Politics & Council

Firies target area in next tax protest

DISGRUNTLED CFA volunteers are making central Victoria their next protest point against the State Government’s controversial emergency services tax. Leaders of several Loddon brigades say they will join the protest in Bendigo on September 14...

09 Sep 2025

Mining plans are shafted

PLANS for low-level gold mining at Llanelly has been scuttled by Loddon Shire Council. Councillors last week backed the recommendation of planning officer Darcy Jackson to refuse a planning permit for mining on a property in Alexander Lane. Mr...

07 Sep 2025

Land law fines get through with crossbench backing

FARMERS will be fined if they lock transmission companies out of their land after controversial new laws were passed in State Parliament late Thursday night. The Government had backing from Animal Justice Party’s member for Northern Victoria Region...

29 Aug 2025

Premier’s not a country friend

Government’s policies are working against rural Victoria, writes Dan Straub AT THIS point in time, for many it feels like every way you turn there is something closing in on you. What do you mean you may ask? Well, if you own and work on a farm...

27 Aug 2025

Seeing red: shire rate notice says blame government

RATES notices with thick red boxes have started appearing in Loddon letterbox as the shire council rams home its message that it has been forced to collect the State Government’s controversial new emergency services tax. The tax is tipped to add...

19 Aug 2025

Night owls find faults on roads

MORE than 200 defects have been detected by Loddon Shire in its night inspections of 770km of council roads. It said 168 related to signs needing to be replaced or repaired, including 71 hazard or warning signs, 32 regulatory signs and 23...

11 Aug 2025

You can go and get stuffed! Walsh invokes Castle line in opposing land access law bid

PROTESTORS on the steps of Parliament House had a simple message for Premier Jacinta Allan. As Murray Plains MP Peter Walsh finished his part in debate opposing the Government’s National Electricity (Victoria) Amendment (VicGrid Stage 2 Reform)...

10 Aug 2025

VNI’s blowout billions

Renewed anger after report tips $11 billion bill THE cost of Victoria controversial VNI West renewable energy transmission line project could blowout to more than $11 billion. Australian Energy Market Operator’s admission that the project had...

10 Aug 2025

Mums will have a legacy in centre

I KNOW how hard local mums and families in Wedderburn fought to get a child care centre in their town. I remember meeting many of them back in 2022 and how much their stories stayed with me. Of babies in play pens at the local butcher, toddlers...

09 Aug 2025

Disguising decline in country voice

Rural seats with metro votes, writes Miki Wilson I WAS standing in a paddock with landholders discussing the transmission lines that are going to go through their properties, when we got the call a few months ago to say that the Emergency Services...

06 Aug 2025

Government ‘misleads on emergency services tax impact’

THE STATE Government has been accused of continuing to mislead Victorians on cuts to emergency services as the impact of the cruel emergency services tax looms. Premier Jacinta Allan in Parliament on Tuesday declared the tax is “all about...

03 Aug 2025

Energy transition off the rails, says Hosking

THE State Government’s energy transition risks alienating the very communities it needs most, the VFF said this week. President Brett Hosking said the transition was being derailed by poor planning, worrying rhetoric, and alarming legislative...

03 Aug 2025

Farmers want 5km wind farm buffer zone from neighbour’s property

DISTRICT farmers will push have wind farm rules tightened and turbines kept 5klm away from non-consenting neighbours. St Arnaud branch of the Victorian Farmers’ Federation last Thursday carried a motion that would increase the buffer between...

03 Aug 2025

Can we help you more? Draft strategy out for comment

LODDON Shire Council says its customer service always goes above and beyond in helping the public – a fact recognised year after year in Community Satisfaction Surveys – but there’s always room to improve and we want you to help us do that...

30 Jul 2025