http://www.abc.net.au/local/rss/westernvic/news.xml

• Firms fined over illegal dumping

  The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has fined two companies in Victoria's Wimmera for dumping industrial waste.
  
  

• Dairy farmers air cost fears

  South-west Victorian dairy farmers are concerned about increasing fuel and electricity prices, according to a Dairy Australia survey.
  
  

• No rain threatens crop potential

  Farm experts say the potential to produce high-yielding cereal crops across north-west Victoria is now diminishing each week it does not rain.
  
  

• Inspirational footballer plays on despite disability

  
  
  

• Western Victoria and South East SA Rural Report: Monday 21st May 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Portland tent embassy stands firm after 100 days

  One hundred days after setting up an Aboriginal tent embassy in Portland's main street, organisers are vowing to stay until the Native Title Act is upheld. They say Native Title decisions are being made by people who are not traditional owners of the land.
  
  

• Waste management a 'huge cost' for council

  The Northern Grampians Shire says councils need more support from the State Government in dealing with a growing rubbish and recycling burden.
  
  

• Residents face 5.5pc rates slug

  Residents in the Northern Grampians Shire face a rate rise of 5.5 per cent next financial year.
  
  

• TAFE funding cuts fuel rural job worries

  There are fears cuts to TAFE funding could exacerbate a skills shortage in the agriculture industry.
  
  

• Fears office closures to affect DPI services

  The Victorian Opposition says it is only a matter of time before cuts to Department of Primary Industries' (DPI) funding start affecting front-line services.
  
  

• Government attacked over country job losses

  Labor is using the latest employment data to step up its attack on the State Government's jobs record in country Victoria.
  
  

• Western Victoria and South East SA Rural Report: Friday 18th May 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Rural Report for Western Victoria and Mildura: Thursday 17th May 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Western Victoria to get a meat research centre

  The Victorian Government will invest more than $3.5 million in a meat research centre at Hamilton in western Victoria.
  
  

• Slow response to attempt to save farmer health centre

  An online petition to save the National Centre for Farmer Health at Hamilton in western Victoria is struggling to find support.
  
  

• Police hunt toilet block stalker

  Police are investigating the stalking of a teenager in Victoria's Wimmera earlier this month.
  
  

• Murder accused front court

  Six men charged over the bashing death of a man in Horsham have made a brief appearance in court.
  
  

• Charlton hospital planning moving 'quickly'

  Victoria's Health Minister says planning has started on the development of Charlton's new hospital.
  
  

• Search on for Seaview House operator

  A steering committee has been established to try to find an alternative operator for Portland's Seaview House retirement facility.
  
  

• Murray irrigators to get water allocation

  Authorities say Victorian Murray system irrigators will get a water allocation when the new season officially opens in July.
  
  

• Stone questions flood definition delay

  A federal Liberal MP in northern Victoria is criticising Labor for delays to the release of a standard flood definition.
  
  

• Locals positive about Telopea Downs sale

  Foreign ownership of Australian farmland is a topic that can divide communities.
  
  

• Union says TAFE cuts to cost uni jobs

  The Australian Education Union (AEU) says up to 100 people will lose their jobs at the University of Ballarat because of cuts to TAFE funding.
  
  

• Hospital seeks funding answers

  A west Wimmera hospital says it is seeking clarification on whether the Victorian Government is still willing to partly fund a big redevelopment.
  
  

• Synthetic hockey fields, food bowls, and itchy bomb trees

  This morning's Mayoral whiparound covered another diverse selection of local topics.
  
  

• Rural Report for Western Victoria and Mildura: Wednesday 16th May 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Thousands apply for garage business giveaway

  A struggling panel-beater from south-west Victoria has given away his business after fielding about 3,000 applicants.
  
  

• Gunns sells Victorian mill

  Tasmanian timber company Gunns has sold its Victorian sawmill for $28 million.
  
  

• Murray traders to get better connected

  A move is underway to bridge an information gap for businesses along the length of the Murray River.
  
  

• Govt considers gas connection incentives

  The Victorian Government has launched the second phase of a program that aims to supply natural gas to Avoca, Bannockburn, Terang, Winchelsea and Invermay.
  
  

• MP says communities anxious for gas connection

  A Labor MP says central Victorians waiting to hear when natural gas will be connected to their towns are getting impatient.
  
  

• Otway Basin areas open for gas search

  The Federal Government is calling for energy companies to explore three zones in the Otway Basin for liquefied natural gas.
  
  

• EPA to inspect Horsham businesses

  Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) officers will visit Victoria's Wimmera this month in response to community reports.
  
  

• Group urges rail crossing safety boost

  A road safety group in Victoria's Wimmera says it is hoping for funding for dedicated pedestrian paths at railway crossings at Kaniva and Dimboola
  
  

• Man to face trial accused of pedestrian hit-run

  A magistrate has ordered a man to stand trial over the alleged hit-and-run death of a pedestrian in central Victoria.
  
  

• Western Victoria and Mildura: Tuesday 15th May 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Western Victoria and Mildura: Monday 14 May 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Porn addiction research shines light on troubling figures

  A major study from the University of Sydney has highlighted the devastating impact internet pornography can have on society.
  
  

• King of the Quince

  Sheep farmer John Ganey loves slow cooking, especially when it comes to quinces.
  
  

• Councils plead for more funding

  Country Victorian councils finalising their budgets for the coming financial year say they need more revenue.
  
  

• Fox eradication scheme proves bountiful

  More than 50,000 fox scalps have been handed in during the first seven months of the Victorian Government's Fox and Wild Dog Bounty.
  
  

• Council plans to take over irrigation channels

  The Horsham Rural City Council has agreed to take over the ownership of several decommissioned irrigation channels near Brimpaen.
  
  

• Rural Report for Western Victoria and Mildura: Monday 14 May 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Farmers not surprised by Murray Goulburn job cuts

  Murray Goulburn shareholders say the company's decision to slash 12 per cent of its workforce isn't a complete surprise.
  
  

• Doors close on DPI offices in Victoria

  Major cuts to the Victorian Department of Primary Industries.
  
  

• Report considers Yaapeet rail line future

  The Yarriambiack Shire has commissioned a report into the future of an important Wimmera railway line in a bid to get more sections of the track reopened.
  
  

• Traders suggest Christmas free parking

  A local traders' group in Horsham says it will consider asking the council to make parking in the town's CBD free for certain events.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Friday May 11, 2012

  
  
  

• DPI office closures spark Fair Work bid

  The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has applied for a meeting with the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) at Fair Work Australia.
  
  

• Bushfire appeal dismissal 'significant'

  Lawyers for the victims of the Black Saturday bushfires at Horsham, in south-west Victoria, have welcomed the Court of Appeal's decision to reject a legal challenge from Powercor.
  
  

• Council keen to meet Clyne Foods site owner

  The Yarriambiack Shire says it is excited the site of former dried fruits processor Clyne Foods at Warracknabeal has been sold.
  
  

• Ouyen to fight DPI office closure

  Community leaders in the Mallee town of Ouyen say they have been betrayed by the Victorian Government's closure of the town's Department of Primary Industries (DPI) office.
  
  

• Thousands of child porn images found in raid

  A 21-year-old Sunbury man has been arrested and charged over child pornography offences.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Thursday May 10, 2012

  
  
  

• Court dismisses appeal over Horsham bushfire

  The Victorian Court of Appeal has dismissed Powercor's challenge against a judgment made over the Black Saturday bushfire class action at Horsham.
  
  

• Wimmera-Mallee gets budget health boost

  There are some big winners in north-west Victoria from last night's federal budget.
  
  

• Councils welcome Roads to Recovery extension

  Victorian councils say they are relieved last night's federal budget was not worse for local government.
  
  

• Budget paves way for surplus

  Last night's federal budget has set aside little extra funding for regional Victoria.
  
  

• DPI office closures condemned

  The State Government has been criticised over its decision to close seven Department of Primary Industries' (DPI) offices in regional Victoria.
  
  

• Local budgets, the carbon tax, and Warrnambool's breakwater

  It's budget time for everyone at the moment with many local Councils putting their draft budgets up for discussion.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Wednesday May 9, 2012

  
  
  

• Seven DPI offices to close

  The State Government has confirmed seven offices of the Department of Primary Industries will close in regional Victoria.
  
  

• DPI condenses operational activities

  
  
  

• Primary industries face the axe in Victorian restructure

  The Victorian government has announced it is closing over a dozen Department of Primary Industries offices.
  
  

• He Bought A Zoo - the real life story behind the Hollywood blockbuster

  "It's like running a health service funded by an open air theatre," said Benjamin Mee of owning a zoo, "and you just hope the public like the show and it doesn't rain."
  
  

• Trebuchet at work in war on melons

  Most farmers are innovative but how many have built Medieval-style war weapons?
  
  

• Ambulance Victoria staff on the move

  Ambulance Victoria staff in Horsham will begin moving into their new $2 million ambulance station today.
  
  

• Council airs fears over DHS changes

  The Horsham Rural City Council has expressed concerns about plans to change the way the Department of Human Services (DHS) operates in Victoria's Wimmera.
  
  

• Gold mines sale finalised

  The multi-million-dollar sale of two northern Victorian gold mines has been finalised.
  
