Community funding opportunities now available

The Nationals Member for Benalla Bill Sykes is encouraging organisations within the Benalla Electorate to apply for funding to restore war memorials and honour boards.

The Restoring Community War Memorials Grants Program provides funding of up to $7000 for ex-service organisations, local councils, schools and community groups to preserve, restore and enhance local war memorials and honour boards.

Dr Sykes said, “War memorials and honour boards provide great insight into our history and honours those local servicemen and women who died in the service of their country.”

Repairs to broken statues that form part of a memorial, repairs to barriers and fences, re-lettering, new plaques, lighting, landscaping, interpretative signs and, if necessary, re-location, are all projects that will be considered for funding.

Previous recipients in the Benalla Electorate have been:

· Bright War Memorial – Bright
· Mystic War Memorial – Mystic Park
· Fallen Soldiers Memorial – Mansfield
· Nagambie War Memorial – Nagambie
· Tatong Primary School – Tatong
· Thornton Memorial Hall – Thornton
· Benalla War Memorial – Benalla
· St John’s Honour Roll - Nagambie

Dr Sykes continued, “The community cenotaphs and war memorials are an essential element of the streetscapes of many towns in the Benalla electorate and contribute strongly to our love for our own towns and our sense of place.

Dr Sykes concluded, “I urge all eligible organisations to apply for funding so that our cenotaphs and war memorials remain a source of community pride and respect, not only on Anzac Day, Darwin Defenders Day and special wartime anniversaries, but every day,” Bill Sykes said.

Applications for the grants close on 7 February 2007, and further information and application forms are available at www.veterans.vic.gov.au phone 1300 366356 or contact Peta Clark at Bill Sykes office ph 5762 2100.

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VICHEALTH ACTIVE CLUB GRANT FOR 2006

The Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, informs sporting clubs in the Benalla Electorate that applications for the VicHealth 2006 Active Club Grant are now open.

Dr Sykes said the grant aims to encourage and increase participation opportunities in physical activities for those who are currently inactive or traditionally encounter barriers to participation by:-

• providing equipment or training;
• improving the safety of sporting and active recreation environments; and
• reducing the likelihood of injury while promoting physical activity.

The grant program will provide funding for sports injury prevention equipment, essential equipment/items, volunteer training and portable shade.

“477 sporting clubs across Victoria were successful in seeking funding from the Active Club Grant scheme in 2005.

“It was pleasing to see that 14 sporting clubs in the Benalla Electorate were amongst those successful:

1st Alexandra Cub Scouts $2,470
Benalla Bushwalking Club $500
Benalla Swimming & Lifesaving Club $2,005
Euroa & District Netball Assoc Inc $987
Euroa Clay Target Club Inc $2,500
Euroa Junior Football Club $347
Mansfield Pony Club Inc $1,500
Mokoan Yacht Club Inc $1,000
Moyhu & District Youth Group Inc $2220
Myrtleford Amateur Swimming Club $1,102
Myrtleford Bowls Club $829
Nagambie Cricket Club $255
Riding for the Disabled, Myrtleford $2,150
Warrenbayne Cricket Club $2,495

Dr Sykes concluded, “I congratulate these clubs for their efforts to provide safe sporting environments for their players and I encourage all sporting organisations in the Benalla Electorate to apply for the 2006 round of funding.

Applications (by mail only) close 15 December 2006. Successful applicants will be notified by the 16 March 2007. Enquiries contact Vic Health Ph 03 9667 1321 or via website www.vichealth.vic.gov.au.

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Recognising resilience

Students who have shown persistence and resilience to overcome challenges in their lives will be recognised again this year through the ‘Weary’ Dunlop “You’ve Got What It Takes Award”.

The award was initiated by Bill Sykes, Nationals Member for Benalla and each year Dr Sykes offers the award to every school in the Benalla Electorate.

Dr Sykes said, “Some students have to overcome amazing challenges; it may be illness, learning disabilities or other set backs to achieve academically, on the sporting field, in the arts or just becoming good contributing members of our community.

“I initiated and fund the award, the winner of which receives a certificate and, along with their families, morning tea at Parliament House or attendance at an AFL Game (co sponsored by Brisbane Lions).”

Dr Sykes continued, “The smiles on the faces of award winners and the public expression of emotion by family, friends and teachers confirms the merit making the award available.

“’Weary’ Dunlop was an extraordinary man of many attributes of which his persistence and resilience to overcome the challenges that he and his fellow prisoners of war experienced during World War II stand out.

“I am pleased that ‘Weary’ Dunlop’s family support this award and that it may contribute to our continued recognition of his wonderful qualities as well as inspiring young people to use the same qualities of persistence and resilience to overcome challenges.”

Dr Sykes continued, “For more information on the ‘Weary’ Dunlop “You’ve Got What It Takes Award” contact my office ph: 5762 2100.

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What's on in Wangaratta - October 20

This is edition 78 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.

Exceptional Circumstances PM Announcement 16/10/06

Further to the Prime Ministers announcement, the Office of Federal Minister for Agriculture, Peter McGauran, has informed me that:

The announcement today applies to the Goulburn, Loddon and Campaspe statistical areas in Victoria.

The announcement of extension of EC status until 31/3/08 and it no longer being restricted to irrigated dairy farmers means that all primary producers in those areas will be eligible to apply for measures such as:

- Interest rate subsidies
- Income support

This includes orchardists and grape growers (in those areas) impacted by the severe frosts a few weeks ago.

North East (NE) Victoria was not included in this announcement as EC status in NE Victoria had already been extended to 31/3/07.

Further announcements are expected in a few days and I have stressed again to Mr McGauran’s office the impact of drought, frost and likely tobacco industry cessation to primary producers and communities in NE Victoria.

I am therefore hopeful that we will be advised in a few days of changes to the EC declaration in NE Victoria which will benefit all primary producers in NE Victoria.

I will continue to advocate strongly to both Federal and State Governments for support for all affected sections of our country communities.

Bill Sykes MP
Member for Benalla

Kammy Cordner Hunt stands for Greens in Benalla

FORMER Mansfield councillor and well known horsebreeder Kammy Cordner Hunt is the Greens candidate for the Victorian lower house seat of Benalla.

Her candidacy was announced last Friday night at Bernasconi’s Restaurant in front of more than 50 supporters and Greens lead Upper House candidate for Northern Victoria, Jennifer Alden.

Ms Cordner Hunt is well-known in the district, having served as a Mansfield Shire councillor before the formation of Delatite Shire.

As well as gaining experience in local government, she served on the Upper Goulburn River Management Authority, the Municipal Association’s Environment Committee, and the Alpine Advisory Committee.

from Mansfield Courier

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Water debate must rise to new levels

This is a Must Read. The Australian newspaper lets readers comment on the water crisis. WE desperately need a well-informed debate on water. But Australians generally have what Professor Peter Cullen calls “low water literacy”. They don’t really understand the fundamentals.

