b'18 AUGUST 12, 2022 The Great Eastern MailLabors city mobile towers sailing, boating and fishingan insult to GippslandW HILE many areasIt will be galling to manyin, and taxpayer funds should in East Gippslandwho live in black spot areasbe saved for those areas of remain withoutthat the government iscountry Victoria that dont any mobile coverage at all, theinvesting in city coverageattract commercial attention. Andrews Labor Governmentupgrades when they have noneThe Government has is subsidising mobile phoneat all, said Mr Bull. tender documents that upgrades in MelbourneWhile telecommunicationsindicate precincts of strategic suburbs. are a Federal concern, Stateimportance to it, and theseThe Nationals Member forGovernments in recentinclude places like Richmond, Gippsland East, Tim Bull saidyears have provided someBrunswick and EastFederal Member for it is appalling that they aresubsidies to help leverageMelbourne.Gippsland Darren focusing on upgrading servicefurther investment fromIm on the road all the timeChester is urging the Labor Government to levels in the city to 5G whenthe Commonwealth andand like many Gippslanders, Iintervene and assist we have areas that have notelecommunicationsknow where the blackspots arecommunities impacted by proposed cuts to coverage at all in some of thecompanies in regional Victoria.places like Licola, Cabbagecommercial fishing most fire prone locations in the It is just astounding thatTree Creek, Bonang, Gypsyquotas.world. the Labor Party thinks thatPoint and Goongerah.It is just not right that Laborwe need to subsidise mobile Mr Bull said The NationalsChester seeks urgent fishing has allocated much of its $300phone coverage upgrades in25 per cent Regional million Connecting Victoriaplaces like Werribee and PointInfrastructure Guarantee mobile service program toCook over and above countrywould ensure that taxpayerindustry supportcity areas when countryareas that have no coverage. dollars are spent fairly across communities are still crying Mr Bull said theregional areas and Melbourne.out for any mobile phoneGovernments Connecting The Nationals will ensureF EDERAL memberEntrance, and it has createdequipment.coverage. Victoria tender documentscountry people get theirfor Gippsland Darrenconsiderable anxiety andMr Chester highlighted theThe bushfires in 2019/20indicate a significant biasfair share, and we need toChester is urginguncertainty. additional impacts on shore-demonstrated many examplestowards city areas that shouldremember this November thatthe Labor GovernmentThe situation is thatbased businesses related of telecommunications failuresbe highly commercial forLabor will only ever focus onto intervene and assistjackass morwong and severalto the commercial fishing and black spots. private companies to investthe city. communities directlyother stocks have either notindustry.impacted by proposed cuts torecovered from historicalThe onshore facilities Much more to do in relation commercial fishing quotas. overfishing, or have declinedsuch as the Lakes Entrance Mr Chester has requestedfurther with low catches. Fishermens Co-op, cannot an urgent meeting with theNone are commerciallyplan with any certainty to foot-and-mouth disease Minister for Agricultureimportant or targeted speciesand would be undermined Murray Watt to outline thebut come along with valuableif tonnage through the economic consequences onand targeted flathead. processing facility was W HILE Zoos Victoriazoo grounds, Mr Bull said.risk is very real, but it appearstowns like Lakes EntranceThere is some frustrationdramatically reduced by have completelyBut here we have the Statethe penny is not droppingwhich are dependent on theamong fishers that CSIROAFMAs action, he said.closed parts ofGovernment opening up andwith this government. industry. stock assessments changedI strongly believe there their zoos due to foot-and- actively encouraging peopleShould we have anThe Federal Budgetvery quickly in the case ofis a critical need for a mouth disease concerns, theto camp on riversides underoutbreak, God forbid, instantannouncement of $24 millionmorwong decreasing thethorough analysis and better Andrews Labor Governmentgrazing licence, that containaction is required, and allover three years to transitionTotal Allowable Catch by 95understanding of the social, is pushing ahead withlarge numbers of sheep andinfected stock will need tocommercial fishers out of thepercent in one action betweeneconomic, environmental permitting camping on farms. cattle with no checks andbe quarantined at local saleCommonwealth South Eastseasons. and cultural implications ofLocal Nationals MP, Timbalances. yards.Trawl Fishery has added toAll of this uncertainty isAFMAs proposed actions Bull, said this was a perfect It has taken so long for any We need the State to workthe urgency of the need tocreating social and economicprior to the proposed fishing example of why the Statereal protections to be put inwith local government tosupport the onshore industry,risks in local communitiesground closures.Government is not takingplace by both federal and stateensure we have the requiredMr Chester said. which I believe warrants aThe commercial fishing the agricultural sectorsgovernments and there istreatment measures (likeThe failure topause and thorough analysisindustry underpins the biosecurity concerns seriouslymore that can be done. foot washes installed) whensimultaneously announce anby the incoming government. economy of Lakes Entrance enough.This is a disease that willneeded, as the yards will act asonshore structural adjustmentAt the moment, fishers arewhich has been hit by Zoos Victoria has realisedhave a devastating impactquarantining stations. package in Lakes Entrance,unsure what compensationthe combined impacts of the potential threat, recentlyon livestock and livelihoods I have no confidence thisdespite the anticipatedwill be available to them;drought, bushfires and the announcing it will be closingas well as proving damagingwork is being carried out witheconomic impact of thewhether they have acoronavirus. A decision to public pathways to someto our local economy, whichthe urgency required andproposed licence buyback, issustainable future in theimpose further restrictions on animal enclosures to loweris already under enormousour new Agriculture Ministerof deep concern to locals. industry; whether dormantthe fishing industry without the risk of animals comingpressure. needs to get on top of this veryThe Australian Fisherieslicence holders will bea full appreciation of the into contact with soil thatQuite simply, we should bequickly, and I have writtenManagement Authoritytargeted first; and if theywider implications would could have potentially beendoing absolutely everythingto her suggesting this is both(AFMA) has undertakenaccept a package, will they bebe devastating for the local brought in from outside thewe can as a precaution. Theurgent and critical.port visits, starting in Lakescompensated for boats andeconomy.Tim BULL mai THE GREAT EASTERN lBAIRNSDALEPAYNESVILLELAKES ENTRANCEMETUNGWhere Community MattersTHE NATIONALS MEMBER FOR GIPPSLAND EASTPPSLAND EAST JOB OPPORTUNITYWALKERS WANTED IN PAYNESVILLEWalkers required, twice a month to deliver East GippslandsPremier Newspaper .The Great Eastern MailServicing the East Gippsland Community All ages welcome, letterbox drops in the Paynesville residential area only.143 Main Street, Bairnsdale VIC 3875 For enquiries, call Rick on:03 5152 3491tim.bull@parliament.vic.gov.au 0413 278 422'