The Adviser’s weekly Yay or Nay – Have Your Say! talking points once again sparked strong, blunt and often candid responses from locals, with three hot-topic issues dominating discussion.
The first centred on Council’s twice-yearly hard rubbish collection, with many residents debating whether the current system adequately meets community needs or requires reform. While some were open to change, concerns were raised about potential costs and a lack of clarity around any new model. One reader summed it up nicely stating, “It depends what they are going to charge us. Our council rates are already high enough.”
The Adviser has sought further information from Council regarding hard rubbish collection.
Most commenters, however, questioned how a 3m³ rubbish allocation per household, twice a year, would be measured — and by whom. Others warned that limiting volumes could encourage residents to place excess waste on neighbouring nature strips.
The second issue focused on whether Victorians should receive a follow-on public holiday for ANZAC Day this year, similar to NSW, WA and ACT. The idea of an extra day off on Monday 27 divided opinion. One contributor urged people to remember the purpose of the day, writing, “The point is to allow everyone to attend an ANZAC Day service. Giving an additional day off cheapens the meaning.”
The third and most charged discussion centred on local views of police efforts to tackle retail crime in Greater Shepparton through Operation Mosaic. While the operation reported results, some small business owners questioned whether the impact was being felt where it mattered most. One reader asked, “Why are we paying taxes for police to protect the losses of big companies but not small businesses?” It is a question that highlights frustration among local traders.
Across all three topics, the message from commenters demonstrated that many were not just simply voting yay or nay but wanted to have their say in local matters that directly affects them.
