Preliminary results from a state-wide survey show two roads in East Gippsland are in the top three worst regional roads in Victoria.
Victoria’s Worst Roads campaign was rolled out so drivers could have their say about the dangerously deteriorating roads in regional Victoria, and there is still time to get your votes in for those who haven’t already.
“It is disappointing, but not at all surprising, that the Great Alpine Road is currently ranked as the worst road in Victoria,” Mr Bull said.
“The pitiful patchwork surface of Paynesville Road sees it currently ranked third.
“We know our roads in Regional Victoria are deteriorating at an unacceptable rate, and I am fed up hearing the Roads Minister, Ben Carroll, bang on in Parliament about how our roads ‘are smoother and safer'.
“That is just not true, in not only East Gippsland, but much of country Victoria.
“That’s why I’m urging locals to play a role in advocating for better, safer roads by logging onto vicsworstroad.vote to tell their story and vote for the worst roads in our state.
“I continue to be baffled by the Member for Eltham, Vicki Ward’s, rant in Parliament recently, where she inferred the ruined and unsafe regional roads are an ‘imagined fantasy’.
“These comments and many more made by the Labor Government demonstrate the lack of understanding about the poor state of our country roads.
“If they drive outside the tram tracks, Labor MPs won’t find it challenging to find a poor performing or crumbling road surface. I’ve even offered to drive them around myself.
“It is important to send a message to the Andrews’ Labor Government that the road maintenance budget needs a funding increase, not a reduction and the design standards must be engineered to withstand typical traffic rigours and not blow out two weeks after repair.
“We deserve better,” Mr Bull said.
There is still more time to vote on Victoria’s worst road by going to vicsworstroad.vote
Caption: Nationals State MP, Tim Bull, pictured on the Great Alpine Road which is currently nominated as Victoria’s worst regional road.

Monday, June 27, 2022

Despite promising otherwise, it has been revealed the Andrews Labor Government will deliver less roofed accommodation at Cape Conran than existed pre-fire.

Originally there were five ‘wilderness retreats’ and eight cabins (including the larger lodge) – a total of 13. Post fires there will be 10 – a net loss of three.

This is despite the Minister saying in her media release of October 2021: “the 10 brand new cabins at the Banksia Bluff will replace and add to the cabins and wilderness retreats destroyed by the fires” and that the works will “attract more visitors than ever”.

Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, wants the Minister to explain in detail the about face and how she intends to attract more visitors with less places to stay.

“What we were initially told and what is going to happen are two completely different things,” Mr Bull said.

“When the fires hit, all five wilderness retreats were destroyed, as were three of the eight cabins.

“The commentary after the fires was that the three destroyed cabins would be replaced by insurance money, the five that survived (including the lodge) would remain and the $3.5m investment would deliver 10 new cabins – meaning 18 in total and an increase of five on what was there pre-fire.

“However, we are now told the 10 new cabins include the replacement of the three burnt cabins. Even worse, the four cabins that survived the fire will be bulldozed, as they are deemed to no longer meet safety or bushfire standards. Of those not burnt, only the lodge will remain.

“There are two annoying elements. The first is if there had been no fire, they would not be bulldozing any cabins and secondly, if they can bring the larger lodge up to present standards, they should be able to do the same with the others that survived,” said Mr Bull.

“All the commentary from this government has been around building back bigger and better and supporting economic recovery. How can it be bigger and support economic recovery if you end up with less than what was there before,” he said.

The last of the Bushfire Recovery Victoria’s Community Facility funding stream will soon expire and Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, is encouraging local community groups to consider applying for grants up to $50,000.

Applications for this final round of funding will close on June 30, so time is running out.

“Bushfire Recovery Grants for Community Facilities grant program can assist local community groups to upgrade or repair community facilities, purchase essential equipment or fund the local sporting clubs project that has been on the backburner due to insufficient club funds,” Mr Bull said.

“Previous rounds of this program have funded some terrific projects which may have taken years of fundraising to achieve.

“It is important to note that communities do not need to have been flame impacted to apply and projects considered can be located within the Local Government areas of East Gippsland and Wellington Shire Councils.”

