The Victorian Electoral Commission is currently checking the membership of the Nationals Party Victoria Branch.
As part of the checking process the VEC wrote to the people named as members of the Victorian Nationals Party asking that they confirm their membership. This was to help determine if the party had enough members to remain eligible for registration as a political party.
There is little doubt that foxes and rabbits are two of Australia’s worst invasive pests. Foxes cause livestock and economic losses for farmers and are a major threat to native species. Rabbits detrimentally impact landscapes and biodiversity through causing soil erosion, overgrazing vegetation and competing with other animals for food. In South Gippsland, the natural coastal and agricultural landscapes along the Bunurong coast are experiencing these adverse impacts.
Victorians are being urged to prepare for the upcoming summer fire season, with Fire Action Week starting today-October 19th. Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville launched the week of action alongside Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp, Fire Rescue Commissioner Ken Block, CFA Chief Officer Garry Cook and Forest Fire Management Victoria Deputy Chief Fire Officer Trevor Dess.
The Victorian Government is ensuring Melbourne’s hospitality sector can make a smooth transition to outdoor dining by streamlining planning approvals.
Minister for Planning Richard Wynne today announced that existing pubs, restaurants, cafes and other food and drink venues can use existing outdoor spaces, as well as nearby parks and public land to accommodate and serve patrons without the need for a planning permit.
The exemptions, to be made under planning amendment VC139 and published in the government gazette later today, will allow venues to capitalise on open spaces including streets, footpaths and carparks to add to venue capacity while restrictions reduce the number of patrons allowed for indoor dining.
Council contacted this newspaper unhappy about a claim made regarding the number of FOI complaints lodged at Council as seen in the Council Annual Report in each of the two years 2018/19 and 2019/20. The table in the Annual Report says 20 and 27 but Council insists that the figures are 11 and 27, not 20 and 27.
With restrictions easing and two upcoming long weekends, Victoria Police are urging the community to drive safely as the dangers on our roads begin to creep back in. Police are today launching Operation Saturn, a two-and-a-half-week road policing operation that runs from Thursday 22 October to Sunday 8 November 2020. The state-wide operation will aim to prevent further trauma on our roads caused by dangerous driving in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
As you follow the stately, meandering Tarwin River south, you arrive in the picturesque town of Tarwin Lower. If you allow yourself the time to stroll along the shopping strip, the delicious, teasing scent of award winning Little Rebel roasted coffee will lead you straight to the popular ‘The Bird & The Wolf’ coffee shop.
With the relaxing of covid19 restrictions in November when 40 people are allowed in a dining establishment Council was asked when it planned to reopen its monthly live in person Council meetings. Usual numbers at a Council meeting would be around 10 maximum unless there was a contentious topic on the agenda.
A Council spokesperson said, “We are planning for a live-streamed Meeting in November and continuing to evaluate the situation on a month-by-month basis.”
Australian farmers take pride in their efficient and productive farming systems, competing in the global economy and without many of the large subsidies given to their counterparts in Europe and North America. There are many agricultural success stories in Australia – such as reducing soil erosion through conservation tillage – but major environmental problems have also emerged.
As always, I bumped into lovely, familiar faces in town and struck up a jovial conversation with an endearing, retired farmer I hadn’t seen in a long while (social distancing rule applied of course). He too was buying fuel and we enjoyed a good, old yarn, laughing and teasing as I proceeded to fill my diesel container with ‘unleaded petrol’!
It’s been over five years since the Schreurs uprooted themselves and their successful vegetable farm from the outskirts of Melbourne to Middle Tarwin, converting over 1000 acres of lush, former dairy and cattle land. The soil, climate and access to water sealed the deal. “We managed to find a location with a lot of water and a lot of water catchment area,” Adam Schreur explained.
Synergy Wind Pty Ltd applied to the Minister for Planning for permission under the Wellington Planning Scheme to use and develop what has been described as the Alberton Wind Farm in Wellington Shire. The Wind Farm is characterised as a wind energy facility under the Wellington Planning Scheme.
