BACK TO SCHOOL
As a new school year approaches, I would like to wish our teachers, students, staff and families a great year ahead.
Last year I had the pleasure of visiting many primary and secondary schools across my electorate and it was really fantastic to get to meet and connect with our youth.
We also hosted the first Shepparton Parliament Youth forum for our secondary school students which provided a wonderful platform for the students to share their aspirations for the future.
I have seen first-hand the dedicated and hard-working teachers who work tirelessly to support their students and ensure they are set up to grasp the opportunities of the future and contribute positively to the community.
For those students commencing their final year of schooling, I encourage you to make the most of your time and prepare yourself for the next chapter, whether it includes further study or entering the workforce.
Best wishes to all our students who are starting school. It can be an emotional time for the parents and carers as their children take the first step into their primary school years.
I can’t wait to catch up with and hear from students in the year ahead and I will continue to support our students, teachers and schools in any way that I can.
Kind regards,
Kim O’Keeffe
Member for Shepparton District
HOSPITAL MERGERS
Dear Editor,
The Allan Labor Government’s reckless hospital merger plans are a serious threat to regional Victorians.
Mergers by stealth across Victoria have moved a step closer with the announcement late last week of so-called “local health service networks”.
We should all be on red alert because it is another sign of Labor’s plans to take away local decision making and reduce local services.
In centralising decision-making and merging regional health services with metropolitan or major regional hospitals, Labor is stripping away local jobs and the ability to prioritise the unique needs of regional communities.
This heavy-handed approach will see regional voices sidelined and critical resources funnelled back into the city.
Our regional communities deserve more than being treated like second-class citizens and their local health services stripped of their autonomy.
Strong, locally managed health services are vital for ensuring timely care and meeting the unique demands of regional Victorians.
It’s time for a government that listens to all Victorians and values equitable healthcare outcomes, no matter where you live.
Labor can’t manage health and Victorians are paying the price.
Danny O’Brien
Leader of The Nationals
AUSTRALIA DAY CELEBRATIONS 2025
Dear Editor,
Historical research indicates that noted Victorian Honour Awardees, Aboriginal leaders Jack Patten and William Ferguson, launched the Aborigines Progress Association in 1937. In January 1938, they organised the first Aboriginal Day of Mourning, based on an idea by Aboriginal leader William Cooper. His statue is now a highlight of our beautiful Queens Gardens. All of us should know the history of the local tragedy inflicted and have heard the many stories from our Aboriginal community.
I have long been a supporter of the Shepparton Region Reconciliation Group. Greater Shepparton City Council is aligned with the Group in terms of strategic policies and action. Following the public consultation, many, like myself, objected to the date of the Australia Day celebration. It is an oversight and an insult to now approve the ceremony to be held on that well-documented day, with the stated reason being that it has been a gazetted holiday since 1994, when Paul Keating passed legislation to make it a permanent nationwide public holiday.
Sincerely,
Pat Moran
Shepparton
