THINK Farmer Wants A Wife but without the television production crew nor the scripted contestant stoushes, and without your hapless love life being splashed across the tabloid news websites.
The Brisbane Ekka, where country folk and city slickers connect and where many lasting romantic relationships have been forged, will next Monday host the inaugural Singles Mingle event at the famous Stockmen’s Bar & Grill.
For decades the venue has been where the party gravitates after dark throughout the Ekka, and the perfect setting for concrete cowgirls and cowboys, and bachelors and spinsters of the bush, to meet their potential suitors.
The Stockmen’s Bar has been the scene of countless first encounters, first dates, engagements, marriages and everything in between, so this year the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA) has decided to lean into its longstanding reputation.
The Ekka Singles Mingle social affair will begin at 8pm on Monday August 14 at the Stockmen’s Bar & Grill.
Farmer Harry Tommerup, 24, is single and ready to mingle at the Ekka on Monday night. IMAGE: Supplied
Harry Tommerup, 24, an engineer turned vegetable farmer based on his family’s Scenic Rim dairy farm, is looking for love but like many in rural and regional Queensland, finds it hard to meet that special someone.
“It would be great to meet someone but being based on a farm does make it tough. You can chat online and on the phone but to actually meet up or have someone in a nearby location has its challenges, especially in the first stages of dating,” Harry said.
“I’m looking forward to coming to Ekka and hope that the Singles Mingle will give myself and other farmers a chance to meet some country and city girls in person.”
“The Ekka is about bringing the country to the city, so I’ll take this opportunity to enjoy the show and maybe even meet that special someone!”
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Singles Mingle will be hosted by magician (and The Bachelorette and Australia’s Got Talent contestant) Apollo (pictured below), who will weave his magic for the crowd of (hopefully) lucky in love Ekka goers.
There will be speed dating, live country music from Brittany Elise and a swag of other initiatives aimed to continue the Ekka’s tradition as a match-making event.
Troops could train anywhere in the world and yet they come to regional Queensland. There are a few reasons why.
For most foreign forces the weather and terrain is unlike anything they’re used to. From climate conditions to poisonous plants and venomous wildlife – country Queensland has it all.
And there’s another reason. As competition for regional dominance escalates, Northern Australia is an area of strategic importance as the gateway to the Indo-Pacific.
The recent Exercise Talisman Sabre was set to a backdrop of Chinese posturing as more than 34,000 military personnel from 13 nations joined forces across sea, land, air, cyber and space.
Individual activities spanned across five states and territories over a two-week period before officially concluding on August 4.
Australia’s Combat Training Centre Commander Colonel Ben McLennan explains TS23 scenarios during a military briefing. IMAGE: Supplied
While the military drills were one thing, the soft diplomacy was a byproduct on display throughout every military and rank.
Australia’s Combat Training Centre Commander Colonel Ben McLennan said there were no KPIs to achieve, or adequate measures to quantify the ‘bang for buck’ achieved by participating nations.
“There’s a temporal benefit but there’s also a longitudinal benefit,” COL McLennan told the Caller.
“I mean, how do you measure the value of a relationship where there’s trust in any context and the dividend that comes from building (those relationships) pays for decades, for generations, for centuries.”
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The financial investment by invited nations has been immense. Countries like Japan, South Korea and Germany all footing the enormous bill to transport their personnel and equipment to Australia for the show of force.
COL McLennan said it highlighted the commitment of unity towards a “rules-based order”.
“The logistics enterprise to get tanks from South Korea, to get aircraft from Alaska, to get equipment from New Caledonia through our quarantine stations and procedures (which are all completely legitimate given the fragility of our ecosystem here in Australia) is an extraordinary enterprise and very costly,” he said.
“There’s a collective resolve amongst like-minded nations to preserve the pillars underpinning our prosperity, our security and our stability.
“I also think that a lot of nations think that we can be better together when we find a common ground in the military space to work and integrate to be better.”
/14 Light Horse Regiment with the 1st Armored Division during TS23. IMAGE: Supplied
There’s also another reason why foreign forces may be attracted to train in Australia.
At 2437 sqkm, the Townsville Field Training Area alone is larger than the Australian Capital Territory.
And while the war games have included others, it’s the bilateral relationship between Australia and the United States as joint hosts which has been on display during military drills and the accompanying high-level AUSMIN discussions taking place.
For troops testing their military drills in real-life scenarios, interoperability has far surpassed the traditional feel-good sentiment of simply coexisting as a coalition force.
US Army Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Yun during TS23 in command of a multinational light infantry battlegroup. IMAGE: Supplied
The Caller spoke to a multinational battlegroup led by the US to give insight as to just how challenging mission execution could be.
US Army Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Yun (pictured above) said while the role of Light Infantry was to “close in and destroy the enemy”, working together and the steps taken to get there would determine the outcome. Not as simple as it sounds, particularly when his unit – the Hawaii based and Asia-Pacific focussed 25th Infantry Division – trains in jungle warfare.
“It’s not just Australians we’re training with, we also train with Indonesians, with the Philippines, with Thai Army,” he said.
“It’s about understanding relationships, how people and their government or their military would overcome some friction.
“And we welcome ideas when those frictions come has been enlightening.”
