Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull has told State Parliament the Andrews Government’s bushfire recovery response is moving at the speed of a glacier.

He said the fact that 19 months after the fires, it was disgraceful an enormous amount of tourism infrastructure was not rebuilt, and the Government would not provide timeframes.

“Although I’ve been given nothing official, I understand the bridge that provides access to the Thurra River Campground (one of the biggest in East Gippsland) and historic Point Hicks lighthouse and its accommodation, will not be built for another 14 months – that’s three years after the fires.

“The fact it has not gone out to tender yet is appalling. Parks don’t have to build this, they only have to put it out to tender.

“Our Premier was happy to stand in front of the cameras after the fires and say he would walk with us every step of this recovery, but he hasn’t been back, and he hasn’t done anything to stop this go-slow approach.

“Three years to build a bridge. For goodness sake, if it was on the Yarra it would have been done in weeks.”

Mr Bull said there were many other areas where there had been no progress.

“The popular boardwalk around East Cape at Cape Conran has had police tape up for 19 months and work has not started, day visitor areas around Mallacoota Lake remain inaccessible, the Wilderness Coast Walk is closed, Fly Cove Walk closed, Mueller Inlet campground closed, Cicada Trail closed, Swan Lake Track closed, Wingan Inlet Rapids Walk closed and many more – they are just some of the popular locations still not open.

“These communities and businesses, that rely on these locations being open for their economy, are frustrated at the progress and angry they have no timeframes.

“The latest was Parks Victoria told me on July 5 was that I’d have a list in 10 days of each job, its current status and an expected completion date. Here we are on August 4 and nothing.

“You get into meetings and they just tell you things they don’t follow through on.

“I was told last year the Wingan Inlet boardwalk would be rebuild over summer. We are nearly in the following spring and it is not done.

“The just lie and I don’t know whether it’s done purposely, its incompetence to not be able to deliver on what they day, or a combination of both, but it’s frustrating.

“Surely after 19 months our communities at least deserve a timeframe,” he said.

Thursday, 5 August 2021