BHS the ideal provider for Meals on Wheels service
THE City of Ballarat has continually underfunded their Home and Community Care (HACC) program and the revelation that Meals on Wheels (a related service) is to be outsourced to a Dandenong business is baffling and damaging to our local economy.
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Thousands of meals are delivered to elderly and disabled people every week in our region, and Ballarat Health Services deserve a continuation of the contract they've held since 1969. There is no logical explanation why the 'I Cook Catering Service' will now take the helm of this service.
General manager for people and communities, Neville Ivey, boldly claims awarding the tender was a transparent process, yet we, the Ballarat community were never asked whether we wanted job losses, outsourced programs and above all, more waste.
Council officers visited 'every' applicant for the Meals on Wheels tender (from all parts of Victoria) and it's the ratepayer who foot the bill for these unnecessary travel expenses. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and BHS was (and is) perfectly well-placed to provide the Meals on Wheels service.
Shame on Mr Ivey and our councillors who continually rubber-stamp these decisions in direct defiance of community consultation and the will of the people. We must petition council to reverse this shambolic decision, to save local jobs and stimulate our sluggish regional economy.
- Rob Edward Smith, North Ward candidate
No more scaremongering over wind turbines
AUSTRALIA is a vast country encompassing numerous climate zones.
The variability of wind and solar is easily catered for by not arbitrarily building energy boundaries at state borders. Therefore, who can’t help but be appalled by the opportunists who attempt to reignite fear of the widely ridiculed 'wind turbine syndrome' at this crucial time.
The states have some work to do to smooth out the bumps in the road to a sustainable electricity grid, but I think we have all had enough scaremongering to last us an eternity.
– James Hockey, Clunes
Regions a blind spot when it comes to growth
MANAGING population growth is one of the biggest challenges and opportunities we face in Victoria.
Up to 10 million residents could call our state home by 2051, with much of that growth - about 80 per cent - expected to be in greater Melbourne.
The Nationals believe our future prosperity depends on developing the whole of the state. It can't just be about Melbourne, and to a lesser extent, Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong.
Disappointingly, growing regional Victoria is a blind spot for this city-centric Labor government.
Each year, our state grows by about 100,000 people, but just eight per cent of that growth is in regional Victoria. It has forced us into the position of severe decline in some regional areas, while Melbourne is bursting at the seams.
If Daniel Andrews spent more time beyond Melbourne's tram tracks, he would discover endless opportunities; a high quality of life, a loyal workforce with low rates of absenteeism and people who are genuinely committed to the future prosperity of their community.
The Liberal-Nationals Coalition is strongly focused on managing Victoria's growing population. We established a Victorian Population Taskforce in April to investigate this important issue.
The sad reality is that the further you live from Melbourne, the less you get from this government. Only the Liberal-Nationals Coalition is planning for the future of regional Victoria.
- Peter Walsh MP, The Nationals leader
