Support for farmers, businesses and the general community in North Eastern Victoria is expected following meetings with Victorian Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron in Wangaratta and Cobram, The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper, said today.

Mr Jasper said discussions at Wangaratta with representatives of the Wangaratta, Benalla, Alpine and Indigo Shires had centred on the devastating effect of frost damage, drought conditions and the crisis in the tobacco industry in the North East. These factors must be considered in the application for exceptional circumstances conditions, he said.

The Nationals Small Business spokesman and Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper, will chair a meeting at Cobram Shire Offices between Victorian Agricultural Minister Bob Cameron, Moira Shire councillors and senior staff, and drought committee representatives, on Wednesday afternoon, October 18, 2006.

The Minister will be in Cobram to launch a fruit fly eradication program and has taken the opportunity to meet with Moira Shire representatives to enter into discussions relating to drought and frost problems affecting primary producers within the Shire.

Mr Jasper said whilst acknowledging the extreme difficulties experienced in the Goulburn Valley through frost damage and the ongoing dry conditions, primary producers across North Eastern Victoria and Moira Shire had also suffered through drought conditions.

A public meeting at the Mulwala Civic Centre this week will be a catalyst to further action on replacing the ageing bridge across Lake Mulwala between Yarrawonga and Mulwala, The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper, said today.

Mr Jasper said the Civic Centre was packed for the meeting, called by the Moira and Corowa Shires, to consider the need for a new bridge to replace the inadequate bridge across the lake, built between 1917 and 1924.

VicRoads representative, Ian Barry, provided comprehensive information on investigations undertaken, including road conditions and suggested alternative locations for a new bridge.

Further investigation must be undertaken into traffic movements in the Rutherglen area before definitive recommendations can be acted on to minimise traffic movement problems, The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper, said today.

Mr Jasper said a large crowd attended a recent public meeting at the Rutherglen Senior Citizens rooms to receive information from representatives of VicRoads and Moira Shire on investigations into changes in road traffic movements following the opening of the Federation Bridge between Corowa and Wahgunyah, and the Logic Centre at Barnawartha.

The initial investigation looked at the impact the opening of the bridge and the distribution centre has had, particularly on traffic movements through the main street of Rutherglen, he said.