Welcome and warning greets Victoria's ban on fracking

Farmers have welcomed the Victorian Government's plan to ban fracking, a move the mining industry has warned would cost residents in higher electricity bills.

The permanent ban on the exploration and development of all onshore unconventional gas in Victoria includes hydraulic fracturing, otherwise known as fracking, and coal seam gas.

The Victorian Farmers Federation says it's concerned about aquifers and other water sources potentially being contaminated by fracking.

President David Jochinke said while some farmers might miss out on making money from fracking, the ban was in the state's greater good.

Read the ABC Rural story - “Victorian farmers welcome permanent ban on fracking and coal seam gas exploration.”

Recycled sewerage helps keep the Red Centre green

(Water and waste will intrude on every decision made as we negotiate the rigours of climate change. In Alice Springs the waste in the town’s sewerage plant is being recycled to be used to irrigate Lucerne in a process that communities throughout Australia should be watching closely with the idea of replicating what they see – Robert McLean.)

Alice Springs sewerage is being recycled and used
to grow Lucerne - helping keep the Red Centre green.

A lucerne crop irrigated by water from the Alice Springs sewerage plant is the first step in assessing the use of recycled water for horticulture production in the Red Centre.

The Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry (DPI) research trials will evaluate the water's effects on local soil structure.

Stuart Smith from the Central Australian horticultural development program said using recycled water was a "no-brainer".

"In arid areas like central Australia we need to be able to use every last little piece of water that we can get," he said.

The water is treated to removed solids and microbes that may be detrimental to human health.

Read the ABC Rural story - “Poo powers Alice Springs waste water lucerne trial.”

Heatwaves and drought claims thousands of trees

A study has found more than 25 per cent of trees across 7000 hectares of jarrah forest in the Perth Hills, Western Australia have died after the drought and heatwaves experienced in 2010-11.

Similar numbers of trees died in arid areas of Queensland in response to the 2003-07 drought, and there are similar reports from around the world

The high death rate of trees is attributed to lower rainfalls, higher temperatures and extreme weather events.

Read the ABC Rural story - “Thousands of trees killed by drought and extreme heatwaves.”

Farmers call for action on global warming

A

ustralia’s farmers have banded together in asking the Australian Government to act in response to global warming.

The farmers had written an open letter to the Liberal Party declaring climate change as real and happening on their farms.

The letter says:

 "We as Aussie farmers call on the Liberal Party conference to reject the motion put by the regional and rural committee of the Liberal Party questioning the basis of climate science, and instead call for post-2020 targets to cut carbon pollution that are in line with scientists' recommendations of at least 40 per cent by 2025, and at least 60 per cent by 2030 over 2000 pollution levels."

Read the ABC Rural story - "Farmer group urges Liberal Party to take strong action on climate change”.

State money fails to slow, or stop, environmental deterioration.

Victoria’s environment continues to deteriorate.

And, that deterioration continues despite massive investment by the State Government.

An ABC Rural story headed: “Victorian Auditor General tells government to think long term to improve deteriorating environment” warns of the need for the government to set long-term goals.