State politics

Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny has recently approved a further $2.4 billion in projects through the Development Facilitation Program (DFP).

Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster has taken Energy Minister Chris Bowen to task for his spin on Mallee battery rollout numbers, as the cost of the Government’s home battery scheme blows out. “I had to call out the Minister’s nonsense claiming Mallee has a home battery rollout ‘6 times Melbourne’ – which is very sneaky semantics...

The Minns Labor Government has delivered on its election commitment to employ an extra 1000 apprentices and trainees across the public sector, helping tackle skills shortages across essential services and create paid career pathways across NSW.

Shadow Minister for Racing and Gaming, Mr Lachlan Hunter MP, has called on the Minister to address serious concerns after two races at the controversial Lark Hill meeting were run over the wrong distance—an issue he had previously raised in Questions on Notice earlier this year.

A vacant block of land in Armidale Street, South Grafton owned by respected community and aged care housing provider, Clarence Village Limited, will soon house the largest modular social housing project in the nation ... “It will deliver 32 new self-contained one-bedroom social housing units designed specifically for older residents, with vulnerable single older women prioritised for the new homes,” Mr Williamson said.

...the trial of the $26.2 m bubble plume project is already making a positive difference by creating warmer temperatures throughout the Severn River’s Pindari Dam storage ... “This project aims to re-establish more natural water temperatures below dams for native fish breeding and growth. The project also ensures that water temperatures from environmental flow releases enhance the health of the river downstream”: Tara Moriarty.

The Nationals will fight to stop the Victoria to NSW Interconnector West (VNI West) by scrapping Labor's net zero agenda, which has driven the reckless renewables rollout across regional Australia. Speaking after a Farmers' Forum in St Arnaud last week, Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan said farmers and the local community had made clear the disastrous impact Labor's net zero agenda was having on regional Victoria.

The launch of Caught in the Current, The Dire Consequences of Politics Driving the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in Barham, celebrated a long-awaited, community-driven historical and factual resource on Australian Water Policy ... The book is explicitly designed as a factual counter-narrative and practical tool for inquiries, libraries, and policy debate.

The Crisafulli Government is delivering $300,000 to support two local agronomy projects, helping shore up the future of agriculture in Far North Queensland after the local collapse of sugar cane when the Mossman Mill closed in 2024.   

Christine Webster. The recommissioning of the PS Canally will be celebrated with the return of the Morgan Living River Festival, on Saturday and Sunday, at the town's riverfront reserve. A team of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers spent 16 years restoring the 119-year-old paddle steamer.

The peak body for Tasmanian farmers has released its Rushy Lagoon Land Use North-East Community Impact Survey. TasFarmers said it had received concerns from numerous members regarding the proposed sale of Rushy Lagoon, and federal government support allowing a foreign-owned entity to purchase the property and convert it to a pine plantation.

Council has now lodged its submission with the Department of Planning on the State Significant Development application for a proposed residential flat building development at Sanderling Avenue, Hawks Nest. The proposal involves the construction of three residential flat buildings up to four storeys, strata subdivision, and upgrades to the golf club parking area ... Council’s submission does not support the proposal in its current form.

The NSW Liberals and Nationals will oppose Labor’s rushed attempt to remove independent oversight, increase Ministerial powers and bypass effective community consultation on renewable energy projects in regional NSW, with the views of farmers and other stakeholders already being ignored by the Minns Labor Government ... The Energy Legislation Amendment (Prioritising Renewable Energy) Bill 2026 is a reckless concentration of unchecked Ministerial power...

More renewable energy flowing into the system is helping place downward pressure on electricity prices, with the Default Market Offer in NSW set to fall from July. The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has determined the cap on default electricity prices for NSW households will drop by between 3.4 and 7.7 per cent from July, reflecting lower wholesale electricity costs as more renewable generation and storage enters the market.

Michelle Daw. Moonta Mines heritage volunteers say about $100,000 has been lost since National Trust of South Australia shut local sites in February, as they continue to fight the closure on multiple fronts.

Chantelle Thomas invoked the Bible, calling for a return to Christian values, and an end to abortions and "woke ideology" in her maiden speech as the Member for Narungga last week. Speaking in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, May 20, Mrs Thomas said Australia was built on strong Christian values of faith, family, respect, personal responsibility and helping neighbours.

For irrigators across the Riverina and communities across the Far West, the water picture heading into winter 2026 is one that demands close attention. The key dam levels as of 25 May paint a mixed picture. Burrinjuck Dam, which drives allocations for the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area and surrounding districts centred on Griffith, Leeton and Narrandera, is at 38 per cent.

A film about a proposal to turn Wilbinga, a locality north of Two Rocks and south of Guilderton, into a national park is screening at Luna Palace Cinemas ... Wilbinga lies between Two Rocks and the southern side of the Moore River mouth with the town of Guilderton on the estuary’s north side.

New bushfire research to review fire behaviour during major bushfires in western Victoria in February 2024 has identified important learnings for future bushfire preparedness and management. Bushfire scientists from CFA and Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic), through the Safer Together program, have reconstructed five bushfires from the 2023-24 fire season, including the Bayindeen – Rocky Road, Mt Stapylton, Bellfield, Staffordshire Reef and Dereel bushfires.