Call for King Valley to be declared disaster zone

MP calls for disaster zone
BY DI THOMAS and AAP

THE Victorian Government should declare the King Valley a disaster zone in the wake of a devastating frost which struck the region’s winegrape growers this week, member for Indi Sophie Mirabella said yesterday.

Mrs Mirabella visited vineyards yesterday to get a first hand briefing on the damage from growers, including Dal Zotto’s Otto Dal Zotto.

“This was a situation where no one was prepared for the frost. It was totally unexpected,” she said.

Mrs Mirabella said it had been estimated that 90 per cent of the white wine grape vines had been damaged and most of the region’s red varieties.

However, she said the full extent of the damage would be known in three weeks when growers reassessed the progress of their vines.

Some of the growers affected had also planted tobacco and were doubly affected in the wake of proposed changes to that industry, she said.

“These people are not just growers, they are also winemakers and the effect on economic value is worse,” she said.

“I have written to Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron, asking that the Government declare the region a natural disaster zone.

“By doing so they will trigger the formula for the provision of Federal Government assistance to these growers.

“One of the things that assistance includes is concessional interest rates for growers.”

Meanwhile the Victorian Government has announced a $4.9 million package to support the farmers in the Goulburn Valley whose fruit crops were also struck by this week’s frost.

About 450 fruit growers lost an estimated $80 million worth of fruit after temperatures fell to below zero on Monday morning.

The rescue package, announced by Premier Steve Bracks, Treasurer John Brumby and Mr Cameron, includes business interest rate subsidies for eligible farmers once the Federal Government declares that Exceptional Circumstances requirements have been met.

This will include $4.3 million to fund Goulburn-Murray Water’s pumping of water in Warranga Basin, to reduce costs for farmers; $350,000 for financial counselling for Goulburn Valley businesses and further local council rate subsidies.

Farmers in the region are now pulling together data to show the damage caused by Monday’s frost and this will form part of the case for an EC ruling.

Orchardist Andrew Prentice from East Shepparton said the frosts will mean no income for growers for 18 months.

Sophie Mirabella examines frost damaged vines with Otto Dal Zotto in the King Valley.

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Sykes in push for more aid
BY DI THOMAS

NO natural disaster determination would be made for wine grape growers in the North East, member for Benalla Bill Sykes said yesterday. – full story...

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Participate in Seniors Week - Oct 1 to 8

The Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes is urging seniors to take advantage of Seniors Week Festival which runs from Sunday 1 October to Sunday 8 October.

Seniors week which normally is held in March has been rescheduled to October due to the Commonwealth Games.

Events and activities have been organised to cater to seniors with a wide range of interests and levels of involvement. The full range of activities is published in the “Victorian Seniors Festival 2006 Booklet”.

Dr Sykes said, “Copies of the program can be obtained from Coles and Bi-Lo Supermarkets throughout the North East. There is instruction in the program booklet on how to make bookings for the events organised for Seniors Week”.

Free public transport will be available in the Metropolitan area during seniors week and importantly for country Victorians, V/Line will be offering free transport days from Tuesday 3 October through to Sunday 8 October, except for Friday 6 October. Seniors are reminded to travel with their seniors cards.

“Bookings for travel will be required on the Albury-Melbourne Line”, Dr Sykes added.

The Nationals continue to fight for better travel concessions for country seniors which are currently less favourable than those for city seniors.

Dr Sykes continued, “There are activities locally as well as in Melbourne that seniors are encouraged to take advantage of, such as an afternoon tea dance to be held at the Wangaratta Town Hall, Denise Drysdale performing at Wangaratta Arts Centre, the Forestry Heritage Museum at Beechworth and the Weary Dunlop Country Trail in Benalla.

“There will be learning and listening expos in Melbourne as well as theatre, films, open days and many other events of interest to seniors”.

Information on ticketing for events can be obtained from Information Victoria on 1800 136 762. There will be no “over the counter” ticket sales.

For further information about local activities contact your local council or Seniors Information Victoria on 1300 13 50 90

Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre Survey

At the September RCoW meeting, the council sponsored survey was questioned by Cr Sholtz and subsequently reported in the Chronicle. The RCoW have now put the survey up on their website. Download it here and make up your own mind.

North East frost damage updates

Vineyards hit hard by frost
BY ELIZA ADAMTHWAITE

FROSTS over the past two days have been a disaster for vineyards and fruit growers across the North East, causing at least $70 million worth of damage.

At Cheshunt, Chrismont Wines’ Arnie Pizzini said the chardonnay and riesling vines plus some of the Italian varieties had copped the brunt of the frost.

Arnie Pizzini looks at the damage to his chardonnay vines after the frosts this week. Picture: MATTHEW SMITHWICK

“We’ve never had frosts like this, not in 20 years. Never,” Mr Pizzini said.

“It’s hit reasonably hard — the real effect will be shown next week when we see if there’s any growth in the shoots.”

The worst of the two frosts was Monday morning but yesterday’s cold was also damaging.

Pizzini Wines’ Joel Pizzini said it was too early to measure the extent of the damage to his vines.

“It’s such a disaster for the whole region as it’s developing in such a strong way,” he said.

“It’s touched up most of our vineyards.

“If the vines were pruned early they were burnt quite badly.

Doug Groom, of Avalon Wines, said the frost had blackened bunches and shoots.

“The early varieties in pinot noir and chardonnay are most severely hit,” he said.

“We’re on a hill and usually survive most frosts.

“But we haven’t had one like this for a while.”

Member for Benalla Bill Sykes and federal member for Murray Sharman Stone have written to Victorian Premier Steve Bracks to demand he declare the frosts as a natural disaster.

But Mr Bracks and Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron refused to make such a declaration yesterday, instead offering other assistance.

Mr Cameron met a handful of growers at Ardmona, west of Shepparton, yesterday and announced that the Department of Primary Industries would help growers put together an application for exceptional circumstances.

He said federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran would accept exceptional circumstances applications over the next fortnight.

Dr Sykes said the State Government’s response was an encouraging step in the right direction.

“It’s a start but the ball is still in Mr Cameron’s court to get the application for EC to Mr McGauran,” he said yesterday.

“We will keep at them to make sure the package is meaningful.”

He also called for more financial counsellors to be employed in the area to support suffering growers.

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Frost cost could be $750m says VFF
The Age: September 27, 2006 - 7:39PM
The cost of Monday's freak frost in the Goulburn Valley could be as high as $750 million, the Victorian Farmers Federation says. ... more

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Sophie seeks aid - MP argues for growers

BY BRAD WORRALL
SOPHIE Mirabella is confident of Federal Government support for tobacco growers following a meeting with the Prime Minister’s office yesterday.

She has also arranged for growers to meet the federal Agriculture Minister next week.

The member for Indi went to Canberra to raise the matter of assistance to North East tobacco growers who have been offered a $10 million package from tobacco giant British American Tobacco to quit production over the next two years.

“I met with the Prime Minister’s office to brief them on the situation of the local tobacco industry and to outline my strong support for an exit and restructure package,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“I met the chief of staff and received a very sympathetic hearing and a clear understanding of the need for our local growers to receive a fair go.

“This meeting gave me an opportunity to outline my hopes for the future of the local growers and the difficulties they have endured in recent years with the quality of production, the increasing criminal element that has undermined the local industry, and the need to plan for the future and get the best possible outcome for our growers.

“Following the meeting, I’m very confident the Federal Government will provide some form of assistance.”

Mrs Mirabella said she would also arrange a meeting between the Tobacco Co-operative of Victoria with Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran next Wednesday in Melbourne.

“Myrtleford growers need to be rewarded for their innovation, their ability to adapt their growing techniques, their vertical integration, their value adding to the local industry and their persistence in making a go of the industry against difficult international competition and a corrupted world market,” she said.

“These growers have endured some difficult times and we need to help them in their time of need.

“I stand ready with our local growers in Myrtleford to assist them to gain access to a meaningful package of assistance that recognises their current situation and the growers’ contribution to the national economy.”

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Business feels the strain as major orders dumped
BY CHLOE BUGELLY
MYRTLEFORD businesses are already feeling the pressure of a doomed tobacco industry as growers start cancelling orders for machinery and supplies. – full story...

