EXTRA resources, including helicopters and specialist fire teams, were called in yesterday to help battle a large bushfire in a remote area of Howes Valley, south of Singleton.

IT WAS another day of woe for resources. OMH slashed next year's manganese production target by 30 per cent, Territory Resources flagged hedge book problems and Aquarius' Everest platinum mine in South Africa has been closed.

EXTENSIVE tax breaks would be given to mining and resources companies that do the right thing by native title claimants under proposed improvements to the native title system.

NSW is at a crossroads in the way it deals with criminals. Inmate numbers have reached 10,000 and the Department of Corrective Services forecasts they will increase by 300 a year.

A PLAN to develop Maitland's former Anambah dump site into 19 hectares of sports fields and parklands has been put on hold because of a lack of staff resources.