There are some fresh faces in the state’s 11 Local Land Services (LLS) regional boards with last week’s NSW Government announcement of new ministerial appointments.The Western Plains region encompasses three LLS areas and all three boards saw new chairs and at least one new member appointed by Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty.The Central West region covers the central west slopes region around Grenfell, Forbes, and Wellington to the western plains of Nyngan and Coonamble.The North West region extends from Moree Plains Shire Council in the north to Liverpool Plains Shire Council in the south, Walgett Shire Council in the west and Gwydir Shire Council in the east.The huge Western region extends from Bourke in the north, Balranald in the south and extends to the Queensland and South Australian borders, covering 40 per cent of the state.During an extensive statewide recruitment process, 157 applications were received to join LLS regional boards across NSW. Boards are made up of a mix of Ministerially appointed and elected board members who bring a wealth of skills, experience, and commitment to the organisation. Of the 24 appointments, some have been re-appointed for a further and final term while others will be joining LLS for the first time.Newly announced board members in our regions include Magnus Aitken (Conargo) as Western local board chair, Hugh McLean, and Lawrence Clarke as Western local board members; Stephanie Cameron (Tamworth) as North West board chair and Tim White as a local board member; Paul (Midnight) Brydon will be Central West local board chair and Lisa Schiff joins as a Central West board member.Paul (Midnight) Brydon, an Indigenous elder from the Narromine area, took the leadership role after Dubbo-based Susan Madden held the position for the past ten years. According to the CWLLS, Ms Madden has been pivotal in the development of their strategic plan.“With close to 20 years of experience working in agriculture and natural resource management, Susan brought invaluable knowledge and skills to the region as well as to the state board,” they stated on social media.LLS board members collaborate closely with landholders and local communities to identify and help shape the services offered by LLS, such as providing best practice advice on pest animal management, agricultural production, and natural resource management.Last week, the Government also released the review of the LLS boards and committees. Minister Tara Moriarty requested the review.“Local Land Services regional boards play a key role in connecting the organisation to landholders and communities across NSW,” she said. “As the agency reaches its 10th year of operation, this was a timely review to understand whether the existing structure of its boards and committees are appropriate for the functions they perform. While there were a wide range of options outlined in this review, I have opted for practical and common-sense refinements to ensure LLS is set up for success.”“Importantly, we are already actioning the supported recommendations that will improve the way LLS operates so it can continue to deliver its valued services for farmers and landholders" Minister Moriarty said."I will be writing to the new LLS Chairs, once they’re appointed, to ensure these recommendations continue to progress and be implemented.”The review provided several options for reform ranging from maintaining the status quo to a major overhaul of the LLS board and governance structure.Options for reform being actioned include:Retaining the LLS Board comprising of regional representatives and an independent chair as the agency’s primary governanceRemunerating board members in line with similar groups and boards across government, resulting in $1.4 million in savings that will be reinvested into LLSCreating one governance structure where local boards become sub-committees of the LLS Board, simplifying compliance, and reducing costsRetaining the existing LLS election process to ensure ratepayers have a say on who represents their region.Other options outlined in the review that were not supported included reducing the number of LLS regions and replacing all regional boards with a single representative.Download and read the full review PDF.

A man will face court in Dubbo today charged after a teenage boy died following a stabbing in Narromine on Friday night.Emergency services were called to a home on Nymagee Street, Narromine at about 9pm Friday (26 April 2024), following reports of a stabbing.Officers attached Orana Mid-Western Police District arrived to find a 16-year-old boy with stab injuries to his neck.He was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to Dubbo airport where he died.Police established a crime scene and detectives launched an investigation into the incident.Following inquiries police arrested a 26-year-old man at a home nearby.He was taken to Dubbo Police Station where he was charged with murder.He was refused bail to appear at Dubbo Local Court today (Sunday 28 April 2024).

In an historic move, a woman has been appointed for the first time Chief Judge of the District Court of New South Wales - and she has a north western connection.Supreme Court Justice Sarah Huggett will be the first woman Chief Judge of the District Court of NSW. She was born at Moree as one of eight children.     People across the western plains will be hoping that the new Chief Judge will bring an approach that helps to keep their communities safe.Before her appointment to the Supreme Court in 2023, Justice Huggett served with distinction on the NSW District Court Bench for 12 years and presided over many high-profile matters including the trial of convicted murderer Christopher Dawson. Her Honour is a mother of two and has been a contributor to improvements in the operation of the courts over many years. This has involved a strong focus on improving the experiences of women, children and Indigenous people who come into contact with the legal system. Justice Huggett is the daughter of a police officer and began practicing at the NSW Bar and was appointed a Crown prosecutor in 2001. She has played a significant role in updating the Criminal Trial Bench Book which assists judges in running criminal trials. Sworn in as a District Court judge on 15 October 2012, Justice Huggett served as the Court’s representative on the Consent Monitoring and Advisory Group Meeting and Chair of the Child Sexual Offence Evidence Program Steering Committee. Justice Huggett was the Director of Public Prosecution’s sole instructing solicitor in the prosecution of serial killer Ivan Milat. Justice Huggett has had a focus on Indigenous law, being one of the judges of the District Court’s Walama List, a trial of alternative sentencing procedures aimed at reducing the incarceration of, and reoffending by, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. A champion for women’s causes, Justice Huggett has stated that the lengthy sentences she has delivered in cases of sexual offence against women and children were designed to punish the offender, denounce their conduct, protect the community, and recognise the harm done to the victims. She set prison terms of more than 40 years for two men who, in separate cases, committed violent sexual offences against their biological daughters, sentences which survived on appeal. Justice Huggett also sent a clergy member at a residential school for boys with troubled backgrounds to jail for 33 years after he was convicted of multiple historic sexual offences against a number of boys in his care. Her Honour sentenced a swim school teacher to 32 years imprisonment for a large number of historic sexual offences on children. NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said he was delighted to appoint Justice Sarah Huggett to the role of Chief Judge of the District Court of NSW, and she richly deserved the honour of becoming the first woman Chief Judge.“NSW is set to gain a new Chief Judge with great breadth and depth of experience in criminal law,” he said. “Justice Huggett is well respected by both her peers and the community, and I congratulate her warmly on her new role.” 

