Latest news with #TheLand
The Advertiser
29-07-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Almost 200 education jobs to be axed from regional areas
As several government departments undergo restructures and reduced spending, another agency is slashing jobs; this time it's education. It is understood about 195 jobs are being cut from TAFE NSW, with many expected to go in regional centres including Dubbo, Orange and Port Macquarie. In TAFE NSW's draft change management plan, which was distributed to staff and obtained by The Land, it outlines proposed jobs impacted for two sectors within the agency, the product and quality group as well as TAFE Digital. While TAFE NSW did not confirm exact numbers to The Land, a spokesperson said until the consultation, review and placement process was complete, final positions and the locations would not be known. "Importantly, no teaching positions have been identified for removal as part of the proposed changes," the spokesperson said. It comes a day after The Land reported that 165 jobs were expected to be slashed at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) in a decision that it says will enable the government to "work in a sustainable and responsible way". And just last week, Transport for NSW also announced in a memo that there would be about 950 staff cuts. NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said it was disappointing to hear this government seemed "hell bent" on removing any support for regional areas, with TAFE the latest victim. "I've heard directly from local teachers about the concerns they have about another restructure, and the impact it's having on regional jobs," Mr Saunders said. "Education and training are key to attracting and retaining skilled workers in the bush, and this will have broader implications on a range of industries already struggling with mass shortages." The TAFE NSW spokesperson said last week, its employees were invited to participate in consultation on proposed changes to better align operations with the needs of students, industries, and communities. The spokesperson said TAFE NSW had transitioned to a new operating model earlier this year to more closely align educational delivery with industry needs and prioritise community engagement. "The changes proposed build on learnings from this transition to streamline processes, reduce duplication, and support more consistent delivery across the organisation," the spokesperson said. They said it was also in line with recommendations from the 2024 NSW VET Review and supports the delivery of commitments in the TAFE NSW Charter. "TAFE NSW has many roles that are location agnostic and can be performed from anywhere across the state," the spokesperson said. "The consultation process is an opportunity for all employees to provide feedback on the proposed changes." As several government departments undergo restructures and reduced spending, another agency is slashing jobs; this time it's education. It is understood about 195 jobs are being cut from TAFE NSW, with many expected to go in regional centres including Dubbo, Orange and Port Macquarie. In TAFE NSW's draft change management plan, which was distributed to staff and obtained by The Land, it outlines proposed jobs impacted for two sectors within the agency, the product and quality group as well as TAFE Digital. While TAFE NSW did not confirm exact numbers to The Land, a spokesperson said until the consultation, review and placement process was complete, final positions and the locations would not be known. "Importantly, no teaching positions have been identified for removal as part of the proposed changes," the spokesperson said. It comes a day after The Land reported that 165 jobs were expected to be slashed at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) in a decision that it says will enable the government to "work in a sustainable and responsible way". And just last week, Transport for NSW also announced in a memo that there would be about 950 staff cuts. NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said it was disappointing to hear this government seemed "hell bent" on removing any support for regional areas, with TAFE the latest victim. "I've heard directly from local teachers about the concerns they have about another restructure, and the impact it's having on regional jobs," Mr Saunders said. "Education and training are key to attracting and retaining skilled workers in the bush, and this will have broader implications on a range of industries already struggling with mass shortages." The TAFE NSW spokesperson said last week, its employees were invited to participate in consultation on proposed changes to better align operations with the needs of students, industries, and communities. The spokesperson said TAFE NSW had transitioned to a new operating model earlier this year to more closely align educational delivery with industry needs and prioritise community engagement. "The changes proposed build on learnings from this transition to streamline processes, reduce duplication, and support more consistent delivery across the organisation," the spokesperson said. They said it was also in line with recommendations from the 2024 NSW VET Review and supports the delivery of commitments in the TAFE NSW Charter. "TAFE NSW has many roles that are location agnostic and can be performed from anywhere across the state," the spokesperson said. "The consultation process is an opportunity for all employees to provide feedback on the proposed changes." As several government departments undergo restructures and reduced spending, another agency is slashing jobs; this time it's education. It is understood about 195 jobs are being cut from TAFE NSW, with many expected to go in regional centres including Dubbo, Orange and Port Macquarie. In TAFE NSW's draft change management plan, which was distributed to staff and obtained by The Land, it outlines proposed jobs impacted for two sectors within the agency, the product and quality group as well as TAFE Digital. While TAFE NSW did not confirm exact numbers to The Land, a spokesperson said until the consultation, review and placement process was complete, final positions and the locations would not be known. "Importantly, no teaching positions have been identified for removal as part of the proposed changes," the spokesperson said. It comes a day after The Land reported that 165 jobs were expected to be slashed at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) in a decision that it says will enable the government to "work in a sustainable and responsible way". And just last week, Transport for NSW also announced in a memo that there would be about 950 staff cuts. NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said it was disappointing to hear this government seemed "hell bent" on removing any support for regional areas, with TAFE the latest victim. "I've heard directly from local teachers about the concerns they have about another restructure, and the impact it's having on regional jobs," Mr Saunders said. "Education and training are key to attracting and retaining skilled workers in the bush, and this will have broader implications on a range of industries already struggling with mass shortages." The TAFE NSW spokesperson said last week, its employees were invited to participate in consultation on proposed changes to better align operations with the needs of students, industries, and communities. The spokesperson said TAFE NSW had transitioned to a new operating model earlier this year to more closely align educational delivery with industry needs and prioritise community engagement. "The changes proposed build on learnings from this transition to streamline processes, reduce duplication, and support more consistent delivery across the organisation," the spokesperson said. They said it was also in line with recommendations from the 2024 NSW VET Review and supports the delivery of commitments in the TAFE NSW Charter. "TAFE NSW has many roles that are location agnostic and can be performed from anywhere across the state," the spokesperson said. "The consultation process is an opportunity for all employees to provide feedback on the proposed changes." As several government departments undergo restructures and reduced spending, another agency is slashing jobs; this time it's education. It is understood about 195 jobs are being cut from TAFE NSW, with many expected to go in regional centres including Dubbo, Orange and Port Macquarie. In TAFE NSW's draft change management plan, which was distributed to staff and obtained by The Land, it outlines proposed jobs impacted for two sectors within the agency, the product and quality group as well as TAFE Digital. While TAFE NSW did not confirm exact numbers to The Land, a spokesperson said until the consultation, review and placement process was complete, final positions and the locations would not be known. "Importantly, no teaching positions have been identified for removal as part of the proposed changes," the spokesperson said. It comes a day after The Land reported that 165 jobs were expected to be slashed at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) in a decision that it says will enable the government to "work in a sustainable and responsible way". And just last week, Transport for NSW also announced in a memo that there would be about 950 staff cuts. NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said it was disappointing to hear this government seemed "hell bent" on removing any support for regional areas, with TAFE the latest victim. "I've heard directly from local teachers about the concerns they have about another restructure, and the impact it's having on regional jobs," Mr Saunders said. "Education and training are key to attracting and retaining skilled workers in the bush, and this will have broader implications on a range of industries already struggling with mass shortages." The TAFE NSW spokesperson said last week, its employees were invited to participate in consultation on proposed changes to better align operations with the needs of students, industries, and communities. The spokesperson said TAFE NSW had transitioned to a new operating model earlier this year to more closely align educational delivery with industry needs and prioritise community engagement. "The changes proposed build on learnings from this transition to streamline processes, reduce duplication, and support more consistent delivery across the organisation," the spokesperson said. They said it was also in line with recommendations from the 2024 NSW VET Review and supports the delivery of commitments in the TAFE NSW Charter. "TAFE NSW has many roles that are location agnostic and can be performed from anywhere across the state," the spokesperson said. "The consultation process is an opportunity for all employees to provide feedback on the proposed changes."
The Advertiser
25-07-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
Our recycling scheme needs a change in culture to get real success
Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land senior journalist Elizabeth Anderson. How many people collect their cans and bottles for the 10-cent container deposit scheme? In NSW, the scheme has been in place since 2017, 2018 for Queensland and the ACT, 2020 for WA, 2023 for Victoria, while Tasmania introduced it in 2023. I have spent the past 10 years living in South Australia, where they are approaching nearly 50 years of the scheme, and - after returning to live in NSW - I've realised it is not enough to change some legislation. If you want to get real change, it comes from changing the culture. In SA, most buildings and businesses would have special 10c container bins in place, for people to put their bottles and cans. My office had one in the kitchen, with the money collected going towards small treats like an office afternoon tea during Melbourne Cup or the first round of drinks at the staff Christmas Party. At the Lifeblood blood bank, there would be a special container for the flavoured milk or juices drunk after donating blood, with the money raised going back to supporting the services. But it's at major events where the real benefits lie. At agricultural field days - two or three-day events with thousands of attendees who all love to grab a can of coke with their steak sandwich - they would have large wire containers set up strategically on corners, where people could drop their empty cans or water bottles. These would then serve as a fundraiser for local sporting or scout groups. After attending a few major events recently where these containers ended up mingled in with general rubbish, I shudder to think how many hundreds of dollars were being thrown away that could instead be used to help put uniforms on a junior footy team or help support excursions for scouts. We all know 10c does not go as far as it used to, but combined, it adds up. An estimated 10,000 people all throwing away one can of drink (and it's never just one on a hot day) equates to $1000. Just setting up a receptacle for people to throw away trash to bring in $1000 seems a lot easier than selling the equivalent in fundraiser chocolates or raffle tickets! You can make the argument we should be using less waste in general, drinking less processed drinks and using reusable water bottles - all valid. But if we will have the waste anyway, let's make a few small changes in culture, set up waste containers, and put the money to good use. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land senior journalist Elizabeth Anderson. How many people collect their cans and bottles for the 10-cent container deposit scheme? In NSW, the scheme has been in place since 2017, 2018 for Queensland and the ACT, 2020 for WA, 2023 for Victoria, while Tasmania introduced it in 2023. I have spent the past 10 years living in South Australia, where they are approaching nearly 50 years of the scheme, and - after returning to live in NSW - I've realised it is not enough to change some legislation. If you want to get real change, it comes from changing the culture. In SA, most buildings and businesses would have special 10c container bins in place, for people to put their bottles and cans. My office had one in the kitchen, with the money collected going towards small treats like an office afternoon tea during Melbourne Cup or the first round of drinks at the staff Christmas Party. At the Lifeblood blood bank, there would be a special container for the flavoured milk or juices drunk after donating blood, with the money raised going back to supporting the services. But it's at major events where the real benefits lie. At agricultural field days - two or three-day events with thousands of attendees who all love to grab a can of coke with their steak sandwich - they would have large wire containers set up strategically on corners, where people could drop their empty cans or water bottles. These would then serve as a fundraiser for local sporting or scout groups. After attending a few major events recently where these containers ended up mingled in with general rubbish, I shudder to think how many hundreds of dollars were being thrown away that could instead be used to help put uniforms on a junior footy team or help support excursions for scouts. We all know 10c does not go as far as it used to, but combined, it adds up. An estimated 10,000 people all throwing away one can of drink (and it's never just one on a hot day) equates to $1000. Just setting up a receptacle for people to throw away trash to bring in $1000 seems a lot easier than selling the equivalent in fundraiser chocolates or raffle tickets! You can make the argument we should be using less waste in general, drinking less processed drinks and using reusable water bottles - all valid. But if we will have the waste anyway, let's make a few small changes in culture, set up waste containers, and put the money to good use. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land senior journalist Elizabeth Anderson. How many people collect their cans and bottles for the 10-cent container deposit scheme? In NSW, the scheme has been in place since 2017, 2018 for Queensland and the ACT, 2020 for WA, 2023 for Victoria, while Tasmania introduced it in 2023. I have spent the past 10 years living in South Australia, where they are approaching nearly 50 years of the scheme, and - after returning to live in NSW - I've realised it is not enough to change some legislation. If you want to get real change, it comes from changing the culture. In SA, most buildings and businesses would have special 10c container bins in place, for people to put their bottles and cans. My office had one in the kitchen, with the money collected going towards small treats like an office afternoon tea during Melbourne Cup or the first round of drinks at the staff Christmas Party. At the Lifeblood blood bank, there would be a special container for the flavoured milk or juices drunk after donating blood, with the money raised going back to supporting the services. But it's at major events where the real benefits lie. At agricultural field days - two or three-day events with thousands of attendees who all love to grab a can of coke with their steak sandwich - they would have large wire containers set up strategically on corners, where people could drop their empty cans or water bottles. These would then serve as a fundraiser for local sporting or scout groups. After attending a few major events recently where these containers ended up mingled in with general rubbish, I shudder to think how many hundreds of dollars were being thrown away that could instead be used to help put uniforms on a junior footy team or help support excursions for scouts. We all know 10c does not go as far as it used to, but combined, it adds up. An estimated 10,000 people all throwing away one can of drink (and it's never just one on a hot day) equates to $1000. Just setting up a receptacle for people to throw away trash to bring in $1000 seems a lot easier than selling the equivalent in fundraiser chocolates or raffle tickets! You can make the argument we should be using less waste in general, drinking less processed drinks and using reusable water bottles - all valid. But if we will have the waste anyway, let's make a few small changes in culture, set up waste containers, and put the money to good use. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land senior journalist Elizabeth Anderson. How many people collect their cans and bottles for the 10-cent container deposit scheme? In NSW, the scheme has been in place since 2017, 2018 for Queensland and the ACT, 2020 for WA, 2023 for Victoria, while Tasmania introduced it in 2023. I have spent the past 10 years living in South Australia, where they are approaching nearly 50 years of the scheme, and - after returning to live in NSW - I've realised it is not enough to change some legislation. If you want to get real change, it comes from changing the culture. In SA, most buildings and businesses would have special 10c container bins in place, for people to put their bottles and cans. My office had one in the kitchen, with the money collected going towards small treats like an office afternoon tea during Melbourne Cup or the first round of drinks at the staff Christmas Party. At the Lifeblood blood bank, there would be a special container for the flavoured milk or juices drunk after donating blood, with the money raised going back to supporting the services. But it's at major events where the real benefits lie. At agricultural field days - two or three-day events with thousands of attendees who all love to grab a can of coke with their steak sandwich - they would have large wire containers set up strategically on corners, where people could drop their empty cans or water bottles. These would then serve as a fundraiser for local sporting or scout groups. After attending a few major events recently where these containers ended up mingled in with general rubbish, I shudder to think how many hundreds of dollars were being thrown away that could instead be used to help put uniforms on a junior footy team or help support excursions for scouts. We all know 10c does not go as far as it used to, but combined, it adds up. An estimated 10,000 people all throwing away one can of drink (and it's never just one on a hot day) equates to $1000. Just setting up a receptacle for people to throw away trash to bring in $1000 seems a lot easier than selling the equivalent in fundraiser chocolates or raffle tickets! You can make the argument we should be using less waste in general, drinking less processed drinks and using reusable water bottles - all valid. But if we will have the waste anyway, let's make a few small changes in culture, set up waste containers, and put the money to good use.
