I am also grateful to Gary for thinking I can send water every which-way.

That is exactly what you can do with pipes.

OLIVER GUTHRIE

Ballarat

ON Sunday I drove to Ballarat and back on the Western Highway from Horsham. 

The road is a disgrace, a series of waterholes connected by bitumen in poor condition.

Even sections of the new duplicated roadway are poorly constructed, with large potholes forming from poor compaction and other areas not draining water from the surface.

Over the past few months I have driven on New South Wales and Queensland roads as far north as Bundaberg.

Their highway road surfaces are good when compared to what we are offered as highways.

JEFF PAY

Horsham 

I AM astounded Daniel Andrews will not address the dire need for a regional road repair blitz prior to Christmas.

Earlier today the premier announced a road safety blitz with the TAC, targeting drink driving, speeding and safer driving.

I don’t downplay the importance of sharing the road safety message this Christmas, but the best way Daniel Andrews could improve regional road safety is to just get on with it and fix our roads.

If Daniel Andrews was serious about helping Victorians to get home safely this festive season, he should put back the hundreds of millions of dollars Labor has ripped out of the country roads budget to spend in Melbourne.

Our roads are a disgrace and Wimmera lives are being put at risk.

It is astonishing that this city-centric Labor government continues to completely ignore the desperate need for more roads funding in western Victoria.

The 50-year lease of the Port of Melbourne secured $9.7 billion for Victoria.

Thanks to the Nationals, we secured $970 million to spend on regional transport infrastructure and the Melbourne Labor government has no excuse not to fix our crumbling country roads. 

Daniel Andrew’s failure to even acknowledge the appalling condition of our ‘death trap’ roads as part of a road safety message shows how out of touch Labor is with country Victoria. 

I am continuing my call for road hazards to be reported directly to VicRoads through my website www.emmakealy.com or by phoning 131 170.

This will help give VicRoads the data they need to demonstrate that Labor’s funding cuts are devastating our roads.

EMMA KEALY

Nationals Member for Lowan

MORE than 160 Wimmera women turned out to view the documentary Embrace at a special screening organised by Wimmera Health Care Group and Horsham City Cinemas.

A total of 166 women from a diverse range of ages and backgrounds attended.

It was fantastic to see mothers and daughters attending and we are hoping the screening serves as an opportunity to start conversations on the issue of body image.

Wimmera Health Care Group provided information including messages or tips on how to boost self-body image for both men and women.

Wallet information cards were also available, which included contact details of local counsellors and helplines. 

JANINE HARFIELD

Wimmera Health Care Group

FOOTBALL and netball clubs in Western Victoria will be able to update tired grounds and build the infrastructure they need with help from the Andrews Labor government’s Country Football Netball Program.

A new round of grants will give regional Victorians safe, modern infrastructure.

Football and netball clubs are the lifeblood of western Victoria, where families make friends, young players become stars and the community gathers to support local heroes. Our government is working to help players, parents, volunteers and fans achieve the great infrastructure they deserve. Our community has a proud history of producing some great sportsmen and women.

By investing in infrastructure we are doing our bit to help uncover the next Brownlow medallist or Diamonds champion.

Labor launched the program in 2005, and it has since delivered $22.3 million to more than 400 projects right around the state.

Clubs can apply for grants of up to $100,000 for improvements like change room upgrades, court refurbishments, ground resurface works or lighting installation.

The Labor government is listening to grassroots clubs in regional Victoria, which say they need infrastructure upgrades to keep up with growing participation rates.

Grassroots sports clubs make western Victoria tick, but we need to give them the infrastructure to keep evolving.

We want all Victorians to have access to safe, modern clubs that they can be proud of, no matter where they live.

For more information or to apply online, visit www.sport.vic.gov.au

JAALA PULFORD

Member for Western Victoria