Scrap metal is just one of many items that can be recycled, often beginning a new life as a car, lawnmower, stove, construction material and even a bridge! However the bulkiness of some items can take up a lot of valuable space. The steel industry’s yearly recycling saves the equivalent energy to electrically power approximately 18 million households for a year. Did you know more than 5400 BTU’s of energy are preserved for every pound of steel recycled? For those not up with their energy jargon, a BTU is a British Thermal Unit a measure of the quantity of heat, defined as approximately equal to 1,055 joules, or 252 gram calories.  When considering bigger items of scrap metal, while it is ideal to deliver it to council waste depots, items can takes up a lot of room and with so many people doing the right thing, space quickly becomes an issue. This has prompted Warrumbungle Shire Council to clear scrap metal stockpiles form their waste depots. A similar process was undertaken in late 2020.  “Warrumbungle Waste has found that one of the bulkiest items collected at the landfill and transfer sites is scrap metal and it is now time for this scrap metal to be removed,” said Warrumbungle Shire Council Mayor Ambrose Doolan. “This scrap metal is currently being removed from Council waste depots. This will ensure that there is adequate available land for future disposal of scrap steel and other bulky waste items as well as safeguarding the waste depots for residents while disposing of these large items.”   Mr Doolan said the scrap metal material was offered for sale through an expression of interest process.   "A number of scrap metal merchants expressed an interest with material being sold as price per tonne and transported to market. The proceeds of the sale of the material will be invested back into Warrumbungle Waste, allowing further improvements to be made to Council’s waste facilities,” he said.   “The successful contractor has commenced the removal of scrap metal from Coolah Transfer Station and will move onto the waste transfer stations in Baradine, Binnaway, Mendooran, Dunedoo, Ulamambri and Coonabarabran Landfill over the coming weeks,” Cr Doolan said.    It is expected the process will take approximately five weeks to complete.  Residents planning to use the facility during this time should note there may be some restricted movements at the Landfill and Transfer sites to ensure the safety of both staff and residents while the machinery is collecting the steel.   Staff onsite will inform residents of any changes to the drop off areas.  

A man and boy will face court following a pursuit in Nyngan on Wednesday.Police were patrolling the Old Warren Road, about 19km south of Nyngan, around 4:30pm on 24 April when they attempted to stop an Isuzu D-Max allegedly stolen from a business in Dubbo earlier that day."When it failed to stop, a pursuit was initiated. A short time later, the vehicle drove into a paddock and through a fence before it came to a stop," a police spokesperson said.“The driver – a 12-year-old boy – was arrested and taken to Nyngan Police Station. The passenger fled on foot.” The boy was charged with a string of offences including break and enter and reckless driving offences.He was refused bail and appeared at a children’s court Thursday 25 April 2024, where he was formally refused bail to appear at another children’s court on Monday 29 April 2024.Also about 2.10pm on Thursday, police were patrolling Old Warren Road, Nyngan, when they sighted a man walking along the road, who they believed to be the passenger.The 21-year-old was arrested and taken to Nyngan hospital for assessment. He was refused bail to appear at Dubbo Local CourtThe boy’s charges includes:aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence people there,be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owneruse unregistered registrable Class A motor vehicle on roaduse uninsured motor vehicle on roadmotor bike rider (alone) not wear/secure fit approved helmetdriver never licenseddrive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangeroususe vehicle with defective body or structural member, andgoods in personal custody suspected being stolen.The man’s charge include.enter building/land with intent commit indictable offence,aggravated break and enter dwelling in company steal,steal motor vehicle,drive conveyance taken without consent of owner,be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner,goods in personal custody suspected being stolen,take and drive conveyance without consent of owner,destroy or damage property,aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence, andbreach of bail.

