Return of the blood bank reception point at Cobram has gathered further support with the presentation of a petition to the Victorian Parliament calling for the reinstatement of the mobile blood bank service, The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper, said today.

Mr Jasper said the petition contained over 2000 signatures, including some 260 signatures from people living across the border in New South Wales.

A key worker in the campaign for the reinstatement of the service was Simone Bath, who circulated the petition in Cobram and the wider community, he said.

It is time for people wanting to block unwanted telemarketing calls to re-register their telephone and mobile phone numbers on the Do Not Call register, The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper, said today.

Mr Jasper said more than 4.5 million home, mobile and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) numbers have been registered since the Do Not Call register was launched by the Federal Government in May 2007 in response to community concerns about unsolicited telemarketing calls.

Registrations are valid for three years and up to 1.04 million registrations will expire in May 2010, the third anniversary of the register, which is managed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, he said.

Ken Jasper to HUSH to help homeless Australians

It’s not often you have a politician being voluntarily silent but on Friday 14 May, Ken Jasper, Member for Murray Valley, will be silencing himself for an hour to raise money for Mission Australia’s HUSH for Homelessness.

“As many of you would be aware, it’s rare for me to go any length of time without speaking,” says Member for Murray Valley, Ken Jasper.

“However, this is an exception to the rule and I will happily remain silent for one hour on 14 May to raise money for Mission Australia’s homeless services.

Member for Murray Valley Ken Jasper expressed some disappointment with the Victorian Budget with no major funding announcements for the Electorate and for much of Regional Victoria.

He cited the need for urgent funding for major re-development of the Wangaratta Court House where part of the facility has been closed for Health and Safety reasons. This is a major Court servicing North East Victoria and despite my representations to the Attorney General last year and earlier this year, no funding was provided in this budget.

Mr Jasper said the dental facilities at North East Health – Wangaratta are sub-standard with the staff working out of an old house, so funding for a new facility is desperately needed.