November 21, 2024 • 14 mins
Your weekly local news wrap for the Eyre Peninsula and surrounds.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Oola coming up a special visitor coming to Port Lincoln. Hi.
I'm Jackie Limb with iHeart Air Peninsula, your weekly local
news wrap for the Air Peninsula and surrounds. But first,
Wyler's future is looking a little brighter this week with
GfG Alliance announcing a one hundred and fifty million dollar
loan to support its steel works and mining operations. The
(00:23):
money will help pay suppliers and push forward repairs to
the blast furnace, which has been offline since August. The
announcement is a key step in gfg's back to black plan,
but challenges remain, with major suppliers recently suspending services over
unpaid debts. Meanwhile, there's talk of an exciting new green
energy project on the horizon, with Whyala flagged as a
(00:44):
potential site for a cutting edge synthetic fuel plant. Our
reporter Sam Talbot spoke to Member for Giles Eddie Hughes,
who says the GfG funding is a step in the
right direction.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
As people were a number of the major contractors so
stop deliberate workout depending an agreement over a of a
payment schedules, so this should help with that. And I
also understand that some of the money might be used
to address one or two or the other vulnerabilities that
the steel works, So that would be positive at the
(01:16):
end of the day through a lot of people. One
hundred and fifty million sounds like a lot, but it's
not a huge Abani money, but it might get us
a step forward. It might be arrangements could well be
entered into get the major contractors back operating again. And
I guess at this stage the impact has really been
on the mine operations in in Wyla and we're still
(01:40):
addressing the blast furnace issue at the steel works, but
the contractors such as their Golden and their Horizon and
others pulling out Ha's had a big impact on the
on the mining in the Middle Back air ranges and
the transport of war once mining occurs.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Taking a bigger look at Whyela and the plans of
expansion for the future, it's pretty dependent on GfG. Is
that fair to say?
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Well, it depends what you're talking about. Obviously, the transformation
of the steel works, and it's a necessary transformation because
we're talking about an older steel works at Wyala. That
transformation to direct reduction nine making as the replacement for
a blast furnace and they and then an electric cart furnace.
(02:32):
So there are things that do need to happen and
that requires a lot of investment, and clearly in our
community and elsewhere, there's a lot of skepticism about whether
GfG can deliver that transformation. But there's a number of
other things happening that should be seen in some respects
independent of the steel works. So the government, the state
(02:55):
government are fully committed to the hydrogen power plant because
essentially that will operate as a peaking station on the grid.
Clearly Wiler as a site for hydrogen production that the
steel industry being close by would be a long term positive.
(03:16):
But in the immediate sense, the hydrogen power plant will
go ahead irrespect of what's going on at the steel
works at the moment. One of the other positive things
back in I think it was June we launched the
state government launched the global expression of interest for South
Australia when it comes to Green Island steel and fifty
(03:37):
two companies are put in an expression of interest and
some of these companies are very big air players in
the international steel industry, big Air steel producers and a
bunch of other really interested in their companies. So there
is a real interest in Wyler and the and the state,
(03:57):
and it should never be forgotten that there's literally billions
of tons of magnetype a wireless a doorstep, and the
ore here is particularly suited to using indirect iron production,
which will initially be dependent upon a natural gas, but
the longer term transition would be to hydrogen once that's
(04:18):
produced commercially at scale, and that's going to happen overnight.
I'd say that is something that is a longer term,
but we're well positioned as a state to move in.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
That direction and just quickly. The final big bit of
use for Wyela is the zero fuel plant. There might
be another way to diversify industry in Wyala.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Well, certainly we need all the diversity we can get,
and that has always been wireless story. We're too dependent
upon on one industry, albeit it's been a good industry
for Whila, but too dependent and any any other company
looking to establish and Wila will get We'll get their significance,
the support and be more than welcome. I'm one of
(05:01):
those people that have been around for a long time.
My chickens when they hatch, and someone said to me
to the other day. Well, not just hatch or wandering around,
but laying eggs themselves as well. So a lot of
my community there's always a degree, if you call it
positive skepticism. We welcome any other developments, but we know
(05:22):
that there's a long process involved in getting any projects
up off the ground. You have to work towards getting
a financial closure.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Remember for Giles Eddie Hughes there.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
I hardla I Hardla.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
SA Water has announced a new plan targeting the Air
Peninsula's water security. The new scheme will aim to protect
the region's drinking water supplies and help customers save Our
reporter Jay Moss has more.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Thanks Jack Yeah. Caught up with SA Waters David Kom
early this week chatting about a possible rebate for Air
Peninsula residents. The rebate would be for water appliances and
it comes under a new scheme which is set to
conserve water in the region. SA What does David Komb
explain some of the benefits of the plan.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
Over the last six months or so, we've been revising
our water security plan for the Air Peninsula. The water
Security Plan provides guidance and gives us a structured approach.
