Suzanna Sheed
  • Home
  • About
    • About Suzanna
    • Shepparton District
    • How Suzanna can help
  • Priorities
    • Agriculture
    • Education
    • Health
    • Infrastructure
    • Our Achievements
  • News
    • Media Releases
    • Blog
    • Parliament
    • Photos
  • Resources
    • Newsletters
    • Out & About with Suzanna
    • COVID-19
  • Contact
    • Request a
      Congratulatory
      Message
    • Subscribe to our
      newsletter
  • Menu Menu

Shepparton District Arts Program

April 1, 2019/in Parliament

Members statement – 

The Shepparton district is home to a strong program of grassroots arts offerings, and there are currently a number of excellent events happening across the region.

On Friday night it was a great pleasure to attend the Rotary Club of Numurkah art and craft exhibition. This show has been continually growing in the number of exhibits on display, and it attracts artists from across the state to enter the competition.

The Growing Rural Arts in Nathalia (G.R.A.I.N.) Store in Nathalia is another wonderful example of the contribution of our smaller towns to the cultural make-up of our broader community. The current Four Picture Makers exhibition is a showcase of the work of four emerging artists from Victoria’s northern country.

Until this weekend the G.R.A.I.N. Store is also showing an impressive printmaking exhibition of nine Indigenous artists, inspired by last year’s NAIDOC theme, ‘Because of her, we can!’.

Our fabulous Shepparton Festival is also underway until the end of the month and is celebrating its 23rd year by capturing and telling stories from Greater Shepparton’s past and present and forecasting the future of what the region may look like.

The arts have an intrinsic value that contributes to the cultural depth and diversity of life of all Victorians, but too often regional areas are seen as behind the times when it comes to creative industries. I certainly do not believe you can say that about the Shepparton district.

Congratulations to all of those involved in these events. The work you do truly enriches the community we live in.

Click here to view this record on Hansard.

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2019-04-01 05:26:342020-02-07 02:48:17Shepparton District Arts Program

Christchurch attack condolence

April 1, 2019/in Parliament

Condolence motion – It is with great sadness that I rise today to join with others here to express my condolences to the Muslim communities of Christchurch for their terrible loss last Friday.

Our thoughts are with all of them but also with the wider community of Christchurch and all New Zealanders, who must feel the pain of this terrible massacre of innocent men, women and children at prayer.

Here in Australia we also feel the deep sadness that inevitably follows such a shocking event. Our strong connection to New Zealand makes us feel this even more acutely.

To our own Muslim communities here in Australia, especially the Muslim community in my electorate of Shepparton district: today I stand with you and share your grief also.

Shepparton district’s Muslim population is the largest in regional Victoria. Our Muslim community is a century old, its roots established in the early 20th century with the migration of Albanian farm workers. In the decades since, our community has become home to a broad representation of Islamic communities, both those who have migrated there by choice and those who have sought refuge from terrors in their own homelands.

The first mosque in Victoria was opened by our Albanian community in 1960. We have a sizeable Turkish community, which has also built its own mosque in Mooroopna. The imam there delivers sermons in Turkish, Arabic and English, just to be more inclusive.

During the 1990s and the first decade of this century we saw many Iraqi people arrive to forge new lives in this region. Their mosque was built about 10 years ago, and their first-generation Iraqi-Australians are leaders in reaching out to bridge the gap with our non-Muslim population.

More recently we have been joined by migrants from several African countries, those from Syria and Afghani refugees, the latter of whom built their own mosque in 2014. The mosques are well used and regularly opened to the broader community with tours and information sessions. Last year a grassroots group launched a ‘Speed Date a Muslim’ event to bring our communities closer and foster a stronger shared understanding. While this might seem trivial, let me say that it was fun; we laughed and we learned from each other.

I do not share this information with you today to put Shepparton on a pedestal. I share this to highlight that in our community, and elsewhere across Australia and New Zealand, we live side by side in harmony, without divide. We can do that, and we do.

The Shepparton Festival opened last Friday night, and the mayor called for 1 minute’s silence. Everyone stood silently. On Saturday night the first event of the Shepparton Festival was the Converge on the Goulburn festival on the lake, which brings out the whole community. It brings everyone together. Again, it was a very happy time, with a sharing of food, a sharing of festival, a sharing of fun, but there was also a deep sadness underlying it last Saturday night.

