Politics

Western Downs Regional Council is supporting the region’s local artists to take part in a new three-day regional arts forum by offering a brand-new bursary program and presenting opportunities.

Under the government lead water reforms, water trading is mostly unregulated, not even requiring an ABN to trade water. “There is no law against market manipulation in the Murray-Darling Basin water markets,” ACCC deputy chair, Mr Keogh said. “So, it’s not illegal, even if it is occurring.” In Australia we now have multinational corporates, foreign buyers and the big end of town able to buy, trade and, in some instances, remain capital gains tax free as they bid for water against Aussie food and fibre producers.

The Riverina State Group’s objective is to form The Riverina into a State of Australia separate from NSW. This road sign will be one of many to inform people of this proposed formation, and promote State formation.

Geoff Helisma. Prue Leggoe was awarded her Order of Australia Medal on January 26, 2019, for her work in the advancement of women’s rights, support and empowerment, and her service to community job-readiness initiatives. Now residing in Maclean, Ms Leggoe (formerly Sibree) was the Liberal member for Kew in Victoria from 1981 to 1986.

Sports Expos are organised by local councils and at Mt. Isa we had over 1,000 people attending the excellent indoor facility with 66 sports, hobby and community groups displaying what they had on offer.

“Many of our tourism industry work hard to ensure they have their product listed across online travel agency platforms like Wotif, showcasing the region and all of the wonderful experiences we have in our backyard, like our easy access to the Southern Great Barrier Reef, our food and drink heroes, our parks and gardens. This increases visibility for the Bundaberg Region and supports all of the other businesses in the region that benefit indirectly from the visitor dollar," says Bundaberg Tourism CEO Katherine Reid.

Bendigo and region is Australia’s first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, so this is the perfect way to highlight all we have to offer and help people design the perfect day trip or weekend away.

Deep anger, fear and resentment has been exposed during the first public meeting at Newlyn to discuss the proposed Western Victorian Transmission Network ... The Western Victorian project is earmarked as the first of eight across Australia, including Victorian Government plans to ‘grid the state’. “Locals are very alert that the fight for their rights and livelihoods is being watched by communities across the nation. These residents are setting the precedent,” Mrs McArthur said.

The new 2019-20 Primary Industries Scorecard is out now, outlining the resilient performance of South Australia's primary industries which generated revenue of $14.1 billion. It highlights the critical reliance on the primary industries and agribusiness sector to keep the South Australian economy moving, despite a number of challenges including drought, bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The meeting started with a community conversation with attendees forming groups afterwards to brainstorm ideas which were collected and collated to be presented at another meeting to be held in the coming weeks. Speakers included Barkly MLA Steve Edgington, The Mob Aboriginal Corporation’s Josephine Bethel, local business owner Steve Baldwin and Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation’s Dr Geoff Evans. The meeting was a civilised affair with residents and interested stakeholders focused simply on solutions.

“Red imported fire ants are one of the world’s worst invasive species due to their devastating economic, environmental and social impacts, They are a danger to people and our way of life, destroy agricultural and domestic infrastructure, and are a serious environmental threat."

A bitter stoush has erupted over a proposed water tower mural at Yerong Creek with the community labelling the art work as garish and cartoonish. A deputation to Lockhart Shire Council’s March meeting pleaded for a replacement design, with their petition of 100 signatures and suggestions passed on to a selection committee and a decision was due to be made this week. Residents were “insulted and angry” over the short consultation time frame on a design already endorsed by Council.

Geoff Helisma. The NSW Government has granted $30.8 million in funding to Clarence Valley Council (CVC) to replace 31 timber bridges in the Clarence Valley. The council was successful with 31 of 32 applications to the Fixing Country Bridges (FCB) program. Staff wrote in the report to yesterday’s March 30 CVC meeting that it was “an unprecedented amount of funding for timber bridge replacements in the Clarence Valley over the next two years”.

FRDC. An historic, Traditional Fishing Agreement has been signed between the Narungga Nation in South Australia and the South Australian Government.

Jessie Hayward is thrilled with her new home. She is the first tenant to move into one of ten brand new homes being built in Tennant Creek. GK Builders and Asbuild were awarded NT Government tenders to construct six three-bedroom homes and four four-bed-room homes across town camps including Village, Marla Marla, Munji Marla, Tingkarli, Karguru and Mulga.

The town is divided over the NT Government’s new measures to tackle youth crime which will see young people who breach bail locked up. The automatic revocation of bail will apply to young people who reoffend while on bail, breach curfew or fail to attend court, for example. Police will have extended powers to use electronic monitoring on young people and powers to breath test youth who are behind the wheel of a car.

The star-gazing project at Mallanganee Lookout is exciting and ambitious. With expansive views across the Richmond Range, Mallanganee National Park and Hogarth Range Nature Reserve, the under-used lookout has the potential to attract thousands of visitors of the star-gazing kind.

Reinforcing the need for some long term planning rather than short term solutions for the alternative crossing over the Blue Mountains ...

Unequipped and unsafe health facilities in the Murrumbidgee region, lack of funding and available services and minimal staffing leading to burnout have all been the focus of regional submissions to a NSW Upper House inquiry ... “The reality is however, throughout rural NSW hospital operating theatres stand unused, no babies are being delivered and regularly there is no doctor available to attend emergency wards” : Narrandera Shire general manager, George Cowan.

Rockhampton Regional Council aren’t taking any rubbish when it comes to polluting our waterways. Last year Council installed a device known as a ‘Baffle Box’ on the riverbank, opposite the Pilbeam Theatre. Baffle Boxes are underground structures made up of different chambers that trap gross pollutants such as debris, trash, and other pollutants from stormwater that flows off streets and into storm drains after heavy rain.

Sam Farraway MLC NSW: “The Southern Feeder Road upgrades are vital for the Orange community and with some stages already completed we are seeing the benefits, not only in road safety but in time efficiency and connectivity.” Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the funding for new and upgraded infrastructure was the result of upfront strategic planning and the investment of developer contributions.