Queensland reforms mine safety watchdog

Adelaide’s bid to host COP31 The South Australian Government has allocated $8.3m in the FY26 State Budget to support Adelaide’s preparations to host the United Nations COP31 Climate Change Conference in 2026. The state is one of the fastest growing global leaders of decarbonisation, with 75% of its energy coming from renewable sources and a target of 100% renewables by 2027. If Australia’s bid to host the event is successful, the funding from the South Australian Government will support early works for the event, including planning for security, transport and infrastructure. To secure host status ahead of...

$4.5b WA wheatbelt wind farm advances Synergy has applied to develop its Tathra wind farm, a 2GW combined solar and wind project, with the WA Government after receiving consent for land usage from nine farm owners. The state-owned company’s proposed project, located 300km north of Perth near Eneabba, includes 140 wind turbines with a generation capacity of up to 1000MW, up to 1,000,000 solar photo-voltaic (PV) panels with 500MW of solar capacity and lithium-ion batteries with a 500MW capacity. Synergy’s planning documents state that by co-locating wind turbines, solar panels and a battery energy storage system...

Dolphins at Dawson mine Early this week, the Dolphins NRL players paid a visit to the iconic Dawson coal mine in Moura, Central Queensland owned by the team’s premium partner Anglo American. The players toured the site before hitching a ride on a 400t Cat797B truck and going up in a dragline, getting a real experience of life on the mines. “It’s good to have the boys come out and to see what one of their key sponsors does and get involved,” says Anglo American dump truck driver Glen Cecil. There are some notable synergies between mining and sport with teamwork being...