- Alpine Grazing
- The Greens' view on country issues
- Liberal Comment on The Greens
- Labor's view on country issues
- Nationals view and Policies
- Rene Hidding Press Release on The Greens
- Forestry
- Fire Management
- Highs and Lows of the Last Four Years in Vic. Politics
- Other Comments
- Northern Victorian Irrigators Inc.
- Justice for the Broken Valley
The uncontested absurdities of today are the accepted slogans of tomorrow. They come to be accepted by degrees, by precedent, by implication, by erosion, by default, by dint of constant pressure on one side and constant retreat on the other - until the day when they are suddenly declared to be the country's official ideology. ~ Ayn Rand
ALPINE GRAZING
"Victorians should also know that the State Government recognises the traditions associated with the mountain cattlemen as part of our heritage and that these will be respected in the park."
"The Government has decided to offer long term licences to all cattlemen in the high country, instead of the present one year licences"
"Victoria Needs an Alpine National Park". September 1988, Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands brochure.
"The government has said time and again, and I have explained it many times, that it will not be changing leases without consultation, without agreement and without the alpine cattlemen volunteering."
Ms Sherryl Garbutt MP, Minister for Environment and Conservation, Hansard, 18.11.2001
"I said in this house a few weeks ago that there would be no changes to those licences and that we would not be taking them back or changing them without the agreement of the alpine cattle graziers."
Ms Garbutt MP, Minister for Conservation and Environment, Hansard 30.10.2001, Page 1260
“Alpine grazing is a licensed activity and will continue as a licensed activity. However, this season particular issues applied because of the fires that have occurred across the alpine region.”
John Thwaites MP, Hansard 6.11.2003 page 1616
“When you're proud of what you're doing, you don't want it hidden; you want people to know about it. You only keep secret the things that you're ashamed of."
Steve Bracks MP (quoted from 1999) The Age September 24, 2006
"It makes no difference," Mr Bracks said. "We made this decision as the licences are expiring in the high country. The federal government can't force our hand to issue new licences."
The Premier, Steve Bracks MP, The Age 10.06.2005
“The decision to cease cattle grazing in the national park has not been taken lightly. The government is very aware of the diverse views on the issue, including the views of those who seek to continue grazing in the park. It respects those views and has taken them into account.”
John Thwaites MP, Hansard 26.5.2005
The Irony of Thwaites!
“Contrary to the emotive arguments of many on the other side, high country cattle grazing is not ceasing.”
John Thwaites MP, Hansard 15.06.2005
“The other dreadful aspect of this whole sorry saga is the process that has been employed by the government. Through this absolute charade of an inquiry we are effectively going to see the end of 170 years of national cultural heritage.”
Peter Ryan MP, Hansard 14.06.2005
That's just wrong. The evidence is quite clear that grazing by cattle in no way reduces the risk of fire.
John Thwaites MP:ABC 7.30 report 21.6.2005
“We will be remembered in years to come as the government that protected the very sensitive high country in the Alpine National Park, and of course the members opposite will be seen as the people who tried to block it.”
The Premier, Steve Bracks MP, Hansard 26.05.2006
"People who are not going to run their cattle in the Alpine National Park but are going to be offered work to do weed spraying, help remove feral animals or do rehabilitation work, so they are going to be paid to actually go back into the park and help with the rebuilding of the park."
Ian Maxfield MP, ABC Gippsland, 16 September 2005
“As I touched on earlier, the all-time low of my time here was when the Bracks government took the alpine leases from the mountain cattlemen. It took the leases, but it also took Victoria's living heritage and stole many families' connection with the land, that in some cases goes back some 170 years. To my mind, a part of that action by the Labor government was payback for issues concerning Nunawading in 1985. Let me tell the house that it is not just Labor members who have long memories.”
Graeme Stoney MP, Hansard, 5.10.2006
"At the end of the day, we should remember that the land was good enough, with alpine grazing, to be proclaimed as a national park," Mr Turner said.
Simon Turner, The Age, 10.06.2005
THE GREENS’ VIEW ON PUBLIC LAND ISSUES
The Greens warn on Labor preference deal with Country Alliance
13/11/06 The Greens are warning Labor voters about the the ALP's election preference deal with the Country Alliance in Western Victoria.
"A Labor Party backroom deal gave Family First a Senate seat in the last Federal Election. And now, ALP head-office has engineered a preference deal with Country Alliance for the state election," said Marcus Ward, the Greens Western Victoria Region Upper House lead candidate.
