Media Releases

The Victorian Coalition Government has announced a $2 million plan to help charities in response to calls from across the state, including in Echuca, of illegal dumping at their outlets.

The Nationals local Member for Rodney, Paul Weller has announced the funding to support charity organisations to reduce dumping and to cover the cost of disposing of waste. 

“It is pleasing that the Echuca community responded to calls from local charities to stop dumping items such as old televisions at outlets in the area that had caused additional work for volunteers and increased unwanted costs for appropriate disposal,” Mr Weller said.

Mr Weller said charities do a fantastic job in supporting the community and staff and volunteers should not have to spend their precious time or charitable funds acting as waste disposal outlets. 

“These funds will assist charities in the future with the problem of unwanted rubbish as they must also pay for rubbish to be sent to landfill,” he said.

Mr Weller said the message was clear that broken, old, stained or out-dated items such as televisions, computers, fridges, beds, mattresses and sofas and even building waste or chemicals should not be dumped at charity outlets and should go to an official recycling and waste facility. 

The State Government package for charity organisations includes $500,000 for efforts to help stem the flow of illegally dumped waste and $1.5 million in landfill levy relief to help pay for rubbish sent to landfill.

“We will work with the National Association of Charitable Recycling Organisations (NACRO) on the best ways to effectively solve this problem – including community education, signage, lighting, fencing and security,” Mr Weller said. 

“We want to end the practice of people dumping waste on charities so they can devote their precious time and resources to help families in need,” he said.

Mr Weller said the community needed to be aware that illegal dumping at any charity outlet is classified as littering and can attract fines as well as a potential report to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

The EPA hotline for illegal dumping is 1300 372 842 and if you see someone dumping waste you can report it by recording the offender’s vehicle registration number.

Mr Weller also encouraged local residents to use their regional official recycling and waste facility and to find out more information for their town to contact their local council.

Four secondary schools across the Rodney Electorate will benefit from State Government funding to encourage teenagers to become more involved in their local community.

Member for Rodney, Paul Weller has announced funding for the Echuca College, Cohuna Secondary College, Kyabram P-12 College and Nathalia Secondary College to take part in the Coalition Government’s successful Advance volunteering program.  

Advance is a $4.5 million flexible school-based program offered annually in Victorian Government secondary schools to provide, encourage and support 14 -18 year olds to volunteer in their community.

Across the state 420 schools and 16,000 young people will participate in the Advance program in 2012, which coincides with National Volunteers Week from May 14th-20th. 

“Advance is a fantastic program that encourages young people to get involved in their local community and strengthens local partnerships between schools and the community,” Mr Weller said.

“Supporting young people to volunteer has a positive and lasting effect, not only on the individual, but the whole community as students learn valuable transferable skills in the process. 

“The Advance program provides young people with practical opportunities for mentoring and gaining new skills and training whilst learning more about their local community,” he said.

Mr Weller thanked the many volunteers from within the community who give up their time to support initiatives such as Advance and who volunteer to protect and enhance Victorian communities. 

For more information on the Advance program and how it could benefit your school community go to www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au/advance.

Member for Rodney, Paul Weller has announced emergency services grants to support local volunteer emergency groups across the region.

Mr Weller said the grants, totally $12 million across the state, would assist volunteer emergency groups in the Electorate to apply for funds to assist with the purchase of equipment, vehicles and appliances and with facility upgrades. 

“It is important our volunteer groups such as the SES and CFA are supported through grants like these so they can continue to do what they do best – protecting lives and property throughout our region,” Mr Weller said.

“Our emergency services in the Rodney Electorate have dealt with a number of significant emergencies in recent years with floods and storms and in each of these emergencies our volunteers have played a crucial role,” he said. 

The funds have been made available through the 2012/13 Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) and under the program emergency service volunteer groups can access grants of up to $100,000.

The grants can potentially cover the cost of operational equipment, vehicles and appliances and minor facility improvements with VESEP committed to contributing $2 for every $1 of funding up to $100,000. 

Applicants for the grants must meet a range of criteria and will be assessed by a panel comprising of representatives from government and respective emergency service organisations.

“Our volunteers are the backbone of emergency services and the Coalition Government wants to ensure they are better equipped to respond safely and effectively to any emergency,” Mr Weller said. 

