One Gippsland Welcomes Victorian Budget

One Gippsland has today welcomed the release of the 2021/22 Victorian State Budget which includes a range of targeted initiatives to support the health and welfare of Gippsland communities.
 
One Gippsland Chair and Mayor of Bass Coast Council Cr Brett Tessari said today the government had got back to basics with targeted investment across education, skills and health.
 
“Today’s budget also addressed the all-important investment into mental health as a response to the recent Royal Commission," Cr Brett Tessari said.
 
“These announcements and those that have been made from existing program funds are very welcome in our region,” he said
 
“We also note there is a range of new funding opportunities which we will act quickly on and put forward key Gippsland projects to attract more funding into our region,” he said.
 
Investments announced as part of the budget (including those that have been made in recent weeks) include:
 
Health and Community

  • $17 million - Clinical Outreach Services: including in Bairnsdale, Bass Coast, Central Gippsland and West Gippsland;

  • $55 million - Hospital Upgrades: including Phillip Island Community Hospital

  • $78 million - Specialist Family Violence Courts: including in the Latrobe Valley;

  • $7 million - Youth Participation: including the Regional Presence Project in Morwell and $2.6 million to continue the operation of the Latrobe Youth Space (LYS); and

  • $38 million - new alcohol and drug residential rehabilitation beds, including new services at Traralgon.

Mental Health

  • $3.8 billion - Mental Health: including 'Front Door' care for the Latrobe Valley and Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC) units in Gippsland.

Education 

  • $10.3 million - Traralgon Stockdale Road Primary School;

  • $7.27 million - Orbost Secondary College;

  • $3 million - Sale College; and

  • $22.097 million - Drouin Primary School.

  • $20 million - Tech Schools support: a pilot for a new mobile delivery model for students in remote Gippsland; and

  • $148 million - Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership: including new regional academies in Bairnsdale and Moe (two of seven regional academies);

Roads and Freight 

  • $44 million - Plan, Upgrade and Maintain Regional Roads: including planning of coastal protection works at Bunurong Road, Cape Paterson.


Freight Food and Fibre 

  • $10 million - Morwell Food Manufacturing Precinct; and

 
Bushfire Preparedness and Emergency Services

  • $28 million - Emergency Service Facility Upgrades: including the Life Saving Victoria’s Wonthaggi clubhouse.

Recreation and Environment:

  • $24.5 million - Waterways and Catchments: including Gippsland Lakes and Corner Inlet.

Other Projects
 
One Gippsland would also like to acknowledge the following projects that have recently been announced in the region from existing funding rounds and are key priorities of the alliance:

  • $2 million - Wonthaggi Activity Centre Streetscapes project;

  • $2.5 million - Cowes Cultural and Community Centre;

  • $3 million - Metung Hot Springs;

  • $21 Million - Wilsons Prom Revitalisation (still requires Federal co-investment ; and

  • $3 million - improvement works for Gippsland rail siding.

 

“While today’s important investments are key to the future of our region, it is important to note the task of getting back on the path to recovery from a range of economic shocks that Gippsland has sustained is not yet done,” Cr Tessari said
 
“The combined effect of the COVID-19 restrictions, bushfires, dairy crisis, drought and Hazelwood closures have hurt the Gippsland economy and our communities,” he said
 
“We know there is more hurt to come with the early closure of the Yallourn station and issues with the native timber industry,” he said.
 
"One Gippsland will now seek to work with the government to identify opportunities to increase investment into our tourism, food and fibre and energy sectors,” he said
 
“Particularly projects that invest in our tracks and trails, key freight and arterial networks, sporting community infrastructure and connectivity infrastructure that will build on our strengths and ensure our region can contribute to the success of Victoria for many years to come ” Cr Tessari concluded.

Collective Position