Bush Telegraph
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A new rural king crowned in New Zealand
New Zealand has just crowned its new young rural king not with a crown or sceptre but with a 'cloak of knowledge'.
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Cane toads threaten the Kimberleys
Environmentalists are worried the arrival of cane toads in the Kimberley region of WA could wipe out local native species.
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Rural News Tuesday 21 May, 2013
More kangaroo shooters are leaving their jobs and country towns because of the collapse in the trade.
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Farmers using weeds to shrink Australia's carbon...
A new invention that looks like a big blue shipping container could solve two of Australia's biggest environmental problems in one hit.
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New almond varieties on the horizon
Commercial trials to create more nutritious and higher yielding varieties of almonds will soon get underway.
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Trauma takes a nana to Croc College
It's not often offers come up to go to a college to learn how to wrestle crocodiles. And it's not often a grandmother would raise her hand to take on the challenge.
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Busting carp to save the Murray Cod
More than one hundred anglers went on a carp busting mission in Queensland. The event is part of a plan to save the giant Murray Cod.
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Rural News Monday 20 May, 2013
Cattle farmers in the Southern Tablelands in NSW are facing the prospect of shooting livestock this winter if decent rain doesn't come soon.
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Land clearing changes in Queensland raise concerns
There are concerns up to two million hectares of mature Queensland bushland will be bulldozed under proposed changes to amend state land clearing laws.
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Should you castrate this pig?
It's not every day Bush Telegraph listeners decide if a pig should be castrated, but that's the decision you're facing today.
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Scientists recognised for TB technology
A group of Australian scientists has received one of the country's highest science awards for a breakthrough invention.
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Rural News Friday 17 May, 2013
Queensland trucking companies say its taking too long for the state government to approve special drought trucking permits.
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Cattle grazing stoush in Queensland
The Queensland government has made a controversial decision to open up national parks to cattle for grazing, and next week it plans on introducing legislation to make sure that happens.
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Food is trendy but who wants to grow it?
Bush Telegraph hosted a public forum at the University of New England to discuss the topic 'It's trendy to know about food, so why doesn't anyone want to grow it?'
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Heywire winners take on the media
The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) is awarding $70,000 for seven projects developed through the ABC's Heywire competition.
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How a dead snake inspired country and eastern music
When New England instrument maker Peter Biffin found a dead eastern brown snake by his letterbox he knew he'd found the sound he was looking for.
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I spy a crocodile
"I like playing in the bush," says William, aged four. But he warns you have to be careful of "snakes, lizards, crocodiles and kangaroos."
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Rural News Wednesday May 15, 2013
Dairy Australia says farmers can look forward to a price increase of 10 to 15 per cent this year.
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Graziers shooting cattle they can't afford to feed
Graziers in northern Australia are shooting their cattle because they can't feed or sell them.
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The budget for rural Australia
Last night's Budget was a mixed bag for agriculture. There was some good news for farmers sweating on the new drought policy, but other areas took a hit to pay for that.
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Fire ants break out in Queensland
A town in south east Queensland has had another menacing outbreak of fire ants. It's the second time the stinging ants have appeared in Goodna, near Ipswich, in just over a decade.
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Rural News Tuesday, 14 May 2013
Cuts are expected in tonight's Federal budget, as the Government looks for savings to secure its flagship education and disability reforms.
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Painted Snipe bird declared endangered
The Painted Snipe is one of the most threatened birds in Australia. Its numbers are so small, scientists believe there are only 1500 of them left.
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New Red List for threatened species
A group of international scientists is travelling around the world identifying and studying eco systems to determine if they are threatened or endangered.
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Cockroaches on the menu in Sydney restaurants
A report today from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation is urging more people to consider insects as food.
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Threatened country pub may have saviour
Kath Casey was preparing to farewell her pub in the Victorian town of Brim, when she heard of a potential saviour.
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Animal welfare in the spotlight
There's concern the system set up to safeguard the welfare of Australian livestock in overseas markets is not working.
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Rural News Monday, 13 May 2013
Some areas of western Victoria have welcomed an autumn break, with many areas recording more than 20 millimetres of rain.
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Dairy farmers call for end to minimum three hour shift
The dairy industry wants to scrap the minimum three hour shift for workers and reduce penalties for Sunday work from double time to time and a half.
