WIMMERA mayors and council chief executives returned from Canberra on Thursday hopeful their lobbying trip would reap long-term rewards.
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Representatives from Ararat, Horsham, Hindmarsh, Northern Grampians, West Wimmera and Yarriambiack municipalities made the trip, along with Wimmera Development Association executive director Jo Bourke.
On their agendas in Canberra were roads – particularly the Western Highway – the National Broadband Network and mobile phone coverage.
Hindmarsh Mayor Ron Lowe said he was unsure what to expect from his first trip to Canberra.
‘‘We discussed employment and the Karen refugees with Scott Morrison and he was a good listener, but I think he is a bit restricted with what he can do, given the budget,’’ he said.
Cr Lowe said mobile phone coverage was a big item on the agenda.
He said he made it clear many farmers needed better mobile phone coverage because they often did business from their tractor seats.
‘‘I felt satisfied we put a view across that they hadn’t realised before,’’ he said.
Horsham chief executive Peter Brown said the Western Highway was one of the key issues he was involved with.
‘‘We certainly got a good hearing and I am hopeful there will continue to be a staged rollout of the duplication,’’ he said.
‘‘It is hard to know the outcomes of these things, but I think it was very constructive and very worthwhile.’’
- Andrew McLean
Mr Brown said the delegation talked with advisors, as well as Nationals Leader Warren Truss.
He said he had a long discussion with Paul Fletcher, the Parliamentary Secretary to Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, about the rollout of the NBN.
‘‘He was interested and explained the NBN rollout. I know Hindmarsh put forward its case about it too,’’ he said.
‘‘We heard there had been a delay in the rollout and we told him about how it affects businesses here.’’
Hindmarsh chief executive Tony Doyle said he hoped the discussions would lead to a faster duplication of the Western Highway.
‘‘There was really a region-wide call for continued rollout of the Western Highway,’’ he said.
Member for Mallee Andrew Broad said this sort of trip would have long-term benefits.
‘‘It is hard to know the outcomes of these things, but I think it was very constructive and very worthwhile,’’ he said.
‘‘There was a lot of talk about the Western Highway and the particle physics laboratory proposed for Stawell and I think our part of the world is becoming known as an area with good people.’’
