.... and now, the news ...

This page contains news posted from 1 January 2008.
Click here to see news posted between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2007.
Click here to see news posted prior to 31 December 2005.

Government under pressure to lock out anglers
18 July 2010

The Victorian National Parks Association has prepared a report that angers MUST take note of. It recommends the establishment of 20 new marine parks across the entire Victorian coast line.

The Dean Logan from the Boating and Fishing Council of Australia is quoted in their media release as saying:

"The study is not only a Green attack on rec-fishing, it's embarrassingly flawed as the numbers don't add up."

There is no doubt about it. A vote for the Greens at the state or federal elections is a vote to lock families out from angling.

On that point, Mr Logan said:

"Those that do preference deals with the Greens must be weeded out and exposed for their anti recreational fishing and boating stance ".

We concur!

VRFish's Geoff Cramer said this in their media release on the matter:

"Frankly, it’s an act of betrayal that the VNPA can be working with the recreational fishing community, through a fisheries co-management framework on one hand while secretly compiling this study, and not consulting with us on this issue."

So there you go. The crazies are on the loose again urging the government to shut recreational angling down. This is an attack on YOU!

We will shortly post a well written article on this, on this page during the week.

The State Government has said it values fishing and won't change it's 'current arrangements' relating to marine parks, but that is no commitment in relation to the future. We want the State Government to commit to no new parks - certainly unless supported by solid evidence and the support of the fishing community through such bodies as the BAF Council and VRFish.

Nearly one in five to vote Green
4 July 2010

The news gets scarier.

The Herald Sun has carried a story on the crazy policies the Greens have, which could be implemented if the polls carry through to the election.

The story, written by Matt Johnston, lists among their policies giving the right to vote to 16 year olds (great, Parliament will move to Ramsey Street ...), heroin injection rooms and shutting down coal fired power stations - which provide around 85 percent of the states power.

The problem is, the recent newspoll had the Green vote at nearly 1 in 5. Hopefully this might be a blip as it was recorded while Rudd was PM.

On the same day as the article, the Herald Sun ran this brilliant opinion piece by Andrew Bolt.

We thought it was so good, it was worth reproducing in full:

Andrew Bolt
Friday, July 02, 2010 at 07:01am

ENOUGH'S enough. If you're really this keen to vote Green in the state election, why not prove you're serious?

Why not live the life you apparently want the Greens to inflict on the rest of us?

Go turn off your own lights first. Kill your fridge. Cook your roast over a solar-powered candle.

Then go to work and turn off the machines. Junk the computer. Tell your hospital to switch off the machines that go "bing". And harness some donkeys to pull our trains.

Can't find donkeys, you say? Nonsense. Look at yesterday's Newspoll, which reports a record 18 per cent of Victorians plan to vote Green.

Plenty there. Hook 'em up.

I laugh, but dear God, we're drowning, up to our necks in unreason.

"There, there," coos my wife, when I sob that even some of our frequent-flyer friends vote Greens.

"They wouldn't vote Greens if they actually thought they'd win ... "

No? Well, they're winning enough already, like the battle for our brains.

And who knows what desperate deal Premier John Brumby will now do to win the Greens preferences that are critical to Labor getting the 51 to 49 per cent edge over the Coalition that Newspoll assumes?

We've already seen what depths of insanity Labor will cater to, to prove it's as green as the next idiot.

Why else has this great city been on water restrictions for an embarrassing seven years?

Why this insane ban on a new dam for our fast-growing capital?

Why did the Government wait until it was almost too late to even start building its new $3.5 billion desalination plant, at three times the price of a dam for a third of the water?

Madness, and the Greens promise yet more of it - and less of everything else.

Take just one of their policies, one that 18 per cent of shiny-eyed Victorians evidently now support.

The Greens demand the instant closure of Hazelwood power station to save the world from global warming.

It's a noble policy, which sounds warm and fuzzy, until you realise it will leave us cold and shivering, while making not a spit of difference to the planet.

Hazelwood - and I know this is an irrelevant detail to a planet-saver - happens to produce a quarter of this state's electricity. You know, the stuff that powers your home, your factory, your office, your hospital, your computer, your trains, your airport, your street lighting, your cinema, your trams, your traffic lights ...

Now I don't want to seem like a spoilsport, but I would just like to be reassured on one small point: how the hell do the Greens then plan to power our state?

After all, they don't plan to stop at Hazelwood, either. Their policy is to shut every coal-fired plant, leaving us with just 5 per cent of the electricity we now use - with nuclear power banned, new hydro power banned and wind power as reliable as, well, the wind.

It's madness of the kind you get from a child who wants her fifth ice cream but not the upchuck that goes with it. Still, you'd think the Greens would have worked out by now these small details about how to keep the lights burning. Right?

But let's run the tape from my chat yesterday on MTR 1377 to Greens MP Greg Barber.

Me: How are you going to replace the power we need to keep going our hospitals, our factories, our homes?

Greg: The simplest way is to save energy rather than use it in the first place.

Me: Save 95 per cent of our energy?

Greg: I took over my place and I cut my energy bill by half and you won't see us freezing or doing anything like that.

Me: Ninety-five per cent of our electricity comes from coal-fired power generation ... I'm just asking, how you would replace 95 per cent of our power?

Greg: I'd say homes and businesses around Australia could probably cut their energy bills by half and they wouldn't even notice until they got the bill because it's called energy efficiency.

Me: A factory, how would that cut its power by half?

Greg: Ah, lighting, heating, airconditioning, and, um, ah ...

Me: You're serious?

Greg: Well, businesses are already doing it.

Me: Half! No, Greg, please, half? That's incredible.

Greg: Come and look at the office building I'm in some time.

Me: I'm looking at an electrically powered train going by me right now. How is that going to cut its power use by half?

Greg: There's a thing called traction braking, for an example, that actually recycles the energy of the train when it slows down to be used when it speeds up again.

Oh, please. If you think this is remotely possible, dear Greens voter, consider first that this state is actually predicted to need 50 per cent more power by 2030, even though many companies, hit with higher power bills, have tried for years to cut their use.

Then go around your home - and, more importantly, your factory - and switch off half the power.

With all appliances off, look proudly at the appalled people around you in winter and say, "Isn't it great we're all freezing to death for the planet?"

Or, in summer, for variety, ask: "Isn't it lovely to be sweating in this furnace now that I've switched off the aircon?"

And then, by the kerosene lamp at home, try to figure out the next step. After all, you're still only halfway to replacing the 95 per cent of electricity the Greens plan to ban.

Let me just try to get it through your cable-knit beanie how impossible that is without reducing this state to the standard of living endured by people who burn cow dung for their cooking.

For Earth Hour this year, the zealots at Melbourne University tried especially hard to cut their power. The university exhorted staff and students to do their best to save the planet from their electricity, and to "turn off all lights and appliances". All of them.

And the result? Read the University's boast: "Electricity consumption on the Earth Hour weekend dropped by 5.51 per cent compared with a 2010 business as usual weekend."

Less than 6 per cent? After all that special sacrifice? For just one weekend?

Whoopee do. And that's from a mere university, mind, which runs no heavy industry or essential services, and had almost no one in the joint over that weekend actually wanting to work or switch on so much as a toaster or kettle.

Just 90 per cent to go, guys, before you live the Greens' dream.

But there I go, trying to marry consequence to action, like I was an adult or something. Don't I realise the times have changed? After all, this is the Age of the Use Less, in which our brainless and godless rich resent their own wealth - well, resent the wealth of everyone else, at least. And then, for penance, suggest ingenious ways to make us poor again.

Example: remember how this Labor Government told us for years we didn't need more water supplies, claiming we could get by if we just Used Less?

