Loddon Shire Mayoral Column
Published on 15 June 2020
Creating jobs and keeping communities safe
As we begin to rebound and recover from COVID-19, Loddon Shire is one the councils across Victoria working with the State Government to support people into jobs through the Working for Victoria program.
The program matches eligible people who are unemployed or have recently experienced a significant reduction in income with employers who need staff. Council’s pool of jobs will include outdoor maintenance and land management roles as well as roles in project management, recovery coordinators and inspectors.
Council is working towards finalising positons and local people who are interested should register to be able to apply: www.vic.gov.au/workingforvictoria.
Funding boost
Wedderburn has been selected to receive funding for the large-scale art projects under a program aimed at connecting communities, boosting cultural tourism and creating jobs across the region.
The Creative Activations Fund intends to harness creativity and reinvigorate local towns. The Wedderburn project, being led by the Wedderburn Community House, will see artists create five open-air murals in Wedderburn to depict the birdlife of the surrounding conservation area, a biodiverse habitat for 180 of Australia’s native bird species, 20 of which are listed as endangered.
This exciting project is sure to attract more visitors to our region as well as create something very special for residents to enjoy.
Library services resume
This week, I welcome the news that the Library agencies are slowly reopening following Government guidelines. Browsing, returns, librarian visits and Click & Collect are now being offered at a number of agency locations.
Visit the website for specific details: www.ncgrl.vic.gov.au/libraryagencies as the information is being updated weekly and varies between agencies. Programs and Storytime sessions will continue online. There is also a Facebook page especially for Agencies: www.facebook.com/GoldfieldsLibraryAgencies.
Remote and flexible learning community consultation
Now that all levels of primary and secondary school have returned to face-to-face learning, the community is being asked for feedback on the remote and flexible learning experience.
Principals, teachers, parents and students are being encouraged to have their say on this unprecedented event, ahead of a summit to be held in July. The summit will discuss lessons learnt and investigate what improvements can be made to the education system as a result of the remote learning period.
While remote learning presented challenges, many schools reported significant benefits for some students. Those who have previously been disengaged or distracted in the classroom, or whose learning has been affected by anxiety or other mental health conditions as well as high-ability students who have been able to learn at their own pace were among those to reportedly benefit from the period.
To have your say, visit: https://engage.vic.gov.au/lessons-remote-and-flexible-learning.
No place for racism in Loddon
There has been an alarming rise in reports of racism across Victoria during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has added to the stress already being experienced by many households and communities.
In Loddon, our vision for a prosperous, vibrant and engaged community means that every person is respected and treated with dignity. If you have experienced racism or other unfair treatment, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission is available to help. This independent body works to promote equality and protect human rights.
The Commission may be contacted by telephone: 1300 292 153, by email: enquiries@veohrc.vic.gov.au or by using the Community Reporting Tool on the Loddon Shire website: www.loddon.vic.gov.au/For-residents/Health-and-wellbeing/Victorian-Equal-Opportunity-and-Human-Rights-Commission-reporting-tool.
The Commission’s website includes information about discrimination, equal opportunity and how to get help in 30 languages: www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/languages.
Mental health for small business owners
The Victorian Small Business Commission has created a small business owner’s guide to creating a mental health plan, in response to coronavirus COVID-19.
The impacts of the pandemic have been felt right across Victoria’s small business owners. Many of them have focussed on trying to get their business through this difficult period, while looking after their staff and may not have considered their own mental health.
Creating a mental health plan is one way to make sure you have strategies in place for looking after your wellbeing. It’s also an important part of planning for business continuity and resilience.
The guide provides a downloadable template and includes steps to follow in order to identify business and personal stressors and mental health red flags, as well as advice on what actions to take and what resources are available.
To find out more and access the plan and template, visit the Victorian Small Business Commission website: www.vsbc.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Small-business-owners-guide-to-creating-a-mental-health-plan_1.pdf.
Unclaimed entitlements
The latest data from the State Revenue Office shows that there is hundreds of millions of dollars in unclaimed entitlements waiting to be collected.
The entitlements range from as little as $20 and are from lost wages, rental bonds, dividends and proceeds from sales.
Last financial year, the State Revenue Office reunited $16.6 million with its rightful owners through more than 18,000 entitlements. There is no time limit to claiming held money, which can be searched via www.sro.vic.gov.au/unclaimedmoney and could provide people with an unexpected windfall.
Webinars for pig producers
Agriculture Victoria in partnership with the Victorian Farmers Federation is offering free webinars aimed to help pig producers be informed and prepared to deal with African Swine Fever.
The webinars look at the current global African Swine Fever pandemic, on-farm biosecurity and the outbreak preparedness and response to African Swine Fever in Australia. The sessions take place on 16, 23 and 30 June. Contact the organiser for more information and to register: pkluver@vff.org.au.