The $305 million redevelopment of Dandenong Hospital will deliver nine new operating theatres, a new Intensive Care Unit with 16 beds and an upgraded day surgery admissions space.

The existing Dandenong Hospital is currently one of the busiest in the state.

Once complete, it will expand bed capacity – delivering better and faster surgical care closer to home.

The modern facilities will also create more frontline jobs and support the hospital’s existing, dedicated workforce.

It will also create hundreds of local jobs during construction.

Early work on the bigger and better hospital will start later this year.

Designs are currently being finalised and will incorporate expert advice from the hospital’s clinicians.

Dandenong Hospital will remain operational throughout the redevelopment for continuity of patient care.

The Victorian Health Building Authority will work closely with Monash Health to minimise disruption.

Diabetes is a rapidly growing global health challenge, affecting 589 million adults—around 1 in 9 people—with numbers projected to rise by 45% to 853 million by 2050. In Australia alone, more than 1.3 million people are living with diabetes, with a new diagnosis every five minutes, making it the country’s fastest-growing chronic condition. The burden is disproportionately higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who face significantly greater risks of developing, being hospitalised for, and dying from type 2 diabetes.

Many health professionals report limited training and low confidence in providing structured nutrition and lifestyle counselling for type 2 diabetes risk reduction. Our new course has been designed to help close that gap.

The solution:

Doctors For Nutrition, an independent not-for-profit committed to evidence-based education, announces ‘Overcoming Diabetes in Clinical Practice’— an on‑demand, RACGP and ACRRM–approved activity designed for GPs and primary care clinicians who want practical, evidence-based strategies to help patients prevent, manage, and in many cases reverse type 2 diabetes using nutrition and other lifestyle interventions, alongside appropriate pharmacotherapy.

Overcoming Diabetes at a glance:

Developed by Australian doctors and health experts, Overcoming Diabetes in Clinical Practice is a fully-referenced, fact-based and accessible on-demand program that covers:

• Clear explanations of how diet and lifestyle impact health and diabetes risk
• Practical guidance, recipes, and resources to support change
• Evidence-based information for doctors treating patients living with type 2 diabetes, at risk, or wanting to protect their health long-term

“Type 2 diabetes affects thousands of Australian families every year, but there is hope—prevention and reversal are possible,” said Rebecca Stonor, DFN CEO. “This course empowers doctors and medical professionals to help their patients take charge of their health, by focussing on the underlying causes of type 2 diabetes— all backed by the latest nutrition science.”

There is also a ‘patient-focused’ program that is an excellent resource for the medical community to recommend to their patients and is a trusted companion for clinical care. Overcoming Diabetes, has been developed as an on-demand course for anyone living with—or looking to prevent—type 2 diabetes.

Access the two courses:

• For medical professionals: Overcoming Diabetes in Clinical Practice
• For patients and general community: Overcoming Diabetes

Doctors For Nutrition is an independent, registered charity founded in 2018 with the mission to inspire the healthcare sector, policymakers, and society at large to integrate whole food plant-based nutrition and other lifestyle medicine principles as powerful tools for disease prevention and care. With a team of medical and dietetic practitioners across Australia, New Zealand, and globally, Doctors For Nutrition works to equip clinicians, institutions, and communities with evidence-based education and resources on optimal human nutrition-led lifestyle medicine strategies to prevent, alleviate, and even reverse chronic diseases, aiming to create a world free from preventable disease where everyone can thrive and live to their full potential.

The Australian Government has now responded to the independent statutory review of the Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth) (the Act) by Delia Rickard PSM, and International Justice Mission (IJM), the largest international anti-slavery organisation, welcomes this significant step forward.

The Government has reinforced its commitment to legislating a Digital Duty of Care for the online industry that will be underpinned by due diligence, safety by design principles, risk assessment and mitigation, robust enforcement, and measurement.

Executive Director of IJM’s Center to End Online Sexual Exploitation of Children John Tanagho said, “IJM welcomes the Australian Government’s intent for the Digital Duty of Care to cover ‘all digital service providers,’ including device manufacturers and operating system services. To ensure these sections of the online industry are within scope represents an opportunity to swiftly scale protections for children from online sexual exploitation and abuse, including by mainstreaming device-side prevention of the creation, live transmission and viewing of child sexual abuse images and videos.”