ABC Message Board on the water crisis

Welcome to the Water message board. Read what others have to say and make your own contribution.Posts are checked by a moderator before they appear on the message board, and this may cause a delay. Please see the help section for any questions.

What's on the RCoW Agenda.

The October Council meeting of the Rural City of Wangaratta will be held at the Council Chambers on Tuesday, 17th October commencing at 7.00 pm. You can download a copy of the Business Papers and meeting agenda here. Below are the items to be discussd:

8.1.1.1 PETITION – TO INVESTIGATE THE INTERSECTION OF MEADOW CREEK AND MEADOW CREEK-HALL ROADS

A petition/joint letter containing some 51 signatures from residents of Meadow Creek has been received requesting Council to investigate sealing the intersection of Meadow Creek and Meadow Creek-Hall roads. The petition to investigate the sealing of the intersection of Meadow Creek and Meadow Creek-Hall roads will be received and a report about the issues raised be considered at Council’s November meeting.

10.2.2.1 TRANSFER OF LAND - COOBA COURT

This is an interesting item where title to the bowl section of the Cooba Court roadway has remained as part of the parent title in the name of the subdivider in perpetuity. Solicitors acting for the Estate of the original owners have written to Council requesting that this land be transferred from the Estate and vest in Council’s ownership.

10.2.2.2 INDEPENDENT AUDIT REPORT - Annual Audit 51.020.001

The Local Government Act 1989 requires Council to prepare financial statements, standard statements and a performance statement, in respect of each year, and have these statements audited.

The Financial Report shows that the Council:
• achieved an operating surplus of $4.76M
• invested $11.2M in assets and infrastructure
• repaid $1.0M of borrowings
• was holding $12.8M in cash and equivalents
• had $9.3M in total borrowings

The Standard Statement shows that Council:
• received revenue of $36.8M compared to budget of $36.3M
• expended $32.4M compared to budget of $32.6M
• the surplus of $4.76M was slightly more than the budget amount of $3.86M

The Performance Statement, which summarises Annual Plan performance,
shows that:
• 8 of 16 Performance Targets were achieved - all others show substantial progress.

The Auditor General's Report has been received and is available for inspection.

10.2.3.1 COUNTRY FOOTBALL NETBALL PROGRAM

A funding application from the Milawa Football Netball Club has been supported by Council to be forwarded to the Department for Victorian Communities for consideration under the 2006 Country Football Netball Program to install an oval watering system.

Council will vote on an allocation of $5,000 for the Milawa Football Netball Club Watering System Project be considered at Council’s half yearly budget review.

10.2.3.2 CULTURAL SERVICES REPORT AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2006

The Arts and Cultural Advisory Committee held their AGM on 2 August 2006. Nominations were received from community members for the General Community member vacancy on the Arts and Cultural Advisory Committee. Philip Bohun was selected as a General Community member of the committee and Heulwyn Taylor was selected as a co-opted General Community member to the committee. The report also details the success of programs held over the two months.

10.2.3.3 WANGARATTA RECREATION AND PARKLANDS PRECINCT MASTERPLAN

Planning consultant Michelle Read of HM Leisure has been appointed to undertake the Wangaratta Recreation and Parklands Precinct Master Plan project. Work has commenced with investigations into the most appropriate location for the Wangaratta Magpies Netball Court. The consultants have conducted a site visit to assess the strengths and weaknesses of suggested locations.

10.2.4.1 DEVELOPMENT SERVICES MONTHLY REPORT

This report covers planning permits lodged and their progress towards completeion.

10.2.4.2 PLANNING PERMIT APPLICATION NO. 06-084 - PROPOSED TWO LOT SUBDIVISION AND TWO DWELLING DEVELOPMENT AT MCEVOY DRIVE, ELDORADO

It is recommended that the permitbe approved, and that a Notice of Decision to Grant a Permit be issued
subject to specified conditions:

10.3.1.1 MILAWA PUBLIC HALL AND PARK SPECIAL COMMITTEE

The Milawa Public Hall and Park Special Committee has forwarded the Minutes of its 2006 Annual General Meeting, Presidents’ Report, 2005/2006 Financial Statements and proposed fees & charges for the hire of the Milawa Hall.

Recommendation:
1. That the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting, Presidents Report and 2005/2006 Financial Statements of the Milawa Public Hall and Park Special Committee be received and that the Committee be
congratulated on its achievements over the past twelve (12) months.
2. That Council endorse the fees to be levied for the use of the Milawa Public Hall and Park for 2006/2007 as recommended by the Committee.

10.3.1.2 OLD MURMUNGEE HALL SPECIAL COMMITTEE

The Old Murmungee Hall Special Committee has forwarded details of its 2006 Annual General Meeting, 2005/2006 receipts and payments, and fees and charges for the hire of the Old Murmungee Hall for 2006/2007.

Recommendation:
1. That the Annual General Meeting details forwarded by the Old Murmungee Hall Special Committee together with the 2005/2006 receipts and payments be received and that appreciation be expressed to the
Committee for its efforts in the management of the Old Murmungee Hall.
2. That the hiring fees for use of the Old Murmungee Hall for 2005/2006, as determined by the Committee and forwarded for Council’s consideration, be approved by Council.

Over the Fence - District News Reports

48 ‘no’ votes needed
Tobacco offer becomes harder to refuse
BY BRAD WORRALL

A TWO-thirds majority is all that is now needed to get the $10 million tobacco growers’ buy-out package over the line. – full story...

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Criminals want $10m deal axed
Thugs threatening growers to save chop chop
Written by JEFF ZEUSCHNER. (Chronicle)

CRIMINAL thugs and black market tobacco growers are threatening other North East growers in a bid to have a $10 million offer to end the Australian industry rejected, according to Sophie Mirabella (MHR, Indi).

Mrs Mirabella said she had heard of threats and intimidation against local growers in the lead-up to their October 26 meeting, at which all 137 Tobacco Co-operative of Victoria shareholders will vote on whether or not to accept British American Tobacco Australasia’s (BATA) bid to buy-out its existing two year contract.

BATA is not renewing any further contract, and a yes vote would effectively prevent another tobacco crop being grown in Australia’s remaining producing regions of the King, Alpine and Kiewa valleys.

"I absolutely have concerns an unsavory element is bringing pressure on growers and could undermine the vote," Mrs Mirabella said.

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Frost-affected Wangaratta farmers angry

The rural area of Wangaratta has asked the Victorian and federal agricultural ministers to visit the frost-affected King Valley region.

The crops of grape growers have been badly affected by the recent extreme weather conditions.

Graeme Nickless from the council wants to attract the Victorian Agricultural Minister Bob Cameron's support even if the growers do not qualify for exceptional circumstances assistance.

"The invitation was extended to him immediately following the frost," he said.

"There has been some ongoing dialogue with his departmental advisers and he is aware of the situation."

"We just need to expose him to those conditions first hand."

Tobacco Industry package in jeopardy

Growers ‘in fear of thugs’

CRIMINAL thugs were trying to force tobacco growers to vote against the industry buy-out, member for Indi Sophie Mirabella said last night.

