Politics

The Morrison Government is boosting the level of protection for Koalas under National Environmental law, and will this week seek agreement from Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory on the National Recovery plan ... “The impact of prolonged drought, followed by the black summer bushfires, and the cumulative impacts of disease, urbanisation and habitat loss over the past twenty years have led to the advice." : Minister Ley.

Under the framework, biodiversity, unlike traditional farm commodities which are delivered to a buyer, will need to be maintained and/or established within the farm boundaries, much like carbon sequestration in vegetation and soil. There will be an ongoing relationship between the supplier (farmer) and purchaser to manage and report the status.

A bill to create the legal framework for a national voluntary agriculture biodiversity stewardship market has been introduced in Parliament ... “The Bill will create a biodiversity certificate, which will be tradeable. This will mean biodiversity outcomes can be purchased, transferred, claimed, or used" : Minister Littleproud.

Barkly Regional Council is urging residents and ratepayers to have their say whether the Tennant Creek Local Authority (TCLA) should continue. A questionnaire on the Council’s website is asking for input to decide if the local Authority, funded to the tune of $100,000 a year, is viable.

East Gippsland in the far SE corner of Australia, has long been seen as the stronghold of many natural values including old growth and rainforests and remarkable wildlife species that evolved with and still depend on these healthy, intact habitats.

The adorable Greater Glider is in trouble. It is threatened by fire and logging and its population has crashed by over 80% this century ... VicForests – a logging company owned by the government – wants to clear much of what’s left of the Greater Glider’s habitat.

The most ferocious fires seen in WA, four of them ranked level four bushfires, wiped out 60,000ha across WA with Denmark recording the heaviest losses with four houses.

The hard-working team of artists from Apparition Media have completed the final artwork on the Narrandera Water Tower. This impressive new addition was completed in just four days adding to the already popular attraction overlooking Narrandera.

Over 30 attendees turned out for the land reclassification public hearing on February 3. Lot 1 DP1267277, Gonn Road, Barham is the proposed site for Barham’s new micro-abattoir ... While the hearing was focused on the land reclassification, topics raised by speakers were broad, from the benefits of the development to those who felt a lack of consultation and concerns over the process.

After 14 years as a rural journalist, Sophie Baldwin is aiming to transform her passion for rural communities to a potent political voice for the federal seat of Mallee. Ms Baldwin believes it is time for Mallee to have an independent voice.

It’s time to turn that trash into treasure! NetWaste, Coonamble Shire Council and Outback Arts are collaborating once again to host the annual Waste 2 Art Competition and Exhibition.

The transformation of the 83-year-old art deco water tower in South Casino has been a long time coming. Richmond Valley Council put forward several mural designs for the community to decide which one was best for the tower.

Emma Pritchard. As Irene Armstrong gazes up into the leafy canopies of the trees outside her home, she estimates the population of the newest residents, who first appeared at the end of January, has grown to more than 40000 ... Their constant shrieking, feeding, habitat destruction, offensive odour and waste products are driving locals batty ... In NSW, flying foxes are protected ... The grey headed flying fox is also listed as vulnerable ...

“Sea spurge is now reappearing in NSW, this time in more regional and remote areas of NSW, and we suspect it’s spreading from Victorian and Tasmanian beaches .... A spraying program is underway, using a highly specific biocontrol agent of sea spurge, a fungus, which is native to France" : James Griffin, NSW Environment Minister.

Responding to the oil spill at the Port of Devonport has been a mammoth task, but years of planning and preparation meant multiple agencies were able to act quickly to contain the spill. The Environment Protection Authority, TasPorts, BridgePro, Tasmanian Divers Group, Marine and Safety Tasmania, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau have all have worked in unison since a commercial vessel collided with two tugboats on January 28, causing fuel and oil to spill into the Mersey River.

Regular passenger flights between Hobart and two Bass Strait Islands will be extended following the success of the Sharp Airline services that were introduced in September 2020 ... The services have been a roaring success, and have given more Tasmanians the ability to explore these unique parts of our special Island State.

Cases of Bovine Ephemeral Fever, also known as three-day sickness, are being seen in cattle on the NSW North Coast. The disease has been confirmed via laboratory testing in a herd within the Kyogle shire, and there have also been reports of clinical signs of the disease in the Tweed and Brunswick shires. It is expected that the disease will move south as the season progresses.

Ecological planned burning is a land management tool applied to promote positive benefits for a local environment. These benefits include stimulating dormant seed banks in the soil profile, reducing the vigour or eliminating weeds, nutrient cycling and the removal of biomass - all of which promote biodiversity and ecosystem health.

Rockhampton Regional Council is being inundated with reports of Prickly Acacia and Parthenium spreading in the region, and they are calling on the community to assist. Planning and Regulation Councillor Grant Mathers said officers have been working closely with landholders and community stakeholders to establish the extent of the areas of concern, and to treat areas on a priority basis.

A massive, stunningly beautiful former grazing property will soon belong to Queenslanders as the state’s newest national park. “The Lakes”, north of Hughenden, will increase Queensland’s protected area estate by 35,300 hectares, with the Palaszczuk Government now finalising the multi-million-dollar purchase.