Special Interests Archives - Page 37 of 118

Savour The Colours Of Spring At The Orange Wine Festival

September 7, 2023 by Roxane Manley

We continue to see the evolution of world class wines from the Orange Wine Region.

Get ready to savour the essence of the finest wines of the season as the 2023 Orange Wine Festival returns to the Orange region with a month-long program, from 29th September to 29th October. This year’s highly anticipated event promises an extraordinary celebration of our region’s cool-climate wine and wine culture, attracting connoisseurs, enthusiasts, and travellers from near and far.

An opportunity to immerse yourself in the enchanting allure of Orange, where lush vineyards meet rolling hills, and the art of winemaking comes alive. The 2023 Orange Wine Festival showcases the diverse array of vineyards, each boasting their own unique terroir and distinctive varietals. From seasoned wine aficionados to those discovering their palate, there’s something to delight every taste bud.

Ned Sweetapple, Orange360 General Manager added; “Wines of the Orange region get noticed and Spring is such a beautiful and colourful time to visit. This year’s Orange Wine Festival is all about colour and taste and we’re thrilled to offer such a diverse program to entice visitors to the region. There are so many good things to enjoy in spring, our region’s latest wine offerings, paired together with fresh local produce and great dining, art, culture, and music.”

Events include:

• Orange Wine Show Tasting: 14th October

• Food & Wine @ Altitude: 28th October

• Boree Lane Ramble: 7th October

• NRL Grand Final at Mortimers: 7th October

However, if these big-ticket items aren’t for you, there are plenty of low-cost events that allow everyone to get involved in celebrating the 2023 Orange Wine Festival, including the popular Night Markets on Friday, September 29th. Further low-cost events include:

• Orange Wine Festival Night Market: 29th September

• Wine and Cheese, Yes Please!: 12th and 26th October

• Yoga in the Vines: 15th October

For information and tickets, visit orange360.com.au/Events/Orange-Wine-Festival

MLA Seeks Cattle Producer Representative

September 7, 2023 by Roxane Manley

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is looking to elect three producer representatives; one cattle, one sheep and one lot feeder; to its Board Selection Committee for a three-year term.

Producer members wishing to nominate a person or to nominate themselves for election to the MLA Board Selection Committee at the 2023 MLA AGM must give written notice to MLA by 18th September.

The role of the Selection Committee is to call for applications, review, interview and then report to members on the suitability of candidates for election or re‑election to the MLA Board of Directors.

The Selection Committee has nine members. The cattle, lot feeder and sheepmeat peak councils each appoint one member, two non‑voting members are MLA directors, and the remaining four members are producer representatives elected at the MLA AGM for a period of three years.

At the 2021 AGM, MLA cattle producer members voted to elect Julie McDonald to the Selection Committee, and she is completing year two of her three-year term.

Producer representatives on the Selection Committee are paid a sitting fee in accordance with MLA policy and expenses are covered for travel to attend meetings.

Pillowcase Workshops Helping Aussie Kids Learn About Disaster Preparedness

August 31, 2023 by Roxane Manley

The Forbes, Lachlan and Parkes Shires have been listed as at high risk in NSW.

Australia Post will lend a helping hand to high-risk communities across Australia by supporting Australian Red Cross deliver Pillowcase workshops, an initiative aiming to help kids in schools across the nation understand the importance of being prepared for a disaster. Since 2019, Australia Post has raised more than $1.8 million for Australian Red Cross and contributed towards supporting 470,000 people across 133 emergency events.

Over the next three years, Australia Post is expanding on its support to include the Pillowcase workshops, a disaster preparedness education program for 8 to 10 year-old students living in areas at high risk of disaster, like bushfires and flooding. The workshops teach kids practical skills like what to pack for an emergency and how to prepare their minds for the thoughts and feelings that may arise before, during and after an emergency.

Australia Post will support Australian Red Cross to provide Pillowcase workshops and resources – including supplying the emergency kit pillowcases.

Australia Post Executive General Manager of Community, Sustainability and Stakeholder Engagement, Tanny Mangos, said that Australia Post’s unique presence in regional and remote Australian communities meant it was important to contribute to, and support, disaster resilience.

