The Victorian Labor Government should not force Horsham Rural City Council to choose between bushfire recovery and its fair share of funding for other important community infrastructure. The Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy has backed Horsham Rural City Mayor Brian Klowss in calling for the government to ensure funding provided to rebuild community assets…
The Carroll Labor Government must urgently explain communication failures that hampered emergency responses during the past summer’s devastating bushfires and guarantee the issues are fixed before the upcoming fire season. New reports have revealed critical digital mapping and communication systems failed firefighters during a bushfire that impacted Streatham, Carranballac and Skipton in January, raising serious…
A Parliamentary inquiry into Victoria’s 2025-26 bushfire season has confirmed years of Labor neglect left the CFA under-resourced and put regional communities at risk. The report, tabled in state parliament this week, found Labor mismanagement led to a decline in CFA volunteers, inadequate fuel management, and major delays in bushfire recovery efforts during one of…
Bushfire-affected communities have extra time to share their concerns and experiences through a Parliamentary inquiry, with the submission deadline extended to April 19. The inquiry, which The Nationals secured, will look at bushfire causes, their impact on communities, business and the environment – including native wildlife – and the resourcing and funding of emergency services…
On Monday, our region was rocked by the news of an alleged murder, followed by a siege in the Horsham CBD. Police and emergency services also responded to multiple vehicle incidents on our dangerous roads – a harrowing task for even the most experienced emergency service workers and volunteers. For many of us, the work…
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.…
Late last year I attended the 150-year celebration of Horsham fire brigade. Horsham town hall was filled with volunteer firefighters and emergency services workers, acknowledging the many disasters that they had attended over the past century and a half. Little did I know that less than two months later it would be the same assembly…
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.…
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…
CFA brigades across Lowan will receive more than $3.1 million combined through this year’s Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program, but the Labor government has critically overlooked upgrades for one of the electorate’s most heavily bushfire-impacted towns. Twenty-seven brigades will receive funding through the program – which provides grants on a 2:1 basis – for equipment,…
