Prominent barrister named first SA Commissioner for the River Murray: Close
Prominent barrister and author, Richard Beasley SC, has been appointed South Australia’s Commissioner for the River Murray ... "Having a Commissioner for the River Murray sends a clear message to upstream states that South Australia is serious about defending its water rights, including the 450 gigalitres promised but not delivered": SA Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Susan Close MP
Tiwi Hydrogen Project awarded Major Project Status: NT Gov’t
Provaris’ $4.5 billion Tiwi H2 (Hydrogen) Project has the potential to be a first-mover in the world’s transition from fossil fuels to zero-carbon energy, and will demonstrate the commercial advantages of compressed hydrogen production and export from the Northern Territory to markets in the Asia-Pacific region.
Funding win for remote councils
Some of Queensland’s smallest councils are rejoicing after a review will see them receive a bigger slice of the pie from the state government. The Queensland Local Government Grants Commission took a closer look at its financial assistance grants (FAGs) program and although it kept its ungainly name, the revenue will be more fairly distributed across the state.
Survey shows rural debt rise since 2019
Rural debt has increased by $3.34 billion, or 13.89 per cent, on the Eastern Darling Downs regions according to the 2021 Queensland Rural Debt Survey. Over the same period, total rural debt in Queensland has risen to $24.06 billion, an increase of 25.97 per cent ... Since the survey was conducted in December 2021, much of the State has experienced an extended La Niña season with several major flooding events, particularly in South East Queensland.
Camooweal Jockey Club left reeling – Future in doubt
Has the last thoroughbred race been run and won at Camooweal? The president of the race club thinks so ... Camooweal had successfully raced for 132 years until last year when it was deemed by Racing Queensland that the track was no longer fit for racing ... Racing Queensland could have a crisis on its hands, with many other bush clubs under threat of losing their annual meetings due to a lack of funding for infrastructure, especially for track upgrades.
Hogan: NSW Government’s flood response ‘too slow’
Geoff Helisma. Reacting to NSW Government’s Flood Inquiry report released on Wednesday August 16, Page MP Kevin Hogan put out a media release – “Too slow, too slow, too slow.” ... Mr Hogan is critical of the government’s reliance on the report’s findings and the time it has taken for the report’s release.
NSW must shake off its ‘rinse and repeat’ disaster thinking
Geoff Helisma. The NSW Government has “supported” six of the 28 recommendations made in the 2022 Flood Inquiry, and “supports in principle 22 recommendations, with further work required on implementation”. Meanwhile, the report’s conclusion states, in part, “More damaging floods and other natural disasters will come, and NSW must shake off its ‘rinse and repeat’ disaster thinking.
NSW funds for farmers come a cropper
Cane farmer Tony Carusi said time was critical for planting sugarcane. “It takes time to get the ground ready and we have ideal weather conditions,” Mr Carusi said at his farm near Woodburn ... A Primary Producer Grant was announced by the State Government five months ago to help farmers after the floods. The criteria for the grant are still unknown and the grant has stalled. No money has been given to farmers yet.
How to cause a business to fail and Fingerpointing 101: Bev McArthur
The Minister for Small Business, Ballarat based, Jaala Pulford, has tried to downplay her refusal to support Sebastopol businesses that her Government is destroying. Since February, state roadworks in Albert Street have effectively cut off access to the businesses. Some have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars ... “It is a terrible condemnation of the project, of the complaint management, that these citizens may be forced to sue their own government to get a fair hearing”: Bev McArthur MP.
NSW taxpayer helping to fund Atlassian’s new office – but, will anyone be there?
Back in those dreary days of 2021 when we were still being locked down, Atlassian announced that its workers would need to attend at the office just four (yes, 4) times per annum ... So why has the NSW Government kicked-in $48.2m to assist in providing an office for… people who won’t be there? Especially when, as Atlassian management states in their latest Shareholder Letter, they are "Running a software company with nearly $3b in revenue".
Labor must take community views on EP desalination plant seriously: Telfer, Centofanti
Labor will put the future of the Eyre Peninsula at risk if it does not seriously consider the recommendations of the independent Eyre Peninsula Desalination Plant Site Selection Committee ... At the time the Committee was formed, there were serious environmental and economic concerns raised by industry and the local community about the proposed plant location at Billy Lights Point.
