Opposition leader promises fair share for Mansfield

Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson brought her statewide ‘Fresh Start Tour’ to Mansfield as part of a whirlwind journey across all 88 Victorian electorates to hear directly from communities ahead of the November state election. Ms Wilson said the tour was a fact-finding mission designed to hear from families, business owners, emergency service volunteers, farmers and regional communities about the issues affecting them. While in town she first held a forum at the Mansfield Hotel, where she said the shocking state of regional roads and the need for a new emergency services precinct were among the key issues raised. Ms Wilson visited Mansfield with Member for Eildon Cindy McLeish, and the pair included a stop at the Mansfield SES and proposed emergency services precinct site. “It was great to visit the site of the proposed precinct, meet the volunteers and see firsthand why this project is so important to the Mansfield community,” Ms Wilson said. “Cindy is a fierce advocate for her local community, and I look forward to coming back to Mansfield again.” Ms Wilson and the Liberals wouldn’t make a commitment to the precinct project yet, but acknowledged regional communities such as Mansfield were facing major challenges because of a lack of investment, particularly in local infrastructure. “Labor has taken regional and rural Victoria for granted for too long, and it simply isn't fair,” she said. “A government I lead will ensure regional Victoria receives its fair share, with a 25 per cent infrastructure investment guarantee, so that communities like Mansfield are no longer left behind.” Ms Wilson said regional and rural Victoria currently received just 12 per cent of the state's infrastructure funding, despite being home to about 25 per cent of Victoria's population. On tourism, Ms Wilson said communities such as Mansfield and the High Country needed confidence restored in the sector. “Tourism is absolutely vital to communities like yours, and we need to restore confidence in the sector and make it easier for people to visit and spend time here,” she said. “We'll scrap Labor's holiday and short-stay tax, which is making it more expensive to visit our regions, and our broader plan to lower costs will help families keep more of their own money and give them greater freedom to enjoy everything regional Victoria has to offer.” Ms Wilson said a government she led would not leave regional Victoria behind. “Victoria isn't working under Labor because Labor isn't working for Victorians, particularly those in regional communities like yours who have been taken for granted for too long,” she said. “My team and I have a plan to give regional Victoria its fair share and deliver a government that works for the entire state.”