In brief
NEW ENGLAND MP Barnaby Joyce has praised Treasurer Joe Hockey’s decision to stop the sale of GrainCorp to American-owned Archer Daniels Midland Company.
“I understand the difficulty the treasurer would have had in weighing up all the options that are involved in making a decision like this,” Mr Joyce said.
“I believe, and the decision shows, keeping GrainCorp predominantly Australian-owned is firmly in our national interest.
“GrainCorp is one of Australia’s greatest agricultural assets, with about 85 per cent of the east coast’s grain storage and handling infrastructure.”
Ticked off
A WOMAN is facing a $550 fine for illegally introducing three horses from Queensland into NSW after Department of Primary Industries cattle tick inspectors conducted a compliance audit at an endurance riding event last month.
“The woman and the horses were sent back to Queensland,” DPI biosecurity compliance director Andrew Sanger said.
Dr Sanger said the DPI had visited a campdraft at Guyra as well as the endurance event at Red Range and found just one breach from more than 40 Queensland visitors.
Fatal impact
COFFS Harbour businesses are hoping that Saturday’s shark fatal attack at Campbells Beach does not deter Armidale visitors this summer.
A 19-year-old Port Macquarie man died after a shark severed his legs. His friends removed him from the water, but he had a fatal cardiac arrest on the sand.
Coffs Harbour is a tourist hotspot for Armidale residents in the summer and hotel owner Phil Jones said it was still a safe place to visit.
“It’s very sad, but I it that doesn’t deter people from visiting this summer,” he said.
“We rely on tourists for our income.”
Training edge
ARMIDALE’S Fire and Rescue NSW Training Centre is open to the public this Saturday.
The recently refurbished centre runs more than 35 individual courses each year and is the home of emergency vehicle driver training for every permanent member of FRNSW.
A class of permanent recruits will be training on both the track and the skid pan, becoming familiar with way the fire vehicles handle. Retained recruits will also be demonstrating other fire-fighting skills.
Local MP Adam Marshall and Armidale mayor Laurie Bishop will also tour the facility.
Learn to swim
BOOKINGS are now open for summer swimming lessons in Armidale and Uralla.
The Swim and Survive program teaches vital water safety and swimming skills.
Lessons are available for preschool age and primary school-age children at all programs.
For more information and to enrol, phone 13 13 02 or visit the website at www.dsr.nsw.gov.au