I congratulate all the governments, past and present, who have invested in opportunities in our regional areas to bring together our communities in a multicultural way, because without that we would not necessarily get out and do the things that we do, put out our hand to newcomers.

There is no doubt that there are challenges with this, but it has really proven to be something that has been very valuable to our community, and it continues to develop a deeper understanding and stronger connections between us.

In Shepparton on Friday I will be visiting the Albanian Islamic centre after afternoon prayers. An open invitation has gone out to the broader Shepparton community, and I am sure there will be a strong showing of support. We will stand in solidarity with our Muslim friends and neighbours and honour the memory of those who were taken so violently.

Click here to view this record on Hansard.

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2019-04-01 05:24:312020-02-07 02:48:15Christchurch attack condolence

Freight rail planning

April 1, 2019/in Parliament

Adjournment – 

My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Ports and Freight, and the action I seek is that she update my electorate on the progress of planning works that are underway to deliver the Shepparton rail line freight upgrade.

Minister, in September last year the state and federal governments announced $10 million of funding from the Victorian regional rail revival package to improve the capacity and efficiency of rail freight from the Goulburn Valley. T

he Victorian government committed $900 000 of that funding to undertake planning works that would investigate rail infrastructure improvements in light of the coming higher frequency passenger services and to determine the future demand for freight services, taking into account the significant growth in agricultural industries in the region.

The Shepparton district is the food bowl of Victoria. We have always been a creative, industrious and self-starting community at the forefront of global food production.

It is worth noting the significance of the annual production and why this is one of the most productive and intensely farmed areas in Australia. The region produces close to 25 per cent of the total value of Victoria’s agricultural production. Our irrigated landscape produces the vast majority of the nation’s fruit production per category, including 86 per cent of Australian pears, 28 per cent of the nation’s apple harvest and 70 per cent of the national peach crop, which you could have tasted from a box outside my office today.

The Murray dairy region is Australia’s largest milk producer. We are also a centre for transport logistics and have one of the highest concentrations of food processing firms in rural Australia, being the home to major companies such as Fonterra, Nestle, Unilever, Bega and of course SPC, to highlight but a few.

Our produce is sought after worldwide as a result of its clean, green reputation, and improved freight access to port would be a tremendous boost to securing our ongoing prosperity.

Minister, the planning work to improve our freight capacity was expected to be completed by early 2019.

Given we are about to enter the second quarter of the year, I would ask for an update for my electorate on the progress of these works.

Click here to view this record on Hansard.

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2019-04-01 05:22:482020-02-07 02:48:15Freight rail planning

Strathmerton traffic concerns

April 1, 2019/in Parliament

Constituency question –

This constituency question is for the Minister for Roads in the other place.

Minister, can you please advise what plans you have to improve the safety of the Strathmerton community and reduce the speed limit along the stretch of the Murray Valley Highway that goes through their town.

 

Concerns have been repeatedly raised with me about the need to reduce the speed limit through the township from 80 kilometres per hour to 60 kilometres per hour.

In November 2017 I raised this issue with the then Minister for Roads and Road Safety and was informed that a traffic island was being built to improve pedestrian safety and an assessment of traffic conditions would be completed by VicRoads.

Fifteen months later, and with reports of several troubling near misses, action on this seems to have stalled. T

he Murray Valley Highway is a major transport thoroughfare, with trucks going through day and night.

One possible solution is to reduce the speed limit between the hours of 8.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. to 60 kilometres per hour, with 80 kilometres per hour being the speed limit overnight.

I understand such a change is largely supported by the community, council and local trucking businesses.

Click here to view this record on Hansard.

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2019-04-01 05:21:102020-02-07 02:48:13Strathmerton traffic concerns

West Gate Tunnel Bill 2019

April 1, 2019/in Parliament

I rise to make a contribution on the West Gate Tunnel (Truck Ban and Traffic Management) Bill 2019. I note that this project is really already underway and that this bill establishes the framework for tolling and operation of the West Gate Tunnel. It provides for truck bans to be declared and it also establishes the Better Freight Outcomes Fund. It introduces a range of reforms in relation to tolling enforcement, which I note are quite a substantial part of the bill, and some of these arise from recommendations around community disadvantage, hardship and family violence.

