Inland Rail has released its latest designs on upcoming sites across Mitchell Shire Below the Hume Fwy at Tallarook and Seymour train tracks are set to be lowered to accommodate the clearance of double-stacked freight trains The tracks will be lowered by 1.5m to 2.1m under each bridge and works will be undertaken up to 500m and 1km either side of the bridge Visualisations of the two sites have been made available Inland Rail will replace the Marchbanks Rd bridge to provide sufficient height and width clearance for the safe passage of double-stacked freight trains however it will be on the same alignment as the existing one The new visualisations of the three sites will be presented by Inland Rail and construction partner John Holland in the respective towns The first session was held in Broadford on April 30 You can also view the visualisations by going to Inland Rail’s website at https://tinyurl.com/wkb2ks9c or contacting Inland Rail on 1800 732 761 or inlandrailvic@inlandrail.com.au “We look forward to presenting the new visualisations and talking to the community over the next month,” Inland Rail Beveridge to Albury delivery director Wed Walker said “Project engineers will be available at all engagement sessions to answer any detailed or technical questions people may have.” The new Seymour-Avenel Road bridge is open to traffic following the completion of works by Inland Rail Final bridge inspection by Russell Hamilton (Inland Rail Project Director) Justene Cowie (Inland Rail Stakeholder Manager) and Joel Allan (McConnell Dowell Project Director) The previous bridge across the rail corridor was replaced to allow the passage of double stacked freight trains stands 3.2 metres higher than the old bridge and is flanked by 170,000 tonnes of locally sourced soil to create the approach embankments Inland Rail will commence works on the eight Inland Rail Tranche 2 projects at Euroa Broadford and the Hume Freeway (Tallarook and Seymour) in the coming weeks Inland Rail Beveridge to Albury Delivery Director said: “We would like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding while we carried out works on the new bridge “We would also like to thank the hundreds of contractors and local businesses that worked on the project.” Explore more: The Project Benefits Opportunities Media Centre Download Map Access images Information hub Visualisations for the two Hume Freeway sites and the Marchbanks Road bridge replacement in Broadford have been released by Inland Rail before construction begins later this year. The new Seymour-Avenel Road bridge is open to traffic, following the completion of works by Inland Rail. Inland Rail’s 60-hour track possession on the Beveridge to Albury section of the project has been hailed a success, with major construction partners completing work across multiple sites and re-opening the railway line to rail services on Monday evening. Inland Rail Pty Ltd is a subsidiary of Australian Rail Track Corporation. ABN 73 094 819 520 A Seymour College student is leading a movement of environmental conservation. Year 9 student Ilaria Faulknor spent the first school term this year at the Don Valley Campus of The Alpine School for Student Leadership. The school is a space of experimental education, which promotes and supports the self development of students attending. “Within everyone who went there, there’s a lot of personal growth,” Ilaria said. During her nine weeks at the school, Ilaria’s days consisted of activities such as kayaking, environmental land management, creek and cave exploration and mountain bike riding. The experience of living away from home also allowed for the boosting of independence, with students having to manage their living and dining areas. Throughout the term, those attending developed a community learning project. Where many other students took on the project in groups of four to six, Ilaria worked independently to design nesting boxes for the endangered population of southern greater gliders in the region. Under the guidance of Seymour College’s woodwork teacher Terry Griffith, Ilaria created the boxes after extensive research on the gliders’ habitat. “When I was researching, I found the squirrel gliders were an endangered species in this area, and I thought that they were really cute,” Ilaria said. “I’d never heard of them before, but when I did some research I thought that would be a project that I was interested in. “I think in fourth term, a class at the school is going to make them, which will make about 18.” Once the boxes have been built, Ilaria said there were plans to place them around the Seymour area. Ilaria has also been in contact with BEAM Mitchell Environment Group to discuss where the best locations for the boxes might be. Seymour College has congratulated Ilaria on her efforts and initiative displayed throughout the program. “We are incredibly proud of Ilaria’s achievements and growth, and her commitment to environmental conservation, our community and the protection of wildlife,” a school spokesperson said. “Ilaria’s dedication and hard work left such a strong impression on the School for Student Leadership Program that they have allocated additional placements for Seymour College students to participate next year.” AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Students of Seymour and surrounds were introduced to the workforce at a recent careers and jobs expo. Central Ranges Local Learning and Employment Network partnered with the Workforce Australia Local Jobs Goulburn Murray team to bring the expo to life. Central Ranges LLEN chief executive Nicky Leitch said the expo aimed to show local young people what opportunities were available in their area. “We had over 600 students register and we wanted to have that local focus on careers in Seymour and surrounds for our local young people,” Ms Leitch said. “Ideally we want to try and keep our local young people in our local community.” Workforce Australia Local Jobs Program employment facilitator Faye D’Helin said the day was a success. “The great thing is that the kids have been able to come in and get hands-on experience today,” Ms D’Helin said. “All we want to do is plant the seed of a future career, or something that might spark their interest, and help them in their choices moving forward. “It’s been a great buzz today, and I think all the exhibitors have really enjoyed meeting the local students.” Over 40 exhibitors filled Kings Park on April 29, providing young people in that transitional period between high school and their future with a wealth of information about a range of options available to them. With students attending from Alexandra Secondary College, Seymour College, Seymour Flexible Learning Centre and more, the expo was able to reach a large number of budding employees. “We asked our exhibitors to be able to offer an interactive session that provided ‘hands-on’ experiences for our students,” Ms Leitch said. “We want them to be able to touch, feel and participate in the sessions, while also finding out about the career pathway into that industry sector.” The expo was the first of its kind held by Central Ranges LLEN since 2019, and was made possible thanks to a CVGT Employment Community Grant. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced As the air turns crisper and we ride on autumn’s coattails into winter interleague football is set to resurface with all the theatre of a sporting bush opera The Ash-Wilson Trophy will be contested at Wangaratta’s WJ Findlay Oval on May 24 as Goulburn Valley League looks to defend its grail against Ovens and Murray League in another bumper edition of this storied interleague rivalry A 39-man GVL senior football squad has been named with all 12 clubs represented in the initial side Mooroopna’s Dale Osborne has taken over the coaching reins from Mark Lambourn and Sam Reid and he’ll be assisted by Simon Maddox (Echuca) Trent Freer (Shepparton United) and Jack Hutchins (Mansfield) this time around the feeling will be different for the boys in purple and gold The GVL heads in as the hunted after exorcising former demons to finally prise the Ash-Wilson Trophy from the O&M’s grasp in 2024 The 8.15 (63) to 7.6 (48) showstopper at Deakin Reserve marked a line in the sand moment for our locals and with a new crop charged with steering GVL forward a repeat of last year’s triumph is in the cross hairs “You never know when the last interleague is going to be pull the jumper on and get as strong a side as we possibly can we’re looking to go over to the Ovens and Murray and defend our title.” Three players in the O&M are former GVL stars Ben Rigoni and Tom O’Sullivan (Seymour) set to don the gold and black on May 24 Rigoni and O’Sullivan could face off against a pair of former teammates with Riley Mason and Nic Quigg both named in the GVL squad with Mason one of nine players that played in the GVL’s 2024 interleague victory to have made the initial cut for 2025 is hoping to see his Murray Bombers well represented when push comes to shove but ultimately wishes to do the league proud if we can get the best players in the league to play — as we’ve seen in the last couple of years Mitchell Shire Council is inviting the local community to have its final say on the Draft 2025/26 Budget and Draft Revenue and Rating Plan The documents are currently available for public viewing and are set to be presented to councillors for adoption this month Community members have been invited to Broadford Hall at 6pm on Monday May 12 for the Community Questions and Hearings Committee Meeting to provide feedback on the plans Participation must be lodged by noon on Wednesday May 7 by calling the governance team on 5734 6252 Mitchell Shire Mayor John Dougall said the feedback from locals during the previous consultation period was helpful for council “We received a wide range of thoughtful and constructive feedback and we truly appreciate the community taking the time to engage with these important documents,” Cr Dougall said “These plans play a big role in shaping how we deliver services and invest in infrastructure across the shire “Hearing directly from our community helps ensure we’re making decisions that reflect local priorities and needs “I’d encourage anyone who would like to provide feedback in person to attend the Community Questions and Hearings Committee Meeting “It’s another great way to stay involved in the process.” To view the documents, visit council’s website at tinyurl.com/mr5a6v89 Community members of Strathbogie Shire have been invited to have their say Council is inviting locals to provide input on the draft Council Plan 2025-29 and draft Community Vision 2035 “This suite of documents reflects the commitment of the new council to restoring trust and integrity following a period of instability that we know had a significant impact on our community,” Strathbogie Shire Mayor Claire Ewart-Kennedy said “We have listened and we are taking action “The proposed budget looks different to those of the past because long-term financial sustainability sits at its core budgets have not been achieved — that changes now we’ve spent considerable time working closely with council staff to identify the key needs of our community — needs that must be addressed with long-term financial sustainability at the forefront.” The draft Council Plan 2025-29 covers council’s direction initiatives and priorities over the next four years and incorporates the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan and Disability Action Plan The plan will funded by the proposed budget The draft Community Vision was developed with input from the community and an independently recruited community working group Council’s draft Community Vision for consideration is: We will create a thriving place to live and explore — where history and Country are honoured our collective spirit makes us stronger and our natural environment is sustained for future generations council is seeking feedback through a formal submission process on its refreshed community vision as well as the key themes that have emerged through community engagement “We’ve worked hard to ensure community voices are embedded at every step,” Cr Ewart-Kennedy said “We’re proud of where this draft Community Vision has landed and now it’s time to check in — are we on the right track so I urge everyone to have their say and help shape the future of our shire.” To view council’s plans, visit tinyurl.com/58y6y282 Formal submissions on council’s plans can be made via the link above, by email to info@strathbogieshire.vic.gov.au or by mail to 109A Binney St Restrictions for the control of the avian influenza outbreak near Euroa have been reduced restrictions will apply only within a new 5km control area around the four affected properties near Euroa including those for game bird hunters and hunting activities will no longer apply in areas outside the new control area Agriculture Victoria will continue to monitor for disease complete decontamination of affected properties and eradicate the outbreak Victoria’s acting chief veterinary officer Sally Salmon thanked the poultry industry and the community for their cooperation to date “This is a significant step towards establishing Victoria’s freedom from high pathogenicity avian influenza,” Dr Salmon said “We have been able to further ease restrictions due to the cooperation and hard work of industry community and the impacted property owners “We are in the final stages of decontaminating the affected premises We have had over 100 staff and contractors working on the response for almost three months and we appreciate their ongoing commitment.” Restrictions remain in place for the movement of birds poultry products (including eggs and manure) and vehicles on or off properties in the new control area Game bird hunting is also not permitted in the control area To prevent and eliminate biosecurity threats every livestock producer should have an up-to-date farm biosecurity plan and be able to recognise signs of diseases that could impact their animals Poultry farmers and backyard flock and bird owners are urged to report any cases of unexplained bird deaths to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 More information on the current H7 bird flu response, including movement permits and a map showing the new control area, is available at agriculture.vic.gov.au/avianinfluenza or by calling the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226 Australia's Marc Leishman has made a hole-in-one while carding a round