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25.01.2022 Baby Boomers could be asked to sell the family home when they die to pay for aged care costs under a new plan to slap an effective death tax on seniors to fund care. Former Treasurer Peter Costello has urged the Morrison Government to consider an expanded pensioner loans scheme during his appearance today at the Royal Commission into Aged Care. Under the proposal, seniors would be given the option of taking out a loan secured against the family home, that would then be sold w...hen they died or other assets liquidated. While some banks already offer reverse home loans, Mr Costello has called for debate on expanding a pensions loans scheme to use the family home as an asset that could be sold when a retiree dies to recover costs. I mean, financial products that can allow people to raise accommodation bonds against the family home, which is generally their greatest asset, I think theres a much more scope for them and I think the Government could assist there, Mr Costello said. The Government has a thing called the Pension Loan Scheme which it says is available. The private sector has what is called a reversible mortgage or equity drawdown mortgages. But I do think, you know, this is a classic area where those people that do use residential care and do have assets should be asked to make a contribution and guaranteed a return of their deaths. But Mr Costello stressed that informed consent was the key to the proposal so that family members understood the cost would ultimately come out of the estate. Even today, if youre asked to put up an accommodation bond, you can raise that bond with your own house as security, he said. I mean, the point Id make is that I think people should do it knowingly and in advance and there should be products that allow them to do that during their lifetime. If you come around and try to take their assets after theyve died, I think you can expect to run into a lot of opposition there. Mr Costello urged debate on the option as an extension of reforms he introduced during the Howard Government. I felt you were never going to be able to run residential aged care with the ageing of the population off the taxpayer alone and you had to get private money and we introduced what we then called accommodation bonds, Mr Costello said. But Australias longest serving Treasurer also raised the alarm that the red tape and forms to enter aged care were so complex that even he struggled with them. Now, the members of my family I have attempted to fill in these income and assets tests. You all ought to do them, he said. Im reasonably financially literate. I had a lot of trouble filling it in. I dont know how a person going into a nursing home would ever be able to fill it in. Were talking about people who might be 80 or 90 years of age. How do they do this? My suspicion is that a lot of them just dont. More info in link https://www.news.com.au///5a4ff412e013eb5a9787cc5f6cb8f4ff

25.01.2022 Warning We are investigating a number of consumer issues related to Ivory Coat. Real Pet Food Company: Chinese investors gobble up Queensland business targeting four-legged gourmets Back in 2017 - A Chinese-led consortium has struck a billion-dollar deal to buy a Queensland-based pet food giant to exploit the growth of "pet humanisation" in the United States and ultimately China.... Moderate to severe reactions including vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, lethargy, and dehydration. We are also investigating the death of a dog. It is inconclusive whether the product was the direct cause of death, but the product was subsequently fed at a later date to another family dog who suffered similar symptoms. If you have had issues with an Ivory Coat product please let us know. Manufacturer The Real Pet Food Company have been notified. https://www.google.com.au//s/amp.abc.net.au/article/9081298 https://www.facebook.com/200364197449882/posts/769660400520256/?extid=qVKMAG1mDbPZRYPG&d=n

25.01.2022 How's this for an ingenious idea? SA farmer Leon Zacher needed a bit of help getting into the header for the 2020 harvest this year. Diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour at the start of COVID-19, Leon has been going through chemotherapy and radiation therapy.... While he's doing okay so far, his family wanted to make sure he could get in for a few laps during harvest. The family rigged up this safety cage on the front of their fork-lift and hoisted him up into the header safely. "Grandpa has been a farmer all his life - just like my dad," explained Bec Zacher. "Dad wanted desparately to get him in the header, but his walking is gone, so he rustled up a bit of a cage... and popped him into the header for potentially, that last header ride, so it's been a special week that's for sure," she said. Leon's grand-daughter Bec Zacher is now in quarantine after returning to her home in Western Australia, but she says, "seeing grandpa made it more than worth it". Good luck Leon and family!

25.01.2022 New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has raised concerns with Chinese authorities about Beijing's use of a doctored image to target Australia's war crimes record as international pressure mounts on China's Foreign Ministry. Ardern on Tuesday said New Zealand had registered its concerns directly with Chinese authorities over the use of the image by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Twitter. It was an unfactual post, and of course that would concern us," Ar...dern said. "In this case an image has been used that is not factually correct, that is not a genuine image. So we have raised that directly with Chinese authorities." The image, which saw Canberra and Beijing trade diplomatic barbs on Monday, purports to show an Australian special forces soldier slitting the throat of a small Afghan child wrapped in an Australian flag. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday labelled the image "repugnant" and demanded China issue an apology but has now called for calm among Coalition MPs, telling the Coalition party room on Tuesday that the issue needed no further amplification. https://www.smh.com.au//jacinda-ardern-comes-to-australia-

25.01.2022 Victorian Labor Premier Daniel Andrews will be asked to front a federal committee to answer questions about his decision to sign on to Chinas controversial Belt and Road Initiative. The Senates Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee has written to all premiers and chief ministers seeking submissions on Scott Morrisons new Foreign Relations Bill, which would allow the commonwealth to overturn agreements struck with foreign powers by states and territories. The committee ch...air, Liberal Senator Eric Abetz, said it was hoped that Mr Andrews who recently reiterated his support for Victorias participation in the BRI would agree to appear before the Senates inquiry into the bill. Given that the Premier has doubled down on his support for the BRI, it would be of interest to the committee if he were to front the committee and argue his case, Senator Abetz said. Of course, we would never subpoena or force anybody from another parliament, or indeed another house, to appear before the committee. What we do is we invite them. The Foreign Relations Bill would use the Constitutions external affairs powers to force the cancellation of agreements struck by the states and territories as well as by universities with foreign governments. Victorias BRI framework, which deepens co-operation with China on infrastructure, innovation and trade development, is expected to be one of the first major agreements to face the axe under the Foreign Relations Bill. Other agreements facing the chop could include a 2011 investment memorandum of understanding between Western Australia and Chinas National Development and Reform Commission, and a 2013 MOU between NSW and Beijing covering trade, economy, culture, education, science, technology, tourism and sport. Local government sister city agreements could also be cancelled, along with Confucius Institute agreements involving Australian universities. The Prime Minister said the federal government was best placed to determine whether such agreements served the national interest. It is vital that when it comes to Australias dealings with the rest of the world, we speak with one voice and work to one plan, Mr Morrison said. But Mr Andrews called on Mr Morrison to provide a list of new foreign markets with just as much demand as China and defended his deal with Beijing, saying Victoria relied heavily on international students due to its lack of natural resources. Chinese President Xi Jinpings BRI program is used as a vehicle by the Chinese Communist Party to expand Beijings soft power reach in the region. BRI deals have raised alarm bells in intelligence and security agencies amid growing levels of Chinese espionage and coercive influence. https://www.theaustralian.com.au//eb89efc1fb0298c5f239e0d7

24.01.2022 It was the biggest cattle theft in the world but 150 years later outback Queensland locals fear its anniversary has slipped under the radar. In 1870, bushman Henry Harry Readford pulled off an elaborate heist. He stole 1,000 head of cattle from Bowen Downs Station and drove them from near Longreach down into South Australia to sell.... Outback Pioneers director Richard Kinnon runs tours of Nogo Station where Readford rebranded the herd. "In a sense hes probably an infamous hero," he said. "He was pretty good at borrowing stock." "It was only nine years prior that Burke and Wills died coming up through this country with camels and horse," Mr Kinnon said. "He was a great bushman and in incredible explorer in a lot of ways." Readford learned to navigate by the stars from local Indigenous groups, earning him the nickname Captain Starlight. His story partly inspired a character in the classic novel Robbery Under Arms and still draws much-needed tourist dollars today. But this years Qantas centenary and the ongoing pandemic have curbed anniversary celebrations. "Under the circumstances its been drowned out a bit with all the noise," Mr Kinnon said. Readford and his men blazed a trail across the rugged western Queensland outback and down what became known as the Strezlecki Track. Honouring the legend Starlights Lookout, an hour north of Longreach, is a rocky outcrop named after the bushman from where you can see the vast, flat surrounds almost to the horizon. It was not surprising that Readford stopped there on his journey, to ensure they were not being followed. More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//captain-starlight-150th-/12635972

24.01.2022 2020 a harvest boom year as NSW growers crunch the numbers after years of drought Starting the day with a bowl of cereal, or finishing it with a cold beer or glass of wine? Thank a farmer. During years of drought, farmers have struggled to produce their usual bountiful crops and quality meat products 2020 has been the turning point.... "I pulled into the paddock the other day and saw the headers and everything going and to be honest I got tingly because I hadn't seen it for so long it was really just amazing to see," Mungindi grain grower Sam Heagney said. Mr Heagney is one of many in northern New South Wales harvesting winter crops for the first time since 2016. He said the excitement spread far from just the farm to the whole district, and he was also sharing the harvest with his children for the first time. "This is the first time they've really seen a proper harvest so it's all a bit new for them too," he said. "They saw all the same things we did, the dry paddocks and the dust storms and everything else through the drought. "Earlier in the year, I was driving through a paddock with my four-year-old daughter and she said 'Dad, it looks so much better green than brown'." Australia's food bowl Now back to full production, Australian farmers could feed the nation three times over. More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//2020-will-be-a-bountiful/12785094

24.01.2022 That's a lot of unwelcome visitors... A New South Wales canola farmer says tourists chasing Instagram-worthy photos in fields of golden flowers are breaking his fences, trampling his crops and risking being bitten by snakes. "On the three days of the long weekend, there was usually 30 to 40 cars parked on that stretch of the road for 10 hours of the day," Peter Brooks said.... "We got to the point where people ripped the mesh off the fence to climb through it and get into the canola."

