Goulburn-Murray and Shepparton local news briefing: Friday September 18, 2026 - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Here's what's making news in the Goulburn-Murray and Shepparton regions today.

The Community and Public Sector Union says the closure of local Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) offices will make it harder to serve communities in large electorates, including Farrer and Indi.

The AEC office in Wangaratta will close this month, with full-time staff given the option to relocate to Wodonga.

Two more offices in Wagga Wagga and Albury are expected to be relocated to Wodonga next year.

Union team lead Sam McCrone said the changes would put jobs at risk and undermine democracy.

But the AEC's Victoria state manager, Nye Coffey, said community engagement work would not be affected by the changes.

Victoria's energy minister says opponents of renewable projects have a right to air their views ahead of a protest in her hometown of Benalla.

The protest against a renewable energy zone and battery storage project proposed for the Goorambat area will go ahead, despite the state government scrapping the Central North Renewable Energy Zone last week.

During a visit to the region yesterday, Victorian Energy Minister Jaclyn Symes said there was "no capacity to have more projects" in the region.

A police operation has caught 35 alleged shoplifters in Shepparton and Mooroopna, with police saying 15 are accused of being repeat offenders.

Police said they had laid more than 80 charges as part of Operation Securus, which targets retail theft.

Five people were also issued infringement notices for riding e-scooters within designated areas of the central business district, failing to wear helmets and antisocial behaviour offences.

Police said more than 150 arrests had been made since the operation began, involving about $50,000 in stolen items.

Construction on a big battery near Wodonga which will have the longest storage in Victoria is due to start in November.

The Baranduda Electrical Energy Reserve, next to the Wodonga Terminal Station, will store more than 1.8 gigawatt-hours of energy, enough to power more than 200,000 homes through the evening peak.

The battery is expected to begin operating in late 2028.

The State Electricity Commission budgeted $43 million for the project, which will be delivered by Birdwood Energy and Aware Super, and will provide an annual community benefit fund to Wodonga once running.

Transport for NSW says it is committed to building bike lanes in regional centres, despite an 18-month delay to a major bike loop project in Albury's central business district.

Councillor Geoffrey Hudson questioned staff at this week's Albury council meeting about why the state-funded five-kilometre project had been delayed for more than 18 months.

He also said the bike loop had been shortened to less than a kilometre.

Albury City service leader of city projects Andrew Lawson said negotiations for a works authorisation deed were ongoing.

The ABC understands the council and Transport for NSW want to speed up the process.

Moira Shire is investigating reports that hundreds of metres of vegetation have been removed along Vales Road at Yielima.

The Goulburn Valley Environment Group spoke out against the removal, saying the area is key habitat for the threatened superb parrot.

In a statement, the council said it was aware of the removal of trees on the corridor between Cottams and Orrs roads.

It said staff inspected the site on September 8 and planned further inspections as investigations continue.