Latest news with #VictorianGovernment
ABC News
30-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Victorian government backs down on emergency services levy for farmers
The Victorian government has backed down on a plan to slug the state's farmers with a more expensive emergency services levy after heated protests. It has also pledged $37.7 million in additional funding for farmers experiencing extended dry conditions. The drought funding announced today increases infrastructure grants to $10,000 in 11 council areas and parts of West Wimmera. The $5,000 grants are now available for all farmers across the state. The government said the support program would also be expanded to cover water carting and pasture re-establishment across Victoria. It will also cap its Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) levy at the 2024/25 rate for all primary production properties across the state for the coming financial year. This is the third drought announcement by the Victorian government since September last year. Earlier this month, the government announced $15.9m to expand its drought infrastructure grants to include farmers in 11 council areas in the state's west, centre and parts of Gippsland. The original $13.5m program provided the grants to farmers in 13 council areas in the south-west. More to come.
West Australian
30-05-2025
- Health
- West Australian
Magda Szubanski: COVID conspiracy theorists target TV star with ‘abhorrent' comments after cancer diagnosis
Cancer-stricken Magda Szubanski has been targeted with 'abhorrent' comments on social media after going public with her potentially life threatening diagnosis. On Thursday, the Australian TV comedy legend revealed she had been diagnosed with stage four mantle cell lymphoma, an aggressive form of blood cancer. It didn't take long for the conspiracy theorists to come out of the woodwork. Amid the avalanche of well wishes from celebrity friends and ordinary Australians, within hours they were trying to link her diagnosis to the COVID vaccine. Szubanski has been a long been a target of anti-vaxxers after she was vocal about her support for the vaccine and the strict measures put in place during the COVID pandemic. One rabidly anti-vax account on X suggested on Thursday she had been diagnosed with 'turbo cancer', linking it to the vaccine, with a follower suggesting she should 'apologise for pushing the vax on others'. Another wrote, 'She was asking for fifth booster in 2022 wonder where she's at now?' But Szubanski's supporters have come out firing, denouncing the ugly posts. 'Anti-Vaxxers don't want to be treated with contempt by society, then behave abhorrently online. 'Magda Szubanski reveals blood cancer, then you post your cooker rubbish all over news article. Think of her and her family and friends. You not cookers, you are just scum.' Another wrote: 'Cookers attacking Magda for getting cancer. Just the absolute dross of humanity.' During the height of the pandemic, Szubanski was a vocal advocate for the COVID lockdown and the vaccine. In 2020, Szubanski was the victim of a hate campaign after appearing in a Victorian Government TV ad as her Kath & Kim character, netball loving Sharon Strzelecki, urging people to abide by the strict rules introduced to keep people safe from the potentially deadly virus. 'I tell you what I am so over this lockdown,' she said. 'Playing netball against yourself is not all it's cracked up to be, especially when you still can't even win. 'But you know what, it's not the lockdown that's the enemy, it's the virus and the sooner we obey the rules the sooner this will all be over and we can get back to the stuff that really matters ... netty.' Szubanski hit out at haters on Twitter following the release of the video. 'Bring it Covid Deniers – let's see what you got. Let's bring you right out into the sunshine. Let's see your real names. And your real facts,' she wrote.
ABC News
26-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
The public schools still waiting for better funding
Victoria is known as the 'Education State', with a vision to 'deliver excellence in every classroom'. But the Victorian government has quietly delayed public school funding reforms by three years — a move that will cost students more than $2 billion. Norman Hermant reports.