After consideration of the issues, I have taken the view that I support this bill. While this tunnel is unlikely to directly affect my constituents or me as we travel from the north of the state, it will no doubt have a significant impact on those travelling from the west. From my observations these major road projects have provided a significant benefit to our communities already, and quite broadly across the state. These are projects which go way back in time, to the duplication of the Hume Highway, the Craigieburn bypass and, more recently, the adding of the additional lanes to the Tullamarine Freeway. These are all things that have really added very much to the amenity of our community. For those of us who travel from the north of the state, they have sped up travel times and provided a much safer and better route for all of us. Projects such as these are, I think, not only important for people’s day-to-day convenience but also very important for the economy of the state.

The Shepparton district is in the heart of the food bowl of the Goulburn Valley of Victoria. Much of our produce is moved on a daily basis to the port of Melbourne and into local markets. Good roads—safe roads—that increase speed and accessibility are essential. The port of Melbourne is a pivotal place for so many of those who are in our agricultural and horticultural industries in the Goulburn Valley. I recall back in 2015, when the lease of the port of Melbourne went through, that there was a sum of $200 million placed in an agricultural infrastructure and jobs fund for rural and regional projects. That money came from the lease of the port. Those funds no doubt have been spread across the state to some extent, but one of the benefits that has been rolling out in our region has been improved accessibility for high-productivity freight vehicles at higher mass limits. Changes made to a range of bridges along the route that allow for those heavier, bigger trucks to travel from their point of origin to their destination at the port have been a really important feature of the funding that came from that project.

The Shepparton bypass is a major project that I have talked about a number of times in this Parliament. It is a very large project and is effectively an extension of the duplication of the Goulburn Valley Highway, which takes off just near Seymour. The end result is to have duplication of that highway all the way to the border at Tocumwal. It is finished at Arcadia. The last step that was done was the Numurkah bypass. There is a significant amount left to be done, and the Shepparton bypass is the next piece of the jigsaw. It is a project that is probably worth over $1 billion to get done.

At this point in time, and also because it is to be a federally funded project, the project has been broken down into parts. The really pivotal part of it at the moment is to get a connection from the Midland Highway at Mooroopna—a second river crossing north of the current one so that it joins the Goulburn Valley Highway again as it travels north. That is a major project that will have a very significant impact on the amenity of so many people in so many ways. First of all, at the moment we have so many trucks thundering down McLennan Street, Mooroopna, across the causeway—which is the only major crossing between Mooroopna and Shepparton; it crosses the Goulburn River—and then down the main street of Shepparton, past our new five-storey courthouse and all the way down. It has created a situation where businesses are unwilling to be in that thoroughfare. It is a danger to pedestrians. It is noisy, and it has generally become quite unattractive. T

here is a real desire to see that stage of the bypass progress. These sorts of things make a lot of difference, not only to the movement of product—especially in a regional area like ours—from one place to the other, very often also going north as well as coming from the south, but also to getting those trucks out of the main streets and out of our town, which is really important too. We cannot help but to have some sympathy for the people of the west in Melbourne, who have that problem themselves. These projects do provide an opportunity to improve people’s lives in a really practical way.

Major projects are important. In the Shepparton region we have seen a situation where for so many years we were neglected. There were so many projects that the community was calling for, but they were not getting up. The start of stage 1 of Goulburn Valley Health is now underway. There is a huge crane in the sky. It is just so pleasing to see that work underway. We have got the Shepparton Art Museum just about to be started on the banks of Lake Victoria. We have the Shepparton education plan, which is partly funded and I hope will continue to be funded, which will roll out a completely new single secondary college within the Shepparton district, comprising nine schools and 300 children at each campus. These are all things that represent very significant progress to our community and which we hope will help grow our community to make it an attractive destination, particularly for people to grow industries.

One of the biggest problems in our region is recruitment of professional and trained people to fill so many of the positions that exist in our community—in our food processing industry, in our hospitals and in our educational and other areas. It is very important that regional cities and towns have the services they need if they are to be able to attract people. That sort of development has been pivotal to Shepparton. I think there is a lot to be said about progress, and the infrastructure spending that is taking place in this state at the moment is benefiting my community to a very significant extent. I see very little option but for more of these projects to take place. When we live in a state such as Victoria—especially with a city such as Melbourne, which is such a highly urbanised part of the state where the population is growing at such a rate—it is incumbent upon governments to be busy, to be rolling out projects, to be funding these infrastructure projects and to be providing all of our communities with what they need to be able to go about their day-to-day lives.

Click here to view this record on Hansard.

