Latest news with #Canavan
Irish Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Post
Life of 'emigrant's artist' Bernard Canavan chronicled in new documentary
OVER the past year director Sé Merry Doyle has been in the process of making a documentary about the life of the Irish artist Bernard Canavan, often referred to as The Emigrant's Artist and the Painter of The Diaspora. A special preview screening was recently held at the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith, London to raise funds to bring the production Theocracy - The Emigrant's Artist by Loopline Films to final completion. The event also included an art auction of Canavan's work — where four artworks were donated for auction to raise funds for the film. A new documentary focuses on the work of emigrant artist Bernard Canavan Canavan's paintings of the diaspora, capture the pain of women and men, girls and boys, leaving home; the indignity of the boat train, the harshness of the building sites, the crowded pubs where men went 'home' to drink their dinner. This was a world of subbies, piece work, being 'on the lump', digging the tunnels; as well as the peak era of the Irish nurses who formed the back bone of the NHS. Bernard Canavan's art focuses on the Irish diaspora. His works are inspired by his own personal experience of working as a navvy in England in the 1950s. Canavan's work is inspired by his own experience as a member of the Irish diaspora In 2018 the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins awarded the prestigious Presidential Award to Bernard Canavan for his contribution to Irish culture in the UK. See More: Artist, Bernard Canavan, Diaspora, Irish, Irish Cultural Centre
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Leaving nuclear energy to the market is 'ridiculous': Canavan
Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan says leaving nuclear energy to the market is "ridiculous", calling for government-funded power plants to remain Coalition policy as Opposition Leader Sussan Ley promises to keep an open mind. Asked why the nuclear policy taken to the federal election by former opposition leader Peter Dutton to spend billions on power plants should not be discarded after voters rejected it, Senator Canavan likened the plan to the goods and services tax. "The GST was rejected by the Australian people in the early 1990s," the Nationals backbencher who unsuccessfully challenged for his party's leadership after the election told The Canberra Times. "We then went back ... a couple elections later, and argued for it and got it through." On Thursday, she named nuclear as "part of a big conversation about energy" along with net zero and emissions targets, promising to "respect the views of everyone in my party room as we work through these critically important issues". Implementing the GST is seen as part of former Liberal prime minister John Howard's legacy after he rolled out the consumption tax despite promising to "never" do so before being elected in 1996, on the grounds it had been voted down at the 1992 federal poll. Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie has called for Australia's 2050 target to be dumped by the Coalition, describing net zero as "a straightjacket", while moderate Zoe McKenzie - fresh from defeating a teal independent challenge to her Victorian seat of Flinders - called for it to be retained. Ms McKenzie said on Thursday that net zero would be essential if her party were to have any chance of winning back inner-city seats. Ms Ley said the Liberal and National parties had decided "that removing the moratorium on nuclear power is an important first step" and that the Coalition's wider energy policy would be "about getting the balance right". "We do need, as a country, to play our part in responding to the challenges of climate change, and we do need to reduce emissions ... But that won't come, and shouldn't come, at any cost," she told 4BC radio when asked about her stance on net zero. Ms Ley agreed to Nationals leader David Littleproud's demand that support be retained for lifting the national moratorium on nuclear energy as part of a deal to reform the Coalition, confirmed on Wednesday. The two parties rejoined after a week-long split, in which Mr Littleproud protested Ms Ley's plan to review all policies taken to the election and initially sought to abandon the convention of shadow cabinet solidarity, which binds Coalition frontbenchers to agreed policy positions. Senator Canavan, who is outspoken in his opposition to Australia's net zero 2050 target, said the argument that the government should not build nuclear power stations did not hold up when big investments were being made in renewables. "What the hell is the federal government doing right now, spending billions upon billions on snowy 2.0?" he said. "This is ridiculous ... Saying 'we'll leave it to the market' - that's clearly not happening in this country. "We're in a world where the government's going to have to play a role in any energy technology ... The energy technology that's being built by the market right now in Australia, all the renewable projects are backed in some way, shape or form by government." He said the way nuclear was sold at the election had been flawed, but that the policy itself had merit. "We have to show how this will help lower power prices, how it will maintain Australian manufacturing, provide new and high-paid job opportunities to young Australians." Asked if the divisions over energy were damaging to the Coalition's chances of presenting as a viable alternative government, Senator Canavan told this masthead it was "more important that we get things right first" on the policy front. "We shouldn't put the cart before the horse. If we are prioritising unity right now at the expense of dealing with fundamental issues we have, that won't work." Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan says leaving nuclear energy to the market is "ridiculous", calling for government-funded power plants to remain Coalition policy as Opposition Leader Sussan Ley promises to keep an open mind. Asked why the nuclear policy taken to the federal election by former opposition leader Peter Dutton to spend billions on power plants should not be discarded after voters rejected it, Senator Canavan likened the plan to the goods and services tax. "The GST was rejected by the Australian people in the early 1990s," the Nationals backbencher who unsuccessfully challenged for his party's leadership after the election told The Canberra Times. "We then went back ... a couple elections later, and argued for it and got it through." On Thursday, she named nuclear as "part of a big conversation about energy" along with net zero and emissions targets, promising to "respect the views of everyone in my party room as we work through these critically important issues". Implementing the GST is seen as part of former Liberal prime minister John Howard's legacy after he rolled out the consumption tax despite promising to "never" do so before being elected in 1996, on the grounds it had been voted down at the 1992 federal poll. Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie has called for Australia's 2050 target to be dumped by the Coalition, describing net zero as "a straightjacket", while moderate Zoe McKenzie - fresh from defeating a teal independent challenge to her Victorian seat of Flinders - called for it to be retained. Ms McKenzie said on Thursday that net zero would be essential if her party were to have any chance of winning back inner-city seats. Ms Ley said the Liberal and National parties had decided "that removing the moratorium on nuclear power is an important first step" and that the Coalition's wider energy policy would be "about getting the balance right". "We do need, as a country, to play our part in responding to the challenges of climate change, and we do need to reduce emissions ... But that won't come, and shouldn't come, at any cost," she told 4BC radio when asked about her stance on net zero. Ms Ley agreed to Nationals leader David Littleproud's demand that support be retained for lifting the national moratorium on nuclear energy as part of a deal to reform the Coalition, confirmed on Wednesday. The two parties rejoined after a week-long split, in which Mr Littleproud protested Ms Ley's plan to review all policies taken to the election and initially sought to abandon the convention of shadow cabinet solidarity, which binds Coalition frontbenchers to agreed policy positions. Senator Canavan, who is outspoken in his opposition to Australia's net zero 2050 target, said the argument that the government should not build nuclear power stations did not hold up when big investments were being made in renewables. "What the hell is the federal government doing right now, spending billions upon billions on snowy 2.0?" he said. "This is ridiculous ... Saying 'we'll leave it to the market' - that's clearly not happening in this country. "We're in a world where the government's going to have to play a role in any energy technology ... The energy technology that's being built by the market right now in Australia, all the renewable projects are backed in some way, shape or form by government." He said the way nuclear was sold at the election had been flawed, but that the policy itself had merit. "We have to show how this will help lower power prices, how it will maintain Australian manufacturing, provide new and high-paid job opportunities to young Australians." Asked if the divisions over energy were damaging to the Coalition's chances of presenting as a viable alternative government, Senator Canavan told this masthead it was "more important that we get things right first" on the policy front. "We shouldn't put the cart before the horse. If we are prioritising unity right now at the expense of dealing with fundamental issues we have, that won't work." Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan says leaving nuclear energy to the market is "ridiculous", calling for government-funded power plants to remain Coalition policy as Opposition Leader Sussan Ley promises to keep an open mind. Asked why the nuclear policy taken to the federal election by former opposition leader Peter Dutton to spend billions on power plants should not be discarded after voters rejected it, Senator Canavan likened the plan to the goods and services tax. "The GST was rejected by the Australian people in the early 1990s," the Nationals backbencher who unsuccessfully challenged for his party's leadership after the election told The Canberra Times. "We then went back ... a couple elections later, and argued for it and got it through." On Thursday, she named nuclear as "part of a big conversation about energy" along with net zero and emissions targets, promising to "respect the views of everyone in my party room as we work through these critically important issues". Implementing the GST is seen as part of former Liberal prime minister John Howard's legacy after he rolled out the consumption tax despite promising to "never" do so before being elected in 1996, on the grounds it had been voted down at the 1992 federal poll. Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie has called for Australia's 2050 target to be dumped by the Coalition, describing net zero as "a straightjacket", while moderate Zoe McKenzie - fresh from defeating a teal independent challenge to her Victorian seat of Flinders - called for it to be retained. Ms McKenzie said on Thursday that net zero would be essential if her party were to have any chance of winning back inner-city seats. Ms Ley said the Liberal and National parties had decided "that removing the moratorium on nuclear power is an important first step" and that the Coalition's wider energy policy would be "about getting the balance right". "We do need, as a country, to play our part in responding to the challenges of climate change, and we do need to reduce emissions ... But that won't come, and shouldn't come, at any cost," she told 4BC radio when asked about her stance on net zero. Ms Ley agreed to Nationals leader David Littleproud's demand that support be retained for lifting the national moratorium on nuclear energy as part of a deal to reform the Coalition, confirmed on Wednesday. The two parties rejoined after a week-long split, in which Mr Littleproud protested Ms Ley's plan to review all policies taken to the election and initially sought to abandon the convention of shadow cabinet solidarity, which binds Coalition frontbenchers to agreed policy positions. Senator Canavan, who is outspoken in his opposition to Australia's net zero 2050 target, said the argument that the government should not build nuclear power stations did not hold up when big investments were being made in renewables. "What the hell is the federal government doing right now, spending billions upon billions on snowy 2.0?" he said. "This is ridiculous ... Saying 'we'll leave it to the market' - that's clearly not happening in this country. "We're in a world where the government's going to have to play a role in any energy technology ... The energy technology that's being built by the market right now in Australia, all the renewable projects are backed in some way, shape or form by government." He said the way nuclear was sold at the election had been flawed, but that the policy itself had merit. "We have to show how this will help lower power prices, how it will maintain Australian manufacturing, provide new and high-paid job opportunities to young Australians." Asked if the divisions over energy were damaging to the Coalition's chances of presenting as a viable alternative government, Senator Canavan told this masthead it was "more important that we get things right first" on the policy front. "We shouldn't put the cart before the horse. If we are prioritising unity right now at the expense of dealing with fundamental issues we have, that won't work." Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan says leaving nuclear energy to the market is "ridiculous", calling for government-funded power plants to remain Coalition policy as Opposition Leader Sussan Ley promises to keep an open mind. Asked why the nuclear policy taken to the federal election by former opposition leader Peter Dutton to spend billions on power plants should not be discarded after voters rejected it, Senator Canavan likened the plan to the goods and services tax. "The GST was rejected by the Australian people in the early 1990s," the Nationals backbencher who unsuccessfully challenged for his party's leadership after the election told The Canberra Times. "We then went back ... a couple elections later, and argued for it and got it through." On Thursday, she named nuclear as "part of a big conversation about energy" along with net zero and emissions targets, promising to "respect the views of everyone in my party room as we work through these critically important issues". Implementing the GST is seen as part of former Liberal prime minister John Howard's legacy after he rolled out the consumption tax despite promising to "never" do so before being elected in 1996, on the grounds it had been voted down at the 1992 federal poll. Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie has called for Australia's 2050 target to be dumped by the Coalition, describing net zero as "a straightjacket", while moderate Zoe McKenzie - fresh from defeating a teal independent challenge to her Victorian seat of Flinders - called for it to be retained. Ms McKenzie said on Thursday that net zero would be essential if her party were to have any chance of winning back inner-city seats. Ms Ley said the Liberal and National parties had decided "that removing the moratorium on nuclear power is an important first step" and that the Coalition's wider energy policy would be "about getting the balance right". "We do need, as a country, to play our part in responding to the challenges of climate change, and we do need to reduce emissions ... But that won't come, and shouldn't come, at any cost," she told 4BC radio when asked about her stance on net zero. Ms Ley agreed to Nationals leader David Littleproud's demand that support be retained for lifting the national moratorium on nuclear energy as part of a deal to reform the Coalition, confirmed on Wednesday. The two parties rejoined after a week-long split, in which Mr Littleproud protested Ms Ley's plan to review all policies taken to the election and initially sought to abandon the convention of shadow cabinet solidarity, which binds Coalition frontbenchers to agreed policy positions. Senator Canavan, who is outspoken in his opposition to Australia's net zero 2050 target, said the argument that the government should not build nuclear power stations did not hold up when big investments were being made in renewables. "What the hell is the federal government doing right now, spending billions upon billions on snowy 2.0?" he said. "This is ridiculous ... Saying 'we'll leave it to the market' - that's clearly not happening in this country. "We're in a world where the government's going to have to play a role in any energy technology ... The energy technology that's being built by the market right now in Australia, all the renewable projects are backed in some way, shape or form by government." He said the way nuclear was sold at the election had been flawed, but that the policy itself had merit. "We have to show how this will help lower power prices, how it will maintain Australian manufacturing, provide new and high-paid job opportunities to young Australians." Asked if the divisions over energy were damaging to the Coalition's chances of presenting as a viable alternative government, Senator Canavan told this masthead it was "more important that we get things right first" on the policy front. "We shouldn't put the cart before the horse. If we are prioritising unity right now at the expense of dealing with fundamental issues we have, that won't work."
