New planning rules to support River Murray rebuild: Champion
A suite of new planning rules designed to protect River Murray regions from future flood events and assist with a strong recovery and rebuild are coming into effect this week. To fast-track the region’s recovery the interim changes will come into immediate effect from Thursday, providing a quicker building approval process for the influx of applications expected.
Ownership of Boodjamulla National Park returned to Traditional Owners: Stewart, Linard
More than 79,000 hectares of the iconic Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park have been handed back to the Waanyi People in a historic ceremony at Parliament House ... Waanyi Prescribed Body Corporate will lease the Aboriginal land, in perpetuity, to the State to manage under the Nature Conservation Act, the first lease back arrangement that has been successfully negotiated on national park land in Queensland.
SFF calls on the federal government to permanently ban importation of uncooked prawns into Australia: Banasiak
From 7th July 2017, a temporary ban on the importation of uncooked prawn products was lifted and replaced with import conditions which have consequently failed and once again threatened our great seafood industry. Recent detections of White Spot Disease (WSD) at three prawn farms on the NSW North Coast have the SFF calling on the Federal Government to slam the door shut and permanently ban the importation of raw, uncooked prawns and decapod crustaceans into Australia.
Copperstring budget boost to unlock vanadium industry: Palaszczuk, Stewart, de Brenni
The Queensland budget will supercharge CopperString 2032 through a $1 billion down payment from coal royalties, $594 million of which is committed to start construction over the coming financial year ... The announcement was made at the official opening of Vecco Group’s $26 million Townsville Vanadium Battery Manufacturing Facility, which received support through the Queensland Jobs Fund.
Art gallery leap forward – in Darwin
Of the two budding NT government art galleries, one is making news: The one in Darwin, because construction is under way. At the opposite end of the Territory, and of government attention, there is no news about the Alice Springs “national” Aboriginal gallery because its senior director, Tracy Puklowski, is not able, not willing, not permitted, not whatever to answer media questions.
Tennant Creek joins NT-wide anti-fracking campaign
Last Saturday was a Territory-wide day of action in response to the NT Government’s recent decision to green-light fracking in the Beetaloo basin ... Community members were engaged and shared a common outrage at the Government’s recent decision. The event demonstrated that the community does not want fracking gas fields on Country.
The show must go on!
The Barkly community was up in arms earlier this week when news hit the Tennant Creek Show was cancelled just 25 days ahead of its arrival into town. Due to failing infrastructure at the Showgrounds and a volunteer burnout, it was looking bleak for the one-day ahead to go about.
NSW Floodplain management meeting
It was a bumpy start to the NSW floodplain management meetings, with a media release sent on Wednesday for meetings starting the next day. An incorrect venue was listed on the Department’s website for the Friday meeting in Barham ... Having found the meeting place, there were a lonely three souls in attendance, outnumbered two to one by department staff. While only three souls, their wisdom was invaluable.
Towong will suffer from new tax
The Windfall Gains Tax that comes into effect next week is a nail in the coffin of residential development in the Towong Shire, says Member for Benambra Bill Tilley. "Labor’s latest tax - one of more than 50 since they came to power in 2014 - will slug landowners of rezoned land up to 50 per cent of its new value," Mr Tilley said.
Queensland Budget ‘another black hole’
The 2023-24 Queensland State Budget, delivered last week, has been harshly condemned by Member for Condamine Pat Weir, who says the people of his electorate have again missed out on significant investment.
Plans for new western bypass
Just as the original Toowoomba Bypass radically changed the nature of transport for the east-west axis of Toowoomba, a north-south bypass, on the western side of town, would make a huge impact on the local region. A Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) spokesperson confirmed TMR is undertaking a planning project to protect a future state transport corridor west of Toowoomba.
Park recovery works continue
In response to a report in last week’s Corryong Courier about delays in rehabilitating the Bluff Falls tourism area, Parks Victoria has provided an update on works that have been undertaken or that are underway in the Burrowa-Pine Mountain National Park following the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires.
