Local People. Fri., Oct. 15, 2021

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2021

Local News Nominations open

■ Nominations for the 2022 Australia Day CitizenAwards in Strathbogie Shire are now open. The awards provide a great opportunity for us to thank members of the community who have gone above and beyond during what has been another challenging year.

“The 2021 Australia Day Citizen of the Year, Gill Belle, encouraged community members to consider who was deserving of recognition for their contributions to community,” said a Council statement.

“This is your chance to recognise and celebrate the achievements and contributions that individuals and community groups have made to the community,” said Ms Belle.

“These awards are an important way to recognise those who have dedicated their energy to giving back to the community in big and small ways.”

Categories for nomination include Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen (aged 1428), Senior Citizen (aged 65 and over), Community Event of the Year and Community Group or Organisation of the Year.

Mayor Cr Mark Holcombe said he looked forward to receiving the nominations.

“The awards celebrate those who put in the effort to help make Mansfield Shire a great community to be part of and we know there are many deserving candidates this year,” said Cr Holcombe.

“This year our people, groups and events have shown great innovation in their contributions as we’ve moved through changing COVID-19 restrictions. Consider all the people who have helped raise our community up during tough times, and events or projects that have been adapted to consider COVID-safe participation.”

Nominations can be made until 5pm Monday, November 29, and previously unsuccessful nominations will be considered.

- Strathbogie Shire Council

Writers encouraged

■ Yarra Ranges Council is encouraging submissions for Writing RidgeWalk, a project giving local writers the opportunity for their works to be part of RidgeWalk, a 39km art and cultural track across the Dandenong Ranges.

Selected works will become an integral part of RidgeWalka project that explores the natural wonders, rich histories and cultural offerings of the Dandenong Ranges through art and storytelling.

The submitted works should be no more than 400 words, or two minutes read aloud, that encourages seeing the region in new ways, interpreting the cultural, social, historical and environmental context of RidgeWalk, including its key themes of activism, colour, form and light.

Selected works will feature alongside those commissioned from nationally-acclaimed writers, with the collective works to help launch a Public Participatory Writing Project for RidgeWalk, as well as a writers festival, in 2023.

Lyster Ward Councillor, Johanna Skelton, said that Writing RidgeWalk would allow for the landscape of RidgeWalk to be artfully understood, translated, felt or experienced.

“This region has attracted and inspired artists for many thousands of years,” said Cr Skelton.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for the history and geography of the Hills to be shared with residents and visitors through art.

- Yarra Ranges Shire Council

HIGHEST EVER NUMBER OF CASES

■ Victoria was notified of 2297 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday (Thu.. All were locally acquired cases.

This is the highest daily number of cases recorded in Victoria since the pandemic began.

There are 20,505 active cases in Victoria.

There are 706 COVID-19 cases in hospital in Victoria. 147 of those cases are in intensive care, with 100 cases on a ventilator.

Of the people in hospital yesterday, 90 per cent were not fully vaccinated The Health Department was notified of 11 deaths yesterday: ■ A man in his 80s from Brimbank ■ A woman in her 80s and a woman in her 70s, both from Knox ■ A man in his 70s from Greater Shepparton ■ A man in his 70s, a man in his 60s, and a man in his 50s, all from Hume ■ A man in his 70s, and a man in his 60s, both from Melton ■ A man in his 60s from Moreland ■ A man in his 50s from Moonee Valley This brings the total number of deaths in Victoria since the pandemic began to 945.

Total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 59,710.

Lockdown has ended in Mitchell Shire, effective from 11.59pm Wednesday (Oct. 13) Some 37,611 vaccine doses were administered on Wednesday by Victoria’s state-commissioned services.

The total number of doses administered through state-run services is 4,046,471.

87.6 per cent of Victorians aged 16 and over have now had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 62 per cent have had two doses.

Victoria is opening neighbourhood pop-up vaccination centres in suburban streets, shops, gyms and community clubs The small, targeted pop-ups are designed to vaccinate 20 to 30 people a session. Suburbs in scope for neighbourhood pop-ups are concentrated in Melbourne’s mid and outer north, west and south east.

The Health Department is partnering with the Melbourne Football Club to run a pop-up vaccination site at the second home of the Melbourne Demons at Casey Fields. The site will be offering Pfizer and Moderna vaccines with both bookings and walk-ups available.

Victorians are encouraged to book their COVID-19 vaccination through their local GP or community pharmacy, community health service or state vaccination centre.

