WEEKEND LONGREAD: There’s an $800m price tag on getting water security for Armidale and Uralla, and ratepayers don’t have it Now the state wants a $24 billion energy zone built here, and Mayor Sam Coupland is using that need as leverage: no water, no REZ.
NSW Politics
Hillvue Public Preschool opens as first new regional public preschool in 20 years
Tamworth has landed the first new public preschool built in regional NSW in more than 20 years, with Hillvue Public Preschool now open to 80 children a week.
Wee Waa Health Service extends opening hours after years of lobbying
Wee Waa Health Service is extending its hours to 7am to 10pm from October, more than three years after a staffing crunch forced them back. But the fight for a full emergency department isn’t over yet.
Saffin wins national Human Rights award
Tenterfield’s state member has won Labor’s top human rights honour. Nearly 72 and still “skiing down the hill on one ski,” Janelle Saffin’s fight has spanned four decades, Timor-Leste and Myanmar.
Joblink Plus Artist Bursary returns to support emerging artists
Applications are now open for the 2027 Joblink Plus Artist Bursary Program, which will support artists performing at the Toyota 55th Tamworth Country Music Festival.
New England REZ rollout caused ‘avoidable harm’
A NSW parliamentary inquiry has found the New England REZ rollout caused “avoidable harm” due to a lack of a coherent, enforceable, whole-of-government planning framework.
NSW Premier, Energy Minister face NSW Farmers conference
Fuel, crime, renewables and land maps took centre stage as Premier Chris Minns and Energy Minister Penny Sharpe faced NSW Farmers delegates, pledging action while farmers pressed them on infrastructure and regional concerns across NSW.
Farmers press health and welfare case for firearm suppressors
Protecting hearing and better animal welfare concerns drive demand to keep firearms suppressors at the NSW Farmers annual conference on Tuesday.
Coalition cherry-picks corporate insolvency to spruik payroll tax policy
The NSW Coalition says insolvencies prove Labor is failing business. The same data shows collapses actually fell last year. So which figure tells the real story?
Squadron stops work on Boorolong wind farm as neighbouring Origin project pushes on
Squadron has quietly walked away from its Boorolong wind farm near Armidale, while Origin’s project next door pushes on. The transmission line the Coalition says they won’t build is right in the middle of it.
