May 2018
Friday, 01 June 2018 09:48

Collaboration key to slipway redevelopment

The next step in the redevelopment of the former Gippsland Ports slipway in the heart of Lakes Entrance is about to commence.
 
Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, who last year obtained an assurance from the Environment Minister that the slipway redevelopment project was ready to proceed to an expressions of interest stage, has congratulated the vision, perseverance and most of all the active collaboration of local agencies in achieving this result.
 
“The Liberal Nationals kick started the slipway redevelopment discussion back in 2013 which has brought together the expertise of Gippsland Ports, East Gippsland Shire and Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning,” Mr Bull said.
 
The soon to be released prospectus for the redevelopment of the site marks an important step that shows how inter agency collaboration and goodwill delivers great results.
 
“Last year I followed up with the Environment Minister on progress with the slipway redevelopment.
 
“This resulted in an assurance that the community’s aspirations for the site had been incorporated into the overarching Lakes Entrance Foreshore Management Plan and that developers would soon be invited to submit expressions of interest for its transformation.
 
“It is a credit to all involved that they have remained focussed on this exceptional opportunity to create a significant visitor destination for Lakes Entrance.
 
“It’s this kind of ‘stronger together’ attitude that builds community cohesion and boosts investor confidence and I look forward to the next exciting chapter in the project’s development,” Mr Bull said.
 
Caption: Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, is looking forward to seeing what the expression of interest stage for the redevelopment of the Slipway site in Lakes Entrance produces.
 
Friday, June 1, 2018
Published in Media
Thursday, 31 May 2018 15:16

Smoking not cool, it’s a killer

With figures showing 58 per cent of indigenous Gippslanders smoke, Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, has called for the local community to band together to help reduce the alarming rate.
 
While addressing the audience at today’s World No Tobacco Day event in Bairnsdale, organised by the Gippsland Tobacco Action and Healthy Lifestyle Team, Mr Bull said lowering the indigenous smoking rate in Gippsland could significantly help improve health outcomes within the local Aboriginal community.
 
“When I was growing up, smoking was the cool thing to do and I specifically remember television advertising for things like the Marlborough Man on horseback portraying smoking as cool, but as we know, smoking is not cool,” he said.
 
“We have come a long way now and it is well known that smoking leads to numerous poor health outcomes such as cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer, among other potential long-term effects.”
 
Mr Bull said given the indigenous smoking rate Australia wide was around 40 per cent, Gippsland’s rate of 58 per cent – almost six in 10 – was alarming.
 
“It remains a problem in society in general, but this figure for our Aboriginal community is massively high,” he said.
 
“We are all here today with a common goal in mind to quit smoking, and where possible prevent it from occurring in the first place particularly in our younger communities, but this cannot be another forum we leave and not do anything about the issue at hand.
 
“The Gippsland Tobacco Action and Healthy Lifestyle Team does a great job here in Gippsland and has seen some positive results in the past, but there is a long way to go and it requires a full effort from the entire community.”
 
Mr Bull said he was pleased to see the event well supported among the indigenous community and congratulated the federally funded Gippsland Tobacco Action and Healthy Lifestyle Team on its work.
 
Caption: Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, and Regional Tackling Indigenous Smoking Coordinator, Paul Patten, of the Gippsland Tobacco Action and Healthy Lifestyle Team, at today’s World No Tobacco Day event in Bairnsdale.
 
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Published in Media
Wednesday, 30 May 2018 09:18

Stratford replacement by 2021

The Avon River Bridge at Stratford will be replaced by 2021.
 
That was what the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee heard today, when The Nationals Member for Gippsland South and PAEC member, Danny O’Brien, asked Victoria’s Public Transport Minister when she expected the replacement to be completed.
 
“Having repeatedly asked for some important dates around this project since the Commonwealth Government last year announced it would provide $95 million for the project, this answer provides some clarity for local rail passengers,” said The Nationals Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull.
 
“It is, however, disappointing East Gippsland passengers have had to wait such a long time for this date, and that the Government was forced to reveal the information in this forum.
 
“Labor announced this year it would soon begin running the lighter VLocity carriages on the line to ‘prolong the life of the bridge’ and this gave rail users the impression the bridge would not be replaced in the near future.
 
“The Minister also indicated the old N and Z class train sets would be phased out in favour of upgraded VLocity trains but gave no indication of when this would occur or where funding for it is in the Budget.
 
