Tuesday, 21 June 2022

 Ms BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:43): I sadly would like to put on record today my sincere condolences for the loss of three Gippslanders on our local roads in the past week. Families have lost and are grieving for fathers, sons, brothers, cousins, colleagues and mates. Rendering assistance on the side of the road on the Princes Highway, a father tragically lost his life. Only this morning a pedestrian crossing the Princes Highway tragically lost his life. In a 40-kilometre zone on the edge of Walhalla township a vehicle only a couple of days ago went over an unbarriered embankment and plunged to the loss of a beautiful 19-year-old son and mate; the others were only injured, thankfully. Tragically this is the exact same location where in 2017 a car also went over that same embankment, but miraculously that person did not lose their life. This incident should have and could have been avoided. The community and the Baw Baw Shire Council have asked Regional Roads Victoria to erect a barrier. It is just a tragedy that this had to happen. My heartfelt gratitude and thanks go to all the first responders—the ambulance, the SES, Victoria Police and the CFA—who had to deal with these tragic events. We thank them very much for their endeavours and difficult work.