Closing town’s mill is best course of action: Graham Walker
Graham Walker. I came to Corryong last Friday to announce to the employees that our sawmill will close once the existing log stock is milled. The gloomy sky over our log stack showed how I was feeling as I delivered the bad news ... If we were to continue business as usual, we had no certainty of sawlog quantity from VicForests as they are still embroiled in battle with ‘Friends of the Forest’ and court injunctions and they had only guaranteed 55 per cent of our 19,000m3 allocation.
Careers expo — getting local people to work for local business
Organised by Regina Hunter and Tegan Hinchey last weeks Careers Expo attracted a wide variety of organisations eager to show locals what employment opportunities they had to offer. Danny Lester, Director of Aboriginal Outcomes for the Department of Regional NSW was impressed with the event and had a number of thoughts he wanted to share.
There are no excuses
Nationals Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, is calling for more money to be written – in stone – in the May budget for local schools and childcare facilities. Ms Benham says there are critical works and vital upgrades required to schools in her electorate – and expanded childcare infrastructure needed right across the region – so children and families can get the best possible support and start to life.
Land staying in state hands
Patrick Goldsmith. Five troublesome parcels of unalienated Crown Land within the Yorke Peninsula Council area will stay in the care and control of the state government after discussions regarding the environmental impacts of increased visitation numbers ... Unalienated Crown Land is public land which is owned and managed by the state government, giving council no authority over the activity which takes place on it.
Towards a national approach to cities and regions: King, Collins, O’Neil
National Cabinet agreed to begin work on a more coordinated approach to Australia’s cities and regions. The range of reforms agreed on 28 April 2023 will see governments work together to better plan for housing, services and infrastructure ... A shared vision to ensure growth in cities is sustainable via the National Urban Policy.
Annual coral spawning
Just like on other tropical reefs, corals in the LHIMP undertake synchronised mass spawning each year, releasing millions of tiny egg and sperm bundles into the water. This allows fertilisation to take place, resulting in coral larvae with new genetic combinations which can settle back on to the reef and enhance its diversity and resilience.
Government must take control of electricity planning infrastructure: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has called on the Victorian Government to step in and take over planning of the state’s transmission network following the consultation on the proposed VNI West project. VFF President Emma Germano said the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) had failed to take the impact on agricultural production into account in planning for transmission on behalf of the Victorian Government, and that the government needs to take back control.
Regional tourism reaches record high: Bettison
Regional South Australia has rocketed toward its 2025 tourism target and a new record-high, hitting almost $4 billion in 2022 – some three years ahead of schedule. Latest data shows regional visitor expenditure hit an all-time high $3.98 billion in 2022, just $200 million shy of its $4.0 billion target set for December 2025.
Preventing future mining applications at the Bird in Hand gold deposit: Koutsantonis
The ‘Bird in Hand’ gold deposit area at Woodside in the Adelaide Hills has been proclaimed by the Governor at the request of the State Labor Government, protecting it from future mining applications. The land protected under the proclamation is the same area that was subject to a previous development application by Terramin Australia, with the move effectively prohibiting any future applications over the known Bird in Hand gold deposit.
Powerlink aggravating anxiety: Property Rights Australia
Powerlink Queensland’s continued roll out of power transmission projects is having significant mental health impacts on Queensland landowners. "On Wednesday 26 April landowners were contacted by Powerlink representatives advising of an imminent announcement of the final Woolooga West high voltage powerline corridor": Interim Chair of Property Rights Australia (PRA) Jim Willmott.
Recommended corridors released for Gympie, Somerset and South Burnett transmission line connections: Powerlink
Powerlink is seeking community feedback on two recommended corridors for proposed new transmission line connections in the Gympie, Somerset and South Burnett regions. Powerlink’s Draft Corridor Selection Report (CSR) has been released publicly and provides detailed analysis of a number of corridor options against social, environmental and economic criteria.
Laramba Water Treatment Plant officially opened: Fyles, Uibo
Water quality in a Central Australian community has improved following the installation of a water treatment plant ... With a capacity of 360 kilolitres per day, the plant uses proven ion-exchange technology to treat the drinking water and reduce naturally occurring uranium to well below Australian Drinking Water Guideline (ADWG) Levels.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021 (WA) – Have you got any culture?
How is Aboriginal cultural heritage defined in the Guidelines? ... Are there any records we can search to identify heritage sites? ... What is an exempt activity? ... If I need a permit or plan what are the timelines? ... Isn’t there a better way?
Funding crisis
Not-for-profit aged care facilities in the region are in a funding crisis. Revealing this to The [Naracoorte Community] News, CEO of Naracoorte’s Longridge Aged Care, Mary-Ann Koerner, said this was the most pressing issue facing the state and federal governments, needing immediate solutions. Ms Koerner said the issue was even over and above health in general, with facilities full to capacity, a lack of staff to look after the elderly, and improper state funding.
An education disgrace
Tony Pasin MP. The Lucindale Area School is a small regional school located in the south-east of South Australia, in my electorate of Barker ... I take this opportunity to read an email I received from a student. It states: I am writing on behalf of myself and my class here at Lucindale area school, about the lack of a dedicated science and math teacher.
Funding fears halt projects
Reports have surfaced that Victorian Water Minister, Harriet Shing, has halted work on several of the nine Victorian Murray floodplain restoration projects, due to fears the federal government will not reimburse it for the work ... Irrigators now fear that Federal Minister Plibersek will now push on with further buybacks, adding to the current round of buybacks, all bringing with them perverse social, economic and environmental impacts.
More than $7 million in funding for small businesses in native forest regions: Jarvis
The grants of up to $400,000 will help small businesses with a reliance on the native timber industry remain open and invest in job creation through diversification, expansion and innovation. The recipients include furniture makers, transport companies, children's playground builders, firewood contractors and garden suppliers.
Masters to make history
Fin Hanson. SA Masters Games is set to return to the Copper Coast in 2024. It will be the third time the Copper Coast has hosted the event in four years and the first time in SA Masters Games history a region has hosted in back-to-back years.
Class action planned over White Spot
A fisherman who has been trawling the Clarence River all his life is behind a legal class action hoping to compensate fishermen who haven’t had any income since February due to a White Spot control order preventing the harvesting of uncooked prawns ... "We are on our asses, we’ve had no compensation, the only compensation we were given by the Department of Primary Industries was a one-third reduction in our management fees, which is nothing": Bruce Clark.
West Yamba rezoning motion defeated
A motion to rezone land at West Yamba not already subject to development applications from residential to conservation and rural status has been defeated, with many Clarence Valley Councillors indicating they want to wait for the latest flood modelling to be released before deciding on the issue ... Prior to the CVC meeting, councillors heard deputations supporting the rezoning from Greens MLC and Environmental Lawyer Sue Higginson, Lynne Cairns from Yamba CAN, Engineer Peter Maslen and Yamba Local Craigh McNeill.
Regional innovations, global connections
As Australia looks towards exploring new export markets, the MENA region presents a wealth of trading and investment potential for Australian regional businesses ... This inaugural event on 4 May 2023 will be co-hosted by the Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Regional Development Australia in Central Coast, with a guest speaker and participants joining from the MENA region and Australia.
Keeping young people out of the criminal justice system: Symes
Victoria will be the first state to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 years old to 12, and to 14 years old by 2027 – bolstering the Victorian Government’s work to avoid young people entering the criminal justice system early and keeping the community safe. Medical evidence indicates very young children are at a critical stage of cognitive development and may be incapable of understanding their behaviour is seriously wrong.
