LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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done thus far in this regard.

BLINKERED AUTHORITY NEEDS TO CHANGE

Dear Editor,

I noted with interest that Dr Tariq Rana, of the Murray Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), addressed an international water and food sustainability webinar on August 13, 2020.

He spoke about the importance of education, capacity building, sharing knowledge and information, and stakeholder engagement in responding to the current and future challenges posed by COVID-19.

If the MDBA is to give advice in any of these areas, it must be planning a totally different approach to what we have seen in the past decade. To me, it seems a bit of a joke that the MDBA is advising others on ‘stakeholder engagement’ and ‘capacity building’.

Its failure in these areas has been highlighted often, and has led to calls from the Productivity Commission, echoed by politicians, for the MDBA to be disbanded and ‘split up’.

It is indeed a shame that the MDBA is so blinkered inside its Canberra bubble that it cannot see its failings, led by its constant refusal to admit the basin plan has serious shortcomings which need to be addressed.

These have been highlighted in over 100 reports and inquiries, yet nothing happens because weak politicians are more worried about the political consequences than the prosperity of our regions, which could get a significant boost if common-sense prevailed and we all worked together to achieve balanced and effective water management.

Yours,

Chris Blackberry

Kyabram, Vic

COUNCIL ELECTIONS 2020

Dear Editor,

This year’s local government elections will no doubt be different due to the pandemic that has unfortunately restricted our normal lives. Election campaign activities this year must comply with COVID-19 restrictions that are in place at the time. The Victorian Government has issued COVID-safe campaign guidelines to help candidates safely campaign during this health crisis. Despite these restrictions and challenges, I am pleased to see the quality line-up of local candidates putting their hands up for a chance at being a councillor. It is particularly encouraging to see new women candidates coming forward and inspiring other women to take the leadership roles in our community, as well as candidates representing minority groups. Personally speaking, being an elected representative at Greater Shepparton City Council since 2016 has been an absolute honour for me and I am excited to stand again this year.

I commend all candidates, as well as current Councillors, for showing the confidence and strong interest in civic leadership and taking this important step. You are all surely a credit to our vibrant community.

We have banded together and supported each other through this pandemic and I’m sure we’ll continue to do so.

deadline of October 23.

Best wishes to everyone.

Seema Abdullah UPCOMING SHEPPARTON COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Dear Editor,

As voting time approaches, I would like to remind aspiring Councillors that ratepayers are keen for results not just representation and rubber stamping of Council Officials’ recommendations.

Unashamedly I am a supporter of newly elected Councillors reviewing and implementing a rate evaluation strategy to address the extremely high rates we in Shepparton are paying. Comparisons with neighbouring and like Councils to Shepparton have recently been published in your paper. Our rates are still exorbitant despite this matter being brought to Council’s attention by local ratepayers some years ago- with Council taking only limited action resulting in no net positive effect on the issue.

One Councillor seeking re-election has adopted the slogan ‘The Rates Fixer’. If I recall rightly the same Councillor was elected on a platform of getting rid of parking meters in Greater Shepparton. We still have the parking meters as well as some very officious contracted inspectors. Some recent minor easing of parking arrangements seems to be due to concerted action by the Chamber of Commerce. I would hardly say that the Councillor’s policy has been delivered on.

I would urge voters to ensure they get value for their vote and press Councillors seeking re-election to demonstrate how they have delivered for voters on their stated platforms. Councillors seeking re-election on a platform of making our rates more equitable should demonstrate what they have Don’t forget to post your vote by the

Jim O’Connor

Shepparton

THE ULTIMATE INSULT

For six weeks regional Victorian businesses had been waiting for the ’new’ Daniel Andrews plan, the ’super computer’ road map out of the devastation caused from his failed COVID-19 quarantine program. In 90 minutes on Sunday, the only mention made for regional Victoria was when he said he lost his notes about what will happen to us. What an insult! Complete distain and dismissal of the hundreds of thousands of regional Victorians who have been doing everything right.

There are 27 local government areas in regional Victoria with no Covid cases, zero. The overwhelming majority of northern Victoria has never exceeded the governments now benchmark of 10 daily cases - a massive chance missed to unlock the state, postcode by postcode.

Daniel Andrews has ignored every suggestion and proposal put forward by the Liberal Nationals, independent business representatives and a group of over 500 doctors. How can you ignore the economic and personal devastation - businesses, jobs and lives are being lost? This is a roadmap to nowhere not a roadmap to recovery.