And so our ovals turned brown, our gardens died and we broke our backs carting buckets to the most precious of our plants. Use Less, heaven!

Ah, but you think I exaggerate this madness of our times. So let me introduce you to the latest guru of this Use Less creed, "anti-poverty crusader" Richard Fleming, as featured this week in the Herald Sun and on Channel 7's Today Tonight.

He, too, preaches Use Less, or eat less, actually. He's promoting his $2 a day "Live Below the Line" diet, which restricts you to eating the very cheapest of foods - hummus, watery soup, dahl, rice, marmalade and peanut paste.

No real reason for this torture, other than to make you realise what it must be like to be some starving Bangladeshi, wishing you were lucky enough to live in a country where you had so much to eat that you'd, er, starve yourself instead. Out of sheer, mindless guilt.

"There's a level of stupidity in all this," Fleming admits, but he should be less hard on himself.

He's the poster boy of a state in which so many finger-waggers want to deny the rest of us the harvest of our science and ingenuity - cooling on hot days, heating on cold ones, water for green gardens and food for a feast.

Fine, if that's what you want for yourself. But, please, before you vote to inflict this on the rest of us, first try living as the Greens prescribe and see if it truly suits even high-minded you.

Lights out. Heating, too. Starve and shiver for your faith. At least live as miserably as you plan to vote.

The latest Newspoll has confirmed what the Herald Sun reported after the Altona by-election - that voters are abandoning Labor and going to the Greens rather than the coaltion opposition.

It is now inevitable that the Greens will pick up at least three lower house seats which will, according to the Herald Sun, give the Greens "a real shot at holding the balance of power".

That spells disaster for anybody who shoots, goes four wheel driving, fishing or goes to rodeos because the Greens will use their power to shut those activities down.

A similar report on the front page of The Age says that the Green vote has surged by massive 28%.

The message we have is that the choice you have is clear.

Either vote for the major parties - which will flow to the Greens, or vote for us!

Mission statement / new fire refuge policy
21 May 2010

CA has adopted the following mission statement:

Country Alliance is committed to the representation and preservation of the rights and interests of those Victorian's who live, work or enjoy Victoria's rural and regional communities.

We believe in equality of access to education, transportation, communication and health care for Victoria's regional and rural communities.

We support freedom of access to the State's public lands for the responsible pursuit of legitimate employment and recreational activities.

We believe that the State's land management policies must be guided by and funded to meet the needs of the communities that live adjacent to public land or who access it for their recreation or livelihood.

Country Alliance does not support compulsory evacuation of communities at risk of bush fires. We agree with the findings of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission who found little support for such a policy. We also support the Commission's recommendations for the setting up of fire refuges.

CA believe that as many of Victoria's remote communities have limited or no local police it would be unrealistic to expect these limited resources to implement and police such a policy in times of emergency.

We believe that the development of standards for community and domestic fire refuges is now an urgent priority and would support any policy that encouraged the construction of refuges that meet that standard when published.

CA would support a reduction of $10,000 in the stamp duty payable on the purchase of a new or existing dwelling in an identified risk area where that dwelling included a fire refuge constructed to the requirements of the published standard.

Andrew Landeryou's VEXNEWS is regularly first with news on the political front.

Andrew has now posted the following story which is of real interest to us.

The title of the story sums it all up.....

SNUBBERY: Victorian Greens party MP Greg Barber ignores most of his electorate

By VEXNEWS · May 18, 2010

The shrewd Greens MLC Greg Barber has today made it clear that he represents only the inner-suburban part of his large northern metropolitan upper house seat.

Barber – an astute former share-market day-trader and inner-city resident in suspiciously close proximity to the VEXNEWS bunker – has told the Herald Sun that he only needed to travel in Zone 1 (of the public transport network) to obtain all the information he needed as a Member of Parliament.

“Green Party MP Greg Barber said the trips must be good value and it isn't clear they all reach that level. 'Any of the information that I need, all it takes is a Zone 1 travel pass,' he said.

And yet his upper house seat – Northern Metropolitan covers a large area including the outer northern suburbs and parts of regional Victoria to Melbourne's north.

One concerned voter from Whittlesea told VEXNEWS:

“I didn't vote for the Greens party and I'm glad I didn't. They don't even pretend to represent us. At election day, they bus in out-of-towners to hand out how-to-vote cards thinking we won't be able to tell the difference. They pretend to be grass-roots, I smell astro-turf. The rest of the time we don't see them and don't want to.”

Parts of Barber's electorate he professes not to need to visit and that sit outside Zone 1 include:

Jacana, Broadmeadows, Coolaroo, Roxburgh Park, Craigieburn, Upfield, Gowrie, Reservoir, Ruthven, Keon Park, Thomastown, Lalor, Epping, Whittlesea, Arthurs Creek, Doreen, Kangaroo Ground, Heidelberg, Rosanna, Macleod, Watsonia, Greensborough, Montmorency, Eltham, Diamond Creek, Wattle Glen, Arthurs Creek, Christmas Hills, Cottles Bridge, Diamond Creek, Hurstbridge, Plenty, Warrandyte North, Whittlesea, Yan Yean, Yarrambat, Kinglake West, Research and St Andrews.

An approximate tally suggests more than half of the voters of Barber's electorate live outside areas serviced by Zone 1 stations.

The Victorian State Government has announced something that we are quite interested in and supportive of - free entry to national parks from 1 July.

However that does not excuse the government from grabbing large parcels of land in the first place - such as the river red gum areas along the Murray River.

Still, at least there will be no charge for entry from 1 July.

Here is part of the announcement that Environment Minister, Gavin Jennings, made in parliament on Tuesday 13 April:

Let me welcome opposition members to national parks, and welcome them all to national parks from 1 July this year for free.

To mark the Victorian government's ongoing commitment to national parks and the reserve system and to maintaining our rich and natural environmental values across Victoria, our government made a commitment on the weekend that we would remove entry fees to national parks across metropolitan Melbourne and across Victoria from 1 July onwards.

The following article is worth a read.

It shows how the Greens could hold the balance of power in the lower house, following an analysis of the Altona by-election.

It paints a scary picture of how the Greens could get their way, if we let them.

Yarra Ranges branch meets more regularly
14 March 2010

Our Yarra Ranges branch has been very active - in a very informal way.

It's the way country people prefer to work.

Here is a pic from yesterday's "non-branch" meeting at the home of our lead candidate for Eastern Victoria region.

Joe Helper on PETA's attack on wool producers
7 March 2010

The Minister for Agriculture, Joe Helper, has had this very welcome letter published in The Weekly Times.

It relates to PETA's very unwelcome and feral approach to our wool industry n The Weekly Times on Feb 24th.

Yet again, we challenge the Greens to distance themselves from PETA (we did this in relation to PETA's irresponsible attack on fishing) - but as far as we know, they haven't done this.

Herald Sun story: "Party bucks rodeo critics"
7 March 2010

The Sun Herald Sun has published the following story on Country Alliance's push to keep rodeos as part of its agenda.

The reference to motorbike licences being available to 14 year olds is misleading as our policy relates to very limited circumstances such as working on farms - and certainly not on main roads!

[Click on the image for a larger version - this may take a few moments to load....]

It certainly seems the Greens haven't changed their spots, so we look forward to going into battle with them as this year's state election looms.

Greens threat remains
21 February 2010

The threat of a hung parliament in the lower house has emerged following the Altona by-election. This means that if the Greens pick up some inner metropolitan lower house seats - which is quite possible, then the timber industry, angling, shooting, four wheel driving and established farming practices will remain at risk.

