Small businesses are a major employment sector for our local area, providing not only jobs but an important input to the local economy.

Shopping locally creates jobs for our friends, our neighbours and our youth, so next time you are deciding where to shop, please look local first. Local businesses not only offer great services and products, they also give vital sponsorship to our community sporting clubs, groups and schools.

The festive season brings with it an array of shopping needs and I encourage everyone to shop locally to support our traders.

Emma Kealy, Member for Lowan

WESTERN Victoria Primary Health Network notes and supports the progress towards assisted dying legislation into Victoria as part of a broader focus on palliative care and support for people facing serious and terminal illnesses.

By having access to an assisted dying process, a terminally-ill patient and their medical practitioner can explore advanced care planning and end-of-life options together. 

This may include better palliative care options and support, but may also include discussions on assisted dying.

We view the patient-doctor relationship as central in these discussions and planning. 

This support assists a person facing serious and terminal illness, to make his or her own informed decisions and choices.

Western Victoria PHN acknowledges there will be health care practitioners who disagree with the legislation. 

We are supportive of the Bill, but respectful of those who disagree.

Western Victoria Primary Health Network board and chief executive Leanne Beagley

FROM Bondi to Broome, Tassie to the Top End – Australians have shown their support for the farm sector during the first National Agriculture Day on Tuesday. 

More than 50 AgDay events, big and small, were held across the country throughout the day.

On social media thousands of people posted messages of support for Australian farmers and the role agriculture plays in our nation. These posts reached more than eight million social media users – providing great personal firsthand accounts of Australia’s remarkable farm sector.

National Agriculture Day comes on the back of research conducted by the National Farmers’ Federation, which showed that disconnect between farmers and the Australian population. 

Our research found that 83 per cent of Australians felt their connection with farming was ‘distant’ or ‘non-existent’. 

Hopefully through initiatives like National Agriculture Day, we can bring the story of agriculture to more Australians, and help them understand the direct stake they have in the industry’s success.

But while the NFF itself played an important co-ordinating role for AgDay, credit for the success of the day really must go to our partners who dedicated time and resources towards realising the AgDay vision.

We should especially thank those groups and people that hosted events around the country.

Most importantly, we have to thank the Australians who took part in the celebration – by attending an AgDay event, or sharing our industry’s story online.

Of course this is just the beginning for AgDay. Planning for the 2018 event has already started and we’re looking forward to building on this year’s success in the years to come. 

Fiona Simson, president, National Farmers’ Federation