“I’m astonished and perplexed by the Federal Government decision to actively exclude Indi from a new $100 million fund specifically for regions affected by drought, bushfire and COVID-19,” Dr Haines said.
“North-east Victoria has borne the brunt of each of these rolling catastrophes for almost a year now.
“The cost of the devastating summer fires that ripped through our high country and upper Murray is in the billions.
“Our entire tourist trade has been destroyed for almost a year.
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“Before this year’s welcome winter rains, three of our local government areas were officially drought declared - and the impact of years of drought does not get washed away in a season.”
Dr Haines also pointed to issues with communities in the north of the electorate affected by the border closure.
“Our border communities have suffered more than almost any other from this pandemic,” Dr Haines said.
“And yet the government has cut us off from $100 million directed specifically to regions that have suffered from this triple-whammy.
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“If a government had overnight erected a wall along the Yarra River, or shut down the Sydney Harbour Bridge, there would be protests in the streets.
“But that is exactly what the NSW Government did to the community of Albury-Wodonga...
“And yet the Deputy Prime Minister is not only silent on the challenges we are facing, but seemingly indifferent to them.
“Setting up a new fund for regions exactly like ours and then inexplicably cutting us off from it.
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“I want the eligibility and selection criteria of this new $100 million fund published, so all regions affected by drought, bushfire and COVID-19 can see them.
“And I want the Deputy Prime Minister to explain to everyone in Indi why he felt that the drought we’ve faced, the bushfires we’ve endured, and the border shut down we have suffered are insufficient in his eyes to warrant the same support he is happy to offer other regions.”
The Deputy Prime Minister has been contacted for comment.
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