New on-the-spot fines for extreme activists who trespass on Victorian farms and threaten the safety of farm families still aren’t in place, nearly two years since the protective measure was recommended. In June 2020, the Andrews Labor Government committed to introducing hefty on-the-spot fines for biosecurity breaches in response to pressure from The Nationals. But…
A $9.3 billion pledge for a Melbourne metro rail project today is another slap in the face for farmers waiting 12 months for the Andrews Government to stump up $5 million for better regional rail. Work on the Murray Basin Rail Project in north-west Victoria ground to a halt after poor project management and cost…
Member for Euroa and Nationals deputy leader Steph Ryan has accused the Andrews Government of trying to shut Victoria’s timber industry by stealth. It comes as green activists today shut down most of Victoria’s timber industry by seeking an interim court injunction over 29 logging coupes managed by VicForests, or 80 per cent of the…
New on-the-spot fines for extreme activists who trespass on Victorian farms and threaten the safety of farm families still aren’t in place, nearly two years since the protective measure was recommended. In June 2020, the Andrews Labor Government committed to introducing hefty on-the-spot fines for biosecurity breaches in response to pressure from The Nationals. But…
Thousands of new jobs could be created across Gippsland with a series of proposed developments now gaining steam. The Nationals Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien said he was excited to hear of progress of new developments in hydrogen, solar farms and offshore wind. “I was pleased to get a briefing this week…
After years of unacceptable delays, the Andrews Labor Government has again stepped back from the development of a specific course for farmers to operate a telehandler, saying that developing a specific course is now only ‘under consideration’. The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy and the Victorian Farmers Federation have been calling on the Minister…
The Nationals have today announced a plan to build Australia’s first dedicated infectious diseases response centre if elected to government in coalition with the Liberals next year. The proposal includes the funding of up to 100 negative pressure beds, a further 300 specialist nurses and the establishment of an advisory panel of experts to oversee…
Debate on Daniel Andrews’ controversial Pandemic Bill is at an impasse with debate set to resume next week in the upper house of state parliament. Debate was suspended after the Andrews Government realised its Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (Pandemic Management) Bill 2021 would be defeated. The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath…
The Nationals Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien, has called on the Andrews Labor Government to reset its environmental priorities after it was revealed field staff in the environment department were cut while office-based staff increased dramatically. Speaking after raising questions at last week’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) hearings, Mr O’Brien said the…
Nationals Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy welcomes new doctors to Wangaratta but stresses the housing shortages across regional Victoria make it more difficult for them to stay. “In regional areas such as Wangaratta and across the Ovens Valley, houses and rentals are few and far between,” Mr McCurdy said. “I was recently…
In response to the proposed Pandemic Bill, Victorian Nationals will hold a Royal Commission into the Victorian Government’s pandemic response if elected to government next year. The Nationals told Parliament earlier this week “for our local communities to recover and rebuild from the challenges and conflict of the past two years, a Royal Commission…
A panicked, eleventh-hour decision by the Andrews Labor Government to defer a vote on the Premier’s shocking pandemic legislation is an admission this Bill is bad for all Victorians. On Thursday, the Andrews Government forced through a motion to defer the vote – despite Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes doggedly arguing on Tuesday it “be made an…