The Advertiser
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
What little difference two decades of 'roadworks' can make
Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land senior journalist Elizabeth Anderson. A little under two decades ago, I was a young student from central-west NSW, attending university in Sydney. During that time, I had a lot of opportunities to make the trip through the Blue Mountains. I have memories of an Easter, stuck bumper-to-bumper while travelling up the Mount Victoria Pass, and another trip where traffic literally stopped, to the point my sister and I swapped drivers in the middle of the Highway. At the time, there was a lot of talk about investments and improvements that were on the way - there was certainly plenty of roadworks. For the past decade, I have lived interstate, so I have not had much cause to travel those roads. But since moving back to central west NSW, that has changed, with plenty of reasons to cross the divide to Sydney. I was fairly optimistic, even looking forward to what improvements might have occurred in the time since I last took on that road. And I couldn't identify any. Even the roadworks of 17 years ago seemed to be the same ones happening today. I attempted a count and between the edge of Penrith and Lithgow - a distance of about 80 kilometres - there were somewhere between 25 and 30 speed zone changes. I did lose count because they happened so frequently. This averages out at a different speed every 3km. And I'm not even counting those changes for school zones or road works. While some made sense, others just seemed absolutely arbitrary, with no discernible difference why this stretch of road needed to be 70km when it was just the same as the 80km stretch that preceded it. Given the number of cameras along the road, the cynic in me surmises this might be on purpose. I have been told that one of the most "successful" speed cameras in the state is at Mount Victoria Pass, raking in $2.2 million in fines every year. I wonder if the reason so many people fail to obey the speed limit is by the time they reach that point, they are so fatigued by trying to work out if they should be going 60km, 70km, 80km or 90km. While there have been some improvements in the city - the M4 tunnel going all the way to the city is worth remarking on - it seems the same focus has not been spent on investment for the major thoroughfare for central west and western NSW to access their capital city. This is not even touching on the number of major accidents that seem to happen along this stretch of road far too regularly. Surely, given the economic power for this part of the country, it's not too much to ask for some investment in a better journey on such an important road. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land senior journalist Elizabeth Anderson. A little under two decades ago, I was a young student from central-west NSW, attending university in Sydney. During that time, I had a lot of opportunities to make the trip through the Blue Mountains. I have memories of an Easter, stuck bumper-to-bumper while travelling up the Mount Victoria Pass, and another trip where traffic literally stopped, to the point my sister and I swapped drivers in the middle of the Highway. At the time, there was a lot of talk about investments and improvements that were on the way - there was certainly plenty of roadworks. For the past decade, I have lived interstate, so I have not had much cause to travel those roads. But since moving back to central west NSW, that has changed, with plenty of reasons to cross the divide to Sydney. I was fairly optimistic, even looking forward to what improvements might have occurred in the time since I last took on that road. And I couldn't identify any. Even the roadworks of 17 years ago seemed to be the same ones happening today. I attempted a count and between the edge of Penrith and Lithgow - a distance of about 80 kilometres - there were somewhere between 25 and 30 speed zone changes. I did lose count because they happened so frequently. This averages out at a different speed every 3km. And I'm not even counting those changes for school zones or road works. While some made sense, others just seemed absolutely arbitrary, with no discernible difference why this stretch of road needed to be 70km when it was just the same as the 80km stretch that preceded it. Given the number of cameras along the road, the cynic in me surmises this might be on purpose. I have been told that one of the most "successful" speed cameras in the state is at Mount Victoria Pass, raking in $2.2 million in fines every year. I wonder if the reason so many people fail to obey the speed limit is by the time they reach that point, they are so fatigued by trying to work out if they should be going 60km, 70km, 80km or 90km. While there have been some improvements in the city - the M4 tunnel going all the way to the city is worth remarking on - it seems the same focus has not been spent on investment for the major thoroughfare for central west and western NSW to access their capital city. This is not even touching on the number of major accidents that seem to happen along this stretch of road far too regularly. Surely, given the economic power for this part of the country, it's not too much to ask for some investment in a better journey on such an important road. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land senior journalist Elizabeth Anderson. A little under two decades ago, I was a young student from central-west NSW, attending university in Sydney. During that time, I had a lot of opportunities to make the trip through the Blue Mountains. I have memories of an Easter, stuck bumper-to-bumper while travelling up the Mount Victoria Pass, and another trip where traffic literally stopped, to the point my sister and I swapped drivers in the middle of the Highway. At the time, there was a lot of talk about investments and improvements that were on the way - there was certainly plenty of roadworks. For the past decade, I have lived interstate, so I have not had much cause to travel those roads. But since moving back to central west NSW, that has changed, with plenty of reasons to cross the divide to Sydney. I was fairly optimistic, even looking forward to what improvements might have occurred in the time since I last took on that road. And I couldn't identify any. Even the roadworks of 17 years ago seemed to be the same ones happening today. I attempted a count and between the edge of Penrith and Lithgow - a distance of about 80 kilometres - there were somewhere between 25 and 30 speed zone changes. I did lose count because they happened so frequently. This averages out at a different speed every 3km. And I'm not even counting those changes for school zones or road works. While some made sense, others just seemed absolutely arbitrary, with no discernible difference why this stretch of road needed to be 70km when it was just the same as the 80km stretch that preceded it. Given the number of cameras along the road, the cynic in me surmises this might be on purpose. I have been told that one of the most "successful" speed cameras in the state is at Mount Victoria Pass, raking in $2.2 million in fines every year. I wonder if the reason so many people fail to obey the speed limit is by the time they reach that point, they are so fatigued by trying to work out if they should be going 60km, 70km, 80km or 90km. While there have been some improvements in the city - the M4 tunnel going all the way to the city is worth remarking on - it seems the same focus has not been spent on investment for the major thoroughfare for central west and western NSW to access their capital city. This is not even touching on the number of major accidents that seem to happen along this stretch of road far too regularly. Surely, given the economic power for this part of the country, it's not too much to ask for some investment in a better journey on such an important road. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land senior journalist Elizabeth Anderson. A little under two decades ago, I was a young student from central-west NSW, attending university in Sydney. During that time, I had a lot of opportunities to make the trip through the Blue Mountains. I have memories of an Easter, stuck bumper-to-bumper while travelling up the Mount Victoria Pass, and another trip where traffic literally stopped, to the point my sister and I swapped drivers in the middle of the Highway. At the time, there was a lot of talk about investments and improvements that were on the way - there was certainly plenty of roadworks. For the past decade, I have lived interstate, so I have not had much cause to travel those roads. But since moving back to central west NSW, that has changed, with plenty of reasons to cross the divide to Sydney. I was fairly optimistic, even looking forward to what improvements might have occurred in the time since I last took on that road. And I couldn't identify any. Even the roadworks of 17 years ago seemed to be the same ones happening today. I attempted a count and between the edge of Penrith and Lithgow - a distance of about 80 kilometres - there were somewhere between 25 and 30 speed zone changes. I did lose count because they happened so frequently. This averages out at a different speed every 3km. And I'm not even counting those changes for school zones or road works. While some made sense, others just seemed absolutely arbitrary, with no discernible difference why this stretch of road needed to be 70km when it was just the same as the 80km stretch that preceded it. Given the number of cameras along the road, the cynic in me surmises this might be on purpose. I have been told that one of the most "successful" speed cameras in the state is at Mount Victoria Pass, raking in $2.2 million in fines every year. I wonder if the reason so many people fail to obey the speed limit is by the time they reach that point, they are so fatigued by trying to work out if they should be going 60km, 70km, 80km or 90km. While there have been some improvements in the city - the M4 tunnel going all the way to the city is worth remarking on - it seems the same focus has not been spent on investment for the major thoroughfare for central west and western NSW to access their capital city. This is not even touching on the number of major accidents that seem to happen along this stretch of road far too regularly. Surely, given the economic power for this part of the country, it's not too much to ask for some investment in a better journey on such an important road.