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Growers ‘to face tough times’
Region ‘will produce a new crop’
TOBACCO grower Allan McGuffie is optimistic he and other growers in Myrtleford have a future but admits it will be tough. – full story...

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Chop chop black market ‘helped destroy industry’
BY BRAD WORRALL
CRIMINALS peddling chop chop had played a major role in the demise of Myrtleford’s tobacco industry, Sophie Mirabella said yesterday. – full story...

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$600 million Broadband Connect program launched

The Australian Government will invest up to $600 million in rural, regional and remote Australia to encourage private sector rollouts of broadband infrastructure, Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile and the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, announced today.

Part of the $1.1 billion Connect Australia package, this is the second phase of the $878 million Broadband Connect program.

The first phase of Broadband Connect is a per-customer subsidy paid to Internet Service Providers who connect customers in areas where a broadband connection is hard to get. This subsidy model has already resulted in more than one million extra broadband connections in Australia.

This second phase will support a small number of large scale infrastructure projects and leverage additional funding from the private sector and State and Territory Governments to extend the reach of broadband across rural, regional and remote Australia.

“The Broadband Connect Infrastructure Program will build on the billion dollar investment the Australian Government has already made in rural, regional and remote communications by encouraging the roll-out of large scale, sustainable and scalable networks across Australia,” Senator Coonan said.

“By encouraging investment in infrastructure the Government’s vision is to see more homes and businesses gain access to high quality broadband services, with those services able to grow to support the full range of existing and emerging broadband applications,” Minister Vaile said.

The program guidelines were released today with applications for funding to close on 30 November 2006.

“Broadband infrastructure is the roads and railways of a modern 21st century economy. In regional Australia it can break down the tyranny of distance and help deliver essential health and education services through telemedicine and e-learning services,” Senator Coonan said.

“The Australian Government is committed to ensuring that this infrastructure is available to all Australians – regardless of where they live,” Minister Vaile said.

Proposals submitted under Broadband Connect can also seek funding under the $30 million Mobile Connect program to improve mobile phone coverage. The Government has also called for funding applications under the $113 million Clever Networks program to extend fast broadband networks for education and health initiatives.

The Broadband Connect guidelines were finalised after an Expressions of Interest process earlier this year.

“There was a strong and enthusiastic response. The overwhelming majority of the 69 responses strongly supported the Government’s proposed alternative infrastructure-based approach outlined in the EOI,” Senator Coonan said.

“Several respondents are interested in developing proposals for major national or regional infrastructure projects that would result in well developed, end-to-end solutions of significant scale.

“Some also proposed a consortium approach to bring together major transmission capacity projects (such as interstate links and local access solutions) that could be integrated into comprehensive national or regional projects.”

The existing incentive-based element of the Broadband Connect program will continue during this financial year while the infrastructure-based program is developed, and appropriate transitional arrangements will be put in place.

Broadband Connect is one of four programs being delivered under Connect Australia, the Government’s $1.1 billion regional telecommunications package. The Government intends to use the substantial funding it has allocated under the Connect Australia package to revitalise communities in rural, regional and remote Australia.

The Broadband Connect Infrastructure Program guidelines and associated documentation is available from www.dcita.gov.au/broadbandconnect

Frost damage: Immediate assistance needed

Growers affected by this week’s frost damage to orchards and vineyards in North East Victoria need immediate confirmation of State Government assistance to recover from this natural disaster according to Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes.

Early reports of losses in excess of $100 million in the Goulburn Valley, Warby Ranges and Ovens and King Valleys come on top of frost damage to tobacco crops earlier this year, low wine prices, and impending drought and last week’s announcement of the end of the tobacco industry which generates $90 million per year to the local economy.

It is estimated that 40% of the King Valley grape crop has been lost overnight.

Dr Sykes said, “It is absolutely critical that the State Government responds urgently by first of all making a natural disaster declaration followed by support such as interest rate subsidies, access to financial counsellors, other support services and creation of appropriate employment opportunities.

“Country people are noted for their resilience but this wave of natural and commercial disasters is way outside normal expectation and as such affected people and communities must be supported emotionally and financially.

Dr Sykes concluded, “I have written to the Premier requesting his urgent action and I and my Nationals colleagues will pursue the issue in Parliament next week”.

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Govt moves to help after frost disaster
ABC Online
There are calls for the Victorian Government to declare the Goulburn Valley a natural disaster zone after half of the region's fruit crop were wiped out by frost yesterday morning. ... more

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Riverland fruit growers may benefit from Goulburn frosts
ABC Online
The Riverland stonefruit crop appears to have escaped the severe frosts which have destroyed an estimated $60 million worth of fruit in north-east Victoria. ... more

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Frost devastates fruit harvest
Article from: AAP
THE Victorian Government must declare a natural disaster in the Goulburn Valley after frost devastated the region's fruit crops, a federal MP said today. ... more

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Frost-bitten Goulburn Valley no disaster zone
Rick Wallace - Australian
VICTORIAN Premier Steve Bracks has refused to declare parts of the Goulburn Valley region a natural disaster zone after devastating snap frosts have wiped out apricot, pear and other stone fruit crops. ... more

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Call for united approach to loss of tobacco industry

Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes has called for a united approach by Local, State & Federal Government to help Myrtleford and surrounding communities, including the King Valley, absorb and recover from the shock announcement by British American Tobacco to cease tobacco purchases from Australia.

The news broke last Friday and was reported thoroughly in Saturday's Border Mail

Tobacco step is huge challenge for Myrtleford and its citizens
Border Mail Editorial
WHAT should have been a time of hope and excitement for Myrtleford residents has become a nightmare. The horror has come in the form of British American Tobacco Australasia and its decision to end the tobacco industry in the Ovens Valley. – full story...

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Last Gasp
Town rocked by news its $90m heart, soul is dead
BY CHLOE BUGELLY (Border Mail)
MYRTLEFORD residents are in shock following news yesterday the town’s $90 million a year tobacco industry is doomed. – full story...

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$10m offered to end an industry
Growers have future spelled out at co-op get-together
BY CHLOE BUGELLY (Border Mail)
MORE than 130 growers were called to an urgent meeting at the Tobacco Co-operative of Victoria yesterday where it was announced that British American Tobacco... – full story...

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Mirabella hopes for a positive grower result
BY DI THOMAS (Border Mail)
MEMBER for Indi Sophie Mirabella will not comment on the possibility of a Federal Government exit package for North East tobacco growers until the completion... – full story...

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Long history on the Border
(Border Mail)
TOBACCO has long been grown in the Ovens, King and Kiewa valleys but other early Border plantations were in the Murray Valley. – full story...

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Dr Sykes said, “I will be working with Local, State & Federal Governments to ensure immediate short to medium term support for the families directly affected plus the creation of long term job opportunities.

“The Federal Government’s Regional Partnerships Program has an excellent track record in similar situations, for example, D&R Henderson Benalla received $800,000 to re establish a timber factory after fire gutted the original factory and put 65 jobs at risk.

“The State Government’s Regional Development team can also assist with skills auditing, re training and assisting new businesses get started.

Dr Sykes continued, “In the short term, my recent call for more financial counselling support becomes even more important and urgent. I would also suggest that other counselling and support services will need to be ramped up with a strong face-to-face presence in Myrtleford and Mt Beauty.

“Medium term support could be in the form of State Government support for projects such as general weed control and beautification of the rail trail as well as funding for roads and bridges.

“A project with long term benefits would be for the State Government to honour an earlier commitment to connect Myrtleford, Porepunkah & Bright to natural gas to make the Ovens Valley more attractive to new and existing industries.”

Dr Sykes concluded, “This news, on top of the frost damage to the tobacco crops, depressed wine prices and the forthcoming dry times will test even the most resilient people. Let’s make sure all levels of Government and the community pitch in to overcome this challenge.”

Mokoan - the original 1968 sales pitch

Images of the original brochure on the development of Lake Mokoan have been received by the Watchdog from the Newton family of Whitfield.

You can click on the images to enlarge them for reading.