"The Labor Party seems determined to help this ultra-conservative political group," said Marcus Ward. "It is preferencing a wedge group with a backward looking agenda for Victoria's National Parks, open space and natural heritage."
"Last week, the ALP launched a new Hunting Policy that includes access for deer shooters to public land across Victoria, as well as shooter access to privately-held, licensed grazing land," said Marcus Ward. "These are major changes to land use that I’m confident will not be supported by the broad community.”
"Labor voters in Western Victoria should be aware of the dangers of following the ALP ticket when voting on Saturday week," said Marcus Ward. "If Country Alliance were to get its way, you can say goodbye to any new national parks or environmental flows for our rivers. There will be a free-for-all for logging, shooting, hunting and prospecting in all of our precious, publicly-owned land."
“This Labor preference deal with Country Alliance displays a disregard for the future," said Marcus Ward. “It is now very clear that the Greens Party is the only Party that will work for real action on climate change, water, the environment and the long term well-being of rural communities."
"The Greens message to people thinking of voting for the ALP on November 25 is - make the move and vote for the Greens to ensure a future for Victoria, our children and their children," said Marcus Ward.
“Unlike the Government and forest industries, the Greens have never sought to lock anyone out of our forests. We believe everyone should be able enjoy the forests as they are. However that which destroys the bush such as chainsaws should be restricted from many forests.”
Greens Upper House candidate for Northern Victoria, Jennifer Alden 13.09.2006 Media release
Mr Ryan said the Greens animal policies were an attack on the country way of life.
"The Greens have never created a job in country Victoria and their animal policy will undermine rural industries and recreation," Mr Ryan said.
Peter Ryan, Leader of the Nationals 18.07.2006
“The Greens candidate for Northern Region, Jennifer Alden, made it perfectly clear that the Greens won’t support aerial baiting of wild dogs, are opposed to a bounty on foxes and believe weeds on roadsides should be harvested for biodiesel production.”
Bill Baxter MP, following VFF function 27.09.2006
“The Greens’ proposal to give foxes and rabbits contraceptives as a method of pest control is completely ridiculous, Shadow Minister for Country Victoria Philip Davis said today.
Mr Davis said The Greens’ Upper House candidate for Northern Victoria Region Jennifer Alden told a recent forum that contraceptives were a better option than 1080 poison for baiting rabbits and foxes. (“Humane approach to pests pushed”, The Border Mail, 28 September 2006)”
Philip Davis MLC 10.10.2006 Media Release
"The Greens' only solution to the feral animal problem is exclusion fencing. Fencing in the humans while allowing wild dogs and foxes to roam around freely is a ridiculous proposition. "A Liberal Government will control feral animals, and not allow the ferals to take over our environment."
Philip Davis MLC 23.08.2006
ABC analyst Antony Green said the campaigns in NSW and Victoria highlighted the Greens' ability to act as a "tail wagging the dog kind of political party".
The Australian 9.10.2006
"Mr Davis said The Greens would ruin Victoria's ability to attract investment as there would be considerable uncertainty about the role of government in interfering in the ownership of property."
Philip Davis MLC 6.10.2006
"The Greens have no idea how they would secure energy for Victoria," Mr Davis said. "Coal, nuclear power and wind farms are on The Greens' hit-list, yet they have no plans on how they are going to supply power for the state." One minute "The Greens won't line up for dirty brown coal in the Valley”, then they declare "Nuclear energy is not wanted" and finally announce that the "Greens to campaign against Bald Hills wind farm."
Philip Davis 13.09.2006
"Shifting red gum timber production to private land will have multiple benefits," ..."It will help meet regional land degrdation and state greenhouse targets, as well as providing a new source of income for farmers."
Greens Upper House candidate for Northern Victoria, Jennifer Alden 24.09.2006 Media release
"Redgum - a special case, there are no commercial plantations of red gum, any future plantations on dry land sites require 30 - 50 year rotations, commercial plantations would require irrigation, so if access to the natural reource of red gum is denied, quite simply, there will be no red gum timber available at all."
Dr Glen Kyle, Executive Director, Federal Government Forest and Wood Products Reserach and Development Corporation, Sept 2006.
