$350K fails pub test
My dismay over losing the Frost Street underpass does not lie with Inland Rail but with Strathbogie Shire Council which has failed in its duty to advocate for the interests of us northwestern Euroa residents.
For us, the Frost Street underpass is not a pathway to a scenic latte on Binney Street, but is the essential link to our daily lives, getting to work, school, sport, or simply supporting our families.
Many of us exit the underpass and then turn left or go straight ahead, and not turn right, deliberately avoiding Binney Street which is the most hazardous route for kids on bikes and for elderly pedestrians.
The extra 435 metres each way (and not just 130m as claimed in council commentary) is no small burden for people with disabilities, those carrying groceries or young children, or for seniors with mobility limitations.
Let’s be honest: kids will take riskier shortcuts to avoid that hike, making a dangerous situation even worse.
No direct engagement took place with those most affected, ignoring council's own community engagement policy.
Had it not been for the mayor’s social media wrap-up, the community might still be unaware this decision was even on the table.
Perhaps a Friday agenda summary could prevent future blindsides.
I received 269 online interactions within 24 hours of posting about the issue – an unmistakable signal of community concern and more feedback than council reportedly sought.
Perhaps in the future council could utilise social media to consult with the community, offering more inclusive connection to community sentiment rather than only providing decisions after they are made.
It is council’s responsibility to engage with the community on council decisions and not Inland Rail’s.
If anything, council’s sole responsibility to obtain an upgraded underpass was to do what it’s always done: nothing.
Yet it chose to remove it.
Either council prioritised a single tree over the welfare of people in the community or it accepted $350,000 to walk away from its duty, having first upped the figure.
At best, this is a sell-out; at worst, it borders on something darker.
It does not pass the pub test, that’s for sure.
Council has chosen to prioritise the uncertain future of a single tree, long marked for removal, over an essential piece of community infrastructure and the safeguarding of daily access needs.
We expect those involved in this debacle to think and act in line with the interests of the community they were elected to represent.
When infrastructure can be traded for cash behind closed doors, we cannot help but wonder if council are championing our causes or theirs.
Scott Walters, Euroa
Dismiss them fast
It is with absolute disgust that the Frost Street underpass is to close.
Only two councillors objected to this decision.
As for the rest, we need to dismiss them fast.
We live in Garrett Street and love using this underpass - it is vital for residents this side of town.
Please stop this stupidity and think of the people that use this underpass every day.
Glenice and David Kubeil, Euroa
Spruiking spend spent
IF you think regional Victoria’s roads are bad now, they’re only going to get worse.
No other outcome is possible given the Allan Labor Government’s cut to road repairs, revealed in its own budget papers.
Despite spruiking a record spend on roads, the government will in the next year undertake 93 per cent less patching works than it did last year.
That’s on top of a 13 per cent reduction to the road re-sealing and rehabilitation budget.
Put simply, our roads are crumbling – with 15,000 potholes reported statewide last year - Labor isn’t doing enough to fix them.
Regional Victorians are copping most of the pain, as we are too often forced to drive on roads that resemble goat tracks.
This sorry tale is another example of why it is prudent to look at what Labor does, not what it says.
If there is a record spend, where is the money going? Is it just pure fantasy and spin?
Labor can’t manage money, can’t manage roads and regional Victorians are paying the price.
Danny O’Brien, Leader of The Nationals
Letter to the editor - Let’s Keep Talking
Men’s Health Week has just passed, and I’ve spent the week sitting with a heavy heart.
I recently sat down with local police to talk about the heartbreak unfolding in our region.
Three men, good men, are gone. They were fathers, brothers, friends. They were farmers. And they were deeply loved.
We asked each other the same question everyone asks after the fact: was it the drought? The financial pressure? The rising cost of doing business? Was it the emergency services levy or the long hospital wait times?
The truth is, it was none of those things and all of them.
It's when the weight stacks up so high, the light at the end of the tunnel fades. And when that light disappears, it can feel impossible to find a way forward on your own.
This week, in the face of that despair, we took action.
With the help of some good people, we have secured funds to make sure local mental health advocate Ivan Lister can keep doing what he does best - showing up, quietly, consistently, without red tape or fanfare, just being there when it matters most.
It is not conventional, but it works. And right now, we need more of that.
Men’s Health Week may be over, but the conversation cannot stop.
We need to keep checking in, keep breaking the silence.
You are not weak for asking for help - you are strong for doing so.
You are not alone, and you are needed.
If you or anyone you know needs help:
Ivan Lister: 0474 501 406
Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
Lifeline on 13 11 14
Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800
Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636
Headspace on 1800 650 890
Annabelle Cleeland, Member for Euroa
Water Restrictions
I hope that you all know about
the restrictions and never would flout
the rules to save water
but do what you oughter
in trying to combat the drought.
Craig Penny, Terip Terip
