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A New Lease On Life For Country VictoriaA Liberal Government will end the neglect of country Victoria, Leader of the Liberal Party Ted Baillieu said today. By Ted Baillieu - 1st August 2006 - Back to News Launching the first of the Liberal Party’s ‘Country Victoria’ policies, Mr Baillieu said country communities had suffered seven years of neglect and mismanagement by an aimless Labor Government.
"A Liberal Government will get country Victoria back to business and ensure country people get the services and support they deserve," Mr Baillieu said.
"Country Victorians have had enough of spending their time completing Labor’s paperwork for the never-ending rules and regulations, instead of running their businesses and enjoying life.
"They are tired of over-the-top country planning restrictions which dictate exactly what they can and can’t do on their own properties and how to live their lives.
"They are fed up with the Labor’s double standard of throwing the book at farmers with land management issues, while neglecting its own responsibility to Crown land.
"But most of all country Victorians are sick of playing second fiddle to metropolitan Melbourne for important infrastructure funding and access to services.
"We must appreciate country lifestyles and interests are worlds away from those in the city. Everyday issues and problems for country Victorians can be very different from those of people in Melbourne and require different solutions.
"A Liberal Government will implement a comprehensive $280 million package of initiatives to capitalise on the competitiveness of country industry, provide greater community support and forge a closer inter-relationship between the country and city."
The Liberals’ policy incorporates measures to provide efficient infrastructure:
· $127 million for rundown local roads and bridges;
· Stronger support for country tourism and the racing industry;
· A new rural industry based on the processing of kangaroo products;
· Tackle livestock theft in country areas;
· Support for the expansion of private forest plantations; and
· More effective and efficient delivery of natural disaster relief.
Measures to provide competitive regulation and planning reforms:
· A net loss policy for farm regulations where for every new regulation two existing ones must be eliminated;
· An improved planning regime to implement a moratorium on new wind farms and restore the planning authority for wind farms to local government, establish a more effective and fair rural zoning system that protects the property rights and land values of country landholders, preserve valuable native bushland without adversely affecting farming activity, and a revised code for broiler farms to end industry uncertainty and Ministerial interference;
· Streamlined food safety regulation and enforce food labelling laws, particularly relating to country of origin;
· Reform the heavy handed child employment laws
High standard services:
· One-stop shop for Federal, State and Local Government payments and information in country Victoria under the CountryLink initiative
· Redress the country doctor crisis by attracting additional doctors and supporting medical practitioners already based in the country
· Continue the Star 6 program to provide city visits for country children, and extend it to give city kids the experience of a stay in the country
· Restore funding to the Victorian Young Farmers Inc
Lifestyle amenity:
· Expand the repair and maintenance programs for public land access tracks and introduce a driver education program for people with four-wheel-drives and all-terrain vehicles
· Establish a Victorian Firearms Safety and Education Foundation to promote firearm safety through a Victorian Firearms Safety and Education Scheme
· An innovative, all-purpose licence for firearms, fishing and hunting
· Leadership for conservation and game management
Mr Baillieu said country Victorians deserve more than being short-changed by the Labor Government.
"A Liberal Government will capture the advantages of country Victoria’s rich natural resources, export industries and people known for their resourcefulness and innovation."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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