Last month – more than 12 weeks after fires ripped through the Grampians and after countless pleas for help – the Allan Labor government finally announced support for impacted businesses.

However, more than three weeks later, with some businesses struggling to stay afloat, the government still has not opened applications for financial assistance.

To make matters worse, Grampians business owners were shocked to learn that their counterparts in Queensland and New South Wales, who were affected by ex-tropical cyclone Alfred – which hit two-and-a-half months after the fires – were granted access to business support within three days of the cyclone hitting, and are eligible for 10 times the amount of money that Victorian businesses are.

While this support is already flowing, bushfire-affected businesses in the Grampians remain locked out of any meaningful assistance.

This is yet another devastating example of just how heartless and incompetent the Victorian Labor government is.

It’s why I’ve stood in Parliament to call out the Premier, the Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Tourism for the way they have failed our region.

I also asked for an explanation as to why Grampians businesses are only eligible for $5000 in disaster support, while cyclone-affected businesses in northern states are eligible for $50,000, and why support for our state has been so incredibly slow to get to where it’s needed.

Natural disasters don’t discriminate, but it would certainly seem that Labor governments do. If you live in Victoria, sadly you cannot rely on Premier Allan to deliver, even in your time of greatest need.

The two Labor MPs representing Western Victoria in Parliament’s upper house in Jacinta Ermacora and Gayle Tierney, along with their Ripon colleague Martha Haylett, have not stood up for our region or called out the government for its total lack of appropriate response – it’s simply not good enough, and our community deserves better.

Businesses in our region have lost trade during what would normally be their busiest season, the time that sets them up financially for the rest of the year.

Now, some have their backs against the wall, while others have been forced to close.

While any support is appreciated, $5000 does not go far enough. 

The Allan Labor government should have immediately used every mechanism available to help support the community, but instead they sat on their hands.

While our local communities are amazing at supporting each other and have been doing what they can to keep these wonderful businesses afloat, we have seen that local dollars alone will not be enough.

I will keep fighting to ensure Labor delivers the support our region desperately needs and deserves.

Emma Kealy

The Nationals’ Member for Lowan

Deputy Leader of The Nationals

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