  

• Cycling through Turkey to Athens

  Our regular Dartmoor correspondent Michael Greenham is currently cycling through Turkey on his way to Athens.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Tuesday May 8, 2012

  
  
  

• Garbage droppings confirm tiger quoll encounter

  A late night encounter has resulted in the first confirmed sighting of a critically-endangered tiger quoll in over a decade.
  
  

• Hope for farm sale to deliver benefits

  The West Wimmera Shire says it is hoping there will be benefits to the community from the sale of a large farm to an overseas company.
  
  

• Hospital cracks down on violence

  The Wimmera Base Hospital says it has introduced a zero tolerance approach to violence and abuse in its emergency department.
  
  

• Water authority taps into public feedback

  Grampians Wimmera-Mallee (GWM) Water has called for feedback from the public on its business strategy for the next five years.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Monday May 7, 2012

  
  
  

• Silent pest devastates rural properties

  Recent rains are helping snails breed in South Australia and causing an expensive fight for farmers.
  
  

• Basin water report says balance achievable

  A new report on the Murray-Darling Basin's water use says it is possible to achieve a balance between the environment, economy and communities.
  
  

• Man accused of threatening police with sword

  Police say they were threatened by a man with a samurai sword in Horsham early this morning.
  
  

• Townie Tales: Where to for Warracknabeal?

  Times can be tough at Warracknabeal in western Victoria.
  
  

• Volunteers check endangered cockatoo numbers

  Volunteers will be out in western Victoria again this weekend for the annual red-tailed black cockatoo count.
  
  

• College 'still waiting' for revamp funds

  The Apollo Bay prep-to-12 College says it is very disappointed to be overlooked in the Victorian budget.
  
  

• Hope for talks to progress helipad plans

  Representatives from Portland District Health (PDH) and Air Ambulance Victoria will meet the Glenelg Shire next week to discuss the future of plans to build an emergency helipad opposite the town's hospital.
  
  

• The People Who Run The Place - Bob Penny, Mayor of Southern Grampians

  Come with me as I venture into the offices and workplaces of the people who run things around the South West for a look at what they actually do.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Friday May 4, 2012

  
  
  

• Trotters are no ugly duckling

  Harness racing convert Julie Parsons, from Wallacedale in south-west Victoria, wants her sport to get the recognition it deserves.
  
  

• New ambulance station for Horsham

  Horsham's new ambulance station is almost ready for its first sirens and emergency response.
  
  

• Dry time as winter sowing underway

  An agronomist says Wimmera farmers are facing drier conditions as the region's winter sowing program gets into full swing.
  
  

• Public to be briefed on tidal power trial

  Ocean Power Technologies will update the Portland community tonight about its plans to establish a wave power trial there.
  
  

• Council unhappy with road funding snub

  The Moyne Shire Council in south-west Victoria says it is disappointed its long campaign for road upgrades was not considered in this week's state budget.
  
  

• Town hall designs revealed

  The Horsham Rural City Council has revealed its designs for the redevelopment of the town hall, at a public meeting last night.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Thursday May 3, 2012

  
  
  

• Hundreds of DPI jobs to go in Victoria

  The Community and Public Sector Union says job losses in the Victorian Department of Primary Industries will be higher than expected.
  
  

• National Centre for Farmer Health likely to close

  The National Centre for Farmer Health is likely to close, after the Victorian Government cut its funding.
  
  

• Call to rethink axed first homebuyers' grant

  The Housing Industry Association (HIA) is urging the Victorian Government to reinstate its contribution to the first homebuyers' grant.
  
  

• DSE probes bushfire cause

  The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) says it is investigating the cause of a bushfire near Harrow yesterday.
  
  

• Local State Budget plusses and minuses, cycling difficulties, and Portland's tent embassy

  This morning's Mayoral whiparound covered everything from the State Budget to the May races.
  
  

• Budget brings mixed response

  There has been a mixed reaction from the Wimmera-Mallee and central Victoria to this year's Victorian budget.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Wednesday May 2, 2012

  
  
  

• Victoria's budget: analysis and response to the 'tough but responsible' surplus

  Spokespeople representing farmers, the education sector, public transport, health and industry analyse and respond to the 2012 State Budget described by Treasurer Kim Wells as 'tough but responsible'.
  
  

• Government defends difficult regional budget

  'Tough but fair' budget for the regions: Government
  
  

• Rangers plead for missing dog clues

  Council rangers in Stawell are asking for community help to find several dogs that escaped from the town's pound last week.
  
  

• Police use capsicum spray on 12yo girl

  Police used capsicum spray to subdue a 12-year-old girl in western Victoria at the weekend.
  
  

• Intruders bash security guard

  Police say a security guard was assaulted after he disturbed burglars at Horsham early this morning.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, May 1, 2012

  
  
  

• Plea for budget to deliver regional investment

  The State Government is warning today's budget will be tough but says there will be money for projects in regional Victoria.
  
  

• A remarkable woman

  A story of our convict heritage, never told before, has now been published in a book. It touches on the 1903 Federal election, women's rights, early land ownership laws and rural community life.
  
  

• Union 'optimistic' despite CMI job losses

  Up to five jobs will be lost at the Horsham foundry of car parts maker CMI Industrial.
  
  

• Talangatuk phone services back

  Phone services have been restored to about 12 homes south of Horsham which have spent the weekend without landline telephone access.
  
  

• The pursuit of perfection: Criss Canning's flourishing love affair with painting

  For still life painter Criss Canning, making art is like breathing. Achieving the perfect composition is her drug. Flowers are her main source of inspiration and at her home near Ballarat she's surrounded by them.
  
  

• Mixed results from GM canola trials

  Trials of genetically modified canola have found the controversial technology isn't always meeting promises of higher yields.
  
  

• Supermarket fire forces 100 out of work

  Staff will be without work for several months after a large supermarket fire at Portland.
  
  

• Townie Tales: What makes Balmoral tick?

  Country communities can be fairly resilient when it comes to a fight. So what's their secret to survival?
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Friday, April 27 2012

  
  
  

• Fire puts 100 out of work

  
  
  

• CMI plant stays open amid financial audit

  The Ballarat plant of the car parts manufacturer CMI Industrial will remain open while administrators assess the company's viability.
  
  

• Study reveals transport limitations

  A $500,000 study has found young people in the Glenelg and Southern Grampians shires feel restricted by a lack of public transport.
  
  

• Farmers want new laws to counter animal activists

  The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says new laws are needed to protect farmers from animal activists.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Friday, April 27 2012

  
  
  

• Government commits to new hospital for Charlton

  The Victorian Government's announced $23 million in funding to rebuild the hospital in the Mallee town of Charlton.
  
  

• Hospital plan unveiled for flood-ravaged town

  
  
  

• Counting platypus

  You've got to like splashing around in cold rivers and creeks if you're studying platypus numbers in western Victoria.
  
  

• Farmer worried copper exploration is causing salinity

  A western Victorian sheep farmer is concerned about proposed expansion of copper exploration in western Victoria.
  
  

• $3.9m boost for Wimmera drinking water

  Residents in several Wimmera towns are welcoming funding to improve their drinking water, after a year of quality problems.
  
  

• Councillor pleads for road funds

  A Glenelg councillor has called on the Victorian Government to honour an election commitment for $60 million in local roads funding.
  
  

• VFF urges state-wide rates review

  Victoria's peak farm group says it is renewing a push for a state-wide rates review because huge rate bills are becoming unsustainable.
  
  

• Western Victoria and South East SA Rural Report: Thursday 26th April 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Mulder urged to probe wind farm road damage

  Western Victorian MP Simon Ramsay has warned the State Government may need to find additional money to pay for repairs to roads damaged during the construction of wind farms.
  
  

• Green light for Anzac Day two-up

  Punters across regional Victoria will again enjoy the chance for a game of two-up on Anzac Day today.
  
  

• $952K boost for mental health in-home care

  Two organisations in south-west Victoria have received $952,000 grants to provide improved in-home care to people recovering from mental illness.
  
  

• Bradman on display in Harrow

  The sporting hero who belongs to the nation - 'our Don Bradman' - can now be found in Harrow.
  
  

• Concerns for regional car part manufacturing jobs

  Car parts manufacturer CMI has been locked out of its Campbellfield premises for failing to pay rent. The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union is now worried about jobs at its Ballarat and Horsham plants.
  
  

• From oil rigs to the family farm

  One of the big questions for budding farmers is how to make a buck before getting into the profession.
  
  

• Western Victoria and South East SA Rural Report: Tuesday 24th April 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Survey reveals regional traders' pessimism

  Regional businesses in Victoria are increasingly pessimistic about the economic climate, according to a new survey.
  
  

• Police take aim at plantation illegal shooters

  Police in south-west Victoria are warning shooters not to trespass in blue gum plantations while hunting.
  
  

• Fight continues for flood fix funds

  The Northern Grampians Shire Council estimates repairs to the region's flood-damaged roads will not be completed until the end of 2013.
  
  

• Country cinema reopens after flood restoration

  
  
  

• Film lovers flood back to the Rex Theatre

  The Rex Theatre in Charlton has come a long way from initial fears that the cinema would never re-open, thanks to the generosity of volunteers, charities and plenty of hard work.
  
  

• SA uni seeks ag students from Victoria

  Adelaide University may look to the Victorian Mallee to boost student numbers at its Agriculture school.
  
