Politics

The Victorian government has not replied to the RFA Major Event Review 18 months after it was submitted despite its 37 recommendations on forest management after the devastating 2019-20 bushfires ... Dr Tony Bartlett AFSM, as a science adviser to Forestry Australia, took the fight to the National Bushfire Preparedness Summit in Canberra last week.

The Rockliff Liberal Government is a proud supporter of Legacy and this week we proudly welcomed the Legacy Centenary Torch Relay to Tasmania ... “It was an honour to be in Pozieres, France, as part of the Frank MacDonald Memorial Prize Tour when the Legacy Centenary Torch Relay began on April 23": Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Guy Barnett.

The third national survey of pests and weeds shows 85 per cent of land managers spent on average around $21,950 in 2022 on pest and weed species management ... “Land managers reported that feral animals continue to cause considerable impacts on their properties in 2022,” Dr Greenville said.

Michelle Daw. The RAA is set to install its second electric vehicle charging station on Yorke Peninsula, part of a planned total of eight within the region. Barunga West Council has accepted an offer by the RAA to replace its two existing Teslabranded chargers on Harvey Street, next to the Port Broughton council chambers by the end of the year.

Will Hunter. It is feared a historic crane located on an allotment listed for sale as part of a Department for Infrastructure and Transport land disposal in Port Wakefield may be at risk. The allotments … were listed for sale with Ray White Yorke Peninsula after Wakefield Regional Council advised DIT it had no interest in acquiring any of the land identified for disposal.

New blood has been selected to steer Clarence Valley Council for the next 12 months with Cr Peter Johnstone elected Mayor and Jeff Smith Deputy Mayor, both candidates securing their positions by a single vote. In a surprise move, both incumbents, former Mayor Ian Tiley, and his Deputy Mayor Greg Clancy, did not nominate for election at the September 26 council meeting at the Grafton chambers.

Three Palmers Island prawn farms at the centre of the White Spot outbreak in the Clarence River have entered the final stage of decontamination as part of the NSW Department of Primary Industries DPI eradication response ... The extension of the Control Order was a devastating blow for the Clarence prawn trawl industry and trawler operators like Dean Opalniuk, who received no income from prawns this year, where he would usually average $3000 a week in season, leaving him with a business that was worth more than $200,000, now being worthless.

A DA for a 36-lot subdivision at Orion Drive, Yamba, over an area that is predominantly water, has been deferred for one month by Clarence Valley Council to allow consultation with the Yaegl Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation ... this was the second time the DA had been on public exhibition ... the initial DA was lodged in September 2020.

Nazis in the Wheatbelt, hidden nests of white supremacists, who would have known that our sleepy regional country towns are nests of Neo-Nazi racism? ,,, our WA farmer Labor member for the Agricultural Region, Darren West MLC claimed opponents of the Voice were "voting with" Nazis and white supremacists, both during debate on the proposed Indigenous advisory body in Parliament and in an online Facebook post.

The 2022 official audit of VicForests has found an average 96 per cent compliance with the state's forestry environmental standards ... This audit was conducted according to four themes: environmental values in State forests, conservation of biodiversity, operational planning and record keeping, and coupe infrastructure for timber harvesting operations.

Market fairness, environment laws and the state of rural roads have topped the list of concerns in the first National Farmer Priorities Survey ... The survey of more than 1,600 farmers also confirmed falling confidence within the sector, and revealed reservations about the approach of the Albanese Government.

Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg has welcomed the return of volunteer organisation, BlazeAid, to assist local farmers with clearing and rebuilding fences ... Following the 2019 North Coast bushfires, BlazeAid set up operations near Casino to help local farmers get their paddocks re-fenced.

The $2m project being carried out in Grandchester and Flinders Peak will include activities like planting koala-friendly trees, removing weeds that prevent koalas moving between existing koala habitat and are a fire risk, reducing livestock grazing on habitat to facilitate natural regeneration, and protecting existing koala habitat through fire management. The project will be delivered by Healthy Land and Water, and will support landholders to better protect koalas on their land. 

Stronger powers to allow NT Police to stop and search individuals for knives and other dangerous weapons are now in operation in the Northern Territory. Earlier this year, the Territory Labor Government strengthened the Police Legislation Further Amendment Bill 2023 to allow our Police to use hand-held scanners to detect concealed weapons.

Richmond Valley Council has refused the development application at 59 Rileys Hill Road, Broadwater ... “This development is not in the public interest and is not suitable for development due to flood risk”: Jemma Donnelly. During the floods in February–March last year, the site was underwater.

Imagine building half of Perth in three years because that's what's needed to accommodate the nearly one million people that are expected to arrive between 2022 and 2025 ... No doubt, some will trek inland to the smaller country towns but don't expect them to stay long as the Federal government has recently moved to introduce new visa rights making it easier for migrants who have taken one of the regional work visas to bail from the bush and retreat to the big cities, leaving the businesses that sponsored them in the lurch.

Suzie Christensen. The Checkpoint program conducted in July 2023 has found no sign of rats or mice on Lord Howe Island for over two years, signalling a significant milestone in the Rodent Eradication Project ... More than 950 detection device checks were undertaken using 140 tracking tunnels, 32 trail cameras, and 300 wax tags and chew cards, along with sweeps with detection dogs.

The Mildura region could soon boast its first community battery following the launch of an innovative regional project. The Regional Greenhouse Alliance Neighbourhood Battery Investigation Project aims to develop investment-ready business cases for single community batteries at 18 locations across regional Victoria, including Mildura.

In an impressive feat, Roper Gulf Regional Council has successfully lead a ground breaking feral pig management and removal program in the communities of Numbulwar and Ngukurr last month. This initiative underscores the solid commitment to the health and well-being of all residents, particularly in addressing the significant health risks associated with feral pigs, including the threat of Japanese encephalitis.

Senior Director of River Management Joe Davis said the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) had instructed WaterNSW to hold releases from Weir 32 at the current rate of 1,000 megalitres per day while the effects of the forecast rainfall on system flows could be determined. “Managing river flows and storages in the Basin is complex and requires us to work adaptively to account for changing demands and conditions,” Mr Davis said.

Vibrant artworks featuring some of the Scenic Rim's celebrated wildlife are set to transform an alleyway and block wall in Beaudesert’s town centre into colourful public spaces.