The only class I attended Body Vibe, once a week in the morning, has been cancelled.

Brilliant instructor and a wonderful group of women.

I travel half an hour to attend. Not only is this class great for my fitness, but also for my mental health.

Ararat has done so well to be a healthy town after hosting The Biggest Loser, and now where are we headed?

SARAH GUTHRIE

Ararat

FOR a variety of reasons I am very overdue with this thank you.

I want to thank the Advertiser, plus all businesses, who took part in the Christmas competition.

Thank you also all who entered. I was very lucky to win the $700 worth of vouchers, a few of which we have already used. They have been wonderful so far.

I would  also like to congratulate Dr Graeme Bertuch on his wonderful Australia Day honour. It is well deserved as this doctor has worked so hard for so hard for the community. 

MARION DOWNIE

Ararat

THE Victorian Farmers Federation is calling on the state government to support a rebate on fitting roll-over protection devices to quad bikes.

If Worksafe is going to move towards ‘effectively’ mandating roll-over protection devices on quad bikes, then we need a rebate on the $700 cost, especially when we’ve got many farmers running several quad bikes.

The federation’s call for a rebate follows Worksafe Victoria’s announcement that it deemed the devices “an appropriate means of reducing risks when quad bikes are used in the workplace”.

Worksafe has told the federation it’s developing a risk assessment tool that farmers, as employers, will need to use in determining if a device needs to be fitted to a quad bike or other action needs to be taken.

If there’s a risk of roll-over, then Worksafe is saying farmers will need to reduce the risk by choosing a safer vehicle or fitting a device.

It’s basically coming down to – if you think the quad can roll over then you’ll have to fit a device or buy another vehicle – like a two-seater. Worksafe will not be rolling out the new assessment tool overnight or racing out to prosecute people.

We’ll be negotiating with Worksafe on how they develop this new assessment tool, what they deem to be an ‘appropriate’ device and encouraging the state government to provide a rebate for farmers to fit devices.

The federation’s current policy is to support the voluntary fitting of devices on quad bikes.

PETER TUOHEY

VFF President

FIVE pedestrians have been killed in Victoria in the past week.

One of the fatalities was a 65-year-old woman who was struck and killed by a car while she was waiting at a bus stop. Another a man on a footpath picking his kids up from school.

On Tuesday morning a man was hit in the Melbourne CBD and a school girl was hit by a garbage truck in Melbourne’s south-east.

It is too early to say who was at fault in this disturbing spate of crashes involving pedestrians.

However, research shows that pedestrians are usually not the cause of crashes that kill or injure them.

Transport Accident Commission research shows that driver error causes 88 per cent of crashes involving senior pedestrians who are injured and 66 per cent of pedestrians between 16 and 39 years of age.

The most common crash scenario is when a pedestrian is hit from behind by a car turning right at an intersection.

That is, the driver failed to give way to a pedestrian as they are legally required to do.

It is apparent that a large number of drivers either do not know, or do not heed, road rules relating to pedestrians such as giving way to walkers when crossing slip-lanes, or when undertaking U-turns, or entering or exiting a car park or driveway. 

We need better enforcement and road design that facilitates safe driving and takes care of pedestrians.

As for pedestrian error, we are human, we all make mistakes, but we shouldn’t pay for our mistakes with our lives. 

BEN ROSSITER

Victoria Walks

GRANTS of up to $30,000 to help establish new farmers’ markets or to expand existing market activities are now available.

The grants are available through the Farmers’ Markets Support Program, which is designed to facilitate the development of farmers’ markets throughout regional and rural Victoria. Set-up and expansion grants of up to $30,000 are available and business plan and feasibility studies of up to $10,000 are also available.

Farmers’ markets are an important source of income for small agricultural businesses in western Victoria and also provide a regular meeting opportunity for local producers and community members.

More information on the Farmers’ Markets Support Program is available at www.rdv.vic.gov.au

Interested parties are encouraged to apply as soon as possible for funds to implement activities before June 30.  

JAALA PULFORD

Member for Western Victoria