23.01.2022 ARE YOU HAPPY TO BUY SMALL STRAWBERRIES? These Sunshine Coast farmers have united to save fruit of all sizes from going to waste. Cook CC Diaz-Petersen and her husband Greg bought 125 kg of small strawberries from Mandy and Adrian Schultz who run LuvaBerry Our War on Waste to value add to fruit not wanted by supermarkets.... Petersens Farm is well known for growing rosellas and CC turns it and other produce, into a range of more than 100 products! The first of this springs rosella plants have gone in the ground but the Petersens are worried about water. They only have enough in their dams to water the crop for the next five week - heres hoping the rain is coming!

23.01.2022 Whistleblowers say residents are denied the opportunity to use their homes as AirBnBs, small businesses are denied approval to operate, beaches are blocked, visitors are harassed, and even long-term renters of Aboriginal descent are being slugged with a $100,000 bond if they want to purchase a home. It’s a little slice of island paradise nestled snugly off Mackay, at the doorstep to the Great Barrier Reef. For the 40 or so locals who live on Keswick Island, 32km off Mackay...Continue reading

23.01.2022 Dairy industry wants national school milk program revived to improve health of school-aged children It has been almost 50 years since Australia had a national school milk program, but some remember piercing those foil caps with paper straws as if it were yesterday. Now Australia's dairy industry wants to bring the program back into schools to help address a significant shortfall in the dairy intake of school-aged children.... According to Dairy Australia, children need on average three serves of dairy a day but four out of five are missing out on the daily recommendation. A national milky way The free school milk program was first introduced by the Menzies Government in 1951. Called the Milk for School Children program, it was adopted in all Australian states with the exception of Queensland, which raised concerns about its tropical climate and huge distances between centres. An agreement saw the scheme operating in the state from 1953. The Coombs Report, released in the early 1970s, determined continuation of the free milk scheme could not be justified on nutritional grounds. After a cost blowout, the federal program was ended by then prime minister Gough Whitlam in 1973. Various states implemented versions of the milk in schools program until as late as the mid 1980s. More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//memories-of-school-milk-/12726316

22.01.2022 Australian exporters to China are facing a $6 billion cliff after unconfirmed instructions from Chinese customs authorities threatened to ban Australian wine, copper, barley, coal, sugar, timber and lobster from Friday. https://www.smh.com.au//australian-exporters-to-china-face

22.01.2022 International students to arrive in Australia for first time in nine months under pilot program The first charter flight of international students is set to arrive in Darwin tomorrow under a pilot program to bring students back to Australia. Up to 70 students from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, and Indonesia are scheduled to arrive at Darwin International Airport at 7:20am on Monday, marking the first time international students have been allowed into the country since Mar...ch 20. The ABC understands all the students will be transferred directly from the airport to Howard Springs Quarantine Facility a former workers' camp near Darwin to begin 14 days of quarantine. Xitao Jiang, a first-year university student from China, said he was "very lucky" to be allowed to return to Australia through the program. More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//first-charter-flight-int/12928626

22.01.2022 Great News !!!!! It sold to Aussies The massive cattle station sold to a local Cloncurry grazier family. Outgoing owners Peter and Ann Wollett offered the property up for auction with cattle and plant machinery. The station has a carrying capacity of 8000 cattle and is located 280km northwest of Cloncurry. A giant Queensland cattle station has sold for $35m via online auction the biggest price fetched under the hammer by one of the countrys leading agencies this year.... Eleven bidders registered to bid on the 97,500ha Nardoo cattle station, with the first bid coming in at a whopping $20m. Bill Seeney of Ray White Longreach and Ray White Rural Queensland principal Bruce Douglas facilitated the sale that was the highest under the hammer price across Ray White this year. Interest came almost exclusively from larger grazier families around Queensland, Mr Douglas said. Its good cattle country and very tightly held, properties dont come up very often in the area so buyers jumped on it. More info in link https://www.realestate.com.au//cattle-station-sold-for-m/

21.01.2022 Meet the 11-year-olds determined to save koalas! This tiny school in outback NSW has only 26 students - but their devoted caretakers of a koala population hit hard by drought. Watch the full story this Sunday on Landline.

21.01.2022 China’s ominous South China Sea warning to Australia China’s state-controlled media has bluntly warned Australia’s warships to stay out of the South China Sea or risk the bitter pill of confrontation. In an ominous threat to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, China is doubling down after the furore over a shocking doctored image depicting a grinning Australian soldier slitting the throat of an Afghan child.... In an editorial published overnight inThe Global Times, Australia is described as the war hound of the United States. As a warhound of the US, Australia should restrain its arrogance. Particularly, its warships must not come to China’s coastal areas to flex muscles, or else it will swallow the bitter pills,’’ the editorial states. Australian special forces murdered 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners. Killing innocent people is trampling on human rights no matter what. But Canberra has the nerve to put itself on the moral high ground of human rights. How arrogant and shameless the Morrison government is! China maintains a maritime militia in the South China Sea - officially called the People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM) that plays a key role in Beijing’s strategy to enforce its disputed sovereignty claims. Asia Institute fellow Rowan Callick told news.com.au that the Global Times editorial was a clear reference to the South China Sea. Australia has refused to do these freedom of navigation protocols. It’s a warning that if we change our strategy and participate in these freedom of navigation cruises something may or may not happen,’’ he said. I don’t think the Global Times is the vehicle to place highly strategic messages. It’s one to place general sentiment. If People’s Daily was to editorialise on this, that Australia’s ships should watch out, that would be more disturbing. This is disturbing enough. Former Labor MP Michael Danby said the editorial represented a clear warning and follows recent activity involving HMAS Ballarat. That’s a threat. HMAS Ballarat was in the South China Sea recently with the US taskforce,’’ Mr Danby said. That’s very ominous. It’s suggesting there might be an incident. According to the US Navy, the HMAS Ballarat conducted drills, integrated tactical training, and warfighting scenarios and a combined transit to the Andaman Sea through the Strait of Malacca in late October. We find tremendous value in sailing alongside our close allies of Australia, as well as our other allies and partners, in support of a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific Region, Commander Ryan T. Easterday said. Commanding Officer of Ballarat, Commander Antony Pisani was also quoted as praising the chance to hone our warfare and mariner skills and develop our ability to operate and communicate together. More info in link https://www.news.com.au//news-story/c5ca71a1bc2575d1d7ecbb

21.01.2022 Chinese commercial investment in Australia fell more than 47 per cent to just $2.5 billion in 2019, and is expected to fall further amid tensions between the two countries, according to the Australian National Universitys latest Chinese Investment in Australia database. The database is arguably the most accurate source of Chinese investment in Australia because it records actual transactions, as opposed to approved or contracted deals, as is the case with other databases suc...h as that of the Foreign Investment Review Board. The federal governments approval of the $1.5 billion sale of Bellamys was the largest Chinese investment deal to proceed in 2019, and was largely seen as a positive for Beijings frosty relationship with Canberra. However, overall the level of Chinese investment in Australia has now fallen for three consecutive years since it peaked at $15.8 billion in 2016, according to the CHIIA. ANUs lead analyst for the CHIIA database, Mary Ming Sheng, said Chinese investment would decline further. "Judging from the information so far this year, wed expect Chinese investment to be lower in 2020," Ms Ming Sheng said. "Thats partly because of COVID-19 but also because the Australian investment environment has tightened." One of Chinas most voracious property developers, Poly Global, suddenly abandoned a late-stage deal worth up to $300 million with Lendlease this month in what sources said was a last-minute "directive from Beijing". However Ms Ming Sheng said it was hard to put a price tag on the drop in investment activity resulting from ongoing trade and diplomatic tensions between the two countries. "It would be speculating to say exactly how the politics has affected these investment flows," she said. In 2019, Chinese investment almost halved across all sectors, with major falls in mining, real estate and commercial property, manufacturing and a collapse of investment in agriculture. There were some modest gains in construction, education and finance. The real estate sector received the biggest proportion, with 24 per cent of Chinese investment, followed by the mining sector that made up 21 per cent of the total value More info in link https://www.afr.com//china-s-investment-in-australia-is-co

21.01.2022 Out of many parts of Asia, particularly in North Asia, places like Taiwan and I would also say provinces of China, Singapore, we are looking at what alternative arrangements could be had to channel visitors through appropriate quarantine arrangements for low-risk countries. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has revealed some Chinese provinces are among the areas being considered for future travel bubble arrangements with Australia. Morrison told reporters on Tuesday that there ...had been ongoing discussions with countries including Japan, Korea and New Zealand, while other low risk areas, particularly in North Asia, were also being considered. He added that Australia would proceed cautiously before lifting its international border ban, that was first introduced in March. There are countries that are doing obviously far better than what we are seeing in Europe and the United States, he said. The situation in Europe and the United States is awful. And obviously, that presents great risks for people coming from those parts of the world to Australia. Morrison said Australia did, however, remain open to the idea of reopening to other low risk countries. We continue to hold these discussions with countries like Japan, we have had them before with Korea, Pacific nations, New Zealand has already been opened for travel into Australia without quarantine arrangements, he said. More info in link https://7news.com.au//australia-considers-travel-bubble-ar

20.01.2022 Australia is providing a $1.5 billion loan to Indonesia in support of an international COVID-19 response program. The loan, repayable over 15 years, will be used to support Indonesia’s budget financing for 2020. The agreement recognises the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, while supporting the Asian Development Bank-led COVID-19 response and expenditure support program.... In a joint statement, Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said COVID-19 was posing an unprecedented challenge to the Indo-Pacific and the world. Both our nations have been affected by this extraordinary crisis as containment measures and uncertainty have depressed global economic activity and international trade, they said. More info in link https://7news.com.au//australia-loans-15-billion-to-indone

