It’s almost here. ChillOut is only days away with the theme of Rainbow Circus Spectacular. And national treasure Marcia Hines will be there – delivering a huge set of disco mega hits on Friday, March 7 under the Big Top at Victoria Park. 

Marcia said she was thrilled to visit ChillOut Festival for the first time. 

“My favourite performances have always been for the LGBTIQA+ community. I am taking leave from filming Australian Idol especially to travel to Daylesford for my first appearance at the ChillOut Festival. 

“I am so excited to visit such a beautiful part of Victoria but mostly to perform for my most treasured audience. I can’t wait for ChillOut.” 

All the festival favourites are back, including Bush Dance, Pool Party, Carnival Day, Street Parade, Poof Doof After Party and a host of other events will roll into venues across Daylesford and Hepburn Springs. 

There will also be social sports, comedy, art, and family-friendly fun including the All Ages Youth Muster In The Park. 

“The Youth Muster is an extremely important feature on the ChillOut events calendar,” ChillOut president Matt Clarke said. 

“Generally, regional youth are isolated from many activities and experiences purely because of location. 

“Travelling to any event in a capital city is costly. Event ticket costs, transport, and accommodation all become quite stressful and are often the final factor in whether they attend. 

“Being a young queer person in regional Victoria adds further layers of complexity, as often being out or proud of who they are can come with bullying and violence.” 

ChillOut Festival 2025 kicks off with a free community event under the ChillOut Big Top at Victoria Park on Thursday, March 6 from 6pm to 8pm, hosted by ChillOut favourites Dean Arcuri and Spankie Jackson. 

The Big Top Burlesque, pictured above, is also bound to be a crowd favourite. For all information and tickets head to www.chilloutfestival.au.

And check out the timetable on pages 10 and 11. The Local is proud to be ChillOut’s media partner for 11 years 

The Victorian state government says it is supporting local distillers to expand production, create innovative new products and reach more customers.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence in recent days visited the Bakery Hill Distillery in Kensington to announce the opening of applications for the Business Growth Fit-for Purpose grants as part of the Distillery Door Program.

Grants of up to $200,000 are available for tailored projects that help distillers to grow their business with new equipment, technology, or promotional projects. 

The grants encourage investment in areas that will expand distilleries, create new opportunity and growth for the industry. 

Bakery Hill Distillery has previously benefited from the Distillery Door Program, receiving a grant of $63,180 to set up a tasting room bar at their new distillery from the Boosting Visitor Economy and Infrastructure stream.

Internationally renowned for its single malt whiskies, Bakery Hill Distillery has been family-owned and operated for over 20 years.

The Distillery Door Program has provided over $7 million in direct funding to support and enhance Victoria’s distillery industry by creating new jobs and opportunities for local distillery businesses.

Victoria is the distillery capital of the nation with more than 180 distillers that employ over 9,000 people in rewarding jobs across regional and metropolitan Victoria.

Applications will close on March 25 with further details at agriculture.vic.gov.au.

Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence: “Victoria is home to some of the finest distilleries, producing world-class spirits that showcase local craftsmanship, create jobs, and position the state as the Australian leader of premium, homegrown spirits.”

“These grants will provide significant support to help Victorian distilleries expand, upgrade their equipment, and bring more locally made products to market.” 

Andrew Baker Bakery Hill Distillery: “The Government’s support through the Distillery Door Program has allowed Bakery Hill and many other distilleries to expand operations, open a distillery door to the public, and in our case, helped us get closer to increasing production and expanding into new domestic and overseas markets.” 

This story based on a state government media release

The Hepburn Shire Council is again offering residents a reusable product voucher to reduce upfront costs associated with purchasing some essential personal products. 

The council has partnered with Kyneton business Darlings Downunder to provide residents with a voucher to reduce the cost of transitioning from disposable nappy, period and incontinence products to more sustainable and reusable options.  

Mayor, Cr Don Henderson, said that the program would benefit families, young people and some of the older people in the community. 

“Making the switch to reusable products is the right thing to do for the environment, and for the hip pocket, in the long run,” Cr Henderson said.

“By reducing the upfront costs associated with reusable products, we can help our young people, families and older folk access these products.”

