Bundarrah Days

Country Victorians who have been dudded and deceived by the Bracks Government will not be surprised to learn that premier, Steve Bracks, believes that decisions come before consultation.

Bass Coast Shire councillor, Peter Paul, said yesterday he was "absolutely staggered" by the lack of consultation over plans for Victoria's first desalination plant.

The people of the Goulburn Valley, those of the river red gum country and the Mountain Cattlemen would all agree.

Mountain Cattlemen were still being told no decision had been made on their future long after advertisements had been made extolling the decision to expel them from the Alpine National Park in June 2005.

Moira Shire yesterday accused the government of the same kind of deception. Moira Mayor, Malcolm Frank said the government's meeting last week with Goulburn Valley mayors was a "farce" given that a $1 million advertising campaign about the Great Divide pipeline was produced days earlier.

"We feel very betrayed," he said. "I suspect the State Government has lost all credibility up here."

Despite the anger Bracks remains unrepentent and dictatorial saying that the "place of consultation does not come before the decision making process."

Translated into plain English that can only mean there is no place at all for consultation with this government which might very shortly mean that there is a place for confrontation.