Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed has commended Arthur Hobson for his dedicated voluntary work at the Shepparton Football Netball Club.

Mr Hobson has today been named the electorate’s Champion of the Code – an honour given to those “behind the scenes”.

“The award aims to highlight the work of the volunteers who spend countless hours at local football clubs, helping to promote the sport in the community,” Ms Sheed said.

As an award recipient, Mr Hobson has been invited to attend a Government House reception on AFL Grand Final Eve, hosted by the Governor of Victoria, the Honourable Linda Dessau.  That will end in time for Mr Hobson to get along to the Grand Final Parade.  He will also have full access to the AFL Grand Final Live Site.

Mr Hobson is among several Champions named across Victoria.

“Arthur does all he can to ensure the success of the senior and junior footballers, as well as the newly launched women’s side,” Ms Sheed said.

“It seems if he’s not at work, he’s at the Shepparton Football Club, seeing what else is needed in preparation for the next event, or cleaning up afterwards.

We are so fortunate to have volunteers of Arthur’s calibre in the electorate.  They are the lifeblood of so many organisations in our community and I commend our volunteers for the work they do,” Ms Sheed said.

COMMENTS FROM ARTHUR HOBSON:

What do the Shepparton Bears mean to you?

“They’re a home away from home, I guess, more than anything.

“Great people, and you know, fun to work with, and be around, and we’ve got so many things happening.

“We’ve entered a women’s team in the Open Age Competition this year, and I sort of championed that a little bit, I suppose.  As well as doing everything else around the place, those girls made a preliminary final in their first season.  Last night they got three of the girls in top ten of the best and fairest.  Seeing those sorts of things happening around you is you know, just continues to fuel the passion I suppose.

“I’ve been involved with, from a senior committee point of view, with the juniors since we merged with Notre Dame three years ago and that also is hugely rewarding.  We had just over 300 people in this room for their presentation night a couple of Fridays ago.  To see 300 people crammed into this room, all with maroon tops on and that is just, it was a sight to behold.

So all those sorts of things just add up to, you want to give a bit more.”

COMMENTS FROM GEOFF O’SULLIVAN

PRESIDENT SHEPPARTON BEARS FOOTBALL NETBALL CLUB:

“Arthur is one of the people that every club would love to have, and we’re very fortunate to have him here, with all his volunteer work.

“He does everything basically.

“At the moment, Arthur acts as our treasurer and also works with Chris “Tractor” Farrell, managing and running the bar, and yeah, many things on the junior committee as well as the senior committee, always here when events are happening, in charge of taking bookings and that sort of stuff for our social room activities, so he’s a man that wears many hats.

Hopefully we can relieve some of the work that he’s got to do, next year, with a few other volunteers putting their hands up.”

 

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Sueanne McCumstie 0428 743 880│sueanne.mccumstie@parliament.vic.gov.au

 

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Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed is calling for immediate investment in Shepparton’s rail network needs, following the announcement yesterday of the sale of the Port of Melbourne.

The lease is valued at more than $9.7bill, with the Andrews Labor Government stating more than $970mill will be invested in regional and rural infrastructure projects, as a result.

 “Now is the opportune time for a major investment in Shepparton’s rail needs.

“We need our line upgraded, and bring Shepparton to the same standard as our regional counterparts.

We will then have the capacity for eight daily return services to Melbourne,” Ms Sheed said.

“Shepparton has been treated as the poor relation for far too long, and each year we fall further behind Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong,” she said.

At the 2011 Census, Seymour had a population of 6,360.

At the same time, the City of Greater Shepparton alone had 60,449, and Ms Sheed said there are many people beyond the council border who travel to Shepparton to use the train service.

“Hume needs a regional centre for its rail service.  That centre should be Shepparton.

With these extra funds from the Port of Melbourne sale, it’s time to make this a reality,” Ms Sheed said.

 

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Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed has supported the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Amendments Bill before Parliament this week, describing it as a “difficult” Bill, raising a complex issue.