The reduced version of the following story from the Herald Sun explains:

Greens in box seat for Victorian election
Matt Johnston From: Herald Sun February 15, 2010 12:00AM

GREENS could control the state's law-making for the next four years as Victorians face the prospect of a "hung" Parliament.

A swing of more than 12 per cent against Labor in the weekend Altona by-election has political pundits suggesting "the swing is on" across the board.

Data prepared for the Herald Sun show that a uniform swing of less than 4 per cent at November's election could see the Greens win three seats and the Coalition nine.

In order to form government, one of the major parties would then need the support of the Greens or independent Craig Ingram, who could therefore effectively hold a government to ransom.

Premier John Brumby suggested he'd try to fast-track public transport projects, and plans to cut drunken violence, after "listening" to Altona voters.

Former ALP state secretary Stephen Newnham and former top Liberal staffer Rick Brown analysed electoral figures for the Herald Sun through their company, CPI Strategic.

Mr Newnham said "The swing is on", and there was a good chance of a hung parliament. "The tide has turned against the Government with a significant swing to the Liberals of 12.3 per cent at Altona," he said.

ALP candidate Jill Hennessy won the seat with almost 48 per cent of the primary vote.

Mr Newnham said full election results between 1992 and 2006 showed if there was a swing against a government, it averaged 3.92 per cent. If such a swing occurred uniformly, 12 ALP seats would fall, including inner-city seats Melbourne, Richmond and Brunswick, likely to go to the Greens.

"Under this scenario there would be a hung Parliament, with neither Labor nor the Coalition having a majority in their own right," he said.

Key decisions regarding our approach to this year's Victorian State Election were made at our planning conference yesterday, which was attended to by our strong Mildura branch and others travelling from as afar as Morwell.

Click here to see our media release.

Mildura, here we come!
2 January 2010

With the next Victorian State Election looming later this year, our Executive is holding its first meeting for 2010 in Mildura on 16 January.

We are inviting all members in that area to come along: they should be receiving their letters in the next few days. Peter Costello on the Greens
31 December 2009

If you ever wanted to read an elloquent summary of the Greens, then you don't need to go past former Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello's account of how the Greens behaved at the recent by-election in Higgins.

Have a read of this and remember it next time someone says the vote for the Greens....

Greens' preaching lost on the ordinary people of Higgins

December 16, 2009

Voters will stop listening if they detect a whiff of a superiority complex.

 TWO days out from the Higgins byelection, Malcolm Mackerras, Australia's leading psephologist, predicted a Greens victory. Mackerras not only knew the result, he knew the reason for it, forecasting the Liberal candidate would be defeated because of the ''arrogance'' of the resigning MP and the elevation of Tony Abbott.

When the poll was declared on Monday, the Liberal vote had actually increased. Mackerras has moved on to other predictions. But the forecast excited Greens leader Bob Brown enough for him to make a whistlestop tour before the ballot, hoping to associate himself with the victory.

The Tasmanian senator appeared in the suburbs of Melbourne to tell the media about the concerns on the minds of voters. Surprisingly, they were all his pet policy projects!

I was with the Liberal candidate, Kelly O'Dwyer, that day. The media smelled a rat. ''Haven't you been forced into the electorate to counter Bob Brown?'' one journalist asked me. I pointed to my former office nearby, explained I had lived in the area for 20 years and that we were in my local shopping centre. ''I don't travel here, I have to travel to get out of here,'' I replied. It was clear the media momentum was on the side of Brown.

It is hard to think of circumstances more propitious for the Greens: a sympathetic media, no Labor candidate, a Liberal leadership spill, parliamentary debate on the emissions trading legislation, and the media focus on Copenhagen. Abbott as new Liberal leader didn't get time for a visit. Still, the Greens fluffed it.

This did not stop Brown (safely back in Tasmania after the ballot) declaring a great triumph. As is usual, there has been little critical appraisal of his performance. So what went wrong?

The Greens chose a bad candidate. Their central command overrode local supporters to impose someone who lived in Canberra. Most people think an MP should represent locals to Canberra. The Greens had the idea they could represent Canberra back to the locals. And what a representative. When it comes to alarmism, Clive Hamilton is almost without peer.

These days, Hamilton preaches destruction from climate change. In 2000, Hamilton forecast that GST would kill people - 65 a year to be precise - on the roads because it would lead to increased car use and pollution. That means the GST would have caused more than 500 deaths by now, which is nothing like the body count Hamilton is forecasting from global warming. But it is still a decent set of fatalities he can lay at the feet of the Liberal Party.

Secondly, although Labor can deliver more than 90 per cent of its primary vote to the Greens (just as the Greens can deliver more than 90 per cent of their preferences to Labor) there is leakage. There are some Labor voters - particularly among lower-income earners - who will not vote for the Greens. To maximise their joint position, the Greens and Labor need to run three-cornered contests, just like the Liberals and Nationals in regional electorates. The Liberal campaign was assisted mightily by Labor's decision not to run.

Thirdly, the Greens have to scale down the sanctimony. They thrive on a message of impending doom. These days, the cataclysm is global warming. Previously it was logging. Before that it was nuclear annihilation. Only by repentance and obedience to their doctrine can we escape the wrath to come.

But educated people are a little less credulous than that. They know that in the realm of political policy, outcomes rarely match the promises, particularly the overblown promises of zealous activists. They know that moral absolutists rarely deliver what they promise.

The Greens have a moral superiority complex. In their mind they are not only right - they are virtuous, which makes their opponents not only wrong but immoral as well. This is why Hamilton has compared climate sceptics to Holocaust deniers. In his view, if you disagree with his policies you are complicit in, or covering, up mass murder.

Robert Manne, who launched the campaign for Hamilton, put it this way: ''… If the Greens can achieve a breakthrough in the byelections … [this] … might come to be seen as a turning point in the moral history of this country.''

There you have it - in the suburbs of Melbourne on December 5, 2009 - electors could have turned to good from evil, to Green from Liberal. Instead, by voting Liberal, out of concern for the education of their children or the lack of aged care or out of worries for their job or business, they demonstrated moral inferiority.

One day it might dawn on Brown, Manne and Hamilton that the voters do not like moral condescension. Sanctimony can make you feel good but it rarely appeals to the listening audience.

Peter Costello is the former member for Higgins.

Like most people, we knew all along that the "climate change" debate had been hijacked long ago by zealots.

While we watch the Federal Liberal Party go through a rebirth on the matter with the challenges to Malcolm Turnbull, you may have also heard the story about leaked emails showing that "climate change" scientists are prepared to hide and distort the facts on the issue.

Click here to read about it.

Our position all along is that were not prepared to jump on the Greens-sponsored bandwagon and wanted to see more evidence to support what the Labor and Liberal leaders were shout at us as being fact.

Well, it's far from being a fact and you have to wonder why governments are pumping millions of dollars into a topic where the researchers aren't even prepared to tell the truth. Vale Bob Richardson
13 October 2009

Bob Richardson had his differences of opinion with the Labor party, didn't really seem to think the opposition was effective and had no time for the Greens.  

However he had a passion for the country and did everything he could to ensure its voice was heard.

That included helping to steer the Bush Users Group, organise the Mountain Cattlemans rally and being a foundation member of the Executive of Country Alliance.

Sadly, Bob passed Sunday night and will be sorely missed.  There will be a private cremation at Avenal with Bob's family and a memorial service to be held at Merrijig on a date to be advised.

Country Victoria is indebted to him and will miss his persistent and direct approach to sending messages to governments - of whatever persuasion they may be.

On behalf of the Country Alliance party, I can only think of saying 'thank you' to Bob for the valuable part he played in helping this party to get on its feet and on our way to our second state election.

