Rural Links - June 2017

rural SOUTHERN DOWNS AND GRANITE BELT MONTHLY RURAL ROUND-UP JUNE 2017

LOVE YOUR LOCAL PRODUCE… Top chef and Killarney farmer Jocelyn Hancock talks eating seasonally - and above all, locally.

STORY INSIDE, PAGE 9

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OUR EAR’S TO THE GROUND WELCOME to our fourth edition of the Southern Free Times new rural magazine, ‘Rural Links’.

Rural Links is our monthly, full-gloss publication inserted into the ‘SFT’ around the middle of the month and catering to the needs of our region’s farming sector, as well as being of general interest to the community.

The Free Times team Jeremy Sollars, Natasha Sheahan, Bryan Pask and Lisa Crouch - has been working hard to bring you the June edition of Rural Links and we thank all of the advertisers who supported our first three editions and this one for their valued contributions.

We hope to continue to further build Rural Links in the months to come - for advertising inquiries please call the Free Times team on 4661 9800, and for editorial inquiries - including story tips of a rural bent - call editor Jeremy Sollars on 0427 090 818.

OLSENS ‘PRODUCT OF THE MONTH’ WE all know animals have accidents and injuries - Olsens have you covered from bandages and creams to ointments and sprays.

We stock a range of bandages such as cohesive (coloured), Elastoplast, kelatowrap. We also stock poultices, gauze swabs and cotton wool rolls.

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applied directly to the injury; Topical, targeted, effective treatment; Proud-aid ...

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STUDY BURSARIES FOR THE WOMEN OF MARANOA MARANOA MP David Littleproud has partnered with the National Council of Women of Queensland (NCWQ) to offer a $1000 bursary to help women from regional, rural and remote Queensland with David Littleproud. full-time study.

“I’m thrilled to be involved with this great initiative because I know how important it is to ensure our next generation of young women will thrive and are able to access financial support while studying,” Mr Littleproud said.

The Maranoa MP - who represents more

than 42 per cent of Queensland and some of the most remote communities in the state - said many students were forced to move from their local community in order to pursue further study after finishing school.

“It’s my aim to see these young people return home, to their bush community, so they can apply their trade to grow our region and that’s why I’m doing all I can to support our youth,” he said.

“Leaving home for the first time can be daunting, and I know many rural young people - and their families - also face with financial hardship when trying to pursue further study.

“That’s why I think this a great initiative, managed by the NCWQ, to help with some

of these financial costs and I encourage young women - who are living or have lived in Maranoa - to please apply.”

Nominations close 5 July and, for more information, check out: ncwq.org.au/ bursaries Criteria: ■ A female first year, full-time student in training or studying a tertiary course (for example: university, TAFE, the Conservatorium of Music) ■ Currently live or are originally from the Maranoa electorate as you may have relocated for your studies.

■ Community involvement - either through your school, sport or volunteering, for example.

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THE SCIENCE OF THE PERFECT DROP

BY JEREMY SOLLARS THE word of the month for June is ‘oenology’* - and in case you didn’t already know, it means the study and science of winemaking and wine chemistry.

Caz Quaglio is the resident oenologist at Vintessential Laboratories, located at the Queensland College of Wine Tourism (QCWT) just outside Stanthorpe.

The lab provides a vital service to the winegrowers and winemakers of the Granite Belt region in matters of quality control of their vintages, and also to the local makers of cider and spirits, brewers of beer, along with vinegar makers.

The next time you crack open a bottle of any of these delicious beverages, consider the intricate chain of production involved in bringing it to your lips - you’ll be surprised by the scientific rigour attached to it.

Vintessential Laboratories was started in 1995 by scientist Greg Howell and has sites in other wine regions including Orange in New South Wales, Dromana in Victoria, Cowaramup in West Australia’s Margaret River region and in Tasmania.

It’s the largest privately-owned provider of scientific services to the wine industry in Australia.

The company describes itself as being comprised of “experienced beverage scientists” and offers services including chemical and microbiological testing of beer, cider, spirits, wine - and water.

