Events postponed, but Show can still go on
The Chief Minister announced Territory Day celebrations across the NT are deferred due to the unfolding COVID situation in Darwin ... Territory Day will go ahead at a later date so we can all celebrate together ... The Alice Springs Show which was due to happen today was cancelled due to the lockdown.
Mothers push for childcare shortage solutions
Eliza Berlage. Mothers in Kingston and Edenhope have channelled their frustration about the local childcare shortage into action by working with councils and government to ï¬nd solutions. With existing services at or close to capacity and waiting lists up to 12 months, many parents have been unable to work or study, and some have considered leaving altogether.
Robotic scanner to map caves
Chris Oldfield. Research, 3D scanning, 3D printing, aerial mapping, special events and school holiday programs continue to boost the economic success of Naracoorte Caves National Park. And soon a cave scanning robot will team up with staff and researchers at the World Heritage listed site. The revelation came at Naracoorte Lucindale Council’s June 22 meeting when palaeontologist Liz Reed delivered a Powerpoint presentation of the Australian Research Council (ARC) linkage project.
‘Floating Cities’ Project supports Lake Eildon houseboat industry
Murrindindi Shire Council is thrilled to announce the completion of the Lake Eildon ‘Floating Cities’ Project. The project has delivered important upgrades to the entrance road to the Lake Eildon Marina, off Sugarloaf Road, which will make access for houseboats much easier. It has also delivered a new, environmentally-friendly wash-bay facility, which will accommodate minor houseboat maintenance, mandatory houseboat inspections and allow easier access for larger houseboats.
Federal Government exacerbates farm labour shortage with new visa rules
Growcom and AgForce have come together today to slam changes to the Working Holiday Maker visa conditions which only suggest the Federal Government is totally divorced from farming reality. Growcom Chief Executive Stephen Barnard said the change defied logic and ran counter to all available evidence, including analysis from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries which found the Queensland horticulture sector is currently short up to 9,000 workers.
Hawke’s backpacker visa changes a cruel blow to farmers battling to find workers
The National Farmers' Federation is angered by a move by Federal Immigration Minister Alex Hawke that will likely reduce the workforce available to northern and remote farmers. The permanent changes announced by Minister Hawke are effective immediately and have the potential to particularly impact northern Australia cattle station operators, who rely on UK and European backpackers, and the northern horticulture industry.
New affordable housing just months away from opening
Eight units are under construction at 115 Centre St in Casino through Momentum Collective ... Across the region, there is a chronic shortage of affordable housing, said Mark Edwards from Momentum Collective. “This is a positive move to support local people and key workers who may not be able to access safe, affordable housing.”
Mining exploration kicks off in earnest
Geoff Helisma. Corazon Mining announced on the Australian Stock Exchange on June 17 that it has “commenced drilling at the Mt Gilmore Copper Cobalt Gold Project”, which is 25km northwest of Grafton. “Drilling will target the priority 8km-long Gordonbrook Hill – May Queen copper-cobalt/silver-gold anomaly, within the greater 20km long Mt Gilmore Trend,” the announcement states.
Up, up and away! Derby to Broome flights to commence in August
The Shire of Derby/West Kimberley is delighted at the announcement today that local flights linking Derby and Broome will be available three times per week by Aviair from 16 August 2021 for a 12-month trial. Shire President Geoff Haerewa has welcomed the news as it has been a long-term priority for the Shire to have affordable and accessible flights from Derby to Perth.
Greater Shepparton welcomes Hockey Victoria for the first regionally hosted Junior State Championships
Greater Shepparton City Council is excited to welcome Hockey Victoria for the prestigious Junior Boys State Championships (JSC). “It is a wonderful opportunity for Greater Shepparton to be able to host a high-profile event in our region and we thank Hockey Victoria for their hard work and dedication to delivering hockey in this very competitive and challenging environment,” Cr Kim O’Keeffe said.
Miles off the mark
Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles has shown scant regard for the residents of Weipa, completely ignoring questions regarding normalisation. Mr Miles, who is also the Local Government Minister, didn’t even bother to address the questions put to him by Cape York Weekly.
