YOU probably don’t see enough of it in this column, to be honest, but credit where credit is due when the Bass Coast Shire Council gets it right.
They probably get a lot of things right, which is what we are paying them to do, but a couple of standouts happened in the past week – the screening of ‘Just A Farmer’ at the Union Theatre Wonthaggi last Thursday night and their leadership on the issue of family violence.
It took a fair bit of processing after the hard-hitting nature of that film and its focus on the stress, isolation and mental health challenges faced by farmers, especially so locally at the moment given the terribly dry seasonal conditions.
And there’s a stress peak coming with the announcement of the new season milk prices on June 1, while beef farmers are also under pressure at the moment as well with the dry.
But talking about it to others is good, and the night provided many contacts and strategies for addressing the root cause of the high farmer suicide rate.
For financial issues call Nex Business Farming Wellness, formerly the Gippsland Rural Financial Counselling Service 1300 045 747 or go to their new website at nexsolutions.org.au.
Also, call LIFELINE 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue at beyondblue.org.au and Standbysupport after suicide at standbysupport.com.au.
The other well done message is for the shire’s support for the ‘Change for Sam’ vigil last Wednesday night at Berninneit in Cowes and for the on-going leadership they are showing on the scourge of family violence.
The total number of family violence incidents in Bass Coast was up by 12.3 per cent in the 12 months to December 2024. The rate of incidents per 100,000 across Victoria also increased by 8.8 per cent with 104,786 incidents in the past 12 months making it one of the most pressing issues for police.
New strategies are required there too if we are to bring those shocking numbers down and address problem behaviour.
And, well done on the successful Alison Lester book-signing event at the Cowes Myli Community Library.
So, maybe as suggested by the new council, the big ship that is the Bass Coast Shire Council is being turned around for the good of the general community. But a number of challenges remain, producing a budget with works and services that the community wants, and having regard for the 50 per cent of dog ownership in the shire when preparing the new Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP) for 2026-2029.
Dogs do a great job in the mental health space for us humans but their mental health is also important requiring more places for them to go on their wellness (sniffing) walks, both on leash and off-leash.
Go to engage.basscoast.vic.gov.au/DAMP to have your say.