Vintessential also distributes enzymatic test kits and lab equipment nationally to growers and beverage producers for their own private use, and provides export certification.

The Stanthorpe lab also performs water quality testing for both producers and domestic users of borewater and rainwater and water from dams.

Rural Links caught up with Caz Quaglio at the lab recently, where she explained in simple terms the services she provides to the local wine and beverage industry.

“What we’re testing for is things like total acidity, sugars, colour, microbes and bacteria and alcohol content, in the process of turning juice into wine,” Caz said.

“Wine producers need to know when fermentation has finished so it’s a very valuable service.

“Some winemakers do have their own testing setup, but we’re also here for them as an information resource.

“We also do post-bottling sterility checks.

Vintessential scientist Caz Quaglio in the lab, with pH testing equipment.

“And it’s not just about the finished product - we also provide soil and leaf testing, to establish nutrient levels and overall plant health, for grape growing and for other crops. We send some of these lab reports to agronomists, who then decipher them and work with producers to adjust nutrient deficiencies in their soil.

“Winter going into spring is the best time for soil testing as the plants are dormant and there’s very little change in the nutrient levels.

“We also do water testing for salinity levels, particularly in bore water after dry periods when salinity increases.

“I think what producers like about us is that we’re an independent lab providing confidential and accurate reports, so they can make their own informed decisions.”

Monitoring wine grape maturity prior to harvest is vital to determine the appropriate ripeness levels of the fruit, for the desired wine style.

Heavy rainfall and humidity can also cause moulds on grapes such as Botrytis cinerea.

And believe it or not, bushfires can have an impact on the success of a grape harvest through ‘smoke taint’, for which Vintessential did extensive testing last summer after high fire activity around the Granite Belt.

Smoke taint is a potential problem for quality wines if undetected prior to bottling,

with undesirable odours developing during the time in the cellar.

To find out more about their services visit www.vintessential.com.au *It’s pronounced ee-nol-o-jee

FACTORS AFFECTING GRAPEVINE GROWTH: Salinity - productivity can be reduced by up to 50 per cent if salinity is too high.

Acidic soils - the growth of vine roots is reduced in soils with a low pH, although some rootstocks are more tolerant of lower pH than others.

Alkaline soils - vineyards soils with a high pH need to choose rootstocks carefully. Certain wine regions such as Champagne are well-known for their limestone or high-calcium soils, which give rise to alkaline conditions.

Nutrients - as with all plant production, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium are essential, but too much or not enough can cause problems. With grapevines, too much nitrogen can produce an imbalance between leaf growth and fruit production.

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CHEAP IMPORTS SOUR PORK INDUSTRY

BY JEREMY SOLLARS JUNABEE pork producer Ken Hughes has put out the call for the region’s pork and bacon consumers to buy locally, as Australia continues to be hit by a tidal wave of cheap imported meat.

Urban Australia’s love of cheap overseas-produced pork belly and ribs is threatening to send Aussie pig producers to the wall, with domestic prices having fallen by more than a third so far in 2017, while imported pork - much of it pre-cooked with a shelf life of up to two years - continues to rise in volume.

Combined with an over-supply of pig meat in Australia at the present time and the sudden flood of imports which began in February, returns for local producers are well down on last year.

Ken turns off a combination of around 25 light pork pigs and baconers a week from his piggery at Junabee, just east of Warwick, with pigs making up around 85 per cent of his farming operation, which also involves growing out Angus yearlings.

His pigs are processed by Carey Brothers abattoir at Yangan and end up in butchers' shops both locally and on the Gold Coast.

He told Rural Links his weekly returns had dropped by up to 90 cents a kilo since February this year, largely thanks to imported cheap pork, and other pig producers locally - there’s around half a dozen in the Warwick area are experiencing a similar drop.

While his is a family-based operation which employs casual workers he fears for some of the bigger operators with full-time staff, and Ken himself has been forced to slash his casuals’ hours.

Ken and others like him are calling on the Federal Government to act on imports - but just as important and more effective longterm is for Aussie consumers to support their own farmers.

