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Frequent fatalities By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT AND TOM HAYES
Premier Pesutto?
While the next state election is still two years away, the latest Resolve poll has revealed Traralgon local and Liberal leader John Pesutto is the preferred Victorian Premier over Jacinta Allan. STORY - PAGE 9
Ideas live on air By KIANA BROOKS-AMOR*
ASSISTANT Minister for Trade and a Future Made in Australia, Senator Tim Ayres was in Morwell last week. Mr Ayres met with local manufacturers, holding roundtable discussions about current and future growth plans. The New South Wales-based Senator said he was pleased with the projects Gippsland industries can contribute to the Future Made in Australia initiative. “The biggest opportunity in front of the Gippsland community is the opportunity that’s posed by offshore wind projects,” he said. “I want to make sure that where there’s wind projects and transmission projects, that (is where) we’re getting the maximum local content… over the coming years.” The Future Made in Australia is a federal government plan investing $22.7 billion into energy, metal, technology, and manufacturing innovations and investments in
Asbestos
Australia. Mr Ayres said that the plan will secure Australia’s supply chain and “seize” economic opportunities across the country. While in Morwell, Mr Ayres spoke with local engineering industries, energy investors, local government, trade unions, and other bodies about how to take advantage of Gippsland’s “great industrial capability” and local innovations. He said investing in wind energy projects and other innovations will not only improve industrial capabilities, but will also bring more jobs to the Latrobe Valley and other areas of Gippsland. “We’re absolutely committed to… making sure we squeeze every last job out of it (the plan),” he said. Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester however was critical of the plan, saying it burdens inflation. “Ironically, the Future Made in Australia policy is looking more like Australian taxpayers copping the bill to build up big foreign companies,
with a $1 billion deal with a US company, PsiQuantum, at the centre of the plan,” he said. “Future Made in Australia is a demonstration of Labor’s wrong priorities in a cost-of-living crisis.” Mr Chester is a member of the House of Representatives Select Committee investigating nuclear energy potential. “Australians are more open-minded about this debate than the LaborGreens, who are focussed on running a scare campaign,” he said. Both the Committee and Future Made in Australia are interested in submarines for Australia. Mr Chester said: “(The Committee is) hearing evidence from around the country about the potential to develop a civilian nuclear capacity on top of the AUKUS submarines agreement”. Mr Ayres said: “We (the Future Made in Australia) are for local manufacturing. We’re for local naval ship building. We’re for building our future submarine fleet here in Australia.” The Future Made in Australia
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plan supports the New Energy Apprenticeships Program, which increases eligibility for $10,000 incentive payments. Mr Ayres said that fee-free TAFE courses aim to keep costs down for apprentices. Last September, the state government said it had offered more than 80 free TAFE courses. Mr Ayres believed businesses should employ several apprentices. “One of the things that I’m interested in, (in) the context of a Future Made in Australia, (is) how we could further support more accountability amongst companies about their effort in terms of apprenticeships,” he said. Southerly Ten’s Regional Engagement Senior Manager, Paul Johnson, said that the federal plan is “exciting” for Star of the South. Star of the South is a local offshore wind project set for completion by 2030. *Kiana Brooks-Amor is a university student completing placement with the Express.
A PERSON was struck by a V/Line train in Morwell at the railway line parallel to Mid Valley Shopping Centre last Thursday (November 14). Police arrived on the scene around 10.30am and found a body near the halted train. Passengers remained aboard until it was deemed safe to exit, requiring ladder usage. At least one person in a wheelchair was also on board the service. SES services arrived after 12pm, with the Coroner arriving soon after. V/Line officials were also seen at the area of the incident. The V/Line service had last stopped at Traralgon Railway Station and was to arrive into Morwell Railway Station at 10.35am. Replacement buses and taxi services were called to the area for passengers to utilise. Once the incident was cleared up, trains resumed along the line from around 2pm. THREE people died in a crash involving an amateur-built light aircraft in Tinamba West on Saturday (November 16). It was reported that emergency services were called to reports of the crash in a paddock near Heyfield-Upper Maffra Road at about 5.45pm. It was reported to the police that the plane had circled the area before the incident. In the fatal crash was a 20-year-old pilot from Tongala, and two passengers aged 16 (Tongala) and 15-years-old (Tinamba West), the ABC reported. They were the only three people on board. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has commenced a transport safety investigation into the incident. The ATSB is deploying to the site a team of transport safety investigators from its Canberra office, specialising in aircraft operations and maintenance. Investigators will conduct a range of evidence-gathering activities on site, including wreckage examination and recovery of any relevant aircraft components for further examination. Investigators will also seek to speak to any witnesses to collect relevant information, including flight tracking data, pilot and aircraft maintenance records, and weather information. The ATSB urges anyone who may have witnessed the event, or has photos or video footage of the aircraft at any point of the flight to fill out a witness form at: atsb.gov. au/witness The ATSB is to publish a preliminary report to include all information collected in the evidence-gathering phase, in about six to eight weeks.