20.01.2022 Tension is the new normal for international relations with Beijing. And Chairman Xi Jinping seems determined to ratchet up the pressure. Xi on Wednesday reportedly ordered the armed forces to strengthen training under real combat conditions and raise their capability of winning wars. Then his state-controlled media openly threatened Australia: If Canberra cannot reflect on its previous moves against China and make adjustments, improving China-Australia relations will be ...far from visible. At that time, Australians will know how it feels like to walk into the dark. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Secretary Frances Adamson on Thursday summarised the precarious situation her diplomats had to contend with. China wants to set rather than merely adopt international standards. China wants to lead rather than simply join international institutions, she said during a lecture to the National Security College. China may have reached a point where it believes that it can largely set the terms of its future engagement with the world. If it has, I believe it is mistaken. While Beijing’s ire may for the moment be focused on Canberra, its ambitions are far more expansive. There’s the South and East China Seas. There’s Hong Kong and Taiwan. There’s the Himalayas, and the world stage. Xi this week was urging his military to modernise after his Communist Party commissars laid out plans to make the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on par with the US military by 2027. Xi reportedly stressed the need to enhance technological literacy among his soldiers, embrace new technologies such as artificial intelligence and minimise bureaucracy. More info in link https://www.news.com.au//news-story/26d560cd4026a963d378f2

20.01.2022 "Hello, neighbour" Christina in The Gap caught this beautiful coastal python manoeuvring for a stickybeak into her neighbour's bathroom this weekend. "Last weekend was a 2m eastern brown snake, this weekend was a 2m+ python. The Gap is alive with snakes at the moment!"... : Christina Howes

20.01.2022 China's Foreign Ministry says Australia should be ashamed of its war crimes in Afghanistan after Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanded an apology over an inflammatory social media post from an official Chinese account. Twitter was on Monday scrambling to assess whether a doctored image shared by the deputy director of China's Foreign Ministry had violated its terms of service after Mr Morrison called a press conference to demand the post be taken down, labelling it "repugnan...t" and "truly offensive". The image purported to show a special forces soldier slitting the throat of an Afghan child with its head wrapped in an Australian flag as it cradled a lamb. More than four hours after Mr Morrison's request for the image to be taken down the social media giant had yet to respond. It has censored multiple replies to the image for violating its Twitter rules but not the original post itself. Twitter has not responded to multiple requests for comment. The Morrison government is preparing to escalate its response to the company's San Francisco headquarters on Tuesday if its demands are not met. The post came three days after China hit Australia’s $45 billion wine industry with a tariff of more than 200 per cent, in a major escalation of Beijing's trade strikes on billions of dollars worth of Australian exports. In his strongest comments on any Chinese government action since he became Prime Minister, a visibly angry Mr Morrison said the Chinese government should be "totally ashamed of the post", accused the Chinese Communist Party of being immature and said he hoped this "awful event may lead to a reset" in the relationship. More info in link https://www.smh.com.au//twitter-slow-to-comply-with-morris

19.01.2022 The threat of Australian lobsters dying at Chinese airports has spooked local producers and escalated trade tensions between Beijing and Canberra. Tonnes of live lobsters were stranded at Chinese airports and clearance houses while waiting to be inspected by Customs officials at the weekend. Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said the Government was seeking more information from the industry, but he warned if China was discriminating against Australian products it would be a bre...ach of international trade rules. "All importers should be subjected to equivalent standards and there should be no discriminatory screening practices," he said. "So far as any industry concerns imply a breach of WTO [World Trade Organization] or CHAFTA [ChinaAustralia Free Trade Agreement] commitments, Chinese authorities should rule out the use of any such discriminatory actions." Trade tensions Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said China was inspecting between 50 and 100 per cent of Australian rock lobsters, citing concerns about trace elements of metals. He said the Government had reserved the right the take the issue to the WTO if it escalated. "We're a fair country, we play by WTO rules and we expect those we trade with to do that," he said. "We expect China to play by WTO rules and if they don't we'll have to make consideration with industry around what our next action is around the independent umpire." More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//australian-lobster-expor/12837700

19.01.2022 OK fess up ... which one of you is driving around with a rooster sitting in the passenger seat? This photo was taken in Acacia Ridge over the weekend. : hanny121 on Reddit

18.01.2022 Ok family and friends. I went shopping at Coles yesterday (Sunday 27th October) and l needed corn kernels. So l picked up the cheapest tin which of course was Coles branded corn kernels (which also had the biggest shelf display). As l went to put the tin into my trolley l checked where they were grown. Too my shock (but l guess not too shocked) they were grown in Thailand. So l thought stuff this and started looking for something Australian grown.... I found Edgell corn kernels (and much smaller shelf display. Tucked away nearly couldnt see them. Really had to look for them). I wish l had taken a photo of the shelf displays but unfortunately didnt. I brought the Edgell corn kernels because they are Australian grown and packed in Bathurst NSW. And what about the price you are asking. Coles branded corn kernels grown in Thailand were 90c. Edgell corn kernels grown in Australia were $1.00. So for 10c extra we could all be helping and supporting our great Aussie farmers. So how about we do that guys. So this is where l need your help. I need you too share my post, get your friends and their friends and so on to share this post. Lets all get this out. See more

18.01.2022 Australia will be one of the first countries in the world to allow contact tracers access to personal data from credit card transactions.

18.01.2022 Wineries in some of Australia's premier wine regions are looking down the barrel of a difficult future with China's wine tariffs likely to put smaller wineries out of business and force larger growers into new markets. It follows news over the weekend that China imposed crippling import taxes, ranging from 107 to more than 200 per cent, on all Australian wine. Australia's largest wine company, Treasury Wine Estates, said its imports into China had been slugged with a massive ...169.3 per cent tariff, and it will implement emergency measures to minimise the damage. Mitchell Taylor, the managing director of Taylor's Wines, an award-winning vineyard in South Australia's Clare Valley, said the industry was ready for a shock but the sheer size of the tariff was unprecedented. "As an industry we knew something was coming, but to have it come so quickly and so harshly it was really a big surprise and quite an outrageous decision," Mr Mitchell said. More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//australian-wine-facing-b/12934140

18.01.2022 The ABC and the Australian Financial Review have rushed their correspondents out of China after police demanded interviews with both journalists, resulting in an extraordinary diplomatic standoff. Seven Chinese police officers arrived on Birtles doorstep in the middle of the night, demanding he submit to questioning The evacuation means for the first time since the mid-1970s there are no accredited Australian media journalists in China, with correspondent for The Australian ...Continue reading

17.01.2022 Update post from yesterdays post Five-year-old Maddison Houston has been doing chores and selling strawberries to save money to buy her dream car, a Ferrari. But when a heartless thief stole her hard-earned cash from her mums Pimpama cafe on Sunday, Sunrise stepped in to brighten her day.... Read more: https://7news.link/35eytnW https://www.facebook.com/7NEWSBrisbane/videos/975747992889290/?vh=e&extid=8DKtu9wIUj2KdPWD&d=n

17.01.2022 China fires new $6bn trade shot with new Australian import bans Chinese state media has confirmed a sweeping halt on exports from Australia worth more than $6bn a year from Friday, days after Beijing dismissed the discriminatory ban as a rumour. The Global Times, a state-controlled tabloid, made the extraordinary admission in a report called Australia nervous at losing Chinese market, part of a package of stories about the country’s biggest trade fair, which opened on Wed...Continue reading

17.01.2022 POLICE APPEAL TO IDENTIFY ELDERLY WOMAN Police need help to identify this elderly woman who was abandoned outside the Nambour Hospital on September 6 at 12.20pm by an unknown man. She is distressed and unable to communicate with staff. She appears to be between 80-90 years old and was wearing a long brown coat and slippers.... An unknown man walked with the woman to a chair outside the hospital, before immediately leaving. Anyone who knows either of these people is urged to contact Police immediately. Policelink: www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting or call 131 444. https://www.facebook.com/910789112291807/posts/3325623474141680/

16.01.2022 I think we could get our country back what do you think ?

16.01.2022 Careful what you say and how you say it to China, the former Dow Chemical chief has warned Australia amid ongoing tensions between the countries. Tensions peak in the territorial dispute over the South China Sea as the US toughens military stance against Beijing. Australia should speak its mind in private with China as it flexes its muscles and fills the superpower vacuum left by the decline of the US, a global business leader has warned....Continue reading

16.01.2022 All sectors of agriculture in Australia face threats to their social licence to operate according to Alison Penfold. Beef is at the top of her ‘at risk’ list. Australia's cattle producers have been warned by a former industry leader that beef is "emerging as agriculture's coal equivalent". We're seeing climate change campaigners shift focus from fossil fuels to meat and also dairy," said Alison Penfold, a social licence consultant and former chief executive of the Australian ...Livestock Exporters' Council. "They're targeting the investor community in terms of either releasing capital in the red meat sector or indeed pushing for divestment, and there's significant emerging evidence that this is playing out more and more." Ms Penfold said a host of issues testing the public's trust in farming were heading "like a freight train" towards most sectors in Australian agriculture. "Animal welfare is certainly on the agenda, climate change, water, labour, biosecurity, foreign investment rules, chemical use, GMOs, gene editing, ... tree clearing, the environment ... I could go on and on and on," she said. She believes Australia's $20-billion beef industry is most at risk of losing its social licence, an informal licence granted by the community based on what it expects and accepts. "I don't say it lightly and I don't say it with any malice, I am calling it out because the risk is significant," she said. More info in link https://mobile.abc.net.au//alison-penfold-says-b/12881720

16.01.2022 MEET LEGGS THE EMU ...A NEW KIND OF FARMHAND! Leggs wandered into a local Tempy farm from a Flora and Fauna Reserve, possibly after a fire and quickly made himself at home. He runs with the sheep dogs to round up the sheep,helps to feed the orphan lambs as you can see here and generally helps out around the farm!... He wandered into the shearing shed at the last shearing and started pecking at the wool on the board frightening the heck out of the roustabouts. But he has a mischievous side..he is not above trying to steal the spanners from underneath the hood of vehicle. His adopted farm family are keen to stress Leggs is there completely of his own free will and can come and go as he pleases . He just chooses to stay at this stage but who knows when he gets the call of nature. Photo courtesy North-West Express https://www.facebook.com/119588958061116/posts/3581530131866964/?extid=vvPWfoAm7jMJKHzu&d=n

16.01.2022 Shares in Australian coal exporters have been hit hard amid speculation coal exports have again become the target of Chinese coal bans amid ongoing trade tensions. Reports suggest Chinese power stations and state-owned steel mills have been verbally told by authorities to stop using Australian coal, potentially slowing and restricting the flow of Australian shipments of both thermal and coking coal amid ongoing political tensions between Beijing and Canberra. Shares in local ...Continue reading

15.01.2022 "Our door remains open to that dialogue, the ball is in their court." Trade Minister Simon Birmingham says China must provide answers about why exports are being held up. Importers say Australian wine, cotton, barley and other commodities will not clear customs from Friday.... https://www.abc.net.au//request-retrospective-ta/12847322

15.01.2022 An anti-meat activist has launched a bizarre late-night attack on restaurants in Melbournes south east. She used a street sign to smash windows at 10 businesses - until police arrived and arrested her. https://www.facebook.com/363623854300/posts/10159156562139301/?vh=e&extid=aRLsQLUH2kcphXuW&d=n

15.01.2022 This Queensland apple-growing family was sick of apples going to waste so they've made what they believe to be the world's first fruit drink that bottles all of the apple, minus the pips and core! Would you try an 'apple in a bottle'? https://www.abc.net.au//queensland-apple-growing/12819162

14.01.2022 These angry Australians say they're being squeezed out of an idyllic lifestyle by a wealthy Chinese developer. Their island's new owners are trying to stop Aussies from even setting foot on the public beach.

