YOUR HELP MADE PARTY A SUCCESS
Earlier this month, the Beelbangera Post Office celebrated 100 years of service. We would like to thank the following identities for making our celebration such a success.
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These include: Our mayor John Dal Broi, Councillor Doug Curran, Kerryn, Richard and Trevor from Australia Post, Griffith City Band, Sing Australia, Jock Munro, Griffith Rotary Club, Australian Beer Co, Tanya Ellis from Riverina Fresh, all our stall holders, the Griffith Genealogical Society, The Area News, 95.1 2MIAFM, Griffith Classical Motorcycle Club, Griffith Custom-Classic Car Club, Neil and his Penny Farthing, Margaret Heath, all the people who helped in the lead up and on the day, and, to all the countless people who attended our very successful event. Thanks again
The Beelbangera General Store team; Sam, Marie, Tara and Carl
TIME RUNNING OUT FOR WINTER CROPS
The next fortnight will be a true test for the Federal Government and in particular local Member Sussan Ley, who also holds the vital environment portfolio.
That is about how long we've got to save millions of dollars in crops.
Without access to water, wheat crops that have the potential to yield four to five tonnes per hectare (that's about 7,500 loaves of bread per hectare) will probably not make it to harvest. Some may not even hold up to be cut for hay.
Despite the low rainfall this winter there were some healthy crops around, and with water, through irrigation, they could hold up well. But unless the government intervenes, fodder and grain will go to waste.
This fodder could play a massive role in keeping our dairies in operation, or supporting cattle, sheep and other stock which are starving in other parts of the country.
There is a solution, and as Water Minister David Littleproud indicated last week that solution is in the hands of our Environment Minister Sussan Ley.
At present all the conveyance losses in the system are allocated against production.
We keep getting told that environmental and productive allocations work under the same rules, so why shouldn't at least a portion of these environmental allocations carry some of the conveyance loss.
If this freed up 200,000 megalitres for the NSW Murray Valley, which is just five per cent of the volumes currently in Hume and Dartmouth Dams, it would be enough to grow future crops or save 400, 000 hectares current crops under spray irrigation.
This could produce a million tonnes of grain and reduce the need to import so much wheat from North America.
Without immediate salvation from the government, half of the region's farmers are going to come under even more severe financial pressure.
Surely it's time Sussan Ley put her constituents first and ordered the conveyance water be re-allocated. If not, can she publicly explain why this cannot be done?
Carly Marriott, Barooga
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO FUEL EXCISE?
I am wondering who is going to pay to fix country roads when we convert all our cars to electric in the next couple of years?
NSW roads, like the Burley Griffin Way (between Griffith and Yass), are fairly poor quality now when we pay a fuel excise of $0.412 per litre plus a 10 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST).
But I am wondering who is going to pay to fix country roads when we no longer pay this tax to run electric cars?
I don't care for green ideology, but I know I'm keen to go electric so I don't have to waste money on fuel!
I am quite keen to use the sun and solar panels to save between 10-20 per cent of my income in the years ahead. Major mining companies have already replaced diesel trucks with electric.
Greg Adamson, Griffith
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