Regional Victorians say they have had enough of Premier Daniel Andrews’ obsession with “absolute control” and repeated refusal to subject his government to public scrutiny. Source: Weekly Times
A Weekly Times investigation can reveal farmers, forest contractors, rural councils and even bushfire scientists are hitting brick walls in their attempts to gain access to key government data and documents.
This includes Mr Andrews’ refusal to release documents underpinning his ruling that native-forest logging is “not sustainable” and must be phased out by 2030 with the loss of 2500 jobs.
Wellington Shire mayor Garry Stephens, who chairs the Native Timber Taskforce, said: “We have gone back and forth so many times, following correct processes, requesting the scientific data we were told underpins the Government’s decision, but we have been stonewalled at every juncture.”
Neerim South harvest and haulage logging contractor Chris Stafford, who employs five locals, said it felt like they were banging their heads up against the wall.
“I can’t believe they’re not held accountable for their decisions and don’t have evidence to back it up,” Mr Stafford said. “Is it even legal that the Government won’t give us information on why they’re doing this?”
Simple requests for documents to be released have been met with refusals, forcing the media and some regional communities to lodge Freedom of Information applications that the government has dismissed.
Grain growers have been left stranded with a $440 million half-built Murray Basin Rail freight network, on the basis it’s not worth completing according to a revised business case that Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan refuses to fully release.
Industry leaders say failure to complete the project has reduced the efficiency of the rail freight network and put more trucks on rural roads and city streets.
Victorian Farmers Federation grains group president Ashley Fraser said the Government’s refusal to release the revised Murray Basin Rail business case showed “we’re second-class citizens, who aren’t given the time of day”.
Scientists and communities at risk of catastrophic bushfires have also been stunned at the Government’s refusal to release maps showing forest fuel loads.
The maps would show the build-up of fuels in the wake of the Government’s decision to abandon the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission’s recommendation to conduct planned burns across 5 per cent of the state’s public land annually, equal to 385,000ha.
University of Melbourne Associate Professor of fire ecology Kevin Tolhurst said it appeared the Government wanted to “maintain absolute control” over its fire maps.
Prof Tolhurst said the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning was not even allowing consultants access to its fuel layer maps and fire history layers, as “they don’t want someone else to cross check their work”.
The timely release of controversial departmental and agency reports have also been repeatedly delayed.
In the lead-up to the 2018 state election, when Victoria’s fire services were being carved up, the annual reports for the CFA and MFB were delayed until after the November election, despite being normally tabled with parliament in September.
Meanwhile, the Premier has twice suspended Parliament, delaying further scrutiny of his government’s performance. That’s despite Labor’s 2014 platform election document stating: “The right to govern is a privilege and it must never be taken for granted. Governments must also be honest and transparent. Respect for the Victorian people starts with respect for our democracy”.
The Premier failed to respond to The Weekly Times request for comment.