In a call for calm in the lead-up to the vote on the British American Tobacco offer, Mrs Mirabella urged growers to stand up against the intimidation and report incidents to the police.

“We must take a stand against criminal thugs who are intimidating legitimate tobacco growers,” she said.

“It would be inappropriate of me to divulge the individual incidents of this nature, however, those within the industry know that it is occurring.

“This criminal behaviour is designed to make growers live in fear and vote against the package.

“Some tobacco growers are offering other growers cash inducements to vote against any exit package.”

Mrs Mirabella yesterday discussed concerns with the Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer, Peter Dutton.

She has organised for the Tobacco Co-operative of Victoria to meet Mr Dutton next week in Canberra.

She is meeting the Prime Minister’s office again tomorrow.

“I have also been asked to facilitate a police presence at the meeting in Myrtleford on October 26 and I have put this request through,” Mrs Mirabella said.

“This is clearly a difficult time for the Myrtleford growers and their families.

“The last thing they need is for the criminal element — the very people who have brought the industry into this current situation — to be intimidating and threatening growers on the eve of this important vote.

“I also have a message for the tax office that it needs to beef up its surveillance measures and its existing probity checking regime for growers.

“The industry should not have to counter this disgraceful aggression from corrupt and failed growers who are undermining the security and safety of local, legitimate growers.

“If we let these people intimidate the legitimate growers, then it’s very likely that the offer will not be taken up by a majority of growers.” ... original article here

MP worried tobacco growers forced to oppose exit package

The federal Member for Indi fears Myrtleford tobacco growers are being intimidated to vote against a $10 million exit package for the region.

British American Tobacco has offered the package in exchange for cancelling its crop buying contract early.

The move would mean farmers would stop growing tobacco this year.

Sophie Mirabella says the growers in the illegal chop chop trade are intimidating other farmers because they want to keep growing their crops.

"My concern is that growers are being prevented from making a commercial decision based on the law and are being forced to vote against this," she said.

"I am concerned about this because some people have come to me some anonymously and said this is happening, others have heard about it."

The Tobacco Cooperative of Victoria says 75 per cent of growers need to support the exit package at a meeting on October 19.

John Maraca from the cooperative says some growers have asked for security at the meeting.

"At this stage I cannot confirm or deny, but I have had discussions with our local police here in Wangaratta, I have had some people concerned believing that there should be some police presence there," he said. ... original article here

Weekend fire at Cheshunt in impossible terrain

Original article here

STRONG southerly winds and suspicious causes have made for a busy weekend for firefighters, who battled grass fires at Cheshunt, Albury, Porepunkah and Lake Mokoan.

CFA and Department of Sustainability and Environment staff fought a fire south of Cheshunt yesterday.

About 11ha in steep terrain was burnt near Burrows Lane, off Upper King River Rd.

DSE manager, fire North East, Peter Farrell said last night a containment line had been built around the fire and DSE crews were released about 6pm.

“The CFA were going to leave a couple of small crews on to patrol overnight,” Mr Farrell said.

CFA spokesperson Craig Hearson said six CFA, three DSE tankers, two dozers, aircraft and more than 37 personnel were involved in fighting the blaze.

He said the fire started on private land but the cause was unknown and the CFA was investigating.

Original article here



Firefighters are battling a blaze at Cheshunt near Benalla in Victoria's north-east.

The fire started as a burn-off, which is believed to have been left unattended and has now covered 10 hectares.

Fifty Country Fire Authority (CFA) firefighters are dealing with windy conditions and steep, bushy terrain.

They have the fire currently burning within containment lines.





BLUSTERY winds fanned a Cheshunt fire yesterday, causing it to burn about 11 hectares of land.

Located near Burrows Lane, off Upper King River Road, the fire occurred in very steep terrain.

Country Fire Authority and Department of Sustainability and Environment resources were combined to tackle the fire.

Resources included: Cheshunt, Whitfield, Moyhu, Edi and Wangaratta firefighters; a helitank and fixed wing aircraft; and DSE bulldozers.

What price to convert CDMA phones to 3G

Telstra's 3G network is up and running - but not in our rural areas for another year. So the wait for wireless broadband continues.

Those who can access the 3G network will be paying between $50 and $200 a month for the privilege of a wireless broadband service that is slower than ADSL. Telstra's 3G service will operate between 200kbps and 300 kbps in capital cities (except Darwin and Hobart) in addition to the Gold Coast.

3G services outside these areas will be delivered on the company's existing -- but slower -- GSM network, which does not support video-based services. 3G just does not yet exist for CDMA customers

Yet this new 3G technology is set to eventually replace our CDMA mobile phones but at what price? It is hardly likely that we will be charged CDMA rates with all the extras not currently available such as video phone and broadband access.

The federal communications minister has reassured rural Australia her department plans to work with Telstra and the communications regulator to ensure the bush won't be disadvantaged as the telco dumps its existing CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) network in favour of the new national third-generation (3G) mobile offering.

"The government is committed to working with both the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and Telstra to ensure a smooth transition from CDMA to 3G," Senator Helen Coonan said in a statement this morning.

"While Telstra is bound by licence conditions and current contractual arrangements to provide a digital mobile network in regional Australia, the working group will ensure a cooperative and coordinated approach to replicating the coverage of the existing CDMA network," Coonan said.

Hemp plan resurrected by Denise Allen

Myrtleford is in a real bind with the future use of tobacco fields. With the residual toxins, they are very limited in what crops or stock can be run on their properties.

Unlike the King Valley that converted to grapes, Myrtleford does not have that option with the glut in the wine industry expected to last a few more years. It seems they may be restricted to non food-chain crops. Already, corn for ethanol production has been muted. Now comes another option in industrial hemp. Read on ...

Industry ‘could replace tobacco’
BY DI THOMAS

FORMER Labor member for Benalla, Denise Allen, has revived a 2002 proposal to develop an alternative fibre industry in the North East to create jobs and development to counter the tobacco industry’s pending demise.

However, she and the proposal’s author, Andrew Gemmell, fear the historical opposition to the industry from overseas cotton and synthetic manufacturers and those concerned about the cultivation of industrial hemp stymied the proposal in 2002 and may see it set aside again.

Ms Allen, who will stand as a candidate for the Northern Victoria Upper House seat for the new party People Power at next month’s state election, said a plan had been developed by Mr Gemmell to grow industrial hemp, bamboo and flax in the Myrtleford area and other parts of the North East.

“The plan was not to take over the timber industry but to complement it and to be a replacement for the subsequent demise of the tobacco industry,” Ms Allen said.

She said disused mills could be helped back into action with state and federal government grants to buy necessary processing equipment and workers could be re-employed in the growing and processing of the fibre.

Ms Allen said she understood from Mr Gemmell’s research that chipboard could be made from industrial hemp which was three times stronger than other chipboards, providing the means by which strong kit homes could be manufactured for Aboriginal communities, and exported to Third World countries and those hit by natural disaster and damage as the result of war.

