n addition to the work the Royal Flying Doctor Service has been doing to provide vaccinations for our normal territory in regional and remote NSW, the pandemic has seen us head to a host of new locations to provide assistance.

It started with additional clinics across the Far West at the request of the Federal Government but has expanded since then to include the New England, Upper Hunter and even South Coast regions. 

While our regular clinics are based out of Broken Hill, these additional clinics have been organised from our Dubbo base. What started with small teams who flew and drove from Dubbo in early August to places like Walgett, Lightning Ridge and Grawin, it quickly expanded, requiring more staff and more vaccine.

EXACTLY ONE YEAR since Santos’ polluting and expensive Narrabri Gas Project was approved, a new report has found the gas this project would produce isn’t needed.

The report by energy analysts Northmore Gordon, which was commissioned by the Climate Council, reveals that New South Wales could reduce its annual gas demand by the same amount that the Narrabri Gas Project is forecast to produce, as soon as 2030.

“This report effectively renders the Narrabri Gas Project redundant. We already know that this project will drive up greenhouse gas emissions, worsen climate change and do nothing to reduce power prices. Now we also know the project is completely unnecessary when it comes to meeting the state’s energy needs,” said Climate Council Senior Researcher, Tim Baxter. 

“To ensure the New South Wales Government is capable of reaching its newly announced target to halve emissions by 2030 – it needs a plan to reduce gas use across the state. This new report shows them how to do it,” said Baxter.

“This is the first-ever plan that spells out how we can wean Australia’s most populous state off polluting and expensive gas using common-sense measures. This is a pathway to healthier, more affordable, and more efficient gas-free homes and businesses,” he said. 

Report Key Findings: 

• Gas demand within New South Wales could be 70 percent lower as soon as 2030, and ​​eliminated altogether as soon as 2050, using readily available, commercially viable technologies.
• With the right policies in place to support technologies like electric resistance heating and renewable hydrogen, gas use can be reduced in emissions-intensive industries like iron and steel manufacturing. 
• Homes and commercial buildings are responsible for almost half of New South Wales’ gas use and meeting their needs with electricity is readily achievable with existing, commercially available technologies. 
• Putting common-sense measures in place to reduce gas demand in New South Wales, such as electrifying homes and upgrading commercial buildings, would make the expensive and polluting Narrabri Gas Project redundant.
• There is no shortage of gas anywhere in Australia with the growing demands of a swollen gas export industry driving supply issues, higher energy bills, and worsening climate change.
• It is critically important for our economy, health, and climate that every state and territory transitions away from fossil fuels like gas as quickly as possible.

Police were called to contain a brawl between students at Walgett Community College after simmering tensions within the community erupted on school grounds, forcing teachers to intervene and leaving a police liaison officer with a minor injury.

A student filmed the incident on Tuesday morning and posted the footage on social media. It shows several students fighting and others being attacked when they stepped in to intervene.

Hi Folks,

I hope this Round-Up finds you well. It’s been a very full two weeks, I have been in Walgett a couple of times, Bourke, Nyngan, Carinda, Warren and even managed a stop off for a good lunch at the Nevertire Hotel.

As I write this I am in Argent St Broken Hill, preparing for very full days at the Western Division Conference that has an agenda packed with Ministers and Shadow Ministers and Mayors and Councillors from across western NSW. It’s a great chance for Ministers and Shadow Ministers to understand what is happening in western Councils.