OPPOSITION MP Tim McCurdy is at ease with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews letting Melbourne residents come to the North East to do fire and flood prevention work on their land.
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The member for Ovens Valley was reacting to a step flagged on Sunday which will allow Melburnians to safety-proof their properties if they obtain a permit from the relevant regional council.
"I'm not against a slow dripfeed because it's something we need to get used to," Mr McCurdy said.
"I think there will be people say 'we don't want them at all', but there comes a time when we've got to return to some sense of normality.
"The people that say they don't want them here at all probably don't understand what's it's like to run a business, to have a mortgage and to be needing to get rid of stock."
Mr Andrews said the councils would issue notices legally specifying the need for safety work.
"This is not an invitation to go and have a couple of days in regional Victoria and essentially move into regional Victorian without due reason," Mr Andrews said.
"There will also be very clear instructions from both the Chief Health Officer and from Victoria Police that the restrictions that apply, the rules that apply in Melbourne, will travel with you when you go."
Alpine Shire mayor Peter Roper noted that meant they would not be able to dine-in.
"As long as they adhere to the rules I don't have a problem with them making sure they maintain their asset in a fire safe condition," Cr Roper said.
Cr Roper said weather conditions meant there was unlikely to be an influx of visitors in the short term.
"In reality the Alpine Shire does not get drier until later, as opposed to other parts of the state, and our fire protection officers normally get into gear late in November and start issuing clean-up notices from then," he said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The mayor was unable to say how many Melburnians own properties in his shire but noted it was much less than the 50 per cent figure for Mansfield Council.
Mr Andrews said the travel move would be accompanied by extra checkpoints and more stopping of vehicles along the "ring of steel" between Melbourne and country Victoria.
Libraries and toy libraries are also now able to open to a maximum of 20 people and outdoor religious gatherings can cater to 20 now and 50 from November 1.
