Two Yarrawonga residents have been recognised for their enormous contribution to Yarrawonga and the surrounding area and especially for their contribution to The National Party by The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper.

In a ceremony at Woods Point Hostel last week, attended by family and friends, Mr Jasper highlighted the strength of support to him, personally, and to the National Party and the community generally, from Horrie Prescott MBE and Roger Montrose.

He presented certificates of appreciation, signed by The Nationals Victorian Leader Peter Ryan, President Bill Baxter and the Member for Murray Valley, to Mr Prescott and Mr Montrose.

Bouquets of flowers were presented to Olive Prescott and Morrie Montrose in acknowledgement of their unfailing back-up support, both to their husbands and to the National Party.

Victorian Roads Minister Tim Pallas has agreed to facilitate discussions between VicRoads and the New South Wales Roads Traffic Authority to determine funding timelines for the next stage in the planning process for the new bridge over Lake Mulwala, The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper said today.

The new Roads Minister confirmed he would provide a response as soon as practicable to provide clarity on the bridge replacement process and possible time lines, Mr Jasper said.

I had been pressing the Minister to visit the area, inspect the deteriorating bridge between Yarrawonga and Mulwala, familiarise himself with the issues and undertake discussions with representatives of Moira Shire and other interested parties for some months, he said.

Possible alternate routes for the replacement bridge, developed in earlier study funded by the Victorian and New South Wales Governments, had been considered at a second public meeting on the issue at Mulwala in October 2006, Mr Jasper said.

The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper, joined State and Federal Members of Parliament representing Northern Victorian Electorates in unanimously supporting a massive public meeting at Shepparton today totally opposing the Victorian Government’s proposed North/South pipeline taking water from the Goulburn Valley to Melbourne.

Mr Jasper said the huge turnout at today’s meeting demonstrated that Goulburn Valley irrigators and residents totally oppose the proposal put forward by the State Government to take northern water to service metropolitan Melbourne.

He condemned the total lack of genuine consultation by the State Government, which had sought to con the people of Northern Victoria with the ‘carrot’ of an upgrade to the Goulburn Valley irrigation system in return for a one third share of the estimated water saved as a result of that upgrade.

In fact, the proposal gives metropolitan Melbourne first call on water from Lake Eildon, apparently even before the irrigators who are required to pay for their full water entitlement, whether they receive it or not, Mr Jasper said.

The Victorian Government’s grab for water from the Goulburn Murray system to underpin Melbourne’s metropolitan water supply has been slammed by The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper.

Mr Jasper said he supported the need to undertake a major upgrade of the Goulburn irrigation supply system but he rejected the plan to build a pipeline to take 75 gigalitres to Melbourne.

There is no logical reason why the community should be held to ransom with the government saying it will only do the upgrade to the irrigation system if Melbourne gets to take the first 75 gigalitres, Mr Jasper said.

The State Government’s own Ministers have acknowledged the need to upgrade the system but Melbourne should get its water from the new desalination plant; in addition to conservation measures, recycling initiatives; and the harvesting of stormwater.