The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has slammed The Alan Labor Government for adding yet another new tax to our already struggling councils. A new charge would make it more difficult to provide other services for the community, given the new charge would cost each council upward of $10,000 annually. “It is a form…
The Allan Labor Government is marching ahead with mergers of regional health services, regardless of its spin and rhetoric. A report today revealed regional health will be consolidated into five “local health service networks” – Barwon South West, Grampians, Loddon Mallee, Hume and Gippsland. Premier Allan has claimed there will be no “forced” amalgamations, but…
The homelessness crisis in Mildura has reached alarming levels, with a 95.4 per cent increase in homeless individuals between 2016 and 2023, according to St Vincent de Paul Society president Mark Gaetani. The total number of homeless people in Mildura rose from 264 to 516, affecting 74 people per 10,000 compared to the state average…
In light of Australia’s largest livestock migration, which involves approximately 360,000 beehives traveling to almond orchards in the north-west of Victoria, concerns have been raised regarding the measures and protocols in place for a potential varroa mite outbreak. The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has directed an urgent question to the Minister for Agriculture,…
The Nationals are calling on producers to make their voices heard on wild dog issues. It comes after the government revoked an unprotection order on wild dogs in the north-west of the state in March 2024 without consultation and with only a few hours’ notice. The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, said since the…
The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, is urging the public to be aware of new bans on telemarketing and doorknocking under the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program. Starting from 1 May 2024, unsolicited telemarketing calls related to the VEU program were made prohibited, followed by a ban on doorknocking from 1 August 2024. These…
Dear Editor, Service above self. That’s what comes to mind when I think of Rotary. Having been a charter member of a newly formed club many moons ago, I feel a strong connection to Rotary and its mission. It was wonderful to attend the 2024 Robinvale-Euston Rotary Transition Dinner. An even bigger thrill was being…
The Nationals will continue to fight for much-loved Agricultural Shows amid a concerning funding freeze. Our Deputy Leader and Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Emma Kealy, has revealed the extent of the problem. Despite rising inflation, the Agriculture and Pastoral Society Grants Program has remained stagnant this year at $300,000 in total funding, with a $10,000…
As Victoria’s road network continues to crumble, new data has revealed funding for road resurfacing work has dropped to a five-year low. Figures provided to State Parliament show that the money spent on resurfacing and resealing contracts in the 2023/24 financial year was just 18 per cent of the previous year, dropping a staggering $163.8…
The Nationals’ Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, believes real action needs to be taken to support our firefighters in regional Victoria. The Mildura electorate, spanning over 37,000 km², faces some of the harshest weather conditions in the state. Despite promises, the Allan Labor Government has not delivered the necessary support to FRV and some CFA…