Sky News AU
5 days ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
WA Liberal MP Andrew Hastie adds to calls for Coalition to dump net zero calling it a 'straitjacket' on party's future
Western Australian MP Andrew Hastie has called for the Liberal Party to dump its commitment to net zero by 2050, claiming it was a 'straitjacket' on the party's future. The net zero commitment has continued to cause division inside the Liberal and National parties, which are still struggling to come to terms with the Coalition's worst ever defeat at this month's federal election. Speaking to Four Corners about the defeat and the path forward for the party, Mr Hastie said net zero was one policy that needed to be re-evaluated. 'I think the question of net zero, that's a straitjacket that I'm already getting out of,' he told the ABC. 'The real question is should Australian families and businesses be paying more for their electricity? 'And should we allow this sort of hypocrisy at the heart of our economy to continue whereby we sell coal and gas to India and China, and we deny it to our own people? 'That's the question that I think we need to answer.' Mr Hastie is not alone in wanting to the Coalition to dump its net zero policy, with Nationals Senator Matt Canavan telling Sky News Australia on Tuesday that the party 'got to get off this ridiculous pursuit of net zero emissions by 2050'. 'Almost every other country is walking away from it. Why are we still costing Australians by pursuing an arbitrary and abstract goal of net zero emissions by 2050?' Senator Canavan said. The Nationals Senator told Sky News he would not serve on any Coalition frontbench while the policy exists. 'I wish my colleagues all the best, but while we remain committed to this crazy net zero emissions column, I'm not going to serve,' he said. 'If we dump this ridiculous goal, I'll do what I can to serve the team and the country in what are the any role people think I'm capable of.' In contrast to Mr Hastie and Senator Canavan's stance, multiple Liberals have rejected the idea of dumping the policy, and the Nationals' leadership did not make it one of their policy demands during Coalition negotiations. Last week, Victorian Liberal Senator Jane Hume said dumping net zero would not be consistent with the message the public had sent the party. 'The electorate has sent us a very clear message what it is that they want in their government… abandoning net zero I don't necessarily think is consistent with that,' Senator Hume said. NSW Senator Maria Kovacic also argued against dumping the policy during last night's Four Corners episode. 'Most young Australians believe that climate change is real and we have to deliver energy policies that ensure that we reach our net zero targets and that we deliver stable power … that is as cheap as possible' she said. Mr Hastie is widely considered a future leader of the Liberal Party and has admitted he has the 'desire to lead'. However the former special forces soldier decided against running earlier this month, telling Sky News Australia it was not the right time for him to take on the job. 'I spoke to my wife Ruth, and it was very clear that I wasn't in a position to lead and be a good dad and husband at the same time,' Mr Hastie said. 'I've got a nine year old, a seven year old, and a three year old… you only get one shot at it, and I decided that I owe that to my family first and foremost.'
Sky News AU
5 days ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
‘Ridiculous pursuit': Labor's net zero ‘experiment' has failed to bring down prices
Nationals Senator Matt Canavan discusses the 'ridiculous pursuit' of net zero emissions by 2050. 'It's very clear that the Labor Party's renewables experiment has failed, it's failed to bring down power prices like they promised,' Mr Canavan told Sky News Australia. 'That's costing Australian families a fortune, it's also costing Australian businesses a fortune. 'This can't go on anymore in my view, we've got to get off this ridiculous pursuit of net zero emissions by 2050.'
The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Chaos: Coalition split old hat, Bob's super tax spray, farm advocacy reform
It was only three days ago, but it feels much longer, when the Nationals voted to exit the Coalition to take up residence on the crossbench as a minor party. The story then dominated headlines as, in the same vein of people saying things out loud that they should have kept in their heads, the Liberals and Nationals very publicly edged back towards maybe a new Coalition agreement while revealing to voters how democracy sausages are really made. Nationals Senator for Queensland Matt Canavan, however, has provided punters with some interesting context when assessing the historical significance of the issue. In urging those outside the tent to take a deep breath, Senator Canavan pointed out that since WWII the two parties have had just three stints in Opposition prior to the latest period. "In two of those three periods, the Coalition split for a time," he said. "If we are to split this time, it would make it three out of four." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that parliament will resume on July 22, when Labor MPs will have the run of the place after securing 94 of the 150 available lower house seats that will form the 48th Parliament. There is nothing more chaotic than Mother Nature, and the thoughts of ACM readers are with those battling rising and flash flooding across the Mid-North Coast of NSW, and particularly the families of the four people who have lost their lives. More than 675 flood rescues have been conducted, including 177 in the 24 hours to 5am Friday. The Land reports that travelling stock routes have been opened for farmers to move livestock when needed, and those needing urgent stock assistance are urged to call the Agricultural and Animal Services Functional Area emergency hotline. The slow-moving trough that dumped months of rain over the area has now shifted south, bringing heavy falls to the Hunter, Blue Mountains, Sydney and Southern Highlands. The National Farmers' Federation has released a discussion paper on advocacy reforms following a meeting of its Members' Council. The lobby group said the paper will guide the next phase of consultations to "modernise the NFF's governance, membership structure, and policy advocacy model". The issue has been on the NFF's agenda since the release of an Australian Farm Institute report in 2022 that found the current advocacy model was not sustainable for the long term. NFF president David Jochinke said the reforms were essential to ensure the body is a "strong, united and credible voice for Australian farmers". "Over the past 18 months, we've worked with members to ensure that NFF's structures and processes can meet the demands of a more complex and competitive policy environment," he said. The discussion paper canvasses several major reform areas, including voting rights, member categories, fee structures, the role of policy committees, and mechanisms to support agile policy responses in urgent situations. Mr Jochinke emphasised that the Board's role is to facilitate, not direct, the process. Recommendations are scheduled to be endorsed at the organisation's annual general meeting in October. The situation recently came to a head again with NSW Farmers sensationally resigning from the NFF last month, which president Xavier Martin said was over the slow pace of reforming "inefficiencies in the national advocacy model". The exit followed the Victorian Farmers' Federation resigning from the NFF last September and AusVeg, Australia's peak membership body for vegetable growers, terminating its membership of the NFF Horticulture Council last December. Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has unleashed a blistering attack on what he has labelled Labor's short-sighted tax grab on superannuation that will "rip the guts out of middle Australia". The unprecedented legislation, which promises to double superannuation taxes on assets totalling $3 million, was twice blocked from winning parliamentary support during the past six months. Mr Katter echoed sentiments of many in the business, financial and agricultural sectors that have slammed the plan. "This policy will have a catastrophic effect on anyone who has a farm, house or similar asset that is held by a super fund," he said. "If the market value increases, you will get a huge tax bill and, unless you have significant savings elsewhere, you will have to sell the asset to pay this crushing tax bill. "Land appreciation doesn't mean you're rich in cash. It means your rates go up, your insurance goes up, and now, thanks to this lunacy, your tax goes up too. And for what? For a so-called 'equity measure' that punishes the people who actually invest in this country. "This isn't going to hurt the big corporations. This isn't going to hurt the mega-rich. This is going to break the back of middle Australia." Three-time Olympic Gold medallist and freestyle world record holder Ariarne Titmus is encouraging Aussies to 'Go for Gold' this Australian Made Week in support of our local makers and growers. The week runs from May 19 to 25 but it appears there is yet to be a peep from the government. This would usually not bear scrutiny, but it was only two months ago that Mr Albanese responded to the threat of Donald Trump's tariffs not with reciprocal action but by encouraging Aussies to buy Aussie. We are probably thinking about this too deeply, but the patriotic table banging came at precisely the same time Labor was attempting to paint then Coalition leader Peter Dutton as Trump-lite, or Trump-like, or something. So, galvanising growing public scepticism against the US president was a fairly canny idea, and the PM let everyone know that he could with a frenzy of radio interviews at the time. Our favourite was the PM telling ABC Melbourne that Australians could have an impact by buying rum, specifically the old bogan brew, Queensland diesel, sugarcane champagne, the stupid juice, fire water and, the best of all, court case in a can. "Buy Bundy rather than some of the American products ... you can make a difference," he said. Labor also put $20 million into the campaign, which included supporting local manufacturers to get certified, improving a directory and launching a major new campaign. There are currently around 4,500 businesses licensed to carry the Australian Made logo, representing 40,000 jobs with a combined annual revenue of around $8 billion. If Taku Eto said to "let them eat cake", he would have been safe. Had he not known the price of eggs, as per Peter Dutton during the election campaign, or Albo who did not know the cash rate in 2022 or then prime minister Scott Morrison, who did not know the price of a loaf of bread in the same year (which like eggs does vary wildly to be fair)... safe, safe and safe. But Mr Eto, who started the week as Japan's agriculture minister, made a joke about not knowing the price of rice, because he had never bought any. And not because he doesn't love eating it, he does, but because he said he was gifted so much by supporters that he has never had to dip into the sky rocket to buy the stuff himself. The problem, as is so often the case, was timing and many people in Japan suddenly cannot afford the staple after huge price spikes. There was an instant and massive backlash to what was widely considered an unsavoury gaffe and, to avoid the opposition entering a no-confidence motion against him, the farm minister committed political harakiri and ended the week no longer Japan's Agriculture minister. Now he knows the price of rice (jokes). High-profile Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce urged men to get their prostate checked before he headed into surgery on May 5 after an early cancer diagnosis. He entered the operating theatre two days after a thumping win in his New England electorate, where he received over 90 per cent of the vote in some booths, and has since emerged fighting the good fight for locals. Meanwhile, public relations can be a dark art for some, as proven this week by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who said it was laying down the gloves to rush its "long-time sparring partner" a "get well" gift: a copy of a book about cancer survival. But sending the book quietly was not on the agenda; we only know about the act because the group trumpeted the deed in a fairly judgy press release citing unattributed research suggesting a meat-free diet reduced prostate cancer risks. "Recovering from surgery is the perfect time to rest, read and reconsider our lifestyle choices," said a spokesperson. "This gift is designed to help Mr. Joyce support his healing in an easy, compassionate way. Plus, we're confident he doesn't already have it!" Awarded dud PR move of the week. Australia has been listed as a "low" risk for deforestation in a long-awaited European Commission register that will guide what countries gain market access to the bloc when new anti-deforestation laws come into force later this year. The Commission's deforestation regulation, released on Thursday afternoon Brussels time, has assessed trading partners as having either a low, standard, or high risk for deforestation; the rating will determine the level of scrutiny authorities apply to commodities from those countries. The Albanese government formally requested that Australia be placed in the lowest risk category. More than a few clams are at stake with the regulation having the potential to import around $234 million in Australian exports and $110 billion in worldwide trade. Other key EU trading partners to be listed as low-risk were the US, UK, China and Canada, while only a handful of nations are rated as high-risk, including Russia, Myanmar, North Korea and Belarus. However, environmental groups have already questioned why nations with more extreme forest clearing records, such as Brazil and Bolivia, were classed as having a standard risk and not pitched into the highest category. Thousands of farmers and firefighters descended on Parliament House in Melbourne on Tuesday morning to protest against the Victorian government's new fire services levy. It was the second time in a week that they took their fight against the new levy to the streets. Beef giant, Australian Agricultural Company, has weathered a year of rising competition for its Wagyu products and lower average meat prices to post a 14 per cent profit jump. There is a lot of public and regulatory attention on how Pacific Blue proceeds with its decommissioning of the Codrington Wind Farm in western Victoria. Get the facts. Australian dairy farmer Nigel McNeil was struggling to find workers and facing a $1 million rebuild of his family's aging milk shed when he came across an opportunity to overhaul his operation with robots. A number of long-term records were smashed across South Australia and Victoria this week as a high-pressure ridge and associated dry conditions sent overnight temperatures down well below freezing. It was only three days ago, but it feels much longer, when the Nationals voted to exit the Coalition to take up residence on the crossbench as a minor party. The story then dominated headlines as, in the same vein of people saying things out loud that they should have kept in their heads, the Liberals and Nationals very publicly edged back towards maybe a new Coalition agreement while revealing to voters how democracy sausages are really made. Nationals Senator for Queensland Matt Canavan, however, has provided punters with some interesting context when assessing the historical significance of the issue. In urging those outside the tent to take a deep breath, Senator Canavan pointed out that since WWII the two parties have had just three stints in Opposition prior to the latest period. "In two of those three periods, the Coalition split for a time," he said. "If we are to split this time, it would make it three out of four." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that parliament will resume on July 22, when Labor MPs will have the run of the place after securing 94 of the 150 available lower house seats that will form the 48th Parliament. There is nothing more chaotic than Mother Nature, and the thoughts of ACM readers are with those battling rising and flash flooding across the Mid-North Coast of NSW, and particularly the families of the four people who have lost their lives. More than 675 flood rescues have been conducted, including 177 in the 24 hours to 5am Friday. The Land reports that travelling stock routes have been opened for farmers to move livestock when needed, and those needing urgent stock assistance are urged to call the Agricultural and Animal Services Functional Area emergency hotline. The slow-moving trough that dumped months of rain over the area has now shifted south, bringing heavy falls to the Hunter, Blue Mountains, Sydney and Southern Highlands. The National Farmers' Federation has released a discussion paper on advocacy reforms following a meeting of its Members' Council. The lobby group said the paper will guide the next phase of consultations to "modernise the NFF's governance, membership structure, and policy advocacy model". The issue has been on the NFF's agenda since the release of an Australian Farm Institute report in 2022 that found the current advocacy model was not sustainable for the long term. NFF president David Jochinke said the reforms were essential to ensure the body is a "strong, united and credible voice for Australian farmers". "Over the past 18 months, we've worked with members to ensure that NFF's structures and processes can meet the demands of a more complex and competitive policy environment," he said. The discussion paper canvasses several major reform areas, including voting rights, member categories, fee structures, the role of policy committees, and mechanisms to support agile policy responses in urgent situations. Mr Jochinke emphasised that the Board's role is to facilitate, not direct, the process. Recommendations are scheduled to be endorsed at the organisation's annual general meeting in October. The situation recently came to a head again with NSW Farmers sensationally resigning from the NFF last month, which president Xavier Martin said was over the slow pace of reforming "inefficiencies in the national advocacy model". The exit followed the Victorian Farmers' Federation resigning from the NFF last September and AusVeg, Australia's peak membership body for vegetable growers, terminating its membership of the NFF Horticulture Council last December. Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has unleashed a blistering attack on what he has labelled Labor's short-sighted tax grab on superannuation that will "rip the guts out of middle Australia". The unprecedented legislation, which promises to double superannuation taxes on assets totalling $3 million, was twice blocked from winning parliamentary support during the past six months. Mr Katter echoed sentiments of many in the business, financial and agricultural sectors that have slammed the plan. "This policy will have a catastrophic effect on anyone who has a farm, house or similar asset that is held by a super fund," he said. "If the market value increases, you will get a huge tax bill and, unless you have significant savings elsewhere, you will have to sell the asset to pay this crushing tax bill. "Land appreciation doesn't mean you're rich in cash. It means your rates go up, your insurance goes up, and now, thanks to this lunacy, your tax goes up too. And for what? For a so-called 'equity measure' that punishes the people who actually invest in this country. "This isn't going to hurt the big corporations. This isn't going to hurt the mega-rich. This is going to break the back of middle Australia." Three-time Olympic Gold medallist and freestyle world record holder Ariarne Titmus is encouraging Aussies to 'Go for Gold' this Australian Made Week in support of our local makers and growers. The week runs from May 19 to 25 but it appears there is yet to be a peep from the government. This would usually not bear scrutiny, but it was only two months ago that Mr Albanese responded to the threat of Donald Trump's tariffs not with reciprocal action but by encouraging Aussies to buy Aussie. We are probably thinking about this too deeply, but the patriotic table banging came at precisely the same time Labor was attempting to paint then Coalition leader Peter Dutton as Trump-lite, or Trump-like, or something. So, galvanising growing public scepticism against the US president was a fairly canny idea, and the PM let everyone know that he could with a frenzy of radio interviews at the time. Our favourite was the PM telling ABC Melbourne that Australians could have an impact by buying rum, specifically the old bogan brew, Queensland diesel, sugarcane champagne, the stupid juice, fire water and, the best of all, court case in a can. "Buy Bundy rather than some of the American products ... you can make a difference," he said. Labor also put $20 million into the campaign, which included supporting local manufacturers to get certified, improving a directory and launching a major new campaign. There are currently around 4,500 businesses licensed to carry the Australian Made logo, representing 40,000 jobs with a combined annual revenue of around $8 billion. If Taku Eto said to "let them eat cake", he would have been safe. Had he not known the price of eggs, as per Peter Dutton during the election campaign, or Albo who did not know the cash rate in 2022 or then prime minister Scott Morrison, who did not know the price of a loaf of bread in the same year (which like eggs does vary wildly to be fair)... safe, safe and safe. But Mr Eto, who started the week as Japan's agriculture minister, made a joke about not knowing the price of rice, because he had never bought any. And not because he doesn't love eating it, he does, but because he said he was gifted so much by supporters that he has never had to dip into the sky rocket to buy the stuff himself. The problem, as is so often the case, was timing and many people in Japan suddenly cannot afford the staple after huge price spikes. There was an instant and massive backlash to what was widely considered an unsavoury gaffe and, to avoid the opposition entering a no-confidence motion against him, the farm minister committed political harakiri and ended the week no longer Japan's Agriculture minister. Now he knows the price of rice (jokes). High-profile Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce urged men to get their prostate checked before he headed into surgery on May 5 after an early cancer diagnosis. He entered the operating theatre two days after a thumping win in his New England electorate, where he received over 90 per cent of the vote in some booths, and has since emerged fighting the good fight for locals. Meanwhile, public relations can be a dark art for some, as proven this week by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who said it was laying down the gloves to rush its "long-time sparring partner" a "get well" gift: a copy of a book about cancer survival. But sending the book quietly was not on the agenda; we only know about the act because the group trumpeted the deed in a fairly judgy press release citing unattributed research suggesting a meat-free diet reduced prostate cancer risks. "Recovering from surgery is the perfect time to rest, read and reconsider our lifestyle choices," said a spokesperson. "This gift is designed to help Mr. Joyce support his healing in an easy, compassionate way. Plus, we're confident he doesn't already have it!" Awarded dud PR move of the week. Australia has been listed as a "low" risk for deforestation in a long-awaited European Commission register that