Lobbying for the community

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 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, have launched a campaign on 5 October 2023 to keep local and affordable Australian-grown food on the tables of Australian families.

The #PushbackBuybacks campaign aims to stop 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. It is expected that the Bill will be voted on some time after 8 November 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.

If passed, the Bill would also put at risk one of the nation’s largest food bowls and add to cost-of-living pressures on Australian families.

A key plank of the campaign is the #PushbackBuybacks petition which the MRGC is encouraging all concerned Australians to sign.

Click below for more information and to sign the petition

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

You can also download a template letter to send to your local Member of Parliament or the Australian parliamentary cross benchers. 

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)

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: