Council
1 May, 2026
Tehan listens to the community
MEMBER for Wannon Dan Tehan paid a visit to residents in Camperdown, Derrinallum and Lismore last Friday as part of his Listening Posts across the electorate.
The visits saw strong community engagement, with many residents taking the opportunity to raise their concerns with Mr Tehan in person on a variety of issues.
Mr Tehan said among the issues he heard was the increases in the cost of living, fuel, inflation and planned reductions to services offered by Australian Post, which he said could negatively impact regional communities.
“Pensioners are very concerned by the government’s announcement that it will cut the health insurance rebate in half for people over 65,” he said.
“It’s not clear if this will impact pensioners or not – the detail will be announced in the upcoming budget.
“There is now no medical service in Lismore and the public transport service doesn’t allow the aging population to get to another town for a medical appointment and back in one day.
“Fire recovery in Skipton is also taking a toll on the community.
“There will be a celebration at the Bradvale Recreation Reserve on May 17 to mark 100 days of BlazeAid assistance in the area.”
While in Camperdown, Mr Tehan took the opportunity to speak with Corangamite Shire Council mayor councillor Kate Makin, Cr Jamie Vogels and chief executive officer David Rae.
Issues raised by council included more funding being required to provide a generator for the Lismore Showgrounds as well as female-friendly change rooms at the Camperdown Football Netball Club, the ongoing shortage of childcare places in the shire, the protection of highly productive agricultural land from timber and renewable energy developments and the closure of Cobden’s heated indoor pool.
Council also raised concerns about the impact of the rising cost of construction on addressing the key worker housing shortage and the need to advocate for extended train carriages and a means of disembarking a six-carriage train until platforms are lengthened.
Mr Tehan said hearing directly from people within the community was essential to him doing his job well.
“It ensures I understand the issues that matter most locally so I can represent and advocate for them effectively in Canberra,” he said.
“Opportunities like last Friday, where I held listening posts in Derrinallum, Lismore, Camperdown, Caramut and Mortlake, are incredibly valuable as they give me firsthand insight into the concerns and priorities of the communities I serve.
“I encourage anyone who has any concerns or issues they would like to raise with me to drop by when I’m holding listening posts in their town, to see me in person.”
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