I guess for how we respond to different levels of
water security on the Air Peninsula. Right from you know
that we've got usual levels of water available right through
too extreme water shortages. It helps us to be able
(06:33):
to step through in four levels what our joined up
community response will be to those different levels of water security.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
He explains what situation we're currently in when it comes
to water supply.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
So we're currently at level two within our Water Security
Response Plan. So what that means that we've got enough
water available to cover existing demand for our SA water customers,
that we don't have enough water available to be able
to supply new industrial or or commercial requests that require
significant volumes of water.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
He is reminding residents the situation's not at a critical stage.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
Well, okay for the moment. If we start to see
that our levels of available water are under what we
need to be able to supply to our customers, and
that's a trigger for us to look to go to
the next stage of our Water Security Response Plan and
level level three, which effectively means that we need to
(07:30):
look to introduce ways in which we might be able
to save water to be able to ensure that we
can meet demand.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
The plan comes following extensive consultation with a range of
key stakeholders from right across the Air Peninsula.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
Action plans really important because one it makes sure that
we've got a plan that is specific for the Air Peninsula.
So over the last six months we've worked really closely
with key stakeholders, so all ten councils, Primary Produces, Grain Producers, Livesta,
Regional Development Australia looking at our response plan to make
(08:05):
sure that it's fit for purpose and the levels within
it enable us to be in the best position should
we need to enact them.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Mister Kom explains where locals can go if they're looking
for more information.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
So we've got a lot of information on our SA
Water website, so www dot water dot com dot au.
There's a water use calculator on there which is really
useful for people to get on see where they're using
water within their homes. It provides a lot of information
about how you can reduce water both inside and outside
(08:37):
of your home, so it's really handy when you're trying
to work out what rebates might be best suited to
your particular home.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
If you still have any questions around the water usage
scheme and the possible rebate SA Water are key to
help out.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
We've got a dedicated free call line, so if customers
want to just call up and get some more information
about rebates or about the water security response plan, they
can give us a call on one A hundred and
one three zero nine five to two.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Thanks for that one, Ji and Friends of Osbroy recently
issued an invitation to renowned conservationist Roy Dennis to visit
Port Lincoln while he's in Australia and he's accepted. Twenty
years ago, Roy was awarded a Golden Eagle as the
person who had done the most for nature conservation in
the UK in the last one hundred years, and now
his eagle eye is set to be cast over our
(09:24):
local projects, culminating in a dinner on December one. I
spoke to Franz Solly, secretary of the Friends of Osprey,
earlier this week.
Speaker 6 (09:32):
We are super excited, so we knew we heard that
Roy was coming to Sydney to visit family over Christmas
and so we'll no harm asking. So we've got in
touch and said, look, would you like to come to
South Australia and even better, would you like to come
to Port Lincoln and most excitingly fast, he said, yes.
(09:53):
So Roy is really, I guess the godfather of conservation,
particularly with osprey but also with other species of birds
and mammals in the UK. So it's super exciting that
he's agreed to come and that he's agreed to talk
at the dinner that we're having.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Yeah, definitely. So he's been your first point of contact
for many years now with the satellite tracker as well,
back in twenty twenty. But has he had any assistance
in the nests or the nesting towers and all of
that as well.
Speaker 6 (10:26):
Yes, So pretty much all of the strategies that we've
employed in South Australia to try and bring ospre back
we've learnt from Roy and the people that he's worked
with in the UK. In the UK, the ospreys were
extinct in parts and it's through Roy's foundation and his
(10:47):
work that they are now off the endangered list. So
it's a massive success story. Putting in artificial nest platforms,
color banding and satellite tracking of birds all things that
have been pioneered by Roy and he's been so generous
with his time in helping us. So when we first
(11:08):
did the satellite tracking, he got on a zoom meeting
with us and went through his step by step how
to go about doing the satellite tracking, and Dennian Falkenberg,
who's accredited tracker, practiced on his pet bantam. So yes,
roy will be driving from Adelaide to Port Lincoln, so
(11:30):
we'll be calling in it places along the way on
your peninsula, Arnoba, Port Neil Tumby Bay down to Lincoln
and he'll actually be observing when we put the satellite
trackers on the birds on the Port Lincoln barge and
also coming down to fil Island when we do the
work there.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Yeah, and he's helped with other species as well over
in the UK. Will there be anything else that people
might be trying to pick his brain while he's in
Lincoln other than the.