“Working in every community across Australia, our team members are often at the frontline of disaster. We see firsthand how a disaster can affect a community.

“Ahead of what is already being predicted as a hot, dry summer, our work with Australian Red Cross on Pillowcase is especially critical. The workshops and resources will arm children in high-risk areas with practical skills in the event of extreme weather like bushfires.

“As disasters increase across Australia so does the impact on our communities and wellbeing. Evidence and research continue to show that preparing both psychologically and practically for an emergency improves people’s ability to cope with their impacts.”

MLA Raises A Fork To Celebrate The Value Of Red Meat

August 31, 2023 by Roxane Manley

As the world celebrates World Iron Awareness Week, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) proudly joins the global effort to raise awareness about the pivotal role that red meat plays in a healthy diet.

This annual campaign, taking place this week from 28 August to 3 September, aims to highlight the importance of adequate iron intake and its impact on global health.

According to the latest Consumer Sentiment research from MLA, 73% of Australians see red meat as an important source of nutrition, with 58% noting it being a rich source of iron as the main health reason for consuming beef and lamb.

Managing Director for MLA, Jason Strong, said it was no secret that red meat is an essential source of iron, but many people do not currently get enough iron in their diet.

“Red meat is a crucial component of a balanced diet, especially for individuals with higher dietary iron needs. Its heme iron content allows for more efficient absorption, helping to reduce risk of iron deficiency and other associated health issues,” Mr Strong said.

Iron deficiency remains one of the most prevalent and critical nutritional challenges worldwide, affecting millions of people, particularly in low and middle-income countries.

Red meat, such as beef, lamb, and goatmeat, is an excellent source of heme iron, which is the most easily absorbed form of iron by the human body.

Within Australia, MLA has launched a website all about the importance of iron in a healthy diet. Australian Good Meat will also feature a series of informative content across its website and social media channels.

Labor Makes More Cuts To The National Soil Strategy

August 31, 2023 by Roxane Manley

The Federal Labor Government has scrapped the National Soils Advocate and cut funding to programs that previously had bipartisan support.

Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Agriculture David Littleproud has said that the decision was disappointing and it showed Labor was turning its back on agriculture, with National Soils Advocate, the Hon Penelope Wensley AC, having now finished her term.

“Once again, Labor is cutting corners and costs when it comes to soils. There is no detail on who or what will replace the National Soils Advocate, even though the Government has had nearly 18 months to plan and this is a crucial position.”

The former Coalition Government set up the National Soil Strategy back in May 2021 and committed $196.9 million.

“We invested in soils because we know soils are imperative for the environment, the economy and our food security and costs. The strategy was to prioritise soil health, empower soil innovation and stewards, and strengthen soil knowledge and capability.”

Can We Trust The Food We’re Eating?

August 31, 2023 by Roxane Manley

When you think fake products, you’d be forgiven for not having food items like honey at the top of your list, from meat and seafood to dairy – not even herbs are safe.

There are six types of food fraud practices in the food industry: mislabelling, adulteration, substitution, counterfeiting, dilution and concealment. The goal is to deceive the consumer into paying a higher price for a product that is not what it claims to be.

What can we do about it? Government intervention can protect the industry. Policies around minimum prices for materials. Thankfully, now we have DNA technology which makes it easy to take a quick extract of tissue of meat to determine if it’s really what it’s labelled as. In some cases, we have low-tech options. For example, the freezing point is a very old test that industry can use. For example, the freezing point of milk can indicate if water has been added.

Recognising The Resilience Of Our Communities

August 31, 2023 by Roxane Manley

The Western NSW Primary Health Network (WNSW PHN) has identified and responded to needs in central western NSW flood affected communities with the Wellbeing and Resilience grants.

In the recent Spring of 2022, communities in central western NSW were devastated with record breaking floods which resulted in destructive and damaging ongoing impacts to people, property, harvests, and the general mental health and wellbeing of communities.

Residents of these communities have shown incredible and inspiring resilience as they continuously work to rebuild and manage the lasting affects of such an event. WNSW PHN has worked with these communities to undertake a needs assessment post the flooding event and determine where the greatest areas of need lie.