While the cheap imports are more of an issue in the major cities - where sticky pork ribs

Look after your own: Junabee pork producer Ken Hughes. and the like are an increasingly popular eating-out option - it’s still timely for locals around here to be reminded of the need to continue to support the region’s producers of ‘the other white meat’.

“Talk to your butcher - ask them where their pork and bacon is coming from and which restaurants they supply,” Ken said.

“The big supermarkets need to promote Australian pork more, but in reality you’re going to get a better response from your local butcher. That’s the message we need to get out there. Pork is still the cheapest protein on the market and a good source of iron.

“APL (Australian Pork Limited) have done some great promotion to encourage home consumption; people in the cities also need to be aware of where the pork they’re eating has come from.

“Imports are a vicious circle it hits the producer but also the processor. The countries we’re importing from subsidise their pork production, but we’re not calling for that in Australia. We just want Australians to support their own producers and be aware of where their meat is coming from.

“Local domestic consumption is still fairly strong, but I think the rest of 2017 is going to be a bit bleak for us and for others.

“The market was going along fairly smoothly, with the usual fluctuations and then all of a sudden in February it was just ‘bang’. No-one really knows why it happened when it did - I made contact with (Agriculture Minister) Barnaby Joyce’s office in March,

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Ken feeds his pigs a grain ration of primarily barley, wheat and soybean, with different rates for weaner, grower and finisher pigs, and for his 80 breeding sows, including joined gilts.

Light pork pigs are fed between 18-20 weeks before slaughter, and 23 to 24 weeks for the baconers.

Having moved to his Junabee farm from Inverell nearly two years ago he’s carried out major renovations to the piggery, partly to comply with new Australian requirements phasing out sow stalls which came into effect in January this year.

But Ken told Rural Links he’d never been a fan of sow stalls which have become a poster issue for animal liberationists in recent times - preferring ‘group housing’ of eight to 10 sows together.

Rural Links sought comment on this story from the office of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce but none was received by time of printing.

PORK BY THE NUMBERS Australian Pork Limited (APL) market reporting comparing pork imports in March 2016 with March 2017 show the biggest source of imported pork by volume remains the United States - with just under 8000 tonnes worth around $30 million coming into Australia in March this year alone, up 46.3 per cent compared with March 2016.

The next three largest importers by volume in March 2017 were Denmark (5541t), the Netherlands (3403t) and Canada (2759t).

Smaller volumes - between less than a tonne up to around 750 tonnes - were imported in March this year from countries including Ireland (749t), Belgium (371t) and Italy (109t). The smallest volume of imports was from France (0.2t), with imports from New Zealand coming in at 10 tonnes.

For more information, visit www. australianpork.com.au and click on ‘Facts and Figures’ and ‘Market Reports’.

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CLASSIC ROAST PORK LEG WITH CRACKLING Ingredients: 1 x 2.5-3.5kg pork leg roast half (bone in, rind on).

Boiling water.

2 tablespoons oil.

1 tablespoon flaked salt.

1kg floury potatoes, peeled (Sebago).

600g mixed vegetables (carrot, parsnip, onion).

To serve: Green peas.

Gravy.

Method: Preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

Score the pork leg rind thinly with a Stanley knife or thin bladed sharp knife.

Pour boiling water over the pork leg roast and pat dry thoroughly with a paper towel.

Rub the salt and oil into the rind and place the pork leg roast into a large shallow baking dish.

Place the pork leg roast into the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes per kg (3kg = 30 mins plus about two hours).

Place potatoes in a large saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil.

Boil for four minutes. Drain and dry potatoes on a paper towel.

Add potatoes to the baking dish an hour prior to removing roast from the oven. 30 minutes later add the remaining vegetables to the baking dish and baste with pan drippings.

Test by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the roast. When ready, the juices run clear. Remove roast from the baking dish and rest in a warm place while vegetables continue to cook.

Serve the pork leg roast with the roast vegetables, peas and gravy.

Feeling hungry now? For more great pork recipes for Aussie-grown pork visit www.pork.com.au

THE INDUSTRY - IN BRIEF WILL INDIA’S BAN LAST? Doubts remain about whether India’s ban on the slaughter of cattle and buffalo announced this month will last.

