David Speirs MP, Leader of the South Australian Liberal Party
I am very excited that the South Australian Liberal Party will host its first Shadow Country Cabinet in the South East this week ... We want our visits to be meaningful and genuine, eschewing Labor’s FIFO approach to regional visits and city-centric decision making. We saw a prime example of this with the recent plebiscite into merging the District Council of Grant and the City of Mount Gambier ...: David Speirs MP, Leader of the Opposition.
More on koala monitoring: Brad Law
Australian Rural & Regional News followed up with some further questions for Dr Brad Law, NSW DPI Principal Scientist ... "We state that koala occurrence or site occupancy has been stable in hinterland forests of north-east NSW, which is not the same as koala numbers" ... "We don’t have any evidence that koalas are irrupting ..." ... "It does appear to be the case that nutrition is high in epicormic leaves produced after fire, and that koalas rapidly recolonise burnt areas if there is good connectivity with unburnt forest."
Tenants urged to get ready for new public housing rent collection overhaul
The Territory Government is changing the way it collects rent for remote tenants in Tennant Creek and Barkly communities ... In rolling out the new framework, historical rental arrears accrued up until 11 December 2021 have been waived. Nearly $70 million in rent was not collected for more than 11 years, providing a major shortfall of reinvestment back into repairs and maintenance of public housing.
2022 State election – Q&A
What do you think will be the three issues uppermost in people’s minds when they cast their vote this election? ... What can you and your party offer the voter that other parties can’t?
Exhibition success for Wik and Kugu Arts Centre
Aurukun’s famous ku’ (camp dog) carvings are among 160 works installed in the inaugural display of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art in the newly located Yiribana Gallery at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Pipeline secured for local towns
Cambooya, Greenmount and Nobby are set to be connected to the Toowoomba to Warwick pipeline after Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) gave its approval last week, subject to conditions. The pipeline will see the townships of Cambooya, Greenmount and Nobby, as well as Clifton, connected to treated water supplied from Wivenhoe Dam via Toowoomba.
Council seeks help to honour Her Majesty
How do you honour the incredible life and memory of our late Sovereign, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II? That is the question Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio would like to ask residents as the Council seeks community engagement to consider memorial options for Queen Elizabeth II.
Blackwood attacks Andrews Government after timber ruling
Native timber harvesting in Victoria has stopped after a ruling on 4 November in the Supreme Court, prompting a savage attack on the Andrews Government’s culpability by the Liberals Gary Blackwood ... “This is a disgraceful indictment on the Andrews Government, who have been lobbied for months to adjust the Code of Forest Practice so that it reflected exactly what has been in place to protect the Greater Glider for many years”: Gary Blackwood, retiring Member for Narracan and Opposition forestry spokesman.
Flood emergency: Council to levy governments for funding of upgrades
Both the Narrandera Shire Council Mayor Neville Kschenka and General Manager George Cowan will lobby the State and Federal Governments for funding for upgrades to highways as well as the town’s water supply and stormwater systems ... Submissions will be lodged with the NSW Government seeking support for routine flood damage repairs, highlighting the importance of betterment to the Newell and Sturt Highways and the Narrandera town water supply and stormwater systems.
Moulamein flood meeting held
The Moulamein Club was packed as community members gathered on Monday to hear the flood advice from Murray River Council, SES and NSW Police ... “Since we started the last meeting last Monday, the prediction was 6.1m. By the time we left that meeting, the prediction was 6.2m and on Sunday morning, I believe it reached 6.099 metres which is now the highest we’ve ever seen": Murray River Council’s Director of Infrastructure, Jack Bond.
Food industry warns government of long-term food supply chain disruptions: National Food Supply Chain Alliance
The National Food Supply Chain Alliance, made up of nine influential national food industry associations, says long term supply chain issues, including ongoing natural disasters and labour shortages, are set to increase food prices for the foreseeable future ... The Alliance has, over the past two days, met with government and the opposition to explain the risks to the economy and Australians’ wellbeing should a National Plan not be developed and implemented as a matter of urgency.