It is interesting to note that the brochure states, "The harnessing of the water resources of the Broken River and its tributaries by the Lake Mokoan and Nillahcootie Reservoirs is a majot item in the Victorian Government;s 1963 Ten Year Plan of widespread water conservation."

Back then, the evaporation was recognised and by "working in harmony" with Lake Eildon, the evaporation was not considered a problem.

Maybe John Thwaites and all those involved should study this original brochure to see how the government of the day worked in the interests of the irrigators and the environment.

False claims by electricity and gas salespeople

The Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, warns of ‘dodgy’ tactics being used to sign people up to new electricity and gas suppliers.

An elderly Benalla citizen was approached recently by a door-to-door salesman who claimed that the State Government was directing energy consumers to use “green power” and that it was compulsory to allocate part of a consumer’s electricity usage to renewable energy production.

Dr Sykes said, “We have been in touch with the supplier and found that the salespeople were not stating the truth. I warn those people who are approached to change energy suppliers to insist that the salesperson shows identification and also to show an offer summary which outlines the charges and plans that they may be offering.

“While consumers are encouraged to determine which supplier can offer the best prices and plans, it is wise to study the differences being presented.”

Dr Sykes added, “If a consumer feels that they have been ‘conned’ into signing an agreement and wish to review or withdraw the agreement, they should contact the energy supplier and ask firstly if they are employing salespeople door-to-door and secondly, ask for a full explanation of the plan that has been offered to you.”

Victoria’s Energy suppliers contact details are:

• AGL - 131245 - Electricity and Gas
• Country Energy - 132 356 - Electricity
• Energy Australia - 138 808 - Electricity and Gas
• Jackgreen Energy - 1300 465 225 - Electricity
• Momentum Energy - 1300 662778 - Electricity
• Origin Energy - 132 463 - Electricity and Gas
• Powerdirect - 1300 307 966 - Electricity
• Red Energy - 131 806 - Electricity
• TRUEnergy - 133 466 - Electricity and Gas
• Victoria Electricity - 1300 136 749 - Electricity and Gas

Only 450 people replied to RCoW Survey

Action group attacks survey’s legitimacy
BY DI THOMAS

WANGARATTA residents fighting against the demolition of the city’s town hall to make way for a new performing arts centre have questioned the legitimacy of a survey that found 47 per cent of respondents in support of the project.

A spokesman for the Save the Memorial Town Hall group, Bill O’Callaghan, compared the results of the response by 450 ratepayers with a petition opposed to the hall’s demolition and signed by 5700 people over a fortnight.

“The response to the petition represents 21.3 per cent of the entire population,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

“Of those people approached, three-quarters of them signed the petition.

“It was indicative of the fact that people of Wangaratta and district do not want the demolition of the town hall.”

Mr O’Callaghan said by comparison the survey result was questionable since the question referred only to the building of a new performing arts centre and not to the demolition of the existing hall.

“Forty-seven per cent of those were in favour of the new performing arts centre and that equates to 211 and a half people or 0.78 of 1 per cent of the population,” he said.

“On that basis the council intends to demolish the town hall.”

Cr Justin Scholz was the only one of seven councillors who stood against the town hall’s demolition at the council meeting on Tuesday.

Cr Scholz said he was very much in support of the new facility and thought it should be constructed, but the town hall need not be demolished to do so.

He told Tuesday’s meeting that members of the community were not aware the town hall was being considered for demolition until a few days before the council adopted a demolition proposal.

“As councillors we were only told of the demolition option seven days in advance of the meeting where the demolition proposal was adopted,” Cr Scholz said.

“For me, this lack of time for the community to consider the options and engage in debate undermines what community representation is about.”

Yesterday, Cr Scholz said the decision had now been made by council.

“The community has articulated its concerns in relation to the existing hall, but for whatever reason the council has decided not to heed that view,” he said.

Mt Buffalo Chalet likely to close down

Yesterday, the media was alerted to the imminemt closure of the Mt Buffalo Chalet.

Today (Friday) there were interviews on ABC Radio trying to get to the bottom of it all. The ABC has reported that:

Parks Victoria has officially been informed the future of the historic Mt Buffalo Chalet is under threat.

The chalet's management says the poor snow season has put its lease of the historic building after summer in doubt.

Regional manager with Parks Victoria Chris Rose will meet with management about its future in coming days.

"We will work very closely with the existing leasee to ensure whatever can be done will be," he said.

The chalet managers, the Burbank Group have released the following information:

Mount Buffalo Chalet Pty. Ltd. has faced difficult trading conditions over the past 18 months.

As a result of the difficult trading conditions and the need to consider infrastructure and building renovations, we have sought Parks Victoria’s consideration to close operations at the Chalet.

We have previously commissioned the work of one of Melbourne’s most respected architectural company’s to consider options for the renovations of this state significant building.

Mount Buffalo Chalet management will continue to work closely with Parks Victoria to ensure the best outcome for Victoria’s rich cultural heritage and its communities.

Mt Buller resort operators discuss long term viability

Representatives of Mt Buller Chamber of Commerce this week met with Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, to discuss a series of issues of concern to business operators and residents on the mountain.

The underlying theme of the discussion was concern about the long term viability of businesses and what needs to be done to make Mt Buller an ‘all year round’ resort.

Specific issues included:
• the need for the Chamber of Commerce to have a position on the Resort Management Board;
• action being taken to retain education facilities on the mountain to train staff and young people from the local area; and
• high costs on the mountain making it difficult for young people in particular to live permanently on the mountain.

Dr Sykes said, “Alpine resorts such as Mt Buller inject hundreds of millions of dollars into local economies in North East Victoria.

“The issues raised with me by the Chamber of Commerce need to be addressed if Mt Buller is going to continue to grow and become more of an ‘all year round’ resort.

“Given the intended closure of Latrobe University’s Mt Buller Campus, it is absolutely critical that we do all that we can to provide education and employment opportunities for young people. As many business people said, they will be looking to retire over the next few years and enthusiastic, capable young people need to be encouraged to take over.

“Just like the rest of Northern Victoria, water is a major issue and whilst the snow making activity this year saved Mt Buller from an even poorer season, more water is going to be required to increase snow making capability.

“I understand that options are being explored at the moment.”

Dr Sykes concluded, “Mt Buller is a fantastic resort and an extremely valuable asset for North East Victoria.

“It is essential that it grows into an ‘all year round’ resort with younger people being encouraged to come to and stay on the mountain.

“I will work with Chamber of Commerce members and the Resort Management Board and support them in their efforts to overcome current and future challenges.

What's on in Wangaratta - September 22

This is edition 76 of the Rural City of Wangaratta E-Newsletter "Cultural Capers". If you would like to subscribe simply enter your email address in the subscription box at the bottom of the newsletter and it will be sent upon publication.

Poll result won’t halt arts centre

BY BRAD WORRALL

WANGARATTA council will proceed with its $7.5 million performing arts centre despite a survey finding it is wanted by only 47 per cent of the community.

It also believes a $5 million contribution from the State Government will be announced before the November 25 election.

The council said that digging into the findings of the random sample of 450 ratepayers showed overwhelming support for the project.

On Tuesday night, council voted to proceed with plans that would have the centre completed in time for the 20th anniversary of the city’s jazz festival in October, 2008.

It has already committed $2.5 million of its own cash to the project in next year’s budget that will be topped up by state funding.

Mayor Don Joyce said the survey vindicated council’s decision.

“When you get into the body of the report those who are against it don’t plan to use it,” he said.

“We undertook this study in response to a petition signed by 5500 people who opposed the plan.

“What we found was that most weren’t against the performing arts centre but against pulling down the town hall.”

Cr Joyce said the Wangaratta town hall no longer met community needs or aspirations

He said the council had made alternative arrangements for interest groups that used to meet at the town hall.

The poll by Strahan research showed 47 per cent of respondents approved of the proposed performing arts centre, 42 per cent disapproved and 11 per cent were unsure.

It also showed the centre had overwhelming support from younger residents, with almost 60 per cent of those aged 18 to 54 supported the centre.

Sixty per cent of people over 55 opposed the project.

Cr Joyce said the council would like work to begin as early as March next year.

“It will take about 16 months to build and be ready for the jazz festival in 2008,” he said.

