It has been a hot start to the year, but I assure you community anger is running just as hot about the Victorian Labor Government’s inaction on activating federal funding for small businesses affected by bushfires.

The Halls Gap fire began over 60 days ago and the Little Desert fire over 20 days ago, yet in Halls Gap’s case at the time of writing they were still waiting for the Victorian Premier to formally request that the Prime Minister assist the community financially.  There are special categories for cleanup, restoration or community recovery (Category C) and exceptional circumstances (Category D) that require the Premier to make that request.  The many small businesses struggling after fires wrecked their peak tourist season are still waiting over 60 days later for the Victorian Labor Premier Jacinta Allan to act.

I spoke with Rabbi Moshe about the destruction of the Little Desert Nature Lodge near Nhill and I am not at liberty to share the situation, but it is heartbreaking. I am again frustrated at the lack of action from the Victorian Government to provide much-needed and swift assistance.

During the recent sitting fortnight in Canberra, I went to the Federal Emergency Management Minister Jenny McAllister to discuss this delay.  The Federal Government says it is standing ready and waiting to assist.  For some reason Victorian Labor are in no hurry to act, even though the Queensland Government requested and accessed Category C and D funding for North Queensland flooding that began on 29 January.  North Queensland got federal funding on 13 February – within just 15 days.

Either the Allan Labor Government are incompetent, or they don’t care about what happens to regional Victorians – or both.

My call to the Federal Minister has been to urge that the Grampians region receives a tourism support package to encourage people to book holidays in the region, and businesses receive support– exactly what Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton called for when he visited Halls Gap, at my invitation, in late January.

Sadly, Mr Albanese and Ms Allan did a flyover Halls Gap instead and I think that tells you everything.