14.01.2022 The government-owned Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has poured $US7 million ($9.6m) into a Shanghai-based company called "Sunman". This means taxpayers, by extension, will own a 14 per cent stake in Sunman, which also has offices in North Sydney and Hong Kong. Unbeknownst to many, these "new age" eArc panels have already been installed at some iconic Australian locations (and some that aren't well known).... The little-known company was founded in 2015 by leading solar scientist, Dr Zhengrong Shi, nicknamed the "Sun King" as he is widely regarded as a pioneer in the industry's development. Dr Shi has invented a new breed of solar panel called the "eArc" which the CEFC's chief executive, Ian Learmonth, is betting will be "the next big thing" in the industry's evolution. Essentially, these are lightweight solar panels that Sunman says are "revolutionary" and can be glued "onto any surface". In contrast, traditional solar panels (made of heavy glass) can only be placed on flat rooftops, and often need holes to be drilled into rooftops during installation. Already, we've got an incredible uptake of solar rooftops there are 2.4 million roofs in Australia with conventional panels on," Mr Learmonth told the ABC. "I see this particular innovation in solar panels playing a huge role ... we're now going to open up a whole new market. It's very exciting." Dr Shi is the majority shareholder of Sunman, while Sydney-based private equity firm Southern Cross Venture Partners also has a significant stake. What is the eArc? Sunman says its eArc panels weigh "70 per cent" (or 14-17 kilograms) less than than traditional glass panels since they are made from a plastic-like "polymer composite". This means they can easily be bent, making them easy to install on curved roofs, walls and even the tops of trains and caravans (or RVs). "Our technology will revolutionise the way Australians approach solar and save them money on energy bills," Dr Shi said. He also estimated that 40 per cent of commercial roofs are structurally "slender" and unable to "accommodate the weight or uplift of glass solar modules". Unbeknownst to many, these "new age" eArc panels have already been installed at some iconic Australian locations (and some that aren't well known). One of the better-known landmarks is the Australian National Maritime Museum. More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//sunman-solar-startup-cef/12867840

14.01.2022 Multiple Chinese importers have received verbal directives to stop shipments of Australian wine this week dealing a blow to a market worth more than a billion dollars last year. Industry sources believe wine imports will not clear Chinese customs after Friday. https://www.abc.net.au//australian-wine-export-d/12840836

14.01.2022 Giant South Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group is looking to make an exit from the Warragundi aggregation, just over a year after taking control of the largest acreages in NSWs Mudgee region. Hanwha, one of South Koreas oldest corporations, took over the 5800-hectare property fronting the Cudgegong River from its family owners in a $25 million deal in April last year. That price will help set a benchmark for the potential buyers of the landmark agricultural property. The Sout...h Korean company has appointed Elders to broker the sprawling holding after reviewing its Australian exposure. One of the largest agribusiness enterprises in the region, Warragundi comprises three main holdings, aggregating a series of smaller farms. Together they operate as a single agricultural business supporting large scale cropping, fodder, beef cattle, sheep, wool and prime lambs. The Warragundi aggregation presents in magnificent order, Elders Dubbo agent Richard Gemmell told The Australian Financial Review. It offers a magnificent opportunity for an investor looking to build out their agricultural portfolio in an area thats renowned for mixed farming production. The property has about 3700 hectares of combined river flats and cultivation country. Some 79 hectares are serviced by three centre pivots with an irrigation water entitlement of 1014 megalitres. There are a further 2020 hectares of open and natural grazing. That pasture supports breeding herds of Angus cattle and Merino sheep. It has a carrying capacity of 26,000 DSE (dry sheep equivalent). The property is being offered with livestock 2400 Angus cattle and 2600 sheep along with plant and machinery. It is well set up to capture all those different income streams and there is potential to increase productivity, Mr Gemmell said. Hanwas global business interests span chemicals and energy, aerospace and mechatronics, finance, construction, and leisure and lifestyle services. Founded as an explosives manufacturer in 1952, the company generated $87 billion revenue last year, with $255 billion in assets. In Australia, Hanwhas activities are focused on supplying solar panels to the renewable energy sector as well as mining services. More info in link https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au//south-korean-co/

13.01.2022 Woolworths is adding to its list of locations where cash will no longer be accepted as a form of payment. The cashless trial is being rolled out in Metro stores in Sydney and Melbourne in an effort to help CBD customers get in and out of stores faster. Metro stores on Bourke St and Elizabeth St in Melbourne, and North Sydney, Manly and York St in Sydney are already cash-free.... On October 12, Metro stores in Yarraville and Caulfield North in Melbourne and Roseberry in Sydney will be added to that list. As more and more customers choose to pay with cards, we’re trialling all electronic payments in a small selection of Metro stores which currently see very few cash transactions, a Woolworths spokesperson told 7NEWS.com.au. We understand cash remains an important payment option for many of our customers and it continues to be offered in all Woolworths Supermarkets and the majority of our Metro stores. We will closely monitor the feedback from our customers during this trial. The full list Already cashless: Bourke Street (VIC), Elizabeth St (VIC), North Sydney (NSW), Manly (NSW), York St (NSW), George St (NSW) Going cashless on October 12: Yarraville (VIC) Caulfield North (VIC) Roseberry (NSW) There are concerns that cashless systems will make shopping more difficult for elderly customers who are accustomed to paying with physical cash. But according to the RBA’s 2019 Consumer Payments Survey, the number of people paying with cash has plummeted in recent years. The share of customer payments made in cash fell to 27 per cent of the number of payments in 2019, from around 70 per cent in the 2007 survey. The survey found that the decline in the relative use of cash in the past decade is directly linked to a preference for debit and credit card payment and online transactions. The introduction of tap-and-go payments has become even more common during COVID-19 when many services and businesses have discouraged the handling of cash transactions. Retailers such as Harris Farm and a number of fast-food retailers already operate card-only registers and stores. Similarly, commuters can only pay with cards on buses in NSW https://7news.com.au//woolworths-reveals-the-sydney-and-me

13.01.2022 Nestle’s Allens Red Skins and Chicos lollies will be rebranded after the confectionery brand announced it would rename the products due to undertones which are out of step with the company’s values. Under their new titles, Red Skins will be known as Red Ripper and Chicos will become Cheekies. Nestle General Manager Confectionery, Chris O’Donnell said the renamed products will appear on shelves early next year.... Nestle has an unwavering commitment to upholding respect for our friends, neighbours and colleagues. We hope Australians will support the evolution of these two much loved lollies while the names are new, the lollies themselves remain unchanged. We will keep pack changes simple to help lolly lovers find their favourites easily. The intention to change the names of the popular sweets was announced on June 20, with Nestle vowing to move quickly on the issue. The word ‘Redskins’ has previously been used as a derogatory term for Native Americans, while Chico, which in lolly form is a brown, chocolate flavoured jelly baby, is a Spanish word that means boy or kid. Nestle is not the only company under pressure to rid themselves on names that are now considered outdated. Advocacy groups are also putting pressure on the makers of Coon cheese, as the word is also used as a derogatory term for black people. https://www.news.com.au//news-story/55478a6e041c4b6307f40b

13.01.2022 Imagine pulling out a box of parts and finding thisss guy staring back at you! What would you do? This highly venomous eastern brown snake, the more aggressive cousin of our western brown snake, was found in a warehouse in Queensland this week Also known as the common brown snake, Australian Geographic said these snakes are fast-moving, aggressive and known for their bad temper.... "Not only is their venom ranked as the second most toxic of any land snake in the world (based on tests on mice), they thrive in populated areas, particularly on farms in rural areas with mice," Australian Geographic said. https://www.facebook.com//a.13702577966/3627130120653255/

12.01.2022 China has refused to apologise for one of its officials posting a graphic image Prime Minister Scott Morrison has labelled as "repugnant", demanding instead that Australia do some "soul searching" in the wake of a damning war crimes investigation. "The Australian Government should do some soul searching and bring the culprits to justice, and offer an official apology to the Afghan people and make the solemn pledge that they will never repeat such crimes," Chinese foreign mini...stry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. "Earlier, they said the Chinese Government should feel ashamed but it is Australian soldiers who committed such cruel crimes. "Shouldn't the Australian Government feel ashamed? Shouldn't they feel ashamed for their soldiers killing innocent Afghan civilians?" In releasing the findings of the war crimes investigation earlier this month, Australian Defence Force (ADF) Chief Angus Campbell "sincerely and unreservedly" apologised to the Afghan people for the "wrongdoing" of special forces. "The Australian side is reacting so strongly to my colleague's Twitter does that mean that they think the cold-blooded murder of Afghan innocent civilians is justified while other people's condemnation of such crimes are not justified?" Ms Hua said. "Afghan lives matter." The criticism of Mr Zhao's post came quickly, with allegations of hypocrisy by Beijing for seizing upon the findings of the Brereton inquiry. China has been accused of gross human rights violations against the ethnic Uyghur minority in Xinjiang province, characterised as "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide". The irony of a senior official using Twitter to launch such a political attack was also raised, given the censorship of the social media platform by the Chinese Government. https://www.abc.net.au//chinese-government-refus/12936154

