Category: Industry Information

Miscellaneous information

KCGO MEMBERS – Quad Bike Safety Information

Kalagro

Quad Bike Safety Information

“A very sobering story and highlights the need for the proper PPE and training not only for our children but also farm employees.”

New Safety Advocates join the campaign for quad bike safety

In 2018, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland welcomes two new Safety Advocates, Jodie and Mario Cocco, who are passionate about quad bike safety, especially where children are involved.

Their son Domenic was just seven years old when he suffered life-threatening injuries after crashing a quad bike into a power pole. We published a film about the incident in 2016, with Jodie and Mario describing the horrifying experience and the impact it had on their family. The next logical step for the Coccos was to start telling their story personally in workplaces as Safety Advocates.

“You think it’s not going to happen to you, but it can. Make sure your kids have got the right protective equipment on, make sure they’re wearing a helmet, and make sure they know how to operate the quad bike properly,” Jodie says.

In their role as Safety Advocates, Jodie and Mario will focus on quad bike safety with a special emphasis on children using these machines. They highlight how important it is to always wear a helmet when riding, as well as the benefits of formal training.

The film, Too fast, too soon – Domenic’s story, has been viewed over 4000 times and is a stark reminder of how quickly things can go wrong and the serious consequences that follow.

Since it began in 2013, our Safety Advocate program has gone from strength to strength. Last year our Safety Advocates between them spoke to Queensland workers and communities at more than 100 events. Feedback on their visits is incredibly positive – a clear indication that sharing their stories is having a profound impact on Queenslanders and prompting them to think about the importance of working safely.

Further information

For more information on the Coccos’story, go to worksafe.qld.gov.au/safety-advocates or request a Safety Advocate visit to your business. read more

Affordable Energy Plan

Kalagro

“The Queensland Government has introduced a range of initiatives in 2018 in order to relieve the burden of electricity costs on consumers. Summary of actions and incentives has been extracted below.

Queensland Government

Affordable Energy Plan: making electricity more affordable

We are committed to delivering stable electricity prices for all Queenslanders.

The Affordable Energy Plan features $300 million of initiatives from 1 January 2018 which will make electricity more affordable for residential and business customers.

Under the plan, electricity prices for typical household and small business customers will remain below inflation on average over the next 2 years.

Our actions in more detail

Under the Affordable Energy Plan we will:

Kalamia Members – Survey – Energy costs for irrigation

Kalagro

Survey – Energy costs for irrigation

“The National Irrigators’ Council, on behalf of the Agriculture Industries Energy Taskforce group, is conducting a survey in order to inform up-to-date advice to empower irrigators to reduce their energy costs for irrigation. For any growers that wish to participate in this survey please find link below.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/AEITF-irrigation “

SRA – Media Release

Kalagro

SRA Media Release

SRA opens new initiative for sugarcane milling research

 

Sugar Research Australia (SRA) has announced a new research investment scheme that will work with the milling sector to deliver productivity, profitability, and sustainability outcomes, ultimately benefiting both sugarcane millers and growers.

Called the Small Milling Research Project (SMRP) investment scheme, it will see SRA invest in small projects to develop a product, service, or process that will solve targeted problems in sugar mills and deliver tangible outputs with almost immediate outcomes.

Applications are open from now until 28 February 2018, with applicants able to apply for up to $75,000 for their project.

This initiative has come in direct response to feedback from our milling investors and stakeholders, and in particular during the development of our SRA Strategic Plan 2017/18 “ 2021/22, SRA CEO, Mr Neil Fisher, said.

The SRA Board has approved this initiative to allow SRA to work on priority areas of research that align with the needs of our milling investors. The investment is included in our current total investment in our Key Focus Area (KFA) of Milling Efficiency and Technology.

Mr Fisher said that the initiative was an opportunity to invest in lower-cost, short-term, industry-identified and preferably industry-led research.

In the process, the scheme will strengthen collaborations between industry and research through the direct involvement of the milling sector in SMRPs and increase research skills and capability in sugar mills, he said.

SRA is now calling for applications for this new initiative. We encourage researchers to collaborate with industry to put forward their best ideas for new projects.

For more information, visit the SRA website at https://sugarresearch.com.au/research-investment/small-milling-research-project-initiative/.

Kalamia Member Notice – Business Energy Savers Program

Kalagro

Qld Government – Business Energy Savers Program

Significant cost savings can be realised through businesses pursuing energy efficiency options. Simple changes/upgrades can deliver cost reductions of 30% with paybacks as short as 1 year.

The $20 million Business Energy Savers Program, an initiative under the Affordable Energy Plan, provides free energy audits for agricultural customers and large business customers, and co-contributions to fund energy efficiency upgrades.

The program provides audits for businesses covering a broad range of industry sectors that are vital to our economy, and advice to businesses on how they can reduce their electricity costs by using electricity more efficiently.

It includes a 3 year extension of the existing Energy Savers Plus Program (for agricultural businesses) and the Large Customer Adjustment Program (for large electricity users).

Under the expanded Energy Savers Plus Program, up to 200 additional audits for agricultural customers will be completed. In addition to this, co-contribution grants of up to $20,000 will be made available to assist businesses in implementing the recommendations from the audit.

Under the expanded Large Customer Adjustment Program an additional 30 audits of large customers will be completed and co-contributions capped at up to $250,000 will be made available to help encourage the business to implement the audit recommendations.

The Business Energy Savers Program also provides broader benefits through the development of case studies to assist other businesses wanting to reduce their energy costs by using electricity more efficiently.

Register your interest

  • Sign up to receive program updates and to register your interest in the expanded Energy Savers Plus Program.
  • Sign up to receive program updates and to register your interest in the expanded Large Customer Adjustment Program.

Les Elphinstone

MANAGER / COMPANY SECRETARY