Portfolio — 12 July 2026

Four discrete but thematically linked concerns dominated the Member for Euroa's Assembly contributions across the June sitting window: unfinished bushfire recovery, deteriorating regional infrastructure, thinning police coverage, and unregulated expansion of large-scale renewable energy developments on agricultural land. Together they trace a consistent argument that state-level policy settings are failing regional communities in Euroa.

Bushfire recovery was the most sustained theme across both the Member's own speech and the broader Assembly record. The Member for Euroa reported that recovery from January's bushfires dominated constituent feedback at Cleeland Cuppas meetings, with people describing Emergency Management Victoria's responses as more traumatic than the disaster itself [TA-260617-vichns-9fa22f0e851d:s103].

In a separate matter raised in the Assembly, she drew attention to the scale of the summer fire season — more than 436,000 hectares burnt across Victoria, with the Longwood fire alone claiming one life and scorching more than 136,000 hectares — and argued that affected communities remain without practical support across clean-up, business assistance, rates relief, temporary housing, and long-term mental health services [TA-260617-vichns-9fa22f0e851d:s126].

The Member cited the Victorian Auditor-General's recent report on bushfire risk reduction, which identified recommendations left unresolved for six years, spanning risk modelling, fuel reduction, private land management, and strategic fuel breaks [TA-260617-vichns-9fa22f0e851d:s126]. She called for the inspector-general for emergency management's review of the 2025–26 bushfires to commence immediately, arguing that findings from audits and inquiries must be acted upon rather than acknowledged [TA-260617-vichns-9fa22f0e851d:s126].

On transport and infrastructure, the Member questioned the Minister for Public and Active Transport about V/Line's removal of online booking for replacement coach services on the north-east line, citing a constituent who spent nearly an hour on hold to book a seat that previously took minutes online [TA-260616-vichns-9dec69d94dd9:s166]. The Member argued this disadvantage compounded an earlier inequity: most stations in the district lack basic Myki infrastructure, meaning regional passengers were left behind in the original rollout and are being left behind again.

On roads, the Member supported the Dangerous Goods Transport Bill 2026 and the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Dangerous Goods) Bill 2026 but pressed the government on its own obligations, arguing it cannot legislate safety requirements for industry while allowing road conditions to deteriorate [TA-260616-vichns-9dec69d94dd9:s212]. She cited the Midland Highway between Benalla and Mansfield as crumbling, and described a pothole causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in vehicle damage to freight operators and agricultural businesses in the district [TA-260616-vichns-9dec69d94dd9:s212].

On community safety, the Member invited the Shadow Minister for Police to visit Kilmore and Seymour police stations, reporting that Kilmore — built as a 24-hour station — now opens only one day per week, and that reduced police numbers have coincided with an increase in aggravated burglaries by opportunistic criminals [TA-260617-vichns-9fa22f0e851d:s104]. The Liberals and Nationals have committed to deploying 3,000 additional police if elected in November to address regional safety concerns.

On renewable energy planning, the Member sought ministerial clarification on how the planning system assesses cumulative impacts when large-scale solar and battery projects are approved individually, without whole-of-region analysis [TA-260617-vichns-9fa22f0e851d:s381]. She described the current approach as a 'Wild West' system — with no legislated standards for fire risk, decommissioning, or community engagement — and argued it is industrialising prime agricultural land and dividing communities at localities including Glenrowan, Goorambat, and Colbinabbin within the district.

The Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Cost of Living, Minister for Renters and Minister for Men and Boys acknowledged the Member's renewable energy matter and referred it, along with other third-party matters, to the relevant ministers for response [TA-260617-vichns-9fa22f0e851d:s383].

Across all themes, the Member's contributions reflect a district-wide contention that state obligations — infrastructure maintenance, emergency recovery, policing, and planning rigour — are not keeping pace with legislative and policy demands placed on regional communities and industries.