Vale Bob Richardson. Greens candidate fails to declare interest
9 September 2009

I don't know if it is part of the training to be a candidate for the Greens, but we have another case of one of their candidates lobbying without declaring the political affiliation.

Jill Redwood has featured in the past on matters of interest to the timber industry - she ran as the #2 candidate for the Greens in Eastern Victoria at the 2006 Victorian State Election on policy platforms suited to her ideals.

This time, Louis Delacretaz, who ran as the #1 candidate for the Greens in the same upper house electorate, has been reported in The Age ("Study warns of treeless towns", 7 September 2009), as being the "spokesman for a newly formed residents group called Living with the Bush".

He is reported as saying new rules which permit landowners to clear trees around their homes, "could destroy areas of great significance at Mount Macedon, Eltham and the Mornington Peninsula". There is no reference anywhere in the article to Mr Delacretaz running for parliament which, if he won his seat, would have given him the balance of power in Victoria - placing him in arguably the most powerful political position in the State.

Going back to Jill for a moment, she has been quoted in the media on behalf of Environment East Gippsland. Who? Some seemingly faceless and self appointed group.

So, it seems Greens candidates are adept at being spokespersons for previously unheard of groups which happen to have ideals that are very, very, very closely aligned to the policies of the Greens party.

We admire people who lobby for matters of importance to them. We do not for one moment knock them for advocating to make the world a better place.

However we do think it is a bit mischievous for candidates to magically become spokespersons for "newly formed" groups that have no apparent history, possibly few (if any?) members beyond the spokesperson, and are strongly aligned with policies of parties the 'spokesperson' ran for. Victorian government wrong on damns
8 August 2009

The Minister for Water, Tim Holding, has nailed the government's colours to the mast when it comes to the government's water plans. This is what he said in parliament on 30 July 2009:

The government makes it clear that building further dams is not part of the solution to Victoria's water challenges. We make it clear that building further water storages is not part of the solution to Victoria's water challenges.

As noted below, the Nationals have advocated a position similar to our 2006 state election policy of ensuring a more equitable spread of the CFA levy.

This is what the National's Ken Jasper told parliament on 24 June:

Mr JASPER (Murray Valley) — I join with other members of The Nationals in urging the Victorian government to immediately rectify the anomaly in fire insurance charges, to ensure a just system for the funding of fire services across Victoria. The recent disastrous bushfires, when an estimated 30 per cent of properties destroyed had not been insured, highlight the need to change the funding system to ensure all property owners pay insurance against fire. With service levies meeting about 80 per cent of the cost of running the Country Fire Authority, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and the Victorian State Emergency Service, it is clear that those who insure their properties are carrying those who do not.

There is no doubt about it - we are on the right track.

First we had the opposition - via the Nationals - advocate a change to the CFA levy system to make it fairer to all by tying it to council rates.

Exactly what we advocated when we contested the 2006 Victorian State Election - except that this has now come after the bushfires that caused so much damage earlier this year.

Now we are even more excited to see that the Labor Government is doing the same on other policies that we ran with three years ago.

The following article is from The Age where it is clear the government wants to make it easier for people to collect fallen timber for firewood (a 'lite' version of one of our 2006 policies) and to clear vegetation from around the home.

This latter one is really just a drop in the ocean because our policy was much, much broader as it relates to land management across Victoria. Our policies include logging in catchments and rejecting the VEAC proposals for the River Redgum areas. So, if the State Government wanted to get serious about reducing fuel loads, it would go much, much further - but what we see in the following article is recognition of the right direction that governments (Labor or Coalition) need to take.

Go-ahead to clear land

Royce Millar and Paul Austin
August 1, 2009

RESIDENTS in fire-prone areas across Victoria will be free to remove trees and native vegetation near their homes under a State Government strategy designed to avoid a repeat of February's deadly Black Saturday bushfires.

Under new rules, property owners will not need a council permit to remove trees and vegetation within 10 metres of their homes.

They will also be allowed to remove low-lying vegetation, such as shrubs and scrub, out to 30 metres from homes. The Age believes the Government will amend the state planning scheme to ensure all residents in rural and regional areas, as well as bushfire-prone areas on Melbourne's outskirts, have ''as of right'' power to remove trees and vegetation.

It is believed the plan to streamline planning rules will go to cabinet within weeks and is likely to be announced by Premier John Brumby before the Bushfires Royal Commission delivers its interim report on August 17.

The move will be part of a package of measures drawn up by cabinet's security and emergency committee before what the Department of Sustainability and Environment has tipped could be the state's worst fire season.

The Government is also moving to cut bureaucratic red tape to enable residents to collect firewood from roadsides, after authorities complained that their ability to tackle the February fires was hampered by undergrowth.

Under current local provisions enforced by some councils, residents are required to obtain a permit if they want to remove trees and vegetation — and in some cases even to prune trees over a set height. Mr Brumby is expected to portray the moves — which will be criticised by some councils and environmentalists — as a commonsense way of helping save lives.

The council restrictions have come in for harsh criticism from residents and groups including the Country Fire Authority since the death of more than 170 people in the February 7 fires.

Government insiders say they are confident the move will not lead to a ''scorched earth'' approach in heavily forested communities, but rather will allow property owners to find the right balance between safety and quality of life.

The Dandenong Ranges Community Bushfire Group yesterday welcomed news of the plans.

Spokeswoman Jo Hirst said: ''It would be a fantastic step towards improving safety in high bushfire risk areas. It's an essential step, actually.''

The group had already called on the Yarra Ranges Shire to allow removal of vegetation within 10 metres of homes. The call followed a community survey of 880 residents in fire-prone areas that found that fire fuel reduction was their number one concern.

Government spokesman Lyall Johnson last night would not confirm any details relating to changes to native vegetation policy, but said ministers were working to give Victorians ''powers to balance the need to protect their homes with the need to maintain amenity''.

Mr Brumby is making no apology for introducing policy changes before the royal commission delivers its interim report.

''The Government has not been in a position where it can wait until that report before taking action which is necessary to protect our state,'' the Premier told Parliament this week.

''The responsibility we all share across the state — government, community organisations, emergency services organisations and individuals — is to work together to make the state as fire-ready as possible.''

He warned that the continuing drought and the possibility of an El Nino event in late winter and spring meant the coming fire season was predicted to be ''more serious and potentially more dangerous'' than last year's.

Mr Brumby has announced a ''fire preparation week'' in October, during which people will be encouraged to get their fire plans ready, including cleaning up their properties.

Country Alliance's position on 'climate change' has been consistently one of requiring evidence. So has that of Family First's Senator Steve Fielding.

Fielding requested a meeting with Al Gore while he was in Australia, to respond to some simple questions about facts that do not support the climate change theory.

This is important because Fielding holds a key vote in Federal Parliament which could scuttle the Government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme that could cost the Australian economy billions of dollars and jobs in many key sectors.

Despite the importance of the discussion, Al Gore turned Fielding down - which we see as an admission by Gore that he won't face scrutiny over his views.

"They've got to explain why global air temperatures over a 15-year period have remained relatively steady, but haven't been shooting upwards like they've predicted." Fielding told Fairfax Radio Network

"It could be an inconvenient fact, but no one seems to want to answer it."

One of the disadvantages of running a smaller political party is that we don't have the funds to utilise the media monitoring services used by the major parties - which means we don't always get to see which of our media releases get a run, in which newspapers or to what extent.

However the following article published on June 10, while quite brief, came to our attention after we heard that Centrelink was going to follow up on the welfare of one of our members who lost his business while volunteering for the CFA - and being entitled to nothing in return.

Click here to see the story. CA member's submission to 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission
27 June 2009

The submissions to the Royal Commission continue to be worked on carefully and it is taking the Commission some time to work through them.