Integration of forces during Talisman Sabre 23 moved well beyond convention interoperability. During this most recent iteration forces trained in what’s refeferred to as a ‘multidomain’ environment, COL Yun said.
Australian engineers lay obstacles during TS23 in an effort to slow the enemy. IMAGE: Supplied
Australian Officer Commanding Major Stephanie Sheldon of Townsville’s 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment said the “diversity of skillset” needed as an engineer enabled potential battlespace advantages through preemtive moves against adversaries.
“We’ve been able to provide counter mobility support to battle groups, and that’s in a mechanized sense deployed in Bushmasters,” MAJ Sheldon said.
There’s been a shift to revert to land warfare tactics ater two decades of counter terrorism operations in South East Asia and the Middle East with convential training increasingly relevant.
“The focus on combined arms for Talisman Sabre has been really quite refreshing,” MAJ Sheldon said.
“Complex problems require a lot of different thinkers in the room and diversity.
“Whether that’s infantry engineers or field intelligence teams, it’s diversity of thought in these environments which means solutions.”
US elements including Aviation rotary wing capabilities Apache and Blackhawk helicopters have remained in Australia for ongoing joint training in addition to the US 1st Armored Division operating M1A2 Abrams.
A PROUD country Catholic school with “probably every religion you could imagine” represented among its students will celebrate the remarkable milestone of reaching 100 years next weekend, with a large gathering and reunion of current and former students, teachers, parents and friends.
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Chinchilla has three days of centenary celebrations beginning Friday August 18 with the opening of new classrooms and a time capsule, a school fete, a formal dinner, a special Sunday mass and the launch of a new school song.
Joey’s began as a parish school in 1923 with just 33 students and was staffed by two sisters of St Joseph.
Today the school has just shy of 300 students and 34 staff, who are lay teachers as opposed to representatives of the Catholic Church.
“Over the last five years, especially, we’ve grown, and we’re now pretty much a two-stream school (two classes in each year level) all the way through,” said Principal Melissa Hobson (pictured).
“Coming from just a couple of sisters right back at the start to having 34 staff is unbelievable. That change (in the early 90s) from having all of our religious staff leading the school to lay people was a massive change for the community.
“For me, having come here to the school and to Chinchilla five years ago, it’s the community that makes this school great.
“The minute you walk into this town people are welcoming. At the school, parents straight away are talking to you, telling you what they love about this school. Our parent involvement in this school is unbelievable.
“When you walk into the school you can feel those hundred years. We’ve got parents, grandparents and great grandparents who went here, or their children went here, and they share that history.
“We have parents in here every day, whether they’re in the classrooms or helping with assemblies, it is a fantastic little community. I love it.”
St Josephs Catholic Primary School Chinchilla students from its foundation year in 1923
Although Joey’s is no longer a school for Catholics only, Hobson said the school remained proud of its religious heritage and traditions.
A guest of honour at next weekend’s centenary celebrations will be Sister Ann, who was the school’s last Catholic sister or brother to serve as principal.
Leading a special mass on Sunday August 20 will be the school’s incoming bishop, Bishop Ken Howell.
“One misconception about St Joseph’s is that, because we’re a Catholic school, you need to be Catholic to go here, but that’s not correct,” Hobson said.
Maypole Dance at St Joey’s in 1952
“Probably every religion that you can imagine is represented here which, for us, is a real bonus because it encourages acceptance of difference and that’s what we want in the world.
“The other big change from even 20 years ago is a change in the cultural diversity of the school. We now have so many different cultures and languages that are part of the school.
“We encourage people to share that so that we can get to know each other.”
Joey’s Chinchilla – 1983 vs 2023 (slide to view)
Next weekend’s centenary celebrations will begin Friday with the official opening of the library extension and four new classrooms by Vicar General Fr Franco Filipetto, followed by an afternoon tea and tours of the school.
Guest will also hear the first rendition of a new school song, written in conjunction with the school by renowned primary school music educator Josh Arnold.
On Saturday a fete will be held on the school grounds with a full day of family activities and entertainment, followed by a ticketed dinner at the Chinchilla RSL Memorial Club.
The celebrations will culminate on Sunday 20 August at Our Lady Help of Christians Church with mass and morning tea.
St Joseph’s Deputy Principal Samantha Jaeger (pictured) said extensive preparations of the centenary celebrations had been led by the school’s hardworking and committed Parents & Friends Association (P&F).
“We’ve had a lot of the help from staff and the Parents & Friends Association, especially Steph Davies – she’s put in a lot of effort with the organising of the fete and the organising of the dinner and getting a lot of things together to support the school and help,” Jaeger said.
“The P&F paid for the Josh Arnold video and for the display banner, they do a lot of fundraising for the school and contribute to lots of things throughout the year.
“Whatever we need, we know we can go to them and they will will help us out. They’re just a great group of really supportive parents with great initiative.
St Jeoy’s school captains Campbell Allan, Laura Schwerin, Elouise Fraser and Mitchell McMahon displaying the school’s “WESTIE” mantra. IMAGE: Country Caller
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LAURA SCHWERIN
I like Joey’s because it’s a great school. We do lots of fun things and it’s fun to come here.