Of the 2297 locally acquired cases announced yesterday, the following nearby Local Government Areas were recorded: ■ 38 cases in Banyule ■ 68 cases in Darebin ■ 255 cases in Hume ■ 21 cases in Manningham ■ 23 cases in Maroondah ■ 9 cases in Nillumbik ■ 200 cases in Whittlesea ■ 25 cases in Yarra Ranges There were 693 new cases in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, 633 new cases in the western suburbs, 650 cases in the south-eastern suburbs and 144 cases in the eastern suburbs.

There were also 170 new cases announced in regional Victoria yesterday: ■ 5 cases in Ballarat ■ 1 case in Bass Coast ■ 17 cases in Baw Baw ■ 1 case in Benalla ■ 1 case in East Gippsland ■ 1 case in Golden Plains ■ 9 cases in Greater Bendigo ■ 32 cases in Greater Geelong ■ 30 cases in Greater Shepparton ■ 17 cases in Latrobe ■ 1 case in Macedon Ranges ■ 23 cases in Mildura ■ 9 cases in Mitchell ■ 1 case in Moira ■ 3 cases in Moorabool ■ 1 case in Mount Alexander ■ 1 case in Moyne ■ 3 cases in Murrindindi ■ 2 cases in South Gippsland ■ 1 case in Surf Coast ■ 4 cases in Swan Hill ■ 2 cases in Wangaratta ■ 1 case in Warrnambool ■ 3 cases in Wellington ■ 1 case in West Wimmera Within yesterday’s cases, there are 1245 newly impacted households which previously did not have COVID19 present. Overall, 63 per cent of all of yesterday’s cases were aged under 40 years and 46 per cent were aged under 30 years.

- Department of Health

Local News Back in class

■ Tim Quilty, Northern Victoria MLC, has spoken in State Parliament this week about young local children returning to school.

“My constituency question is to the Minister for Health. From today (Wed.) northern Victorian students in grades 3 through 6 and 8 through 10 will be returning to onsite learning two days a week.

“In two weeks time all regional students will return to full onsite learning, but parents in Northern Victoria have been left wondering: why the elaborate staging?

“They would like to know why their children in these grades missed out on the first week of school and why they are expected to miss out on attending school with their brothers and sisters for another two weeks.

“Many of us cannot see any sense to this.

It is disruptive; it requires one parent to remain home to support their child’s remote learning when they could be learning with their peers at school.

“Again, given the few COVID cases we have had in many towns in the region, this staged return defies logic.

“It is baffling that this is rolled out across all communities in northern Victoria regardless of size or COVID cases.

“Again regional diversity is ignored. Minister, how do you justify this one-size-fitsall staggered return to school for regional students? We just want our kids back in class.”

- Tim Quilty

Staff challenges

■ In State Parliament on Wednesday (Oct. 13), Tania Maxwell, Northern Victoria MLC, has raised the matter of staff shortages because of COVID restrictions.

“My office was contacted yesterday by a retailer in Wangaratta who is going to lose 50 per cent of their staff because they are hesitant to be vaccinated,” Ms Maxwell said.

“There is no mandate that people entering their store have to be vaccinated, because they supply food.

“They cannot deny entry to unvaccinated customers, but their staff will not be able to attend work despite other COVID-safe measures being put into place.

“Minister, this business will struggle to advertise, interview, appoint and train new staff in one week. The COVID hotline told them to simply close their doors until the process is completed, but they could not tell them if they would be given any financial assistance.

“So my question is: what financial support will be given to this constituent and others in these circumstances?”

- Tania Maxwell

They’re racing

■ Yea &St Pats Racing Club is hopeful it will be racing with crowds on Saturday November 13 and on Saturday December 18.

Crowd numbers and entry arrangements are yet to be confirmed through Racing Victoria who are awaiting advice from the relevant Victorian Government departments. It is believed that all entrants to the racecourse on those days will have to be double vaccinated. It will be a restricted crowd, perhaps up to 1000 patrons .

“We know that this may be frustrating for prospective patrons,” said Club President Denis Smith. “But at least people can plan now to have a day at the races, even though it is unlikely that they will be able to book before the end of November”.

Memberships will be available on the club’s Country Racing Victoria website by the end of this week.

- Yea & St Pats Racing Club

Page 2 - The Local Paper - Friday, October 15, 2021

Local Briefs Better support

■ After the 2019-20 fire season, better support has been discussed by Wallan-based MLC, Jaclyn Symes (Northern Victoria).

“This has been a difficult two years for the communities directly affected by the devastating 2019-20 fires,” Ms Symes said.

“I thank the Inspector-General for their work in recommending how we can better support these Victorians.”

