Latest news with #Aboriginal-controlled
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Katter hits back after Irwin croc sledge
Maverick Queensland MP Bob Katter has hit back at Terri Irwin after she publicly criticised the Katter's Australian Party (KAP) latest bill to cull crocodiles in the north of the state. Mrs Irwin described the amended proposal as 'lazy and sloppy' earlier in the week and warned it would 'turn the clock back to the dark and destructive days prior to the 1970s'. The bill claims Queensland has seen a giant increase in crocodile numbers, which Terri Irwin disputes, as justification for removing and euthanising crocs found in 'populated' waterways, and enabling hunting safaris on Aboriginal-controlled land. However, on Friday Mr Katter hit back at the animal conservationist, questioning her knowledge of crocodile preservation in Australia. 'Mrs Irwin … said that I'm a dangerous person and it's the only time I've ever agreed with her in my life,' he said in a video posted to Facebook. 'She knows all about crocodiles … well that's rather fascinating for me because she lives in Brisbane and I work with the top crocodile handlers in the world I would argue. 'Versace and the other big fashion houses have huge crocodile farms here.' Mr Katter went on to explain that the best crocodile handlers in the world have 'always been here in Australia'. 'She knows all about it well …. I'm a bit fascinated by that … how would you know about crocodiles if you live in Brisbane?' he said while laughing. 'Oh that's right she's got them all locked up in a cage in Brisbane I'd forgotten about that.' But Mrs Irwin has earlier claimed the amended bill – which imagines currently croc-infested waterways being used recreationally – is 'reckless, ill-informed and dangerous on so many levels'. In a 14-page long submission, Irwin argued a false sense of security may be created by the proposals, which would actually increase crocodile-related deaths. 'The removal of crocodiles, either through trapping or culling, will instead increase the likelihood of crocodile attacks as people believe the lie that once a crocodile is removed from a waterway then there will be no crocodiles,' she wrote. 'Research has consistently shown that when a crocodile dies or is removed, then another crocodile immediately comes in to take over that territory. Because of this reality, the Bill will not eliminate or even greatly reduce the risk of crocodile attacks.' Irwin also disputed claims that crocodile numbers have dramatically increased, saying there is no Queensland data to confirm that and the bill's cited increase does not account for multiple sightings of the same croc. 'It is the Irwin family and Australia Zoo's belief that individual culling and relocation are not effective ways to manage crocodile/human coexistence; rather, research and educating people are the key,' she said. 'The best course of action is for people in crocodile territory to be 'Croc-wise', reduce risk wherever possible and take sensible steps to minimise human-crocodile interaction.' KAP MP Shane Knuth spoke about the bill at state parliament last month, stating North Queenslanders are 'angry about losing more of our recreational waterways to the increasing crocodile population'. 'The constant threat of attacks, recent deaths and near-death experiences are dramatically affecting North Queensland's outdoor lifestyle,' he said. 'We never had to worry about the threats of crocodiles in our recreational waterways and beaches until the last two decades.' Crocodiles are protected in Queensland and remain listed as vulnerable under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
West Australian
a day ago
- Politics
- West Australian
‘How would you know about crocodiles if you live in Brisbane?': Maverick MP Bob Katter lashes out at Terri Irwin
Maverick Queensland MP Bob Katter has hit back at Terri Irwin after she publicly criticised the Katter's Australian Party (KAP) latest bill to cull crocodiles in the north of the state. Mrs Irwin described the amended proposal as 'lazy and sloppy' earlier in the week and warned it would 'turn the clock back to the dark and destructive days prior to the 1970s'. The bill claims Queensland has seen a giant increase in crocodile numbers, which Terri Irwin disputes, as justification for removing and euthanising crocs found in 'populated' waterways, and enabling hunting safaris on Aboriginal-controlled land. However, on Friday Mr Katter hit back at the animal conservationist, questioning her knowledge of crocodile preservation in Australia. 'Mrs Irwin … said that I'm a dangerous person and it's the only time I've ever agreed with her in my life,' he said in a video posted to Facebook. 'She knows all about crocodiles … well that's rather fascinating for me because she lives in Brisbane and I work with the top crocodile handlers in the world I would argue. 'Versace and the other big fashion houses have huge crocodile farms here.' Mr Katter went on to explain that the best crocodile handlers in the world have 'always been here in Australia'. 'She knows all about it well …. I'm a bit fascinated by that … how would you know about crocodiles if you live in Brisbane?' he said while laughing. 'Oh that's right she's got them all locked up in a cage in Brisbane I'd forgotten about that.' But Mrs Irwin has earlier claimed the amended bill – which imagines currently croc-infested waterways being used recreationally – is 'reckless, ill-informed and dangerous on so many levels'. In a 14-page long submission, Irwin argued a false sense of security may be created by the proposals, which would actually increase crocodile-related deaths. 'The removal of crocodiles, either through trapping or culling, will instead increase the likelihood of crocodile attacks as people believe the lie that once a crocodile is removed from a waterway then there will be no crocodiles,' she wrote. 