With the Victorian State Budget handed down on Tuesday 20 May, the Star Mail reached out to MPs from across the local districts to share what they welcome, what’s been missed and what’s important for their constituents.
Star Mail readers are represented by Labor MPs Jackson Taylor (Bayswater) and Daniela De Martino (Monbulk) and Liberal MPs Bridget Vallence (Evelyn), Cindy McLeish (Eildon) and David Hodgett (Croydon).
Mr Taylor visited Wattle View Primary School in Ferntree Gully after the budget was released, with the school receiving $116,700 to upgrade their toilets.
“This Budget is all about focusing on the things that matter most to families in Knox – whether it’s help with the cost of living, improved schools, or cheaper healthcare,” he said
“The main issue people continually raise is around cost of living – so ensuring the State Government is doing all we can with the levers at our disposal to assist is important,”
“That’s why the PT (public transport) measures are critical, the new power saving bonus for those who most need it as well as continued funding of things like free kinder and TAFE are all part of how we are supporting locals.”
In a media release, Mr Taylor also welcomed funding to deliver lighting upgrades at Mountain Gate Shopping Centre in Ferntree Gully and The Basin Triangle Park and install tactile ground surface indicators at Ferntree Gully and Upper Ferntree Gully stations.
Mr Taylor identified the Boronia Community Breakfast program and local roads repairs as causes he will continue to advocate for.
“I will continue to work within Government to secure funding for the very successful Boronia Community Breakfast program so it can continue to keep doing the incredible work it does beyond October,” he said.
“Seeing investment into our local roads and not just the big projects but also more funding for fixing potholes and resurfacing so it’s pleasing to see record funding allocated and already to see works occurring along stretches of road like Dorset and Scoresby Roads among others.”
Over in Monbulk, a $200,000 lighting upgrade for Monbulk Rangers Soccer Club, funding to plan an upgrade at Sherbrooke Community School and $150,000 for local SES and CFA volunteers were the key local areas of local funding highlighted by Ms De Martino.
“This Budget is about supporting our community and the services we rely on – from health to
education to emergency services,” she said.
“This is a Budget that’s focused on what matters most to the people across the District of Monbulk.”
Other statewide initiatives Ms De Martino has welcomed include the $100 Power Saving Bonus, free public transport for seniors on weekends and children under 18 all the time, further investment in the Get Active Kids and Free Kinder programs, funding to upgrade capacity of prisons and the justice system and funding to enshrine the Community Pharmacist Pilot.
Local members in the Outer East who find themselves in opposition were scathing of the budget; Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence said while the title of the budget papers is ‘Focussed on what matters most’, given there is next to zero funding for the Evelyn electorate this does send a loud message that our community does not matter to this Labor Government.
“There is only a small amount of money for new toilets at Mooroolbark East and Montrose Primary Schools, but that’s it. there is no funding to upgrade the dangerous section of the Warburton Highway in Seville East, no funding to fix the dangerous and congested bottleneck of Hull and Mooroolbark Roads in Mooroolbark, and no commitment to start works on Maroondah Highway and Killara Road in Coldstream,” she said.
“Mystery still surrounds the Maroondah (Queen Elizabeth II) Hospital upgrades despite this being promised by Labor since 2018 it has remained stuck in the planning phase for 4 years now,”
“I will continue fighting for funding for vital road safety upgrades, for upgrades to our local schools, for better access to healthcare, for affordable housing, for more bus services and to duplicate the rail line between Mooroolbark and Lilydale.”
Ms Vallence also expressed concern about Victoria’s $167 billion in debt, which is expected to rise to $194 billion over the next three years, the nearly $42 billion set to be taxed this financial year and which is expected to rise to $47.9 billion by 2028/29 and criticised the controversial introduction of the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) levy.
Eildon MP Cindy McLeish said there’s not much to welcome when the debt keeps growing and there’s much to advocate for.
“The interest that we will pay is $28.9 million every day (in 2028/29), that’s just extraordinary to think we’re paying $10 billion a year in interest, when we know that across the Yarra Ranges there’s so many projects and things that could be done that aren’t being done,” she said.
“The quality of our roads and the condition of our roads and our parks, Parks Victoria has kept getting hit and hit and hit with funding cuts, we have people recreating in their own backyard here because it’s gorgeous and we also have visitors, but we’ve got trestle bridges that are broken or other heritage bridges that just need some additional maintenance,”
“We’re worried about all the hospitals, so now Yea and Alexandra Hospital are coming into Eastern Health…people are worried about what that is going to look like, and I do too, going forward with the services that can be delivered because we know even with Healesville that the services that we want aren’t being delivered.”
Ms McLeish also identified the Wesburn Junior Football Club, Yarra Glen Recreation Reserve and Healesville Outdoor Pool as projects left needing funding and welcomed the funding for a new fire station in Hoddles Creek, though was critical of how long it took to be funded having advocated it for years.
Croydon MP David Hodgett said funding for Melba College, the new Maroondah (Queen Elizabeth II) Hospital and a business case for the intersection of Maroondah Highway, Kent Road and Yarra Road in Croydon were positive.
“After years of advocating for the necessary and long-awaited Stage 3 works to be delivered at Melba College, I am pleased to announce that we have had a partial win, approximately $3.3 million has been funded in the budget, out of the $12.7 million originally promised,” he said.
“After many years of lobbying and advocacy holding the Government to account to deliver on its $1 billon promise to rebuild the Maroondah Hospital from the ground up, a small win with some shared funding listed in the budget, the exact amount not disclosed, raising the question how much of that $1 billon commitment will we see,”
“For years I have been advocating for the funding to improve this busy and dangerous intersection, the inclusion of funding for a business case for this busy intersection is a welcome step in the right direction to finally address the congestion and improve pedestrian safety.”
Mr Hodgett identified the delays to upgrading the state’s public transport ticketing system, the lack of duplication of the rail line between Mooroolbark and Lilydale, the growing debt and Emergency Services and Volunteer Fund (ESVF) as concerns.
Mr Hodgett lamented that no funding was forthcoming for the Mooroolbark Heights Reserve Clubrooms and to replace portable classrooms at Yarra Road Primary School.
“I have been a strong champion for the funding to deliver the necessary redevelopment and upgrade (of Mooroolbark Heights Reserve), however disappointingly the upgrades have once again been overlooked, I will continue to fight for the needs of our community to deliver an inclusive space, where everyone feels welcome, which supports the continued growth of the clubs for years to come,” he said.
“I have long been advocating for the much-needed funding to replace four portables that are no longer fit for purpose, whilst other larger schools within the electorate receive funding, Yarra Road Primary School often misses out,”
“Every student deserves the right to have access to appropriate learning spaces.”