Wangaratta Council ignores public opinion

The councillors you elected last year have shown complete contempt for the electorate.

The Council website regularly provides its meeting agenda and business papers on the Friday before the Council meeting. For the first time, they were witheld until Monday, the day before the meeting. This can only be seen as secrecy and a lack of transparency by the council.

Keen to find out the recommendation regarding the petition against the demolition of the town hall and the survey sponsored by the RCoW it was unacceptable to find that the RCoW was continuimg to hide the facts from the community with the statement that

"a survey has been commissioned to respond to these issues. A full report on the survey outcome will be available in advance of the meeting for consideration by Council ... Recommendation: Subject to addendum report."

The addendum report was never offered for download on the RCoW website.

The stated issues relating to the petition that Council needed to consider included:
1. What weight does the petition carry as an overall reflection of community views on the proposal by Council for a Performing Arts Centre?
   
2. Given that the petition was done at a point in time, what effect if any has the dissemination of further information by Council had on the opinions of those who might have signed the petition?
3. Is the petition representative of a lack of support for a Performing Arts Centre or a means of expressing concern about other specific aspects of the proposal such as impact on Senior Citizens accommodation, car parking, traffic, seating capacity, etc?

The petition was about the demolition of the town hall - nothing else.

The RCoW have avoided the issue completely and after discussion decided to continue on in spite of one third of the adult population signing that petition seeking the retention of the town hall.

Predictably, the only councillor to speak against the council position was Councillor Justin Scholz who raised concerns that the council sponsored survey was flawed. In his speech he said:

"... the survey was designed with a number of closed questions at the beginning that provided positive reinforcement of council's proposal regardless of the response given by the respondent. These questions included:
- Before today, were you aware that the proposed performing arts centre would include:

• A 530 seat theatre,
  
• A flat floor area for 572 or up to 900 people seated theatre style or 300 at tables,
  
• On-site parking capacity,
  
• Most of the funding from State Government to minimise the cost to residents.

Now by asking these questions first Mr Mayor the respondent is being positively reinforced and lead to believe that the project is a good thing.

The interviewers then followed up with a statement before asking the respondents if they agreed with the proposal. This statement included the following "The existing Town Hall would be demolished and replaced with a striking, flexible community facility costing $7.5m. Council decided not to keep the existing Town Hall because it is extremely difficult to marry the new and the old, all car parking would be lost and it would cost 60% more."

We were also told Mr Mayor that the survey was a random sample type. Now a random sample Mr Mayor means that in the absence of quota criteria, all persons contacted will have the right to participate in the survey. From the plethora of calls that I have received it is clear that quota surveying was undertaken and included criteria such as Age, and having signed the community petition."

Wodonga is going through a similar crisis with the proposed Willow Park Pool development.

The original proposal was for an outdoor pool to be built but, like the Rural City of Wangaratta, the plan changed - without public consultation - to become a two stage plan of an indoor aquatic centre followed at a later date by an outdoor pool.

When the public found out in early August, the issue exploded in the Border Mail with a protest campaign getting up and running. The mayor, Lisa Mahood, dug in her heels, just like Wangaratta's mayor Don Joyce, stating that Objections won't sway Council.

A petition followed (sound familiar?) which 1017 residents signed and that was enough to force the Wodonga council to rethink the program for further review.

But in Wangaratta, 6000 petitioners are ignored and a $20,000 propaganda campaign is launched by council to justify a decision that deserves to end the public career of most of our councillors.

Written by Greg Naylor

Moyhu Kinder fund raising fun

Upper Edi residents, Pat & Robert Cook, enjoyed dinner at Parliament House last week as guests of Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, who donated the dinner at a fund raising evening for Moyhu Kindergarten a few weeks ago.

The Cooks dined with 70 other guests of The Nationals and then had a ‘misguided tour’ of Parliament House including observing Question Time.

Dr Sykes said, “The fund raising night was a great success, raising over $8,000 due to the hard work of Anita Cook and fellow kindergarten student parents and the outstanding generosity of numerous local businesses and people.

“However, it is fundamentally wrong that parents have to raise this sort of money to meet basic kindergarten operating costs.

“I have approached the Minister for Community Services, Sherryl Garbutt, on several occasions on behalf of Moyhu & Whitfield Kindergartens and, along with my Nationals Parliamentary colleagues, repeatedly raise in Parliament the issue of inadequate funding for small country kindergartens. Most recently, The Nationals Peter Hall generated a two hour debate on Victorian kindergartens on 14 June 2006.

“The long term solution is to increase State funding for small kindergartens and transfer responsibility for kindergartens to the Department of Education (from the Department of Human Services) thereby reducing the administrative workload for parents of kindergarten students.

“This common sense solution has been National Party policy for several years and last month a petition bearing 34,000 signatures was presented to the Victorian Parliament calling for these changes.”

Dr Sykes concluded, “It is time the Bracks Government listened to those closely associated with kindergarten management and adopted this common sense solution.

New Bruck contract a big win for Wangaratta

Wangaratta textile manufacturer Bruck Textiles has won a lucrative contract to supply the distinctive blue material used to make Victoria Police shirts, the Minister for Police & Emergency Services, Tim Holding, announced today.

Bruck, with around 360 staff, is Wangaratta’s largest single employer. Under the contact announced today, Bruck will supply fabric to Melbourne-based clothing manufacturer Yakka, which will make the shirts.

“Today’s announcement represents a significant investment in Victoria’s manufacturing sector, with the four year contract worth more than $2.7 million,” Mr Holding said.

“This contact provides for the supply of around 35,000 shirts each year. Bruck will also produce white fabric for use in the shirts worn by Victoria’s Protective Services Officers.”

Mr Holding commended Yakka for engaging Bruck to supply fabric for the police and protective services shirts.

“It’s commendable that Yakka has chosen to source the fabric for these uniforms from a local supplier,” he said.

“It’s a great endorsement of Victoria’s manufacturing sector, and of the high quality goods it produces.”

Founded in 1946, Bruck has had considerable experience producing high-quality high-performance fabrics.

Bruck now supplies around 90 per cent of the fabric in combat clothing used by the Australian military. The company also produces industrial work wear, flame retardant, water repellent and anti-microbial fabrics.

“This is a significant win for the workers at Bruck, as well as for the broader Wangaratta community,” Mr Holding said.

Bruck Textiles is 100 per cent Australian-owned.

Gentle Annie Caravan Park to be retained

The future of Gentle Annie Caravan Park at Whitfield appears brighter following encouragement by DSE for the management to apply for a grant to upgrade the sewerage disposal system.

The future of the caravan park has been under a cloud for many months because the DSE refused to renew the lease on the caravan park because of concerns about the septic system.

However, the park management has been encouraged to apply for a grant to upgrade the system and if successful, there should be no impediment to renewal of the lease.

This is potentially good news for the many users of the Gentle Annie Caravan Park which is set on the banks of the King River at Whitfield – an idyllic setting for a peaceful break from the ‘rat race’.

Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes and Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper both inspected the caravan park yesterday at the request of concerned tenants, many of whom had been visiting Gentle Annie Caravan Park for many years.

Dr Sykes said, “Whilst the delays have been frustrating for all concerned it now appears that subject to the funding application being successful, environmental concerns can be addressed and Gentle Annie Caravan Park will continue to provide peaceful and relaxing holidays for local families and visitors for many years to come.

“I will maintain close contact with park management and continue to assist where necessary to ensure smooth continuation of Gentle Annie Caravan Park.”

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What's on in Wangaratta - 8th Sep 2006

This is edition 75 of the Rural City of Wangaratta E-Newsletter "Cultural Capers". If you would like to subscribe simply enter your email address in the subscription box at the bottom of the newsletter and it will be sent upon publication.

King Valley wine region includes Whitlands vines

Breakaway wine group loses bid
BY BRAD WORRALL

THE Australian Appeals Tribunal has knocked back a bid from several King Valley vignerons to create their own region.

Federal Court judge Garry Downes handed down the 41-page decision on Wednesday after more than four months’ deliberation.

It concluded that “the preferable decision is that there should be one region .... it will be called the King Valley”.

His summation also slammed one of the expert witnesses called to support the breakaway group.

