Media Releases

May 22, 2012

Both Houses of State Parliament unanimously honoured the life and times of the late Jock Granter from Heathcote today.
A Member of Parliament for 24 years and a former Minister for Water and Forests and for Police and Emergency Services, Mr Granter died on May 14 and was given a State Funeral at the Heathcote RSL yesterday.
Motions moved simultaneously in the Lower House by Premier Ted Baillieu and in the Upper House by Government Leader David Davis were followed by a minute silence and hour-long adjournments.
During the debates, Mr Granter was widely praised by speakers from all political parties for his open, gentle nature, his passion for his community and his very wide range of community involvements.
Among contributions made in the debate both Houses were:
Premier Ted Baillieu: “He was instrumental in the establishment of the Thomson dam, Melbourne’s principal water storage. All Victorians can be grateful for Jock’s stewardship as Water Minister.”
Government Leader in the Upper House David Davis: “Jock epitomised many of the strengths of this House .. and remains a role model for many Members.”
MP for Northern Victoria Region Donna Petrovich: “His door was always open.”
Deputy Premier Peter Ryan: The Thomson Dam and Lake Eppalock … “There can be no greater legacy.”
Opposition leader Daniel Andrews: Noted that Mr Granter had selflessly given up a career in banking for a five year commitment to the Australian Army.
Member for Northern Victoria Region Damian Drum: “The words most often used to describe Jock were kind, humble, a gentleman and honesty … his humility has meant he has not been in the limelight as much as a person of his achievements could expect.”
Member for Rodney Paul Weller: Right to the last few days of his life, Jock was pushing for developments in his community. “He was one of the region’s greatest philanthropists … he will be a fine example for generations to come.”
All speakers offered their condolences to Mrs Ena Granter and the family’s wide circle of friends.

The 2012 Regional Achievement & Community Awards officially opened for nominations today and the Victorian Coalition Government is calling on individuals and groups to apply.

Representing Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional and Rural Development Peter Ryan, Mr Drum said the Regional Achievement & Community Awards had eight categories highlighting success in important areas including business, environment, participation, leadership and innovation.

“Since 2002, these awards have become a renowned event on the regional calendar, and last year 300 nominations were received across eight categories,” Mr Drum said.

Mr Drum said Regional Development Victoria would continue its long association with the awards, sponsoring two categories this year.

“Regional Development Victoria has provided $31,000 to sponsor the Regional Business Achievement Award and the Regional Trade and Career Achievement Award,” Mr Drum said.

“The Regional Business Achievement Award acknowledges successful businesses that are making a significant contribution to regional and rural Victoria, while the Regional Trade and Career Achievement Award will promote individuals who are enthusiastically pursuing a trade or career.”

Mr Ryan said the awards recognised the hard work and commitment of people in regional and rural communities and their contribution towards the economic development of the state.

“The Coalition Government is committed to driving development and growth in regional areas and ensuring the regions continue to be a key part of Victoria’s economic success,” Mr Ryan said.

Winners of the 2012 Regional Achievement & Community Awards will be announced at at a gala dinner in Bendigo on 13 October.

Nominations close on Tuesday 17 July. For more information about awards categories and nominations visit: http://www.awardsaustralia.com/RACA_vic.html

Bendigo’s reputation for producing some of Victorian thoroughbred racing’s
most celebrated champions is set to continue with the Victorian Coalition
Government last night announcing an $80,000 grant to upgrade the club’s
synthetic training track.


Attending the Melbourne launch of Bendigo’s premier Golden Mile Raceday
last night, Minister for Racing Denis Napthine said the Bendigo
Jockey Club had a proud tradition of producing winners.


“Known as our ‘Nursery of Champions’, Bendigo is a leading racing region
with the likes of Better Loosen Up, Bletchingly and Hyperno all winning
their first races here,” Dr Napthine said.


“By making sure the training facilities at the track remain of the highest
standard, I am confident Bendigo will be the breeding ground for many more
future champions.


“Providing top quality training facilities in Bendigo is also vital in
supporting the economy and employment within the racing industry which
contributes close to $250 million annually to the north central region and
generates jobs for more than 3,500 people.


“The Coalition Government is pleased to support this project with $40,000
from the Victorian Racing Industry Fund (VRIF) while a further $40,000 will
be jointly provided by Racing Victoria and Country Racing Victoria,” Dr
Napthine said.


Bendigo Jockey Club Chief Executive Officer Ian Hart said the club greatly
appreciated the support for the project which was necessary after wear and
tear, and heavy rainfall damaged the existing synthetic training facility.


“Bendigo racecourse is the training base for a large number of trainers and
horses and this upgrade will be of great benefit to those participants by
providing an improved alternative training surface,” Mr Hart said.


“The track upgrade is a joint investment between the Victorian Government
and Racing Victoria, to help resolve any drainage issues and provide a safe
and uniform surface for trainers to work their horses.


“Other works will include blending additional training synthetic material
and binder into the existing track and regulating the depth of the track,”
Mr Hart said.