A report made by Mr Gemmell in March, 2002, says a focus on natural fibres grown and processed in Victoria would be preferable to petrochemical synthetic fibres produced and controlled by overseas-based multinational corporations.

Yesterday Mr Gemmell said hemp fibre crops took just three months to grow, producing up to four crops a year.

A plan to undertake a trial processing of the fibre at a North East plant had been set aside by a change in management personnel and Mr Gemmell confirmed his proposal had been countered by those who equated the growing of hemp with the cultivation of the illegal drug as well as competition from the international manufacturers of synthetic fibres.

However, he said he was happy to see his proposal had been again raised by Ms Allen.

“I suspect it won’t get off the ground again for the same reasons.”

Never mind the farmers, what about the workers?

Since the crippling frost of 25th September across the North East of Victoria, the effects of the drought and the shutdown of the tobacco growing industry in 2009, we have been bombarded by press reports of assistance required for the affected farmers.

British Tobacco have offered a $10 million exit package from their contracts and the Federal Government is assessing further asiistance to the tobacco industry.

The State Government has provided an indirect $5 million assistance package to the Goulburn Valley fruit growers and is expected to lodge a claim for "Exceptional Circumstances" to be declared and the Federal Government has shown its willingness to help.

Sophie Mirabella is seeking Federal support for the King Valley grape growers whose crops have been decimated by the frosts.

This is all good work and will help many farmers whose livelihoods have been threatened. But, nothing has been said about the casual work force that keeps these industries running.

Every vineyard, orchard and tobacco plantation has a core group of casual workers who tend the crops thoughout the year. They are the skilled people who work on a day to day basis. In peak periods such as pruning and harvesting, extra manpower is required and seasonal workers are recruited.

Over recent years, foreign workers have been organised into contract teams and the government has extended visa privileges to help meet the shortfall during these periods.

With the breakdown of the horticulture industries in North East Victoria, it is time for a re-think on the casual labour force for the future prosperity of the region.

With 125 tobacco properties, 75 King Valley vineyards, and as yet an uncounted number of frost damaged orchards, there will be several thousand trained local casual workers displaced. Do they simply go on the dole?

Maybe, as the work runs out, they could come together to form a work-cooperative to ensure what work does exist, goes to local residents rather than to foreign contract labour. The local economic benefits would be immense. Money earned locally is spent locally.

As reported in The Chronicle (6 Oct 06), the Rural City of Wangaratta has just announced a taskforce to help address our rural crisis consisting of agribusiness, council, industry, and business representatives - no mention of the casual labour workforce.

During the Great Depression, records show that the Shire of Wangaratta developed a program to help its residents find work during those hard times. The RCoW could show great leadership in doing the same over the next few years. If left to the government sponsored employment agencies, it would never work.

Frost and Tobacco assistance being sought by Sykes

SYKES – LOBBIES STATE GOVERNMENT FOR FROST & TOBACCO ASSISTANCE

FROST
The Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, continued to lobby the State Government this week to ensure their commitment to assisting North East Victorian grape growers and orchardists hit by recent severe frosts.

Dr Sykes and his National colleagues raised the issue several times in parliament this week with key requests including:

• A $20,000 cash grant
• Immediate application for Exceptional Circumstances
• Financial counselling services

Dr Sykes said, “The Nationals certainly made the State Government aware of the extent of the frost problem and the impact on growers, employees and local businesses. The Nationals will continue to lobby the government to help affected families through this crisis”.

Minister for Agriculture, Bob Cameron is ensuring that Local Government and industry organisations are aware of what they need to do to submit an application for Exceptional Circumstances.

TOBACCO

Dr Sykes said, “Minister Cameron also advised me that the State Government would provide support for tobacco growers to make the transition to growing other crops, this would include assistance from the DPI.

Dr Sykes concluded, “Industry and the three levels of Government are working together on this issue – the challenge will be to provide prompt, appropriate and equitable support keeping in mind the very wide ranging impacts of frost and drought as well as low wine prices, the recent poor snow season and concerns about future of Mt. Buffalo Chalet.

What's on in Wangaratta - from 5th October 2006

This is edition 77 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.

Myrtleford may start Vic ethanol crop production

Many local farmers have been searching for a new crop to boost their income and the local economy. Maybe ethanol producing crops are the answer. It is certainly a ground floor opportunity to replace crops such as tobacco throughout the North East region.

These words were published in a March 2005 Watchdog article titled, Are we ready for Ethanol in our petrol? Today, the Border Mail reports that ...

Green fuel could fill void
Bid to find replacement for tobacco
BY BRAD WORRALL

AN Alpine councillor says providing the raw ingredients to make biofuels could offer an alternative to tobacco growers.

Nino Mautone says the world is hungry for clean, green fuel and it is a ready-made replacement for the tobacco farmers abandoned by cigarette makers.

Last month, 138 tobacco growers were told the industry would cease in 2008.

British American Tobacco has offered the Myrtleford growers $10 million over two years to pay out their existing contract with the Tobacco Co-operative of Victoria.

“The tobacco land is ideal for crops like corn, maize or sugar beets,” Cr Mautone said.

“All can be harvested to produce an alcohol base for the biofuels market.

“Excess grapes could also be used.”

But he is hoping more ideas come from the community.

“We are asking members of the public who may have ideas, especially in regard to alternate crops for tobacco land, to please come forward,” Cr Mautone said.

“A few years ago we did a series of horticultural trials with different crops.

“Asparagus, cabbages and cauliflowers were all grown with some success.”

By success Cr Mautone means there was no residue from the harsh chemicals used on the tobacco land in previous generations.

“The only vegetables to have significant residue were leeks and lettuces,” he said.

Alpine council will also take a community and economic strategic response plan to government, in light of multiple challenges facing the shire.

These include the frost-ravaged grape crop and the threat to the long-term viability of tourist icon Mt Buffalo chalet.

At Tuesday night’s monthly meeting, council voted to ask for government help with a feasibility study of alternate agricultural uses for tobacco land as well as business planning support for farmers and small businesses.

Other items considered under the plan include researching ways to increase the shire industry base, progressing the revitalisation of Myrtleford and completing the alternate rail trail link around that town.

