DONALD BIRCHIP Phone: 5497 1222 Phone: 5492 2735 Email: The Buloke Times Fax: 5492 2863 [email protected] Email: [email protected] birchipblc@ Est. 1875 bigpond.com Published Tuesdays and Fridays PRICE (inc. G.S.T.) $2 PP331336/0000 1 Friday, June 11, 2021 For the Shire of Buloke, and the districts of Birchip, Charlton, Donald, St. Arnaud, Watchem and Wycheproof For “Strong Families Strong Children” Partnership . Early Years Facilitator Appointed The North Central LLEN is delighted to an- nounce that Jess Turner, from Wycheproof, is the new Early Years Facilitator for the Strong Fam- ilies Strong Children (SFSC) partnership, which focusses on supporting children to have the best start in life across the Loddon and Buloke Shires. Announcing the appoint- recognises that it takes a vil- ment, North Central LLEN lage to raise a child and fo- Executive Officer, Jane cuses on supporting families Hosking, said that Jess brings and children, strengthening a diverse range of skills and the services available to help networks to the role, and as them, and building on our ex- the parent of a young child isting community capacity to herself, has hands-on experi- ensure the benefits of the ence on how important it is to project are long lasting and have support in the early sustainable,” Ms Hosking said. years to ensure your child has “We will use learnings a great start. from each child/family to “The Strong Families • New Early Years Facilitator Jess Turner (centre), pictured pre-Covid restrictions, with North Central LLEN Executive Strong Children program • Continued on page 2. Officer Jane Hosking (left) and Georgie Dixon, Acting Team Leader, Children and Youth, Buloke Shire Council. QR Code Makes It Easy to Sign In From last Friday, Victorians must check in at all retail stores, super- markets and cafes — even if they’re just grabbing a takeaway coffee, using the State Government’s QR Code or by signing in on the register that must be provided by all buinesses. Friday also marked tthe quick and easy means of reg- can fine businesses up to easing of Covid restrictions istering. $1,652 for ignoring QR code in regional Victoria, meaning Under new State Govern- rules, and a further $9,913 customers can enjoy sit- ment rules, customers have for repeated breaches. down dining, provided they to sign-in with the state gov- When announcing the new adhere to the current restric- ern-ment’s QR code check-in rule last week, Victoria Chief tions still in force. app, Service Victoria. Health Officer Professor Brett Among these restrictions Businesses are still able to Sutton said it aimed to boost is the requirement for busi- register people with pen and contact tracing efforts by nesses to record details of all paper as a last resort. “chasing down every single those who enter their premises. Previously it was only person who might be exposed”. Donald’s Woods St. Cafe recommended that people Acting Premier James proprietors, Peter and Lynne check-in at retail settings if Merlino said authorised offi- Dixon, are ensuring all cus- they stayed at a venue for cers would be visiting super- tomers adhere to the new re- more than 15 minutes. markets and other retail quirement, even helping There will be an two- settings to make sure people • Peter Dixon assists customer Jess Spencer to download the State Government’s QR code those who have not yet week amnesty for those who were following the rules. check-in app, that will enable her to quickly scan QR codes at any business she may need downloaded the new QR do not follow the check-in He said fines would be is- to enter. code app, to make use of this rules, but enforcement officers sued “if necessary”. Helping Hand with Power Bill Stress Neighbourhood Houses in Buloke are help- To help spread the word about the bonus, the Department of Daunting ing community members experiencing financial Environment, Land, Water and Planning has engaged Neigh- bourhood Houses Victoria in partnership with Good Shepherd. “We know government forms and applications can be daunt- hardship access the State Government’s $250 ing for the most competent computer users, not to mention for Power Saving Bonus. Spreading the Word those members of our communities who don’t have access to Local Neighbourhood House co-ordinators are eager to help The Power Saving Bonus provides eligible Victorians with the internet, and we don’t want this to be a barrier to them ac- spread the word about this bonus, and agree with Nicole that cessing the $250 payment.” a one-off $250 payment, to assist households with the cost liv- they are well placed to reach people within their communities ing during the COVID-19 pandemic. who already come to them for other support services such as If you hold a pensioner concession card, or receive Job- “The pandemic has only exacerbated existing poverty within internet access, food relief, job seeking support, digital literacy