NOT HAPPY: Bill Sykes was less than impressed at being locked out of a ministerial event in his own electorate. PHOTO: Cheryl Browne
‘Ultimate insult’: MP Bill Sykes on wrong side of fence as Water Minister decommissions Lake Mokoan
Written by ZOE RUDDER.
A LOCAL MP, locked out of yesterday’s official decommissioning of Lake Mokoan, labelled the State Government’s actions as the ‘ultimate insult’ to his electorate.
While Water Minister Tim Holding, Benalla council and Goulburn Murray Water executives gathered with media in a marquee, complete with finger food and refreshments, Bill Sykes (MLA, Benalla) was kept at arms length.
He was not invited and denied entry.
"Obviously it is an insult to me, but far more importantly it is an insult to the people," Mr Sykes said.
"I’m their democratically elected member, so to not be invited, let alone barred from entering, well it is just the ultimate insult."
Minister Holding said Mr Sykes was locked out because it was not the "appropriate forum" for the outspoken Nationals member to make known his opinions.
He said the event was meant to be a celebration of the decommissioning of Victoria’s most "ineffective water storage" and the start of the Winton Wetlands project.
"This is not a vehicle for people to come along and protest," Mr Holding said.
"Bill has made it very clear he is opposed to the decommissioning.
"The National party are opposed to it because they want us to look backwards and continue to do things as we did in the 20th century, but that is not sustainable."
But far from seeing the day as a celebration, Mr Sykes said he believed the government was just trying to "get in some favorable media coverage" before a report from the auditor general into the decommissioning of Lake Mokoan was released in coming days.
"I would be most surprised if the (report) findings are not damning," Mr Sykes said.
"It is not that I am opposed to a wetland, it is simply that I don’t think a wetland and water storage are mutually exclusive.
"This is just all part of the ongoing way in which this government has treated country people with contempt."
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