May 2021
Wednesday, 12 May 2021 17:22

Pressure on Bunnings to restock Victorian timber

Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull has called on Bunnings to reverse its decision to ban stocking Victorian hardwood, which was based on a court decision that was unanimously overturned this week.

The Full Bench of the Federal Court upheld VicForests’ appeal against a single-judge decision 12 months ago that found timber had been illegally harvested.

“The initial decision was immediately appealed, and I had discussions directly with the Bunnings Australia Managing Director, Mike Schneider, to express my surprise they had acted in a knee-jerk manner to a decision under appeal.

“He said at the time he would revisit the decision if the appeal was upheld. Further contact with Mr Schneider this week indicated Bunnings will reconsider their position in the coming weeks,” said Mr Bull.

“Where they go with this will be very interesting. This is a company that stocks Merbau harvested out of New Guinea, but has banned Victorian hardwood based on a court decision, that was immediately appealed and has now been overturned. I don’t see how they cannot overturn this,” said Mr Bull.

Australian Forest Products Association CEO Ross Hampton said today’s decision was vindication for Australia’s sustainable forest industries which are regulated to the highest environmental standards in the world.

“It is also further evidence that our sustainable forest industries provide all the necessary environmental protections for threatened species,” he said.

“This decision should put an end once and for all to the claim that RFAs somehow ‘exempt’ forestry operations from national environmental laws or oversight, and I commend the Federal Court judges for confirming this beyond doubt.”

 Wednesday, 12 May 2021

Published in Media
Monday, 10 May 2021 15:21

Licence testing online for Gippsland learners

Following a strong push from local Nationals MP, Tim Bull, East Gippsland’s aspiring drivers will have the opportunity to complete their Learner Permit driving test on line.

Mr Bull raised the matter in Parliament late last year, given every other state was achieving this and the Minister provide a response that he would look into the matter.

“Regional Victoria experienced an eye watering backlog, following the suspension of licence testing last year - unless you were successful in obtaining a hardship exemption, Mr Bull said.

“The cancellation for testing both learner and probationary drivers hampered plans for many young people in my electorate last year and I was overwhelmed by the number of parents and students who contacted my office, impacted by the suspension.

“The simple solution was to transition the theory computer-based hazard perception testing program for both learners and probationary permits, to an online COVID safe platform, which is already delivered in various states across Australia.

“I am pleased to see the Minister saw sense to adapt to this available technology.

“A driver’s licence is crucial for people living in rural and regional Victoria where public transport is virtually non-existent – they need a licence to be able to get to and from work or seek employment.”

“A lot of our young people were directly impacted by the suspension and were very patient waiting for testing to resume.

“As soon as testing resumed, local VicRoads testers did an excellent job to facilitate those waiting in the exceptionally long queue.

“I am hopeful that having the online testing platform will mitigate future testing backlogs that may be experienced, should another pandemic related lockdown occur.”

In a staged testing program, 500 Gippsland learners with an existing booking will complete their tests. The roll out will expand to facilitate 1,000 tests per week for applicants with existing bookings from May 1 and the wider roll out occurring in late June for new bookings.

For more information on how to access the Learner Permit Test Online, visit vicroads.vic.gov.au.

Published in Media
Monday, 10 May 2021 11:18

How many homes, when and where?

The Victorian government is boasting that its $5.3 billion Big Housing Build will construct more than 12,000 new homes in Victoria and that 25% of that number will be delivered in regional Victoria.
Nationals Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, has written to the Housing Minister seeking details of the homes to be built in his electorate of Gippsland East.
“There is a critical shortage of rental housing in East Gippsland which has been made worse by the loss of housing stock in the 2019-2020 bushfires,” said Mr Bull.
“The recently introduced changes to the Residential Tenancies Act and a strong property market have encouraged some landlords to sell their rented investment.
“This too is adversely impacting on the availability of social and affordable housing.
“My office receives phone calls regularly from people desperately seeking a roof over their heads.
“Temporary emergency accommodation can usually be found by our hard-working housing services for those who are homeless, but much more needs to be done to increase housing stock.
“Based on the Gippsland East electorate’s proportion of the total Victorian population, approximately 130 new homes should be built here.
“With the Grocon bushfire clean-up in mind I’ll also be watching to see that the government complies with its Local Jobs First policy for maximum local content in their construction.
“In my letter I have asked the Minister to state exactly how many of these new homes will be built in East Gippsland, where they will be built and the time frame for their completion.
“People on public housing waiting lists in towns including Heyfield, Maffra, Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance and Orbost deserve to have certainty about this most basic human need,” said Mr Bull.
Caption: Gippsland East Nationals MP Tim Bull is calling on the Housing Minister to provide details on East Gippsland’s share of the 12,000 new homes it is promising to construct under its Big Housing Build.

