Local government councillors would be subject to the same public disclosure rules as NSW parliamentarians under code of conduct changes proposed by the Government. The proposed changes would also largely ban private council staff briefings to councillors, remove private investigators from council conduct processes.In a separate move, the changes suggest 'local government privileges committees' should be established to assess behaviour complaints. Submissions are open until close of business on Friday 15 November for a discussion paper outlining the NSW Government proposals aimed at making local government more transparent.  The proposal would simplify the Model Code of Conduct and cut it down from over 100 pages to up to three.  The report said the current system allows too many "vexatious" and "political" complaints to clog the pipeline.  “It is too open to weaponization, with tit-for-tat complaints diverting critical council resources and ratepayer money from the things that matter most to communities," Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said. “The sheer volume of vexatious complaints being made is preventing the Office of Local Government from focusing its attention on getting crooks out of the local government sector. “The options presented in this discussion paper put the onus back on addressing and resolving issues of councillor misbehaviour at a local level, rather than escalating complaints for the state government or private investigators to fix. “It also puts forward options to strengthen the role of the Office of Local Government as the sector regulator, including expanded investigation powers for serious conflict of interest breaches and the ability to issue penalty infringement notices."Narromine's mayor says he welcomes a cut down code of conduct. PHOTO: River McCrossenAccording to the report, there were 4289 code of conduct complaints lodged with the Office of Government (OLG) over three years between 2020 and 2023.  Of those, 420 were referred for preliminary enquiries and then discontinued. One hundred and two were investigated as potential misconduct, while 36 related to public interest disclosures and two to political donations. Narromine mayor Craig Davies said the current code of conduct can be difficult for new councillors to wrap their head around."Simplification of the rules and regulations as they relate to code of conduct would be most welcome right throughout local government," Cr Davies said. The paper also proposes that public interest disclosure requirements align with those expected of NSW members of parliament.  That includes revealing sources of income over $500 outside the office salary, shares in corporations, positions in unions and business organisations and interests in property.  It also proposed public interest disclosures by councillors be "similarly extended" to interests from relatives, partners, employers and companies the councillor is a member or shareholder of.  Cr Davies welcomed tighter disclosure rules. "There's needs to be better transparency. "I also believe the onus of councillors to declare conflicts of interest should be stronger." Local Government NSW President Darriea Turley encouraged local councils to make a submission on the proposed changes. “This issue has been the subject of long conversation for councils and the eventual framework will be a cornerstone in maintaining integrity, transparency and trust in local government across the state and this next step in the consultation process is very much welcomed by the sector,” Cr Turley said.

Forty-four Brewarrina children will have the chance to learn to ride and maintain pedal bikes under a 12-month pilot to promote cycling in the area. Children from public and central schools in Brewarrina, Weilmoringle and Goodooga were at the Brewarrina Local Aboriginal Land Council (Brewarrina LALC) on Tuesday 3 September for their first 'Bike Kitchen', painting helmets and assembling bikes together purchased with $37,000 from the NSW Office of Sport. "The kids loved it today, they really did," Acting Brewarrina LALC CEO Urayne Warraweena said. The Bike Kitchen workshop will be open every Thursday from 3pm-5pm at the land council for help maintaining the bikes. There will be three more workshops over the 12 months, where bike mechanics from Tune Cycles will take children through bike handling and maintenance skills. “When we put together sporting activities like seasonal football our kids not only revel in the activity but it reveals a talent base of young athletes with extraordinary ability," Ms Warraweena said.The workshop on the Tuesday. PHOTO: supplied “Our Bike Kitchen will upskill a local person to provide repair services. We hope this leads to other exciting developments in physical activity like walk and run groups, and we are now looking at getting a PCYC which will be a great future base for our bike program." The program is delivered by Tune Cycles through a $73,555 grant awarded under the NSW Government’s Transport Access Regional Partnerships (TARP) program. The government hopes the pilot will increase mobility in the town, where 20 per cent of residents do not have access to a registered motor vehicle, more than double the NSW average. There are no bike shops for parts in the town, so Ms Warraweena said she hopes the program will continue after the pilot period."The problem is if anything goes wrong there's nowhere to fix them," Ms Warraweena said. "The hope is that this program will keep going, that it'll keep being funded. There is a need for it. "We've got to make sure the program will work." Program participants ranging from Years three to six were chosen based on their performance at school. Funding permitting, the pilot could set the foundations for a broader roll out in other communities in western NSW. A spokesperson for the Transport for NSW said the this will be assessed on students attending, maintaining their bikes, meeting learning goals and building riding abilities. "Each participant has received a journal to track their riding hours and note their progress, participants who ride to school throughout the duration of the pilot will be noted by schools and feedback will be obtained through engaging with the stakeholders of the program," the spokesperson said. 

