Lobbying for the community

Cr Rob Amos and Cr Adrian Weston at Parliament House 31.10.2023.jpg

Local government is the arm of government closest to the people.

Council provides more than 100 different services to our community and the face-to-face contact we gain gives us a deep understanding of our community and its needs.

Acting alone, there are limits to what Council can achieve within our legislative and budgetary capabilities; therefore working in partnership with other groups and other levels of government is fundamental.

Council is a strong advocate for our community and regularly lobbies the state and federal governments for funding for important programs and projects.

Further, we forge partnerships with other agencies and other councils to make our advocacy efforts on behalf of the community more coordinated, strategic and effective.

Murray River Group of Councils #PushbackBuybacks

Murray River Group of Councils launches #PushbackBuybacks campaign - October 2023

The Murray River Group of Councils (MRGC), comprised of six northern Victorian councils, including Campaspe, Gannawarra, Loddon, Moira, Swan Hill and Mildura, launched a campaign on 5 October 2023 to keep local and affordable Australian-grown food on the tables of Australian families.

The #PushbackBuybacks campaign focused on stopping the Water Amendment (Restoring Our Rivers) Bill 2023 from becoming federal law, thereby preventing the Australian Government from reinstating water buybacks from farmers as part of the Murray Darling Basin Plan implementation. The Bill was passed and commenced on 7 December 2023.

Past experience and independent research show water buybacks have caused a raft of negative socio-economic impacts on northern Victorian communities. This includes $500 million of lost productivity across the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District (GMID) each year, massive job losses and business closures. 

Click below for more information.

https://www.mrgc.com.au/pushbackbuybacks/

Issued letter to the editor and media releases below:

Read the Murray River Group of Councils Letter to the Editor here(PDF, 134KB)

Media Release - MRGC launches #PushbackBuybacks campaign - 5 October 2023(PDF, 267KB)

Media Release - Senator Van meets MRGC on water buybacks - 20 October 2023(PDF, 254KB)

Media Release - MRGC takes its pushback water buybacks message to Canberra - 27 October 2023(PDF, 223KB)

Media Release - MRGC presents at public hearing on Basin Plan bill - 2 November 2023(PDF, 187KB)

Media Release - MRGC Chair disappointed with Senate Committee report on Basin Plan bill - 13 November 2023(PDF, 191KB)

Media Release - MRGC raises water buyback concerns with Basin Authority - 16 November 2023(PDF, 186KB)

Media Release - MRGC calls on Australian Government to slow down water amendment bill and consult with communities - 27 November 2023(PDF, 192KB)

Media Release - Acting MRGC Chair responds to passing of Water Amendment Bill - 5 December 2023(PDF, 184KB)

2022 Flood Inquiry

 2022 Flood Inquiry

The Victorian Parliament's Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee is investigating Victoria's preparedness for, and response to Victoria’s major flooding event of October 2022. The inquiry will look into the flood event as a whole and the areas affected, and consider factors such as what caused or contributed to the Flood Event including emergency services, government policy, flood mitigation strategies and the Victoria planning framework.

Campaspe Shire Council looks forward to the findings of the Inquiry into the 2022 Flood Event in Victoria and any recommendations for solutions to minimise the frequency and severity of floods in the future.

Click on each link below to read the submissions:

Campaspe Shire Council Inquiry submission(PDF, 779KB)

Murray River Group of Councils Inquiry submission(PDF, 877KB)

Media releases:

25 August 2023: Campaspe Shire-Council presents a flood inquiry public hearing

For more information on the Flood Inquiry, including videos of the public hearings, please visit https://new.parliament.vic.gov.au/floodinquiry.

 

Advocacy

Council has adopted an Advocacy Priorities(PDF, 37MB) document setting out priority infrastructure and policy needs as follows:

  • Victoria Park Recreation Reserve redevelopment
  • Echuca Aquatic Reserve redevelopment
  • Improving public transport
  • Regional trail experiences
  • Lifesaving aerodrome upgrades

The document also outlines a number of regional and local priorities.

Submissions 

In addition Council also makes a number of submissions on issues of importance to Campaspe. Recent submissions are as follows:

2022

2020

August - Letter to Prime Minister, Seeking local government representation on the National Federal Reform Council(PDF, 47KB)  

February - Letter to Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Land management and disposal process concerns for VicTrack land(PDF, 1MB)  

February - Letter to Premier of Victoria, Continuation of funding for the Fixing Country Roads Program(PDF, 141KB)  

February - Letter to Infrastructure Victoria, Review of regional infrastructure priorities(PDF, 139KB)