The Nationals have vowed to vigorously oppose the latest push to remove the Lord’s Prayer from Parliament. Upper House Reason Party MP Fiona Patten has signalled she will move a motion to remove the longstanding tradition of reading the prayer at the beginning of each Parliamentary sitting day when Parliament resumes next week. It is…
The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath is calling on the Andrews Labor Government to immediately extend eligibility for the $250 Power Saving Bonus to casual employees. “Casual workers have been disproportionally affected by Victoria’s five lockdowns,” said Ms Bath. “Casual workers require support from the State Government – they’ve lost more income…
Locked down local businesses continue to be deemed ineligible for desperately needed financial support from the Victorian Labor Government, Nationals Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy said. Mr McCurdy said as the local community endured yet another Labor lockdown he continued to hear from frustrated and hurting businesses who are again ineligible for the…
The final three stages of the duplication of the Princes Highway between Traralgon and Sale are finally underway. Road builders’ compounds are under construction and there will be ground breaking on new sections of the highway at Kilmany and Flynn in the next few days and weeks. The Nationals Member for Gippsland South,…
The Andrews Government has turned it back on farmers again, denying biosecurity threats exist in its plan to open up licensed river frontages to camping in Victoria. During state parliament in May, The Nationals called on the Andrews Government to halt its plan, citing landholders’ concerns about biosecurity, farm trespass, public liability, waste management, bushfire…
New and expanded mental health services should be housed in the State Government’s $40 million Yooralla building on Flinders Street in the Melbourne CBD – not a second injecting room. More and more Victorians are struggling with their mental health as a result of Victoria’s four lockdowns. Victorians are waiting longer than ever…
More flexible business restrictions and stronger supports have been called by Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull. Speaking in Parliament last week, Mr Bull said only around 20% of businesses were qualifying for support as restrictions were simply too tight. “For example, the smaller operators who aren’t registered for GST are excluded and…
Reason coalition deputy leader Ali Cupper has been called on to condemn comments made by her coalition leader, Fiona Patten, in Melbourne this week that slammed police for doing their job keeping communities safe. Ms Patten made the comments on Wednesday in State Parliament, during a bizarre contribution lamenting being unable to attend a cannabis…
VLine is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on replacement taxis as a result of constant train breakdowns and delays, including on the north east and Shepparton lines. Documents obtained under Freedom of Information (FOI) by Shadow Minister for Public Transport (Regional) Steph Ryan show VLine has spent $343,589 in an 18-month period on replacement…
The Nationals Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien has encouraged Gippsland landholders to have their say on new regulations that will permit camping on Crown land river frontage with grazing licences. The Andrews Labor Government has legislated to allow camping despite the opposition of The Nationals and many farmers with licences to graze Crown…
The Andrews Labor Government will attempt to secure the support of crossbench MPs in the Victorian Upper House in order to pass its state of emergency laws when Parliament reconvenes this week. Member for Euroa and Nationals’ deputy leader Steph Ryan has condemned the move, which would grant Daniel Andrews power over the lives…
Victoria’s latest lockdown is having a shattering impact on the mental health of thousands of Victorians. The snap five-day lockdown announced by Premier Daniel Andrews on Friday led to a surge in requests for mental health support, with Lifeline on Saturday receiving its third-highest number of calls in the nearly 60 years it has been…