The Albanese Government has launched a water ownership program for First Nations peoples in the Murray-Darling Basin, delivering on an election commitment.

Jamie and Ian Woods from Hay have been appointed to the interim governance body has been set up so that water entitlements can be purchased, before a permanent body is established. Both men are of the Nari Nari nation.

Under the Aboriginal Water Entitlements Program, the government has made $100 million available to buy water in the Basin, with First Nations representatives to determine how that money is spent.

Allegations of a deliberate cover up of an environmental disaster has arrived at the doorstep of The Riverine Grazier.

The report was delivered by mail early in June, and alleges a cover up of a fish kill event at Gundaline Station in late 2022, but farm managers deny any wrong-doing.

NSW agencies and local council say they were unaware of the incident.

Country Press Australia’s Andrew Schreyer recently addressed the Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society and called for Meta to be held to account for its recent actions and treatment of news publishers.

Read Mr Schreyer’s opinion piece.

Australian bush poet and writer Joseph Furphy spent much of his time living and working Hay, NSW, writing his literary novel ‘Such is Life’

Private William Jackson from Hay remains the youngest Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross and his was the first VC to be won by an Australian on the Western Front.

Read all about the heroism and bravery shown by the young soldier.

Hay Inc has delivered the Hay Inc Rural Education Program for 10 years, and now have 145 young adults that make up the Hay Inc Alumni.

After completing their final training week, graduation was held after competing in the Junior Sheep Judging at the 2024 Hay Sheep Show.

Member for Farrer Sussan Ley has backed the call for nuclear power in Australia.

On a recent visit to Hay the federal member and deputy leader of the opposition said there needs to be an important discussion about nuclear energy production.

“I'm pro renewables because we all need to make the renewable energy transition,” Ms Ley told The Riverine Grazier.

“We need a genuine discussion about whether we should have a nuclear option, which I think is a really important discussion.”

The NSW Assistant Branch Secretary for the Australian Worker’s Union (AWU) Ron Cowdrey has slammed farm owners and managers that he describes as ‘cowboy operators.’

“If cowboy operators want to come here and roll out modern slavery like practices, or bully and underpay staff, or flout our customs laws and import pests and endanger our entire industry, then they can think again,” he said.

“The people in this district won’t cop it,” said Mr Cowdrey.

Local merino breeders were among the winners at the 2024 Hay Merino Sheep Show, held on Saturday. Walgrove, Woodpark Poll, Poll Boonoke and Burrabogie all took home honours, but it was South Australia’s Mulloorie Stid who wss named supreme champion.

Member for Farrer Sussan Ley was in Hay last week, meeting members of the community, as part of her ‘Pollies in the Pub’ campaign.

Ms Ley’s first round of meetings took place at Kinfolk Coffee Shop, which is where The Riverine Grazier met up with the local member, who said there’s a “50/50 chance” of a federal election this year.

“I'm not the only person who thinks that, so it could well be there's an election on December 7,” Ms Ley said.

Bruce Wall shared with us the legacy of his family in Hay NSW.

Ronald Alfred Wall was born on June 28, 1901 in Hay at the family home in Church Street.

Ron Wall traded as Hay Furniture Mart from the beginning of his enterprise in 1932 to 1957, when the company was restructured, including a name change to Hay Furniture Co.

Hay Merino Sheep Show has seen major changes since the first show, held 72 years ago while still retaining the heritage atmosphere and feel that the exhibitors love and travel for.

Exhibitors travel from NSW, SA and VIC annually. The people involved in the first shows have descendants still contributing to the show today.

President Ian Lugsdin said it was a credit to the Hay district for the longevity of the current and previous committees to maintain the high standard of sheep, both flock and studs, on show for the last 72 shows in its current form, and looks forward to the future of an iconic industry.

Organisers of the annual Hay Mini Nationals were delighted with strong interest from participants this year. President Declan Dwyer told The Riverine Grazier demand for accommodation was up from previous years and he enjoyed welcoming a good contingency from Tasmania as well as growing numbers of Mini car collectors from Canberra.

The Riverine Grazier’s Tertia Butcher provides an update on renewable energy projects in the South West Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), situated around Hay and Balranald in NSW.

There will be no further band-aid remedies for Hay’s 60-year-old John Houston Memorial Pool.

Hay is to get a new swimming pool after Council made the difficult decision last week to borrow up to $4 million.

The alternative was coping with a leaking pool and handing back the $3 million received under the State Government’s Multi-Sport Community Facility Fund for pool replacement.

The Rainbow on the Plains Festival is a celebration of inclusions and diversity held annual in Hay. The Pride festival committee won the 2024 Hay Business Award for local business champion, and organisers Jade Auldist, Will Miller and Brett Boulton were on hand to collect it.

The minimum lot size is to be removed in Hay township (both North and South Hay) and some primary production land will be rezoned to low density residential in a bid by Council to address the housing shortage.

“This is the easiest and most cost-effective way,” General Manager, David Webb said.

The global threat of fire ants is under control in NSW, thanks to the efforts of Dean Whitehead and Industry and Investment NSW.

Mr Whitehead spoke at a recent meeting of Hay CWA in response to the threat of fire ants, and to explain the Fire Ant Eradication Program.

Mr Whitehead said the objective in regards to fire ants is eradication, and a stringent process is followed to achieve this goal.

Fire ants were first detected in Australia in Brisbane in 2001. They are native to South America, but have established globally and are one of the world’s worst invasive species.

Members of the Country Women’s Association (CWA) of NSW have endorsed more than 25 motions across sectors such as health, law and order, education, transport and the environment at the recent conference in Coffs Harbour.