On Australia Day on Monday 26 January I look forward to the celebrations at Nowingi Place including the free community breakfast from 8am and celebrating Mildura Rural City Council’s citizen, young citizen and community event or project of the year.

It is important that we celebrate our local achievers because it is the Australian way not to seek public praise or recognition, but to commit yourself to volunteering because you see a need in the community.  That’s why I started Zoe Support, helping teen mums in the area many years ago, and I commend all the award nominees because I know firsthand how much you give up for a cause you are passionate about.

I want to give a shoutout this Australia Day to our Country Fire Authority volunteers.  In the broader district we faced dangerous bushfires and despite poor resourcing from the Allan Labor Government, our CFA volunteers stepped up to defend life and property.  I cannot comprehend how a state government responsible for protecting its people can justify, firstly, under-resourcing firefighting capacity despite their claims of more climate-driven fire events and, secondly, then trying to tax the farmers who are the same volunteers to help pay for that capacity.  I wish The Nationals’ Jade Benham for Mildura all the very best in taking the fight up to the Allan Labor Government this November as they are a government that believes Victoria ends at Bendigo, Ballarat and Geelong.

Despite political differences, we set aside those differences for last Thursday’s national day of mourning over the Bondi terror attack on 14 December.  I and my Nationals colleagues in federal parliament are very committed to ensure we take every responsible step to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.

This is a time to unite and celebrate all that is good in our great nation, and nothing unites Australia like our flag.  That’s why I’ve produced large stickers to put on your wheelie bin or wherever you prefer that says “Together Under One Flag”.  You can collect your free sticker at my electorate office at 148 Eighth Street.

Happy Australia Day everyone.