  

• Loddon-Mallee public housing wait list shortens

  The latest figures from the Victorian Government show there has been a fall in the number of people on the public housing waiting list in the Loddon-Mallee region.
  
  

• Scuba death sparks safety warning

  Warrnambool police have cautioned scuba divers to take extra care when diving alone, after a man died near Peterborough on Saturday.
  
  

• New VFF boss hopes to widen membership

  The new president of the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says he will be working to get more women and younger people involved with the organisation.
  
  

• New VFF president could cut membership fees

  The new president of the Victorian Farmers Federation will consider reducing membership fees to attract more people to the organisation.
  
  

• Western Victoria and South East SA Rural Report: Monday 23rd April 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Scuba diver drowns at Victorian beach

  A man in his 40s has drowned off a remote beach in Victoria's far south-west.
  
  

• Operation Rosemary

  Calling all able fingered volunteers and rosemary growers with Anzac spirit
  
  

• Hospital hopes night landings return soon

  The Edenhope and District Hospital says it hopes air ambulance planes can resume night-time landings soon, with several improvements being planned for the town's airstrip.
  
  

• Residents make noise over truck problems

  Portland residents are continuing a fight to block B-double trucks from two residential streets.
  
  

• Town rallies to save its historic picture theatre

  The Rex theatre in Charlton in north central Victoria dates back to the 1930s.
  
  

• Friends pay tribute to Greg Ham

  In two emotional interviews, friends of Greg Ham pay tribute to the forner Men at Work musician, today on 774 Mornings with John Faine.
  
  

• VFF avoids making decision on sheep tags

  The Victorian Farmers Federation livestock group's vote on the mandatory introduction of electronic sheep tags has been shelved until next year, after an inconclusive debate at the VFF annual conference in Bendigo.
  
  

• Western Victoria and South East SA Rural Report: Friday 20th April 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Make farming sexy

  An agricultural researcher says young people would be more keen to work in rural communities if farming was a bit sexier.
  
  

• Moyne Shire 'lucky' to have boom

  The chairman of Rural Councils Victoria, Ken Gale, says the Moyne Shire, in the state's south-west, is experiencing a boom.
  
  

• Drivers test positive for drugs

  Three motorists have tested positive for drug-driving near Horsham overnight.
  
  

• Colac cattle market starts post-weighing

  The Colac Cattle market has introduced post-weighing, so that all cows are now weighed after they've been sold.
  
  

• Police chopper to catch out speedsters

  Country drivers will be targeted by police doing speed checks from the air from today, as this year's road toll continues to cause concern.
  
  

• Western Victoria and South East SA Rural Report: Thursday 19th April 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Livestock agents attack VFF call for compulsory tagging

  The peak body for livestock and property agents has slammed a proposal from a group within the Victorian Farmers Federation to make electronic tagging for sheep, goats and lambs compulsory.
  
  

• Farmers going deaf

  The National Centre for Farmer Health is worried about the number of farmers reporting hearing loss.
  
  

• Acciona claims wind farm support

  Wind farm developer Acciona Energy says most of the community supports the proposed Mortlake South wind farm.
  
  

• VFF to consider ear tags for sheep

  The national peak body for sheep producers is worried about a proposal to mandate the use of electronic ear tags.
  
  

• Port Fairy prepares for the 2012 Rural Summit

  In this morning's whiparound we heard about the 2012 Rural Summit which starts on Thursday in Port Fairy - it'll be a big event for the town bringing guest speakers and delegates from around the country.
  
  

• Economic fears blamed for sluggish house prices

  The Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) says economic concerns have stalled increases in regional Victorian housing prices.
  
  

• Go-kart plan gets green light

  A ruling from Victoria's planning umpire has cleared the way for a go-kart development in the Grampians.
  
  

• Police plead for missing man leads

  Police are appealing for help to find a 41-year-old Horsham man who has been missing for two weeks.
  
  

• Council unleashes dog zones

  The Horsham council has approved three new locations that will serve as areas where residents will be allowed to let their dogs off their leashes.
  
  

• Western Victoria and South East SA Rural Report: Wednesday 18th April 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Western Victoria and South East SA Rural Report: Tuesday 17th April 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Rockabilly king to help sacked Toyota workers

  In an act of ultimate generosity, Camperdown's Arthur Matsakis has pledged to give a new start to one lucky sacked Toyota worker.
  
  

• Mortlake forum focuses on wind farm plans

  A community meeting at Mortlake tomorrow night will discuss plans for a 51-turbine wind farm south of the town.
  
  

• Motorcyclist dies in Horsham crash

  A man died in a motorcycle crash in Horsham last night.
  
  

• Too dry for sheep farmers in western Victoria

  Sheep farmers in western Victoria are having to buy in feed for their livestock because conditions have been so dry.
  
  

• Council considers buying ambulance station site

  The Horsham Rural City Council has agreed to enter negotiations over the purchase of the town's current ambulance station.
  
  

• Bull crushing victim critical

  A man has been put into an induced coma after he was crushed by a bull at the Casterton Saleyards in far south-west Victoria.
  
  

• Platypus copes with drought and floods in the Grampians

  Researchers have caught two new platypuses near the Grampians National Park in western Victoria as part of ongoing surveys of the species' population.
  
  

• Jobless figures seen as sign of regional struggle

  A regional Victorian university economist says the latest unemployment figures are bad news for regional communities.
  
  

• Western Victoria and South East SA Rural Report: Monday 16th April 2012

  Lucy Barbour
  
  

• Woodchip terminal tipped to sell fast

  The Port of Portland says it will watch the sale process for the Gunns' woodchip facility there with interest.
  
  

• Tourists hurt in mini-bus roll

  A mini-bus carrying seven tourists rolled in Victoria's Grampians National Park on Saturday afternoon.
  
  

• Deadline looms for basin plan say

  Community groups are casting their final thoughts on the draft Murray-Darling Basin Plan as public consultation closes today.
  
  

• Stawell Gift winner Mathew Wiltshire: family ties and dedication his key to victory

  Where else can you earn $40,000 in 12 seconds? The 2012 Stawell Gift winner discusses his emotional victory in the race once known as 'the world's richest running race' and how he delivered on the inspirational example set some 50 years ago when his grandfather lined up as the favourite for the Gift.
  
  

• Acquaintances found dead in separate towns

  The Victoria Police homicide squad is investigating the deaths of two men in the state's far south-west yesterday.
  
  

• Miner confident of gas find

  Gas exploration company Lakes Oil expects to have an operational gas well near Port Campbell within six months.
  
  

• Govt sheds light on safety boost

  The Victorian Government has allocated more than $250,000 to projects to improve public safety in the Wimmera and central Victoria.
  
  

• Concern in the olive grove about zircon mine

  A western Victorian olive farmer is concerned about a proposed mine at Drung South, three kilometres from her property.
  
  

• More regional students deferring university

  Researchers have found an increasing number of students from regional areas are deferring university study.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Friday, April 13, 2012

  
  
  

• Timboon cow's milk produces fine French cheese

  'Locally Sauced' travels to Timboon and discovers a number of talented cheese makers including Frenchman, Matthieu Megard.
  
  

• National seed bank to be set up in western Victoria

  The Victorian Government will spend $3 million on a national seed bank in Horsham in the state's west.
  
  

• Franchise collapse catches out kitchen firm

  A south-west Victorian joinery company is about $15,000 out of pocket after the surprise collapse of a Portland home-building franchise.
  
  

• Researchers bank on better seeds

  The Victorian Government says a new grain seed bank in the Wimmera will help researchers produce superior varieties of cereals, legumes and oilseeds.
  
  

• Great Ocean Road infrastructure 'inadequate'

  There are calls for the urgent development of new tourism facilities on the Great Ocean Road. The head of Geelong Otway Tourism is calling for a new tourism facility to be built at Loch Ard Gorge.
  
  

• Floodwater impacting drinking water

  Water authorities along the Murray River are stepping up treatment of urban water supplies, as floodwaters begin to affect water quality.
  
  

• Fears wind energy jobs overlooked

  The State Opposition says the Victorian Government is not doing enough to protect jobs in the wind energy industry.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Thursday, April 12, 2012

  
  
  

• Nation's first wildlife art gallery headed for the Grampians

  A significant act of philanthropy has paved the way for the creation of Australia's first dedicated wildlife art museum.
  
  

• CMA makes second flood study funds bid

  The Wimmera Catchment Management Authority (CMA) says it is hoping its second attempt to get funding for a flood study for the Dunmunkle Creek will be successful.
  
  

• Police happy with most Easter drivers

  Police in the Wimmera-Mallee and central Victoria say they are pleased with the behaviour of most drivers over Easter.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Wednesday April 11, 2012

  
  
  

• Genesis of footy and its Indigenous heart

  A colonial boy, called Tom, formed a unique friendship with Aboriginal people, who loved playing a rough and tumble game with a possum skin ball.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Tuesday, April 10, 2012

  
  
  

• Police probe chemist break-in

  Police are investigating the theft of drugs and cash from a chemist shop in Portland this morning.
  
  

• Disability complex faces funding snub

  Plans for a disability accommodation complex in Victoria's Wimmera have had a setback, missing out on Commonwealth funding announced last week.
  
