Dear Editor, CFA stations at Strathbogie, Rochester and Myrtleford are among those to miss out on upgrades this year, while the Labor Government rakes in $800 million from the fees you pay to the fire services property levy. Analysis of the State Budget papers confirm that just $7.6 million will be spent on new asset…
Mental Health Minister James Merlino has confirmed almost $60 million of cruel cuts to mental health programs that were designed to help struggling Victorians recover from the pandemic. Despite growing evidence of Victoria’s deepening shadow pandemic, the Minister told Parliament’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) on Monday that the axed programs were ‘no longer…
There’s a new push for Victorian drivers to be part of the solution for safer roads during National Road Safety Week this week by telling their story and casting their vote for the state’s worst roads. Labor cut a further $24 million from road maintenance in this year’s State Budget, on top of a $191…
An Opposition amendment to the Road Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 that would have re-established the Victorian Parliament’s Road Safety Committee, was yesterday defeated by 16 votes to 16, ironically thanks to two votes from the Justice Party and Animal Justice Party’s Andy Meddick. Tragically, far too many Victorians die as a result of…
Local CFA brigades have been left dismayed after being asked to reduce the volume of water carried on firefighting vehicles to overcome an engineering failure. In State Parliament, The Nationals Member for Gippsland South Danny O’Brien has asked the Minister for Emergency Services to take immediate action to rectify the problem with certain ultralight…
Illegal green activists are disrespecting the Traditional Owners of the Wombat State Forest, blockading planned salvage harvesting needed to restore country. The Dja Dja Wurrung have commissioned VicForests to undertake extensive surveys and arrange salvage harvesting of wind blown timber. The wind blown timber with sawlog value has been still laying on the ground since…
Accessibility failures on Victoria’s regional train network continue to be ignored by the Andrews Labor Government, despite harrowing stories of people with a disability spending hours stranded at platforms or forced to travel in the cargo hold. More stories have emerged this week of Victorians with a disability being prevented from travelling on V/Line trains,…
Nationals Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy is frustrated to hear that the Minister for Roads and Andrews Labor Government have decided to forgo their budget promise and cut even more funding towards regional road maintenance in this years 2022/23 State Budget. Mr McCurdy said, “This is just disgraceful. “The Victorian Government is…
A pet census and a destructive plan to shut down the native timber industry are the biggest ticket items for agriculture in a Labor State Budget that’s a cruel disappointment for Victorian farmers. Analysis of the 2022-23 State Budget papers also revealed further cuts to the agriculture budget that will gut services even more. And…
The Andrews Labor Government has doubled down on its cuts to the state’s crumbling road network, cutting even more funding for maintenance of the state’s roads. A further $24 million has been lopped from the road asset management program, after $191 million – or 23 per cent – was slashed in last year’s State Budget.…
Nationals Member for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, has congratulated the efforts of a powerhouse community campaign that’s secured funding for long overdue improvements at Mount Hotham. Funding in the 2022-23 State Budget will be split amongst three projects, with $1.6 million going towards the Mt Higginbotham tank, $2.1 million going to a project dedicated to…
The Nationals Member for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, has called out a disappointing State Budget for Ovens Valley, which overlooked local CFA’s for new funds and has left crucial breast cancer nursing support under a cloud of doubt. The 2022-23 Budget is set to rip through regional communities in the Ovens Valley. “This is a…