Nationals MP Pat Conaghan wants a review of the alcohol excise. Photo: Pat Conaghan MP.
A SPATE of fire bombings could be just the beginning as concerns mount the tax system is driving a burgeoning alcohol black market putting lives and the budget bottom line at risk. Police have not confirmed whether illicit alcohol was behind 15 incidents at hospitality venues across inner Melbourne since 14 April, but the industry […]
Stocking locations across the Hunter and Mid North Coast. Photo: DPI.
RECREATIONAL fishers are invited to have their say on which NSW dams and impoundments they would like to see stocked with their favourite freshwater fish species, as the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) develops its stocking program for the year ahead. DPIRD Aquaculture Director Ian Lyall said NSW is home to […]
WALK down any main street in regional Australia and you’ll find small businesses doing what they do best: serving their communities with pride, hard work, and a personal touch. Businesses in our regional towns thrive on trust, the kind that comes from knowing the people behind the counter. But there’s a growing issue quietly affecting […]
Hunter LLS says it’s time for land managers to focus on practical strategies for managing a tough winter.
RECORD-BREAKING saleyard numbers at Scone, Tamworth, and Dubbo signals that cattle producers are selling down, with Hunter Local Land Services (LLS) urging landholders to keep making these proactive decisions as conditions tighten moving into winter. Three key indicators point to increasing pressure on producers. Scone’s largest yarding on record, with more than 4,000 head, reflects […]
DETECTIVES are appealing for information following a series of recent grass fires in the Hunter Valley. Between Monday 2 March 2026 and Friday 24 April 2026, a total of 24 grass fires were reported in areas surrounding Singleton. The fires have occurred along Golden Highway at Warkworth, and Mitchell Line of Road, Jerrys Plains Road, […]
A MAN has been charged following a fatal single-vehicle crash late last year. About 10.30pm on Sunday 14 December 2025, police were patrolling The Bucketts Way at Limeburners Creek – about 12km east of Clarence Town – when they located a 36-year-old man on the side of the road. Officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police […]
Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher are facing questions about the budget. Photo: Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS.
POTENTIAL changes to negative gearing or capital gains tax in the federal budget would not be breaking the trust of voters, the treasurer says. As Jim Chalmers prepares to hand down his fifth budget, the government faces accusations it is coming after “mum and dad” investors as family trusts join capital gains tax discounts and […]
MAINTENANCE work kicked off on Monday to upgrade the heritage-listed Cooreei Bridge over the Williams River east of Dungog. The NSW Government is investing $7.3 million to rehabilitate the historic landmark on Stroud Hill Road. Cooreei Bridge, which is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register, is the first Henry Harvey Dare-type timber bridge built […]
Lone Rider making good progress on Barrington Tops Forest Rd. Photo: Outer Limit Collective.
Olivia Gollan and Margaret Hemsley celebrate finishing the Women’s Monument in equal 3rd place. Photo: Outer Limit Collective Lone Rider making good progress on Barrington Tops Forest Rd. Photo: Outer Limit Collective. The numerous creek crossings along the course challenge both the body and the bike. Photo: Outer Limit Collective. WHILE the Anzac Day weekend […]
