Ali Cupper: Year in Review
FOR the second year in a row, COVID overshadowed all else in 2021 – and that was especially true in the world of state politics. Member for Mildura Ali Cupper said a lot of the past two years had been about "trying to help represent a community that was in a very...
Crisp, Linklater get election nod
GOL Gol farmer Daniel Linklater and former Member for Mildura Peter Crisp led the field at last weekend's Wentworth Shire Council election. Full results were yet to be published, with distribution of preferences not scheduled until December 20, but a picture is...
Wentworth Shire elections delayed
NEW South Wales Local Government elections scheduled for Saturday, September 4, have been pushed back until December 4 because of the COVID pandemic. Naturally that includes the Wentworth Shire elections on the NSW side of Sunraysia. Minister for Local Government...
Nationals’ bid to amend Basin Plan thwarted in Senate
In a move that didn’t please some of their Liberal Party Coalition partners – more accurately it infuriated them − the Nationals last week moved amendments to the Murray Darling Basin Plan in the Senate, and then in the House of Representatives. The move was thwarted...
YOU’RE OUT! Nats dump McCormack and bring back Barnaby
There was action aplenty in the National’s party room at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday morning which took many members by surprise, but the reality was not too many were shocked when a spill motion was moved by Queensland Senator, Matt Canavan, that saw the...
Pollies out in force
Field Days traditionally attract political parties and members of parliament who set up their party branded marquees and so politicians were out in force at this year's event, including The Justice Party's Member for Northern Victoria, Tania Maxwell, who was joined by...
Money for hospital and mental health but business cops hit
Victoria's State Budget contained some good measures and while no one would deny the mental heath sector additional funding, the Government's levy on businesses with a payroll tax surcharge on wages paid in Victoria by businesses with national payrolls of more than...
Cupper quits coalition
In news that took people by surprise, Member for Mildura, Ali Cupper, right, announced late last week that she was cutting ties with the Reason Party, ending the short-lived coalition she had formed with Fiona Patten, left, barely six months ago. At the time, it was...
You’re on our radar: O’Brien
With the seat of Mildura firmly a target for the Coalition to regain at the next state election, Victorian Liberal Leader, Michael O'Brien, was in town this week talking up the merits and importance of the region to the state's economy. While in Mildura, Mr O'Brien...
Anne Webster’s bombshell allegation
The Federal Government has been shaken by another sexual harassment claim, this time it involves Member for Mallee, Anne Webster who this week made a formal complaint about a so far unnamed person who allegedly harassed her in Parliament House. The community has been...
Fair go ScoMo! Regional victorian airports miss out on airfare support
A feeling of disappointment, verging on anger, was felt by many stakeholders in Mildura when the federal government announced its $1.2 billion, cut-price flight scheme to support the tourism sector last week, which excluded many destinations in Australia, including...
State of Emergency concessions made
The State of Emergency has been extended in Victoria for a further nine months with the legislation passing through the Lower House of the parliament on Wednesday night with the support of independents, including the Reason Party's Leader, Fiona Patten. Prior to this...
Aerial groundwater survey could be a drought buster
Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, Keith Pitt was in Mildura yesterday to announce an aerial survey that aims to shed new light on our region's groundwater resources. Minister Pitt, who was joined by Member for Mallee Anne Webster, said that new...
Wentworth set to host Murray-Darling summit
Wentworth Mayor Susan Nichols says her Council is looking forward to hosting the Murray Darling Association's 77th National Conference and AGM. Representatives from more than 100 councils across the Basin will meet at the junction of the Murray and the Darling...
Harvest workers ‘may still be six months away’
Sunraysia's fruit growers may be waiting six months for seasonal workers under the State Government's quarantine arrangement with Tasmania. Despite farmers' livelihoods being on the line if they can't get access to a seasonal workforce, Agriculture Minister Mary-Anne...
Morrison commits another $1.9b to vaccine roll-out
The Federal Government has announced that it will contribute almost another $2 billion towards the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, to assist frontline health agencies including hospitals, GPs and pharmacies to administer the vaccine to the community. Speaking at the...
REXIT ROADSHOW HITS TOWN
THE Rexit Roadshow has come to Mildura. Liberal Democrats MP Tim Quilty has spent recent weeks promoting his plan for parts of regional Victoria and NSW become a new Australian state. His Mildura meeting was the fourth day of last week's regional Victorian tour...
RED TAPE RISKS HARVEST
FRUIT and vegetable prices will rise unless the Victorian and NSW Governments take quick action to resolve the seasonal worker crisis, according to Citrus Australia CEO Nathan Hancock. The peak body wants Premiers Daniel Andrews Gladys Berejiklian to resolve the...