  

• Brakes put on motorbike track plans

  A plan to build a motorbike track in Victoria's Grampians has been dealt a blow after a ruling from the state's planning umpire.
  
  

• If you have a rural story or notice you would like to let ABC Rural know about, please call Cassandra Hough on 08 8724 1020 or Lucy Barbour on (03

  
  
  

• Wiltshire wins Gift for grandad

  Ballarat runner Matthew Wiltshire has taken out the 2012 Stawell Gift, defeating a field including Olympian John Steffensen.
  
  

• Wiltshire wins Stawell Gift

  
  
  

• Matthew Wiltshire wins the Stawell Gift

  
  
  

• Tough competition at 131st Stawell Gift

  Australia's richest foot-race, the annual Stawell Gift, will be run this afternoon in north-west Victoria.
  
  

• Kim Collins on the Stawell Gift

  Former 100m world champion Kim Collins talks about this year's Stawell Gift.
  
  

• Council seeks power plant planning support

  The Moyne Shire Council is calling for Victorian Government financial support to help it deal with the final planning approval of a power plant.
  
  

• Victorian Rural Report for Monday 9th of April, 2012

  
  
  

• Push on for better regional public transport

  The Public Transport Users Association says next month's state budget should include funding to improve train and bus services in regional Victoria.
  
  

• Easter drivers warned to slow down

  Police are appealing to drivers returning from the Easter break to slow down and be patient.
  
  

• Traders worried about fire safety costs

  The Yarriambiack Shire Council says it is planning to hold talks with the Country Fire Authority (CFA) over safety requirements for businesses in the region.
  
  

• Wild seas cause boating disasters

  
  
  

• Parks Victoria: some National and State Parks to stay open this Easter

  The State Government and the union says some State Parks will remain open this Easter weekend despite industrial action from Park Rangers; Parks Victoria releases a list of 19 parks affected by industrial action while the Minister claims it the industrial action is an 'attack on Victorian families'.
  
  

• Ram raids: livestock theft on the rise

  Forget mobile phones and cars, thieves in Victoria wanting to make the big dollars are targeting livestock in numbers rarely seen since the early days of European settlement.
  
  

• Jamaican runner Michael Frater to take on the Stawell Gift

  Can this man become one of the few in Stawell Gift history to win from scratch? Hear what he had to say about his chances with Lindy Burns.
  
  

• Easter drivers warned of traffic blitz

  Police are urging drivers travelling through Victoria's Wimmera-Mallee this long weekend to take care while on the region's roads.
  
  

• Wimmera-Mallee state parks open over Easter

  State parks in western Victoria will be open over Easter, despite work bans by Parks Victoria staff.
  
  

• Fire danger season to end

  The fire danger period will end on Monday in parts of south-west Victoria.
  
  

• Parks closed for Easter over pay dispute

  Up to 36 state parks will be closed to the public this Easter because of a pay dispute with employees of Parks Victoria.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Thursday, April 5, 2012

  
  
  

• Group says lake unsafe for boating

  A Stawell community group says it is frustrated by the slow progress from water authorities on issues relating to Lake Lonsdale.
  
  

• Woolies drops bottlo plans

  Woolworths has decided not to challenge a council ruling on its plans to build a bottle shop in Horsham.
  
  

• Horsham records road toll spike

  Figures from the Transport Accident Commission show there has been a spike in the number of deaths on Horsham's roads.
  
  

• The Rural Report for Western Victoria and South East SA, Tuesday, April 3, 2012

  
  
  

• Jamaican Frater the star turn at Stawell

  Jamaican speedster Michael Frater is looking to become just the third man to win the famous Stawell Gift from scratch.
  
  

• Figures reveal falling rural population

  Latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows the population of rural communities in Victoria's west is continuing to shrink.
  
  

• Winemakers forecast top drop

  Vignerons in Victoria's Grampians are predicting this year's vintage will produce high quality wines.
  
  

• DSE cites public support for burn-offs

  The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) says south-west Victorian communities are in support of its extensive fuel reduction burning program.
  
  

• Victorian man injured on wind farm

  A worker at the Macarthur wind farm, north of Warrnambool, in south-western Victoria, has been crushed in an industrial accident.
  
  

• Farmers desperate for weather radar

  
  
  

• Western Victoria and South East SA Rural Report, Tuesday, April 3, 2012

  Treasury officials re-examined, farmer turned events manager and the Bendigo sheep and lamb sale.
  
  

• Confusion of the carbon farming initiative

  The Federal Government's carbong farming initiative is causing confusion amongst Victorian farmers.
  
  

• Environmental Defenders Office questions basin plan

  The Victorian Environmental Defenders Office will today release a legal analysis of the draft Murray-Darling Basin plan which it says finds the plan does not meet the requirements of the Water Act.
  
  

• Glider community mourns fatal crash

  The president of the Ballarat Gliding Club says one of the two people killed in a crash at Ararat was very well known within the glider community.
  
  

• Shire cops $6K landfill fine

  The Glenelg Shire has been fined over the state of its Portland landfill.
  
  

• Pokies policy prompts little interest

  The Horsham Rural City Council says its surprised about the lack of community input into its policy on electronic gaming machines.
  
  

• Police probe servo fire

  Police are still trying to find if a fire at a Horsham service station yesterday morning was deliberately lit.
  
  

• The Rural Report for the South East South Australia and Western Victoria, Monday, April 2, 2012

  Steep CFI learning curve; Farmers still grappling with CFI idea; Wool report
  
  

• Motorcyclist dies in Sunraysia Highway crash

  A motorcyclist was killed in a crash near St Arnaud yesterday.
  
  

• The Rural Report for the South East and Western Victoria, Monday, April 2, 2012

  
  
  

• Farmers plea for Wimmera weather radar

  Farmers in western Victoria say they are are fed-up with living in a weather radar blind spot.
  
  

• 'Suspicious device' detonated by police

  The Victorian Bomb Squad has blown-up a suspected explosive device found under a car in Sunbury in Melbourne's outer north.
  
  

• Coleraine bushfire victims win compo bid

  The Supreme Court has ruled that victims of a Black Saturday bushfire in south-west Victoria will get compensation from an electricity distributor.
  
  

• Victoria's weather hole

  Farmers rely on accurate weather information but some in western and southwestern Victoria say radar services aren't good enough.
  
  

• Veggie growers know people want out-of-season produce - but say importing also means undercutting local prices .. (audio)

  Cathy Bell is joined by Courtney Burger from Ausveg which represents the nation's vegetable growers
  
  

• 'Weird' sounds litter music maker's new song

  A young singer-songwriter from outback Queensland has recorded a new song with sounds from objects she has collected from a rubbish tip.

  
  
  

• No rain threatens crop potential

  Farm experts say the potential to produce high-yielding cereal crops across north-west Victoria is now diminishing each week it does not rain.

  
  
  

• Wind companies criticised for community consultation

  A residents' group in the Boorowa area says it is extending another invitation to the developers of three planned wind farms in the district to attend a public forum.

  
  
  

• Veteran woodchopper fails to make the cut

  Champion veteran woodchopper Vic Summers has finished second in the double saw competition at the Gympie show.

  
  
  

• Fresh bread deliveries go stale

  Supermarket owners in the Mid West and Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia have been told they will no longer receive fresh bread deliveries.

  
  
  

• WAFF underwhelmed by state budget

  The Western Australian Farmers Federation (WAFF) says it feels the agriculture sector has missed out in the latest state budget.

  
  
  

• City dwellers fare better than country cousins

  A report has found people who live in the city fare better in terms of health, education, employment and wealth than their rural counterparts.

  
  
  

• Kangaroo industry on its last legs

  The kangaroo meat trade is on the verge of collapse because of an ongoing ban in Russia.

  
  
  

• ALP dinner ticket buys hospital time

  Keith Hospital chairman James De Barro says he attended an expensive ALP fundraising dinner in an attempt to gain a few minutes discussion with Jay Weatherill.

  Mr De Barro says he made several failed attempts to arrange meetings with former premier Mike Rann to discuss the hospital's plight.

  
  
  

• Avocado packing plant gets $100K boost

  A South Australian Government grant will allow a Waikerie avocado packing plant to expand its production, making it more efficient.

  
  
  

• TAFE funding cuts fuel rural job worries

  There are fears cuts to TAFE funding could exacerbate a skills shortage in the agriculture industry.

  
  
  

• Survey highlights rural health problems

  A survey has highlighted the divide between city dwellers and their rural counterparts in the areas of health, unemployment and wealth.

  
  
  

• Silverton horse to run at Morphettville

  Silverton trainers Helen and Barry Murray are heading to Adelaide ahead of their first race at Morphettville tomorrow.

  
  
  

• Fears office closures to affect DPI services

  The Victorian Opposition says it is only a matter of time before cuts to Department of Primary Industries' (DPI) funding start affecting front-line services.

  
  
  

• Government releases Indonesian abattoir report

  An investigation into animal cruelty in Indonesian abattoirs has recommended action be taken against two Australian exporters.

  
  
  

• Report highlights city versus country living

  CEO of Roy Morgan Research Michele Levine discusses how a study has found people who live in the city fair better in terms of health, education, wealth and employment than people living rurally.
  
  

• Asbestos to be removed from building at Wilcannia

  After almost a decade, a derelict building in Wilcannia containing asbestos will be cleaned up by council.