Lakes Entrance image courtesy of Visit Victoria Content Hub

Published in Media
Thursday, 06 May 2021 13:15

Slow fire response slammed

Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull has slammed the Andrews Labor Government in Parliament over its slow bushfire recovery response, citing 17 of the many locations that remain closed after the fires 16 months ago.

Mr Bull told Parliament this work should have been completed pre-Christmas, but even now, in May, there are jobs where tenders have not been released and no dates for completion made available to communities.

“When we have the Premier come down and the minister come down and say, ‘We’re going to help you with your economic recovery. We’re going to walk with you’ – well we want the work done,” he told parliament.

“These are areas that are important tourism infrastructure. There was nothing stopping this government providing a Treasurer’s advance to Parks Victoria to get this work done.

“We want time frames on the areas that have not been reopened and have not been rebuilt.”

Mr Bull then went on to list the areas that have not been rebuilt or re-opened, stating:

• Thurra River bridge that blocks off access to the Thurra River campground and Point Hicks, not rebuilt, no time frame;
• The Mueller River campground, not reopened;
• Cape Conran boardwalk, not reopened;
• The Cape Conran cabins that were damaged by the fires, I know the Minister announced they were going to be rebuilt, but they have not been started, 16 months later;
• The Wingan Inlet boardwalk has not been started; I was told that that would be done over the summer months;
• The Wingan Inlet rapids walk, closed;
• McKenzie River Rainforest Walk, closed;
• Fairy Dell picnic area, closed;
• Access to Clinton Rocks, closed;
• Genoa River day visitor area and jetty, closed;
• Gravelly Point day area and jetty, closed;
• Wilderness Coast Walk between Cape Howe and Bemm River, closed;
• Double Creek walk and day visitor area, closed;
• Genoa Falls visitor area, closed;
• Cann River Bushland Reserve, closed;
• Maramingo Creek reserve, closed;
• Little Cabbage Tree Creek Falls, closed.

“Sixteen months, and we do not have completion dates on the vast majority of these jobs.

“Our communities want time frames and the thing is, this is not a comprehensive list.

“This is only some of the stuff that has not been rebuilt 16 months on. So, I encourage the Minister to get busy and get these jobs started, but in the next fortnight at least provide my communities with a time frame of when these works are going to be completed.

“Many of these works are not undertaken by Parks, but rather contractors, so simply get the tenders out into the market place, so we can progress things,” Mr Bull told the Chamber.

Caption: Gippsland East Nationals MP Tim Bull, at McKenzie River Rainforest Walk, one of the many Parks Victoria tourist attractions that remain closed after the fires 16 months ago.

Thursday, 6 May 2021

 

Published in Media
Wednesday, 05 May 2021 16:14

East Gippsland’s small businesses to benefit from Liberal Nationals Local Business Action Plan

Jobs will be the centrepiece of an elected O’Brien Liberal Nationals Government with the announcement of the biggest reform to payroll tax in a generation.
Under the Liberal Nationals Local Business Action Plan, around 15,000 Victorian small businesses will be removed from the payroll tax system – a system which is a tax on jobs.
Small businesses in East Gippsland pay too much tax – and the bigger they grow, the more Victorians they employ, the more they pay. The Local Business Action Plan means a saving of up to $43,650 each year on payroll tax for small business.
Under the plan, an O’Brien Liberal Nationals Government will increase the threshold at which a business is liable to pay payroll tax to $1.6 million.
The current payroll tax threshold in Victoria ($650,000, scheduled to increase to $700,000 in 2022-23), is the worst of any Australian state or territory.
Our reform will make Victoria the most competitive state for small business payroll tax.