Withdrawn – departments a no-show at Gunbower Forest flooding meeting
Community engagement is once again in the spotlight after the North Central CMA (NCCMA), the Victorian Environmental Water Holder (VEWH) and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) pulled out of a meeting with the Central Murray Environmental Floodplain Group (CMEFG) held in Cohuna on Monday, June 19. The meeting was being held to discuss concerns with the current reporting, management and environmental watering events, such as delivery of environmental water that commenced on June 8 in the Gunbower Forest.
State Cabinet visits Kangaroo Island: Malinauskas, Bignell
Premier Peter Malinauskas and his Cabinet Ministers will visit Kangaroo Island today [22 June 2023] and tomorrow as part of the State Government’s Country Cabinet. Demonstrating the Government’s commitment to regional South Australia, this is the fourth in a series of Country Cabinets – which has already taken the Premier and Ministers to Port Pirie & Port Augusta, Mount Gambier and Yorke Peninsula.
Subsidy increased to ease financial burden on travelling patients: Fentiman
A travel subsidy for patients who access essential health care away from their home communities will be increased to help vulnerable Queenslanders manage cost of living pressures. The Palaszczuk Government announced that the recent state budget would fund an increase in the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS).
Urgent call to overhaul fire ant eradication program
AgForce is calling for a rapid overhaul of the State Government’s outdated fire ant eradication program, in a bid to save southeast Queensland from a dangerous pest. It follows revelations that the National Red Imported Fire Ant Eradication Program Strategic Review - conducted two years ago stated eradication was impossible under the current plan and an "urgent change of strategy" was needed.
Two-year control order could kill Clarence prawn industry
A two-year control order preventing the harvesting of prawns from the Clarence River announced as part of a $21.4 million biosecurity response package to White Spot virus could be the death knell for an industry already on its knees, if not managed properly, says the Clarence River Fishermen’s Co-operative ... But Ms Adams said if the control order on the Clarence Estuary is not managed well, there won’t be a prawn industry on the Northern Rivers in two years’ time.
Two-year lockout in $21m Clarence prawn package
Prawn trawlers will be locked out of the Clarence River for two years as part of a $21.4 million NSW government biosecurity response and recovery plan from White Spot, which has devastated the multi-million-dollar industry. NSW Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Sarah Britton said a critical component of the plan is the long-term measures to help drive business and trade continuity in NSW and other parts of Australia.
Powerline inquiry welcomed by state’s farmers: NSW Farmers
NSW Farmers has welcomed a Parliamentary Inquiry into undergrounding powerlines, calling it a win for common sense and community safety. Multiple renewable energy projects proposed or under construction in regional areas would require new power lines to connect them to the grid, Energy Transition Working Group chair Reg Kidd said, but too often landholders were being ignored by the big developers.
Agriculture Minister visits North Coast forests: Forestry Corporation of NSW
Ecology, community and renewable timber were on the agenda last week as the NSW Minister for Agriculture, The Hon. Tara Moriarty MLC spent time in Bagawa State Forest near Coffs Harbour. Minister Moriarty said the field visit provided a deeper understanding of how State forests are managed to balance multiple uses and objectives.
Treasurer says: You aren’t forgotten
Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said the state government had learned much from its visit to Yorke Peninsula, even if it wasn’t addressed in the budget ... "I know in a state budget, whether you’re from a particular area in South Australia or particular interest group you look and find, what do we get new. But I don’t want people to think that just because something hasn’t been specifically funded, there isn’t effort going into that."
That sinking feeling
Patrick Goldsmith. The state government’s announcement of a $20 million funding allocation across four years for deteriorating jetties has been labelled as inadequate by Yorke Peninsula stakeholders. Almost 40 jetties across the state, owned by the government but leased to councils on 50-year terms, must vie for the new funding announced in the state budget ...
