Concern over Voice wording, river modelling by consultants

It leaves me to wonder how many others are facing difficult discussions with their partner because they are ideologically opposed to their partner's beliefs on The Voice? I guess all I can do is thank Anthony Albanese for putting forward a half thought out idea which does nothing other than divide our communities and families.

Various government departments and agencies have been embroiled in the PWC scandal, though there is one in particular which raises additional questions that need to be answered.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority has confirmed it has written to PWC seeking assurances that confidential information in river modelling contracts worth more nearly $28 million has not been shared.

So what does the MDBA have to hide in relation to river modelling? There has long been a view that volumes of water recovered under the Basin Plan cannot be delivered downstream without causing significant erosion to riverbanks, as well as flood damage to public and private infrastructure.

An audit that confirmed these fears would throw the Albanese Government's flawed water management policies into turmoil, as it would be pointless recovering the massive volumes it proposes, including the additional 450GL that has been demanded by South Australia.

The Basin Plan is heading towards a cliff. Is information held by PWC the catalyst that could push it off the edge?

Winter is here. It's tax time, and it's that time of year when many of us seek to hit the reset button as the new financial year rolls around - a fresh start.

But for The Salvation Army and the thousands of people we support, it means something very different, particularly this year. We are extremely worried about those who are most vulnerable in our community, who are presenting to our services across the country, some for the first time. Not only is it the coldest time of year in many parts, but we are also facing one of the most severe economic challenges we have seen in years; the cost-of-living crisis and soaring utility bills are leaving everyday Aussies facing devastating and impossible choices.

One mother, 42, has told us: "I wear multiple layers of clothing to keep warm. I avoid turning on the heater and try not to waste or use excessive amounts of water."

Another mother of three, 34, said: "I turn off the hot water and electricity at night. I use the barbecue for cooking and organise the kids' clothes to minimise the use of the washing machine. We only flush the toilet when necessary. We limit showers to a maximum of three minutes. Instead of using public transport, we walk or ride bikes everywhere."

With this in mind, we want to simply say thank you. Thank you to the Australian public, who has already given so generously to the Red Shield Appeal to make sure that families and individuals like those I have mentioned can access our services wherever they are in Australia.

Thank you for thinking of others when it would be so easy to just think of yourselves. One of the greatest traits of Australians is that when the going gets tough, Aussies reach into their pockets and help someone in need. I love that about Australia.

But it isn't over yet. The Salvos are hoping to raise $37 million by June 30 to ensure our services and programs across the nation can continue, so nobody struggles alone. This end of financial year, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to The Salvation Army's Red Shield Appeal by visiting salvationarmy.org.au or calling 13 SALVOS.

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