The group will work ‘to address community concerns and collaborate with relevant organisations to foster positive change through action and ensure ongoing accountability surrounding the issues’.
Mrs Goldsworthy said five motions were passed at the March meeting in relation to the three issues.
“The fire services levy is our big one right now, then we’ll move on to the fire and the dingoes and whatever else pops up over time,” she said.
The meeting’s motion said the group did ‘not accept this unfair burden of the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund that has been placed on rural rate payers’.
“Twenty-five per cent of Victorian people will be paying 90 per cent of that fund, and it’s not going to come back to us. We might get 10 per cent, if we’re lucky,” Mrs Goldsworthy said.
“It will pull $5-million out of a small shire like ours with 5660 people in it – it’s daylight robbery, nothing less.
“Our farmers will be slugged with an increase of at least 164 per cent on the current Fire Services Levy and as a result everything will go up because it’s got to have a flow-on effect.
“The government just has not thought this through at all.”
Mrs Goldsworthy said the meeting’s attendees also moved a motion for a policy and process to be put in place for better communication between all stakeholders, including local CFA brigades and Forest Fire Management Victoria, following the devastation of February’s Little Desert National Park fires.
“We want to enable collaboration and information sharing between all stakeholders a minimum of four times a year for firefighting and fire prevention activities, including fuel reduction burns,” she said.
“We want to be better-prepared for the next fire, that’s just what it comes down to.”
Mrs Goldsworthy said there was discussion around an alleged dingo breeding program in the Little Desert, with a motion moved to ask the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action to conduct a forensic audit.
The motion said the audit should include the examination of record books, microchip details, veterinary invoices and public display records.
“We were aware there were some dingoes being fed on the edge of the Little Desert, but we didn’t realise it was a breeding facility,” she said.
“When the fire went through, that area had to be evacuated, they went in to get the dingoes and apparently three escaped into the Little Desert National Park.
“Some were burnt and some were taken away, but the exact numbers of dingoes that were out there is very sketchy.
“If you’ve got a licence to keep dingoes, you’ve got to document everything.
“If they haven’t been doing that, if they are unsure about something, then they’ve breached their licence.
“We will also be requesting for GPS tracking collars to be attached to all dingoes held in captivity, so if they escape, we can then determine where they are.”
Mrs Goldsworthy said another public meeting had not yet been scheduled, but people were welcome to join the group.
“If anyone wishes to become a member of the West Wimmera Action Group, or if they have contributions, photos, or data that could be useful, they can contact me on 0428 593 351,” she said.
The entire April 30, 2025 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!
The entire April 30, 2025 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!