12.01.2022 The Academy said on Tuesday that all submissions from 2022 will need to include a confidential self-assessment of the films compliance with the new guidelines. "However, meeting inclusion thresholds will not be required for eligibility in the Best Picture category until the 96th Oscars (2024)." In all instances, the aim is to push for greater representation on screen and off of women and "underrepresented" groups, including people from non-Anglo backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, a...Continue reading

12.01.2022 It was a story that captivated Sydney and beyond, after a police appeal was launched following the theft on Sunday. Laurie, who is partially deaf and struggles with emphysema and heart problems, was having an afternoon nap when his scooter was allegedly snatched from outside his unit on a quiet street in the inner-city Sydney suburb of Ultimo. It launched an outpouring of support, with offers of help, including replacement scooters, flooding in from as far afield as Melbourne.... Police said they were "inundated" with information and by Wednesday, the scooter was back in Laurie's hands, and the alleged perpetrator was facing court. Laurie's tears of despair turned into tears of gratitude, as he adjusted to his unexpected spotlight. "I'm so, so happy I've got it back," he said through sobs. "I get emotional, so I'm sorry about that I've never had so much attention in my life." "I'm going to have big troubles later on because everyone wants to give me a scooter and what am I going to do with six scooters?" https://www.abc.net.au//sydney-pensioner-emotion/12873902

12.01.2022 President Xi boasts China is leading the world in the fight against Covid-19 and has been open and transparent throughout the pandemic during awards ceremony for medics https://www.dailymail.co.uk//Defying-US-Xi-praises-China-W

12.01.2022 China should be 'totally ashamed': Scott Morrison demands China take down post Prime Minister Scott Morrison has condemned a propaganda image shared by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and demanded it be removed in a sharp escalation of Australia's dispute with China. China's Foreign Ministry shared the doctored image of alleged Australian war crimes in Afghanistan on Monday. The image purports to show a special forces soldier slitting the throat of an Afghan child with it...s head wrapped in an Australian flag. "Don't be afraid we are coming to bring you peace," the image states. In his strongest comments on any Chinese government action since he became Prime Minister, Mr Morrison said the image was "truly offensive" and "repugnant". More info in link https://www.smh.com.au//china-should-be-totally-ashamed-pm

11.01.2022 Much-loved Australian mattress brand Koala has been slammed after announcing it will be moving production to China. 'Dishonest': Hugely popular mattress brand Koala is slammed for moving its manufacturing to China despite boasting on its website that products are 'made in Australia, for Australia' The bedding company said it was moving manufacturing of its popular mattresses to support its growth in Asian markets.... The move will result in just one of 13 Koala items being produced domestically for a company which prides itself on its Australian-made mattresses. The signature product is described on the company's website as 'made in Australia, for Australia'. The Sydney-based company came under fire from Australian businessman and Harvey Norman executive chairman Gerry Harvey, who said the company was 'dishonest'. Koala also touts itself as an ethical and sustainable company which is a big supporter of protecting Australian wildlife and the environment. 'Anyone selling imported mattresses are doing it because they can make more money,' Mr Harvey told NCA Newswire. 'The marketing is dishonest they are pretending they are Australian.' Koala has been inundated with negative comments on social media after its decision became public on Sunday. 'Disappointed to hear in the media today that you are moving your production to China!,' an unhappy wrote on Instagram. More info in link https://www.dailymail.co.uk//Popular-mattress-brand-Koala-

11.01.2022 Millions of feral pigs roam around large parts of New South Wales and Queensland and bumper grain harvests are providing perfect for conditions for a feeding and breeding frenzy. https://www.abc.net.au//feral-pig-population-thr/12876716

11.01.2022 China is paying through the nose for coal from North America while it rejects or defers shipments from Australia. The high-priced coal buying was revealed in an update from Toronto Stock Exchange-listed Teck Resources, which said it had boosted sales into China and achieved a huge premium on Australian product. Teck said it had seen increased demand and sales into China since the start of October, around the same time political tension between Canberra and Beijing were linked...Continue reading

11.01.2022 Twitter won’t ban or hide China foreign ministry spokesman Lijian Zhao’s tweet but it has marked its image as sensitive, the company says. The tweet depicts an Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of an Afghan child, an image that references the war crimes investigated by the country’s Brereton report which found evidence of 39 murders of civilians and prisoners committed by or at the behest of Australian special forces in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Scott Morriso...n has branded the image repugnant and the post shameful and appalling. He has demanded an apology. The tweet also has stirred up an angry response on Twitter. Lijian Zhao has pinned the tweet to the top of his account, and for his efforts, has received a barrage of angry responses pointing out that Australia itself undertook its own war crimes investigation, and questioned whether China would be capable of the same over issues such as Tiananmen Square, the detention of Uighurs and annexation of Tibet. There would never be a Brereton inquiry in China, one tweet said. You know about this because of Australia‘s own investigation, made public. Unlike the situation with the CCP and the treatment of Uighur people. Or the actions of Chinese Army against China’s own students in Tiananmen Square 1989. 31 years, no accountability there, says another. In the midst of this, the question has been raised whether Twitter should have permitted the image to be published in the first place, or at least whether it should have hidden it, as it did several tweets of US president Donald Trump. Twitter however won’t be banning the image; nor will it be hidden by default. Twitter instead has told The Australian that the image will be marked as sensitive media. Further, Twitter has labelled Lijian Zhao’s account as an official government account. According to Twitter, tweets by world leaders, politicians, and official government accounts, direct interactions with fellow public figures, comments on political issues of the day, and foreign policy sabre-rattling on economic or military issues are generally not in violation of the Twitter Rules. It’s the reason that Iran’s leaders can post tweets denying the existence of the Holocaust. This is regarded as commentary by world leaders. In the case of Lijian Zhao’s tweet, a Twitter spokesperson told The Australian that the image contained within the tweet in question has been marked as sensitive media. Twitter users who don’t want to view sensitive media will receive a warning about it, and a link if they really want to view it. These sensitive media settings are buried within Twitter settings and it’s likely few Twitter users know of their existence. More info in link https://www.theaustralian.com.au//4f084c96ec4d2a7d0684c7f9

11.01.2022 Crystal crab trade relatively unscathed by impact of coronavirus, selling for more than $300 Australia's crystal crab is one of the most sought-after crustaceans in the world, with restaurant prices fetching more than $300 per crab. The crabs are found in a thin trench of water, 80 kilometres off the Western Australia coast, at depths of 800 metres....Continue reading

11.01.2022 "They were giving us three days to vacate, pack our things up and be off the island," former resident Julie Willis told The Chinese developer involved has started locking beaches and asking tourists and locals to leave. For one of Australia's picturesque destinations, it's become trouble in paradise for tourists and island locals who have been sent packing by Chinese developers.... One of Queensland's famous islands has gone from beautiful one day to under the developer's control the next - and present and former island dwellers said they're not happy. And another former local believes the government isn't doing enough to stop it. "Australian government, you're giving Australia away," local island resident Craig Gilberd said. More info in link https://9now.nine.com.au//4b00ae5f-02c6-4ffe-ba27-cff40c2a

10.01.2022 Opposition frontbencher Andrew Leigh last week launched a stinging attack on companies that received JobKeeper payments and paid their executives huge bonuses. A scheme designed to reduce inequality is being misused by a small number of firms who are channelling it to executive bonuses, he said in a speech to parliament. Mr Leigh listed a number of examples including Accent Group, which received $13m in JobKeeper payments then gave its chief executive Daniel Agostinelli a $...1.2m bonus and IDP Education, which received $4m in JobKeeper payments and gave chief Andrew Barkla a $600,000 bonus. Last year Barkla ranked as one of the highest-paid chief executives, taking home $37m. While casino group Star received $65m in JobKeeper payments, its CEO Matt Bekier got an equity bonus worth $800,000. SeaLink gave chief executive Clint Feuerherdt a $500,000 bonus after receiving $8m in JobKeeper subsidies. Mr Leigh also cited companies that used JobKeeper to boost dividend payments. He cited furniture retailer Nick Scali, which received $4m in payments from the New Zealand and Australian governments and increased its dividend to the Scali family by $2m. Dentists 1300 Smiles got $2m in JobKeeper and paid $3m to shareholders. Its chief Daryl Holmes owns two-thirds of the company, so will collect nearly $2m or about the same as the JobKeeper payments. Mr Leigh quoted Ownership Matters Dean Paatsch saying, I dont think it was ever the intention of the government to subsidise executive salaries. If youre getting taxpayer subsidies the CEO shouldnt be getting a bonus. https://www.theaustralian.com.au//a325df4006aeca1cd00c4750

10.01.2022 Australia Post has asked workers to volunteer to help clear a massive backlog in parcels caused by the coronavirus pandemic, using their own cars at the same time its senior executives are in line for about $7 million in bonus payments. The national mail service emailed its Victorian workforce, including staff from administration and finance, on Monday to "urgently" ask for help to meet unprecedented demand from customers because of a surge in online shopping. The call to arm...s to employees coincides with the organisations managing director Christine Holgate softening the ground for her executive team to accept personal bonuses, despite offering to forgo the special payments earlier this year ahead of the looming COVID-19-induced recession. The potential backdown on executive pay has enraged many within the Morrison government, which has already put a freeze on any pay increases of MPs, judges and senior public servants against a backdrop of rising unemployment across the country. More info in link https://www.smh.com.au//auspost-invites-volunteer-parcel-d

