Progress: It is all about people “People walk, people fly, people sing, people sigh; “People lose, people try, hurt people cry, people live, people die; “People laugh – ha, ha ha!” – ‘People’ by Mi-Sex, 1980.
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need to find a way to stimulate population growth continues to glow as the fundamental priority for regional progress.
It became obvious during think-tank discussions at a Wimmera Southern Mallee Regional Assembly in Horsham that when it was all said and done, development was all about people. Most worthwhile ideas and concepts or issues identified at the assembly either had their foundation based on, or came back to, attracting more people to the region.
What was also obvious was that the need went beyond addressing population drift by simply maintaining the numbers of people we have in the region. There needed to be consistent population growth. The anecdotal finding, perhaps unlike some of the other fascinating ideas bubbling away in the minds of our region’s most creative thinkers, was far from a revelation. For many years governing bodies, some fearful of the implications of Melbourne’s urban sprawl and others in the regions keen to provide spark into their communities, have tried to tackle the issue. They have come up with all sorts of programs, projects and promotions to encourage people to consider shifting from ‘the big smoke’ to the regions. But the idea remains a tough
EDITORIAL By Dean Lawson, editor
assignment. History bluntly tells us that it has mainly been the prospect of financial security or fortune that has driven regional population growth in the past. This means we can’t expect a large amount of people to come to fill up our cities, towns, clubs and schools and to generate growth in services because we can provide a pleasant lifestyle. While it is a legitimate incentive, it’s simply not enough. What we need in our part of the world, if we needed reminding, is opportunities to establish industries that require
onsite manpower and human skills and ingenuity. Farming, to a large extent, previously filled this role but times have changed. It’s the processing stage of the chain, the step after creating the raw product, that generates jobs and in turn population growth. And there’s the challenge. We need to continually keep our doors open, or make sure the powers that be help keep them open, so we can exploit opportunities. While the assembly discussion was open to big-sky concepts, this is far from one of them. We only need to consider successful electrical manufacturing firm AME Systems in Ararat to understand how processing-based firms can flourish and provide a stimulant in our part of the world.
Walk in the park Wimmera Parkinson’s Peer Support Group leaders have encouraged the community to participate in A Walk in the Park event later this month to raise money for research into the disease. The event will be at Horsham’s Weir Park on Sunday, August 27 at 11am. Organiser Rene Vivian encouraged people to attend the walk to show support to Parkinson’s sufferers. “We had our first Walk in the Park last year and it was a success. We’re hoping to grow it each year,” she said. “People can walk as little or as far as they are able. It’s not about how far you walk, but about gathering together to show support and raise some awareness.” Support group members will host a registration day at Horsham Plaza on August 17 from 10am to 2pm. “We’ll have a table in the plaza promoting the event, taking entry forms and donations,” Mrs Vivian said. “Quite a few people involved are collecting sponsorship. It’s a fun way to promote our group, gain some support and also raise money for Parkinson’s Victoria.” Entry to A Walk in the Park costs $5, which includes a sausage sizzle. Wimmera Parkinson’s Peer Support Group meets every second month. “We have about 25 to 30 carers and sufferers attend. We also have one or two people who have lost partners but are still involved,” Mrs Vivian said. Group members will next meet on October 6, when they will hear from guest speaker Victor McConvey, a Parkinson’s support nurse.
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PRESENTATION: From left, Legatee Ian Harrison, Jaelyn Brand, Beaufort Secondary College, James Mullin, Ararat College, Jameela Day, Marian College and Ararat Legacy Club president Rosemary Perry.
Joint speaking award winners Jameela Day from Ararat’s Marian College and Jaelyn Brand, Beaufort Secondary College, were joint winners of a Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award regional final in Ararat. James Mullin from Ararat College was runner-up. Judges struggled to select a winner at the conclusion of prepared and impromptu speeches and it was chief judge Robyn Clelland who declared a tie. The regional final at Ararat’s Astor Cinema, with Melbourne Legatee Ian Harrison master of ceremonies, featured 11 students from Ararat, Marian and Beaufort colleges. Organisers were impressed with the quality of presentations, remarking that
all contestants spoke with passion and conviction on chosen topics. Jameela presented on the topic ‘Discrimination against Aborigines and Torres Straight islanders’, Jaelyn presented on ‘Foster care needs to be fixed’ and James spoke about ‘Students with special needs’. Jameela and Jaelyn will now represent Ararat Legacy at a preliminary final in Bendigo on September 12. If successful, they then have the opportunity to go onto a Victorian final in late October. Ararat Legacy president Rosemary Perry, in presenting certificates to participants, said the organisation was continually amazed by the confidence and capability of the region’s youth.
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