of one-under par for a share of 18th place in the first round of the LIV Golf tournament in South Korea Leishman and Ripper CG teammate Lucas Herbert were the leading Australians at six shots off the pace after day one at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea on Friday Taylor Gooch of Smash GC and Crushers GC's Bryson DeChambeau shared the lead after shooting seven-under 65s on Friday and Cleeks Golf Club's Richard Bland were a stroke further back in a share of third place ahead of a four-way group two shots adrift at four-under taking a birdie three at the fourth before sinking his tee shot on the 172-yard fifth and making a birdie two at the eighth to be four under But a bogey five at nine and a double-bogey at the par-four 11th helped consign him to his moderate round It was Leishman's fourth career hole-in-one in competition Herbert turned at two-under after a blemish-free front nine before bogey fives at the 10th and 16th offset his sole inward birdie at the long 15th Cameron Smith was the next best Australian after a one-over 73 left him in a tie for 32nd place Leishman's ace was matched by that of Stinger GC's Dean Burmester who needed just one shot on the 205-yard 13th en route to the 68 that left him tied for fifth American Gooch said he hoped his superb round would reignite some of his best form from two years ago "Hopefully this round kind of kick-starts a good rest of the season and we can kind of channel some of that 2023 season again," he said Free skin cancer screening will be available in Seymour at the end of May A skin check and awareness unit has been put on the road by the Lions V Districts Cancer Foundation The charity was formed in response to alarming data that put Australia in the top percentile of incidences of skin cancers in the world The Lions Club of Seymour Goulburn announced that the skin check van was set to visit Seymour on May 31 and June 1 at the Woolworths car park on the corner of Wallis St and William St The van will provide a free skin checking service to locals and will be a valuable resource of timely information on skin care and self-checking techniques visitors should expect to be referred to their GP following the skin checks if there are any suspect spots or lesions The purpose of the van is not to provide a diagnosis but rather to act as a first step in ensuring urgent needs are addressed The air-conditioned van has three fully equipped checking rooms and an entry foyer as well as a disabled lift and entry at its rear To book a free skin cancer check, local and surrounding residents are asked to contact Leonie from the Lions Club of Seymour Goulburn on 0439 308 055 or leonie.willis2@bigpond.com A Seymour man has died after allegedly being stabbed on Saturday died after an alleged altercation with another man who was known to him at a Heywood Cres house shortly before 3am Mr Robertson appeared briefly in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court on Monday the prosecutor requested a longer than usual period before Mr Robertson’s next court date to allow for forensic analysis to be done Mr Robertson did not enter a plea to the charge and did not apply for bail during the court appearance He was remanded in custody to next appear in Shepparton Magistrates’ Court in August for a committal mention own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University provides funding as a member of The Conversation NZ Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU View all partners State asset sales have been a political dividing line in New Zealand for decades now and it seems voters are again being asked to decide which side they’re on In his state-of-the-nation speech last week ACT Party leader David Seymour advised New Zealanders to “get past their squeamishness about privatisation” and ask themselves: then are we making the best use of the government’s half-a-trillion-dollars–plus worth of assets the government should sell it so we can afford to buy something that does No doubt this appealed to ACT’s core constituency But the available evidence suggests many New Zealanders view the privatisation of state assets with scepticism The most rigorous available data are from the New Zealand Election Study: just under 50% of those surveyed in 2020 either “somewhat” or “strongly” agreed with the proposition that “privatisation has gone too far” Just over 9% either somewhat or strongly disagreed with that statement those who oppose state asset sales comfortably outnumber those who support them It seems reasonable to suggest this reflects the sizeable proportion of New Zealanders who remember the asset sales experience of the 1980s and 1990s under both Labour and National governments Writing in 2000, during the heights of this bipartisan privatisation boom, economic analyst Brian Gaynor argued: By selling 100 per cent shareholdings in state assets the New Zealand Government has allowed a small group of investors With just a little foresight these profits could have been kept for the benefit of domestic investors and taxpayers At the same time, voters have watched levels of wealth inequality rise, and the transfer of public wealth into private hands And while asset sales can improve efficiency they can also reduce access to services for those on limited incomes or experiencing higher unemployment Research has shown a clear majority of New Zealanders would prefer the government provides social services Just over 80% of New Zealanders trust the public service based on their own experiences. And levels of trust in the public service outstrip those in the private sector All this suggests there is little appetite for a return to the days of peak privatisation some New Zealanders will also question Seymour’s assertion that state assets should provide a return on investment Aside from it not being possible to turn a profit on many of the assets a government needs to serve the needs of its citizens there are costs associated with putting a market value on certain social goods and services As Harvard political philosopher Michael Sandel has argued: [W]hen money comes increasingly to govern access to the essentials of the good life – decent health care political voice and influence in campaigns – when money comes to govern all of those things Furthermore, there is ample evidence of the ethical and operational shortcomings of applying the profit motive to public institutions such as prisons, hospitals and schools the people who suffer most tend to be those least well positioned to defend themselves That is why the state performs certain functions: to make sure those unable to pay for privately provided goods and services are not denied them The nature and extent of what the state should provide is quite properly a matter for debate But those decisions affect everyone and should be decided in the public domain not left to the managers and owners of private companies Seymour also suggested a return to asset sales was justified by the country’s current levels of public debt building a majority for mediocrity – who would love nothing more than to go into lockdown again and worry about the billions in debt another day But as the right-leaning Maxim Institute points out the real risk in New Zealand is our very high