abc.net.au

Chainsaw sculptor turns old wood into stunning works of art

A hospital orderly from Albany, Western Australia, turns old wood into stunning works of art using nothing more than a chainsaw.






abc.net.au

US-China trade war hits Australian woodchip industry as shipments cancelled

Australia's $1.4-billion plantation woodchip industry is dragged into the US-China trade war, with a number of shipments to the Asian economic powerhouse cancelled in the fallout from the dispute.








abc.net.au

WA's Water Minister insists water-wise message is cutting through despite a sharp rise in use

A sharp rise in water use has prompted warnings from a former WA state water minister that the Government may need to bring forward construction of a desalination plant, putting significant upward pressure on household water bills.




abc.net.au

African swine fever outbreak in China sparks price rise for Australian sheep meat

African swine fever has depleted China's pig herd, creating a protein shortage that is benefitting Australian sheep farmers.





abc.net.au

Mass shellfish die-off remains unknown, as millions of mussels wash up on WA's south coast

Authorities in Western Australia investigate a large mussel die-off that covered a 1km stretch of beach on the south coast last week.




abc.net.au

Wool producers question level of transparency behind AWI board endorsements

Growers question the process behind Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) announcing that a controversial ex-chairman is among the preferred candidates to fill board vacancies.




abc.net.au

Wine master Duke Ranson retires, and puts award-winning vineyard up for sale

A master wine producer whose riesling is the reigning Australian wine of the year bows out of the industry, citing age and the desire to hand over to a new generation for the decision.





abc.net.au

Food litter bad for native wildlife, say environmentalists

An environmentalist says discarding apple cores out the car window creates a major problem as it lures native wildlife to the sides of busy highways.






abc.net.au

'Disastrous' funding process blamed for 10-year wait on specialised SES equipment

The WA SES Volunteer Association hits out at department bureaucracy after a decade-long wait for equipment.




abc.net.au

Farmers need glyphosate plan B or risk losing access to key markets, Minister says

Alannah MacTiernan says farmers risk losing access to foreign markets because of their reliance on glyphosate, but her remarks draw criticism from farming groups that say the herbicide is a linchpin of the industry.




abc.net.au

The story behind Australia's first red corn whiskey from paddock to barrel in Western Australia

Praised for its "sweat characters and nuttiness", a Perth-based distillery and second-generation farmer from Western Australia's far-north have teamed up to create Australia's first red corn whiskey.




abc.net.au

Suicide prevention plan for WA meets mixed response

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Western Australians aged 14 to 44, but the State Government hopes its new plan will save lives.





abc.net.au

Tasmania's housing debt to be waived under Jacqui Lambie deal

Sources have confirmed the $150 million public housing debt owed by Tasmania will be waived, as demanded by Senator Jacqui Lambie in exchange for her vote on the Federal Government's tax cuts.







abc.net.au

Chasing the tiger with stealth, smarts and science

When hunting the Tasmanian tiger, some people use drones and other gadgets, others stealth but one scientist isn't content to wait for one to be found: he intends to bring them back from the dead with technology.




abc.net.au

Tasmanian F3 driver Alex Peroni walks away from horror crash

Tasmanian driver Alex Peroni sustains a broken vertebra but walks away from a spectacular crash at Monza in Italy, with his survival attributed to his helmet and the round bar which protects drivers' heads.




abc.net.au

Mawson Station pioneers reunited 65 years after flag raised in Antarctica

A ship left Melbourne in January 1954 to set up Australia's first Antarctic base. Facing harsh conditions and the unknown, the pioneers built Mawson Station.




abc.net.au

Tassal pipeline leaves east coast council high and dry

A dam project in a Tasmanian municipality has blown the local council's budget, with residents saying the salmon farming giant which is set to benefit most from the dam should pay for its completion.




abc.net.au

Man charged over attempt to dump 8 tonnes of manure on politicians' doorstep

A man has been charged after he allegedly attempted to drop eight tonnes of animal manure at the offices of Tasmanian politicians.




abc.net.au

Tasmanian news: Peroni in good spirits after race crash, knife-wielding thief still at large

DAILY BRIEFING: Fresh from walking away from his horror crash in Italy, race driver Alex Peroni is all smiles in hospital, as police renew their call for help to find a thief.




abc.net.au

Calls to manage cruise ship visitor growth, with some tourism hotspots overwhelmed

Cruise ships bring in millions of dollars to Tasmania each year, but tourism operators say if their schedules are not better managed they will continue to be both a "blessing and a curse".




abc.net.au

Tasmanian news: VFL team needed for AFL dream

DAILY BRIEFING: For a Tasmanian team to win its place in the AFL it first needs a spot in the second-tier league, according to the code's top local official.





abc.net.au

Hobart wants to become a smart city but also wants to unplug

From electronic pet trackers, paying cyclists to commute to work and driverless cars, Hobart City Council is floating some innovations to make it a smarter city. And, strangely, that could also mean Wi-Fi free zones.




abc.net.au

Madeleine Ogilvie wins recount to replace former Labor MP Scott Bacon

Tasmania's Electoral Commission has determined the newest member of the state's House of Assembly is Madeleine Ogilvie.




abc.net.au

From homophobia to human rights: Flagging Australia's transformation

Close to the heart of gay rights campaigner Rodney Croome are two flags made from the dresses of drag queens who fought police in the Stonewall riots in New York. They'll now be preserved in a collection of memorabilia documenting the battle to change society's views.




abc.net.au

Tasmania news: Bolt from crane 'narrowly misses' worker, Ogilvie meets Labor to discuss her future

DAILY BRIEFING: A worker has been "narrowly missed" by a bolt falling from a crane at a Hobart worksite, and Madeleine Ogilvie meets with Labor to discuss her future.




abc.net.au

King's Run and Preminghana in Tasmania offer lessons into 'culturally rich' Indigenous heritage

This wild and rugged corner of north-west Tasmania is bursting with ancient history and dotted with artefacts, but you've probably never heard of it.




abc.net.au

Catholic Church in Tasmania won't follow new confession laws

The Catholic Church says it will not follow new Tasmanian laws that require priests to break the seal of confession to report suspicion of child sex abuse.





abc.net.au

Trampoline tossed through roof as winds leave trail of damage in southern Tasmania

A trampoline lands on the roof of a Hobart home, piercing a bedroom ceiling, as strong winds of up to 155 kilometres per hour wreak havoc in southern Tasmania overnight.