This paper was contacted by a Council spokesperson over issues they had with an article written on the FOI costs at Council. They raised three matters.
I keep reading that communities will be more accepting of wind farm developments if developers simply take the time to properly engage
with local people. Wrong! The last thing developers’ want is closer scrutiny of their proposals. They orchestrate and thrive on community division, and are smug in their knowledge that they can ram their proposals through the planning process.
This Week’s Deliveries.
Leongatha/Korumburra-MONDAY-TUESDAY
Mirboo North and Dumbalk-MONDAY (morning)
Foster-TUESDAY (afternoon)
Meeniyan IGA, Poowong PO, Loch Petrol Station, Nyora General Store-TUESDAY (afternoon)
There’s been plenty said about how challenging 2020 has been. And it’s true. This year has asked more of us – taken more from us – than any year, ever. But 2020 has also proven, without doubt, the incredible courage of Victorians. We have found it in ourselves to stay the course. And as a state – millions strong – we are defeating this virus. Other places around the world have not been so successful.
The Victorian Government’s annual economic snapshot of dairy farms has revealed a lift in average performance across the state. Minister for Agriculture Jaclyn Symes released the 14th Dairy Farm Monitor Project (DFMP) which shows a challenging first six months of 2019-20 were followed by favourable conditions in the second half of the year to lift average performance across Victoria’s dairy regions.
Detectives from the Latrobe Family Violence Investigation Unit are making a fresh appeal for public assistance following an incident in Foster seven years ago.
More than 2,000 people have signed a petition to South Gippsland Shire Council to immediately declare a climate emergency. The petition, to be presented to Council at its October 21st public presentation meeting, was organised by Prom Area Climate Action (PACA) and carries 2,031 signatures. It says dangerous climate change is happening now and is accelerating and that this demands action at a pace far beyond business and politics as usual.
While the contractor has made significant inroads into the project, at this stage it is anticipated that the pool will open approximately 6-8 weeks later than planned. While originally slated for a December re-opening, the pool is now expected to be open by mid-February 2021.
More than 4,100 tutors will be deployed across Victorian schools in 2021 to ensure no student is left behind in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The $250 million package is the single biggest boost to individual learning support in Victoria’s history, and will make sure any student who may have fallen behind or become disengaged gets the help they deserve.
The South Gippsland Action Group wish to make the case for the Shire to actually engage with Parks Victoria and the Mountain Bike riders to develop tracks within our Parks, State Forests and Reserves to develop a series of facilities that will encourage this tourism.
The Victorian Government has listened and taken urgent action to ensure victim-survivors of sexual assault can share their stories. Attorney-General Jill Hennessy today announced amendments to the Judicial Proceedings Reports Act to empower victim-survivors to tell their stories – without having to seek court permission.
The Victorian Government is supporting a sustainable future for Victoria’s forestry industry with formal expressions of interest opening for investors and plantation developers to expand the state’s plantation timber supply. The Gippsland Plantations Investment Program will significantly grow Victoria’s timber stocks by providing incentives for new industrial-scale plantings as part of the Government’s record $110 million investment in plantation timber.
Close contacts to be made to quarantine.
Increased penalties for breaches by businesses and people. Testing refusers to be in quarantine for 24 days.
The Victorian Government is strengthening food relief services across the state ensuring healthy food reaches Victorians in need.
Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers Luke Donnellan today launched the Government’s new $5 million Community Food Relief Fund – supporting local community organisations supplying food to Victorians in need.
Two people have died following a serious crash in Korumburra this afternoon.
Officers have been told a car was stationary waiting to turn right, on the South Gippsland Highway about 3.30pm when it was hit from behind by another vehicle.
Ned Land was driving along the Main South Road towards the Ranceby Road this morning when he came upon this new landslip. SES Korumburra and South Gippsland Council have both been notified. Council recently approved contracts for repairing 4 major landslips from 2019 which were over 12 months old and another 3 smaller ones developed since that date. Total appears to be 9 and it is to be hoped that Council could fix this one a little quicker than 12 months-time.