levels of private debt which includes household debt like mortgages to buying a car in instalments […] Compared to our relatively low levels of public debt our current household debt stands at 95% of GDP According to the Treasury climate change and historical trends mean governments have important choices to make” The risk of renewed asset sales and privatisation is that public debt might be reduced but at the expense of private debt increasing His other coalition partner, NZ First, has a long-held antipathy to selling local assets to offshore owners. And Luxon may also remember the result of the non-binding citizens-initiated referendum in 2013 when 67.3% opposed the potential sale of the state’s energy companies A niche party such as ACT can safely take policy positions that have little appeal beyond its core supporters. But that’s not a luxury available to its major coalition partner, which started the year behind in the polls National does not want to be outflanked any further by ACT are destined to remain a perennial political fault line Four people have been charged with drug and weapon offences following an ongoing investigation into the supply of drugs in the Southern Riverina Officers attached to Murray River Police District established Strike Force Bodallin last month to investigate the supply and distribution of prohibited drugs Police allege a number of people have been involved in the supply of prohibited drugs – believed to be methylamphetamine – in the Tocumwal Simultaneous search warrants were executed at four properties yesterday morning with the assistance from State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad The younger woman was charged with 78 drug and weapon related offences and “knowingly/recklessly direct criminal group assist crime” The three others were all charged with “participate criminal group” The older woman faces five charges relating to drugs the younger man was charged with 20 drug and weapon related offences and the older man has three drug related charges The two women are due to face Deniliquin court on May 13 and the 43 year-old man is to appear at Finley court on May 27 A court date for the younger man has not been made available at this time Inland Rail will open the improved Seymour-Avenel Rd bridge to the public on Tuesday now accommodates double-stacked freight trains stands 3.2m higher than the previous bridge “We would like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding while we carried out works on the new bridge,” Inland Rail Beveridge to Albury delivery director Ed Walker said The Seymour-Avenel Rd Bridge is the third Beveridge to Albury (B2A) Tranche 1 project to be completed with construction partner McConnell Dowell following from the earlier completion of the Beaconsfield Pde bridge at Glenrowan and the Murray Valley Hwy site at Barnawartha North Inland Rail will commence works on the eight Tranche 2 projects at Euroa Broadford and the Hume Fwy (Tallarook and Seymour) in the coming weeks For more information, visit inlandrail.com.au/ Visualisation of the new – and now open – Seymour-Avenel Road bridge The brand-new Seymour-Avenel Road bridge has opened to traffic in Victoria replacing the previous structure to allow double stacked trains to safely pass under the new connection as part of wider works on the Inland Rail project Inland Rail involves upgrades or enhancement works to approximately 1000 kilometres of existing track and construction of 600 kilometres of new track passing through regional Victoria the Inland Rail project is delivering upgrades to 262 kilometres of existing rail line between Beveridge and Albury at 12 sites to allow double-stacked freight trains to pass safely and ensure everyday products can be delivered faster and more reliably stands at 3.2 metres higher than the old bridge and is surrounded by 170,000 tonnes of locally sourced to create the approach embankments The Seymour-Avenel Road bridge is the third Beveridge to Albury Tranche One project to be completed with construction partner McConnell Dowell following on from the earlier completion of the Beaconsfield Parade bridge at Glenrowan and the Murray Valley Highway site at Barnawartha North Inland Rail will commence works on the eight Inland Rail Tranche Two projects at Euroa Inland Rail Beveridge to Albury Delivery Director thanked those who contributed and supported the project “We would like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding while we carried out works on the new bridge,” he said Major construction has kicked off on the Suburban Rail Loop in Victoria ahead of tunnelling commencing at the start of.. An intricate timber net structure has been completed on the northern portal of Victoria’s West Gate Tunnel project Applications for the Western Australian Government’s Zero Emissions Vehicle rebate scheme which has so far paid back over $41 million.. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media The associate education minister's appeal for the country's 78 mayors to drive up school attendance has failed to gain support in Whanganui David Seymour called on local leaders this week to pitch in on his push to keep students in school citing it as a foundation for community and national success The Minister wrote to all mayors across New Zealand urging them to use the government's new daily school attendance dashboard to raise awareness and spark local action "I'm calling on mayors to be champions for education in their regions communities are stronger and better prepared for generations to come," Seymour said Whanganui mayor Andrew Tripe said truancy was a nationwide issue that his community was also grappling with But he said the Minister's call to arms contradicted the government's own directive to stick to the basics and focus on core local government duties "To ask councils to get involved in tackling truancy is a contradiction to the directive we have been given," Tripe said this has been the focus for Whanganui District Council to the point where now we have the lowest rates [rises] in the country are well invested in infrastructure renewals and maintenance Seymour's letter to mayors encouraged local councils to speak with their community about supporting schools to improve attendance "Even small steps like encouraging local businesses to be aware that school-aged children should be at school during school hours is helpful." Seymour said 58.1 percent of students attended school regularly in Term 4 of 2024 up from 53 percent in Term 4 of 2023 - a 5.1 percentage point rise Every region saw an increase on the previous year The Whanganui mayor said truancy in Whanganui was exacerbated in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic in the early 2020s getting to the root cause of this is complex," Tripe told Local Democracy Reporting housing instability and limited access to transportation along with health and wellbeing challenges including mental health issues leading to families having difficulties in supporting their children's education Students failing to connect with the curriculum could also lead to disinterest in attending school Tripe said there had been efforts by the Ministry of Education to boost attendance in Whanganui including the Kaitakawaenga pilot programme