The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, says Rochester families can celebrate confirmation they will get a kindergarten. But Mr Walsh says how good that facility will be is yet to be revealed. He says the kinder will be built with a slice of $991 million (“a slightly rubbery number as the…
DetailsThe Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, says after years of campaigning, demanding, petitioning, pushing and never stopping, Rochester will split $26.78 million with Heathcote for the construction of its new CFA/SES state-of-the-art operations complex. Mr Walsh says while it is incredibly overdue, the October 2022 floods have finally forced the Andrews…
DetailsThe Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, says Cohuna’s older residents and their families will be relieved to hear the town’s aged care facilities will get a boost. But Mr Walsh says the imploding Andrews Labor government’s Budget released Tuesday has condemned Cohuna’s urgent bid for childcare services to the wilderness. He…
DetailsLife is getting harder for regional Victorians under Labor with the State Budget slashing funding in key areas including regional roads, health and agriculture. Victoria’s crumbling regional roads will only decay further with maintenance funding slashed by 45 per cent since 2020, and from $702.2 million to just $441.6 million in the last year…
DetailsDear Editor, In the upcoming State Budget, the Andrews Labor Government must reverse a decade of neglect and invest in regional communities. We only received 13 percent of new infrastructure in last year’s state budget, despite accounting for 25 percent of Victoria’s population. Since then, the Albanese Labor Government has cut billions of dollars out…
DetailsThe Liberals and Nationals have secured a parliamentary inquiry into local government funding and service delivery. This inquiry was endorsed by the parliament in the face of strong opposition from the Andrews Government, the Animal Justice Party, and the Legalise Cannabis Party. Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Local Government, Peter Walsh, said…
DetailsDear Editor, Even with the state’s finances on life support, regional communities rightly expect the Andrews Labor Government to prioritise investment into our healthcare services. Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. It’s never too much to demand adequate services and infrastructure in our communities, and the regions have been neglected for far too long.…
DetailsDear Editor, The upcoming State Budget will be riddled with red ink, but targeted investments must still be made in critical areas like regional Victoria’s emergency services. After bending to the unions and gutting the CFA, the least Daniel Andrews can do is fund safe, modern facilities to support local emergency personnel. In the state’s…
DetailsDear Editor, Young people in regional Victoria have been overlooked by the Andrews Labor Government for far too long and, in May’s State Budget, The Nationals are calling for a fair investment in our community’s education and early childhood programs. Last budget, only 13 percent of new infrastructure spending was specifically invested in regional towns…
DetailsThe Andrews Labor Government has delayed a crucial step in Victoria’s path to Treaty by failing to provide documents to the Yoorrook Justice Commission. This week the Commission condemned the State Government for delaying future hearings and jeopardising the release of reports on the Commission’s findings. Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Peter Walsh, said the…
DetailsDear Editor, May’s state budget will set out the government’s priorities for the coming four-year term, with Victorians being warned to brace for significant cuts in the face of state debt now rocketing to over $110 Billion – that’s a debt of about $15,000 per adult. As interest rates increase, this impacts the state budget…
DetailsVictoria’s justice system is failing, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities over-represented in the prison system. Today’s State of Incarceration report shows that since 2012, Victoria’s incarceration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has recorded a 91 per cent increase, higher than Western Australia, New South Wales and the Northern Territory. It is…
DetailsSmall businesses which helped protect regional Victorian towns have been left to bear the cost as the Andrews Labor Government delays paying its bills. Despite promising to pay invoices from small businesses within 10 days, businesses in northern Victoria have been waiting more than 90 days for the State Government to pay bills of up…
DetailsDear Editor, Transparency and accountability in government are key to ensuring that every community has equitable access to services, no matter their postcode. Our crumbling roads need ongoing investment rather than reduced speed limits and our regional health services need adequate funding to ensure regional Victorians can have better care closer to home – in…
DetailsWe are only a matter of weeks into sittings of the 60th Victorian Parliament, yet Daniel Andrews and Labor are already tangling themselves in a web of issues surrounding dishonesty, transparency and accountability. Victorians deserve a government that is accountable to the public and has their best interests at heart. The Andrews Labor Government’s decisions…
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