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2019-04-01 05:17:152020-02-07 02:48:12West Gate Tunnel Bill 2019

Shepparton Education Plan

April 1, 2019/in Parliament

Members Statement –

The recently released Brotherhood of St Laurence report labelled the wider Shepparton region as having the second-highest youth unemployment rate in Victoria. 

While these figures have fluctuated over the years, it remains a serious concern to our local community that we have many young unemployed people.

There are many initiatives underway within our community to address disadvantage and try to tackle the problem of intergenerational unemployment.

I have spoken on the issue of educational disadvantage in rural areas a number of times since being in this place, pointing to the falling enrollment rates across our local secondary colleges and the fact that enrollments in the local private schools have increased significantly.

In early 2017 the Minister for Education announced there would be a Shepparton Education Plan, and this has now started and is underway. A site has been selected. Nine schools will be built on the site of the Shepparton High School. Each school will have 300 students in it. There will be a performing arts centre and STEM.

All these opportunities are now underway, but this will require continuing major commitment from the government. Only $20.5 million has been allocated so far.

So, Treasurer, while your own election promises are front of mind, I call on you to not forget the Shepparton Education Plan when preparing the forthcoming budget.

Funding to proceed with the plan and provide great opportunities for young people in our region must not fall off the radar and will be dependent upon your generous consideration.

 

Click here to view this record on Hansard.

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2019-04-01 05:14:262020-02-07 02:48:09Shepparton Education Plan

59th Parliament – Address in reply

April 1, 2019/in Parliament

It gives me great pleasure to rise today to speak on the address-in-reply to the Governor’s speech.

The overall plan of the Andrews Labor government over the next four years was well articulated by the Governor in delivering her speech. I will speak to a number of those government agendas later on and about the range of goals and challenges that my electorate faces, but firstly I would like to say how delighted I am to have been re-elected to represent the Shepparton district.

I thank all those who supported my campaign, all those who advised me and did so much work and all those volunteers who undertook so many tasks, including manning every polling booth throughout the district on election day. There were so many difficult days at pre-poll, with weather ranging from 40 degrees plus to cold and wet on other days. The election was quite a surprising one for me.

When I stood in 2014 nobody saw me coming. It was a very short election. I was not taken seriously, and it was a bit of a surprise. This time around everyone saw me coming and there were many candidates. We had the National Party standing again, the Liberal Party, a Labor candidate, the Greens and various others who stood in the electorate. I have to say it was great to see so much competition.

I think it is fair to say that one of the real takeaways for me in the election was that in my electorate people wanted positivity. They wanted a positive campaign. In the face of very negative advertising on television and negative advertising in newspapers particularly focusing on the Shepparton education plan—a plan that this government has really stood up and pulled together for our electorate in the face of circumstances where we have four secondary colleges in Shepparton and Mooroopna that have been under-performing for a variety of reasons and not able to deliver the standard of education that young people in my region deserve—it was incredibly disappointing to see that issue used in such a negative way. But can I say that I take it as an absolute endorsement for the future of the Shepparton education plan that I was re-elected with an increased majority, given that was a major issue.

There were other negative aspects to the campaign that were used, but I have to say again that I think the fact that people wanted to see positivity, they wanted to see a vision and they wanted to see why you are there and what you want to achieve, was just such a wonderful thing really. It sort of restores your faith in human nature and to some degree in democracy and politics because people are really wanting to go forward. They are not wanting to immerse themselves in a lot of negativity, so it was a hard-fought campaign but one that I certainly learned a lot through.

The Labor candidate, Bill Heath, was an outstanding performer at pre-poll and everywhere else, with all his children lined up handing out for him. I would have to say that those young people are probably future politicians, presumably for the Labor Party.

Nickee Freeman for the Greens was an enthusiastic and wonderful member of the campaign team too. I congratulate everyone for their efforts, and indeed the Liberal candidate put up a really good showing. Unfortunately for the National Party theirs was not as good, and in fact they had a reduced result.

Let me say that it is my intention to do my very best to live up to the expectations of the Shepparton district electorate. I want to continue to achieve really important goals for our region and more particularly to ensure that we have a voice that is heard by the Victorian government and the Victorian Parliament.

I regard it as a great privilege to have been re-elected with that increased majority. I take my responsibilities seriously. In my speech on election night I said that as an Independent I regard the community as my party, and it is the community that I listen to, that I consult with and that help me to form my views on issues that I raise in this place. There were many issues that I raised when I first came to this place. The Shepparton district had been neglected for a long time. There had been a lack of investment over a very long period.

