Friday, 29 March 2024
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We must be heard

We must be heard

What would you ask the Labor Party MPs if you had the opportunity?

Burning the bush, duck hunting season opening, the Gippsland Lakes licence buyout, regional economic recovery and the distribution of bushfire assistance funds were just some of the issues raised by members of the community upon hearing the Victorian Labor Party will be in Lakes Entrance at its caucus conference on Thursday.

The common thread? Being listened to.

Buchan Caves Hotel publican, Greg Brick, said his biggest problem was there was no assistance money on the ground from the government yet.

“I’m not after money for myself, I lost my farm and house, but I have insurance,” Mr Brick said.

“It’s the infrastructure in town and things that should be happening to get the communities up and going again.

“I know bureaucracy is slow but it’s too slow.

“I think if the government was fair dinkum about support, a fairly cheap and easy fix would be supplying money for fencing.

“I just want 10 minutes to sit down and have them listen.

“I honestly reckon they need to come and spend time with people, and listen and speak with them.

“They’re telling us about our recovery, they’re not asking.”

Mr Brick said it was a ‘disgrace’ VicRoads and council wouldn’t provide money for fences they half-owned.

“The week of the fires one of our residents was fined $800 for his grass being more than four inches long. Yet his place burnt because of council’s unmanaged roadways,” he said

“It’s hypocritical, it just loses me a bit.”

Unfortunately, the general public won’t have the opportunity to ask questions of the 73 invited MPs as the conference is an internal event.

A government spokesperson said the government had encouraged all Victorians to visit fire-affected areas with a full wallet and an empty esky”.

“We want our own MPs to do the same. By bringing our Labor caucus meeting to Lakes Entrance is a way to support businesses in East Gippsland,” the spokesperson said.

Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, said there were a number of people in the community with genuine questions and queries on a range of issues.

“It would be a waste of time if the Labor Party did not make time for these people while visiting,” Mr Bull said.

“We also have a number of key infrastructure projects that would assist business recovery. I would hope the visit comes with some significant announcements because our community is in need.”

Orbost’s Garry Squires was blunt as to his questions for the Labor MPs.

“What are they doing to get the logging contractors back to work? What’s the rationale for closing down the industry? And with respect to the fire recovery, who is setting the priorities?”

Mr Squires is secretary of both the Orbost and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the East Gippsland Timber Industry Stakeholders committee.

“We can’t get Cape Conran open for Easter, we’ve asked who is prioritising and no one will answer us.”

Mr Squires said the key issue was that the politicians “seemed to think the bush had been destroyed”.

“It hasn’t, it’s just been burnt. Trees are still there and can be utilised.”

In Lakes Entrance, Arthur Allen said Mr Andrews’ focus on gender equality and empowering women didn’t translate to action when it came to the compulsory buy-back of fishing licences.

“What I would say to them is that it seems the women in our industry are not worth anything,” Mr Allen said.

“The way the government has structured the buy-out, the women have been totally ignored.

“There are nine women in our industry it affects, my wife Dianne has worked in partnership in this business since we’ve been married, 41 years next month, but because the licence is in my name, everything comes to me.

“She gets nothing and I can’t pass it on without paying a small fortune in tax.”

Bairnsdale Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Jamie Savory, said local people needed to be heard regarding recovery.

“The government is banging on about helping but we need the bureaucracy gone,” Jaime said.

“Put power in the people who have been affected.

“The recovery is being run by bureaucrats. It needs to be run by local business and community.

“It needs to be run by us - not Collins Street.”


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