The ban has sparked widespread protests in India, as well as claims that millions of jobs will be lost if the government permanently stops the nation’s $4 billion beef export industry.

The ramifications are being watched closely in northern Australia, with Indian buffalo meat becoming a serious competitor to Australia’s live cattle trade to Indonesia.

Industry consultants in Australia doubt the ban will last and have said buffalo would not be included in the ban as they were not held in the same religious regard as cattle.

The ban is being pushed for by conservative Hindus and has been a hot political issue in India in recent times.

About two million tonnes of buffalo meat is consumed annually in India and about two million tonnes sold internationally.

FIGHTING SLAVERY A Bill to create a mandatory labour hire licensing scheme has been introduced to State Parliament in May, to address

undercut by shonky operators who flout the rules with impunity.

“Our mandatory licensing scheme is aimed squarely at protecting workers and restoring a level playing field so that ethical operators can compete fairly, without imposing any unnecessary administrative burdens.

“Our proposed new laws will be backed by stiff penalties and some offenders will be liable for criminal prosecution.

“A compliance unit will also be established to check licence holders for continued compliance with their licence conditions, and to investigate complaints.”

COMPOST CLARIFIED In the article on Limberlost Compost published in the last edition of Rural Links on 18 May 2017, the company inadvertently provided Rural Links with a photo from their archives that appeared to advertise another company’s product. Limberlost wishes to state they have no business relationship with Katek, and the bags used in the photo were for demonstration purposes only. Limberlost regrets that this photo implied they were re-using Katek’s bags, as this is not the case.

Cattle slaughter in India is a political and religious debate. the growing exploitation and mistreatment of vulnerable workers.

Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace said a licensing scheme had become the only option following widespread evidence of rorting and exploitation of workers.

“Queensland is going it alone following the Federal Government’s inability to act in this area.

“Some of the stories we’ve heard about worker exploitation are appalling. Some farm workers have been forced to work entire days harvesting produce without food or drink, without pay, as well as being forced to live in isolated

transient accommodation.

“The only way to put an end to this kind of appalling exploitation is through the introduction of a proper labour hire regulation scheme.

“You need a licence to operate a real estate agency or to be a motor car dealer, so why shouldn’t you need a licence to run a labour hire firm?”

Minister Grace said the government had consulted widely with key industry stakeholders and the majority supported the introduction of a licensing scheme.

“They’re sick and tired of seeing workers outrageously exploited, and fed up with being

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FEEDING 400 HUNGRY ONES

BY JEREMY SOLLARS JOHN Rogers is passionate about protein and about keeping food not only natural but sourcing local and regional produce as much as possible.

The Scots PGC College chef is the man in charge of feeding around 400 hungry mouths every day at the Warwick school.

He recently chatted to Rural Links about the sheer logistics involved in making sure the student body - including its cohort of 110 boarders, with 46 girls at PGC - eats to unlock their full potential, and his own philosophy around food.

And, importantly for the local food sector, about using local ingredients and suppliers.

John and his small team pull off the daily miracle of breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner for the boarders and morning tea and a hot lunch for both them and the day students, who number just over 250.

Key suppliers include Williams Eggs, Rose City Premium Meats, the Warwick Produce Market and Killarney Co-op, Southern Downs Milk, Southwest Wholesalers, Steele’s Bakery and Wickham Farms.

“I source as much as I can from the local area, and there’s really nothing I need that I can’t get from the Darling Downs as a whole, even if it’s Toowoomba,” John told Rural Links.

Active young bodies - and minds - require a proper protein punch daily, whether it’s from beef, lamb, pork, chicken or fish, which are rotated on a daily basis in the Scots dining room.

And we’re talking about food in impressive quantities here - lunch will involve a hefty 40 kilos of whatever variety of meat is on the menu - depending on the dish - and 25 kilos of it at dinnertime, along with an average of 17.5 kilos of potatoes for dinner.

The kitchen will go through an eight kilo box of broccoli for dinner and poaches around 150 eggs for breakfast of a morning.