Speaker 6 (11:58):
Ostras, Well, I think it applies to everything. It's sadly
in the electorate of Gray we have the second worst
record for extinctions and threatened species, so there is a
lot of work that we need to be doing to
stop it, to be able to protect the last remaining
(12:19):
habitat and species that we have. And yeah, we really
think that we can learn from the experiences that Royce
had in how to go about doing that and sometimes
it really does mean thinking outside the square, like taking
one chick from the nest and relocating them, which is
what he did. And with some of our birds species
(12:43):
that it's that kind of thing maybe, you know, captive
breeding programs and reintroductions that sadly, perhaps we're getting to
that point.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Yeah, definitely it is sad, but it is great news
that they are breeding and there's a bit more going
on in the space. And as far as the event,
got chat with Roy. Tickets are available now and what
are the days?
Speaker 6 (13:04):
So the event is Sunday night, it's at the Port
Link and Yacht Club. Tickets are available. There's a link
on the Friends of Osprey Facebook page and on the
port Link and Osprey page to be able to get tickets.
It's one hundred dollars ahead. Some of that money, quite
a bit of that money goes back to the conservation
(13:26):
project here in South Australia. Three course meal cater by
Damien Mergin and plus the chat from Roy and also
Ian Falkenberg about what's going on here in South Australia.
Not often we get people of this caliber. You know,
we complain a lot about oh, you know, we're so
isolated and we don't get to hear the really good speakers. Well,
(13:48):
here's the opportunity.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
And that's your weekly news rap across the Air Peninsula
and surrounds. Don't forget. You can hear iHeart Air Peninsula
on the iHeart app or wherever you get your podcasts.
I'm Jackie limb Us again next week for more local,
trusted and free news Peninsula
Oola coming up a special visitor coming to Port Lincoln. Hi.
I'm Jackie Limb with iHeart Air Peninsula, your weekly local
news wrap for the Air Peninsula and surrounds. But first,
Wyler's future is looking a little brighter this week with
GfG Alliance announcing a one hundred and fifty million dollar
loan to support its steel works and mining operations. The
(00:23):
money will help pay suppliers and push forward repairs to
the blast furnace, which has been offline since August. The
announcement is a key step in gfg's back to black plan,
but challenges remain, with major suppliers recently suspending services over
unpaid debts. Meanwhile, there's talk of an exciting new green
energy project on the horizon, with Whyala flagged as a
(00:44):
potential site for a cutting edge synthetic fuel plant. Our
reporter Sam Talbot spoke to Member for Giles Eddie Hughes,
who says the GfG funding is a step in the
right direction.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
As people were a number of the major contractors so
stop deliberate workout depending an agreement over a of a
payment schedules, so this should help with that. And I
also understand that some of the money might be used
to address one or two or the other vulnerabilities that
the steel works, So that would be positive at the
(01:16):
end of the day through a lot of people. One
hundred and fifty million sounds like a lot, but it's
not a huge Abani money, but it might get us
a step forward. It might be arrangements could well be
entered into get the major contractors back operating again. And
I guess at this stage the impact has really been
on the mine operations in in Wyla and we're still
(01:40):
addressing the blast furnace issue at the steel works, but
the contractors such as their Golden and their Horizon and
others pulling out Ha's had a big impact on the
on the mining in the Middle Back air ranges and
the transport of war once mining occurs.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Taking a bigger look at Whyela and the plans of
expansion for the future, it's pretty dependent on GfG. Is
that fair to say?
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Well, it depends what you're talking about. Obviously, the transformation
of the steel works, and it's a necessary transformation because
we're talking about an older steel works at Wyala. That
transformation to direct reduction nine making as the replacement for
a blast furnace and they and then an electric cart furnace.
