General News
13 June, 2025
MP Kealy hears local concerns
Victorian Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy, wrapped up a busy day across the region with a pop-up office visit in Rainbow on Thursday, June 5.
After stopping in Dimboola, Nhill, and Jeparit, Ms Kealy spent time at Bow Bakery, engaging with locals and listening to their concerns about drought support, roads, rising taxes, and wildlife management.
Ms Kealy welcomed the recent state government announcement offering $5000 infrastructure grants to farmers across Victoria, but said the program still left many behind.
"It's better than nothing, but the problem is there are farmers who simply don't have the money to invest upfront in things like water tanks," she said.
"Buying a tank doesn't bring rain.
"Right now, they need fodder and water on the ground."
She said it was unfair that only 24 local government areas were eligible for up to $10,000 drought support grants, excluding parts of the Wimmera, including Hindmarsh Shire and Yarriambiack.
"Our people shouldn't miss out because the government missed the mark early on," she said.
"This area should have been recognised as in drought from the start.
"It's a postcode lottery, and that's just not fair when conditions are so similar across the region."
Ms Kealy praised recent improvements to fodder transport access, following her lobbying of the Victorian Government to streamline permits for feed carted from Western Australia.
"That's actually been a win locally," she said.
"It was extraordinarily difficult to get fodder through South Australia due to biosecurity laws, but now it's much easier."
The Nationals MP also raised concerns about the impact of the Emergency Services Property Tax, particularly on small businesses in rural towns.
"From July 1, there's a temporary reprieve on the farmland hike, but other categories of residential and businesses will still be hit with a 100 per cent increase," she said.
"It's an unfair and unjustifiable tax.
"It might force an otherwise viable business to close."
Ms Kealy said locals echoed broader frustrations across the Lowan electorate, particularly about road conditions and a lack of return on taxes paid.
"Roads are the number one issue, whether it's potholes or the Western Highway duplication, people are fed up," she said.
"That highway is the second busiest in Australia, and it's disgraceful that lives are being lost while nothing gets done."
She also called for urgent investment in kangaroo population management, citing concerns for both farm sustainability and driver safety.
"Kangaroos are at plague numbers," she said.
"They're eating farmers' grass and becoming a real hazard on our roads.
"A young woman in Jeparit hit two kangaroos in a brand new car in less than 12 hours after picking it up.
"The government is cutting the kangaroo culling program just when we need it most."
Reflecting on her visit, Ms Kealy said she remains committed to advocating for fairness in Parliament.
"If I could spend every day in the communities instead of Parliament House, I would," she said.
"But it's my job to make sure your voices are heard and I will keep fighting to make that happen."