Fox Sports
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 MLB All-Star Game: Building the Best Guardians Lineup
Willie Mays Hayes. Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn. Pedro Cerrano. None of those "Major League" characters could hold up to the actual legends in The Land. And while there's still no World Series title on the shores of Lake Erie since 1948, the Cleveland Guardians have managed to field some incredible teams. Manager: Terry Francona Terry Francona rose to prominence with the Red Sox, which is completely understandable: he was their manager from 2004 through 2011, was at the helm for two World Series winners and is ranked second all-time in franchise victories. With Cleveland, Francona didn't pick up another championship, no, but he's ranked first in team history in wins (921) and playoff appearances (six). His time in Boston ensured there'd be more chances to manager, but Cleveland is where Francona picked up the bulk of the wins that'll push him to the rarified air of 2,000 in his career. Starting pitcher: Bob Feller Bob Feller spent all 18 seasons of his career with Cleveland. And not just the big-league parts: Feller pitched in the era where MLB clubs had minor-league teams, but he skipped all that, instead debuting in the bigs at 17. Two years later, still a teen, he made his first All-Star team, and then led the majors in pitcher WAR in three of his next four full seasons. Despite losing nearly all of four years to World War II, Feller is Cleveland's all-time pitcher WAR leader, a World Series champion, eight-time All-Star, and was the proto-Player Association's first-ever president, too. Reliever/closer: Emmanuel Clase Emmanuel Clase is 27 years old. He's in his fifth season with Cleveland. He's already made three All-Star teams and is the all-time leader for the Guardians in saves (175) and games finished (280), both of which he wrested from Cody Allen. Whether he leaves as a free agent in the next few years or the Guardians trade him, he's already the greatest reliever in franchise history, on account of a 1.80 ERA over five years. The strikeouts are there, but Clase keeps the ball on the ground, and when those work in tandem he's difficult to hit. Catcher: Sandy Alomar Jr. Sandy Alomar Jr. didn't have the Hall of Fame career of his younger brother, Roberto, but don't let that take away from his accomplishments. Alomar played for seven teams across 20 years, but Cleveland the longest and at his best. He spent 11 years there, and it's where his bat was at its best: six All-Star nods, Rookie of the Year honors — Alomar was the first rookie backstop to ever start the All-Star Game — and even in the years his offense wasn't there, his defense was. When the offense was there… well, that's why he's here. 1B: Jim Thome Jim Thome played for six teams in 22 years while mashing 612 taters, and yet his time with Cleveland was a career unto itself. Thome went deep 337 times in their uniform over 13 years while batting .287/.414/.566, good for a 152 OPS+. Over 1,000 career walks, just with Cleveland. Nearly 1,400 games and 5,800 plate appearances, 593 of them ending in an extra-base hit. Thome played another nine seasons, and with one exception — his final year, in which he was still above-average — he was always Jim Thome. Just never more so than with Cleveland. 2B: Nap Lajoie Nap Lajoie's career didn't start with Cleveland, but neither of the Philadelphia teams he played for renamed themselves in his honor. Nor were they lucky enough to have him around for 13 years in which he hit a combined .339: of his five career batting titles (one very much disputed), four came with Cleveland, and he led the majors in average in three of those years. Lajoie did much of that while serving as a player-manager, too: from 1905-1909, Lajoie managed the team, too, and ranks eighth in franchise history in wins in addition to first in WAR and hits. 3B: Jose Ramirez Is Jose Ramirez the greatest player in Guardians' history? The answer depends on when you're willing to hand over the crown: now, confident it'll be his title eventually, or later when he crosses whatever threshold is deemed necessary. Ramirez could be just the ninth 300 home run, 300 stolen bases player in MLB before the end of 2026. The second 350/350 or 400/400 player is in the cards for the 32-year-old, too, but even if he doesn't get there, what we do know is that he remains tremendous right now, in position to ascend above all past Guardians. SS: Omar Vizquel It's hard to argue with Omar Vizquel's defense at shortstop. He made a few All-Star teams in his day, sure, in the years when his bat was solid, but the reason people knew him at all was for his glove. That was the exceptionally reliable part of his game, and it led to 11 Gold Gloves. The first of those came with Seattle, but the next eight were with Cleveland, after the Mariners traded him before the 1994 season. Vizquel would stay in town for 11 years, both his best offensive and defensive ones, and play until he was 45. OF: Manny Ramirez Before the championships with the Red Sox, before the rise of "Manny being Manny," before the messy trade to the Dodgers, there was just Manny Ramirez, Cleveland right fielder. At the plate, he was Aaron Judge before Aaron Judge was old enough to pick up a baseball bat: a right-handed menace who could combine contact skills, power, and patience in a way that terrified opposing pitchers. Ramirez spent as long with Cleveland as he did Boston, and was just as good there: he's fourth in the franchise in homers (236), first in slugging and OPS, and batted .313/.407/.592. OF: Tris Speaker The history of Boston/Cleveland connections is long, and Tris Speaker was the most notable early example, in reverse of the Manny Ramirez situation. Speaker began his Hall of