will guide what countries gain market access to the bloc when new anti-deforestation laws come into force later this year. The Commission's deforestation regulation, released on Thursday afternoon Brussels time, has assessed trading partners as having either a low, standard, or high risk for deforestation; the rating will determine the level of scrutiny authorities apply to commodities from those countries. The Albanese government formally requested that Australia be placed in the lowest risk category. More than a few clams are at stake with the regulation having the potential to import around $234 million in Australian exports and $110 billion in worldwide trade. Other key EU trading partners to be listed as low-risk were the US, UK, China and Canada, while only a handful of nations are rated as high-risk, including Russia, Myanmar, North Korea and Belarus. However, environmental groups have already questioned why nations with more extreme forest clearing records, such as Brazil and Bolivia, were classed as having a standard risk and not pitched into the highest category. Thousands of farmers and firefighters descended on Parliament House in Melbourne on Tuesday morning to protest against the Victorian government's new fire services levy. It was the second time in a week that they took their fight against the new levy to the streets. Beef giant, Australian Agricultural Company, has weathered a year of rising competition for its Wagyu products and lower average meat prices to post a 14 per cent profit jump. There is a lot of public and regulatory attention on how Pacific Blue proceeds with its decommissioning of the Codrington Wind Farm in western Victoria. Get the facts. Australian dairy farmer Nigel McNeil was struggling to find workers and facing a $1 million rebuild of his family's aging milk shed when he came across an opportunity to overhaul his operation with robots. A number of long-term records were smashed across South Australia and Victoria this week as a high-pressure ridge and associated dry conditions sent overnight temperatures down well below freezing. It was only three days ago, but it feels much longer, when the Nationals voted to exit the Coalition to take up residence on the crossbench as a minor party. The story then dominated headlines as, in the same vein of people saying things out loud that they should have kept in their heads, the Liberals and Nationals very publicly edged back towards maybe a new Coalition agreement while revealing to voters how democracy sausages are really made. Nationals Senator for Queensland Matt Canavan, however, has provided punters with some interesting context when assessing the historical significance of the issue. In urging those outside the tent to take a deep breath, Senator Canavan pointed out that since WWII the two parties have had just three stints in Opposition prior to the latest period. "In two of those three periods, the Coalition split for a time," he said. "If we are to split this time, it would make it three out of four." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that parliament will resume on July 22, when Labor MPs will have the run of the place after securing 94 of the 150 available lower house seats that will form the 48th Parliament. There is nothing more chaotic than Mother Nature, and the thoughts of ACM readers are with those battling rising and flash flooding across the Mid-North Coast of NSW, and particularly the families of the four people who have lost their lives. More than 675 flood rescues have been conducted, including 177 in the 24 hours to 5am Friday. The Land reports that travelling stock routes have been opened for farmers to move livestock when needed, and those needing urgent stock assistance are urged to call the Agricultural and Animal Services Functional Area emergency hotline. The slow-moving trough that dumped months of rain over the area has now shifted south, bringing heavy falls to the Hunter, Blue Mountains, Sydney and Southern Highlands. The National Farmers' Federation has released a discussion paper on advocacy reforms following a meeting of its Members' Council. The lobby group said the paper will guide the next phase of consultations to "modernise the NFF's governance, membership structure, and policy advocacy model". The issue has been on the NFF's agenda since the release of an Australian Farm Institute report in 2022 that found the current advocacy model was not sustainable for the long term. NFF president David Jochinke said the reforms were essential to ensure the body is a "strong, united and credible voice for Australian farmers". "Over the past 18 months, we've worked with members to ensure that NFF's structures and processes can meet the demands of a more complex and competitive policy environment," he said. The discussion paper canvasses several major reform areas, including voting rights, member categories, fee structures, the role of policy committees, and mechanisms to support agile policy responses in urgent situations. Mr Jochinke emphasised that the Board's role is to facilitate, not direct, the process. Recommendations are scheduled to be endorsed at the organisation's annual general meeting in October. The situation recently came to a head again with NSW Farmers sensationally resigning from the NFF last month, which president Xavier Martin said was over the slow pace of reforming "inefficiencies in the national advocacy model". The exit followed the Victorian Farmers' Federation resigning from the NFF last September and AusVeg, Australia's peak membership body for vegetable growers, terminating its membership of the NFF Horticulture Council last December. Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has unleashed a blistering attack on what he has labelled Labor's short-sighted tax grab on superannuation that will "rip the guts out of middle Australia". The unprecedented legislation, which promises to double superannuation taxes on assets totalling $3 million, was twice blocked from winning parliamentary support during the past six months. Mr Katter echoed sentiments of many in the business, financial and agricultural sectors that have slammed the plan. "This policy will have a catastrophic effect on anyone who has a farm, house or similar asset that is held by a super fund," he said. "If the market value increases, you will get a huge tax bill and, unless you have significant savings elsewhere, you will have to sell the asset to pay this crushing tax bill. "Land appreciation doesn't mean you're rich in cash. It means your rates go up, your insurance goes up, and now, thanks to this lunacy, your tax goes up too. And for what? For a so-called 'equity measure' that punishes the people who actually invest in this country. "This isn't going to hurt the big corporations. This isn't going to hurt the mega-rich. This is going to break the back of middle Australia." Three-time Olympic Gold medallist and freestyle world record holder Ariarne Titmus is encouraging Aussies to 'Go for Gold' this Australian Made Week in support of our local makers and growers. The week runs from May 19 to 25 but it appears there is yet to be a peep from the government. This would usually not bear scrutiny, but it was only two months ago that Mr Albanese responded to the threat of Donald Trump's tariffs not with reciprocal action but by encouraging Aussies to buy Aussie. We are probably thinking about this too deeply, but the patriotic table banging came at precisely the same time Labor was attempting to paint then Coalition leader Peter Dutton as Trump-lite, or Trump-like, or something. So, galvanising growing public scepticism against the US president was a fairly canny idea, and the PM let everyone know that he could with a frenzy of radio interviews at the time. Our favourite was the PM telling ABC Melbourne that Australians could have an impact by buying rum, specifically the old bogan brew, Queensland diesel, sugarcane champagne, the