Heyfield Tennis Club will be supported to grow and thrive under an elected Liberal Nationals Government, which will provide the funds for a much needed $50,000 clubhouse refurbishment.

 

Gippsland East Nationals MP Tim Bull was in Heyfield today to announce the Liberal Nationals will provide a $25,000 grant to partner with Wellington Shire Council and the club to complete the upgrades, which form part of the Gordon Street Master Plan.

 

The Shire will contribute up to $15,000 and the club up to $10,000.

 

“Being a regular visitor to Heyfield, I have over time seen the dire need to upgrade this clubhouse, so it is pleasing to be able to tip in the funds required to help Wellington Shire and Heyfield Tennis Club complete these works,” Mr Bull said.

 

Club Secretary Raelene Hanratty said proposed upgrades included improving the acoustics of the room, replacing the front verandah, building an undercover deck and giving the facility a general facelift.

 

“As the only group in Heyfield to run bingo, we desperately need to improve the acoustics of this room and while this is an important source of income for us, the majority of it goes back into the community,” she said.

 

“And with the verandah replacement and the construction of a sheltered outdoor deck, we feel we will be able to better maintain our participation levels and also attract new members, so we are very appreciative of Tim and the Liberal Nationals for their support.”

 

Mr Bull said sporting clubs played a critical role in all country communities.

 

“One of the best ways we can address some of the problems we experience in wider society is to get people, especially young people, involved in and with sport,” he said.

 

“There are some great role models at Heyfield Tennis Club for the next generation of leaders and in addition to this, the club offers another important form of community service through its bingo program.”

 

Community sport in Victoria will get a massive $195 million boost under a Liberal Nationals Government through the Grassroots Sports Revival Fund.

 

The record investment includes funding to fix old and crumbling facilities at sports clubs in country Victoria and more money to help local clubs better cater for growth in women’s and juniors’ sport.

 

A barrier recently installed along a section of Paynesville Road will be removed, thanks to the strong advocacy of the local community and Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull.

 

Mr Bull said having received complaints about the placement of the new barrier – in the centre of the designated cyclist lane – his office had made representations to VicRoads.

 

“It is pleasing to hear this barrier will now be taken out, which is a common-sense outcome,” Mr Bull said.

 

“The barrier went straight through the stencils of the cyclists,” he said.

 

Mr Bull said an elected Liberal Nationals Government would not support a blanket rollout of roadside barriers, which is occurring under the Andrews Labor Government.

 

“While we will honour existing contracts and I stress we are not opposed to their installation in the right places, we only want to see them placed in suitable locations and after appropriate consultation with emergency services, road users and landholders,” he said.

 

“That is not occurring under the Andrews Labor Government.

 

“I also find part of this rollout to be a complete and utter waste of money – on the Princes Highway between Stratford and Bairnsdale they are being installed adjacent to flat, open grazing land.”

 

Mr Bull recently tabled a petition in State Parliament containing around 500 signatures in support of a more common-sense approach to wire rope barrier installations.

 

“Despite this, and various other representations my Liberal Nationals colleagues and myself have made over the past year, the people of East Gippsland seem to have been ignored as the Labor Roads Minister continues on with this rushed installation,” he said.

 

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

State funding for the Cameron Street Sporting complex in Maffra and the Omeo Mountain Bike Park are expected to be announced as early as this week.

 

That is the view of the Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, who has pushed hard for both projects, including raising them in State Parliament.

 

“These projects are important and that is why I have supported the community push to have both delivered,” Mr Bull said.

 

“Both developments have local government financial commitments from Wellington (Cameron Street) and East Gippsland (Omeo mountain bike park) Shires and although the state grants have been pending for some time, I am expecting some good news for the community on both.

 

“The Cameron Sporting Complex is the base for a large range of sports, including gymnastics and basketball, which have grown to the stage where bigger and more modern facilities are required, which is what I told Parliament.

 

“The Omeo project is slightly different as although it will be used by locals, it is expected to provide a strong economic stimulus for our region.

 

“I am a firm believer in sporting facilities being a great investment for communities. There is clear evidence that our children who are placed around good role models and participate in sport are all the better for it.

 

“If we can get out kids into sport and activity and enjoying it, they will reap the benefits in their development as a person,” Mr Bull said.

 

Bairnsdale’s volunteer firefighters will get the new fire station they have been waiting for, if the Liberal Nationals are elected next month.

 

After a series of meetings with Bairnsdale Fire Brigade members, Gippsland East Nationals MP Tim Bull has committed $2.2 million to build the new Hosie Street station, ending a long period of uncertainty.

 

“The station is more than 90 years old, doesn’t offer the brigade any room to expand and is situated in the busy central business district, which becomes a safety issue with so much traffic passing at all times of the day,” Mr Bull said.