Each household in the Shire can access one $50 voucher to purchase eligible items:

• Cloth nappies
• Swim nappies
• Training pants
• Wet bags
• Reusable wipes
• Reusable liners
• Inserts and boosters
• Cloth nappy covers
• Period products (incl. swimwear)

The program runs until May 31 unless funds are exhausted prior.

Disposable nappies, period and incontinence products are one of the state’s biggest landfill issues and approximately 660 million disposable products end up in landfill in Australia each year.

Choosing reusable products can significantly impact the number of disposable products being sent to landfill.  

This story based on a Hepburn Shire Council media release

The Hepburn Shire Council is preparing to celebrate International Women’s Day at a free community event on Wednesday March 5, featuring a keynote address by Australian Paralympian Shae Graham.

The event taking place from 6pm in the Trentham Mechanics centre, will also feature new inductions onto the Heather Mutimer Honour Roll and will mark the 20th anniversary of the Honour Roll.  

The keynote address will come from Australian Paralympian Shae Graham who was a passionate sportsperson throughout her teens when at age 18 she sustained a severe spinal cord injury in a motor vehicle accident and was told she would not walk again.

Instead Shae went on to become the first female to represent Australia in wheelchair rugby (a mixed gender sport) at the Paralympics in 2021. Her story is one of resilience and a passion to pave the way for women in male-dominated sports. 

Hepburn Shire Mayor, Cr Don Henderson, said that the event would be a welcoming space for all to unite in support of equality and empowerment for women and girls.  

“This year’s event will reflect on the theme ‘For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.’ and will honour the remarkable achievements of local women,” Cr Henderson said.

“This is an opportunity to recognise women and their achievements, and the vital role women play in shaping our community.”

The event program will also feature presentations from the next generation of changemakers from Daylesford College. 

Attendance is free, but bookings are required. Free tickets can be booked online or by visiting any of the council’s community hubs. Return coach transport from Creswick and Daylesford will be provided if needed.

Seating must be pre-booked and the council is encouraging those needing transport to book early. A light supper will be served following the event. 

More details are available through the Hepburn Shire Council website.

Words: Eve Lamb. Image: Supplied

The state government has accelerated the approval of two new renewable energy projects in a move forecast to bring energy prices down. 

Brewster Wind Farm near Beaufort and Baranduda Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) near Wodonga have been fast-tracked through the state’s Development Facilitation Program. 

The six-turbine 40-megawatt wind farm at Brewster will provide energy for approximately 25,000 households every year. The facility will create 80 construction jobs, as well as 85 local jobs once it is up and running. 

The 400-megawatt Baranduda BESS will connect to the Wodonga Terminal Station and have the capacity to meet the evening peak demand needs of 140,000 households each year.

Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny: “We’re fast-tracking renewable energy projects like the Brewster Wind Farm and the Baranduda Battery Storage System because we know the right projects in the right locations means cheaper power prices for Victorians sooner.”

Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio: “Renewable energy is the cheapest form of new build energy available – that’s why we’ve cut red tape, making sure it can be built sooner, helping bring down power prices and create great new jobs for locals.”

This story based on a state government media release

The Hepburn Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committee (MEMPC) is seeking expressions of interest from community members to join the committee in a voluntary capacity.

The MEMPC is made up of representatives from government and non-government emergency response and recovery agencies and works to integrate resources to prevent, mitigate, respond to, and recover from emergencies in the Hepburn region.

The MEMPC plans for a range of emergencies that may occur within Hepburn Shire and is responsible for the preparation of the Municipal Emergency Management Plan (MEMP).

Community representatives will serve a term of two years on the MEMPC and will be expected to attend four meetings per year. Meetings take place in Daylesford or Clunes on a Thursday morning each quarter.

Expressions of interest will be assessed against the following criteria by a panel of current MEMPC representatives:

• An understanding of Hepburn Shire’s diverse communities and the risks they face
• Demonstrated community links
• Knowledge of Victorian emergency management arrangements
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Stakeholder management experience
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to provide community perspective over personal perspective

Expressions of interest should be a one-page statement outlining your interest in the position and the attributes you would bring to the role. Expressions will close on Friday March 14 with more details available through the council’s website.

