Victorian Tourism industry unhappy with State’s fire response
Media reports this morning say that the Victorian State Government has been accused of abandoning the state’s forgotten fire victim, namely the tourism industry, as firefighters prepared for battle today with hot winds fanning a 900,000ha blaze in eastern Victoria.
Nationals leader Peter Ryan lashed the Government’s fire response as pathetic yesterday, saying it had neglected to assist the tourism industry hit by falling visitor numbers, adding, “The Government has a high level of responsibility to help regional communities recover from these fires, which started on Crown land.”
For most of the summer, visitors have been warned to stay away from several tourist towns in the state’s north and northeast, and Victorians have grown familiar with dramatic warnings of an impending firestorm, but while large swaths of state forest have been burnt, few houses have been lost.
Some residents have also raised concerns about the need for many of the fire alerts.
Mr Ryan added that Government Ministers would have been “falling over themselves” to help if the blaze occurred in the suburbs, adding, “But the response so far from the Bracks Government has been pathetic, and many business operators are facing uncertain futures”.
However, the Government last week announced financial assistance to help revive the tourist business in the northeast and Gippsland and acting Premier John Thwaites said the Government was already helping affected areas to rebuild their tourism industries.
“We are working with communities to ensure there is ongoing visitation”, adding, “We are doing that the best way we can – by going out and talking to communities on the ground.”
Mr Thwaites said senior ministers including himself, Treasurer John Brumby and Premier Steve Bracks had made visits to affected towns, and a co-ordinated relief strategy was in place.
The massive fire, which has been burning in the Victorian Alps and spreading smoke across the state and as far as Sydney, has burnt around many alpine and rural towns throughout Gippsland and the northeast that are popular holiday destinations in summer, but hotel and restaurant owners hit by cancellations say there is now no danger in many areas, and that tourists should not be scared away.
Helicopters and fixed-wing water bombers from NSW will today assist 2400 firefighters tackling blazes around Gippsland, ahead of expected northwesterly winds of up to 70km/h.
Department of Sustainability and Environment spokesman Stuart Ord said temperatures in the mid to high 30s and gusty winds could threaten the Gippsland towns of Bruthen, Lakes Entrance and Tambo Crossing.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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