Western Plains locals might have spotted a bunch of green postie bikes riding through town last week. Around 80 people, including around 30 on bikes plus family and support crew, passed towns including Gilgandra, Coonamble, Armatree and Lightning Ridge between 13 and 22 April as part of Matt's Mito Mission, a charity ride raising funds for the Mitochondrial (mito) Disease Medical Network. The cause is named after Matthew John Holroyd who died from a mitochondrial disease, two years ago. Despite first symptoms of the progressive disease at the age of 12, Matt loved riding dirt bikes, the outdoors, and water skiing. "Mito is not a well-known disease so we try to raise awareness for it," Matt's Mito Mission member Ian Smith said. The charity organisation raises donations to help fund research for the incurable disease."Basically, your mitochondria are your batteries in the cells," network Founding Director Karen Crawley explained. "(Mitochondrial Disease) is like being born with cheap, shitty batteries. "If there's not enough energy in the cells, the cells often struggle to function properly. "It's exactly like your phone. If you throw on your Bluetooth, if you put on your wifi, your phone goes flat quickly. So, if somebody's under a lot of extra stress, if they've had an operation or they've had a cold or a flu or an illness and use up lots of energy to fight it off, then they often crash. "They might get renal failure quickly, liver failure quickly. The body will bounce back if it gets some rest, but it can only do it so often. Sooner or later, those organs tend to fail. "It's genetic. There's at least about 380 mutations that can cause it." A postie biker hits the road again after a fuel station stop in Gilgandra on Saturday 20 April. PHOTO: River McCrossen Despite being a medical practitioner, Karen said she didn't know about the genetic disease until it was diagnosed in her daughter Kara, who passed when she was 18. Her 23-year-old son Braden also has it. "An average GP has probably got about a dozen patients, but they're not picking it up and they don't diagnose because they don't know what to look for." "It kills nearly as many kids as cystic fibrosis, it's the second most common serious genetic disorder, but nobody knows about it. It's poorly diagnosed, poorly understood." In 2023 Matt's Mito Mission raised just under $45,000 for the cause. This year the group on a road trip stretching from Sydney's Londonderry to Hebel, about 45 minutes north from Lightning Ridge on the Queensland side of the border.  The nine-day journey, which began on 13 April was meant to reach the Queensland town of Thallon, but stopped short due to floodwaters on the Dirranbandi Hebel Road. When asked what onlookers' reaction to the group of bikers usually is Smith said, "Everyone gives you a smile, a wave and a thumbs up."

NSW Health has agreed to fluoridate Coonabarabran's water supply. Residents of the town and other communities in the wider Warrumbungle Shire still have no fluoride in their drinking water because of design faults with the fluoride dosing system that first came to the fore nine years ago.  Nearby towns Baradine, Coolah, Binnaway, and Mendooran are still trying to get fluoride in their water supplies.Warrambungle Shire Council had previously been dosing fluoride to the Binnaway, Baradine and Coonabarabran water supply schemes, but this ceased in January 2017, in Binnaway and Baradine in January 2017 and in Coonabarabran in December 2015. "Dosing of fluoride was ceased due to design issues with the system, in which clogging occurred in a media filter contained within the dosing system and prevented dosing to the water supply from occurring" the Council said. All water does already contain naturally occurring fluoride. Usually, however, the fluoride level in water is not enough to prevent tooth decay. Coolah will also see water fluoridation implemented under the arrangement with NSW Health.  NSW Health strongly supports fluoridation of drinking waters as a safe and effective way to help prevent tooth decay in the community. A report was presented to Council at the March 2022 Ordinary Meeting in relation to the status of Council’s fluoride dosing system, in which investigation works had been completed into the design and procurement of a new fluoride dosing system for Coolah. Since the last report to Council, NSW Health have committed to funding the replacement of the fluoride dosing systems in Coolah and Coonabarabran. The funding is provided at 100% of the total cost of the project by NSW Health 

The death of Mrs Marion Fisher (nee Robertson) on 11 April 2024, just a couple of days shy of her 101st birthday, marked the end of an era for the Coonamble district.Mrs Fisher was the last known surviving World War II veteran in the area, following soon after the passing of serviceman Michael (Mick) Leonard on 21 March 2024, at the age of 101.With the Second World War raging as she left secondary school in Sydney, Marion joined the Women's Australian National Service in 1941 at the age of 18.The girls did a mechanical course, learning how to change tyres, oil and the basics of engines.They also volunteered to make and serve meals to servicemen who were on leave in her home town of Wollongong."I got my licence to drive very early in the peace," she told the Coonamble Times last year. "The second World War had broken out and I joined up."Marion was also called on to drive trucks for the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAF), including trips carrying troops between Sydney and Wollongong under cover of darkness.On 19 April 1943 she joined the Australian Army Medical Women's Service.After three months the unit was posted to Australian General Hospital 101 at Colonel Light Gardens in Adelaide, where they were trained to be nursing orderlies.In November 1944 Marion travelled from Adelaide by train to Quorn in South Australia and then on an American Truck Convoy to Katherine in the Northern Territory.PHOTO: Marion Fisher (nee Robertson) as a young WWII servicewoman.It was a journey that took 14 days and she was in the last of two hundred trucks and spoke of how dusty it was.It was then on to Adelaide River and finally Darwin.They arrived in Darwin only a few weeks after it had been bombed.She left Darwin in December 1944 aboard the hospital ship Wanganella."I remember Mum mentioning that the nurses were using long sticks to push mines away from the side of the ship in the Arafura Sea," said her son Bill Fisher.The hospital ship carried wounded soldiers and Prisoners of War (POWs) from New Guinea, the Middle East and the Solomon Islands.The ship returned to Sydney via Townsville and Marion was posted to Herne Bay (now Riverwood) to the Australian Hospital 101, where she continued nursing wounded soldiers for another two years until she was discharged from service in December 1946.PHOTO: Michael (Mick) Leonard"A lot of people she nursed were from Changi POW Camp," said Bill. "She said a lot of them were so malnourished you could see every bone in their body and they struggled to keep them alive."After caring for the wounded Marion settled back into civilian life with some difficulty at the end of her war service but returned to Mt Kembla to her parent's home where she cared for her ailing father who was carrying injuries from his time in the trenches in France in World War I.She moved with her new husband Alan Colwell Fisher to Coonamble in 1954.Despite multiple inquiries by friends and family members, throughout her long life Marion was never officially recognised for her military service until after her death. Earlier reasons given were that she did not serve a long enough period in a war zone.However, on her passing her family were assisted by Bruce Horwood, the President of the Gilgandra RSL Sub-branch and others to receive from the Department of Defence the honours of a War Medal 1939-45; an Australia Service Medal 1939-45; and a Returned from Active Service Badge.Her family were pleased to see Marion's dedicated service finally marked as they farewelled her at St Barnabas Anglican Church, Coonamble on Friday 19 April.Lest we forget.