WNSW PHN is pleased to offer Wellbeing and Resilience grants to flood affected

communities in central western NSW. The grants will facilitate the delivery of community led and focused wellbeing initiatives. Funding of up to $20,000 is available per application.

WNSW PHN welcomes initiatives that will help improve mental health and support community resilience and encourage local businesses and community groups to apply. Community initiatives should address the immediate needs of affected communities and focus on community health and wellbeing, resilience and/or build the capacity of volunteer and paid workforce.

Our focus is patients who are at risk of poor health outcomes and working to improve the coordination of their care, so they receive the right care in the right place at the right time.

We acknowledge that we work on the traditional lands of many Aboriginal clans, tribes, and nations. We are committed to working in collaboration with our region’s Aboriginal communities and peoples to improve their health, emotional and social well-being in the spirit of partnership.

For further information, eligibility and the application pack, please visit https://wnswphn.org.au/tenders

Clean Out The Fridge Pie

August 31, 2023 by Roxane Manley

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 cups left over lamb, cut into small pieces

• 1 packet of thawed pastry, filo or puff

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1 cup cooked or tinned chickpeas, this could also be left over rice or barley or lentils

• 400g can tomato, or this could be a cup of stock or wine

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 garlic, minced

• 1 tbs ginger, grated

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp paprika

• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line pie dish with pastry (reserve enough for the top) and pre bake for 15 min.

Make the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then sauté onion until soft and sweet. Add garlic cloves, ginger, ground cumin and paprika. Sauté for another minute or so, then add leftover lamb and 1 cup chickpeas or lentils or grain if you are using. Add tomatoes and lots of salt and pepper (or other liquid) and cook this down until the mixture thickens. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the flavours come together. Allow to cool before filling the pie.

Add pastry to make the pie top and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Put One Foot Forward For The Black Dog Institute This October

August 31, 2023 by Roxane Manley

Walk in solidarity with the 1 in 5 Australians experiencing mental illness each year.

The Black Dog Institute is calling on Australians to take a stand in solidarity for the 1 in 5 Australians experiencing symptoms of mental illness each year by participating in One Foot Forward – a national virtual challenge taking place in October – Mental Health Month.

The challenge is to walk, run, or roll 40km, 60km, 100km, 150km, or a distance that suits them throughout October, to show people experiencing symptoms of mental illness that they are not alone and to raise funds for Black Dog Institute’s crucial mental health research and support services in Australia. One in five Australians experience a mental illness each year which means around 5 million people are personally affected.

One Foot Forward can be a great way to take a positive step forward for your own mental health and show Australians impacted by mental illness that they’re not alone. You can take part solo, with a team or with your colleagues.

With mental illness costing Australian businesses $39 billion in lost revenue each year, Black Dog Institute is calling on corporate groups and businesses to join in.

This national virtual event is a great team building exercise for colleagues, can increase staff morale and help promote mental wellbeing in the workplace.

In 2022, over 28,000 participants walked, ran and rolled over 2,286,105km during Mental Health Month and joined in on the fun, got active, and raised funds to help Black Dog Institute.

Funds raised by One Foot Forward participants this year can assist in the research and development of digital mental health tools and apps for adults and children, support novel and innovative suicide prevention programs, and help community presenters reach school students to talk about mental health in schools and how to get support.

Farmers Urged To Have Say On Fresh Food Tax

August 24, 2023 by Roxane Manley

Federal Member Michael McCormack is urging farmers and families in the Central West to have their say on Labor’s fresh food tax. The new tax is set at a rate equivalent of 10 per cent of the 2020-21 industry-led levies. Consultation has now opened into the Sustainable Funding to Strengthen Biosecurity Budget measures.

Mr McCormack said “Farmers throughout the Central West will likely be slugged by this new tax, which comes into effect on July 1, 2024,” Mr McCormack said.

“The new tax on farmers will inevitably be passed on to consumers, meaning even higher grocery bills for Riverina and Central West residents already suffering from higher cost-of-living pressures.

“Those who are concerned about this potential impost on their livelihoods to register on the website and have your say.”

For more information go to http://www.haveyoursay.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-funding

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