In all my time in the Australian Parliament, I have sought to be the voice of the people of the Wimmera and Mallee, and made every effort to put your dreams and aspirations first.

Where we have achieved great outcomes, it has been as a result of co-operation with community groups and local councils. It's when we work together that we are at our best.

I draw personal satisfaction in the significant amount of federal government funds that are building projects right across the Wimmera and Mallee, as well as Australia wide policies that have supported victims of domestic violence, children with diabetes and enabled a more compassionate response to assisting others.

The Wimmera and Mallee produces so much for the Australian economy, but its greatest value is you, our people.

You deserve to drive on a decent road, to be able to make a mobile phone call, to have good education opportunities for yourself, your children and grandchildren and to have excellent health services.

Continue to fight for these, don't ever settle for second best. My family and I choose to live here because we love it.

I wish whoever is the next Federal Member for Mallee every success, because our community will need their strong and forceful advocacy.

Serving you has been an honour.

Andrew Broad, Member for Mallee

I WOULD like to ask if any of the Wimmera Mail-Times readers could help me trace my grandfather.

I have only minimal information of his life in Horsham. His name was George Charles Kelly and he lived in the Horsham area from around 1910 to 1947. He died and was buried in Horsham in 1947.

He worked as a labourer at Uebergang's chaff mill and lived in various houses in Horsham, according to the census.

This is all I know of him.

I have no photos of him, nor do I have any other information relating to him. Can anyone please help?

I have exhausted all other avenues.

This is my 'last ditch effort'.

If anyone could help, I would be so very thankful.

My contact details can be accessed through the Wimmera Mail-Times.

Stephen Kelly, Colac

THE historic signing of the management agreement between the Natimuk Agricultural and Pastoral Society and the Natimuk Showground committee of management took place on March 29 at a community night in the showground pavilion.

Travis Maybery, chairman of the showground management committee, organised the "Over the Farm Gate" event.

The committee of management Natimuk Showground is made up of two representatives of each user group that resides at the Natimuk Showground - being the Natimuk Agricultural and Pastoral Society the owners of the land, the Arapiles Historical Society, the Natimuk Tennis Club, the Natimuk Men's Shed, the Natimuk United Football and Netball Club as well as other Natimuk community groups which use the showground facilities such as the Natimuk Pre-school and the Natimuk Primary School.

The aim of the management group is simple. It is to facilitate the smooth operations of the showground, co-ordinating the timetabling of facilities as well as ongoing maintenance.

The Natimuk Agricultural and Pastoral Society is simply sharing the caretaking role for the Natimuk Showground by formalising the committee of management Natimuk Showground Inc caretaker's management agreement.

We are handing this caretaking role over knowing that the Natimuk Showground is in a state-of-the-art condition and one that the past custodians would be proud of. Many here today would be related to those past and present custodians.

The foresight of the past ancestors to share the showground and develop it as a community hub was done with an enormous leap of faith and a great act of community spirit long before their time.

The function was testimony that the historic community spirit handed down from ancestors and showground forebears is still strong, alive and well in Natimuk today. It is something to be proud of.

President Robert Rogers said the current committee of the Natimuk Agricultural and Pastoral Society is proud of the facilities that we have today.

Past president Michael Sudholz said he remembers his father talking about the agreement when he was president in 1993.

Secretary Judith Bysouth said the agreement has been a work in progress for many years.

We look forward to working in partnership with the committee of management Natimuk Showground Inc now and well into the future in a harmonious, united, respectful relationship.

It is not an agreement to sign away the land or the society's responsibility. We cannot do that.

It is an agreement to share respect and build strong communication with all partners to providing economic insurance outcomes for the benefit of the whole of the community.

Judith Bysouth, secretary, Natimuk Agricultural and Pastoral Society