Media Releases

I congratulate the many Victorians who have been awarded Australia Day Honours today.  As The Prime Minister stated in his special Australia Day message, “Our achievements are the product of perseverance, passion, respect and struggle. But we would have it no other way because we love this land, in all its beauty and terror, in all its riches and blessings.” Australia Day Honours recognise the incredible achievements and service of others.  I warmly congratulate and pay tribute to the following local residents.  Mr Read more…

I welcome the announcement that artists and arts workers in regional, rural and remote Australia are invited to apply for a National Regional Arts Fellowship to support their practice. The central themes of this year’s program reflects the drought and bushfires. Three Fellowships of up to $20,000 and two of up to $10,000 are available through Regional Arts Australia and provide a secure, short-term wage for artists or arts workers that allows them to develop their individual practice and career Read more…

More mental health support is available for children attending early childhood education and care services and school students in bushfire-declared communities. The Morrison Liberal Government will provide a further $8 million for mental health support through Beyond Blue to fund an extra 25 Beyond Blue liaison officers and support clinicians to work with local schools and early childhood services in bushfire-affected communities. It’s incredibly important we focus on the mental wellbeing of our communities, especially our youngest. Our Government is Read more…

The lack of adequate management of the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve poses a considerable bushfire risk and immediate action is required. I call on the State Labor Government and local MP Lisa Neville to take immediate action to remove all of the debris in the Reserve including the dead trees.  The Reserve is inundated with an enormous volume of fallen timber and branches which litter the entirety of the 143 hectare Reserve. There have been only three hazard reduction burns Read more…

Our local community will soon come together to mark Australia Day 2020. We are all part of the Story of Australia and Australia Day is an opportunity for all local residents to acknowledge the contribution that every Australian makes to our dynamic nation, regardless of background. Australia Day is a day to reflect on where we have been and where we are going as a nation. It’s a day to listen to each other and respect each other’s stories and Read more…

More mental health support services will be immediately provided to firefighters, emergency personnel, individuals and communities impacted by the ongoing bushfire disaster. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said an initial $76 million would fund free counselling sessions, extra Medicare and tele-health consultations, an expansion of headspace services for young Australians and community recovery initiatives. “These bushfires have been unprecedented in their scale, coverage and duration. They have caused tragic loss of life and physical damage that have scarred our landscape. But Read more…

With the escalation of devastating and widespread bushfires across large parts of Victoria and New South Wales, I am encouraging Victorians to dig deep to support bushfire impacted communities. Whether it’s donating money to welfare agencies such as the Red Cross, the CFA, the Victorian Bushfire Appeal, farming initiatives such as the VFF Disaster Relief Fund or BlazeAid or animal rescue organisations, there is a way to help. People can donate to Victoria’s Bushfire Disaster Appeal through Bendigo Bank branches Read more…

Australians living with advanced breast cancer will have access to an important new treatment option with the Morrison Government listing a life-changing new medicine on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). On 1 January 2020, Verzenio® (abemaciclib) was listed on the PBS for the first time. It will treat non-premenopausal patients with advanced hormone receptor positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative breast cancer. Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, said Verzenio will be a new treatment option for approximately 3,000 Read more…