State politics

Laws to end puppy farming in Western Australia have today passed the State Parliament's lower house ... The Stop Puppy Farming legislation, which also includes reforms to de-muzzle greyhounds, involves changes to the Dog Act 1976 that minimise the number of dogs suffering neglect and requiring rehoming by regulating the breeding and sale of dogs in WA.

Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall today announced more than 2,000 overseas skilled agricultural workers have arrived in NSW in the last 12 months to help industry overcome the Covid-induced labour shortage.

It was an emotional night at the Royal Hotel in Barham as locals bared their souls to Member for Murray Helen Dalton. The continual tit for tat between New South Wales and Victoria has been a wrecking ball on businesses, families, local economy, and the wellbeing of our residents ... “For us, financially, we have just sold our house to keep the bank at bay. If things don’t ultimately change soon, it will be very detrimental to us”: Ben Watts, Barham Holiday Park

Byron Shire Council has voted to support the “Clarence Valley Council community in seeking a moratorium on future mining and mining exploration in the Clarence Valley catchment”. Six of seven councillors at BSC’s August 5 meeting (planning) supported mayor Michael Lyon’s notice of motion, which also “advocates [BSC’s support of CVC] to Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Deputy Premier John Barilaro and Minister for Energy and Environment Matt Kean”.

Claire Rankin. Fishing for essential reasons such as food and exercise was permitted during the covid lockdown ... Although fishing was allowed, not a tight line or a bent rod was to be seen on the north or south wall at Evans Head or along the main beach. A lone surfer was spotted, along with dog walkers, bicycle riders and toddler tamers.

The first air service between Broome and Derby took to the air on 16 August 2021, providing Derby travellers with air access to Perth for the first time since 2016 via connecting flights from Broome.

Bramwell Station was sold to the Queensland government for $11.5 million at a public auction last week, but the deal appears to be in jeopardy. Cape York Weekly can reveal the state government was one of four registered bidders at the online auction and was the only one to make a bid.

Visitors on the “Savanah Way” west of Cairns can soak up traditional culture and enjoy the enchanting landscapes of Ewamian country with the official opening of Talaroo Hot Springs, as part of the Palaszczuk Government’s Covid-19 Economic Recovery Plan. Assistant Qld Tourism Minister Michael Healy said Talaroo Hot Springs, beside the Einasleigh River, was opened by the Ewamian Aboriginal Corporation.

Local Land Services is advising landholders  August is the perfect time to get in and clean up on-farm ahead of an expected  busy Spring. Cleaning up will help reduce the potential impact of pests, by reducing their possible breeding and nesting locations, as well as reduce the risks for livestock to chemical residues from items such as old batteries.  

The Avalon Airshow is the latest cancellation on Victoria’s beleaguered tourism and event industry calendar ... Bev McArthur, Member for Western Victoria, was one of four Liberal and National MP signatories to a Minority Report recently tabled into the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Tourism and Events Sectors. The Minority Report made 10 Recommendations, including the need for rapid testing to help open the tourism and events sectors sooner and more reliably.

Diesel irrigation pumps started pumping into the Guttrum Forest last week ... Australia’s most endangered bird, the Australasian bittern, is now part of the public relations push for watering the reed bed. There is only one official documented sighting of the bittern in the swamp from December 1960, and anecdotal reports up until the 70s ... “As farmers, the proof has to be in the pudding. If things don’t work, we go broke, what skin do they have in the game?”

Timber Towns Victoria argues that native timber production in public forests promotes carbon storage and must be taken seriously if Victoria is to tackle climate change.

The hunt is on to find the hydrogen skills and businesses to join the renewable fuel supply chain that will create jobs in Toowoomba and the Western Downs.Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni today announced a partnership between publicly-owned power generator CS Energy and Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise to increase local participation in the hydrogen industry.

Gordon Wilson and Kookaburra. Several issues need to be addressed in response to the Environmental Defenders Office press release about the legal challenge to the NSW forest logging agreement ... timber is a renewable resource ... native forestry products come from "working forests" ... native forestry uses only a very small portion of Australia's native forests ... native flora and fauna co-exist with forestry

The Territory Labor Government  and  Aboriginal  and community sector  leaders have today signed a ground-breaking Agreement to deliver a safer community and better justice outcomes for Aboriginal Territorians. The Aboriginal Justice Agreement (AJA) is the first of its kind in the Territory.

Close to 300km of old barbed-wire fencing along Diamantina National Park has been removed to protect native animals including the rare night parrot ... The fencing was installed by farmers to manage livestock before the park was purchased by the Queensland Government in 1992. “It’s been close to 30 years since the land was transformed into 507,000 hectare national park, and in that time we’ve seen many resident and migratory bird species return to the local wetlands, which act as a haven in an otherwise arid region,” Minister Scanlon said.

Australia’s Ultimate Festival of Wheels will host of one the nation’s biggest names in Australian music, with Sneaky Sound System confirmed as the headliner for the Red CentreNATS Sun 969 Podium Party.