This month marks the fifth anniversary of the 2019/20 East Gippsland fires and it is timely to recap on what has not yet been rebuilt as promised when then Premier Daniel Andrews said he would “walk with us every step of the way” in our recovery.
Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, said it is typical of the disdain shown by this Government to all of rural and regional Victoria, not just East Gippsland, with roads falling to pieces state-wide and only 13 per cent of infrastructure funding spent in the regions, which have 25 per cent of the population.
Cape Conran Cabins
In mid-2020, the former Minister for Environment, Lily D’Ambrosio, said the cabins would be rebuilt ‘soon’ and the rebuild will be ‘bigger and better’. However, final plans saw the number of cabins reduced 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 campground in the region at Thurra River. Forty years ago, a bridge was built there in 12 months that survived the test of time. This was a tourism priority for the local community that is frustratingly still some time off completion.
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 it 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. Neither of these projects has commenced.
Walking tracks
A number of tourist walks remain closed in East Gippsland from both the fires and flood damage sustained in 2022. 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 have been given, raising concerns some will not be re-opened under this Government.
In addition to the above, we have a new Minister who will not provide any timelines and a Treasurer that has ridden off into the sunset leaving us with a debt to hit $187 billion, interest repayments of $26 million per day (more than $1 million per hour) and little to show for it with our roads falling to pieces and a health system in crisis.
Despite this, it is time for the Government to deliver what it promised to our region to show these announcements were not just a press release and photo opportunity.
Monday, 6 January 2025