However one of our members put a submission in that we thought was very good and worth a read.

Click here to see the submission of Adam and Narelle Campbell of Christmas Hills.

Their submission rightly noted the fact that those who live in the bush need to take responsibility for their safety, an dsteps that peole cna take to protect themselves.

Their submission sets out good clear messages regarding CFA funding, the need for communities to manage their resilience and the need to support community identity by supporting rebuilding efforts.

Well done Adam and Narelle! CA makes submission to bushfires Royal Commission
15 May 2009

We have now made our submission to the Royal Commission. Our main messages were:

• Reforms to the Upper House have encouraged political bartering on land management policies;
• Country Alliance had effective land management policies at the 2006 Victorian State Election;
• There is insufficient economic analysis to support current government land management policies

Click here to see our submission

You can also download the Attachments to our submission

• Attachment 1 - Opinion article by John Ferguson, Herald Sun
  
• Attachment 2 - Opinion article by Peter Hunt, Weekly Times
  
• Attachment 3 - Opinion article by Bob Richardson, one of our founding members

Our position is that the assumption should be to exclude those costs unless they can be substantiated.

The VCEC can be enlisted to assist the Royal Commission assess matters relating to cost / benefits claims relating to "climate change". Liberals echo CA fire levy policy
8 April 2009

We are heartened to see the Liberal Party supporting our policies.

Upper House Liberal MP, David Koch recently told parliament that the costs of fire services should be tied to municipal rates rather than insurance policies, to ensure a more equitable spread across property owners.

This is appropriate because the current system means that those who do not insure, don't pay their fair share.

This is a carbon copy of one of the policies we took to the 2006 state election, and are heartened to see others taking what we advocate, seriously.

We have other policies they can use if they like – such as the collection of fallen timber for firewood on public land and stopping the creation of more national parks. 

Unfortunately the Liberals were silent on the River Red Gum proposals before the fires, so we can't avoid being sceptical about why the Liberals are now concerned about matters such as this. Royal Commission at a community consultation day
5 April 2009

The Herald Sun has carried a story outlining the views of Joanne Spears during a visit by the Royal Commission to Yarra Glen.

Ms Spears does a great job in articulating her concerns and issues that the Royal Commission should report on.

Here is the article, in its entirety:

Victoria's Bushfires Royal Commision hears tree concerns.
Norrie Ross

THE Bushfires Royal Commission heard today that "greenie-inspired" policies of local councils had cost dozens of lives.

Speaking at a community consultation day in Yarra Glen, Joanne Spears said that deciduous trees helped save her B&B and several guests during the firestorm.

"Planting deciduous trees, English trees, around your house is one important way to help protect your property" said Ms Spears, of Steels Creek.

"It is dangerous to have natives too close to your house because they are inflammable, especially in a bushland setting, but we are forced to plant them.

"When I was on council 20 years ago we made it that people could plant what they liked within 50 metres of their house.

"We now have these greenies on council telling us we have to plant natives all round your house.

She said properties with deciduous trees fared better than those with natives.

"The local community centre was protected by beech trees and it's still there. Everyone says 'why is it still there?'," Ms Spears said.

"It's there because of the deciduous trees. I plant 100 natives every year but I just don't plant them next to the house."

Ms Spears said that a community group planted plane trees in the main street of Yarra Glen last year and the local shire said they had to be removed and replaced by gums.

Ian Wood from Steels Creek said deciduous trees survived where gum trees perished in the firestorm.

"There is a an Oak Tree along Steels Creek Rd and it could be 80 year old, and it's still standing," Mr Wood said.

"Our garden was primarily English, European and that saved the house.

"Deciduous trees don't have the oil and stuff in their leaves that make them go 'bang' in a bushfire."

Mr Wood said a lack of fuel reduction in national parks and state forests was a major issue for the Royal Commission.

He said he planned to make a submission to the commissioners recommending that the road reserves be heavily cleared.

The fire that devastated Steels Creek, and cost five lives, roared down Steels Creek Rd because the reserve was thick with native trees and bushland.

"Where we are, the road reserves are very deep and they are very thick and they have a token slashing exercise in the late spring, early summer, and you can't maintain it," Mr Wood said.

"The firestorm came along the road and spread over our property. We got very little warning."

Ms Spears said the issue of warnings was also important.

"We were delivering people to weddings half an hour before the fire came," she said.

"The fire just came over the ridge and I had four B&B guests in a pool. I said to them 'we've got a bit of a problem here'.

"Luckily I was in the '68 fires and I knew what to do. I gave them all woollen clothes and said 'you'll be safer here than on the roads. And if you help you'll be even safer'."

Ms Spears said when she saw the fire coming from the north she told her husband "goodbye Doncaster' because the firestorm was moving so quickly. But it was the unexpected fire from the south that caused the death and destruction.

"Doncaster, Warrandyte and Eltham are so blessed because of the wind change," she said.

The community consultation day is continuing.

Northcote MP, Fiona Richardson has raised new concerns about the case of the disappearing donor - the entity that the Herald Sun reported donated $45,000 to the Greens, then mysteriously vanished.

It raises a serious concern about money intended for the environmental movements ending up somewhere else.

Greens: donations
Ms RICHARDSON (Northcote) — I draw the attention of the Attorney-General to comments made by the Tasmanian Deputy Premier and yesterday's Herald Sun article which reported that tens of thousands of dollars in political donations to the Greens appear to have come directly out of the wilderness.

I ask that the Attorney-General act immediately and investigate urgently the donations to the Greens to ensure that these donations comply with all the relevant laws.

Here we have a company, Gladneys Pty Ltd, registered at 611/530 Little Collins Street, in Victoria. The only sign of any activity or person occupying this address is a wall directory that states the occupant is FSCA Business Services Pty Ltd. There is no sign whatsoever of Gladneys.

Australian Securities and Investments Commission records reveal that the company's principal place of business is actually 330 Glenwarrin Road, Elands in New South Wales.

A Google map search shows that 330 Glenwarrin Road is a bush block with no sign of any activity.

The company, via its trust called ITF Gladneys Trust, has made donations totalling $45 000 to the Greens in Tasmania. This constitutes the second-largest donation to the Tasmanian Greens. So here we have a company registered in Victoria, conducting business in New South Wales and donating to the Greens in Tasmania. But there is more to be concerned about than that.

The directors of Gladneys are Greg Hall and Susan Russell, who also happen to be the secretary and vice-president of the North Coast Environment Council. Susan Russell also has strong connections to the Greens political party, having stood at the Lyne by-election and been a former staffer for a Greens MP. Clearly this raises some important questions for the directors of Gladneys, the North Coast Environment Council and the Greens political party.

In their capacity as directors of Gladneys, the secretary and vice-president of the North Coast Environment Council have made donations totalling $45 000 to the Tasmanian Greens. Susan Russell has claimed that the money she has generously donated to the Tasmanian Greens has come from a recent inheritance, but currently we have no way of verifying this.

Unlike political parties, trusts are not required to provide the details of their income. Likewise, non-government organisations (NGOs) are not subject to the same scrutiny as unions, companies and political parties. Therefore NGOs may be vulnerable to becoming siphons for political party donations.

Moreover, there are disclosure limits for political parties.However, no such limits apply to organisations like the North Coast Environment Council and all donations are fully tax deductible.

Given the number of environmental groups, some of which receive public funds directly from state and federal governments, the question is: are the Greens receiving donations in ways other political parties are simply unable to? Often in this Parliament and elsewhere the Greens have championed the need for greater transparency of political donations, a concern I share, but they are strangely silent on this kind of transaction.

An inquiry by the Legislative Council is currently taking place and the circumstances of these donations are relevant to that inquiry. Similarly, the federal government is investigating reform of the disclosure of political party donations.