Labor’s reasons for Ag Shows funding cuts
Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has been asked for an explanation as to why the grants have been discontinued and if there is potential for any other funding for the various agricultural societies which run local shows ... "While there were many competing priorities for funding in the October Agriculture Budget, the Albanese Government's overriding priority was to strengthen Australia's biosecurity defences ...": Senator Watt.
Andrews SEC plan is a mixed bag
When Daniel Andrews announced his plans to revive the State Electricity Commission (SEC), he said: “Unreliable, privatised coal will be replaced by clean, government-owned renewable energy.” This is a distorted claim.
eDNA methods put to test as part of the battle against varroa mite: DAFF
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is testing new methods for detecting environmental DNA (eDNA) of varroa mite under the Biosecurity Innovation Program’s Biosecurity molecular screening using eDNA project. A/g Deputy Secretary of Biosecurity and Compliance Peter Timson said eDNA technology is being evaluated as a mobile, rapid, and efficient way to evaluate for pest species on the biosecurity front line.
Stop building on floodplains chorus growing
Rodney Stevens. The united chorus of ‘Stop building on Floodplains’ from federal and state leaders during the devastating and ongoing flooding in NSW during 2022 could reshape communities and country towns. Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt last week called for new laws to be introduced to stop homes being built on floodplains and other disaster-prone areas.
Lake Macquarie welcomes e-scooter trial: Stokes
Lake Macquarie will be the first council area in the state to welcome shared e-scooters, with a 12-month trial along selected routes to begin from Monday December 5. Minister for Active Transport Rob Stokes said the NSW Government has worked closely with Lake Macquarie’s economic development company Dantia and e-scooter provider Beam to ensure the trial will benefit their community and put safety first.
Historic Old School at Beechmont gets a smart new look
With a new roof and a fresh coat of paint, the historic Old School at Beechmont has a smart new look ... "The Old School is part of the history of Beechmont and will be an important community centre well into the future as a venue for weddings, functions and local events which bring locals together and attract visitors to the region": Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen.
Stop. Think. Vote! Australia’s peak animal welfare body says Victorian politics needs your vote to count: Animal Care Australia
Australia’s peak animal welfare body, Animal Care Australia, has published a score card of how each Victorian Political Party performed in supporting or opposing sound Animal Welfare initiatives for companion animals in this last term. Animal Care Australia painstakingly trawled through the last 3 years of Hansard (the official record of the Minutes of Victoria’s Parliament) to find how often each party spoke in favour of improving animal welfare and supporting companion animals, and those who blocked, or spoke against, those motions.
Have your say on the future of cycling in regional WA: Saffioti
People living in regional Western Australia are being invited to complete a Department of Transport survey to help shape the future of bike riding in their local community. Three surveys targeting people who live in or visit the Gascoyne, Great Southern, and Kalgoorlie-Boulder regions are now open for comment on the My Say Transport website, with the resulting feedback used to shape long-term cycling strategies for each region.
Farmers and regional Victorians miss out on election promises: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has revealed its State Election Scorecard rating the promises made by the major parties ahead of this weekend’s election. The VFF’s Election Scorecard scores the promises made by Labor and the Coalition according to the commitments that the VFF sought as part of its ‘Fair Go for Regional Vic’ campaign.
SA River Murray update
Notice of community meetings, flood information, SES status, advice and links provided by Alexandrina Shire in South Australia, where the River Murray meets the sea and flooding is predicted.
By their deeds you will know them
The NSW Government last week withdrew what is referred to as the dual consent private native forestry bill, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Private Native Forestry) Bill 2022. It is possible in the past week to look at news headlines concerning all mainland eastern States and see open contemptuous rampant hypocrisy at play. But the conduct around this Bill is possibly the better example.
