Letter to the editor – Safer communities

Victorians deserve to feel safe – at work, in the community, and in their homes. But under Labor, this is sadly becoming increasingly uncommon. New crime statistics show crime has increased 23 per cent across Victoria since Jacinta Allan became Premier almost three years ago. In Northern Grampians and Ararat local government areas alone, retail…

Kealy renews Hamilton Base Hospital funding call

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, has demanded the Allan Labor Government produce a clear and public funding commitment for the long-awaited Hamilton Base Hospital redevelopment. Since 2022, Western District Health Service has been seeking funding to upgrade the hospital’s emergency department and intensive care unit, which former chief executive Rohan Fitzgerald said failed…

Liberals and Nationals commit to mental health reforms as Kids Helpline battles with COVID-era level of demand

A Liberal and Nationals government will commit to get mental health reforms back on track and address the growing Victorian mental health crisis. The latest Kids Helpline Impact Report revealed the mental health service responded to 128,998 contacts in 2025 at an average of 353 per day. Alarmingly, counsellors were required to undertake 5,190 crisis…

Kealy urges country motorists to have their say

The Nationals’ Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, is calling on residents across the Wimmera and south-west Victoria to flood the RACV with feedback on the area’s worst roads. The RACV has launched its annual My Country Road survey to ask Victorians for their thoughts on the most dangerous country highways identified by RACV, or to nominate a regional road they believe…

Lowan projects secure more than $700,000 in grants

The Nationals’ Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, has worked alongside local committees and volunteers to secure more than $720,000 in state government funding for 21 projects across the Lowan electorate in western Victoria. Communities including Apsley, Mortlake, Pimpinio, Quantong, Edenhope, Casterton, Minyip, Dergholm, Penshurst and Warracknabeal were successful in the third round of Tiny Towns…

Mineral sands working group a step in right direction, but far more protections needed for agriculture

After years of advocacy from local farmers, the agriculture sector and The Nationals’ Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, the Allan Labor Government has finally admitted it needs to do more to address concerns about mineral sands mining in the Wimmera Mallee region. The government has announced a Mineral Sands Agricultural Land Restoration Working Group, which…

Fair share guarantee to put regional Victoria back on the map

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, has welcomed the Victorian Nationals’ new Fair Share Guarantee, which will ensure regional Victoria receives 25 per cent of all new state infrastructure spending under a future Liberal and Nationals Government. The commitment, announced over the weekend, comes after Parliamentary Budget Office analysis revealed regional Victoria currently receives…

Kealy welcomes common sense reaction on firearm caps

Common sense has prevailed after proposals to cap the number of firearms per licence holder have been scrapped. The Nationals’ Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, said the outcome was a testament to the advocacy of law-abiding firearm owners, sporting clubs and industry organisations across Victoria. “This outcome is a credit to the many licensed firearm…