29/01/2025
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I’ve had enough.
The Labor government’s support for our communities over these fire events has been disastrous.
Despite the bushfires starting 43 long days ago, there has been no support provided for local businesses, and no community recovery packages offered.
To be clear, my first call (of many) for business support was on 21 December, four days into the fire event. Labor have had more than a month to act and yet, still nothing.
The fires came at a time which should have been the peak Grampians tourism period to carry businesses through financially for the rest of the year.
This summer is an absolute failed tourism season for the Grampians. It comes after the Pomonal fires last February, and COVID closures before that. Our region’s tourism businesses are on their knees.
And it’s not just our tourism sector that is hurting. Vast areas of agricultural land has been lost, with no fuel subsidies for the delivery of donated feed, and no support for stock containment for burnt out properties. It’s heartbreaking and unfair.
Instead, all our region has had is quiet visits from Labor Ministers bringing nothing but nods, empty promises and thoughts and prayers.
On the 29 December 2024 - exactly one month ago - the PM and Premier visited Horsham for a media event around bushfire support. The pic shows they had a delightful time here.
Sadly, it was nothing more than a media stunt. PM Albanese and Premier Allan didn’t bother to step away from the cameras and set foot in the Grampians but instead flew over the impact zone in comfort. This was a huge snub to the CFA volunteers and community members who had been pre-arranged by government officials to turn out to meet our country’s most senior leaders in key communities in the Grampians so our people could be thanked and their recovery needs be heard.
In my ten years in Parliament, I have never witnessed such a negligent response by any state government of any ‘colour’.
With fires still burning throughout the Grampians, and now Hindmarsh Shire Council and Horsham Rural City Council directly impacted with Wartook under attack now, the time for flyovers or platitudes from the Melbourne Incident Control Centre has run its course.
Our communities deserve and desperately need real disaster relief and business support, not just talk.
Labor are proving they can’t manage to support our communities during or after a disaster, and it’s our local businesses and communities that pay the price.
C’mon PM Albanese and Premier Allan. Step up, do your bloody job and support our businesses and communities in our time of need!