This story based on a Hepburn Shire Council media release

Victoria’s youth minister Natalie Suleyman has announced $220,000 in funding for Youth Fest 2025, supporting up to 110 events across the state.

Grants of up to $2,000 are now open to schools, local councils and community organisations teaming up with young people aged 12 to 25 to create events focused on young people. 

From live music to art showcases, cultural festivals and sports competitions, Youth Fest offers young people the chance to lead the way and make a difference in their community.

Last year’s Youth Fest program delivered 110 events that brought young people together and championed local talent focused on sustainability, mental health, music, sport and more. 

Events last year included the free BendiGLOW Youth Fest which lit up a venue in neon lights and featured a Battle of the Bands, skate workshops, laser tag, UV face painting, art workshops, market stalls and food trucks. 

The Salvation Army North East used the momentum of Taylor Swift’s iconic visit to Melbourne to host a themed trivia night for young people in Shepparton, encouraging attendees to dress up as their favourite ‘era’ and providing a platform for young Victorians to lead and participate in the event. 

In Sunshine, the Liberty Unity Organisation Life Global Foundation Australia celebrated the rich heritage of the local African-Australian community with an event featuring cultural performances, art exhibitions and music, encouraging people to take pride in their heritage and build local connections.

Youth Fest 2025 applications are open until March 14. To apply and to find out more visit youthfest.vic.gov.au.

Minister for Youth Natalie Suleyman: “We’re giving young Victorians more opportunities to bring their communities together and create events that truly matter to them. Youth Fest is about celebrating talent, creativity and leadership – making sure everyone can be part of something special.”

“From ideas big or small, this grant program ensures young Victorians are not just involved – they’re leading the way and celebrating the incredible diversity of talent across the state.” 

This story based on a state government media release

A Cape Otway accommodation owner is encouraging fellow tourism operators to complete the CFA’s Tourism Fire Safety Module after a recent bushfire forced the evacuation of his guests in the middle of the night.

Maxwell Vella, owner of Sky Pods Cape Otway (pictured above) successfully evacuated eight guests and several staff when a significant bushfire broke out near his property last month.

“I got a call from a neighbour warning me about the fire,” Maxwell said.

“Within 15 minutes, the VicEmergency app sent an evacuation notice, and we got all our guests up and out.

“Some didn’t answer their phones, so we had to knock on doors at 2am, but they all cooperated because they understood the seriousness of the situation.”

The evacuees then drove their own vehicles to a pre-determined assembly point in Apollo Bay, and the fire was contained later that day.

Following the evacuation, Maxwell discovered CFA’s Tourism Fire Safety Module, designed to help tourism operators understand their local risk, develop a comprehensive bushfire plan and how best to communicate with guests during an emergency.

While he already had a stringent bushfire survival plan in place for his guests, Maxwell said the module provided him with additional insights on refining evacuation procedures and how best to communicate with guests.

“I now ask all guests to leave their phones on overnight. Many turn them off while on holiday, but emergencies don’t wait for the morning.”

To further integrate fire safety into his business, Maxwell is developing an information booklet for each accommodation unit based on what he’s learnt from CFA’s Tourism Fire Safety Module.

“I’d recommend this training to every tourism operator in Victoria. It’s a must, it’ll save lives,” he said.

“We have a responsibility to keep our guests safe, and the module provides practical steps to be prepared.”

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the module gives businesses the tools to act swiftly in an emergency.

“Tourism operators play a critical role in keeping visitors safe, particularly in regional areas where fire risks can escalate quickly,” Jason said.

“This module equips businesses with the knowledge and confidence to respond effectively, ensuring both staff and guests are well-prepared.

“Maxwell’s experience is a great example of why preparedness matters. We strongly encourage all tourism operators to take the time to complete the training and apply its lessons.”

This story based on a CFA report

Macedon Ranges residents and ratepayers are being invited to share their views on rates, roads, rubbish and more, to help review and refresh a series of key Macedon Ranges Shire Council documents. 

‘Shaping the Ranges’ aims to put a spotlight back on multi-year documents adopted in 2021 – including the Community Vision, Council Plan, Financial Plan, Asset Plan, and Revenue and Rating Plan – which act as the driving pillars for what Council delivers. 