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Vanilla farming - a labour of love
You may never look at a vanilla slice the same way again!
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Live music from Mustered Courage
Nu-bluegrass is their trade - a new twist to an Appalachian tradition. Mustered Courage have just released a new album, "Powerlines", and they're embarking on a national tour to launch it.
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Rural News Friday, 10 May 2013
Meat processors say shoppers shouldn't expect to see any drops in steak and lamb prices despite some of the lowest livestock prices in years.
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Australian approach could avert world water crisis
In twenty years it is predicted that the world will be facing a water crisis, and that we will need more than twice the available supply.
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Graziers taking desperate measures as drought bites
Gazing out across the paddocks between Narromine and Gilgandra, livestock agent Tim Wiggins explains why graziers are so desperate.
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Local councils aim to revive regional rail
It's a familiar sight in country Australia - a disused railway station, windows boarded up, weeds sprouting from the tracks. But the death of regional rail lines may have been greatly exaggerated.
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Frog-proof fence gives hope to Aussie battler
The Corroboree Frog, on the brink of extinction, is being given a safe haven in the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales.
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Rural News Thursday, 9 May 2013
Cattle sales in central west Queensland have been cancelled this week due to depressed prices and a backlog of cattle booked into the meatworks.
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Expert panel considers electoral impact of live exports
The Federal election is just four months away and, behind the scenes, lobby groups are trying to get politicians on side.
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Community cash for Heywire projects
The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal is awarding $70,000 for seven projects developed through the ABC's Heywire competition.
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Live music from Aaron Bolton
Aaron grew up in Grafton and moved to Tamworth to be a country singer.
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Local news in Tamworth
ABC New England reporter Lisa Herbert gives us a taste of stories making news around town.
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Rural News Wednesday May 8, 2013
The farm sector has welcomed the Reserve Bank's decision to cut the official cash rate, and is calling on rural lenders to follow suit.
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Chicken producer defends intensive farming
Growing consumer demand has led to a big expansion in chicken meat production around Tamworth.
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The chicken comes first in Tamworth
Today Bush Telegraph broadcasts from Tamworth in the New England region of northern NSW.
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'Bushie' reveals tiger sighting in Tassie wilderness
For nearly 20 years Col Bailey has kept a Tasmanian tiger secret.
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Music from Troy Cassar-Daley
Troy Cassar-Daley picked up four golden guitars at Tamworth Country Music Festival earlier this year including Male Artist of the Year and Album of the year. He visited the Bush Telegraph studio last year and performed 'Good Man' from his album, 'Home'.
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Rural News Tuesday, 7 May 2013
The operator of a livestock transport service says drought-stricken graziers in north and north-west Queensland will soon be unable to pay for the cost of carting cattle to sales.
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Cane toads in a maze
A group of scientists in the north of WA say they've shown that cane toads can learn.
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Beef producers want cattle donated to Indonesia
Organisers of a beef crisis summit in north Queensland say they want 100,000 Australian cattle donated to Indonesia.
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Kangaroo Dundee's wildlife hospital hope
Filming is underway for another six episodes of the TV show Kangaroo Dundee.
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Hi-tech and fresh food from San Francisco
With high levels of debt and diminishing markets, it's a battle for many of Australia's food growers to get the prices they want and need.
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Rural News Monday, 6 May 2013
The livestock export industry has asked the Federal Government to include Australia's trade with Egypt in animal welfare safeguard systems.
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Former policy adviser criticises new drought program
A former government adviser on drought policy says she's extremely disappointed with the program announced by the Federal Government last week.
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Live cattle export to Egypt suspended
As the live export industry faces yet another scandal, Australia's largest cattle producer says it's worried more markets will be lost.
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Nuts on the golf course
A Victorian golf course is growing thousands of walnut trees on the club grounds.
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Music from Catch Release
Catch Release are a Melbourne five piece band with an unlikely line-up including french horn, violin, and 'beat-box'.
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Farmers seek detail on new drought policy
There has been little detail provided on what the national drought policy entails, but it's known the focus will be on helping farmers prepare for drought, rather than compensating them for losses caused by drought.
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Rural News Friday 3 May, 2013
Agreement has been reached on a national drought policy. Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig and his state and territory counterparts signed an Intergovernmental Agreement on National Drought Program Reform.
