There is no current East Gippsland specific tourism promotion after funds for the previous campaign ‘ran out’ at the end of February, but Daniel Andrews this week found hundreds of thousands of dollars for the AFL to have St Kilda play a home game at its home ground, which is astonishingly owned by the AFL.

The St Kilda v Port Adelaide clash was to be played in China, which now cannot occur due to Coronavirus, but it is ridiculous to pay money to have it back when you consider the AFL is the nation’s wealthiest sporting code, which had a profit of just over $48 million last year.

“It really shows where this Government’s priorities lie,” said local Nationals MP Tim Bull.

“East Gippsland is going to need long term support for its tourism and business sectors, so it is time we stopped seeing billions spent in the city and the country being ignored – this is our time of need.

 

“The Premier said it was being done to ‘have a celebration of our Chinese community’. Surely, he can pick one of the other 200 odd games to do this. It is ridiculous paying the AFL for a club to play a home game at its home ground which the AFL owns.

Mr Bull said it was appalling the East Gippsland campaign had stopped after the Premier said just a few weeks ago that he would stand by every fire-impacted community in their recovery.

“So how is it, the tourism campaign was so short, it was over in five weeks and finished just a week after the region was declared bushfire free.

 “Easter and the school holidays are coming. These periods will be critical for local businesses, but there is no promotion. It is a matter I raised in Parliament this week and hope to see an immediate response.

“It’s just another example of this Government saying what will be popular at the time and not backing it up with anything of substance,” said Mr Bull.

Caption: Nationals Gippsland East MP, Tim Bull says the region’s tourism promotion must be recommenced.