The $1 billion solar and battery project that has been approved outside Dunedoo will provide enough energy to power 262,000 homes, and is expected to create 500 jobs at peak construction.The Birriwa Solar and Battery Project received the green light from the Independent Planning Commission last month, and once completed will include a 600 megawatt solar project and a battery energy storage system that can supply an additional 600 megawatts of on demand energy to the grid over a two hour period. It will be located on about 1,300 hectares of mostly cleared grazing land, on a site 20 kilometres south east of Dunedoo. A spokesperson for project owners ACEN Australia said the location was guided by discussions with the local community, project stakeholders, as well as the findings of our environmental, social and economic assessments. “We have been talking to local landholders and the community about the project since 2019,” they said.“We began detailed investigations including site surveys, agricultural, aboriginal cultural heritage, biodiversity and traffic and employment impact assessments from about 2021. “After receiving feedback from the community and other government agencies, we decided to amend the project to include a temporary workers accommodation facility designed to host the workforce required for our project. “This will help better manage demand for accommodation on nearby towns like Gulgong, Dunedoo and Mudgee.”The accommodation will be needed for the 500 workers needed during peak construction. “This includes workers to install the solar tracking and panels, construction of roads, traffic control, fencing and electrical work and other engineering and design roles." Dunedoo is set to benefit from the $1 billion project and influx of construction workers. In welcome news for locals, the company says, “We will be prioritising wherever possible the employment of local workers, suppliers and businesses.”Construction is expected to begin in late 2026, or early 2027.“We would expect it to be fully operational by 2030, with around 15 full time workers on site,” ACEN said. Approval welcomedThe Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) welcomed the approval. “This $1 billion project will deliver considerable economic benefits to regional NSW. Up to $15 million will also be reinvested back into local councils (or 1.5 per cent of capital expenditure) through voluntary planning agreements,” a spokesperson for the Department said. “Renewable energy developments like the Birriwa Solar and Battery project are critical to securing NSW’s energy future. The wider Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone will continue to increase its renewable energy production over the coming years as ageing coal-fired power stations are decommissioned.”

Hundreds of sheep were killed in a truck fire on the Mitchell Highway early Saturday.The animals were being transported by road train travelling along the Mitchell Hwy north of Nyngan, when the truck caught fire about 12.50am.The blaze was extinguished by NSW Fire and Rescue firefighters however an estimated 200 sheep aboard the road train were killed in the blaze.The 32-year-old truck driver was uninjured, and investigations into the fire are continuing.

The National Farmer’s Federation is calling on farmers and supporters to join them in a rally to push back against 'anti-farming agendas'.The rally, being held in Canberra on 10 September – initially called by the ‘Keep the Sheep’ live export campaign – has become an opportunity for the peak farming body to highlight a broader range of farmer concerns.Other than the ceasing of live export, issues in the spotlight will include:calls to scrap the Diesel Fuel Rebateproposed new taxes for biosecurity and on superannuationcalls to scrap the 88 days of specified work for backpackerswater buybacks in the Murray Darling Basin and protecting the Great Artesian Basinunnecessary red tape from Scope 3 emissions reportingthe community impacts of energy and renewables developments.Farmer Michael Davis runs 8,000 head of Merino sheep at Merringina near Brewarrina. He said, while he is not going to the rally, he is fully supportive of the cause.“Where we are located, we don’t send sheep off for live export, although we used to when it was a really big sector,” Mr Davis said.“Live export is mainly concentrated in Western Australia. I think that banning the live export industry is a knee jerk reaction considering the 0.4 or 0.6 losses on the boats.“A much larger proportion than that is lost across farms in Australia on an annual basis. Back about 30 years ago in the Western Division, we were losing about 8 per cent of wethers and nine or ten per cent of ewes annually. That adds up to a lot of sheep across Australia compared to what’s lost on the boats."NFF President David Jochinke (above) said it was important that the industry stood up to its detractors who were increasingly calling the shots in Canberra.Farmers’ confidence in the Federal Government had collapsed by nearly 40 per cent, a NFF survey found, with less than one in ten farmers saying Canberra was listening to them.“We’re seeing a growing number of decisions being driven by anti-farming activism, not evidence, and we’re being drowned out by the noisy minority who want to shut us down,” Mr Jochinke said.“Australian farmers are the best in the world. We consistently deliver the highest quality produce for Aussie families. We want policymakers to work with us to grow more in Australia. Too often it feels like they’re just working with our detractors.”Mr Davis said that government actions were killing the rural industry and its exports.“These things will just bring on more unemployment, this government doesn't understand,”” he said. “ We live on the Culgoa River and while water buybacks in the Murray Darling Basin don’t affect us as sheep farmers, it does affect the community we live in.”“The NFF have my support. The city community thinks food just turns up on their plate. As farmers, we can’t survive without our livestock.” “The Nationals 100 per cent support our farmers attending the National Farmer Rally outside Canberra Parliament House,” said Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud. “This Labor Government has decimated our farming and agriculture industry. It has been over 40 years since farmers last felt so aggrieved to protest against a government.  “It’s easy to understand why our farmers are fed up, after being constantly attacked by Labor and its anti-farming policies, from water buybacks to reckless renewables and its senseless phase out of our live sheep export trade.”Taking concerns to Canberra via a rally was an unusual step for the NFF, Mr Jochinke said.“We hope it will send a powerful message to decision-makers ahead of the next election that these decisions need to stop," he said."We just want a return to common sense. We want policies informed by farmers' lived experience and designed to grow the industry, not diminish it to appease activist agendas.“Whether you’re a farmer or not, I encourage you to join us to celebrate the positive story of Australian agriculture in the heart of Canberra."The rally will commence at 11am on 10 September on the Federation Mall, opposite Parliament House. For details visit nff.org.au