Tara Jarrett

Kyabram

SHEPPARTON MARKETPLACE SAYS THANK YOU... Standing before the Thank You Wall, from left, Shepparton Marketplace marketing manager, Lyndal Ford, GV Signmakers, Alistair Hand and Nathan Sali, Caroline Chisolm Society - GV Pregnancy & Family Support Services lead practitioner, Maree Chin, and paramedics, Michaela Ryan and Stephanie Sewell. Photo: Steve Hutcheson

Marketplace says ‘Thank you’ to family services

SHEPPARTON Marketplace has donated $3000 to the Caroline Chisolm Society – GV Pregnancy & Family Support Services (CCS-GV) as part of a recent Thank You Project.

The donation follows the month-long Thank You Project where customers and retailers were invited to share a message of thanks on the giant centre Community Appreciation Wall to acknowledge the efforts of the many essential workers in our community.

GV Pregnancy and Family Support, founded in 1972, offers pregnancy support services and relies on donations and volunteers to provide free essential services to pregnant women and families.

Last year they conducted more than 600 welfare appointments.

CCS-GV lead practitioner, Maree Chin said, “This $3000 donation is a fabulous boost to the recent Winter Appeal that was conducted by the Greater Shepparton Foundation. We are so grateful as it means that we will be able to offer more material aid support to families in 2020”.

The Thank You Project community appreciation wall is located outside Big W at Shepparton Marketplace.

Cases remain in single digits

As of Tuesday, September 8, there were three active COVID-19 cases in Greater Shepparton.

Moira, Benalla, and Strathbogie shires all have zero active cases, while Campaspe Shire has two active cases.

There is one patient with COVID-19 admitted at GV Health.

The number of active cases has reduced over the past week because people who have tested positive for COVID-19 have been cleared from self-isolation and are no longer considered to be active cases.

Take care when working from home

PEOPLE working away from home face greater health and relationship challenges, but simple steps by workers, their families and employers can remedy this, according to new research.

Researchers at the University of Melbourne and Western Sydney University have conducted a study into the personal lives of mobile workers with aims to improve the wellbeing of this expanding group of people.

The researchers found that family problems were significant both with the burden of household work and child rearing falling disproportionately on the non-mobile working member of the household.

They also found that mobile workers had poorer health outcomes with many unable to maintain a good diet through eating poorly and drinking more often.

Researchers say employers should also facilitate ways for families to visit work sites, helping solidify connections particularly for workers with children.

PAMPER YOUR POOCH... Shepparton Laundromat owner, Noelene Caverzan, demonstrating the pet bathing facility at Shepparton Laundromat Photo: Stephanie Holliday

Treat your pets to the best

ONE of life’s simple pleasures is cuddling up to man’s best friend. Even Your pooch deserves rugs, in addition to their traditional launderette services operating in the better is when they’re fresh from a nothing but the best, front section of the premise. sudsy bath. Instead of chasing your furry friend and taking care Your pooch deserves nothing but the best, and taking care of their fur around the backyard for their weekly of their fur is as is as important as taking care of our bath, a perfect solution is taking them for an outing to a specialty dog wash important as taking skin. Thanks to Fido detergent and the use of clean towels kindly provided that’s open seven days a week from care of our skin. by Shepparton Laundromat owner, 6am until 10pm. Noelene Caverzan, your canine will be

Shepparton Laundromat provides Noelene Caverzan pampered by the experience. the perfect space for self-service animal care, including warm Shepparton Laundromat is located at 372 Wyndham Street water, and indoor facilities. The washers and dryers can and Noelene can be contacted on 0427 314 310, or check out take care of animal bedding and blankets, including horse Shepparton Laundromat on Facebook.

Sweet treats to see you through

K E E PI NG t he kids entertained Best of all are those If you prefer d o n u t s , D I Y during the remote five golden minutes of donut decoration learning period and upcoming silence you get to enjoy packs will keep the kids busy with school holidays while they chow down four donuts to can be a tough gig! Any activities on their creations. decorate, icing, spr i n k le s a nd that come premarshmallows. packed and organised bring welcome relief Best of all are those five golden minutes of from building your 10th pillow fort for the silence you get to enjoy while they chow down week or scrubbing Play Doh out of your on their creations. carpet. If you are unable to drop by, Wendy’s Milk

Luckily, Wendy’s Milk Bar at Kialla’s Bar delivers all their items through Menulog, Riverside Plaza has you sorted with their including ice cream birthday cakes and kid’s children’s entertainment packs. Make an packs, with orders over $50 receiving a at-home sundae bar with ice cream packs that complimentary donut. include a container of the ice cream of your Wendy’s Milk Bar is located at Riverside choice, spoons, cones, sprinkles and other Plaza in Kialla on the Goulburn Valley edible decorations. Highway and can be contacted on 5891 2444.