  
  
  

• Poison trials raise hopes in feral pests fight

  Feral cats, rabbits and foxes are causing problems in many parts of Australia, but there are hopes of new baiting methods soon.

  
  
  

• Safe food group backs extended GM-free buffer zone

  The Safe Food Foundation has welcomed a court agreement designed to better protect a Western Australian Great Southern organic farm from contamination by genetically modified (GM) crops.

  
  
  

• SA farmers watching skies for rain

  Many farmers are looking to the skies in the hopes of drenching rains across SA as they sow winter crops.

  
  
  

• Bigger farm yields: Are they making Aussies fat?

  Are farm efficiency and bigger yields changing dietary habits and promoting rising obesity among Australians?

  
  
  

• Forum to offer farm outlook

  The latest commodity forecasts, along with key issues, will be discussed at the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Regional Outlook conference in Berri.

  
  
  

• No sign of outback freshwater croc

  The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) says it has been unable to find any trace of a freshwater crocodile reported in the state's west.

  
  
  

• Union demands open forum on Murray Goulburn job cuts

  The National Union of Workers says Murray Goulburn is trying to lock it out of talks about the restructuring of the business.

  
  
  

• CSG compensation considered for NSW farmers

  The New South Wales Government says farmers could be offered greater compensation to encourage coal seam gas projects on their land.

  
  
  

• Lake Eyre visit on bucket lists: tourism operator

  The water level is falling in remote Lake Eyre as tourists flock to the outback for a rare treat.

  
  
  

• 93yo axeman gives retirement the chop

  Legendary axeman Vic Summers has again shelved retirement plans and will compete at this week's Gympie Show in south-east Queensland, at the age of 93.

  
  
  

• Robot dairy set to give farmers a sleep in

  A high-tech robot could change the lives of Tasmania dairy farmers by releasing them from the daily grind of milking.

  
  
  

• Farmers offered business skills boost

  Farm business in Western Australia will be eligible to take part in state-funded training to improve their financial and planning skills.

  
  
  

• Mining boost as Iron Baron reopens

  A reopening of OneSteel's Iron Baron mine, near Whyalla in South Australia, has created 120 jobs.

  
  
  

• Giving back: Tide turning for regional nursing

  As regional towns and hospitals struggle to attract enough doctors, the numbers of nursing staff are improving.

  
  
  

• Crisis meeting as disease wipes out wombats

  Wildlife groups hope to mobilise support to deal with a liver disease killing the wombat population in SA.

  
  
  

• Healthy eating on the menu in north west

  It is hoped the success of a healthy food program at Walgett and Lightning Ridge will encourage more businesses to make changes to their menus.

  
  
  

• Minister widens petroleum exploration zone

  Offshore gas and petroleum exploration zones will be expanded off four states and the Northern Territory.

  
  
  

• Police probe farm fuel theft

  Police are investigating reports of large quantities of fuel being stolen from farming properties in the Northampton area.

  
  
  

• Better times see growing interest in farming careers

  With drought now a memory, more secondary school students are turning to vocational and TAFE training in agriculture.

  
  
  

• Graziers told to seek legal advice

  The New South Wales Farmers Association is advising far west graziers to seek legal advice before allowing mining companies onto their land.

  
  
  

• Jobs the focus of Nationals' state conference

  Jobs and regional growth will be the major themes of the Victorian Nationals' leader's speech to the party's annual conference in Bendigo at the weekend.

  
  
  

• More talks urged over citrus levy

  More public meetings will be held at Renmark and Mypolonga today to discuss a new organisation to represent South Australia's citrus growers.

  
  
  

• Croc spotted in outback Qld waterhole

  A freshwater crocodile has been sighted in an outback waterhole in western Queensland.

  
  
  

• Police plead for plane mayday clues

  Police are appealing for information after a mystery distress call from a plane in central-west Queensland.

  
  
  

• Baradine water supply extension in the pipeline

  The Mayor of the Warrumbungle Shire says plans to extend Baradine's town water supply will have to meet Australian fire fighting standards.

  
  
  

• Farmers in high-tech seeding trial in SA

  Farmers have been using some high technology in SA as they test how best to sow a paddock.

  
  
  

• Experts root out ways to boost crop yields

  Scientists at the University of Western Australia (UWA) say their research could lead to better crop yields, despite drought and climate change.

  
  
  

• WAFF laments biosecurity spend

  The Western Australian Farmers Federation (WAFF) says the daily operations of farmers in Western Australia will not be significantly impacted by the federal budget.

  
  
  

• Security cameras needed despite isolation

  A theft of hundreds of sheep from a property off the South Australian coast has prompted the owner to install security cameras, despite the remote location.

  
  
  

• DPI office closures spark Fair Work bid

  The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has applied for a meeting with the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) at Fair Work Australia.

  
  
  

• Grazier vows 'severe fight' over Wild Rivers laws

  A bitter environmental battle is looming in western Queensland where the new Liberal National Party (LNP) Government is deciding whether to keep Wild Rivers protection for three rivers that flow into Lake Eyre.

  
  
  

• Grower levy falls under citrus industry shake-up

  Agriculture Minister Gail Gago hopes a new representative organisation for the South Australian citrus industry can overcome disunity.

  
  
  

• Farms switching to canola from wheat

  A switch to canola crops from wheat, based on returns for farmers, mirrors a trend overseas.

  
  
  

• Ouyen to fight DPI office closure

  Community leaders in the Mallee town of Ouyen say they have been betrayed by the Victorian Government's closure of the town's Department of Primary Industries (DPI) office.

  
  
  

• Shires welcome roads to recovery funding

  The extension of a federal roads funding program is being hailed as a way of helping cash strapped councils clear a backlog of maintenance works.

  
  
  

• Bourke to host NBN satellite station

  Bourke has been selected to host one of ten satellite ground stations as part of the National Broadband Network.

  
  
  

• Management failures blamed for sheep deaths

  The deaths of more than 1,000 sheep on a Tasmanian farm have been blamed on a lack of vaccinations and worming.

  
  
  

• $4.7 million for health in Broken Hill

  The University of Sydney's rural health department in Broken Hill has received $4.7 million in the federal budget.

  
  
  

• Sheep farmer forced to install security cameras

  A Kangaroo Island farmer who has had about $45,000 worth of sheep stolen says he has now installed security cameras on his property.

  
  
  

• DPI office closures condemned

  The State Government has been criticised over its decision to close seven Department of Primary Industries' (DPI) offices in regional Victoria.

  
  
  

• Aquifer storage hopes for Murray water supplies

  Water scientists say there is growing interest from industry and governments in proposals for aquifer storages.

  
  
  

• Hopes rising for underground water storage

  A group of scientists says a better way of ensuring Australia's future water security is to store water underground in aquifers.
  
  

• Torrens Island quarantine facility to close

  South Australia is to lose its quarantine facility on Torrens Island in Adelaide.

  
  
  

• Cuttlefish protection zone widened

  A protection zone has been extended in the breeding grounds of the giant cuttlefish in upper Spencer Gulf in South Australia.

  
  
  

• Chips down for struggling potato growers

  South Australian potato growers say the SA Government has ignored their calls for assistance during a tough period for the industry.

  
  
  

• Desert rain brings boom to Birdsville

  The emblematic outback town of Birdsville in far western Queensland is enjoying one of its best run of seasons in living memory, with three years of flooding rains transforming its desert landscape.

  
  
  

• DSE probes eagle shooting reports

  Wildlife authorities are investigating reports that protected wedge-tailed eagles have been illegally shot in the Yea area.

  
  
  

• Asian boost the way forward for agriculture: report

  Research concludes Asian workers may help meet the agricultural sector's demand for a skilled workforce.

  
  
  

• SARDI says merger plan progressing

  The South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) hopes it is close to finalising an agreement to merge with Adelaide University.

  
  
  

• Hope for farm sale to deliver benefits

  The West Wimmera Shire says it is hoping there will be benefits to the community from the sale of a large farm to an overseas company.

  
  
  

• SA Premier demands diesel rebate be retained

  Ahead of the federal budget, SA Premier Jay Weatherill has put in writing his view on the importance of the diesel rebate to mining.

  
  
  

• Hope new jet fuel test will take off

  A new type of jet fuel is being put to the test on a flight across Australia, with the trip keenly watched by aviation and liquefied gas sectors.

  
  
  

• Q fever warning for Hunter farmers

  Figures from Hunter New England Health have confirmed the region's rural sector is now most at risk of the debilitating disease Q fever.

  
  
  

• 12-year-olds to be allowed to hunt alone

  Proposed laws to allow children as young as 12, armed with bows and arrows, to hunt feral animals alone are aimed at ensuring the creatures are killed humanely.

  
  
  

• Busy Buswell refuses to meet with farmers

  The WA Farmers Federation says its members will be slighted by the Transport Minister Troy Buswell's continued refusal to meet its representatives.

  
  
  

• Silent pest devastates rural properties

  Recent rains are helping snails breed in South Australia and causing an expensive fight for farmers.

  
  
  

• Every bottle of Grange has a story

  Penfolds has launched its 2007 Grange in Adelaide this week and chief winemaker Peter Gago told Spence Denny that every bottle forms the start of a special story.
  
