MILDURA hit the jackpot in the State Budget on Tuesday when the Andrews Government splashed nearly $150 million on much-needed projects in the region.
After years in the big-ticket funding wilderness, the Mildura electorate finally scored some serious cash.
The biggest win was $10 million to complete the Mildura South Regional Sporting Precinct.
Member for Mildura Ali Cupper took a well-deserved victory lap after the “game-changing” announcement for north-west Victoria.
“I have run a long, hard-fought #gameon campaign to secure the final $10 million needed to complete the precinct in full, so to see it in the budget was so exciting,” Ms Cupper said.
“I’d like to thank all our stakeholders and partners who have joined us in this campaign.
“It is so exciting to think we will soon have a facility with the ability to host top-quality sporting events and other concerts and conferences.”
Schools in the region also received a long-awaited funding boost to improved outdated facilities.
The government will spend $5.9 million to bring Merbein P-10 College’s facilities into the 21st century and $9.5 million to upgrade Hopetoun P-12 College.
“Many of these projects have waited years to be funded,” Ms Cupper said.
“Merbein P-10 College will finally be able to get its upgrades completed while the science and food technology rooms at Hopetoun P-12 College are in a dire situation and clearly outdated.”
Elsewhere, there was $50 million allocated for the Murray Basin Rail Project.
However, it is well short of the $244 million needed for the rail project ahead of an expected bumper harvest for grains growers in north-west Victoria.
Robinvale-Sea Lake Road will be improved for the safety of motorists and the efficiency of freight with the investment of $10 million in the government’s big-borrowing budget.
This comes on top of the $40 million announced last week for new public housing in Mildura, as well as the earlier $6 million boost to start stage 2 of the Mildura Riverfront redevelopment project.
There was also funding for the Murray River Adventure Trail ($10.3 million) and Mallee Silo Art Trail ($3.1 million).
Ms Cupper said the widespread investments showed the government was taking the needs of the Mildura electorate seriously.
“I campaigned strongly for the upgrades to Robinvale-Sea Lake (Road), so it will be a great relief to people who use that road regularly,” she said.
“Having $40 million invested in public housing, as well as additional funding for airconditioning for current public housing, is going to be a real game-changer for some of our most vulnerable residents.”
The government also announced that Mildura would be one of two new sites for the statewide expansion of the Hospital Outreach Post-Suicidal Engagement (HOPE) service.
More broadly, the government will spend more than $500 million on getting people back into work after 180,000 Victorians lost their jobs between March and September, the biggest economic damage to the state in nearly a century.
Treasurer Tim Pallas said that $150 million would go towards getting women back to work, targeting those aged over 45.
The government will also spend almost $30 million on vouchers to encourage regional holidaying.
A further $300 million will go towards fixing mobile phone blackspots, of which 520 have been identified in the Mallee.
Mr Pallas said the government was expecting to post a $23.3 billion operating deficit for this financial year.
