iVote scrapped for NSW state election
Candidates for Clarence in the upcoming state election have expressed their disappointment in the NSW Electoral Commissions decision to scrap the iVote online voting system. Launched in 2011 by the Labor party, iVote provided eligible voters with the opportunity to cast their vote online or over the telephone in state elections and more recently local government elections.
Action needed on land conflict: NSW Farmers
Farmer blockades of mining trucks will escalate unless real action is taken to resolve land and water use conflict, NSW Farmers warns. On Saturday police were called to a state forest near Gunnedah after more than 60 farmers blockaded Santos trucks amid a dispute over potential water extraction and fracking. Local communities feared the Sub-Artesian Basin and aquifers could be forever polluted if coal seam gas projects went ahead, and saw no option but to take action after the NSW Government renewed a petroleum exploration licence in the area.
Students return to schools in Rochester after floods: Hutchins
Students in Rochester will return to their schools this week after being affected by the devastating flooding across Victoria last year. It’s the first time the students at Rochester Primary School and Rochester Secondary School will be able to walk back through the school gates since the flooding left both schools inundated with water.
Construction companies shortlisted to build $8 billion worth of new hospitals and major expansions: D’Ath
Queensland Health has established a supplier panel of major construction companies to accelerate the delivery of three new hospitals and nine major hospital expansions under the Palaszczuk Government’s Queensland Health and Hospitals Plan ... “The building contractor shortlist of 12 was established based on an expression of interest process and through Queensland Health’s broader engagement with industry": Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath.
Scenic Rim forges ahead on the Garage Sale Trail
Scenic Rim sellers who turned their trash into cash during two weekends of garage sales in November 2022 generated more than $40,000 in sales and saved almost 3.2 tonnes of unwanted items from landfill ... “Programs such as the Garage Sale Trail play a valuable role in shifting community perceptions of purchasing second hand, supporting the transition to a circular economy and enabling more effective reuse and recycling of unwanted items”: Mayor Christensen.
Exports to Singapore get a digital boost: DAFF
Australian exporters will see faster export documentation and easier access into Singapore’s markets, as certification between Australia and Singapore moves towards paperless trading ... “Using electronic export certification (eCert) means the relevant information is sent directly to overseas government agencies almost instantly, allowing for quicker clearance times so producers can get their goods to market faster”: A/g Deputy Secretary Nicola Hinder.
Three-year partnership with golf NSW a big hit for regional NSW: Toole, Henskens, Franklin
"We expect that these 51 strategically placed golf events over three years will attract more than 16,000 visitors to the host regions, injecting an estimated $13.5 million into the regional NSW economy": Minister for Tourism, Ben Franklin.
South Australia’s world-class medical precinct on show at global tech event: Champion
South Australian medical and biotech companies will get the opportunity to pitch to global investors at a major trade event in the Middle East, which begins today. The Arab Health Exhibition and Congress, held at Dubai’s World Trade Centre, will provide local companies the international platform to showcase their world-class medical products, devices and capability.
Patients in pain waiting more than seven years to see a specialist: Hurn
Record ramping under Peter Malinauskas continues to have a ripple effect throughout the health system, as new government data exposes that some South Australian patients have a gruelling wait of more than seven years to see a specialist ... Shadow Minister for Health Ashton Hurn said these wait times go hand-in-hand with record ramping where patients are regularly forced to wait more than 24 hours for a bed.
New rules for moving beehives into Queensland: Furner
Beekeepers can now apply for a permit to move European honey bees and other related materials into Queensland from the NSW General Emergency Zone (GEZ) after this zone was declared free of varroa mites ... “All states and territories across Australia have reached unanimous agreement that varroa mite is not present in the GEZ”: Qld Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities, Mark Furner.
Collaboration on aerial baiting for conservation outcomes: National Wild Dog Action Plan
Last month marked the first time wild dog baits have been substituted for fox baits in Bounceback, a flagship program working to achieve conservation outcomes in South Australia’s north ... They replaced the fox baits normally used in their central and northern Flinders Ranges aerial baiting programs which covered National Parks and nine surrounding pastoral leases.