A BIRTHDAY CAKE TO IMPRESS... Wendy’s Milk Bar owner, Mia Ginga, with her ice cream cake creations Photo: Stephanie Holliday

La Trobe achieves global top 250 position

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LA TROBE University’s Shepparton head of campus, Elizabeth Capp said the university’s regional campuses have played a key role in its world rankings success by contributing to research, teaching and to the workforce in areas including rural health, engineering, education, IT and agricultural and environmental sciences.

“Strong and enduring partnerships have also played a pivotal role in this, from La

Trobe’s partnership with the Department of Education and Greater Shepparton City

Council on the transformative Shepparton

Education Plan, to deeply embedded A MAJOR Shepparton pear and plum orchardist has received a $500,000 grant to fund its expansion into organic production.

Kalafatis Fresh Produce, which runs a 500,000-tree orchard, has received the grant from the Woolworths Organic Growth Fund to serve the growing demand for organic produce, which is rising by about 20 percent annually.

The grant will see their 50-year partnership with the supermarket chain, branch out into organics with the purchase of infrastructure to farm organic pears, including a vertical espalier trellis to cover the crop with pest-proof netting and an collaborations with a wide range of community organisations and businesses including GV Health,” she said.

“The university’s establishment of many regional community-based PhDs will have also contributed to this success.

“This includes outstanding research in Shepparton by our First Nations researchers, Auntie Sharon Atkinson and Dr Mishel McMahon (both Yorta Yorta women) which has had a deep impact on local communities – through revitalisation of the ancient Yorta Yorta language and development of principles around First

Grant funding to sprout organic produce

Nations’ childrearing.”

MONEY TREES...

Kalafatis Fresh Produce managing director, Jimmy Kalafatis, took receipt of a $500,000 grant to expand into organic fruit production on Monday. Photo: Struan Jones.

irrigation system above the orchard floor to allow for mowing between trees, a critical task when herbicides aren’t in use.

Kalafatis Fresh Produce managing d i re c tor, Ji m my K a l a fat i s s a id , “Consumers are putting more organic produce into their shopping baskets every week – that’s what we’re seeing and what the statistics are telling us.

“We applied for the grant because we want to be at the forefront of potential growth markets in Australian fresh produce.”

Mr Kalafatis said the orchard would be starting a greenfield site to plant roughly 20,000 new pear trees this year.

Neighbourhood favourite still going strong

A GOOD fish and chip shop is a neighbourhood institution, and for countless families, the Friday night fish and chip dinner marks the beginning of the weekend.

On Macintosh Street, south of Shepparton’s CBD, is a small, yet well-known fish and chip shop that’s been part of the streetscape for generations.

Entering Macintosh Take Away is like taking a step back in time. According to long-time owner, Charlie Wang, he had a customer who remembered ordering fish and chips from the premises as a child in 1960.

Macintosh Take Away is a family affair, and Jason Zhang has recently taken over from Charlie as the new manager. According to Jason, the shop has such a strong local following, he estimates roughly 90 percent of their weekly customers they know by name.

“Most of the customers know us here at the shop very well,” he said.

“We used to close on Mondays, but people kept wanting to come in. Now we’re open seven days.”

Jason said the fresh flake and the house-made potato cakes endure as the most popular menu items, with quality food in a clean shop his main priorities.

Macintosh Take Away is located at 40 Macintosh Street, Shepparton, and can be contacted on 5822 1055.

FAMILIAR FACES... The team at Macintosh Take Away, from left, Charlie Wang, Jessica Zhang, Helen Lin, Hongqing Lin, Wendy Lin, and new manager, Jason Zhang. According to Jason, the shop is as popular as ever and has a long history in the neighbourhood. Photo: Struan Jones.

Call for local approach to restrictions

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By Steve Hutcheson WENDY Lovell, the State Member for Northern Victoria has made a similar appeal to the Victorian Government.

“Sunday’s announcement says the trigger to move to the ‘Last Step’ restrictions is no new COVID cases for 14 days across the whole of Victoria (including Metropolitan Melbourne),” said Ms Lovell.

“31 local government areas have not had a new case for at least two weeks, and three local government areas have never had a COVID case, yet the government is forcing all areas remain in lockdown.”

The impact of the lockdown is going to have significant impact on small business across the state. Current projections are that over 250,000 small businesses will be forced into closure over the next few months with more than a million jobs permanently lost. Many small businesses in Shepparton are faced with the same dire outcome. The consequence of this disease is also dire. On current numbers, one in thirty people who contract it will die.

