We’re not a dumping ground

By ANNE WEBSTER

THE message to the Federal and Victorian Labor Governments is loud and clear – Mallee is not your dumping ground for bad policy.

I’ve been contacted by many landholders throughout the electorate – from Loddon, to Buloke, the Wimmera and Northern Grampians - concerned with the fast track of the Victoria-New South Wales Interconnector (VNI) West project.

This issue has been covered in depth by the Loddon Herald, and I stand with those concerned about the impact of this project and the tokenistic consultation conducted by the Australian Energy Market Operator Victorian Planners throughout the process.

A Victorian Government Ministerial order and subsequent route change has blindsided farmers and their communities, with the route now impacting Mallee almost exclusively and a great deal of that in the Loddon Shire. This is yet again an example of urban-centric Labor Governments forcing their plans at a cost to the regions.

Be it a State Labor Government signing off on infrastructure, or their Federal Government counterparts backing the projects chasing their expedited agenda, it is ‘wash, rinse, repeat’ when it comes to Labor leadership.

Mallee farmers are not only feeding the nation, but they are also expected to do it while having their valuable land impacted.

I know landholders are worried about what this will mean – from decreased land value which affects borrowing power, to loss of productivity capacity, as well

1. What is a group of crows called?

2. If someone were to mention “the Scottish play”, which play by Shakespeare would they be referring too?

3. Which tennis grand slam is played on clay courts?

4. The catchphrase “get some nuts” belongs to which chocolate bar?

5. Who was the Australian Prime Minister when Queen Elizabeth II was coronated?

6. What is the smallest planet in our solar system?

7. Prior to 1930 what was the Turkish city of Istanbul called?

8. Orecchiette is what type of foodstuff?

9. Which actor portrayed Kenny Larkin in just 4 episodes of Neighbours?

10. Mycology is the study of what?

11. Alfred is the butler to which superhero?

12. The city of Pompeii was destroyed by which volcano?

13. What is a female donkey called?

14. How many consonants are there in the English alphabet?

15. Which AFL team has infamously not won a final since 2004?

16. Regarding radio, what do AM and FM stand for?

17. Apache, Chinook, and Black Hawk as biosecurity risks and damage to crops during and after the installation of these lines across properties. Let environmentalrisks. I brought Leader of the Nationals and Shadow Agriculture Minister David Littleproud to face a community meeting in Charlton last week to hear from farmers and their communities.

We are calling for a Senate Inquiry into transmission lines and their impact on regional Australia and the Energy Market.

Labor, Greens and Independent David Pocock blocked a previous attempt at this instigated by The Nationals, we continue to call on the Government and AEMO to be transparent.

Meanwhile Simon Bartlett AM, previously a member of the National Electricity Market’s Reliability Panel, a professor of electrical engineering and chief operating officer of Powerlink, and Professor Bruce Mountain, director of the Victoria Energy Policy Centre at Victoria University) have submitted a detailed critique of AEMO’s Consultation Report – calling it a ‘Monumental Mistake’.

The professors say AEMO’s new preferred option, ‘option 5’, will be the biggest single energy expense in living memory.

It will double transmission charges in Victoria and lay the foundation for fur ther transmission developments that to gether will triple transmission charges in Victoria.

The project will force new renewable generation along the Western Renewa bles Link-VNI route where AEMO predicts congestion resulting in 50 per cent of the renewable generation in that corridor wasted through spills.

Snowy 2.0 – supposedly a major reason for building Western Renewables LinkWRL-VNI - will be choked so that it presents no storage value to Victoria.

It will delay the transition to renewable generation until the WRL-VNI is complete in a decade’s time, and waste existing transmission capacity from the Latrobe Valley to Melbourne.

Gippsland is the strongest transmission corridor in Australia. It already has plenty of spare transmission capacity and it can be greatly expanded at low cost.

