‘One Gippsland’ attacked for budget ‘welcome’

TIM BULL, the Member for Gippsland East, has had timber workers and contractors crying in his office in the past week after the announcement by the State Government that native timber harvesting in state forests would cease by the end of the year.

That’s seven years ahead of schedule.

By any measure, a decision that threatens 2500 jobs statewide, a significant number of them in Gippsland, is not “welcome” news.

“It’s been a terrible shock. I’ve had people in the office this week in tears, wondering what they are going to do with their kids, the mortgage, and a $1 million worth of machinery,” Mr Bull told the Sentinel-Times today.

“And yet we’ve had ‘One Gippsland’ come out with a statement that they’ve welcomed the budget. Come on!” said Mr Bull.

In fact, One Gippsland Chair, Cr Mark Reeves, Mayor of the East Gippsland Shire has been accused of both welcoming and criticising the budget.

“I can understand they might not want to upset the government, but they got virtually nothing they asked for in their pre-Budget pitch. If you don’t agitate sometimes, how can you advocate?” asked Mr Bull.

One Gippsland members include: Bass Coast Shire Council (Cr Michael Whelan & CEO Ali Wastie), South Gippsland Shire Council (Cr Nathan Hersey & CEO Kerryn Ellis), plus representatives from the municipalities of Baw Baw, East Gippsland, Latrobe City and Wellington, Federation University, Food & Fibre Gippsland, Destination Gippsland, Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, and TAFE Gippsland.

Aside from welcoming funding for the Wonthaggi and West Gippsland hospitals, and some local schools, One Gippsland didn’t have any of the priority projects in its pre-budget pitch funded. These included:

* San Remo Road Infrastructure Improvements ($23 million). Road transport infrastructure improvements are required in the San Remo township at the Back Beach Road intersection. These works will address the lack of capacity during key peak periods that significantly impact on visitor experience and business operations.

South Gippsland Highway Realignment (Korumburra-Coal Creek bends $100 million).

Leongatha Heavy Vehicle Alternate Route Stage 2 ($2 million). Stage 1 was completed in 2016 and has diverted heavy vehicle traffic out of the main centre of town. Funding is now required for planning and design to complete the main town centre bypass.

Strzelecki Highway Crightons Hill Realignment ($500,000). Funding is needed to realign the steep and tight turns at Crightons Hill where there have been a number of fatal accidents.

South Gippsland Highway Grassy Spur Alignment ($2 million).

Bass Coast Dinosaur Trail Stage 1 ($20 million). The Bass Coast is one of the few places on earth where polar dinosaur fossils can be found. This leading tourism experience will entice local, interstate, national and international visitors to visit.

Gippsland Odyssey Trail ($7.9 million). 

Phillip Island Nature Parks Masterplan Penguin Parade Viewing and Summerlands Peninsula Trails ($33.7 million).

South Gippsland Shire stated the budget had offered mixed results.

“We were happy about the investment in a local mental health service in Leongatha, which has been an advocacy ask of ours,” a joint statement from Mayor Nathan Hersey and Chief Executive Officer Kerryn Ellis stated. 

“We were pleased to see continued investment in South Gippsland Water.

“We are very concerned to see that more money is going into offshore wind “centre of excellence” in Ballarat than Gippsland.

“We are concerned about the lack of investment in infrastructure in South Gippsland to support readiness for offshore wind.

“We are concerned about the lack of longer-term commitment to Latrobe Valley Authority, particularly given the work on the transition plan.

“We would like to see a clearer commitment to the SEC being based in Gippsland.”

The shire further stated that ‘One Gippsland is a valuable opportunity for South Gippsland to share our vision, whilst working collaboratively with councils across Gippsland for a brighter future for the region more broadly.’