Kidney unit snubs the Cape
A political decision to build a kidney transplant unit at Townsville instead of Cairns has riled medical experts in the Far North. The state government held bids from both Cairns and Townsville hospitals for the new renal transplant unit, but opted for the more southern hospital, despite evidence suggesting more patients would benefit if it was in Cairns.
Farmers praise important environmental reform in Federal Parliament this week
The National Farmers’ Federation commends the passage of two important pieces of environmental reform this week: the Inspector-General of Water Compliance Bill and the Standards and Assurance Bill. "The Standards and Assurance Bill is the first step towards reform. The Bill will establish a framework to develop national environmental standards consistent with the Samuel review of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity (EPBC) Act," NFF CEO Tony Mahar said.
Revised Remote Engagement and Coordination Strategy launched
Local Government Minister Chansey Paech and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Selena Uibo were in town this week to launch the revised edition of the Remote Engagement and Coordination Strategy (RECS). The RECS is part of a suite of tools designed to improve all aspects of regional and remote engagement, travel, and coordination of community visits ... Work on the RECS second edition was led by a group of NT Government agencies and the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory.
Gingin brigades will shift to new emergency services centre
A new emergency services centre with the capacity for an incident control centre if there is a major bushfire in the area is being built in Gingin. The Gingin Volunteer Fire & Rescue and Gingin South Bushfire Brigade will share the Gingin Emergency Services Centre ... Emergency Services Minister Reece Whitby said volunteer firefighters in the Gingin area had been in the thick of bushfire fighting responses this year, including the Red Gully and Wooroloo bushfires.
$5-$7m for town centre
Chris Oldfield. A multi-million dollar overhaul to spruce up Naracoorte, changing it from a service centre for surrounding districts into a “thriving economic community hub” is the aim of a 71-page Naracoorte Town Centre Rejuvenation Plan ... “The context of the Naracoorte Town Centre Rejuvenation Plan, is that the plan is a high level concept plan – draws out the ideas and concepts suggested by the community – with the detailed planning on separate stages still to be undertaken,” said Naracoorte Lucindale Council CEO, Trevor Smart.
Politics, say no more …
Barnaby Joyce is once again leader of the federal National Party and is the Deputy Prime Minister. Does that statement cause joy, tears or disbelief? For me, personally, I am probably leaning towards disbelief, and that is based on his recent behaviour alone, including: Approval of the sale of $80 million of water licences for a Cayman Islands based company established by Energy Minister Angus Taylor, Eastern Australia Irrigation – the very same licences that were valued at zero between 2008 and 2010.
Real outcomes for regional and rural Queensland
Economic development and delivering the State’s Economic Recovery Plan has been the focus of the Palaszczuk Government’s Regional Community Forums held across the state todayMinisters and MPs participated in the sixth Regional Community Forums, held in seven regional centres.
$2.8 billion to future proof regional NSW
Thousands of new jobs and significant infrastructure builds in regional NSW will be delivered through the 2021-22 NSW Budget, supporting the recovery and future prosperity of regional communities following drought, bushfires, floods, the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently the mice plague.
Primary Industries and Regions South Australia – SA State Budget 2021-22
Through more than $875 million in new measures supporting South Australia’s regions, the Marshall Liberal Government will build key infrastructure, drive economic growth and recovery to ensure our regional communities thrive.
Territory iron shipment leaves Darwin port
The first shipment of iron ore from processed waste materials at Frances Creek Mine are being celebrated this week as a huge sign of strength and confidence in the Territory’s mineral industry. The Territory Labor Government approved the Mining Management Plan for the Frances Creek Mine in March 2020 enabling the processing of existing ore stockpiles at the mine. NT Bullion – the operator of the mine – has been using innovative x-ray technology from German based Steinert to screen waste rock stockpiles at the site to produce export quality iron ore.
CVC considers ‘solar farm’ to meet its renewable energy target
Geoff Helisma. Clarence Valley Council (CVC) is a step closer towards meeting its 2030 greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy targets ... the '100% Renewables' report was re-engaged “to undertake a preliminary investigation into a mid-scale solar farm on a site located at the Grafton Regional Landfill & Resource Recovery Facility,” the report to the June 22 CVC meeting stated.
