Politics

Australia’s state-of-the-art avian quarantine facility is filling the role of midwife to nearly 3000 turkey poults in Victoria. The team at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ) facility in Mickleham together with industry experts have nurtured 2900 turkey eggs from Canada during their minimum 13-week quarantine period.

Local residents are encouraged to come along to Echuca Library this Saturday for the annual Echuca Moama Discovery Day. The event will showcase over 50 groups from Echuca Moama and surrounds, ranging from local service and sporting clubs, to singing, art, craft, history groups and many other community organisations.

The Northern Territory Government has announced the establishment of a technical working group to assess the impacts of, and approaches to buffel grass management in Central Australia, which will include consideration of declaring buffel grass a weed under the Weeds Management Act 2001. While buffel grass has provided valuable fodder as well as dust suppression and erosion control in desert areas since the 1960s, there is increasing concern about its role in heightening wildfire intensity, and associated impacts on biodiversity.

Gavin Butcher. Analysis of publicly available data by respected scientist Dr Lachie McCaw has shown that claims by Premier McGowan and his coterie of Forestry Ministers, Jarvis and Kelly, to be without substance. The WA government had stated that one of the reasons the timber industry had been axed was because the trees are no longer growing. Dr McCaw has used published data on the long-term forest monitoring plots called ForestCheck to demonstrate that the harvested forest is growing and the uncut forest is in decline.

Richie Williamson has retained the seat of Clarence for the Nationals following the 2023 State Election. As he celebrated his success surrounded by his friends, family, and loyal supporters at his Grafton Campaign Office on March 25, Mr Williamson said he felt proud and honoured to be elected as the incoming Member for Clarence following the retirement of Chris Gulaptis, who served in the role for 11 years.

Kyogle received a request from Richmond Valley to consider boundary adjustments between the local government areas because some parcels of land pay rates to two councils. Kyogle Council staff reviewed the Richmond Valley Council proposals and recommended the changes with the exception of those affecting 895 Bulmers Rd ... The proposal is untenable and not in the interests of the residents or the councils, staff decided.

Janelle Saffin and her campaign crew can celebrate a big swing to Labor — and to Ms Saffin in the State Election. By 7.20pm, ABC was announcing the seat of Lismore for Labor ... Ms Saffin said what she wanted most was good communication.

A wide-ranging program of activities is planned to engage young people across the Toowoomba Region for Queensland Youth Week 2023. Held from 11 to 17 April, Queensland Youth Week is an annual celebration of young people aged 12–25, and an opportunity to recognise the positive contributions they make across our Region.

Campaspe Shire Council has announced a package of rates relief in 2022-2023 for properties impacted by the October 2022 floods ... “About 1,000 properties have already had rate adjustments by the Victorian Valuer General as they have had a secondary impact assessment and been through the supplementary rates process": Campaspe Mayor Cr Rob Amos.

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles announced urgent bail legislation will be introduced to parliament which will see a new presumption against bail for violent offences involving a weapon. There will also be a presumption against bail for co-offenders who participate in violent offences involving a weapon, even if they do not possess the weapon themselves.

Leader of The Nationals and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud is calling on locals to deliver their own notice to Australia Post, by sending a loud and clear message to continue services in the area ... It comes after Australia Post removed much-loved red street post boxes from Maranoa communities in Weengallon, Guluguba, Macalister, with two boxes moved to metropolitan areas.

The sound of the musical eastern banjo frog ringing out across the Pike floodplain is among the incredible sights and sounds ecologists are observing as floodwaters recede throughout the Murraylands, Riverland and Lower Lakes ... "We will eventually go back into a drier period and that is when the 450 gigalitres promised SA under the Murray Darling Basin Plan but not delivered will be of the utmost importance to maintaining the health of the river system": Susan Close.

The Shire of Gingin says councillors were made aware when the Gingin council dealt with the Guilderton caravan park tender process that chief executive officer Aaron Cook had prior dealings with Belgravia Leisure’s WA state manager when Mr Cook was the Narrogin CEO.

NT Health is urging Northern Territory (NT) residents and visitors to protect themselves from mosquito bites, following detection of the potentially fatal Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) and Japanese encephalitis (JE) viruses in mosquitoes. Mosquito numbers are currently high in the Barkly region due to the recent rains, and are expected to increase in the Top End, with numbers already at high levels in areas close to swamps, creeks and wetlands.

The state’s peak farming body says Labor will need to make strategic investments in the agricultural sector to pay for election promises and secure the future food supply. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said partnering with industry to bolster food and fibre production would be key to Labor’s next four years, which will help drive economic activity to deliver the programs and services the people of NSW need.

The Regional Australia Institute (RAI) CEO Liz Ritchie will launch the national Regionalisation Roadshow in Stawell this week – helping local leaders of Northern Grampians tackle the issues holding their country towns back ... As a member of the RAI, the Northern Grampians offered to host and be the first location in regional Australia to ignite a place-based lens on the framework – focussing on areas including job vacancies, education, and housing.

Australia is negotiating amendments to the Australia-European Community Agreement on Trade in Wine (Wine Agreement). As part of the negotiation the Australian Government is running a public objections process on wine geographical indications (GIs) proposed by the EU.