Media Releases

Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh, is encouraging residents to take full advantage of their rights as consumers.

“I am constantly receiving calls from, and being visited by, constituents who believe that they are not being treated as they should be by certain businesses and individuals,” Mr Walsh said.

“A common example of this is the harassment of homeowners by supposed door to door salesmen and company representatives.

“These people generally target those whom they see as ‘soft’ targets – the elderly, lonely or those who might not have a good understanding of their rights.

“However, you can take precautions against these predators,” he said.

“In my office we have a supply of “Do Not Knock” stickers which are very effective in warding off those very annoying would-be door-to-door sales representatives.

“Another problem are the telephone marketers.

“Many people who registered with the “Do Not Call” register three years ago will need to re-register now as the initial registration only lasts for 3 years.

“I encourage residents to call the register number 1300 792 958 and make sure you are listed.

“Consumer Affairs also regularly visit Swan Hill and other centres to assist residents with concerns that they may have.

“If you need to make an appointment to see a representative call the Consumer Affairs office on 50221735 or 50221704.

“Consumers have rights and you must make sure you make use of the resources that are available to you to ensure that you don’t become victims of those who may try to take advantage,” Mr Walsh said.

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Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh, has lashed the Brumby government for its response to the requests for reduction of community club’s Liquor Licensing Fees.

“The Brumby Government has once again shown its contempt for small community groups in its responses to clubs license fee reduction requests,” Mr Walsh said.

“After much pressure the Government finally agreed to allow clubs, organisations and businesses to submit claims based on financial hardship.

“The time frame and requirements for these claims was short and, for many, quite demanding, but nevertheless many groups submitted these requests in good faith.

“Now the so-called generosity of the Brumby Government is being shown up with its response to these requests.

“One small, Mallee bowling club in my electorate who were hit with a 300% initial fee increase have now been advised that their increase has been reduced by $97. This now means that their increase is just over 200%.

“Another small bowling club whose fee skyrocketed to $795 have been informed their new fee is only $600. Once again an increase of more than 220% on their original fee.

“The arrogance and lack of concern for the survival of these volunteer sporting groups being shown by the Brumby Government is contemptible.

“The Coalition is determined to continue harassing the Brumby Government over its blatant money raising exercise and I urge everyone to sign one of the petitions circulating the community condemning the Government for its actions.

“I have copies of the petition in my office or I can send them out to any groups who would like one,” Mr Walsh said.

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The Nationals Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh, has joined his Coalition colleagues in calling for an immediate halt to the roll out of smart meters pending a full and independent cost-benefit analysis.

Mr Walsh said there was mounting evidence that the Brumby Government’s bungled smart meter project was placing a massive and unfair financial burden on Victorian families, especially pensioners and others on a fixed income.

He said he had been contacted by many constituents in recent days who were furious at being charged for meters they didn’t yet have.

“Given the Auditor-General has identified there is a real risk that smart meters might benefit the electricity industry at the expense of consumers, Victorian families should not be asked to potentially throw good money after bad until we know the facts,” Mr Walsh said.

“Victorian families will be paying up to $152 this year for smart meters that have not been installed and may not be installed for several years yet.

“On top of that they are facing electricity price increases of an extra $150 once the smart meters are finally installed.”

Mr Walsh accused the Brumby Government of bungling the smart meter project and said poor management had resulted in the cost of the project blowing out from $800 million to $2.25 billion.

He said every cent of that amount would be paid for by Victorians through higher electricity bills.

“With the Auditor-General questioning whether consumers will get any benefit at all from this project, the Brumby Government must immediately freeze the roll out until a full and independent cost-benefit analysis has been carried out.

Mr Walsh said a petition had been launched calling for a freeze on the smart meter roll out and he urged residents to support the campaign.

The petition is available from Mr Walsh’s electorate office at 274 Campbell St Swan Hill.  Electronic copies are available on request by emailing peter.walsh@parliament.vic.gov.au.

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The Nationals Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh, has accused the Brumby Government of penny-pinching and abandoning our youth by not funding the hugely popular Victorian Rock Eisteddfod.