The consultation will see revised documents developed and informed by external feedback from the community and key organisations, internal feedback from councillors and council staff, and a focused engagement with a demographically representative community assembly. 

Mayor Dom Bonanno is encouraging anyone with an opinion on what the council should prioritise over the next four years, or anyone who holds a vision more broadly for the shire’s future, to take the time to review the existing documents and provide feedback. 

“These key documents outline what we commit to doing on behalf of our community,” Cr Bonanno said.

“In this initial phase of consultation, you do not have to have any prior knowledge of these documents – just a willingness to contribute and a vision for our shared future.” 

“Importantly, this will not be the only opportunity for the community to provide feedback – the release of the revised draft documents later in the year will offer another chance to respond to how we have interpreted initial feedback, and where we’ve identified changes to improve the documents.” 

Macedon Ranges Shire Council, like all councils across Victoria, is legislatively required to complete deliberative engagement – a collaborative, in-depth form of engagement – to review or renew key documents by October 31 in the year following a general election.

 The council is also complementing broader community consultation with a community assembly, comprising approximately 30 members independently selected to represent the broad demographics of the community. 

The assembly will be asked to participate across four independently facilitated in-person sessions across March and April this year, to deliberate on the key documents and provide feedback.

Those keen to have input can visit https://yoursay.mrsc.vic.gov.au/shaping-ranges and follow the survey link to have their say, with submissions in the first phase invited until March 18.

Due to the required earlier delivery and adoption of the Rating and Revenue Plan, the council may seek to incorporate feedback informing this plan a week or so earlier than the closing date of Tuesday March 18.

This story based on a Macedon Ranges Shire media release

Ambulance Victoria (AV) has officially opened the doors of its new Avoca Ambulance Branch, providing local crews with state-of-the-art facilities.

AV Grampians Regional Director Steve Doyle in recent days joined Minister for Ambulance Services Mary-Anne Thomas MP and Member for Ripon Martha Haylett MP to open the new multi-million-dollar facility (pictured above) on Rowe Street, Avoca.

The new ambulance branch includes a three-bay ambulance garage, two rest and recline areas, relievers’ quarters, training facilities, a fully equipped kitchen, and improved security and car parking.

It is home to a team of seven paramedics supported by two Ambulance Community Officers (ACOs) and has been operational since 23 October 2024.

“The opening of the new branch is a great milestone for the Avoca community,” Mr Doyle said.

“The new facilities are already making a real difference to the ambulance crews who service remote communities throughout the Pyrenees Local Government Area (LGA) and beyond.

“It has been custom-built with the modern and safe facilities and support paramedics and first responders need to do their job, responding to life-threatening emergencies and saving lives.

“The location of the new branch on Rowe Street will ensure easy access to major highways and town services such as shops, education, aged care facilities and the recreation reserve.”

Paramedics relocated from their previous premises on 13 Liebig Street. AV will continue to use the previous branch to support paramedic accommodation.

Minister for Ambulance Services Mary-Anne Thomas: “We’re making sure the dedicated local paramedics in Avoca have a modern, safe station to support them in doing what they do best – saving lives and caring for their community.”

Mr Doyle said the bigger facility can better accommodate the crews and training and operational requirements.

“It gives them the space they need since the Avoca ambulance service was upgraded to dual paramedic crews,” Mr Doyle said.

“Avoca also remains supported by a dedicated team of local ACOs who continue to be a valued and critical part of our emergency response in rural and regional Victoria.”

Avoca is a keystone location within the Pyrenees LGA, providing care to communities such as Elmhurst, Amphitheatre, Dunolly, Lexton, Learmonth and Maryborough. The team at Avoca attend more than 61 emergency call outs a month.

The branch was funded by the Victorian Government’s Ambulance Victoria Development Program and delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) in partnership with AV, and builder, Bowden Corporation.

In 2023-24, eleven stations were completed: Inglewood, Gisborne, Rochester, Clyde North, Avoca, Paynesville, Oak Park, Yuroke, Langwarrin, Epping and Morwell.

Member for Ripon Martha Haylett: “This new state-of-the-art ambulance station will make sure our paramedics are well rested and taken care of, so they can continue delivering world-class, lifesaving care when and where the Avoca community needs it.”