John has been with the college for around 18 months now, having previously owned Shiraz Restaurant at Ballandean for five years and said the transition from “a la carte to bulk” was a challenging one.

Prior to John’s tenure, the college leased out the kitchen to contractors, before making the decision to do everything “in-house” and approaching John to come on board.

One key initial move on John’s part during lunch service was to separate the middle and senior students to streamline the process,

Back for seconds.

John Rogers supports local producers and produce suppliers as much as possible. with 300 meals served up in about half an hour.

He also works with a dietician when creating his menus, which broadly involve four seasonal menus a year, broken down roughly into a four-week rotation of daily meals for variety.

But through it all, protein is a central theme.

“You’ve got such a range of ages, some kids will eat 180 grams of protein in a meal, some will eat 100,” John told the Free Times.

“So we do a variety of protein options in rotation, whether it be beef in something like a Hokkein noodle stir-fry, or lamb, or pork - even minced - and chicken.

“But we do re-work it a little bit - I had a phone call last week for example about lamb shanks at the right price.

“Wednesday night for the boarders is steak night - a 200 gram striploin - and Friday is fish.

“And we do go through a lot of eggs.

“Everything is fresh and healthy, we keep a close eye on the fat intake.

“What I am big on is using everything up

with every mealtime - we do very little reheating, we just want to cook and be done and not have anything left.

“Our menus are seasonal - right now with winter here the students are really enjoying curries like korma and butter chicken.

“Soups are very popular too - Wednesday lunch is ‘make your own sandwich’ and we’ll also have a soup like potato and leek or pumpkin, coconut and kaffir lime leaf.”

Dairy- and gluten-free diets are well cateredfor, and there are a couple of vegetarians among the student body who are likewise well looked-after, with John making the observation that kids today are becoming more and more interested in good nutrition, which is one of his passions.

He’s also not a fan of using thickening agents in dishes, limiting them to arrowroot when needed on rare occasions.

Lunch on the Friday Rural Links paid the Scots dining room and kitchen a visit included lamb, garlic and mint snags from Angliss Meats on a bun for the junior students, marinated barbecue chicken drumettes for the middle schoolers and grilled chicken Caesar wraps for the seniors, the latter being a firsttime offering which appeared to go down very well.

Students then chose from a healthy range of salad bar options including fresh fruit.

Brekkie for the boarders includes a continental offering every morning - such as avocado, banana and yoghurt for the PGC girls - along with the ever-popular porridge, and a hot option, typically poached eggs and toast, with the boys now and then enjoying a bit of braised steak as a winter warmer. Bacon and eggs is a Saturday treat for the boarders.

Desserts are the classics - apple pie and self-saucing puddings in winter and mousses and ‘Pavs’ in summertime, and ice cream is always top of the list.

Food safety is paramount, with John saying it’s the primary consideration even before looking at designing menus and temperatures of both stored and cooked food are meticulously monitored.

Local produce also features front and centre at the “high-end” functions the college puts on, such as its upcoming Gala Ball and reunions and graduations.

“I’ll be serving local beef for the upcoming functions,” John said.

“A lot of our fruit and veg comes direct from the Granite Belt via the Warwick Farmers' markets - obviously not the 200kg of watermelon weekly!”

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8 RURAL LINKS Thursday, 15 June, 2017

A PASSION FOR OUR PRODUCE

BY JEREMY SOLLARS JOCELYN Hancock has no problem with TV cooking shows like MasterChef, but believes they can set an unrealistic expectation on the part of home cooks.

The renowned Queensland chef - who splits her time between her current Brisbane business ‘Cake and Bake’ and her farm at Killarney - caught up with Rural Links at a special cooking demo at The Scots PGC College in Warwick this month to celebrate Queensland Week and all our own region has to offer food-wise.

As passionate as ever about the region’s produce - particularly its seasonal variations - Jocelyn showcased locally-grown cauliflower, sweet potato and leeks in a winter-warming vegetable soup, and Granny Smith apples from Joe and Josie Spina’s Cottonvale orchard for a sweet treat in the form of open apple tartlets.

