Farmers take fight to Canberra
The farmers invited by Member for Mallee, Dr. Anne Webster, met with the Nationals leader David Littleproud, shadow ministers and senators, with Dr. Webster saying Mallee communities were being railroaded into accepting the $3.3 billion VNI West project. "I am deeply concerned for the region and fear Labor is railroading the community over thousands of kilometres of prime farmland and irrigation districts for a project that will have an enormous cost blow-out and detrimental consequences," Dr. Webster said.
Confusion over extra police commitment
The Minister for Police, Anthony Carbines, appears to be at odds with the Chief Commissioner of Police, Shane Patton, around the delivery of extra police officers. In Public Accounts and Estimates Committee hearings at the weekend, Mr Carbines claimed that Labor’s commitment to deliver 502 extra police officers would be met by 30 September, but failed to factor in the 800 current vacant positions across the state.
Building farm spirit
Relationships, social support, physical fitness and a sense of belonging are key elements for positive mental health, and being part of a sporting community like the Birchip-Watchem Football, Netball and Hockey Club ticks all these boxes ... Following the headspace round, the National Centre for Farmer Mental Health also jumped on board and provided funding from its flood recovery program "Building Farm Spirit" ...
Partnerships deliver mental health message
In recent weeks headspace Swan Hill has actively partnered with twenty-four local sporting clubs to deliver important mental health messages and strategies in three leagues across the North Central and Mallee communities.
Giant train snakes through Donald
Local train enthusiasts couldn’t believe their eyes or good fortune on Tuesday morning, when an enormously long train, estimated to be up to a kilometre-and-a-half in length, passed through Donald, heading north, towards Mildura ... There was no official word on what was the purpose of the train might be, but one theory was that is was a test run to check the suitability of the Mildura to Melbourne line to transfer freight.
The safest way to travel
The State Government is being urged to provide funding certainty for the Mode Shift Incentive Scheme (MSIS) to encourage more freight on to rail. The MSIS is an incentive program providing financial support to rail freight companies to make the cost of transporting goods on rail more competitive ... Deputy Leader of The Nationals and Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, said the MSIS program allowed regional rail freight operators to offer competitive transport options for exporters, encouraging them to use rail instead of road transport to get their goods to the Port of Melbourne.
Wyche SES”ˆstill needs volunteers
Things might be looking up for the Wycheproof SES unit, which had an encouraging number of new volunteers sign up to support the essential service. The unit has been campaigning for new recruits for quite some time, and under the threat of closure, SES members recently held an open night in one final forage for the numbers they need.