The Bill amends the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act of 1996 to enable transgender, gender diverse and intersex adults and children to alter the record of sex in their Victorian birth certificate, without having to undergo sex affirmation surgery.

They also will no longer have to be unmarried at the time.

Ms Sheed said it follows the lead of many amendments, which reflect social and cultural changes, including that of the Family Law Act.

“The inclusion of de facto relationships, and ultimately same-sex relationships falling within the jurisdiction of the Family Court were very significant changes, reflecting changes within the wider society,” Ms Sheed said.

In voting in favour of the Bill, Ms Sheed reflected on media coverage in mid-July, which celebrated Shepparton for its acceptance of transgender teenagers.

“These articles highlighted how supported these teenagers felt in the community.  They said they felt comfortable to be themselves, and LGBT support groups in the region have had a shift from being predominantly gay and lesbian, to having significant number of transgender youth,” Ms Sheed said.

In preparing to speak on the Bill Ms Sheed also spoke with Royal Children’s Hospital gender service team specialist Dr Michelle Telfer.

“She has seen hundreds of young people in her practice, and reiterated how important it is for young people to have their identity acknowledged as being valid and legitimate,” Ms Sheed said.

“When new laws are passed, there are always issues raised about what may arise as a detrimental impact from that law, but we have been moving in a direction of acceptance of diverse gender identities for some time.

“There have been some possible impacts raised in relation to this legislation, particularly arising from the apparent ease with which a nomination of gender can be made, and later changed.

“It can’t be denied that there may be some adverse impacts, and that amending legislation may be required in the future to deal with them.

“In considering this legislation, I reflect on how I would feel to be a mother of young transgender person.

“For so many parents, there must be some pain and grief associated with knowing the difficulties your child will face as a transgender person.

“Acceptance of the circumstances you are faced with as a parent, and the desire, more than anything, for your child to be accepted for who they are, and to not suffer because of who they are, will be a dominating factor,” Ms Sheed said.

 

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Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed says metropolitan media missed the mark, in the lead up to the launch of the Rail Futures report.

“The media focussed entirely on what this report means for metropolitan Melbourne, when at the launch, it was made abundantly clear, that this is a report for regional areas,” Ms Sheed said.

“In launching the report, former deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer spoke about the need to create a rail link to the Melbourne airport.

“However, he said, that need is secondary, to upgrading the services to regional areas.

“Those involved in creating the report highlighted the need to promote living in regional areas, and the ability to do so, through a more efficient public transport network,” Ms Sheed said.

“The report confirms much of what the All Aboard committee has been pushing since its inception – more, faster, and better services.

 “It talks about the need to upgrade the Shepparton-Seymour line to a V/Locity capability, and the need for a passing loop at Murchison.

“It also specifically names Shepparton as the “poor relation”, and how this should no longer be the case, proposing rolling stock and infrastructure improvements as part of Phase 1 of the investment program,” Ms Sheed said.

“It states Shepparton should have eight daily services to Melbourne.

“With upgrades, we should be aiming for 10 daily services.

 “The City is growing, and has the potential for much more growth with a more efficient public transport system.

“La Trobe University is adding more courses to its curriculum as is GoTafe.  With that, we have the potential to attract more students to our region.

“Hopefully the construction of the new Shepparton Art Museum will start soon, with the Federal funding election commitment we had all been waiting on, made by Damian Drum during his campaign.

“The development of the new courthouse is also, well underway and the redevelopment of Goulburn Valley Health is already in the project design phase.

“But we need to have the network to support these fantastic education, tourism and employment opportunities.

“Better public transport creates a two-way street. 

“It not only paves the way for growth in Shepparton, but creates an avenue for Shepparton district residents to better access the city facilities and entertainment.

That access makes regional living much more attractive,” Ms Sheed said.

“I believe this report will help further our All Aboard campaign, and I welcome its release.”

Ms Sheed said the Rail Futures Report will be discussed further at the next All Aboard committee meeting.

 

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Sueanne McCumstie 0428 743 880│sueanne.mccumstie@parliament.vic.gov.au

 

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