IJM commends the Government for supporting the recommendation that online service providers prioritise the best interests of the child, which includes mitigating the risks to children from the design and operation of their services—crucially, even if those children are not the users themselves.

“It goes without saying that the best interest of a child is served by companies preventing their sexual abuse from being transmitted and viewed live online; the government must therefore ensure that companies operating in Australia implement effective safeguards into their live video platforms and smart devices to prevent the real and present danger to children that arises when Australians use their services to livestream and view child abuse,”  Mr. Tanagho said.

Survivor leader Barbie said, “From my own perspective as a survivor leader here in the Philippine Survivor Network, prevention is everything, because once the harm happens it doesn’t just disappear, it stays with the child … the trauma, the harm, or even the experience of abuse. So, if we can stop it before it happens, we’re not just protecting their future, but also protecting their present.”

The Philippine Survivor Network is a survivor-led advocacy network in the Philippines made up of people with lived experience of sexual abuse and exploitation, particularly children.

IJM further commends the Government for supporting a stronger enforcement regime for the online safety regulator – increasing the maximum civil penalty that a court can impose to 5 percent of a company’s global revenue or $50 million, whichever is greater, and increasing civil penalties to a maximum of $10 million for companies who fail to remove child sexual abuse images and videos online after notification.

“Ensuring the eSafety Commissioner has the enforcement tools necessary will be essential in guaranteeing tech industry compliance with online child safety requirements under the Online Safety Act and associated industry codes and standards,” David Braga, CEO of IJM Australia said.

Acknowledging the Government supports, in principle, the report’s recommendations recognising the role of safety tech solutions in detecting, disrupting and preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse material, IJM calls on the Government to continue investigating existing technological solutions.

As IJM has recently held productive conversations with Australian Government representatives, we would encourage the Government to further investigate existing AI-driven tools that work within the operating system of smart devices, which can automatically detect and block child sexual abuse images and videos, including in livestreamed video.

International safety tech companies have already proven that it is possible to both protect children from online sexual abuse, including alongside encrypted environments, and protect user privacy. Now it’s time for such child safeguards to become a mandatory inclusion for smart devices to protect children from online sexual exploitation by offenders in Australia.

“It’s good news that this harm is preventable. We can do something about it … I want people to understand also that we already have tools, and we need to use them,” survivor leader Barbie shared.

IJM stands ready together with survivor leaders and safety tech experts to assist the Minister for Communications, the Honourable Anika Wells MP, to ensure that the forthcoming Online Safety Act reforms, including the Digital Duty of Care, requires tech companies to actively prevent their products or services from being used to sexually exploit children online.

“I think a lot of people believe in Australia that this issue is not real – it’s not serious because it’s happening online. But for a child, it’s real – most especially if the children have the experience of being sexually abused online. I want to tell the Australian people that this issue matters,” survivor leader Barbie said.

Women are getting the health care they need – saving them time and money no matter where they live. 

The Premier and Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards has visited the Bendigo Women’s Health Clinic to announce an expansion to its services.

Since opening late last year, the clinic has already supported local women with specialist care for free, closer to home.

Services include gynaecology, colposcopy, cervical screenings, contraception, menopause and abortion care.

From this week, women will be able to access a dedicated women’s health GP, a new menopause clinic and a specialised pelvic floor clinic.

Bendigo is one of 20 women’s health clinics backed by a landmark $153 million women’s health package.

The package is already transforming care through a regional mobile clinic, dedicated Aboriginal-led services, a virtual women’s health clinic, sexual and reproductive hubs and the 20 clinics.

This includes 12 in regional communities where women have historically faced barriers to accessing specialist care.

To learn more or locate a local clinic, visit health.vic.gov.au/public-health/womens-health-wellbeing-program

The state government is bringing specialist care, closer to home for people in the Mallee.

Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt has announced that AW Nicholson has been appointed to build the new $36 million residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility in Merbein.

Located at 13 Jenner Street, the 32-bed adult residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility is the first of its kind in the region.

For people seeking drug and alcohol support, it will mean they can get the care they need, closer to home.

The facility will support around 200 people each year.

It will provide 24/7 support and care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of consumers and staff as well as the wider Mallee community.

Designs of the courtyard and internal lounge areas have also been released today.

The facility will include consulting rooms, staff and support areas, along with several shared spaces such as a kitchen, dining area, internal lounges, and landscaped areas for outdoor program activities.

