Nationals move again to end daylight saving

The Nationals WA have moved again in State Parliament to bring the Government's three-year daylight saving trial to an end.

Agricultural Region MLC Wendy Duncan yesterday gave notice of the party's intention to introduce a Private Members Bill calling on the State Government to initiate a referendum on daylight saving no later than October 4, this year.

Ms Duncan's bill would require support in both Houses of Parliament.

Party leader Brendon Grylls said he hoped the Bill would be placed on a priority list for debate in the Legislative Council because it is clear the people of Western Australia need to be given a say on this important social issue. [more]

Telstra should cover the cost of change, says Grylls

The Nationals WA Leader Brendon Grylls has called on Telstra to ensure country customers are not financially penalised by the company's decision to discontinue the ISDN service by the end of the year.

Telstra is no longer offering ISDN Home contracts to non-business consumers and current customers have been notified that it will be discontinued by the end of 2008.

Mr Grylls called on Telstra to learn from its mistakes and offer a viable alternative to customers.

"He said they needed to ensure that they are footing the bill for this inconvenience and that customers are not left with a bill for new equipment or higher monthly user bills when disconnecting them from the ISDN and 1-way satellite service.[more]

Palm oil trials for Biodiesel

Leader of The Nationals WA Brendon Grylls has given notice that at the next sitting of the house he will call upon the State government to implement trials of oilseed varieties, including palm oil cultivars, in the subtopical region of Western Australia, and that such trials be overseen by the Frank Wise Institute of Tropical Agricultural Research in Kununurra.

Mr Grylls said it was time to put our minds to the important question of how we can produce a critical mass of feedstock for use in the biofuel production industry, especially in Western Australia, a state of such geographical and climatic diversity.

He said the potential to establish medium-size irrigated palm oil plantations on suitable soils in a number of locations in the central and east Kimberley region of Western Australia has never seriously been explored.

The Nationals were actively looking for more innovative ways to achieve a critical mass in the feedstock supply chain that will ensure Australia can at least treble the national target of 350 million litres of biofuels per annum. 

  From Members and staff of The Nationals WA, we wish you and your families a safe and happy Easter.