Letter to the Editor: Mine Free Glenaladale responds to Gippsland Critical Minerals
Mine Free Glenaladale ... A spokesperson for Mine Free Glenaladale, Ms Robyn Grant, said she was surprised at Mr Harrington’s comments ... “He is simply parroting the same unscientific misinformation and spin that the community has been asked to swallow for the past 12 months, as the failed Kalbar project is rescoped."
Report cards highlight cod season potential: VFA
Victoria’s Murray cod fisheries are in strong shape ahead of the annual season opening, according to a monitoring program funded in part by recreational fishing licence fees ... "Cod season opens Monday, December 1, and there’s good news for anglers planning summer trips to the Goulburn, Ovens and Lindsay rivers and Gunbower Creek."
Statement on EPBC: NFF
Hamish McIntyre. Farmers have been left bitterly disappointed by the deal between the Government and the Greens on environmental reform ... the NFF has supported genuine reform, but not this deal. Our key concern is the announcement of ‘closer controls’ of ‘high risk land clearing’. The specifics of this remain unclear, and we are urgently calling for clarity.
A secure and sustainable future for the forestry industry: Collins, Watt, Ayres
The industry is of such strategic importance to the Australian community we today designate it a priority industry under our Future Made in Australia plans.
Farmers unite to protect a family legacy
In the David vs Goliath battle of farmers and industrial renewables, Colin Fenton didn't mince his words in a showdown with a Transmission Company Victoria attempting to gain access to the family's 102-year family farming legacy at Dingwell. "We've been through wars, floods and fire, by hell we're a bloody resilient group," stated Colin, who, in his 80s, stood firm with his wife Mary and a group of supporters, who had rushed to their side for one of two attempted property entries this week.
Football fever high as we welcome Matildas
Skaie Hull. The Central Coast will take centre stage this Friday, November 28, as the CommBank Matildas return to Gosford for a blockbuster international double-header at Polytec Stadium. The event is expected to deliver a major boost to tourism, local business and the region's growing reputation as a sporting powerhouse.
Fish for the future, not for votes
Western Australians love two things: arguing about politics and arguing about fishing — and not necessarily in that order ...
Crime down, victims down, public drinking in focus: Finocchiaro, Edgington
The Finocchiaro CLP Government today released its Banned Drinkers Register Review as the latest crime data is released across the Territory. Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said the Territory’s latest crime statistics, covering January to September this year compared with the same period last year, show an 8.3 per cent reduction in victims of crime, with 1,635 fewer Territorians becoming victims.
Strengthening South Australia’s defence against H5 bird flu: Scriven
South Australia’s capacity to rapidly respond to emergency animal disease (EAD) outbreaks such as H5 avian influenza (bird flu) has been boosted with the launch of a new mobile biosecurity laboratory. The state-of-the-art mobile lab enables rapid processing and turnaround of samples - a critical factor during EAD outbreaks, where early diagnosis can significantly reduce economic and social impacts, as well as the risk of the disease spreading.
Farmers gearing up for fight: NSW Farmers Association
NSW Farmers Acting CEO Mike Guerin – who led a successful legal challenge against the federal government and mining giant Glencore in Queensland – said he was “getting the band back together” to fight Santos’ Narrabri Gas Project ... “The people who depend on the Great Artesian Basin for their water are living in fear that this project will go ahead and go wrong, like many of them do, creating tens of thousands of water refugees and forcing farmers to abandon half the continent because it’s been contaminated forever.
Liberals stand up to Labor’s ruthless attack on farmers: Patterson, Centofanti
The Liberal Opposition has listened to the concerns of regional landowners, farmers and stakeholders and have successfully moved significant amendments to Labor’s ill-conceived Statutes Amendment (Energy and Mining Reforms) Bill 2025. Labor had attempted to force the Bill through Parliament, which would have seen farmers indefinitely unable to access their own land.
