It has been a busy August with two sitting weeks in Canberra and a lot of time on the road across
Nicholls, from Kilmore to Kyabram, Congupna to Kialla and plenty of places in between.
It is always good to be back home in the electorate catching up with the people and communities
that make this job worthwhile.
NEW SHEPPARTON RAIL SERVICES GET ROLLING
The arrival of promised extra Shepparton train services is welcome news for our region.
The nine return weekday services were part of the infrastructure package the federal Coalition government signed up to in 2020. At the time, that funding, $320 million, 80 per cent of the total cost, was critical in getting the track works, signalling upgrades and yarding needed to operate high frequency daily services to and from Melbourne.
The strong community led campaign for better rail services had a significant impact, and it then took state and federal governments getting on board to make it happen. The Nationals delivered as part of a federal Coalition government, and providing 80 per cent of the funding made the project a more attractive partnership for the Victorian government. That is how regional infrastructure gets built.
It was fitting that when I spoke on this in Parliament, my Nationals Michael McCormack was seated next to me at the dispatch box. As Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister it was Michael who delivered 80 per cent of the project funding.
The Albanese Labor government operates on a 50/50 funding split with states, which makes it harder to get major regional infrastructure projects off the ground. Under Labor there is a backlog of regional projects simply because the Victorian government will not prioritise them or commit the funding.
For a regional city the size of Shepparton, five services a day was never good enough. Going to nine is a big step forward, and better rail means better access to jobs, education and health care right across the Goulburn Valley.
This one has been a long time coming.
FIXING THE ECONOMY AND PROTECTING OUR WAY OF LIFE
Speaking in the Federation Chamber this month, I told Parliament what I am hearing on the ground across Nicholls: the economy is not working for people, and the way of life they once enjoyed feels like it is slipping away. That is the story across Australia, but the Coalition has a plan to fix it.
The plan rests on five things:
- Lower taxes, including addressing bracket creep through indexed tax brackets, delivering a tax back guarantee.
- Affordable and reliable energy, so industries like food processing and manufacturing across this electorate can stay competitive.
- Sustainable migration tied to housing supply.
- Productivity lifting infrastructure, like the Echuca-Moama Bridge, which shows what gets delivered when governments invest in regional transport links and;
- Put Australians First. We will invest in Australia’s future and pay down the debt being left to the next generation.
Read more about our plan to fix the economy and protect our way of life at
TIME TO REPEAL THE WIDOW TAX
In a statement to the House of Representatives this month, I said one has to wonder what Labor was thinking when they drafted the budget. Did they draft it knowing what they were doing? Did they think about the consequences? Did they consider the impact on people already experiencing the loss of a partner, the end of a relationship or, worse, fleeing domestic violence?
At best, the inclusion of a widow tax was unthinking and terrible policy. At worst, it was a calculated grab for cash from people at their most vulnerable.
I am pleased to report that thanks to our campaign it is being repealed.
Backing Kilmore’s Growth
I have been spending a lot of time in Kilmore, working through the priorities with the community, and the number one issue is clear.
The Allan Labor Government approved a planning overlay that will see Kilmore grow by more than 300 per cent in the coming decades but Kilmore is already battling congestion and a lack of connectivity between housing estates and the commercial precict.
The John Street extension would connect residents in the growth corridor to the shops in the north of town, without adding to congestion on Sydney Street. It should be a priority project for state and federal government.
Mitchell Shire Council has already funded the planning and design work for a link road between Kings Lane and John Street. What is missing is a government willing to fund construction
Business Spotlight: A Dream Realised on Corio Street
A wonderful new addition to Shepparton this month with the opening of Mezé souvlaki bar on Corio Street.
Owner Kosta Tsatsas had been dreaming of running a Greek restaurant in Shepparton since he arrived here eight years ago, and that dream became a reality. Kosta comes from a family with generations of restaurant experience overseas, and that tradition now has a home in Shepparton. Mezé also honours his mum, who shared his dream of opening a Greek restaurant here.
The menu features charcoal grilled Greek food, with the lamb gyros already proving popular with locals. New small businesses bring investment and jobs into Shepparton, and supporting them keeps more money in the regional economy.
Congratulations, Kosta and the Mezé team. It is fantastic to see a new local business bringing genuine Greek tradition and quality to Shepparton.
Presenting a Bee Hotel to Congupna Primary School
Earlier this month I presented a bee hotel to the Landcare group and grade four students at Congupna Primary School. The highlight was watching generations come together, Landcare volunteers and kids from kindergarten through to primary school, talking about practical environmentalism.
The students will use the bee hotel to help create habitat for native Australian bees, and it was refreshing to see how well they understood the role bees play in the health of our eucalypts and native trees.
The bee hotel was a gift from Landcare Australia presented at the launch of Parliamentary Friends of Landcare which I co-chair.
The Power of KyFit
Nearly 300 young people have taken part in KyFit since Acting Sergeant Mitch Bull started the program in 2019 to address a gap in local youth mental health support.
KyFit is a free Kyabram Blue Light program run by local police, qualified trainers and volunteers. It combines regular exercise and mentoring to strengthen young people’s physical and mental health and keep them connected to their community.
Mitch put us through a demanding circuit of five minute stations, and the boys gave it everything. I brought SPC fruit cups for the group after training, made from fruit grown and processed here in the Goulburn Valley. I’m also pleased to have been able to support the program through volunteer and stronger communities’ grants.
KyFit remains free because volunteers, schools, businesses and sponsors support it. The team welcomes volunteers with any skill or activity to share, whether it is related to fitness or something completely different. Businesses can also help with products, equipment or sponsorship.
Full credit to Mitch, the trainers and every volunteer who kept KyFit going and continued to show up for the young people of our region.
A Perfect Season: Madi Healey’s Enduro Championship Win
Congratulations to Kialla’s Madi Healey, who won the Victorian Enduro Championship, finishing the season undefeated across all nine rounds.
A perfect season is rare in any sport. In enduro racing, across such a demanding national circuit, it was exceptional. Madi already held the Queen of the Desert title, having won at Finke for the third year running, along with the Hattah Desert Race Women’s Championship. This latest title added to a remarkable year for the young rider from Kialla.
It was great to catch up with Madi recently and hear firsthand what it takes to compete at this level. Nicholls is proud of you, Madi.
The Next Generation of Farmers at Greater Shepparton Secondary College
It was fantastic to visit Greater Shepparton Secondary College and see the next generation of farmers, agronomists and agribusiness leaders in the making.
Students there were running their own small farm. They were raising merinos as part of the Victorian Merino Wether Challenge, keeping hens, and trialling cover crops and vegetables in the corner of the school grounds.
The Goulburn Valley is the food bowl of Victoria. Agriculture is not just a career option here, it is central to our economy and our way of life.
We need young people to understand where their food comes from, whether they choose a career on the land or not. And for those who do catch the bug, there is no shortage of pathways, from working directly on farm to plenty of careers behind the scenes.