Media Releases

Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh, is confident further progress will be made on the elimination of border anomalies such as reciprocal fishing licences when the Victoria-New South Wales Cross Border Consultation Forum meets in Swan Hill this Friday, September 3.
Hosted by the Victorian and NSW Departments’ of Premier and Cabinet, Mayors and State Members of Parliament for border electorates and Victorian and NSW Government representatives will be attending this meeting.
“One of the many issues I will be canvassing will be that of recreational fishing licences and I am very confident that some resolution will finally be achieved,” Mr Walsh said.
“It is ludicrous that people living along the border between Victoria and New South Wales still require a NSW licence to fish in the Murray River and a Victorian licence if they move into one of the Victorian tributaries and offshoots such as the Loddon and the Little Murray,” he said.
“This is an issue which was to have been resolved with the introduction of reciprocal licences in early 2009 and it is disappointing that the Victorian and New South Wales Primary Industries Departments have still not reached an agreement.
“I’m advised continuing leadership changes in the NSW Premier’s office is a reason for the delay, but with Kristina Keneally in office since December 2009, there has surely been sufficient time to act on this matter.
“Victoria offered reciprocal licences back in the 1980s but the offer fell through when the NSW Government sought compensation for any loss of revenue.
“Border anomalies are a cause of enormous frustration to people living along the Victorian –NSW border with many businesses continually being confronted with unnecessary red tape and restrictions,” Mr Walsh said.
“The Cross Border Issues Forum was established in July 2006, and has met annually since then to look at identifying and rectifying the massive range of anomalies that exist.
“I am very hopeful that this week’s meeting will go a long way to overcoming many of these anomalies,” he said.

Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh, has welcomed the decision by the Brumby Government to finally accept a major recommendation from the Bushfire Royal Commission to introduce a much fairer system of funding Victoria’s fire services.
“The Coalition has been advocating an equitable system of funding the fire and emergency services but Premier Brumby has long been in denial,” Mr Walsh said.
“The catalyst for his about-face has been the Bushfires Royal Commission and the upcoming State election.
“The Bushfire Royal Commission’s major recommendation to drop the Fire Services Levy on insurance policies on property and replace it with a charge on all property, with a concession for low-income earners, is a far more equitable system.
“The new system will be much fairer and echoes the long standing call by the Coalition, the Insurance industry, farming and other business groups,” he said.
“Premier Brumby has continually rejected this call stating that the current model was the best way to fund Victoria’s fire services even to the extent of stating in the Parliament in August 2009 that the Coalition policy for a property based levy was a poll tax, and he thought it was a disgraceful policy.
“The new model will replace the inequitable existing one where country businesses find that for every $100 of their insurance premium, they pay an additional $123 for the fire services levy, GST and stamp duty, more than doubling the cost of their insurance.
“This about-face is just another example of John Brumby adopting sensible Coalition Policy and demonstrates the disarray of the Labor Government and its own lack of real policy,” Mr Walsh said.

Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Deputy Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh has called for local government to be given greater support to implement the Brumby Government’s new dog laws.
Mr Walsh said the Domestic Animals Amendment (Dangerous Dogs) Bill being debated in Parliament required councils to take a greater role in ensuring streets and homes were safe from wandering and dangerous dogs.
“Councils already bear the burden of enforcing companion dog laws including registration and the employment of authorised officers and rangers,” Mr Walsh said.
“This is another responsibility the Brumby Government has foisted onto local councils and it brings to the fore a need for councils to be given greater support and for dog owners to take greater responsibility.
“More than 40 per cent of dogs are unregistered and an average of six dog attacks are reported every day in Victoria.”
Mr Walsh said he was concerned the legislation would further strain already-stretched councils by handballing more responsibility to local government.
“Existing laws require registration and micro chipping of pet dogs but many councils aren’t sufficiently resourced to enforce these new laws as well,” Mr Walsh said.
“The responsibility will fall on local government to employ the authorised officers and rangers needed to make sure dogs are registered.
“The legislation will also place greater onus on owners of some breeds to register them as dangerous, menacing or restricted breeds.
“Research by Monash University’s Victorian Injuries Surveillance Unit suggests that dog attacks occur more frequently by unregistered dogs.
“Pet owners need to make sure not just that their dogs are compliant with registration requirements but that they receive proper training and care,” Mr Walsh said.

Member for Swan Hill Peter Walsh has welcomed the gazetting of the revised rules for taking days in lieu of Melbourne Cup Day with Councils now allocating their preferred days to fit in with community needs.
Councils such as Yarriambiack, Buloke and Gannawarra have all opted for public holidays on days which align with their local shows.
“It is significant that the enormous ground swell of public opinion that this issue created, was able to overturn the extremely short sighted and ill-informed decision made by the Brumby Government twelve months ago,” Mr Walsh said.
“The arrogance of this Government where there is a belief that decisions made to suit metropolitan areas are also suited to regional areas has taken another significant battering,” he said.
“It took considerable lobbying and action by Councils and members of the community for this logical point to be reached.
“The Government was told long before the initial misguided legislation was passed that a ‘one cap fits all’ ruling was inappropriate but that was ignored.
“It is very pleasing to see Councils now being able to select those days that best suit their communities for this public holiday.
“I look forward to seeing the success of our local shows in Murtoa on October 1, Kerang and Minyip on October 5, Rupanyup on October 6, Warracknabeal on October 7 and Wycheproof on October 20.
“It is appropriate that these days are now Public Holidays and with the rest of the community talking November 2, Melbourne Cup Day, the needs of everyone will now be met by these more considered arrangements,” Mr Walsh said.