"What they need to do is commit to matching The Nationals' $630m election pledge to build totally new long-haul train sets for the Bairnsdale line,” Mr Bull said.
 
Caption: Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, says the Avon River Bridge at Stratford should be replaced by 2021.
 
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Published in Media
Wednesday, 30 May 2018 09:16

Liberal Nationals caring for our carers

Gippsland carers will get the support they need to care for their loved ones under an elected Liberal Nationals government, Member for Gippsland East and Shadow Minister for Disability, Tim Bull, has said.
 
Every day, unpaid family carers are making a difference in the lives of those they care for and in Gippsland they’ll have extra support under a $600,000 pilot program to be funded by a Liberal Nationals government.
 
Mr Bull said the three-year pilot program, to be run by the Gippsland Carers Association, will provide our carers with unprecedented support.
 
“We must care for our carers in East Gippsland and that’s exactly what a Liberal Nationals government will do,” Mr Bull said.
 
“This pilot program will provide education, information and links to services and allow Gippsland Carers Association to employ a part-time coordinator and two mentors.
 
“The Liberal Nationals will make sure unpaid family carers are not forgotten.”
 
In 2015, Daniel Andrews and Labor cut funding provided by the former Coalition government and put the good work of Gippsland Carers at risk.
 
A lack of funding certainty left the future of the invaluable support and advocacy of the Association in limbo.
 
“Labor took away funding for this vital program in our community, only the Liberal Nationals are committed to supporting carers in Gippsland,” Mr Bull said.
 
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Published in Media
Thursday, 24 May 2018 14:06

Minister needs to make good his promise

Victoria’s Education Minister has yet again been asked to see first-hand the deplorable state of the library and classrooms at the Bairnsdale Secondary College that are still waiting for the second stage upgrade of the College’s facilities.
 
Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, has reminded the Minister of both his and the Bairnsdale Secondary College school council’s long-standing invitations to visit the college.
 
“The Liberal Nationals funded and built stage one when in government and committed to stage two pre-election, but it has disappointingly been totally ignored by this Minister, who won’t even visit despite saying he would three years ago,” Mr Bull said.
 
“Today’s students are being educated in a half-finished facility with a library that leaks whenever there is heavy rain and where classroom walls are covered in mould.
 
“The Minister has twice agreed to my invitations to visit, but it doesn’t happen. He doesn’t follow through.
 
“The first of those was in 2015 when he said he would visit when ‘his schedule permits’ and the second time was in May 2016 when he said he would visit in the ‘near future’. Neither promise has been followed through.
 
“He needs to stop making these weak excuses for not coming to Bairnsdale and discovering for himself the poor standard of the school’s facilities,” Mr Bull said.
 
The Bairnsdale Secondary College is a major provider of VCE, VET and VCAL certificates in Bairnsdale with 1,162 students currently enrolled. Student numbers have increased by 20% in the past five years.
 
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Published in Media
Wednesday, 23 May 2018 09:32

Omeo issues remain unaddressed

Issues affecting the operations of the Omeo Early Childhood Development Centre have still not been addressed by the Andrews Labor Government, according to Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, who is desperately seeking answers.
 
In March, Mr Bull asked the Minister for Early Childhood Education for a timeline as to when operational and capital works issues would be addressed at the facility, but almost two months later – nearly 30 days overdue for an answer – she has not responded.
 
“Having again been contacted by parents of children who attend the kinder, it is clear this is an important issue that needs addressing immediately,” Mr Bull said.
 
When initially raising the matter, Mr Bull said parents were disappointed with the lack of communication, particularly relating to works required to complete the facility.
 
“There are strong concerns this is now interfering with the services provided at this centre,” he told Parliament.
 
“Most critically, I have been informed the operator, UnitingCare Gippsland, is still waiting on the finalisation of its funding and service agreement with the Department of Education and Training.
 
“I am told the centre would not have opened if it were not for three parents and one community member, who spent the day before resumption of kinder mowing, whipper-snipping and clearing lawn clippings.
 
“While parents have raised these matters with the powers above, I understand they cannot get answers when this work will be attended to, which is the reason why I am seeking a timeframe on when this will be completed,” he said.
 
Having formally reminded the Minister to answer, Mr Bull is hopeful of these matters being addressed in the near future.
 
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Published in Media
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