The sham we knew it would be: Katter
When the Government approached me to chair the Supermarket inquiry, it only took a minute to realise it was doomed for failure, Katter’s Australian Party Leader, and Member for Traeger, Robbie Katter said. “The Committee was only recently established, yet submissions are already about to close!” Mr Katter said.
Mayor calls for phone to be reinstated
Reconnecting the telephone at Lucindale’s Health Centre would be a first step towards healing a rift between the community and the $243 million Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN) which slashed its services. Naracoorte Lucindale mayor Patrick Ross hoped the phone line would be reinstated by the end of last week, or early this week.
Greater extreme weather incidents lead to need for SES facilities expansion at Narrandera Airport
Expansion of the NSW State Emergency Services at Narrandera Airport in conjunction with the NSW SES is taking place as a result of co-operation between the state body and the Narrandera Shire Council. As previously announced the Council approved the usage of the southern section of the airport hangar…
Ochre to go – opportunity knocks?
Ochre Health announced its intention to withdraw from Barham in a press release last week, and a hunt is underway to find a new operator for the facility. The Barham Local Health Medical Trust, which owns the facility, acknowledged Ochre Health’s commitment to the community and its excellent provision of medical services over the past 15 years.
Claims that lives may be at risk from proposed Yamba development
The lives of more than 200 residents of Yamba’s Hometown Australia owned Grevillea Waters, whose average age is in their mid-70s, are at significant risk if a proposed 16 townhouse development adjacent to the village is approved by Clarence Valley Council. That was the strong message the Grevillea Waters Residents Committee Focus Group GWRCFG delivered to the Member for Clarence, Richie Williamson, and the CV Independent when we were invited to tour the village...
Murray Darling Basin television campaign uproar – MDB ads ‘disgraceful’
Independent Member for Murray, Helen Dalton, has called on the federal government to scrap its Murray Darling Basin advertising campaign, labelling it “dishonest and disgraceful.” ... “These ads blame NSW farming families for the state of the rivers, when water mismanagement by the federal government is responsible for the shocking state of our system,” Ms Dalton said.
Wetlands closed to hunting
The Richardson River, Donald, and Lake Buloke are among the areas closed to hunting for the season beginning tomorrow. The Victorian Government has closed or partially closed thirty-two wetlands to hunting for the 2024 duck season to prevent losses or disturbance to significant numbers of threatened species and breeding waterbirds.
Fairer fares deliver huge savings in first year: Williams
Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams was in Geelong today, to mark one year of making regional public transport more affordable by capping the daily regional fare at the same price as the daily metropolitan fare. Passengers have been showing their enthusiasm for cheaper regional travel, with more than 22 million trips taken since the fare cap commenced.
Western Queensland Councils unite – “Don’t mess with the Great Artesian Basin”: WQAC
It’s a resounding no from leaders across Western Queensland to proposed plans to inject industrial waste into the Great Artesian Basin … The 24 member councils of Western Queensland ... unanimously agree in their opposition to the proposal for foreign-owned mining giant Glencore to undertake an injection test of 330,000 tonnes of liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) over three years into the Great Artesian Basin (GAB).
Overwhelming opposition to CCS in the Great Artesian Basin continues to grow with delegation calling on the Queensland Premier to take action: QFF
With an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) decision for Glencore’s proposed carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) expected to be handed down in early May, community, environmental groups and industry remain united in calling on the Queensland government to reject the proposal.
Secret police
The media releases from the police spin doctors are frequently short of salient information and phone calls from journalists to fill in the yawning gaps are not returned. Law-and-order problems go right to the top, says Independent MLA for Araluen, Robyn Lambley, referring to the “backflipping on a monumental scale” about curfews by Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Chansey Paech.
Minister’s response on Shepparton Bypass provides no hope: Lovell
During a recent sitting of parliament Wendy Lovell, Liberal Member for Northern Victoria, highlighted the Labor government’s continuing failure to act on the Shepparton Bypass. Following the release of the Shepparton South East Precinct Structure Plan, Ms Lovell urged the State Government to commit to funding at least Stage 1 of the Shepparton Bypass in the 24/25 Budget.