The four main issues that I came with and on which I stood were, first, better passenger rail services for the Shepparton district. The trip to Melbourne—a long-haul trip from Shepparton through Seymour to Melbourne—has been a fairly tragic circumstance for a very long time, but I am very pleased to say that during the last four years we achieved an investment of $356 million over two budgets to achieve massive works on the Shepparton to Seymour part of the line. That will involve new track work, passing loops, extended platforms and stabling at the Shepparton station. All these things will get us to a point where we will—and we have a commitment from the government—be ready for VLocity trains and up to nine services a day. So it is very pleasing that I have been able to persuade the government to invest in the Shepparton district in that way in relation to public transport. Another big issue was the Shepparton bypass. That continues to be an issue.

The Shepparton bypass is part of the greater duplication of the Goulburn Valley Highway, where it takes off from the Hume Highway up to the Victorian border at Tocumwal. The Shepparton bypass is the next stage of that development, and it has been on the agenda for well over 10 years. It is a $1 billion-plus project. It is obviously a federal and state responsibility, but we got funding two years ago in the state budget for a business case and some early works, and I am very disappointed to say that after that amount of time we still have not seen a business case. We are going into budget time in the state, we are going into a federal election and we do not have that important business case that gives us the opportunity to leverage and advocate for the Shepparton bypass. I urged the government in my adjournment speech just last night to get to work on whatever needs to be done to make that happen.

Goulburn Valley Health is our major regional hospital. It is a hospital that serves southern New South Wales and a large part of northern Victoria in the area that my electorate occupies. It had been underfunded for many years. There had been master plan after master plan but no action in relation to getting the work done that was needed. I am pleased to say that the first stage of Goulburn Valley Health was funded in the second budget in the last government. Now $170 million has led to two huge cranes presently in the sky in Shepparton, which is fantastic to see. The first tower is going to be rising out of the ground very soon. The emergency department is currently being extended. The new dialysis unit is just about built. It is truly a wonderful thing to see that happen, but of course we always want more.

The second stage is an even bigger stage, and it incorporates a cancer centre. We are one of the few regional centres in Victoria that does not have its own regional cancer centre. We have some oncology chairs. We can get treatment for oncology there. We have to travel for any radiotherapy. We have to go to Bendigo, Albury or Melbourne, and for people who are unwell to have to get in a car and travel long distances just for a short amount of treatment and then travel home feeling unwell, it really is a burden that the isolation of country living imposes on them, and this is an opportunity for this government to address that. So the second stage of Goulburn Valley Health still requires a whole lot of other parts of the hospital to be developed. The first stage is only about half of it, and the next stage is equally important and incorporates a lot of other aspects and services and the cancer centre.

We need a mother-baby unit in Shepparton. There is no doubt that we have seen a lot of investment in early childhood during the past four years in a whole range of areas, and certainly in education and early childhood our Shepparton education plan is providing an early childhood integrated hub at the Mooroopna Primary School, but we have significant disadvantage in our region, and to address that we need to be able to provide facilities for young parents when they leave hospital. These days when you go to hospital and have a baby you are likely to be out within 24 or 48 hours. In my day you had the luxury of a week, and in my mother’s day they put you to bed for six weeks—amazing!—but things have certainly changed. When you were in hospital a bit longer, you were given a lot of opportunity to develop your connection with your baby, to learn to do a whole range of things, including promoting breastfeeding. Now we have some of the lowest rates of breastfeeding in Victoria in our region and we have high rates of teenage pregnancy. Our need for a mother-baby unit is critical, and I do hope that throughout the course of the next four years we are successful in achieving that goal.

In relation to education—this is such an opportunity for me to go on at length about many of the things we need in our district, and I cannot help but absolutely do that—we recently had a motor vehicle accident outside the Kialla West Primary School. It is on the major highway into town. The Minister for Education, who is at the table, came with me and visited the school and is aware of the issue. Studies have shown that probably the only way to address the problem is with an underpass, and I call on the government to look closely at this issue and how we might be able to advance a safe crossing for children. It is on a major highway, with trucks going up and down—it is the main route to Sydney and Brisbane. It is an unusual place for a school in a way, but it is there, it has grown up there, and we do need to do something about it.

