Over this week I’ve been visiting eastern parts of Mallee including Donald, Wycheproof, Charlton, Inglewood, Kerang, Pyramid Hill, Boort, Wedderburn, Maryborough, Stawell, Avoca and Talbot listening to concerns and assisting however I can.

A common concern I heard in the Grampians region was the future of home maintenance and gardening services after a significant cut to hours.  I stood with Grampians Community Health after the Albanese Labor Government put them in an untenable situation called a meeting in Stawell on Thursday morning to hear from affected clients and providers about what needs to change.

More than 234,000 Australians are waiting for aged care support, including 100,000 assessed as needing care and put on the National Priority System waitlist – double the 50,000 the same list stood at when the Coalition left office, at which time when Labor was calling the aged care system a 'national disgrace'." On Labor’s watch, over 5,000 Australians have died waiting for aged care – so, what is it now? Older people want to age in their homes for as long as possible – cutting home services puts them at risk.

I look forward to a further visit later in August visiting the West Wimmera and Hindmarsh regions, and catch up with councils in the region. Time and again shires underpin their communities because there is need, and nobody else is stepping up.  I spoke with Buloke Shire this week who after multiple natural disasters are pulling the community together at a time of profound grief in Donald after a horrific murder.

On a happier note, it is great that rock climbing at Mount Arapiles and in the Grampians can proceed after a long, convoluted and messy debate about cultural heritage.  Now, about 3,100 of 3,300 climbing routes will remain open to the public. Even so, some prominent climbs will be closed, so there is still work to be done.

I drafted the Arapiles Declaration which senior Coalition representatives signed in Canberra to say public land should remain accessible to the public wherever possible.  I am sure the Natimuk community are pleased we are heading in the right direction.