CAMPBELL ALLAN
It’s pretty fun to make friends here. They’re all nice and encouraging and they just help you with everything. They’ve always got your back.
ELOUISE FRASER
I like how everyone is caring and kind. They’ll come up to you and say “hey, do you want to be friends? You can play with me”.
MITCH McMAHON
I think it’s amazing that the school is 100 years old. It’s old and there’s a lot of change that’s happening. I enjoy everything about going here. The teachers are nice.
MONEY raised for country folk in need by one of the Brisbane financial district’s most iconic charity and social events has notched up close to $6 million, as the annual Morgans Big Dry Friday marks its sixth year of fundraising and celebration.
Eagle St in the Queensland capital’s CBD resembled a rodeo arena Friday morning as the company Morgans, a leading Australian stockbroking, wealth management and corporate advice firm, launched Big Dry Friday for 2023.
Concrete cowboys and cowgirls made $20 donations to test their skills on a mechanical bull that was set up beside a barbecue breakfast for Brisbane’s finance professionals as they arrived for work on Eagle St.
Falls for fundraising as Morgans celebrates its annual Bid Dry Friday in Brisbane. IMAGE: Country Caller
Among the willing rough stock riders was Morgans chief financial officer Karyn Ferguson (pictured), a Morgans employee of 14 years who said the company’s annual initiative to generate funds for rural charities was always well supported by Queensland’s finance industry.
“Big Dry Friday started in 2018 during the height of the drought and we wanted to support those people in the country who were struggling,” Ferguson said.
“It started off as one Big Dry Friday event in Brisbane – a bull riding barbecue breakfast and moving into a big lunch going in the afternoon, bringing a lot of the community together, celebrating and helping those that were in need.”
Now Morgans offices around Australia hold fundraising initiatives for several weeks each year leading up to the Big Dry Friday event.
At least $1 million tallied up so far in 2023 adds to the $4.7 million total generated over the previous five years.
“We really love partnering with regional charities and getting the money out there into the regions. It moves each year to support what our rural and regional communities need,” Ferguson said.
“We’re a stockbroking firm but we like to have fun. We’ve had people riding the bull who are actually from rural Queensland and it’s great to be connecting and having a bit of fun.”
Big Dry Friday culminates with a long lunch on the banks of the Brisbane River at functions venue Events on Oxlade at New Farm, where thousands more was expected to be raised through a live auction.
More than 360 guests were expected to attend.
More than 360 guests gathered for Morgans’ Big Dry Friday long lunch. IMAGE: Country Caller
OVERHAULING the funding pipeline for local councils and improving transparency around which projects receive federal government support are top priorities for the Federal Minister responsible for Regional Development and Local Governments.
Speaking in Toowoomba at the Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia (SEGRA) Summit, Kristy McBain said there needed to be an “evidence-based” approach to investment across the regions.
“The captain’s pick, call, of random infrastructure which we’ve all seen take place previously needs to stop,” she said.
“We have designed a Regional Investment Framework because for far too long we’ve seen ad hoc decisions take place.
“There hasn’t been a transparent framework in which everyone can see – these are the things we want to invest in, these are the reasons we’re going to do it.”
The Regional Investment Framework’s four priority areas. IMAGE: Department of Infrastructure
The Regional Investment Framework was announced in the Albanese Government’s May budget and has four priority focus areas; investing in people, places, services and industries.
“We need to value the voices that we’re hearing much more than they have been and value local priorities,” McBain said.
“If the Federal Government can be transparent about its investments, the state government can then hinge its investments off that.”
The Minister also spoke about how funding from federal and state governments had transitioned from “program” to “project”, meaning Councils always needed to “have their hands out” for their next piece of infrastructure.
“Instead of local governments being given autonomy to actually put in place their local priorities, they’re applying for grants constantly for the project that they need done,” she said.
“Instead of program funding which would see them be able to make their own decisions.”
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McBain said state and federal governments should consider where “untied grant funding” would actually be the best use of taxpayer money.
She also wants the recovery payment process for local governments after natural disasters to be improved, having experienced the significant gap between when the federal government makes funds available and when councils finally receive the money.
McBain was Mayor of Bega Valley Shire in New South Wales during the Black Summer bushfires.
“The time lag is way too long and we need to make sure we reform the system and streamline it, to make it easy for Councils,” she said.
“Part of my criticisms over the Black Summer Bushfires was this competitive grant funding that came immediately after where we had volunteer not-for-profit groups competing against Councils, competing against business for some economic recovery grants – it was an absolute recipe for disaster.”
Questions have been raised as to why the blackbox fitted to an army helicopter, which smashed into the ocean with “catastrophic impact” last Friday, is yet to be located, as the Australian Defence Force confirms human remains have been found.
Soldiers Capt Danniel Lyon, Lt Maxwell Nugent, WO2 Joseph Phillip Laycock and Cpl Alexander Naggs (pictured below) were on board the MRH-90 Taipan tail-number A40-040, when it crashed in waters near Lindemann Island on July 28 around 10.30pm.
The crash prompted an immediate search and rescue for the four men on board – two pilots and two loadmasters – who were from Sydney’s 6th Aviation Regiment, which flies elite special forces into operations and exercises.