Bendigonians have been urged to throw their support behind the Bendigo Braves basketball team as they do battle for the national title this weekend.
Member for Northern Victoria Region Damian Drum said the Braves would meet Nunawading at Dandenong Stadium this Saturday.
“I would really encourage people to go and support them – it will be a terrific game,” Mr Drum said.
“After losing the semi-final at home against Knox, the Braves won the quarter final against Kilsyth.
“This gave them the right to play Knox in the grand final, and they came away with an 81 – 70 victory and the conference title.
“Now they meet Dandenong in a bid to snare the national title. This would be a sensational effort if they could win this as well.”
Braves coach Ben Harvey said the team was in good form and looking forward to Saturday.
“This will be the two best teams in the two conferences, so it will be a great game,” he said.
The game starts at 3pm at Dandenong Stadium.

August 19, 2011


Nationals MP for Northern Victoria Region, Damian Drum, has praised the City of Greater Bendigo and VicRoads for listening to people’s concerns over the proposed Bendigo transport strategy and acting on their concerns.
He told State Parliament this week that the council and VicRoads had put a process in place which allowed people to have a clear say on the strategy – particularly on a proposed bypass which would have impacted heritage areas.
He said he had had meetings with many concerned residents.
“There was one meeting at the city library, where all the representatives were present, that enabled everybody for the affected areas to step up to the microphone and have their say. It was an interesting meeting which went on for four hours and many did get up and have their say.
“To their credit, those representatives listened to the concerns and recommendations have now been put in place to scrap the transport corridor which would have gone through Quarry Hill.”
Mr Drum said other parts of the city’s transport strategy would probably be implemented.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank the City of Greater Bendigo and VicRoads for listening and arriving at a compromise.”

Central Victorian community groups figure prominently in today’s announcement of grants totalling $355,000 to help preserve local history.
The Local History Grants help record and preserve their local stories and share them with future generations.
Nationals MP for Northern Victoria Region, Damian Drum, said today that among the groups sharing in the good news were:
• Bendigo Cemeteries Trust: $6050 to digitise Kangaroo Flat and Bendigo Cemetery records.
• Bendigo Historical Society: $5000 to help preserve and give better access to the society’s important collection.
• Quarry Hill Primary School: $400 towards the school’s history project.
• Castlemaine Historical Society: $9000 to digitise and index Castlemaine Mail editions from 1984-2004.
• Friends of Mt Alexander Diggings: $1800 to convert the Mt Alexander Diggings Guidebook to an on-line publication.
• Chewton Domain Society: $1350 to help an interpretive sign project to increase awareness of Chewton’s history and help cultural tourism.
• Maryborough Family History Group: $2,242.00 Computer Archive and Retrieval System (C.A.R.S)
• Mirrimbeena Aboriginal Education Group : $9,000.00 to help research and document the history of the Yorta Yorta in North Central Victoria and produce a book.
• Maryborough Midlands Historical Society $2,000.00 to provide a permanent display for Tilly Aston memorabilia at Worsley Cottage that has been collected by the society for the past 40 years.
Projects funded by the Local History Grants Program reflected the
wealth of stories that chronicle the rich and diverse history of a great
state.
“These grants will help community groups continue to preserve our stories and to make them available to future generations,” Mr Drum said.
“So many of these groups do amazing work in their community, and these grants are designed to recognise the contribution made by volunteers to preserving our history and heritage.” 
 
The real estate building industry in Bendigo could expect a lift in activity because of a raft of State Government initiatives which come into force today, July 1, the Nationals MP for Northern Victoria Region, Damian Drum, said today.
Mr Drum, who is also the Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development, listed a range of housing and land affordability incentives which come into play from today.
These included:
• A 20 per cent cut in stamp duty for eligible home buyers, rising to 30 per cent from January 1 2013, 40 per cent from 2014 and 50 per cent by September 2014.
• A $19,500 grant for eligible regional first home buyers purchasing a new home worth up to $600,000. This is on top of the $7000 First Home Owner grant.
• Farmers aged up to 35 will pay no stamp duty on first farming properties worth up to $300,000, and concessions will be available on farm land valued between $300,000 and $400,000.
• Stamp duty exemptions for pensions and concession cardholders would remain on property up to $330,00 and concession rates on properties valued to $750,000.
• Self-funded retires will also be eligible for these concessions for the first time.
Mr Drum said the Coalition Government recognised the difficulty that young people had obtaining their first home or farm, as well as the problems faced by pensioners and self-funded retirees wishing to down-size their homes.
“As well as this range of initiatives, from today, family budgets will be helped by things such as a 50 per cent cut in ambulance membership fees.”
Mr Drum said the economy of Victoria’s regions would also begin to tap into the $1 billion Regional Growth Fund which comes legally into being from today.
“This massive commitment is already being seen as the driving force behind regional prosperity from now on.
“In the past months, I have travelled extensively across the state, talking to community and industry leaders about the Regional Growth Fund and there is a real buzz about communities having a greater say in how state investment is used locally.
“Forty per cent of that fund will be placed according to the priorities of the regionals themselves and the rest will be directed by the Minister for Regional Development, Peter Ryan, and his advisory council.”
Mr Drum said the new incentives for real estate and home buying would come as good news for the Bendigo region.
“While the real estate industry in our region is still relatively strong compared with the capital cities, there has been some softening reported in 2011, both in new houses and prices paid for existing houses.
“Today’s changes will help put new spark in the industry and continue to make Bendigo a very attractive proposition for young families and for older people.”