Seeker, Austudy, Abstudy or Youth Allowance, and have a cur- our communities, and many people have lost work or signifi- programs and Centrelink assistance. rent electricity account in your name, you are eligible for the cant income as a direct result of Victoria’s lockdowns,” said Simone Christie, Lead of the Buloke Neighborhood House Power Saving Bonus. Neighbourhood Houses Victoria CEO, Nicole Battle. Cluster, said, “Local neighbourhood co-ordinators are able to “This bonus offers some financial relief for these community help community members complete their online applications, If you need support, please contact your local Neighbour- members, many of whom have to choose whether they can pay and the $250 is paid into the bank account of the person named hood House and find out how it can help you fill out the appli- their next electricity bill or put food on the table.” on the electricity account in around ten days. cation to receive the payment. emergency permit, registration of bromadiolone will The Menace of Mice take time. The urgency is that the breeding of mice has Pictures of mice swarming over households and reached a peak at the time of sowing of winter crops. grain sheds bring back unpleasant memories of earlier times in the Wimmera. Sites for treatment of grain have been selected FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021 pending APVMA approval to use bromadiolone in Over the years, there have been several editorials nowhere near as expensive as some of the selective NSW (not Victoria, though the sites include Jerilderie about the threat of mice, and how that is to be met. and Wagga Wagga). The last time it appeared in these columns was just herbicides. over a year ago, when the CSIRO and the Birchip Apart from zinc phosphide, which is as safe as it Seen as a sideshow to the main problem, the Cropping Group (BCG) highlighted the higher number can be for other animals, the NSW government is pushing campaign by PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of of mice in cropping country. for the registration of the rodenticide bromadiolone. Animals) was encouraging farmers not to poison mice as they “feel pain just as farmers do”. The PETA In March this year, the report of the Grains Re- Under the package announced by the government, this is an emergency permit application to the Aus- spokesperson said: “The government’s failure to keep search & Development Corporation (GRDC) and the mouse population in check through a plan of deterrents CSIRO showed that there was “moderate to higher tralian Pesticides & Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA). While the product is currently registered and contraceptives has left farmers struggling to protect mouse activity” in the regions of southern Queensland, their crops from mice.” This attempt to blame someone much of New South Wales, north-western Victoria, and for use indoors and around sheds, the proposal is for the use of bromadialone-based baits in broadacre situations, ignores the assistance that government has given for parts of South Australia. many years in solving an intractable quirk of nature. The situation has become worse in the interim, par- that is around the perimeter of cropped paddocks. ticularly for rural New South Wales. So much so that The APVMA says that all emergency permits are PETA is understood to have “clarified” the state- the NSW government has decided to grant $50 million assessed with the highest priority, but it has sought additional ment in that “they only meant protection of homes”. in a free bait and household cash package. information from the NSW Department of Primary Industry. Although these developments are of somewhat less The CSIRO expert, Steve Henry, whose projects The problem is that this next generation anti-coagulant concern to Victorian farmers, given the lower level of are mostly funded by the GRDC, says that double is understood to be not as safe as zinc phosphide for infestation than in other eastern states, the history of strength zinc phosphide bait, which has now been ap- native birdlife, or dogs and cats. mouse plagues confirms that it is a national problem. proved, has a markedly higher mortality rate in mice The Grain Producers Australia chairman, We can only hope that the attention given to it will than the previously available product, up to 95%. He Wimmera-based Andrew Weidemann, points out that, mean that the threat to drought recovery, and to the jobs states that, at $3-8 a hectare for each application it is whereas double-strength zinc phosphide already has an which go with that recovery, will be kept at bay. “Learn Local” Letters to the Editor Waterbird Numbers their oil; slaughtering seals for More than 4600 Victorians have all the information they Nominations (The Editor, “Buloke Times”) their skins; kangaroo and wal- have already signed up to host need to cut their risk of cancer.