Report says delays to transmission builds are costing Australians
A new report by Nexa Advisory reveals that delays in building energy transmission infrastructure will lead to higher electricity bills for both households and businesses, compromise energy reliability and jeopardise emissions reduction targets. CEO of Nexa Advisory, Stephanie Bashir said the factors contributing to the slow pace of the energy transition were complex.
Murrumbidgee Council launches investigation into fuel spill
It is believed Murrumbidgee Council has launched an investigation into the alleged fuel spill at Gundaline Station, which was revealed in an exclusive report in The Riverine Grazier. Anne Lyons, Murrumbidgee Council’s Media and Communications Officer responded to enquiries for updates, following the NSW Environmental Protection Authority stating local Councils are the regulatory agencies for such incidents, under the Act.
Health pressure rises
Joanna Tucker. With Yorke Peninsula’s population expected to increase by up to 10,000 in the next decade, and more than 500 homes expected to be built on the Copper Coast in coming years, calls for a serious upgrade of the region’s health-care system have strengthened. Hundreds of residents are currently travelling to Adelaide regularly to access health care and with the region’s biggest hospital at Wallaroo offering only 21 beds…
Forestry fire specialists answer the call in Canada: Forestry Corporation of NSW
Four fire specialists from Forestry Corporation are serving as part of a New South Wales deployment of firefighters assisting authorities in Canada to tackle the country’s wildfires. A contingent of firefighters and incident management specialists have departed for Canada after AFAC, the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services received a request for assistance from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.
Huge, costly flaw revealed in Labor’s buybacks system leaving local growers hamstrung: Centofanti
Struggling South Australian growers could be forced to wait almost a year for compensation after selling water to the Albanese Labor Government to meet its target of 450GL for the Murray-Darling Basin. Labor has released its Restoring Our Rivers - Trading Strategy which outlines its approach to the destructive water buybacks model over the next year, claiming: “The intent of these rules is to ensure that persons or organisations with prior knowledge of market sensitive information that will be publicly announced, do not have an unfair market advantage over other water market participants”.
War of words
A war of words has broken out between Health Minister Chris Picton and Member of Barker Tony Pasin over the release of a feasibility study on delivering radiation treatment services for the region. Mr Pasin claimed the local health bureaucracy, the Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN), has “snubbed” the release of the report, hiding it from the public and the volunteers of the Limestone Coast Radiation Treatment Working Group.
Stone walls, not Big Rocks – Katter slams Government inaction forcing council’s hand: Robbie Katter
The Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Member for Traeger, Robbie Katter has slammed the Labor Government and their ideologically driven departments, while backing the Charters Towers Regional Council’s decision to wipe their hands of the Big Rocks Weir Project. “This just demonstrates that the Government and the bureaucracy in Brisbane have no appetite whatsoever to help develop and progress North Queensland,” the KAP Leader said.
As funding stalls and falls behind – regional shows out in the cold
Much-loved Agricultural Shows across Victoria are taking an unfair hit, with the State Government funding frozen and failing to keep pace with the rising cost-of-living. Despite soaring inflation, the Agriculture and Pastoral Society Grants Program has remained stagnant at $300,000 in total funding, with a $10,000 maximum for each Show. In real terms, funding for Agricultural Shows has dramatically dropped. Staggeringly, there is less funding available than 19 years ago.
More new homes for Elliott residents
Pompey Raymond is one of Elliott’s favourite characters, so there were plenty of cheers when he moved into a brand new home a couple of weeks ago. Pompey will be living in North Camp with his daughter Rosemary and grandchildren. Labor candidate for Barkly Lizzie Hogan was in Elliott to congratulate the Raymond family. “That old man was so happy,” she said.
Council resolves to return ownership of Merryfields Environmental Park
The future use of Merryfields Environmental Park at Withcott will now be directed by the State Government. At its monthly Ordinary Council Meeting, Lockyer Valley Regional Council resolved to return management to the State Government in the first instance, thereby saving Council any future costs associated with the site ...
Big Rocks Weir handed to State Government
Charters Towers Regional Council has ... made a decision to relinquish its role as proponent, developer, owner and operator of the Big Rocks Weir Project (BRW) to the State Government. Council’s original aim was to build and operate a weir in the Big Rocks area, located on the Burdekin River approximately 35km north of Charters Towers.
