What's making News, 2025

[Bird]

RIP Ace Frehley....
Kiss army be down today
https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/celebrity-deaths/ace-frehley-founding-member-of-rock-band-kiss-dead-at-74/news-story/d5dc4b2c75e5cf0582c584dca8f9de17

[Fizzie]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-24/default-speed-limit-reduced-proposal-rural-road-toll-australia/105929204

Umm, I can't really see this working

[Pottsy]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-24/default-speed-limit-reduced-proposal-rural-road-toll-australia/105929204

Umm, I can't really see this working

I'm with you Fizzie, roads deaths are tragic but no amount of road safety campaigns or reduction in speed limits are going to prevent accidents, many bought about by inattention, lack of sleep, drugs, alcohol and speeding. 1300 people died on our roads last year, from a population of 27mil or .00004% of the population. Maybe our road toll would be less if maybe our governments pursued a more rigorous use of our fuel excise tax on bringing our roads up to scratch particularly in many rural areas.

[Harbourmaster]

I'm with you Fizzie, roads deaths are tragic but no amount of road safety campaigns or reduction in speed limits are going to prevent accidents, many bought about by inattention, lack of sleep, drugs, alcohol and speeding. 1300 people died on our roads last year, from a population of 27mil or .00004% of the population. Maybe our road toll would be less if maybe our governments pursued a more rigorous use of our fuel excise tax on bringing our roads up to scratch particularly in many rural areas.

About time we had an enquiry into where our fuel taxes are being spent. Having said that the road here in WA aren't too bad imo

[Hairs]

I've used a link from the ABC, not for any other reason, other than it's not behind a paywall.
There is a lot of information about it, depending on what news outlet you choose to take information, will depend on their agenda.
"Proposed Great Koala National Park boundary stops mid north coast timber logging"
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-07/great-koala-national-park-to-go-ahead-on-nsw-mid-north-coast/105743430
As President of the Grafton 4wd Club, along with a couple of other members, We will be attending a Meeting organised by the 4WD Association of NSW & ACT in Coff Harbour on the 25th of this month to find out what this mean for all users of lands within the boundary of this "Park".

As I understand it in a press lease from the NSW Government, they have allocated $40m to help timber workers effected to find another job.
$60m to set this up and to LOCK IT UP, with plans to extent it to the Qld boarder.

As a RFS volunteer, at our last brigade meeting this was discussed. As we understand it, the RFS will be relied on to attend fires in these areas. Many RFS members are either employed directly in the timber industry or are reliant on what the timber industry proves to communities.

Our 4wd, has over the past 30 years have cleared and kept open tracks, roads.
As a RFS member, we struggle atm to get a CAT1 and other appliances down State Forest roads to fight fires.
The consensus is, Locking these areas up will only cause bigger fires, cause more wild life lost.

After this meeting, I will post back, after I digest the information that will be presented.


You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

I attended this meeting.
Now searching through MySwag, and I do remember Alan posted about this back in in 2017, I watched that post with interest.
Well what happened at the meeting today.


The NSW & ACT 4WD Association hosted this even.
It included representatives from, The NSW & ACT Association, The Coffs Jeepers, Port Macquarie 4wd Club,
The Timbers Workers Union, a couple of workers in the timber industry, an owner of a Timber Mill, a Rep from Ironman, Coffs Harbour Mayor, and the State Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh.
I was informed that Richie Williams(np member for Clarence)
& CVC Mayor Ray Smith, were both invited, but no show.
From the out set, this just does not effect 4wd activities in this area. It effects all those that rely on the timber industry, the tourism industry, and all those who are reliant on these industries.
I will digest what was talked about, what needs to be done, and how we can  fight back as a collective, this is a huge kick in the guts for hard working families and businesses, it was also mentioned, that this is just the start of a bigger area to be locked up.

You don't use magic to disappear, ya use a 4x4 & Swag.

[prodigyrf]

There's great enthusiasm for AI and the internet to solve all our problems but there is a fly in the ointment with that. We could fast reach the stage whereby you can't trust anything digitally presented so we all go back to bricks and mortar over the counter transacting. Not to mention whispering in secret in dark places 
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/dozens-arrested-in-operation-ironside-sting-across-south-australia/ar-AA1Powng