Regional development stalled by Andrews Government

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Wednesday 9 October 2019   Regional Development Australia (RDA) committees, which are tasked with helping grow regional communities, have been abandoned for more than 12 months by the Andrews Labor Government. Media reports today confirm Regional Development Minister Jaclyn Symes has left Victoria’s RDA committees with just one member, the Chair, since October last year. RDAs push forward local priority projects aimed at driving economic growth and community…

New Echuca Bridge One Step Closer

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A second Murray River crossing connecting Echuca and Moama is one step closer with a contractor appointed to build the new bridge. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack was in Echuca today to announce McConnell Dowell will carry out stage 3 of the project, including construction of the new bridge which will begin next year. Member…

Kangaroo pet food program

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Tuesday 1 October 2019   Changes to the kangaroo pet food program announced today by the Andrews Labor Government risk tangling farmers, professional shooters and pet food processors up in red tape. After five years of delayed extensions and uncertainty under Daniel Andrews, the permanent program, which starts today, will not allow kangaroos controlled with…

Labor’s funding cuts threaten Landcare jobs

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Victoria’s Landcare networks could be forced to lay off their facilitators next year after the Andrews Labor Government failed to fund the positions. The news comes as Landcare marks its 30th anniversary as a national organisation this week. Leader of The Nationals and Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh said The Nationals and Liberals first…

Part-time squad not enough to tackle rural crime

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Monday 23 September 2019   Victorian farmers have long called for a dedicated rural crime squad, but today’s announcement doesn’t deliver what farmers requested. Changing job titles is not the same as adding new frontline officers and it won’t help tackle worsening rural crime rates. The Andrews Labor Government is trying to dress today’s announcement…

Bendigo residents calling for details of GovHub deal

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Bendigo residents are calling for more transparency on plans to sell council-owned land for the Bendigo GovHub with hundreds of signatures tabled in Victorian Parliament. Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Regional Victoria and Decentralisation Peter Walsh tabled a petition last week with 328 signatures calling for more detail on the deal with…

Law-breaking activists to cop new sanctions

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Tough new laws to better protect farmers and farm businesses against people inciting farm trespass have passed the Federal Parliament. The new laws, passed last week, will mean anyone sharing farmers’ private details online to incite farm trespass will risk jail time and follows the publishing of thousands of farmers’ home addresses on the Aussie…