Unprecedented. Tough. Unrelenting. There’s plenty of ways to put it – but 2020 has been a year like no other. As we begin our recovery, we need a Budget like no other too.
The Victorian Budget 2020/21 delivers an unprecedented investment to help our state recover – and make sure no community and no Victorian is left behind.
The Labor Government will revitalise the Great Ocean Road as one of the state’s premier tourist destinations, build better roads as well as upgrading even more schools.
We’ll continue our massive rebuild of our regional schools with a statewide building blitz, delivering two new regional school campuses, upgrades at 44 regional schools and improvements for ten specialist schools in regional Victoria.
It starts here in the South West, where it includes almost $40 million in upgrades, including:
Birregurra Primary School: $2.21 million, and Lorne P-12 College: $8.97million, to upgrade and modernise these schools.
Colac Specialist School: Following the $1.544 million announced through the Infrastructure Planning and Acceleration Fund, the Victorian Government is providing a further $13.9 million to Colac Specialist School to rebuild the school on part of the former Colac High School site on Murray Road.
Not only will this investment deliver great local schools – it’ll create good local jobs, with our school infrastructure build expected to create more than 6,400 jobs across the state.
The Labor Government also continues its proud record of road and rail investment for regional Victoria, building our state while also creating thousands of jobs for Victorian workers, including the five-year $255 million upgrade for the Great Ocean Road.
More than $47.5 million will build better visitor infrastructure along the Great Ocean Road, including a signature coastal walking trail along the coastline and hinterland from Fairhaven to Skenes Creek, with up to five new swing suspension bridges providing spectacular views of Victoria’s rugged surf coast.
To make sure more Victorian families can experience the best our state has to offer – while also backing local economies and local jobs recovering from bushfires and the pandemic – the Budget invests $465 million to attract visitors to regional Victoria through the Victorian Tourism Recovery Package.
$17.4 million will also be invested in priority roads which support the Barwon South West Dairy Supply Chain – including rebuilding, resurfacing and widening roads, strengthening or replacing bridges and planning for future upgrades.
Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
“A job is worth more than just a pay cheque. A job means security and stability – for you and the people you love. It’s why the heart of this Budget is dedicated to creating new jobs and getting people in the South-West back into work.”
“This pandemic reached every corner of our state. Our recovery needs to do the same.”
Quote attributable to Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney
“This is a Budget that puts people and communities first – it delivers better housing, better health and better outcomes for Victorians right across South West Victoria. Funding for schools’ upgrades and rebuilds will make a huge difference to their communities.”