In a boost for the local economy, the project is expected to create more than 100 jobs at the peak of construction.

Construction works will commence in the coming weeks.

The facility will be managed by Sunraysia Community Health Services in a consortium partnership with Mildura Base Public Hospital, Odyssey House Victoria and Mallee District Aboriginal Services.

The state government is helping Victorian animal services get the support they need to rehome more pets into loving homes.

Minister Spence joined Member for Greenvale Iwan Walters at Second Chance Animal Rescue (SCAR) in Craigieburn to award a $17,620 grant to the shelter as part of Round 13 of the Animal Welfare Fund Grants.

We’re delivering $1.61 million to 36 not-for-profit animal care organisations, foster networks, and low-cost veterinary clinics across Victoria to expand services, improve veterinary care, and help more pets find loving homes.

It will help SCAR expand their cat‑housing capacity, increasing space to accommodate up to 372 more cats per year.

Through previous rounds, SCAR received over $550,000, funding their vital work rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming displaced and abandoned pets, while also supporting vulnerable pet owners in times of need.

Project Meow Ltd will use their $32,400 grant to desex almost 300 cats and kittens in Greater Geelong, with microchipping and vaccinations provided as needed.

Give a Kitty a Home Rescue Inc. will use $130,000 to deliver a mobile veterinary clinic providing low-cost, high-quality care to retirement villages, vulnerable families and rural communities with limited access to vets.

Over the last decade, the Grants Program has awarded more than $16 million in funding to not-for-profit animal shelters, foster care organisations and community vet clinics.

The program provides grants to animal shelters, organisations promoting responsible animal ownership education, community foster care networks, not-for-profit and low-cost veterinary services and groups that provide relief facilities and services during an emergency.

The next round of applications will open later this year. For the list of recipients, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/livestock-and-animals/animal-welfare-victoria/community-and-education/animal-welfare-fund-grants-program.

Drought impacted farming families and workers in the south west are encouraged to access financial support to ease cost-of-living pressures caused by prolonged drought conditions.

Up to $1,000 is available for farmers, farm employees and farm dependent contractors in 11 south west local government areas and parts of the West Wimmera Shire through Household Financial Relief Payments coordinated by the Country Women’s Association (CWA).

CWA Victoria State President Jenny Nola encourages farming families and workers to access support to help with household costs, like groceries, school expenses, utilities, rates and other important everyday expenses that can add up quickly.

‘The CWA is passionate about delivering direct support to those who need it, and we look forward to continuing to work with Agriculture Victoria to bring this important program to farmers and their families in the south west.

‘When farmers can buy locally, visit neighbouring regional communities and support local businesses, the flow on effect supports multiple regional economies,’ Ms Nola said.

The program is part of the Victorian Government’s comprehensive $146.5 million Drought Support Package and is administered by the Country Women’s Association of Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government.

The program is open to eligible recipients in:

• Ararat
• Moyne
• Colac Otway
• Pyrenees
• Corangamite
• Southern Grampians
• Glenelg
• Surf Coast
• Golden Plains
• Warrnambool
• Greater Geelong
• and southern postcodes in West Wimmera (3312, 3317, 3318 and 3319).

The program is open until 30 June 2026 or until funds are expended, whichever comes first.

For more information or to apply, visit the CWA website.

Further drought support is available, visit the Drought Support page or call 136 186.

Farmers looking to ignite burn piles when fire restrictions are lifted are being urged to be cautious with stock.

Of particular concern are contaminants left in ash and debris from treated pine posts, which landholders may be burning after replacing fences damaged in recent fires.

Agriculture Victoria veterinary officer Dr Lydia Nicholson said a case near Wangaratta served as a sobering reminder of how well-intentioned actions can pose serious risks to livestock.

‘During a disease investigation, several cattle were found dead after displaying severe neurological signs – staggering, blindness and collapse,’ she said.

‘Post-mortem examinations and laboratory testing were conducted, but the key breakthrough came during a discussion with the landholder. It was revealed that a bonfire had recently been lit on the property and the burn pile included treated timber.’

Treated timber, which is commonly used in fencing, yards, and landscaping, is often preserved with copper chrome arsenate (CCA), a chemical that protects wood from rot and pests.

Dr Nicholson said CCA contains arsenic, which becomes significantly more toxic when the timber is burnt.

