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 18, 2021 For the Shire of Buloke, and the districts of Birchip, Charlton, Donald, St. Arnaud, Watchem and Wycheproof Buloke Connections with Queen’s Birthday Honours Within the Buloke Shire, and beyond, Monday’s Queen’s Birthday Honours announcement has held special interest, particularly in the Birchip, Wycheproof and Donald areas. Among those honoured More details can be found She graduated with a were Peta Credlin (AO), at www.gg.gov.au/queens- Bachelor of Laws from the Joan Glen (OAM), and birthday-2021-honours-list or University of Melbourne Denis Flett (PSM). search by name at www.hon- with a concentration in con- Both Peta Credlin and ours. gov.au/honours/search. stitutional law, politics and Joan Glen were born in history in 1998. After gradu- Wycheproof, while Denis’s ation, she was admitted as a birthplace is Donald. Now a Peta Credlin barrister and solicitor in Vic- In 1971, Peta Credlin, the resident of Birchip, Joan is a toria, and applied for a job as • Peta Credlin, AO member of Wycheproof’s eldest of four, was born in a political staffer with Lib- Storey family, noted for its Wycheproof to Len and eral Senator Kay Patterson in love of music, while Peta has Brenda. Beginning school at 1999, however, continued on become one of television’s St Michael’s School in a part time basis with her most popular presenters, Wycheproof, she proved an studies to complete a gradu- hosting the widely-viewed impressive student, and in ate diploma in legal practice program, “Credlin”, on the 1985 the family moved to St. by 2009-2010. Sky channel. Leonards where they opened Ms Credlin has been ap- Now living in Tatura, a general store. After the pointed an Officer of the Denis Flett has made his move, Peta became a stu- Order of Australia (AO) for mark in water management dent at Sacred Heart Col- distinguished service to par- throughout the state. lege Kyneton, where she was liament and politics, to policy The following are brief re- a member of the debating development, and to the ex- sumés of their remarkable con- team and elected Deputy ecutive function of govern- tributions to the community School Captain in her second ment. She is the longest through their chosen careers. year. • Continued on page 2. • Denis Flett, PSM • OAM recipient, Joan Glen. Dance Marathon Raises Thousands for Sick Children Last month, District Dance Studio took on the Ronald McDonald House Charity “Dance for Sick Kids” fundraiser. DDS Director Linda and inviting, home-away- Grigg said, “I’m very grate- from-home where we could ful to the Royal Children focus on what is really im- Hospital Charities, which as- portant, the health of our son. sisted my family during “It was a last-minute de- many years of our son’s crit- cision to participate as our ical care and treatment. teacher Miss Sarah Grigg had recently participated in “Over 60,000 families ‘Shave for a Cure’ and our with a sick child rely on the community had already gen- Ronald McDonald House erously donated. Our studio Charities to provide a roof was registered for the over their heads whilst their fundraiser, but hadn’t taken child receives life changing up the cause until I saw our treatment and care. The DDS DanceStep student • District Dance students following the seven-day challenge, exhausted but completed! Charlotte Wilton, Heather RMHC was such a warm • Continued on page 2. Hemley, Molly Hendy, Liana Box and Jemimah Webb. Seasonal Ag Visa a Huge Win for Mallee Federal Member for Mallee, Anne Webster, says the securing of the Working Holiday Maker pro- $100 Billion by 2030 Inquiry the Australian Fresh Produce Free Trade Agreement with the United Kingdom and the announcement of gram. These workers will be by the Standing Committee Alliance for their input. Ulti- a Seasonal Agriculture Worker Visa is great news for Mallee. phased out incrementally to on Agriculture and Water Re- mately, their feedback is what 2027. The Nationals recog- sources. As a member of this led me to push so hard for this “I have been calling for a Cambodia, Brunei and Laos “Our local industries have nised this would result in a Committee I pushed hard for visa to be implemented. seasonal agriculture visa for to come to Australia for sea- been reliant on the Working further and massive supply the inclusion of this recom- “This visa is widely sup- some time now. This visa will sonal work for 9 months a Holiday Maker program for a gap of harvest workers if a so- mendation. Drawing from the ported by the National Party allow producers to get the year, 3 years in a row, for long time, and while this pro- lution was not developed. close consultation I’ve had as a whole. At the 2021 Fed- right workers in the right skilled and unskilled