Dedicated fund needed to support bushfire recovery

The bushfires that ripped through north-east Victoria and East Gippsland have had a catastrophic impact on local communities. The mammoth task of cleaning up homes and sheds that were destroyed and replacing fencing and farm infrastructure will take years. A dedicated fund is required to ensure the rebuilding needs of local communities are met. Today,…

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Ag scientist jobs on the chopping block

Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes has failed to guarantee the job security of soil scientists at AgriBio and groundwater and salinity research staff in Bendigo. Today in Question Time, Minister Symes dodged questions about the rumoured jobs cuts from Agriculture Victoria. The Minister’s refusal of ongoing support to these important functions is risking Victoria’s ability to…

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Fuel reduction saves lives

Today the “Fuel Reduction Saves Lives” campaign calling for increased fuel reduction on public land was launched at State Parliament. The Leader of the Nationals, Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Peter Walsh and Shadow Assistant Minister for Public Land Use, Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath and the Bush Users Group United (BUGU) launched the…

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor, Timber contractors have worked tirelessly to help our bushfire-affected communities to recover, but Daniel Andrews has still continued his war with them. Nearly 100 workers were put out of a job this week when the Andrews Government cancelled contracts for timber coupes in East Gippsland. It’s a slap in the face to people…

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Farm trespass inquiry delivers final report

Background The final report in the Inquiry into the Impact of Animal Rights Activism on Victorian Agriculture has been released. The Liberal Nationals moved to establish the inquiry after calls from farmers and farm communities for better protections against a worsening militant campaign of trespass and livestock theft. But instead of backing our farmers, Labor…

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Labor must release bushfire fuel load maps

Despite devastating bushfires this summer, Daniel Andrews is refusing to release critical information about where dangerous bushfire fuel loads exist across Victoria. With months of potentially dangerous bushfire season still ahead, communities have the right to know about the fuel loads surrounding them and the bushfire risks they face.  Past practice has been to release fuel…

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Daniel Andrews must recommit to Bushfires Royal Commission planned burns target

The recent devastating bushfires have highlighted the vital importance of properly managing public land to mitigate bushfire risk. Sadly, the bushfires have also demonstrated the error of the Andrews Labor Government’s decision to abandon the planned burning recommendation of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission (VBRC). Having considered expert evidence following the horrific 2009 Black…

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Timber contractors have spent weeks clearing dangerous timber from roadsides to ensure the safety of Victorians returning to their communities after catastrophic bushfires in East Gippsland and north east Victoria. This includes many tonnes of sawlog grade timber that will go to waste if the Andrews Government doesn’t act to utilise it. I’ve written to…

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Property and fence assessments must be fast-tracked

Financial support for farmers to replace boundary fencing destroyed in the bushfires must be rolled out immediately. Bushfire-affected farmers in East Gippsland and north east Victoria will be relieved the Victorian Government has finally confirmed today it will cover half the cost of replacing fencing that borders state forests and national parks. Daniel Andrews must…

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor, The Andrews Labor Government can’t walk away and leave the Murray Basin Rail Project half done. Producers and stakeholders should be reaping the benefits of a completed Basin Rail project by now. But under Labor’s mismanagement, the project is stalled and out-of-money and the damning feedback from key stakeholders is that “we were…

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Cross-party inquiry into Victorian devastating bushfires needed

The Victorian Liberal Nationals will move to establish a Joint House Select Committee Inquiry into Bushfire Preparation and Response in Victoria. With devastating fires continuing to burn across the North East, East Gippsland and Alpine regions, it is critical that an open public inquiry is established to investigate how Victoria could have been better prepared…

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Bringing Parliament to our bushfire affected communities

The Victorian Liberal Nationals are calling for the State Parliament to hold sittings in bushfire-affected communities this year. Victorian Liberal Leader Michael O’Brien and Nationals Leader Peter Walsh have written to the Premier, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and President of the Legislative Council to call for at least one sitting week in 2020 to…

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Farmers’ calls for freight subsidies answered

Freight subsidies announced today will help to relieve the financial pressure on farmers in the north east and East Gippsland as they work to recover from bushfire and years of drought. For months, farmers have been calling for assistance to cover the high cost of bringing in fodder or transporting livestock to agistment in regions…

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Farmers call for help to replace fences destroyed in bushfires

Thousands of kilometres of internal and external fencing, including boundary fencing bordering with state forests and national parks, has been damaged in the bushfires in East Gippsland and north-east Victoria and will need to be replaced. While the threat of bushfire still remains for some communities, many are now looking to clean-up and rebuild homes,…

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