Melbourne firm awarded Koondrook’s $500,000 transition fund
Gannawarra Shire Council staff have awarded the $500,000 State Government’s Community Development Fund to Melbourne based Urban Enterprises. The $500,000 grant from the Victorian Labor Government was in response to the Andrews – Allan Government’s decision to end over 150 years of native forestry in the state. Urban Enterprises edged out three rival bids for the contract, two being Barham-based and from Bendigo.
Firewood theft cripples parks and forests
The silent and devastating toll of people stealing wood from Victoria’s forests and parks has been revealed as public land authorities announce a crackdown on escalating illegal firewood take and habitat destruction threatening the survival of native wildlife and Aboriginal cultural heritage. In 2023 alone, firewood thieves damaged or destroyed more than 9,200 native trees or cleared roughly 462 hectares of public land in Victoria ...
Millions more in support flowing for Riverland councils, but – too little too late?
Madison Eastmond, Hugh Schuitemaker ... The Federal Government yesterday announced $25m worth of funding to support flood recovery efforts. However, Chaffey MP Tim Whetstone said the repair of damaged local infrastructure needed to be a higher priority ... "Some are unsafe, and councils are left swinging in the breeze wondering if funding will eventuate to repair the flood impacted road network."
Renmark icon’s restoration
Madison Estmond. “Around 10 months ago, a 5kg concrete slab fell off the building’s soffit onto the road,” Hotel Renmark general manager Darren Baker said ... With the project approved by Stage Heritage and the hotel’s community board, Hotel Renmark will also be painted.
Load shedding leaves 24,500 in the dark
Northern Rivers politicians have slammed Transgrid, the high voltage electricity transmission network operator and manager, and the Australian Energy Market Operator after more than 24,000 customers across the region were left with power last week for more than 3 hours on one of the coldest nights of the year. Power went out as people were cooking dinner at 6.20pm on July 8, in a large area from Mullumbimby to Ballina and Alstonville, and west to Lismore, Casino, and Kyogle, and didn’t return to some homes until almost 11pm.
Kick in the guts
Michelle Daw. Yorke Peninsula commercial fishers say they are being discriminated against by a new fees regime that took effect this month, which has been described as a "kick in the guts" that could send them out of business. The fees are based on a quota system aimed at making fishers pay the full cost of government management for King George whiting, garfish and calamari, in Gulf St Vincent and Spencer Gulf only.
Wallumbilla’s new community precinct breaks ground: Chisholm, Taylor, Kennedy-Clark
Construction works on Wallumbilla’s new community precinct has officially begun with Assistant Minister for Regional Development Anthony Chisholm joining Maranoa Regional Council representatives to turn the first sod on the new $4.85 million facility (in south-west Queensland). The precinct upgrade will feature a new community centre, library, visitor information centre and professional service spaces.
Youth crime: Parents need to act, says Yan
It’s time parents of delinquent young people took control of their offspring, and if they don’t, laws need to be brought in to oblige them to do so. CLP Member for Namatjira Bill Yan said this in an interview with the Alice Springs News on Show Day, two days before “about 20 male youths” allegedly assaulted, at 2.15am, four off-duty police officers, including three women, walking home at the end of night on the town.
Sky News withdrawal: South East ‘deserves better’
South East free-to-air TV viewers suddenly deprived of Sky News Regional – as of last week – “deserve better”, a state MP says. People across the South-East and the state’s Riverland – plus sections of NSW – lost access to Sky News Regional on Monday 1 July after Sky’s affiliation agreement with WIN Television ended.
Attacking the housing crisis from all fronts
Housing is the hottest topic at the moment, with agencies and organisations across the country putting their expertise towards various ways of analysing and addressing the multi-faceted issue. It is a crisis of availability and affordability across the country, affecting home buyers as prices and interest rates continue to increase, but most particularly the detrimental effects are being felt by renters.
Far North Queensland biodiversity secured thanks to new protected areas: Plibersek, Linard
The project will support the 64,000 hectare expansion of the Crystalvale Nature Refuge, about 15km south-west of Coen, and establish the new 244,000 hectare Abingdon Downs North Nature Refuge, about 85km north-west of Georgetown ... Abingdon Downs North and Crystalvale make up the largest dedication of private protected area in the past six years.
