News blog, December 16: O’Keeffe rules out joining federal race; 89 active cases of COVID-19 in Greater Shepparton

One more story to finish the day.

Shepparton Magistrates’ Court has heard controversial former Shepparton councillor Milvan Muto was issued a penalty notice for riding a bicycle without an approved helmet.

A three-hour contested hearing has been locked in for March.

Read about his defence in the full story.

Have a lovely evening and see you back online tomorrow!

UPDATE, 4:15 pm: Happy 90th birthday to ABC Goulburn Murray

Many happy returns to our colleagues over at ABC Goulburn Murray, who today celebrate 90 years of the station gracing the airwaves!

UPDATE, 3.55 pm: O’Keeffe quashes rumour she’s Canberra-bound

Have you heard whispers City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Kim O’Keeffe is considering taking a tilt at Federal politics?

Well nip those rumours in the bud.

Today Ms O’Keeffe ended months of speculation by announcing she won't make a bid to represent the region in Canberra.

Read what she had to say in this article from Darren Linton.

UPDATE 2.20 pm: Afternoon headlines

There’s a few things happening across the country today. Here are a few local and national headlines.

Magistrate blasts man with appalling driving history: A magistrate labelled a man’s driving record “appalling” before he fined him $2000, warning he was lucky not to have been sent to prison.

“Bored, barking dogs out of backyards”: New off-leash dog park officially open: City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Kim O’Keeffe and other community members and representatives gathered at the park on Thursday to open the gates.

Two kids dead in jumping castle accident: Two children have died and several are critically injured after they fell about 10 metres from a jumping castle that was blown into the air at a primary school in northwest Tasmania.

Jobless rate drops as lockdowns end: Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg held a press conference earlier today to deliver the 2021-22 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

UPDATE 12:45 pm: Local COVID-19 data

Greater Shepparton LGA recorded nine new cases of coronavirus overnight, with the total number now at 89.

Nearby, Moira Shire recorded four new cases and Campaspe recorded three.

Strathbogie Shire recorded one new case.

UPDATE 11.45 am: Princess Park off-leash dog park officially open

I’ve just returned to the office from the official opening of the Princess Park off-leash dog park, and let me tell you, there were some cute dogs there.

Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor Kim O’Keefe, Acting Director of Infrastructure Tim Zak, and other community members and representatives gathered at the park this morning to open the gates.

“We have already received positive feedback from dog owners who have been visiting the park,” Mr Zak said.

One of the already regular attendants Norm Kortum said the park is already a big improvement on the other one at Ducat Reserve.

“There’s been a tenfold increase in people and dogs,” he said.

I’ll have the full story later in the day.

UPDATE 10.10 am: Worker shortage hits GV food producers, businesses

From today’s front page, Darren Linton reports that large Goulburn Valley employers are struggling to recruit staff, causing losses in productivity and confidence with a major fresh produce grower shelving a $200 million expansion due to the shortage of willing workers.

Katunga Fresh in Katunga normally produces 12 million kilograms of tomatoes annually for major supermarkets nationally, but owner Peter Van den Goor said planting could be halved for 2022.

“Normally we employ 150 people, and we are probably 20 to 30 short at the moment,” he said.

Click here for the full story.

UPDATE 9.05 am: More than 1600 new COVID-19 cases recorded in Victoria, nine deaths

New case numbers have spiked in Victoria to 1622 today, from more than 80 thousand tests completed in the last 24 hours.

It’s the highest daily total recorded since October.

Nine Victorians have also died with the virus.

There are now 384 people in hospital, quite a bit higher than the seven day average, which is 346.

In New South Wales, 1742 new cases were recorded, and zero deaths.

We’ll bring you the local numbers, and any other coronavirus information, as it comes.

UPDATE 8.45 am: VCE scores and ATARs released; booster shots needed to prevent dips in immunity

The Goulburn Valley’s chief vaccination doctor is urging people to think about booster doses as COVID-19 case numbers increase and the Omicron variant begins to spread in Australia.

GV Health COVID-19 vaccination program medical lead Helen Roberts said boosters would be crucial as immunity began waning during the coming few months, with the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation shortening the gap between second and third doses.

“What we have seen in the UK, the rest of Europe and in Israel is that at six months the immunity we've developed will dip,” Dr Roberts said.

Read Max Stainkamph’s full report here.

And Year 12 students across Victoria are waking up to their VCE and ATAR results.

We’re thinking good thoughts and hoping you all receive the marks you want, but remember: it’s not the end of the world!

We’ll have more on this later today.