Sustainability and Global Issues - October 2006

NO DAM IDEA

24.Oct.06: THE Hume and Dartmouth dams are expected to be bone dry by April yet the Murray Darling Basin Commission still has no back-up plan for preserving water. ... more

Killer frost puts an end to crops

24.Oct.06: STANLEY fruit and nut growers have had enough of frosts after Sunday morning’s ripper. The temperature dropped to around minus four degrees Celsius ... more

Australia leaving behind 6th biggest ecological footprint

24.Oct.06: A new report shows Australia is officially the sixth biggest consumer of natural resources per capita in the world. ... more

Govt extends drought support payments

24.Oct.06: The Federal Government will extend drought support payments to another 44 regions across Australia, mostly in New South Wales and Queensland. ... more

Govt to announce major climate projects

24.Oct.06: THE Federal Government tomorrow is expected to take its biggest step yet in addressing climate change by allocating hundreds of millions of dollars towards clean coal projects and alternative energy technologies. ... more

Nuclear power plant 'a matter of time'

24.Oct.06: A nuclear power plant will be built in Australia as soon as it becomes commercially viable, federal Treasurer Peter Costello says. ... more

Holden gets environmental funding

23.Oct.06: Car manufacturer Holden will receive more than $13 million from state and federal governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on some of its vehicles. ... more

Ad campaign urges Govt to address climate change

23.Oct.06: The Climate Institute of Australia has taken out national newspaper advertisements calling on the Federal Government to seriously address global warming. ... more

Water trading market should include non-users: report

23.Oct.06: A Federal Government study on water trading has recommended the market be opened up to non-users. ... more

Private sector 'should invest in water'

23.Oct.06: AUSTRALIA'S water crisis could be eased if the private sector had the opportunity to invest in the local water industry, according to the federal MP overseeing Australia\'s water crisis, Malcolm Turnbull. ... more

Global warming may hit grapes

23.Oct.06: GLOBAL warming will hit Australian winegrowers hard, possibly reducing the area suitable for vineyards by more than 40 per cent by 2050, a scientific study showed today. ... more

Oil prices fall in Asian trading

23.Oct.06: OIL prices fell in Asian trade today as OPEC's move to cut production was discounted given comfortable levels of reserves in the United States, the world's largest consumer. ... more

Petrol to hold current levels: Woolies

23.Oct.06: GROCERY giant Woolworths Ltd believes petrol prices will remain at current levels until at least Christmas. ... more

Green groups tackling climate change

22.Oct.06: Environment groups have weighed into Victoria's election campaign, calling on political parties to back a seven-point plan to tackle climate change. ... more

Grapes vulnerable to climate change: research

22.Oct.06: A new survey by the University of Melbourne and the CSIRO has found climate change will dramatically alter the growing seasons for Australian grapes. ... more

Researchers defend Iraq war deaths estimate

22.Oct.06: Researchers have defended the accuracy of a controversial estimate by public health experts that hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died because of the March 2003 US-led invasion. ... more

Take Iraq death toll seriously: doctors

22.Oct.06: PRIME Minister John Howard should take a study into the Iraqi death toll seriously, according to a group of prominent Australian doctors. ... more

Support for Iraq death toll estimate

22.Oct.06: A CONTROVERSIAL estimate by public health experts that hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died because of the March 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq is probably an accurate assessment, researchers say. ... more

Items pinched from cars

21.Oct.06: WANGARATTA police have appealed for public help to catch a thief who has broken into at least 10 cars in the city in the past week. ... more

Cosgrove says Iraq war based on false premise

21.Oct.06: The former chief of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), General Peter Cosgrove, has acknowledged for the first time that Australia entered the war in Iraq on a false premise. ... more

Oil falls to 2006 low

21.Oct.06: OIL fell more than 2 per cent to fresh 2006 lows under $US57 a barrel today on concerns OPEC members may not comply with deep production cuts aimed at halting a drop in crude oil prices. ... more
Iraq 'hiding true casualty figures'

21.Oct.06: THE Iraqi Government has told medical authorities not to reveal to the UN the true extent of civilian casualties in the country's conflict, French newspaper Le Monde said today. ... more

Australian bird flu fears downplayed

21.Oct.06: AN Australian animal health expert has downplayed fears migratory birds from Indonesia may bring the avian flu virus to Australian shores. ... more

Bush resists major course change in Iraq

21.Oct.06: US President George W. Bush said today he would resist election-year pressure for a major shift in strategy in Iraq, despite growing doubts among Americans and anxiety over the war among Republican politicians. ... more

Biodiesel plant looks for staff

21.Oct.06: AUSTRIAN engineers are putting the finishing touches on Barnawartha’s biodiesel plant as the green fuel producer begins it search for senior staff. ... more

Senate committee backs guest worker scheme rejection

20.Oct.06: A Senate inquiry has rejected farmers' arguments that Pacific islands guest workers should be allowed in to ease a national shortage of harvest labour. ... more

Antarctic ozone hole biggest on record: report

20.Oct.06: This year's ozone hole over Antarctica is bigger and deeper than any other on record, US scientists say. ... more

OPEC agrees to surprise 1.2m bpd cut in oil output

20.Oct.06: The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has announced it has has decided to cut the cartel's oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to 26.3 million bpd from November 1, following its extraordinary meeting in Doha. ... more

Millions more for drought-hit farmers

20.Oct.06: A multi-million dollar package of drought assistance for farmers will be put to the Victorian cabinet next week. ... more

Prepare now for bird flu, warns Qld govt

20.Oct.06: Businesses and households need to prepare now if they are going to survive a bird flu pandemic, a new Queensland government plan warns. ... more

Work to start on Vic water pipeline

20.Oct.06: Work on the first stage of an 8,000 kilometre water pipeline will begin later this month, the Victorian government has announced. ... more

No Iraq pull-out until 'victory': Bush

20.Oct.06: PRESIDENT George W. Bush insisted Thursday that US troops would not pull out of Iraq before "the terrorists are defeated," a day after acknowledging a possible parallel between violence there and the Tet Offensive during the US war in Vietnam. ... more

Aussies warming to recycled water: study

20.Oct.06: Australians are becoming more receptive to drinking recycled water, according to a university survey. ... more

Farmers look to rotten bananas for fuel

20.Oct.06: Queensland farmers are looking at using banana fuel to run their tractors. ... more

Drought won't derail economy, says Westpac

20.Oct.06: THE drought could be the worst since European settlement but is unlikely to derail the Australian economy or prevent another interest rate hike, a new analysis has suggested. ... more

Growers wait for tobacco exit offer

20.Oct.06: THE delivery of a Federal Government exit package for tobacco growers is a race against the clock. ... more

Livestock glut may soon be over

20.Oct.06: WODONGA saleyards have sold almost $30 million worth of stock in less than four months and Wangaratta\’s throughput has trebled but some industry experts suspect the drought-induced glut may be gone. ... more

Foreign workers 'treated like slaves'

19.Oct.06: Filipino workers in Australia were being treated like slaves under the double-whammy of federal migration laws and the Work Choices legislation, an inquiry has been told. ... more

Mudspill bill could be $43.7m - Santos

19.Oct.06: OIL and gas explorer Santos Ltd\'s share of fixing a huge mudspill at a gas well in east Java could be about $43.7 million, the compnay said today. ... more

Iraq, Vietnam comparison 'may be right'

19.Oct.06: US President George W. Bush today for the first time acknowledged a possible parallel between the raging violence in Iraq and the Vietnam War. ... more
Greenhouse Office budget 'underspent'

19.Oct.06: Labor claims the government\'s Greenhouse Office is not doing its job because it has underspent its budget by $362 million. ... more

