Bendigo Business Council wishes to acknowledge the finalists and winner of Excellence in Professional Services –Business to Consumer category, Bendigo Accident Repair Centre, Elmore Primary Health and winner Kosmac and Clemens.

Unfortunately we experienced a setback on the night when the envelope containing Kosmac and Clemens winning entry was opened at the podium at the wrong time. This honest mistake led to our esteemed finalists Bendigo Accident Repair Centre and Elmore Primary Health leaving without acknowledgement of their achievement on the night. For this we are truly sorry. The Bendigo Business Excellence Awards is an important platform to showcase excellence in business and the judges of the Professional Services Category went to great lengths to point out the achievements of Bendigo Accident Repair Centre, Elmore Primary Health and Kosmac and Clemens. We have contacted all three businesses to offer an apology.

Recently I was in the Bendigo Health Hospital for a few days. The treatment and care was excellent. The food was also very good. I was brought home by volunteers. Excellent service all round. My special thanks to all concerned. 

This Wednesday the Upper House members of the Victorian Parliament will vote with their conscience on the Infant Viability Bill.  Every vote will judge whether the life of the viable, post 24 week unborn baby is protected or worth nothing. As the author of the Bill states “it is a Bill which promotes holistic care for women,……which supports babies from the time they have reached the age of viability -  promoting again a complementary approach of deliberate, person centred care”. Let us hope that our Parliamentary members have a conscience.  Every life deserves a lifetime.  Contact your Upper House members before Wednesday.

In relation to the article in Bendigo Advertiser May 11 “Jury out on council spending” and Michael McKenzie’s letter Bendigo Advertiser May 20: While I support the idea of measures of council activities and where we are heading, I have grave doubts on the set up of this citizens jury of it’s true independence of the committee.

The idea has come from the council officers, I believe people have been contacted by the council one wonders how and who will be select to the panel for this jury. At what cost is this going to be to the ratepayers and what do we expect to get out of this idea? What are the requirements of this panel of people, how involved and what areas will they be privy to and what comments can be made or will they be subjected to confidentiality clauses.

Once again it is a dictatorship no proper consultation with the community that has been the norm of this council’s operations. One wonders if this is a ploy by council to silence critics who are outspoken about the operations of the council in the way they operate.I guess time will tell.