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Winter Scrooge Labor Takes Away Firewood And Gas PromiseVictorians living in the north-east of the state are experiencing a bitterly cold winter, with no natural gas or firewood to keep them warm, Shadow Minister for Agriculture Philip Davis said today.
By Philip Davis - 27th July 2005 - Back to News Not only are residents living in the Beechworth, Chiltern and Eldorado regions unable to access reticulated natural gas, they are also unable to access firewood this winter.
For pensioners and low-income earners, the only options this winter are to pay premium prices for electricity or go cold.
"The Bracks Government has let down Victoria’s north-east by failing to honour its pledge to secure the region’s firewood supply when it excluded the public from the Box-Ironbark National Park," Mr Davis said.
"Labor’s former Minister for Environment and Conservation Sheryl Garbutt promised a firewood plan to look after the north-east, but in typical Bracks Government style nothing has been done."
"One of the big issues confronting the box-ironbark region is the future availability of firewood for local communities…the government is developing five-year firewood plans for the supply of firewood to towns in the region and a community energy plan which will consider long-term energy solutions to reduce firewood dependency and explore alternative energy sources.
Sheryl Garbutt, Hansard, 12 September 2002.
Mr Davis said the shortage of firewood in the Eldorado region had hit crisis point, resulting in neighbours fighting against each other for rations of firewood to keep their families warm.
"This is a ridiculous situation, given that these communities have always been dependent upon firewood from public land."
Mr Davis said Beechworth was also one of a number of country towns promised reticulated natural gas by the Bracks Government prior to the 2002 State Election.
"The Minister for State and Regional Development John Brumby visited Glenrowan just days before the 2002 Election and announced Beechworth would be connected to reticulated natural gas if the Bracks Government won," Mr Davis said.
"Disappointingly, residents have heard nothing of Labor’s promise to connect natural gas and now their firewood has been taken away.
The Bracks Government has done nothing to solve energy problems in the north-east and now families are struggling to keep their children warm through winter.
"This issue demands action from the Bracks Government."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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