Four grape growers near Whitlands wanted to secede from the King Valley winery district, which includes about 75 vignerons.

Their proposal included another seven grape growers and three vineyards under the Whitlands High Plateaus region umbrella.

King Valley vignerons president David Maples said it was premature to be celebrating the decision.

“We are happy that the judge found in our favour but our legal team is still looking at what it all means,” he said.

But Justice Downes in his summary found it difficult to see any significant reasons to differentiate the regions.

“To my mind the valley, its sides, ridges, plateaus and foothills are part of the geographical whole,” Justice Downes said.

“The argument was a division between the valleys and ridges. I cannot agree.

“Obviously the higher land is slightly higher, slightly cooler.”

Justice Downes said one of the experts retained by the Whitlands plateaus group damaged its case.

He said figures used to prove temperature differences between the plateau and valley floor were neither consistent nor convincing.

“School level geography confirms temperatures in the lower valley are higher than the plateaus,” he said.

The judge will present his findings to both parties before making a final decision.

The King Valley region encompasses the watershed of the King River.

The King River joins the Ovens River at Wangaratta and the King Valley runs south through the Oxley Plains for 25km to Moyhu, before entering several narrow valleys in the alps’ foothills.

At its northern end is Milawa, which is at the lowest point of 155m.

At the southern end is the Whitlands plateau, at 800m.

© 2006 The Border Morning Mail Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. Original article here

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How long should farmers hold on to their stock?

Think, plan, act and continually reassess the situation is the advice to farmers in North East Victoria facing a very tough season from veterinarian and Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes.

Dr Sykes said, “The die is cast, at best we can look forward to an OK season but in all probability it will be a tough next 6-8 months with pressure on domestic and stock water supplies, stock feed and crops.

“Previous experience in the 1982/83 and 2002/03 droughts have highlighted the importance of farmers assessing their situation now, making appropriate plans based on whether further rain falls or not, then implementing the plan and most importantly continually re-assessing the plan in the light of changing circumstances such as stock water availability, stock prices and feed prices.

“A key decision is to decide which classes of stock to sell or feed. My advice, particularly for people who do not own valuable breeding stock is to sell and sell early whilst stock are in good condition and prices are still relatively good.

Dr Sykes continued, “DPI staff are already conducting forums on stock feeding and drought management and Local Government are also conducting drought response meetings.

“I met with representatives from Councils throughout North East Victoria last night and they are committed to helping farmers and local communities survive the forthcoming tough time. The Councils also intend to seek State Government support to help fund public forums and other activities.

“Centrelink are also right on the ball and with most of the area already declared to be experiencing Exceptional Circumstances, significant assistance measures are already in place. These measures include interest subsidies up to $100,000 in any one year, living allowance of up to approximately $740 per fortnight and Local Government rate subsidies.”

Dr Sykes also highlighted the importance of farmers and their families maintaining off farm interests.

He said, “A game of tennis, a chat over a cuppa at a CWA meeting or at the local Neighbourhood Centre or a beer with mates at the pub are all good ways of keeping a positive mental approach.

“The Hume Corridor Community Health Service is also ready to assist, having already conducted a series of meetings in the Benalla and Strathbogie Shires earlier this year (after which it rained!)

Dr Sykes also encouraged people to continue to support local businesses by shopping locally.

He said, “Tough times impact on the whole community and it is essential that we support each other and shopping locally is important as local businesses can hurt just as much as farmers in tough times.”

Dr Sykes concluded, “These tough times which we are about to face are what the academics call “character building”. I am confident that if we all support each other and our local communities then we will end up being stronger and better for the experience with no need for any more so called “character building” experiences for at least 10 years.”

Helpful contacts
Centrelink 13 23 16, ,
Rural Counselling 5761 1611,
Hume Corridor Community Health 5736 6366,
DPI Benalla 5761 1611,
Bill Sykes (03) 5762 2100 or 0427 624 989

Free public transport for Seniors Festival in October

Minister for Senior Victorians Gavin Jennings today urged Victorian seniors to take advantage of free public transport on V/Line and on metropolitan public transport during the Seniors Festival in October.

V/Line bookings open tomorrow (Thursday September 7) for free travel on V/Line regional services during the first week of October.

850,000 Victorian Seniors Card holders are eligible for free travel during the Seniors Festival to access more than 1000 free and discounted events taking place in Melbourne and provincial Victoria between Sunday October 1 and Sunday October 8.

All metropolitan public transport will be free for the eight days and V/Line travel will be free for five days. The V/Line free travel days are Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4, Thursday 5, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 October 2006.

Bookings are essential on trains from Albury and Wangaratta.

There are five days of free travel on V/Line and limited places on some services so make sure you plan your Festival itinerary early to make the most of this offer. The public transport network will still carry its everyday travellers and seniors can avoid congestion by travelling outside of peak times.

There will be events in every local government area as well as Melbourne, and the V/Line offer applied to Melbourne people going to regional Victoria as well as country Victorians coming to Melbourne.

The seven faces of the festival are chef Elizabeth Chong, actor Val Jellay-Fields, South Melbourne great Bobby Skilton, 2005 Victorian Senior of the Year Neil Trease, psychologist Dr Rita Lapidus, freelance journalist Andrew McIntyre and Brotherhood of St Laurence worker Lola McHarg.

The 2006 Victorian Seniors Festival Program (PDF 2.1mb) is made up of hundreds of events from around Victoria. Further copies of the program can be obtained from Coles and Bilo supermarkets through Victoria and from Information Victoria. A large print version is also avaliable (Word 1mb). The free or low cost events include:

• A swing dance with the B Sharp Big Band at Melbourne Town Hall
• A film festival for seniors at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image
• Tai Chi at Federation Square
• Yoga with the elephants at Melbourne Zoo
• A concert at Melbourne Town Hall featuring Barry Crocker
• Country concerts across Victoria featuring Normie Rowe, Denise Drysdale and Frankie J Holden
• Go for your life YMCA seniors walks across Victoria.

For information on Melbourne’s trains, trams and buses call Metlink on 131 638 or visit www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au. For information on regional V/Line services call 136 196.

$10 return train tickets to the Royal Melbourne Show

This year’s Royal Melbourne Show is not to be missed!

Be part of the celebrations as the new look Showgrounds is unveiled to the public.

Providing the ultimate school holiday entertainment, the show has something for everyone! Rides, baked potatoes and candyfloss compete with contests featuring everything from Jersey-Holstein cows to wood-choppers.

Tickets can be purchased through Ticketek - www.ticketek.com.au or 13 28 49.

21st September - 1st October 2006
9:30am – 10:00pm daily
(Sunday 1 October 9:30am – 8:30pm)

The state government is offering $10 fares for V/Line services to help country families attend the Melbourne Show but Bill Sykes has called for permanent changes to make rail travel more affordable.

Dr Sykes said the $10 fares for the Melbourne Show were a direct result of The Nationals lobbying the Bracks Government in the lead up to the Commonwealth Games.

“The Bracks Government only introduced the $10 fares for the Games after The Nationals demanded a fair deal for country Victorians,” Dr Sykes said.

“The decision to offer $10 fares from September 21 until October 1 for anyone who purchases Melbourne Show tickets is a step in the right direction but it doesn’t go far enough.

“There needs to be a permanent reduction in V/Line fare prices to make it more affordable for country families to use public transport in the future.”

Dr Sykes has repeated The Nationals calls for half-price V/Line fares to become a permanent fixture in a bid to increase regional tourism and make transport more affordable for country families.

“The current cost of approximately $100 (depending on concessions) makes it unrealistic for a family to pay a full return fare to travel from North East Victoria to Melbourne,” Dr Sykes said.

“Halving the price of full fare travel would encourage more city people to travel to regional Victoria with an obvious benefit to our tourism-related industries.

“At the same time, making it more affordable for country people to access the city would help to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety on our roads.

“The government has just spent about $1 billion on regional rail projects, surely it makes sense to fill the trains rather than run half-empty carriages throughout the state.

“Making public transport more affordable in country Victoria with half-price fares would cost less than $30 million per year.

