State politics

Sick and waiting for hours to be seen by a doctor at the Naracoorte Health Service (public hospital). How does that feel? And if that’s not bad enough, how about waiting for four hours for an ambulance transfer?

Public waiting times for life-saving treatments at regional hospitals like Naracoorte are “creating real anxieties.” That’s the word from Shadow Minister for Regional Health Services Penny Pratt, who says it is concerning that people are losing confidence in country health systems.

Member for Benambra, Bill Tilley, fears laws designed to protect livestock from wild dogs will be scrapped and promised consultation with people in the Upper Murray is nothing but lip service. Member for Northern Victoria Region, Wendy Lovell, told the Victorian Parliament last Wednesday that the Victorian government had surrendered to ill-informed propaganda from lobby groups without talking to the farmers who will be most affected.

A Supreme Court bombshell in Queensland this week as dozens of police and health workers, including paramedics, won a mammoth legal battle over mandatory vaccination, with the Supreme Court declaring they were unlawful ... It’s been nearly three years since Australian state premiers and chief medical officers forced Australians to choose between a novel Covid-19 vaccine within a phase three trial and feeding their families.

NSW Farmers has warned it will walk away from controversial traceability reforms unless states and territories implement the same system with the same compliance requirements. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said jurisdictional harmonisation of mandatory sheep and goat eID traceability was increasingly at risk as state and territories moved in a different direction...

For six generations, the Lunghusen family have farmed on Gunbower Creek. The recent fish deaths have Jason Lunghusen questioning the current management of the creek and how much say the community actually has in these top-down government-run projects.  

Suzie Christensen. Community feedback on the improved short-term communications options for LHI was gathered in November 2023. The survey results showed that the majority of residents are in favour of preserving the Island’s unique way of life when it comes to connectivity.

Tasmania's peak body representing Tasmanian farmers has presented a comprehensive package of critical policy questions to political hopefuls ... We want to see clear long-term strategies from the major political parties and their candidates regarding the critical issues confronting farmers should they win government in this election.

I am so, so happy to say that after multiple ultrasounds, CT scans, X-Rays, procedures, a biopsy, a major surgery, 4 months of living in Melbourne and separated from family, countless doctors appointments, hospital admissions, ER trips, blood tests, echocardiograms and 31 weeks of chemotherapy, my baby is finally in remission.

Figures suggest that there are as many as 800 Clarence Valley men diagnosed and currently living with prostate cancer. Yet there are virtually no specialised medical staff nor treatments available locally for the condition.

Hay Shire Council has confirmed its support to the local Rural Fire Service in the face of   an inquiry into NSW RFS arrangements with Local Government. With the bushfire season underway, the upcoming inquiry into the effectiveness of NSW RFS's asset management and operations will be undertaken by a parliamentary committee.

Michelle Daw. Commercial fishers are hoping the release of a state government report on its controversial cost recovery model will bring about changes, enabling them to stay in business. The Report of the Independent Cost Recovery Review Panel from October 2023 was released by Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven on Tuesday, February 20.

The Beetaloo-Sub Basin on-shore natural gas resource will be at the forefront of the world’s transition to renewable energy and enable a new economic era for the NT, estimated to increase economic activity by over $17 billion ... Tamboran a key stakeholder in the Beetaloo Sub-Basin, released their initial production results from well testing.  

A groundbreaking $42.7 million national biosecurity initiative led by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) in partnership with five state government departments is set to transform the effectiveness and responsiveness of Australia’s grains biosecurity system. The six-year initiative will use state-of-the-art technology and processes to improve Australia’s ability to rapidly detect and accurately diagnose exotic pests and plant diseases...

Confusion reigns amongst farmers and other landowners in southern Gippsland as the state government's new kid on the bloc, VicGrid, has pushed aside their negotiations with existing companies over the various transmission projects that will be built across the region under the government's renewable energy policy. This comes across the background of the blackouts caused by storms last week that brought down transmission lines and electricity poles that led to the closure of Loy Yang A power station.

An independent review appointed by the Minister for Local Government has released its final report on the electoral structure of the Shire of Mount Alexander Council. The electoral representation advisory panel recommends that Mount Alexander Shire adopt a single-councillor ward structure, with a total of eight councillors, eight wards and one councillor per ward.

The North East Catchment Authority (NECMA) is in the process of undertaking flood recovery works on a further five high priority cases in the catchment including a creek in the Upper Murray. The five cases were selected following an assessment process that takes into account any risks including the threat to public infrastructure and river health if no action is undertaken.