Nyngan mother of four and farmer Susan Barclay is one of the people whose experiences with ovarian cancer are highlighted in videos in the latest campaign by fashion designers Carmilla and Marc (C&M) to raise awareness of the disease.Ovaries - Talk about Them. is their latest effort to drive to drive awareness and raise more funds for the University of New South Wales Gynaecological Cancer Research Group to develop an early detection test, this time through t-shirt sales. In just four years, C&M has already raised $1.7 million for the research lab.   “We all come from ovaries, or we have ovaries, we wouldn't exist without them. So, let's get comfortable talking about them. Buy a t-shirt. Make a donation. Join the conversation,” said the siblings, who lost their mother to ovarian cancer when she was just 42. With three women dying of ovarian cancer each day and over 310,000 women diagnosed worldwide each year - 75 per cent of them in late stages - the disease is one of the deadliest to women and yet there is still no test for it. By 2050 it is projected that 503,448 women will be given a diagnosis of ovarian cancer (a rise of over 55 per cent from 2022), with the number of women dying rising to 350,956, an increase of almost 70 per cent. “The statistics are getting worse, and we are running out of time,” said Camilla and Marc.Susan was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in April of 2022, after having preventative surgery years before to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes once she discovered she was positive for the BRCA gene mutation which increases the risk of ovarian cancer.   Susan with her new granddaughter Matilda: photo supplied.An opportunity for early ovarian cancer detection was missed in testing, and two years later Susan became unwell and was shocked to the core to be told she had stage 4 ovarian cancer, despite doing everything she could to prevent it.  “If the right testing had of been done in 2018, I would have had stage one ovarian cancer,” she said.“This news left me totally devastated.  “It’s taken me two years to be mentally strong enough to tell this side of my story. The video has brought up lots of strong emotions, but I knew I needed to tell the story if only to help others. “Every cent from this C&M Ovaries. Talk about Them. campaign goes to helping fund the researchers who are trying to find an early detection test.   “As there is currently no way of detecting ovarian cancer now, it is, absolutely something we need to keep researching. To catch it an early stage, women have such a better chance to beat this insidious disease compared to detecting it at an advanced stage.  “I just hope I’m still here to hear my granddaughters say, ‘we can’t believe there was no detection test in your day Nan’.”  Camilla and Marc with father David Freeman - raising awareness for Ovarian Cancer. Photo courtesy Camilla & Marc website.The fashion house has partnered with Professor Caroline Ford, Dr Kristina Warton and a team of scientists and researchers at the UNSW Gynaecological Research Group who are leading the development of the world’s first DNA-based early detection test.The aim is for the funding from Ovaries. Talk About Them. to get the ground-breaking test to clinical trials.“We are so close to getting an early detection test for ovarian cancer to clinical trials in the next two years,” they said at the campaign launch.

Graziers have the opportunity to learn about carbon capture on their properties, courtesy of a workshop in Bourke next month Red meat producers are being encouraged to participate in Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) Carbon EDGE program.  To be held on 17-18 October, the workshop will help producers build their understanding of carbon and look at options for improving their environmental footprint whilst improving livestock productivity. Offering independent information, the program will help participants move into a planning and action phase, identifying technologies and methods that could be incorporated into their business to benefit their bottom line and the environment. It is also suitable for advisors and other service providers looking to enhance their understanding of the current operating environment. Delivered by Tanisha Shields from Agrista, the workshop will help producers learn: key terminology and concepts relating to greenhouse gases (GHG) within the red meat industry, such as insetting vs offsetting, scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, carbon footprint, carbon baseline and emissions intensities. in-depth information on the practices to reduce and sequester GHG within a livestock grazing business weighing up opportunities and risks associated with generating carbon credits and how they can be used to benefit livestock businesses understanding carbon neutrality and how it aligns to their business goals developing a carbon action plan that incorporates practical, achievable strategies to meet objectives. To find out more and register, visit Carbon EDGE Bourke 