“There is something wrong when thousands of Victorian school students are going to miss out on this year’s Rock Eisteddfod because the Brumby Government is so out of step with our young people,” Mr Walsh said.

“Organisers asked the Brumby Government last September to increase funding up to $200,000 to enable this years event to go ahead but Youth Minister James Merlino refused, resulting in the final curtain for the event.

Mr Walsh said real funding for the event had gone south under Labor, which had failed to adjust its funding contribution for inflation. 

“A re-elected Liberal Nationals Coalition Government will give $800,000 over the next four years to the music, dance and drama spectacular,” Mr Walsh said. 

Mr Walsh said while student participation remained strong last year, audience numbers had diminished after organisers raised ticket prices to compensate for the government’s lack of support. 

“The reduced income has had a significant impact on the financial viability of the event,” Mr Walsh said.

“Competition dates have been set for the year and schools have already put in many hours of work to prepare for the competition. 

“Unless the Brumby Government comes to the party, the work of these students will have been for nothing.

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Premier John Brumby and Water Minister Tim Holding have today been accused of pretending to turn on the north-south pipeline pumps in a media stunt.

 Shadow Minister for Country Water Resources and Deputy Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh said the government had orchestrated the stunt to avoid the growing furore over the Office of Police Integrity’s case against former deputy police commissioner Noel Ashby.

"The Premier today opened his monumental white elephant at Sugarloaf Reservoir in a flurry of fanfare and self-congratulation," Mr Walsh said.

"But I have been advised that at Killingworth, where the pipeline draws water from the Goulburn River, the pumps were not switched on."

Mr Walsh said the media stunt was the latest in a long history of government lies to sell the pipeline.

"John Brumby has lied to Victorians. He promised he would never pump water over the Great Divide. He promised he would never buy water from northern Victoria. He promised that water would only come from savings," Mr Walsh said.

"He has broken those promises on all counts and now he is pretending to turn the pumps on for the pipeline which is destined to become a monument to his folly.

"Perhaps the government has just finally done the math and realised that water from the pipeline is not actually needed."

Mr Walsh said despite Mr Brumby’s best efforts to sell the water as savings from northern Victoria, the government had looted it from the environment because it had been unable to achieve the savings it had predicted.

"There can be no justification for using the pipeline when Melbourne does not even need the water. More than 500 billion litres of storm water flows off Melbourne’s streets each year and 300 billion litres of wastewater is pumped out to sea," Mr Walsh said.

"If some of that water was used as a substitute for non-drinking water requirements, there would be no need for this white elephant."

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Victorian agriculture is bearing the brunt of the Brumby Government’s arrogant water policies, according to Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Deputy Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh.

 Mr Walsh said data released by ABS today showed the value of Victorian agriculture declined by more than 14 per cent last year.

"From June 2008 to June 2009, the value of Victoria’s agricultural commodities slumped by almost $1.7 billion dollars," Mr Walsh said.

"Milk production alone has dropped by $766.6 million (21.5%), while hay production has declined by $481.4 million (36%) and eggs by $17.1 million (12.8%).

"It’s obvious from these figures that Victorian producers are suffering badly."

Mr Walsh said while drought and fluctuating commodity prices were undoubtedly a factor in the decline, producers had weathered such problems before.

"The reality is the Brumby Government’s water policies are having a negative impact on the viability of Victorian agriculture," Mr Walsh said.

"The impact of the government’s policies is highlighted by the fact that agricultural commodities across Australia declined by just five per cent.

"Producers have been left questioning their future and the Brumby Government’s commitment to food production.

"The north-south pipeline, the decision to unbundle water rights and lift trading protections has seen huge amounts of water leave the northern Victorian food bowl.

"By 2015, more than half of high security water right in northern Victoria will be traded away from food production as a result of these decisions.

"The government’s rationalisation of irrigation infrastructure will also see 60 per cent of Goulburn-Murray Water’s irrigation system shut down."

Mr Walsh said the effects of Labor’s water policies were particularly evident in the dairy industry.

"Just last week Murray Goulburn announced the closure of its cheese factory in Leitchville due to declining milk production," Mr Walsh said.