A NSW coronial inquiry has accepted the evidence of the mother of a teenager who died under strange circumstances in 1987 that Bourke was divided and "racist" during the time.The inquiry into the deaths of two Bourke cousins in 1987 has found there were 'serious failings' by police during the initial investigation – including a failure to take crucial evidence from the girl's families36 years ago the bodies of Mona Lisa Smith, 16, a Murrawarri and Kunja girl, and Jacinta Rose "Cindy" Smith, 15, a Wangkumara girl, were found at the site of a car crash 50 kilometres outside of Bourke on December 6 1987.40-year-old excavator Alexander Grant was also in the car at the time, but he had only minor injuries.Evidence at the time suggested that Mr Grant had provided the girls with alcohol before they went into car.Mr Grant was subsequently charged with indecently interfering with Cindy's corpse and culpable driving - and his matter went to trial.However, an all-white jury found him not guilty after his defence team argued that Mona was driving Mr Grant's ute when it crashed. This despite Mona’s family telling investigators that she did not know how to drive a manual. The charge of sexual interference was withdrawn by prosecutors due to a technicality, without the family's knowledge.June and Fiona Smith at the site of the girls deaths in Bourke. Image: The Australian.Mr Grant died in 2018.After a long-waited inquest was held in December, state coroner Teresa O’Sullivan delivered her findings in the Bourke courthouse on Tuesday and said in the days that followed, police conducted a "wholly and ... inexplicably deficient" investigation that failed to result in any charges."This inquest - held because of the unrelenting advocacy of Mona and Cindy’s families - was their final hope to obtain answers about the circumstances of the deaths of their beloved girls," wrote O'Sullivan in her findings."[Their] concerns ... were entirely vindicated by the evidence received in this inquest [but] those concerns were repeatedly dismissed."Other former police investigators testified that the investigation was “a nightmare”, “shoddy” and “unprofessional.’’In her 87 page report, Ms O'Sullivan also said that racism was a significant factor in the failings of the initial police investigation saying that if “two white teenage girls died in the same circumstances” she could not conceive of there being “such a manifestly deficient police investigation”.Mona Lisa's sister and mother, Fiona Smith and June Smith, as well Dawn's relative Kerrie Smith and Dawn's mother Cindy Image: The Australian.She accepted the conclusions of an earlier report by Professor Chris Cunneen states that by 1986, there was a “state of tension between police and Aboriginal people in Bourke” and that racial dynamics impacted on policing attitudes and communication with Aboriginal people in the 1980s”Mona’s mother Dawn Smith’s told the inquest: “There were a lot of racist white people in town in the 80s, so we would keep to ourselves. The Aboriginal people all lived on one end of town, near The Reserve and Adelaide St, and the white people all lived up the other end”.Ms O’Sullivan concluded that the evidence had not been taken from the girl’s families as the police had failed to hold adequate meetings with them after the deaths.She said their families had been vindicated in pressing for answers despite being repeatedly pushed back.Ms O’Sullivan recommended that “the Commissioner of the NSW Police Force develop guidelines for the review of investigations relating to deaths that are the subject of a request for advice from the NSW Attorney General to the Commissioner of the NSW Police Force”

 Across Australia, community members march tomorrow to remember and honour those who risked their lives for their country.Many organisations and clubs offer free breakfast or lunch after to bring everyone together following the remembrance services.Here is how two rural communities in the Western Plains will celebrate ANZAC Day.   ANZAC Day in Warren Shire     Warren community members gather for dawn service at 6 a.m. at the Cenotaph Macquarie Park. Five members of the Catafalque Party from the 1./19. Battalion Royal New South Wales Regiment Bravo Company Dubbo NSW will be in attendance.    The service will be followed by free breakfast for everyone at the Warren Services Club.     The Warren March meet-up is at 10:45 a.m. on Dubbo Street near the Warren Services Club. The march starts at 10:55 a.m. to the Cenotaph Macquarie Park where a commemorative service will be held at 11 a.m. Attendees can then enjoy a free sausage sizzle at the park provided by the Warren Services Club and cooked up by council staff and community members.     A Police Vehicle leads the march followed by Veterans, servicemen, and women, along with their friends and family members, and service personnel, followed by groups including schools, children groups, and then many other local community groups.  The Master of Ceremonies for both Warren Services will be local stock and station agent Trevor Wilson.     St Mary’s, Warren Central, Warren Pre-School Kindergarten, Little Possums, and various school children from Boarding Away Schools will be participating along with playgroups and children service groups.     Groups, associations, and individual members are all welcome to lay a wreath in Warren, providing they contact the council beforehand and organise their own wreath.    Collie    Collie members can participate in the commemorative service at the Collie War Memorial led by Karlene Irving after which tea and coffee will be available at the Collie Pub.  Marchers in Gilgandra  ANZAC Day in Gilgandra   The meet-up for Gilgandra's service is at 5:30 a.m. at the Miller Street/Bridge Street corner. Returned and Services League (RSL) Gilgandra Sub-branch President Bruce Harwood will lead the ceremony.    Everyone can then head to the Gilgandra Services Club for a breakfast of a bacon and egg roll at 7 a.m. Breakfast is free for march participants. For everyone else, breakfast is $11.50.     The Gilgandra march starts at the corner of Miller and Bridge Street at 10:45 a.m. The march goes to the Cenotaph at 11 a.m. where Pastor Alan Croquett will present a speech during the memorial service. A member of the RSL handmade poppies which will go in front of the Cenotaph.   All local schools are expected to participate in the march.    The Country Women's Association (CWA) Evening Branch will provide morning tea following the 11 a.m. service at the CWA Rooms on Warren Road for $5 per person.     At approximately 12 p.m. the Royal Australian Airforce is doing a fly-over with a Hercules aircraft from Richmond.     Attendees can later head up to the Gilgandra Services Club for luncheon at 12:30 p.m. and a game of two-up.     There will be a 2:30 p.m. service held as well at the Cooee Lodge Aged Care Facility.   

