By Parker McKenzie
The Liberal and Labor Parties disagree on many things, but they’ve found themselves in near-lockstep when it comes to funding commitments for schools and sporting clubs in Ferntree Gully.
After Labor candidate for Monbulk Daniela De Martino announced a $3 million commitment for St John the Baptist Primary School as a part of a funding blitz for Catholic schools statewide last week, Liberal candidate Gareth Ward matched the commitment in what he said was “great news for Monbulk” online.
In October, Bayswater MP Jackson Taylor announced the Labor Party would invest $900,000 into a new synthetic oval, running track and playground for Kent Park Primary School. The commitment was for $400,000 more than Liberal Party candidate Nick Wakeling had committed to the school for upgrades a month earlier.
Ms De Martino also announced a $200,000 commitment to Treasuring Our Trees, which repurposes fallen trees for local projects, funding for an upgrade to the Cockatoo Dog Park and $50,000 for Burrinja Cultural Centre, contingent on Labor returning to government.
“We’ve supported community groups like Treasuring our Trees to assist our community following last year’s storms,” she said.
“Treasuring our Trees is helping our community recover from the storms, providing a second life for fallen trees to be developed into community assets.”
Mr Ward, alongside Mr Wakeling, announced a $2 million towards upgrading the pavilion at Wally Tew Reserve in Ferntree Gully. The Labor Party made the same commitment a week earlier.
Capping off a week of funding announcements, on Sunday 6 November Mr Wakeling said an elected Liberal government will commit $134 million to extend the Route 75 tram from Vermont South to Westfield Knox, a 5.1km extension along Burwood Highway.
“In 1999, Labor promised to extend the tram to Knox City. 23 years later, this broken promise has never been delivered,” he said.
“Only a Liberal Government will finally see a tram extension to Knox.”
