Henbury Station – R.M. Williams Agriculture – carbon trading scheme

July 27th, 2011

Further to the June 5 post re. Henbury Station’s purchase by RMWAH, here’s quote in The Australian from CSIRO ‘site leader’ Ashley Sparrow, regarding ‘revegetating’ Henbury and turning it into a ‘carbon sink’: “…. the rejuvenation would be “a slow process, since most recovery relies on big rainfall events.  I would expect in a while, and after […]

Read the rest of this entry »

AACo has sold Meteor Downs Station to Xstrata, presumably to be run by Colinta Holdings

July 23rd, 2011

AACo has sold the central Queensland cattle station ‘Meteor Downs’ to the Swiss mining company, Xstrata.  Meteor Downs is 17,000 ha 40km SE of Springsure (between Emerald & Roma), and it was purchased in 1990 to run the AACo’s Brahman and Santa Gertrudis studs.  In recent years it has been running Wagyu cattle, and growing forage crops […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Nuclear waste dump in ‘the middle of nowhere’ – Tennant Creek

July 22nd, 2011

If the vitriolic anti-bush comments in relation to the live export ban didn’t convince rural Australians that there is a sizeable slab of urban Australia who despise them (though urban residents rely on rural residents for food & export income), then the recent online forum comments regarding the planned nuclear waste dump near Tennant Creek, surely will.  Discussions on […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Australia’s live export ban lifted

July 6th, 2011

At last some sense has prevailed and Agricultural minister Joe Ludwig announced this evening that the live export ban has been lifted.  Cattle that are completely traceable will be allowed to be exported to ‘independently audited’ abattoir facilities. However many regional small businesses will have lost huge amounts of money, many cattle that a month […]

Read the rest of this entry »

People changing their minds from ‘ban live exports’ to ‘ban cruelty – support Australian beef farmers’

July 5th, 2011

Anyone who still believes that banning Australian live exports is an intelligent idea should read this excellent explanation by Genevieve Hopkins on her ‘Green Foodie’ blog.  As Genevieve explained, early on she signed petitions supporting the banning of live exports.  Then, in response to pointy comments posted on her blog, she decided to do some […]

Read the rest of this entry »

RMWAH buys Henbury Station, Alice Springs

July 5th, 2011

R.M. Williams Agricultural Holdings (RMWAH) has apparently just purchased Henbury Station, on the Sturt Highway 125km south of Alice Springs.  The 5,168 square kilometre station has an extensive creek and river system (including Finke and Palmer River frontage) and has 15 permanent waterholes.  It was for sale through Elders – after being passed in at auction […]

Read the rest of this entry »

A letter from the Pilbara to Sarah Ferguson (ABC 4 corners journalist)

June 29th, 2011

Various people have written so many excellent letters regarding the live export trade, effect of the current ban, and how to rectify the disastrous situation.  The following letter was written by Christine Glenn (Pilbara region, Western Australia) to Sarah Ferguson – the ABC journalist on the 4 corners story on Australia’s live export trade to Indonesia. “Dear […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Update on the live export ban from David Warriner, NTCA

June 28th, 2011

A letter from David Warriner, Chairman, NTCA (Northern Territory Cattleman’s Association):”I think most people understand “cattlemen on the land” abhor the disgusting treatment of our animals we saw on the misleading and unbalanced Four Corners program. It must be understood this is not typical. When your business is in dealing with animals, animal welfare is a […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Images of animals killing and eating other animals too upsetting for some Australian TV viewers these days

June 28th, 2011

We’ve had a good laugh in recent years at ‘parental guidance required’ disclaimers that precede programmes such as Troy Dann’s outback adventures.  But the best laugh of all was this ‘warning’ statement  preceding the screening of David Attenborough’s ‘Life in Cold Blood’ series  screened on ABC TV earlier this year:  ‘The following programme contains scenes […]

Read the rest of this entry »

Online petition calling for the live export ban to be lifted

June 24th, 2011

Please take a few seconds to sign the online petition calling on the Federal Government to lift the ban on Australia’s live export trade, so live exports to Indonesia can resume immediately.  It’s vital that live exports resume as soon as possible – ironically, because of the catastrophic animal welfare and environmental issues caused by […]

Read the rest of this entry »