Page 4 The Moorabool News – 12 April, 2022
News
Email - news@themooraboolnews.com.au
Police seek community feedback
By Lachlan Ellis
Cr Rod Ward and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle at the site, in April 2021, where the West Maddingley Early Years and Community Hub will be built. Photo – Helen Tatchell
Early $2-million boost for kids By Lachlan Ellis An initial $3.5 million investment for a new ‘Early Years Hub’ has been given an extra $2 million, with the Hub due to be completed next year. The ‘West Maddingley Early Years and Community Hub’ had $3.5 million allocated under the State Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund last April, and this year, a further $2 million in funding has been announced. Moorabool Shire Council was successful in seeking the extra funding under the State Government’s ‘Building Blocks Capacity Building Grant’, which will fund an integrated children’s centre at the Hub. Mayor Cr Tom Sullivan said West Maddingley is growing at a rapid rate, and is home to many young families. “To receive this funding and be secure in the knowledge we can go ahead and build another great early years facility is fantastic news,” he said. “So much research has shown how vital
education is in those first few years of life, the pre-school years. The West Maddingley Early Years Hub will provide integrated, inclusive, and collaborative early years services and community spaces that offer access to high quality health, education, care and other child and family services. It will offer three- and four-year-old kindergarten, maternal and child health services, playgroups, parent groups and has consulting rooms for visiting services and community spaces. “We thank the State Government for its investment in this important project and look forward to construction being completed on the hub in mid-late 2023.” State Member for Buninyong, Michaela Settle, said she was also pleased to see the extra funding go towards the Hub, located in one of Moorabool’s most rapidly growing areas. “Maddingley and Bacchus Marsh are rapidly growing suburbs, and creating additional places for our children at kindergarten is crucial to ensuring all children can participate,” she told the Moorabool News.
A stronger focus on community policing has been marked with a ‘Community Service Day’ at a local shopping centre, with police out and about to chat with locals recently. Bacchus Marsh Police members handed out flyers and chatted with shoppers at the Village Shopping Centre, as part of state-wide efforts to increase community input on policing. Senior Sergeant Jen Horgan is the Station Commander at Bacchus Marsh Police Station, and said it was vital to local police that the community provide Leading Senior Constable James Ross, helping a feedback. participant enter the survey via QR code. “The day was a great Photo - VicPol success. This, along with our monthly Coffee with a Cop events, are all part of our local plan to support the statewide rollout of Neighbourhood Policing – which is about getting back to the very basics of police work,” Senior Sergeant Horgan told the Moorabool News. “We’re not just listening to what the community’s worried about, but getting police to specifically address those concerns.” This month, police are asking for the community to take part in the Community Sentiment Survey, which asks questions such as how safe you feel in your community, what your safety concerns are, and what ideas you have to improve community safety. Results from the survey will be used in tandem with crime statistics, to inform Victoria Police’s priorities moving forward. The survey closes on 30 April, and can be accessed at www.engage.vic.gov.au/ annual-vicpol-community-sentiment-survey-2022.
W E ST E R N V I CTO R I A T R A NS M ISS I O N N E T WO R K P R OJ E CT U P DAT E
Environment Effects Statement surveys gather critical information Over the past several months a team of ecological, Aboriginal cultural heritage and other technical experts has been working with landholders to gather information required to plan the proposed renewable energy transmission link, which will connect clean wind and solar-generated electricity in the west of the state to the grid. More than 200 surveys have already been completed along the proposed route and the project thanks landholders for their co-operation. The critical information gained from these surveys will be fed into the Environment Effects Statement (EES) which is the most rigorous environmental impact assessment process in Victoria. The purpose of the EES is to ensure that major projects are designed, constructed and operated to minimise adverse environmental and community impacts. Importantly, community input is central to the EES and approval process for the project. Information provided by landholders and the community during this time helps to inform the development and design of the project. The surveys and investigations involve activities with limited ground disturbance. These may include ground, daytime and nocturnal surveys for native flora and fauna, taking photographs of relevant environmental matters, water and soil sampling or sub-surface excavations to understand the geology.
desktop www.westvictnp.com.au phone 1300 360 795 � info@westvictnp.com.au � PO Box 638, Ballarat VIC 3353
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We anticipate the Environment Effects Statement and approvals processes will continue until late-2023. After the draft EES is submitted to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and reviewed to ensure it meets the scoping requirements, the EES will be exhibited for public comment for at least 30 business days. During this time, the community can have a say by making a written submission on the EES. After public exhibition, an independent Inquiry and Advisory Committee made up of people with expertise relevant to the project will hold a public hearing to hear evidence from experts and members of the public. After the hearing, the Inquiry and Advisory Committee will provide an independent assessment of the significance and acceptability of the environmental effects of the project, and provide recommendations to the Minister for Planning. You can read more about the EES and approvals processes on the WVTNP website. Please look out for more project updates in coming weeks.