09.01.2022 Chinese jets have buzzed Taiwan, the islands defence ministry says, in an escalation of tensions while a senior US official holds talks in Taipei. Taiwan scrambled fighter jets on Friday as 18 Chinese aircraft buzzed the island, crossing the sensitive mid-line of the Taiwan Strait, in response to a senior US official holding talks in Taipei. China had earlier announced combat drills and denounced what it called collusion between the island, which it claims as part of its ter...Continue reading

09.01.2022 Chinese Embassy slams Australia's complaints over doctored image as 'absolutely unacceptable' China has said Australian complaints over a doctored image of a soldier holding a knife to a child's throat are "unacceptable" and a deflection from the recent report into potential war crimes in Afghanistan. In a statement issued by the Chinese Embassy, a spokesperson said complaints made by the Australian secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs were "absolutely unacceptable".... "We would like to further stress the following: the rage and roar of some Australian politicians and media is nothing but misreading of and overreaction to Mr. Zhao's tweet," a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy said. "The accusations made are simply to serve two purposes. One is to deflect public attention from the horrible atrocities by certain Australian soldiers. The other is to blame China for the worsening of bilateral ties. "There may be another attempt to stoke domestic nationalism." A full copy of the statement can be found in the link https://www.9news.com.au//f89d77e2-cc00-4adf-89d9-0e54679a

09.01.2022 Five-year-old Maddie Houston has warned the thieves who stole her hard-earned savings to give back her money. The Gold Coast mini-mogul had stashed away about $600 to buy a Ferrari, but the cash was stolen when her mums Pimpama cafe was robbed overnight. https://www.facebook.com/130736376939223/posts/3650279868318172/?vh=e&extid=ti3cYn1C58DrfDgg&d=n

08.01.2022 Prime Minister Scott Morrison has demanded China apologise for posting doctored propaganda images of an Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of a child. Mr Morrison revealed he has also demanded Twitter remove the violent, fake image. https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6212968703001

08.01.2022 Supermarket workers are calling for calm as COVID fears prompt toilet paper rush. It’s been less than 24 hours since an Adelaide COVID-19 cluster exploded in the northern suburbs and shelves are already being stripped of toilet paper. Shoppers at Kilburn Costco say 15 pallets of toilet paper were sold on Monday morning, leaving stocks bare.... Members have been limited to one pack per customer in response. More info in link https://7news.com.au//panic-buying-hits-coles-woolworths-a

08.01.2022 Qantas has confirmed it will retrench another 2000 workers and outsource all ground handling work at major Australian airports after rejecting a bid by employees to save their jobs. Qantas announced a review of its ground operations in August, looking to save up to $100 million by shifting baggage handling, aircraft cleaning and ground support work to third-party providers at 11 major airports. The affected workers were able to "bid" to keep the work by outlining how they cou...ld do it more cheaply than a third party but Qantas said on Monday it had not accepted the proposal put forward by the Transport Workers Union. More info in link https://www.smh.com.au//qantas-confirms-2000-jobs-to-go-wi

07.01.2022 It was part of an election commitment designed to "guarantee access to fishing and camping on crown land" to "further encourage families and friends to spend time together in the outdoors". However, the change recently became the subject of much concern among agricultural communities. Farmers often hold grazing licences for land between their properties and the state's waterways, and say allowing campers on this land will be detrimental to biosecurity and animal welfare.... Farmers see a 'fait accompli' Pearsondale farmer Geoff Gooch is also the chair of the Maffra and District Landcare Network. He said the Parks and Crown Land Legislation Amendment Bill was vague and "it was a fait accompli" before it even went before Parliament. Mr Gooch farms along the Latrobe River in Gippsland, and said he already shared the river frontage with fishers. "We can't deny pedestrian access to the riverbank, but to allow camping is just a problem it's creating more problems than it's worth," he said. Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) president David Jochinke said attention would now turn to negotiating regulations that protected agriculture and the environment. "We are bitterly disappointed that the concerns of farmers have been ignored and we will hold the Government to their commitment to consult meaningfully with the VFF in the development of the regulations," he said. Rocky road through Parliament The legislation was introduced to the Lower House in November last year. With regulations yet to be developed, the Government said an amendment added to the bill before it cleared the Upper House yesterday would extend the consultation deadline to September next year. It will now be referred again for the Lower House to consider the new amendments. In the Upper House yesterday, the opposition unsuccessfully sought to provide farmers the right to grant or deny permission to campers. Aerial image of the upper house of Victorian Parliament. The Upper House of Victorian Parliament during debate on the Parks and Crown Land Legislation Amendment Bill.(Supplied: Parliament Of Victoria) "Would we feel comfortable if people set up camp out on our nature strip, be it large or small?" Nationals member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath asked. "Yes, that's ridiculous but on one level it still has the same meaning. "Legislation is always for the 5 per cent of the population [who do the wrong thing]." However the bill found support from Jeff Bourman, of the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party. Mr Bourman told Parliament he was "confused" about how the bill had become controversial to the Coalition since it last voted in the Lower House in November last year. More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//vic-riverfront-camping-a/12875350

07.01.2022 NOOOPE! Olly got the fright of his life when he took off his earmuffs to find a huntsman spider hiding inside. He said he could feel something tickling his ear ... Is this what nightmares are made of? What would you do if this happened to you? Olly Hurst, via ABC Perth

07.01.2022 A dying dad in Queensland will be able to say goodbye to his four young children after generous Australians donated more that $200,000 to fund their huge hotel quarantine bill.

07.01.2022 Australia Post boss Christine Holgate walks away with NOTHING after quitting over the Cartier watch scandal - despite being entitled to a $700,000 payday https://www.dailymail.co.uk//Australia-Post-boss-Christine

07.01.2022 A lucky escape Imagine being bogged with a croc! It was a happy ending for the calf after Rodney managed to pull it free. He says the croc is still alive. ... "In these circumstances, they'll lay still until you trip over them or they need to feed." Rodney Fischer

07.01.2022 WARNING ANIMAL CRUELTY. PERPETRATOR - PHOTO - Michael Kevin Johns SEE STORY - Dungog Chronicle... OCTOBER 13 2020 Hunter man jailed over torture of cow at Brookfield property A statement of facts tendered to the court said Johns took a small pocket knife from his vehicle and cut the animal's throat, causing a wound about six inches long and two inches wide, before leaving the heifer "alive and in considerable pain" with as many as 15 of his Maremma dogs. The dogs stalked, harassed, bit and severely wounded the creature for more than four hours. A witness saw the dogs with the heifer and tried to help the cow stand, but was unsuccessful. He warned Johns to "do something about your dogs", but Johns dismissed the concern, saying he could do what he wanted on his land. The witness then informed the owner of the cow who went to the property and euthanised the heifer. In a recorded conversation, Johns told the neighbour he had injured the animal in order to protect his land. When the neighbour accused Johns of leaving the cow to suffer, Johns replied: "Maybe that's you, like you like to kill stuff straight away, maybe I like to kill stuff slowly". Johns pleaded guilty to a charge of torture, beat etc and seriously injure animal.

07.01.2022 One company, Chinas Da-Jiang Innovations, more commonly known as DJI, controls 70 per cent of the worlds supply of drones. The market worldwide is forecast to expand by 380 per cent over the next four years. Experts in the US are warning that this growing market domination makes the drones vulnerable to hacking as the Chinese Communist Party escalates its controls over the private sector. Further, a consultation paper released this month by Deputy Prime Minister Michael McC...ormacks transport and infrastructure department expressed concerns that there were deficiencies in Australias current security system against "the malicious use of drones. The paper warned that government, defence and business sites, critical infrastructure and crowded places were vulnerable to drones used as both kinetic and cyber weapons for image and signals gathering, espionage, data exfiltration or physical attack. "Both recreational and commercial operators are at risk of unauthorised access of sensitive information, intellectual property and other data if they operate drones on unsecure networks or using unencrypted communication links, the paper said. In July researchers at France-based Synacktiv and US-based GRIMM reported that one of DJIs Android applications contained features that could allow attackers to install malware and gain full control of users phones. In 2018, security firm Check Point found hackers could gain access to an individual DJI users flight data through a malicious link. The Shenzhen-based company has repeatedly rejected security concerns over its products and maintains there has never been evidence of unexpected data transmission connections from DJIs apps. The company said there is no evidence that any of the hypothetical vulnerabilities have ever been exploited. Advertisement More info in link https://www.smh.com.au//chinese-drones-swarming-australia-

07.01.2022 An Aboriginal activist who convinced Canadian conglomerate Saputo to rename Coon cheese has questioned why it is taking so long to dump the brand and why it is still on supermarket shelves. In July, Saputo bosses announced the company had decided to retire the Coon brand after activist Stephan Hagan had complained that the name of the cheese was racist. Dr Hagan has lobbied for more than 20 years for a change to the Coon cheese brand, which its Australian manufacturers had ...argued was named after American Edward William Coon, who in 1926 patented the ripening process for the original product. After Dr Hagan appealed directly to the Montreal-based company, chief executive Lino Saputo Jr said he had decided to rename the cheese as part of the company’s commitment to eliminate racism in all its forms’’. Nestle’s this week announced its Allen’s Redskins and Chicos lollies will be renamed Red Ripper and Cheekies after similar complaints of racism this year. Dr Hagan said he was bewildered that Saputo had yet to rename the brand or remove the cheese from shelves. They told me that rebranding Coon cheese was an important step in eliminating racism,’’ he said. But if they accept the term is offensive, why is the cheese still sitting on the shelves carrying that name. I call on all decent-minded Australians to boycott the Coon cheese brand because if the company won’t remove it, then slow sales might bring about the desired outcome.’’ A spokeswoman for Saputo in Australia said the company was still committed to rebranding the cheese but could not offer any details of the timing for the announcement of the name change. After thorough consideration, Saputo announced that we would be retiring our Coon cheese brand name,’’ the spokeswoman said in a statement. We are currently working on the new brand development and look forward to revealing it to our customers and consumers once completed.’’ Coon cheese was among a list of products and sporting teams that faced calls this year for their names to be changed in the wake of the worldwide Black Lives Matter movement. The protests led to global calls for the dumping of product brand names with racial overtones. https://www.theaustralian.com.au//690ffa2dc352dbe3eeaeb0e2