The Year 6 students who came along to the demo were eager both to volunteer to help with the food ‘prep’ and to sample the finished products, with Jocelyn hopeful they took away some culinary inspiration and making the observation that kids as well as grown-ups are becoming more and more interested in food and where it comes from.

Jocelyn and husband Myles Parry have two boys, Huon, 11, and Owen, 9, who are both foodies in the making.

It’s not surprising when you consider their mum, who grew up on the family farm ‘Braeside’ at Killarney, has been in the food business for several decades, including stints as a consultant for a hotel group overseas as well as running her own successful businesses and writing food columns.

“My kids watch MasterChef and they get excited about it and it does create awareness, but it’s a bit unrealistic to expect to be able to reproduce those kinds of dishes in the home kitchen,” Jocelyn told Rural Links.

“I don’t show them how to make fancy stuff at home - it’s about learning how to poach an egg, make a shepherd’s pie and a pot of chicken soup.

“You have to keep it simple where children are concerned - you can do something really

basic, but it still has the ‘wow’ factor.

“It’s about teaching them creativity and the importance of eating well.”

Jocelyn - who grows plenty of citrus and stonefruit on her Killarney property - encouraged locals to support our region’s producers and above all to “eat seasonally”, as it’s not only using produce at its natural peak, it’s also cheaper.

“I bash on about this a lot - right now you’ve got fantastic produce available right here, you’ve got cauliflowers, leeks, apples, pears it’s all cheaper than what you’d be paying in Brisbane,” she said.

“Eating apricots right through November and December is how I grew up.

“I know it’s easy to grab a pre-made meal from the supermarket or takeaway and as a family we’re as time-poor as everyone else, but I buy the best I can.

“It might take a little more time and a bit of effort, but cook at home using local stuff - go to your local fruit shop, make a stock or eat a local free-range egg, it’s better for you and you’re helping locals.

“And home cooking gives you a great sense of self-worth.”

Sweet treats with simple, fresh, local ingredients.

Granny Smiths at their finest from Joe and Josie Spina’s Cottonvale orchard. Two recent frosts helped to make them sweeter than usual for the variety and perfect for dessert baking.

Jocelyn says simple home cooking creates ‘self worth’.

SIMPLE WINTER WARMER...

What’s cooking? Jocelyn and the Scots students keep an eye on the vegie soup.

Jocelyn Hancock is passionate about our region’s seasons and their produce.

JOCELYN HANCOCK’S CAULIFLOWER, LEEK AND SWEET POTATO SOUP Ingredients: 1 tab butter or olive oil.

2 medium peeled and diced gold sweet potato.

2 x medium peeled and diced carrots.

2 x brown skinned onions, peeled and sliced.

1 x 20g knob of ginger, peeled and finely sliced.

1 x small heads of cauliflower, roughly chopped.

1 x washed and chopped leek.

3.5 litres water of chicken stock.

Salt and freshly ground pepper.

1/2 tsp cumin powder.

Method: Place a large saucepan on the heat and add butter. Once butter starts to sizzle, add all the prepared vegetables, stir for a few minutes until vegetables start to soften slightly.

Add liquid, seasoning and cumin.

Stir well, place a lid on pot and simmer until vegetables soft.

Taste for seasoning. Remove from heat and cool for 1/2 hour before pureeing.

Serve with toast and a dollop of cream in the middle for richness.

(Serves 10) www.jocelynhancock.com

Not MasterChef - keep it simple for kids.

Thursday, 15 June, 2017 RURAL LINKS 9

NEW PHASE IN RABBIT WORKS

The Texas Rabbit Works is the only remaining building of its kind in Australia. industry including images on its walls and digital and static displays. There is an opportunity for future visitors to leave their short stories about their experiences relating to the rabbit industry in the recording room for future visitors to appreciate.

Funding for this project

has come via the Federal Government’s Murray-Darling Basin Regional Economic Diversification Program (MDBREDP) which has committed $72.656 million to assist Basin communities to increase economic diversification and adjust to a water-constrained environment.