“We’ll continue to support communities as they recover and rebuild, and we appreciate the work being done by our incredible emergency services personnel to help those efforts.”

The Victorian Government abled the second phase report from the InspectorGeneral for Emergency Management’s independent inquiry into the 2019-20 Victorian fire season.

Ms Symes welcomed the report and confirmed the Andrews Labor Government’s support for all 15 recommendations.

The recommendations aim to ensure the emergency management sector, local governments and communities are better placed to manage relief and recovery from bushfires and other emergencies.

The Phase Two Report examines relief and recovery arrangements during and immediately after the 2019-20 Victorian bushfires. This builds on the Phase One report released in 2020, which focused on emergency preparedness and response.

Community experiences, highlighted throughout IGEM’s report, show there is further work all response agencies can do to better support locals during and after emergencies.

The Government will build on work already underway including making relief a greater priority within the emergency management system.

Creating a strengthened, dedicated recovery entity to work with government departments, agencies and councils to develop a state-wide, all-emergencies response will ensure the sector is well equipped to drive ongoing improvements and tackle enduring challenges.

The Government will work with the sector over the coming months to finalise the design of the dedicated recovery entity and in the interim, Bushfire Recovery Victoria will continue its vital work and play a similar role to support the recovery of communities, as it has for the 2019-20 Victorian fires and the 2021 flood and storm events over the coming extreme weather season.

A link to the IGEM Inquiry into the 201920 Victorian Fire Season Phase Two report and the Government’s response can be found on the EMV website.

- Jaclyn Symes

Open Gardens

■ The Rotary Club of Yea is hopeful of being able to host this year’s Open Gardens on the weekend of Saturday-Sunday, November 6-7.

Ten gardens will be available for viewing and people will be able to pay at the gate for each individual garden or purchase a ticket for all 10 gardens.

For details of the individual gardens, please visit the Club's website at www.yearotary.org.au - Rotary Club of Yea

SES training

■ Four of Marysville SES members successfully completed their 4WD competency training last wekkend, adding further critical operational skills to their expertise.

The unit regards itself as lucky to have some tracks and obstacles nearby, as well as access to unit trainers to support locally run courses.

“After tackling 4WD operations, recovery and winches, wheel changes, snow chains and more, we headed back into town to thoroughly clean our vehicles and equipment.

“Along the way we enjoyed a picnic lunch and some amazing views - definitely not a bad way to spend a weekend.”

- Marysville SES

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Local People: 2

COVID: Govt woeful - McLeish ■ Eildon MLA Cindy McLeish this week described the Andrews Labor Government as woeful.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday (Oct. 13), Ms McLeish said: “We hold now the record—the world record—for lockdowns: about nine months, or 277 days. That is unbelievable.

“It is a record that we do not want to have.

We have lost the ‘world’s most livable city’ title for Melbourne. We have gone from the top to number eight. That is again woeful. We are living with a curfew, and we have a Premier who has had absolutely no plan.

“And the reason that they have had no plan, or one of the reasons, is that they have been too busy trying to fix the mistakes they have made from making policy on the run.

“Too many policies have been made too quickly, and then the government finds, ‘Oh, gosh. We didn’t think about that’ or ‘We didn’t think about this’ and then have to try and fix it.

“They have no time to plan because they do not understand, and they do not get it. And now we know that the Government is so distracted by what is going on at IBAC, that everybody is glued to their screens and listening to hear what is said about them or what is said about one of their staff members.

“We know that they are watching that so, so carefully. By comparison the Liberal Nationals are focused on a plan to reopen, recover and rebuild all aspects of Victoria, including schools, hospitality, retail, events and tourism.

“We are focusing on bringing back jobs and bringing Victoria out of the COVID pandemic.

Now, I want to look at the impacts. What are the impacts? We have children who will start next year in grade 2 who will not have been to school virtually for two years; they have missed the first couple of years.

“We have young adults robbed of their youth—and a number of people have spoken to me about that. We have young boys at school that are just so disengaged. We have the elderly missing out on vital time. They are getting older, and they are missing out on vital family time.

“We have lost major attractions in the city.

We have lost the observation wheel—what a loss that is to the city and to Docklands—and we have lost so many events.

“One of the things that I will say on the events sector is that they are such an important sector—$12 billion they added to our economy every year pre pandemic—and they were left off the road map.

“In fact if you want to have a look at Victoria’s road map for delivery, you will find out that they have been left out. Compare that to New South Wales. They have a section dedicated to events.

“It just shows you what the Victorian Government thinks of that sector. It is just not good enough.