It's unclear when normal water service will resume for the Walgett village of Rowena as state health authorities mull over water samples.    Walgett Shire has allocated around $20 000 to replace one of the village's two water reservoirs following a boil water alert issued 18 April after E-Coli was detected in the water system.   Drinking water contaminated with E-Coli can cause gastro-intestinal issues including diarrhea and stomach pain.  The shire's Director of Infrastructure and Compliance, Kazi Muhmud, said while the cause of the contamination is unknown at this stage, rodents and damage to one of the reservoirs could have played a part.  "The lid of the tank is damaged," Mr Muhmud said.  "We haven't found anything that indicated that there was vermin or dead animals in the water supply, but the theory is that the bird poo may have caused it.  "Rather than fixing these small tanks, it's best to get a brand new one so we address any issue it may have."  Mr Muhmud said his council will seek quotes for contractors to install a new tank.   He also said new water samples are being taken regularly throughout the week for testing in Sydney.   "We are pumping up the chlorine to kill the bugs and flushing the system. That is the typical course of action."  "If there is no E-Coli present, that's when NSW Health will decide whether to lift the alert or not."  Mr Muhmud said Walgett Shire had not yet received test results when contacted around 11:30am today.   The 2021 national census counted 171 people in Rowena. Walgett Shire advises residents to boil all water intended for consumption.   "Water should be brought to a rolling boil, allowed to cool and stored in a clean, lidded container before refrigeration," an 18 April release said on the on the council's website.  "Boiled or bottled water should be utilised for drinking, cooking, washing uncooked foods (such as seafood or salads), making ice, personal hygiene, pet drinking water, handwashing, teeth cleaning, gargling, face washing of young children and washing toys and children’s utensils.  "Dishes should be washed either in hot soapy water or in a dishwasher. Children are encouraged to bring boiled or bottled water to school until further notice." 

A new report has detailed the significant difference in how some states and regions will be impacted by climate change – with North West NSW getting the biggest rise in summer temperatures.  Rural Bank has released its first climate report which says "The business environment is increasingly uncomfortable. The horizon has more risks and less certainty".  The report says that "climate change is already happening" and while there are global attempts to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees centigrade,  "Average increases of 3°C are now more likely".  It suggests that Australia had its equal eight-warmest year on record and last winter was Australia's warmest on record but it is the predicted knock-on effects to industries like agriculture where the 'food for thought' lies.  Sheep mortality is expected to be go down because of hotter temperatures. Image: Australian Government.  "Climate change will not be evenly distributed around the globe or even within Australia. Air temperature change in some regions may be more than the global average" the report said.   In Queensland the climate is expected to become wetter, while in Victoria it is expected to get hotter and drier.  The report notes that in Queensland warmer temperatures are already reducing the life cycle of wheat and will cause flowering to occur two to three weeks earlier by 2030.  In New South Wales, "temperatures are expected to become hotter across the board – with summer temperatures the most impacted and expected to rise by more than two degrees":.  Andrew Smith. Image: Farm Weekly. "The greatest increases in average temperatures (across NSW) are projected for the northwest of the state during summer" the report concludes.  It says that the north-western NSW region will have have additional 10-20 hot days in the future and predicts an additional 40 hot days (days over 35 degrees) across the region.  "Currently this part of the state experiences between 50 and 80 hot days each year. These projections suggest that by 2030, up to 100 days per year may exceed heat stress thresholds. By 2070 parts of north-western NSW may experience temperatures above the 35°C heat stress threshold across four months annually".  In turn the report suggests that these temperatures will lead to an increase in lamb mortality, decreased lamb birth-weight, reduced milk yield, acute heat stress and fewer days under 0c – thus leading to fewer chilling hours for horticulture.  The report also says that animals mate less in hotter temperatures.  Andrew Smith, Rural Bank Head of Development, Business & Agribusiness said: “Rural Bank sees agribusiness as having an increasingly important role to play in reducing emissions. Understanding the projected impacts regionally and how carbon mitigation programmes work is something we are keen to help Australian farmers better understand”.  “Technological solutions to reduce emissions also appeal to financial markets because new technologies, new patents and protected markets can provide a commercial advantage. The transport sector has benefited from innovations arising from investment of risk capital, yet agriculture is benefitting far less from investment in carbon reduction or sequestration technologies. This should change”, Mr Smith said. 