stupid juice, fire water and, the best of all, court case in a can. "Buy Bundy rather than some of the American products ... you can make a difference," he said. Labor also put $20 million into the campaign, which included supporting local manufacturers to get certified, improving a directory and launching a major new campaign. There are currently around 4,500 businesses licensed to carry the Australian Made logo, representing 40,000 jobs with a combined annual revenue of around $8 billion. If Taku Eto said to "let them eat cake", he would have been safe. Had he not known the price of eggs, as per Peter Dutton during the election campaign, or Albo who did not know the cash rate in 2022 or then prime minister Scott Morrison, who did not know the price of a loaf of bread in the same year (which like eggs does vary wildly to be fair)... safe, safe and safe. But Mr Eto, who started the week as Japan's agriculture minister, made a joke about not knowing the price of rice, because he had never bought any. And not because he doesn't love eating it, he does, but because he said he was gifted so much by supporters that he has never had to dip into the sky rocket to buy the stuff himself. The problem, as is so often the case, was timing and many people in Japan suddenly cannot afford the staple after huge price spikes. There was an instant and massive backlash to what was widely considered an unsavoury gaffe and, to avoid the opposition entering a no-confidence motion against him, the farm minister committed political harakiri and ended the week no longer Japan's Agriculture minister. Now he knows the price of rice (jokes). High-profile Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce urged men to get their prostate checked before he headed into surgery on May 5 after an early cancer diagnosis. He entered the operating theatre two days after a thumping win in his New England electorate, where he received over 90 per cent of the vote in some booths, and has since emerged fighting the good fight for locals. Meanwhile, public relations can be a dark art for some, as proven this week by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who said it was laying down the gloves to rush its "long-time sparring partner" a "get well" gift: a copy of a book about cancer survival. But sending the book quietly was not on the agenda; we only know about the act because the group trumpeted the deed in a fairly judgy press release citing unattributed research suggesting a meat-free diet reduced prostate cancer risks. "Recovering from surgery is the perfect time to rest, read and reconsider our lifestyle choices," said a spokesperson. "This gift is designed to help Mr. Joyce support his healing in an easy, compassionate way. Plus, we're confident he doesn't already have it!" Awarded dud PR move of the week. Australia has been listed as a "low" risk for deforestation in a long-awaited European Commission register that will guide what countries gain market access to the bloc when new anti-deforestation laws come into force later this year. The Commission's deforestation regulation, released on Thursday afternoon Brussels time, has assessed trading partners as having either a low, standard, or high risk for deforestation; the rating will determine the level of scrutiny authorities apply to commodities from those countries. The Albanese government formally requested that Australia be placed in the lowest risk category. More than a few clams are at stake with the regulation having the potential to import around $234 million in Australian exports and $110 billion in worldwide trade. Other key EU trading partners to be listed as low-risk were the US, UK, China and Canada, while only a handful of nations are rated as high-risk, including Russia, Myanmar, North Korea and Belarus. However, environmental groups have already questioned why nations with more extreme forest clearing records, such as Brazil and Bolivia, were classed as having a standard risk and not pitched into the highest category. Thousands of farmers and firefighters descended on Parliament House in Melbourne on Tuesday morning to protest against the Victorian government's new fire services levy. It was the second time in a week that they took their fight against the new levy to the streets. Beef giant, Australian Agricultural Company, has weathered a year of rising competition for its Wagyu products and lower average meat prices to post a 14 per cent profit jump. There is a lot of public and regulatory attention on how Pacific Blue proceeds with its decommissioning of the Codrington Wind Farm in western Victoria. Get the facts. Australian dairy farmer Nigel McNeil was struggling to find workers and facing a $1 million rebuild of his family's aging milk shed when he came across an opportunity to overhaul his operation with robots. A number of long-term records were smashed across South Australia and Victoria this week as a high-pressure ridge and associated dry conditions sent overnight temperatures down well below freezing. It was only three days ago, but it feels much longer, when the Nationals voted to exit the Coalition to take up residence on the crossbench as a minor party. The story then dominated headlines as, in the same vein of people saying things out loud that they should have kept in their heads, the Liberals and Nationals very publicly edged back towards maybe a new Coalition agreement while revealing to voters how democracy sausages are really made. Nationals Senator for Queensland Matt Canavan, however, has provided punters with some interesting context when assessing the historical significance of the issue. In urging those outside the tent to take a deep breath, Senator Canavan pointed out that since WWII the two parties have had just three stints in Opposition prior to the latest period. "In two of those three periods, the Coalition split for a time," he said. "If we are to split this time, it would make it three out of four." Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that parliament will resume on July 22, when Labor MPs will have the run of the place after securing 94 of the 150 available lower house seats that will form the 48th Parliament. There is nothing more chaotic than Mother Nature, and the thoughts of ACM readers are with those battling rising and flash flooding across the Mid-North Coast of NSW, and particularly the families of the four people who have lost their lives. More than 675 flood rescues have been conducted, including 177 in the 24 hours to 5am Friday. The Land reports that travelling stock routes have been opened for farmers to move livestock when needed, and those needing urgent stock assistance are urged to call the Agricultural and Animal Services Functional Area emergency hotline. The slow-moving trough that dumped months of rain over the area has now shifted south, bringing heavy falls to the Hunter, Blue Mountains, Sydney and Southern Highlands. The National Farmers' Federation has released a discussion paper on advocacy reforms following a meeting of its Members' Council. The lobby group said the paper will guide the next phase of consultations to "modernise the NFF's governance, membership structure, and policy advocacy model". The issue has been on the NFF's agenda since the release of an Australian Farm Institute report in 2022 that found the current advocacy model was not sustainable for the long term. NFF president David Jochinke said the reforms were essential to ensure the body is a "strong, united and credible voice for Australian farmers". "Over the past 18 months, we've worked with members to ensure that NFF's structures and processes can meet the demands of a more complex and competitive policy environment," he said. The discussion paper canvasses several major reform areas, including voting rights, member categories, fee structures, the role of policy committees, and mechanisms to support agile policy responses in urgent situations. Mr Jochinke emphasised that the Board's role is to facilitate, not direct, the process. Recommendations are scheduled to be endorsed at the organisation's annual general meeting in October. The situation recently came to a head again with NSW Farmers sensationally resigning from the NFF last month, which president Xavier Martin said was over the slow pace of reforming "inefficiencies in the national advocacy model". The exit followed the Victorian Farmers' Federation resigning from the NFF last September and AusVeg, Australia's peak membership body for vegetable growers, terminating its membership of the NFF Horticulture Council last December. Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has unleashed a blistering attack on what he has labelled Labor's short-sighted tax grab on superannuation that will "rip the guts out of middle Australia". The unprecedented legislation, which promises to double superannuation taxes on assets totalling $3 million, was twice blocked from winning parliamentary support during the past six months. Mr Katter echoed sentiments of many in the business, financial and agricultural sectors that have slammed the plan. "This policy will have a catastrophic effect on anyone who has a farm, house or similar asset that is held by a super fund," he said. "If the market value increases, you will get a huge tax bill and, unless you have significant savings elsewhere, you will have to sell the asset to pay this crushing tax bill. "Land appreciation doesn't mean you're rich in cash. It means your rates go up, your insurance goes up, and now, thanks to this lunacy, your tax goes up too. And for what? For a so-called 'equity measure' that punishes the people who actually invest in this country. "This isn't going to hurt the big corporations. This isn't going to hurt the mega-rich. This is going to break the back of middle Australia." Three-time Olympic Gold medallist and freestyle world record holder Ariarne Titmus is encouraging Aussies to 'Go for Gold' this Australian Made Week in support of our local makers and growers. The week runs from May 19 to 25 but it appears there is yet to be a peep from the government. This would usually not bear scrutiny, but it was only two months ago that Mr Albanese responded to the threat of Donald Trump's tariffs not with reciprocal action but by encouraging Aussies to buy Aussie. We are probably thinking about this too deeply, but the patriotic table banging came at precisely the same time Labor was attempting to paint then Coalition leader Peter Dutton as Trump-lite, or Trump-like, or something. So, galvanising growing public scepticism against the US president was a fairly canny idea, and the PM let everyone know that he could with a frenzy of radio interviews at the time. Our favourite was the PM telling ABC Melbourne that Australians could have an impact by buying rum, specifically the old bogan brew, Queensland diesel, sugarcane champagne, the stupid juice, fire water and, the best of all, court case in a can. "Buy Bundy rather than some of the American products ... you can make a difference," he said. Labor also put $20 million into the campaign, which included supporting local manufacturers to get certified, improving a directory and launching a major new campaign. There are currently around 4,500 businesses licensed to carry the Australian Made logo, representing 40,000 jobs with a combined annual revenue of around $8 billion. If Taku Eto said to "let them eat cake", he would have been safe. Had he not known the price of eggs, as per Peter Dutton during the election campaign, or Albo who did not know the cash rate in 2022 or then prime minister Scott Morrison, who did not know the price of a loaf of bread in the same year (which like eggs does vary wildly to be fair)... safe, safe and safe. But Mr Eto, who started the week as Japan's agriculture minister, made a joke about not knowing the price of rice, because he had never bought any. And not because he doesn't love eating it, he does, but because he said he was gifted so much by supporters that he has never had to dip into the sky rocket to buy the stuff himself. The problem, as is so often the case, was timing and many people in Japan suddenly cannot afford the staple after huge price spikes. There was an instant and massive backlash to what was widely considered an unsavoury gaffe and, to avoid the opposition entering a no-confidence motion against him, the farm minister committed political harakiri and ended the week no longer Japan's Agriculture minister. Now he knows the price of rice (jokes). High-profile Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce urged men to get their prostate checked before he headed into surgery on May 5 after an early cancer diagnosis. He entered the operating theatre two days after a thumping win in his New England electorate, where he received over 90 per cent of the vote in some booths, and has since emerged fighting the good fight for locals. Meanwhile, public relations can be a dark art for some, as proven this week by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who said it was laying down the gloves to rush its "long-time sparring partner" a "get well" gift: a copy of a book about cancer survival. But sending the book quietly was not on the agenda; we only know about the act because the group trumpeted the deed in a fairly judgy press release citing unattributed research suggesting a meat-free diet reduced prostate cancer risks. "Recovering from surgery is the perfect time to rest, read and reconsider our lifestyle choices," said a spokesperson. "This gift is designed to help Mr. Joyce support his healing in an easy, compassionate way. Plus, we're confident he doesn't already have it!" Awarded dud PR move of the week. Australia has been listed as a "low" risk for deforestation in a long-awaited European Commission register that will guide what countries gain market access to the bloc when new anti-deforestation laws come into force later this year. The Commission's deforestation regulation, released on Thursday afternoon Brussels time, has assessed trading partners as having either a low, standard, or high risk for deforestation; the rating will determine the level of scrutiny authorities apply to commodities from those countries. The Albanese government formally requested that Australia be placed in the lowest risk category. More than a few clams are at stake with the regulation having the potential to import around $234 million in Australian exports and $110 billion in worldwide trade. Other key EU trading partners to be listed as low-risk were the US, UK, China and Canada, while only a handful of nations are rated as high-risk, including Russia, Myanmar, North Korea and Belarus. However, environmental groups have already questioned why nations with more extreme forest clearing records, such as Brazil and Bolivia, were classed as having a standard risk and not pitched into the highest category. Thousands of farmers and firefighters descended on Parliament House in Melbourne on Tuesday morning to protest against the Victorian government's new fire services levy. It was the second time in a week that they took their fight against the new levy to the streets. Beef giant, Australian Agricultural Company, has weathered a year of rising competition for its Wagyu products and lower average meat prices to post a 14 per cent profit jump. There is a lot of public and regulatory attention on how Pacific Blue proceeds with its decommissioning of the Codrington Wind Farm in western Victoria. Get the facts. Australian dairy farmer Nigel McNeil was struggling to find workers and facing a $1 million rebuild of his family's aging milk shed when he came across an opportunity to overhaul his operation with robots. A number of long-term records were smashed across South Australia and Victoria this week as a high-pressure ridge and associated dry conditions sent overnight temperatures down well below freezing.
