Police seize 21 guns, ammo

DETECTIVES have seized 21 guns and ammunition from an Inverell home, the same day police in Australia and New Zealand launched Operation Unification, a two-week blitz on illegal firearms.

New England police say they found 11 unsecured and unregistered firearms when they searched a Brae St home in Inverell, northwest of Armidale, on Thursday morning.

The firearms included five rifles, three shotguns (one shortened and loaded), three pistols (one loaded), a metal banana magazine and more than 1000 unsecured live ammunition rounds.

Officers say they also found 10 secured and registered firearms in the house, however, they were seized as part of the police haul, and the man’s firearms licence was also suspended.

Officers had initially arrived at the house in relation to a firearms inquiry when they allege a 67-year-old man disclosed to detectives he was in possession of unregistered weapons.

Police allege they saw a rifle leaning against a wall in the hallway and another gun against a wall in a bedroom.

They were granted a warrant to search the house about 11am.

The man was to be issued with a notice to attend court for aggravated possession of unregistered firearms and possession of a prohibited weapon.

Anyone with information on the possession, supply or whereabouts of illegal firearms should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Flyover to mark Blue Mountains crossing

SEVENTY-FIVE aircraft will fly over the Blue Mountains to mark 200 years since explorers opened up the New South Wales west.

The flyover today (Saturday) celebrates the 1823 crossing of the mountains by Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson and William Wentworth and will include gyrocopters, war planes, Cessnas and even an RAAF Hercules.

Thousands of spectators are expected to watch the flyover from 11 sites set up for the event along the route.

The fleet starts out at Emu Plains at 11:30am and is due to fly through the Blue Mountains to Mount York, before heading out to Bathurst.

A descendant of each of the three explorers will take part in the flyover as passengers.

$312,500 of cannabis found

in car’s door panels – police

POLICE have seized 12kg of cannabis worth $312,500 concealed in the doors of a car stopped for a random breath test on the Barrier Highway at Broken Hill.

The vehicle was pulled over by Highway Patrol officers about 10:40am on Wednesday, police say.

The 43-year-old man was arrested and taken to Broken Hill Police Station where a further search of the vehicle revealed more than 12kg of cannabis had been concealed in the vehicle’s doors.

The man was subsequently charged with supply prohibited drug, possess prohibited drug and deal in proceeds of crime.

Police will allege the cannabis has an estimated street value of $312,500.

The man’s vehicle was also seized pending further investigation.

He appeared at Broken Hill Local Court yesterday (Thursday), where he was refused bail to reappear in the same court on May 28.

Traffic & Highway Patrol Operations Commander, Superintendent Stuart Smith, says police will continue to target drug couriers using country roads.

“This is an excellent example where Highway Patrol officers have effectively stemmed the distribution of drugs by road,” he says.

“Any person considering driving across the border with drugs or weapons is warned they will be targeted, identified and arrested.”

Lake Cowal yabby oddity

prompts warning for fishers

RECREATIONAL fishers are warned not to consume yabbies with visible shell damage after a number of the freshwater delicacies were found to be affected with irregular markings in the Lake Cowal area near West Wyalong.

Numerous reports have been made about unusual shell markings on some of the catches coming from Lake Cowal last week, says Department of Primary Industries (DPI) acting senior inland fisheries manager Matthew McLellan.

“The unusual markings feature on the body of the yabby, and are red in colour,” he says.

“In some instances, larger affected areas on the shell have caused the shell to go very soft in the affected area.

“Sampling is underway and analysis of the affected yabbies will be undertaken at the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute to try to determine the nature of the shell damage, and rule out a fungal disease, shell rot or other pathogens.

“The Environment Protection Authority is also undertaking water and sediment sample testing.

“In the interim, we advise all commercial and recreational fishers to use caution when fishing in Lake Cowal and return any affected yabbies back into the water,” says Mr McLellan.

Commercial fishers in the area have been contacted and advised that affected yabbies should not be marketed or sold.

“The New South Wales Food Authority advises that under the Food Act 2003 it is an offence to sell food that is unsuitable,” says Mr McLellan.

“The definition of unsuitable within the Food Act 2003 includes food that is a product of a diseased animal.

“Therefore any yabbies that appear diseased should not be sold for human consumption.”

At this stage, it’s believed about 25 per cent of yabbies from the Lake Cowal area seem to be affected.

“Fishers are asked to report any unusual looking yabbies to the (DPI) as we continue to investigate the cause of this event,” Mr McLellan says.

Former MP Gerry Peacocke dies

PREMIER Barry O’Farrell and his deputy have paid tribute to former Dubbo MP Gerry Peacocke, who died in his sleep last night (Wednesday) aged 81.

Mr Peacocke, a member of the National Party, was member for Dubbo from 1981 to 1999.

During his 18 years in parliament, Mr Peacocke held two portfolios.

From 1998 to 1991 he held the small business and consumer affairs portfolio and from 1991 to 1993 he was minister for local government.

Mr O’Farrell says he was saddened to hear of Mr Peacocke’s death.

“I send my condolences to his family and friends,” Mr O’Farrell says in a statement.

“Gerry was one of the true gentlemen of New South Wales politics – admired by MPs on both sides of the house.”

Deputy Premier and Nationals Leader Andrew Stoner has praised Mr Peacocke as a “great custodian of regional NSW”.

“Gerry represented the Dubbo community with distinction for more than 30 years and had dedicated his life to building regional communities,” says Mr Stoner.

“Gerry Peacocke will be sorely missed by those who knew him, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”

LHPA says no to electronic tagging

THE current mob-based system of traceability for sheep and goats in New South Wales meets national tracing standards and the Livestock Health and Pest Authorities (LHPA) are encouraging producers, saleyard operators and stock and station agents to help them ensure compliance.

Chair of the LHPA State Management Council, Ian Donges, says they are working with all sections of the sheep industry to gather information to support the NSW case to retain the current mob-based movement system.

This evidence will be provided to the Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson, in early July in an effort to avoid the mandatory introduction of electronic tagging, radio frequency identification (RFID), in NSW.

“In late 2012, the NSW National Livestock Identification (NLIS) Steering Committee and the NSW NLIS Sheep and Goat Implementation Advisory Committee met and agreed to try a different approach to saleyard compliance monitoring,” says Mr Donges.

“The aim of this new approach was to ensure traceability and to provide comparative compliance costs between the mob-based paper and electronic systems.”

As a result of these discussions, a trial began at the Carcoar CTLX saleyards in the Tablelands LHPA, aimed at finding and fixing compliance problems, and providing feedback, he says.

“The initial trial was successful and we have agreed that further trials at a state level, as well other activities to compliment these, should be carried out to prove that the mob-based system is fully capable of meeting the national tracing standards,” says Mr Donges.

“Our vets and rangers are encouraging producers to work closely and co-operatively with LHPA staff, saleyard operators and stock station agents during this trial period, which has already commenced in some areas.”

Mr Donges says that despite criticisms of the mob-based system, the introduction of a mandatory electronic tagging system will be impractical, expensive and unnecessary.

“The cost of RIFDs could be as much as $3.30 per sheep to producers with unknown costs to saleyard operators, agents and processors which is a burden the industry can’t afford,” he says.

“The trials will continue until June 30 and will also allow us to clearly demonstrate the need and capability to achieve 100 per cent compliance to vendors, agents and buyers, which is essential to ensure the biosecurity of the state is protected.”

From July 1, state inspectors will administer fees and penalties to those who are non-compliant.

“LHPAs will continue to work with and support industry on this issue,” Mr Donges says.