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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2021
Local News Thanks to these local contributors
Local contributors include: ■ Ann Argent, Central Bowls Division. ■ Stephen Baker, Seymour Railway Heritage Centre. ■ Stephen Bennett, Yea CFA. ■ 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 Dalziel, St Luke’s Anglican Church, Yea and Molesworth. ■ 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. ■ Shannon Mittrow, Alexandra SES. ■ Sara Murray, Alexandra Show. ■ 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.
BIG LUNCH FOR LEGACY WIDOWS
Local News Cash for Indi roads
■ Local governments in North East Victoria have received their second 202122 quarterly payment through the Federal Government’s Financial Assistance Grant program. Senator Bridget McKenzie said the funding is untied, allowing councils to spend the grant according to their own local priorities. “Local governments are vital to building safer and stronger communities,” Senator McKenzie said. “They are an important delivery partner for the Federal Government’s economic stimulus packages and play a critical role in our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Councils in the electorate of Indi have received the following quarterly payment: ■ Mansfield Shire Council - $456,654 ■ Murrindindi Shire Council - $648,733 ■ Shire of Strathbogie - $732,983 - Blair Arnold
Timber threat
● The Legacy Widows Christmas Luncheon held at Alexandra.
● Alexandra,Yea. Mansfield Legacy Group. ■ Legacy widows from Yea and Alexandra were treated to a Christmas Lunch at the Alexandra Bowls Club last Thursday (Nov. 25), ■ Kinglake Friends of the Forest issued by the Legatees of Alexandra, Yea, Mansfield this statement: Legacy Group. “The Supreme Court case between Each widow received a Christmas Gift. TraKinglake Friends of the Forest v VicForests ditional Scots/Irish musical entertainment, with over threatened species continued on Thursa touch of Christmas, was provided by the popuday (Nov. 25). lar Girgarre musicians, The Pure Drop. “The hearing was to determine if the The ladies from the Alexandra Bowls Club presence and locations of Greater Gliders who catered a two course meal, were loudly (a threatened species) had to be determined applauded. before logging by surveys as recommended Legacy was formed soon after WWI to care by Kinglake’s expert witness on the spefor the widows and children of deceased war cies. veterans. “Kinglake also argued that logging should The local Legacy Group cares for more thanm be excluded from the trees in which the Glid80 war widows, including younger widows with ers were found and from a set area around children, some with disabilities. the animals detected. - Jeffrey Swain “VicForests admitted that surveying as recommended by the expert witness was beyond their capacity. “It was a shock”, said Sue McKinnon, President of Kinglake ■ Astralia’s newest art museum, Friends of the Forest, “to get this admisShepparton Art Museum officially opens sion at 11 pm on the night before the hearits doors to the public on Saturday, Noveming. We were always suspicious that inadber 20, with nine free exhibitions, four new equate or no surveying was being carried artwork commissions and presenting more out before logging. How can VicForests be than 200 artists in a celebration of the area’s allowed to log without looking?” rich and diverse culture, people and landThe next hearing in the case will be on scape. December 13. - Kym Elphinstone - Sue McKinnon
Court case report
Art Museum opens
■ Euroa MLA Steph Ryan has accused the Andrews Government of trying to shut Victoria’s timber industry by stealth. It comes as green activists shut down most of Victoria’s timber industry by seeking an interim court injunction over 29 logging coupes managed by VicForests, or 80 per cent of the area available for timber harvesting. Cameron Webb, a logging contractor from Bonnie Doon, was forced out of work today along with the eight others in his team. “We bend over backwards to ensure we adhere to the correct harvesting practices but I and everyone I work with are now without work because the government won’t protect us,” Mr Webb said. Ms Ryan said VicForests didn’t have the resources to keep fighting these claims, which meant harvesters and mills had no choice but to down tools. “The conservation regulator has a responsibility to oversee the regulation of Victoria’s public land and forests. She is armed to the back teeth with powers to investigate forestry operations. “These cases, brought by groups opposed to sustainable native timber harvesting are founded on claims that VicForests has or will breach its regulatory obligations under the Code of Practice for Timber Production 2014. “All of these cases are based on allegations relating to obligations that are subject to the regulatory powers of DELWP and OCR and in some instances, these cases include claims about matters that have already been investigated by the regulator.” - Steph Ryan
Public ignored
■ The Federal Government narrowly avoided being forced to debate Indi MHR Helen Haines’s Integrity Bill and introduced by independent Senator Rex Patrick last week. Dr Haines has slammed the government and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party for voting to prevent debate, saying it was almost three years since the government had promised to introduce a federal integrity commission. The vote was tied 25-25 after the two One Nation senators rescinded their previous commitment to support debate on the bill. “Australians have waited long enough for a federal integrity commission,” Dr Haines said. - Sally Whyte