(02:32):
So there are things that do need to happen and
that requires a lot of investment, and clearly in our
community and elsewhere, there's a lot of skepticism about whether
GfG can deliver that transformation. But there's a number of
other things happening that should be seen in some respects
independent of the steel works. So the government, the state
(02:55):
government are fully committed to the hydrogen power plant because
essentially that will operate as a peaking station on the grid.
Clearly Wiler as a site for hydrogen production that the
steel industry being close by would be a long term positive.
(03:16):
But in the immediate sense, the hydrogen power plant will
go ahead irrespect of what's going on at the steel
works at the moment. One of the other positive things
back in I think it was June we launched the
state government launched the global expression of interest for South
Australia when it comes to Green Island steel and fifty
(03:37):
two companies are put in an expression of interest and
some of these companies are very big air players in
the international steel industry, big Air steel producers and a
bunch of other really interested in their companies. So there
is a real interest in Wyler and the and the state,
(03:57):
and it should never be forgotten that there's literally billions
of tons of magnetype a wireless a doorstep, and the
ore here is particularly suited to using indirect iron production,
which will initially be dependent upon a natural gas, but
the longer term transition would be to hydrogen once that's
(04:18):
produced commercially at scale, and that's going to happen overnight.
I'd say that is something that is a longer term,
but we're well positioned as a state to move in.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
That direction and just quickly. The final big bit of
use for Wyela is the zero fuel plant. There might
be another way to diversify industry in Wyala.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Well, certainly we need all the diversity we can get,
and that has always been wireless story. We're too dependent
upon on one industry, albeit it's been a good industry
for Whila, but too dependent and any any other company
looking to establish and Wila will get We'll get their significance,
the support and be more than welcome. I'm one of
(05:01):
those people that have been around for a long time.
My chickens when they hatch, and someone said to me
to the other day. Well, not just hatch or wandering around,
but laying eggs themselves as well. So a lot of
my community there's always a degree, if you call it
positive skepticism. We welcome any other developments, but we know
(05:22):
that there's a long process involved in getting any projects
up off the ground. You have to work towards getting
a financial closure.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Remember for Giles Eddie Hughes there.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
I hardla I Hardla.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
SA Water has announced a new plan targeting the Air
Peninsula's water security. The new scheme will aim to protect
the region's drinking water supplies and help customers save Our
reporter Jay Moss has more.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Thanks Jack Yeah. Caught up with SA Waters David Kom
early this week chatting about a possible rebate for Air
Peninsula residents. The rebate would be for water appliances and
it comes under a new scheme which is set to
conserve water in the region. SA What does David Komb
explain some of the benefits of the plan.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
Over the last six months or so, we've been revising
our water security plan for the Air Peninsula. The water
Security Plan provides guidance and gives us a structured approach.
I guess for how we respond to different levels of
water security on the Air Peninsula. Right from you know
that we've got usual levels of water available right through
too extreme water shortages. It helps us to be able
(06:33):
to step through in four levels what our joined up
community response will be to those different levels of water security.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
He explains what situation we're currently in when it comes
to water supply.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
So we're currently at level two within our Water Security
Response Plan. So what that means that we've got enough
water available to cover existing demand for our SA water customers,
that we don't have enough water available to be able
to supply new industrial or or commercial requests that require
significant volumes of water.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
He is reminding residents the situation's not at a critical stage.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
Well, okay for the moment. If we start to see
that our levels of available water are under what we
need to be able to supply to our customers, and
that's a trigger for us to look to go to
the next stage of our Water Security Response Plan and
level level three, which effectively means that we need to
(07:30):
look to introduce ways in which we might be able
to save water to be able to ensure that we
can meet demand.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
The plan comes following extensive consultation with a range of
key stakeholders from right across the Air Peninsula.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
Action plans really important because one it makes sure that
we've got a plan that is specific for the Air Peninsula.
So over the last six months we've worked really closely
with key stakeholders, so all ten councils, Primary Produces, Grain Producers, Livesta,
Regional Development Australia looking at our response plan to make
(08:05):
sure that it's fit for purpose and the levels within
it enable us to be in the best position should
we need to enact them.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Mister Kom explains where locals can go if they're looking
for more information.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
So we've got a lot of information on our SA
Water website, so www dot water dot com dot au.