Australia ready for bird flu: Abbott

18.Oct.06: The results of a massive health simulation will be studied to improve Australia's response to any future disease outbreak, Health Minister Tony Abbott says. ... more

MP 'lied to' over wind farm proposal

19.Oct.06: A Liberal MP says an environment department official lied to him about an unusual wind farm proposal. ... more

Australia heading for 'economic tsunami'

19.Oct.06: The head of an independent Australian think tank has called for policy changes to deal with what he describes as the "economic tsunami" of an ageing population. ... more

Greens hoping for farmland inquiry

19.Oct.06: The Greens are hopeful the federal government will support a Senate inquiry into the sustainability of Australia\'s agricultural lands, after being told the issue will be discussed by the joint party room. ... more

Bird flu not \'if\' but 'when', says expert

18.Oct.06: AUSTRALIA has been warned to boost its preparedness for a bird flu outbreak by identifying new strains of the virus as they develop overseas. ... more

Angry farmers hit the streets

18.Oct.06: IRRIGATORS angered by having to pay for undelivered water will target the Victorian Government in the lead-up to next month\’s election following a big protest rally in Shepparton yesterday. ... more

Long recovery for wine industry

18.Oct.06: THE wine industry could take as long as five years to recover from the crippling grape oversupply in which 100,000 tonnes of fruit was left to rot on vines this year. ... more

Bracks shares $2.4bn pipe dream

18.Oct.06: THE Victorian Government today announced the first step in a $2.4 billion plan to pipe recycled water from Melbourne to Latrobe Valley power stations in return for fresh Gippsland water ... more

Scant details add to Mokoan frustrations

17.Oct.06: LAKE Mokoan irrigators cannot make any decisions about the State Government\’s offset packages because of a lack of information, the Victorian Farmers Federation said yesterday. ... more

Extended lifeline may help devastated areas survive

17.Oct.06: CASH-strapped farmers, in exceptional-circumstances declared zones received a boost yesterday with an extension of those declarations until March 31, 2008. ... more

Jupiter pulls plug on $75m biofuels spin-off

16.Oct.06: Less than two weeks after launching a $75 million capital raising, West Perth-based oil and gas explorer Jupiter Energy Ltd has pulled the pin on a float of its biofuels subsidiary, citing a lack of market interest in the sector. ... more

Drought assistance injection fires up viability debate

17.Oct.06: The Federal Government's $350 million drought assistance package has ignited debate over the viability of some Australian farms. ... more

Jasper to push minister for aid

17.Oct.06: THE Victorian Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron will attend a drought meeting at Cobram tomorrow. ... more

Dams dry up at night, says study

17.Oct.06: ALMOST half of all evaporation from Australian dams occurs in the night, new research shows. ... more

Global warming intensifying drought patterns: CSIRO

16.Oct.06: The CSIRO says the drought can mostly be attributed to Australia's normal weather patterns but says global warming has intensified it. ... more

Resources Minister endorses nuclear option

16.Oct.06: Federal Minister for Resources and Industry, Ian Macfarlane, has delivered a strong endorsement for nuclear energy in Australia at a conference in Sydney today. ... more

Nelson promotes year 12 recruitment plan

16.Oct.06: Defence Minister Brendan Nelson says the plan for young people to spend a year in uniform will build character and impart skills which employers desire. ... more

Govt announces first $350m of drought package

16.Oct.06: The Prime Minister, John Howard, has announced the first part of Federal Cabinet's drought package and promised to offer help to more types of producers and extend the amount of time it is offered. ... more

Petrol prices 'still going down'

16.Oct.06: PETROL prices have fallen to nine-month lows and motorists can expect them to keep on falling, a leading economist says. ... more
Australia 'nuclear in a decade'

16.Oct.06: AUSTRALIA could have its first nuclear power plant within a decade as part of the federal government\'s push to find alternative energy sources. ... more

Oil prices rise in Asia

16.Oct.06: OIL prices rose in Asian trade today, hovering around $US60 a barrel ahead of an extraordinary OPEC meeting this week to discuss a production cut to check a price decline, dealers said. ... more

Tough new water curbs as Bracks acts on crisis

15.Oct.06: Harsh stage-two water restrictions are to come into force in Melbourne as water catchments drop to dangerously low levels. ... more

Libs promise bottle recycling refunds

15.Oct.06: Victorian Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu has promised to introduce a scheme to pay people to recycle bottles, if his party wins government at next month's state election. ... more
PM gives strong backing to nuclear power

15.Oct.06: Prime Minister John Howard has given his strongest support yet to the use of nuclear power in Australia, backing the development of the "clean" energy industry. ... more

Beazley outlines water policy

15.Oct.06: FEDERAL Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has outlined a plan to safeguard Australia's water supply for the future. ... more

Nationals push to lift ethanol cap

15.Oct.06: THE Nationals will push the Federal Government to scrap the 10 per cent cap on ethanol blended fuel in a bid to increase the uptake of biofuels. ... more

Tough Farm north-west plan 'has problems'

15.Oct.06: DESPITE the abundant supply of water for agriculture in north-west Australia, farming there was not without problems, Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile has said. ... more

The excuses have dried up — we must sign the Kyoto pact

15.Oct.06: John Howard has little choice but to review his sceptical outlook as the harsh reality of global warming makes itself clear. ... more

Minister 'unaware' of Cosgrove remarks

16.Oct.06: DEFENCE minister Brendan Nelson has said he has not seen remarks by former defence force chief General Peter Cosgrove that he believes that the Iraq war has boosted global terrorism. ... more
No limit to drought relief: Costello

14.Oct.06: The Federal Government will continue providing drought-stricken farmers with financial aid for as long as they need it, Treasurer Peter Costello has pledged. ... more

Drought prompts plan to stockpile grain

14.Oct.06: THE Nationals have put up a radical plan to stockpile wheat and divert grain from export to ensure Australia can feed itself through the crippling drought. ... more

US reviews complaint about ethanol fuel

14.Oct.06: A US agency is reviewing a complaint claiming Ford Motor Co. made vehicles capable of using ethanol-blended fuel that did not run properly. ... more

Labor would 'sign Kyoto to fight drought'

14.Oct.06: LABOR would tackle climate change as a long-term solution to Australia\'s water shortages if it wins the next election, Opposition leader Kim Beazley said. ... more

Green Arnie goes to big smoke

14.Oct.06: CALIFORNIA Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will go to New York on Monday to discuss his landmark law on global warming with fellow Republicans as pressure builds on US President George W. Bush to take a tougher stance on greenhouse gases. ... more

Hotter means drier

14.Oct.06: As the planet grows warmer, fresh water will become increasingly scarce, writes George Monbiot. ... more
Lightbulb giveaway is switched off

14.Oct.06: A SCHEME to cut greenhouse gases by giving away millions of low-energy lightbulbs and shower heads has been shut down after households installed less than half of the products. ... more