“We need to help Melbourne get back to its former glory and to regain its crown as the most livable city, bring back tourism and recreate the bustling, vibrant city it was once, full of stage events, entertainment and hospitality. It was the place people wanted to come to.

“I just want to talk about the rollout of the vaccination program and in fact the mandatory vaccinations that the government has put into place. Now, at the moment we have some 20,000 COVID cases in Victoria.

“And with 86.7 per cent—I think those are yesterday’s stats—single dose for 16 years and over, that is pretty good. We are going to get to 90 per cent, but what will that mean when we do? We are actually not sure what it means.

“We are going to hit the 70 per cent doublevax target probably earlier. The modelling initially suggested we were going to get to 70 per cent on October 26. Well, now it looks as though it could be a few days earlier, maybe the 22nd or the 23rd.

“And the 80 per cent double-vax target was November 5. In the road map everyone is talking about November 5, but it could be as early as the 1st or the 2nd. So what does that mean?

Are the government actually going to bring the easing of restrictions forward? Probably not.

“The Minister for Health has said: We’ve got nothing to add to the roadmap. It’s transparent.

● Cindy McLeish, Eildon MLA “But Paul Guerra from the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry knows what bringing that forward by few days will mean. It means an extra weekend.

“And I tell you what, for all of those businesses that have been on their knees, an extra weekend would absolutely go down so well. This is what they want and this is what they need, but it looks as though the Government are getting cold feet as we get closer to the targets of 70 or 80 per cent. They are getting cold feet because they like the power of keeping us locked down.

“The mandatory vaccination that has been announced for authorised workers—well, goodness, talk about picking winners and losers here.

Essentially everybody who leaves the house is now going to have to be vaccinated—the mandatory vaccination.

“I am dreadfully concerned for our health sector, because this means all the ambulances and the nurses, and there are a lot of them out there who have concerns about this. I will tell you what, we are in no state.

“Our health system is under so much pressure because of the ongoing botching of the health system by the Premier in his seven years and in his four years as the Minister for Health before that, when Labor were in government under Bracks and Brumby.

“Now our health system is straining. The ambulance ramping is beyond belief. The paramedics are speaking out. They are coming to talk to us. The nurses are coming to talk to us because they are very worried.

“What is going to happen to them if they do not get vaccinated, if they do not meet the targets? What is going to happen to them? We cannot afford—the Government cannot afford—to lose these people out of our health system.

“The Police as well—there are also some issues with a number of police who are not wanting to be vaccinated. Well, what is going to happen there? We cannot afford to lose these people out of the system.

“At a nursing school I understand that the course for nurses has been truncated. They are pushing people through, with less student contact hours. We are bringing people in from overseas. Goodness knows, I would have thought a lot of the overseas countries would actually need those people.

“The teachers—the advice that has been given from the department to the teachers tells them very clearly what they are to do if employees do not get vaccinated: “Between October 18 and December 17 …

employees who do not meet vaccination require ments will not be able to attend work on site and will be not assigned alternative duties.

“I am figuring this is a government policy. If DET and the Secretary of the Department of Education and Training have put this out, I imagine that that is the same for all government departments.

“This puts the schools in a very tricky situation. It puts the Department of Health in a tricky situation about what they are going to do.

“There is an opportunity here to deploy rapid testing. I tell you what: the Premier and the Government have been rapid testing deniers like you would not believe. We have been putting this on the table for some time.

“The Opposition has seen it work elsewhere.

We have in fact ourselves had rapid tests on the front steps of Parliament, but still the Government are very, very reluctant for some reason to bring this in.

“I know that rapid testing would certainly be of assistance in these areas. I have been contacted by so many people concerned about what this mandatory vaccination for authorised workers is going to mean.

“The SES, for volunteers—I have been advised that volunteers are not even going to be able to do work from home if they are not vaccinated.

“Radio station presenters—it puts holes in their radio station. I have had people from Woods Point—Woods Point is a very small place way out in the high country, a very small town—desperately worried already about the ambulance service, let alone if the paramedics there have to pull the scale back, because they struggle where they are.

“They are a long way from Mansfield. They are a long way from Jamieson. It is a dirt road.

The ambulance officers sometimes get lost being called out into that vicinity, because if they are not from the area, they do not know it.

“Farmhands, teachers, nursery workers, bakeries—these are people who are fearful of losing their job. There are employers who are fearful of what it means for their employees, who are under so much stress, and in fact the employers themselves are under stress about how they make this work.

“I have heard from Mark Cronin from Mansfield Power Ag; I know that he has had trouble getting skilled workers. He has spoken to me about this in the past. From October 15 he is going to be one skilled staff member down in his business because somebody is not going to be vaccinated.

