Penola named South Australian Agricultural Town of the Year 2024: Scriven
Penola, in South Australia's Limestone Coast, has been named the 2024 Agricultural Town of the Year, in recognition of its dedication to agriculture, agricultural education and community. The announcement was made at the Regional Showcase Awards held at Beresford House in McLaren Vale.
Paws for thought – Greyhound racing is more than a sport for regional Victoria: McArthur
The motion was described by Mrs McArthur as “cloaked in care but shrouded in deception”, emphasising the disingenuous aim to improve transparency while actually seeking to close the industry ... Whether it's greyhound racing, flat racing, jumps racing, or equestrian racing—even pony clubs have races—this is just the short edge of the wedge.
Government seeking feedback on renewables
Amidst changes to regulations and community engagement requirements, the Queensland Government is seeking feedback on its approach to renewable energy projects ... From over 1,000 conversations during the REZ readiness assessment for the anticipated Callide Renewable Energy Zone in Central Queensland, locals showed that regional communities want greater engagement, accessible advice, real choices, clearer information...
“Submissions must be made into ambulance enquiry”
The Nationals Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, says with regional Victoria’s dangerously below par ambulance response times, it is essential people make submissions to the parliamentary inquiry into the performance, workplace culture, and procurement practices of Ambulance Victoria. Ms Benham says with the Victorian health system in crisis, our overworked and undermanned ambos are reaching breaking point.
True Howard Springs ‘wear and tear’ cost revealed: Yan
...$12.7 million of taxpayers’ money was spent operating the Howard Springs Accommodation Village for two months to cater for flood evacuees last year. The total bill for cleaning and repairs was $1.3 million for the two-month period in March and April last year. This included $469,000 replacing windows, $277,000 for handyman services, $174,000 on plumbing, and $89,000 on mattresses.
The urgency of CPR and defibrillation
Ambulance Victoria (AV) paramedics are emphasising the importance of early intervention for cardiac arrest cases, following a study that found a defibrillator shock from a bystander can vastly improve survivors’ quality of life 12 months on. The data underpins AV’s month-long Shocktober campaign, which highlights the life-saving importance of learning CPR and knowing how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Lovell calls for stop to solar farm in wine country
The proposed Cooba Solar Project will cover a massive 665 hectares of some of the best wine country in Victoria with 740,000 solar panels and 300 batteries the size of shipping containers. There are over 30 wineries along the Heathcote-Rochester Road that bring a constant stream of tourists to the area ... The area is prime agricultural land, with high-quality soil that is particularly suited to grape-growing ...
Ups and downs of Salena sale
Hugh Schuitemaker. A 5c on the dollar return for unsecured creditors of Salena Estate, in the wake of the winery’s sale, is "another devastating blow" for the Riverland wine industry according to senior local politicians. Salena Estate creditors last week approved a sale of the vineyards, winery properties and equipment to an entity associated with China’s Tianyu Wool.
The right way to achieve our goals?
Riverland-based MLC, and opposition spokesperson for regional South Australia, Nicola Centofanti, has provided the following speech she gave in Parliament regarding concerns for the listing of the Lower Murray as a threatened ecological community as part of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999…
Nothing to fear, it’s just a statement
If the various State and Federal Ministers for Agriculture really want to make a statement that offers opportunities for Aboriginal people, then start with the existing 40 million hectares of the Indigenous-owned estate and unshackle them from the dead hand of government bureaucracy and red and green tape. But such a move would give the few Indigenous Australians who live on these properties real self-determination, the right to own their own land outright, access to capital and the right to get rich or go broke ...
Support to get renewables right: NSW Farmers Association
The state’s peak farm body has welcomed news that independent advice and dispute resolution services will soon be available to farming families directly impacted by the state’s renewable energy transition ... NSW Farmers Energy Transition Taskforce Chair Reg Kidd said the support had come at a critical time for regional NSW as renewable energy projects continued to be approved at a rapid pace.
Ombudsman to provide advice and dispute resolution for community members hosting renewable energy: Sharpe
For the first time, the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW will provide impartial information and an external dispute resolution service to landholders and community members impacted by new major renewable energy transmission infrastructure and renewable energy infrastructure projects ... The Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW will provide a ‘no wrong door’ referral service for residents ...
Food security at risk – Farmers push for sustainable wildlife management in Tasmania: TasFarmers
Tasmanian farmers continue to take wildlife management seriously as new data released by Primary Industries and Water Minister Jane Howlett reveals that 1,373 Property Protection Permits were issued in the 2023-24 financial year. TasFarmers President Ian Sauer said farmers support the government's approach to addressing surging wildlife populations, including deer and wallabies…
Generators arrive to remote towns in Far West
Emily McInerney. It was announced at midday Saturday ... that power has been restored, via generator, to customers living in rural areas outside of Broken Hill, after Essential Energy completed aerial inspections of the power network and confirmed it was safe to re-energise. More than 12,000 customers were impacted by unplanned outages following a storm that moved through the area on Wednesday night, bringing down transmission towers and causing damage to the electricity network.
Transforming public housing in Alice Springs: TFHC
The Northern Territory Government is transferring management of 100 public housing properties in Alice Springs to the community housing sector to help create better outcomes for social housing tenants. From today, the homes will be transferred to Community Housing Central Australia (CHCA), an experienced housing organisation which currently manages over 400 properties across the Alice Springs region.
Albury to Illabo to enter construction phase: Inland Rail
The Albury to Illabo (A2I) section of Inland Rail will enter the construction phase after the project received NSW Government planning approval on Friday. The approval from the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure is a significant milestone, and opens the way for construction to begin in 2025.
More public housing in regional SA: Champion, Hughes
...dozens of new public homes completed, contracted, and under construction in regional communities. Visiting Whyalla for today’s State Cabinet meeting, Minister for Housing and Urban Development Nick Champion has released the latest data on public housing builds and projects in regional centres.
Labor wastes six months on red imported fire ant Senate inquiry recommendations: Littleproud
Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said Labor has wasted six months on its Senate inquiry into Red imported fire ants in Australia – ‘don’t let this come back to bite us’. Mr Littleproud said Labor has been too slow to act on key Senate inquiry recommendations, allowing the red imported fire ant biosecurity zone to progressively increase in size.
Have your say Central Darling Shire on bush fire risk management plan
Fire agencies and land managers are developing a Bush Fire Risk Management Plan for the BFMC areas listed. The Central Darling Shire community is invited to participate in this process by having a say on how bush fire risk is managed.
Lowering the age, ram raid and ‘posting and boasting’ laws pass: Finocchiaro, Maley
The CLP Government’s legislation to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 10, and introduce new ram raid, and posting and boasting laws, have been passed in Parliament ... The CLP Government said ignoring 10 and 11-year-olds who commit serious crimes was not the answer to turning around their lives, or protecting the wider community. Since 1 July, there have been more than 104 instances involving youths, aged 10 and 11, in the commission of offences in the Territory.
Buloke shares accommodation funds
The State Government is supporting regional businesses to attract and retain staff with new homes for thousands of regional Victorian workers and their families. Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan and Minister for Regional Development Gayle Tierney recently announced the first round of the $150 million Regional Worker Accommodation Fund...
The race to meeting renewable energy targets should not come at any cost: VFF
The Victorian Farmers Federation is urging the Victorian Government to safeguard the state’s most strategically significant agricultural land from renewable energy development. VFF President Emma Germano said the transition to renewable energy can’t come at the cost of losing the state’s most valuable farmland.
