Make your opinions and ideas count
THE Victorian government recently launched a new approach that gives rural and regional communities across the state a greater say about what matters to them and a real way to influence government.
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Regional partnership boost co-operation between local communities, industry, businesses and government to address the opportunities and challenges facing our communities.
I am one of the inaugural members of the Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Partnership, encompassing the shires of Northern Grampians, Yarriambiack, Hindmarsh, Horsham and West Wimmera.
As members, we are working with locals to harness the good ideas, energy and the passion of our communities to make them stronger, more resilient and prosperous.
Please join the conversation and have your say at https://engage.regions.vic.gov.au/wimmera-southern-mallee
The website offers everyone in our community the chance to share their thoughts and provide ideas about issues that span every government portfolio.
Feedback received online will help inform discussions at our regional assembly in Horsham on Wednesday, October 5.
Please register your interest to participate at the assembly via the website.
Your ideas and opinions count.
ROBYN GULLINE
Longerenong
Evidence contradicts government claims
EVIDENCE provided to a parliamentary fire season inquiry has contradicted the Andrews Labor government’s claims country volunteers would not be impacted by the proposed Country Fire Authority enterprise bargaining agreement.
Former authority chief executive officer Lucinda Nolan appeared before a parliamentary inquiry into fire season preparedness yesterday.
Ms Nolan described the proposed agreement as “destructive and divisive” and said it would not only impact paid firefighters, but the “entire organisation”.
Victoria’s Country Fire Authority volunteers should be focused on defending the state in the upcoming fire season – now just weeks away – not defending themselves against an attack from the state government.
We have seen further evidence this agreement will have a destructive and divisive impact on the entire authority.
Daniel Andrews has chosen to ignore growing concerns this agreement will impact volunteers’ ability to operate effectively and independently.
Volunteers must not become a casualty to this union deal.
It is time Daniel Andrews actually listened to volunteers and worked through their concerns.
Ms Nolan said the authority had serious concerns with 50 clauses that would hand a veto power to the militant United Firefighters Union – they would add to 20 veto clauses already contained in the 2010 authority agreement.
There were serious concerns the wording of the proposed clauses would require the authority to ‘consult and agree’ with the union and would ‘open the floodgates for us to be held up at Fair Work’, Ms Nolan told the inquiry.
Ms Nolan resigned in June and told the inquiry she resigned because she could not ‘oversee the destruction of the Country Fire Authority’.
We have seen Daniel Andrews bully the resignation of his Emergency Services Minister, the authority’s chief executive, chief fire officer and entire board.
There have even been attempts to ban Opposition MPs from speaking at events organised by their local authority.
The Nationals have stood with Victoria’s 60,000 volunteers throughout this dispute, and we will continue to do so.
EMMA KEALY
Nationals Member for Lowan