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Farmers find there is life after farming
It's a time worn story throughout the history of this country: farmers forced off the land by drought and rising debt. But it seems there is life after farming for some of those who've had to leave the land.
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New South Wales town claims Banjo Paterson as its most...
The town of Orange in central western NSW is known for stone fruit, wine making and gold mining.
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Fish Creek festival gets cosy to a 't'
The tea cosy represents the friendship and conversations of rural Australia, says Fish Creek Tea Cosy Festival organiser Deidre Granger.
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Music from Daniel Champagne
Daniel Champagne is still aged in his 20's and already has a couple of albums under his belt and a busy touring schedule.
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Australian designer says wool for furniture is still the...
Australian interior design brands have teamed up with the promotional body, Australian Wool Innovation, to highlight the qualities of wool.
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Rural News Thursday 2 May, 2013
The Prime Minister says Australia will not consider imposing tariffs on imported canned fruit, as has been requested by one major cannery.
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Researchers explore drought link to increase in rural...
Social science researchers are examining the growing demand for sex workers in rural areas.
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Tasmanian dairies try to buck the trend
Dairy farmers around mainland Australia have been complaining the supermarket price war on milk is sending them broke, but in Tasmania the future for the industry has never looked brighter, in fact the industry is crying out for more dairy farmers.
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Community cash grants for Heywire projects
The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal is awarding $70,000 for seven projects developed through the ABC's Heywire competition.
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Boutique beer gets ahead
Research by the Brewers Association of Australia and New Zealand shows that craft beer production in Australia is increasing by six per cent every year, while mainstream beer sales are declining.
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Mixed reaction to Tasmania forest agreement
Following three years of negotiations, legislation to enact an agreement on the future of Tasmania's native forests and forest industries passed through the state parliament last night.
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Rural news (Wednesday, 1 May 2013)
A study of farmers forced out of business by drought has found most find a new job easily, and are happy to be out of farming.
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Regional areas still growing
Despite the overall trend towards increased urbanisation, regional areas are still growing, albeit at a slower rate than the major cities.
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Fodder assistance for Queensland farmers
Graziers in western Queensland say they will be taking advantage of assistance now most of the region has been drought declared.
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On the trail of the mysterious Night Parrot
Stories about night parrots are a bit like ghost stories - many people have one, but they're nearly impossible to prove.
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Slow food campaigners demand sustainability
The head of the international Slow Food movement says global food policies should encourage sustainable diets, and move beyond the quest to just keep producing more food.
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Rural news Tuesday, 30 April 2013
Rural bankers deny Australian farmers are in the grip of a national debt crisis, although they acknowledge some areas are facing tough conditions.
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New hope for brain injury patients
A building opening today in Albury, NSW, is setting a new standard of care for young people with brain injuries who live in regional Australia.
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Cannery asks for trade protection as growers consider...
Victorian cannery SPC Ardmona has called on the Federal Government to implement emergency trade protection from cheap imports of tinned fruit.
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Music from Cecil McLeod
We hear 'Spearfishing Song' and 'Welcome Song' by didgeridoo player Cecil McLeod.
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The finer points of bog snorkelling
Thousands of people gathered in the north-west Queensland town of Julia Creek last week for the annual Dirt and Dust Festival.
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Rural news Monday, 29 April 2013
North Queensland graziers say the Federal Government may have missed the point in announcing assistance for struggling farmers. The chairman of the Northern Gulf Graziers Group, Barry Hughes, says concessional loans are not the answer.
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Posts go in to help fire recovery at Bookham, NSW
The not-for-profit group BlazeAid has been giving practical help to farmers after the fires of the last summer.
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Government offers millions to support farms
Two days after the Federal Government announced its farm finance package, it's still not entirely clear who will qualify for the low-interest loans on offer.
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Pilbara properties worth less
The Pilbara region in the north-west of WA has seen whole towns spring from the resource boom over the last decade or so but aside from those who fly in and out to work in the mines, new residents have paid dearly for real estate.
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Rural News Friday, 26 April 2013
Tasmanian yoghurt maker, Tamar Valley Dairy, is asking its creditors to renegotiate their loans to overcome a cash crisis.