“Volunteers give selfless service and are dedicated to helping keep our communities safe and equipment grants such as these are a great example of the way the community, government and emergency service agencies can work together to ensure safety for all,” he said.

For more information about applying for the grants go to www.justice.vic.gov.au or email vesep@justice.vic.gov.au. 

Member for Rodney, Paul Weller is pleased to announce $6,500 in State Government funding for the McIvor Neighbourhood House Learner Marketing and Promotional Project.

The McIvor Neighbourhood House was one of more than 60 Learn Local organisations across the state to receive grants totaling $2.3 million.

The Heathcote-based organisation hopes to better serve the needs of adult learners in the local region.

Mr Weller said the grants will help adult community education Learn Local organisations like the McIvor Neighbourhood House to expand their services, improve efficiency, offer new courses, increase participation and retain learners.

"As a knowledge-driven economy, Victoria will increasingly need a workforce with higher levels of qualifications and skills and these funds will help further enhance education and training,” Mr Weller said.

“I pass on my congratulations to all successful applicants from this third round of funding” he said.

The funds for the Heathcote-based group were provided through round three of the State Government's Adult, Community and Further Education (ACFE) Board Capacity and Innovation Fund.

"The ACFE Capacity and Innovation Grants have been designed to help Learn Local organisations to develop new programs and to boost participation and learning," Mr Weller said.

"The Capacity and Innovation Fund is an initiative that will encourage innovation within adult education and support a sector of the Victorian education system that already does vital work in supporting adult learners,” he said.

Each year the state's 310 Learn Local organisations provide education and training to more than 95,000 people, offering vocational, language, literacy and numeracy and work-skill courses.

In the 20 years that the community-based adult education sector has been recognised in Victoria by legislation, these organisations have helped thousands of people to new education and employment pathways.

State Government funding to the tune of $93,140 has been allocated to the Kyabram Racecourse and Recreation Reserve Trust Committee following an announcement by Member for Rodney, Paul Weller.

The allocation of funds, to be used for a car park resurface at the site, comes on the back of a five year campaign by the Trust Committee to state government representatives including the Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hugh Delahunty. 

Trust Secretary, Ian Purdey said the committee was thrilled with the funding and had additional good news with an offer to hold the Victorian Ladies Par 3 Tournament at the Kyabram Parkland Golf Club – where the Victorian Men’s Par 3 is held annually, delivering an estimated economic benefit of $250,000 to the town of Kyabram.

“Securing funding for the car park works has been a major long term priority for the Trust since it won the rights to hold the Victorian Men’s Par 3 Championships five years ago,” Mr Purdey said. 

According to Mr Purdey the unfinished surface of the car park had become an unpleasant and dangerous muddy area following any significant rainfall and created a dust hazard in the dry summer months for users and neighbouring properties.

Mr Purdey said the ability to improve the car park facility will allow the Trust to continue to host two major Victorian golf championships, provide the wider community with a top class facility and also eliminate the annual $2000 cost to grade and re-gravel the car park. 

“We received many knockbacks during the process to seek funding, but would like to thank local Member for Rodney, Paul Weller and his staff for their ongoing support and encouragement to keep going,” Mr Purdey said. 

Mr Weller said the Government had recognised the car park at the site was highly frequented by its four major tenants - the Kyabram Parkland Golf Club, the Kyabram Trotting Club, the Small Bore Rifle Club and the Kyabram Urban Landcare Group - as well as many other local residents. 

“These works will greatly improve the standard and accessibility of the site which attracts more than 19,000 visitors annually and hosts in excess of 170 meetings and events,” he said.

Mr Weller praised the Trust for its ongoing hard work and professionalism in seeking the appropriate funds.

Kyabram Racecourse and Recreation Reserve Trust Chairman, John Elborough  publicly congratulated Parkland Golf Club Treasurer, Glen Smith and Trust Secretary Ian Purdey on their wonderful efforts in putting forward the submission on behalf of the Trust. 

“Funds for the car park works have been provided through the $1 billion Regional Growth Fund’s Putting Locals First Program, a $100 million State Government initiative that enables regional communities to devise and deliver service and infrastructure responses that reflect local priorities,” Mr Weller said. 

