Damian Drum (Murray, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It has been a very busy time in my electorate of Murray over the last year. I have been able to find some time to do some listening posts, which I am sure many members of parliament do. I want to go through a few of the places I have been able to get to and the businesses I have been able to help. In Kyabram we started at Hurleys Hotel. In Shepparton we were able to set up our listening post in the marketplace. In Cobram and Yarrawonga we were able to go into the shopping strips and set up our card table. In Euroa we were hosted by the Binney Street IGA. In Nagambie obviously Harry's Cafe is first and foremost. At Rochester the Shamrock Hotel was able to host our listening post. In Echuca we were able to set up in the main CBD area. At the Rushworth Bakery we were able to have a listening post. Also in Nathalia we were at Brereton's bakery. We are soon going to be visiting Seymour and Avenel to have listening posts. As well we'll be in Tatura, Mooroopna, Numurkah and Katamatite in November.

At each of our recent listening posts we have been able to have Ben Bulmer and his team from the NBN at another table to look at the issues raised in relation to the NBN. Constituents who came forward raised various issues. Many issues had a lot to do with the dairy industry; water policy; drought assistance; the horticulture industry; Centrelink; black spots in relation to mobile phone towers; water concerns; community groups like the men's sheds; the banking royal commission; disability support services, which are always front and centre; bringing the budget back into surplus; and passenger rail and freight rail services throughout the Goulburn Valley. The most common piece of commentary we got from our constituents is: 'You guys in Canberra have to do whatever you can possibly do to keep Bill Shorten out of the Lodge.'

On another note, we have the highest standards of both football and netball leagues throughout Victoria. This Sunday we have the Goulburn Valley Football League grand final. Kyabram are in the grand final. They've been unbeaten in the last 63 games. The Kyabram team have had an unprecedented run of victories. The team largely boasts local players. They'll be up against the highly credentialed Shepparton team—the Shepparton Bears. They have pushed Kyabram in the last three games. With both the netball and the football it's going to be an amazing weekend.

There are also a range of other leagues—the Murray league and the Kyabram district league—that will be having their finals. I congratulate all the teams that have found their way through to the grand finals this weekend. We need to make sure that the supporters get there and really support all those athletes, either on the netball courts or on the footy grounds. I wish everyone who is competing all the best. Whether you are successful or go down slightly, congratulations for being in the grand final.