Newsletter: Honey at risk & offshore rigs

🔍 HEARD THIS WEEK👂

🐝 Gippsland beekeepers warn "total ecosystem collapse" is risking the habitat of local honey makers

Neil Barraclough says a lot has changed about Gippsland since he was trout fishing in the Alpine Ranges, camping under the stars, and surrounded by native bees in the 1960s.

For starters: the water has dried up at his old fishing spots – and the local bees are suffering because of it.

It’s just one example of how a slow degradation of the ecosystem has, as Barraclough puts it, collapsed.

What happened: At a Wellington Shire Council meeting on February 3, Barraclough told the council he had witnessed a “total ecosystem collapse” in the Alpine Ranges over his lifetime.

Barraclough told the Monitor he thought there were a few reasons for this collapse, including:

• The historic bushfires in 1926, 1932 and 1939 eliminated nearly all the eucalyptus trees in the ranges, which has meant fewer small bushfires and denser tree growth.

• The state government’s decision to end native forest logging in 2024 has also contributed to denser forests.

Read the full story here.

🐟 How do you remove 23 offshore oil and gas rigs without hurting Gippsland’s fishing industry?

There are 23 oil and gas rigs in the Bass Strait with over 600 kilometres of pipeline, and it’s all set to be removed as wells dry up and the country moves away from burning fossil fuels. 

How safely these giant steel constructions are removed could have major impacts on the safety and profitability of Gippsland’s local fishing industry.

What can be done: The Victorian and federal government – as well as the companies that own these rigs – are currently trying to work out how to remove and dismantle tonnes of steel and pipes from the ocean without hurting local industries and the environment in the process.

What happened: A hearing was held by the Victorian government on Wednesday at Leongatha Memorial Hall focused on the concerns local stakeholders had about the decommissioning process. 

• State MPs listened to and queried presentations from oil and gas companies, South Gippsland council and industry leaders. 

One of the speakers who presented at the hearing was Executive Officer of South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association, Simon Boag.

Boag told the Monitor removing rigs can lead to unknown obstacles on the sea floor if they’re not removed properly.

Risky business: Boag said if the top of a rig is removed but the bottom remains, it essentially becomes an invisible risk to fishermen with potential for danger.

Read the full story here.

LOOKING NATIONALLY 👀

The National Account’s Archie Milligan spoke to the former senior press secretary for Julia Gillard, Sean Kelly, about how political staffers go about influencing the news cycle.

I thought Kelly gave a really interesting insight into how the public’s perception of political spin has become more acute over the years and how politicians haven’t necessarily caught up with this.

Take a look at Archie’s interview with Kelly below.