Fame career with the Red Sox, leading the majors in WAR twice, winning the 1912 MVP and powering them to two World Series titles. He'd be traded to Cleveland before the 1916 season, once again led the majors in wins above replacement as well as hits, average, on-base, and slugging, then served as a key piece of their 1920 championship team. Speaker remains MLB's all-time doubles leader, nearly a century later. OF: Kenny Lofton Kenny Lofton led the American League in steals from 1992-1996, a streak broken because he ended up with a one-year stay on the Braves in 1997. Back in Cleveland in '98, though, Lofton stole 54 more bags, and though he began to deemphasize the running game after that season, he was still an offensive threat. Lofton, across 10 years in Cleveland, hit .300/.375/.426 while playing Gold Glove defense. The steals were huge, but they were not all that he was. As Lofton's speed dipped, so did his production, but at least it had a long way to fall. DH: Albert Belle If not for a degenerative hip condition that cut his career short, Albert Belle would likely be enshrined in Cooperstown, and in a Cleveland cap. The first eight seasons of his 12-year career were spent absolutely mashing in the middle of their lineup: Belle's 1995, despite it being a strike-shortened 144-game season, was the first 50 double, 50 home run season ever… and also the only one to this day. All apologies to Mo Vaughn, but that year's MVP didn't go where it belonged. Belle's .580 SLG with Cleveland is second, and he's third in homers with 242. Honorable Mentions: Lou Boudreau (manager) Mike Hargrove (manager) Mel Harder (starting pitcher) Bob Lemon (starting pitcher) Stan Covelski (starting pitcher) Sam McDowell (starting pitcher) Addie Joss (starting pitcher) CC Sabathia (starting pitcher) Cody Allen (reliever/closer) Doug Jones (reliever/closer) Andrew Miller (reliever/closer) Jose Mesa (reliever/closer) Victor Martinez (catcher) Steve O'Neil (catcher) Hal Trosky (1B) Ken Ketner (3B) Al Rosen (3B) Bill Bradley (3B) Francisco Lindor (SS) Joe Sewell (SS) Lou Boudreau (SS) Elmer Flick (OF) Grady Sizmore (OF) Bob Feller (OF) Charlie Jamieson (OF) Earl Averill (OF) Larry Doby (OF) Travis Hafner (DH) Michael Brantley (DH) Andre Thornton (DH) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? 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The Advertiser
02-06-2025
- Climate
- The Advertiser
No perfect season in a land of opportunity, but farmers can bank on each other
Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land editor Samantha Townsend. In that famous children's fairytale about the three bears it seemed Goldilocks was the only one to find a perfect bed. But here in NSW right now there aren't any 'just right' conditions as farmers struggle to balance the feed budget and their emotional well-being, all thanks to the inclement weather. Where there are producers getting way too much rain, there are others who aren't getting any at all. It doesn't seem fair that producers are mostly left to fend for themselves. We can debate the pros and cons of whether this is climate change or just a vigorous cycle but the fact remains we are witnessing the harsh reality of agricultural production in NSW. As every farmer knows, Dorethea Mackella's iconic poem My Country famously references drought and flooding rains and her words capture the harsh reality of where we live. But what are we, as farmers, doing about this conundrum? Nobody can afford to do nothing, hoping for just a few sunny days or, on the flip side, praying for rain. Are we burying silage in the good times? Are we drying off cows when the autumn turns sour? Perhaps we need to wean early or destock. Is it better to sell and cop the loss or hang on for something better? Sure, we as farmers are doing all that and more but sometimes it's not enough when Mother Nature throws a temper tantrum, the likes of which we have just seen. Australia is not the land of milk and honey, we know that. It's the land of dust and floods. However, there are tremendous opportunities in the shoulder seasons and these silver lining moments need to be taken with positive action to mitigate the good years with the bad. There's another thing that can't be bought with government handouts and it's called mateship. While there are high requirements for cattle agistment extend right across the state, from the drought-stricken south to the mud-bogged North Coast, there are those putting up their hand to help. There's country resilience and farmers helping each other, while on the ground volunteers across multiple agencies do the heavy lifting in times of crisis. We live in a good country and we can be proud of her worth. We just need to grab it with both hands. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land editor Samantha Townsend. In that famous children's fairytale about the three bears it seemed Goldilocks was the only one to find a perfect bed. But here in NSW right now there aren't any 'just right' conditions as farmers struggle to balance the feed budget and their emotional well-being, all thanks to the inclement weather. Where there are producers getting way too much rain, there are others who aren't getting any at all. It doesn't seem fair that producers are mostly left to fend for themselves. We can debate the pros and cons of whether this is climate change or just a vigorous cycle but the fact remains we are witnessing the harsh reality of agricultural production in NSW. As every farmer knows, Dorethea Mackella's iconic poem My Country famously references drought and flooding rains and her words capture the harsh reality of where we live. But what are we, as farmers, doing about this conundrum? Nobody can afford to do nothing, hoping for just a few sunny days or, on the flip side, praying