Wednesday, 18 October 2006
ANIMALS TO BE GIVEN EQUAL RIGHTS UNDER THE GREENS
The Greens’ policy of giving recognisable legal rights to animals is ludicrous, Shadow Minister for Country Victoria Philip Davis said today.
Mr Davis said all of The Greens animal policies were ridiculous, but giving animals recognisable legal rights takes the cake.
“The Greens propose to replace the status of animals from ‘property’ to ‘beings’ which would give them recognisable rights,” Mr Davis said.
“This policy is so loopy, that to give legal effect The Greens would have to make sure there is a representative agency such as the Office of the Public Advocate to act on the behalf of animals.
“This agency would be responsible for giving animals their legal rights and arguing their case before the courts.
“Will these animals be given property rights? Could they buy their own homes?
“What about ownership, given The Greens would no longer allow humans to own animals, could the animals own humans?
“This policy is just so silly, it is hard to believe The Greens are serious.”
Mr Davis said The Greens’ other animal policies were just as bizarre.
“The Greens want to ban feral animal control with 1080 poison, locking humans up behind exclusion fencing while wild dogs, foxes and rabbits roam free,” he said.
“They want to end recreational hunting, a leisure activity enjoyed by tens of thousands of Victorians on a regular basis.
“The Greens also want to take away the fun, enjoyment and educational benefit of children interacting with animals at special events such as agricultural shows.
“The Greens practically want animals to run the state – whether they are feral animals, farm animals or domestic pets.
“Those of us in the real world realise that giving animals recognisable legal rights is a silly proposition and unless animals suddenly learn to speak like humans, it will never work.
“Perhaps The Greens have taken George Orwell’s classic ‘Animal Farm’
literally,” he said.
Media Enquires: Wendy Collins-Dee on (03) 5143 1038 or 0407 817 763
LABOR’S VIEW ON COUNTRY ISSUES
'When you're proud of what you're doing, you don't want it hidden; you want people to know about it. You only keep secret the things that you're ashamed of."
Steve Bracks (quoted from 1999) The Age September 24, 2006
"The government has a big plan for regional and country Victoria, something that the National Party once talked about but that Labor will deliver."
The Premier Steve Bracks, Hansard, 3.11.1999
"Country people will be very insulted that Labor have put up a city person to represent country issues."
"The fast train project is a joke, transport in general is second rate, and there is a feeling that the country is not being well represented. Labor...has abandoned its grassroots."
Former Bracks Government MP Denise Allen, The Age, 29 August 2006.
"Wild dogs are there because people have done the wrong thing and allowed dogs to get away. It's a community responsibility as well as the Government's."
John Thwaites, The Border Mail, 26 August 2006.
"It is only a matter of time before someone gets attacked by wild dogs. It would be a tragedy if this happened because governments have not been prepared to admit there is a problem and take some action to control wild dogs."
Ross Moyle, The Border Mail, 21 June 2006.
"The Crown should contribute half the cost of constructing or repairing a dividing fence between Crown land and private property which is destroyed or damaged by a natural disaster, when the cost of replacement or repair is not otherwise recoverable."
Labor's 1999 election policy.
"We do now make a minor contribution which is the insurance excess for fences that are insured, but we still say it is fundamentally the farmer's responsibility. So, I know the VFF is putting submissions to us on this, we'll have a look at those, but if you're asking me do I see any change in policy, I don't see a change in policy."
John Brumby, ABC Gippsland, 9 February 2006
"One of the problems that private properties actually complain about is that they will maintain the weeds on their property but then they are bordering a state forest and suddenly they're getting the weeds coming across from the state forest. In the past I don't think we have been a very good neighbour as we should have been."
Ian Maxfield, ABC Gippsland, 16 September 2006
"The party solidarity has to take a long hard look at itself because it's dumping on country Victoria, especially in my electorate and down at Gippsland. It's not listening to the people and it's got to start doing it.
I've been asking them to do it for 12 months and they are not listening.
They are prepared to break their oath or affirmation that they made to the Parliament, which is to represent your constituents to the best of your ability without fear or favour."
Former Labor MP Dianne Hadden, 774 ABC radio, 22 February 2005.
“The Victorian Government is acutely aware of the needs and aspirations of small towns, and is looking forward to Small Towns Victoria playing a pivotal role in advising the Government about the issues affecting small towns,” Mr Bracks said.
Premier Steve Bracks MP, Media release 13.9.2006
"The Bracks Government is only serious about promoting itself to country Victoria, and using tax-payer funds to promote its own image."
