Bushfires
Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:30): My question is to the Treasurer. More than five weeks after the devastating Longwood bushfire, three truck drivers who delivered hundreds of bales of fodder to keep surviving stock alive lodged a modest request, a modest reimbursement claim of $4500, and they still have not received a dollar. Victorians stepped in. They put fuel in their own tanks, used their own trucks and ensured fire-affected farmers had fodder to keep their animals alive. Treasurer, why has your government still not reimbursed these drivers, and will you intervene today to ensure that they are paid immediately?
Jaclyn SYMES: Ms Bath, I am very happy to answer the question that you asked. The fodder program was funded directly through the VFF, as it has been in past experiences, so I will personally follow up this matter – not as the Treasurer, but you have raised it in question time, and I think it is an important matter that I did not want to not answer, despite the fact that it is not in accordance with the standing orders to provide you an answer. I will personally come and get those details off you, and I will see what has happened to that invoice.
[NAME AWAITING VERIFICATION]
Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (12:32): Thank you, Treasurer. The retired chicken farmer Ian Toutback, who coordinated more than 250 bales of fodder, is now owed $15,000 by your government for organising the trucks. At a time when the Labor government can tolerate billions of dollars wasted on union-dominated Big Build blowouts and misconduct, they cannot reimburse local members who literally kept stock alive during a crisis. How can you defend this government – we have heard it today in question time – and turn a blind eye to state-sponsored strippers when they cannot prioritise a few thousand dollars for selfless volunteers to keep bushfire victims alive and supported?
The PRESIDENT: I am worried about whether that supplementary is relevant to the substantive question.
Members interjecting.
The PRESIDENT: Thanks, everyone, for your advice. I think the Treasurer will be happy to respond.
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:33): Despite the disrespectful way that I think that question was raised and the disrespect to fire-impacted communities, I would put back to you, again, there has been more than $160 million provided to the fire recovery efforts. I personally was in Longwood on Friday sitting down and making sure that I heard firsthand on the ground of any of the issues that I can intervene in as local member, as Treasurer, as Minister of Regional Development and as someone who is a former emergency services minister. All of those experiences I hope can help break through any of the issues that some of the people may have. That is why I visit my communities, to hear about those issues.
In relation to that invoice, I would put on record the community effort and response to the fire and people standing up and helping one another has been incredible. If there are issues in relation to genuine receipts that are due to be paid, please forward me any of the information because I am doing it personally in my day job and I will continue – (Time expired)
The PRESIDENT: It is Mr Bourman’s birthday; therefore he can ask a question.