Overdue grants, no workers: Labor’s plan to fix seasonal worker shortage

Farmers are still falling victim to the Andrews Labor Government’s fundamental misunderstanding of Victoria’s $15.9 billion agriculture sector. Labor’s Agriculture Minister claimed that government grants announced today will build accommodation to “support this season’s harvest workers”. But Shadow Minister for Agriculture Peter Walsh said this year’s harvest was over for many farmers and well underway…

Get on-board the school bus inquiry

The Nationals Leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, is encouraging everyone in rural and regional Victoria to participate in a new public inquiry into the use of school buses by the wider community. Mr Walsh said the Legislative Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee inquiry is focused on whether the use of school buses…

LETTER TO THE EDITOR – Re Small Business Support

Dear Editor, Hundreds and thousands of small businesses that were caught up in the Labor Government’s snap five-day lockdown, are completely ineligible for any support. But while Daniel Andrews won’t support small business, he’s spent more than $700,000 of taxpayers’ money buying himself likes on Facebook. There are 300 small business owners scrambling to repay…

Labor’s promised COVID-19 support fails to materialise

The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, wants to hear from local businesses who have been denied, or are still waiting for, Victorian Government COVID-19 support grants. Mr Walsh said despite Daniel Andrews and the Labor Government spruiking businesses recovery support, desperately needed as a result of lockdowns and restrictions, the majority…

Energy unfairness pain

A high proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Victoria are facing imminent disconnection from their electricity. The Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV) found that more than 1 in 10 of their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers were facing looming disconnection. That figure is closely followed by those who have actually been…

Picker grants barking up the wrong tree, growers say

Victorian farmers are questioning the value of relocation grants announced by the Andrews Labor Government, as many still struggle to attract seasonal workers. With table grape harvest underway, the peak body representing growers has today said the grant schemes on offer don’t appear to be working. Shadow Minister for Agriculture Peter Walsh said the Andrews…