Water debate must rise to new levels

14.Oct.06: WE desperately need a well-informed debate on water. But Australians generally have what Professor Peter Cullen calls “low water literacy”. ... more

Oil prices stage strong recovery

14.Oct.06: WORLD crude oil prices leapt by more than a dollar overnight, recovering at the end of a week which witnessed New York crude strike the lowest point in 2006. ... more

Howard puts water pressure on states

14.Oct.06: THE Federal Government has put the onus on the states to improve their water management and stave off the crisis which is parching the nation. ... more

Hotter means drier

14.Oct.06: As the planet grows warmer, fresh water will become increasingly scarce, writes George Monbiot. ... more

Editorial: Drought shows political failure

14.Oct.06: Justified concern about the severity of the drought now facing Australia should not be allowed to obscure the abject failure of governments around the nation to secure adequate supplies of an essential resource. ... more

UK army chief stands by Iraq remarks

15.Oct.06: Britain's army chief is standing by his comments that UK troops should leave Iraq soon because their presence was worsening security. ... more

Indonesia urged to ratify haze treaty

14.Oct.06: Southeast Asian nations are urging Indonesia to ratify a treaty to fight annual brush fires that have sent choking smoke across parts of Malaysia and Singapore. ... more

Climate change 'threatens civilisation'

14.Oct.06: Climate change is one of the biggest menaces facing humankind and threatens to breed terrorism, war and the collapse of civilisation, a global health expert says. ... more

Push to take water from the bush for cities

14.Oct.06: THE states have condemned the federal Government for stalling key water projects as they face growing pressure to buy water from farmers to top up city supplies. ... more

Water crisis spurred by 'piddling' funding: states

13.Oct.06: The states and territories say the Federal Government should not be playing politics with water. ... more

Climate change triggers war, warns expert

13.Oct.06: CLIMATE change was one of the biggest menaces facing humankind and threatened to breed terrorism, war and the collapse of civilisation, a global health expert said today. ... more

PM doesn't believe Iraq deaths figure

13.Oct.06: PRIME Minister John Howard has dismissed as implausible research suggesting more than 600,000 Iraqis have died since US-led forces invaded. ... more

Kyoto Protocol won't solve drought crisis: Campbell

13.Oct.06: The Federal Government is adamant it will not change its mind about signing the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions, despite being told the country is facing an unprecedented drought. ... more

Water Initiative has room for improvement: report

13.Oct.06: The first stage of a national assessment of Australia's water resources has found there is considerable room for improvement. ... more

CSIRO warns of increasing bushfire threat

13.Oct.06: Australia has been warned to expect conditions ripe for bushfires in the decades ahead. ... more

Howard urges calm as drought takes hold

13.Oct.06: Prime Minister John Howard says Australians need to keep a sense of perspective amid growing concerns about the drought. ... more

PM promises farmer support

13.Oct.06: PRIME Minister John Howard has promised Australians will stand shoulder to shoulder with drought-stricken farmers, as he flagged plans to boost help to the bush. ... more

States call co-operation on water

13.Oct.06: STATE and territory leaders have called for a new national spirit of co-operation on issues related to water at the inaugural meeting of the Council for the Australian Federation in Melbourne today. ... more

Ancient art to make way for gas plant

12.Oct.06: SOME ancient Aboriginal rock art will be lost on Western Australian Burrup Peninsula because of the expansion of energy giant Woodside LNG gas operation, Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell has said. ... more

655,000 Iraqis died due to invasion: study

12.Oct.06: US researchers estimate that 655,000 Iraqis, or around one in 40 of the Iraq population, have died as a result of the 2003 invasion of their country, according to a study to be published on Thursday by the British journal The Lancet. ... more

Australia urged to join world\'s largest experiment

12.Oct.06: Experts say Australia is running out of time to be part of the global research effort on nuclear fusion. ... more

Campbell tables amendments to environment laws

12.Oct.06: The Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell says he will streamline the laws that protect the Australian environment. ... more

Report details biodiesel operation

11.Oct.06: THE Barnawartha biodiesel plant will operate 24 hours a day and produce almost 4000 tonnes of glycerine and 1200 tonnes of fertiliser as by-products each year. ... more

Hospital chaos as water turns off in Alice

11.Oct.06: RENAL patients had their dialysis cancelled, surgeries were rescheduled and kids were sent home from school today after a tank that supplies Alice Springs with water ran dry. ... more

Water the new oil, researchers say

11.Oct.06: Water is set to be "the new oil", according to a new book based on Australian consumer research. ... more

Government to overhaul environment act

11.Oct.06: The federal government is about to announce an overhaul of environment laws. ... more

Ministers to meet over Asian haze

11.Oct.06: SOUTH-EAST Asian environment ministers will meet in Singapore on Friday to discuss ways to help Indonesia extinguish forest and brush fires causing a thick smog blanketing the region ... more

Bad weather shuts Alaska oil pipeline

11.Oct.06: Severe weather in Alaska caused a power failure at the giant Prudhoe Bay oil field and knocked out the communications network of the state\'s main oil pipeline, shutting down both and forcing oil producers to curtail output, industry spokesmen said. ... more

More dams urged despite drought

10.Oct.06: A long range weather forecaster is concerned the drought has stopped the Victorian Government from building new dams. ... more

Global Warming Film Brings Moral Message to U.S. Audiences

10.Oct.06: The Great Warming, a feature-length film documenting the effects of climate change on individuals and communities across the globe, will be released in U.S. theaters on November 4. ... more

Climate report warns of refugee flood

10.Oct.06: A CSIRO report is warning of the threat to regional economies and security if governments and aid agencies do not start preparing for the impact of climate change, including an influx of refugees. ... more

Bracks eyes water trade with Tasmania

10.Oct.06: Trading water with Tasmania for farming use is a good idea, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks says. ... more

N Korea conflict tipped to hit fuel prices

10.Oct.06: NORTH Korea might not produce oil but its successful nuclear test this week is likely to have an impact on petrol prices, independent watchdog Fueltrac said today. ... more

Tasmania may export water interstate

09.Oct.06: THE Tasmanian Government says talks are under way to export drinking water to drought-hit cities on the Australian mainland. ... more

Vic dam plan is flawed: Labor

09.Oct.06: A Victorian Opposition plan to build an $80 million dam to ease Melbourne's water crisis is fundamentally flawed and would wreck the river system, says Environment Minister John Thwaites. ... more

Canberrans rally on climate change

09.Oct.06: ORGANISERS of a peaceful rally on grass outside Old Parliament House in Canberra today were hoping to attract 10,000 people to make a stand against climate change. But only about 2,000 people turned up. ... more

Water restrictions working, says Govt

09.Oct.06: SYDNEYSIDERS have saved enough water to fill more than 220,000 Olympic swimming pools since restrictions began three years ago, the NSW Government says. ... more

Rising seas could swamp millions in Asia

09.Oct.06: Millions of people could become homeless in the Asia-Pacific region by 2070 due to rising sea levels, with Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, China and Pacific islands most at risk, says Australia's top scientific body. ... more