Tottenham's ambulance service is better serving the town with the arrival of three new paramedics this year as part of a statewide program. The NSW Government confirmed in the last week that they are among 125 paramedics now working across NSW under an election commitment to boost the regional workforce by 500 over four years. The first cohort have also joined stations counting Parkes, Lithgow, Bathurst and Port Macquarie, funded under the $1.76 billion Strategic Workforce and Infrastructure Team (SWIFT) program. Tottenham Rural Fire Service (RFS) member George Greig said the extra paramedics, who began work in June, mean they won't have to call for backup from RFS volunteers.  "We used to support the ambulances if they needed help. They'd send us a text message and we'd go and assist, but that now is not the case," Mr Greig said. "The reason that was happening, and we were quite happy to do that, was that if they got to a patient that was heavy or they got to a patient they needed to treat while we would drive the ambulance."Fellow paramedic Maddy Hayward. PHOTO: supplied Tottenham previously had one paramedic serving the town, which according to the 2021 Australian Census holds around 450 people. Zone Manager for NSW Ambulance's Central and Far West regions, Superintendent Ben Loiacono, said the extra paramedics increase response times. "Now we're able to have a duel-paramedic response, so two paramedics on the vehicle, in line with all of the other stations across NSW," Superintendent Loiacono said. "These are obviously staffed with two highly trained paramedics allocated to every shift to provide that high level of care for Tottenham and surrounds."  The Government said future locations for extra paramedics will be chosen through consultation between NSW Ambulance, the Health Services Union, local communities and health staff about area needs and resourcing. “The addition of these highly skilled paramedics in the bush will help drive better health outcomes for patients and their families, while also providing more support to our current NSW Ambulance staff across the state," Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park said.

Are you passionate about improving your community’s health? Well now is the time to step up.   The Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) recently put out the call encouraging people to take part in the 2025 Building Healthy Communities Challenge.   Applications are open to any interested community group in a town or community of less than 5,000 people with an idea for an initiative that could improve people’s health, with two of the initiatives chosen to receive seed funding.    “Leading a healthy lifestyle reduces the risk of illness and prevents unnecessary visits to the doctor or hospital. We’re committed to working with our communities to help them take steps to improve their overall health, and build knowledge too,” according to WNSWLHD Health Promotion Coordinator Hayley Vaughan. The Building Healthy Communities Challenge is designed to provide more opportunities for people and communities to do that, which is particularly important in smaller areas of our district which can be geographically isolated and may have poorer health outcomes than larger towns.“We encourage communities to apply if they have an idea which could increase physical activity or healthy eating in their community, reduce smoking and vaping rates or establishing infrastructure which promotes healthy living,” said Ms Vaughan. “Any idea is a good idea, big or small, and they could be as simple as implementing a regular walking group or setting up community gardens to grow healthy food.   An Independent panel will assess the applications and two towns will be selected to compete in the competition.    “The two chosen towns will each receive $8,000 in funding assistance and intensive support from the Health Promotion team to establish and implement their initiative, and we will also provide additional resources and assistance with promotion too,” said WNSWLHD Health Promotion Officer Kelly Cook. “The challenge is designed to promote longevity of initiatives. After the challenge period, an independent panel will assess the success of each initiative and crown a champion to receive additional funding support of $4,000 to help establish the idea long-term. “Our team will also work with the winning town to help embed the initiative long-term. It’s incredibly exciting to establish the challenge this year, and we will thoroughly evaluate its success in the hope of expanding in future years.” Nyngan Health Services Manager Jenny Griffiths, says the challenge is a great initiative.  “This is a fantastic opportunity for small towns like Nyngan to build healthier communities. We know that a healthy lifestyle reduces the risk of illness - access to this grant funding will give our communities a chance to positively impact our overall health and wellbeing," she said.    Applications for the Building Healthy Communities Challenge will be open from Monday 2 September to Friday 11 October. Applications will then be reviewed, and successful towns notified before the challenge period, which will run between 4 November 2024 and 4 April 2025.   Any person or organisation interested in taking part or seeking more information on the application guidelines or the challenge can contact the WNSWLHD Health Promotion Team on [email protected]. 

The Gulargambone Show will go ahead on the same day as the Coonamble Rodeo and Campdraft next year, after the show committee decided against trying for a different date. The Committee agreed via text after their Annual General Meeting on 15 August to accept the Saturday 7 June date set by the Agricultural Societies Council (ASC), also known as AgShows NSW. Show President Angus Beveridge said the committee had discussed alternative days to avoid losing numbers to the rodeo. “AgShows NSW suggested an alternative date of 3 May, but we thought that was a little bit early for us,” Mr Beveridge said. “A lot of our stewards and volunteers and workers are busy putting that season’s crop in. “We did also look at the weekend after the one the Coonamble Show has potentially moved to [13-14 May], but the group did not recommend that weekend because we’d be clashing with another show in the Western ASC group. “They try to coordinate shows so things, especially the Showman’s Guild in regards to rides and attraction, don’t have to travel too far to the next show. They’re always moving in a nice-flowing sort of way. “At this stage we’re going to stick with the June long weekend.”Shearing action at the 2024 Gulargambone Show. PHOTO: Lily PlassDates for all shows in NSW are set each year by the ASC in consultation with the Showman’s Guild, and follow a number of routes branching out from and leading back to the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Since the date for Easter changes every year, ranging from March 22 to April 25, the dates of the shows also shift around the Sydney Royal Easter Show. The ASC schedule does not account for rodeo and campdraft events. That led to the clash between the shire’s biggest events, with the Coonamble Show originally scheduled to take place on 3 and 4 June, the same week as the rodeo, which traditionally runs over the long weekend. Mr Beveridge said the Gulargambone Show can still be a hit. “This will be a first for us,” he said. “The long weekend will be a challenge, but we’re thinking that perhaps with things like our junior judging it will assist us with school kids being home on holidays. “In our sheep section, we do have exhibitors from our Coonamble area, but we think that they can probably come and exhibit their sheep in the morning and be able to attend the rodeo in the afternoon. “There’s also the very popular working dog competition and working dog high jump plus many other attractions that can keep people entertained and involved who perhaps aren’t into rodeos.” The Coonamble Show Committee is still waiting to confirm a move to 13-14 May. They have approval from the ASC Western Group, although the committee will need the NSW Government to revise of the public holiday on the second day of the event. Contact has also been made with the Showman’s Guild to determine whether the sideshow rides and stalls can adapt to the change.