This story based on an Ambulance Victoria report. Image: Supplied, AV

New water recycling infrastructure in Horsham will help parks and gardens stay green and support the state’s agricultural research.

Minister for Water Gayle Tierney and Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence this month announced the completion of the $11.8 million Horsham SmartWater and Integrated Water Management project including new water recycling infrastructure at the Horsham Wastewater Treatment Plant providing more recycled water to the region.

Researchers at the Horsham SmartFarm now have access to better quality water for research to irrigate their crops thanks to the installation of a reverse osmosis plant.

The project included construction of a new network of pipes through the city of Horsham, with connections to green spaces such as parks, ovals, the cemetery and the racecourse, providing up to 126 megalitres of recycled water for irrigation per year, reducing the need to use valuable drinking water.

More recycled water allows Agriculture Victoria researchers to conduct field experiments to improve the profitability, productivity and sustainability of crop production. Purified wastewater will be used to irrigate more than 50 hectares of grain, oilseed and legume crops.

Using more diverse sources of water, such as recycled water, ensures a water supply for open spaces during dry spells, delivers environmental and economic benefits, and bolsters the regions’ long-term water security.

The two projects were jointly funded by the Victorian and Federal Governments.

This story based on an Agriculture Victoria report

Agriculture Victoria, in conjunction with farmer Anthony Pola, is running a 2-day water workshop at Moyston in Western Victoria on March 18 and 25.

The 2-day workshop will cover a broad range of topics from siting and construction of farm dams, planning and designing a water reticulation system, preparing a water plan and the more practical aspects of pipeline installation and construction.

The workshop is suitable for people new to farming as well as those with plenty of farming experience.

The workshop will commence at 10 am and run until about 3 pm on both days. 

Read more about the workshop.

Victoria is a step closer to completing the first 100 per cent publicly owned renewable energy project in Australia, in a move expected to reduce energy bills and create hundreds of jobs.

Minister for the State Electricity Commission Lily D’Ambrosio in recent days announced Energy Vault as the contractor to deliver the 100-megawatt, two-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) component for the State Electricity Commission (SEC) Renewable Energy Park at Horsham.

The battery will store energy from the project’s 119-megawatt solar farm which can generate around 242,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy a year – enough to power 51,000 homes.

The battery will store cheap renewable energy from the solar farm and pump it into the electric grid at times of peak demand – helping to lower power prices. The battery also enables an additional 180 megawatts of new renewables to be connected to the grid. 

Minister for the State Electricity Commission Lily D’Ambrosio: “Building more renewable energy will make sure Victoria can continue to have the lowest wholesale energy prices in the market, push down energy bills and create good local jobs.”

“We’re excited to partner with Energy Vault to help deliver the battery for our first 100 percent publicly owned renewable energy project.”

Preconstruction works have begun on site in Horsham, with the project on track to for completion in 2027. The project is projected to create around 246 jobs over the construction period, including 20 roles for apprentices, trainees, and cadets. 

There SEC will also deliver direct benefits for the local community, via a community benefits fund. The SEC will work with the community to invest $42,000 a year back into the local area during the project’s construction, and a further $70,000 every year once the project is operational.

The development comes as the SEC’s first investment project, the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub prepares to plug into Victoria’s electricity grid later this year. The 600-megawatt big battery near Melton will store enough renewable energy to power 200,000 homes during peak periods.

All profits made by the SEC will be reinvested back into Victoria and help to deliver more renewable energy projects and help Victorians save money on their energy bills. 

Member for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora: “The SEC Renewable Energy Park will deliver cheaper power for all of Victoria and create lots of great new jobs in Horsham.”

Energy Vault Chairman and CEO Robert Piconi: “This publicly-owned project is well-aligned with our mission to accelerate the clean energy transition through sustainable and efficient energy storage solutions and will play a pivotal role in ensuring the availability of renewable energy.”

This story based on a state government media release.

Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, last week launched an important new national resource of isotopic data – food’s unique fingerprint – that can be used to help protect and further grow Australia’s reputation for high-quality, safe, and sustainably-produced food. 

Isotopes.au consolidates a treasure trove of isotopic data from Australia’s leading research agencies into a single, open-access and trusted resource, which can be used by regulators and industry to verify a food’s provenance and sustainability claims and ensure compliance with trade regulations. 

