This is a personal update from me.

Over the past month I’ve been managing an illness which has interrupted my usually busy schedule.

On medical advice, I'm not attending Parliament this week - the first sitting week I’ve missed since being elected.

Every day countless people face similar challenges and like me need to 'take their medicine' and recover.

Just last week I presented the Treasurer with Indi’s Budget submission and introduced key amendments to telecommunications legislation to help ensure communities stay connected during disasters.

I love working for the people of Indi but for the next couple of weeks I know I need to recuperate. My condition is not life-threatening, and I hope to be back on deck towards the end of March.

I appreciate your understanding as I work with my extraordinary Office of Indi team to manage my diary and prioritise recovery.

Anyone needing assistance with Commonwealth matters, or wishing to share their views, please contact my office in the usual way.

While my social media may be a little quieter than usual, the work of representing Indi never stops.

Helen Haines, Independent MP for Indi

Parental support during NAPLAN without adding pressure

As NAPLAN testing begins across Australia, many families feel pressure around how they should prepare their children.

Parents are encouraged to focus less on performance and more on emotional support.

NAPLAN can create unnecessary stress if it is framed as a high-stakes test and for many children, the anxiety surrounding NAPLAN does not come from the test itself, but from the pressure they feel from adults around them.

Parents can help by normalising the experience and talk about NAPLAN as simply another school activity rather than something children must ‘perform’ well in.

Instead of asking children how they think they performed on the test, focus conversations on effort.

Questions like ‘Did you try your best?’ or ‘How did you feel about the questions?’ can reduce anxiety and keep the focus on learning rather than results.

Parents should also maintain normal routines during testing periods.

Ensuring children get enough sleep, eat well and have time to relax after school can significantly reduce stress.

Parents should remember that NAPLAN is designed as a snapshot of literacy and numeracy skills at a particular point in time, it is not a measure of a child’s intelligence, potential or future success.

Standardised tests cannot capture creativity, curiosity, kindness, persistence or the many other qualities that make children successful in life.

Dr Elise Waghorn, RMIT education expert

APCO thanks customers for patience

We’ve seen an overwhelming response from our loyal customers in recent days.

This strong demand has resulted in temporary stock shortages at all locations.

We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience and thank our customers for their patience and continued support while we work to replenish supply.

Since the start of March 2026, Apco has experienced an unprecedented increase in wholesale fuel costs.

We assure our loyal customers we have only adjusted pump prices in line with these increases, with unleaded petrol rising by approximately 44–46 cents per litre and diesel by 60–70 cents per litre across the market.

Our approach has always been to price fairly and responsibly.

We are not increasing margins to take advantage of the situation, that simply is not in our DNA.

While wholesale prices can fluctuate daily and are difficult to predict, we remain committed to providing customers with the best value possible.

We appreciate the community’s patience and understanding while we continue to restock and meet the heightened demand.

Peter Anderson, APCO director

Fuel uncertainty leaves Ovens Valley farmers in the dark

Growing fuel uncertainty is leaving local farmers and businesses worried about how they will keep their operations running.

Farmers across the Ovens Valley are increasingly concerned about access to diesel and the rising cost of fuel, which is critical for planting, harvesting and transporting produce.

An empty fuel tank means machinery stops, and when machinery stops, food production stops.

Reports from across regional Australia show some farmers unable to secure diesel deliveries, while others fear shortages could delay key farming activities such as sowing.

The situation highlights how vulnerable Australia has become after years of poor planning and economic mismanagement under Labor governments.

With Australia importing around 90 per cent of its refined fuel, the government should have been strengthening our fuel security years ago instead of leaving farmers so vastly exposed.

Ovens Valley farmers are resilient, but they deserve certainty.

Our farmers are working around the clock to feed and clothe the state and country.

The very least they deserve is a government that takes fuel security and the cost of living seriously.

Labor can’t manage money, can't manage fuel security, and regional Victorians are paying the price for both.

Tim McCurdy, Nationals MP for Ovens Valley,