Time for a health check
NOW the GWM water has decommissioned the untreated water system from Mafeking to Willaura, which operated for 49 years, former users would be well advised to have a medical check for hydatids. Sam Mason of Mafeking was a fatality from this disease some time ago and others have had it.
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- Oliver Guthrie, Ballarat
Congrats on nominating
AS the nominations have closed for the upcoming local government elections across the state of Victoria, I want to commend all those who’ve put their hands up.
As the federal member for Mallee, there are nine local government regions that I work closely with. They include the West Wimmera, the Northern Grampians, Buloke, Hindmarsh, Yarriambiack and Gannawarra Shire councils along with the Horsham, Swan Hill and Mildura Rural City councils.
I’ve always found the councillors in our region to be passionate and driven to deliver the best outcomes for their communities. They are people who have chosen to be part of the solution rather than simply standing on the outside, criticising.
We are lucky that good people in our community want to work together to make our part of the world even better.
I will endeavour to meet with all the new councils in the coming months, as I’ve found the best results are achieved when local, state and federal governments collaborate and contribute to projects. I regularly host our mayors and chief executive officers in Canberra, ensuring the federal government is accessible and available to hear from our local representatives.
In many ways, my office in Parliament House is an embassy for the Wimmera Mallee. Our region has always thrived on the commitment individuals have made to contributing to progress and through the volunteering of their time, through organisations such as sporting and community groups, all the way through to local government.
- Andrew Broad is the Mallee MP
Lifting the lid on fuel
I CAN confirm fuel prices in regional Victoria will be analysed after a Nationals-Liberal Coalition proposal for an inquiry passed Parliament this week.
The Nationals-Liberal Coalition has listened to community concerns and hopes that a parliamentary inquiry can lift the lid on high country fuel prices. Price discrepancies between regional areas are largely unexplained and our local people who feel they are being ‘ripped off’ deserve an explanation.
The Parliamentary Inquiry into Regional Fuel Prices will look at the impacts of pricing on country families, businesses and communities, and examine discrepancies between regional communities. The inquiry will look into pricing of unleaded, diesel and LPG fuels and:
- Examine the methodology behind pricing, particularly the divide between metropolitan and regional communities;
- Consider approaches and initiatives elsewhere in Australia, with a view to reducing fuel prices;
- Look at fuel price comparison technology;
- Investigate the impact of pricing on families, businesses and industry;
- Assess the influence of regulations and legislation on fuel pricing.
Fuel is a necessary, but significant cost for families and businesses in regional Victoria. Many hours are spent each week travelling to work, operating farm machinery and taking the kids to school or weekend sports, putting further pressure on already high cost-of-living.
Fuel prices are just one of the cost-of-living pressures Victorians can share through the Nationals-Liberal Coalition’s CostWatch initiative by visitingwww.costwatch.com.au I was pleased to see this Nationals-Liberal proposal for an inquiry into regional fuel prices receive widespread support.
- Emma Kealy, Lowan MP