Residents can now vote early for council elections as Western Plains shires prepare for election day on 14 September. The time for pre-polling for eligible voters may vary between locations to up Friday 13 September, while booths will not operate on Sunday 8 September.  Electors can find a polling station through the NSWEC's address lookup. Acting NSW Electoral Commissioner Dr Matthew Phillips said voting is compulsory for council elections. “Opening hours will vary, so make sure you check when your chosen pre-poll place will be open before heading out to vote,” Dr Phillips said.  “Unlike at State elections, you must vote within your council area or ward at local council elections. There is no absentee voting. “Voting venues, candidates and other key voter information can be found using the address look-up tool at elections.nsw.gov.au."Voting in Coonamble Shire during the 2021 Local Government Elections. According to the NSWEC, people are eligible for pre-poll voting if they will be outside their ward or council area, or more than eight kilometres from a voting centre, on election day. The Electoral Commission also counts illness, religious commitments and disability as eligible reasons to vote early. Residents based in Cobar and Warrumbungle shires will not need to vote since there were not enough accepted candidates to hold a contest. Residents of Warren Shire's wards A, B and D will stay home for the same reason. It's the same situation in Lachlan Shire, where only one of its five wards - Ward C - will go to a general contest. Lachlan Ward E will go to a by-election for one seat, which did not receive enough accepted nominations to fill its two seats. Dr Phillips said the Commission is also responding to strong demand to vote by post, with 376,145 applications received since Tuesday, 6 August.  “It’s great to see NSW voters are planning ahead, but don’t leave filling out your postal pack to the last minute. If you’ve received yours, read the instructions carefully and make sure you’ve completed it before 6pm on election day.”   

Coonamble sheep stud Calga Dohne will pass a major milestone on 11 September as it holds its 20th Annual Production Sale.Seventy rams will be up for sale off the back of the family-owned station winning the Bill Pye Memorial Grand Champion Ram at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show on 20 July.The South African judges were impressed with the Champion 2023 Calga Stud ram.As were visitors from Uruguay, resulting in semen sales to several South American flocks in the last 12 months.Fourth generation farmer Sandy Pye said it’s a challenging industry to reach a 20th production sale.“You feel quite proud that we’ve been pushing for over 20 years,” he said.“It’s so rewarding as well. Some studs start up and only last a few years and it just goes to show that our client base has got confidence in us.“There’s also fierce competition from other studs. It’s quite time consuming and you’ve got to be patient. Very good genetics don’t happen overnight.“You’ve got to be passionate about it.”Calga Dohne Sandy Pye and studmaster Jason Southwell at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show.The stud was founded in 2002 by his parents Bill and Margie, with it joining the show circuit in 2014 the year before Bill passed.The stud began with 50 ET (Embryo Transfer) pregnancies, followed by another 50 six months later. It now has around 1100 pure-bred breeding age ewes.“I think we’ve come a long way since our first sale,” said Mrs Pye.“We got through by having a good quality product to sell, loyal clients and focusing on what they want.”Mr Pye is feeling optimistic about the prospects for Calga Dohne’s sales this year, which will be held in Coonamble on Wednesday 11 September and Wanganella on Thursday 3 October.“With the timing of the rain this year, everyone’s had good sub-clover come through, which will help carry farmers over the summer,” he said.“The buyers will have confidence going back into sheep after a dry year last year.”

A police officer has been charged over an alleged assault of two boys on a bus between Walgett and Coolah. Police say the off-duty officer – an inspector attached to Western Region – is alleged to have assaulted the two 11-year-old boys on Saturday 22 June 2024."Following an investigation, the officer was today (Friday 6 September 2024) issued a future court attendance notice for two counts of common assault," a police spokesperson said."The officer is currently suspended with pay."He is due to appear at Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday 23 October 2024.

