See you at the races!
The 2025 MiniJumbuk Naracoorte Cup will be held on Sunday 16 February, 2025. Naracoorte Racing Club/Photo: Adrian Gale – The Chapel Studio. The picture was taken during the 2024 Naracoorte Cup. To access this post, you must purchase MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION, THE LAST ISSUE or ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION.
Smart revelation
By Chris Oldfield: THE Naracoorte Lucindale Council’s administration chooses whether or not briefing session items are confidential, it was revealed during council’s January 28 meeting. According to CEO Trevor Smart, the administration does not notify the public when public briefing sessions are being held, and just advises elected members. Including whether items are confidential. He said the public was only notified after the meetings were held. Subsequently, last Tuesday, February 4, The...
“Listen to the public”
By Nasik Swami: An elected member of the Naracoorte Lucindale Council has criticised the council for disregarding public input gathered during consultation processes. Speaking exclusively to The News, Cr Craig McGuire claimed trust towards the elected body was “at an all-time low” with public consultation and feedback mostly ignored or dismissed if it did not fit the narrative of what parts of the elected council wanted to see. Stating it as his opinion, Cr McGuire said elected members seemed...
$361,550 playground for Leicester Park
By Chris Oldfield: NARACOORTE’S Leicester Park will soon boast a new $361,550 playground. Equipment will include a double bay swing, seesaw, neo spinner, play hut, skateboard rocker, joey trampoline, slide, and even a pretend eco charger. This follows consultation with Naracoorte South Primary School’s Reception and Years 1-2 students by Naracoorte Lucindale Council’s administration. The matter was raised at the council’s January 28 meeting. Director infrastructure and services, Daniel...
Longridge achieves five-star rating
Longridge Aged Care has received an outstanding five-star rating from the National Aged Care Quality Standards, a significant achievement that reflects its commitment to providing exceptional care and support to its residents. The rating, updated in November 2024, measured the organisation’s performance against four sub categories – compliance, quality measures, residents experience and staffing. The rating, awarded by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, recognised Longridge Aged Care’s dedication to delivering high-quality services, modern facilities, and a nurturing environment tailored to the needs of the elderly. The evaluation process included comprehensive assessments in areas such as care delivery, lifestyle and choice, health and wellbeing, and governance. “We are thrilled to receive this recognition,” said Ravi Aulukh, the chief executive officer of the aged care facility. “Our team has worked tirelessly to ensure that our residents feel valued, respected, and supported every day. “This rating is a testament to their […]
Sports funding
By Nasik Swami: Sporting clubs and community groups in the South East play a vital role in fostering social connections and promoting an active lifestyle. They serve as a cornerstone for bringing people together and strengthening local communities. Are government efforts sufficient to support these local clubs in towns such as Naracoorte, Penola, and Bordertown? Are enough resources being allocated to ensure the long-term sustainability of sports in the region? Last week, State Minister for Recreation, Sport, and Racing, Katrine Hildyard, toured several towns in the South East. During her visit, she engaged with local sporting groups and clubs, listening to their concerns and assessing their needs. Ms Hildyard also had a meeting with the Naracoorte Lucindale Council at the Naracoorte Swimming Lake to discuss the council’s master plan. The News questioned Minister Katrine Hildyard about the government’s plans to ensure local clubs were not overlooked in the development and […]
Mining battle
By Nasik Swami: Proposed mining for rare earths elements in the Limestone Coast is facing opposition from local producers and residents. Many sections of the community are concerned about how mining would impact production in one of the state’s key agricultural regions. It’s a battle between protecting the Limestone Coast’s high-value agricultural resource, finite water assets, and rich cultural heritage and the federal government’s plan to develop critical mineral industries as part of the Future Made in Australia policy announced in this year’s budget. A coalition of regional agricultural and business leaders called The Limestone Coast Sustainable Futures Association (LCSF) has been formed to inform the community about the invasive nature of rare earth strip mining, which it believes would threaten the economic viability of the food and fibre sector and jeopardise biodiverse value, including underground water resources, and has called on the state government to intervene and halt all […]
House raids, guns, and drugs
By Nasik Swami: Two major house raids were carried out by the South Australia Police (SAPOL) in the district in the last two weeks, where multiple firearms, ammunition, a pistol crossbow, and a cannabis plant were discovered. In the first raid, a 75-year-old Naracoorte man was arrested and charged with a number of firearm offences. The News can confirm that the South Australia Police (SAPOL), with the assistance from Victoria Police (VICPOL) and Army representatives, were called to a property in Naracoorte on January 7 where the address was searched. A SAPOL spokesperson told this newspaper that the search located a number of firearms. In a second raid at an Avenue Range property, a 57-year-old Naracoorte man was arrested by police following the discovery of firearms and drugs on January 13. Following an investigation, SAPOL attended the property to conduct a search. “Police searched a shipping container, locating multiple firearms, […]
Naracoorte man arrested, guns and drugs seized
Police arrested a 57-year-old Naracoorte man yesterday after finding firearms and drugs at an Avenue Range property in the South East. Following an investigation, South Australia Police (SAPOL) attended the property at 10.30am to conduct a search. “Police searched a...
