North West News

“What will your job look like, five or ten years from now?” That was the main question being asked at a seminar in Tamworth, where students and teachers received a pep talk from one of the bright minds at Google.

Lake Inverell is about to receive almost $2-million in upgrades, to cater for kayakers and nature lovers. It’s expected to boost tourism in the Sapphire City.

Tamworth Regional Council has a new leadership team, after last night’s elections. And there were a few surprises – a last-minute candidate has been voted in as deputy mayor.

A teenage boy has been charged with three counts of armed robbery with an offensive weapon. New England Police arrested the 18-year-old in Ashford yesterday afternoon. He allegedly committed the robberies in Armidale between November 2017 and January this year. He cannot be identified, as he was just 17 at the time. He failed to appear in court today and will remain behind bars until his next appearance later this month. NOTE: VISION ONLY

Students from Farrer Agricultural High School put two years of hard work on display today, for the 24th Annual White Suffolk Ram Sale. And it sure paid off – today’s top price was just over $9000.

Plans for Tamworth Regional Airport to become an international freight hub could soon take flight. Council has given the greenlight for a new strategic aviation committee to look into the proposal. The committee will focus on pilot and aviation technician training, and whether the airport could accomodate freight from overseas. Mayor Col Murray says the ‘sky’s the limit’ moving forward. “That was brought about by the interest you know with the airport businesses that are out there with the potential decline of the BAE and their project completing next year in Tamworth.” (AUDIO IN SOME PARTS ONLY)

A Tamworth Tai Chi instructor is putting a modern spin on an ancient art-form. Brian Gregson has come up with his own form of Tai Chi, emphasizing relaxation, breathing and flow. “It embraces authentic Tai Chi and Quigong forms but it’s put into a combination of what I call a medley- a combination of the internal and the external.” He’s planning to present the new style to the Tai Chi Association later this month.

We’re in the middle of one the driest years on record for the whole of the state, and in drought conditions, raising a young family can hurt the hip pocket. Those struggling to keep up with daycare bills will soon receive a helping hand, thanks to $3-million dollars of state funding announced today. The package will go towards reducing fees and ensuring centres can stay open during the drought. (NO AUDIO)

Narrabri Shire Council has been hit with a $15,000 fine by the state’s Environment Protection Authority. The EPA says Council failed to adequately maintain the Narrabri Sewage Treatment Plant, under the terms of its licence. A spokesperson says the failure resulted in partially-treated effluent and liquid waste leaking from filter tanks on the site. Narrabri Shire Council was contacted for comment.

For some, a trip to the grocery store can be a daunting experience. But it’s hoped by reducing bright lights and noise, those with sensory conditions like autism can do their shopping with ease. Coles Tamworth is the latest store to observe a ‘quiet hour.’