Texas Qld Inc president Les Cox addresses the crowd at the opening. Story and photos courtesy of the MacIntyre Gazette.

David Littleproud MP cuts the ribbon to officially open the new renovations at the Texas Rabbit Works assisted by Les Cox, right.

stockMan watER tRouGHs

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6FT ROUND TROUgh wiTh exTeRNal FlOaT chambeR

12FT lONg TROUgh & apRON cOmbiNaTiON

Denis Kenny was the MC for the day.

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Grant & Christine Neville

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THE opening of a new chapter for the historic Texas Rabbit Works took place on Saturday 13 May 2017, with the renovated building set to put Texas and region on the map as it is recognised as the only feral rabbit works left as a time capsule to an industry that was extremely significant in Australia’s history.

Denis Kenny of Warwick was the Master of Ceremonies for the official opening.

Denis was the pivotal person in fighting for the funding received when he was the manager of Economic Development and Tourism for Darling Downs and South West for the Department of State Development and Infrastructure Planning. He believed the Rabbit Works was a great opportunity with economic and tourism benefits not just for the region but also its historical importance.

Denis also personally did the submissions - he once worked as the manager for the Southern Downs Tourist Association where he had knowledge of this building’s potential - and without his passion for this project, the progress on the complex would still be years behind where it is today. Denis now runs a secondhand and collectables business in Warwick.

Les Cox, president of Texas Qld Inc, the custodians of the complex, paid tribute to John Rigney, the former president of the organisation who had the vision of acquiring the building for the Texas community in 2002.

The ribbon to officially open the latest renovation was cut by Maranoa MP David Littleproud with the assistance of Les Cox. A crowd of over 400 people poured into the old Rabbit Works and were absorbed within its walls amazingly well. The opening day admission was free and included nibbles and a brass band.

The unique building now holds many stories of the rabbit

SALEYARDS MINUTES BLACKOUT

BY JEREMY SOLLARS NO REASON was given by the Southern Downs Regional Council in its May meeting agenda or minutes as to why the minutes of the last two meetings of its Saleyards Advisory Committee have been discussed by councillors behind closed doors.

At its first meeting last December, the Saleyards Advisory Committee discussed the option of council seeking expressions of interest for leasing out the Warwick Saleyards, and the potential demolition of the facility and the building of a new and larger Saleyards in Warwick.

The minutes of the December meeting were publicly released, but those of meetings of the Committee in March and May have been kept confidential by the council.

The reception by councillors of the minutes of those two meetings was not listed on the agenda of the May council meeting in Stanthorpe, but was noted in the

minutes, as the last item in the confidential section.

Items to be discussed in a confidential session by councillors are normally listed on the meeting agenda and a reason is stated as to why the item is to be discussed ‘in camera’, without the public or the media present.

Reasons for confidentiality usually involve ‘commercial in confidence’ or legal discussions.

Councillors at their May meeting voted in favour of seeking expressions of interest for the leasing out of the Warwick Saleyards, but have insisted the facility is “not for sale”.

Rural Links asked the council why the minutes of the last two meetings of the Saleyards Advisory Committee have not been publicly released and was told by a spokeswoman they were of a “confidential nature”, with no more detail provided.

She said the next meeting of the committee would be held “in late June”.

Rural Links also asked for details of the annual profit after costs generated for the council by the Warwick Saleyards, and if the council was concerned an outside operator might increase fees for sellers and buyers of livestock.

The spokeswoman said the Saleyards “generate an annual income which is directed into the infrastructure of the Saleyards, which require ongoing maintenance and upgrades”.

“The operational management of the Saleyards is subject to an Expression of Interest process at this stage,” the spokeswoman said.

“The council is keen to see how different approaches from interested parties may potentially reduce selling costs, and broaden the appeal of the Saleyards.

“The decision to initiate the Expression of Interest process was made by the Saleyards Advisory Committee and endorsed by the councillors.”

The SDRC says the Warwick Saleyards is “not for sale”.

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The Forbes saleyards in NSW are seen as state-of-the-art, but online livestock selling is growing in popularity.

