Northern Victoria Region
Mr QUILTY (Northern Victoria) (12:38): (1675) My constituency question is for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. The Hanging Rock Cricket Club is set for demolition. This government is determined to kick a small but strong community club out of its historic home, to bulldoze it and replace it with a wetland, aka swamp, with walking tracks and picnic benches. No doubt this is designed to appeal to city-based tourists who might venture into the bush for a daytrip, but like so many things imposed on the regions by this Melbourne government, it is not in the interests of the locals. The plans were revealed in November last year and public consultation commenced on Christmas Eve. It is hard not to conclude that this was rushed through during the holidays when no-one was looking. The 2018 strategic plan emphasised how important the cricket club is to the local community, but it seems little towns in the bush do not count. They are just collateral damage in this government’s ongoing war on the regions. Minister, if you will not scrap this plan, will you at least extend the period of public consultation to enable community input to your department’s plans?