Local government cost inquiry begins

A Parliamentary inquiry into local government funding and services will begin this week with residents and local councils encouraged to make submissions. Ms Benham said potential cost-shifting issues ranged from waste collection to school crossing attendants, and the repair of regional roads. The Committee will investigate local government funding and service delivery in Victoria, including:…

Crime statistics outrageous

The Nationals Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has renewed calls for an urgent meeting with the Minister for Police and Minister for Youth Justice in the wake of new statistics that show crime is spiraling out of control. New data released yesterday shows Recorded Offences are up 8.2 per cent in Mildura for the year…

Nationals’ childcare desert relief plan

The Nationals are working on a specialist policy to address the ongoing childcare crisis in regional Victoria. The first step to building this policy involved an analysis summarised in a report titled “Beyond Urban Borders” and investigates access to childcare in regional Victoria using data, community responses, and interviews with local providers. Nationals’ colleague, Member…

Youth crime solutions – LTE

What a week to have a chance lunch meeting with the Minister for Corrections and Youth Justice, on the very day that Victoria’s latest crime statistics were released. It just so happens that Minister Enver Erdogan MLC, is part of the Parliamentary Friends of Italy, of which I co-chair. We had a meeting on Thursday,…

Labor has no plan for youth crime

The youth justice announcement from the Allan Labor Government reveals it has no plan to keep Victorians safe and address the alarming rise in violent youth crime. After denying for years that a problem exists, even weakening bail laws and cutting early intervention and youth engagement programs, the government has finally acknowledged the need to…

A fair go for all LTE

Young people in regional Victoria have been overlooked by the Andrews Labor Government for far too long so The Victorian Nationals have launched a Fair School Bonus campaign to highlight regional Victorians being blatantly ignored by Labor. So many families are unfairly excluded by the Allan Labor Government’s inequitable School Saving Bonus and it’s time…

Wild dogs out of control

Upon her return to Parliament next week, Nationals Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, will ask the Minister for Environment on why Northwest Victoria is being thrown to the dogs? Ms Benham has had sheep graziers call her office reporting, up to 30 lambs mauled in a single night. Once a wild dog is on private…

Mildura MDC must be delivered

Jade Benham MP has called on the Premier to clarify whether the recently announced Family Violence Protection Package will address the critical needs of the Mildura Multidisciplinary Centre (MDC). The MDC, which incorporates the Mallee Sexual Assault Unit and the Mallee Domestic Violence Unit, is in dire need of expansion due to the region’s alarmingly…

Regional health a joke to government

The Nationals Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, has voiced strong opposition to the Allan Labor Government’s pending decision to amalgamate local regional and rural hospitals across the State. This decision poses a significant threat to the range of vital and lifesaving healthcare options available to our communities. Ms Benham asked the Minister for Health in…

AFL road safety grants open

Grassroots football and netball clubs across the state can apply for a share of $600,000 to improve their club as part of an annual road safety rewards grants program. Ms Benham said, “The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) have kicked off this year’s TAC Club Rewards program, which encourages local clubs to promote road safety to…