Rural doctor update – Government still paying locums, not locals
Chris Oldfield. The SA State Government is remaining tight lipped about how much it has spent on Locum GPs as its rural doctor crisis rolls into 2022. The Naracoorte News asked Health Minister Stephen Wade, via his media advisor, if he was working on the SA rural doctor crisis and, how much had been spent on locum doctors since contracts with the state’s rural GPs expired more than a year ago.
Promise delivered on protecting Liverpool Plains land: NSW Govt
“This is the beginning of a new era for farmers and the wider community on the Liverpool Plains, ending years of uncertainty. From today, this land will be actively managed by the Local Land Services on behalf of the government to safeguard the areas with environmental and cultural significance”: Paul Toole, NSW Deputy Premier. ARR.News has questions for the Deputy Premier and Minister Saunders.
Barkly an inspiration for up and coming Territory songstress
Alice Springs born Sally Balfour is well known around the Tennant Creek music circuit, playing at local venues and working with schools, just finishing an artist in residence with Tennant Creek Primary School ... Her debut album will be recorded in April with Dave Crowe from Sing Hum Studio and will feature a variety of songs.
Virtual reality dive experience marks 80 years since sinking of Japanese submarine I-124
The wreck of a Japanese submarine destroyed during a dramatic battle with a Royal Australian Navy corvette 80 years ago today, can now be explored through a virtual reality dive into deep sea.
Common sense required for birthing restrictions: Malinauskas and Picton
Labor is calling for a common sense approach to current COVID-19 birthing restrictions in hospitals so the father, partner or a designated support person who tests negative on a RAT can be present for the entire labour and for the mother and baby’s stay in hospital.
Stage 2 Manning Base Hospital unveiled
Myall Lakes residents have been given their first look at the $100 million Stage 2 redevelopment of Manning Base Hospital with the master plan unveiled today. Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said Stage 2 builds on the $40 million upgrade completed as part of Stage 1 in mid-2020.
Never-never surgery: Bev McArthur
Earlier this month, the Victorian Government cancelled elective surgery for tens of thousands of Victorians needing care. This happened because they have failed to organise the public health system in Victoria. It is now in an aptly named Code Brown, burdened by excessive isolation rules.
WA avocados smashing it in Japan
The WA State Government has partnered with the local avocado industry through Hort Innovation, Avocados Australia and Austrade to showcase the popular fruit to potential importers, retailers and consumers at the WA Premium Food and Beverage Trade Event in Tokyo.
Weipa one step closer to getting new birthing unit
A Midwifery Group Practice is up and running at the Weipa Hospital in preparation for the new birthing service due to open later this year. Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said three new midwives were already in place at Weipa, with recruitment under way for a fourth.
Dryandra Woodland is Western Australia’s newest national park: Whitby
The Dryandra Woodland National Park, near Narrogin, 180 km south-east of Perth, is the first national park in WA's Wheatbelt region ... Converted from a State forest to a national park, Dryandra is a key stronghold for some of Australia's rarest and most vulnerable wildlife including numbats, woylies, brushtail wallabies, chuditch, quenda and the mound-building malleefowl.
New biosecurity collaboration to protect Australian citrus industry
Australia’s $900 million citrus industry could face serious production and market access risks if the industry is not adequately prepared to manage future biosecurity threats. A new five-year national biosecurity program, CitrusWatch, is a collaborative effort that is designed to protect the citrus industry from harmful exotic pests and diseases.
Next generation of Queensland sheep and wool producers tune in to popular webinar series
A first of its kind to be hosted by Leading Sheep, the 10-part ‘H Series’ webinar program spanned across 2021 covering topics from health and husbandry to herding foundations and how to buy and sell sheep. Commencing in April 2021, the now completed H Series recordings are all available online.
Forestry Australia calls for science to justify native harvesting decision
Forestry Australia is calling on the Western Australian Government to release scientific evidence in justification of its decision to end native forest harvesting. Forestry Australia President Bob Gordon said the association was concerned the decision to end native harvesting was not based on science, demonstrated poor understanding of WA’s world-class forest management practices and would result in increased imports of wood products from countries with lower management standards.
Barkly residents left in the dark over COVID vaccination rates: Edgington
While Territorians continue to follow the ever-changing mandates to stop the spread of COVID in communities, residents in the Barkly are feeling the frustration over a lack of information about cases and vaccination rates in the region and long waits for test results. Barkly MLA Steve Edgington said Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s government still refuses to tell Barkly residents what the vaccination rate for Tennant Creek is.
New state-of-the-art weather radar for Tennant underway
With unpredictable weather being experienced due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Tiffany in the north, many might be wondering where Tennant Creek’s new $17 million radar is.
NSW Cabinet reshuffle
NSW food producers and irrigation companies are looking forward to working collaboratively with a number of new Ministers, announced by the NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet on Monday 20 December 2021. Murray Irrigation Chair, Steve Fawns said, ‘there are numerous Ministers who have responsibility for issues that fall under the operations of Murray Irrigation, and it is important to develop positive working relationships with each one’.
New online service for Environmental Management Plans
The Territory Government has strengthened the implementation of a recommendation of the Hydraulic Fracturing Pepper Inquiry with the establishment of a new online subscription service for Environment Management Plans (EMPs). The new online subscription service allows the community to have their say and keep up-to-date on drilling and hydraulic fracturing EMPs that are under assessment.
Anyinginyi angered by gym eviction
Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation is calling out the behaviour of the Barkly Regional Council (BRC) for the eviction of the Corporation from the Sport and Recreation Centre. The town’s sole gym was built by Anyinginyi, maintained and operated for two decades on Purkiss Reserve. Anyinginyi Board Chairperson Ross Williams said the actions of Council are a repudiation of the Barkly Regional Deal’s intent to work together, co-operatively in the interests of the community.
Govt/Dr dispute close to being resolved
Chris Oldfield. As Christmas looms, and the final 2021 edition of this newspaper goes to print, high level negotiations were taking place between the SA Government health officials, the Australian Medical Association and the Rural Doctors Association of SA. The News understands the intention on both sides was to resolve the rural doctor crisis crippling country SA. And in good faith, for three of the five unfilled 24-hour shifts on the Naracoorte hospital roster, local doctors are working together.
Landcare champions in our own backyard
The Strongs were early adopters in sustainable farming after the droughts of the early 80’s and 90’s, it was after this when the family started to notice a change in farming profitability ... By 1997 the Strongs had implemented the method of direct seeding ... In 2006 they started marketing ‘Arcadia Saltbush Lamb’ and built up a self-replacing Soft Rolling Skin (SRS) dual purpose merino flock with high fertility to match that of cross breeds.
First harvest of biomass crops
Around one thousand trees will be harvested at Yanco this week in the next phase of a critical biomass crops for bioenergy trial. NSW DPI Senior Research Scientist, Dr Fabiano Ximenes, said the harvest operation would provide important insights into expected productivity of the trees and their potential benefits in terms of carbon sequestration and soil nutrient impacts.
FPH regulation tabled
Just two days after the NSW Upper House enquiry into floodplain harvesting, NSW Water Minister, Melinda Pavey, tabled another attempt in parliament to pass floodplain harvesting regulation. The bold move by the NSW National Party was taken despite the ink being barely dry on the consultation that sought to address the end of system flow target for the Darling Baaka, licensing to the legislated legal limit, and to maintain volumes and entitlements within existing SDLs.
