Nationals Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy recently spoke in Parliament highlighting concerns that he and other National Party MP’s share regarding the Victorian Government’s Regulatory Legislation Amendment (Reform) Bill 2021. Mr McCurdy said, “after pressure from the Nationals the Andrews Government has finally backed down.”
In Parliament, Mr McCurdy said, “I was recently contacted by community members and local businesses who all expressed their concerns about the Andrews Governments plan to introduce a central website forum.
“This Bill effectively eliminates the need to print local newspapers or even refer to local newspapers as a direct classified source for information.”
Mr McCurdy said, “Thankfully, after pressure from the Nationals in Parliament last week the Andrews Government has now backed down.
“Had this Bill passed, public notices would be restricted solely to online forums instead of in print newspapers, giving rise to not only unemployment and some businesses losing up to 10 per cent of their income, but restricted access to information for many residents across the Ovens Valley.”
He continued, “We need to make sure that public notices remain in local papers where the message can get out, rather than on a government website which is not exactly mainstream.
“After all, our country communities rely on their local newspapers, and we will continue to stand up for their rights and their share of the pie.”