Housing crisis
The federal, state, and local governments have a role to play in curbing the housing crisis in Naracoorte and its surrounding towns. That’s the word from Shadow Minister for Regional South Australia, Nicola Centofanti, who revealed a state migration strategy was being developed to tackle the housing crisis in the regional towns. Ms Centofanti told The News that the strategy would be made public once it was ready.
Mobile phones banned in NSW High School’s from term four
Emma Pritchard, Rodney Stevens. High school students will be banned from using mobile phones at school from Term Four 2023 in an election commitment from the Minns Labor government designed to improve students learning and social development ... While students will still be able to carry their mobile phones to and from school, the ban will apply during class, recess, and lunch ... I don’t really agree with it: Cooper.
Hololens expanding virtual care in regional Victoria: Thomas
Residents across East Gippsland can now access care through the rollout of the HoloLens - which provides virtual care to rural and regional Victorians in their own communities. Worn as a headset by a nurse and virtually guided by a doctor in a separate location, HoloLens is a mixed-reality holographic computer that gives patients a level of care much closer to an in-person examination than a regular telehealth appointment.
Northern Rivers Wildlife Hospital proposed $12 million wildlife plan for Northern Rivers
An innovative regional wildlife care plan has been launched by Northern Rivers Wildlife Hospital chair Ninian Gemmell, seeking an extra $6 million for a region-wide strategy. The 10-point plan aims to support all organisations involved in local wildlife care, recognising the vital roles played by the Northern Rivers Wildlife Hospital, Friends of the Koala Hospital and Currumbin Wildlife Hospital.
Crowd control funding to deter threatening behaviour at bottleshops
Takeaway liquor outlets in the Barkly are urged to take advantage of funding from the NT Government to engage crowd control services during permitted takeaway operating hours. The Crowd Control Assistance Grant will provide immediate financial support to outlets who are experiencing antisocial behaviour on their premises or who have been impacted by crime.
Determining the WA timber yield: Jack Bradshaw
Despite evidence to the contrary, the WA Minister for Forests (Jacki Jarvis) continues to argue that the WA timber industry had to close because it has run out of wood as a result of reduced growth rate due to climate change, quoting reports from CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology as evidence. Neither of these organisations has any involvement in the determination of timber yield.
Leeton’s Roxy development in limbo
Roxy Theatre project developers the Lloyd Group entered voluntary administration on Friday. Leeton Shire Council was telephonically advised at 11.30am that day that the Lloyd Group had gone into voluntary administration at 7am that morning. The Group has 59 state and local government projects under construction in Victoria and NSW.
Anxiety and anger over Eyre Peninsula desalination site decision: Centofanti
Deputy Premier Susan Close’s decision to ignore local expertise on a preferred site for a critical Eyre Peninsula desalination plant has angered community leaders and industry. Last month, Susan Close announced that the Malinauskas Labor Government had chosen the Billy Lights Point as the site for the Eyre Peninsula Desalination Plant rather than the site recommended by the Independent Eyre Peninsula Desalination Site Selection Committee – Sleaford West.
Government urged to pilot bold new plan to deliver urgent final water flows to Murray-Darling Basin, without the need for buybacks: Waterfind
An Australian-first program designed to restore critical environmental water flows to the Murray-Darling Basin, while meeting the ongoing needs of local irrigators and growers, has been proposed as an “immediate, affordable and genuine” solution to the nation’s Basin Plan – avoiding the need for short-term, unpopular water buybacks as announced by the Federal Government.
The 12 Apostles precedent is state-sanctioned theft: Bev McArthur
The Victorian Minister for Regional Development has completely avoided answering a question in the Victorian Parliament regarding the forced takeover of private land near the 12 Apostles ... “Why are you removing another safeguard of the private property rights which define civilised society?” Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur asked.
Plan to tackle negative youth behaviour in Port Augusta: Cook, Hughes, Brock
The State Government is set to unveil a new plan to address the recent increase in youth crime and anti-social behaviour in Port Augusta ... Staffed by skilled workers the Youth Outreach team will support young people who need help, assist them to find a safe place, and focus on increasing support services to those young people who need them.
NSW Farmers ready to work with new Cabinet: NSW Farmers
The state’s peak farming body says the incoming Agriculture Minister will need to hit the ground running to keep food production on track. On Tuesday NSW Premier Chris Minns announced Queanbeyan-based upper house MP Tara Moriarty would be the new Minister for Agriculture, Regional NSW and Western NSW.
NSW State Election result 2023
Congratulations to Leslie Williams on her return as Member for Port Macquarie.
Qld biorefinery plan takes off to power Qantas flights with clean fuel: Palaszczuk, Miles
Queensland is set to soar as Australia’s SAF capital, with plans revealed for a biorefinery that will help power the nation’s aviation market with green jet fuel. Jet Zero Australia has started a feasibility study for the facility, which could produce more than 100 million litres of SAF a year for use in domestic flights, including by the Qantas Group.
Permanent Park Preserve fully open: LHIB
LHIB. The southern walking tracks in the Permanent Park Preserve (PPP) were re-opened on March 31st, after a brief closure in response to the escalating risk of Myrtle rust to the critically endangered ecosystems within that section of the PPP. The entire PPP is now open in full to managed visitation.
SA premium wine flying high with Korean Air: Champion, Bignell
South Korea’s flag carrier and largest airline, Korean Air, is taking South Australia’s premium wines to the air – now serving local drops on its flights. The deal secured by South Australia’s Department for Trade and Investment will see Dandelion Vineyards and Murdoch Hill Wines join Henschke as premium South Australia wine offerings on Korean Air flights.
NT Parks Pass required from today
From 3 April 2023, all interstate and international visitors will need to purchase a Parks Pass to visit most Territory parks and reserves ... “Territorians do not need to purchase a Parks Pass. This only applies to interstate and international visitors”: Parks and Wildlife Executive Director Sally Egan.
SA Parliamentary review likely
A petition led by Naracoorte’s Lachlan Haynes calling for radiotherapy services in the South East is likely to trigger an SA Parliamentary review ... A single petition with over 10,000 signatures must be referred to the Legislative Review Committee for investigation.
Housing crisis to get worse
The state and federal governments are indirectly influencing the housing shortage in Naracoorte and surrounding townships, claims a local real estate agent. Cameron Grundy of SAL Real Estate says for decades, the state government has retreated from the traditional housing trust model of building and selling properties, which has contributed to the housing crisis of today.
Government moves on buffel grass – at last
Declaring buffel grass a weed, as it is in South Australia, will be considered by a technical working group assessing the impacts of, and approaches to, the introduced plant that is causing extensive damage to native flora and providing fuel for massive bushfires ... We have asked when, and how much money the government has set aside for the campaign against what is widely already recognised as a weed, even if not declared.
Murray votes, Dalton returns
The seat of Murray has seen pink, re-electing Helen Dalton as Member for Murray. Mrs Dalton increased her popularity, obtaining 13,329 votes (48.45 per cent) since leaving the Shooters, Fishers, Farmers Party in 2022 and running as an independent in the electorate larger than Scotland ... In a changing government, Mrs Dalton said she will be looking to build on the momentum of the last four years.
New challenge for Steph
The Nationals’ Steph Cooke will enter her third term as Member for Cootamundra after retaining her seat in a landslide victory in Saturday’s state election ... Ms Cooke’s achievements in the electorate have not gone unnoticed as she increased the percentage of her vote from 77.07 per cent in the 2019 election, to 80.48 per cent.