Labor breaks regional Victorian rail commitments: Cleeland
Regional communities continue to pay the price of Labor’s mismanagement as key rail upgrades for lines across regional Victoria remain undelivered. Train lines in Shepparton, Warrnambool, and Gippsland were promised upgrades by the end of 2023, but the Allan Labor Government’s mismanagement of Victoria’s infrastructure pipeline has seen all three projects suffer delays and result in cost blowouts.
Porcupine Village seeks Ministerial approval
A decision has been made to take planning matters for the proposed Porcupine Village development out of Council hands. The Minister for Planning will now make the final decision, in a process which is designed to fast track projects which are judged to make a significant contribution to the State’s economy and to provide substantial public benefit, including jobs for Victorians.
ANZ temporary branch closure concerns local customers
The Member for Barkly has called out the corporate ANZ company for its lack of stable banking facilities in Tennant Creek. A number of customers who had been waiting outside the local branch since its 9.30am opening time on Tuesday were frustrated by its closure. Barkly MLA Steve Edgington highlighted the plight of residents without keycards ...
Say no to CCS project in the Great Artesian Basin – QFF to lead delegation to Queensland Premier: QFF
The Queensland Farmers' Federation (QFF) will lead a delegation of industry and community leaders to see Queensland Premier the Hon Steven Miles ... with a clear message: reject the proposed carbon capture and storage (CCS) project planned for the Great Artesian Basin (GAB) and put in place regulations to stop future CCS proposals into water aquifers in the GAB.
Council to withdraw from issuing building permits
Gannawarra Shire Council has made the difficult decision to permanently cease providing the service of issuing building permits, which are required for all major projects, including new homes, home extensions, garages and commercial projects. Council announced last month it had suspended accepting building permit applications, whilst reviewing its Building department’s current level of service.
Ssh! Secret meeting!
Last night ... a secret meeting regarding nursing services at Lucindale was scheduled to be held behind locked doors. Patients, public and the media were excluded from the private gathering in the town's rarely used council chamber. With an “invitation only” guest list which expanded from “a chosen few” to around 24 people, the meeting was organised by the $243 million Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN).
Will the dominos fall across the country after Victoria and Western Australia ended the harvesting of native forests? : Robert Onfray
When I started as a young forester in the late 1980s, I yearned for the opportunity to work in our native forests. While assessing a coupe to plan for a tree harvesting operation, I knew I was inheriting a forest structure that benefited from silvicultural practices adopted by foresters a few generations before me. Foresters aim to make the forest more productive by applying scientific principles to aid in the regeneration of the next crop of trees and to encourage the best growth of the retained trees. My responsibility was to continue that tradition for foresters a few generations ahead of me.
KAP calls out LNP to show their hand on bush sentencing: Katter
If the recent Local Government election results have shown us anything, it’s that Queenslanders want change from the status quo, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter has said. “The LNP seem to think they’re a shoo-in, but as the true Opposition in North Queensland we are calling them out as being a void of policy,” Mr Katter said. Mr Katter said he was pleased the KAP youth crime policy, which he had advocated for seven years, is resonating well with the wider community, and was now calling on the State LNP to commit to the North-Queensland born idea of Relocation Sentencing.
Big boost for Eazy Stay
Hodgson Vale man Josh Poynter, the inventor of the Eazy Stay, an innovative fence strainer post, is the beneficiary of a grant totalling close to $100,000 ... The Eazy Stay is a multi-functional fencing aid, manufactured in South-East Queensland and is constructed from solid steel and galvanised, making it durable and sturdy.
Council delegate pushes worth of keeping eye on highway progress
Narrandera Shire Council delegate Cr Peter Dawson believes that the council must continue its representation on the Newell Highway Taskforce or the northern end of the highway will continue to be upgraded and very little done at the southern end. However he said it was evident that most of the works along the Newell Highway were being carried out in the northern section and very little in the Southern.
