Stefano’s ‘reason’ to move over rates
HIGH-profile Mildura councillor Stefano de Pieri has found a good reason to join the latest force in Victorian politics as part of a push to fix the “shocking” city-country rates inequity.
The celebrity cook yesterday revealed he would be linking with the Reason Coalition – headed by key Upper House MP Fiona Patten – and co-chair the group’s “RateGate” campaign.
In an exclusive interview with Sunraysia Daily, Cr de Pieri said he would remain as an independent councillor in the coalition, which also includes deputy leader and Member for Mildura Ali Cupper…
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Ms Patten said Cr de Pieri was a “perfect fit” for the Reason Coalition.
“Stefano is a passionate advocate for the Sunraysia region,” the Reason Party leader said.
“Having his knowledge and expertise will help Ali and I reinforce the issues, services and infrastructure needs we lobby for.”
Access the full article on Sunraysia Daily’s website.
Jewish MP demands union dump academic over swastika
By Paul Sakkal
Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Jewish Labor MP Josh Burns has demanded the tertiary education union stop backing a left-wing academic who was sacked for superimposing a swastika onto the Israeli flag.
Dr Tim Anderson was dismissed by the University of Sydney in 2019 after misconduct findings by the university over his use of Nazi symbolism in lecture materials and social media to highlight what he believes to be Israel’s inhumane occupation of the West Bank…
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A Victorian parliamentary committee is considering laws drafted by Reason Party MP Fiona Patten which would widen the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act to outlaw hate speech targeting people for their gender, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. The law currently covers racial and religious vilification.
The Liberal Party has called for a total ban on public displays of the swastika, but Ms Patten said the proposal could be unworkable because some people collect military memorabilia without sinister intent.
“It’s how you use it,” she said, arguing Dr Anderson’s use amounted to inciting violence against Jews.
“A general person in the street would get in lots of trouble if they posted such in image. His speech should not be freer than mine because he’s an academic.”
Read the full article on The Age’s website.
Saturday Magazine 23/1/21 – Audio
Reason Coalition Leader and Member for Northern Metropolitan, Fiona Patten MP @FionaPattenMLC says a national scheme is needed to control COVID-19 border closures, stating the impact on border communities was severe and often misunderstood by city-centric policy-makers. “COVID-19 is not going away any time soon, and we just don’t know what future pandemics we might face so it is important we have governments come together and deliver a national scheme.
Legalising cannabis a “matter of time”, says Patten
Photo Ben Gross
Just when will Australia follow the lead of more than a dozen American states in legalising cannabis for recreational use?
According to Fiona Patten, a key Victorian Upper House crossbencher, “it’s just a matter of time”.
“New Zealand is on the brink of doing it and you’ve got the whole west coast of America that has legalised it now, and Mexico and France are going down that path too,” she said during an inspection of an industrial hemp trial at SUNITafe’s Smart Farm in Cardross this week.
Ms Patten said Australia hadn’t approved the drug yet for recreational use because “we’re a prohibitionist nation”.
“And we still seem to think prohibition works,” she said. “But more and more people think it doesn’t now.”
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Read the full article on Sunraysia Daily’s website.
US hate could happen here
By Matt Taylor
mtaylor@sunraysiadaily.com.au
INFLUENTIAL Victorian Upper House MP Fiona Patten fears the recent violent, conspiracy theory-driven attacks in the United States could be “replicated” in Australia.
Ms Patten, who toured north-west Victoria this week with Member for Mildura Ali Cupper, and her staff copped online harassment and “thousands” of threatening calls last year after negotiating with the Andrews Government to enact laws for a state of emergency.
It became so serious that she reported to parliamentary security a video posted to Facebook where a man said he would “shave her head” and drag her up the street if she supported the government’s COVID-19 omnibus bill.
A 60-year-old Queensland man has since been charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence relating to the video posted on September 22.
“We’re a pretty resilient bunch, but I can tell you it’s been really tough on staff,” Ms Patten told Sunraysia Daily. “We couldn’t answer the phones because of the high level of abuse – and it’s still happening. “I still say it (the second lockdown) was absolutely necessary.
We would have seen a lot more deaths in Victoria had we not gone into a hard lockdown. “You only have to look overseas to see what happens when you don’t go hard and go fast and go early.
“We negotiated with the government to provide greater checks and balances on that state of emergency, but people were buying into conspiracy theories that COVID didn’t exist.”
Read the full article on the Sunraysia Daily’s website.
ABC Mildura – Swan Hill 20/1/21 – Audio
Breakfast with Debra Pearce
Reason Coalition Leader and Member for Northern Metropolitan, Fiona Patten MP, who is touring north-west Victoria with deputy leader Ali Cupper discuss regional rates, border closures and an alcohol and other drug centre for Mildura.
Click PLAY below to listen to the conversation.
