including about 1000 school children came together at Yamba’s Ngayundi Sports Complex last Thursday where they got to meet four South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL players as part of the 2023 Clarence Valley Close the Gap Day. Mudyala Aboriginal Corporation CEO Aneika Kapeen said the 2023 Clarence Valley Close the Gap Day was about bringing all the schools together to really recognise what Close the Gap means.
Grafton and Maclean hospitals 40 nurses short
Between Grafton and Maclean Hospitals another 40 nurses are needed to provide adequate staffing levels say the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association as the Local Health District tries to fill 180 nursing vacancies across the region. NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Clarence Valley branch secretary Thea Koval said without agency nursing staff being called in, who are paid significantly more than NSW Health nurses, Maclean and Grafton hospitals would struggle to operate.
Confusion over extra police commitment
The Minister for Police, Anthony Carbines, appears to be at odds with the Chief Commissioner of Police, Shane Patton, around the delivery of extra police officers. In Public Accounts and Estimates Committee hearings at the weekend, Mr Carbines claimed that Labor’s commitment to deliver 502 extra police officers would be met by 30 September, but failed to factor in the 800 current vacant positions across the state.
Nhill icon’s honoured
Nhill had the honour of having two locals bestowed with an Order of Australia medal (OAM) in the King’s birthday honours announced on Monday. Hindmarsh Shire Councillor Rob Gersch for his service to local government and to the community and Kevin Bye for his service to lawn bowls and the community.
Getting to the root of the issue: John O’Donnell
John O'Donnell reviews eucalypt decline and dieback in relation to the lack of low intensity fire management across Australia. John considers that exclusion of frequent low intensity mild fire is the primary cause of eucalypt decline in Australian native forests and woodlands and this has been inadequately recognised ... This lack of recognition is in itself a major environmental issue and ignores up to 60,000 years of Aboriginal burning practices across the landscape.
Shining a light on Victorians’ biosecurity efforts: Tierney
Victorian hobby farmers are sharing how they are safeguarding the state against emergency animal diseases by implementing biosecurity measures in their backyards. Minister for Agriculture Gayle Tierney launched the Andrews Labor Government’s ‘Biosecurity - it’s up to all of us’ campaign, which features a series of videos from four small-scale landholders, demonstrating the critical role everyone has in protecting Victoria’s biodiversity from disease threats.