involving local primary schools Aranui "The aim has been to build relationships with students through sports and physical activities which can result in building resilience and a sense of belonging and lead to improved attendance," Tripe said "There has also been increased funding to tackle truancy nationwide including establishing attendance officer roles we have been given firm direction to focus on the basics and deliver core local government services." LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air David Seymour has written to councils asking for help with school truancy but mayor says it's not a 'core duty' of local government The associate education minister says a rise in attendance rates is a step in the right direction Local Democracy Reporting RSS Follow RNZ News Figures indicate that a school dental program is saving families in Benalla The significant savings on dental check-ups part of the Victorian Government’s Smile Squad school dental program are continuing to take pressure off the hip pocket Member for northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes said that for families the price of a visit to the dentist can be a deterrent to regular check-ups – but with Smile Squad maintaining oral health doesn’t need to be a financial burden “Smile Squad is just one way we are supporting the health of young Victorians – with parents also saving money with through the popular $400 School Saving Bonus,” Ms Symes said Delivered by mobile teams of dedicated oral health clinicians who travel across the state in bright orange vans the program provides free check-ups and follow-up care application of fluoride and dental sealants Victorian Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas said that with Term two now under way parents are encouraged to register their child to take part in the program – and it’s now easier than ever with a new simplified form available in 31 languages making sure parents from any background can provide consent ahead of a visit to their child’s school “Smile Squad is saving families time and money and keeping our youngest smiles bright and healthy,” Ms Thomas said “Good dental health is part of good health overall – that’s why we are encouraging parents to make sure they have signed their new consent form so when Smile Squad comes to their kids’ school they can use this free service.” Dental conditions are one of the highest causes of preventable hospitalisations for children Improving access to dental care is critical with tooth decay now five times more prevalent than asthma among children Smile Squad is one of a suite of programs funded by the Victorian Government to ease the cost of living pressures on families including the $400 School Saving Bonus More information on the Smile Squad program can be found at health.vic.gov.au/smile-squad/ As commemorations were made across the country a crowd of around 500 gathered at the Seymour Memorial Hospital Gates ceremonies and services took over the town on April 25 Anzac Day began just before the break of dawn where community members and attendees hailing from far and wide flocked to Bretonneux St for a dawn service lit by the soft blue lights of the war memorial Following this was a well-enjoyed breakfast at the Seymour RSL where attendees shared a moment of reflection marchers made their way down Anzac Ave to the Cenotaph Seymour RSL sub branch president Matt McLaughlin said the weather didn’t stop attendees from showing their support both services were excellent,” Mr McLaughlin said Although the services this year were smaller than many before With about $20,000 raised for the Seymour RSL’s Anzac Appeal fundraiser the Seymour community has proved once again that the support it is willing to give is significant “The strong community support was great,” Mr McLaughlin said The morning march ended at Total Sports on Anzac Ave at around 10.40am Mr McLaughlin extended his gratitude to everyone involved on the day as well as to the Victorian Government for the Saluting their Service Grant which aided the Seymour RSL in facilitating the services and ceremonies Picture by Murray TrembathWork has started on Stage 2 of the Seymour Shaw Park which will provide level playing surfaces for soccer The $10 million project also includes a new amenities building with supporting sport facilities The improvements are expected to be completed by the end of the year Seymour Shaw Park has been fenced and earthworks have started Picture by Murray TrembathThe park is fenced off Sutherland Shire Council is delivering the project and contributing $7 million to the cost The state government is funding the balance through the Department of Planning Infrastructure and Environment's Accelerated Infrastructure Fund grants program A sod-turning ceremony involved mayor Jack Boyd Miranda MP Eleni Petinos and sports club representatives Sod turning - Adam Webb (Miranda Magpies president) Picture suppliedThe project follows on from the $5 million Active Youth Precinct which was Stage 1 in the Seymour Shaw Park masterplan A new car park on Wandella Road is also close to completion Cr Boyd said Stage 2 would complete "a major transformation of one of the best loved and most used sporting precincts in Sutherland Shire" "The Youth Precinct was a passion project of mine providing some of Sydney's best skating facilities as well as a host of other amazing sports and recreational facilities," he said we will soon be able to provide a suite of upgraded facilities to those involved in local team sports helping to better support the game day experience and training facilities available for local cricketers Paul Scully said Stage 2 built on the previous $4.75 million state government investment parkour activity area and half basketball court Picture by Murray TrembathMs Petinos said Seymour Shaw Park was "a vital hub for our local sports community" "Sporting groups have called for the playing fields to be upgraded for many years so I'm thrilled that the works have commenced on this important community project," she said the club had offered the chance for everyone from preschoolers to those in their senior years to play football Stage 1 of the upgrade - the Active Youth Precinct Picture by Murray Trembath"With the incredible growth in participation we have seen in the game locally it will be give us more ability to cater for local players Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy A sibling show that isn’t afraid to show its anger as well as its unbreakable heart ‘Glass child’ is a label sometimes applied to siblings of people with special needs as such; it’s more to do with the idea that they are often “looked through” rendered transparent by their roles as helpers this two-hander created by Maitreyah and Kayah Guenther throws out a challenge from a person with special needs and the sibling with whom his life is intertwined: Look at us Kayah Guenther and Maitreyah Guenther in Glass Child Drawing on memories and archival video and made vivid with eruptions of choreographed dance Glass Child is a portrait of the partnership of brother Kayah who since childhood has looked out for Kayah Kayah is an anarchic presence; part Enrique Iglesias fanboy especially when the show’s dance element takes over the storytelling