Expressions of interest for the lease of the Saleyards close on Tuesday 11 July.

Reaction to the announcement that EOIs would be called for outside management of the Warwick Saleyards has been mixed, with many producers left asking why this option would be explored if the Saleyards turn an annual profit.

Many are also concerned that if an external private operator were to increase Saleyards fees it could drive producers to online livestock sales, which are growing in popularity.

The December meeting of the Saleyards Advisory Committee discussed the option of demolishing the existing Warwick Saleyards and building a new facility on land near the Frasers Transport depot, with the committee agreeing the current facility is too small.

The land in question is understood to be the 80-acre former Warwick Enterprise Park on the Old Stanthorpe Road, which Frasers Livestock Transport purchased in early 2016 for an undisclosed sum from BWC Developments.

The December meeting was made up of Deputy Mayor Jo McNally, Cr Rod Kelly, Les Fraser of Frasers Livestock Transport, former Saleyards management committee chair Graham Kirkland, Andrew Williams of Elders and David McIvor of McDougall and Sons.

It is unknown which of these members remain current due to the March and May minutes having been suppressed, but last

month’s council meeting minutes note that Blake Doro has been invited to join the Saleyards Advisory Committee, which replaced the former saleyards management committee.

COUNCIL SAYS WARWICK SALEYARDS “NOT FOR SALE” Last month’s announcement of the call for EOIs came in a media release issued by the council in which it was stated that external management is only being considered as an option and that the current Saleyards is not for sale.

“This action (calling for EOIs) is consistent with the advice provided by the Saleyards Advisory Committee,” the media release stated.

“This council and the current Saleyards Advisory Committee have supported going through the Expressions of Interest process, just as it was endorsed by the previous council and Saleyards Advisory Committee.

“The Expression of Interest process is not binding, and assists council to ascertain best practice in the industry, as well as ensuring competitive prices for buyers and sellers.

“The council is keen to understand how saleyards services can be delivered effectively while meeting the expectations of buyers and sellers of sheep and cattle.

As part of the media release Councillor Rod Kelly said that “Council will continue to invest in the facility, but cautions that the facility is not for sale”.

“An example of council’s investment in the facility is the forthcoming installation of catwalks over the sheep selling yards which will occur over the next few months,” Cr Kelly said.

Cr Kelly said that while the saleyards delivered a return to council, the return needed to be considered in the “broader context of the need to continually upgrade the infrastructure at the facility”.

The council has $75,000 set aside in the draft budget for 2017-2018 - due to have been finalised and publicly released yesterday, after the time of printing of Rural Links - for an upgrade to cattle pens at the saleyards.

In total the council has forward funding allocated for Saleyards upgrades over the next decade of $1.3 million.

TENDER DETAILS AS SET OUT IN SDRC MEDIA RELEASE Southern Downs Regional Council is seeking expressions of Interest from interested parties for the following: Expression of Interest 17/035 Lease of Warwick Saleyards Tender documents prepared by council may be obtained by downloading a copy from www. lgtenderbox.com.auafter registering online.

Tenders must be lodged electronically via LGTenderbox by 2pm AEST, Tuesday 11 July 2017. Regulation 228(7) of the Local Government Regulation 2012, relating to changes to Tenders may be applied.

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ANGUS BULL SALE Saturday 24 June 1pm on property ‘Coldawinda’ Tenterfield 40 sons of Upshot, Edmund, Earnan, Double Vision and Carabar H215

Colin Keevers Lisa Martin Alumy Creek Angus Tenterfield NSW m. 0429

431 900

e. alumy@bigpond.com

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RURAL LINKS DIRECTORY ATTENTION FIREWOOD CUTTERS!

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Ph 4685 21 56

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STANTHORPE SEPTIC SERVICE

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Unit 1/11 Gourlas Court, Industrial Estate 2 PO Box 473 • Stanthorpe Qld 4380

tel  (07) 4681 0513 mob  0419 779 758

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Spare Parts Batteries & Accessories Tools & Equipment

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Ray Bunch Machinery

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Thursday, 15 June, 2017 RURAL LINKS 15