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Albany region faces busier fire season

Authorities say fire brigades have had to deal with a busier than usual fire season around Albany.




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'Fracking' inquiry begins first round of public hearings

The chairman of Australia's first parliamentary inquiry into 'fracking' says the investigation is entering a significant new chapter.





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More than 700 suspicious fires lit this season as reward re-offered

A reward of $50,000 is re-offered after firefighters battle more than 700 suspicious fires this season.




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Man accused of indecent act near playground

A man has been charged with committing an indecent act while he was sitting near a children's playground in Albany.





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MP pushes drought aid case for Wheatbelt growers

The Member for O'Connor says he will be urging the Federal Government to remember struggling parts of Western Australia's grain belt in talks over drought assistance.





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Wheatbelt shire echoes calls for drought aid

A Western Australian eastern Wheatbelt shire says the Federal Government should not overlook the region as it develops a new drought assistance package.





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Council confident Anzac precinct to be ready for big day

The City of Albany has denied there has been delays in upgrades to the city's Anzac precinct.





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Climate change extinction fears aired for WA south coast

University of Western Australia (UWA) researchers have warned of the potential for "very large extinction rates" among marine life unique to southern WA due to climate change.






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Recreational boating fishers to be quizzed

The Department of Fisheries says as part of its second recreational fishing survey, it has begun interviewing recreational boat fishers.





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Billions of litres of water lost each year through ageing network: report

The Auditor General has found the Water Corporation is losing billions of litres of water more than it should each year, mainly due to leaking pipes. In his report, tabled in Parliament today, Colin Murphy says about 30 billion litres of water was lost each year, ten billion more than what is considered acceptable. The agency will also have to fork out tens of millions of dollars to replace ageing pipes in the network.





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Miner Western Areas raises $89m to pay off bond

Western Australian Wheatbelt nickel producer Western Areas says it will make significant savings after raising the funds to pay off a $110 million bond.




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Grant money revives hopes for Kojonup health centre

The Shire of Kojonup says its hopes of seeing a new medical centre built in the town could be revived if a State Government grant is reinstated.








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Wind farm backers say review proves wind energy 'clean and safe'

Supporters of wind farms are urging state and federal governments to back the use of the renewable energy source, after an official review of evidence found a lack of support for claims of health effects.




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Shire faces deadline to raise $850K for Sounness Park project

The Shire of Plantagenet is facing a shortfall of nearly $1 million in its funding for a major sporting precinct upgrade, after receiving a smaller than hoped for Western Australian Government grant.





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Mining boom massively boosts wealth for top income earners

A study shows the mining boom has generated up to 65 per cent more wealth for the top 20 per cent of West Australian households. But the research by Curtin University shows not all areas have reaped the rewards. It analysed the effects of the boom from 2003/04 to its peak in 2009/10 and found while those with higher incomes benefited substantially, other residents also benefited due to increased employment opportunities.





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Man pleads guilty to numerous charges of indecently recording step-daughter

A Denmark man has pleaded guilty to more than 50 charges relating to filming, or attempting to film, his teenage step-daughter.




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Farmers say drought package criteria must be 'reasonable'

Farmers in some of the driest parts of Western Australia are concerned they will miss out on funds from the Federal Government's drought assistance package because they will not meet the criteria.




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Noongar community to vote mid-year on native title offer

The South-West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council says the Noongar community will decide mid-year whether to accept the Western Australian Government's native title offer.





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'People will die': Country hospital fears it won't cope with coronavirus

What does it take to prepare for a pandemic? Many hospitals around the world are already overwhelmed by patients infected with COVID-19. Australian doctors and nurses are bracing for something most of them have never faced before. In our country hospitals, resources are already stretched: beds are in short supply and there’s a greater proportion of older people. Preparation will, in many cases, be the difference between life and death.
 ABC National Regional Reporter Jess Davis takes us inside the Wimmera Base Hospital in Horsham, Victoria, as the team tries to prepare for the unimaginable.




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How the Wiradjuri people of Central West NSW survived first contact with European settlers

How the Wiradjuri people, indigenous to the Central West of New South Wales, survived European settlement.




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Walgett loses all water, some air conditioning as heatwave pushes temperatures near 40 degrees

Residents have been left without water for a day after a breakdown at a local treatment plant and as western NSW sweated through a heatwave.




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Thousands of fish rescued after being trapped in NSW dam for almost two years

Thousands of fish which became trapped in a NSW pond after flooding in 2016 have been returned to the Macquarie River after a painstaking effort to keep them alive.




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129-year-old Hillston Spectator's future in doubt as editor eyes retirement after 60 years

Pat O'Sullivan took over the Hillston Spectator from his dad more than 60 years ago. But now, with his garden calling, the publication could be at risk of folding.




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Heatwave makes it particularly tough work for shearers, labourers, farmers and chefs

Shearers, labourers, chefs, farmers and lifeguards are among the workers who push through the heatwave.






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Cobar hit with 130 job losses at CBH Resources' Endeavor Mine

As the Cobar Endeavor Mine comes to the end of its lead and zinc reserves, CBH Resources announces it is cutting 130 jobs from the drought-stricken outback town.




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Outback milliner uses high fashion to tackle mental health issues and isolation

Flamboyant fascinators and fedoras, once destined for fashion's grandest stages, help to overcome isolation and mental health issues in outback Australia.




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Family follows hope of less severe food allergies to US for treatment




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The crusading Coonamble great-grandmother who opened a nightclub to wipe out an RSL's debt

When the local RSL in Coonamble in central west New South Wales found itself in debt to the tune of $500,000, it was feared nothing could be done.





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State-of-the-art shearing shed aims to improve conditions for workers and animals

This state-of-the-art shearing shed hopes to attract and retain good shearers in a safe environment.