Farmers' markets to weed out dodgy operators

DODGY stallholders trying to cash in on the success of farmers' markets in Victoria are the target of a new accreditation system.

Organisers hope the new system, which will include farm inspections, will rid markets of operators who resell produce bought from wholesale markets.

The State Government has contributed $87,625 to set up the accreditation scheme.

To read the full story click on the TITLE above.

Fran Bailey on Fire Service Levy

Fire levy change needed to end selective taxes.

Funding for Victoria’s fire services should be tied to local council rates, said member for Mc-Ewen Fran Bailey.


Fran has called on the Brumby Government to immediately drop the existing and selective fire services levy on insurance premiums.


"Not everyone insures their home or business. The financial responsibility must be shared by all Victorians," Fran said.


"But the Brumby Government is making it hard for Victorians to afford insurance on their properties – the levy has been increased and so has the Government triple-dipping collection of GST and stamp duty on insurance premiums.


"It’s time for an overhaul of a funding model rooted in the 19th century and one that now discriminates against country communities."


Fran is advocating for a new model that ties funding of Victoria’s emergency services to local council rates.


"An overhaul of the fire services levy and attaching it municipal rates will see all property owners contribute to the protection of our people and our communities," Fran said.


"And council rates come without GST or stamp duty being whacked at the bottom of the bill by the Brumby Government."


Fran said the property fire levy already applied in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.


"We need these radical change to the Victorian funding model of our fire brigades otherwise more people will struggle to pay hefty increases in their insurance premiums."


Insurance industry data shows that the Victorian fire services levy now accounts for 68 per cent of the premium for businesses in country Victoria, up from 63 per cent. In metropolitan areas the levy on commercial premiums is now 51 per cent, up from 48 per cent.


For householders the figure is now 26 per cent (up from 24 per cent) in country Victoria, and 21 per cent (up from 20 per cent) in urban centres.


Fran has written to Premier John Brumby about the distress insurance premium hikes are causing local people.


"The fire services levy is a discriminatory tax on country people and country businesses and is no way to fund a modern volunteer fire service covering all of Victoria," Fran said.

Coldstream Community Hall Bars Teenage Parties.

Report from Council meeting

8.5 Binge Drinking and Misuse of Public Halls
SUMMARY Council received a report in August 2008 concerning the issue of binge drinking and misuse of public halls, and resolved to endorse the current hiring practices for Shire managed halls and provide information and support to hall committees of management. A further report was to be provided in six months regarding the use and misuse of public halls in that period. Moved: Cr Avery Seconded: Cr Higgins

That: 1. Bookings are not accepted for teenage birthday parties at the following Shire managed public halls:


· Coldstream Community Centre ·


Kilsyth Memorial Hall ·
Lillydale Lake Community Room ·
Mt Evelyn Public Hall ·
Silvan Public Hall ·
The Patch Hall ·
Upwey Community Hall ·
Wandin North Public Hall ·
Yarra Glen Memorial Hall

2. 21st birthday parties be permitted at these halls subject to rigorous scrutiny by the Halls and Venues Coordinator, and payment of a $1000 bond.

3. Hall Committees of Management be informed of these restrictions.


This item was discussed for over an hour and was finally passed to my dismay.
There was very little evidence presented to support the case and I have no idea how anyone could have voted given the material presented to them.

After I left Jeanette McRae moved a motion which was also lost.

11. ITEMS RAISED THROUGH THE CHAIR
11.2 Incidents at Shire Halls Moved: Cr McRae Seconded: Cr Dunn That details of all and any incidents at Coldstream Community Centre, Yarra Glen Memorial Hall and the Patch Hall over the last 3 years, as reviewed by the consultative group be made available to Council. The motion was lost.

This sounds like a common sense request and should not have been lost in my opinion.

Voting should be done on FACTS not hearsay or rumours.

Anyway, no more teenage parties a the Community Centre for the time being!

Monday meeting

Regading the meeting on Monday night ( see post below)

Jacqui Hansen, Executive Officer Planning Services, will attend the meeting with Cr Jeanette McRae.

The Ward Councillor has arranged to meet with concerned residents of Coldstream to listen to matters that they want to discuss. This is not a meeting arranged as part of any planning application, nor is it part of the planning application process. I will be attending at the request of the Councillor to explain generally how the planning process works in the event that questions are asked of the Councillor. It is not intended to be a discussion about any application specifically.

Jacqui Hansen

Executive Officer - Statutory Planning

Shire of Yarra Ranges

Live online Q&A With Mr MADDEN

Continuing our series of online Q&A's with Victorian Government Ministers, Minister for Planning Justin Madden will be online at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, 9th September to answer your questions about planning, urban development and urban design in Victoria.

You can send in a question in advance or register your email for a reminder notice from the live Q&A page.



To as Mr Madden a question click here.

Welcome to Coldstream!

The above is a flier you may have in your letterbox.

I fully support the move to allow more housing in Coldstream for the following reasons:

1. the number will be limited by the fact that most of Coldstream blocks have "single dwelling" covenants. I estimate about 60 to 70 % of the estate can not be altered.
2. I estimate that half of the sites that could be used will have the original house in the wrong spot and no developer would remove a good home to add a second.
3. I imagine that not everyone with a suitable site would want to build a second home .
4. Using these rough calculations, I suggest the maximum number of new homes would be of the order of only 20 in the Coldstream Estate.

5. 20 new families may keep the primary school alive.
6. 20 new families may help the local sporting clubs.
7. 20 new families may help local businesses.

8. If you own your property and if you can sell your back yard you could get about $140,000. That could pay off all your debts! It could help your children get a head start.
9. If your back yard is too big this could be a way of downsizing and still remaining in Coldstream.
10. The Shire will not allow any "illegal" buildings.


