Statement on management of brumbies in the High Country

Brumby populations must be managed appropriately in Victoria. Brumbies are an iconic part of Victoria’s cultural heritage and High Country identity and their population numbers need to be managed sustainably. The Government must have appropriate, ethical management measures in place to protect our natural environment. Mustering and rehoming must be the priority in any government…

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Coronavirus COVID-19 Community Update

On May 11, the Victorian Government announced changes to COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria. Premier Daniel Andrews has extended the State of Emergency in Victoria until May 31 with the following changes which I have endeavoured to summarise for you below. These changes come into effect on Wednesday May 13. The Stay at Home rules remain…

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Thousands support call to reverse ban on recreational hunters

Thousands of Victorians have added their name to a petition demanding the Andrews Government reconsider its politically-motivated ban on recreational sales of firearms and ammunition. On March 31, thousands of legitimate, law-abiding recreational hunters in Victoria were told they would be prevented from purchasing from retail outlets as part of COVID-19 restrictions. The petition, supported…

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor, Victoria’s blanket bans on solo recreational activities have never made sense. While we can get out for a socially distant walk along the river with a friend or to play basketball outdoors, solo pursuits like fishing, hunting, golf, prospecting and horse riding are off the menu. It’s particularly frustrating when you consider other…

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Payroll tax exemption on JobKeeper payments secured

Community pressure, with support from The Nationals, has forced the Andrews Labor Government to exclude JobKeeper payments from Victorian payroll tax and WorkCover premiums. Leader of The Nationals and Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh said it never should have been on the table for the State Government to try and tax Federal JobKeeper payments.…

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Labor’s forced backflip a win for small business

Pressure from The Nationals has forced the Andrews Labor Government to back down on its decision to exclude entire sectors of small business from COVID-19 support. This Fund promised $10,000 grants to Victorian small businesses below the payroll tax threshold which suffered severe financial damage due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leader of The Nationals and…

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Common sense needed on fishing, hunting bans

Bans in place to stop the spread of COVID-19 must be common sense. Victorians who live in country communities are rightly frustrated with the Andrews Labor Government’s decision to put a blanket ban on all recreational fishing and hunting – even for those who live nearby rivers, lakes, forests and wetlands. Leader of The Nationals…

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New smartphone app protecting our communities

The Federal Government’s new COVIDSafe smartphone application is a critical step forward to save lives and better protect our community against the spread of coronavirus. COVIDSafe will provide accurate information that will speed up the process of identifying people who have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with coronavirus. Participation is voluntary. Leader of…

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Local kids should return to school

Students in the Murray Plains electorate must be allowed to get back into the classroom, in line with expert medical advice that says our schools are safe. The Andrews Labor Government is refusing to listen to advice from Australia’s Chief Medical Officer and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) endorsing a return to school…

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*** DAILY HANSARD PROOF ONLY – DO NOT QUOTE *** APPROPRIATION (INTERIM) BILL 2020 Thursday 23 April 2020

Mr WALSH (Murray Plains) (11:50): I rise to speak on the Appropriation (Interim) Bill 2020, the Appropriation (Parliament) (Interim) Bill 2020 and the State Taxation Acts Amendment (Relief Measures) Bill 2020. As our lead speaker, the Shadow Treasurer, the member for Ripon, said, I will speak particularly on the bushfire component of the state taxation bill. It seems…

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ANZAC Appeal moves online

Our dedicated RSL volunteers can’t get out in the community selling badges and collecting donations this year, but the Murray Plains community can still contribute to the cause through the online ANZAC Day Appeal. Leader of The Nationals and Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh encouraged local people to get behind the online Appeal, which…

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Slow clean-up a setback for bushfire recovery

Communities in north east Victoria and East Gippsland are questioning slow progress on work to clean up homes destroyed in the summer’s catastrophic bushfires. As of Monday, only 41 of 692 properties decimated in the bushfires have been cleaned up by government-appointed contractor, Grocon. Many families are now fearful their homes will not be cleaned…

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How low can VLine go?

Passengers on the Swan Hill and Echuca, and Bendigo lines continue to be plagued by frustrating delays and unreliable train services. Just 78.7 per cent of Bendigo services ran on time in March, while the Swan Hill and Echuca lines were on time 84.8 per cent of the time. All but one of Victoria’s eleven…

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