Naracoorte house raided, firearms discovered
By Nasik Swami: A 75-year-old Naracoorte man has been arrested and charged with a number of firearm offences. The News can confirm that the South Australia Police (SAPOL) with the assistance from Victoria Police (VICPOL) and Army representatives were called to a...
Our Australia Day award winners
By Naracoorte Lucindale Council: The Naracoorte Lucindale Council is proud to announce its 2025 Australia Day award winners. The award winners are: Joint Naracoorte Citizen of the Year – David Steadman for his outstanding contribution to the Naracoorte Community....
Hard Talk – Loss of essential services
By Nasik Swami: Many essential service providers, including the government, are “abandoning” rural towns like Naracoorte in South Australia. Many regional towns in the South East are losing—or have already lost—essential services such as banking, postal, Medicare,...
Sunrise musical hit
In a Galilee far, far away…. The Sunrise Christian School Naracoorte held its 2024 Christmas musical at the Town Hall last week. The musical, an interplanetary exploration to discover the Glory of God throughout the universe, and beyond, focused on showcasing the true meaning of Christmas.
Postcode discrimination
By Nasik Swami: Country towns like Naracoorte are facing “postcode discrimination” when it comes to accessing mental health services and resources. That’s the view of SA Shadow Minister for Regional Health Services, Penny Pratt, who has attacked the State government for turning a blind eye to the Limestone Coast region and failing to understand the plight of families in need of mental health services. In an interview with The News, Ms Pratt referenced a damning report into rural mental health services in South Australia. It revealed that when it comes to getting access to a regional psychologist, we were worse off than people in Mongolia. And this is not stopping there, she claimed. Ms Pratt said the devastating effects of drought, crippling power prices, cost of living pressures, unreliable internet services, and increased health costs for visiting a GP or a specialist were continuously mounting emotional pressures on many families […]
Farewell Shaz!
By Nasik Swami: Twenty-seven years and 2.2 million boxes later, Sharon Drabsch has called it a day. Shaz, as her colleagues call her, ends her 27-year career as a box maker at the MiniJumbuk in Naracoorte at the end of this month. The 46-year-old with special abilities is not only a box maker but also a beacon of hope to those with special needs in the community. “I did it. You can do it—just go for it,” she shared, smiling during an interview with The News. Shaz’s contribution to the wool industry has been labelled as “remarkable” by her colleagues. A rough estimate by MiniJumbuk on the number of boxes Shaz had made over her 27 years at the factory averages 78,000 per year, around the 2.2 million mark over 27 years. “Each box has three passes of tape to construct, this equates to 6.6 million passes, and at an […]
In confidence
By Nasik Swami: Is it necessary for our local councils to exclude the public from meetings under the confidentiality provisions, and what impact is this having on transparency? Recently, The News has observed how councils interpret the confidentiality provisions of the Local Government Act 1999 (SA) (LG Act). On occasions, some councils have listed about three matters in their public agenda under a heading “Confidential Items” or “Matters the CEO Recommends be Considered in Confidence”. This newspaper questioned Naracoorte Lucindale Council mayor, Patrick Ross, and the Minister for Local Government, Joe Szakacs, if going into confidence was a “fair and transparent process” and what message this sends to the ratepayers who attend these public meetings. Mr Ross said the question of going into confidence on various matters was always on his mind. He said the Act (LG Act) was clear and gave clear advice on the issue, and the CEO, […]
Postcode discrimination
By Nasik Swami: Country towns like Naracoorte are facing “postcode discrimination” when it comes to accessing mental health services and resources. That’s the view of SA Shadow Minister for Regional Health Services, Penny Pratt, who has attacked the State government...
Farewell Shaz!
By Nasik Swami: Twenty-seven years and 2.2 million boxes later, Sharon Drabsch has called it a day. Shaz, as her colleagues call her, ends her 27-year career as a box maker at the MiniJumbuk in Naracoorte at the end of this month. The 46-year-old with special...
In confidence
By Nasik Swami: Is it necessary for our local councils to exclude the public from meetings under the confidentiality provisions, and what impact is this having on transparency? Recently, The News has observed how councils interpret the confidentiality provisions of...
“I am different”
By Nasik Swami: “I will be doing things differently because I am different.” That’s the words of Cr Abigail Goodman, the Naracoorte Lucindale Council’s newly elected deputy mayor. Cr Goodman was elected to the position last week at the council’s November 26 meeting. She takes over the role from Cr Monique Crossling, who held the position for the last two years. Cr Crossling was elected as presiding member of the council’s Strategic Assets and Planning (SAP) committee, taking over from Cr Damien Ross. Cr Goodman and Cr Crossling were both nominated for the role of deputy mayor, and Cr Goodman was elected 6 votes to 4 votes in a show of hands. She will serve in the role for the remainder of this council’s term—another two years. In an interview with The News, Cr Goodman acknowledged the work Cr Crossling had done during her term as deputy mayor. “I acknowledge […]
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