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Provincial Statement Reveals No Gas For Country VictoriaThe towns of Bonnie Doon and Alexandra have emerged as the latest victims of the Bracks Government’s provincial statement announcement this week. By Philip Davis - 17th November 2005 - Back to News Shadow Minister for Country Victoria Philip Davis said the Liberal Party is a strong advocate for connecting gas to country towns but John Brumby had made it clear this week that the Bracks Government was abandoning promises it made three years ago to connect towns to natural gas.
During an interview on ABC's Regional Drive program, in which John Brumby was spinning the Bracks Government’s lines, the segment took a sour turn when a talk-back caller asked John Brumby what had happened to the Bracks Government’s pre-election promise to connect gas to Bonnie Doon. (ABC Radio, 14.11.05)
John Brumby showed his arrogance and ignorance of his own Natural Gas Extension Program.
When the caller told Mr Brumby that Labor had promised natural gas to Bonnie Doon, John Brumby replied "Well that’s not correct."
He then went on to reveal that Alexandra would also miss out on gas, despite pre-election promises to the contrary, and claimed the Bracks Government had already connected gas to Bairnsdale and Paynesville.
"Despite John Brumby’s claims, both Bonnie Doon and Alexandra were promised natural gas by Labor’s former Member for Benalla Denise Allen," Mr Davis said.
"Denise Allen had her photograph taken with Steve Taylor from Bonnie Doon Auto and Marine on the day she announced the Bracks Government would connect Bonnie Doon, Yea and Alexandra to natural gas.
"This unmistakable Bracks Government pre-election commitment was published in the Mansfield Courier on 20 November 2002.
"John Brumby was also stretching the truth to claim Bairnsdale and Paynesville had been connected to natural gas.
"The local hospital and one Bairnsdale business has been connected to gas, but no residents in Bairnsdale or Paynesville have been connected.
"With just 12 months until the next election and no gas connections, country Victorians know they have been duped.
"The failure of Labor to deliver the promised Natural Gas Extension Program is just more evidence that the Bracks Government can’t be trusted to keep its promises to rural and regional Victoria."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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