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State Government should fund ash salvage road damage: Ingram

The Independent Member for Gippsland East, Craig Ingram, has called on the Treasurer John Brumby in State Parliament to address the outstanding costs borne by the East Gippsland Shire Council after the 2002-03 bushfires.

By Craig Ingram - 8th June 2006 - Back to News

The issue relates to the Alpine Ash salvage operations, which occurred after the bushfires.

"The harvesting has been brought forward many years, and there has been a vast increase in the usage of heavy vehicles (B doubles) on those roads, which has meant the East Gippsland Shire Council -- I understand it is very similar in Towong and Alpine shires -- has incurred incredible costs," Mr Ingram said.

In State Parliament, Mr Ingram called on the treasurer to review the application by the East Gippsland Shire Council and to make sure that the ratepayers of these councils are not left out of pocket because of the harvesting of the Alpine Ash which damaged the roads.

Mr Ingram said the road maintenance costs brought forward by the East Gippsland Shire Council are in the order of $600,000.

"Residents living in the area now have to use quite degraded roads and the shire has had to shift its road operations to other areas, which would not normally be in its budget or road maintenance planning," he said.

"The East Gippsland Shire Council along with the shires of the state’s north east has requested that a delegation be received by the Treasurer.

"These councils should not be left out of pocket by the 2003 alpine fires and the vast increase in Alpine Ash salvage operations.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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