Creditor Watch, the Australian credit reporting bureau, has released gloomy July results for its Business Risk Index (BRI) which show 87.2 per cent of regions around Australia will experience an increase in the failure rate of businesses over the next 12 months. While Western Sydney and South-East Queensland are expected to see the highest rates of business failure over the coming year, in what is good news for rural and regional areas, the regions expected to experience the lowest business failure rates over the next 12 months are typically in regional areas across the country. With a combination of lower commercial rents, lower competition among businesses, stronger local economies and older populations and areas where agriculture is the dominant market, this sector is less impacted by high interest rates, as the goods produced are largely non-discretionary and demand for them increases broadly in line with population growth, which has been strong. With money being tight for most at the moment, a rise in tourism has seen Aussies look for cheaper ways to travel locally, which in turn is giving rural areas a much-needed boost.  Nyngan’s Emily Stanton along with husband James run several businesses in Nyngan, including some which rely on tourists and travellers.The pair say business is hard work and you need to be one step ahead to keep moving forward. “Business is booming at the moment with the excitement of opening our new venue in Nyngan,” said Mrs Stanton. “We have also had a lot of travellers heading west for Ag Expo, Mundi Mundi Bash, Louth Races, rally car events and the Big Boar Bonanza. August has been a big month across all of our businesses.” She recommended people should continue to support local business by: shopping at local stores sharing on social media leaving positive reviews recommending to friends. PHOTO: Creditor Watch CEO, Patrick Coghlan photo courtesy Linkedin Creditor Watch CEO, Patrick Coghlan, says the data shows how tough businesses around Australia are doing right now. “The fact that almost 90 per cent of regions will see an increase in the rate of business failures indicates that the current pressures from interest rates, cost increases and declining consumer demand are being acutely felt right around the country – particularly those areas with younger populations and a higher proportion of businesses in high-risk sectors,” he says. “Our hope is that the Stage 3 tax cuts will continue to boost consumer confidence to some extent, but we don’t expect a significant improvement in conditions for businesses until the impacts of one or two rate cuts are felt by households.” Tom Shanahan of the Tronic Group in Cobar says he is happy with how his business is going at the moment and is more busier than ever. "Business is flat out at the moment which is great for us and for rural Australia. Unfortunately the government under invests in rural businesses and undervalues the strengths we have to offer."Business people work so hard out here with sometimes limited resources, so I feel lucky to be able to keep employing people and putting money back into our local community." CreditorWatch Chief Economist, Anneke Thompson, says consumer confidence is unlikely to trend upward for some time yet. PHOTO: Creditor Watch Chief Economist, Anneke Thompson “Consumer confidence is still incredibly low, even though consumers reported to Westpac in its August survey that confidence was slightly up,” she says. “While consumers are now less fearful of an increase in interest rates, and also report a small positive sentiment increase from tax cuts, the increase in confidence is not nearly enough to suggest that household consumption will recover any time soon. “As long as households are spending less, and we know from retail trade data that spending per head of population has decreased for eight straight quarters, businesses will continue to battle high interest rates and continuing high input costs with falling demand.” The value of invoices has decreased by 51.5 per cent over the year with consumer demand falling businesses are therefore ordering less.  With creditors now more than ever taking action to collect outstanding debts, court cases have grown to high levels as more businesses come under the pump from large creditors such as the ATO and financial institutions. Food & beverage services is the top ranked industry business failure rate at 8.3 per cent (and is also the leading industry for outstanding ATO tax debts above $100,000, with a rate of 1.67 per cent). It is followed by arts & recreation services (5.8 per cent) and administrative support services (5.6 per cent). Insolvencies in the education & training sector increased 88 per cent in the year to July 2024. “We maintain that the operating environment for businesses in Australia will remain very challenging until at least the first quarter of 2025, at which point the RBA is likely to have cut the cash rate or will be very close to cutting it. As our data suggests, the pain felt by businesses will not be spread evenly across the country, as high interest rates have an outsized impact on areas with younger populations and a high proportion of businesses in the construction or discretionary retail spend sectors,” according to the Report. 

Only one-tenth of one percent of all marriages last 70 years or more, which is all the more reason for Cobar couple, Eric and Cath Manns to enjoy their celebrations.This magnificent feat of seven decades of wedded bliss bought congratulations – albeit a year late – from Member for Barwon, Roy Butler.“In June last year I read out a Community Recognition Statement on the floor of Parliament congratulating Cobar residents Eric and Kath Manns on the occasion of their seventieth wedding anniversary,” Mr Butler said recently.“I had wanted to present them with a commemorative certificate last year, but scheduling difficulties and Kath having an unfortunate accident got in the way. Now I have finally had the great pleasure of presenting them a certificate acknowledging their milestone anniversary.“Mr and Mrs Mann met in 1953 in Sydney and two weeks later, they were engaged. It was a whirlwind romance and six months later, they were married. Mr Mann was born and raised in Cobar, working on the railway with his father to help support his family.He finished school and went on to do various jobs. After meeting and marrying Kath, Eric encouraged her to move to Cobar and while initially hesitant Kath gave it a go. They bought a home in Cobar, in which they still live today.“They moved back out to Cobar and a year ago, they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Now they're 71 years married and both still sharp as a tack and well supported by family who also live in Cobar,” Mr Butler said.“They're still living very independently, and I just really wanted to stop by and give them my congratulations. We heard some great stories about the work that Eric used to do, driving trucks all over the west and delivering livestock, and that was fascinating. Some of the stories he had were incredible - all in a time with no air conditioning and no power steering.”Mr Butler called Mr and Mrs Mann a remarkable couple.“I really enjoyed sitting down having a chat with them and they had one of their granddaughters there, Stacey, who was about three weeks off giving birth. This will be another great grandchild on the ground. It's a lovely story, and it really sort of reminds everyone that there's some real good in the word.”“It was a delight to meet them in person, both told us some great stories about their early lives, both have a great sense of humour.”