Industry at catastrophe
Hugh Schuitemaker and Madison Eastmond. The region's peak wine industry representative group has issued an urgent open letter to South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, warning that the state's largest producing area — the "backbone for thousands of family" livelihoods — is in the grip of a severe economic and social crisis ... Grape purchase prices remain at historic lows, with early indicators for the 2026 vintage, showing shiraz prices far below the cost of production – as low as $80 to $120 per tonne – which exceeds $350 per tonne.
Wrong time for a (vine) rest?
The Riverland's State and Federal MPs say an initiative promoting the resting of vineyards will have little benefit for the economic health of local wine grape growers. The State Government last week announced a rebate – of $40/hectare – for Riverland wine grape growers to rest red wine vineyards, through the use of the chemical Ethephon, for the 2026 vintage.
Petition calls for halt to National Parks land buy-up
An online petition by mayor of Bourke Shire, Lachlan Ford is calling for the NSW Government to stop purchasing farming land for National Parks in the western region. "In the last 20 years, the Bourke region has lost nearly half a million acres of agricultural land to make way for a suite of National Parks, Nature Reserves and State Conservation Areas - now totalling approximately 860,000 acres managed by the NSW Government," Mr Ford's online statement reads.
Council vote in support of: timber industry employees
A Notice of Motion (NoM) put forward by Clarence Valley Councillor Allison Bryant last week which called for the local government body to formally oppose the Minns Government’s September 7 announcement to end native forest harvesting and establish the Great Koala National Park during the Monthly Ordinary Meeting of Clarence Valley Council (CVC) was carried 7-2.
Wimmera Southern Mallee Alliance
Representing Buloke, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Northern Grampians, West Wimmera, and Yarriambiack, the Wimmera Southern Mallee Alliance was formed to deliver enduring social, economic, and environmental value for local communities through collaborative leadership and coordinated action.
Changes desperately needed so we can fish for the future
Michelle Daw. Gulf St Vincent should be used to trial new approaches to managing commercial and recreational fishing, says YP Country Times fishing columnist Greg James. In the wake of new fishing restrictions introduced in response to the algal bloom, Mr James said the crisis presented an opportunity to move beyond bag and boat limits, to help ensure sustainable fish stocks for the future.
Road speed limit cut quietly shelved after rural backlash, Coalition advocacy: Webster
Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, and Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster says Friday afternoon’s quiet shelving of Labor’s proposed default speed limit reduction is a victory for Coalition advocacy and common sense.
Housing, aviation and water security top agenda at Macquarie Street talks: Regional Cities NSW
Regional Cities NSW (RCNSW) has led a delegation to Sydney to progress joint solutions to the most pressing issues facing regional cities across the state. With talks centred on housing, infrastructure, regional aviation and water security, the delegation sought to strengthen its partnership with the Minns Government to ensure regional cities continue to grow and prosper.
Native mammals ‘taking back’ Australia’s desert ecosystems from the cats
The ambitious trial to reintroduce native marsupial species into Sturt National Park is on track, say Wild Deserts conservationists. Western quolls, bilbies and golden bandicoots are slowly taking back a ‘low-cat’ area of the desert – the massive Wild Training Zone of more than 100km2 in Sturt National Park in NSW.
Night time water bombing is one of 76 recommendations from Bushfire Enquiry
Night time waterbombing was one of the recommendations from the NSW Bushfire Inquiry. Recently, the RFS owned CH47D Chinook helicopter was deployed to a major bushfire near Lithgow. The State Government has now responded to all 76 recommendations to transform the state’s ability to prepare, respond and recover...
Face scanning before entering pub
More than 20 restaurants may be permitted to serve full-strength alcohol only with a full meal between 11.30am and 3pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The Liquor Commission also proposes to require the Todd Tavern, the NT Rock Bar, Bojangles and Uncles Tavern to establish an identification system, similar to the one used in bottle shops, but including scanning the person's face.