A new initiative to give young Victorians a stronger voice in rural Victoria will be launched by the nationals Mp for Northern Victoria Region, Damian Drum, in Rochester tomorrow (Thursday).
The joint program by the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria, and the Victorian Rural Youth Services will include research on young people’s well-being across the state and use the data to develop better youth policy for governments.
The project will also build a clearer idea of the needs of services set up to support young people.
Mr Drum said it was interesting that the project was being launched in Rochester in particular recognition of the role young people had played and were playing in flood recovery in the town.
Rochester suffered severe damage when the Campaspe River burst its banks in January leading to the worst flood in the town in living memory.
Many people are still struggling to fully get back on their feet after the floods.
Mr Drum praised the efforts of the Youth Affairs Council and Rural Youth Services in driving the initiative.
The project is funded by the Victorian State Government. Mr Drum is launching the initiative in his capacity as Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development.
The launch will take place at the Rochester and Elmore District Health Service function room on the corner of Pascoe Street and Village Drive from 2pm.

Nationals MP for Northern Victoria Region Damian Drum has congratulated the Castlemaine community on its major progress towards a specialised respite and community centre for people with disabilities.
Mr Drum said the new Coalition State Government would include a promised $300,000 contribution towards the long-awaited project in next month’s State Budget.
Mr Drum chaired a forum in Castlemaine this week, which involved about 20 major stakeholders in the project, including the Mount Alexander Shire Accommodation and Respite Group (MASARG), the Castlemaine Lions Club, Department of Human Services, health agencies and others.
“I have been aware for some time that this has been a long-held ambition by the Castlemaine community and I am delighted that the Coalition Government has been able to partner the project,” he said.
“The planned centre will go a long way towards making life for families with special needs just that little bit easier.
“I look forward to working closely with the community to see that this project comes to fruition as quickly as possible.
“Over the past few years some of these families have been vigorous in keeping me informed of the issues and of their hopes that the State Government would help them achieve this much-needed respite/community house.”
Mr Drum said the commitment was a Coalition promise in the election campaign, and the Coalition had repeatedly assured the community that its promises would be fulfilled.

Oliver already a leader for long overlooked Castlemaine
Today’s announcement of major funding for Mt Alexander Hospital completes a remarkable “trifecta” of achievements for Bendigo West Nationals candidate Steven Oliver.
Since announcing his candidacy in May this year, Steven has already won Coalition commitments to properly fund and resource a round-the-clock ambulance service for Castlemaine and funding for the redevelopment of the Castlemaine Secondary College.
He has also been instrumental in achieving Coalition support for a range of other projects and programs for Bendigo West.
Steven’s Upper House colleague, Nationals MP for Northern Region, Damian Drum, said Steven Oliver had already proved himself a worthy community leader.
“If Steven has been able to get this amount of support for Castlemaine as a candidate, imagine what he could do as a Member of Parliament,” Mr Drum said.
“In about six months as a candidate, he has achieved more for the region than Labor had in the past 14 years.
“When I first spoke to him about standing in Bendigo West, I knew he was a good leader, but he’s been a human dynamo.”
Mr Oliver said he had found the process of gaining support for Castlemaine projects highly rewarding.
“It has all been based on need. I came up with a list of priorities after talking with the community at large and then went to the National Party leaders with a plan.
“I then had to mount a case for the commitments. I had to show that more than a decade of neglect from Labor and from the retiring Member Bob Cameron, had left the area angry and dispirited – and we had to do better.
“I am really heartened at how Peter Ryan and the rest of the Nationals leadership team recognised Castlemaine’s needs and put firm commitments on the line.
“When I announced my candidacy, I said the reason I was standing with The Nationals was that it was the party dedicated to regional and rural Victoria and which is fighting for our fair share.
“The Nationals appealed to me in the way they don’t buckle to big city pressures.
“Even as a candidate, it’s been fantastic to be able to get things happening in my hometown.”

Community will miss Sue Clarke: Drum
Nationals MP for Northern Victoria Region, Damian Drum, today paid tribute to the work of outgoing Bendigo Community Health CEO Sue Clarke.
Mr Drum said Ms Clarke had helped steer the organisation through an astonishing decade of growth and development.
“It is as though Bendigo Community Health became a true part of Bendigo’s mainstream health sector under her guidance.
“I was impressed at the farewell for Sue Clarke this week that one indication of what has taken place is that Bendigo Community health had gone from a modest 30 employees at the start of her term to about 190 now.
“It was also a testament to the esteem her community feels for her that her farewell was absolutely packed.
“I wish her all the very best in the future.
“I’m sure it will always be a comfort to her, and the community, that she leaves Bendigo Community Health in a fantastic position.”
He said Ms Clarke had built a strong, effective team of staff, managers and board members and had enjoyed the respect and friendship of all around her.