Climate change report backs Labor strategy, says Albanese

09.Oct.06: The Federal Opposition says a CSIRO report on climate change backs its call for a Pacific climate change strategy. ... more

Govt handing out 'millions of dollars' for LPG conversions

09.Oct.06: Federal Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane, says the Government has handed out millions of dollars in grants to people who have converted their cars to LPG. ... more

Indonesian Calamity: A Man-Made Mud Bath

08.Oct.06: Reckless seismic testing for natural gas has destabilized underground faults and produced dozens of mud-spewing geysers that have completely submerged eight villages since May ... yet the mainstream media remains silent. ... more

Beazley pushes measures to foster green cars

08.Oct.06: DRIVERS of environmentally friendly cars could be allocated special car parks, similar to those for the disabled, under a Federal Labor plan to end Australia's reliance on Middle East oil. ... more

Libs outline $80m water project

08.Oct.06: A dam will be built on the lower reaches of the Maribyrnong if the Opposition is elected, says Ted Baillieu. ... more

National heatwave warning for next week

08.Oct.06: AUSTRALIA'S southern and eastern states should prepare for a heatwave next week, meteorologists said today. ... more

A leaner, greener, cleaner future beckons

08.Oct.06: POLITICIANS have the job of making promises that may come true. Futurists have the job of picking which ones will. ... more

Big dry bites

08.Oct.06: VICTORIA'S two biggest inland cities, Ballarat and Bendigo, are on the brink of major water crises and the situation is set to worsen this week as an unseasonal heatwave approaches. ... more

Dam business — why the drought is really in store

08.Oct.06: IN FIVE weeks' time, the delivery and quality of water from Thomson Reservoir (Melbourne's main water supply) will head into uncharted territory, as the water level drops to a record low and continues to steadily fall away. ... more

Uniting Church goes for Green Power

07.Oct.06: The Uniting Church's annual NSW Synod has voted to encourage congregations, presbyteries and agencies to switch to Green Power. ... more

Crude falls as OPEC cut looms

07.Oct.06:WORLD oil prices dropped back below $US60 per barrel overnight as speculation mounted that consensus was building within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries for a production cut. ... more

Singapore issues health advisory over thick haze

07.Oct.06: Singapore's environment agency has issued a health advisory as thick haze from fires in Indonesia choke the city-state. ... more

Petroleum industry critical of gas plan

06.Oct.06: Australia's oil and gas industry has criticised a Western Australian plan to set aside 15 per cent of the state's gas reserves for domestic use. ... more

Water recycling a top priority: Howard

06.Oct.06: Prime Minister John Howard has indicated water recycling projects could be top priority when the federal government gives states money from its $2 billion national water fund. ... more

Govt has no major greenhouse gas strategy: expert

06.Oct.06: A leading climate change expert has told a summit on alternative fuels that the Federal Government has no far reaching strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. ... more

Over 90% want reliance on oil reduced

05.Oct.06: More than nine in ten Australians believe governments should do more to reduce the nation's reliance on oil-based fuel products such as petrol, a poll shows. ... more

WA to keep 15pc of gas reserves

05.Oct.06: WESTERN Australia will require 15 per cent of the state's gas reserves to be set aside for domestic use but will be flexible about which ones are picked, the state's Premier has said. ... more

Nuclear energy panel considers Chernobyl

05.Oct.06: The Federal Government-appointed panel investigating nuclear power has visited the sites of major overseas nuclear disasters, including Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. ... more

Upgrade to block salt from Murray

05.Oct.06: THOUSANDS of tonnes of salt will be prevented from entering the Murray River following today's opening of a $4.5 million upgrade, the New South Wales Government has said. ... more

Rapid global growth may be unsustainable

05.Oct.06: THE rapid world economic growth may be unsustainable but an expansion in Europe and emerging markets may offset a US slowdown, the head of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) said today. ... more

Melbourne's September water level falls

05.Oct.06: MELBOURNE'S water storages are continuing to decline, with total levels falling in September for the first time in 36 years. ... more

Government under pressure over Kyoto

05.Oct.06: CANADA'S Opposition parties have voted to force the Government to implement the Kyoto Protocol and meet emissions reduction targets the Government believes are unattainable. ... more

Crops shrivel, graziers shed stock

05.Oct.06: THE Wodonga saleyards will see about 12,000 head of cattle sold this week, proof the drought is forcing farmers to off-load stock while they are still in decent condition. ... more

Fire season arrives a month early

04.Oct.06: Premier Steve Bracks today announced formal fire danger periods would be declared in Victoria in about two weeks – a month earlier than last year.
... more

Conference to back alternative fuel industry

04.Oct.06: A conference in Sydney today will push the case for an alternative fuel industry in Australia to end the reliance on increasingly expensive oil.
... more


Cheaper oil and free gas – doomsday postponed again

04.Oct.06: Getting harder for members of the peak oil doomsday cult to keep the faith – oil futures fell under US$59 a barrel overnight while natural gas prices in the UK turned negative, ie gas traders will pay you to take the stuff away.
... more

Govts must lead way on alternative fuels

04.Oct.06: The NRMA is calling on the Federal Government to invest more money in the development of alternative fuels, amid growing concerns about global warming and high petrol costs.
... more

In the battle to be green, the human factor can work wonders

04.Oct.06: NEWS from Britain that the Home Counties arms manufacturer BAE Systems will include eco-aware weaponry in its spring collection is heart-warming stuff, a spin-off, no doubt, of the Tories 'vote blue, go green' election couture. ... more

Ethanol-powered car coming to Australia

04.Oct.06: A NEW ethanol-powered car is headed for Australia after selling well in Europe.
... more

Biofuel task force above politics

04.Oct.06: The NRMA has announced the formation of a task force to develop alternative energy sources in Australia.
... more

Chances of avoiding El Nino nil, climate centre says

03.Oct.06: The National Climate Centre (NCC) has confirmed the chances of Australia avoiding the grip of an El Nino weather pattern this spring are virtually nil.
... more

Tas water recycling plant touted as national example

02.Oct.06: The Federal Government is using Tasmania's biggest and newest water recycling scheme as a national example of how to save water. ... more

Expect petrol rise before Christmas - NRMA

02.Oct.06: PETROL prices were likely to rise before Christmas as winter in the northern hemisphere increased demand for fuel, NRMA president Alan Evans said today. ... more

Scientists create more efficient nuclear power fuel

01.Oct.06: United States researchers have designed a reactor fuel that they believe can make nuclear power plants 50 per cent more powerful and safer, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) says. ... more

A Dangerous Energy Climate

01.Oct.06: Panelists at the Emerging Technologies Conference voiced an urgent need for aggressive policies to promote energy efficiency, renewable power sources, and carbon sequestration. ... more

Lateline speaks with Bruce Phillips

01.Oct.06: Ali Moore speaks with the head of Australian Worldwide Exploration, Bruce Phillips, about the world oil industry. ... more