"John Brumby must accept that he can have the region’s food or its water. The figures show that he cannot have both."

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Nationals Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh is encouraging applications for the popular VicTalent travel grants for rural and regional athletes, coaches, officials and teams.

Mr Walsh said the grants provide financial assistance of $500 to support developing rural and regional athletes and officials required to travel extensively for training and competition.

“One of the biggest issues for country young people is the distance they often need to travel in order to compete or take up specialised training opportunities,” Mr Walsh said.

“High fuel costs can make this difficult, especially for those families also struggling to meet the many additional costs in raising children.

“This program does provide some help to those people striving to realise their sporting potential at the pinnacle of their chosen sport,” he said.

“Applications for travel between July 1 and December 31 close on March 10.

“Applicants are encouraged to download the guidelines and application form from www.grants.dpcd.vic.gov.au or contact my electorate office at 274 Campbell St, Swan Hill," Mr Walsh concluded.

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The Nationals Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh, today encouraged community groups to apply for Telstra Connected Seniors grants worth up to $50,000 to help seniors make the most of modern-day communications technology such as mobile phones and computers.

Opening until the 5^th March, grant amounts range up to $5,000 for local community organisations and up to $50,000 for state and territory organisations.  Not-for-profit community organisations with a primary member base of people age over 60 are eligible to apply.

“The grants have come about because some seniors are apprehensive about using new technology but with assistance, mobile phones and computers are simple to use and they open up a whole new world of communication.

“Workshops are a welcome social addition to community organisations, and in previous funding rounds, seniors have found the workshops stimulating as they learn new skills and additionally they are an excellent way for community groups to attract and strengthen their membership base,” Mr Walsh said.

Eligible community organisations can apply for Telstra Connected Seniors® grants at www.telstraseniors.com.au until 5pm AEST on 5 March.

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Nationals Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh today called for students throughout the Electorate who are undertaking their first year of tertiary study in 2010 to apply for The Nationals Scholarship for Young Leaders before applications close on 25 February.

“The Nationals Scholarship aims to make a positive contribution to helping country students overcome the economic barriers that prevent many students from achieving a tertiary qualification,” Mr Walsh said.

“The Nationals Scholarship is open to students aged 16-25 who are attending their first year of tertiary study in 2010 and awards a share in $5000 for one or more successful applicants.

“The Nationals recognise the high costs young people face when they have to leave home to study in regional and metropolitan centres.

“Often without financial assistance attaining a tertiary qualification for many country students is not possible.”

“My office has been contacted by many young people interested in applying for the scholarship and I am encouraged by the amount of interest that has been shown,” Mr Walsh said.

For more information contact Mr Walsh’s office on 5032 3154 or email peter.walsh@parliament.vic.gov.au. Application forms are available on The Nationals website at www.vic.nationals.org.au.

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Mismanagement of the Building the Education Revolution in schools continues to create enormous problems for staff and students according to Member for Swan Hill Peter Walsh.

Speaking in Parliament this week Mr Walsh detailed the disgraceful sequence of events that have beset the Lake Charm Primary School.

“The Bendigo Regional Office of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) and the project managers, Incoll, have deliberately kept communication with the school as vague as possible giving the school community very few facts about what stage the building program is at,” Mr Walsh said.

“Instead of preparing for the start of the new school year, the female staff at Lake Charm were forced by the DEECD Bendigo Regional Office to become furniture removalists during the period leading up to the return to school date as the builders refused to take any responsibility for the process,” he said.

“As a result, the school was in no shape for the students to return to last Monday.

“When informed of the problems by the School Principal, the Regional Office had the gall to tell her to ‘take the kids swimming for a few days’,” Mr Walsh informed Parliament.

“What an appalling indictment of the level of interest and concern by the Brumby Government’s minions in the DEECD.

“This is a reflection of the mismanagement and wastage of taxpayers funds that the Brumby Government has inflicted on the Building the Education Revolution program,” he said.

“The staff and students of Lake Charm Primary School, and every other school suffering similar levels of mismanagement, deserve a whole lot better,” Mr Walsh said.

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