My long‑suffering husband is a 40 years‑plus paediatrician in Shepparton. When he started out there he was on one in two weekends, one in two nights. It has been a very long, hard journey, and I have to say that at this point in his life I have just made his life a whole lot harder by coming to Parliament. I think some of the things he was expecting to do have been turned on their head by that. He continues to work in the neighbourhood schools, at the Rumbalara Aboriginal community health service, as a paediatrician, providing services to those groups in particular.

He has identified, as have the principals of the primary schools in our region, that we need to address the needs of children who have suffered various forms of trauma. The Neighbourhood Schools project has done that. It has been about 60 per cent funded through the school equity funding that came through during the last budget, but it is an opportunity to have trained therapists in the schools who work with those children. A recent article in the Guardian really set out very nicely how important that therapeutic work is in the schools and how well young people respond to it.

We face many challenges in the Shepparton region, and not the least of those is drought. At the moment, while we are not a drought‑declared area, we have absolutely got drought conditions. I am pleased to say that in discussions with the government there are plans, hopefully being put in place, that will lead to some alleviation of the stress associated with that. During the past four years we have been able to maintain an excellent relationship with the Minister for Water in relation to water issues, and I congratulate her on her holding onto this portfolio. I do not know whether anyone else wanted it, Minister, but we are very grateful that you have such a good knowledge of water, that you understand the Murray‑Darling Basin plan and that you are so supportive of irrigators in our north.

The situation brought about by the water shortage is something that everybody is talking about at the moment, and I have to say it is a real concern to us that there are not knee‑jerk reactions in relation to this. To propose that there suddenly be changes to a plan that is now well underway, where Victoria has largely delivered what it needs to deliver, is really very concerning. Lifting the cap, increasing the take—these are not things that should be looked at lightly, and they simply should not be done. It is a difficult situation for a state Labor government, I am sure, to have to deal with a federal government that might see things differently, but I would urge the Victorian government to maintain its strong position on the Murray‑Darling Basin plan and the steps that have been taken so far.

We live in a very diverse community, a multicultural community. We have the highest Indigenous population outside of Melbourne. The challenges that we face I think we face very well. We have community coming together to work together to try to find solutions, and I hope to continue to work with this government to achieve even more.

Click here to view this record on Hansard.

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2019-04-01 05:02:112020-02-07 02:48:0759th Parliament – Address in reply

Politicisation of water damaging for community

April 1, 2019/in Media Releases

Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed says she is disappointed to see the Murray Darling Basin Plan being used for political point scoring in the lead up to this year’s federal election.

Ms Sheed said the agreement reached at last December’s meeting of Basin water ministers to define a robust socio-economic test for the recovery of an additional 450GL of water from productive agriculture was too important to Victorian farmers to be tossed aside for electoral advantage by the Federal Labor Party.

“The Murray Darling Basin is facing serious ongoing challenges, but they must be dealt with by a considered, evidence-based approach that reflects the reality on the ground, not the political climate,” Ms Sheed said.

“It is clear that there are steps required to address the terrible impact on the Darling River and the Menindee Lakes, but it is the Northern Basin which must address these issues.

“The Southern Basin, and in particular Victorian farmers, have already done the heavy lifting, returning the majority of water required for the benefit of the environment.

“Unfortunately this has not only caused considerable harm to the social and economic fabric of our farming communities which is continuing but evidence is also emerging that the high flows associated with sending additional water downstream is inflicting concerning damage to river environments in our own state.”

Ms Sheed said it beggared belief that while farmers in the eastern Basin States were already facing challenging drought conditions, politicians would seek to compound their angst.

“We’re facing the worst natural drought since the Millennium Drought and this is only being made worse by the man-made drought caused by water leaving the region under the Murray Darling Basin Plan,” Ms Sheed said.

“For Shadow Water Minister Tony Burke to talk about repealing the cap on water buybacks and trying to overrule an agreement signed by all Basin Plan members just weeks out from a federal election shows such blatant disregard for the plight of farmers who are struggling to simply make ends meet.

“This continued uncertainty is so damaging to our communities, but Basin Plan amendments require agreement by all member states and we will continue to fight to ensure our regions are protected from any further loss of water and that environmental water is put to its best use.”

 

ENDS

Media contact

Riahn Smith 0419 138 978│riahn.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au

Click here for PDF version.

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2019-04-01 04:58:042020-02-07 02:45:59Politicisation of water damaging for community

Water boost welcome but more action needed

April 1, 2019/in Media Releases

Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed has welcomed additional water being made available to struggling northern Victorian farmers and is calling on other water organisations to do their part.