Some examples of previously awarded projects include:

• Glenaladale Recreation Reserve will purchase a lawnmower to assist with maintaining the reserve
• Lakes Entrance Football and Netball Club received funding to resurface its netball court
• Metung Swan Reach Cricket Club will install a new cricket turf wicket
• Wairewa Public Hall and Recreation Reserve will undertake upgrades on the existing facilities
• Water tanks will be installed at the Clifton Creek Community Hall and Recreation Reserve
• Cabbage Tree Creek Hall Committee of Management received funding for a tractor to undertake fire preparedness works
• The Rotary Club of Mitchell River received funding for a new storage facility

“These are some great examples of what this program can fund,” Mr Bull said.

“If your club or community group has a project that desperately needs funding support, please consider applying.

“Applicants are advised to take a look at the Bushfire Recovery Victoria website for the eligibility criteria and program guidelines before applying.”

For more information go to https://www.vic.gov.au/bushfire-recovery-grants-community-facilities or contact my office on 5152 3491.

Monday, June 20, 2022

Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, has asked the Minister for Health to invest in the public dental service after the Andrews Labor Government cut $24.2 million from the service in the recent budget - in the face of growing local and state-wide waiting lists.

“This nearly $25 million cut equates to 44,000 less Victorians being treated – at a time when the waiting list is in excess of 150,000,” said Mr Bull.

“Throughout this year, my office has heard from locals who need treatment, but have been told the local wait list is over two years and it is longer in some other areas of rural and regional Victoria.

“There have been problems in some locations with accessing public dentists, but the answer to solving this problem is not to cut $24.2 million from the funding allocation, we should be investing more to fix it.

“In relation to the East Gippsland situation, I took the opportunity in Parliament to ask the Minister directly what he intends to do to address this more than two-year local waiting list.

“Recent data shows that every Gippsland public dental care program saw an increase on its general dental care waitlist in the second half of last year.

“So given this, the question is why would you cut funding? It beggars belief that you would make such a significant cut to a program that is already failing the people of East Gippsland,” Mr Bull said.

“The Minister has one month to respond to my question, and I await hearing his plans of what is being done to address the matter, but it is not a great start when you have had the funding stream decimated.”

Tuesday, 14 June 2022

Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull said the turning of the first sod for Stage One of the Omeo Mountain Bike Park works on Friday would be the perfect opportunity for the State Government to announce the funds for stage two.

“After the Nationals committed to this funding prior to the last election and then Labor followed suit a few weeks later to match the commitment, the job needs to be finished and this is a great time to announce what the future plans are,” he said.

“Given the project is about to commence and only half of it has been funded, I think there would actually be a level of disappointment to have everyone turn up at Omeo on Friday and not have funding for the future works announced.

“I have no inkling of whether this is planned or not, but I would hope the opportunity is not missed.

“In committing to this project in 2018, we saw the benefits that this project could and would bring to the local economy of Omeo and it was pleasing that through public pressure, Labor also eventually committed.

“There is more to be done and I would certainly hope the community, which has been severely impacted by fires since the original announcement was made, gets some good news on Friday in relation to finishing the project,” said Mr Bull.

Thursday, 9 June 2022

Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, is delighted $687,000 in State funds have been allocated to Gippsland Ports to replace its jetty at the Lakes Entrance Fishermen’s Co-Operative.

“Having raised the matter on several occasions in Parliament and explained the importance of these Ports facilities to the local fishing fleet, this is terrific news.

“The harsh reality is that if you don’t have unloading facilities, the whole operation cannot function and the current ones are at the point of collapsing,” said Mr Bull.

Gippsland Ports, which owns the jetties that are leased to the Co-operative, is contributing $270,000 to the project.

“Last week I was pleased to have the Minister for Fishing and Boating, Melissa Horne, join myself and representatives of Gippsland Ports, the Co-operative and Shire, to receive an on-site briefing of the works to be carried out.

“Once this is completed, we can then start work on further improvements to the fish unloading area.”

Mr Bull said was also pleased that work on the new on-water café, to be located on the Co-operative grounds, was imminent.

“Since raising this proposition with the Co-operative board several years ago, I think it will become one of the great attractions of Lakes Entrance when completed and I am very keen to see this idea come to fruition.

“It was born out of discussions I had with the board about generating another source of income to sustain the co-operative’s viability, which is so important to the Lakes Entrance economy.

“There have been a few hold ups along the way, but I think we are finally getting close,” he said.

Caption: Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull, with Minister for Fishing and Boating, Melissa Horne and representatives from the Co-operative, Gippsland Ports and Shire, met on site where the old unloading pier will be replaced.

Monday, 6 June 2022