  

• Sister act spreads story of inspiring Australian

  She plays touch football, has a computer science degree and brings to life the story of Australia's first Catholic saint.

  
  
  

• Vast weapons test site set for mining

  The Defence Department is changing access rules for mining companies in the potentially-lucrative Woomera weapons testing area.

  
  
  

• Rural generalists to bring skills to the bush

  It's hoped a new medical program being launched in New South Wales next year will help limit travel for rural patients.

  
  
  

• Uncertainty surrounds meatworkers' return to work

  It is still unclear if more than 600 striking workers at an abattoir on southern Queensland's Darling Downs will return to work next week.

  
  
  

• Winners and losers of the mining boom

  Moranbah could suit anyone looking to move from the city to a town that has a bit going for it. But unless you work in mining you'd struggle to afford it.

  • Read all responses to this article
  
  
  

• 'Tough' times force farmer centre funding cut

  The federal Member for Wannon, Dan Tehan, says it is unlikely a cut to continued funding for the National Centre for Farmer Health was a political move.

  
  
  

• Meatworks plan struggles to lure investors

  A group seeking to build an abattoir in north-west Queensland says it is having trouble attracting investors.

  
  
  

• Farmers offer scientists climate change insight

  A group of scientists says it hopes to learn more about how primary producers are adapting to climate change by taking note of those in north Queensland.

  
  
  

• Cripps pledges 'practical' support for landholders

  The Natural Resources Minister says he will adopt a common sense approach to issues affecting rural industries in Queensland.

  
  
  

• Wine industry faces job cuts, ongoing grape glut

  The SA Wine Industry Council says a loss of 85 jobs at Orlando Wines reflects a challenging export market.

  
  
  

• Dry time as winter sowing underway

  An agronomist says Wimmera farmers are facing drier conditions as the region's winter sowing program gets into full swing.

  
  
  

• Chamber unfazed by land ownership fears

  The Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry says there should be more focus on food security issues than foreign ownership of Western Australian agricultural land.

  
  
  

• Growers hope fish breeding trial fruitful

  It is hoped combining fish breeding with growing plants can help some struggling primary producers.

  
  
  

• Specialist doctors could cause headaches for the bush

  There are fears that an increase in specialist doctors could make the country's health care system unaffordable.

  
  
  

• Fishing closures to let garfish recover

  There are to be seasonal garfish closures in Saint Vincent and Spencer Gulfs in South Australia from this month.

  
  
  

• Farmers' hopes rise with SA rain

  Useful rainfall over SA grain growing areas has lifted spirits, as some farmers had sown hoping for falls.

  
  
  

• Search on for central Qld cave fossils

  A Queensland Museum curator will start sifting through thousands of animal bones to try to find new fossils at the Capricorn Caves, near Rockhampton in the state's central region.

  
  
  

• Thousands rally against NSW land use policy

  Thousands of people from farms and environmental groups have gathered in Sydney for a mass rally against the NSW Government's land use policy.

  
  
  

• Hay shed goes up in flames

  A shed fire north of Bordertown has destroyed hay, as well as chemicals in a shipping container.

  
  
  

• Cattle crossing

  
  
  

• Minister says farmers and mining can co-exist

  SA Mineral Resources Minister Tom Koutsantonis is confident farmers and miners can work together, as the Government approves a resumption of mineral sands mining at Mindarie in eastern South Australia. He spoke with William Rollo.
  
  

• Pest fish threat for Murray-Darling

  A pest fish has been spreading and eating native fish species and a survey warns it is close to reaching the Murray-Darling Basin. Cameron Wilson investigates.
  
  

• Beauty of the Flinders Ranges at dawn

  The beauty of the Flinders Ranges is captured in this gallery by the ABC's Martin Davies.
  
  

• Farmers say registry of foreign investment needed

  Farmers say it is impossible to assess the impact of Chinese investment on local agriculture and a registry of foreign investors is needed.

  
  
  

• Farm-green alliance fights NSW land use policy

  Farmers and environmentalists say regional NSW is united against the State Government's draft laws governing land use.

  
  
  

• Farmers criticised for joining green groups

  The New South Wales resources minister Chris Hartcher has condemned the Farmers' Association for joining forces with environmental groups.

  
  
  

• Approval given for zircon mining to resume

  A reopening of a mineral sands mine at Mindarie in the Murray Mallee of South Australia will boost the region's economy, says the SA Government.

  
  
  

• Certainty emerging on marine zones, says Premier

  The South Australian Government says misconceptions over proposed marine parks should end.

  
  
  

• End to EC welcomed by drought advisory group

  An advisory group to the federal government says the time is right to scrap interest rate subsidies for drought-affected farmers.

  
  
  

• Former Mayor dies in mustering accident

  The former Mayor of Bourke has been killed in a plane crash which happened while mustering livestock.

  
  
  

• Final curtain for fallen ABC cameraman John Bean

  The final collaboration between ABC cameraman John Bean and his wife, reporter Pip Courtney, has finally gone to air.

  
  
  

• Another uranium mine closer for outback SA

  Another uranium mine is closer to development in outback South Australia.

  
  
  

• Doubt cast over Aboriginal Heritage Act shake-up

  There have been accusations that the Western Australian Government's overhaul of the Aboriginal Heritage Act panders to the mining sector by making it easier for companies to disrupt sacred sites.

  
  
  

• Greens urge protection for non-GM farmers

  The Greens says Western Australian canola crops need to be protected from contamination as international demand plummets for genetically modified (GM) crops.

  
  
  

• Australia drought-free for first time in decade

  The Federal Government is set to declare Australia drought-free for the first time in more than 10 years.

  
  
  

• Farmers want new laws to counter animal activists

  The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says new laws are needed to protect farmers from animal activists.

  
  
  

• Aerial shooting to control feral goats

  Aerial shooting will tackle rising numbers of feral goats which are damaging conservation parks in the South Australian Riverland.

  
  
  

• Water ministers at odds on Murray tour

  Ministers from three states have visited the Murray mouth, but again highlighted their differences on the draft plan for the river system.

  
  
  

• Toilets demand drives mining plan

  Demand for porcelain toilets in China and India is, in part, driving demand to mine zircon in eastern SA and part of western Victoria. William Rollo has the story.
  
  

• Demand for toilets drives mining plan

  A valuable mineral is in high demand, partly because more toilets are needed in China and India.

  
  
  

• Loddon Shire to go ahead with rural zone plan

  The head of the Loddon Shire says a two-year review into zoning land for agricultural use is finally moving forward, after councillors approved its rural living plan this week.

  
  
  

• Irrigators warned Murray challenge set to fail

  A vote by irrigators to challenge the Water Act in the High Court is unlikely to succeed, says a law professor at the University of South Australia.
  
  

• Barrages closed to fight lower lakes salinity

  Water authorities in South Australia have closed the Goolwa and Mundoo barrages on the lower lakes near the Murray mouth, due to high tides.

  
  
  

• VFF urges state-wide rates review

  Victoria's peak farm group says it is renewing a push for a state-wide rates review because huge rate bills are becoming unsustainable.

  
  
  

• Mad cow disease found in California

  United States authorities have reported the country's first case of mad cow disease in six years.

  
  
  

• Group urges compulsory CSG compo register

  A landholders' group says farmers should be made to reveal their compensation agreements with coal seam gas (CSG) companies.

  
  
  

• Irrigators' vote backs High Court water fight

  Irrigators vote for pursuing High Court action over the Water Act, potentially threatening the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

  
  
  

• $2m boost for biochar research

  Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig has announced $2 million of funding for biochar research.

  
  
  

• Outback town honours Gallipoli soldier

  A north-west Queensland council will unveil a bust of Gallipoli hero and one of Australia's most highly decorated servicemen at Anzac commemorations tomorrow.

  
  
  

• Pastoralists briefed on rangelands self-monitoring

  Western Australian pastoralists have been attending workshops to learn about the State Government's new rangelands self-monitoring program.

  
  
  

• Cow pumps out 1 million glasses of milk

  A Canadian cow has set a new world record for the most milk produced in a lifetime - more than 1 million glasses, and counting.

  
  
  

• The Drum Monday 23 April

  In this episode, Tim Palmer speaks to former Liberal adviser David Miles, Annabel Crabb from ABC Online and Peter Lewis from Essential Media.
  
  

• Ryan resists mining veto calls

  The Victorian Government is resisting calls to give landholders the power to veto mining activity on their land.

  
  
  

• Roof put on revamped saleyards

  The upgrade to the Naracoorte saleyards is beginning to take shape, as construction on the site begins.

  
  
  

• New VFF boss hopes to widen membership

  The new president of the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) says he will be working to get more women and younger people involved with the organisation.

  
  
  

• Local farmers outline their future challenges

  Invasive pests and weeds and the future of mining and clean energy have been raised as major issues of concern to farmers in the Bathurst and Oberon region.

  
  
  

• Call to open marine reserve to yellow fin tuna fishers

  There are calls to allow commercial fishing of yellow fin tuna in Australia's newest marine reserve.

  
  
  

• Aquaculture fighting high mortality rate

  The mortality rate has recently increased for some aquaculture stocks in SA.
  
  

• Abattoir resuming camel meat processing

  As many as 40 jobs could be created when an abattoir at Peterborough resumes the processing of camel meat.