Ms Sheed urged Goulburn Murray Irrigation District (GMID) farmers to take advantage of the 14GL of water being reallocated from the Connections Project to help them tackle the continued dry conditions in the region.

“In an ideal world, given the water has come out of the GMID system it would be returned to GMID irrigators and not the broader northern Victorian water market, but getting any water back into the system is a positive outcome for our farmers,” Ms Sheed said.

“I understand an extra 75GL from Melbourne water corporations and 10GL from the Victorian Environmental Water Holder will also be made available in small bundles which will hopefully result in as many people as possible being able to buy more water.”

Ms Sheed said the region’s food producers were at a crossroads and that it was time for the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder to show its support.

“The GMID has already lost almost a third of its dairy farmers in the past two decades due to drought, high water prices and industry challenges and forecasts suggest we’ll lose even more by the end of the year if farmers aren’t given the help they need,” Ms Sheed said.

“Losing dairy puts our irrigated horticulture at risk and the impact of that on both the state’s economy and our access to high-quality, locally grown produce would be devastating.

“The Commonwealth holds a huge amount of water in storage and I would urge the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder to follow its Victorian counterpart and put some extra water on the market.”

 

ENDS

Media contact

Riahn Smith 0419 138 978│riahn.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au

Click here for PDF version.

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2019-04-01 04:55:422020-02-07 02:45:57Water boost welcome but more action needed

Freight rail upgrades must stay on agenda

April 1, 2019/in Media Releases

Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed has called on the Victorian Government to release plans for freight rail upgrades in the region.

Ms Sheed raised the issue in Parliament on Tuesday, prior to a meeting with the Minister for Ports and Freight, and said timely freight improvement works to the line connecting Southern NSW through Shepparton to the Port of Melbourne would be integral to the region’s future prosperity.

“In September last year the State and Federal Governments announced $10m of funding from the Victorian Regional Rail Revival Package to improve the capacity and efficiency of rail freight from the Goulburn Valley,” Ms Sheed said.

“$900,000 of that funding was committed by the Victorian Government to undertake planning works that would determine the future demand for freight services taking into account both the significant growth in agricultural industries in the region and the coming increase in passenger rail services.

“This planning work was expected to be completed in early 2019 and given we’re about to enter the second quarter of the year I have asked the Minister to provide an update on the progress of these works.”

During the meeting, Ms Sheed and Minister Horne also discussed the Shepparton District bus network and the current upgrades to the Shepparton train line.

“Given Minister Horne is also responsible for the Public Transport portfolio, it was an opportune time to invite her to the visit the region and update her personally on our transport needs,” Ms Sheed said.

“We are well overdue for a review of our bus system and we need to keep talking to the Government to ensure our rail transport needs are met.

“I have asked the Minister to investigate a number our region’s transport priorities and I look forward to progressing these projects as we move forward.”

 

ENDS

Media contact

Riahn Smith 0419 138 978│riahn.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au

Click here for PDF version.

https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/default-post-image.jpg 240 330 Suzanna Sheed https://suzannasheed.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Sheed-Logo-V2.png Suzanna Sheed2019-04-01 04:53:542020-02-07 02:45:56Freight rail upgrades must stay on agenda
Page 1 of 212

Pages

  • About Suzanna
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • COVID-19
  • Get Involved
  • Home
  • How Suzanna can help
  • Media Releases
  • News
  • Newsletters
  • Our Achievements
  • Our Vision
  • Out & About with Suzanna
  • Parliament
  • Photos
  • Request A Congratulatory Message
  • Shepparton District
  • Subscribe to our newsletter

Categories

  • Blog
  • Latest News
  • Media Releases
  • Newsletters
  • Parliament
  • Uncategorized

Archive

  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • February 2019
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015

Get in touch with Suzanna

Share this page and show your support.

Subscribe

5 Vaughan Street, Shepparton
T 03 5831 6944
E suzanna.sheed@parliament.vic.gov.au

Keep up-to-date.
Follow us on social media.

Get in touch with Suzanna

Share this page and show your support.

5 Vaughan Street, Shepparton
T 03 5831 6944   F 03 5831 6836
E suzanna.sheed@parliament.vic.gov.au

Keep up-to-date.
Follow us on social media.

Scroll to top
Subscribe to our newsletter