TIM BULL, the Member for Gippsland East, has had timber workers and contractors crying in his office this 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!
“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.
“The One Gippsland media release confirmed my suspicions that this entity is nonsense, and a long way from the ‘peak advocacy body for the Gippsland region’ that it claims to be,” said 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.
“They prepared a wish list of projects, to my eye had none funded, and in addition to being ignored, the government cut funding streams important to the regions and announced that one of our key industries is being destroyed with a paltry compensation package, with no forewarning to the impacted families, or consultation – and they welcomed it!”
If you think Mr Bull is upset at the government and One Gippsland, you’re dam right!
“It is a group that appears to come together for opportunistic benefit and have a brain dump of isolated local projects with a ‘we will support yours if you support ours mantra’ rather than develop a coherent regional strategy.
“The parlous state of our roads is among the biggest issues in our region and when it needed a massive boost to funding, the roads maintenance funding was cut 25% this year and is lower than 2014/15.
“That’s not welcome.
“The agriculture budget was slashed again and is now 24% lower than it was in 2020. Regional Development funding was cut again and is now 80% down on what it was three years ago, rendering it almost non-existent.
“The decimation of Regional Development Victoria should be something our ‘peak advocacy group’ should be standing up and fighting for, not turning a blind eye to and welcoming it,” said Mr Bull.
“All these negatives for our area, and there are plenty more, are ignored and instead One Gippsland plucks out examples of some state-wide policies not specific to our region in its support of the State Budget.
“It reads more like a Labor Government media release than that of a regional advocacy group.
“This entity is predominantly made up of the six Gippsland councils and they seem to have a policy of never offering any real criticism. If you claim to be an advocacy body you have to agitate when needed, or you are simply not an advocacy group,” said Mr Bull.
“And as for their current wish list, they have the duplication of the Mitchell River bridge as the highest priority for East Gippsland. To have this as a higher priority than the badly-needed, new Bairnsdale Hospital is just madness.
“One Gippsland has no representation from a number of our major industries and is silent when one is crushed.
“I’d be more than happy for my two councils – East Gippsland and Wellington – to leave this organisation as it clearly does not represent our best interests in eastern Victoria and is not what it claims to be.”
What ‘One Gippsland said’
In its statement on the State Budget, One Gippsland said it “cautiously welcomed the release of the Andrews Government’s 2023-2024 budget, which includes new funding programs that will benefit the Gippsland region”.
It welcomed investment in the region’s health infrastructure, including funding for the design and planning phases of the Wonthaggi Hospital (Stage 2) and West Gippsland Hospital from an allocation of $320 million which the government says will help deliver significant redevelopments at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, Northern Hospital, Austin Hospital, Monash Medical Centre, and Dandenong Hospital.
One Gippsland also noted there was funding for education and energy which are required for Gippsland to transition to a new economy.
“One Gippsland is concerned however about the announcement to end native timber harvesting 10 years ahead of schedule,” said One Gippsland Chair and East Gippsland Mayor Cr Mark Reeves.
One Gippsland also listed the following funding initiatives in the budget:
* $162m for better aged care services and establishing 3 new residential aged care including one at Maffra; and
* Establish a new Mental Health and Wellbeing local service in Leongatha.
* $200m in support for workers and their families to transition away from native timber logging by 2024;
* Retraining workings through Free TAFE program at TAFE Gippsland supported by up to $8,000 in retraining vouchers; and
* $7.3m to deliver place-based economic and community development through the Latrobe Valley Authority.
* $50m to establish a TAFE Clean Energy Fund supporting Gippsland TAFE, Federation TAFE and South West TAFE to train the energy jobs of the future.
* $67m investment in new and upgraded schools including two new primary schools in Wonthaggi and Moe.
But few of One Gippsland pre-budget pitches came off, in 7 priority investment areas “that will enable a kick-start to the economic recovery of the region”.
These are: 1. Freight Fast-track: Network investment, planning and road safety; 2. Rail: Improving reliability, speed and accessibility 3. Tourism Recovery: Tracks and trails and events; 4. Digital Connectivity: Mobile and broadband networks; 5. Health and Wellbeing: Meeting the varied needs of the Region; 6. Education: Building the skills for the future; 7. Food and Fibre: Capitalising on the Region’s strengths.
Local priority initiatives
- 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. It will also address the inadequate access along the corridor which leads to unsatisfactory travel delays for visitors and residents. The current design of Phillip Island Road cannot cope with the congestion during the busy periods and growing traffic demand has led to a high number of crashes. Works will include the following: Construction of traffic signals at Phillip Island Road and Back Beach Road – Marine Parade intersection; Intersection improvements to the nearby Phillip Island Road and Bergin Grove intersection; Place-making infrastructure improvements along the San Remo foreshore; Stability improvement works on the Western Port Bay embankment to protect the transport corridor of Phillip Island; Active transport improvements by linking existing facilities to the San Remo Commercial Precinct and the San Remo foreshore; and Public transport improvements with the introduction of new bus stop facilities.
- South Gippsland Highway Realignment – Korumburra – Coal Creek Bends – $100 million The South Gippsland Highway is the main arterial road through Gippsland’s south . It connects Gippsland’s major agriculture and food production industry to domestic and international markets and connects tourists to the illustrious attractions of the region such as the Wilsons Promontory National Park. This project involves a road realignment to remove a series of bends on the South Gippsland Highway south of Korumburra to reduce congestion, improve critical safety issues, decrease freight transport costs and improve freight efficiency routes. Funding required for planning and design of intersection improvement, road widening, sections of road realignment, signage and delineation improvements and construction of a service lane and vehicle rest stop.
