Issuu

Established in 1981 as the

proudly serving Sunbury and Macedon Ranges

3 JUNE, 2025

Funding is in the post Kyneton Horticultural Society is among the recipients of Australia Post’s People of Post Grants. The group has received $2000 in funding for a new project to rejuvenate the garden at the entrance of the historic Watts Pavillion with indigenous plants. President Melva Ryan said the group was thrilled to receive the funding. “The project will be a collaboration and it will provide an opportunity to connect with the community and build a sense of community pride,” she said. Ms Ryan said while the garden area itself is quite small, the grant will help fund works to improve the streetscape outside the pavilion, as well as plant a number of local indigenous plants that will serve as a habitat for pollinators. “We also hope to get some signage a little plaque to say who did it why we did it and what’s there,” she said. The project will also provide an opportunity to connect and feel a sense of community pride, not just for the horticultural society members but also for the wider Kyneton community. Melva Ryan and Louise Conron from the Kyneton Horticultural Society are ready to give the garden a much needed refresh. (Damjan Janevski) 476260_02

Fire levy opposed By Georgia Tacey Macedon Ranges council has objected to councils collecting the new Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund Levy, with one councillor declaring the state government had “really misread the room”. At the May council meeting, councillors voted in support of mayor Dom Bonanno and chief executive officer Bernie O’Sullivan writing to the premier, treasurer, emergency services minister, Macedon MP, opposition leader and shadow treasurer about their opposition to the levy. In the letter, council will request the

levy to be fully administered by the State Revenue Office, with no role for local government in its collection. If the government proceeds with requiring local government authorities to administer it, they are seeking a realistic timeframe for the implementation to be negotiated, full support for its administration and state funding for an extensive communications campaign to update ratepayers and volunteers about the rationale behind the levy. Mr O’Sullivan said the new levy will result in a substantial increase for ratepayers. “Based on council estimates … we

expect the new levy to raise an additional $4.8 million from the Macedon Ranges community in 2025-26, compared to the existing Fire Services Property Levy in 2024-25,” he said. Cr Andrew Scanlon said farmers were already suffering. “I believe the state government has really misread the room and there’s a lot of people out there in the rural regions that are really hurting, including myself,” he said. But on Friday, the state government announced it would cap the ESCF variable rate on primary production properties at 28.7 – the same as it was in 2024-25 – for the

duration of 2025-26. This reduced rate would be applied to rates notices for primary production properties automatically, the government said. ““By capping the rate of the Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund for primary production properties, we’re ensuring farmers can remain fully focused on their drought response and recovery,” Treasurer Jaclyn Symes said, The motion also included writing to all Victorian councils, Rural Councils Victoria and the Municipal Association of Victoria to seek them to unite as a collective to oppose the collection of the levy.

NAB Sunbury now open Your future of banking is here

12764629-AA18-25

We’ve made the move to a new location so we can deliver more of what’s important to you. Like greater personal service, expert knowledge, smarter self-service tools and even more support.