“The Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce had been waiting to advise members on how to handle this, but they were not getting information readily from the Government. Their concern is that if it is compulsory to this degree they will lose valuable staff members, and then if this gets revoked in a month or two, it will be too late.

“Now, there are so many industries and so many small businesses that are relying on the staff that they have. They cannot afford to lose them, because they are very, very difficult to replace.

“I had a meeting the other night with the Warburton Chamber of Commerce, and they were worried about a whole bunch of things— how they are going to do this, how they are going to monitor it, how businesses are going to do this, are they going to need security, and if so, what is the cost of that. Is that a full-time person on the door of a hotel?

“That is something that is going to be very difficult for them to cover. What are the HR compliance implications ongoing? Do you know that one of them suggested—and I thought this was a great idea—‘We want a list of what we can do and what we should do, not what we can’t do. We need assistance and help’. When they need assistance and help, it is not always about money. It is about supporting them through so that they know what they can do. “?They are sick of finding out the details after the event. Tourists find out about what is needed before the business owners and operators. They want to be in on the game early so that they can answer the inquiries, they can be set up, they can be ready. Turn To Page 3

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The Local Paper - Friday, October 15, 2021 - Page 3

Local People: 3

Lovell backs Greening project ■ Northern Victoria MLC Wendy Lovello has spoken in State Parliament this week about a revolutionary drought-proofing project currently being undertaken by Strathbogie Shire Council.

“The action that I seek is for the minister to support Strathbogie shire’s Greening Euroa project by providing funding of $3.8 million to complete the project by constructing a pipeline from the wastewater management facility to allow the use of treated recycled water in the Euroa township,” Ms Lovell said.

“The Greening Euroa project is an initiative of the Strathbogie Shire Council driven by a passionate local community to address the impact of chronic water shortages in the town.

“With climate change delivering warmer temperatures and less rainfall, the community sought a way to use recycled water to irrigate Euroa’s green open spaces during the summer months.

“The Greening Euroa project will be delivered in three stages to access the water and upgrade it from class C to class B quality before it is piped to underground storage tanks located around the town.

● Wendy Lovell MLC

“Stages 1 and 2 of the project have been completed, with the first stage funded by Strathbogie shire and stage 2 jointly funded by the shire, Goulburn Valley Water and a grant from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

“The final stage of the project centres on the construction of the pipeline to convey the treated water from Euroa’s wastewater management facility to the town.

“Goulburn Valley Water have been wonderful supporters of the project and have already installed a standpipe near the Euroa Golf Club to allow access to the treated water.

“The local sporting grounds and school ovals in Euroa are still struggling to recover from years of prolonged drought and water restrictions.

“This project is a game changer in regard to water management in the town, and eight different user groups of public amenities have been identified as benefiting from the initiative, including the Euroa Bowls Club and the Euroa Croquet Club, all the three local schools, the Euroa tennis club and the management committees of Euroa Memorial Oval and Friendlies Oval.”

- Wendy Lovell

Local businesses concerned

● From Page 2 “The staff in these situations are very anxious. They would like a sheet, a laminated sheet or some signage, that they can put up, saying, ‘This is what the Government is expecting’— this is not their decision. They want to be kept up to speed.

“They are worried that the Government has been very slow on repair of infrastructure—not just in Warburton. There are some huge infrastructure needs in that area and around the state.

“As tourists come flooding back, as soon as they can, they are going to be out of Melbourne, they are going to be visiting the regions, they are going to be staying the night, they are going to want things to do.

“The business operators want to be sure that they can meet this need as best as possible, but I tell you it is difficult when they do not get the information early about where places that people want to go are going to be closed because of the demand. Bridges are not going to be safe.

There are already trees down and bridges that are closed in and around Warburton because they have not been repaired, ready for opening.

“They will take a couple of weeks, they will be open and then they will be shut again, because we have had a lot of on-off, opening and closing.

Well done Rosemary

● Rosemary Varty

■ Bridget Vallence, MLOA for Evelyn, has congratulated former MLC Rosemary Varty on honours awarded earlier this year.

“It is with great pleasure that I pay tribute to the Honourable Rosemary Varty, OAM, Yarra Valley local and former member of the Legislative Council and inform Parliament of her recognition in this year’s Queen’s Birthday honours list, receiving the Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to the community and to lawn bowls—a tremendous and well-deserved honour,” Ms Vallence told the Legislative Assembly yesterday (Thu.).

“Rosemary served our community as the member for Nunawading Province and later Silvan Province, and served Victoria as Cabinet Secretary in the Kennett Government.

