Council
11 June, 2025
McArthur hits out at “travelling circus” visit
MEMBER for Western Victoria Bev McArthur has hit out at Premier Jacinta Allan’s “stage-managed” visit to Camperdown.
The Premier was in Camperdown last week for the first meeting of the Drought Response Taskforce, during which she refused to meet with volunteers and farmers impacted by the unpopular Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) levy.
Mrs McArthur hit out at the visit, saying Ms Allan had insulated herself from Victorians seeking help by being “ushered into the quiet and law abiding town of Camperdown with a police escort”.
“I’ve never known anything like this,” she said.
“It’s a serious indication of the disconnect between Labor politicians and country Victoria, as well as the anger of good people her government has pushed to breaking point.
“Aside from failing to notify local non-Labor MPs of her visit, the Premier has also refused to meet with western Victorian farmers on all three occasions they’ve travelled to Parliament House in the past month seeking a meeting.
“Each time, she refused to meet them.”
Mrs McArthur said Labor members have been invited to a number of meetings across the region but have not attended.
“We are listening and acting – Liberals will repeal the so-called Emergency Services Volunteer tax when elected next year.
“Labor are hiding behind sham meetings and ‘pauses’ to a tax which is the last straw for so many destitute rural people,” she said.
“Why is the Premier only choosing to travel to the bush now? Did she not hear loud and clear the chants into her Parliament House office from the thousands of protesters on the front steps?”
Mrs McArthur also hit out at the Drought Response Taskforce, comparing it to a “travelling circus” of five Labor MPs which barely includes a farmer or firefighter.
“Western Victoria is not a stage for political theatre. It is a region in desperate need of real help,” she said.
“Farmers need support that actually reaches them, including full cost recovery of water supply, fodder delivery and stock agistment transport costs.
“With a stroke of the pen they could lift the ban on interstate road transport long loads coming into Victoria, saving farmers thousands of dollars in transport costs.
“They could facilitate cross border fodder delivery blocked on biosecurity grounds. The government could encourage councils and VicRoads to facilitate roadside grazing instead of prioritising ridiculous restrictions relating to native vegetation over saving livestock lives.
“There is much the Premier could – do but start with listening to the local farmers, Country Fire Authority volunteers and politicians who are on the ground in the affected areas.”
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