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,…
I again ask the Premier to direct the Inspector-General for Emergency Management Victoria to undertake an intensive review of the Little Desert fires and the Grampians bushfires which impacted my electorate last summer. There were a number of issues that were raised over the course of this fire management. There are ways that we can…
Today marks exactly one year since the hailstorm at Casterton destroyed or damaged so many buildings. In fact there were 1305 insurance claims from about the 1600 residents in that community. We are 12 months on, but there has been very limited support for that community. Unfortunately it failed to meet the damage quantum required…
I again urge the Premier and the Allan Labor government to make a referral to the inspectorate-general of emergency management to undertake an inquiry into the bushfires over last summer in my electorate, specifically around the Grampians bushfires and the Little Desert bushfire. There are critical issues that have gone unaddressed and unanalysed as a…
The Allan Labor Government will this year cut budgets for the state’s emergency services, despite introducing a tax it promised would deliver them more funding. Labor’s own budget papers show significant funding reductions across key emergency agencies, including those the government used to justify introducing its Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund, which came into effect…
In my limited time before the break I would like to reflect upon what has been contributed to this Parliament and what was handed down by the Victorian Treasurer. Let us remember this is a Treasurer who stepped into the role saying she would stand up for regional Victoria because she is a regional Victorian.…
Our farmers are on their knees – no rain, no food, no water, dwindling cash reserves and increasing debt to the banks – and the support they get from the city-centric government is next to nothing. In fact it is now a six-week wait for a rural financial counsellor for financial support and mental health…
The Nationals and Liberals will scrap the Allan Labor Government’s cruel Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund that seeks to rip $765 million a year from hard-working Victorians. The parties made the announcement on the steps of Parliament House this week, where Member for Lowan and Deputy Leader of The Nationals, Emma Kealy, and Nationals and…
