No more excuses for Vic Labor to delay farm worker fix

The Andrews Labor Government has run out of excuses to delay fixing Victoria’s farm worker shortage, after the Federal Government today confirmed details of Australia’s ag visa program. The Federal Liberal and Nationals Government announced plans for the ag visa in June as part of the UK Free Trade Agreement. It was confirmed today the…

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Walsh says there is a better plan ‘to give Vic’s the Vax’

The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, says confirmation vaccination rates in Victoria have fallen significantly behind NSW must be immediately addressed by the Andrews Labor Government. Mr Walsh says at current uptakes rates, Victoria will not reach National Cabinet’s key 70 per cent vaccination target until September 29 – more than…

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Report shows Labor has no plan for regional roads but Walsh says The Nationals have a proven option

The Nationals leader and Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, said the Andrews Labor Government’ own infrastructure advisory panel has highlighted Labor has no plan for regional road maintenance to ensure taxpayers are getting the biggest bang for their bucks. Mr Walsh said infrastructure Victoria’s 30-year strategy says the current road maintenance funding model is…

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Lifeline needed to make sure our ag shows survive

Victoria’s agricultural shows and field days are desperate for a financial lifeline to ensure their survival into next year as COVID uncertainty continues to force more cancellations. Shows at Maffra, Colac, Cobram, Nhill, Warracknabeal, Sunbury and Berrigan are among those to cancel the 2021 events, with more expected to follow. Shadow Minister for Agriculture Peter…

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Farm worker shortage packing a punch

The Andrews Labor Government has failed to step up to the plate to solve a desperate shortage of workers across Victorian farms and agriculture businesses. Tens of thousands of vacancies that need to be filled in Victoria’s horticulture industry are just the tip of the iceberg as the closure of international borders – and Victoria’s…

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There is a faster option – if you have a plan

Opinion; by the Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh Shepparton food processor SPC recently became the first Australian business to mandate COVID vaccination for all onsite staff and visitors. Announcing the commercial decision, SPC chair Hussein Rifai said: “we honestly saw very little other options but to take this step”. Protecting the integrity of the…

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Joint Statement on Border Bubble permit changes

Today’s announcement dismantling the border bubble by the Andrews Labor Government’s new permit scheme is an unnecessary, bureaucratic impost that will crush Victorian-New South Wales border communities. From 1pm Thursday 12 August, a permit system will replace existing licence checks for border community residents to allow border residents to travel between NSW and Victoria –…

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Cone of silence finally lifted on QR check-in data

The Bendigo community can finally access a record of their COVID check-in history, after the Service Victoria smartphone application was quietly updated over the weekend. All Victorians are required to check-in to locations as part of our state’s efforts to stop the spread of COVID, but Victorians have been denied the opportunity to see their…

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Regions out of lockdown, but not out of the woods

We’ve finally been delivered the news every regional Victorian needed to hear – we’ll come out of lockdown at 11.59pm tonight. With no active cases or exposure sites in regional Victoria, families, small business owners and communities have been pleading for common sense. Today’s announcement means our kids are back in the classroom, that our…

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Regional Victorians should be released from the seven-day lockdown

Friday 6 August 2021   There’s only one response to today’s embarrassing revelations that sewerage at Wangaratta ultimately tested negative for COVID: release regional Victoria from lockdown. Announcing the snap statewide lockdown due to outbreaks in parts of Melbourne, Daniel Andrews claimed wastewater at Wangaratta “has pinged, if you like, firstly positive, then it went…

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