(L-R) Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class 2 Joseph Laycock, Corporal Alex Naggs and Captain Dan Lyon
The discovery of further aircraft debris and unidentified human remains was confirmed by ADF Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant General Greg Bilton on Thursday.
“I can now advise that yesterday afternoon, Wednesday the 2nd of August, HMAS Huon’s remotely operated underwater vehicle located a further debris field, including parts of the cockpit of the helicopter,” LTGEN Bilton told reporters at a press conference in Brisbane.
“The debris field is consistent with a catastrophic high impact.
“Due to the nature of the debris field, positive identification of the remains is unlikely to occur until we recover more of the wreckage.
“Army has spoken with the families of the missing soldiers and is providing them with support.”
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The helicopter’s blackbox is yet to be found, which is troubling for several reasons given the device should be fitted with an underwater locator beacon that starts emitting a pulse if its sensor touches water.
Working to a depth of just over four kilometres, the blackbox can “ping” once a second for 30 days before the battery runs out.
Additionally, locating the electronic flight data recorder may also be the best hope of finding out what happened.
The incident was initially described by authorities, including Defence Minister Richard Marles, as an aircraft ditch.
This was all but ruled out by LTGEN Bilton on Thursday when he said all communications with the helicopter and its crew were “normal” prior to the catastrophic crash.
“It was a normal flight in a group of four aircraft flying at the time,” he said.
“And at this stage all communications were normal before the aircraft impacted the waters.
“It’s a difficult task but we will do our absolute best to find it, and as you know that black box is critical in helping us to understand what’s actually taken place.”
The cause of the crash is now subject to a Defence led investigation by aircrash investigators. Queensland Police Service has begun preparing a report for the coroner as the lead agency of the ongoing operation.
LTGEN Bilton confirmed earlier questions put to Defence by the Caller, querying the arrival of Australia’s ADV Reliant to assist recovery efforts.
The navy’s auxiliary support vessel operated by a commercial crew, would take over responsibility for the search from HMAS Adelaide within the next 24 hours.
The recently acquired vessel is 102 metres long, has a large cargo deck, cabling, and a large crane which would be needed to lift the sunken wreckage.
“The ADV Reliant is a vessel that incorporates more modern equipment that helps us to do that sort of recovery operation but it will still be a difficult operation at 40 meters of depth,” LTGEN Bilton said.
The Caller understands at least four additional specialist divers from QPS will join the six already in the Whitsundays.
LTGEN Bilton said divers had been working since Friday to locate and recover as much as possible.
Defence supports remain in place for the families and colleagues of the four men, with the wider veteran community also rallying around its own as news of the crash continues to be felt.
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Former soldier Ben Whiting who served at 6th Aviation Regiment, before going on to Airbus as a technical instructor for the manufacturing company, said he has felt a “gut-wrenching sorrow”.
He told the Caller the crash late last week has raised memories of previous incidents throughout his career, and rattled the aviation community.
“You start to think of the what ifs and wondering what the hell are we doing?” he said.
“After the initial shock I put my logical hat on and serious questions need to be asked of all layers of Defence.”
Mr Whiting said his role delivering MRH-90 Taipain systems and safety protocols to military members placed him in direct contact with command staff, pilots and maintainers who would be among those most impacted right now.
Paul Dunbavin, a former Sergeant Major of the 2nd Commando Regiment said the work of special operations was inherently risky, and even more so during nightflying exercises like the one conducted at the time of the crash where night vision goggles would have been worn.
The seasoned special forces operator who has flown on both Taipan and Black Hawk helicopters, said the chopper would have been flying at “full throttle” at the time of the crash given the sheer amount of debris found.
“It’s obviously hit the water with huge velocity and consequently, that’s why the aircraft has been sheared in half,” he said.
Dunbavin said the unimaginable grief process for families would be only just beginning.
He is the Executive Director of The Commando Welfare Trust which provides emergency and long-term financial support to Special Forces soldiers, veterans and family members where the system cannot.
“Special Operations Command operates 24/7, 365 days a year defending Australia and to do that they’ve got do the operations unlike any other organisation in defence,” he said.
“It’s dangerous at all times, it’s complex and unfortunately this incident has highlighted those risks.
“The Commando Welfare Trust will always be there.”
The entire MRH-90 fleet remains grounded following the crash, with the Army’s Chief Lieutenant General Simon Stuart vowing it will not be flown until it’s safe to do so.
The crash occured just days before the Taipan’s replacement arrived in Australia.
LTGEN Bilton said he didn’t have a figure on how many of the first of the 40 US-made Blackhawk helicopters, or how many Australian pilots were qualified to fly them as Defence works to come up with a solution to fill the flying ability gap while the MRH-90 Taipain is grounded.
The decision to scrap the Taipan comes 13 years earlier than expected with Defence intending to retire the aircraft plagued with trouble in 2024.
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Australian Defence Force support services
1. Defence All-hours support line – The All-hours Support Line (ASL) is a confidential telephone service for ADF members and their families that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1800 628 036.
2. Defence Member and Family Helpline – Operates 24-7, if you need support, help, or advice at any time, call 1800 624 608. The Defence Member and Family Helpline is staffed by qualified human services professionals including social workers and psychologists.
