Lloyd Polkinghorne, The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper

Kirstin Nicholson. Dr Megan Belot is the new president of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA). Locals will know Dr Belot through her previous role as a GP at the Cohuna Clinic, and her current roles as a GP anaesthetist at Cohuna Hospital, GP at Northern District Community Health (NDCH) Medical Clinic in Kerang and a GP anaesthetist and Visiting Medical Officer at Echuca Hospital.

The Bill to amend the Public Health and Wellbeing Act has drawn fire from expert legal minds and politicians. The Bill would allow Premier Andrews alone, the ability to declare a pandemic empowering the Minister of Health effectively unlimited power to rule the state by decree, for an indefinite period, and without effective judicial or parliamentary oversight ... Member for Murray Plains, Peter Walsh, said democracy has already gone out the window in Victoria, with Daniel Andrews ‘drunk on power’ and determined to entrench himself in a position where not just the parliament itself is at risk, but the individual liberties of every Victorian.

Geoff Wakeman is not against the principles of environmental watering. He does, however, have a huge problem with the way it is being used in the Gunbower Forest/National Park, particularly around Cohuna ... As a geologist, his interest was piqued when he came across some commentary surrounding the Barmah Choke, which prompted him to take a closer look at what was happening out in the Gunbower Forest. It was then he became alarmed.

With just two days’ notice, community volunteers at the heart of the Koondrook Perricoota co-design welcomed a shiny entourage of politicians, bureaucrats and media. The whistlestop tour was part of a $330 million funding announcement with no less than five state and federal politicians ... The Koondrook Perricoota project has been a white elephant of government spending with the $120 million over-designed project sitting idle.

Kirstin Nicholson. Cohuna Neighbourhood House treated 28 people to a ‘Bush Bash Tour’ as part of the Victorian Seniors Festival ... Local Aboriginal elder, Aunty Esther Kirby, explained the historical significance of the Gunbower Forest to the local Aboriginal people and discussed items of cultural significance.

Kendall Jennings. As part of a two-year pilot program, Murray Downs Golf and Country Club coach, Josh Thornton, has been appointed country manager for northwest Victoria. Thornton will oversee two regions, Murray Mallee and Wimmera, providing better support to regions, clubs and rural Victoria.

Kendall Jennings. In a ride that changed a young man’s career, Jye McNeil won the 2020 Melbourne Cup in his debut in the big race. However, the events he looked forward to with the Kerang Turf Club would go ahead without him on Thursday, October 14 due to COVID-19 restrictions ... In the fastest Melbourne Cup since Media Puzzle in 2002, Twilight Payment ran the cup in 3:17.34. In his inaugural Melbourne Cup ride, Jye McNeil from Myall won the great race in front of no crowd, a first in the cup’s history.