Progressing World Heritage status for the Flinders Ranges: Close
South Australia is getting closer to finalising its bid for World Heritage status for the iconic Flinders Ranges National Park, with the lead authors of the nomination touring key sites in the region ... More than 600 million years old, the Flinders Ranges is one of Australia’s magnificent landscapes.: Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Susan Close
Chlamydia vaccine trial for koalas in South-West Sydney: Griffin
A chlamydia vaccine for koalas could increase the species’ resistance to the potentially fatal disease in a trial in south-west Sydney, which is part of an almost $1.7 million NSW Koala Strategy investment across the region ... “Chlamydia is a serious issue for koalas, leading to blindness, infections and infertility in this precious species. This disease weakens koalas and can make them more susceptible to dog attacks and other threats,”: Minister for Environment James Griffin
First annual South West Native Title Settlement update outlines significant progress: Buti
The Settlement embodies the principles of the Aboriginal Empowerment Strategy, and the strong partnerships required to achieve the aspirations of the Noongar people. It is made up of six Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs), covering around 200,000 square kilometres of the South-West region. The second of 12 annual State payments of $60 million - plus indexation - was made in April 2022 to the Noongar Boodja Trust (Trust) under the Settlement, taking the total paid to date to $123 million.
RFS and farmers team up to fight fire
A landmark new initiative will help firefighters and farmers work together to better protect communities in regional and rural NSW from bush fires and grass fires. Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke released a first-of-its-kind Operational Guide for the use of Farm Fire Units.
Release of independent flood inquiry: NSW Gov’t
The NSW Government has released and responded to the 28 recommendations of the independent Flood Inquiry, commissioned in response to the major floods earlier this year. Premier Dominic Perrottet said the recommendations of the report provide a blueprint for change and practical actions to ensure communities and government can prepare for floods in the future, and recover faster.
Sentencing reforms for historical crimes introduced to parliament: Speakman
Offenders convicted of historical offences will be sentenced according to current sentencing patterns and practices, under a bill introduced into Parliament. Attorney General Mark Speakman, who second read the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Amendment Bill 2022, said the bill will generally require NSW courts to apply current sentencing practices to perpetrators of all crimes, regardless of when those crimes were committed.
Water collaborative calls for recycled water to boost economy
The Lockyer Valley and Somerset Water Collaborative is calling on the State Government to release the available supply of untapped recycled water to ensure water and food security for Australia’s Salad Bowl, preventing future supply being imported canned vegetables.
Safer work environment needed for workers in the NSW sustainable timber industry
Blockade Australia activities which stopped Sydney peak hour traffic on 27 June 2022 is an experience which timber harvesting contractors have been confronting for years. In the week ended August 5, 2022, on five successive days, protestors entered timber harvesting sites in Northern NSW and placed their personal safety in danger to such an extent that work ceased.
Wagga MP wants dam levels limited to 80%
A Wagga MP is calling on the government to limit levels at Blowering and Burrinjuck Dams to 80 per cent, amid the threat of ongoing flooding for communities. Member for Wagga Dr Joe McGirr said farmers and landowners had spent long and frustrating hours of work moving stock and preparing their properties for floods and face the prospect of the situation repeating in coming months.
Greens councillor redirects Eurobodalla councillors to eco-political campaigning: SETA
On Friday 5 August, a SETA member raised the alarm on a motion to be voted on by Eurobodalla Shire councillors. The motion was titled “Eurobodalla Shire Council supports an end to native forest logging in Eurobodalla Shire.” ... In the lead up to and on Tuesday, 9 August 2022, the Eurobodalla Shire Councillors have spent significant time dealing with the Greens party deputy mayor, Alison Worthington’s motion to end native forest harvesting in the shire.
Branching out – Part three of forestry conversations
This week, we look to views from the community. Thank you to those who were prepared to share their thoughts and continue the dialogue ... “My main concern was the mess on the floor and the impacts on the camping spots" ... “I still question that overarching authority from the EPA as to how the forests are managed. Are they being over-managed?" ... “I see lots of benefits in a working forest for the forest itself"
