- Australian Wine Glut to Worsen – Production Up, But sales Down | AFN. Wine production has gone up, but lower domestic sales and a drop in exports has led to increased wine stocks, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).The total grape crush for 2007-08 came in at 1.8 million tonnes, up by nearly a third (31%) on last year. This produced 1.2 billion litres of wine, up just over a quarter (27%).
- Hans Enters Voluntary Administration | AFN. Hans, one of Australia’s largest smallgoods manufacturers, has entered voluntary administration but the business will continue operating while a buyer is sought. Higher costs and stronger pork competition has been attributed with the collapse of the Hans group of companies, with KordaMentha appointed as administrators today.
- Lamb Numbers lift In Victoria | Stock & Land. With the seasonal influx of new season lambs underway, throughput at saleyards covered by the National Livestock Reporting Service in Victoria has increased substantially this week. Meat and Livestock Australia reports that lamb throughput at saleyards increased 31pc on last week, and 14pc on the same time last year.
- Organic Roadshow sells a Good Story | ABC. Australia’s largest organic association is delivering the results of its Australian Organic Market Report across the country. The report found farm gate sales of organic produce had increased by 80 per cent since 2004. The Biological Farmers of Australia Organic Roadshow is encouraging producers to join Australia’s fastest growing food sector.
- History of US Government Bailouts | Publica. Nice & simple graphic comparing the size of financial bailouts of Corporations by the US government since 1970.
- Labor’s arbitrary internet filter plan misguided and deeply unpopular | Senator Nick Minchin. The Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has further fuelled concerns with his talk of filtering not only illegal content, but also unwanted and inappropriate content. This policy proposal is also causing Australia embarrassment internationally, with comparisons to the world’s most repressive regimes.
- Conroy Throughly Entangled In His Own Rabbit-Proof Firewall | Stilgherrin. As any farmer can tell you, fencing is bloody dangerous. The stretch-wire-between-posts thing, I mean, not the pointy-steel-pokey thing. One mistake and it’s THWACKKKK! Ten metres of barbed wire whipping into your face. Senator Stephen Conroy is discovering the hard way that trying to build a Rabbit-Proof Firewall around the Internet is just as dangerous. As Bernard Keane points out in Crikey [Thursday], the standard politicians’ tactic – lying – doesn’t cut it in today’s hyperconnected world.
- Flooding Cuts Country Town In Half | The Australian. PEOPLE have been rescued from trees, cars and causeways after floodwaters cut Tamowrth, in northern NSW, in two.The Peel River peaked at almost 6m after more than 164mm of rain deluged the area over the past 24 hours, causing widespread flash flooding. The river peaked at 5.9m at about 9am (AEDT) on Saturday and West Tamworth remains cut off, the State Emergency Service (SES) says.
- Salmon Gums farmers assess crop, stock losses. ABC. Farmers on the South Coast of Western Australia have used jetskis to rescue drowning sheep from paddocks flooded during wild storms. Farmers north of Esperance say hundreds of livestock drowned or froze to death as thunderstorms swept over the area on Wednesday knocking over trees and pelting crops with hail. (See Photos)
- Today’s National Weather | Weather Zone. A deep trough continues to trigger widespread showers and storms over QLD, the NT and northeast NSW. A low deepening off the NSW coast is maintaining showers over VIC and TAS. A high is easing showers along the SA coast while keeping the west of the country dry.
- Commandos battle militants inside Taj | The Australian 8.12am. INDIAN commandos were battling to end an assault on Mumbai by suspected Pakistan-based Islamic militants that has left up to 155 dead, among them foreign hostages. Security forces were fighting it out inside the city’s historic Taj Mahal hotel, where a tiny group of heavily armed gunmen where engaged in a fight to the death as the more than 52-hour-old battle entered its final stage.
- ‘Major blaze’ at Taj Mahal hotel | The Australian. 1.34pm. EXTREMELY heavy gunfire was heard from inside Mumbai’s Taj Mahal hotel, with a major blaze also breaking out as Indian commandos fought to clear the building of Islamic militants.
More later.
Please feel free to leave your comment on any of the stories above. Use it as a forum to start a conversation with other readers on any topic that interests you.
Tags: Quick Links