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…
DetailsThe 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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
DetailsIn 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…
DetailsA 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…
DetailsA Parliamentary Inquiry into the Health Impacts of Air Pollution has recommended the Andrews Government conduct an independent Environmental Effects Statement (EES) into Chunxing Corporations Used Lead Acid Battery (ULAB) secondary smelter proposed for Latrobe Valley. The Andrews Government allowed Chunxing Corporation to self-assess its environmental impacts, despite the ULAB project attracting significant opposition from…
DetailsThe Victorian Nationals will hold a Royal Commission into the Victorian Government’s pandemic response if elected to government next year. Member for Euroa and Deputy Nationals Leader Steph Ryan told Parliament this week that Victorians deserved to know the truth. “We need a Royal Commission to ensure that the lessons from the handling of Covid…
DetailsNew 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 after it was recommended by a parliamentary inquiry…
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A partial resumption of elective surgery in Melbourne and Geelong provides no relief for people in Bendigo who have already spent too many months waiting in pain. Non-urgent elective surgery restarted at private hospitals and day procedure clinics in Melbourne and Geelong on Monday, bringing them in line with the 50 per cent cap in…
DetailsYoung Victorians will continue to battle long waits for mental health support, with the Andrews Labor Government admitting that today’s promise for youth mental health won’t be delivered until late 2023. Announcing changes to Victoria’s Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC) network, the Premier claimed he’s “not wasting a moment” despite still refusing to adopt…
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