Hemp trial growing strong
By Matt Taylor
mtaylor@sunraysiadaily.com.au
Photo by Ben Gross
THE SuniTAFE farm team’s first trial hemp crop is growing well ahead of a March harvest. SuniTAFE has a two-year arrangement with Australian Primary Hemp to run trials at its Cardross farm.
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper and Reason Coalition leader Fiona Patten – who are both members of the Victorian Government’s industrial hemp taskforce yesterday toured the site, where the one-acre trial will produce enough hemp to build a house…
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Ms Patten said the industrial hemp industry could be worth billions of dollars each year to Australia’s economy.
“This type of research in Mildura is going to be so beneficial for the industry, not just in Victoria but nationally,” the influential Victorian Upper House MP said.
“The seed industry itself is taking off. And the use of hemp seed as an alternative protein and high-fibre food is really being developed. “But when you look at other broader uses for hemp, the sky’s the limit.
“It can be used for building materials – and an acre of hemp that you see here can be used to build a house.”
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Read the full article on the Sunraysia Daily’s website.
Fiona Patten calls for border system in federal push
REASON Coalition leader Fiona Patten has called for a national scheme to control COVID-19 border closures.
Ms Patten, who is touring north-west Victoria this week with deputy leader Ali Cupper to discuss a range of issues with stakeholders, believes the ad hoc approach to border closures is not working.
She said the impact on border communities was severe and often misunderstood by city-centric policy-makers.
“We need a system that works, and I don’t think we’re there,” Ms Patten said.
“There is no point Victoria doing one thing, NSW doing another and South Australia doing something different again.
“All that does is create confusion, frustration and ultimately has negative impacts, particularly on border communities.”…
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Read the full article here.
Media Release: Hemp trial showing positive signs for growth in industry
Pictured: Hemp Task Force Jan 2020, Fiona Patten MP, Mildura SuniTAFE primary industries manager Warren Lloyd and Ali Cupper MP
A HEMP partnership between Mildura SuniTAFE and Australian Primary Hemp at Tafe’s Smart Farm in Cardross is showing plenty of promise.
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper and Reason Coalition leader Fiona Patten – who are both members of the Victorian Government’s Industrial Hemp Taskforce – toured the site on Tuesday and were impressed with the progress of the trial crop.
“One of the purposes of the Industrial Hemp Taskforce is to examine future opportunities for industry growth, so it’s very exciting to see how well this trial is developing,” Ms Cupper said.
“I want Sunraysia to be the hemp capital of Victoria – it could become a complementary crop for many of our growers and, hopefully, lead to a processing facility being based in the region, creating jobs and boosting our economy.”
Ms Patten, who is touring the Mildura electorate this week with Reason Coalition partner Ms Cupper for meetings on a range of issues, said the future of hemp industries in Victoria was bright.
“The demand for hemp-based products continues to grow in Australia, but the industrial hemp industry remains in its infancy in our State,” Ms Patten said.
“The Mildura electorate is in a prime position to take a lead role in the industry’s growth, providing opportunities for farmers, providing jobs and boosting the economy.”
Ms Patten said hemp was such a versatile crop with uses including food, clothing, fuel and even building materials.
One hectare of carina vines was cleared at the Smart Farm for the hemp crop, with overhead sprinklers reinstated.
Australian Primary Hemp provided three varieties of hemp seed – CFS, CFX and Finola – with plantings over the following schedule:
* CFX at a rate of 40kg/Ha over 0.25 Ha mid-November.
* CFS at a rate of 20kg/Ha over 0.25 Ha late-November.
* Finola at a rate of 10kg/Ha over 0.5 Ha mid-December.
Harvesting is due in March.
Media enquiries (Ali Cupper): Simon Cameron 0448 146 530
Media enquiries (Fiona Patten): Jorian Gardner 0466 694 197
Media Statement by Fiona Patten MP: A NATIONAL scheme needed to control COVID-19 border closures
Reason Coalition Leader and Member for Northern Metropolitan, Fiona Patten MP, who is touring north-west Victoria with deputy leader Ali Cupper to discuss a range of issues with stakeholders, believes the current ad-hoc approach to border closures is not working.
Ms Patten said the impact on border communities was severe and often misunderstood by city-centric policy-makers.
“We need a system that works, and I don’t think we’re there,” Ms Patten said on Monday. “The Victorian traffic light system is a step in the right direction, but it needs to be adopted nationally.”
“There is no point Victoria doing one thing, NSW doing another and South Australia doing something different again.
“All that does is create confusion, frustration and ultimately has negative impacts particularly on border communities.”
Ms Patten has co-signed a letter – initiated by Member for Murray Helen Dalton and also supported by Ms Cupper and Member for Wagga Wagga Joe McGirr – to Prime Minister Scott Morrison urging the Federal Government to intervene on the border issue.
“COVID-19 is not going away any time soon, and we just don’t know what future pandemics we might face so it is important we have governments come together and deliver a national scheme.”
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