Glass Child is a work that isn’t afraid to show its anger as well as its unbreakable heart Glass Child plays at the Seymour Centre, Sydney until 16 April Contribute to Limelight and support independent arts journalism The latest arts appointments and departures The editors of Limelight share their selection of the most exciting classical music Alana Valentine's new play produces a warm glow as contrasting views are explored and a secret is revealed Alana Valentine's new drama explores "uncomfortable complex truths" in the nuclear energy debate Mature actors channel their younger selves in Matthew Whittet's poignant portrait of schoolies on the cusp of adulthood but Empress Theatre have nailed the drama's twists and turns and sticks the landing Check out our playlists from our latest issue Our free Weekly Newsletter delivers the latest arts news reviews and features to your inbox each Saturday For the first time offered in over 35 years And Magic Millions are proud to present the renowned ‘Dj Bourne Racing Stables’ to the market this unique opportunity offers the chance to acquire two properties as a single holding Situated just 4km from the heart of Seymour CBD this property combines convenience with unrivalled positioning A standalone facility located in a prime location.  turn-key opportunity for trainers and equine enthusiasts looking to grow their business and take advantage of the exceptional opportunity available Significant proposed developments of the Seymour Racing Club will only further enhance future capital growth ACCOMMODATION220 Highlands Rd Homestead – Renovated 3 Bed 2 Bath + Pool210 Highlands Rd Homestead  – 3 Bed EQUINE2 x Stable Barns 16 fully lined boxes with automatic waterers 8 Horse Walker 3 Phase Power Tack & Feed rooms  LOCATIONAdjacent to Seymour Racecourse1 hr to Melbourne airport 1 hr 20 minutes to Flemington Racecourse This is probably not the page you’re looking for Forgot your password? BusinessLIVE© are registered trademarks of Arena Holdings (Pty) Ltd Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions and privacy policy Act leader David Seymour is taking aim at the size of government calling for a limit to the number of Cabinet members scrapping or merging Government departments and abolishing ministerial portfolios including some created by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon In a speech to Tauranga Business Chamber members today Seymour proposed capping the number of ministers at 20 He also supported scrapping all associate ministerial roles aside from the associate finance ministers which Seymour says could be Act Party policy for next year’s election plans to abolish some of the 82 ministerial portfolios and to either cut or merge the roughly 40 Government departments he mentioned several portfolios in his sights: Racing and Space – all currently held by either National or New Zealand First ministers Seymour described portfolio creation without a designated department as an “easy political gesture” “The cynics among us would say it’s symbolism Governments want to show they care about an issue “Portfolios shouldn’t be handed out like participation trophies There’s no benefit to having ministers juggling three or four unrelated jobs and doing none of them well co-ordinating work programmes and communicating between ministers inside and outside Cabinet is difficult and The South Island portfolio was created by Luxon and given to new MP James Meager earlier this year at a time when the Government was being criticised for its decisions concerning Dunedin Hospital Seymour said he hadn’t raised his views with Luxon directly and didn’t believe his proposal would be seen as criticism of his coalition partners and MMP enables parties to both maintain their identity and work together to support a government “There [are] people that could take quite a combative approach to new ideas … we recognise this doesn’t threaten the current [arrangement] but we also respect that everyone’s allowed to float their own views of the world.” Seymour said his comments didn’t reflect any upcoming changes in the Budget National ministers Chris Bishop and Judith Collins held the most portfolios Seymour holds one primary portfolio as Regulation Minister but has four associate roles Central to his concern was the number of ministers holding partial authority over one department Innovation and Employment and claimed its officials reported to up to 19 different ministers “When you have 19 ministers responsible for one department the department itself becomes the most powerful player in the room “Bureaucrats face ministers with competing priorities and often little subject-matter expertise.” Within his proposal was the claim that the Government’s 40-odd departments could be trimmed back to about 30 He would not detail which ones he would cut if I start talking about specific ministries people will start talking about the examples and the politics of who survives and who is cancelled and so on “Let me just say that I’ve been through the current list and I believe we could easily get to 30 departments.” The Ministry for Regulation was created by this Government claiming a department focused on assessing regulation was a core function of government Despite his claim that the changes would make the Cabinet more “manageable he maintained the current Cabinet had been effective in progressing policy “On the things that the three parties campaigned on but I don’t think anyone would deny that a smaller group with fewer lines of accountability would be faster and more efficient.” Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland A weka hitched a 300km ride to Christchurch in a ute Monday's trials at Seymour  will be streamed live on Racing.com from 8.30am AEST.  All 13 trials can be watched live in the video player below, which will appear from 8.25am AEST, with replays to follow shortly after each heat Keep an eye out on trial one where Melbourne Cup champion Without A Fight is set to return to the races ACT leader and soon-to-be deputy prime minister David Seymour has criticised the ministerial line-up as looking "bloated" and full of "meaningless titles" as he calls for a smaller team of ministers In a speech to the Tauranga Business Chamber on Thursday Seymour made the case for streamlining the executive government complicated bureaucratic beast" and an example of "national paralysis" "We currently have 82 ministerial portfolios.. we have 41 separate government departments," Seymour said that might put me and a few of my colleagues out of a job the executive would be limited to just 20 ministers Seymour told RNZ ACT was simply floating the idea right now but suggested it could form part of a future coalition agreement prompting changes to the Cabinet manual or even legislation The size and make-up of any executive is set by the prime minister The plan would see the number of agencies slashed to 30 with each one overseen by a single minister Ministers would be responsible for a "single clearly-defined policy area" rather than multiple portfolios handed out like "participation trophies" Seymour singled out the Child Poverty Reduction position for criticism The role was first held by former prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern and now National's Louise Upston Seymour questioned the need for other roles like Hospitality and the Voluntary Sector Luxon created the new South Island position as part of a Cabinet reshuffle earlier this year "I'm not saying those aren't important communities," Seymour said "What I am saying is that creating a portfolio or a department named after the community is.. The cynics among us would say it's symbolism." Seymour is currently Minister for Regulation a new role secured by ACT during coalition negotiations Preempting criticism that Seymour had himself created a new department he said that was different as his was designed to cut bureaucratic bloat there would be a lot fewer placemats," Seymour said "New Zealanders deserve better than bloated bureaucracy and meaningless titles." Seymour is also due to take over as deputy prime minister from Peters from 1 June The transition was agreed during coalition negotiations Luxon described the position as "largely a ceremonial role" had a constitutional cap of 15 ministers managing just 18 portfolios Much larger countries like South Korea and the United Kingdom also managed with fewer ministers than New Zealand He traced the current structure back to the introduction of MMP in the 1990s and the introduction of ministers outside Cabinet to accommodate coalition arrangements Seymour said he had not discussed the idea with Luxon and denied his comments were in any way a criticism of the prime minister or his coalition partners I just raise the question: Could there be a better way Seymour accepted he would charged by some with hypocrisy given he had signed up to the existing conditions Asked whether his proposal to cut whole departments could feature in the looming Budget Seymour said he had long advocated for that: some of these dreams will become reality." ACT campaigned on abolishing a suite of ministries Up to eight under-secretaries could be appointed as a "training ground" for future ministers There are currently two parliamentary under-secretaries positions held by ACT MP Simon Court and NZ First MP Jenny Marcroft Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday Analysis - The prime minister has taken a close hard look at the varying skills of his ministers resulting in a portfolio allocation imbalance following Sunday's reshuffle Politics RSS Sample announcement strip lore ipsum dolor sit met. CTA HERE who was head of tax at the time of the firm’s confidentiality breaches was allowed to run for the top job despite opposition from executives and the ATO The parliamentary joint committee previously heard evidence that none of the partners that voted in Seymour were informed that there were concerns about his candidacy Christine Chen is a journalist at Accountants Daily and Accounting Times and educational content for professionals in the accounting sector She has also produced online content for LegalVision and completed internships at EY and Deloitte Christine has a commerce degree from the University of Western Australia and a juris doctor degree from the University of Sydney Uncover a new world of opportunity at the New Broker Academy 2025If you’re ready for a career change and are looking.. The Seymour-Avenel Road bridge is starting to take shape with the final beams installed recently Watch the video as our construction contractor McConnell Dowell cranes the last of six beams into place We’re replacing the Seymour-Avenel Road bridge at Seymour to allow clearance for double-stacked freight trains In Victoria, works are taking place at 12 sites between Beveridge and Albury Local and First Nations businesses and community members in Wagga Wagga will have a chance to find out about potential commercial opportunities on the Albury to Illabo section of the Inland Rail project at a ‘Meet the Contractor’ event being held in town tomorrow. Your Ads Privacy ChoicesIMDb Rising 8YO and stable star Big Day Out landed the ninth win of his glittering career at Seymour on Tuesday prevailing in the 1000m Benchmark 64 Handicap.  who notched his 71st win for the stable in the process the Delago Deluxe gelding was raced quietly at the back of the field before the $17 outsider unleashed a well-timed run for a thrilling victory A 74-start veteran who’s also finished with another 27 minor placings since debuting as a talented 2YO at Wagga on Australia Day Big Day Out has earned connections over $310,000 in prize money it’s no wonder the ever-consistent gelding is a stable favourite.  “He would be very close to my favourite horse,” Weeding said “He was one of the very first horses I trained my first winner at Flemington and only winner at Flemington and he just makes me look good because he turns up every time he goes to the races and has a real crack.” Big Day Out and Jake Duffy combined for their first win in February 2020 triumphing in the 1200m Maiden Plate at Wagga.  winning the Tumut Sprint in 2023 and back-to-back Leeton Stan Axtill Memorial races in 2022 and 2023 “I’ve had a fair bit to do with this horse since the start of his career and I know him like the back of my hand,” Duffy said.  if he is covered up and ridden for the last crack at them The Weeding Racing stable has a good crop of proven gallopers Duffy was excited to be affiliated with the growing stable and good horses such as Big Day Out “He’s been a good little horse to me and has always been consistent and you could say he is a stable star,” Duffy said.  and he’s been a massive supporter of mine and put me on the right horses and given me opportunities on horses that other trainers probably wouldn’t It’s been a successful period for Weeding Racing which also landed a double at Benalla on Monday Duffy was in the saddle as Paparazzo won the 1106m Maiden Plate and apprentice Luke Cartwright guided Ashau Valley to a tough victory in the 2100m Benchmark 58 Handicap.  Weeding has trained 40 winners in season 2024/25 while Duffy is on track for his best-ever season in the saddle Jane Seymour‘s sharp feisty professor turned private detective Harry Wild returns for a fourth season of murder mysteries set in Ireland A year has passed on the show and Wild/Reid the agency she shares with 18-year-old fellow sleuth Fergus Reid (Rohan Need) In addition to Harry Wild, Seymour has a new unscripted series, Relative Secrets each episode investigates an American family’s darkest mystery aiming both to solve the mystery and explore how it shapes that family today and dramatic twists and turns abound in every tale each of which connects the American family to their UK heritage Seymour serves as host and oversees the overall investigation which is led by archaeologist Natasha Billson Seymour gives us a preview of the upcoming season of Harry Wild After watching Season 4’s Harry Wild it seems fair to say that Harry and Fergus are becoming pretty famous Jane Seymour: Harry and Fergus are getting pretty well known There’s an episode this season where they discover just how famous they are And [dodgy pub buddy] Welsh Glenn [Paul Tylak] is trying to make money out of that Can you tell us about several of the dangerous cases the partners get involved in The first two episodes (both premiering on May 5) are certainly creepy Their cases are getting more thrilling and more dangerous