‘Burning concentrates the toxin and leaves behind ash and debris that can be highly palatable to livestock. In this case, every animal that had access to the burn site died,’ she said.

‘This tragic outcome highlights the importance of being vigilant about what goes into your burn piles. Even small pockets of contamination can lead to fatal consequences when stock gain access.’

Landholders should also be aware that many common garden plants can be toxic to livestock and access can be fatal, particularly on small properties where animals may reach household gardens or where clippings are dumped into paddocks or burn piles.

Dried clippings can pose an even greater risk, as they often become more palatable while retaining toxicity. Plants such as some sugar eucalypts, oleander, yew, foxglove and rhododendrons can cause severe illness or sudden death, often affecting the heart, nervous system or gastrointestinal tract.

Recently, a case was investigated where garden clippings containing oleander was placed on a burn pile, resulting in multiple deaths of horses on a property.

For further information contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer.

Further information can be found at Livestock and animals.

The Ballarat BetterBeef Group is hosting an on-farm pasture walks for beef producers to explore practical approaches to pasture and weed management. The session will take place on Wednesday 6 May from 9:30 am, on 2 properties at Mount Mercer and Mount Wallace, and includes lunch.

In addition to pasture and weed management, industry specialists Lisa Warn (Lisa Warn Ag Consulting) and Neil James (Agriculture Victoria) will also discuss how to interpret soil test results and pasture recovery strategies, including soil testing and fertiliser requirements.

Agriculture Victoria’s Ballarat BetterBeef Group Coordinator, Neil James said the session aims to be practical and interactive while bringing producers together for learning and networking.

‘The farm walks are about giving producers the confidence and skills to make informed pasture decisions on their own properties,’ Mr James said.

‘Participants will gain hands-on experience identifying key pasture species, assessing whether a paddock should be manipulated or renovated, and selecting the right pasture species for the right location and grazing system.

‘We’ll work through real paddock examples and discuss how soil tests and fertiliser strategies can improve pasture productivity and long-term persistence for productive, resilient pastures.’

BetterBeef is a statewide network of beef producers and industry advisors, Agriculture Victoria personnel and industry agencies working together to increase the sustainable productivity and profitability of the Victorian beef industry.

Mr James said the free event is open to all beef producers, with people interested in joining BetterBeef encouraged to attend, to learn more about the group and how to get involved.

‘BetterBeef Producer groups are self-directed groups, facilitated by a local coordinator who develops activities that support producers to test ideas, learn from others and build confidence to implement improved practices,’ Mr James said.

‘This approach strengthens decision making, supports adaptation to changing conditions, and drives more productive and profitable farm businesses.’

The event is free, but registration is essential for catering purposes. Register via TryBooking. For further information, please contact Neil James from Agriculture Victoria on 0417 353 929 or neil.james@agriculture.vic.gov.au.

Drought support is available, visit our Drought support page, or call 136 186.

Whether you’re starting, building, or transforming your business, the Small Business Bus can help you to develop your business ideas and capabilities.

Business advisers from Monarch Institute will be offering free 45-minute tailored sessions in Bendigo on Wednesday, 29th April 2026.

Your business adviser can help you to identify a clear direction for your business, discuss key issues and priorities, and develop a business action plan to achieve your goals.

Walk-ins are also welcome for our Bus Concierge service which provides general information about support available from Business Victoria.

Please note that only one session with Monarch Institute is available per business per 12-month period.

Bookings are essential

“New home sales increased by 17.0 per cent in the month of March despite the rise in the cash rate and fuel prices,” stated HIA Chief Economist Tim Reardon.

The HIA New Home Sales report is a monthly survey of the largest volume home builders in the five largest states and is a leading indicator of future detached home construction.

“Sales of new homes have been increasing since early 2025 and the disruptions of the past two months have not stopped this momentum, with sales for the March quarter 31.9 per cent higher than at the same time last year,” added Mr Reardon.

“This is a strong result given the impact of two rate increases and heightened global uncertainty.

“This likely reflects the strength of the recovery that was underway prior to the increase in rates and the strong growth in established home prices over the past year.

“The growth in sales could partly reflect a growing involvement from first home buyers who are no longer required to take out mortgage insurance, although this data isn’t available through this data set. A jump in sales in New South Wales and Victoria is a welcome sign given their low volume of detached starts.

“More broadly, demand for housing remains strong, supported by strong population growth and low unemployment. These structural drivers continue to underpin activity, even as borrowing costs rise.

