Instead, we have seen very positive increases in business confidence in most developed countries with the main concern centred on China’s reaction to existing trade agreements and to ongoing military pressures in the South China Sea.

A Trump government’s policies could have a serious effect on Australia’s beef exports to the US and they are one of our major meat export markets.

QUITE a lot of discussion has been generated on the proposed sale to private enterprise of NSW Land and Property Information Service.

Local member Paul Toole assures us that the Bathurst arm of the service that provides the mapping section of the LPI will remain in state government hands.

At the same time, former Bathurst titles surveyor general Don Grant has spoken to the Western Advocate to express his genuine concern at the prospect of privatisation of yet another government entity and he suggests that the LPI provides in the order of $35 million annually to government coffers.

My understanding is that the proposed legislation to proceed with privatisation of this service has passed both Houses in Macquarie Street so I wait with interest for the next chapter of this important issue.

THE final result of the Orange by-election has been declared but the repercussions will probably continue for many months.

From comments that have been made in Macquarie Street it would seem that forced council amalgamations are still on centre stage. and that if legal appeals are not successful, planned amalgamations will certainly go ahead.

Maybe the message from Orange won’t be heeded or maybe someone sitting in the premier’s chair has a genuine tin ear.

Perhaps a decision by every Lower House National to cross the floor on the issues of greyhound racing policy and further local government amalgamations will be needed to control the anti-government protest that has been shown in Orange.

A decision rather than an idle threat may be required.

A party named the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party won’t appeal to the middle-of-the-road electors in a full state election and perhaps a name change would be of benefit.

The Coalition State Government has a record that any administration would be proud of but some serious issues came to the fore at the Orange by-election.

Middle-of-the-road voters need to have their trust restored quickly.

KEVIN Spinks and his family farm 1800 hectares near Tem Bend in South Australia and they keep up to speed with vaccination and mulesing techniques and concentrate on specialty presentation of border Leicester merino cross ewe lambs.

Mr Spinks is quoted: “They virtually have to be Gudair vaccinated at a cost of around $3 and sell for at least $10 more.

“We realised the importance of mulesing first cross ewes and immediately started using TriSolfen. I think lambs walk away from cradles better than when we used to tail dock.”

A QUOTE from respected wool broker Marty Moses: “The 30 micron crossbred indicator has fallen 342c/kg – or 38 per cent - since September last year when it peaked at just under 900c.

“While wool is not the key profit driver for a prime lamb enterprise, these massive adjustments may sway decisions in land usage in the future.”

ITALIAN wool miller Caconico is now paying a 10 per cent premium for unmulesed superfine wool.

Their Australian buyer Andrew Raeber from New England Wool said: “If this miller pays a 10 per cent premium for non-mulesed wool on top of the already contract price, that is a direct reaction to the increase of demand for fabric made from non-mulesed wool.”

He went on: “Now is the perfect time to maybe have a control flock, something that is not going to have a big impact, stop mulesing and see what it means for your business.”

THE wool market rebounded well this week with all merino microns gaining ground.

The superfine merinos were up 30 to 40c/kg while the medium to stronger merinos were up 20 to 30c/kg. The fine XBs lost 10c/kg and the broad XBs gained 15c/kg,.

The northern market indicator finished the week on 1359c/kg, up 28c/kg.

The difference in value between the fine merinos and the stronger merinos is finally starting to widen. In July the difference between a 17 micron and a 21 micron was 95c/kg but now the difference is 280c/kg - a more traditional differential.

Sales next week will see 49,282 bales on offer in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle.

THE farmer said “hello” into his mobile phone and a deep voice answered “hull-o”.

The farmer hesitated: “I’m trying to phone my phone. Lord, I hope I’ve dialled a wrong number.”

***

THE young bloke  smiled at the new girlfriend and asked: “Will you love me always?”

She said: “Why not, which way first?”

***

GEORGE was at the Pearly Gates and noticed lots of wall clocks.

St Peter told him that each of us has a wall clock that moves one click whenever we tell a lie.

“That one is Mother Teresa’s and the hand never moved. That one is Fred Nile’s and it’s only moved twice,” he said.

So George asked if Billy Shorten and Malcolm Turnbull had clocks and St Peter declared: “Oh yes, my son, they’ve got the ceiling fans. ”(Thanks DC.)