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Scientist calls for wetlands rescue plan
Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory is a wetland of world renown and a haven for birds and plants found nowhere else in the world.
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Farmers desperate for new drought policy
As the prolonged dry weather continues, farmers say they're worried that neither side of politics has finalised a drought policy.
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Last F111 fighter-bomber on show in Wollongong
Australia's last operational F111 fighter-bomber has been moved from Queensland to Illawarra Regional Airport, but it won't be flying out.
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Leading medic escapes weather and work in private bunker
Some say that if you want to know a man, you need to visit his shed.
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Saddlery rides high by using new technology
A saddlery in central west NSW is bucking the trend when it comes to regional manufacturing.
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Rural news Thursday, 25 April 2013
Queensland farmers have welcomed the Federal Government's announcement it will commit $200 million to continue the Reef Rescue program for another five years.
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Livestock transporters flat out because of big dry
One of Australia's largest livestock transporters says it's operating at full capacity because of the prolonged dry weather.
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Indigenous owners hoping to protect endangered species...
A large chunk of Western Australia's desert country straddling the famous Canning Stock Route became part of Australia's national reserve system this week.
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Australia's wine industry eyes booming Chinese market
A group of Chinese sommeliers has visited South Australia's Riverland to see what the wine industry has to offer.
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Mystery in Pacific Oyster loss in Port Stephens
Growers in Port Stephens have lost up to 90 per cent of their Pacific Oysters, and they don't yet know why.
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Rural News Wednesday, 24 April 213
The Commonwealth Fisheries Association in Australia wants to see tougher rules for marine seismic testing, to protect fish.
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Mining makes hay in WA
Rio Tinto's Hamersley Agricultural Project is growing 25,000 tonnes of hay a year for the local pastoral industry.
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NSW growers fleece the field at Zegna awards
Woolgrowers from Central Western NSW have won the two major prizes at this year's Zegna Awards for excellence in superfine merino fleece.
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Woodside payout no help for Broome business
Resources company Woodside holds its annual general meeting today, two weeks after revealing it would walk away from the planned gas hub project at James Price Point.
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Farmhouse door opens for asylum seekers
Asylum seekers who do not have the right to work may be accommodated in private homes in regional areas.
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Rural news Tuesday, 23 April 2013
Farmers planting winter crops or trucking stock out of dry regions can expect lower petrol and diesel prices in the coming months.
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Australian horse cloned for Polocrosse
An Australian Stock Horse is to be the first horse in Australia to be cloned.
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Horsemeat scandal good business for Perth butcher
A specialist horsemeat butcher in Perth says the recent European horsemeat substitution scandal has been good for business.
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Bob Corbett takes music to Australia's country halls
Country musician Bob Corbett is following in the footsteps of Slim Dusty and taking his music into country halls across Australia.
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Exports to Egypt could be answer to camel plague
There could be a new way to tackle Australia's feral camel herd, through exports to Egypt.
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Rural news Monday, 23 April 2013
The Hamersley Agricultural Project run by mining company Rio Tinto in the north-west of Western Australia has produced 2,000 tonnes of hay in its first quarter of operation.
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When city homes go bush
It's a common site in Australia's biggest cities: a picturesque old house that's facing demolition to make way for a urban development.
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Music from Steve Pigram
Steve Pigram plays two tracks live from his new solo album 'Wanderer'.
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Rural News Friday, 19 April, 2013
Construction of the Darwin abattoir project in the Northern Territory has stalled and speculation is mounting that it may be abandoned altogether.
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Volunteers rally to fence-in the farm
Farmers are still waiting for urgent repairs three months after bushfires damaged properties around Bookham in NSW.
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Farmers eager to see results on FTA negotiations
Ask any of Australia's farming groups about the importance of free trade agreements and they are likely to give a similar response.
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Emus seed the bush
Scientists in Western Australia are finding out how emus play a critical role in dispersing plant seeds in forests.
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Bush Telegraph mailbag - (April 17 )
Listeners commented on climate change and the WA grains industry.
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Flooded Bundy residents still waiting for homes
A number of people in the Queensland town of Bundaberg are still waiting for their homes to be rebuilt after severe flooding earlier this year.
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Rural News Wed 17 April, 2013
Australian biosecurity officials say they are monitoring a bird flu outbreak in China, and remain alert but not alarmed.
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Vital weather station goes dry in new lease deal
The operators of the remote Giles Weather Station have agreed a new ten year lease with the region's traditional land owners.
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Biodiversity linked to human health
It seems a logical enough statement - a healthy environment equals healthy people.
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Possum skin cloaks make a comeback
Possum skin cloaks have been used by indigenous Australians through the ages.
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Finger-pickin' good in Gippsland
The Strzelecki Stringbusters, old time and bluegrass band have a motto - make people smile through music.
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Supermarket milk deal will pressure margins
A deal between farmers and Coles supermarket is putting pressure on the dairy processors Lion and Parmalat.
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Rural News Tuesday, 16 April 2013
More than a thousand farmers have attended a meeting in Western Australia to discuss ways to deal with their tough financial situation. Farmers at the meeting unanimously accepted a dozen resolutions, which included calling for more rural financial counsellors and crop risk mitigation insurance paid for by state governments.
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Soil experts offer ideas for doing more with less
Australia's potential as the food-bowl of Asia is challenged by having soils which are low in nutrients.
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Mushroom farmers growing supermarket relationships
Debate around the supermarkets and their dealings with farmers has focused on the dairy industry of late.
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Mulesing continues despite warnings of a new animal...
Animal rights campaigners are talking about renewing a campaign against surgical mulesing of lambs in Australia.
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Education expert calls for better teachers in regional...
A senior educationalist says the Prime Minister's new plan for schools needs to make sure that money is spent on enticing good teachers into regional jobs.
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Rural News Monday, 15 April 2013
The National Party has endorsed former Victorian Farmers Federation president Andrew Broad as its candidate for the safest federal seat in Australia.
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WA farmers warn crop can't be planted
West Australian grain growers are warning many farmers can't afford to plant a crop this season.
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Woolly pig could be a new rare breed
When we heard about an unusual woolly pig being bred in the north of Tasmania we thought it worth investigating.
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Provocative pig music targets disconnected 'foodies'
A controversial music performance inspired by the life of a farmed pig is being performed in Australia.
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Concern at thoroughbred future in race for coal
Organisers of the Easter Yearling sales are celebrating after a week that saw price records smashed.
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Rural News Friday, 12 April 2013
A South Australian family food business has collapsed with debts of more than $3 million.
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Mixed reaction as Woodside shelves Kimberley gas hub
There's been mixed reaction to news that the giant gas processing hub proposed for the West Australian Kimberley has been shelved.
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No escape plan in prisoner sand digging project
Two Darwin prison guards have created a sandbag-filling machine that has caught the attention of emergency services.
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Music from Bruce Mathiske
Guitarists Bruce Mathiske performs live in the Bush Telegraph studios.
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China yuan deal is no big deal for exporters
Fruit and vegetable exporters welcome a deal to allow direct currency conversion between the Australian dollar and the Chinese yuan, but say it will have no substantial impact on their costs.
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Rural News (Thursday, 11 April)
Relentless dry weather in Victoria and southern NSW has meant that the quality of wool is far worse than last year.
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Best and worst regions named
The latest information from the 2011 census has just been released and it confirms that rural areas are lagging well behind Australia's cities.
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Food gardens counter impact of poor and expensive food
Food gardens in indigenous communities are helping to tackle some of the health issues related to poor diet, including diabetes and obesity.
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Recruiting older health professionals into rural...
Getting enough doctors, nurses and other health professionals into rural and remote areas has been another big challenge.
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Health workers making major progress in indigenous eye...
There's good news to report from Aboriginal Australia in the area of eye health.
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Rural Health leader points to key areas for action
Strong indigenous leadership and community driven solutions to healthcare are key messages to come out of the National Rural Health Conference in Adelaide.
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Rural News Wednesday, 10 April 2013
Two Australian farmer-owned dairy co-operatives have won major contracts with Coles. Murray Goulburn and Norco dairy co-operatives will supply Coles for its branded milk in NSW, south-east Queensland and Victoria.
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Drop in oral health in indigenous communities
One of the biggest areas of need in indigenous communities is for oral health care.
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Finding a place for intellectually disabled in NDIS
One of the biggest challenges for the NDIS is what happens to people with an intellectual disability as they grow old?
