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Happy Easter
Easter is one of those special times in the year when things slow down just enough for us to catch our breath and spend real time with the people who matter most.
Across our region, I see it every day.
Families gathering around the table, kids enjoying the simple things, and local businesses buzzing as people pick up something special to share.
Whether it’s a roast with the family, fresh local produce, or a few too many hot cross buns, it’s those small, shared moments that really count.
It’s also a time that reminds us what community is all about.
Looking out for your neighbour, supporting local, and making sure no one feels left behind.
If you’re travelling over the Easter break, please take care on our roads.
Be cautious, allow a bit of extra time, and don’t rush.
Getting there safely is what matters most.
And for those celebrating, you have full permission to overindulge in the chocolate.
However you spend it, I hope you find a moment to pause, enjoy some good food, and make the most of time with your loved ones.
Wishing everyone across our community a safe and happy Easter.
Annabelle Cleeland, Member for Euroa
Promise of more choices
There are now less than 250 days to go until November’s state election, and The Nationals are fighting to ensure regional Victorians get their fair share.
We will reduce the cost of living by cutting five taxes, including Labor’s emergency services levy.
We have a clear plan to keep Victorians safe.
We will introduce Jack's Law to get knives and machetes off the streets, we will introduce Break Bail, Face Jail for repeat offenders, and we will invest in youth diversion programs to steer young people away from crime.
We will deliver more homes, more choice, and greater housing affordability for regional Victorians.
We will fast-track home building in existing, identified growth areas in regional Victoria, and work directly with local councils to support sustainable growth.
We will cut red tape, reduce costs, make it easier to build in regional Victoria, and get more families and young Victorians into their own home.
We have a plan for a better and safer road network throughout regional Victoria, that includes greater preventative maintenance of our roads to reduce long-term costs.
It’s a plan that includes stronger auditing and oversight to ensure the job is done properly the first time, and the basics are executed effectively, such as grading roadsides and cleaning drains.
And if elected, we will repeal Labor’s new laws allowing the government, transmission firms, and energy distributors to seize farmland for power lines without approval, and we will give farmers their rights back.
The Allan Labor Government continues to show its complete contempt for regional Victorians with increased taxes, neglected roads, a record decrease in housing, and a crime crisis not seen before.
Your vote counts. You can effect change by voting for The Nationals at November’s election. The future of our state depends on it.
Danny O’Brien, Leader of The Nationals
A Duck Speaks!
It's very hard to be a duck
(I'm sure you know the reason):
there comes around a time each year
that's termed 'duck hunting season'.
I hope I can persuade you
to adopt a kinder view,
For I'm sure you wouldn't like it
if I took potshots at you.
Craig Penny, Euroa
Message of hope
As Easter approaches, we are reminded of an eternally important message that has echoed across centuries and continues to speak powerfully into our lives today - a message of hope, freedom, and unconditional love.
For us at The Salvation Army, Easter is not simply a date on a calendar, it is an invitation to discover or rediscover the profound truth at the heart of the Easter story: that every person is of worth, cherished and deeply loved.
The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ represents the ultimate gift of freedom.
Freedom from fear, from shame, and from the burdens that weigh us down.
In a world that feels increasingly uncertain, where many Australians are facing financial pressures, social isolation, and anxiety about the future, this message matters more than ever.
Too often, people hesitate to seek help or connection because they believe someone else might need it more.
We want to encourage you to reach out and connect with us; we want you to know you matter, your struggles are real, and you are not alone.
This Easter is not about having everything figured out, it's about coming together, sharing in hope, and encountering a message that has the power to renew, restore, and give you freedom.
Please know our doors are always open; our mission is to be the hands and feet of Jesus in action, doing all we can to give support, compassion, and connection to anyone who needs it.
Whether it is through one of our local community programs, sharing a cuppa and listening ear, or simply connecting with us in a safe space, we are here to walk alongside you.
The freedom Jesus came to bring is not reserved for a select few - it is for all who seek it.
Commissioner Miriam Gluyas, The Salvation Army
25 March, 2026
Power Hungry
Once more Donald Trump with his hunger
for power has become a warmonger.
Is his dotage the cause
of this latest of wars
or was rashness his forte when younger?
Craig Penny, Euroa
Sitting on their hands over farmers' fuel
Victorian fuel reserves hit a concerning low and the Allan Labor Government goes into hiding.
Is anyone surprised?
We are again at a point where Victorians need their government to deliver leadership, immediate action, and strong solutions, and Premier Jacinta Allan and Agriculture Minister Ros Spence are nowhere to be seen.
The shortage in fuel supplies has left Victorians feeling it at the bowser, with petrol prices increasing to $2.50, and diesel prices jumping to $3.10.
Farmers are facing growing pressure when it comes to reliable access to diesel and fertiliser.