Traffic is closed both directions of the Castlereagh Highway between Dunedoo and Mendooran following a serious two-vehicle crash this morning.  Emergency services and the Crash Investigation Unit are on the scene. Motorists are being advised to avoid the area, use diversions and allow extra time for travel. Westbound traffic has been diverted along the Golden Highway to Dubbo, then up the Newell Hwy to Gilgandra, then the Castlereagh Highway to Mendooran.Eastbound traffic is the same in reverse: along the Castlereagh Highway to the Newell, then Golden, highways.This diversion is suitable for all vehicles, according to Live Traffic NSW.

Ahead of its 100th anniversary next year, Gulargambone Jockey Club enjoyed one of its biggest race days last Saturday, setting the bar high for other country race meetings. The last day of winter was a perfect spring day, attracting over 700 people to attend the event. “I can’t say if it was the biggest day ever, but it certainly is the biggest since I became involved 15 years ago,” said Club President Tom Gadsby. “It was unreal to see so many families come along with young kids, as that is what we need to keep the tradition going.”Mr Gadsby said they started getting it all organised three months ago, including preparing the grounds. “Helped by the weather, it has looked as good as this for the last two months,” he said. “Some of the owners said it was one of the best grounds and organisation they’ve seen in the bush. “For a one event a year club, we are doing pretty good. “You couldn’t have asked for a better day.”A larger than average crowd over the racing weekend. The jockeys were also impressed. “A couple of jockeys couldn’t believe it wasn’t an irrigated course. That was such a nice compliment for us.” The races offered many close finishes, and the crowd enjoyed the day to the full. The Lions Club, which ran the bar, has reported they had their biggest take ever. Narromine trainer Kylie Kennedy bagged a $6000 win with apprentice Jessica Brookes running first on Ready Made Doll in the first race, while Orange-based trainer took home the $6400 Gulargambone Cup in race five with jockey Ken Dunbar on Bobby's Secret. Locals mingled not just with others from the broader district, but a large contingent of visitors from the Central Coast who had come out especially for the event. “This is exactly what a country race meeting is supposed to be,” said one of them.Annie and Phil Haling of Gular took out the best dressed couple sashes. Pictured with Adelina Grosser (left) and Eliza McNeill. Planning for the celebration of the Club centenary has already started. “We are also thinking of running a black tie ball at the jockey club at the end of March for 2-300 people,” said Mr Gadsby. “It would be a good way of raising funds for the Club and sharing stories.” Committee member Peter O’Connor said, “President Tom Gadsby and his wife Caitlin deserve special mention for the work and hours put into track preparations and organisation. “A very small band of helpers were very relieved and satisfied that the day was a success.”It's a day Western Plains races clubs will no doubt want to emulate as Collarenebri prepares for its meeting on 14 September and Come-by-Chance 28 September.