3. A network of dedicated mental health professionals at health centres located at major Defence bases is available to provide or facilitate support for ADF members both on-base and off-base. For out-of-hours or away-from-base assistance, members can call 1800 IMSICK (1800 467 425) to locate the nearest support. More information is available via the Mental Health Portal at: https://www1.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/health-well-being/services-support-fighting-fit/mental-health-online
4. Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling (formerly VVCS) provides free and confidential counselling and support for current and former serving ADF members and their families. They can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1800 011 046 or visit the Open Arms website for more information.
6. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) provides immediate help and treatment for any mental health condition, whether it relates to service or not. If you or someone you know is finding it hard to cope with life, call Open Arms on 1800 011 046 or DVA on 1800 838 372. Further information can be accessed on the DVA website.A full list of welfare support services is available at: https://www.defence.gov.au/about/reviews-inquiries/afghanistan-inquiry/welfare-support
A MULTI-AWARD winning Toowoomba law firm is helping regional businesses capitalise on opportunities by combining the expertise of capital city firms with the context and insight of a local.
Enterprise Legal is tackling more complex cases for rural clients than ever before, under the leadership of Principal Director Peta Gray (pictured left).
Peta Gray is the Principal Director of Enterprise Legal.
Gray, who was recently named a finalist for the Australian Law Awards’ Managing Partner of the Year Award, said it was an exciting time for Darling Downs agribusinesses.
“The global markets at the moment and the general dynamics globally are setting up agriculture for a new period of innovation,” Gray said.
“We are looking at what we can do domestically or how we can leverage opportunities here, so for people who are willing to look into that, I think there’s a lot of opportunity in that sector.”
With many agribusinesses looking to modernise and expand, Gray cautioned against relying on “handshake” deals, especially when multimillion dollar assets and enterprises were on the line.
“The age of ‘a handshake is good enough’ is largely over,” Gray said.
“Unfortunately you will find yourself exposed to risk because people change their mind now, more than they ever did, or their families change their mind.
“Succession planning is always an important topic for farming families and it’s something that isn’t necessarily done well, and that’s often because it’s hard to reconcile things that are of a family nature with things that have a legal impact.”
Gray said she wanted country clients to know their options weren’t a handshake deal or a “70 page document”.
“There are a lot of options and practical solutions in the middle,” she said.
“That’s the best part about being a business-specific lawyer or a disputes lawyer – trying to resolve issues as efficiently and cost effectively as you can.
“There is a real product that can be offered there for people who want to take their agribusinesses and even their small businesses in those towns to the next level, and not feel like they’re left behind and that their only option is to go to a Brisbane firm who charges exorbitant fees and doesn’t have the necessary content.”
Peta Gray is a finalist for the Australian Law Awards Managing Partner of the Year title.
Gray said that while capital city law firms may be well resourced, they often lacked the industry-specific knowledge and wider context of issues which can help resolve problems before they escalated into costly litigation matters.
“I think there’s a misconception that if you need a hard hitting agreement – even for example negotiating with mining companies or access agreements – you need to go to Brisbane. You definitely don’t,” Gray said.
“We saw a gap in the market for a firm that delivers that top tier expertise but in a more relatable atmosphere in terms of overcoming the gap with people in Brisbane.
“Brisbane firms don’t even know the towns and the places that you’re talking about when you’re trying to negotiate those agreements.
“I’ve worked with a lot of farming clients on the Western Downs – you pick up so much knowledge from doing that and I’m a person that believes context is everything.”
Enterprise Legal already had a reputation for doing things differently after rejecting the strict time-based billing model when it launched in 2017, giving clients total fee certainty from the outset.
“Another point of difference for us is that we really enjoy and find it so beneficial to work with everyone’s advisors,” Gray said.
“We never try to do anything in a vacuum, especially succession planning advice. Bankers, financial advisors, they’re all really relevant.”
Peta Gray meeting Emily Pullen and Jim Tanner from Jim’s Jerky.
Iconic Darling Downs snack producer Jim’s Jerky is among the businesses Enterprise Legal has worked with to take their operation to the next level.
“We’ve been working with Enterprise Legal for a number of years and with their support and advice have updated and modernised our business structure to support growth,” founder Jim Tanner (pictured above) said.
“They were with us every step of the way as we worked through all the possible scenarios – throughout the process we’ve felt very supported and informed.”
CEO Emily Pullen told the Caller, the personal service was second to none and they always feel like they’re in a safe set of hands.
“Speaking to other businesses who face the same challenges as us, I always recommend Peta and Enterprise Legal,” Pullen said.
“Enterprise Legal takes the time to understand your individual business and draws on their experience to provide excellent support and advice.
“Having advisors who are knowledgeable but importantly, who care, makes such a huge difference.”
As well as expert legal advice for agribusinesses, Enterprise Legal offers a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all of the relevant legal needs of business, property and disputes clients.
Enterprise Legal has been named a finalist in five categories for the upcoming Australian Law Awards, including for the prestigious Regional/Suburban Law Firm of the Year which the firm won in 2018.
RESIDENTS of a tiny cane farming community along North Queensland’s coast are the latest recruits to join Exercise Talisman Sabre, providing the backdrop for realistic scenario training complete with civilian actors.