National’s Member for Rodney, Paul Weller has announced nine sporting groups from across the Electorate have received funding from the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth).

Grants of up to $2,500 have been awarded to groups in Cohuna, Rushworth, Lancaster, Nathalia, Echuca, Leitchville and Stanhope to help train volunteers and to purchase essential sports equipment for injury prevention and management.

Mr Weller said the funds, provided through the VicHealth Active Clubs Grants program, were designed to get more people in the community physically active and to support smaller regional and rural clubs that often need extra support.

“In Victoria, half of all adults do not get enough exercise. As well as the physical benefits, research also shows that sport builds community pride and loyalty and offers people the chance to get involved, providing them with a positive sense of self-worth,” Mr Weller said.

“Regular physical activity not only protects against many illnesses, it also makes us mentally healthy, alert and resilient against the stresses of modern-day life,” he said.

Across the Rodney Electorate, the Cohuna Pony Club and Golf Club have received VicHealth funds as well as the Nathalia Little Athletics Club and Pony Club.

Other clubs to receive funds include the football and netball club at Rushworth and Lancaster, the Rich River Ram Superules Club at Echuca, the Leitchville Bowls Club and the Stanhope Cricket Club.

This year’s VicHealth grants were prioritised to support people over 60 years, who traditionally have low rates of sports participation, as well as young people aged five to 17 years.

For the first time, 64 sporting clubs across the state received defibrillators to better respond to on-field emergencies.

Mr Weller said the grants were aimed at creating a healthier sporting environment for all people to participate and VicHealth acknowledged the importance of continued funding to all sporting groups across the state.

“The funds allow all our sporting clubs to continue to provide a valuable service in the Rodney Electorate, not just for sport and fitness, but for getting people together as well,” Mr Weller said. 

“The social interaction of sporting groups provides friendship and a strong sense of community, also an important ingredient for good health,” he said.

National’s Member for Rodney, Paul Weller has announced three Rodney Electorate community groups will share $806,185 in Coalition State Government funds for continued environmental works, including close to $90,000 for the Cohuna area.

The Cohuna Neighbourhood House as well as the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority and the Harston Community Landcare Group have all received funds through the Victorian Coalition Government’s $20 million Communities for Nature grants program to carry out on-the-ground environmental works. 

Mr Weller said the Communities for Nature grants program delivers on the Coalition Government’s election commitment to provide practical assistance to local communities so they can continue to improve, protect and conserve our environment.

“I congratulate these three groups and land managers across Victoria for participating in this funding round and for their ongoing hard work in protecting our environment and delivering on-the-ground environmental works,” Mr Weller said. 

The Cohuna Neighbourhood House plans to use its $89,840 to enhance the remnant indigenous vegetation in the Gilrole Park through weed management and various other methods and hopes to increase community understanding of local environmental issues.

Member for Rodney, Paul Weller, said the Kyabram War Memorial would receive $10,000 as part of the latest round of funding from the $240,000 Restoring Community War Memorial Grants program.

The Kyabram RSL Sub-Branch and Club is to receive funding following an announcement of a number of grants across the State by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Hugh Delahunty.

“Our Community War Memorials play an important role in commemorating our locals who served our country in war,” Mr Weller said.

“Grants like these are so important because our war monuments and memorial centres need to be maintained and cared for so that they remain in good condition. They are after all, places where we can remember our war dead and honour those service men and woman who have served our country so valiantly and their condition reflects on the esteem in which we hold those that served,” he said.

The Kyabram RSL Sub-Branch would like to widen the concrete walkway entrance to their Memorial Gardens to allow marching processions to proceed through the intended walkway, to the general memorial area. The Branch would also like to do work on their memorial gates and adjacent brickwork.

Mr Delahunty said the Victorian Government was committed to passing Victoria’s war history to subsequent generations.

“Victorians are rightly proud of the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans and these grants will help keep their memories and stories alive through memorials around our state,” Mr Delahunty said.

“Local war memorials and avenues of honour play an important part in teaching new generations about the role veterans have played in our history Victoria and these grants provide practical support to keep them in good condition.

