Grants of up to $50,000 are available under the Veterans Council Grants Program 2010/11,for a range of projects to assist the veteran community, The Nationals Member for Murray Valley , Ken Jasper, said today.

Mr Jasper said the program is designed to provide practical support to the veteran community, through the funding of a range of welfare support, commemorative and educational initiatives.

Grants are available through two funding streams, the ANZAC Day Proceeds Fund and the Victorian Veterans Fund, he said.

The Nationals Member for Murray Valley , Ken Jasper, will be seeking progress updates on a range of border anomalies at the Victoria-New South Wales Cross Border Consultation Forum meeting at Swan Hill this Friday, September 3 2010 .

Mr Jasper said that at the meeting he will be looking for information on the elimination of a number of anomalies creating enormous frustration of businesses operating along the border between Victoria and New South Wales and for individuals living in this region.

They include regulations for L and P plate drivers; regulations for road transport vehicles, particularly in relation to driver hours and fatigue requirements, registration costs and weight tolerances; and the lack of access to complementary health services for residents of neighbouring states, he said.

At last, the Victorian Government has seen the light in now accepting a major recommendation from the Bushfire Royal Commission to introduce a much fairer system of funding fire services for the State, The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper, said today.

I believe the catalyst for this about-face by the State Government has been the Bushfires Royal Commission and the coming State election, noting that it has continually rejected calls to reform this iniquitous charge, he said.

Mr Jasper said the Bushfire Royal Commission’s major recommendation to drop the fire services levy on insurance policies on property and replace it with a charge on all property, with a concession for low-income earners, is a far more equitable system.

The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper, is confident further progress will be made in the elimination of border anomalies such as reciprocal fishing licences when the Victoria-New South Wales Cross Border Consultation Forum meets at Swan Hill on Friday, September 3 2010.

Mr Jasper will attend this meeting, to be hosted by representatives of the Victorian and NSW Departments’ of Premier and Cabinet, with Mayors, State Members of Parliament for border electorates, and Victorian and NSW Government representatives also in attendance.

Recreational fishing licences are again on the agenda for this meeting, with all indications that reciprocal licences for recreational fishermen and women will finally be achieved, he said.

The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper, presented bicycles and helmets to Wangaratta Primary School grade six students, Zanthea Zwager and Caelan Anderson, at a school assembly attended by students, staff, parents and friends on Wednesday.

The lucky students received the bicycles as part of the State Government’s Go For Your Life Ride2School bicycle giveaway program which provides 1000 bikes to 500 schools across Victoria.

The winners are selected on a basis of leadership qualities and encouraging an active lifestyle, Mr Jasper said.