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High hopes for the NDIS in rural Australia
There's great hope at this conference that people in rural Australia who have a disability will get better services as a result of the new National Disability Insurance Scheme.
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Creative Tourism
Tourism contributes billions of dollars to the Australian economy every year.
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Butterflies can't stand the Top End rain
A week of persistent rain in the Northern Territory town of Batchelor, about 100km south of Darwin, has caused some problems for the local butterfly farm.
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Unexpected outcome for Cubbie's new owners
Cubbie Ag's new ownership team is on the home straight of big cotton harvest.
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Rural News Tuesday, 9 April 2013
A livestock transport company says the Tanami Road in the Northern Territory is in the worst condition it's been for nearly a decade.
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Regional health experts want bush services to be hi-tech
Telehealth and the National Broadband Network could be part of the solution to providing quality health care to regional areas.
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Broken Hill murder under the spotlight
In 1952, a teenage girl was murdered in Broken Hill. A policeman from Sydney was sent to solve the crime and 60 hours later a 23-year-old man was arrested, charged and thrown into jail.
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The fastest furniture sale in the bush
When a pop-up furniture store opened in the remote community of Santa Teresa, the locals helped clean it out in the blink of an eye.
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Vaccine against parasites causing cow abortions could...
A vaccine trial by Australian researchers is promising protection for cattle against a parasite which is carried by dogs.
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Rural News Monday, 8 April 2013
The National Farmers Federation has a new president after its leader, Jock Laurie, resigned to pursue a career in politics. Riverina livestock producer and NFF vice-president, Duncan Fraser, will take over as leader of the lobby group until elections in November.
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Answer to SA marine kill weeks away
Researchers say they are weeks away from test results on the dead marine life which is washing up on South Australian beaches, which includes dolphins, penguins and hundreds of juvenile Leather Jacket fish.
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Carers confused over NDIS as launch date looms
Carers for people with a disability are still unsure how the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) will work, with the launch of the scheme planned for July.
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Music from The Nymphs
Female vocal quartet The Nymphs perform live in the Bush Telegraph studio.
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China trade visit aims for provincial agreements on...
The Trade Minister Craig Emerson says he'll be trying to secure a trade agreement with Chinese provincial governments to improve market access for Australian beef and dairy.
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Rural News Friday, 5 April 2013
A north-west Queensland grazier is being remembered as an innovator in the beef industry, following his death after a fall on his Cloncurry property.
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Troop return to pressure regional services
Australian troops will start returning from Afghanistan within months and for some major regional communities it means not just a big influx of people but a major exercise in reintegration.
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Farmers spend big on security to protect 'dishonesty...
Roadside stands with produce for sale and a jar or tin for payment have been associated with country roads for years.
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Holidaymakers favour farm stays
An increasing number of travellers are avoiding motels and choosing farm stays and farm bed-and-breakfasts to break up their journeys.
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Rural News Thursday, 4 April 2013
Authorities are on alert in central west NSW after several sightings of the Australian Plague Locust.
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Slow progress on food labelling
New labelling laws addressing Country of Origin issues remain some way off, after the latest draft law was rejected by a Senate committee.
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Victoria misses deadline on fire refuges
In a national first, the Victorian government is building fire refuges to protect residents during bushfires.
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Broome author makes the Miles Franklin long list
Ten years ago Jacqueline Wright was an English teacher in a remote Indigenous community in the Great Sandy Desert in WA. While there, she began writing a novel.
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Dart Energy withdraws from NSW
Coal Seam Gas company, Dart Energy, announced yesterday it's pulling out of its CSG operations in NSW.
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Baking the traditional way
The Barossa region of SA is a destination for those in search of fine wines and German small goods. But there's a hidden gem on one of the side streets.
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Rural News (Wednesday)
A new report shows deaths on quad bikes are costing Australians up to $30 million every year.
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Banks exposed on increasing farm debt
Farmers across the country are being squeezed.
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Industry queries animal welfare regulations
The Department of Agriculture is under pressure to review Australia's animal welfare regulations from the Australian Livestock Export Council.
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"Virtual Curtain" technology to clean up mine wastewater
A common gripe about Australia's resource economy is that the only thing we're good at is digging stuff up and shipping it out.
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Sweet syrup for hungry bees
The hot, dry summer across much of southern Australia has taken its toll on all manner of livestock.
