2QN/Classic Rock Regional News Headlines 3 September
September 3rd, 2009 at 10:32am
Penny Wong has received a mixed reaction to her whirlwind visit to Deniliquin yesterday.
The federal minister for climate change and water was in town to announce one and a half million dollars in funding to assess the impact of climate change on groundwater, and to seek ideas from government bodies and water providers on ways to save water.
Ms. Wong says the federal government wants to help communities adjust to having less water and denied that the region is being targeted in the water buyback scheme.
Ms. Wong was confronted by a small group of angry residents demanding answers at her press conference outside the Deni info centre yesterday, although answers did not appear to be immediately forthcoming.
While Ms. Wong was here, she met with Murray Irrigation Limited, Southern Riverina Irrigators and the Mayors of Deniliquin, Wakool, Jerilderie and Berrigan, and a representative from RAMROC.
Deniliquin Mayor Lindsay Renwick says that Penny Wong’s visit is a plus for the region, whilst RAMROC chairman and Mayor of Jerilderie Terry Hogan says the meeting was about opening the doors of communication, and that Ms. Wong was willing to listen to their concerns.
However the reaction from those who were not able to get a meeting with Ms. Wong during her few hours in Deni was less favourable.
Lester Wheatley, Chairman of the Murray Valley Community Action Group says it’s typical of Ms. Wong to come to town, meet with only a handful of people and only take questions on notice.
And Federal Member for Murray, Dr. Sharman Stone, was also disappointed that Ms. Wong was only here for a very short time.
When asked, Ms. Wong refused to commit to a future public forum, however did express an interest in ongoing consultation.
In other news,
Member for Rodney Paul Weller has seized on the “10/30 right” vegetation removal bushfire policy announced by the Victorian Government on Monday, to request an extension to the policy allowing for the removal of firewood from the Barmah Forest before fuel reduction burns.
The Federal government has announced the amount that it will give to local councils this financial year through the Financial Assistance Grants program.
New South Wales councils will share in 605 million dollars and Victorian councils will share in 452 million dollars, which equates to about 87 dollars per person in New South Wales, and 85 dollars per person in Victoria.
Students at eleven primary schools within the Murray Irrigation area of operation will be painting life-size fibreglass cows in the coming weeks, as part of a program run by Dairy Australia to educate students about the dairy industry.
In Deni Ladies Basketball, the Gulpa Coachies defeated the Book Club 43 to 23, the Demons had a naroow 30 to 27 victory over Deni Sports, and the Rams defeated Bek’s Country Wear 43 to 36.
And Deniliquin member Tim Maher won all three events at the Mathoura Gun Club’s August shoot.
Samuel
Entry Filed under: General News
1 Comment
1. nbrettoner | September 4th, 2009 at 6:17 am
So then, let’s see:-
__Ms Wong’s ‘touch-and-go’ whiz-in went in a blink of an eye, as scripted.
__It would appear that the forest industry’s lifeblood, which imho has been responsibly taken care of (by that industry) over many years, having been ‘saved’ by green? urbanites is to be ….
destroyed by fire!?!??.
ie We the taxpayers now pay the Government to burn it in situ, instead of being able to cook, heat our homes & water with it, & provide dozens of jobs & sustain an ecology & industry that has gone on successfully for decades?.
__The Government’s slap in the face to the rural sector is to give them fibreglass cows to paint. In remembrance of a once thriving vibrant educational broad-acre campus?. Which they closed. Gee that’s really going to ‘educate’ our kids, eh?.
(No I haven’t had those two lemons for breakfast, nor do I ‘need’ to. After reading this news).
Apologies for being a grumpy old man, saddened by the continuing attacks on the rural sectors, & their communities.
Good morning! (smile)