“However, the capacity to respond to this demand remains constrained. The rise in the cost of skilled labour and materials is expected to persist through 2026, while access to shovel ready land remains the key limit the number of homes that can be delivered.

“Input costs are also emerging as a renewed risk. More significant is the risk that higher energy costs feed into the production of materials such as steel, bricks and concrete, which would place further upward pressure on construction costs later in 2026.” concluded Mr Reardon.

By state, Queensland recorded the largest monthly increase in March, with a 34.3 per cent increase. This was followed by South Australia (+22.5 per cent), Victoria (+19.1 per cent) and New South Wales (+11.8 per cent) with Western Australia the only state to see a decline in new home sales contracts (-0.3 per cent)

Vinnies calls CEOs to step up for women and children fleeing violence 

New research reveals nearly one in ten Australians say they would have nowhere safe to go if forced to leave an unsafe home – while most believe the housing crisis and cost-of-living pressures are making it harder to escape unsafe homes. 

Women and children fleeing domestic and family violence (DFV) are the largest group experiencing homelessness in Australia. Yet new data commissioned by St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria (SVDPSV) reveals a stark gap between awareness and action. Women’s homelessness is hidden, and there is a loud call for business leaders to do more. 

Despite almost half of Australians (49.6%) personally knowing someone who has experienced domestic and family violence, only 18% say they knew how to support a colleague going through it. 

The research cements that increasing cost-of-living pressures are making it harder for many women, children, and people who identify as LGBQTIA+ to escape unsafe homes, even long after they want to leave because of the likelihood of homelessness: 

• 87% of Australians say the cost-of-living and housing crisis is making it harder to leave unsafe homes 
• 60% say they could not confidently afford to leave their home immediately if their safety depended on it 
• 75% say upfront rental costs (bond, rent in advance, moving expenses) would stop them from leaving quickly 
• 68% say they would struggle to find safe, affordable housing within a month 
• Nearly 1 in 10 say they would have nowhere safe to go at all 

St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria CEO Charlie Spendlove said the data confirmed what the Society sees on the frontline every day. 

“Women’s homelessness doesn’t look the way most people expect. It hides in cars, on couches, in unsafe temporary arrangements – and because it’s hidden, it’s easier to miss and easier to underfund. This research shows that the cost-of-living crisis is making an impossible situation worse,” she said. 

A Hidden Workplace Crisis 

The research also exposes the hidden impact of domestic and family violence on workplaces, how it remains hidden and why business leaders have a direct stake in solving it: 

• 85% agree that leaving an unsafe home would significantly disrupt a person’s ability to work 
• Over half of Australians would not feel comfortable disclosing domestic and family violence to their employer 
• Only 18% of those who had observed or suspected a colleague was experiencing domestic violence knew how to support them 

Yet the expectation for business leadership is clear. Nearly three in four Australians (74%) agree that workplaces and business leaders should do more to support employees experiencing domestic and family violence – and 55% say more leadership action is specifically needed to address homelessness linked to violence. 

See it. Solve it. 

This is why SVDPSV is calling on Victorian CEOs and senior leaders to register for the 2026 Vinnies Victoria CEO Sleepout on 18 June – swapping their beds for cardboard to help raise $1.75 million for accommodation and frontline support services for women, children and people who identify as LGBQTIA+ escaping DFV. 

Now in its 16th year, the Vinnies CEO Sleepout is more than a fundraiser. It is a visible act of leadership on a crisis that too often stays hidden. 

Ms Spendlove said, “We’re encouraging business leaders to act beyond updating workplace policies. We’re fundraising to build new accommodation for women and children escaping DFV to bridge the gap between crisis and long-term stability. We need more leaders to help make this goal a reality.” 

“We aim to house – and support to rebuild stable and safe lives – up to an extra 20 families escaping DFV every year, which is not insignificant. This is about immediate and generational change. 

“Nearly one in ten Australians say they’d have nowhere to go. That number should stop every business leader in their tracks. The CEO Sleepout is a chance to step up publicly, help fund a safe way out, and bring others with you,” she said. 

Event details: On Thursday 18 June 2026 St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria (SVDPV) will host its annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout at the Skyline Carpark in Melbourne’s iconic Federation Square.  

To learn more, donate or sign up, visit www.ceosleepout.org.au. 