- Leongatha Heavy Vehicle Alternate Route Stage 2 ($2 million). Leongatha is one of South Gippsland’s major industrial, government, medical, retail and service centres that currently contributes $1.2 billion to the regional economy. This hub has had significant traffic congestion and safety issues caused by the South Gippsland Highway cutting through the centre of the town. Stage 1 was completed in 2016 and has diverted heavy vehicle traffic out of the main centre of town. Funding required for planning and design to complete the main town centre bypass and reduce congestion by improving freight and visitor movements, while also resolving vehicle safety and accessibility issues.
- Strzelecki Highway – Crightons Hill Realignment – $500,000 The Strzelecki Highway connects South Gippsland Shire with the Latrobe Valley and this section of the highway connects Leongatha, the Shire’s largest town, with Mirboo North, the third largest town . It is part of a critical link to the Latrobe Valley for industry and residents accessing Government and Health Services. South Gippsland and Bass Coast coastal areas are very popular with residents of the Latrobe Valley and are a major market for tourism businesses across the district. The section at Crightons Hill is steep and particularly tight with a number of fatal accidents occurring on this section of road. To reduce accidents, some road widening has been undertaken, wire rope barriers installed, and speed restrictions introduced but these are only temporary treatments. Funding required for planning and design for a realignment of the Strzelecki Highway at a location known as Crightons Hill, Leongatha North.
- South Gippsland Highway – Grassy Spur Alignment – $2 million. The South Gippsland Highway is the main arterial route through South Gippsland Shire and part of the Sydney to Melbourne Touring Route. Works on this section of road about 15 years ago removed some bends but others remain. These routes are electronically sign posted and speed restricted. With improvements to the highway at other locations, this area will become the most difficult section of the highway and limit further economic expansion. This section of road is a key connector to the southern districts of South Gippsland Shire including Wilsons Promontory National Park, Corner Inlet, and towns such as Foster and Toora. Dairy tankers service this area heavily and the town of Foster is the regional commercial centre which includes a Hospital, Secondary College and Government Agencies. Funding required for planning and design for the realignment of the South Gippsland Highway between the towns of Stony Creek and Foster at an area known as Grassy Spur.
- 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 and encourage extended visitation within the region. The Trail will educate residents and visitors about the embedded value and diversity found within fossils and pre-historic fauna in the region. Works include: Traverse 40kms from San Remo to Inverloch, featuring six creative art sites that link polar dinosaur fossils; Museum/cultural centre to be developed in Inverloch; and Sound and light installation (alongside museum/ cultural centre) linking science, Aboriginal cultural history and the environment.
- Gippsland Odyssey Trail – $7.9 million. The $7 .9 million Gippsland ‘Odyssey’ Trail project is to be recognised nationally and internationally as a must do long distance multi-use trail showcasing the best of Gippsland while activating towns and communities. It will do so by linking the entire existing rail trail corridors throughout Gippsland and taking advantage of the diverse landscape, our iconic lakes and beaches, lush valleys and ranges. Whilst predominantly off road, the trail will also make use of roads less travelled and at times the rail network to link visitors from North to South and West to East, making the whole of Gippsland accessible by bike and funnelling visitors into villages and towns along its route. High priority sections are: East Gippsland Discovery Trail/leg to Lakes Entrance: $3 million; Bass Coast Rail Trail/Inverloch to Wonthaggi: $3 million; Rokeby-Noojee Trail extension: $2 million.
- Phillip Island Nature Parks Masterplan Penguin Parade Viewing and Summerlands Peninsula Trails – $33.7 million. This project would upgrade the iconic Penguin Parade viewing standards and baordwalks and create 18km network of immersive trails and viewing platforms, linking the Penguin Parade to the Nobbies. Works include: Part 1: Penguin Parade Upgrades ($16.3 million): Works to the ageing infrastructure at the Penguin Parade to ensure it remains the leading paid ecotourism attraction in Victoria and upgrades to infrastructure to ensure it is no longer at risk of non-compliance. Part 2: Summerland Peninsula Trails Master Plan ($17.4 million). The creation of 18 kilometres of world class, accessible trails including bridges, lookouts and road crossings, linking the iconic Penguin Parade to the Nobbies through some of the most spectacular views and landscapes in Victoria.
Gippsland’s unique challenges
In the pre-amble to its pre-budget pitch, One Gippsland highlighted the many challenges, past, present and future; not the least of those being the phasing out of traditional energy generation; Yallourn 2028 (brought forward from 2032), Loy Yang A 2035 (brought forward from 2045) and Loy Yang B 2047.
“Despite the many benefits of living and working in Gippsland there have been a range of challenges. A recent report produced by SGS Economics shows that Gippsland has undergone a series of economic shocks that have impacted the economic output of the region.
“Between 2015 and 2020 the combined effect of the COVID-19 restrictions, bushfires, dairy crisis, drought and hazelwood closure have had the following impacts:
- Direct output loss of $3.28 billion;
- Combined direct and indirect output loss of $6.86 billion;
- A total of 10,213 job losses (direct and indirect); and
- Gross Regional Product decrease of $2.66 billion.
- The closure of the native timber industry is expected to negatively impact direct output by $548 million and will further shrink Gross Regional Product by $431 million in the next 10 years.