The State Government has hit back at claims that their Energy Roadmap is out of control. This follows a call by the NSW Nationals for a moratorium and stocktake of renewables projects after concerns the only active renewable energy zone (REZ) is already completely overblown.    NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said the State can’t keep going down the current path they are on.  “We have a power problem in NSW and it extends well beyond the threat of blackouts. The Minns Labor Government is reneging on its responsibilities when it comes to renewables,” he said. “The Central West Orana REZ is already over-subscribed with the number of projects and we can’t get a straight answer as to where things are up to, or where we’re heading.” But Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe refuted those concerns.   "Have the Nationals told their Liberal counterparts they’re trying to lock in blackouts and energy price spikes by removing support for the state's energy plan? "The Minns Labor Government is getting on with the job while managing the careful exit of coal fired power stations. “More delays and support for nuclear power will just lock in blackouts and energy price spikes.” Processes in place to fill the coal gap The Minister for Climate Change and Energy said NSW has put in place the architecture and processes to deliver the renewable energy projects needed to fill the gap that’ll be left by ageing coal-fired power stations exiting the grid. “This transition is urgent – we must get the infrastructure built, to keep the lights on and put downward pressure on energy bills,” Ms Sharpe said. “The Energy Roadmap was agreed to under the last Government, with bipartisan support, which is crucial for giving investors' confidence.” The Minister said NSW is already making progress to ensure we keep the lights on and downward pressure on prices: In NSW, 35% of our energy is already being powered by renewables. Almost half of the 12 gigawatts of renewable generation we seek by 2030 is locked in. A quarter of the long duration storage target has also been secured. “There are many checks and balances in place as NSW delivers infrastructure – whether it be a transport, project or energy project. Many are referred to the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) for determination. “We will continue to work closely with industry and impacted communities to strike the right balance between supporting renewable energy projects and responsible development.” She said the transition would bring huge benefits including more income for farmers, more investment in local infrastructure, more local jobs, more opportunities for families and local businesses, and a drought-proof revenue stream for many landowners. “We’ve boosted compensation to landowners, and are delivering additional funding to communities living in our renewable energy zones. For example, the NSW Government has announced $128 million in funding for the Central-West Orana community, to be delivered in the next four years as projects are built,” she said. The current renewable energy status: Operating projects: As of July 2024, the following are operational in NSW: 36 large-scale solar farms 17 onshore wind farms one battery energy storage system. The Central-West Orana REZ is expected to attract around $10 billion of private investment into the local region through to 2030, and support around 5000 construction jobs and 500 ongoing jobs.  Planning is underway on the other REZs. AEMO estimates NSW will need around 20 gigawatts of large-scale solar generation by 2050 – this would require only 0.06% of rural land in NSW. Cumulative impact in the regions – Saunders But Mr Saunders does not agree that renewables are the golden goose required.   “When you combine all the renewable projects, add in the impact of transmission lines, along with the additional accommodation and other services, you start to get an inkling of the cumulative impact being felt.    “It’s pushing our regional communities to breaking point and it should be a clear warning that now is the time to stop just randomly allowing projects in.”  According to the EnergyCo website the Central-West Orana REZ will deliver “at least 4.5 gigawatts of transmitted electricity” which is vastly lower than the calculations by Dubbo, Mid-Western and Warrumbungle councils.  “The renewable energy zone having four times more generation than originally planned means more land is being used, more families and communities are being impacted, and there’s a growing frustration,” Mr Saunders said.  “It would be like forcing four times as many people onto the train in the morning for the same result. Everyone is severely cramped and stressed with no control over what is happening.  “Regional residents are currently being put through this, but we’re still no closer to solving the supply issue hanging over our state and the Government needs to be honest about where it wants this REZ to finish up.  “I’m not suggesting all renewables projects should be scrapped, but we need the Government to pause, assess and take stock of exactly where we are in this energy roadmap before we see irreversible damage to regional areas with very little to show for it,” Mr Saunders said. 

This year's Coonamble Car Show, on Saturday 7 September, is again expected to be attract entrants from across the Western Plains."Hopefully we don't only get local vehicles, but cars from Coonabarabran, Walget, Baradine, Gilgandra, and Dubbo like last year, when 50 vehicles were on show," said Steve.He's encouraging as many people as possible to think about entering their vehicle this year."Bring whatever you've got that would be of interest on the day, if not a car then a tractor, truck or motorbike,' he said."We have a 15 categories for entries, that all offer prizes of $150 and a numberplate-themed trophy, with all judging done by the public."You've got to be in it to win it."He's got his fingers crossed that Coonamble local Rod Moxham will be able to bring along his 1933 Cadillac, but says at the moment he isn't fully confident it will be ready.This year's event expected to draw an even bigger crowd than normal given the extra attractions being organised by the Coonamble Golf Club, including a car boot sale."Last year over 400 people came through the gate, but this year there will also be a car boot sale and music afterwards so we are hoping it will attract a wider range of people than just car enthusiasts," said Coonamble Auto Club President Steve Lane."In this perfect spring weather, it will be a great morning out for the whole family."The Club will be open for drinks and lunch, and there will also be a food van there."Last year's event attracted 50 cars and 400 spectators.It costs just $10 to enter a vehicle, and last year over 50 vehicles were on show.For a $2 donation on entry, attendees will be given a voting slip to choose their favourite from the display."Just for voting their name will go in the hat, and they may win one of three $100 draws," said Steve.Any profit from the day will be given to the Golf Club.Gates open 8am for entrants and 10am for spectators. Winners will be announced at 1pm.It costs just $10 to have a stall at the car boot sale."It’s perfect timing to make some money out of your spring cleaning," says the Golf Club President Maddison Pawley."We held a boot sale when we did a clean up of the club and people have asked us to have another they could join in. "It's great for people who don't have enough things for their own garage sale, or local creatives who want to run a stall for their candles, jewelery, plants and the like."We thought we would schedule it to add something extra to the Car Show, as a way of showing the Car Club committee we appreciate their continued support."Ideal weather of 28 degrees is expected for this Saturday, so make a day of it with Col Hewett playing on the deck from 1pm-5pm, and the Chinese open for lunch and dinner."