The Mirboo North Pool Committee and the Mirboo North & District Community Foundation are pleased to announce that they have met the $1M community fundraising target with the $100,000 Challenge Fund from the Mirboo North & District Community Foundation having been matched in total last month.
South Gippsland Voices Newspaper is now available fortnightly from the Meeniyan IGA Supermarket.
Issue 5 is in store now.
South Gippsland Voices Newspaper is now available fortnightly from the Loch Petrol Station.
Issue 5 is in store now.
South Gippsland Voices Newspaper is now available fortnightly from the Poowong Post Office.
Issue 5 is in store now.
South Gippsland Voices Newspaper is now available fortnightly from the Nyora General Store.
Issue 5 is in store now.
The covid-19 pandemic is horrendous on so many levels, however the creativity which is transpiring and rising from the ashes is commendably astounding. One of the innovate ideas presently emerging at full speed is Pages For Wisdom.
Chelsea Dynan, from Gembrook, is a psychologist and an experienced palliative care counsellor. Presently on maternity leave after giving birth to a gorgeous, second child, Chelsea has been reflecting and writing about her meaningful work. “I found myself pondering over the fragility of our aged care community and how one person can have such a substantial impact on another,” she claims.
Possibly the most important major initiative in the 2017-2021 Council Plan was the development and implementation of the shared services program. This program promised savings in the order of $2-3 Million per year for South Gippsland Council which would have allowed a rate reduction for ratepayers of 7% if passed on in full through the rates notice.
The world is in the grips of a food-tech revolution. One of the most compelling new developments is cultured meat, also known as clean, cell-based or slaughter-free meat. It’s grown from stem cells taken from a live animal without the need for slaughter.
My repertoire of cakes is minimal. I or should I say she who must be obeyed outsourced main courses predominantly to me. This one is fantastic and I have shared it with many friends. It is equally simple and appealing and rewarding. One of my male friends now uses it with is very young granddaughter as an exercise in cooking. (About $6 2020 or 50c a slice) Time about 20 minute to prepare.
On page 25 in the adopted Council budget (June 2020), notes say ” 2. An additional Freedom of Information (FOI) officer has been included as well as increasing hours for current FOI staff to manage a significant increase in FOI requests. Increase of $133,000.”
A report at the time quoted Council’s Acting Director Corporate and Community Services, Tracey Costello as saying the budget for addressing FOI requests by ratepayers had now reached a staggering $190,000 per annum.
Question: To ask the Minister for Local Government: In relation to the former Minister for Local Government, the Hon Adem Somyurek’s correspondence to the South Gippsland Shire Council of 2 April 2019, which stated “I will make the monitor report and any Council or Councillor responses public once any submissions from the Council have been duly considered”
One of President Trumps closets advisors, Ms Hope hicks, tested positive for covid yesterday forcing the President and First Lady to get tested. Both tests came back positive, so the President and First Lady have now entered 14-day quarantine.
New Zealanders can travel freely to NT and NSW if they have been in New Zealand for 14 days and do not come from any hotspot zones.
States can participate if they follow the commonwealth hot spot definitions.
No quarantine if they come from non-hotspot areas.
Australian Govt will support “green lanes” at borders to collect information from New Zealanders when they arrive to allow contact tracing if needed.
The Victorian Government has developed the Victorian Forestry Plan to assist the industry as it manages its gradual transition away from native forest harvesting to a plantation-based timber supply.
The plan shown here contains detail about how to financially compensate those in the industry who desire or must depart the industry as timber production reduces. Nothing is mentioned in this report about where the replacement timber will come from to replace the currently acquired native sawlogs.
An annual initiative of the Council Plan 2017-2021 was to ‘identify efficiency measures that Council has achieved since the introduction of the Victorian Rate Capping System and present a report to Council by 30 December 2019.’
The Victorian Government is undertaking the largest forest restoration effort in the state’s history with a $7.7 million operation that airlifted tonnes of eucalypt seeds into areas of forest devastated by last summer’s fires.
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