The town of Ingham, 111km north of Townsville, has been reimagined as a small Pacific island nation overrun by an enemy force with insurgents littered throughout the region.
While the town is no stranger to hosting troops in training, this scenario has increased the involvement of locals with everyone from the Mayor to business owners and even school students given a character to act.
Ingham residents acting as part of Talisman Sabre training. IMAGE: Supplied
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Hinchenbrook Shire Mayor Raymon Jayo said the town was a buzz with residents in full support of their unique cameo roles.
“Locals actually play-act and they feel that it’s a part of their way to give back to the army by helping train,” he said.
“Because we do appreciate it’s not an easy life and they’re training for a purpose.”
Walking down the street feels more like a movie set than a town centre as heavy armoured vehicles and troops patrol. Actors hide in plain sight carrying out their scripted roles, including snipers on rooftops.
Mr Jayo said the training was also helping the council think about its own disaster response planning in a more strategic way.
“It’s making us think because our training and procedures are designed for cyclones so its thought-provoking,” he said.
Scenario training at Ingham. IMAGES: Supplied
Tasked by reservist soldiers of the 2nd Division, the training is part of a range of certification processes playing out during the large-scale international war games which has brought more than 30,000 military personnel to Australia.
Battlegroup Commander Lieutenant Colonel Peter Hukins (pictured below) said realistic training was critical for soldiers, particularly on the back of the recent Defence Strategic Review which refined the role of Australia’s Reserve Force as being the leading agency to provide domestic security including natural disaster response.
It’s a clear shift away from using permanent forces as was done during covid with personnel tasked to hotel quarantine and managing state and territory borders.
“This is a small scale rehearsal for a wider civilian task,” he said.
“It’s about ensuring security while engaging with civilian agencies, key leaders, key stakeholders in the particular area and adjusting force posture to deal with varying levels of low threat right up to higher end.
“All those skills and those rehearsals and operations that we’ve undertaken in the past all come to the conglomerate of skills and capabilities that 2 Div has on its hands.
LTCOL Peter Hukins gives mission orders to his troops as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre operating in the town of Ingham, North Queensland. IMAGE: Supplied
“Should 2 Div need to enact some sort of defence task in support of the homeland they would project elements to different parts of Australia, particularly northern approaches of Australia.”
With a heavy focus on interpersonal skills and interacting with civilians, the Ingham-based training comes amid a Defence decision to fast-track reservist training from five weeks to three in an effort to bolster numbers.
LTCOL Hukins said while specifics of what initial training looked like was still being worked through at higher levels, he supported the idea of getting new recruits into units quicker.
“It means that they are quicker to form the things that can’t easily be defined in a training course which is those relationships,” he said.
“And those working capabilities that are so crucially important to that teamwork ethos that we need in defence.”
Private Thomas Adamson said he was inspired to join the Reserves after seeing how involved the ADF was during recent bushfires and floods, hoping he could tap into his own skillset as a Psychology Undergraduate.
“It’s just to look out for our fellow Australians,” PTE Adamson said.
“It’s what I signed up for anyway, to do that domestic sort of stuff and help out where I can in the community.”
Exercise Talisman Sabre is expected to run throughout the week with a closing ceremony in Brisbane planned to mark its end.
The international war games were paused for 24 hours on Saturday following a catastrophic crash involving four aviators into waters off Hamilton Island during a night flying mission on Friday night.
Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Phillip Laycock and Corporal Alex Naggs were flying as part of a special operations mission.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said the initial search and rescue mission had moved into a recovery phase.
“The families of these four men have every right to feel an intense sense of pride,” Marles said during a press conference in Canberra.
“And in the midst of the inadequacy of these words, I want them to know that they stand in the warm embrace of the entire nation.”
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Australian Defence Force support services
1. Defence All-hours support line – The All-hours Support Line (ASL) is a confidential telephone service for ADF members and their families that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1800 628 036.
2. Defence Member and Family Helpline – Operates 24-7, if you need support, help, or advice at any time, call 1800 624 608. The Defence Member and Family Helpline is staffed by qualified human services professionals including social workers and psychologists.
3. A network of dedicated mental health professionals at health centres located at major Defence bases is available to provide or facilitate support for ADF members both on-base and off-base. For out-of-hours or away-from-base assistance, members can call 1800 IMSICK (1800 467 425) to locate the nearest support. More information is available via the Mental Health Portal at: https://www1.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/health-well-being/services-support-fighting-fit/mental-health-online
4. Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling (formerly VVCS) provides free and confidential counselling and support for current and former serving ADF members and their families. They can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1800 011 046 or visit the Open Arms website for more information.
6. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) provides immediate help and treatment for any mental health condition, whether it relates to service or not. If you or someone you know is finding it hard to cope with life, call Open Arms on 1800 011 046 or DVA on 1800 838 372. Further information can be accessed on the DVA website.A full list of welfare support services is available at: https://www.defence.gov.au/about/reviews-inquiries/afghanistan-inquiry/welfare-support
Defence Minister Richard Marles and Australian Defence Force chief Angus Campbell have provided an update on the search and rescue operation in the Whitsundays following the MRH 90 helicopter crash on Friday night.