I am happy to post your comments on this blog: Just e mail me at
coldstream@eftel.net.au


Regards

Mario Galteri

All must share fire cost burden

To read the full story click on the TITLE above.

THE Victorian Government expects to cream an estimated $225 million in stamp duties off household and business property insurance this financial year.

The reality is the insured are paying the full cost of running the fire services.

Fire services levies on property insurance will cover 77.5 per cent ($303.2 million) of the CFA's statutory budget this financial year and 75 per cent ($206m) of the MFB's budget.

The remainder of the CFA's budget and 12.5 per cent of the MFB's budget are meant to be covered by what is erroneously called the State Government contribution.

Yet while the Government hands over $122 million as its contribution, it collects another $225 million in stamp duty on the insured.

This means the insured are not only covering the costs of running the fire services, but pouring an extra $100 million into the Government's coffers.

Meanwhile, those 20-25 per cent of Victorians who grossly underinsure or don't even bother to insure their homes and businesses contribute little if anything.

As the Victorian Farmers Federation argues, the inequitable fire services levy and taxes need to be replaced with a scheme that ensures everyone pays.

Continuing with the current scheme could force more people to abandon insurance or underinsure their properties.

Let's hope the royal commission examines this inequity and asks whether the high cost of tax on insurance was a factor in the higher-than-expected number of uninsured homes lost in the Black Saturday fires.

Coldstream anger over safety road barrier

A COLDSTREAM resident says a metal crash barrier is a safety hazard, and should never have been installed because it is only protecting motorists from one tree.
Read the full story here

and from another local paper here.

COLDSTREAM residents Paul and Carol Metcher want VicRoads to remove safety barriers erected opposite their Maroondah Highway property.

Get the WIND & WEATHER

Reminder, we have a weather station in Coldstream.

Get up to date details by clicking HERE

Green Waste Disposal

COUNCIL MEETING
TUESDAY, 25 AUGUST 2009
AGENDA




BACKGROUND



The 2009 bushfires devastated large areas within the Shire and heavily impacted on the community. The disposal of green waste and in particular the accumulation of fine fire fuel is seen as a key to assisting residents to reduce the fire risk associated with their property.

Green waste is generally defined as material collected from domestic properties and takes the form of, small tree branches, prunings, grass clippings, leaves, flowers, weeds etc.

The CFA brochure Living in the Bush, Bushfire Survival Plan Workbook, Second Edition
2008 states that fine fuels (thinner than a finger) contribute most to the heat and spread of a fire. Fine fuels include dry grass, leaves, twigs and loose bark but do not include logs, branches and trees.



RECOMMENDATION
That:
1. The following actions be implemented to improve greenwaste disposal within the
Shire:

a) The promotion of the option to upgrade to a 240 litre bin for the kerbside green organics collection at an estimated additional annual cost of $15 per household.

b) Council offer free greenwaste disposal at all Transfer Stations servicing the
district (Wesburn, Coldstream Healesville and Lysterfield) for a one month period to coincide with the State Government promoted preseason cleanup, at an estimated cost of $250k.

c) A publicity strategy be developed to increase residents awareness and the
options available for greenwaste disposal (estimated cost $40k).


2. Subject to adoption of the above the sum of $290k be referred for inclusion in the
2009/10 mid year budget review.


email Daley Judy [J.Daley@yarraranges.vic.gov.au] for a full copy of the agenda.

Binge Drinking and Misuse of Public Halls

Council received a report in August 2008 concerning the issue of binge drinking and misuse of public halls, and resolved to endorse the current hiring practices for Shire managed halls and provide information and support to hall committees of management. A further report was to be provided in six months regarding the use and misuse of public halls in that period.

During the last 12 months there have been over 60 bookings for high risk events such as 18th and 21st birthday parties at Shire managed halls, and only two have resulted in damages to the venue and a disturbance to the neighbours. In both cases the bond was not refunded to the hirer.

RECOMMENDATION at the next Council meeting
That:

1. Bookings are not accepted for teenage birthday parties at the following Shire
managed public halls:
· Coldstream Community Centre
· Kilsyth Memorial Hall
· Lillydale Lake Community Room
· Mt Evelyn Public Hall
· Silvan Public Hall
· The Patch Hall
· Upwey Community Hall
· Wandin North Public Hall
· Yarra Glen Memorial Hall

2. 21st birthday parties be permitted at these halls subject to rigorous scrutiny by the Halls and Venues Coordinator, and payment of a $1000 bond.

3. Hall Committees of Management be informed of these restrictions.

Recording History

Today, with the help of Cr Jeanette McRae and Val Sheehan we were able to unveil an historic marker in Coldstream.

HOTEL AND HALL

Coldstream was known as “The Lodge” until the railway in 1889. William and Mary Ann Hussey in 1868 occupied the six roomed house with a beer parlour, later having fourteen guest rooms. A spirit licence was granted in 1868 and the building was named Sportsman’s Arms Hotel. William died in 1868 and Mary Ann married William Park in 1869. He was licensee till 1901 then Mary Ann to her death in 1917.

Popular within the district for Bullock Society, Smoke Nights and Sports Meetings. It was renamed the Coldstream Hotel after 1917. Fire demolished the Hotel in 1933, and temporary bar in 1934.

William Park built the Hall close to the hotel in 1891 and this was the focal point of the community. In 1918 it was renovated with community help and a handsome gift from Dame Nellie Melba adding two front rooms which were known as the Melba Library. It was listed as a Mechanics’ Institute.

In 1966 fire gutted the building.