The Climate Media Centre says just like roads and plumbing, transmission lines are essential public infrastructure that helps power our everyday lives. The buildout of new transmission across Australia is a crucial piece to replacing unreliable, ageing and failing coal power. Any delay to the rollout of new transmission causes every Australian to pay more than they need to on their power bills by prolonging our reliance on coal and gas. 

Building more transmission pushes power prices down. Any delay pushes power prices higher.

New transmission that connects Australians to abundant, low-cost renewable energy pushes power prices down, despite the upfront investment. The Australian Energy Market Commission’s latest modelling of residential prices in the National Electricity Market shows that power prices are projected to fall by 5% over the next five years, thanks to the building of renewables, storage and transmission.

By 2050, the building of new transmission is expected to  deliver net, national savings of around $24 billion by 2050 compared with not building it (AEMO 2025; Climate Council 2026).

We have no time to waste: a one-year delay in transmission or wind projects could increase power prices by up to 20% (AEMC 2025).

By 2050, analysis by Nexa Advisory found that an over-reliance on expensive gas generation, which could occur if the build out of renewable energy generation, transmission and storage were delayed, risks increasing wholesale costs by almost $116 billion (more than 20%).

The majority of Australians are comfortable or neutral with living near transmission.

Surveys show that almost three quarters of Australians are ‘at least neutral’ to living near transmission, while most Australians are comfortable with living near transmission (CSIRO 2024). Australians believe an improved energy system and the opportunities for local employment and businesses are the largest benefits of new transmission projects.

The Australian Government has developed national guidelines for engaging with communities and sharing benefits of transmission projects, including avoiding and reducing environmental impacts. State governments offer payments to landholders – often farmers – for hosting transmission lines in recognition of the critical role they play in the transition.

Farmers across Australia are already farming underneath transmission lines. The Climate Media Centre can connect you with case studies, including families who have been conducting their grazing operations under transmission lines since the 1980s (see page X for details).

Misinformation directly impacts renewable and transmission projects, costing Australians on their power bills.

Despite what the evidence shows, the public narrative often overstates the community opposition to transmission projects, as concerns are weaponised by vested interests, including through campaigns originating from or being co-opted by media, industry, consultancy, political and fossil fuel interests. The Senate Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy heard from landowners hosting renewables infrastructure that they, and their families, have faced ongoing verbal and physical abuse, intimidation, harassment, ostracization, and death threats as a result of mis- and disinformation on hosting renewables projects, including transmission (Chapter 4.22). The Committee’s final report found that false and misleading information can directly delay energy projects (Chapter 4.26). As noted above, a transmission delay of just one year could cost Australians up to 20% extra on their power bills.

Accurate information is integral to shaping perception.

CSIRO’s 2024 survey of Australian’s attitudes towards the energy transition underscored the need for accurate information on transmission. The study found that respondents had particularly low levels of confidence in their knowledge of transmission infrastructure, lower than other renewable energy infrastructure, and that respondents had a major shift in their preferences for overground vs underground transmission lines after being provided information about the pros and cons of each.

Transmission makes up only a very small part of our power bills.

Transmission currently only makes up about 6-8% of an overall power bill. Over time, as more transmission is built, it is expected to deliver net national savings of around $24 billion by 2050 compared with not building it, because it connects us to cheap, clean energy that is far cheaper and less volatile than fossil fuels (AEMO 2025). However, keeping network costs as low as possible, including the costs of new transmission, is critical to keeping power bills in check. Big batteries can help reduce the need for new transmission by boosting the capacity of our existing networks.

In its latest roadmap for Australia’s energy system, AEMO expects the surge of grid-scale batteries to reduce the amount of new transmission we need by 40% (AEMO 2025; Climate Council 2026).

There’s no evidence of health risks.

There have been many credible studies on transmission lines and there’s no scientific evidence of health risks from transmission lines, towers or substations. (ARPANSA)

Furthermore, the Australian Federal Government’s Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency says the electrical and magnetic fields 50 metres from power lines are the same as in our homes. (ARPANSA)

Powerlink Queensland found that in over 50 years of operating transmission lines in Queensland, it has seen no instances of electrical and magnetic field exposure causing detrimental effects to crops or livestock. (AECOM, 2018).

The risk of fire caused by transmission lines is extremely low.

The risk of fires being started by transmission lines is extremely low, and they are designed and managed to minimise these risks (RE-Alliance).

