MEDIA RELEASE FROM CRAIG INGRAM MP - MEMBER FOR GIPPSLAND EAST Issued: Monday 15th January 2007

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Ingram works on fire recovery for affected communities

The Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has written to the acting Premier, John Thwaites, to raise several issues as a result of meetings with fire affected residents across his electorate.

“Licola, like a number of communities across Gippsland East, has been greatly affected by this summer’s bushfire,” Mr Ingram said.

“At the meeting on Saturday, the community raised a number of issues arising from the fires and many of these issues are representative across all fire affected communities.

“Many farmers have lost a significant amount of fencing. They have requested assistance to obtain access to public land in the area for suitable fence posts to replace their losses.

“As a result of the fires and recent rain events, water supplies from the river at Licola have been made unusable and water is required to be carted in from Heyfield at significant cost. Local residents would like assistance to providing a suitable water supply at reasonable cost until the river is suitable for drinking purposes.

“As many towns are dependent on tourism, I have called on the State Government to provide financial assistance to encourage tourists back into the area following the fire threat. I have also put forward the idea of local people being engaged in post-fire recovery projects to boost employment in these areas.

“Local businesses are being impacted because of the closure of the Great Alpine Road due to the fire activity and I am working with the respective agencies to have this matter addressed in the shortest time possible.”

Mr Ingram said there has been significant discussion about the impact of public land management and the lack of adequate fuel reduction burns in the years leading up to the fires.

“I am well aware of the community concern on the need for a significant increase in prescribed burns and will be working to remove barriers and resource constraints on land managers to ensure that they can meet prescribed burn targets,” Mr Ingram concluded.