“Country people are already subsidising the metropolitan public transport system and it seems only fair that they get an opportunity to use the services that are available in regional Victoria at a more reasonable price.”

2006 Fire Season is coming early

Already, things are looking grim for the 2006-7 fire season.

AT the start of September, the forest areas were tinder dry and declared by the CFA to be at 'high fire danger' level. We even had a grass fire attended by the Whitfield CFA last Saturday (2nd Sep) near Power's Lookout.

The prescribed burning south of Cheshunt, planned by the DSE last year, has had to be suspended due to the moisture content of the forest floor being down around 11% - way below the required minimum of 17% for a safe burn.

Unless we get substantial rains, the fire season will be brought forward to November - when all burnoffs will be forbidden.

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Warning on water, fires crisis

07.Sep.06: VICTORIANS should prepare for even tougher water restrictions and an extreme bushfire season this summer after the failure of the state's winter rainfall, Australia's most senior weather forecaster has warned. ... more

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Wangaratta booked in for bigger better library

Wangaratta residents will soon have a bigger, better library in the new $3.5 million community resource centre.

Minister for Local Government Candy Broad today inspected construction of the new resource centre which will house the library early next year.

“The Bracks Government believes all Victorian families deserve access to decent library services,” Ms Broad said.

“This is a significant project which will see a landmark building become a vibrant community hub and a centre for learning.”

The Bracks Government has contributed $250,000 towards the library and $660,000 towards the resource centre. The project is also funded by the Wangaratta Rural City Council, Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE, Commonwealth Government and the local community.

“The new library will be almost four times the size of the existing library and, as part of the new Wangaratta Resource Centre, promises to be at the very heart of the community,” said Ms Broad.

“It will be one of the leading facilities of its type in north east Victoria.”

With improved access, the library will offer exhibition areas, casual reading space and a café and provide a brighter, vibrant environment for local residents.

It will bring together the information services for the Goulburn Ovens TAFE and the regional library. Other features include a children’s activity room, computing areas and a family history room. Opening hours are expected to extend to seven days a week.

The bigger floor space will allow the library expand its current collection and work with community groups to develop initiatives such as children’s programs and adult learning.

It is hoped that the improvements and greater capacity will attract up to a 30 per cent increase in library members.

The Bracks Government’s $16.5 million Living Libraries program has provided funding to 70 projects over five years. This investment is on top of ongoing funding. This year’s budget saw a record $28.94 million in recurrent funding for public libraries across the state.

“Over half of Victorians are library users, showing that local libraries are highly valued by the communities they serve. They are important community facilities to meet, learn and grow,” Ms Broad said.

Sustainability and Global Issues - September 2006

Conservation group criticises Murray Darling water buying delay

30.Sep.06: Environment groups say the future of the Murray Darling Basin is at risk because of delays to a decision to buy water. ... more


Report from Boston's Altwheels Festival

30.Sep.06: A summary of the present alternatives in powered personal transportation, as they were presented at the festival. ... more

Oil weakens despite price cut

30.Sep.06: OIL prices declined overnight as traders' attention turned to abundant global supplies, while the market shrugged off a move by OPEC members Nigeria and Venezuela to reduce their production, dealers said. ... more

Branson plans cuts to plane emissions

28.Sep.06: British tycoon Sir Richard Branson has urged airlines and airport operators to join his Virgin Atlantic carrier in an ambitious plan to curb the aviation industry's contribution to global warming. ... more

Wetland dry-up eases methane levels

28.Sep.06: A new study has shown that methane levels have stabilised in the atmosphere but it is only because emissions produced by wetlands have fallen. ... more

Media shut out of petrol probe

28.Sep.06: A PARLIAMENTARY inquiry into petrol prices has gone behind closed doors. ... more

Suzuki fears climate change damaging reef

28.Sep.06: Environmentalist David Suzuki says the Great Barrier Reef is in "bad shape" and he has noticed "huge changes" over the 18 years he has been visiting the area. ... more

NRMA calls for petrol price transparency

28.Sep.06: The NRMA says there needs to be greater transparency on how petrol prices are set. ... more

Arnie commits to greenhouse fight

28.Sep.06: CALIFORNIA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a law overnight aimed at reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions. ... more

Unpredictable weather ahead: warning

28.Sep.06: NSW should prepare itself for unpredictable fire and storm weather over coming months, the State Government has warned. ... more

50 years after Maralinga atomic tests, Aust 'hasn't learnt'.

27.Sep.06: The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) believes the nation has not learned from the mistakes of nuclear testing at Maralinga in south-western South Australia. ... more

Drought predicted to worsen

27.Sep.06: There is another gloomy forecast today that suggests the drought is set to worsen. ... more

PM hits out at Murray Darling Basin efforts

27.Sep.06: The Prime Minister, John Howard, has accused the Labor governments in the eastern states of not doing enough to address the Murray Darling Basin environmental problems ... more

Oil chiefs give price rise evidence

27.Sep.06: THE chief representatives for the oil industry in Australia have admitted the fluctuations in petrol prices cannot be attributed to wholesale prices. ... more

Climate change sews weed threat seeds

27.Sep.06: SOME of the 3000 foreign plant species established as weeds in Australia could explode in numbers in new areas because of human-induced climate change, a conference has been told. ... more

Climate change behind bushfires: Democrats

26.Sep.06: THE early start to Australia's bushfire season was being driven by climate change, the Australian Democrats said today. ... more

Earth's temperature nears million-year high

26.Sep.06: Earth may be close to the warmest it has been in the last million years, especially in the part of the Pacific Ocean where potentially violent El Nino weather patterns are born. ... more

Uranium find boosts Olympic Dam mine value

26.Sep.06: The Olympic Dam mine at South Australia's Roxby Downs has nearly 200,000 tonnes more uranium than previously thought. ... more

More droughts to come, says researcher

25.Sep.06: TEMPERATURES will rise, rainfall will dwindle and the weather will become more erratic in the last decades of this century, a leading climate researcher has said. ... more

Global warming will make weed battle harder to win, conference told

25.Sep.06: A conference on the battle to stop weeds in Australia has heard that global warming will make the fight harder to win. ... more

New Bald Hills wind farm plan released

25.Sep.06:The company planning the Bald Hills wind farm in Victoria says it has addressed all the concerns of federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell in its latest planning application. ... more

PNG gas pipeline 'still viable'

25.Sep.06: OIL and gas producer Oil Search Ltd says the $5 billion Papua New Guinea gas pipeline project is still viable despite some recent speed bumps. ... more

Drinking water 'safe': Thwaites

25.Sep.06: VICTORIAN Water Minister John Thwaites has been forced to issue assurances that Melbourne's water is safe to drink, amid concerns the supply includes recycled effluent. ... more

Uranium sales to India possible: Howard

25.Sep.06: The Prime Minister says the Federal Government is considering the possibility of selling uranium to India but India would have to adhere to certain safeguards. ... more

Don't sell uranium to India, Rudd says

25.Sep.06: ANY sale of Australian uranium to India would damage the nuclear non-proliferation cause, federal Labor says. ... more

No uranium for India without arms treaty

25.Sep.06: AUSTRALIA will not sell uranium to India until it signs the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile has said. ... more

Govt looks set for nuclear policy U-turn

25.Sep.06: The government appears ready to do a u-turn on its nuclear supply policy, as it faces growing pressure to sell uranium to India. ... more

Federal judge retires to save the planet

24.Sep.06: THE nation's longest-serving Federal Court judge - who this week capped off his career by handing down a controversial native title ruling - wants to dedicate the rest of his life to saving the planet by addressing climate change. ... more

Brave new wheels

24.Sep.06:Demand for oil could outstrip supply within 10 years, pushing petrol over $5 a litre. Enter the hybrid and alternative-fuel cars that will be cheap to run, stylish and safe. Australia is in the driver's seat, writes Nick Tabakoff. ... more

Aussie singers snub Iraq Diggers

24.Sep.06:SOME of Australia's top entertainers have angered the Federal Government by refusing to perform for Australian troops in Iraq for political reasons. ... more

Environmental farmer in town

23.Sep.06: Peter Andrews who Australian Story made famous for his work in converting salt-ravaged farms into fertile, drought-resistant pastures is visiting Mudgegonga. ... more