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LOCALS HELPING LOCAL BUSINESSES!

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DELIVERY OR PICK UP GUIDE

Working hard for a Wendy Lovell MP Member for Northern Victoria Region Active, Local Wendy Lovell MP Liberal Member for Northern Victoria Region stronger future for the Goulburn Valley and Vocal

For assistance with State Government issues, p: (03) 5821 6668 e: please contact my o ce wendy.lovell@parliament.vic.gov.au p: (03) 5821 6668 /wendylovellMP e: wendy.lovell@parliament.vic.gov.au Authorised by Wendy Lovell MP, 222 Wyndham Street Shepparton. /wendylovellMP Funded from Parliamentary Budget

Authorised by Wendy Lovell MP, 222 Wyndham Street Shepparton. Funded from Parliamentary Budget

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Football Followers have the chance to WIN BIG during the 2020 AFL football season with Fairleys IGA/The Adviser Football Tipping Competition. Each week there will be a prize of $25 to be spent at Fairleys IGA Supermarket. All you have to do is place a tick against the football team that you think will win each game. Be careful with your selections as only correct entries will go into the draw for the weekly $25 voucher. If no correct entry is received the prize will jackpot each week until a correct entry is submitted. Entries will only be accepted at the office, 219-225 Wyndham Street, Shepparton, no later than 5pm on each Friday during 2020, unless stated otherwise due to early matches being played. Entries must be on original forms – no faxes or photocopies will be accepted and only one entry per household is permitted. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

SPORT Merrigum courts drought funding for redevelopment

MERRIGUM netballers are set to benefit from a $350,000 Federal Government grant to upgrade the netball courts at the Merrigum Recreation Reserve.

The redevelopment is one of a raft of projects in Greater Shepparton to become a reality thanks to $1 million of Federal Government Drought Communities Program (DCP) funding that targets regions that have experienced economic hardship due to recent drought.

Other projects to receive funding are: • Upgrade of the tennis courts at Katandra West • Construction of a new walking path at Tallygaroopna • Construction of a new walking and cycling path at Tatura

Merrigum’s club representative on the Merrigum Recreation Reserve committee, Nathan Pell, said the project had been in the pipeline for about nine years.

The club, which plays in the Kyabram District Football Netball League, has two netball courts, however only one is match-compliant. The redevelopment will see the club have a second playable court.

“With the expansion of the league to eight teams, a second court will mean we can fit more matches into a more reasonable time frame,” he said.

The project is jointly funded with a contribution from the Greater Shepparton City Council.

SHOOTING FOR BETTER... Merrigum Football Netball Club committee member, Nathan Pell, Federal Member for Nicholls, Damian Drum, Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor, Seema Abdullah, club members Rachael Rowe and Ian Richards at the Merrigum Recreation Reserve. Photo: Supplied.

Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor, Seema Abdullah said, “This $1 million will see exciting new developments right across our innovative and bold region.”

She added, “As part of this funding, a series of events will be held, in line with the relevant COVID-19 restrictions, to support health and wellbeing and information sharing in relation to water security, technology and drought recovery.” The Moira Shire last month announced nine projects that it will deliver with its $1 million of DCP funding.

These include an extension to Numurkah Skate Park and the installation of a permanent outdoor gym at Nathalia parklands.

Support for Victoria’s first Indigenous fishing club

GONE FISHING... Burnanga Indigenous Fishing Club president, Corey Walker is the head of the state’s first ever Indigenous fishing club, based in Shepparton. Photo: Supplied.

THE state’s first ever Indigenous fishing club is getting a helping hand to take cultural education and traditional fishing knowledge on the road so it can be shared with more Victorians when it’s safe to do so. Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) freshwater fisheries manager, Anthony Forster said the $15,000 grant would enable the Burnanga Indigenous Fishing Club to build a customised tandem trailer. The club, based in Shepparton, has more than 30 members and is named after Burnanga, which means cod in the traditional language of the Yorta Yorta people. Burnanga Indigenous Fishing Club president, Corey Walker said the club will host a variety of activities such as fishing days, competitions, guided tours and community events infused with Aboriginal cultural knowledge. “Burnanga is about strengthening connection to country and Aboriginal culture,” he said. “By doing this we will improve mental health, decrease social isolation and educate the wider community about customary practices.” Stocking of native fish such as Murray cod across Victoria have hit record numbers thanks to the State Government’s $35 million Target One Million plan and a commitment to increase fish stocking to 10 million fish annually by 2022. According to the VFA, more than two million cod were stocked in Victorian waters last summer, in addition to more than two million golden perch and nearly 350,000 silver perch.