A study of more than 1200 people conducted by the Grains & Legumes Nutrition Council (GLNC) has shown that fewer Australians are limiting grain foods like bread and breakfast cereals in their daily diet and legume consumption is up 4 per cent on previous results in 2014.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released its final decision on domestic mobile roaming.
Consistent with its draft decision in May, the ACCC will not declare a wholesale domestic roaming service in regional Australia. The inquiry found that a declaration would likely not lead to lower prices or better coverage or quality of services for regional Australians, due to the high cost of servicing these areas. It recognised the need for better transparency about network coverage and quality, more accountability about network investments and better information for regulatory and policy decision makers. More telecommunications investigations are on the way.
Following results of our recent survey, GrainGrowers has continued to champion the need for better telecommunications services for rural and regional areas. As part of ongoing efforts, we recently met with NBN and explored opportunities to address the awareness gap regarding satellite availability - a key issue identified in our recent survey.
NBN is setting up a regional contact centre team to provide closer engagement between industry and NBN in the regions.
Harvest is now well under way across northern grain growing regions. This week Bureau of Meterology (BoM) updated its weather outlook for the months ahead. The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently neutral. However, models suggest the tropical Pacific Ocean will continue to cool, increasing the chance of a La Niña forming in late 2017. The Bureau’s ENSO Outlook has shifted to La Niña watch, while rainfall outlooks remain neutral due to competing climate drivers.
The National Farmers’ Federation is seeking more information on Labor’s FutureAsia policy proposal released by Shadow Trade Minister Jason Clare this week, warning that a proposal to task the Productivity Commission (PC) to conduct an independent economic analysis of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) could add an additional unwarranted level of red tape.
NFF President Fiona Simson said the nation’s farm sector relied on a bi-partisan approach to trade so that negotiations on market access and FTAs could continue no matter which party held office. Ms Simson, said at first read, Mr Clare’s ideas to forge closer ties with China through extending in perpetuity China-Australia Week and establishing a China-based internship for young Australian professionals, sounded beneficial.
