State Parliament’s Environment and Planning Committee visited South Gippsland to hear from local government, industry and community perspectives on the decommissioning of the oil and gas industry. The visit involved a tour of Esso’s Barry Beach Marine Terminal at Corner Inlet and a community session in Leongatha as part of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Decommissioning…
DetailsThe Nationals’ Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad has called on the State Government to act urgently to ensure regional Victorians have reliable power and mobile coverage, warning that current failures pose serious safety risks. Ms Broad raised the issue in Parliament and shared the experience of Sue Davies from Norong in north-east Victoria.…
DetailsThe Allan Labor Government will be forced to cough up documents behind the closure of gas networks to 10 regional towns, following a successful motion in the Victorian Upper House. In August 2025, the Allan Labor Government announced it would phase out compressed natural gas (CNG) delivered by Solstice Energy from ten regional Victorian…
DetailsThe Nationals’ Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron, has raised the plight of local business owners in parliament, urging the Allan Labor Government to dispatch illegal tobacco inspectors to the Latrobe Valley. Tobacco Licensing Victoria has been introduced, and Labor has tasked just 14 inspectors with the compliance and enforcement operations of over 1,000 tobacco shops…
DetailsThe Nationals’ Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad has welcomed a Parliamentary inquiry into the bushfires that devastated areas across Northern Victoria last month. The Nationals and Liberals were successful in the Legislative Council in getting a parliamentary inquiry into the summer bushfires established. “The fires had a significant impact on regional communities, and this inquiry provides an opportunity…
DetailsDear Editor, The Nationals and Liberals have secured a parliamentary inquiry that will get to the bottom of Labor’s 2026 summer bushfire preparedness and response. Volunteers, firefighters, farmers, emergency service personnel and community members, will get the opportunity to put their experience on the record, and ensure Victorians are better protected in the…
DetailsFarmers across south-west Victoria are feeling the strain as the summer heat continues on the back of extended dry periods. Many are looking to strengthen their on-farm water supply, but approvals for new or expanded dams can be confusing when time and conditions are against them. Farmers have raised concerns about delays and unclear…
DetailsA renewed call has been made for the Allan Labor Government to urgently fast-track planning for a redeveloped Bairnsdale Regional Health Service (BRHS/Bairnsdale Hospital) to address critical capacity shortfalls that are already compromising patient safety. Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, said that in 2022, the BRHS Board completed a comprehensive hospital master plan…
DetailsApplications for the Arthur Grassby Kokoda Scholarships – an adventure of a lifetime – are now open to Year 11 students residing in East Gippsland Shire. This year’s trek will be in the June-July school holidays, and it is anticipated 6-7 students will be selected from the region to walk in the footsteps of…
DetailsCycling Without Age Gippsland has rolled into the new year with renewed energy, as the local volunteer-run charity looks to expand its operations and continue bringing joy and connection to older Gippslanders and people with mobility challenges throughout 2026. Cycling Without Age Gippsland is part of a worldwide movement, with chapters operating across Australia, and…
DetailsVictoria’s crime crisis continues to worsen under Labor as new data confirms there are now 367.7 fewer full time equivalent (FTE) Victoria Police officers than when Jacinta Allan became Premier. New Victoria Police employee numbers by location data has confirmed 15,601.75 FTE officers as of December 2025, down from 15,969.45 in September 2023. Over this same…
DetailsThe Nationals’ Melina Bath has gone into bat for local schools identified in the damning 2025 School Condition Report, demanding the Allan Government prioritise school upgrades in her electorate. After a two‑year Freedom of Information battle with the Education Department the report revealed the hidden decline in Victoria’s school infrastructure. The report rates schools on…
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