The Nationals have secured a Parliamentary inquiry to give communities across the state a chance to share their concerns and experiences with Victoria’s bushfire preparedness, planning and response. The inquiry will consider bushfire causes, their impact on communities, businesses and the environment – including native wildlife – and the resourcing and funding of emergency services agencies.…
Farmers across south-west Victoria are feeling the strain as the summer heat continues on the back of extended dry periods. Many are looking to strengthen their on-farm water supply, but approvals for new or expanded dams can be confusing when time and conditions are against them. Farmers have raised concerns about delays and unclear requirements…
The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, is calling on the Allan Labor Government to reconsider planned changes to the Casterton school bus network after a review widely failed to consider local feedback. The Department of Transport and Planning started a review of the network more than a year ago, and families repeatedly raised concerns…
The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, is calling on the Allan Labor Government to fix a gap in Victoria’s land tax laws that unfairly penalises adult children who provide housing for parents with significant disabilities. Ms Kealy was recently contacted by a western Victorian woman in her 40s who purchased her parents’ home after…
The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, has implored the Allan Labor Government to fund long-overdue upgrades to the Overland train service, with the growing service still operating without basic amenities at key regional stops. Ms Kealy said passenger numbers had continued to steadily rise, and tourism operators and locals were increasingly relying on the…
Residents cruelly cut off from receiving a Disaster Relief Payment after their properties were impacted by the Grass Flat fire have finally been recognised. More than a week after the Allan Labor Government announced that applications for support were open to fire-affected residents, the application portal continued to deem Quantong, Vectis and Arapiles communities ineligible.…
The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, has called on the Allan Labor Government to urgently repair currently closed public housing to provide emergency housing for those who have lost homes in the Grass Flat-Natimuk-Quantong fire. Ms Kealy said there were up to 100 empty government-managed homes in Horsham that were “offline” due to defects…
In the darkest and most difficult moments, we see the very best of our community. Over the past week, as residents in Natimuk, Quantong and Streatham have endured tragedy, time and again the collective spirit of our region and the selflessness and bravery of our emergency services volunteers have shone. It is difficult to articulate…
Artwork by St Mary’s Primary School Hamilton grade four student Chelsea Uebergang will feature on the cover of Member for Lowan Emma Kealy’s Christmas card this year. Each year Ms Kealy writes to schools across the Lowan electorate to invite students to design a card that reflects what they love best about their local area,…
The Allan Labor Government is not only continuing to roll out speed limit reductions instead of fixing our roads, but is now also failing to notify affected communities. Locals were outraged this week when signs appeared on the Ararat-Halls Gap Road between Moyston and Ararat reducing the speed limit from 100km/h to 80km/h, without any…