'Research has consistently shown that when a crocodile dies or is removed, then another crocodile immediately comes in to take over that territory. Because of this reality, the Bill will not eliminate or even greatly reduce the risk of crocodile attacks.' Irwin also disputed claims that crocodile numbers have dramatically increased, saying there is no Queensland data to confirm that and the bill's cited increase does not account for multiple sightings of the same croc. 'It is the Irwin family and Australia Zoo's belief that individual culling and relocation are not effective ways to manage crocodile/human coexistence; rather, research and educating people are the key,' she said. 'The best course of action is for people in crocodile territory to be 'Croc-wise', reduce risk wherever possible and take sensible steps to minimise human-crocodile interaction.' KAP MP Shane Knuth spoke about the bill at state parliament last month, stating North Queenslanders are 'angry about losing more of our recreational waterways to the increasing crocodile population'. 'The constant threat of attacks, recent deaths and near-death experiences are dramatically affecting North Queensland's outdoor lifestyle,' he said. 'We never had to worry about the threats of crocodiles in our recreational waterways and beaches until the last two decades.' Crocodiles are protected in Queensland and remain listed as vulnerable under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
Perth Now
a day ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Katter hits back after Irwin croc sledge
Maverick Queensland MP Bob Katter has hit back at Terri Irwin after she publicly criticised the Katter's Australian Party (KAP) latest bill to cull crocodiles in the north of the state. Mrs Irwin described the amended proposal as 'lazy and sloppy' earlier in the week and warned it would 'turn the clock back to the dark and destructive days prior to the 1970s'. The bill claims Queensland has seen a giant increase in crocodile numbers, which Terri Irwin disputes, as justification for removing and euthanising crocs found in 'populated' waterways, and enabling hunting safaris on Aboriginal-controlled land. However, on Friday Mr Katter hit back at the animal conservationist, questioning her knowledge of crocodile preservation in Australia. Bob Katter has responded to Terri Irwin after a row erupted between them over a contentious bill proposing to cull crocodiles in North Queensland. Facebook Credit: Supplied Ms Irwin, the widow of the late Steve Irwin, has been vocal about Mr Katter's proposal, which she has called 'lazy and sloppy'. NewsWire / Tertius Pickard Credit: News Corp Australia 'Mrs Irwin … said that I'm a dangerous person and it's the only time I've ever agreed with her in my life,' he said in a video posted to Facebook. 'She knows all about crocodiles … well that's rather fascinating for me because she lives in Brisbane and I work with the top crocodile handlers in the world I would argue. 'Versace and the other big fashion houses have huge crocodile farms here.' Mr Katter went on to explain that the best crocodile handlers in the world have 'always been here in Australia'. 'She knows all about it well …. I'm a bit fascinated by that … how would you know about crocodiles if you live in Brisbane?' he said while laughing. 'Oh that's right she's got them all locked up in a cage in Brisbane I'd forgotten about that.' But Mrs Irwin has earlier claimed the amended bill – which imagines currently croc-infested waterways being used recreationally – is 'reckless, ill-informed and dangerous on so many levels'. Ms Irwin has argued the removal of crocodiles from waterways will increase the likelihood of attacks due to a false sense of security. FILE Credit: Supplied In a 14-page long submission, Irwin argued a false sense of security may be created by the proposals, which would actually increase crocodile-related deaths. 'The removal of crocodiles, either through trapping or culling, will instead increase the likelihood of crocodile attacks as people believe the lie that once a crocodile is removed from a waterway then there will be no crocodiles,' she wrote. 'Research has consistently shown that when a crocodile dies or is removed, then another crocodile immediately comes in to take over that territory. Because of this reality, the Bill will not eliminate or even greatly reduce the risk of crocodile attacks.' Ms Irwin, pictured with her son Robert, also disputes claims crocodile numbers have increased. NewsWire / Tertius Pickard Credit: News Corp Australia Irwin also disputed claims that crocodile numbers have dramatically increased, saying there is no Queensland data to confirm that and the bill's cited increase does not account for multiple sightings of the same croc. 'It is the Irwin family and Australia Zoo's belief that individual culling and relocation are not effective ways to manage crocodile/human coexistence; rather, research and educating people are the key,' she said. 'The best course of action is for people in crocodile territory to be 'Croc-wise', reduce risk wherever possible and take sensible steps to minimise human-crocodile interaction.' KAP MP Shane Knuth spoke about the bill at state parliament last month, stating North Queenslanders are 'angry about losing more of our recreational waterways to the increasing crocodile population'. Mr Katter said the best crocodile handlers have 'always been in Australia'. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia 'The constant threat of attacks, recent deaths and near-death experiences are dramatically affecting North Queensland's outdoor lifestyle,' he said. 'We never had to worry about the threats of crocodiles in our recreational waterways and beaches until the last two decades.' Crocodiles are protected in Queensland and remain listed as vulnerable under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.