posi- gram has worked for some, it That’s why Minister Lit- with Industry, I understood eral Conference, I moved a place at the right time,” said tions. is not a sustainable solution tleproud fought tooth and nail that this visa would help local motion which recommended Dr. Webster. for industry that is exponen- Preference to have the new visa imple- producers in Mallee. the creation of an agricultural “The Seasonal Agriculture tially growing. “Many growers have ex- mented. visa, which was carried unop- Worker Visa will allow work- “A condition of the Free pressed their preference for “I’m thankful for the en- posed by the conference. ers from ASEAN countries, Trade Agreement is that back- workers from ASEAN coun- “The creation of an Agri- gagement of local growers “The Commonwealth including Malaysia, Thailand, packers from the UK will be tries, whom they find are ide- culture Visa was also a recom- and peak bodies, including the Government will have the Vietnam, Philippines, Singa- ally suited for the horticulture exempt from completing agri- mendation of the report into Australia Table Grapes Asso- pore, Myanmar, Indonesia, industry in Mallee. cultural work as part of the the Growing Agriculture to ciation, Citrus Australian, and • Continued on page 2. information offered by such activist groups failed to Attitudes to Extremists, and the recognise that livestock greenhouse gas emissions have Imposition of “Green Tape” (1) fallen by 56.7% since 2005, representing the most sig- nificant reduction by any Australian business sector. The federal parliament’s Joint Standing Committee FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 2021 on Trade & Investment Growth has established an The submission from the Council calls on the Inquiry into the Prudential Regulation of Investment Commonwealth government to issue a statement of in- in Australia’s Export Industries. the Inquiry of the anti-meat, anti-farmer, and well- tent to be a financial service provider of last resort for resourced activist lobby “Animals Australia”. The Committee’s chairman has stated that it will law-abiding export businesses in instances of market failure (for example, if banks or other institutions be an opportunity to examine an issue which could The excerpt read: “While many banks have policies have significant ramifications for the country’s prohibit access to financial services by livestock on investing in industries such as tobacco and coal, businesses). economic recovery from Covid-19. most of them don’t take animal welfare into account in It will also have relevance to several recent any meaningful way when choosing who gets their The Council has expressed deep concerns about “Buloke Times” editorials on the subjects of exports, financial support. This means there’s nothing stopping “further contagion spread by extreme and anti-farmer animal activism, and farmer unease at a senior officer them from lending to cruel animal industries, using activists”. with direct involvement in harmful activism having a your money”. The next public hearings in the Committee’s decisive role in the Department of Foreign Affairs & The RMAC chairman said that misinformed Inquiry will be in Canberra on June 25 and in late July Trade’s agricultural productivity & food security this year. division. campaigns did not recognise that Australia was the only major exporting nation to require in-market trace- A further editorial will examine another example For instance, the chairman of the Red Meat Advisory ability, control and animal welfare standards for live of the federal parliament’s consideration of activist or Council has quoted an excerpt from the submission to cattle, sheep, and goat exports. Further, the selective so-called “animal welfare” interests. Buloke Connections with Queen’s Birthday Honours Book a Date with Your Mates • Continued from page 1. water industry through cre- and town musicals and St. Hanging out with your mates is good for your health (especially as you serving female chief of staff ation of environmental water Mary’s Catholic Parish organ- management programs. get older!) to a prime minister and she ist. She has shared her music was known, in that role, for a at community events such as Getting together with a this connection can become For some men it might be strong “command and con- He has shown extraordi- Anzac Day, Australian Day, group of mates has been increasingly challenging. on the sporting field. For oth- trol” over the office. nary leadership with his ex- funerals, weddings, public tensive knowledge of water and Christmas concerts and linked to positive health and Physical health and the ers it might be with a fishing management, and his unique has also been involved with wellness outcomes.