In the meantime, I call on the Attorney-General to investigate urgently the circumstances surrounding these donations.

We will be watching developments in this saga, very closely. Greens donations probe
10 March 2009

Now, we're happy to recognise that there can be an innocent story behind every allegation, but the following story from the Herald Sun makes for interesting reading.

It does raise serious questions however, for a party that was itself attacking Country Alliance over its funding for the 2006 Victorian State Election.

The shoe is not only on the other foot, but you have to wonder if there might be something deliberate behind this.

A bush lot behind a Green buck
March 10, 2009 12:00am

TENS of thousands of dollars in political donations to the Greens appear to have come directly out of the wilderness, according to documents lodged with the Australian Electoral Commission.

The second-largest donation to the Tasmanian Greens last year came from a trust, Gladneys Pty Ltd, which according to the AEC has its registered office in 530 Little Collins St, Melbourne.

However, Gladneys operates its principal business from a vacant piece of bushland at Elands, 85km inland from Port Macquarie on the north coast of NSW.

The $45,000 donation raises questions over whether the names of donors to the Greens have been disguised.

Disguising the names of political donors is not uncommon. However, the Greens have been highly critical of these sorts of arrangements.

Trust directors include Susie Russell, 52, a Greens candidate and staffer to NSW Greens MLA Ian Cohen. Another director is Greg Hall, 58, secretary to the North Coast Environment Council.

The Herald Sun attempted to contact directors of Gladneys, without response.

Our latest newsletter is in the post. We passed the VEC audit with flying colours, and have a lot to say about the bushfires.

In particular, the neglect that the major parties and the Greens have shown to effective fuel load management.

Click here to see it. Decades of neglect: The evidence is clear
21 February 2009

Successive governments simply have not listened to the succession of experts who have commented on the need for current day governments to effectively manage our natural resources.

Here is what one person who sent us information has compiled:

1939 Judge Leonard Stretton, royal commissioner investigating the Black Friday fires:

"The amount of (controlled) burning which was done was ridiculously inadequate."

The amount of fuel reduction burning was "too low", and "mitigation and preparedness (should) be enhanced and maintained in the future".

1992 Auditor-General's report on fire prevention by the Department of Conservation and Environment:

"The failure of the department to achieve its planned fuel-reduction burns each year has resulted in an increasing accumulation of fuel on forest floors. This makes Victoria's forests and protected lands more susceptible to the occurrence of fires . . .

"Those areas warranting the highest level of protection to human life, property and public assets had in fact received the lowest level of protection."

1994 CSIRO's then chief fire expert, Phil Cheney, on the findings of a national fire management conference:

"(O)bservations of firefighters and wildfire case histories have convinced royal commissions, committees of enquiry and coroners that fuel reduction, by prescribed burning, is an essential component of fire management in eucalypt forests . . .

"Over the 10 years prior to 1994 there has been (a) decline in the area prescribed burnt for fuel . . .".

2003 Federal parliamentary report on fires in Canberra, NSW and Victoria:

The committee heard a consistent message right around Australia: . . . there has been grossly inadequate hazard reduction burning on public lands for far too long . . .".

2003 State inquiry into Victoria's 2002-03 fires, by Emergency Services Commissioner Bruce Esplin:

In recent years, areas that have been prescribed burned in the North East and Gippsland . . . are below rates likely to be satisfactory either for fuel reduction for purposes of asset protection, or for the ecological needs of plant communities . . . (T)he trend, at least, should be for more prescribed burning rather than less."

2003 David Packham, academic and former CSIRO bushfire scientist, in a study for Nillumbik residents of roads around Kinglake, where many have now died:

"The mix of fuel, unsafe roadsides and embedded houses, some with zero protection and no hope of survival, will ensure that when a large fire impinges upon the area a major disaster will result."

2003 Nillumbik Ratepayers Association in a letter to WorkCover:

"The threat is that many of the roads including major ones and access roads to some schools and aged-care facilities have developed dangerous levels of fuel that on extreme fire danger days could generate fire behaviour that would not be survivable . . .

"This risk has been created by application of Government and shire planning controls that have prevented fuel reduction on roadsides."

2004 Athol Hodgson, former chief fire officer for the Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands:

"Another top priority is to restore prescribed burning programs in forests . . . (I)n 2003 the Auditor-General found that since 1994, fuel reduction burning has never met the department's planning and operational fuel reduction targets."

2007 Evidence to State Parliament's Environment and Natural Resources Committee from the Department of Sustainability and the Environment:

"The East Port Phillip region fire district . . . includes the fire-prone municipalities of Yarra Ranges, Nillumbik . . . Over the last 10 years, the district burns an average of . . . 1345ha (which) falls somewhat short of the East Port Phillip Fire Protection Plan target of 2307ha . . .".

2008 Environment and Natural Resources Committee report:

"That in order to enhance the protection of community and ecological assets, the Department of Sustainability and Environment increase its annual prescribed burning target from 130,000ha to 385,000ha."

December 5, 2008 News report, just four weeks before the fires:

"The State Government pledged yesterday to increase controlled burning across the state, in the wake of a horror bushfire season two years ago.

"It will spend an extra $10 million working with the community to develop and implement large-scale planned burning."

We're at it again! We'll be at the Wandin 4WD show this coming Sunday, so if you are around, feel free to drop by and say hi.

See you there! Brown scores cheap political points on Victorian fires
12 February 2009

While Victoria battles fires, Greens leader, Bob Brown made a quick start to score cheap political points out of the tragedy.

At a time when he should be offering support, he instead told Sky News less than 24 hours after the fires did their greatest damage "Global warming is predicted to make this sort of event happen 25 per cent, 50 per cent more"

C'mon Bob - stop looking for opportunities to take cheap shots, will you?

.. and if you really want to know the facts, the answers are at your feet - just look at the fuel load lying there because of your party's "lock it up and leave it" policies.

If you want to know who is responsible for this, remember that wood burns. It's pretty basic.

As for your 'global warming' idea, the hottest day in Victoria was in Mildura on 6 January 1906 when the temperature got to 50.7 degrees. Saturday was extremely hot, but not a state record. The problem was not "global warming", but ignorance.

We note with interest that the leaders of the major parties have visited the fire affected areas in recent days - but Mr Brown has not. Perhaps he knows how he will be received in most of rural Victoria. Our condolences to the bushfire victims
8 February 2009

Country Alliance is appalled and saddened at the loss of life, property and community history in the current bushfires.

We urge members to assist in any way they can.

Follow the advice of government on what you can do. Donation funds have been set up but only donate to those funds that you know are legitimate - unfortunately scammers do come out at times like this.

Donations of clothing and accommodation can also be made - but again please follow the advice of government. Blood donations are also needed.

If your area has been directly affected, please let your friends and family know you are safe.

CA will be having more to say about the bushfires later on.

The club house at the Horsham Golf Club, which was the venue of one of our most important launches, was among the properties destroyed in the fires. CA chooses lead candidates for Western and Eastern Victoria Regions
17 January 2009

CA's Executive has started the preselection process with the agreement to run Miles Hodge and Andrew Jones as the party's lead candidates for Western and Eastern Victoria Regions at next year's state election.

Miles and Andrew were CA's lead candidates at the 2006 Victorian State Election and their performances were so impressive the party had no difficulty in confirming their nominations on the spot.

The party is likely to make an announcement in relation to the lead candidate for the Northern Victoria Region before mid-year.

The party is also considering nominations already received for the lower house. Exec meeting on 17 January
22 December 2008

With another year closing and re-registration behind us, we have two years to go before the next election. Our Executive will be meeting on 17 January an we have a full agenda.