Below is some of what they said:
SEARCH OPERATION
Defence Minister Richard Marles:
Since the accident of the MRH 90 helicopter on Friday night the activities that have been occurring in the Whitsundays have now revealled significant wreckage from the helicopter.
What this evidences is that this was a catastrophic incident and with every passing hour it is now clear that any hope of finding Captain Lyon, Lieutenant Nugent, Warrant Officer Laycock and Corporal Naggs alive has been lost.
The nature of the activities which are being undertaking in the Whitsundays have transferred from being ones of search and rescue to an activity of recovery.
The families of the four aircrew were notified of this this morning.
Defence Minister Richard Marles and Australian Defence Force chief Angus Campbell provide an update on the MRH 90 search effort. IMAGE: Supplied
I do want to assure them and assure the nation that the determined recovery effort involving hundreds of Defence Force personal will continue.
We are all obviously left wondering, naturally, what happened.
Foremost in our minds in this moment must be the families of these four men and their teammates.
With them in mind, idle speculation is obviously harmful, but there will be a formal investigation and we will come to understand exactly what happened and learn the lessons from it.
(L) Highly respected Troop Commander Captain Danniel Lyon of the 6th Aviation Regiment is among the four Australian aviators involved in a catastrophic MRH-90 chopper crash on July 28. (R) Aircrewman Corporal Alexander Naggs of the 6th Aviation Regiment who was a former rifleman of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, was well regarded amongst peers.
Defence exercises are serious, they carry risk and as such they are dangerous, but they are so important.
These exercises have played a critical part in providing for the collective security and peace of the region in which we live.
The loss of these four men is as significant and meaningful as the loss of anyone who has worn our national’s uniform.
If it is as we imagine it to be, they died on Friday night making a difference.
Defence is a huge enterprise and on another level it is a small community. People work very closely together and know each other. In my immediate defence family there are people who knew some of the aircrew, and I know how acutely they are feeling in this moment and there will be people across the Defence Force who are feeling it with them. Right now we are thinking very much about all of them.
The people who are in most pain in this moment are the families of these four men. They have lost loved ones, persons most cherished, and they face the prospect ahead of a life with an unfillable hole.
To them we are so deeply sorry and we are so deeply grateful, and they have every right to feel an intense sense of pride.
I want them to know that they stand in the warm embrace of the entire nation.
Australian Defence Force chief, General Angus Campbell:
My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and to the friends and to the regiments.
I’d ask all Australians to pause for a moment and think about that service offered and the loss suffered and to support and care for these families and for our ADF personnel throughout the country.
Their service matters and what they do together matters for Australia.
(L) Lieutenant Max Nugent of the 6th Aviation Regiment who was one of two pilots onboard the MRH-90 involved in the catastrophic crash. (R)Father of three and highly respected senior special operations aircrewman Joseph Laycock of the 6th Aviation Regiment who is among those missing.
The recovery effort is ongoing and it’s got the full backing of the entire multinational effort that is present in Exercise Talisman Sabre.
We deeply appreciate the assistance being offered, especially by the United States and by Canada, as well as by the civil agencies and the Queensland Police Service.
This effort will continue and we will be bringing our mates home to their families and to their regiments.
It’s not easy being in the ADF today or being associated with anyone who is connected in some way to this loss.
Please take care of yourself and take care of others and support our families.
It’s (the search area) in an area of the waters around the Whitsunday islands where there are quite strong currents and tidal movements, and with waters that move below the depths of a standard diving option.
This means that we have had to use SONAR equipment to identify pieces of the wreckage, but we’ll also have to use divers and some specialist divers to support.
It is also subject to the standard nature of the weather at the time and the visibly in the water. It’s not an easy operation.
Hamilton Island and (INSET) an Australian Army MRH 90 Taipan helicopter similar to the one involved in the crash. IMAGE: Supplied
MRH 90 HELICOPTER FLEET
Defence Minister Richard Marles:
These helicopter were certified to fly.
There will be a full investigation and we will come to understand exactly what has happened here and what lessons we need to learn from this.
In the meantime our fleet of MRH 90s have been grounded and they won’t fly again until we understand what has happened and we have acted accordingly.
Obviously it does impact capability.
I wouldn’t want to raise expectation around having the Blackhawks in service sooner. We are in the process of transitioning to Blackhawks, pretty well, as of now.
Recovery of the MRH-90 helicopter wreckage near Hamilton Island. IMAGE: 9 News
It is a question of having all of the airframes coming to Australia but also a question of making sure that all of the appropriate training and credentialing is done for those who operate the Blackhawks so that that can be done in a safe way.
That is to be done with all of the thoroughness that you would expect.
The MRH90s were due to come out of service at the end of next year.
We will move through the process of putting the Blackhawks into service as quickly as we can but as throughly as we need to and we will not be flying MRH90s until we know what has happened.
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Australian Defence Force chief, General Angus Campbell:
I’m not going to speak on issues related to what ultimately may be part of an air accident investigation.
There is going to be an investigation as there always would be, and it will be utterly thorough and consider all factors.
We must not speculate and we must not in any way influence or distort the presumptions of that investigation.
