The recent devastating bushfires have highlighted the vital importance of properly managing public land to mitigate bushfire risk. Sadly, the bushfires have also demonstrated the error of the Andrews Labor Government’s decision to abandon the planned burning recommendation of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission (VBRC). Having considered expert evidence following the horrific 2009 Black…
Even Daniel Andrews doesn’t believe his own lies. Reports today the Andrews Government will sell off its share of the Heyfield mill confirms Labor knows its so-called ‘plan’ to transition the native timber industry to plantation timber by 2030 won’t work. Not a single hardwood plantation tree planted today will be available to industry by…
Timber contractors have spent weeks clearing dangerous timber from roadsides to ensure the safety of Victorians returning to their communities after catastrophic bushfires in East Gippsland and north east Victoria. This includes many tonnes of sawlog grade timber that will go to waste if the Andrews Government doesn’t act to utilise it. I’ve written to…
Financial support for farmers to replace boundary fencing destroyed in the bushfires must be rolled out immediately. Bushfire-affected farmers in East Gippsland and north east Victoria will be relieved the Victorian Government has finally confirmed today it will cover half the cost of replacing fencing that borders state forests and national parks. Daniel Andrews must…
Dear Editor, The Andrews Labor Government can’t walk away and leave the Murray Basin Rail Project half done. Producers and stakeholders should be reaping the benefits of a completed Basin Rail project by now. But under Labor’s mismanagement, the project is stalled and out-of-money and the damning feedback from key stakeholders is that “we were…
The Victorian Liberal Nationals will move to establish a Joint House Select Committee Inquiry into Bushfire Preparation and Response in Victoria. With devastating fires continuing to burn across the North East, East Gippsland and Alpine regions, it is critical that an open public inquiry is established to investigate how Victoria could have been better prepared…
The Victorian Liberal Nationals are calling for the State Parliament to hold sittings in bushfire-affected communities this year. Victorian Liberal Leader Michael O’Brien and Nationals Leader Peter Walsh have written to the Premier, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and President of the Legislative Council to call for at least one sitting week in 2020 to…
Freight subsidies announced today will help to relieve the financial pressure on farmers in the north east and East Gippsland as they work to recover from bushfire and years of drought. For months, farmers have been calling for assistance to cover the high cost of bringing in fodder or transporting livestock to agistment in regions…
Thousands of kilometres of internal and external fencing, including boundary fencing bordering with state forests and national parks, has been damaged in the bushfires in East Gippsland and north-east Victoria and will need to be replaced. While the threat of bushfire still remains for some communities, many are now looking to clean-up and rebuild homes,…
The Andrews Labor Government has failed to rule out further cuts to speed limits on country roads, despite calls from regional communities to make our roads safer by investing in proper maintenance. The Roads Minister recently had the opportunity to rule out the policy entirely, but instead left the door open to cutting speed limits…
