Wednesday, 29 July 2026

 Annabelle CLEELAND (Euroa) (10:41): After months of Labor infighting Victorians have watched one Premier rolled and another installed, but changing the person at the top means nothing if the same government continues to ignore regional Victorians. During the winter break I welcomed Leader of the Opposition Jess Wilson and Leader of the Nationals Danny O’Brien to the region for our Fresh Start tour. We visited Kestrel Aviation, Creightons Creek CFA, the Longwood Avenel footy club and the White Hart pub, and everywhere we went people raised the same concerns: crumbling roads, cost of living, unreliable power and community safety.

Nowhere was that clearer than Strathbogie, where I walked through the January bushfire response with CFA group officer David Hamilton. During one of the state’s most dangerous fire periods the town lost power, phone reception and CFA radio at once. It literally ran out of water when the Longwood bushfire was just 2 kilometres away from the township. Volunteers operate from a CFA shed that has poor power, no water and no toilet. It is not OH&S-compliant and borrows Di’s garage next door to house a vehicle. The bushfire inquiry already told Labor what it needs to change to properly fund our CFA, but it continues to ignore it.

Those conversations continued during Australian Hotels Association Victoria Mates Day visits at Toolleen pub, Seven Creeks and the Northo. Our country pubs are being crippled by the 70 new or increased taxes that Labor has introduced, so if you can, get out and support our pubs, buy a meal and have a great day with your mate, because they are being crippled by the Labor government.