CATEGORY

Property

Hogan and Williamson push for more flood funding

The push for more funding for the flood ravaged Northern Rivers region has been taken up by Member for Clarence, Richie Williamson, who questioned the Minns NSW Government on the massive reduction in buybacks offered and Federal Member for Page, Kevin Hogan, who launched a petition to fully fund the Resilient Homes Program as promised ... On Saturday Woodburn locals lined the bridge armed with signs, a town which felt the full brunt of the catastrophic flood, that still feels unheard as they struggle to rebuild.

Marion Yay

Patrick Goldsmith. Marion Bay will get its long sought-after boat ramp upgrade after Yorke Peninsula Council received $3.04 million through the state government’s South Australian Boating Facilities Fund ... Concept plans for the ramp were endorsed by council members in October, but only approved by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport last week.

How to create a home for all the seasons and lower energy bills

Here’s a great chance to tap into inspiring tips from Sunshine Coast design experts and learn how to make your home comfortable all year round. Sunshine Coast Council has developed a free educational design booklet, online course and smart phone compass to help you better understand our local sub-tropical climate and how the sun in winter and summer influences the liveability of our homes.

Misleading tactics used by transmission companies to dupe farmers: VFF

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has expressed concerns about misleading information being provided to farmers who may be impacted by the proposed VNI-West transmission project. VFF President Emma Germano said the Australian Energy Market Operator (which is planning the project on behalf of the Victorian Government) had released information to landholders designed to pressure them into signing away access to their land.

Regional renting is about to get a whole lot harder: Bev McArthur

Mrs McArthur said the trifecta of mortgage stress, rental compliance and tax increases, will result in ‘rental providers’ seeking easier financial options ... “This rental crisis will become increasingly obvious in regional cities like Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat as we draw closer to the Commonwealth Games."

The new Maldon Design Guidelines

Viv Markham. Since the 1960s, heritage has been an important part of Maldon’s persona. It’s therefore surprising that the recently published and updated Maldon Design Guidelines (MDG) was not announced with a little more fanfare.

New houses delivered

Two 2 bedroom homes built in Wagga, by Adaptive Interiors, transported here and welded on foundations by Zac Pirie Welding and Fabrications. This is one of the 3 town blocks sold to the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office for $1-00 per block.

Hands & Hearts repairing 100 homes in 10 days –  doing what the government won’t

A project led by locals aims to raise $50million to help flooded communities. The project was born out of the frustration over the lack of funding to rebuild homes after the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation released flood maps that showed priority areas that excluded most of the damaged homes.

Despairing residents express anger over fudged flood figures

The gathered people were angry, frustrated and sad. Many took the mic and spoke and for some it was clearly uncomfortable to bare their sorrow as they shook and their voices broke ... Henry Luong told people to “use your rage and make it your power”.

Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act update: WAFarmers

Farmers beware! Come midnight tonight [30 June 2023], don’t think you can crank up your bulldozer, grader or continue building that new hay shed and not have to worry about the new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage laws ... While some may think that the Premier's light touch and soft start might sound appealing, by law nothing has changed, and you could well find yourself prosecuted for any heritage damage you do in the coming months with no legal recourse despite the Premier's spin.

Plan to ease rent shortage

Patricia Gill. The upper level of heritage-listed Edinboro House is set for a $2.3 million redevelopment for 10 ‘micro’ apartments to ease Denmark’s shortage of rental housing. The charity, Denmark Futures Ltd, has an option to purchase the property expiring in October and awaits the outcome of Department of Communities funding applications for the project.

Flood adaptation abandoned – NRRC’s funding uncertainty hinders reconstruction efforts: A Way Forward

Thousands of Northern Rivers residents have been waiting anxiously for 16 months to see whether or not they would receive assistance via home buy-backs, retrofitting or house raising. This week, hundreds are being told they will receive no help from Government ...Members of A Way Forward are calling on the NSW and Federal Governments to urgently provide additional funding to the NRRC to extend their Resilient Homes program.

Popular local attraction for sale

Owners of the Darling Downs Zoo, Steve and Stephanie Robinson have reluctantly placed the popular tourist attraction on the market due to Steve’s health. The Robinsons opened the Darling Downs Zoo in 2005 after many years of working with authorities to enable the project to go ahead.

Flood risk mapping sees buybacks halved

New flood risk mapping released by the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Commission (NRRC) which has seen the number of homes eligible for buyback halved has been slammed by the Nationals as calls come for the second tranche of funding to be released. NRRC Chief Executive David Witherdin said the new mapping will inform the Commonwealth and  State Government’s co-funded $700 million program and be used to prioritise home buybacks,  raisings and retrofits.

Northern Rivers declared formal reconstruction area giving green light to rebuild: Scully

The NSW Government has declared the Northern Rivers a formal reconstruction area to help support the building of homes after last year’s devastating floods. Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said the declaration allows the NSW Reconstruction Authority (NSWRA) to make prompt decisions to influence reconstruction and aligns with the election commitment to accelerate the approval of new housing...

Strong growth for Australian broadacre farmland prices: DAFF

The average price of broadacre farmland per hectare has almost doubled over the last three years, increasing by 93 per cent from 2020 to 2023 ... Median farmland prices have grown most in the high rainfall zone, increasing by 125 per cent over the last 3 years to almost $9,000 per hectare.

New planning rules to support River Murray rebuild: Champion

A suite of new planning rules designed to protect River Murray regions from future flood events and assist with a strong recovery and rebuild are coming into effect this week. To fast-track the region’s recovery the interim changes will come into immediate effect from Thursday, providing a quicker building approval process for the influx of applications expected.

Ownership of Boodjamulla National Park returned to Traditional Owners: Stewart, Linard

More than 79,000 hectares of the iconic Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park have been handed back to the Waanyi People in a historic ceremony at Parliament House ... Waanyi Prescribed Body Corporate will lease the Aboriginal land, in perpetuity, to the State to manage under the Nature Conservation Act, the first lease back arrangement that has been successfully negotiated on national park land in Queensland.

Where Aussies are moving after a year of interest rate rises: Muval

National online removalist booking platform Muval, which has the most up-to-date internal migration figures showing where Australians are moving right now, has crunched the May numbers to show the impact a year on from the start of interest rate rises.

Towong will suffer from new tax

The Windfall Gains Tax that comes into effect next week is a nail in the coffin of residential development in the Towong Shire, says Member for Benambra Bill Tilley. "Labor’s latest tax - one of more than 50 since they came to power in 2014 - will slug landowners of rezoned land up to 50 per cent of its new value," Mr Tilley said.

With only $9m spent of $700m in first round, Premier says no second round yet

Federal MP Kevin Hogan isn’t holding back in his criticism of the State Government halving the number of buybacks of Northern Rivers flooded homes. The decision to drastically cut the Northern Rivers homes buybacks was made even worse by an announcement that the Federal Government would be boosting buybacks in Queensland by an additional 300 homes, Mr Hogan said.

Zoo looking for new homes for beloved goats

The Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens Zoo & Aviary is seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI) from the community to rehome five of its adult goats. The goats have been on display for several years but had to be relocated due to recent changes at the zoo.

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