Diesel powers tractors for sowing, harvesting, and feed distribution, while fertiliser prices – like urea up nearly 30 per cent in the past month – threaten crop yields.
Without reliable access, farmers face scaling back operations, livestock welfare risks, reduced productivity, and higher food prices for every Victorian family.
The New South Wales Government is rationing fuels in urban areas to prioritise their vital agriculture and freight industries.
It continues to engage with transport and logistics, fuel, agriculture, local government, mining, unions, and consumer protection groups, to ensure the right decisions are made and actions taken.
Why is the Victorian Government still sitting on its hands, and downplaying this crisis?
Urgent engagement with the Commonwealth, fuel wholesalers, and importers is needed to prioritise agriculture in allocations and activate contingency plans.
Reliable fuel is the lifeline for our farming industry and rural communities, and inaction risks turning this regional emergency into a statewide threat to food security.
The message to the Allan Labor Government is clear – stop ignoring our farmers.
Step up and support them.
Emma Kealy, Shadow Minister for Agriculture
Fuel price cap failing
The Allan Labor Government’s daily fuel price cap has failed to prevent fuel price gouging in regional Victoria, as concern grows about fuel access for independent retailers and farmers.
Major fuel price increases were occurring at the same time independent fuel retailers across regional communities were struggling to access supply.
These independent retailers are the very businesses that deliver fuel directly to farms ahead of sowing and harvest.
Right now the issue isn’t simply price - we are also facing an access crisis that is directly harming regional Victorians.
In the days following the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, demand for diesel and petrol surged across regional Australia as farmers, transport operators, and businesses rushed to secure supply.
Some independent fuel stations in regional Victoria have reported they have run out of fuel.
The impacts were already being felt across regional economies, with trades, transport businesses, and machinery operators all relying on reliable fuel supply to keep working.
This is not a simple retail pricing issue that can be solved with an app or a daily price cap.
Businesses and residents experiencing supply issues can contact my office so the scale of the problem can be raised with government and industry.
Annabelle Cleeland, Nationals Member for Euroa
My Mother's Old Walker
Quite near the back door
of the house that's no more
stands my mother's old walker.
Barely touched by the flame,
it remains much the same,
my mother's old walker.
We left in a hurry
amidst all the flurry
for the fire was not far,
and we left it behind,
other things on our mind,
the other one packed in the car.
Now abandoned and lonely,
it's not needed but only
my mother's old walker.
Craig Penny, Euroa
(Editor: Our regular poet Craig Penny lost his and his mother's home to the Longwood bushfire. All that survived was his mother's walking frame.)
Love and warmth in Longwood
The Tones and I concert was sensational last weekend.
I traveled all the way from Adelaide for the show, to support the cause and meet friends, and to see the affected areas and responses firsthand.
The first thing I noticed in Longwood was the community spirit and all the work that went in to make it come together.
It was an honour being at the event to see the love and the warmth in the community.
What a show - a great day out for everyone.
Jack Tolls, Henley Beach, SA
Rain at last
The recent rainfall across our region is very welcome; after a long dry spell, it has brought much-needed relief for farmers, families, and our local environment.
Paddocks are turning green again, water supplies are improving, and it is heartening to see the land beginning to recover.
For those working on the land, every drop counts.
Crops and pastures benefit, livestock have better access to water, and local wildlife is given a chance to thrive.
This rain is a small but important step towards easing the pressures our rural communities have faced over recent months.
It is a reminder of just how much our community depends on our natural resources and how quickly conditions can change.
While there is still work to be done, it is encouraging to see the land respond and to know that our region is capable of bouncing back.
Annabelle Cleeland, Member for Euroa
Acquisition bulldozing
The Allan Labor Government has shown contempt for regional Victorians, the environment, and our vital agricultural sector, by bulldozing through new compulsory acquisition laws for power line easements.
These powers allow the government, transmission firms, and energy distributors to seize farmland for power line easements that ‘may’ be required in the future, without the need for an EES [Environment Effects Statement] to have even commenced.
This trashes good planning and environmental processes and shows utter disregard for the prime agricultural land we need to grow our food and fibre.
It should alarm every landholder – Labor doesn’t care about your property rights, your business, or your home.
The Nationals fought this legislation and will repeal it if elected to government.
We will also repeal Labor’s land access laws, scrap their emergency services tax, restore farmers’ right to appeal projects, and introduce buffer zones between renewable projects and homes.
We will overhaul the planning process; agricultural land will be assessed at the outset of any major project, and if prime farmland is at risk, the project will be stopped.
Independent agricultural and economic impact assessments will be mandatory upfront for renewables and transmission lines, just like environmental and cultural ones.
Emma Kealy MP, Shadow Minister for Agriculture
From the Bard of Strathbogie
If you're in the neighbourhood
of Violet Town you'd best be good,
else OIC, one Andrew Grimes,
will make you sorry for your crimes.
Craig Penny, Euroa