Philip Davis MP 19.09.2006
Peter Walsh Speaks about country Victoria and the possible Green Policy impact.
Outline of Some Nationals Principles Relevant to Push for the Bush
The Nationals Environment and other policies can be accessed from The Nationals website www.vic.nationals.org.au/policies
Principles
The Nationals’ approach to the environment is governed by a number of key principles. We believe:
The environment must be actively managed and the ‘lock it up and leave it’ approach adopted by Melbourne Labor be unequivocally rejected.
Good environmental management and economic growth are complementary, not competing, objectives.
The application of science and technology provides an opportunity to address many of the seemingly intractable environmental problems we face.
Environmental decision-making must be based on facts, evidence, science and social impacts to ensure expenditure is directed to areas where it will have the greatest positive impact.
The communities directly affected must be involved in developing environmental objectives and strategies.
There must be less talk-fests and more action where it matters.
The Nationals will shake up the environmental bureaucracy
The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) will be refocused to concentrate on the Government’s core responsibility, the management of public land. DSE will no longer be responsible for private land management issues. These will be transferred to the Department of Primary Industries (DPI). DSE will also not be responsible for urban planning, Land Victoria or the Valuer General’s Office. Under Nationals policy DSE managers will not be distracted from their core responsibilities by issues such as appropriate building height restrictions in Melbourne or municipal land valuations.
A raft of environmental agencies created or maintained by the Bracks Government will be disbanded including the Office of the Commissioner of Environmental Sustainability, The Victorian Catchment Management Council and the Victorian Environment Assessment Council.
Forest management and wild fire
Poor land management stemming from a lack of understanding of Australian forests and bushland led to the recent catastrophic ‘unnatural’ that occurred in many areas in 2003 and 2006. The Nationals will place a far greater emphasis on ecological burning, reducing fuel loads and maintaining healthy forests and bushlands. We will re-establish within DSE expertise in professional forestry, forest management and forest fire control. Previous expertise in these areas has been dispersed within the bureaucracy to the point where the government now lacks these critical skills.
We will also establish a Centre of Excellence for the management of native forests and bushland. This new research centre will build on existing skills at Victorian research institutes and universities.
Native vegetation management
The Bracks Government’s native vegetation clearing regulations have been a disastrous failure. The Nationals will introduce separate legislation for native vegetation management which will adopt a more flexible, regional approach. Private landowners will not be expected to meet the cost of achieving a net gain in native vegetation cover.
Weed and vermin control
The Nationals will place a high priority on vermin and weed control. Amongst other things we will undertake and publish the results of an annual independent audit of weed and vermin infestation on public land. We will apply the same requirements of pest management to public land as is expected of private landowners. The Department of Primary Industries will be the enforcement agency and it will be required to pursue with equal vigour government and private land managers who fail to responsibly manage weeds and vermin.
National Parks – enough is enough
The Nationals recognise the potential negative impacts that parks and reserves have on country communities and do not support expansion of the park network. New areas will only be brought into the parks system where there is a compelling case to do so and if an additional park is declared or an existing park extended a similar area of land will be excised from the park system to be converted back to multi-use reserve or freehold land.
- Multiple use of public land
- The Nationals believe the public should have appropriate access to public land for hunting, recreational four wheel driving, fishing, prospecting etc. Additionally we support sustainable productive use of public land by industries such as mining, timber, grazing and apiary. We support grazing on appropriate public land including high country and red gum forest grazing. We are committed to restoring alpine grazing.
The timber industry
When released, The Nationals Resources Policy will be posted on the website. In summary the policy calls for:
Greater resource security for the timber industry by:
- extending timber allocation orders to 20 years;
- increasing the timber release plan from 5 to 10 years;
- simplifying the timber auction system to better address the needs of both large and small sawmill operators; and
- ensuring there is no further net loss in resource availability.
Support the well-managed redgum timber industry and oppose any proposal to restrict timber harvesting (in redgum forests or Goolongook Forest in East Gippsland) unless there is compelling scientific evidence justifying the need for additional controls.
- The Nationals believe it is hypocritical to restrict sustainable forestry in Victoria in the name of protecting the environment if the inevitable consequence is increased imports of timber from unsustainable logging in third world countries.