It is noted that AEMO’s WRL-VNI relies on an outdated 13-year-old blueprint for the development of a 500 kV super-grid from Tasmania to Townsville.

That blueprint has long since been superseded as a result of reductions in solar and wind generation costs, that are now a tenth and third respectively of what they were when the blueprint was written.

And the cost of all this will be paid for by Australian consumers through AEMO’s cost recovery and taxpayers through the Federal Government’s Rewiring The Nation plan which backs projects such as this.

Next Week

are all types of what aircraft?

18. George Lucas is best known for creating which film series?

19. The stretch of sea between mainland Australia and Tasmania is the Bass ____?

20. Since Brisbane and West Coast joined the AFL in 1987, which expansion team has taken the least amount of time to win their first?

Clue: Question 5

Yung Balug Keeping Place

The Museum is situated on the property of Paul & Cathie Haw.

Well worth a visit to see the amazing Artefacts collected from the Boort Region.

A recent addition is 34 photos taken by John Hunter Kerr in the 1850s. This was made possible by the State Library of Victoria.

Everyone is welcome. but please call or Email before visiting.

Phone - 0417 333 171

Email - paulcathiehaw@gmail.com

Swap Meet

Saturday 20th May Engine Park, cnr Racecourse Rd and Calder Highway, Wedderburn

Gates open to the public from 7am Entry (cash only) $2 adults

Children free

BBQ, Pies and Pasties, Pancakes, Soup, Tea, Coffe and slices and more to feast on

Turn your unwanted goods into much needed cash Sites $10

Supported by

Enquires to:

T Bailey 0427 583 341

L Goddard 0438 915 278

Feedback for Proposed Budget 2023/24 (which includes Draft Fees and Charges Schedule)

Loddon Shire Council has prepared a Budget for 2023/24 and after consideration at the Council Meeting held on Wednesday 26 April 2023 is now requesting feedback on the Draft Budget (which includes the Draft Fees and Charges Schedule).

Copies of the documents will be available for inspection from Monday 1 May 2023 to Friday 19 May 2023. Council has made these nancial documents available on Council’s website on https://www.loddon. vic.gov.au/Our-Council/Documents-forpublic-comment. Copies are also available to be posted on request by calling Council’s Customer Service O ce on (03) 5494 1200.

Any person wishing to provide feedback on any of the draft nancial documents is requested to do so before close of business on Friday 19 May 2023.

Feedback should be referenced with ‘Draft Financial Documents Feedback’ and can state whether they wish to provide their feedback in person at the June Council Forum.

Inglewood - 65 Grant Street (cnr Grant & Houston St) Sat, 13th May - 8am to 4pm

Household goods, tools and shed items, furniture

All items are under cover.

Agistment Wanted

65

Call

This feedback can be sent via mail to Loddon Shire Council, PO Box 21, Wedderburn VIC 3518, or via email at loddon@loddon.vic.gov.au.

Council will meet to consider any feedback at the Council Forum on Tuesday 6 June 2023. Council will then consider adoption of the Draft Budget at the Meeting of Council on Tuesday 27 June 2023. Council will give public notice of its decision.

Lincoln Fitzgerald Chief Executive O cer

Exciting OpportunityBe a Teacher Aide!

Boort District P-12 School is looking for someone to take on the rewarding and fulfilling role of teacher aide.

A teacher aide works in the classrooms with different teachers and students and helps prepare resources, supports the teacher with supervision of students and helps students complete tasks set.

Could this be you?

This role is for 3 days per week (negotiable) with the possibility of increasing time to five days per week. Training in support for Reading Intervention may also be available for the right person.

If you are interested in applying for this job, contact the school for a job description and a list of criteria to address in your application.

Applications close on Monday15th May – 4pm. Send applications to: The Principal Boort District P-12 School 9-27 Malone Street, Boort VIC 3537

Or Email: boort.district.p12@education.vic.gov.au

Subject: Teacher Aide Application