Following the fifth anniversary of the 2019/20 East Gippsland fires, it is timely to recap on what has not yet been rebuilt as promised and to respond to some of the claims in the recent comment column from local Labor Upper House MP, Tom McIntosh, humorously titled “10 years of progress”.
Firstly, let’s look at the State Government’s complete lack of effort or interest in our bushfire rebuilds after Premier Daniel Andrews said he would “walk with us every step of the way in our recovery”.
Cape Conran Cabins
In mid-2020, the former Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio, said they would be rebuilt ‘soon’ and the rebuild will be ‘bigger and better’. However, final plans reduced the number of cabins from 13 to 10. So far we have been given three completion dates and, five years on, construction has not yet started.
Thurra River Bridge
Half a decade on, this has not been completed, meaning we miss another summer of access to iconic Point Hicks and the second biggest camp ground in the region at Thurra River. Forty years ago, a bridge was built in 12 months that survived the test of time. This was a ‘tourism priority’ post fires that is disgracefully still some time off completion (due late 2025). Can you imagine how quick it would have been rebuilt if it was a bridge over the Yarra?
Mallacoota jetties
A total of $2.8 million was allocated to repair jetties around Mallacoota Lake in 2020. In 2023 we were told Parks Victoria was ‘working through the regulatory approvals process for construction to commence and we envisage construction will commence in mid-2024’. Construction has not yet commenced.
Marlo – Conran bike path
In August 2020, Minister Lily D’Ambrosio announced $13.5 million for construction of a bike path, as well as potable water supply to Cape Conran. I’m told the latter will go to tender soon, but neither of these projects has commenced.
Walking tracks
A number of tourist walks remain closed in East Gippsland from both the fires and 2022 flood damage. These include Dunes Track, Saros Track, Sledge Track, the Wingan Inlet Rapids Walk and Betka Track, just to name a few. Despite seeking timelines from the Minister, none are given, raising concerns at least some will not be re-opened under this government.
McIntosh column
Despite all this, in his recent comment column, Mr McIntosh would have us believe we have had ’10 years of progress under Labor’.
What he conveniently overlooked in his column included:
– The State has a debt forecast to hit $187 billion, interest repayments of $26 million per day (more than $1million per hour).
– Under Labor, taxes having more than doubled in this state, driving up cost of living to pay their debt – all while the public service has doubled.
– Despite the debt incurred, we have roads falling to pieces, with transport companies saying they are the worst they’ve seen – and a health system in crisis.
– His government ended our native timber industry against the majority community wishes.
– The government’s own Budget papers showing massive cuts to roads, agriculture, regional development and crime prevention.
– East Gippsland, Wellington and Latrobe having 40 less public housing homes than we had in 2017, in the midst of a housing crisis.
There is so much more, but how is this ‘progress’?
Mr McIntosh also says his government ‘saved’ TAFE. Over the past four years enrolments have dropped by 36,000 and continue to decline, and this year, and for the first time in a decade, teachers went on strike en-masse for being overworked and underpaid.
He also describes the four years the Liberals and Nationals spent in government as chaos for the region (with no explanation).
In this four years we had investment in our region to a level we have not seen since, including new schools, CFA stations, proper investment in our roads and so much more. And we delivered a budget surplus.
It is a strange definition of chaos indeed.
It is a far cry from this government’s cost blow outs and inability to manage money to a level our debt will be higher than Queensland, NSW and Tasmania combined and, when broken down, equates to each
Victorian household owing $65,000.
I would not describe this as ’10 years of progress’. Rather than spin, perhaps Tom can start his next column with some information the community wants to hear – some concrete timelines for Cape Conran cabins, Mallacoota jetties, Marlo-Conran bike path etc. That would be some ‘progress’ after five years.