every season but the first episode is a very thrilling one and involves a serial killer who decides his victims on the flip of a coin always gets to the bottom of things but she’s put a few people away by now and maybe…that will come back to haunt her Especially with somebody as dangerous as the coin toss killer The second episode is an unusual whodunnit set in a convent where there is no talking allowed — even after a nun dies by hanging Was it strange to work with  all those characters not saying a word haunted episode set in a Catholic silent order convent It was truly terrifying for Harry and Fergus The skill those actors brought to their roles was so impressive They acted with their expressions and body language and it was challenging but all the more enjoyable for it but in the episode where Harry and Fergus realize their fame they meet their fans and then somebody dies in a very unexpected way and There’s also an episode where Harry gets to do what I love doing so much — dancing Who doesn’t love murder on the dance floor Harry has a let a lot of people into her life from Fergus and his crazy family to Welsh Glenn and his crazy family She’s getting on terrifically with her [newly promoted Guardia aka police detective] son Charlie [Kevin Wild] and even her daughter-in-law Orla [Aoife Mulholland] Charlie is now pretty used to her turning up and solving his cases now especially with Charlie being in a more senior position She’s still independent and sassy and brilliant but she’s softened and allowed her life to be filmed with a lot of love she’ll always suit herself and she’ll always be right what is happening with her romance with the certainly good-looking detective Harry Benedict (Lochlann O’Mearain) I’d say Harry is very fond of the very handsome and charming Harry B but they are two very independent people and life may throw a few challenges at their romance What’s doing with Fergus this season Fergus is growing into an exceptional young man who’s about to start university She’s gifted him with a love of books as well as a love of detective work They really are the best of friends and partners How are things going between young Fergus and Harry’s niece Lola (Rose O’Neill) Season 4 will see some emotional moments for Fergus and Lola They’re two young people very much in love There might be a few tears shed this season but there’ll also be plenty of heartwarming moments for all the reasons I mentioned but also because Rohan and I get on so fabulously but it’s the poignant moments with family and the funny moments we have in script that keep it such fun we usually have to have several takes because we’re all in stitches watching him Our crews and cast there are so talented and really our only problem now is everybody wants to film in Ireland because working on Harry Wild is sought after I’ve made so many wonderful friends here I literally just said we possibly have a better social life in Ireland than we do at home Have you became a real fan of cozy crime mysteries I’ve always loved all kinds of mysteries and I suppose there’s part of me that’s very close to Harry in real life But it’s really her connection to literature that I love and share Myself and my sister Annie are quite similar in that way Is there anything else you’d like to say about the season I hear you’re working on a new project Relative Secrets described as a hybrid true crime and genealogy series in addition to solving cleverly crafted mysteries on Harry Wild I get the chance to uncover real family unknowns reality is often much stranger than fiction – I can’t wait to dive in Sign Up Gabby Seymour reflected on her side’s 2024 campaign with pride following Sunday’s Elimination Final loss to Port Adelaide. Speaking to Richmond Media following Sunday’s Elimination Final loss, Seymour took plenty of positives from the season, and expressed her excitement for the future. “There’s a lot of great things that we can take out of the season,” she said. Richmond Media caught up with Gabby Seymour following the Tigers Elimination Final loss to Port Adelaide. With injuries and illness impacting the Tigers on Sunday afternoon, the 28-year-old labelled the contest at Alberton Oval as “a little bit of a battle." “The team is really disappointed; You never plan to end the campaign…(and) we look forward to being back here (in finals),” Seymour said. “I thought Port Adelaide put out a really strong performance. It felt like every time we kicked a goal they had an answer, and that’s finals footy. “Unfortunately, you can’t have everything go your way at this time of year, and you do have to work through injury. “We had some who we weren’t even sure were going to be able take the field, and I thought every girl who stepped on the field battled hard and put their best foot forward. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Richmond Women’s (@richmondwomens) Seymour identified offence as a key growth area from this season, and believes it will hold her side in good stead for the future. “I’m most proud of how our offensive game has really developed. I see that as our biggest growth, as well as continuing to develop how we move the ball and having multiple methods to our attack,” she said. Watch all the highlights from the Elimination Final against Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval. Despite bowing out of the finals, the vice-captain expressed her excitement for the future. “I have a lot of faith that this group will come back better and stronger next year, because we love being around each other and around the club,” Seymour said. Like Seymour, Richmond AFLW coach Ryan Ferguson is excited for what lies ahead for his side. “This is the start of a journey of a team growing and rising to challenges, and then being challenged and fighting back,” he said. Watch Ryan Ferguson's press conference following the Elimination Final against Port Adelaide. “We’ll use this to get stronger. We’ll be back bigger and better than ever. “We want to win…this is sometimes the path of growth and the path of forging a way to be a really strong top-four team year-in-year-out. “When you sum it all up and you work out a path forward and you realise how you’ve grown…it’s going to be really exciting. “I’m excited for what this can actually bring to our group, and how this can make us a bigger, stronger and more resilient outfit.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Richmond Women’s (@richmondwomens) All the game day information ahead of Richmond's Round 9 clash against West Coast at the 'G Richmond has signed experienced AFLW defender and winger Lauren Brazzale to its AFLW list for the upcoming season Several Richmond players have received fines after a melee in Sunday's MCG clash Richmond will take on Fremantle at Barossa Park in next year's Gather Round Richmond has signed defender Lauren Brazzale Check out all the Super Plays from our Round 8 clash against Hawthorn thanks to Hostplus Hear from Richmond coach Adem Yze after the Tigers Round 8 loss to Hawthorn Check out all the Match Highlights from the Tigers clash against Hawthorn Richmond draftee Zoe Hargreaves will unfortunately miss the 2025 AFLW season through injury We extend our deepest respect to First Peoples and Traditional Owners of the land