Loddon Shire Mayoral Column 6 June 2023

Published on 06 June 2023

Updates to Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Services in Loddon Shire

I would like to thank the community for their time and providing feedback, via our recent surveys. In response to this feedback, Loddon Shire has made some enhancements to our services.

At Boort, the MCH service is now located at 31 Kiniry Street, at Boort District Health Services. It is open every Tuesday via appointment. This is a newer and more user-friendly facility for families.

Remember if you need to make or change an appointment please call 0409 166 891.

To access the 24 hour maternal and child health services please call 132 229 or visit https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/maternal-and-child-health-services

MCH Service is a free universal primary health service for all Victorian families with children from birth to school age. The MCH Service supports child and family health, well-being and safety, focusing on maternal health and father-inclusive practice to promote wholistic care. This investment in high-quality programs has lifelong benefits to children’s health, educational and social outcomes.

Best Wool/Best Lamb Conference and Dinner 2023

Agriculture Victoria invites sheep producers and the broader sheep industry to register for the 2023 BestWool/BestLamb conference and pre-conference dinner in Bendigo on Monday evening and Tuesday, 19-20 June 2023.

The pre-conference dinner will take place on the Monday (19 June) evening at the All Seasons Resort Hotel in Bendigo to celebrate 25 years of the BestWool/BestLamb program.

Mark Wales, former Special Operations Commander and winner of TV series Australian Survivor, will be the special dinner speaker.

The line-up of speakers the next day at the conference will inform, challenge and excite participants with the most up to date sheep industry research and information, as well as provide a great opportunity for networking.

Conference Program - Tuesday 20 June

Dr Alex Ball, Rural Analytics Sheep 2050 - Reflecting on the last 25 years to inform the next 25
Dr Michelle Henry, Gundagai Meat Processors The future of lamb production - Ensure your seat at the table
Chris Howie, RMA Network Agents of the future - Relationships that create value
Jim Virgona, Graminus Consulting Declining fertiliser use - understanding the impacts
Alison Kelly, Agriculture Victoria On farm emissions - knowing your number and why?

Professor Lewis Kahn, University of New England Barber's pole marching south - managing or keeping it out
Jason Trompf, JT Agri-Source Managing triplets - lifting ewe and lamb survival
Dr Jim Walsh - Coopers Animal Health Oral lice control - is it a game changer?
Lisa Warn, Brendan Hinchliffe and Edward Blackwell Reducing dags - fibre, worms and tail docking (insights from producer demonstration sites transitioning to non-mulesed)
Lisa Miller, Southern Farming Systems Optimising sub clover to drive production
James Peddie, Cluan Homestead and Elise Kealy, Kealy Pastoral Pathways to consistently high profits - insights from a lamb and a wool producer
Professor Phil Hynd, University of Adelaide Wool bioharvesting - Could it be the solution?
AWI race delivery demonstration
Trade displays

BestWool/BestLamb Conference Dinner

Monday 19 June at the All Seasons Resort Hotel, 171/183 McIvor Highway, Strathdale

BestWool/BestLamb Conference

Tuesday 20 June at the Bendigo Event & Exhibition Complex, 42-72 Holmes Road, Bendigo

Ticket Prices

Full Conference and Dinner $180;
Conference (No Dinner) $120;
Conference Dinner Only $75

To register for the Dinner or the Conference please visit https://www.trybooking.com/events/1050797/sessions/3869423/sections/1937216/tickets

2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour

I am thrilled to announce that Loddon Shire Council has been selected to host the 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour!

Since 2003, the Melbourne Cup tour has provided towns and cities across Australia and New Zealand a valuable opportunity to raise funds for community groups and unite in celebration of the ‘race that stops a nation’.

Boort has been selected to host the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour on Friday 13 October and Saturday 14 October and will be seen at several local events including the 2023 Boort Show.

Furthermore, this event will not only bring excitement and joy to our residents, but also create economic opportunities for our local businesses and community organisations. It is an occasion that will undoubtedly attract visitors to our region, encouraging them to explore the remarkable offerings we have to offer.

VNI West update

AEMO Victorian Planning has created a new company called Transmission Company Victoria (TCV). Moving forward TCV will discuss the VNI West transmission project with landholders, Traditional Owners and the community to understand local concerns as the project moves towards construction.

