Tuesday, 16 May 2023

 Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (13:45): (166) My question is for the Minister for Environment. The Andrews Labor government’s ban on firewood collection continues to impact Moira shire residents who have historically relied on wood collection as an energy source for their homes. To add insult to injury, further restrictions introduced in March 2022 excluded many Moira shire residents from accessing firewood at their nearest designated collection point near Rushworth, which was already nearly a 3-hour round trip. The latest firewood collection map shows the closest firewood collection point for Moira shire residents is Wilkinson Track west of Warrenbayne, a 3½-hour round trip from the Barmah township. With the firewood collection season underway, my office is receiving constant complaints from Moira shire residents seeking access to the copious amounts of firewood closer to home. Will the minister reverse this policy and allow residents of the Moira shire local government area to collect firewood from the areas within the regional parks in their shire?