Access to medical needs at RFDS Medical Services - Condobolin has taken another big step in addressing community needs. The service opened its doors on a part-time basis in February while recruitment for positions took place and now the RFDS has announced it has begun taking bookings for appointments with doctors.“We’re very pleased to be delivering these services in Condobolin,” RFDS South Eastern section (RFDSSE) Executive General Manager Health Services Development, Jenny Beach said.“We understand the importance of the community having access to primary and preventative healthcare services and have worked with Lachlan Shire Council and the Western NSW Local Health District to reestablish a local practice. We thank everyone for their patience,” Ms Beach said.Bulk billing is available for children under 16, pensioners and health care card holders, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. To provide certainty for the Condobolin community, the practice charges a small fee for patients who are not eligible for bulk billing. These fees go back into providing services to the community. Due to ongoing recruitment, there may still be days where a doctor is not on site. Appointments will not be taken for those days and people requiring urgent care will be directed to Condobolin Multipurpose Service.Almost two million people call regional, rural, and remote NSW home. However, access to healthcare services, specialists and support remains a key challenge for those living outside our urban centres so the evolvement of the Condobolin facility is fantastic.As part of ongoing efforts to provide better access to healthcare for our communities, RFDSSE are asking community members from across NSW to share their views and experiences on regional, rural, and remote healthcare, and the role the RFDS plays in delivering frontline services through a brief survey.Dr Shannon Nott, Chief Medical Officer for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section) said this was an opportunity for people living in regional, remote, and rural NSW to have their say on healthcare.“We know that each person, and each community’s healthcare needs and experiences across regional, rural, and remote NSW are unique. We want to hear the communities’ views and use their insights to positively shape the future of healthcare for people living in these regions,” he said.“By lending your voice, you're helping to highlight what it’s like to access healthcare in regional, rural and remote NSW now; AND shine a light on what you think healthcare in regional, rural and remote NSW should look like in the future.”The survey is open now and will remain open until early May. To access the survey, which takes five to ten minutes to complete, click this link RFDS survey.

With Anzac Day approaching many people will be attending services across the western plains region. Travellers are urged to pay attention to road closures in town centres where marches may be occurring. Check in on the websites or social media of local councils should inform drivers of not only where ANZAC Day services will take place, but also street closures in your area.On a broader scale, motorists should be aware that double demerit points will be in place for five days this ANZAC Day period which coincides with the end of the school holidays.Lachlan Shire Councils' Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, is encouraging people to drive safely and take extra care on the roads."Double demerit points will be in place for all speeding, seatbelt, mobile phone and motorcycle helmet offences between Wednesday 24 April and Sunday 28 April 2024 inclusive,” Ms Suitor said."This will be a busy period on local roads with school holidays coming to an end and visitors to our region returning home.”Ms Suitor said the increase in traffic leads to an increased risk of crashes occurring and that every motorist has a part to play in keeping the roads safe."Watch your speed, drive to conditions, limit distractions in the car, ensure you and your passengers are wearing their seatbelt and don't drive if you have been drinking or consuming drugs."Pay attention to your fatigue levels, plan your trip and if you are experiencing any of the early warning signs like(tired eyes, yawning or poor concentration, stop and have a break.”Double demerit periods typically fall during holiday periods or over long weekends and are enforced by police. They apply throughout the whole of the start date, and end at midnight on the finish date. Please drive safely and take extra care on the roads to protect yourself, your loved ones and all road users.Unsure of what offences attract double demerits?During double demerit periods, double demerit points apply for speeding, illegal use of mobile phones, not wearing a seat belt and riding without a motorcycle helmet.Keep in mind that Mobile Phone Detection Cameras are active in NSW and the ACT and drivers caught using their phones during a double demerit period will be hit with a $352 fine ($469 in a school zone) and 10 demerits. One to keep in mind for next week is that certain driving and parking offences attract an additional demerit point if committed in an operating school zone Remember to always drive with care and attention through school zones. Be aware that failing to do so can come with heavy penalties.

Condobolin-born Rebecca Fox will leave her role as secretary of the Department of Regional NSW in a series of moves NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders has said is treating people from the regions as "second-class citizens." From July 1, the Department of Regional NSW will be renamed the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.  Current chief executive officer of Local Land Services Steve Orr will be the department’s secretary, taking over responsibility for the NSW regions from veteran public servant Ms Fox who lost her job in the re-structure. "This reflects the twin objectives of growing our primary industries through greater focus on extension services, research and development and supporting regional economic development" the Minns government said in a statement. Agriculture and Biosecurity will be grouped to support the delivery of the Independent Commissioners for Agriculture and Biosecurity and reflects the interrelationship between the protection and productivity of our primary industries sector and the environment.Agriculture minister Tara Moriarty said she was looking forward to working with Orr.“Under new leadership, the department will now focus on our key priorities of protecting, supporting, and developing regional NSW. The focus on biosecurity and agriculture will be boosted and the rollout of the new $350 million Regional Development Trust and the review of the Regional Development Act will be elevated,” she said.”Agriculture and biosecurity will be a paired portfolio, reflecting the growing interconnectedness of the biosecurity and farming sectors. It will provide a one-stop shop for the future independent commissioners for agriculture and biosecurity".Dugald Saunders. Image: ABC.But Mr Saunders, the Member for Dubbo, said it’s clear the new Department will be coordinated from Sydney by the city-centric Premier.“This is hard to believe, given during the election campaign he (the premier) said ‘I don’t pretend to have any expertise about regional New South Wales.’” Mr Saunders said.“Instead of providing any funding for the creation of this new Department, the Minns Labor Government has opted to drain the money left in the former Nationals Government Regional Growth fund". .“This money is now being directed towards a restructure that will cause only angst for hundreds of regional workers and their families.Rebecca Fox. Image: Government News.“We already know Labor’s functional review has put more than 100 jobs on the chopping block and now Premier Minns needs to be upfront about how many more are on the way.”Mr Saunders also thanked Ms Fox for her outstanding service and contribution to regional NSW.He said Ms Fox always put the interests of regional NSW at the forefront of decision making.“I worked closely with her during my time as a Minister and wish her all the best for the future.”