As AEMO is the system planner, and will not physically construct or own the transmission lines, it established TCV to make sure that commitments made in the early stages are captured and honoured across the life of the project. TCV will provide early project updates, and will work with the community on this important transmission line.

Consultation Program - Community events

TCV are hosting several events to provide community members with the opportunity to interact with the project team and ask questions. A series of booths will provide information on a range of key topics such as farming and bushfire risk.

Day Time Town Location

Monday 3 July 4 – 7 pm Boort Boort Memorial Hall

Tuesday 4 July 4 – 7 pm Kerang Kerang Memorial Hall

Wednesday 5 July 4 – 7 pm Charlton Charlton Park Complex

Wednesday 12 July 4 – 7 pm Navarre Navarre Football and Netball Club

Saturday 15 July 1 – 4pm St Arnaud Stewart Hall

To address community concerns, TCV is going to move from the area of interest, which is up to 5-50 kms wide, to a preferred corridor of 500m to 1 km by July and then, in consultation with landholders, Traditional Owners and communities, further work to narrow this area to an indicative route of between 200m and 400m by Spring.

Interactive Map

TCV are asking the community to help in the route refining process by contributing to the interactive map on our TCV website. https://vniwest.mysocialpinpoint.com.au/vniwest#/

TCV urge communities, landholders and Traditional Owners to add landmarks, important areas of land use and comments to the map. This local intelligence will help guide the refining of the corridor and route along with a broad range of technical, planning, environmental and engineering data and studies.

Transgrid will continue to progress the New South Wales portion of the project.

TCV and Transgrid are committed to treating all property owners and farmers with respect and decency and ensuring they are fairly recognised and compensated for hosting transmission.

For anyone who doesn’t have access to the website, you can email details or questions to enquiries@transmissionvictoria.com.au or call 1800 824 221 and one of the team members from TCV can assist you to add your comments.

Support Our Own. Choose Locally Grown

The Support Our Own. Choose Locally Grown campaign will promote Loddon Campaspe region-grown fruit and veg. This campaign aims to enhance awareness and consumption of Loddon Campaspe-grown fruit and veg available locally, and at local food retailers and Farmers Markets. This campaign will raise community awareness through local media activity including TV commercials, online ads and social media activity. Healthy Loddon Campaspe is also engaging with local fruit and veg growers, retailers and Farmers Markets to encourage them to support the campaign.

The campaign will focus on some of the main benefits of locally grown fruit and veg:

It’s good for our health.
Food is fresher and more nutritious.
Supporting local growers to feed our region.
It’s readily available.

Visit the website to find our more information https://www.healthyloddoncampaspe.au/chooselocallygrown

Murray River Group of Councils meetings

Last Wednesday (31 May), Loddon Shire’s CEO Lincoln Fitzgerald and I met with the following ministers in Melbourne as part of the Murray River Group of Councils.

Minister Ambrosio – VNI West
Minister Symes – Flood Funding
Minister Horne – Local Government and Roads

We also took the opportunity to meet with

Hon. Martha Haylett – Member for Rippon
Hon. Gaelle Broad – Member for Northern Victoria
Hon. Peter Walsh – Leader of the Nationals, Member for Murray Plains
Hon. Jade Benham – Member for Mildura (former Swan Hill Councillor)

Last Thursday (1 June), saw the Murray River Group of Councils meet in Wedderburn for the Mayors and CEO routine meeting where we spoke about the key priorities of the group and next steps following advocacy at the Federal and State levels.

We heard from Cameron Sutton, CEO of Murray Regional Tourism (MRT) who discussed the current status and priorities of the MRT. MRT works with tourism industry personnel to grow their skills, ensuring the best possible visitor experience and coordinates tourism activities wherever possible to add a cohesive polish to the holidaymaker’s retreat in the Murray River region.

We discussed a number of issues, including Water advocacy, Submission to the Parliament Inquiry into the 2022 floods, VNI West and Energy advocacy update, Flood recovery advocacy and more.

The Murray River Group of Councils includes Loddon Shire, as well as Mildura Rural City, Swan Hill Rural City, Gannawarra Shire, Campaspe Shire and Moira Shire councils.