With a short break over the next few days, we will be swinging into full gear supporting our branches, searching for candidates and generally preparing ourselves for the next election. You'd be surprised how quickly this can come around!

Thanks to all our members who supported us throughout 2008 and we look forward working with you further. Coalition denies Greens link
23 November 2008

The Weekly Times has reported that the Coalition hsa denied it will join the Greens in blocking new rules to allow farmers to clear native vegetation without a permit.

The suggestion came from Agriculture Minister Joe Helper, but was denied by Coalition planning spokesman, Matthew Guy. He is reported to have said there was "not a chance in hell" of supporting the Greens disallowance motion.

We'll watch this one with very close interest. CA to be re-registered
6 November 2008

The VEC has advised us that it intends to gazette its decision to re-register Country Alliance on November 13 along with three other parties (curiously, not including the Greens).

We passed the 500 mark in record time, which is great to see.

Thanks to all those members who helped make this a quick and easy process. ACT election shows Greens remain a threat
18 October 2008

If you need to be reminded how the Greens will fare if we don't act now (particularly if voters won't endorse the Libs), then look at what is happening in the ACT. This is from an AAP report from the Herald Sun website:

Greens the king-makers in ACT
Article from: AAP
October 18, 2008 10:20pm

THE ACT election looks like delivering a hung territory assembly with the Greens holding the balance of power, following a 10 per cent swing against the sitting Labor government.

With more than half the votes counted, the ALP looks set to lose two seats and their majority in the 17-seat single-house parliament.

The Liberals experienced a two per cent swing against them but still managed to pick up one seat.

That means both major parties are likely to have seven seats each in the new assembly. The big winners are the Greens, who benefited from voter dissatisfaction with Labor and Chief Minister Jon Stanhope.

They look like securing three seats in the next assembly.

Australian Greens leader Bob Brown says the swing to the Greens continues a trend started in other state and territory elections this year.

"We've got the biggest swing of any party, it's a mood, it's part of a trend,'' Senator Brown said.

"We've had a very big swing to the Greens in the Northern Territory and in the West Australian elections (earlier this year) and now the ACT.'' The Tasmania senator said the swing proved people were concerned about climate change.

The ACT's deputy chief minister Katy Gallagher said there was "something in the air'' working against Labor across the country.

"We've seen it across the country,'' Ms Gallagher told ABC television.

"It is something Labor state and territory governments are battling.'' Ms Gallagher said while Labor was almost certain to lose its majority the result wasn't an endorsement of the Liberals and their young leader Zed Seselja.

Labor secured the biggest primary vote with 37 per cent of the ballots, six per cent more than the Liberals, she said.

The VEC's audit has started. Please complete and return your form to the VEC as soon as possible.

Our latest newsletter is now being posted out - Click here to see it. Re-registration application lodged
25 September 2008

Country Alliance has today, lodged its application to re-register with the Victorian Electoral Commission. We anticipate the mailout will start this time next week.

Don't forget to complete the relevant parts of the form and send it back asap. CA supporters speak out against FMIT takeover
26 August 2008

Country Alliance's own Fiona Hilton-Wood did the party proud today when she featured on Nine News speaking out against the Victorian Government's decision to wind up the First Mildura Irrigation Trust.

The FMIT is a 112 year old entity, the only one of its kind in Australia. This unique Trust is run by a grower elected board of irrigators and has been operated, in simple terms, for the growers by the growers.

The Board of FMIT has long assisted the growers of the Sunraysia district and has had its own Act of Parliament which has ensured their survival without Government interference, until now.

The demise of this unique Trust will see all of the FMIT's assets and customers placed under the control of the rival Government run water authority, Lower Murray Water.

... and where is the opposition on this? Missing In Action, apparently.

Here is Fiona's speech to the 1,000 strong crowd.

Good morning passionate supporters of the FMIT and Sunraysia.

My name is Fiona Hilton-Wood. I am a local. I was born here and I grew up here on fruit blocks. My father was an irrigator and grower so I understand the connection of water to land. I'm a 38yo wife, mother and a small business owner.

I have seen this area go from once a lush green vibrant oasis, into now just dirt, dust and desert. You don't have to drive far from here to see dead vines and citrus.

As a child I recall the lush properties and hard working families that once made a decent living in this district, and now we like many other Australians are suffering from hardships that face this country all over…..

We face the likes of:
*Cheap imports – where we have Californian citrus sitting in our own local supermarkets
*High petrol prices, and
*Low market prices for our produce

And of course an ongoing drought.

But in Sunraysia we seemed to have recently been kicked while we are down!

MIS Schemes have long been looming and are now a reality. Our Governments and their representatives sit back and watch our family farms and generational careers and knowledge diminish before our very eyes.

A Toxic Waste Dump fight was forced upon us by this Government which cost our community extensively - both financially and in fighting spirit. But we won that one!

The recent announcement of the closure of the CSIRO Plant Laboratory at Merbein will have detrimental consequences to agricultural growth and sustainability to this area and many others.

We also face the appalling current state of our freight railways. Our region suffers from the lack of ability to effectively transport our fine quality grain and produce which we, as a food bowl, depend upon immensely.

The closures of the Walpeup Research Station and the Qantas Maintenance Base are further examples of cost cutting within our region.

They have even talked about fencing off parts of our Murray River and not allowing us to have a camp fire, let alone take the family dog camping on holidays.

And now this….the take over of the FMIT – 112 years of history gone in one fell swoop, what a dark day this is!

I ask myself are these all decisions for the greater good? For our benefit? Or are they just a question of change? I say a change alright – where once our Governments, politicians and their representatives listened to our communities now they don't even ask them. They tell us what is happening! This is a Democracy? – not in my book!

What I believe is, that this is a direct attempt of centralising services, the cutting of vital programs that have to date ensured our regions survival. Government reps from the likes of the DSE or DPI are merely agenda driven employees who are being paid big dollars to run to cost effective programs and to advise Ministers how to fit within their downsizing schedules or agendas.

It is my understanding that with a Democracy we have the right to be listened to by our Government and their representatives. This rally is more than just about the closure of the FMIT – this is about the fact that our Government, our elected representatives are not listening to those who know. YOU GUYS Standing here today. Those who have invested their lives in this area, those who have a stake to lose. Instead they hear what they want to hear from mindless bureaucrats who make final decisions for all of us behind closed doors – just like they are doing again here today.

Our history shows that the Chaffey Bros had a vision for this area – why? Because they lived here and saw what was needed. Now we have you – the people, the growers, the farmers, the families and you all know what is needed and what is best for our community – why- because you live here and are proud of where you live. Only growers know what's best for growers, that's why the FMIT was created with an elected board of growers. And now some penny pinching bureaucrats sitting in their ivory tower in Spring Street wants to tell you what's best for you! How does that work? Well, that's why we are here today!

It's vital that we have people like you here today, to be seen, to be heard and to let the Government know that we deserve to be listened to. I saw the other Sunday at the FMIT rally people with real passion about this area, I saw it again last week at the Grand Hotel – people who are passionate but people who are also frustrated.

And so I say to the State Government and to the so called politicians who are far from being our representative voice, you may take our services, and you may take our FMIT , you may even try to take our water.. BUT JUST LET THEM TRY because you wont take our passion, you wont our frustration, nor our uncompromising resolve to see that justice is done.

Thank you

If you ever wanted evidence of the reality of grubby preference and parliamentary deals that can be done, then have a look at this.

The following is an extract from the National Nine News website, which illustrates 'clear as day' what the major parties will do to hold on to power. That includes selling out on ordinary mums and dads.

That's why we are now looking for your support, to make sure that we are not 'traded off' among all of this.