“Farmers are very adept problem-solvers and while this is a great quality to have in a practical sense, they can tend to ‘tough it out’ when it comes to their mental health, rather than reaching out for support from others,” said University of South Australia (UNiSA) researcher Dr Donna Hugh-Barton. The suicide rate is twice as high among farmers than it is in other professions, according to the UniSA, yet farmers are half as likely to visit a medical professional about their health. This intractable problem is the subject of a new study launched by UNiSA on 4 April asking farmers themselves what they need in terms of mental health support. Angus Patrick grew up on his family property in the Gulargambone district and now works as a teacher.He says the isolation of life on the farm can catch up to you.“I know exactly what it is like living on a big property 50 kilometers outside of town. You get used to being isolated. But if you’re not reflecting on what’s wrong, you start to develop bigger problems later in life.”Angus Patrick IMAGE: RAMPHThe temperamental nature of working in a job that is heavily reliant on the weather and markets can cause farmers to suffer, according to coordinator Gabrielle Schultz from the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) which operates in the western plains region.“The challenges of being a farmer are all the big issues like disasters, weather events, and fluctuating market," she said."On top of that people are dealing with personal problems for example health issues, grief, loss, relationship breakdowns, and financial stress.”Part of the RAMHP Coordinator's role is to share information about mental health services available to people in rural areas. Many of the service providers hail from regional and remote areas themselves which allows them to establish a connection with the farming community. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to mental health care in the farming community, however, Schulz said a common solution is finding someone to relate to.“What people want can be really different and can change throughout time but what has been consistent, in my experience, is finding someone to share a genuine connection.”Mr Patrick said conventional questions we ask to check in on a loved one can cause farmers to close up.“Farmers are so used to hearing that line ‘Are you okay?’ that I think, at times, it can frustrate them. They don’t want to talk because the question is directed at them. I think revising what’s being asked, can sometimes be more helpful.”Dr Donna Hughes-BartonPatrick suggested reframing the question to, “I can see that you’re struggling. Is there anything I can do to help?”Before helping someone else, Patrick said the most important message is to help yourself first.“Everybody seems to look after each other before they actually look after themselves. Of course, check in with everybody else. But making sure that you’re in the right frame of mind first.”Ms Schultz says that many farmers prefer telehealth services because of the flexibility they offer.“They don’t need to travel, and they can contact them at a time that suits them best.” When Patrick’s father spoke about the impact the drought had on him, he said the best thing he could do was to reassure him that he was not alone.“He needed the reassurance that he wasn’t alone. I think he thought that it was just him.”Links to the RAHMP program are provided here. Farmers can support the study to improve mental health services for farmers by filling out the anonymous survey from UniSA here.

Stakeholders are calling for state and federal governments to radically ramp up eradication efforts against red fire ants after nests were detected for the first time in the north-eastern tip of the Murray-Darling Basin near Toowoomba, about 65 kilometres outside Queensland's containment zone. Multiple nests were reported on a property in Oakley, about 30 kilometres from Toowomba on Tuesday 16 April. The invasive species from South America kills wildlife and leaves painful stings on people and livestock. Outbreaks can devastate agricultural output.“If these pests infest the whole nation, it is estimated that 83,100 Australians could need medical attention for fire ant attacks each year, while our agricultural industry could see its output reduce by up to 40 per cent," said NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin. “As well as being potentially deadly to humans, fire ants can sting native and domestic animals, harm livestock, ruin our natural environment and wreak havoc on fruit trees, beehives, pastures and crops. “This is not just any another ant, and we have no choice but to eradicate these pests and fast if we want to spare our nation ongoing and serious pain.”  The ants can also raft down waterways to invade new areas by linking their claws and trapping air under their bodies to travel long distances in large groups.That is why the new discovery, only around four kilometres from Oakey Creek, has sparked fears the super-spreaders are on the brink of entering the waterways of the Murray Darling Basin, part of Australia's largest river system. Fire ants 'rafting' on water. IMAGE: HowStuffWorks NFF President David Jochinke said action to eradicate the species should have been completed decades ago. "We cannot let this become a national problem, our governments must not stall for a second longer, Mr Jochinke said. “RIFA are a significant national biodiversity threat to Australian agriculture, farming families, and human health. “Governments need to step-up and contribute toward funding the national cost-sharing plan if disastrous impacts on agriculture, human health, and biodiversity are to be avoided." Advocacy Manager for the Invasive Species Council, Reece Pianta, said alarm bells should be ringing in the Prime Minister’s office. "The government must spare no expense in responding to this outbreak and the whole community should treat this very, very seriously." "While we have full confidence in the National Eradication Program’s response to this outbreak, we are very worried that not enough money is being spent by governments on the fire ant invasion."Red fire ant stings. IMAGE: Agriculture WA Mr Pianta said northern NSW residents should keep an eye out for the fire ants. "Particularly if you have had any recent material delivered to your property like soil, turf or mulch," Mr Pianta said. "Fire ants are one of the world’s worst super pests and, if they are allowed to spread across the continent, their economic impact will be greater than cane toads, rabbits, feral cats and foxes combined." According to the National Fire Ant Eradication Program (NFAEP), fire ants are highly mobile and spread rapidly. The ants can vary in size between two and six millimetres. They are a shiny red-brown colour and typically have a darker abdomen. The discovery came just two days after the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport handed down it's report from a six-month inquiry into Australia's response to the pests. One of the recommendations was for state and federal governments to commit further funds to "research, development, and innovation to improve understanding of red imported fire ants."