The Liberal Nationals payroll tax reform plan ensures:
1. Businesses won’t pay a cent of payroll tax until their wages bill is greater than $1.6 million
This takes approximately 15,000 businesses out of the payroll tax system entirely.
2. No business will pay the full rate (4.85%) of payroll tax until their wages bill reaches $2 million
Payroll tax would be phased in gradually between $1.6 million and $2 million – ensuring no business is hit with a sudden tax hike as they employ more Victorians.
3. All businesses, regardless of their total wages bill, subtract $800,000 from their assessable payroll when determining tax liability
All Victorian businesses will have certainty that under a Liberal Nationals government, they will pay less payroll tax.                                                   

   Under Labor*   Under the Liberal Nationals  Saving
 Payroll of $800,000   $4,850  $0  $4,850
 Payroll of $1.6 million    $43,650  $0  $43,650
 Payroll of $2.5 million   $87,300  $82,450  $4,850

* baseline of $700,000 payroll tax threshold as scheduled under Labor policy from 2022-23


While the Andrews Labor Government has no plan for small business recovery, the Victorian Liberal Nationals will remove tax, reduce fees and rally behind small business.


Comments attributable to the Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Small Business, Michael O’Brien:
“Payroll tax is a tax on jobs, and the Liberal Nationals will cut this tax to create more Victorian jobs.
“Under Labor, Victoria has the worst small business payroll tax in the country. The Liberal Nationals will turn this around and make this state the best place to start and grow a small business.
“An O’Brien Liberal Nationals government will unashamedly be a government for small business jobs. While Labor focuses on unions and the big end of town, we will continue to bat for small business and the millions of jobs the sector creates.
“Small businesses are proud of their independence. They are the jobs engine room of our economy and employ more Australians than big business.
“Only an O’Brien Liberal Nationals government will slash payroll tax for small business to create more jobs to get Victorians back to work.”


Comments attributable to Tim Bull:
“As we emerge from the health crisis caused by COVID-19, our state faces the worst economic crisis in our lifetime.
“Our local small businesses are fundamental to keeping East Gippsland strong and supporting our local economy. They hate payroll tax as it’s a tax and handbrake on employing people.
“We will continue to fight for small businesses in East Gippsland and will be relentless in creating the most attractive state in our country for small business to start up, grow and employ Victorians.”

Wednesday, 5 May 2021

Published in Media
Tuesday, 04 May 2021 14:12

Hospital funding guarantees sought

A plan to syphon key elements of Bairnsdale Regional Health Service funding through Latrobe Regional Hospital has prompted local Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, to seek further detail and assurances from the State Government.

“The State has announced what it is terming a ‘formal partnership approach’ between Bairnsdale and Latrobe and last year directed Bairnsdale’s elective surgery catch up funding and Better At Home program funding be allocated to Latrobe for distribution,” said Mr Bull.

“What I am seeking from the Government is that this is not a precedent for more of our local health funding to be put through Latrobe and distributed at their determination, or for any changes to board structures or weakening of our local BRHS governance.

“I have had discussions with leadership of the BRHS this week and they too are seeking some guarantees and certainty around governance and future funding arrangements.”

Mr Bull said that while it was clear hospital amalgamations were being pursued in the western part of the state, he would write to the Health Minister seeking assurances our local health services would remain just that – local.

“I am all for partnerships that bring benefits to our region, but when we start to see out local hospital funding streams being put through our larger regional hospital and issued at their agreement and discretion, it brings forth some concerns that warrant explanation.

“I will continue to liaise and work with our local hospital board to ensure we maintain our local decision making processes and are not disadvantaged by any new funding arrangements.”

“If we learned anything from the COVID pandemic, it’s that centralised health systems are not effective – local people need to be able to deliver local solutions for better local health outcomes,” he said.

 

Published in Media
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