The Guardian
24-04-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
What the grid can learn from the bush: how small energy systems can make big changes
Thousands of kilometres from town centres and centralised power grids, remote Aboriginal communities are powering their homes with renewable energy. Hybrid, stand-alone energy systems have been put in place by the Bushlight Project, an Indigenous-led program grounded in collaboration and cultural understanding. Prof Chris Lund, from Murdoch University, led the design of the systems in partnership with the Alice Springs-based, Aboriginal-controlled Centre for Appropriate Technology to deliver energy to areas that are lacking in infrastructure. For years, remote communities have relied on costly, diesel-powered generators for everything from keeping food fresh to lighting spaces where children do their homework. But generators are notoriously unreliable, and when the wet season hits, flooding and distance can make fuel almost impossible to access. To tackle this, Lund and his team took a novel approach, blending design, technology and community advocacy to create long-term solutions. Prof Chris Lund. Photograph: supplied 'We realised that what we were using in the city wouldn't work out there, especially when local communities needed to do some of the maintenance and troubleshooting on these systems themselves, often thousands of kilometres from local service providers,' Lund says. 'We developed really simple, reliable hybrid systems that drew on solar and wind to replace as many diesel generators as possible.' Since 2002, the Bushlight Project has installed these stand-alone renewable energy systems that function independently of large grids in more than 130 Aboriginal homelands across the Northern Territory and central Australia, providing power for more than 2,500 people and paving the way for community independence and energy efficiency. For Murdoch University, Bushlight is more than a success story. The project highlights the university's commitment to a research community that is not only technically skilled but attuned to the social and cultural dimensions of its work. Photograph: Centre for Appropriate Technology In some of Australia's most remote communities, from the Kimberley to Mount Peachy, 100km from Alice Springs, Aboriginal communities were facing significant challenges keeping the power running. The generators they relied on often broke down, and constantly replacing gas bottles was not only expensive but unsustainable. Through ongoing conversations with households and community members, the Bushlight Project team came to understand each community's unique energy needs. The consensus was that communities needed reliability and affordability in their energy systems. People wanted to keep food cold around the clock, have reliable hot water, make fewer trips to town and have better access to computers and entertainment. Bushlight's community-driven approach not only delivered better energy systems for communities but empowered households to understand their energy needs. In consultation with energy experts, residents from more than 30 communities considered their daily routines and energy-reliant activities to build realistic energy budgets. The result of these community consultations was the installation of Bushlight household systems, typically a combination of solar panels, battery storage and an energy management unit (EMU) that monitors energy consumption and displays how much power is available. Community system enclosure. Photograph: Centre for Appropriate Technology These systems enabled residents to make informed decisions about their power consumption. Without giving up essentials or fun, residents could enjoy uninterrupted electricity while saving money and putting funds towards what was needed, such as a new car or refurbishing houses and gardens. By prioritising consultation and community ownership, the project enabled people to remain on Country while tackling energy security challenges. 'Two decades later, many of these systems still hum quietly, a testament to the design, system development, delivery, education and maintenance efforts of the Centre for Appropriate Technology,' Lund says. Craig Memery, a senior adviser at the Justice and Equity Centre, an independent law and policy centre, says awareness of energy consumption is key to developing energy efficiency. 'The more we invest in and understand energy efficiency, the less infrastructure we will need to build when making the transition to decarbonisation. 'Energy grids are focused on their capacity to deliver the maximum amount of power, but in a stand-alone system, the pinch point is the amount of energy provided. Power is like the pressure in a hose, and energy is the number of buckets that can be filled by that hose.' Photograph: Centre for Appropriate Technology Unlike grids, which can draw on vast resources, these smaller systems that draw on renewable sources of energy require users to be aware of their energy use and make every 'bucket' count. In simple terms, energy efficiency means achieving the same outcomes while using less energy. 'Stand-alone power supplies illustrate how effectively this can be achieved,' Memery says. Murdoch University's sustainability mission involves melding research, education and holistic engagement to empower individuals and communities to enact meaningful change. The Bushlight Project is an example of this – combining lived experience with scientific knowledge to bring reliable, culturally appropriate and energy-efficient power to remote Aboriginal communities. Cheaper and cleaner than fossil fuel solutions, and built to last, systems such as these can keep lighting up the bush for generations to come. Realise your brightest ambitions at Murdoch University.