06.01.2022 Convict Robert Harriss remarkable life story, from orphaned illiterate to newspaper owner When Elizabeth Harris was sentenced to death at the Old Bailey in London in 1830, the judge unwittingly laid the groundwork for the establishment of The Advocate Newspaper in Burnie. The sentence for "stealing 40 yards of silk" fabric was commuted to transportation to Van Diemens Land.... Her baby son Robert was thereby condemned to the same fate. "She was so poor, I guess! She was 26, a shoe binder in London, and she had baby Robert, who was only 12 months old," said Julie Harris, who along with other family members has been researching the family history. For the most part, that history is well known. The Harris family established and owned Burnies The Advocate newspaper, one of Australias best known regional dailies, for 113 years before selling to the Fairfax group in 2003. Convict taint slowly fades "His obituary in The Advocate in 1904 says he first landed in Tasmania about 70 years ago but theres nothing about how he landed," Ms Harris said. "It just wasnt the done thing to admit anything like that back then. As far as I can tell, nobody has talked about it much since, either. "I find it amazing and inspiring that Robert survived all that he did to become a newspaper publisher. "He was lucky just to survive the voyage from London," Ms Harris said. Elizabeth and baby Robert were shipped out on the SS America about a month after sentence had been passed. After four months at sea, they endured a further month on a prison hulk in the Derwent River. The pair were processed, described and then marched with the other convict women along Macquarie Street to the Cascades Female Factory. "They did that at night, after the pubs had closed so the men wouldnt leer and jeer at them," Ms Harris said. When Robert was two-and-a-half, his mother was sent to work for a Mr Fisher of Sandy Bay. Robert was sent to the Queens Orphan School in New Town. It would be 10 years before he would be reunited with his mother, courtesy of her ticket-of-leave and marriage to fellow ticket-of-leave convict John Day. More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//convict-robert-harris-ol/12640096

06.01.2022 The former chairman of Huawei Australia, John Lord, has warned that this countrys $150bn-a-year export trade with China is vulnerable to a long-term shift by Beijing away from Australian exports, including iron ore, if political relations continued to deteriorate. What concerns me is the trend by China to look for alternate sources of supply, Mr Lord told The Weekend Australian. The Chinese government always thinks long-term....Continue reading

06.01.2022 As tensions with politically touchy China seem to grow more tense by the week, Australias agricultural export industries are being urged to think more carefully about playing their trade cards by Beijings rules. In particular our defence of the anti-dumping case against Australias $1.1 billion export wine trade to mainland China should take a much more pragmatic and legal approach, according to Chinese law specialist Dr Weihuan Zhou at the University of NSW He believed one... reason the grain industry lost its seemingly unequivocal argument against Chinas claim Australian exporters had dumped barley at discounted prices was that agribusiness exporters did not engage enough international legal firepower to present their case to Beijing in a way China would expect to deal with the dispute. He understood no exporter involved in that case engaged the sort of international legal representation which would have suggested to Chinese authorities that dumping issues were being taken as seriously by Australia as Beijing would have liked. "When you think of the cost and benefits involved its not so difficult to go the extra distance," said Chinese born Dr Zhou, who has worked and studied in international economic and trade law for 17 years in Australia. Buyer uncertainty grows "Any anti-dumping review or trade disagreement will create uncertainty as it drags on, and future contracts may not be reviewed by Chinese buyers," he said. Indeed, Australian malt barley exports now face 80pc import penalties and China is buying its barley from the US and Argentina. At the same time, Chinas technical disruptions to agricultural trade were quite possibly deliberate, inflicting economic pain to get farmers and export businesses passing on a "political message" to Canberra. More info in link https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au//anti-dumping-c/

06.01.2022 Theres a secret master plan brewing between India, Japan and Australia, which could mean bad news for Beijing and good news for our economy. As the sands of the global geopolitical landscape continue to rapidly shift amid coronavirus and the subsequent economic crisis, fault lines in trade and diplomatic relationships have returned to the forefront once more. For well over a decade, federal governments from both the major parties have insisted that Australia could continue t...Continue reading

06.01.2022 When Chinese State Security police knocked on ABC journalist Bill Birtles door, he realised he was no longer safe in China It was Wednesday night and I was starting to get stressed. Very stressed. There were more than a dozen friends in my Beijing apartment helping me pack up five years worth of stuff in the Chinese capital during a short-notice farewell....Continue reading

06.01.2022 Important notice to all pet owners The Australian Veterinary Association has issued a warning to vet clinics and pet owners alike advising that they are documenting at least one case a week of Fanconi-like syndrome, associated with the feeding of commercial dried treats originating from Asia. The toxin causing this disease has yet to be identified. Fanconi-like disease affects the kidneys. ... Dogs may exhibit clinical signs including increased thirst, increased urination, vomiting and loss of appetite. In addition, they may show an elevation in some of their liver enzymes and lower than normal phosphate levels. However, the hallmark of this syndrome is glucose in their urine, but no elevated glucose levels in their blood. Whilst many cases recover simply by withdrawing the treats, some cases have been associated with severe kidney failure and death. If you are at all concerned about your pets, please contact the clinic on 43539414. We can run a urine test to screen for the syndrome and perform further diagnostics if needed. We strongly urge you all to please check the country of origin of any treats that you feed your pets. Please use treats made in Australia from 100% Australian produce or homemade ones. If you cannot identify the country of origin, we advise erring on the side of caution and discarding those treats. https://www.facebook.com/1421406668171868/posts/2282963522016174/?extid=cPIGVKA8EASK1FLh&d=n

05.01.2022 The first plane load of Fijian workers headed for four NSW abattoirs desperate for labour will arrive in about two weeks. It appears many of the Fijian workers don't have specialist skills, apart from being ready and fit to work. There will be 172 workers on the first flight who will head to four NSW abattoirs at Inverell, Junee, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga.... Another plane of 184 Fijian workers are expected in early January to fill jobs that, according to Food Industry People (FIP) chief executive Brad Seagrott, locals can't fill or are not capable of filling. In what appears to be an indictment of Australian labour markets, Mr Seagrott, said the need for workers was so great in regional NSW that he could fill another four planes with islander workers. With COVID restrictions, the import of island workers has had to follow an intricate and exhausting process, with visa applications, approvals required from the Chief Health Officer, health checks and then finding accommodation for the workers. It appears many of the Fijian workers don't have specialist skills, apart from being ready and fit to work. "After everything, it looks like the first workers will arrive in two weeks," Mr Seagrott said. "There'll be a visa issued and then a medical, and there may be some drop out. I'd say 95 per cent of the places going are on track." There were four main locations, but up to another three abattoirs may also get the Fijian workers. He said some of the Fijians had worked in the meat industry, but they were good workers who could easily pick up skills. "They are the type of worker who can fill the requirement." He said people locally either weren't interested in filling the abattoir roles, or those that started often dropped out, unable to meet the physical demands of an intense abattoir processing line. "That's the problem, we don'tt keep them if the locals do apply." More info link https://www.theland.com.au//fifo-fly-in-fijians-to-oz-me/

05.01.2022 China has indefinitely suspended imports of all Victorian timber logs a week after an unofficial ban on Australian exports came into effect. It's understood a bug was detected in almost 30 consignments to China. https://www.abc.net.au//victorian-timber-logs-bl/12875066

05.01.2022 One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has renewed calls for Australians to boycott Chinese products this Christmas, as relations between the two countries plunge to new lows. You might think it’s awfully hard, yes it is hard, I get it, Ms Hanson said in a Facebook video on Monday night. We all have our part to play in this. Think about it when you buy that furniture, that toy, that food, whatever you buy, have a look where it comes from, and if it’s China, let it sit on the she...lf. Senator Hanson first proposed a boycott last week in response to China’s recent economic attacks against Australia including a devastating 200 per cent tariff on Australian wine. On Monday, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian posted a doctored image on Twitter depicting an Australian soldier holding a bloodied knife to the throat of an Afghan child, in reference to allegations in the Brereton war crimes report. Prime Minister Scott Morrison slammed the image as repugnant and demanded an apology from the Chinese government. It is deeply offensive to every Australian, every Australian who has served in that uniform, every Australian who serves in that uniform today, he said at an unscheduled press conference. In her Facebook video, Ms Hanson said it absolutely disgusts me. This is why I am so anti-China they are a country that says they want to grow to a stage where they will control and that’s exactly what they’re doing, she said. She said 20 per cent of products Australia imports we can’t buy from anywhere else but China. Our shelves are full of Chinese products because we’ve stopped our manufacturing industry, she said. We used to produce 40 per cent of our products here in Australia through manufacturing. Guess what, it’s only 6 per cent now, because we have allowed this through consecutive governments, Liberal and Labor, to bring products into Australia from other countries which has destroyed our own manufacturing industries. More info in link https://www.news.com.au//news-story/086a2b20b56fd66812cc46

04.01.2022 Fruit growers and processors say they are crushed by a decision to cut the health star rating (HSR) for 100-per-cent no-added-sugar juices from five stars to as low as two stars. The decision came down to a vote at the Australian and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation, a group made up of state and territory ministers as part of its ongoing response to the five-year HSR review. Food is rated from half-a-star to five stars depending on how its healthy and risk nut...rients compare but the system has come in for criticism. The Federal Government's aim in developing the ratings is to give shoppers an easy way to identify better choices of packaged and processed foods, something Agriculture Minister David Littleproud asserts is undermined by this decision. "What I don't accept is the insanity of this decision, which really has no basis on nutritional value it really just is mind-numbingly dumb," he said. More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//fresh-australian-juice-r/12930562