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Renovation for aging wool shed
The mighty woolshed stands as a reminder of the heady days when wool was king. But many woolsheds have now fallen into disrepair.
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China looms as market for premium alpaca wool
Alpaca breeders are seeking markets for the luxury fibre in China.
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Rural News (Tuesday)
Rodeo groups from across the country are uniting for the first time to address animal welfare issues within the sport.
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Regional aviation calls for less regulation
Despite the increase in fly-in fly-out workers, regional airlines say they are barely viable in many parts of the country.
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Life in the Mintabie opal mines
When Warwick Middleton moved to the small South Australian town of Mintabie he didn't plan to stay 20 years.
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Rural Easter uncovers community hope
Easter marks one of the holiest events on the Christian calendar.
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Rural News (Monday)
High corn prices are driving farmers in the US to plant one of the biggest crops in history.
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Philanthropists funding sustainable agriculture
Closer scrutiny of food production and appreciation of the plight farmers is generating more interest in agricultural research from philanthropists.
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Deans urge rethink on agricultural research spending
Both the Labor and Liberal parties have been warned that now is not the time to reduce investment in agricultural research.
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Fruit growers future left to rot
Fruit growers are questioning their future after being forced to let fruit rot on trees with no market for their crop.
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From blacksoil plains to Stockmen's Hall of Fame
The connection with the Australian bush is so strong for Jane Grieve, born and raised on a farm on the Darling Downs in Queensland, that it has lead to her being a champion of Australia's outback heritage.
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Music from the Formidable Vegetable Sound System:...
Today's music is from Formidable Vegetable Sound System, a project that aims to spread the message of permaculture through song.
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Priscilla, Queen of the paddock
Cygnet farmer, Matthew Evans has outgrown Puggle farm's 10 hectares and he's now establishing a bigger mixed farm - Fat Pig Farm nearby.
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Shearing legend inducted to Hall of Fame
There's not many people in this world who can say they have shorn the Queen of England's sheep.
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Good Friday fish a boon for Port Lincoln market
After Christmas, Easter is the busiest time of the year for seafood retailers.
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Hatching the perfect backyard chook
Edith Maclean, a chicken breeder from Gippsland in Victoria, thinks she's cracked the formula to breed the perfect backyard chook
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Old harvester revived for smash-up derby
Some old grain harvesters are left to rust in the back of a paddock or a corner of a shed but not in the South Australian town of Keith.
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Rural News (Thursday)
The head of Australia's competition and consumer watchdog says that, in principle, he would support dairy farmers' attempts to sell their milk directly to Woolworths. The supermarket chain has announced it's entering the milk processing sector, and will buy milk directly from seven farmers on the mid-north coast of NSW as part of a trial.
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Experts call for regulation to counter increasing...
Australia has a much higher incidence of food-born pathogens like salmonella than Europe.
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Queensland's Environment Minister defends changes to...
When Campbell Newman was elected Queensland Premier last year he began winding back some environmental laws.
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Hundreds take to SA streets for milk price protest
Organisers of a dairy industry rally in South Australia have been expecting between 400 and 600 people on the streets today.
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Rural News (Wednesday)
The opening of a $60 million almond factory in north-west Victoria is expected to help reduce the region's oversupply of almonds.
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International expert positive on Australia's dairy future
A visiting international dairy expert is telling political and industry leaders that Australian dairy has a positive future.
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Tornado towns begin recovery
The clean-up in North East Victoria has begun following a tornado which cut a path along the Murray River.
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Bull rider and livestock agent die in plane crash
Former world champion bull rider John Quintana and Ray White Livestock CEO Charlie Maher have died in a plane crash near Roma in Southern Queensland.
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Foodbank targets farmers in food donation campaign
Foodbank and the Victorian Government are looking at ways to encourage farmers to donate blemished fruit and vegetables instead of dumping them.
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Future fashion showcases innovative wool designs
Some of the world's rising fashion designers are displaying their creations in Geelong.
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Rural News (Tuesday)
The new federal minister for the regions, Catherine King, says she'll bring her experience of living in regional Australia, and her work in regional development policy, to her role as the Minister for Regional Services, Local Communities and Territories and Road Safety, which was announced in yesterday's ministerial reshuffle.
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