Chaffey’s Corner: There’s one thing everyone is talking about.
Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey says There is one thing everyone is talking about across all of Australia, and that is the access and cost of fuel.
LATEST >
Australia’s gender pay gap persists and confidence alone won’t fix it
QW: Regional transport needed
OPINION >
Australia’s gender pay gap persists and confidence alone won’t fix it
Shelley Friesen writes every year the conversation rolls around again. Women should negotiate harder. Women should invest earlier. Women should ask for more. And yes, financial confidence matters, but the bigger picture can’t be ignored.
Begin Rant: It’s going to be a long year
RK Crosby writes that there are 351 sleeps to the NSW election, but the foul stench of campaigning has already begun wafting out across the state.
How should Australia handle ‘sovereign citizens’ clogging the courts?
Begin Rant: We never dealt with COVID and it shows
Editorial: Navigating the fuel crunch together
The fuel crunch is affecting daily life across our region, so lets work together to get through this.
IDEAS >
Denise’s Desk: When Repetition Replaces Reality
Denise says trust in democratic institutions is not strengthened by continually telling citizens that their country is broken.
Opinion: Is democracy the worst form of government – apart from all the others?
James Ley asks five experts about the strengths and weaknesses of democracy, the face evidence that trust in democratic institutions is declining.
Macca’s Weeds: The resilience of Lucerne and the aphid threat
Paul McIntosh reflects on the evolution of Lucerne in Australia, from the devastating aphid outbreaks of the 1970s to the importance of choosing the right crown height for modern paddocks.
REGIONAL >
Opinion: A conversation our community needs
Opinion: The Great Debate of the Great Northern Line
REGULARS >
Begin Rant: Where art thou, Barnaby?
Letter: Can we turn Armidale down to maybe 7?
Kate from Armidale says that Armidale seems to be drowning in ego and self importance of late.
Keep readingLetter: Reopen the Great Northern line
Ken Slater writes that there are many benefits to reopening the train line.
Keep readingLetter: Relying on one type of transport is risky
Siri Gamage writes that recent fuel supply concerns highlights that relying almost entirely on diesel-powered road transport is risky.
Keep readingLetter: Potential amalgamation of councils should not be initiated by Armidale
Rob Richardson writes that any amalgamation of councils around Armidale should not be initiated by Armidale.
Keep readingLATEST COMMENTS >
Doug Erskine yes and the steep grades plus meandering alignments are why freight stays on our roads ! As our…
Geoff Bensley Sydney to Newcastle has 1 in 40 grades, as has Sydney to Melbourne. The main west to Lithgow…
SOCIAL ISSUES >
Begin Rant: Sometimes the best thing a man can do is step aside
RK Crosby writes that every time International Women’s Day rolls around somewhere, somehow, a man decides that what the day really needs is… him.
ENVIRONMENT >
Opinion: Renewables over 50%, wholesale prices down – is the energy transition… succeeding?
Australia’s energy transition is finally paying off. For the first time, renewables and storage supplied over 50% of the grid’s power last quarter, driving wholesale prices down by 40%. Experts predict this could lead to lower household bills by mid-2026.
SOLUTIONS >
Opinion: Firefighters face repeat trauma. We learned how to reduce their risk of PTSD
First responders face high risks of PTSD, but new research shows it isn’t inevitable. A trial of the “SOLAR” mobile app – a confidential, self-led program teaching practical resilience skills – significantly reduced depression and trauma symptoms in firefighters.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT >
Opinion: Why ‘Micro Stays’ might just be the biggest travel trend of 2026
Nick Baker from Reflections Holidays says the ‘micro’ trend has made it to holidays.