“She also dedicated years of service as a director and president of Bowls Victoria, a councillor in the former City of Box Hill and a board member of the Mont De Lancey Historical Trust, and contributed to the design of Healesville hospital’s sanctuary garden and the Seville Water Play Park.

“Rosemary is passionate about our community and is an inspiration, mentor and friend to many, including me.

“Congratulations, Rosemary!”

- Bridget Vallence

“They will take a couple of weeks, they will be open and then they will be shut again, because we have had a lot of on-off, opening and closing.

“Now, the school camps: the school camp operators have been speaking to me for the last couple of years.

“They have really been behind the eight ball here, and it looks as though the two operating guidelines issued to schools say that there are no school camps again this term.

“They were very concerned that kids were not going back to school, and every day away from school put further pressure on them.

“Now they are told that there is nothing for them for this term. They are able, according to the road map, to operate at the 80 per cent vaccination rate, but as I have said, the advice is that there are no camps or overnight trips to be taken, from the department of education advice.

“They have got camps ready to go on November 8. They need to bring back staff in the next couple of weeks to prepare.

“Department of Education and Training?

Not a priority for them; speak to the health department. That is the same run-around as they got last year.

“The other risk is that they have got disaster payments that will go at 80 per cent, and if they are not open it is going to be very difficult for them to pay their staff.

“I have had representations from outdoor education groups Auscamp, Camp Kookaburra in northern Victoria, Grampians Retreat, Allambee Camp and Southern Exposure down on the beach there.

“I also have had so many examples of businesses still concerned—landlords concerned that tenants who operate a carpet business cannot work and what it means for this business.

“We have got driving schools, small familyrun businesses, who are dipping into their superannuation. Their savings are gone; they have lost a calendar year’s work.

“They have had no government support because they are small. They have had to register for GST and re-apply for grants—and they are still waiting. That is the Yarra Valley and eastern driving school.

“Kalmick Air installs and services air-conditioning commercial equipment - part of the hospitality supply chain. JobKeeper has kept them afloat.

They have got two skilled workers who have gone off to find work elsewhere. They were excluded from funding support due to the ANZSIC code.

“Amber Lodge at Mount Buller is a registered hostel and school camp. They are in the same boat; their revenue has dropped 75 per cent. This government is woeful.”

- Cindy McLeish

Local Briefs T’stowe question

■ Rod Barton, Eastern Metropolitan MLC, has raised the topic of the Williamsons Rd roadworks in State Parliament.

“On September 9 I wrote a letter to both Minister Carroll’s office and Minister Allan’s regarding the Williamsons Rd expansion project,” Mr Barton said.

“On September 16 I directed a constituency question to Minister Carroll regarding this project.

“Surprisingly, I received a response from Minister Allan’s office saying that this project is Minister Carroll’s responsibility and a response from Minister Carroll saying it is Minister Allan’s responsibility.

“So who is responsible for the Williamsons Rd development? It has now been over a month since we inquired on behalf of our constituent, and we are in no better position to get back to them with an answer.

“The irony is that the constituent had concerns over the lack of consultation with the community and the absence of publicly available development plans.

“These developments do impact our community. In fact an eight-lane expansion will impact the daily lives of many residents.

“These residents deserve accountability and transparency. Certainly I would, and my constituents would, appreciate a more respectful response when we bring an issue to the ministers’ attention,” Mr Barton said.

- Rod Barton

Family violence

■ Forty-one women have been killed in Australia by family violence in 2021 already—that is one woman a week—and the toll keeps rising, says Northern Metropolitan MLC Samantha Ratnam.

“Many of these women are from culturally diverse communities but are still not able to access the type of culturally appropriate support they need,” Dr Ratman said.

“Victoria still does not have a culturally specific women’s refuge, despite both New South Wales and Queensland establishing these vital services.

“I recently hosted a forum to hear from grassroots organisations working on the front line with women from migrant backgrounds who are urging the government to urgently increase funding to culturally specific services.

“We heard heartbreaking accounts from women with lived experience of family violence about the torture and abuse they suffered at the hands of men who held so much power over them.

“Women who are on temporary visas face so much uncertainty, making it even harder for them to escape violence.

“They also face issues such as social isolation, language barriers, cultural norms and pressures that make it hard to escape.

“We also heard that offering culturally appropriate services is more than just translation and interpreting.

“One participant spoke to how difficult it is to share sensitive information through a third party in a room to a counsellor, and that limited her ability to disclose what was occurring.

“Victoria’s Royal Commission into Family Violence was groundbreaking, but if we are to end violence against all women, we need to ensure that the funding reaches all communities.

