More than 300 senior doctors, registrars, junior doctors, medical students and allied health professionals are heading to Alice Springs this week for Australia’s biggest rural doctor conference.
Rural Medicine Australia 2011 (RMA 2011) will take the latest in rural and remote medical skills, knowledge, and issues to the heart of the country where attendees will be discussing future directions for rural healthcare in Australia.
The sheepmeat industry has released its strategy to assure the welfare of Australian sheep in major Middle Eastern markets, including during the upcoming religious festival Eid al Adha.
The plan comes ahead of the implementation of a new regulatory framework in 2012 for Australian livestock exports announced last week in the Australian Government’s response to the Farmer Review.
Victorian waterways damaged by the year’s floods will benefit from $16 million in government funding for a range of flood recovery and repair works.
Five catchment management authorities (CMAs) will receive money through the Australian Government’s Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements to assist with flood recovery which meets the needs of individual areas.
Water Minister Peter Walsh says the money will be used for riverbed and bank stabilisation, repairs to more than 500kilometres of riverbank fencing, revegetation, restoration of CMA assets and removal of debris which pose risks to public infrastructure.
The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) is once again being accused of not doing its research, following allegations that it intends to hugely increase groundwater extraction entitlements as part of the upcoming Basin Plan.
The Darling River Action Group (DRAG) says a closer reading of the Authority’s plans for the Basin show groundwater extractions will rise by an additional 2,400 gigalitres per year in the northern part of the Basin. It’s understood the groundwater will be extracted as part of the process of coal seam gas extraction, and is of questionable quality.
Large variations have appeared in Australia’s state economies, dividing them into three clear groups, according to Commonwealth Securities' latest quarterly State of the States report.
The report analyses eight key indicators - economic growth, retail spending, equipment investment, unemployment, construction work done, population growth, housing finance and dwelling commencements.
Authorities in Western Australia have been given the all clear to cull any great white sharks that pose a threat to human life.
Three swimmers have died from suspected shark attacks in the state in less than two months. The most recent was a 32-year-old American who was attacked while diving off Rottnest Island on Saturday.
WA Fisheries Minister Norman Moore says the from now on he’ll give the fisheries department authority to seek, catch and destroy any great white shark that is a threat to human life.
The deaths have sparked calls from the community for a cull of sharks, despite great whites being an endangered species. Premier Colin Barnett says the government will carefully consider a cull of sharks, but the decision won’t be rushed into.
Animal welfare groups who’ve been calling for a total ban of live animal exports say they’re disappointed with the outcomes of the Farmer Review into live export.
The RSPCA and Animals Australia say the review - which has made 14 recommendations to improve the welfare and tracking standards of Australia animals overseas – has failed to address the necessity of stunning animals unconscious prior to slaughter.
The Western Australian and Northern Territory Governments say they’ll back their Federal counterpart’s commitment to support a sustainable live export industry in Australia.
The Federal Government last week revealed strict animal welfare regulations to be rolled out through all live export markets in Australia by the end of 2012, in response to an independent review of the trade.
The Federal Government has released its response to a the review into live exports by former Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Bill Farmer.
Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig and National Farmers’ Federation president Jock Laurie, joined Mr Farmer in releasing the review last week, and outlining the future regulation of Australia’s live export industry.
Minister Ludwig says the Government has accepted all recommendations made by the review, including adapting and implementing a supply chain assurance framework to all Australian live export markets, as well as addressing a number of domestic welfare issues.
A Japanese entrant has crossed the finish line first in the World Solar Challenge.
The team from Tokai University made a last dash to the front, only just beating the Netherlands Nuon team to the finish line of the World Solar Challenge in Adelaide today.
The car overcame difficult conditions in the 3,000 kilometre drive from Darwin to Adelaide.