 

“It is a location steeped in history and fond memories of great community service, but the time has come where it is not fit for purpose.”

 

Brigade Captain Aaron Lee said he was appreciative of the support offered by Mr Bull over a long period.

 

“A new station would allow us to have faster response times – a lot of our members work and live at that end of town, so it will be of greater benefit to the community. It gives us a greater training capacity and will help us facilitate new appliances in the future,” Capt Lee said.

 

“The current location is a problem in particular, given the brigade has experienced an increased number of callouts, so it is pleasing the Liberal Nationals have made this commitment.”

 

Mr Bull said he had sought a commitment towards a new station on various occasions, raising the matter with the Minister in written correspondence and directly in State Parliament.

 

“For some time now this has been ignored by the Andrews Labor Government, despite this being the highest priority within the south-east CFA region,” he said.

 

“I have worked with the brigade to seek a financial commitment from the Andrews Government towards this station, but Labor has refused to support our local CFA and better facilities for our volunteers.”

 

Caption: Gippsland East Nationals MP Tim Bull, Bairnsdale Fire Brigade Captain Aaron Lee and Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Brad Battin at the announcement this morning.

 

A Liberal Nationals Government will refurbish the Stratford RSL Sub Branch Hall to make it more user-friendly, if elected on November 24.

 

Gippsland East Nationals MP Tim Bull on Friday evening announced an elected Liberal Nationals Government would provide $100,000 towards desperately needed upgrades to the ageing facility.

 

“Having recently toured the hall and discussed a range of upgrades being proposed by members, I was able to see how much the Sub Branch needs this funding,” Mr Bull said.

 

Mr Bull said works would likely include the installation of disabled toilets, development of an outdoor area, construction of additional office space and removal of asbestos, among other minor improvements such as updating the flooring, relocating the front entrance and making the building more accessible.

 

With the Sub Branch having been unsuccessful in sourcing external funding over the past 5-6 years, secretary Michael Hutchison said it was pleasing Mr Bull and the Liberal Nationals had offered their support.

 

“The RSL Sub Branch moved into this hall in 1942 and while we have attempted over a number of years to upgrade it bit by bit, with a small and ageing veterans population it has not been possible to do all that is required with our own funds,” Mr Hutchison said.

 

“This will be appreciated by the entire Stratford community,” he said.

 

Mr Bull said he was aware the Sub Branch would continue to seek other funding sources to complete all required works, “but it is critical we step in to provide this first level of financial support”.

 

“Stratford RSL provides an important service to the local community, so we need to make sure they are supported with the appropriate infrastructure so they can keep up the great work.”

 

Caption: Gippsland East Nationals MP Tim Bull, pictured with Acting President John Harrap and Secretary Michael Hutchison, has announced Stratford RSL Sub Branch will receive $100,000 for badly needed upgrades, if the Liberal Nationals are elected next month.

 

 

East Gippsland’s six Bush Nursing Centres will be handed a funding lifeline to continue providing quality health care services, if the Liberal Nationals are elected next month.

 

The Nationals Member for Gippsland East Tim Bull said the Ensay, Swifts Creek, Buchan, Gelantipy, Cann Valley and Dargo BNCs would each receive $10,000 per year for two years, while a review will be undertaken to inform the development of a flexible funding and delivery model for the services.

 

“The recurrent funding model of bush nursing centres from this city-centric Labor Government has not changed to keep pace with the growth in their services, with many running on the smell of an oily rag,” Mr Bull said.

 

“They do an exceptional job with reasonably limited resources, but are not funded in the same manner as large public hospitals and do not have the same opportunities to raise additional funds.

 

“We have received a number of representations from BNCs about their viability in recent months, which makes the need for additional funding paramount,” he said.

 

Ensay BNC committee member Barry Newcomen said: “To Ensay in particular, additional funding will mean the ongoing existence of the bush nurse.”

 

“A bush nurse is a vital part of our community, particularly given we are an ageing community, and having had discussions with Tim about our viability in the past, it is pleasing the Liberal Nationals have offered their support,” he said.

 

Shadow Minister for Country Health Emma Kealy said the Andrews Labor Government had abandoned BNCs, refusing to provide adequate recurrent funding despite its recent changes to the nurses EBA that’s pushed up costs and left centres with no choice but to reduce services or cut back nursing hours.

 

Mr Bull said there were 15 BNCs across Victoria operating as community-based, not-for-profit organisations governed by boards of management.

 

Caption: The Nationals Member for Gippsland East Tim Bull said the Ensay, Swifts Creek, Buchan, Gelantipy, Cann Valley and Dargo Bush Nursing Centres would receive a funding lifeline under a Liberal Nationals Government.