Member for Swan Hill Peter Walsh said he was pleased to hear the lawyers for the Bushfires Royal Commission have joined with the Liberal Nationals Coalition in acknowledging the current Fire Services Levy (FSL) model is inequitable and should be changed.
“For a long time I have been calling for changes to the Fire Service Levy (FSL) and I welcome the Counsel Assisting’s submission to the Royal Commission today which states that the current FSL model should be abandoned,” Mr Walsh said.
Mr Walsh said the current FSL, which funded fire services including the Country Fire Authority, was grossly unfair in its current form because it encouraged people to under-insure or not insure at all.
“Only those who take out insurance actually contribute to fire services by way of an additional tax on insurance premiums,” Mr Walsh said.
“The Brumby Government has refused to act despite growing anger and frustration over the FSL expressed by businesses and home owners.
“The Brumby Government has known for years how unfair and inequitable the FSL is but it has done nothing – everyone except John Brumby acknowledges that his government’s Fire Services Levy is a tax.
“The Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition in government is committed to implementing a fairer system than the one that currently stands,” Mr Walsh said.

It is time the dilapidated Murtoa Stick Shed was demolished according to Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh.
Speaking in Parliament, Mr Walsh detailed the major safety issues surrounding the historic grain storage shed and the failed efforts to preserve the structure.
“GrainCorp, on whose land the building is sited, the overwhelming majority of the community and the local historical society all believe that the stick shed is beyond repair,” Mr Walsh said.
“Large sections of the roof have fallen and the entire roof area is covered in wire mesh in an effort to stop roofing iron from blowing around the neighbouring community.
“Despite funding from the State Government through Heritage Victoria to try and conserve the building, Worksafe Victoria suspended works almost as soon as they had begun last year because of fears for worker’s safety.
“The situation has obviously not improved with the adjacent school even having to resort on occasion to not allowing children out onto the school’s playground areas because of the danger of flying roof iron,” Mr Walsh said.
With GrainCorp seriously considering its options in regard to the future of the Murtoa grain receival facility, Mr Walsh has called on Premier Brumby to intervene and assist GrainCorp in their proposal to establish an historical interpretive centre which recognises the history of grain handling and storage in the district.
“Such a resource would ensure the history of the industry is recognised and maintained while improving the safety of all in the community,” Mr Walsh said.
“It would also allow GrainCorp the opportunity to develop its receival facility at the site and thus the future of grain handling in the district,” he said.

Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh, today called on the Brumby Government to immediately halt the roll-out of the much maligned ‘smart meters’.
“Just five months after the Energy Minister, Peter Batchelor, boasted of the benefits of the Brumby Government’s smart meters, such as its time of use pricing, he is now acknowledging that this is another government project that simply doesn’t work,” Mr Walsh said.
“Victorians are once again being asked to put their hands in their pockets and pay for another project that is beset with delays, massive cost blow outs and, as we now know, limited functionality.
“This project’s costs have blown out from $800 million to $2.25 million, is at least 12 months late and now we are finding out that the benefits that are supposed to come from the meters are not going to eventuate.
“While it continues to force consumers to pay for smart meters that they don’t want, won’t get until some unspecified time in the future and that don’t do what they are supposed to, the Brumby Government is burying its head in the sand,” he said.
“The government is in a policy panic and is refusing to acknowledge the community anger over the bungled project that has been dubbed the Myki of metering.
“It is essential that this whole project be put on hold until all concerns about its implementation are resolved.
“I urge members of the community to continue to support the Coalition’s concerns and sign the petition circulating in the electorate or available from my office,” Mr Walsh said.

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.

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.

“This event has been enthusiastically supported by students, teachers and the wider community for the past 30 years and the Brumby Government must demonstrate its support for our budding entertainers,” Mr Walsh said.

The Nationals Member for Swan Hill, Peter Walsh, said a damning report by Parliament’s Family and Community Development Committee reveals the supported accommodation system is in crisis and has failed vulnerable Victorians.

Many vulnerable Victorians are inappropriately housed because of John Brumby’s poorly resourced and crisis-driven supported accommodation, according to the report.

North Western Victoria (the Loddon Mallee region) is severely affected by Labor’s inaction.

The region has 57 people identified as in immediate need of disability accommodation who are languishing on the Brumby Government’s waiting list, with over 60 per cent of these people aged over 30 with elderly parents who are increasingly unable to continue full-time care.

The report revealed that the Loddon Mallee region which extends from Bendigo to Mildura had just 25 respite beds available to families with 169 families using facility-based respite.

While the report details extensive failings in the Government’s supported accommodation system, the sense of crisis expressed by families is largely omitted from the report.

“I have met with ageing parents, who fear that their vulnerable adult child will not receive proper care and accommodation when they die,” Mr Walsh said.

“I am disappointed that the despair and desperation which haunts so many families and individuals with a mental illness or disability is not detailed in the committee’s report.

“Families in northern Victoria have dedicated so much of their lives to caring for a family member with a mental illness or disability and the Brumby Government must take action to help them,” he said.

The inquiry, initiated by the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition, exposed a broken system which has left people with mental illness and/or disability suffering on waiting lists or in inappropriate accommodation for years.

“The Family and Community Development Committee found that Victoria needs more supported accommodation beds for people with a disability and/or mental illness.

“The Committee recommends new funding for additional places, particularly in country areas where needs are not being met, and John Brumby must do more to protect and support these vulnerable families,” Mr Walsh said.