Politics

The McGowan Government is enhancing WA's program of shark mitigation measures in the lead up to summer, with the Shark Warning System now automated to alert beachgoers to the presence of a tagged shark in the vicinity.

Timber Towns Victoria welcomes a motion calling on the Victorian Government to table all documents relating to the closure of the native timber industry ... “Full, open and transparent information is needed that provides assurances to communities, workers and all sectors of the industry that decisions have been made based on evidence, and in the best interest of all Victorians. This decision has far reaching consequences that need to be fully understood and debated:” TTV President and Glenelg Shire Deputy Mayor Cr Karen Stephens.

South Burnett Regional Council Mayor Brett Otto has hit the ground running on his visit to George Street in Brisbane to meet with Cabinet Ministers ... “Minister Enoch is fully aware of our housing situation here in the South Burnett, as a result of high property demand and a lack of available affordable housing,” Mayor Otto said.

Young Territorians who champion their community are encouraged to apply for a seat at the NT Youth Round Table 2022. Up to 16 positions are available for Territorians, ages 15 to 25. The Round Table gives young people a direct line of communication with the Northern Territory Government and provides a platform to share their views about issues and interests relevant to their peers.

Covid-19 restrictions in 2021 led to the cancellation of four Narrandera Shire flagship events which traditionally draw large crowds and boost the local economy ... Narrandera Shire’s Covid casualties were the Narrandera Show, the Good Old Days Festival at Barellan, Narrandera’s popular 50s and 60s rock n’ roll festival Rockin’ on East and Narrandera Garden Club’s Camellia Show, most of which were cancelled for the second consecutive year ... The Good Old Days Festival drew a record crowd of 7500 in 2019 and has grown into the Narrandera Shire’s biggest event valued at $1.8 million to the regional economy.

Andrew Gill. The future of the Ocean to Channel Recreation Precinct development planned for Ocean Beach is in doubt with the Denmark Shire’s application for $4 million from the Building Better Regions Fund rejected ... The blow comes as the shire and surf club battle to save beach assets in the wake of erosion caused by a series of wild winter storms.

Two exhibitions open at the Caloundra Regional Gallery Friday October, 15, exploring our connection to the ocean and the many ways nature sustains our wellbeing. I Sea U and Healing Garden are on display until December 5.

Any person who is over 16 years of age and who is not fully vaccinated with the provisionally approved COVID-19 vaccine has been excluded from many NSW businesses this week. Despite our regional areas having limited to no COVID-19 cases and willing uptakes exceeding 80% in LGAs like Murray River Council, the state government pushed forward to rip the last shreds of medical sovereignty from people living in our supposed democracy. The mandates have turned friends into enforcers and loyal customers into the unclean, and in turn, the unwelcome.

NSW is set to attract more than $80 billion of investment, drive deep decarbonisation and establish itself as an energy and economic superpower with the launch of the NSW Hydrogen Strategy ... Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said hydrogen was a huge opportunity for regional NSW. “We know that regional economies are diversifying, and the NSW government’s Hydrogen Strategy is bringing that to life,” Mr Toole said.

Mercurius has finalised commissioning and is about to commence operations at their pilot plant that will use their patented REACH(TM)  technology to produce valuable renewable chemicals, diesel and jet fuel from sugarcane waste. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Mackay, which is in the heart of sugarcane country, was the perfect place for this trial to take place.

Research released into koala response to forestry has found that the nutritional quality of trees is critical for koala survival and selective harvesting did not have an adverse impact upon koala numbers on surveyed NSW north coast state forests ... These findings have emerged from a three-year research program independently overseen by the NSW Natural Resources Commission.

A new report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) has found that fish stocks in Australian Government solely managed fisheries are not subject to overfishing.

Publicly-owned renewable energy generator CleanCo has signed an agreement to join Sumitomo Corporation and its partners on the development of a hydrogen industry in Gladstone.

Design and construction of Clifton’s new reverse osmosis (RO) water treatment plant is well underway with the purchase of equipment, building water storage tanks and connection pipes.

Mark Knowles. A Forum in Cairns last week highlighted the need to improve disaster resilience in Cape York and the Torres Strait. Organised by the Torres Cape Indigenous Council Alliance, the forum connected local councils, key government agencies, critical service providers, and non-government organisations from across North Queensland in order to improve disaster preparedness.

Cleve Harvest Music Fest is the newest live music festival on the South Australian calendar, situated in the thriving Eyre Peninsula, agricultural town of Cleve.