“By investing in the restoration of war memorials we can ensure our war history continues to be passed on to future generations and the legacy of our servicemen and women is kept alive through memorials around our state,” he said.

Restoring Community War Memorial Grants are available to councils, RSL clubs and community groups and facilities.

“We will continue to work with local governments, key ex-servicemen organisations and community groups to ensure the sacrifice of our veterans is never forgotten, especially in the lead up to the Centenary of ANZAC commemorations,” Mr Delahunty said.

A full list of grant recipients and more information about applying is available at http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/veterans/veterans-heritage/war-memorials/restoring-community-war-memorials

Member for Rodney, Paul Weller, said the Cohuna-Leitchville War Memorial would receive $1,012 as part of the latest round of funding from the $240,000 Restoring Community War Memorial Grants program.

The Cohuna-Leitchville RSL Sub-Branch is to receive funding following an announcement of a number of grants across the State by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Hugh Delahunty.

“Our Community War Memorials play an important role in commemorating our locals who served our country in war,” Mr Weller said.

“Grants like these are so important because our war monuments and memorial centres need to be maintained and cared for so that they remain in good condition. They are after all, places where we can remember our war dead and honour those service men and woman who have served our country so valiantly and their condition reflects on the esteem in which we hold those that served,” he said.

The Cohuna-Leitchville RSL Sub-Branch would like to install a plaque at their Battle of Lone Pine Memorial, which will tell a significant story from the battle at Gallipoli.

Mr Delahunty said the Victorian Government was committed to passing Victoria’s war history to subsequent generations.

“Victorians are rightly proud of the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans and these grants will help keep their memories and stories alive through memorials around our state,” Mr Delahunty said.

“Local war memorials and avenues of honour play an important part in teaching new generations about the role veterans have played in our history Victoria and these grants provide practical support to keep them in good condition.

“By investing in the restoration of war memorials we can ensure our war history continues to be passed on to future generations and the legacy of our servicemen and women is kept alive through memorials around our state,” he said.

Restoring Community War Memorial Grants are available to councils, RSL clubs and community groups and facilities.

“We will continue to work with local governments, key ex-servicemen organisations and community groups to ensure the sacrifice of our veterans is never forgotten, especially in the lead up to the Centenary of ANZAC commemorations,” Mr Delahunty said.

A full list of grant recipients and more information about applying is available at http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/veterans/veterans-heritage/war-memorials/restoring-community-war-memorials

Member for Rodney, Paul Weller, said the Echuca War Memorial would receive $8,820 as part of the latest round of funding from the $240,000 Restoring Community War Memorial Grants program.

The Echuca War Memorial is to receive funding to restore it to its original condition following an announcement of a number of grants across the State by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Hugh Delahunty.

“Our Community War Memorials play an important role in commemorating our locals who served our country in war,” Mr Weller said.

“Grants like these are so important because our war monuments and memorial centres need to be maintained and cared for so that they remain in good condition. They are after all, places where we can remember our war dead and honour those service men and woman who have served our country so valiantly and their condition reflects on the esteem in which we hold those that served,” he said.

The Echuca/Moama RSL Sub-Branch will restore commemorative bronze plaques that require maintenance work and will repair brickwork at the Echuca Cenotaph.

Mr Delahunty said the Victorian Government was committed to passing Victoria’s war history to subsequent generations.

“Victorians are rightly proud of the bravery and sacrifice of our veterans and these grants will help keep their memories and stories alive through memorials around our state,” Mr Delahunty said.

“Local war memorials and avenues of honour play an important part in teaching new generations about the role veterans have played in our history Victoria and these grants provide practical support to keep them in good condition.

“By investing in the restoration of war memorials we can ensure our war history continues to be passed on to future generations and the legacy of our servicemen and women is kept alive through memorials around our state,” he said.

Restoring Community War Memorial Grants are available to councils, RSL clubs and community groups and facilities.

“We will continue to work with local governments, key ex-servicemen organisations and community groups to ensure the sacrifice of our veterans is never forgotten, especially in the lead up to the Centenary of ANZAC commemorations,” Mr Delahunty said.

A full list of grant recipients and more information about applying is available at http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/veterans/veterans-heritage/war-memorials/restoring-community-war-memorials