No matter how a fire starts, it is drier, hotter and windier conditions that will determine whether or not it takes hold. Climate change, caused by polluting coal, oil and gas is worsening fire conditions. Accelerating the build out of renewables, transmission and storage will help build a safer future.

The Victorian Government is one step closer to delivering Australia’s first museum dedicated to the Vietnamese community.

Construction is now complete on the Vietnamese Museum Australia in Sunshine and doors are set to open later this year.

Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt visited the museum to mark the practical completion milestone.

The purpose-built, three-storey space will preserve and tell the stories of our Vietnamese communities and their refugee experience to celebrate their invaluable contributions to our state.

It will bring stories to life through immersive experiences, including a powerful Journey Walk tracing refugee journeys to Australia.

The community hub will be a place to learn, connect and celebrate culture.

It will also include a number of galleries, a dedicated education and resource centre and an event space for up to 300 people.

As Victoria continues to mark 50 years of Vietnamese settlement, the museum will act as a lasting tribute.

It will honour and celebrate the 121,000-strong Vietnamese community who have helped to shape Victoria.

The Vietnamese Museum Australia is the seventh to join the Multicultural Museums Victoria Network.

It has never been more important to come together in unity to celebrate Victoria’s proud diversity.

This is all about making sure communities feel safe, supported and included.

Victoria’s multiculturalism is one of our greatest strengths – that only Labor will protect.

Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt said:

“We’re honouring the legacy of Victoria’s Vietnamese community who have helped to shape our state over the past 50 years.”

“By celebrating our multicultural communities, we are making sure they feel seen, respected and connected.”

Member for Laverton Sarah Connolly said:

“Melbourne’s west has long been a place where communities build new lives – it’s only fitting this landmark museum calls Sunshine home.”

Member for St Albans Natalie Suleyman said:

“This museum is a celebration of heritage – proudly honouring the stories, traditions and contributions of Vietnamese Victorians in our community.”

Vietnamese Museum Australia Chief Executive Officer Tammy Nguyen said:

“This marks a significant step forward – bringing us closer to opening the first ever Vietnamese Museum in Australia which is an exciting time for the entire community and our partners who have made this possible.”

Well here I am again penning another article for you, the reader, to enjoy…
This time I’ll be featuring moments in our autumn that make this special time of year so magical.
Below is a list of pleasurable jobs and observations that I look forward to each year:

• Continuing to nurture previously sown (or planted) vegetables and herbs that will appear on the daily menu and consider sowing plants (there’s quite a few that may surprise you) such as coriander during March to April.
Avoid the heat that causes rapid bolting by direct sowing seeds 6mm deep, 20cm apart in well-drained, composted soil making sure to keep the soil consistently moist for a quick harvest – and don’t forget to keep a supply of seeds for sowing at a later date.

• I’ve talked about bed preparation in the past and there is no better time than autumn to make this a job to look forward to. Making up a brew of soil mix can be challenging as you need to get the right drainage and pH to suit myriad plants but fear not, I’ve had a crack at growing plants in 100 per cent Perma-Fert (look it up) with mixed results as the moisture retention is lousy. However this product and similar soil conditioners can be a vital ingredient to a good brew.

• As daily temperatures begin their inevitable decline, plants such as deciduous trees begin to have a rest and leaves change colour because shorter days and cooler temperatures cause the green pigment, chlorophyll, to break down, allowing hidden yellow and orange pigments (carotenoids) to appear.
Red and purple colours (anthocyanins) are now also released. Here in the Central Highlands we see claret ash, golden ash and liquidambars strut their stuff and a few extra special ones such as upright crabapple or malus trilobata – see image below

• Not to be outdone, bulbs such as the Guernsey lily (nerine bowdenii)  certainly dominate a garden bed with its iridescent pink flowers appearing out of nowhere.

• It’s close to bare-rooted season which means trees and in some cases shrubs, will come onto the nursery market shortly. So if you’re planning to add some new plants to your old or new garden, it’s worth doing some searching to see what’s available. A lot of nurseries run out of listed taxa well in advance so be quick.

And so to sum up this transitional time of the year, I’d like to think that as I peer out my study window at a coral bark maple or acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’ – the world might be a better place soon.

Cheers John Beetham (trading as Trees in Australia).

Next time: A mystery tour of amazing plants
of the world.

Got a gardening query for John?
Email news@tlnews.com.au