Member for Barwon Roy Butler will return to from overseas study tour with an idea he will push modular and panelised homes as a cost effective way to increase housing supply. Mr Butler is embarking on his Commonwealth Parliamentary Study tour that will take him to Asia, Europe, and North America. He has examined topics ranging from agriculture and aquaculture to freight loading, trade, and manufacturing. He landed in Singapore on April 9 before going on to Thailand and is now in Italy. He has met with various government and non-government groups, including visiting the Parliaments in Malaysia and Canada to understand better how other parliaments operate and meet with members of parliament. Butler with Dr Ismail in Kuala Lumpur. Image: Supplied, But the independent MP made a particular note of his meetings in Malaysia relating to housing affordability where he with Dr Suraya Ismail, Director of Research at the Khazanah Research Institute in Kuala Lumpur. "As in Australia, the price of housing against normal incomes has made home ownership out of reach for most people. Social Housing and affordable housing is scarce. Made worse by cost of living pressures and wages that have not kept up with the CPI" Mr Butler said. "Some attempts to move public housing to private ownership has resulted in costs of ownership overwhelming the new owners. You might remember it’s something we tried in the last Parliament in NSW.". He explained after talking with Dr Ismail he became convinced of a solution he had been mulling for some time – modular and panelised home construction, built off site and then transported to the home site. With a panelised building system, the structural components of a home (walls, roof and floor systems) are constructed in a factory and delivered to the jobsite where it is and finished just like a stick-built home. Modular homes are built almost entirely in a factory. The house is constructed in separate box-like modules—complete with attached walls, floor, ceiling, wiring, plumbing and interior fixtures—which are transported and put tgether onsite. This is typically a more affordable option to panelized building. "I have met with companies that are doing this in Australia and met with the planning Minister Paul Scully to progress the pattern planning aspect" Mr Butler said. "This could hurt the hip pocket of developers and large building companies, so expect them to resist". Panelised home. Image: Harvest Homes. House prices have risen across Australia over the decade to 2023 – with prices across many parts of NSW doubling.  A median-income household can afford less than 40% of homes sold across Australia. Mr Butler will return to Australia on April 28 with Canada the last stop on his tour.

Controlled burns and fencing are the best ways to reduce "environmentally devastating" feral cat numbers across the region says the Australian Wildlife Consultancy (AWC). Late last year, the Commonwealth Government released its draft plan for tackling the feral cat crisis. The AWC said it welcomed the plan as a "step in the right direction" - but has specific strategies it wants the government to hone in on.  It is thought that cats have caused profound species loss in Australia, giving Australia the worst mammal extinction rate of any country in modern times. Over 10% of the Australian terrestrial mammal species present 250 years ago are now extinct – with around 40 mammal species now completely extinct because of cats. Joey Clarke, Australian Wildlife Conservancy Senior Science Communicator said that studies of cats near Western NSW showed that while many cats are territorial they can travel hundreds of kilometres in one day. IMAGE: Rural Fire Service Mr Clarke said there were around two million feral cats in Australia during drought periods and up to eight million when the weather was wetter and prey was more abundant. "They have been an absolute disaster for Australia's biodiversity," he said "It's really only in the last ten to fifteen years that we have realised just how catastrophic cats have been. Each cat eats between five and seven mammals every night". He said that dealing with a problem that exists in such landscape had proved problematic with options such as trapping, baiting and hunting shown not to be effective. Large fenced off areas, with "six foot high fences" had, Mr Clarke said, by contrast been shown to work restore populations of animals like bandicoots, numbats and bilbies. Joey Clarke AWC There are about ten such large scale fencing projects around the country. But he said what the AWC is really pushing for is the controlled burns that "leave enough habitat around to shelter native animals". "It's all about managing vegetation." Mr Clarke "Native animals are well adapted to fires, feral cats are not – with the fires leading to large scale cat population reduction". "By contrast when fires burn wildly and the whole of habitat is destroyed, feral cats can really take advantage of that situation and that poses a disaster for small mammals". Meanwhile a spokeswoman from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said that the Department is still sifting through information from the Threat Abatement Plan for Predation by Feral Cats released last year. "The department is considering extensive feedback received through the public consultation on the draft updated. The department will amend the draft plan as required and in consultation with state and territory governments, given their in-principle agreement to sign up to the final plan"."In the meantime, we continue to provide significant support for on-ground feral cat control and applied research".