Labor of love visit to the Valley

By Dion Teasdale
THE Upper Yarra was a hive of political activity last week when the Victorian Parliamentary Labor Party held its annual conference in Warburton.
Eighty Victorian Labor MPs and their staff, including Premier Steve Bracks, senior ministers and backbenchers, and a contingent of metropolitan media, descended on the region for the two-day conference.
The parliamentarians stayed overnight on Wednesday, 1 February, booking out most of the accommodation outlets in the town, including the Warburton Caravan Park.
The conference, held at the Yarra Valley Grange Country Retreat on the outskirts of Warburton, drew key government figures to plan and discuss strategies in the lead-up to the State Parliament elections in November.
However, Mr Bracks and senior ministers took time out from their hectic schedule to visit local projects, interact with the community and make statewide funding announcements.
Mr Bracks and two busloads of MPs attended a presentation on the social and economic disadvantages experienced in Upper Yarra communities by health and welfare service providers at the Upper Yarra Arts Centre on Wednesday afternoon.
An informal lunch with community representatives from across the Shire of Yarra Ranges followed, giving locals the chance to meet the politicians face to face.
Later in the evening, the government held a dinner with former New South Wales premier Bob Carr as guest speaker.
Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato, who persuaded the government to hold the conference in Warburton, said one of the major highlights of the two-day event was the interaction between government decision-makers and the community.
“I have received feedback from numerous MPs who were delighted they had the opportunity to interact with the local community, and that this interaction gave them an increased understanding of local issues,” she said.
“The success stories and the social and economic issues of the Upper Yarra were clearly illustrated and I was pleased to see locals embracing the opportunity to raise their ideas and issues with MPs.”
Ms Lobato, who was showered with high praise by the premier and community members regularly throughout the two days, said the government’s visit to the Upper Yarra would bring future benefits.
“Along with the fact that I will continue to lobby for issues such as the connection of natural gas to Warburton and for improved access to health services, the visit will be beneficial down the track,” she said.
“From now on, when I’m talking to ministers about issues facing residents in the Upper Yarra, they will be able to take their minds back to their stay and recall the issues they saw and heard about first hand.”
Mr Bracks said he was pleased that the Victorian Parliamentary Labor Party was able to hold the conference in Warburton and that he appreciated the opportunities to engage with the local community.
“Warburton is a wonderful part of Victoria and it has been a great pleasure to come here and plan out the year ahead. Tammy Lobato had told us how good it would be us to come here and I’m glad we listened,’ he said.
“It has been very worthwhile getting more of an understanding of the wonderful projects up and running in the Upper Yarra, and having the opportunity to hear more about the social disadvantage issues facing local communities.
“As a government, we will continue to work to address these issues alongside the Upper Yarra communities and Tammy Lobato, who has brought a breath of fresh air to this area.”