Ace News Desk – Here’s a roundup of the News and Views for this week from Aussie QLD to Enjoy
Youth rodeo: Two young rodeo riders from North West Queensland have competed against international talent in Texas, gaining experience that could help them pursue careers in the sport. The riders, from Doomadgee and Mount Isa, were among six Australians who competed in the United States with Cloncurry-based Youth Rodeo Organisation Australia. The group trained with professional bull riders and visited American colleges to learn about potential scholarship opportunities. Director Kylee Ferguson says the experience has raised their ambitions.
Queensland Rail: Queensland Rail is introducing major freight discounts in a bid to revive fuel transport on the Mount Isa to Townsville line. The 50 per cent discount for bulk fuel customers, including mines and processing facilities, aims to boost total freight volumes by more than a third on the north west railway. All bulk fuel in the north west is currently freighted by road. Queensland Rail’s regional head Scott Cornish says each trainload could take up to 40 trucks off the road.
Mining jobs: An industry leader is warning widespread worker shortages could hamper investment across the north west mineral province. Engineers, surveyors and electricians are in high demand across the resources sector, after skills gaps grew over the last five years. Queensland Resource Council director Katrina Lee Jones says unless apprenticeship capability and school pathways improve, industry will suffer.
Services Australia: A mobile Centrelink and Medicare manager says some North West Queensland residents wait months for face-to-face help, while others are unaware they could be entitled to government payments. Services Australia’s Blue Gum van is travelling through Julia Creek, Hughenden, Richmond and Cloncurry, visiting remote communities every six to 12 months to help people access government services. Manager Robert Holtham says some older residents have never approached Centrelink staff, despite being well past pension age.
Gulf research: A first-of-its-kind study mapping freshwater species in the southern Gulf shows no evidence of invasive fish after more than two years of monitoring. Griffith University researchers and Indigenous rangers are sampling rivers and waterholes around Normanton, Burketown and Mornington Island, with the project due to wrap up early next year. With tilapia already in the Mitchell River catchment after detection last year, lead researcher Professor Michele Burford says these findings are a relief.
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