Water buybacks are in the Coalition’s sights. A new taskforce will tour the Basin to hear from irrigators and push for dams and a ban on more buybacks.
Matt Canavan
Posted inAgribusiness, Agriculture, General News, News
Farmers push parties to reject EU deal
The coalition is against the EU trade deal, the trade minister says that would be “economic self harm”, and farmers say the agreement leaves them behind. Who blinks first?
Posted inArmidale, Federal Politics, Immigration, Long Read
Demographic bulimia: why immigration is a stuck-in-the-muck issue
Labor, the Coalition and One Nation all say they want fewer migrants. Australia’s economy, its farms and its own refugee-resettlement towns all need more of them. It’s a clash between electoral populism and policy reality with no solution.
Posted inAgribusiness, Agriculture, Environment, Long Read, Mining and Resources, Moree
The real climate policy threat to Australia’s agricultural land
WEEKEND LONG READ: Australia’s system of carbon credits is swallowing up millions of hectares of prime farming land and locking it up for a century, while polluters like Woodside and Chevron look clean on paper. Farmers, investors and economists all want it fixed.
Posted inBusiness, Crime, Glen Innes Severn Shire, Long Read, Politics
The tax that built a black market
WEEKEND LONG READ: A federal tax has turned main streets into a battleground for organised crime, insurance hikes and arson. Canberra is still dismissing calls to cut the tobacco excise as a thought bubble.
Posted inBarwon Electorate, Emergency management, Grants and funding, Politics, Tenterfield
$2.7 million disaster threshold plan an “insult” to small councils
Damage to your whole town, still miss out on funding: that’s the risk if Canberra’s disaster threshold triples to $2.7 million. Barwon MP Roy Butler says it’s “an insult” to small councils.
Posted inParkes Electorate, Social issues and services
National gun buyback deadline expires as Parkes MP joins criticism
Labor promised a national gun buyback by 1 July. It’s now collapsed, with states walking away and Parkes MP Jamie Chaffey saying regional gun owners were made a scapegoat.
Posted inLocal News, Roads and Infrastructure, Transport and Freight
Coalition launches ‘Rescue our Rail’ campaign over Inland Rail cuts
The Coalition has launched a “Rescue our Rail” campaign as anger grows over the decision to halt Inland Rail at Parkes.
Posted inEnergy, Local News
Coalition pledges to double fuel reserves with $800m storage plan
The Coalition wants to double Australia’s fuel reserves and build new storage, arguing the current crisis has exposed major gaps.
Posted inAgriculture, Business
Business cheers as landmark EU trade deal signed, but farmers sold short
Australian businesses are celebrating a long-awaited free trade deal with the EU, but farmers warn the agreement delivers little for agriculture and could hurt the sector for decades.