Mayoral Column 6 Augsut 2018
Published on 06 August 2018
Suicide prevention – it’s everyone’s business
Registrations are now open for the Loddon Healthy Minds Network Suicide Prevention Conference on 30 August 2018 at the Inglewood Town Hall. This upcoming conference is for health professionals and volunteers working in the mental health industry.
The aim of the conference is to focus on suicide prevention and mental health in our rural areas, as well as raise awareness and start conversations in our own communities (and beyond).
The keynote speaker will be former Australian Rules Football player and commentator Wayne Schwass, who is the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Sunrise Foundation. He is also the founder of Puka Up, a social enterprise focusing on mental health, emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention.
A range of speakers from organisations will also present at the conference, including the Centre of Rural and Remote Mental Health, Headspace, Loddon Mallee Mental Health Carers Network and Victoria Police. The conference will also have speakers from SPAN Walk, National Centre for Farmer Health, Royal Flying Doctor Service, Murray Primary Health Network, HALT and many more.
The conference has been made possible thanks to funding of $20,000 from the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions fund.
To register please go to www.loddon.vic.gov.au and click on Suicide Prevention – It’s Everyone’s Business in the rotating banner on the front page. RSVPs close 16 August 2018.
Wandering stock on roads
Livestock on roads represent a significant danger to motorists. A few community members have recently asked me about the correct process for reporting livestock found wandering on roads.
VicRoads is the responsible authority for livestock on all highways and main arterial roads throughout the Shire. VicRoads roads are A, B and C signed roads. Examples include the Calder, Wimmera and Loddon Valley Highways, and arterial roads such as the Boort Pyramid Road, Boort Wedderburn Road, Bridgewater Maldon Road, Bendigo Pyramid Road and Bridgewater Serpentine Road.
Council is responsible for livestock wandering on local roads.
Any loose or wandering livestock should be reported immediately. Contact the VicRoads call centre on 131 170 for highways and arterial roads, or for local roads contact Council on 5494 1200.
Please ensure you can provide accurate directions to the location of the livestock.
Owners of livestock must ensure that fencing is properly maintained. If fencing is found not to be secure, then a ‘Notice to Confine Livestock’ may be issued. This means that the fence must be repaired within a certain time, or that livestock must be kept off that property until the fence is repaired or replaced to an adequate standard.
Reconciliation Action Plan update
Following a survey of the community in June, Loddon Shire residents have given their support for a proposed Reconciliation Action Plan.
Reconciliation Action Plans generally guide organisations in building greater awareness, understanding and respectful relationships between our wider community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Seventy-seven per cent of people surveyed voted “yes” to the Reconciliation Action Plan’s development. Council will now proceed with the development of the Plan.
Eighty-nine residents completed the survey, which was available to all community members, either via online or in hard copy.
To find out more, including a breakdown of the results of the survey, visit www.loddon.vic.gov.au and go to “Current Projects” (located under the “About us” dropdown box).
If you are interested in being involved in the development of the Reconciliation Action Plan or would like further information, please contact Council’s Policy and Strategy Officer Christine Walters on 5494 1239 or email cwalters@loddon.vic.gov.au
“Fee” free waste days
The next “fee” free waste disposal days are scheduled for 18 and 19 August.
“Fee” free waste days are an opportunity to dispose of up to four cubic metres of general domestic waste free of charge. This includes green waste, mixed recyclables, general household waste and white goods.
Charges still apply for tyres, bricks and concrete, mattresses and e-waste, as these items have additional third party costs associated with their disposal.
“Fee” free waste disposal will take place on Saturday 18 August at the Inglewood Transfer Station from 8am to 12pm.
On Sunday 19 August, “fee” free waste disposal will take place at Boort Landfill from 1pm to 5pm, Pyramid Hill Landfill from 8am to 12pm, Newbridge Landfill from 1pm to 5pm, Wedderburn Transfer Station from 8am to 12pm and Dingee Transfer Station from 10am to 2pm.
Remember to bring your licence or rates notice to verify your address so you can benefit from this service.
Did you know?
In mentioning the “fee” free waste days, did you know that in 2017/18 Council collected 2,795 tonnes of garbage, recycling and organics from its kerbside bins?