The Railway Hotel

ALEX Prestney will run through Loddon towns from this weekend on a 550km odyssey raising awareness of road safety and funds to assist road trauma victims.

The policeman brother of Josh, one of four officers killed in Melbourne’s Eastern Freeway tragedy in 2020, left Mildura last week.

He is due to arrive in Charlton on Saturday before reaching Wedderburn on Sunday and Inglewood on Monday following the Calder Highway and train lines.

Alex will leave Inglewood next Tuesday for Bendigo and plans to arrive at the Victoria Police Memorial in Melbourne on August 24.

“My goal is to help make our roads a safe environment for everyone who uses them and to prevent tragedy occurring, as it is absolutely avoidable,” the senior constable said.

“As road users whether it be in a car, on a bicycle or motorcycle; only we have the power to enact better behaviour and decision making that can avoid disaster.

“Whether its your partner, your son, your husband or your daughter - help make a difference so the doorbell remains untouched, and the key slides into the lock after returning home instead.

“No one deserves to be injured or killed on our roads - help me make a difference to make our roads a safer place for everyone.”

Funds raised will go to Amber Community, formerly Road Trauma Support Services Victoria.

Subsidy ‘useless in child care desert’

THE Federal Government’s $5.4 billion Cheaper Child Care subsidy has been exposed as poor policy with skyrocketing fees and no relief for Mallee’s child care deserts, according to local MP Anne Webster.

The member for Mallee said: “So many regional communities are crying out for teachers, nurses and others, most of whom are younger mothers that simply can’t get back into the workforce due to not being able to access child care.”

Dr Webster said Labor’s ‘one size fits allpolicy on the run’ approach had failed Mallee parents.

“Billions of dollars in subsidies makes for good, quick headlines – but where was the mechanism to prevent that subsidy being eaten up by higher fees and the answer to towns with no child care?” she said.

Meanwhile, state MP Martha Haylett said discussions on the delivery of a government-owned early learning centre were ongoing with the Loddon Shire Council.

The Loddon site to end the shire’s care desert was promised during last November’s state election campaign and the centre to open in 2026. The site is yet to be selected.