There's a water use calculator on there which is really
useful for people to get on see where they're using
water within their homes. It provides a lot of information
about how you can reduce water both inside and outside
(08:37):
of your home, so it's really handy when you're trying
to work out what rebates might be best suited to
your particular home.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
If you still have any questions around the water usage
scheme and the possible rebate SA Water are key to
help out.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
We've got a dedicated free call line, so if customers
want to just call up and get some more information
about rebates or about the water security response plan, they
can give us a call on one A hundred and
one three zero nine five to two.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Thanks for that one, Ji and Friends of Osbroy recently
issued an invitation to renowned conservationist Roy Dennis to visit
Port Lincoln while he's in Australia and he's accepted. Twenty
years ago, Roy was awarded a Golden Eagle as the
person who had done the most for nature conservation in
the UK in the last one hundred years, and now
his eagle eye is set to be cast over our
(09:24):
local projects, culminating in a dinner on December one. I
spoke to Franz Solly, secretary of the Friends of Osprey,
earlier this week.
Speaker 6 (09:32):
We are super excited, so we knew we heard that
Roy was coming to Sydney to visit family over Christmas
and so we'll no harm asking. So we've got in
touch and said, look, would you like to come to
South Australia and even better, would you like to come
to Port Lincoln and most excitingly fast, he said, yes.
(09:53):
So Roy is really, I guess the godfather of conservation,
particularly with osprey but also with other species of birds
and mammals in the UK. So it's super exciting that
he's agreed to come and that he's agreed to talk
at the dinner that we're having.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Yeah, definitely. So he's been your first point of contact
for many years now with the satellite tracker as well,
back in twenty twenty. But has he had any assistance
in the nests or the nesting towers and all of
that as well.
Speaker 6 (10:26):
Yes, So pretty much all of the strategies that we've
employed in South Australia to try and bring ospre back
we've learnt from Roy and the people that he's worked
with in the UK. In the UK, the ospreys were
extinct in parts and it's through Roy's foundation and his
(10:47):
work that they are now off the endangered list. So
it's a massive success story. Putting in artificial nest platforms,
color banding and satellite tracking of birds all things that
have been pioneered by Roy and he's been so generous
with his time in helping us. So when we first
(11:08):
did the satellite tracking, he got on a zoom meeting
with us and went through his step by step how
to go about doing the satellite tracking, and Dennian Falkenberg,
who's accredited tracker, practiced on his pet bantam. So yes,
roy will be driving from Adelaide to Port Lincoln, so
(11:30):
we'll be calling in it places along the way on
your peninsula, Arnoba, Port Neil Tumby Bay down to Lincoln
and he'll actually be observing when we put the satellite
trackers on the birds on the Port Lincoln barge and
also coming down to fil Island when we do the
work there.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Yeah, and he's helped with other species as well over
in the UK. Will there be anything else that people
might be trying to pick his brain while he's in
Lincoln other than the.
Speaker 6 (11:58):
Ostras, Well, I think it applies to everything. It's sadly
in the electorate of Gray we have the second worst
record for extinctions and threatened species, so there is a
lot of work that we need to be doing to
stop it, to be able to protect the last remaining
(12:19):
habitat and species that we have. And yeah, we really
think that we can learn from the experiences that Royce
had in how to go about doing that and sometimes
it really does mean thinking outside the square, like taking
one chick from the nest and relocating them, which is
what he did. And with some of our birds species
(12:43):
that it's that kind of thing maybe, you know, captive
breeding programs and reintroductions that sadly, perhaps we're getting to
that point.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
Yeah, definitely it is sad, but it is great news
that they are breeding and there's a bit more going
on in the space. And as far as the event,
got chat with Roy. Tickets are available now and what
are the days?
Speaker 6 (13:04):
So the event is Sunday night, it's at the Port
Link and Yacht Club. Tickets are available. There's a link
on the Friends of Osprey Facebook page and on the
port Link and Osprey page to be able to get tickets.
It's one hundred dollars ahead. Some of that money, quite
a bit of that money goes back to the conservation
(13:26):
project here in South Australia. Three course meal cater by
Damien Mergin and plus the chat from Roy and also
Ian Falkenberg about what's going on here in South Australia.
Not often we get people of this caliber. You know,
we complain a lot about oh, you know, we're so
isolated and we don't get to hear the really good speakers. Well,
(13:48):
here's the opportunity.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
And that's your weekly news rap across the Air Peninsula
and surrounds. Don't forget. You can hear iHeart Air Peninsula
on the iHeart app or wherever you get your podcasts.
I'm Jackie limb Us again next week for more local,
trusted and free news Peninsula
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