Wednesday, 21 June 2023

East Gippsland recovery funding

Tim BULL (Gippsland East) (14:24): My question is to the Premier. Premier, after the horrific 2019–20 bushfires you stood with me at a media conference in Bairnsdale and said you would walk with East Gippsland in every step of the fire recovery. You probably recall that conference. Will you now intervene and ensure the Thurra River bridge construction, which is so critical to our tourism industry in East Gippsland, is fast-tracked and not left to languish until six years after the fires, which is the current time frame?

Daniel ANDREWS (Mulgrave – Premier) (14:25): I thank the honourable member for Gippsland East for his question. I do remember that media engagement, and I do –

A member interjected.

Daniel ANDREWS: Well, we will leave the politics to others while we answer a serious question from the member for Gippsland East, shall we? Shall we do that? That would be a good thing. We will let others interject while we deal with someone who is actually standing up for his local community.

I do remember the media engagement. It is not often that I do press conferences with members of the opposition, but the thing about it was – and I make this point in all sincerity – the member for Gippsland East in that time, the most difficult of times, was not so much a member of the opposition as he was a champion for his local community. I think that there has been correspondence, more than one text message over the journey, where I have communicated with him, he has communicated with me – my staff as well – and, whenever we have been able to find that common ground and put the public interest ahead of any political interest, we have done well. We would not always agree on things – some notable policy changes of recent times – and I do not begrudge the member for Gippsland East a very different point of view than mine.

On the issue of the bridge that he cites, I am not briefed on the matter. However, as I have done in the past, I will give to the member an undertaking that after question time I will ask the relevant question, and I will come back to him personally in relation to that project. We pride ourselves as a Parliament, not just one political party or another; I think all of us pride ourselves, certainly members of the National Party and myself. Members of the National Party and members of government pride ourselves on putting aside our differences when things are really difficult. Those Black Summer bushfires and other fire events and flood events have been the most challenging of times, and all of us have been better servants of the community we serve, we have been better at these roles, these privileged and special positions that we hold, because of that.

I cannot give you the answer you want right now, because it would not mean much until I go and ask the question, get the briefing – and I will be happy to come back to you personally and give you an idea of what the government’s intentions are. This is not remarkable. I am not seeking credit for the fact that we put politics aside in times of disaster. That is exactly what you should do. It is exactly what you should do, and I would like to think that if we are called upon in the most difficult of times in the future to do similar work, from our point of view and for my part, that is the approach we will always take.

Tim BULL (Gippsland East) (14:28): Premier, 3½ years after the fires, in addition to the Thurra River bridge, no works have begun to rebuild the Cape Conran cabins, which are important for our tourism. The Cape Conran boardwalk, which is very popular with all visitors to our area – that is at a standstill. Jetties burned around Mallacoota Inlet and many other areas remain closed. The time frames around these are disgraceful in relation to their completion. Will you cut through this bureaucratic red tape and please assist with getting on and rebuilding this important East Gippsland tourism infrastructure before this summer holiday period arrives?

Daniel ANDREWS (Mulgrave – Premier) (14:28): Whilst I am not in a position to commit to summer, which is not that far away, the answer to the first part of your question, will I do whatever I can to go through that red tape, is yes. But let me get further advice on that. When it comes to those important projects, we want to see them completed, we want to see as many local jobs secured because of those works and we want to see that local economy, that beautiful pristine part of our state, open for business and for everyone who wants to go there to go there, whether they be from our state or from interstate. I will particularly single out anyone from South Australia who wants to go and visit there; you would be most welcome.

The other point I would make, though – let me get the briefing, let me get the information for you, member for Gippsland East, but we have had an event in the intervening period, a global pandemic, which may well have influenced whether things could yet be built and tendered and all of that. Let me get to the bottom of what has happened and I will come back to you personally.