Sam Birrell (Nicholls, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Reports of the death of small towns are grossly exaggerated. They are still alive and well, but they need support.

Girgarre in my electorate had a declining population for most of this century, driven by a loss of industry. The 2021 census showed that trend reversed for the first time in decades. And why did this happen? It was because the former coalition government had backed the Girgarre revival. Working with the state, we set about reversing the decline caused by drought, falling milk prices and the closure of factories, which had left Girgarre with limited amenities and half its historic population. The supermarket, the butcher, the hairdresser and the corner shop had gone, and, when the Heinz tomato processing factory closed in 2012, it looked like it could have been the final nail.

But the community rallied and formed the Girgarre Development Group. Girgarre became part of a Small Town Transformations project, and the coalition government found $1.1 million to support the Gargarro Botanic Garden. This world-class botanical installation has a sound-shell for music performances and a thriving cafe. It's symbolic of the revival of Girgarre.

And guess what? Industry has followed. Since opening in 2019, the Australian Consolidated Milk factory has doubled production to 200 million litres. New businesses have opened, and the community is thriving.

This small town with a big spirit is growing, thanks to a coalition government that invested money in regional areas—as opposed to this government, which is cutting regional funding.

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