General News
12 March, 2025
Tireless, unselfish summer for firies
Brigades full of best people you can find, writes Martha Haylett AS WE get closer to the end of the fire danger deriod, I want to send a heartfelt thank you to all our emergency service members across the Loddon Shire. From the Wedderburn SES to CF...
Brigades full of best people youcan find, writes Martha Haylett
AS WE get closer to the end of the fire danger deriod, I want to send a heartfelt thank you to all our emergency service members across the Loddon Shire.
From the Wedderburn SES to CFA volunteers in Korong Vale, Fentons Creek, Murphy’s Creek, Rheola and beyond - all have worked tirelessly this summer to protect people, property, and livelihoods.
We have been fortunate not to experience major flooding again this year, but it has not been a quiet season. Volunteers have helped respond to the Grampians fire, as well as other fires locally – including at Newbridge and Mount Kooyoora.
In doing so, local volunteers have selflessly missed time with family and friends to support others, and we are all so grateful to them.
As the member for Ripon, one of my favourite parts of the job is visiting CFA brigades and SES units across the electorate. There are over 90 CFA brigades in Ripon, and each are full of the best people you can meet.
I supported many with their applications to the Victorian Government’s Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program last year, and was proud to call Captain George Filev from the Tarnagulla Fire Brigade before Christmas to let him know the State Government was giving his brigade $40,000 to build a new storage shed. It will help accommodate their trailers, running wheel, catering gear, and other items.
Around the same time, I was also rapt to let the Wedderburn SES know they will soon receive their very own $405,000 truck. Since starting up as a unit again after the 2023-2024 floods, members had been borrowing a truck from the Marong SES Unit.
This meant they didn’t have their own dedicated vehicle, which wasn’t okay. I worked with them to fix this issue and now they’ll have their own permanent truck to help better protect the community during emergencies.
Backing our local emergency service volunteers is the least the state government can do to say thank you to those who go above and beyond to protect our rural communities.
Another way we’re doing this is by making active CFA and VICSES volunteers and life members exempt from paying the Fire Services Levy on their principal place of residence from 1 July this year.
This is in recognition of their incredible contributions and will hopefully also act as an incentive for more locals to consider volunteering in their local brigade or unit.
I heard from many volunteers about the need for this exemption and advocated to the Treasurer of Victoria for it to happen, so am pleased we got it done.
The Government will consult with the CFA and SES to find the best way to implement this exemption, and I will notify all brigades and units once we know more detail.
Another round of the Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program will be here before we know it and I encourage local volunteers to reach out to me to support their applications.
Separately – I’d also like to thank all the farmers, butchers, and concerned locals from across the Loddon Shire who reached out to me about the recent decision by Hardwicks abattoir in Kyneton to close its doors to small-scale service kills.
The decision risks decimating small-scale livestock farming and access to local meat across our region.
Recently, I tabled a petition in parliament urging the state government to urgently work with industry to find solutions that ensure ongoing access to service kill facilities for small livestock producers.
The petition also called on our government to help enable the growth of mobile and micro abattoirs on farms.
These changes would support the survival of small-scale livestock farmers across our region and state and would mean we can all still have access to fresh locally produced meat.
I will keep readers updated as we await a response from the agriculture minister and her department.
Martha Haylett is the member for Ripon