I am calling on people in the Wimmera and Mallee to have their say on why regional areas deserve the opportunity for more jobs.

This inquiry will examine the benefits of relocating public sector agencies away from the major cities and into regional towns like Mildura, Horsham, Stawell and Swan Hill and it will also look at how the agencies would perform their operations, once relocated.

It is vital that we all have our say on this, we need to let Canberra and the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee, which is conducting the inquiry, knows why we deserve to have agencies based in our region.

It’s our chance to show how we will benefit and also, how the agencies can benefit from relocating to the Wimmera and Mallee.

Decentralisation has been gaining traction in recent times, as people realise the significant savings that could be made by having agencies based regionally, both for the agencies, in terms of lower operating and rental costs and for employees seeking housing affordability and improved lifestyle.

It has been estimated that moving Rural Industries RDC to Wagga Wagga from Canberra will deliver savings of about $1.2 million per year, including $266,000 in rent.

I have been one of many who has been giving voice to the idea of decentralisation and I have been long calling for the Murray Darling Basin Authority to be relocated to Mildura.

Having the authority located in the region it is managing is just plain common sense.

To really understand something, to see how it operates, its flaws and successes, you need to be there, on the ground.

There is no way that someone sitting in an office in Canberra can truly appreciate the day to day issues of the Murray Darling Basin.

The argument for basing the authority in Mildura is strong and there are many other places in the Wimmera and Mallee that would be able to support a range of Commonwealth agencies.

Decentralisation is about spreading job opportunities across Australia, reducing operational costs and allowing more people the opportunity to live and work in country Australia, where owning your own home is still achievable. The senate inquiry will be taking public submissions.

I am encouraging councils and community groups to add their voices to the discussion by forwarding their submissions to my office via mallee@aph.gov.au

We have the people, we have the infrastructure and we have the space.

Let’s show Canberra why they should be investing in the Wimmera and Mallee.

ANDREW BROAD

Member for Mallee

APPLICATIONS are now open for the 2017 Nancy Millis Science in Parks Award.

The award recognises outstanding projects that foster excellence in applied science and benefit park management.

Now in its fourth year, the award honours the late Professor Nancy Millis, who was a strong advocate for Parks Victoria’s work and chair of the organisation’s Science and Management Effectiveness Advisory Committee.

Science plays a crucial role in park management and will help protect these places in the future.

Caring for our parks is a complex task that involves many challenges including climate change, population increases and threats such as invasive plants and animals.

We need innovative solutions and a good scientific understanding of how best to tackle these issues.

Science is helping us to make really informed decisions about how best to care for these important natural environments and where to focus our efforts.

Applications close on April 12 at 5pm and the winner will be announced on World Environment Day on June 5.

Application forms can be downloaded at parkweb.vic.gov.au/about-us/science-award

Dr MARK NORMAN

Director of Environment and Science, Parks Victoria 

THE Victorian horticulture industry has welcomed the federal government’s pledge to ensure practices in the sector stay fair and balanced with the release of the long-awaited response to the independent inquiry into the Horticulture Code of Conduct.

The Victorian Farmers Federation welcomes the government’s commitment to implement measures such as a requirement that all parties ‘act in good faith’ and that agreements entered into prior to December 2006 will now have to conform to the new code.

We believe the government has listened to growers who have for years complained about a lack of commercial transparency in the horticulture industry.

We have consistently been seeking a more workable code to stop the confusion that currently exists.

EMMA GERMANO

Vice-President, VFF Horticulture

TICKETS for Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s performance at the Horsham Town Hall will go on sale at the end of the month.

The orchestra will play at the town hall from 8pm on October 17.

The evening program will include soloists Michael Collins (clarinet-director) and Lloyd Van’t Hoff (clarinet).

The performance will include Dvoøák’s Serenade for Winds, Kats-Chernin’s Ornamental Air, Mendelssohn’s Konzertstück and Beethoven’s Symphony number eight.

The orchestra will also perform for Wimmera schools on the morning of October 18.