East Gippsland, ravaged by bushfires that destroyed last summer’s tourist season before Coronavirus hit – has been short changed on tourism investment.

This is the view of Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, who is questioning why this week the Great Ocean Road, which enjoyed a buoyant tourism season last summer, received $47.5 million, while East Gippsland received just $18.5 million.

“I simply would have thought, that being the region that experienced two states of emergency this year and having lost all of last season’s tourism trade, that we would have been at the top of the list.

“The Premier did come here and say he would help us rebuild and work with us, but the reality is we have received a fairly small part of the pie from this tourism package when compared to other areas of the state.

“It is disappointing so much big investment is going into projects around other areas of the state when about $20 million would have, for instance, finished Bullock Island redevelopment and Slip Road (Squatters Row).

“Bullock Island would deliver huge tourism benefits and Squatter’s Row would have provided the infrastructure needed to provide boaters with a much more enjoyable experience. They should have been funded.

“I am not taking away from the funds delivered to winery districts and other locations like the Great Ocean Road, but they had tourist seasons last summer and we did not. It is here in East Gippsland where Daniel Andrews should have spent the serious dollars,” said Mr Bull.

Caption: Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, said East Gippsland should have received a bigger share of the tourism pie after fires destroyed all of last year’s tourist season and highlights Bullock Island redevelopment as one project that should have been funded.

Wednesday, November 18, 2020