Barkly’s Australia Day Awards focus on our local heroes
Tennant Creek’s born and bred doctor Sarah Goddard took the top honours in the Local Government 2023 Australia Day Awards for Tennant Creek. Dr Goddard has spent well over a decade reaching her goals to become a doctor and Citizen of the Year Awards adds to her list of growing accolades, winning best Indigenous doctor in Australia late last year in the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) awards.
Porcupine Village woes
It was an announcement that was significant enough for the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events to visit Maldon in May last year: a State Government decision to invest $1.7 million in a development at Porcupine Village ... After eight months, progress on the Porcupine Village development has stalled, with works shut down by Council owing to lack of compliance regarding appropriate planning permission.
eID committee survives
A committee charged with assessing the benefits, risks and costs of implementing eID tags for sheep and goats in SA has survived a tied 10-10 vote of no confidence. A call for its removal came after a two-hour debate where farmers spoke for and against mandatory eID tags in sheep and goats.
Mobs of debate over eID tags
If a truck load of vendor-bred sheep go direct from a farm to an abattoir, should producers pay for the time, effort and cost of each animal having a $2.50 electronic identification (eID) ear tag ... Current figures suggest around $30 million will be ripped out of rural communities and their service towns by the scheme.
East River funds to bring relief for channel users
Patricia Gill. An overdue public toilet block will be built at Prawn Rock Channel ... The toilets will be a welcome facility in the peak holiday times for many families of picnickers when the nearest public facility is at Ocean Beach. Walkers in the area have complained about the state of the PRC water and surrounds due to there being no toilets.
Regulations needed to clean up bee industry
Beekeeper David Mumford from Narrandera’s King Bee Honey has expressed concerns for the future of his industry which he believes needs regulation to clean it up ... The recent varroa mite biosecurity emergency highlighted a lack of regulation and Mr Mumford would like to see the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) given more power to ensure safe practices.
Gannawarra Australia Day citizens recognised
An emergency services leader and a passionate musician have taken out Gannawarra Shire Council’s 2023 Australia Day Awards. Kerang Fire Brigade captain Ramon Steel was named Gannawarra Shire Council’s Citizen of the Year, and Deaken Fawcett presented with Council’s Young Citizen of the Year Award.
Native forestry myths
The ongoing and thorough debate on Australian Rural & Regional News on native forestry in 2022, highlighted directly and indirectly a few myths on the subject. Without any order of ranking, these are: 1. Native hardwood should be harvested from hardwood plantations ...
Marie and Mick blaze on with BlazeAid fencing jobs
The BlazeAid camp saga continues. BlazeAid co-ordinators Cindy and Wayne Lusted were told to pack up the camp of volunteers staying at Rappville Sportsground ... Mick and Marie Evans, who were volunteers at the first BlazeAid camp in Casino are taking on the smaller jobs on the BlazeAid list and plan to finish the fencing themselves as M&M Fencing, not under the BlazeAid umbrella.
Renmark Hospital restores full services after floods
Patients will once again be able to access acute inpatient care at the Renmark Paringa District Hospital from 25 January 2023, as the hospital returns to business as usual following its flood response. As flood waters continue to recede in the area, acute inpatient admissions will recommence after being suspended on 5 December 2022 as part of Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network’s (RMCLHN) flood response.
Palaszczuk Government signs off on over $370 million for Toowoomba to Warwick pipeline: Palaszczuk, Butcher
The pipeline will carry raw water from Wivenhoe Dam and connect with Toowoomba Regional Council’s existing water infrastructure to deliver water to Warwick and will be an opportunity to deliver treated water to the Toowoomba region communities of Cambooya, Greenmount, Nobby and Clifton. Importantly the pipeline provides drought contingency for residents of Southern Downs Regional Council.
