Loddon Shire Mayoral Column 15 June
Published on 15 June 2022
Queen’s Birthday Honours congratulations
I would like to congratulate former Loddon Shire Councillor, Colleen Condliffe on her receiving the Medal (OAM) of the Order Of Australia in the General Division, for service to the community of the Loddon Mallee, and to women.
Colleen served 16 years as a Councillor for Loddon Shire, during 2000-2008 and 2012-2020, and served as Deputy Mayor in 2002/03. It is great to see that her commitment to her community has been recognised with this honour.
Loddon Healthy Minds Network SPF22 – registrations open 1 July
Registrations will open from 1 July for the Loddon Healthy Minds Network 2022 Suicide Prevention Forum (SPF22) – with early bird discount tickets available for the entire month of July.
The forum, which will be held on Thursday 20 October from 9am to 3.30pm at the Inglewood Community Hub, will focus on suicide prevention strategies that work in rural areas.
A number of experts and speakers will present at the forum, giving insights into solutions and strategies to address rural mental health.
This includes renowned mental health speaker, author and radio broadcaster Craig Hamilton.
A range of guest presenters will also speak at SPF22, providing strategies that practitioners, service providers, community members and volunteers alike will be able to put to immediate use in service and/or their community.
There is also a limited amount of free tickets for Loddon region community members and volunteers. Community members and volunteers are asked to call Vicki at Loddon Shire Council on 5494 1230 to register for these limited free tickets.
For more information about the SPF22, and to register for tickets from 1 July, please visit www.loddonhealthyminds.com.au/suicide-prevention-forum
Emergency preparedness information table – Inglewood
Are you prepared for an emergency? Do you have a plan?
None of us is immune from the impact of a natural disaster like a bushfire, flood or heatwave.
A free emergency preparedness information table will be held tomorrow (Thursday 16 June) at Inglewood Community Hub from 10am to 2pm.
The event will help you prepare in advance to help protect you, your family, pets and property in the case of flood, bushfire, storm or heatwave.
All community members are welcome to pop in for a visit and a chat, and to find out more about emergency preparedness.
Getting prepared for tax time
With the end of June fast approaching – and with it the end of the financial year, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is encouraging us to start to think about tax time.
The ATO has toolkits to help people to prepare and lodge their tax return, including for specific occupations and industries.
This includes income and allowances you need to declare, work-related expenses you can claim, and records you need to keep.
To find out more visit https://bit.ly/3MpG8S0
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Today (15 June) marks World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), where individuals and organisations worldwide highlight the importance of the rights of older people, as prevention against the mistreatment and harm occurring in their communities.
WEAAD was officially recognised by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2011.
Elder abuse is any act which causes harm to an older person and is carried out by someone they know and trust such as a family member or friend. The abuse may be physical, social, financial, psychological or sexual and can include mistreatment and neglect. Rates of elder abuse are under reported, but the Australian Institute of Family Studies estimates up to 14 per cent of older people in Australia are affected.
The warning signs of elder abuse may include an older person seeming fearful, anxious or isolated. There may be injuries, or an absence of personal care. Unexplained changes to legal documents or finances are also of concern. Most elder abuse occurs behind closed doors, so it is important for loved ones to watch out for signs, listen and offer help.
If you are experiencing elder abuse, or are concerned about an older person, you can get help by calling Seniors Rights Victoria on 1300 368 821 or visit www.seniorsrights.org.au
For more information about WEAAD, visit elderabuseawarenessday.org.au.
Waste to energy – Gasification in agriculture webinar
Do you have biomass residues or access to a waste product available as a fuel? Have you heard how gasification can be used to provide energy on-farm?
Agriculture Victoria is hosting a webinar to explore the practical application of gasification in agriculture.
Presenters will include Adam Riley and Drew Chislett from Advanced Energy Tech, who have established a demonstration waste to resource recovery facility at Council’s Pyramid Hill landfill site.
Also presenting will be Dominic Murphy from Meredith Dairy to discuss their experience in investing in gasification.
This initiative is part of the Victorian Government’s Agriculture Energy Investment Plan, which is supporting producers to improve energy usage on farm.
The webinar will be held on Wednesday 22 June, from 11.30am to 12.30pm. Register at https://bit.ly/3yOtCIQ to join the webinar.
For assistance registering or more information, please contact Kelly Wickham on 0456 772 641 or kelly.wickham@agriculture.vic.gov.au