LPG on tap in estate. Lower greenhouse emissions: Elgas

23.Sep.06: A key feature of the Yackandandah Heights Estate on Racecourse Rd is an underground LPG reticulation service to limit the use of electricity. ... more

Biodiesel to recruit. 17 jobs on offer at Barnawartha plant

22.Sep.06: BIODIESEL Producers will start next month to recruit workers for its Barnawartha plant. ... more

Parched Murray taking its last gasp

23.Sep.06: RIVERS supplying water to some of the most productive agricultural land in Australia are drying up as the worst drought on record continues to bite. ... more

Antarctic ozone hole 'close to record size'

23.Sep.06:The seasonal ozone hole over Antarctica is reaching a record size previously seen in 2000 and 2003, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) says. ... more

Linfox trialling biofuel for Axiom

22.Sep.06: RENEWABLE fuel company Axiom Energy has opened its $36 million initial public offering (IPO) and entered into a trial arrangement of its biodiesel fuels with trucking company Linfox. ... more

Branson to lobby Canberra on climate

22.Sep.06: BRITISH tycoon Sir Richard Branson has said he will pressure the Australian Ggovernment to sign the Kyoto agreement. ... more

Virgin profits to fight global warming

22.Sep.06: BRITISH mogul Richard Branson has promised to plough all future profits from his airline and train businesses into renewable energy projects and investments - some $US3 billion ($3.9 billion) in the next 10 years. ... more

Caltex backs petrol companies on ethanol

22.Sep.06:Australia's largest oil refiner Caltex says petrol companies are getting bashed unfairly over the slow shift towards ethanol-blended fuels. ... more

New PNG-Australia gas pipeline proposed

22.Sep.06: A new, shorter design is being considered for the proposed Papua New Guinea-Australia natural gas pipeline that could keep the project alive, Paul Botten, managing director of Oil Search Ltd has said. ... more

California sues car makers over global warming

21.Sep.06: California is suing six of the world's largest auto makers over global warming, saying that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have caused billions of dollars in damages. ... more

Gas guzzlers take sales hit

21.Sep.06: HIGHER petrol prices and interest rates put the brakes on new car sales last month, with new figures today showing gas-guzzlers are out of favour. ... more

El Nino to blow ill wind across WA grain harvest

21.Sep.06: WESTERN Australia, the nation's largest wheat-growing state, may produce 40 per cent less grain this year because of dry weather that could be followed by El Nino weather conditions. ... more

$27m for water research

21.Sep.06: SCIENTISTS will be given $27 million to study rivers and coastlines in tropical Australia as part of a major water announcement by Prime Minister John Howard. ... more

$2.5m to tackle climate change

21.Sep.06: THE New South Wales Government is to invest $2.5 million for research into overcoming problems associated with climate change. ... more

Fuel, wages affect tourism

21.Sep.06: HIGHER petrol and wage costs have been blamed for a drop in the profitability of Victoria's tourism operators in the three months to August. ... more

Price of water 'should double'

21.Sep.06: BILLIONAIRE businessman Richard Pratt has suggested doubling water charges for urban, business and agricultural users to ease the nation\'s water woes. ... more

Victoria OKs diesel fuel project

21.Sep.06: VICTORIA has approved a 50-year mining licence for a $5 billion joint project by Shell and Anglo American to convert Latrobe Valley brown coal into diesel fuel. ... more

Students look at future fuel

21.Sep.06: YOUNG minds were energised with ideas on developing environmentally friendly fuels yesterday at a biodiesel workshop at Wodonga TAFE. ... more

Say Goodbye To The Bogongs

21.Sep.06: ALL those who love the Bogong High Plains and the surrounding region had better get up there and say their goodbyes. ... more

Arctic ice melt shocks scientists

21.Sep.06: EUROPEAN scientists voiced shock today as they viewed pictures which showed Arctic ice cover had disappeared so much last month that a ship could sail unhindered from Europe's most northerly outpost to the North Pole. ... more


Calls for global legislation to achieve global energy targets

20.Sep.06: A new report has found wind energy could provide up to a third of the world's electricity by the year 2030, if governments around the globe legislate to support renewable energy. ... more

Businesses need LPG incentives: NRMA

19.Sep.06: HALF of the nation\'s small businesses would convert their vehicles to LPG if governments provided them with more incentives, the NRMA has found. ... more

BP delay affects Asian oil prices

19.Sep.06: OIL prices have climbed in Asian trade after news that the launch of British energy giant BP's facilities in the Gulf of Mexico may be delayed, dealers said. ... more

Russia cancels Shell's gas field permit

19.Sep.06: Russia has put the world's largest oil and gas venture in doubt by cancelling an environmental permit for the energy giant Royal Dutch Shell. ... more

Petroleum exploration permits criticised

19.Sep.06: The Greens have criticised the West Australian Government's energy resources management, following a decision to grant 16 new petroleum exploration permits. ... more

Economists tip petrol price fall to $1

19.Sep.06: Economists are predicting the price of petrol could fall to $1 a litre within months. ... more

New Zealand's green energy future

18.Sep.06: Is a bright green energy future possible? Is it, indeed, achievable? In New Zealand's case, a recent scenario exercise suggests that the answer may in fact be yes. ... more

Bracks rejects water pricing plan

18.Sep.06: VICTORIAN Premier Steve Bracks has rejected a proposal by the Business Council of Australia (BCA) to lift water prices for some big users but reduce the need for restrictions ... more

Turnbull 'takes on board' water reform plan

18.Sep.06: The Federal Government says many of the water reforms suggested in a Business Council of Australia paper are in line with current government policy. ... more

Business council urges water pricing review

18.Sep.06: The Business Council of Australia wants the Productivity Commission to investigate whether Australians are paying too little for water. ... more

New power plants 'unnecessary'

18.Sep.06: AUSTRALIA could cut greenhouse emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 if it delayed building new power plants, an environmental group said today. ... more

Hydro power plant gets the go-ahead

18.Sep.06: THE Australian Gas Light Company (AGL) will build the country's largest hydroelectric power plant in 25 years in Victoria's Alpine region. ... more

12 oil exploration permits granted

18.Sep.06: THE Federal Government has awarded 12 new permits for offshore oil exploration in Australia. ... more

Minister calls for global green technology sharing

17.Sep.06: Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell says more must be done to encourage the transfer of energy-saving technology throughout the world. ... more

Oil prices fall as demand forecasts lowered

17.Sep.06: Oil prices have continued to slide this week, with ministers from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) announcing they will not be pulling back on production just yet. ... more

Campbell stands firm over climate

17.Sep.06: Environment Minister Ian Campbell stood firm on Australia's long standing refusal to sign onto the Kyoto protocol to limit greenhouse gas emissions, declaring it a slogan not a solution. ... more

Extracting grain of truth on ethanol

15.Sep.06: A LOT of nonsense has appeared in the media in the past few days about fast-tracking the subsidising of ethanol so we can reduce petrol prices. ... more

Polar bears drown, islands appear in Arctic thaw

16.Sep.06: Polar bears are drowning and receding Arctic glaciers have uncovered previously unknown islands in a drastic thaw that is being blamed on global warming. ... more

The Oz blows it again on global warming

15.Sep.06: The Australian continues its deplorable coverage of global warming, in this editorial which contains more errors and misleading claims than it is possible to count. ... more

Geosequestration push meets resistance

15.Sep.06: Australia's bid to change international laws to allow geosequestration is meeting resistance at a United Nations climate change meeting in Switzerland. ... more

Oil supply conjecture grips industry

15.Sep.06: Motorists around the country are enjoying welcome relief from high petrol prices with the cost of fuel easing in the past week - still high, though. (7.30 Report Transcript) ... more

Wrong to refuse to sell uranium: Ferguson

15.Sep.06: Labor resources spokesman Martin Ferguson yesterday cast a moral case for the party to reconsider its ban on new uranium mines, following the purchase this week of a rich deposit in South Australia by Chinese interests. ... more

Melbourne dams lowest since 1997

15.Sep.06: MELBOURNE'S water reserves have reached their lowest levels for September since 1997, according to figures released by the city's water authority. ... more