UPPER HOUSE ‘REFORM’ IS DUMB AND BAD FOR VICTORIA
By Rene Hidding
The change to the Victorian Upper House is the dumbest thing any sovereign government in a nation like Australia could have done, especially when it had control of both Houses of Parliament.
The Bracks’ government deliberately and coldly brought in a system which may have guaranteed the Greens will control the Upper House forever in Victoria.
It will evolve that while the two major parties are head to head, behind the scenes the Greens will be running the show as they did in Tasmania for years during the Green Accords and investment in the State ground to a halt.
In the 1990’s in Tasmania, the Greens were extracting something from the Government of the day, every single day. They brought Tasmania to its economic knees because they are very good at getting what they want behind the scenes. I would like to warn Victoria that if they hold the balance of power in Victoria the hard left Greens will take over the micro management of policy, as they did to us.
Following the Tasmanian experience, apart from the drying up of investment I believe another effect will mean that recreational and commercial users of public land will be particularly damaged in Victoria.
The only hope is for concerned people to expose the Greens’ policies which look really good at first glance and it is only when you drill down that you realise the implications of what they’re on about. I challenge you to go and read, then analyse the Greens policies and their website.
At election time, the Greens will pretend to drop controversial policies like legalising drugs, imposing a capital gains tax on the family home and death taxes. Just under the surface those policies will always emerge at the right time.
Australia has been settled for more than two hundred years and the bush and our land is relatively unscathed, yet the Greens claim it is a disaster.
The Greens continue to claim Tasmania and its forests are an environmental disaster, despite the fact that 40% of Tasmania’s land mass (one million hectares) is locked up in National Parks and Reserves - give us a break!
I want to make the point that it is always a question of balanced use for our land and our resources for the greater good and Victorians should remember that vital fact and not get dazzled by Green rhetoric.
For example in Victoria, I have noticed that the Greens have adopted a current mantra that “all logging in catchments should cease to save water.”
This is totally opportunistic because the Greens are manipulating the drought situation that we are in at present. You will remember that only a couple of years ago the mantra was that we should stop logging to save the animals!
The reality is that the Greens demands to stop logging in catchments, really means that they are saying that all timber harvesting should cease as ALMOST EVERYTHING that is harvested for timber in Victoria, is in a catchment.
Following the Greens claims and logic further, that means the Greens (if they hold the balance of power in Victoria) will insist that Victoria stop all logging. This will force Victoria to import all of its timber needs or, alternatively, not use timber at all.
If timber harvesting is stopped in Victoria, its needs will come from Asian rainforests. Federal Labor MLA, Martin Fergusson claimed recently that between 9% and as much as 25% of those forests are illegally logged.
When the Greens are confronted with these facts, they say plantations are the answer.
The facts are that the saw log plantations in the ground now (and when mature in a few years) can only supply 2% of current Victorian timber needs. If enough future sawlog plantations are planted now, they will not be ready for 30 years. (Dr. Glen Kile, VAFI Plantations Seminar, September 2006)
What do the Greens say Victorians are supposed to do to obtain their timber needs in the meantime? They can’t answer that question, or any other, logically and hide behind their mantras to avoid answering the hard issues.
Rene Hidding is the former Opposition Leader in Tasmania.
The Hon Rene Hidding addresses the mini-seminar
“We have had a war in our forests for 30 years and it must come to an end.”
“Forestry has been all too easy to use as a political football.”
“There is a severe danger of pushing the forestry industry out of existence in Victoria.”
Mr Martin Ferguson AM, MP, Member for Batman
Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Resources and Tourism
Guest speaker at the VAFI dinner October 6, 2006
"One of the big issues confronting the box-ironbark region is the future availability of firewood for local communities."
Sheryl Garbutt Minister for Conservation and Environment, Hansard, 12 September 2002
ABANDONMENT - "On a recent visit (to Wonnangatta) I found the landscape empty and the tracks rough to impassable. There is no fuel reduction. The loggers and the cattlemen have gone. The plains have heavy growth, ready for a bushfire.
Abandonment of the alpine area has brought infrequent hot bushfires in which trees, plants, soil, birds and animals are stripped away. This sort of management turns treasured land into wasteland."
"Abandonment is nither protection nor conservation. Until the present over regulated burning prescriptions are revised in line with past successful practices, and large scale burning is carried out on a regular basis, infrequent large damaging fires will continue to blowtorch our public lands.
Maybe most Victorians don't know or care - but I am talking about one third of the area of the State."