It will have complete and full authority to review what has happened, identify the causes of this accident and make recommendations to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.
Map showing the helicopter search zone. IMAGE: QPS
NOTICE: Australian Defence Force support services
1. Defence All-hours support line – The All-hours Support Line (ASL) is a confidential telephone service for ADF members and their families that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1800 628 036.
2. Defence Member and Family Helpline – Operates 24-7, if you need support, help, or advice at any time, call 1800 624 608. The Defence Member and Family Helpline is staffed by qualified human services professionals including social workers and psychologists.
3. A network of dedicated mental health professionals at health centres located at major Defence bases is available to provide or facilitate support for ADF members both on-base and off-base. For out-of-hours or away-from-base assistance, members can call 1800 IMSICK (1800 467 425) to locate the nearest support. More information is available via the Mental Health Portal at: https://www1.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/health-well-being/services-support-fighting-fit/mental-health-online
4. Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling (formerly VVCS) provides free and confidential counselling and support for current and former serving ADF members and their families. They can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1800 011 046 or visit the Open Arms website for more information.
6. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) provides immediate help and treatment for any mental health condition, whether it relates to service or not. If you or someone you know is finding it hard to cope with life, call Open Arms on 1800 011 046 or DVA on 1800 838 372. Further information can be accessed on the DVA website.
A LARGE-SCALE mission to locate MRH-90 helicopter crash victims Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph “Phil” Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs is continuing off the North Queensland coast.
Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the identities of the members at a press conference in Townsville Sunday afternoon.
All four Australian Army members on board – two pilots and two loadmasters – were from Sydney’s 6th Aviation Regiment.
Recovery of the MRH-90 helicopter wreckage near Hamilton Island. IMAGE: 9 News
Marles said the crash, which happened at about 10.30pm Friday, brought home the skills and professionalism required by those of the Australian Defence Force.
“Our thoughts are with the air crew, our thoughts are with their families and with their teammates, who we’ve met today, and who will be experiencing an enormous degree of anxiety in this moment,” he said.
“This accident is a reminder of the unique significance that comes from service in the Australian Defence Force.”
Defence Chief Angus Campbell (pictured) also expressed his commitment to the mission underway.
“To the families, to the friends, to the teammates in this very, very difficult time my sincere support and commitment that we can do everything we can to determine the location and to see the search and rescue effort undertaken as expeditiously as effectively as possible,” he said.
“To the people from 6th Aviation Regiment, to The 5th Aviation here in Townsville – Thank you for your service.”
The scale of the international effort has ramped up with multiple maritime and air capabilities from Australia, New Zealand, Canadian forces, as well as civilian agencies who are working around the clock in search of the missing airframe, cockpit, and men on board.
As of Sunday a ship equipped with SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging) was also added to the mission.
The multi agency effort is being led by the Queensland Police Service.
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Joint Operations Chief Greg Bilton (pictured) said the ‘coordinated and comprehensive air and maritime search and rescue effort’ also included specialist divers who began searching shortly after arriving on Sunday morning.
“The Whitsundays area is renowned for strong currents and so you do get some movement of any debris in the water,” he said.
“That is a very important factor that affects searching.”
The Caller understands the 173 Squadron members were taking part in a restricted mission providing non tactical air transport to special forces operators of the 2nd Commando Regiment when the MRH-90 Taipan crashed into waters off Lindeman Island Friday night.
News of the crash has sent shockwaves through the tight knit aviation community with an outpouring of disbelief and praise for the four missing men by friends and colleagues.
A long time friend and fellow aircrewman told the Caller the tight knit aviation community has banded together following the shock of losing their own.
Unable to be identified due to the nature of his work and security clearance, he said Corporal Phil Laycock was not only a friend but a true professional.
“Phil is a great soldier and natural leader but most importantly a great family man, father,” he said.
“Phil is a top human being and a great army aviator”.
*Our reporter Kate Banville is uniquely placed on this story as a former soldier who was posted to the 6th Aviation Regiment and has close ties to the unit with friends directly involved.
Map showing the helicopter search zone. IMAGE: QPS
NOTICE: Australian Defence Force support services
1. Defence All-hours support line – The All-hours Support Line (ASL) is a confidential telephone service for ADF members and their families that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1800 628 036.
2. Defence Member and Family Helpline – Operates 24-7, if you need support, help, or advice at any time, call 1800 624 608. The Defence Member and Family Helpline is staffed by qualified human services professionals including social workers and psychologists.
3. A network of dedicated mental health professionals at health centres located at major Defence bases is available to provide or facilitate support for ADF members both on-base and off-base. For out-of-hours or away-from-base assistance, members can call 1800 IMSICK (1800 467 425) to locate the nearest support. More information is available via the Mental Health Portal at: https://www1.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/health-well-being/services-support-fighting-fit/mental-health-online
4. Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling (formerly VVCS) provides free and confidential counselling and support for current and former serving ADF members and their families. They can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1800 011 046 or visit the Open Arms website for more information.
6. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) provides immediate help and treatment for any mental health condition, whether it relates to service or not. If you or someone you know is finding it hard to cope with life, call Open Arms on 1800 011 046 or DVA on 1800 838 372. Further information can be accessed on the DVA website.