Isotopic data can be used to identify where key food commodities were grown, as well as the amount of water or carbon emissions that were part of production.  

CSIRO lead scientist, Dr Nina Welti, said Isotopes.au could also underpin the development of sustainability standards for Australia’s $80 billion agriculture and food export industry.  

“Customers increasingly want to know where and how their food was sourced so they can make ethical and more sustainable choices,” Dr Welti said.  

“Isotopes are unique chemical ‘fingerprints’ that imprint clues of a product’s origin, as well as the inputs that went into production, and environmental factors like soil nutrients and groundwater flows. 

“This is just the beginning of capturing Australia’s wealth of isotopic data into one place – Isotopes.au – to help industries demonstrate how they’re meeting environmental targets for greater transparency with trading partners and consumers.”  

Isotopes.au was developed by CSIRO in partnership with Geoscience Australia, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), and the National Measurement Institute, with co-investment from the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC). 

Isotopes.au will continue to be expanded to include more data, broadening beyond land-based measurements. For example, the fisheries and aquaculture industry are set to reap benefits as additional applications are developed to track marine products through the supply chain. 

Fisheries Research and Development Corporation General Manager for ICT and Digitalisation, Kyaw Kyaw Soe Hlaing, said timely access to supply chain data is key to responding to several challenges facing the sector. 

“Data is key to maintaining sustainable practices, reducing carbon emissions and responding to increasing competition for marine space,” Mr Soe Hlaing said.  

“We use isotopes to answer questions about fish movements and food web dynamics.   

“Isotopes.au is a powerful tool that complements our ARDC-supported research infrastructure project, which is looking to liberate key sources of fisheries and aquaculture data.”  

Isotopes.au aligns with industry goals to consolidate data for more trusted supply chains, and aligns with the National Agricultural Traceability Strategy.  

It could also support the development of food circularity in production systems by underpinning safety standards for food reuse.  

The resource complements a suite of CSIRO research and innovations aimed at growing the value of Australia’s agrifood exports, including a digital ecosystem to boost food safety and new tools to simplify and manage pest risks.

Story: Supplied, CSIRO. Image: CSIRO

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas last week met with nurses and midwives to announce amendments to the Safe Patient Care (Nurse to Patient and Midwife to Patient Ratios) Act to put more nurses and midwives on shift – at all hours of the day.

The legislation, introduced last Tuesday, will see more nurses in the state’s busiest metropolitan and regional intensive care units (ICUs), emergency departments (EDs), high dependency and coronary care units, and more midwives in maternity wards. 

The new ratios are the result of extensive consultation with nurses and midwives, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) and health services, and will set in stone:

The ‘gold standard’ 1:1 nurse to occupied bed ratio in ICUs on all shifts for all Level 1 and 2 hospitals – meaning that every occupied ICU bed has a dedicated nurse assigned to it at all times. ICUs will also require a team leader and liaison nurse for the very first time.

Improved staffing ratios in resuscitation cubicles in EDs on morning shifts – bringing morning shifts in line with afternoon and night shifts.

Patient ratios of 1:4 midwife to patient in postnatal and antenatal wards on night shifts – down from 1:6.

An in-charge nurse on night shifts in stand-alone High Dependency Units and Coronary Care Units.

The changes are aimed at improving care across the state’s health services, with ICUs benefitting from additional specialist nurses who can expertly manage critically ill patients with multiple and complex needs. 

Patients in EDs will also benefit from a dedicated nurse in each resuscitation bay on every shift – recognising that EDs always have critically unwell patients that need care.

The changes will also increase the number of midwives working night shift – delivering the best and highest level of care to families around the clock. 

Premier Jacinta Allan: “Anyone who’s experienced the incredible care of our nurses and midwives knows just how special their work really is. These reforms will mean an extra pair of hands, and an extra set of eyes, for some of our most precious patients.”

An in-charge nurse on night duty in high dependency and coronary care units will also help to ensure oversight of these critical areas on all shifts. 

Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas: “We’re strengthening ratios – because it means better care for Victorians and more support for our hard-working nurses and midwives.” 

The improved ratios have been backed by a $101.3 million investment to support health services with hiring or rostering additional nurses and midwifes.

This story based on a state government media release