04.01.2022 New English language requirements announced for partner visas Foreign partners coming to Australia will soon have to demonstrate they can speak English in order to be granted a permanent visa. Partner visa applicants and their spouses, provided they are a permanent resident, will need to demonstrate they’ve made reasonable efforts to learn English.... The change to the visa requirement comes after a rise in the number of people not being able to speak English well or at all in the past decade, Immigration Minister Alan Tudge said in a statement. From late 2021, new partner visa applicants and permanent resident sponsors will be required to have functional level English or to demonstrate that they have made reasonable efforts to learn English, Tudge said. People will be able to demonstrate this through, for example, the completion of 500 hours of free English language classes through the AMEP. Tudge said the changes would help support social cohesion and economic participation, while better protecting vulnerable people from controlling or exploitative partners. Through the government’s Adult Migration English Program, migrants can access as many hours of free English classes as they need to reach vocational English. Most foreign partners need to wait two years before being eligible for a permanent visa. The English language requirement will need to be met before the visa is granted. While the ability to speak multiple languages is a great asset for an individual and for Australia, a person will struggle to fully participate in our society and democracy without basic English, Tudge said. https://7news.com.au//new-english-language-requirements-an

03.01.2022 Local families outbid bigger players to secure all seven properties... American pension fund giant TIAA sold its Southern Riverina farming aggregation between Wagga Wagga and Albury in southern NSW to local farmers after more than a decade of ownership. The 4174-hectare portfolio of seven oilseed and cereal cropping properties within the districts of Henty, Culcairn and Walbundrie....Continue reading

03.01.2022 The families of Australian politicians have been the target of open-source surveillance by a Chinese company that claims to have done work on behalf of Chinese intelligence, cyber security experts claim. In an exclusive interview with Sky News Australia, cyber security analysts Robert Potter and Chris Balding have detailed the incredible scope of the espionage which they claim has targeted the most senior politicians in Australia. The men claim a leaked database from a co...Continue reading

03.01.2022 MORE TRADE BANS TO COME AS CHINA HALTS IMPORTS OF AUSSIE TIMBER, LOBSTERS AND BARLEY Australian food, wine and resources exporters fear they may soon be hit by a wave of further Chinese sanctions after Beijing banned Qld timber imports and suspended trade with another Australian grain exporter. The latest trade strike comes as the Government scrambles to save $2 million worth of live rock lobsters stranded on the tarmac in Shanghai.... More here: https://ab.co/34ORCfh

03.01.2022 A qualified beef boner said he was shocked to hear Teys Australia was "screaming out for workers" after his application was knocked back. There has been a public backlash to comments from one of Australias largest meat processors and the NSW Agriculture Minister suggesting JobSeeker payments are so high, people would rather sit at home doing nothing, than work. Wagga Wagga resident Anthony Jerrick said he was shocked to hear the company was "screaming out for workers" and sa...id he was recently knocked back for a position with Teys, with no explanation. "Im a qualified beef boner and slicer and have worked out there before," he said. "I left on fairly normal terms like everyone else and weve got no idea why we didnt get rehired. "I see a lot of old beef boners and slicers and even very good labourers from when I was out there, walking around town looking for work, and theyre in the exact same situation as I am. They cant be rehired by Teys." More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//teys-jobseeker-claims-sp/12649454

02.01.2022 So picture this. It’s 1932 and Australia is in the grip of the Great Depression. One in three workers are unemployed. Decrepit shanty towns hug the outskirts of the big cities....Continue reading

02.01.2022 The countrys top diplomat has warned that Australia must stand up firmly to bullying from China, or any other country, or else risk a very slippery slope for our democracy. In a powerful critique of the growing diplomatic rift with Beijing, Frances Adamson, the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, challenged Chinas aggressive wolf-warrior diplomacy and vowed the government would never tolerate Beijings interference in Australias internal affairs...Continue reading

02.01.2022 ABC, Nine ‘defamed’ billionaire Australian-Chinese businessman Chau Chak Wing with ‘sexy’ ASIO angle, court hears The ABC and Nine have been accused of failing to restrain their tabloid instincts while they launched a concerted effort to convince small-minded Australians that billionaire Chau Chak Wing had betrayed his country and was a Chinese spy embroiled in a UN bribery scandal. Dr Chau is suing the ABC and Nine, the owner of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, i...Continue reading

02.01.2022 Chinas trade dispute with Australia has not extended to iron ore ... yet As Australia has taken a firmer stance on issues such as Chinas South China Sea incursions and investigations into the source and handling of the COVID-19 outbreak, the nations biggest trading partner has hit back through hip pocket diplomacy. Huge tariffs on Australian barley, bans on some Australian beef, restrictions on coal and an investigation into wine are just some of the shots being fired acro...ss Australias bow. "The mishandling of the virus in Wuhan with the World Health Organization has caused China to be quite concerned about its governance and you know, the best form of defence is attack sometimes," explained economist and trade expert Tim Harcourt, from the University of New South Wales. But the elephant in the room is iron ore, which is a product China desperately needs for the massive infrastructure and housing projects that are providing the stimulus to keep the worlds second-biggest economy afloat. Chinas trade attacks have so far steered clear of Australias biggest export, the value of which is set to pass $100 billion this year. Despite all the tension between the two countries, iron ore sales to China in the first half of 2020 were actually up more than 8 per cent, with the added bonus for Australia of a higher price. However BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue and Roy Hill are heavily leveraged to China, and would be extremely vulnerable if Beijing decided to give iron ore the same treatment as, for example, barley. But would it? Indeed, could it? "We actually supply China with about 60 per cent of their total iron ore consumption," observed Bell Potter analyst Giuliano Sala Tenna. "So, at the moment, the status quo will be maintained only because weve seen with Chinese foreign policy that they dont tend to do things to their own detriment." Heightened risk Notwithstanding that, as China looks to make life harder for Australia, iron ore is already on its radar, with new customs protocols which, if enforced, could leave selected shipments stranded at the docks. Helen Sawczak, who finished up last month as CEO of the Australia-China Business Council, warns that even though resources are lower down on the list of targets, they are not immune. "I wouldnt take anything for granted," she told The Business. "I think the risk is heightened. "Obviously companies will be reassessing their risk factors, and the political risk associated with working with China will obviously have a heightened significance at the moment." More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//china-australia-trade-di/12648352

01.01.2022 "It's well represented across Australia in people's hearts because they've bought an Argyle diamond, but it's also significant in the mining industry." After almost 40 years, Rio Tinto's Argyle diamond mine will close it doors after producing more than 865 million carats of rough diamonds. https://www.abc.net.au//wach-argyle-diamond-clos/12840466

01.01.2022 Australian farms are on track for the second-biggest winter crop in a DECADE as they bounce back from horror drought New South Wales is on track for its second-biggest winter crop in a decade as production bounces back in many drought-ravaged areas of Australia. National winter crop production is forecast to increase 64 per cent this financial year, according to the latest federal agriculture forecast.... Thats 20 per cent above the 10-year average after decent rain in many parts of the country. More info in link https://www.dailymail.co.uk//Australian-farms-track-second

01.01.2022 Little Joey Kai has built up a sizeable following on social media after she was rescued from the deadly Kangaroo Island bushfires. After recovering from bad burns, yesterday she was returned to the wild, with her rescuer watching via video link. |

01.01.2022 Dairy processors and farmers are being urged to reveal all about their dealings with supermarkets to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation president Brian Tessmann, in his weekly column in Queensland Country Life, said people had a responsibility to "tell it like it is". "For years, processors and direct supply farmers have whispered tales of coercion, bullying and veiled threats made by the major retailers," he said.... The ACCC is conducting an inquiry into the power imbalance between farmers, processors and retailers. The government has mandated the ACCC complete the inquiry within three months, so it can act on its findings quickly. Submissions need to be in by September 18. Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the aim of the inquiry was "to make sure that supermarkets are not abusing their power in their dealings with farmers". "This isnt about regulating prices, this is making sure farmers are treated fairly," Mr Littleproud said. Mr Tessmann said some primary producers and processors were saying they did not have proof to tell their stories. More info in link https://www.farmonline.com.au//dairy-processors-urged-to/

01.01.2022 This week brought yet more grim news for relations between Australia and China. But it is vital to understand these latest ugly moments in a larger frame of strategic power play and enduring national interest. The immediate story is well-known. An Australian citizen, Cheng Lei, is in indefinite detention in China amid claims of imperilling Chinese national security....Continue reading

01.01.2022 Outback NSW home sells for just $35,000, while some vacant blocks go under hammer for $1 Getting into the property market as a first home buyer might seem like a daunting venture, but in outback New South Wales it can come as cheaply as $150. More than 80 properties went under the hammer across the far-west of New South Wales last week, with the most expensive purchase selling for just 3 per cent of Sydney's median house price.... Multiple vacant landlocked blocks sold for a single dollar each. "That was just the bid that we got and there was no reserve, so they just got sold for a dollar," real estate agent Clifford Wren said. "It was pretty pointless to the general person to [buy them] so these landlocked properties were sold to the neighbouring station owners." Very habitable', says agent The properties on the market ranged from vacant blocks to derelict houses in urgent need of repair, as well as some established homes. They were dotted around outback New South Wales in Wilcannia, Ivanhoe, Menindee and White Cliffs. The most expensive sale was a $35,000 home in Wilcannia, almost 1,000 kilometres west of Sydney. "This particular property was in very good condition, very habitable, and the purchaser of that property come from down south and she bought that property so she could live in Wilcannia herself," Mr Wren said. All of the land was up for sale because there was at least five years of rates owed by previous owners, amounting to more than $1 million in unpaid bills. "I saw a lot of first home buyers getting into the dwelling side, where, even though they were derelict, they felt like they could do that and also there was a lot of vacant land selling to first home buyers on the basis that they'll plonk a home there of some More info in link https://www.abc.net.au//blocks-of-land-in-far-we/12839472