“I want to thank Shakti, IndianCare, Jatinder Kaur, my parliamentary colleagues - the honourable Josh Bull, Fiona Patten and Bruce Atkinson - for being part of the forum, and most importantly the women who spoke to their stories of survival.

“For them, let us work together to ensure not one more woman is killed or injured because of family violence.”

- Samantha Ratnam

In your in-box

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Page 4 - The Local Paper - Friday, October 15, 2021

Vandals at F’dale

■ Safety bollards outside Flowerdale Primary School and Kinder were vandalised last Froday (Oct. 8).

A large 4WD, truck or machine ran over each of the posts. The paint left on the posts is black and blue. . Murrindindi Council and the Police have been notified about the damage.

- Richard Daniel

Thanks to these local contributors

Local contributors include: ■ Ann Argent, Central Bowls Division.

■ Stephen Baker, Seymour Railway Heritage Centre.

■ Julie Blyth, Y Water Discovery Centre.

■ Liz Bower, Nanna’s Makers Market.

■ Laura Caine, Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House.

■ Beth Caldow, Shepparton Festival.

■ Meagan Callander, Middle Kinglake Primary School.

■ Bonnie Cavanagh, Broadford Football Netball Club.

■ Viv Cavanagh, Yea Bowls Club.

■ Gayle Cole, Kinglake Friends of the Forest.

■ Stuart Dale, Albert Edward Lodge, Alexandra Masonic Centre.

■ Paul Denham, Buxton CFA. ■ Holly Ditchfield, Eltham Jazz Festival.

■ Andrew Embling, Alexandra Truck Show.

■ Chrissy Eustace, Rotary Club of Kinglake Ranges.

■ Patrick Evans, Yea Football Netball Club.

■ Hannah Graham, Green Wedge.

■ Sam Hicks, Fawcett Hall, Alexandra Indoor Pool.

■ Ryan Hurst, Kinglake Football Netball Club.

■ Alison Huth, YAPPERS, and Yea Arts.

■ Bev Johns, Kinglake.

■ Ross Malcolm, sports photographs.

■ Rhyll McCormack, Mountain Cattlemen.

■ Kelly McLeish, Yea CFA. ■ Shannon Mittrow, Alexandra SES. ■ Sara Murray, Alexandra Show.

■ Eden Elizabeth Nicholls, St Luke’s Anglican Church, Yea and Molesworth.

■ Alan Pell, Yea Golf Club.

■ Pam Petersen, Alexandra Christmas Tree Festival.

■ Brian Phillips, Yea Football Netball Club.

■ David Purcell, Healesville Amateur Race Club.

■ Peter Rice, UGFM - Radio Murrindindi.

■ Clinton Robinson, Kinglake Football Netball Club.

■ Sacred Heart Primary School, Yea. ■ Michaela Sargeant, Goulburn Valley Water.

■ Denis Smith, Yea St Pats Race Club.

■ Megan Smithwick, Whittlesea activities.

■ Ian Staff, Whittlesea Table Tennis, agricultural items.

■ Steels Creek Grapevine, newsletter.

■ Sarah Stevenson, Thornton Eildon District Football Netball Club.

■ Ray Steyger, Alexandra Football Netball Club.

■ Jeffrey Swain, Yea-Kinglake RSL, Alexandra-Mansfield-Yea Legacy.

■ Cat Thomas, Upper Goulburn Landcare Network.

■ Heidi Twining, Victoria Police.

■ Nikki Vanderwerf, Alexandra District Health.

■ Iris Vrzovski, Bollygum Community Market.

■ Ash Walsh, Yea Football Netball Club.

■ Caroline Weeks, Murrindindi Beanie and Fibre Festival.

■ Peter Weeks, Alexandra SES. ■ Glenda Woods, Rotary Club of Yea.

www.LocalPaper.com.au

Local People: 4

Heavy handed vaccine approach ■ Eighty-five per cent of Victorians over 16 have received their first dose of the COVID vaccine, Northern Victoria MLC Tim Quilty told State Parliament on Wednesday.

“This is not as a result of the vaccine mandates. Until recently the rate of vaccination in Victoria was limited by vaccine availability and the government ruling people ineligible,” M<r4 Quilty said.

“Since the expansion of eligibility, vaccination appointments have been booked solid weeks in advance.

“This shows that close to 85 per cent of Victorians are willing to get vaccinated without mandates, well above the government’s own arbitrary 80 per cent double-dose target.

“Despite this the Government is going to violate the consent of many thousands of Victorians and coerce them into receiving a vaccine.

