Statement on Victorian Budget

One Gippsland has cautiously welcomed the release of the Andrews Government's 2023-2024 budget, which includes new funding programs that will benefit the Gippsland region.

East Gippsland Shire Council, Mayor and Chair of One Gippsland Cr Mark Reeves said One Gippsland welcomed investment in the region’s health infrastructure as well as a focus on education and energy which are required for Gippsland to transition to a new economy.
 
“One Gippsland is concerned however about the announcement to end native timber harvesting 10 years ahead of schedule,” Cr Reeves said.
 
“One Gippsland will be seeking certainty from the Government that impacted workers and the broader community will be adequately provided for with transition funds allocated in the budget,” Cr Reeves said.
 
“Ensuring this support sufficiently meets the need will be a key point of advocacy for One Gippsland in future meetings with the Government,” Cr Reeves said.
 
Key initiatives announced that are important to the Gippsland region include:
 
Gippsland Initiatives

Health

  • $320m for the Hospital Infrastructure Delivery Fund to begin investment in 7 hospitals across the state including:

               -  The new West Gippsland hospital including a public sector aged care facility; and 
               -  Extra beds, a new birthing complex and new outpatient clinic for the Wonthaggi Hospital;

  • $162m for better aged care services and establishing 3 new residential aged care including one at Maffra; and 

  • Establish a new Mental Health and Wellbeing local service in Leongatha.

 
Transition 

  • $200m in support for workers and their families to transition away from native timber logging by 2024;

  • Retraining workings through Free TAFE program at TAFE Gippsland supported by up to $8,000 in retraining vouchers; and

  • $7.3m to deliver place-based economic and community development through the Latrobe Valley Authority.

 
TAFE

  • Establish a new Clean Energy Centre at TAFE Gippsland’s Morwell Campus; and

  • $50m to establish a TAFE Clean Energy Fund supporting Gippsland TAFE, Federation TAFE and South West TAFE to train the energy jobs of the future.

 
Education

  • $67m investment in new and upgraded schools including two new primary schools in Wonthaggi and Moe.

 
Energy

  • $24m to prepare the State Electricity Commission including establishing a presence at Morwell.

 
Parks and Recreation 

  • $8m to open up the Tarago Reservoir for On Water Recreation by providing water treatment capacity upgrades at the Tarago, Neerim South and Warragul treatment plants.

 
Regional Victoria Initiatives
 
Education 
Free Kinder – Best Start, Best Life 

  • $1.7b (additional) for three and four-year-old Kinder.

 
Teacher Support 

  • $32m to attract and retain more teachers across regional Victoria.

 
Students with Disability

  • $235m package for students living with disability, their carers and families. Includes $11.3m dedicated to getting more disability workers, speech pathologists and occupational therapists to regional Victoria.

 
Regional Transport

  • $601m to buy and manufacture 23 more Vlocity trains;

  • Regional fares capped at the daily metropolitan rate; and

  • $219m for additional regional weekend services on the VLine.

 
Regional Roads

  • $694m to upgrade key roads and intersections (state-wide initiative); 

  • $62m to deliver better local roads and safety upgrades for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians (state-wide initiative).

 
Regional Tourism

  • $3.9m to halve camping fees at parks across the state; and

  • $20m for the regional live music program.

 
Regional Development

  • $10m Tiny Towns Fund to provide local grants from $5,000 to $50,000 to help towns of up to 5,000 people to deliver better public spaces; 

  • $16m for recreational boating and infrastructure improvements; and 

  • $42m to develop neighbourhood battery storage facilities including regional Victoria.

 
Food and Fibre

  • $17.5m in skills, training and equipment for animal disease prevention; and 

  • $3m for farm safety programs. 

 
First Nations

  • $82m for the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria to prepare for and enter treaty negotiations;

  • $35m to support 25 self-determining Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations;

  • $17m to implement a regional hub model for Victorian Aboriginal Legal Services.

 
“One Gippsland acknowledges the tough budget conditions and looks forward to meeting with the Government to begin the task of transition and securing a strong future for our shared communities,” Cr Reeves concluded.

Collective Position