for rain. Are we burying silage in the good times? Are we drying off cows when the autumn turns sour? Perhaps we need to wean early or destock. Is it better to sell and cop the loss or hang on for something better? Sure, we as farmers are doing all that and more but sometimes it's not enough when Mother Nature throws a temper tantrum, the likes of which we have just seen. Australia is not the land of milk and honey, we know that. It's the land of dust and floods. However, there are tremendous opportunities in the shoulder seasons and these silver lining moments need to be taken with positive action to mitigate the good years with the bad. There's another thing that can't be bought with government handouts and it's called mateship. While there are high requirements for cattle agistment extend right across the state, from the drought-stricken south to the mud-bogged North Coast, there are those putting up their hand to help. There's country resilience and farmers helping each other, while on the ground volunteers across multiple agencies do the heavy lifting in times of crisis. We live in a good country and we can be proud of her worth. We just need to grab it with both hands. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land editor Samantha Townsend. In that famous children's fairytale about the three bears it seemed Goldilocks was the only one to find a perfect bed. But here in NSW right now there aren't any 'just right' conditions as farmers struggle to balance the feed budget and their emotional well-being, all thanks to the inclement weather. Where there are producers getting way too much rain, there are others who aren't getting any at all. It doesn't seem fair that producers are mostly left to fend for themselves. We can debate the pros and cons of whether this is climate change or just a vigorous cycle but the fact remains we are witnessing the harsh reality of agricultural production in NSW. As every farmer knows, Dorethea Mackella's iconic poem My Country famously references drought and flooding rains and her words capture the harsh reality of where we live. But what are we, as farmers, doing about this conundrum? Nobody can afford to do nothing, hoping for just a few sunny days or, on the flip side, praying for rain. Are we burying silage in the good times? Are we drying off cows when the autumn turns sour? Perhaps we need to wean early or destock. Is it better to sell and cop the loss or hang on for something better? Sure, we as farmers are doing all that and more but sometimes it's not enough when Mother Nature throws a temper tantrum, the likes of which we have just seen. Australia is not the land of milk and honey, we know that. It's the land of dust and floods. However, there are tremendous opportunities in the shoulder seasons and these silver lining moments need to be taken with positive action to mitigate the good years with the bad. There's another thing that can't be bought with government handouts and it's called mateship. While there are high requirements for cattle agistment extend right across the state, from the drought-stricken south to the mud-bogged North Coast, there are those putting up their hand to help. There's country resilience and farmers helping each other, while on the ground volunteers across multiple agencies do the heavy lifting in times of crisis. We live in a good country and we can be proud of her worth. We just need to grab it with both hands. Voice of Real Australia is a regular newsletter from the local news teams of the ACM network, which stretches into every state and territory. Today's is written by The Land editor Samantha Townsend. In that famous children's fairytale about the three bears it seemed Goldilocks was the only one to find a perfect bed. But here in NSW right now there aren't any 'just right' conditions as farmers struggle to balance the feed budget and their emotional well-being, all thanks to the inclement weather. Where there are producers getting way too much rain, there are others who aren't getting any at all. It doesn't seem fair that producers are mostly left to fend for themselves. We can debate the pros and cons of whether this is climate change or just a vigorous cycle but the fact remains we are witnessing the harsh reality of agricultural production in NSW. As every farmer knows, Dorethea Mackella's iconic poem My Country famously references drought and flooding rains and her words capture the harsh reality of where we live. But what are we, as farmers, doing about this conundrum? Nobody can afford to do nothing, hoping for just a few sunny days or, on the flip side, praying for rain. Are we burying silage in the good times? Are we drying off cows when the autumn turns sour? Perhaps we need to wean early or destock. Is it better to sell and cop the loss or hang on for something better? Sure, we as farmers are doing all that and more but sometimes it's not enough when Mother Nature throws a temper tantrum, the likes of which we have just seen. Australia is not the land of milk and honey, we know that. It's the land of dust and floods. However, there are tremendous opportunities in the shoulder seasons and these silver lining moments need to be taken with positive action to mitigate the good years with the bad. There's another thing that can't be bought with government handouts and it's called mateship. While there are high requirements for cattle agistment extend right across the state, from the drought-stricken south to the mud-bogged North Coast, there are those putting up their hand to help. There's country resilience and farmers helping each other, while on the ground volunteers across multiple agencies do the heavy lifting in times of crisis. We live in a good country and we can be proud of her worth. We just need to grab it with both hands.