“For this government the use of force is their first resort rather than their last, because they do not trust Victorians to make their own decisions.

“This week the Government will attempt to expel MPs exposed to vaccine mandates, in breach of centuries of parliamentary tradition.

“After 18 months of rule by decree they will now take extraordinary action to exclude their

opposition from Parliament. This Government complains that people do not trust them.

“The problem is that this government cannot be trusted. For the vaccine hesitant, seeing the government forcing them to be vaccinated even when it is clearly not necessary only increases that distrust.

“Seeing MPs expelled from Parliament for opposing these extraordinary breaches of consent and human rights only increases that distrust.

“With over 80 per cent of people willingly getting their first dose, it is clear vaccine hesitancy is not the issue.

“Vaccine mandates are not necessary, just the heavy-handed response of a government that does not understand the meaning of consent.”

- Tim Quilty

Taggerty death

● Tim Quilty MLC

■ It is with sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Taggerty Fire Brigade life member and former Captain, Murray Edwards. Murray joined the CFA in 1969 and was a valued and active member.

Problems with 000 calls

■ Northern Victoria MLC Jaclyn Symes has this week addressed problems at the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority.

Answering a question from Georgie Crozier, Ms Symes said: “Like the rest of the health system, our ESTA call takers are facing unprecedented demand due to COVID-19, and they are working extremely hard to make sure that they can meet this surge in calls.

“They of course are at the front line of this continuing fight against the delta outbreak, and I certainly thank them for their ongoing commitment.

“While demand for ambulances through our 000 call takers has reached unprecedented numbers, it is no surprise that the demand flows on to the call centre.

“As has been reported, there are delays.

There are efforts to urgently deal with this.

“I certainly do not want to lay any blame on people who are scared, in distress and want to call 000, but one of the issues is that up to 40 per cent of those calling 000 do not need to be.

“There are other opportunities—to go and see your GP, your pharmacist, your nurse on call, and police matters can go to the Police assistance line, so we are doing work to make sure that people know that you really should

● Jaclyn Symes MLC

only call 000 in an emergency. We have been certainly focused on urgent and long-term fixes for some of the issues that we are experiencing.

“ESTA have had many meetings in the last couple of weeks in relation to this matter. I am obviously a new minister, but I have been very impressed by people’s focus and attention on this.

“I have all confidence that all eyes are on this across government. The emergency management commissioner has stood up a multiagency task force with representatives from Emergency Management Victoria,Ambulance Victoria, Victoria Police, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and the ESTA board to really look at every avenue and options to explore bringing down call wait times and any delays.

“We have got Deb Abbott, the deputy commissioner of EMV, who has gone in in a support role, and indeed there was money in the budget to employ additional staff. I think it is really important for the house to hear all of the initiatives that are important to dealing with ESTA’s commitment to protecting the lives of Victorians, and I thank them for that work: as I said, employing 43 new staff.”

- Jaclyn Symes

● Tracy Adams

areas. Data released this month shows only one in five (22 per cent) counselling contacts to Kids Helpline are from young men while more than three in four (77 per cent) are from girls.

Since 2011, the proportion of contacts for males has decreased significantly going from about one-third to only one-fifth of all contacts to the service.

“We know that help-seeking behaviours of young men is still very low. This is very concerning and suggests that young males may still feel stigma around mental health and fear that it will be seen as weak to seek help, or to talk about feelings,” Ms Adams said.

“With COVID-19 continuing to impact the way we live, socialise and gain education it is more important than ever for young men to reach out and seek support when they need it. However it is simply not enough to ask them to reach out.

“We also need to design services to meet their needs, ensure that we build on the work done to date to reduce the stigma of mental health and promote positive role modelling so that young men have an example to follow.”

- Maree Reason-Cain

Reducing mental health stigma

■ Mental Health Month is a compelling time to raise awareness around the number of mental health related issues, and the existing stigma still associated with mental health concerns, said Yourtown Chief Executive Officer Tracy Adams.

Kids Helpline, a service of Yourtown, says mental health, emotional wellbeing and suiciderelated issues accounted for 61 per cent or 59,527 of all counselling contacts made last financial year by children and young people.

“There is evidence that seeking professional help by boys or young men may not be improving as much as we would have hoped,” said Ms Adams.

“We continue to see the portrayal of mental ill-health in a way that perpetuates stigma and myths about mental illness. We are keen to encourage and normalise help-seeking behaviours in males of any age.”

Latest data reveals young males have the lowest rates of seeking professional help from Kids Helpline with numbers across all age cohorts falling way behind young women, particularly for those from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island backgrounds, or those in rural or regional