Major progress made towards Murray-Darling Basin water target: Watt
Nearly 85 per cent of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan’s environmental water target has now been achieved ... over 380GL of water has now been recovered towards the 450GL target, through a combination of federally-funded water-efficiency infrastructure projects and voluntary water purchasing.
Can the Minns growth agenda be delivered without water?: Regional Cities NSW
Regional Cities NSW (RCNSW) has called on the Minns Government to prioritise regional water policy and investment after the release of the NSW Auditor-General’s Water management and regulation in NSW report on Monday. RCNSW Chair, and Mayor of Lismore, Cr Steve Krieg said the Auditor-General’s report highlighted the state’s water framework remains complex, fragmented and constrained by poor data and unclear responsibilities.
Tax change delivers immediate win for thousands of farmers: NFF
The National Farmers’ Federation has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to expand access to a key Capital Gains Tax (CGT) concession, describing it as one of the most consequential wins for the NFF and its members following sustained advocacy on behalf of farmers.
Rare sambar deer sighting in Loxton North: Landscape SA
The Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board is urging the Riverland community to report deer sightings following the detection of a sambar deer in an orchard near Loxton North, captured on a remote trail camera. Sambar deer are a large species, reaching up to 1.6 metres tall and 300 kg, and can pose risks to people, road users and horticultural operations.
Newcastle carbon plant opens the door to new green industries: Bowen, Claydon
The MCi Carbon plant takes carbon dioxide captured from ammonia production and turns it into materials used in concrete, plasterboard, glass and paper.
Farmers question VicGrid process
Carey Brennan. Tuesday night’s VicGrid Community Reference Group meeting of impacted farmers, council officers and VicGrid employees was disrupted by around 60 farmers and concerned community members at Charlton Park. Claire Flanagan-Smith, of RMG Consulting, chairing the meeting, called a halt to proceedings and refused to let it continue with the farmers present.
Attorney General fails to guarantee regional courts will reopen: Love
Leader of The Nationals WA, Shane Love MLA, says the Attorney General has failed to provide any guarantee to regional Western Australians affected by the closure of more than 20 regional and remote courts that they would reopen on 28 August, as previously stated. During Question Time today [16 June 2026], Mr Love twice asked the Attorney General to guarantee the reopening and twice the Attorney General failed to give that guarantee.
Australian-first battery powers up near Balranald
Energy Minister Penny Sharpe has cut the ribbon on Australia's first eight-hour battery near Balranald, with RWE's Limondale storage system promising steadier power, local jobs and money back into the community. A property on the outskirts of Balranald is now home to a national first.
Run the election
Naracoorte Lucindale mayor Patrick Ross has blasted a push to delay South Australia’s local government elections, warning councils, candidates, and communities should not be left in limbo after years of preparation, months of planning, and public resources already committed to delivering a November vote.
National Office for Algal Bloom Research opens in Adelaide: Watt, Scriven
Australia’s first dedicated central hub for algal bloom research has opened in Adelaide. The $3.2 million Office for Algal Bloom Research has been established within the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), placing Adelaide at the forefront of algal bloom management and research.
New firearms laws to keep Victorians safe: Carbines
Victorians will be safer and guns will be kept out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them under new laws. The Firearms Amendment Bill 2026 acts on four recommendations from the Rapid Review into Victoria’s Firearms Laws conducted by Ken Lay AO APM.
Croc Squad snaps up new HQ on World Crocodile Day: Boothby
The Finocchiaro CLP Government has marked World Crocodile Day with the opening of a new “Croc Squad” headquarters in Palmerston for the rangers who keep the Territory’s waterways safe for locals and visitors. Parks and Wildlife rangers removed 240 crocodiles across the Territory, including 199 from designated crocodile management zones and 41 from outside those areas, between 1 July 2025 and 31 May 2026.
Co-operatives and mutuals demonstrate resilience with another year of strong revenue and earnings growth: BCCM
Australia’s co-operative and mutual sector has again proved its resilience, recording an 8.4 per cent increase in annual revenue, against a backdrop of recurring domestic and global economic challenges. The latest National Mutual Economy Report published today by the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM) reaffirms the sector’s robust health despite the impact of ongoing inflationary pressures in Australia and abroad.
Farley questions Defence Minister in parliamentary debut
Newly elected Member for Farrer David Farley used his debut parliamentary question time to quiz Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles about the nation's water. Rather than directing his opening questions to the Environment or Agriculture ministers, Farley targeted the Defence and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles.
Does paraquat cause Parkinson’s? Here’s what the evidence says about this common weed killer
Ian Musgrave. Paraquat is one of the world’s most widely used herbicides. It’s also highly toxic and some research points to a link with Parkinson’s disease ... Let’s see what the evidence says about paraquat’s toxicity and any link with Parkinson’s disease.
LECC find police failed in their duty in the death of Lindy Lucena – Police reject all recommendations: Higginson
A Law Enforcement Conduct Commission’s Operation Almas has criticised the police response to the violent death of Ballina woman Lindy Lucena at the hands of her partner in 2023. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has opposed all recommendations made by the LECC aimed at improving police responses to incidents of domestic violence in future.
Mallee exporters to be hammered by huge increases in export fees: Webster
Mallee’s food exporters face huge spikes in Commonwealth export fees after the shock release of data under the cover of a quiet Friday after sunset. The Albanese Government’s final Export Cost Recovery Implementation Statements confirm fee increases of up to 384 per cent on agricultural exporters.
Securing more fertiliser for Australian farmers: Collins, Farrell, Ayres
The Albanese Labor Government has secured another three shipments of approximately 98,500 tonnes of additional urea for Australian farmers through the Government’s $7.5 billion Fuel and Fertiliser Security Facility. The Albanese Government has partnered with Incitec Pivot, CSBP, and Summit Fertilizer to support the purchase of these additional fertiliser shipments, which are expected to arrive in Australia in the coming weeks.
Report slams performance of post-flood programs
The NSW Reconstruction Authority has begun rolling out a new series of targeted information and industry sessions to help flood-impacted residents in the Northern Rivers move from the planning phase into active construction and relocation. This comes in the wake of the NSW Auditor-General's scathing report on the performance of the $880m Resilient Homes Program and...
Reusing buybacks and pod homes aims to address housing shortage
Buyback homes and temporary home pods will be part of a housing reuse initiative by NSW Reconstruction Authority and Homes NSW. The homes will be offered for affordable, social, transitional, crisis or key worker housing, or as community spaces.
Opinion piece – Five Eyes Law Enforcement Group to target serious online harms: Krissy Barrett
Krissy Barrett. When I became AFP Commissioner last year, I said I would have candid conversations with Australians to inform them about the threats they face ... But parents and caregivers now need to be aware of entrenched and emerging criminal threats because of rapidly-evolving technology.
Modern farming is outgrowing Australia’s tax system, new AgriFutures research shows: AgriFutures Australia
Australia’s farmers are embracing new income streams to remain viable, but the nation’s tax system has not kept pace, according to new research ... by AgriFutures Australia. The report, Assessing the Implications of Emerging Farm Income Streams for Primary Producer Tax Policy, shows modern farm businesses are increasingly hosting renewable energy projects, participating in environmental markets and managing land access agreements...