Watchdog hits out at pace of regional fuel price fall

15.Sep.06: An independent watchdog on petrol prices says fuel prices are not falling quickly enough in rural and regional Australia. Fueltrac says over the last five weeks the international refined price for unleaded fuel has dropped by $30 a barrel or 19 cents a litre. ... more

Enough Rope interviews Al Gore: Transcript

15.Sep.06: In his recent book 'Collapse', the author Jared Diamond asked the question -"Why do societies destroy the environment around them when they know their actions will ultimately destroy them too?" An example he gives is of the people of Easter Island, who chopped down their last tree on the way to their own extinction. According to former US Vice-President, Al Gore, we might be doing exactly the same thing with global warming. ... more

Oil hits near six-month lows

15.Sep.06: WORLD oil prices dropped to their lowest levels for almost six months overnight on easing supply concerns and news that Nigeria's two oil unions had suspended a strike a day after it was launched. ... more

Arctic ice shrink a sign of greenhouse effect: scientists

15.Sep.06: Arctic perennial sea ice - the kind that stays frozen year-round - declined by 14 per cent between 2004 and 2005, climate scientists said on Wednesday, in what one expert saw as a clear sign of greenhouse warming. ... more

Australia may miss solar power boom

14.Sep.06: Australia faces missing out on a booming solar energy industry in the next three years unless it regulates to create the environment for business to invest in it, a visiting Greenpeace campaigner says. ... more

Backing for recycled sewage project

14.Sep.06: VICTORIA'S power stations and a leading water expert have backed a $1 billion state government plan to use Melbourne's treated sewage instead of drinking water to cool generators in the Latrobe Valley. ... more

Petrol prices 'more worrying' than rates

14.Sep.06: A new Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research survey shows more people are worried about a rise in petrol prices rather than another interest rate hike. ... more

Oil prices 'likely to remain high in 2007'

14.Sep.06: THE strong US and Chinese economies as well as an array of supply issues look set to keep oil prices high next year, with markets pointing to a price of $US70-$US75 a barrel, the IMF said today. ... more

El Nino brings drought warning

14.Sep.06: EL Nino, an extreme warming of equatorial waters in the Pacific Ocean that causes drought in Australia has formed and will last into 2007, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said today. ... more

Gore: PM out of touch on global warming

13.Sep.06: Former US vice President Al Gore has urged the Australian Government to be more proactive about global warming. Mr Gore said Prime Minister Howard is increasingly isolated in his views on climate change. ... more

Report calls for mandating of biofuels

13.Sep.06: World agricultural banker Rabobank says a sustainable biofuel industry in Australia will depend on several factors but most important among them is continued government funding. ... more

Australia to Launch 'Solar City'

13.Sep.06: Australia's first Solar City is hoping to set a precedent and pave the way for communities across the country to adopt more renewable energy resources and solar technologies. ... more

Backlash predicted over Bracks water plan

13.Sep.06: VICTORIAN National Party leader Peter Ryan is predicting a voter backlash against the Bracks Government over its radical proposal to divert 115 billion litres of waste water from an ocean outfall to cool power plants in the La Trobe Valley. ... more

Scrap Labor uranium policy: Shorten

13.Sep.06: THE Labor Party should scrap its "half pregnant" uranium mines policy, union boss and Labor candidate Bill Shorten said today. But Mr Shorten has not decided whether he wants Australia to use nuclear power. ... more

Carbon capture costs earth: scientists

13.Sep.06: Capture and storage of greenhouse emissions from Australia's coal-fired power stations will double the cost of producing electricity and could increase carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by about 30 per cent, CSIRO scientists have told a Federal Government inquiry. ... more

Setting an environmental example

13.Sep.06: IN the past 10 years, Australia has walked on the same stage as the leaders of the free world. It is time Australia took a greater role in global environmental issues. ... more

Joyce fails to halt petrol retail rules Bill

13.Sep.06: "It's going to be absolutely nauseating listening to Labor Party senators banging on about protection when this week they chose to support multi-national oil companies and putting mum and dad businesses out of business," he said. ... more

Consumers cautious despite cheaper petrol

13.Sep.06: LOWER petrol prices have lifted consumer confidence, although people remain cautious about the economic outlook. ... more

Hybrids tipped to outsell diesels

13.Sep.06: HYBRIDS would outsell diesels in Australia within 10 years but fuel cells would fail to take off, DaimlerChrysler's director of hybrid technology said last week. ... more

Town reduced to bottled water

13.Sep.06: Residents of Wycheproof in north-western Victoria are relying on bottled water to bathe, cook and drink because their water supply is contaminated. ... more

Plan to power state with recycled water

13.Sep.06: VICTORIAN Premier Steve Bracks today defended a proposal to pipe billions of litres of treated water to the state's power stations to replace the fresh water they now use. ... more

PM rejects Gore's call to sign Kyoto protocol

13.Sep.06:"I've made it very plain on behalf of the Government that we do not intend to sign a protocol which would export Australian jobs to other countries" Mr Howard said. ... more

Water fight: fury over $1.5bn water recycle plan

13.Sep.06: THE Bracks Government is facing a backlash from Gippsland over a $1.5 billion plan to secure Melbourne's drinking water supply for 50 years by replacing billions of litres of fresh water used by Latrobe Valley power stations with treated effluent from the city. ... more

Water policy 'ignores climate change'

12.Sep.06: A Senate committee says current government policies to regulate water have not considered the impact of climate change on future water availability. The Rural Affairs Committee is investigating how Australia accounts for its water use and allocation. ... more

Govt must be 'realistic on wind farms'

12.Sep.06: The Australian Democrats have called on the federal government to get realistic about wind farm turbines and not give precedence to those who oppose them purely because they don't like the look of them. ... more

Family First wants to stop oil giants

12.Sep.06: "Independent service stations have already got their backs to the wall and this government is hell-bent on seeing them squeezed out of the market completely," Senator Fielding said. ... more


Call to let market forces dictate ethanol industry

12.Sep.06: Petroleum company Exxon Mobil says the ethanol industry stands the best chance of succeeding if it is left to market forces to determine how and where it should be used. ... more


Gore in fight for truth on global warming

12.Sep.06: In his powerful documentary - in Australian cinemas this week - which describes global warming as the greatest crisis the world has ever faced, Al Gore introduces himself as the man who used to be the next president. ... more


Australia could show China the way: Gore

12.Sep.06: FORMER US vice-president Al Gore has no problems with China adopting nuclear energy - he is more concerned the Asian superpower is not moving fast enough. ... more


Big oil says reserves are plentiful

12.Sep.06: ExxonMobil Australia chief executive Mark Nolan said the theory that oil supplies had peaked and would dwindle over the next 20 years was of "no value", having surfaced regularly since the 1920s during times of high oil prices. ... more


Vail urges retailers to make ethanol fuel more available

12.Sep.06: The deputy Prime Minister and Nationals Leader, Mark Vaile, has called on Coles and Woolworths to make ethanol-blended fuel available at all their service stations. ... more

Dry up, peak oilers
By Michael Pascoe

11.Sep.06: There's a story that I think says a lot about the state corporate Australia from an employee's point of view: The optimist looks at the glass and sees it half full, the pessimist looks at the glass and sees it half empty, but the CFO looks at the glass and says: “You've got a glass that's twice as big as you need, downsize.” ... more

Secret to cheap petrol is coal

11.Sep.06: A $5 BILLION proposal to turn some of Victoria's abundant brown coal into diesel moved a step closer after the State Government revealed it was about to grant a mining licence to the company behind the project. ... more

Perth fuel price cuts 'temporary'

11.Sep.06: The Motor Trade Association says a drop in fuel prices in Western Australia is temporary, and prices will soon head higher. The price of unleaded petrol has fallen as low as $1.25 a litre in Perth, and is even cheaper for motorists with discount dockets. ... more

Local Planning for an Oil-Depleted Future

11.Sep.06: Letter in "The Jimboomba Times" & "The Beaudesert Times" from local resident Kim Bax, announcing 12 Sept 2006 Beaudesert Shire Council Peak Oil presentation - "Peak Oil Will Affect Us All" ... more