  
  
  

• Rabbit hunters head to Macquarie Island

  A fresh team of hunters are heading to Macquarie Island to follow up on a mass baiting program designed to kill every last rabbit on the World Heritage listed island.

  
  
  

• New meat industry authority chairman named

  The new chairman of the Western Australian Meat Industry Authority (WAMIA) says declining cattle numbers across the state are posing a serious problem for the industry.

  
  
  

• Farmers still airing Mindarie mine fears

  Murray-Mallee farmers says some concerns about the possible reopening of the mineral sands mine at Mindarie are yet to be resolved.

  
  
  

• Petition backs piggery

  More than 200 people have signed a petition in support of a plan to build a small piggery at Kandanga.

  
  
  

• Farmers get help fixing flood-hit creeks

  A resource management group is helping south-east Queensland farmers repair creek and river systems 15 months after major flooding hit the region.

  
  
  

• Doctor calls for more training, less flying

  The chairman of the Far West Local Health District is calling for more training for rural health workers.

  
  
  

• VFF members converge on Bendigo

  More than 400 farmers are meeting in Bendigo today for the first day of the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) annual conference.

  
  
  

• Organic winery now seeks carbon neutrality

  Winemaker David Bruer is pushing for what is said to be an Australian first, to turn his Langhorne Creek organic winery, south of Adelaide, into a carbon-neutral operation.
  
  

• Graphite deposits open SA possibilities

  China is the world's largest producer of graphite, used in such goods as cameras, phones and computers as well as heavy industry, but two companies have now found high grade deposits on Eyre Peninsula in SA.
  
  

• Wet years for SA, but is it now changing?

  Wet years in 2010 and 2011 for SA, but are there now signs of drier times ahead?
  
  

• Cycle raises money for far west students

  A Sydney teacher who helped raise $9000 for a school in Wilcannia says it is important that remote communities do not feel cut off from the big cities.

  
  
  

• Grain growers up-beat amid seeding start

  South Australia's grain growers are optimistic about the coming season, as seeding begins.

  
  
  

• Christine Milne takes message to farmers

  New Greens leader Christine Milne is kicking off her regional tour in the New South Wales town of Orange.

  
  
  

• Greens leader kicks off regional tour

  The new Greens Leader says she is starting her regional tour in the central west because it offers a diverse range of views on renewable energy and agricultural issues.

  
  
  

• Research set to transform farm practices

  A South Australian researcher says Australia is on the cusp of the biggest transformation of its farming landscape since the arrival of Europeans.

  
  
  

• Research set to transform farming

  A South Australian researcher says Australia is on the cusp of the biggest transformation of its farming landscape since the arrival of Europeans.
  
  

• Farmers hit by fertiliser shortage

  Farmers across western New South Wales have been hit by a fertiliser shortage due to the shutdown of Orica's ammonia plant near Newcastle.

  
  
  

• SA Premier demands 71 Murray plan improvements

  A response issued by the SA Premier to the Murray-Darling Basin draft plan makes 71 recommendations for improvement.

  
  
  

• Research finds mice move further than thought

  Research now shows mice travel further than initially thought.
  
  

• Ivanhoe police station empty

  Ivanhoe's police station is currently unmanned because of staff shortages.

  
  
  

• Unique greenhouse could spur outback growth

  International scientists working in the outback have devised a crop production system not reliant on diminishing fresh water supplies.

  
  
  

• Crookwell student named Royal Easter Showgirl

  An agriculture graduate from the southern tablelands has been named the 2012 Royal Easter Showgirl.

  
  
  

• Hungry birds devouring outback town

  Big flocks of cockatoos are destroying community facilities, trees and power equipment at Orroroo in northern SA.

  
  
  

• Murray flow peaks in Riverland

  Water authorities in South Australia say the flow of the Murray has now peaked as floodwaters move downstream from eastern Australia.

  
  
  

• The Rural Quarter

  Despite the bitterness over the Tasmanian forestry debate, there is one timber product that is predicted to have a bright future - engineered wood.
  
  

• Outback reserve teeming with life

  A wildlife survey on a large private conservation park in the outback found it thriving with marsupials, reptiles and birds.
  
  

• Fires spark stubble burning warning

  Farmers are being asked to be extra careful when burning stubble on their paddocks after two scrub fires burnt out of control in mid-west Western Australia yesterday.

  
  
  

• MP and Egg Corp at odds over free range

  The debate on what constitutes free range has been ignited by a private member's bill before the South Australian Parliament.
  
  

• Farmers back flood recovery grants

  North-east Victoria farmers have welcomed their inclusion in Federal Government recovery grants.

  
  
  

• Rampant weeds giving wombats liver disease

  Researchers think they have worked out why illness has been killing high numbers of southern hairy-nosed wombats.

  
  
  

• Scientists unite against Murray-Darling plan

  The signatures of dozens of leading scientists are on a statement rebuking the Murray-Darling draft plan.

  
  
  

• Murray draft consultation about to end

  Public submissions close next Monday on the draft plan for the Murray-Darling Basin.
  
  

• Wine region push for sustainable production

  Wine grape growers just south of Adelaide are keen to brand an entire region as environmentally sustainable and socially responsible.

  
  
  

• Broken Hill embraces solar power

  The peak body representing renewable energy in Australia says regional New South Wales is leading the way in terms of the number of households installing solar panels.

  
  
  

• Push to upgrade Murray barrages

  Irrigators are calling on the South Australian Government and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to upgrade barrages at the lower lakes, near the Murray mouth.
  
  

• Irrigators urge Murray barrages upgrade

  Irrigators are demanding an upgrade of barrages at the lower lakes, near the Murray mouth.

  
  
  

• CSG industry told of image problem

  Queensland's Deputy Premier says the coal seam gas (CSG) sector needs to do more to address public concerns about the industry.

  
  
  

• Emus help regenerate outback bush tucker

  A project close to the Northern Territory-South Australian border using emus as a way of regenerating local bush tucker.
  
  

• Rain lifts pastoralists' hopes

  A Goldfields' pastoralist says last month's rain could help turn the struggling industry around.

  
  
  

• Tax plans fuel farm fears

  The Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) of Western Australia says the Federal Government's proposed diesel fuel tax will have a big impact on farmers and people living in regional WA.

  
  
  

• Coonawarra hopes high for top vintage

  As harvest time nears an end, Coonawarra wine producers in the south-east of South Australia say the signs point to a high-quality vintage.

  
  
  

• Aerial baiting to fight dingo numbers

  Peter Bird from Biosecurity SA told Nicola Gage there are more dingoes south of the outback dog fence and they are causing serious problems for sheep graziers.
  
  

• School to stop children buying food

  Businesses in Wilcannia are being asked not to serve children during school hours, in an effort to boost school attendance rates.

  
  
  

• Springsure braces for campdraft influx

  More than 300 competitors have arrived in the Central Highlands' town of Springsure for a major campdrafting competition.

  
  
  

• Dingoes targeted by aerial baiting

  Biosecurity SA will drop 30,000 baits over 6,000 square kilometres of inaccessible terrain to try to reduce dingo numbers.

  
  
  

• Man fatally shot on rural property

  Police believe a fatal shooting on a rural property on the New South Wales south coast yesterday was accidental.

  
  
  

• Minister says Murray determination won't go to water

  Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has told a public meeting in Adelaide he will not allow a bad plan to be adopted for the future of the Murray.

  
  
  

• Tackling Australia's immense food waste - one fridge at a time

  Former Adelaide journalist Jane Willcox and a colleague have written a book aimed at tackling food waste - one fridge at a time.
  
  

• Analysis deems new Murray water rules 'worse than old'

  Water expert Professor Mike Young says new Murray-Darling Basin Plan rules will be worse than current ones.
  
  

• Late rain boosts grain crop hopes

  Farmers are planning a start to sowing winter grain crops in Victoria's northern Mallee this week.

  
  
  

• Career women make outback lives

  At outback Roxby Downs, some women have given up careers to allow for their husbands' work at the Olympic Dam mine.

  
  
  

• Quad bike pilot program kicks off in Dubbo

  The Western Institute of TAFE says a pilot quad bike training course in Dubbo, in the state's central west, has failed to attract much interest from farmers.

  
  
  

• Opposition condemns marine park meetings

  The SA Opposition says confusion remains about 19 proposed marine park sanctuary zones and has accused the Government of keeping community groups out of the next round of consultation.

  
  
  

• Wildlife survey reveals thriving landscape

  A wildlife survey on a large private conservation park has found the former sheep station to be teeming with birds, marsupials and reptiles.

  
  
  

• Rural specialty could bring doctors to the bush

  It is hoped the creation of a new speciality in rural medicine in New South Wales could help overcome doctor shortages in regional areas.

  
  
  

• Scientists tinker with mango season

  Australian scientists are working to make mangoes available almost all year round.

  
  
  

• Andamooka a gem for war veteran

  A war veteran has found his quiet corner of the world in the unnamed dirt streets of the outback opal mining town of Andamooka.

  
  
  

• Photo art show showcases high standard

  Organisers of a photo art show in the south-east of SA say there are plenty of "passionate amateurs" keen to show their skills.
  
  

• Money needed for far west weeds

  The chairwoman of the Lower Murray Darling Catchment Management Authority says more money needs to be spent dealing with weeds across the far west.