The Rudd government is prepared to do deals with the Greens and independents to ensure its budget measures pass through parliament.

The government's Senate leader Chris Evans says if the opposition attempts to block parts of the budget in the Senate he will turn to the minor parties for support.

"If they (the opposition) decide to be spoilers then we will seek to negotiate with the minor parties to make sure these essential budget bills are carried," Senator Evans told ABC Radio.

Without coalition backing for its laws, the government will need to turn to seven balance of power senators - the Australian Greens, independent Nick Xenophon and Family First's Steve Fielding - to get its legislative program through the Senate.

The opposition has pledged to block the government bill to increase the tax on ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages, changes to the Medicare levy surcharge threshold and commonwealth seniors health card.

It is still considering its position on a luxury car tax.

Greens leader Bob Brown confirmed the government was prepared to talk to the cross benches about legislation.

"We're having interest from the government now," Senator Brown told reporters.

"But we'll be taking each piece of legislation as it comes along.

"I'd prefer to call wheeling and dealing, 'Negotiating on a sensible basis to get a better outcome for the electorate that gave us the balance of power'.

"And that's what we'll be trying to do."

Our much awaited AGM in Bendigo has resulted in the re-election of Russell Bate as Chair and Russell Pearson.

We also welcome Keith Lyon who was elected to the vacancy on the executive caused by last year's federal election. Greens side with coalition again
21 June 2008

In yet another strange move, the Greens have moved closer to the coalition by splitting preferences between Labor and The Nationals for next Saturday's Gippsland byelection.

The Age reported ALP state secretary, Stephen Newnham, as saying it was an act of trechery for Green supporters, because it was prepared to direct half its preferences to a party that supported WorkChoices. Notice of AGM
15 June 2008

Notice is now given that our Annual General Meeting for 2008 will be held in Bendigo at 11am on Saturday 26 July 2008 along with vacancies that are now open to nomination.

Click here to download the notice. [link now removed]

Forms must be returned to the address shown by 12 July 2008. CA urges Greens to rethink on Barber
8 June 2008

The Age today reports something that Country Alliance has known for a long time - that the Greens MPs elected to parliament aren't up to the job.

Now The Age reports that Greens flagship MP, Greg Barber, has questioned whether being in parliament was the right career choice for him.

The story quotes him as saying (in reference to his career move from Mayor of Yarra City Council):

"Yeah, I'm starting to think about that now. Maybe I didn't make the right move."

and states:

"The Parliament is the people in between elections and that's a pretty good job, you don't complain."

But, he added, being mayor was "the best job in the world".

It seems Barber would prefer to build toilet blocks than deal with the big issues affecting the Victorian community. Fine, if that's what he wants to do, let him go.

So, our advice to Barber is that if he doesn't want to be there, walk away today - and our advice to the Greens is to push Barber if he is only there to 'warm a seat' for their party. Reminder - get your renewals in
6 June 2008

With the Victorian Electoral Commission set to re-audit memberships prior to the 2010 state election, members are reminded to ensure we pass the audit with flying colours by making sure they have renewed their memberships.

If you are unsure of your status, just drop us an email by clicking here and we'll let you know.

Thanks again for the great support you have shown us, including the generous donations which will go to ensuring better representation for regional Victoria. Executive meeting on April 5th
9 April 2008

The Executive of Country Alliance met in Seymour on April 5. It will most likely be the last meeting before our AGM in July The Age misses the point on Country Alliance policy
15 March 2008

The Age had a story in today's paper about a proposal put forward by the Motorcycle Riders Association to licence 14 year olds to enable them to ride with their parents on public land and private property.

You may recall that this was a policy developed by Country Alliance in discussion with the MRA who put the proposal to Transport Minister, Tim Pallas.

Unfortunately the story went on about the road toll which is irrelevant because the licensing proposal does not relate to the use of motorbikes on signposted roads. The story does not recognise the benefits that the proposal has such as facilitating recreational riding events which makes you wonder if it was journalism at all.

Still, the proposal has been put out in the public domain and fills a badly needed void. More bad news on VEAC proposal
12 March 2008

The Weekly Times has published two stories relating to the VEAC River Redgum proposal, showing just how badly thoughtout it is.

The first article, titled "Three strikes for parks plan" details how A third indigenous group has now hit out at the proposal. The story says the Wamba-Wamba people, traditional inhabitants of the part of Victoria extending from Boundary Bend to Swan Hill, slammed the VEAC proposal, accusing it of failint to consult on the investigation.

"The Government talk to one blackfella and they think it's consultation," a spokesperson said.

The second story, titled "Pay for river fences", details how hundreds of farmers will be forced to pay huge bills for fencing if they are forced of river-front grazing properties.

Moyhu beef producer David Evans told the Weekly Times that VEAC failed to understand the tru cost of its recommendations to farmers. VEAC admitted it had no idea how many farmers would be affected or the length or cost of fencing involved.

Country Alliance has a policy to abolish VEAC because of its incompetency. Executive meeting results in major improvements
23 February 2008

The paperwork from the meeting of the Executive earlier this month has now been completed.

Our policies page has been updated and we now have new arrangements regarding the party's internal workings and management of our branches.

We have also adopted a new strategy to increase the number of candidates we will be running in 2010. CA stall at the Wandin 4WD show
17 February 2008

Country Alliance had a stall at another Wandin 4WD show today, marking the start of another long recruiting drive.

Armed with a bigger marquee and better signage (stuff we've learnt from previous shows), we are definately on our way to improving our electoral stakes at the 2010 state election. We were really bouyed by the number of people who already knew who we were and what we stood for. We were absolutely flat out from the moment we arrived until the day's end.

One of our key messages is that Country Alliance will ensure four wheel drive tracks are managed than they are are now.

We look forward to continuing our membership drive this year. Call for new recreational motorbike licence
5 February 2008

Country Alliance has adopted a new policy aimed at helping children from 14-17 years old to work on farms and participate in off-road trail bike events. The new policy is:

Country Alliance will seek the introduction of a recreational motorbike licence to enable 14 to 18 year olds to work on the land (complying with WorkCover requirements) and participate in recreational motorbike activities, under the supervision of a fully licensed motorbike rider.

Current arrangements do not permit this, and there is a need to fill this void.

The licence would apply only to those areas where 'recreational motorcycle registration' applies, and would not permit the use of motorbikes on signposted public roads. The licence would limit the riding of motorbikes up to 250cc capacity.

The experience gained by the licence proposed by Country Alliance would provide valuable experience for new riders for when they seek their learners permit to ride bikes on public roads when they turn 18.

The Age reports that Liberal Senate leader Nick Minchin is calling for an immediate merger of the Liberal and National Parties.

The report by journalist Michelle Grattan, states that in a speech to the young Liberals today, Senator Minchin said a merger should be negotiated at the national level of the two party organisations so an amalgamation might occur simultaneously at federal and state levels.

"It's no good having Liberals and Nationals in one state go off and form a new right-of-centre party which would leave us with not one but three parties on our side of politics," he reportedly said.

Senator Minchin says the conservative side of politics can no longer afford the luxury of two separate organisations.

"As someone who worked full time for the Liberal Party for 14 years before entering the Senate, I cannot for the life of me see how we can go on trying to sustain two party organisations on our side of politics," he says.

The much mooted merger of the Liberal and National party simply underlines the need for Victorians to get behind Country Alliance, to guarantee ongoing political representation for the bush. CA releases new flyer on "voting above the line"
1 January 2008

Country Alliance has now released flyers to various groups explaining how part of their vote for the major parties "above the line" in the upper house can benefit the Greens.

Click here to see how people who hate the Greens, cast votes that actually helped one of their candidates, Colleen Hartland, get elected to parliament!