Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos have called on peak organisations, representatives from corporations with volunteering programs and individual volunteers in Victoria to nominate.

Volunteers make an enormous contribution to Victorian communities and the broader economy. The Ministerial Advisory Council for Volunteers will advise the Government on how best to support and strengthen the volunteer sector and oversee a broader program of volunteer recognition. 

Parliamentary Secretary for Carers and Volunteers Gabrielle Williams will chair the new council, which will meet quarterly. 

Members will comprise Government appointees and nominees from the volunteering community. Membership of the council will be finalised and announced later this year.

The 2012 Economic Value of Volunteering in Victoria report showed volunteering contributions were worth about $23 billion to the Victorian economy in 2011, estimated to grow to up to $42 billion by 2021.

To nominate or find out more visit www.dhs.vic.gov.au/volunteers-council

IT IS obvious why the satisfaction survey conveys a community attitude that they are disappointed with the Hepburn council’s performance. 

Daylesford is a tourist town. The council should be focussing on how to make Daylesford a premier tourist destination in Australia. Why not have an ice-skating rink in winter? We should have an indoor heated swimming complex at whatever cost. The Rex Arcade should be a cinema with a food hall offering high standard healthy takeaway food, like the Emporium in Melbourne, until 1am Thursday to Sunday.  

We should have parking meters installed that only operate from Friday to Sunday and public holidays.  We need more public toilets. At the moment the lack of amenities available to the public is ridiculous. How about replacing the rotten benches around town, and improve the outdoor seating? What an eyesore. 

The council needs to stop wasting money and start generating money. Why not make an indoor swimming complex a hub for young and old people all year round? Why not turn the Rex arcade into a food hub?  Hubs, like the council have in mind, don’t generate money, tourists do. So give them something to come to. It’s time to move into the 21st century. Improvement in all areas required. Perhaps I should run for council.

In the lead up to this years' summer season, the Red Cross is looking for new volunteers to support the local Red Cross Emergency Services Inner Grampians team. 

The role and contribution of our volunteers in times of disasters and emergencies is critical to local communities in the Grampians area. As a result we are looking for volunteers who are based in the council districts of Hepburn, Ballarat, Ararat, Moorabool, Pyrenees and Golden Plains to fulfil the roles of Deputy Divisional Leaders, Team Convenors and Team Members.  These roles are critical in supporting communities in the Inner Grampians region to prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies.

For those interested in finding out more information on these roles, go to: http://volunteering.redcross.org.au and type in job number: 499068 or search by "Grampians" to view the specific vacancy.  For any queries please call the Recruitment team on 1800 232 969. Closing date for applications is Monday 31 August 2015.