Rod Incoll,
Forester and former Chief Fire Officer (DSE), March 2006
The Forests Commission was capable of burning large amounts of bush in short amounts of time with very few incidents and with almost no resources compared with today. Now only small amounts of bush are burnt each year using vast planning and huge on-ground resources, and the programs do not go near what experts all agree must be done. I ask the minister to create a new culture in the DSE that allows much more flexibility and aggression in fuel reduction programs and to support the DSE if subsequent incidents occur.
Graeme Stoney MP, Hansard 4.10.2006
That's just wrong. The evidence is quite clear that grazing by cattle in no way reduces the risk of fire.
John Thwaites MP:ABC 7.30 report 21.6.2005
"The Bracks Government is committed to a comprehensive fuel reduction burning program to protect Victorian communities from bushfire."
John Thwaites MP, Letter to the Editor 5.4.2006
HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS IN VIC POLITICS
According to AAP Australian General News (Wed 25 Oct 2006 3:31 PM)
Highs and lows of the last four years in Victorian politics:
* COMMONWEALTH GAMES March 06 - A KPMG report finds the $2.6 billion Games generated $1.6 billion in extra economic activity and 13,600 jobs for the state.
* EASTLINK, April 03 - Community anger erupts when the government reneges on its 2002 election promise to build the 45 km motorway without tolls. In September 05, Robert Doyle backflips on his no tolls promise and unveils a half-tolls policy. In May 2006, Ted Baillieu scraps Mr Doyle's policy in favour of the Bracks' policy of full tolls.
* SURPLUS, Oct 06 - The government comes under pressure to provide tax relief to homebuyers as it unveils an $825 million election war chest, more than double the original forecast of $365 million.
* SOUTHERN CROSS STATION, August 06 - The largest public-private partnership undertaken in Victoria, the $700 million Southern Cross Station development, ran overtime. Civic Nexus took over management of the station
16 months after the initial completion date.
* SLOW TRAINS, August 06 - Auditor-general Wayne Cameron slams the government's attempt to deliver on its 1999 election pledge to put VLocity fast trains on upgraded tracks between Melbourne and Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Traralgon. The upgrades were behind schedule, shaved only a fraction off journey times and were almost $200 million over budget.
* DIRT FILE, June 06 - The Opposition asks the Privacy Commissioner to investigate allegations Premier Steve Bracks ran a dirt unit delving into the private life of Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu.
* CAPITAL WORKS, May 06 - The government unveils a record $4.9 billion plan to upgrade the state's hospitals, schools and roads.
* DOYLE DEPARTS, May 06 - Robert Doyle quits as the leader of the Victorian Liberal Party and after some speculation, former premier Jeff Kennett decides not to make a comeback. Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder withdraws from the leadership race, clearing the way for Ted Baillieu to take the job unchallenged.
* POLICE FILES SCANDAL, August 05 - Police Minister Tim Holding admits he had not read a departmental briefing on the leaking of confidential files from the police LEAP database on up to 1,000 people.
* CATTLEMEN PROTEST, June 05 - About 600 high country cattlemen and women ride to the steps of parliament to protest against a government ban on grazing in the state's Alpine National Park.
* FAULTY SPEED CAMERAS, May 04 - The government loses $26 million in reimbursements and revenue because of faulty cameras on Melbourne's Western Ring Road.
* SHARES BUNGLE, Dec 04 - Red faces for Liberals' leader in the Upper House, Andrea Coote, and federal MP Andrew Robb when it is revealed Mr Robb and Ms Coote's husband, Alan Naylor, own shares in ConnectEast. Mr Doyle orders all of his MPs to dispose of shares in the company, which won the contract to build Eastlink.
AAP Australian General News (Wed 25 Oct 2006 3:31 PM)
"I'm convinced Parks Victoria doesn't manage parks at all, but instead sets up a whole set of rules, then sets about managing people to stay within those rules."
Robin Taylor, president, Bush User Group, Weekly Times 11.10.2006
Northern Victorian Irrigators Inc and Justice for the Broken Valley
Lake Mokoan
The State Government is closing Lake Mokoan, blaming evaporation for the loss of water from the facility. Residents, farmers and irrigators are saying hundreds of jobs could be in jeopardy, and Benalla faces flooding if the lake goes. (ABC)
Irrigation for Northern Victoria
Northern Irrigators want all fees associated with undelivered water to be paid for by the Government. (Dudley Bryant)