The Gap: More than a pretty picture
“The Queen got pulled up in The Gap. The Olympic torch got pulled up. I was there.” ... For eons people wishing to enter Arrernte land north of the ranges, through the magnificent landmark, had to have consent from the locals. It’s a requirement the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Board clearly failed to observe ...
Water buyback plan ignores evidence and farming communities: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says the Albanese Government’s plan to buyback water under the Murray-Darling Basin Plan ignores all evidence of the devastation farming communities will be forced to endure. VFF Water Council Chair Andrew Leahy said the announcement by Federal Water Minister Tanya Plibersek to buyback water continued to ignore the concerns of farmers about the reduction in the amount of water available to produce food.
Report uncovers domestic violence is rampant in the Barkly
Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation launched its regional report on family violence at Nyinkka Nyunyu ... The Working Group uncovered that the Barkly suffers significant levels of all forms of violence which is often going unreported due to a community belief that violence is tolerated.
Era ends after 27 years
Our four visiting surgeons - Drs Rob Padbury, Bill McLeay, Andrew Hunter and Tom Wilson – were the stars of a small farewell planned recently. But the farewell soon snowballed into a dinner meeting: ‘Some Thank yous, Farewells and Welcomes’ for 40 doctors who had contributed to our region’s health-care for 30-50 years.
$10m plan debated
A town Centre Rejuvenation Plan has been described as “fantastic” but should not ignore Naracoorte is a service centre with an economy underpinned by agriculture. Explaining his concerns, Cr Peter Ireland believed expenditure featured in the plan – a maximum of $9.7 million in the first three years – had a focus on tourism at the expense of Naracoorte being a service centre for agriculture.
Mental health tops priority list
Health priorities for Narrandera and regional residents have been set for 2023 during a meeting last week between Narrandera Local Health Advisory Committee and Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network ... The first priority was mental health, encompassing drug and alcohol and sexual health (domestic violence).
Tighter leash on dog-accessible parks denied
A move proposed at a Toowoomba Regional Council meeting last week which would have seen dogs prohibited from 11 public parks was voted down by Councillors. In March 2022, Council considered a proposal to make changes to the Register - Prohibition and Restriction of Animals in Public Places through the inclusion of 11 additional bushland parks.
Forest closures continue to hamper community recovery
As communities work diligently to recover from the recent flooding, local businesses are concerned that continuing forest closures are hampering the local economy’s recovery ... Further upstream, the Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh said despite the Moama Water Sport Club delaying the world’s biggest ski race until March 24-26 because of the floods, there is still no guarantee the banks of the Murray will have been reopened to the public. He says there is no reason beyond the usual government indifference, regional Victoria is “out of sight, out of mind.”
Native forestry set for the chop
Under the direction of Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, native forestry throughout the state of Victoria is set to be banned by 2030. The move has alarmed rural communities right across Victoria as the regenerative, carbon sequestering resource is not only a sustainable natural product, but provides significant employment, bushfire prevention and a boost to the economy.
Westpac delay welcomed
Patricia Gill. Denmark’s Westpac Bank is among eight regional Westpac banks Australia-wide whose closure has been postponed ... The closure of Westpac would leave the town with one bank operating, BankWest. Denmark’s NAB branch closed on February 9 after scaled-back opening hours and the bank citing a ‘new model’ affecting 114 small regional Australian branches.
Granny’s tea set: Roger Underwood
There was only one occasion on which Granny’s Tea Set actually did duty. It was an auspicious one. It was in the mid-1930s. The Great Depression was biting, Groupies were leaving their blocks in droves and things were tough. The then-Premier of Western Australia, James Mitchell (known derisively on the Groups as “Moocow Mitchell”), had finally been convinced that he should come down and have a look at what was going on, so he could appreciate the plight of the Group Settlers.
Events to commemorate Broome Air Raid 81st anniversary
The Shire of Broome, in collaboration with several community organisations, will host a program of events to commemorate the Broome Air Raid on Thursday, March 2 and Friday March 3, 2023, marking one of the deadliest wartime attacks on Australian soil ... "March 3 marks tragedy for Broome, although it is also a story of inspiration for those that helped the victims of this brutal attack and those victims that survived and lived to share the tale": Shire of Broome President Harold Tracey.
Why this dangerous pest must be stopped
The battle against one of the most serious threats to Sunshine Coast native wildlife is about to resume. To protect native animals, Sunshine Coast Council is running its Coastal Fox Control Program, for the ninth year.
State’s best farming land under threat: NSW Farmers Association
Farmers on the state’s best agricultural land have faced years of uncertainty because of complex red tape that threatens food production. New analysis from NSW Farmers revealed a cloud over ongoing farm production on two-thirds of State Significant Agricultural Land because of conflicting mapping and land use definitions from the NSW Government.
Bunya Pines are impressive but dangerous
Allora has two massive Bunya Pines ... In the bad storm last week branches were ripped from the Pines with sharply pointed leaves falling to the ground covering the lawn and gutters of the nearby home. If a child or even adult was under the Pines when a cone dropped on their head there could be serious consequences. Is it time these Bunya Pines were permanently removed?
Howitt Society weighs into debate
Hiding behind climate change is not a strategy to address the increasing number and intensity of fires and floods across Australia, according to the Howitt Society. The society's president, Rick Cooper, said even if all burning of fossil fuels was stopped across the world tomorrow, climate change was not going to shift into reverse.
‘Today is the day we stop building on the floodplain’ says online petition
Broadwater resident Sophie Morgan-Smith has started an online petition to reject the development proposal for 60 house blocks at Rileys Hill Rd , Broadwater. This land is a floodplain that was 5.33 metres under water in the February-March floods in 2022, Ms Morgan-Smith said.
Big smiles at ‘big shed’ opening
Located at Nymboida Camping and Canoeing, the big shed offered many residents a safe place to stay following the catastrophic bushfires which devastated the region in 2019 ... “We housed locals in the cabins, and very importantly, Nymboida Camping and Canoeing provided a space for people to come and share their experiences and stories with others who understood": Laena Stephenson.
Super way to light community interaction
A vibrant and decorative space has been created in Grafton’s Market Square as part of Clarence Valley Council’s (CVC) Rediscover Grafton project ... Between 6-11pm each night, attendees are welcome to bring their picnic blankets and deck chairs into Market Square and lie or sit below a pair of entwined trees, and engage with the extraordinary experience.
Open letter to Albo: Apparently you have the power to pause bank closures
Just five months ago, a petition calling for an immediate moratorium on regional bank closures was signed off on by your government, published and subsequently received 5000 signatures. Yesterday, in defiance of a direct request by a senate committee investigating the economic and welfare impacts of regional bank closures to pause all planned closures while the inquiry was in progress, Westpac shut the last banks in the South Australian towns of Coober Pedy and Tailem Bend.
That Camp Street levee!
Harold Flett. So Donald had a well above average total of rainfall in the Spring of 2022. Official rainfall records inform us of 365mm for the months of August through to end of November. That is a considerable amount of rain in four months, resulting in many flooded roads, crops and a decent “run” down our local Richardson River ... The first real chance to have our town levees challenged since the erection of them in the years following the “one in a hundred” flood of January 2011.
Putting community safety first with tougher action on youth crime and its causes: Palaszczuk, Ryan, Linard
It will be harder for serious repeat offenders to get bail and there will be even more investment in tackling the complex causes of youth crime, the Palaszczuk Government announced ... The new investment of $332 million will also help boost police resources ... including a new $25 million injection for high visibility police patrols and $17 million for expanded joint flying squads.
