Environment
Drain on Murray-Darling Basin risks 140 species
19 July
The Murray cod is among as many as 140 species at risk of extinction unless more water is returned to the Murray-Darling Basin, according to a new report. Environment Victoria’s Doomed Without a Drink report claims the state government’s...[Read More]
Nation put on high alert as El Nino warnings heat up
12 July
Warnings of blistering heat and severe drought are growing as Australia braces for a potential nightmare bushfire season. A hot and dry weather pattern is likely, particularly across eastern states, with experts warning an El Nino event could...[Read More]
Farmers better at managing downside of climate change
12 July
Productivity is up on farms despite deteriorating climate conditions. The Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences has found farmers have been able to manage the downsides of climate change better than they have in the past. “We...[Read More]
Research to hedge bets on coral climate survival
5 July
Providing the best possible chance of survival for coral in Australia’s warming reefs has become an easier task for scientists. As reefs around the world deteriorate due to global warming, new research could help scientists decide which species...[Read More]
Good outlook for farmers despite lower commodity prices
4 July
Improved export conditions for Australian farmers are being dampened by lower commodity prices and drier conditions in some parts of the country. Rural Bank analysed six industries – cattle, cropping, dairy, horticulture, sheep and wool – and...[Read More]
Mass dung beetle kills to lead to more flies in summer
28 June
Flood-hit communities will see an influx of flies this summer after millions of dung beetles were wiped out. Scientific monitoring across southern parts of Australia showed complete beetle annihilation in some areas. Russ Barrow from the Gulbali...[Read More]
Growth spurt in farmland value as prices almost double
28 June
Farmland prices have almost doubled over the past three years with low interest rates and healthy commodity prices contributing to the growth spurt. The average per-hectare price for broadacre farmland rose by 93 per cent from 2020 to 2023,...[Read More]
Plucky farmer turns energy costs into chicken feed
21 June
A Victorian farmer has defied soaring energy bills to save $400,000 a year during the past decade – and he wants to show other producers how they can save money too. Chicken farmer Chris Freney has made the efficiency savings by installing...[Read More]
Bettongs bounce into new home in bid to save species
21 June
More critically endangered brush-tailed bettongs have been released on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula in a project to re-introduce the species not found in the area for more than a century. The 73 bettongs were flown from Western Australia and...[Read More]
Rice research may help shore-up global food supplies
21 June
High-yield rice resistant to some of the worst crop-destroying diseases could soon be produced in Australia and across the world. A University of Adelaide researcher has taken part in a global study that has identified a new gene variant in a type...[Read More]
Green bonds to fund car-charging network, clean energy
14 June
Australian governments are tapping into investor hunger for AAA-rated green bonds to fund a fast-charging network for electric cars, wind farms, and greener schools and hospitals. Western Australia’s first green bond issuance has attracted more...[Read More]
‘Praying helps’ make a phone call in regional Australia
14 June
Climb up a tree and pray. That’s how some in regional and rural Australia jokingly describe getting mobile phone reception and internet access. The Australian Local Government Association’s regional forum has heard digital connectivity is...[Read More]
‘We have to act’: Pacific worker scheme shift defended
7 June
Pacific workers in Australia will get more regular incomes and better conditions under changes that will soon come into effect. But farmers and the Nationals say the new deed and guidelines for the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme...[Read More]
Drier conditions to drive down agricultural production
7 June
Australian agriculture’s record-breaking run is set to dry up with winter crop production to plunge more than a third while overall production is also forecast to fall. The latest quarterly outlook has been released by ABARES, the agency...[Read More]
Air in childcare settings heavy with plastic pollution
31 May
The air inside Australian homes and offices is loaded with microplastic pollution but childcare centres are the worst of all, a new study suggests. Griffith University researchers have taken a forensic look at air quality in indoor environments...[Read More]