My question is to the Premier and relates to at least two recent items of correspondence to him from Jenny O’Connor, the mayor of Indigo shire in my electorate. These take up the need for Indigo to receive reclassification as a directly impacted area following the bushfires that caused particularly severe impacts there and in the adjoining Towong and Alpine shires in late 2019 and early 2020. This would allow many urgently in-need businesses to finally access the federal government’s bushfire recovery small business grant program.

I ask the Premier if he could indicate when a response will be provided to the shire. I would also be grateful if he is in a position to confirm whether there will be a positive response to the request for the classification change—or if not, why not?