  
  
  

• Outback vast, but never dull

  Journalist Nicola Gage is often travelling in the outback and shared these images of a recent trip.
  
  

• Crystal Brook wind farm plan shelved

  Origin Energy says it will not proceed with a planned 40-turbine wind farm in the mid-north of South Australia.

  
  
  

• Scientists find groundwater 'flaw' in Murray plan

  The Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists says it has found more flaws in the draft Murray-Darling Basin plan.

  
  
  

• Iraq begins payments to Australian farmers

  More than two decades after the first Gulf War, Australian grain growers who lost out as a result of the Iraq conflict are about to be compensated.

  
  
  

• Judge says fraud was "altruistic"

  A Tibooburra woman has been given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to forging accounts for a local childcare centre.

  
  
  

• Drinking water supplies threaten by power outage

  The Central Darling Shire is considering stocking emergency supplies of bottled water, after Wilcannia's drinking water supply nearly ran out.

  
  
  

• Volunteers get help to run outback town

  The outback opal mining town of Andamooka in South Australia will no longer be run by volunteers.

  
  
  

• Knowles chips SA over Murray plan reticence

  The Murray-Darling Basin Authority says its offer to pay for South Australian public servants to help write the draft Basin plan was a genuine one.

  
  
  

• Wasps ruin big export-bound crops

  Lucerne growers at Keith in the upper south-east of South Australia say wasps have caused extensive damage to this season's harvest.

  
  
  

• Save Murray levy goes for some

  The Save the River Murray levy is to be abolished in areas where water from the Murray is not used.

  
  
  

• Farmers could sue over weeds

  The Greens say farmers in the central west should be compensated if weeds from state-controlled land spread to their properties.

  
  
  

• Push for free range eggs change in SA

  Proposed legislation in South Australia aims to make it illegal to sell eggs as free range if they come from a farm which has more than 1,500 chooks per hectare. Listen to Will Ockenden's report.
  
  

• MP pushing for free range eggs change

  Proposed legislation in South Australia will try to outlaw selling eggs as free range if they are from a farm which has more than 1,500 hens per hectare.

  
  
  

• SA cereal farmer looks half a world away

  Craig Duffield is a South Australian cereal producer who used his Nuffield Scholarship to visit farmers half a world away who work with similar land conditions.
  
  

• Murray-Darling Basin Authority chairman Craig Knowles and SA Premier Jay Weatherill on saving Murray

  Listen to Murray-Darling Basin Authority chairman Craig Knowles and SA Premier Jay Weatherill on 891 ABC about stemming the river system's decline.
  
  

• VFF wants flood grants extended

  The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) is asking the state and federal governments to approve flood emergency grants for more farmers in north-east Victoria.

  
  
  

• Weatherill rejects Murray-Darling plan

  South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill says a review proves the draft plan for the Murray-Darling Basin will not save the system.
  
  

• Science rejects Murray water plan: SA Premier

  The SA Government says a review done by the Goyder Institute rejects the current Murray-Darling plan.

  
  
  

• Concrete yacht sails into trouble

  Michael Rossiter took 32 years to build his concrete yacht Athena, but it came to grief in a heavy squall off the SA coast, as Ann Jones reported on the program.
  
  

• Kids learn the origins of their food

  A survey has suggested many Australian primary school children have little knowledge about where their food comes from.
  
  

• Orchard work continues despite financial woes

  It is understood work is continuing at an orchard near Menindee, despite the company that took it over going into liquidation.

  
  
  

• Fitzroy River flooding eases in Rockhampton

  The Fitzroy River has dropped below six metres after reaching minor flood levels in Rockhampton in central Queensland on the weekend.

  
  
  

• Kondinin agronomist wins research gong

  An agronomist from Kondinin has received the highest award at this year's Young Professionals in Agriculture Forum.

  
  
  

• Financial trouble for far west orchard

  The company that took over an orchard and vineyard near Menindee just last year, has gone into liquidation.

  
  
  

• RFS defends wages estimate

  The Rural Fire Service says a hike in wages for the Boorowa district is due to a new reporting system.

  
  
  

• WAFF airs farmland foreign ownership fears

  The Western Australian Farmers Federation (WAFF) is concerned about a lack of scrutiny on foreign purchases of farmland and agricultural business.

  
  
  

• SA dairy farmers set to go it alone

  South Australian Dairyfarmers' Association president David Basham says a new structure for the national lobby group would give SA farmers, who produce 6 per cent of the nation's milk, limited representation.
  
  

• Unusual find in empty beer can

  A large mulga snake has met an untimely death after getting its head stuck in an empty beer can.

  
  
  

• Untimely death

  
  
  

• Farmer fears lower emissions target

  A Hamilton farmer has fears about the implications of the Government's emissions target reduction.

  
  
  

• Opposition rejects harvest contracts call

  Independent Senator Nick Xenophon has urged the Opposition not to honour any contract for sale of timber harvest rights if it wins government in South Australia.

  
  
  

• Pastoralists say cattle supply low, prices high

  Outback pastoralists who are keen to increase their cattle numbers say stock is hard to find and prices high.

  
  
  

• Rising Murray ensures full supply for irrigators

  A rising Murray in SA ensures irrigators will get their full water entitlements for the second year in a row.

  
  
  

• WWF outraged after herbicide allowed near reef

  The World Wildlife Fund slams a decision to allow the continued use of the herbicide Diuron in the tropics, saying it threatens the Great Barrier Reef.

  
  
  

• Graziers unfazed by wind farm sale

  Silverton landholders who will have turbines put on their property as part of the town's wind farm are not expected to be short changed now that the project has been sold.

  
  
  

• Feral camels become new income source

  About 200 camels have been removed from remote Aboriginal lands and sent to abattoirs.

  
  
  

• Murray flow rising fast in SA

  The flow in the Murray in South Australia has risen sharply due to floodwaters from interstate.

  
  
  

• Dog scourge threatens bumper wool year

  Graziers are bracing for an influx of wild dogs and other pests following the easing of drought across Australia.

  
  
  

• Bush towns welcome review on overseas doctors

  The Federal Government is reviewing its rule that overseas doctors who want to practice in Australia must commit to working first in rural areas.

  
  
  

• Boom times pushing regional towns to the limit

  As Queensland rides the wave of riches pouring into the state from the latest mining boom, the rapid growth is having unintended consequences for many rural towns.

  
  
  

• Water trades decision to affect SA irrigators

  An irrigator lobby group says the South Australian Government's decision to suspend water trades with New South Wales could leave SA irrigators with fewer options.

  
  
  

• Forestry conditions 'step in the right direction'

  The forestry stakeholder group says the South Australian Government has listened to its concerns by imposing new conditions on the sale of south-east forests.

  
  
  

• Shearer clips flock and self for charity

  A veteran shearer has completed a shearing challenge to raise money for a children's charity.

  
  
  

• Silverton Wind Farm

  Energy company AGL says it does not expect objection from residents at the site of a large wind farm set for development next year.

  
  
  

• Clare vineyards at risk from water cost

  The Clare Region Wine Grapegrowers Association says growers are abandoning their vineyards because high water costs are limiting their ability to make a profit.

  
  
  

• Threat to far west teachers dismissed

  The Minister for Education says teachers in the far west will be better off under a new staffing policy, despite contrary claims by the Teachers Federation.

  
  
  

• SA rejected input offer on Murray plan

  The South Australian Government has questioned the Murray-Darling Basin Authority's motives for inviting state public servants to help write a draft water use plan for the Basin.

  
  
  

• World Heritage feasibility study being done on Barossa Valley

  The Barossa Valley is being investigated for possible inclusion on the UNESCO world heritage register.
  
  

• Treasurer Jack Snelling and others on the Country Hour about harvest sale conditions

  Treasurer Jack Snelling talks to the ABC Country Hour about forest forward sale conditions, and others give their reactions to his announcement.
  
  

• From Scotland to a shearing school in SA

  Not so long back, Chris Thomson was studying criminology at Glasgow University in Scotland.
  
  

• Free-range hens may not be happier, says study

  A new study has cast doubt over whether free-range hens are happier and more stress-free than their caged counterparts.

  
  
  

• First aid problem cancels Cooma horse events

  A lack of first aid officers has forced the cancellation of horse events still to be staged from this month's Cooma Show in the New South Wales south east.

  
  
  

• Future directions for the wine industry

  The next generation of leaders in the wine industry have had a round table discussion with Cameron Wilson, of the ABC's Bush Telegraph program, at the National Wine Centre of Australia in Adelaide.
  
  

• Forests sale conditions revealed by SA Treasurer

  South Australian Treasurer Jack Snelling says an agreement has been reached on conditions for a south-east forestry sale.

  
  
  

• WA grain growers to gain from SE Asian beer boom

  A subsidiary of the grain handler, CBH, says it is building a multi-million dollar malt milling plant in Vietnam to capitalise on South-East Asia's growing taste for beer.

  
  
  

• Citrus industry grants under investigation

  The federal Agriculture Department has confirmed it is investigating allegations of Citrus Australia gaining unfair advantage on project grants.

  
  
  

• Tatiara industrial rates to rise 50pc

  Tatiara District Council proposes to increase rates in rural and industrial areas.

  
  
  

• Free range producers looking for regulation

  A WA egg producers group has rallied behind calls for tighter regulations on the sale of free range eggs.