By Alesha Capone
The state government’s annual budget includes millions of dollars in funding for several major projects in Wyndham, including investments in education, law and health.
Wyndham council hailed the 2020-21 budget, which was released yesterday, as a win for its advocacy on several local issues.
The budget includes $272 million for a new Wyndham Law Court, to assist in the construction of a new building with 13 courtrooms, four hearing rooms, three mediation suites and a Specialist Family Violence Court.
The budget also includes:
• Plans to widen the Point Cook and Sneydes Road intersection including the installation of traffic lights.
• Upgrades to local schools, including $10.1 million for Hoppers Crossing Secondary College, $10.7 million for Woodville Primary School and $8 million for Warringa Park School.
• Land acquisition funding for five new schools including Truganina North Secondary College, Holyoake Parade Primary, Lollypop Creek Primary, Riverdale East Primary and Tarneit Missen House Primary.
• $2 billion for the Geelong fast rail project, reconnecting Werribee to Geelong.
• $84 million for an upgrade to the Werribee Open Range Zoo.
• $4.8 million to plan for the future expansion of the Werribee Mercy Hospital and funding to acquire land for the new Point Cook Community Hospital.
• New morning and afternoon bus connections for students living in Wyndham Harbour to attend Alamanda College in Point Cook.
• Upgrades at Point Cook Coastal Park, to ensure access to community exercise and wellbeing.
• The restoration of some parts of the Little River train station.
Wyndham mayor Adele Hegedich said: “This budget has delivered in spades for Wyndham and I would like to thank the state government for funding so many important projects.”
Cr Hegedich said that the council and its partners, including WestJustice “have worked tirelessly over many years to get funding for a new Wyndham Justice Precinct.”
“Wyndham’s current Magistrate Court has just two courtrooms, is outdated and unsafe,” she said.
“Wyndham’s population has grown from 40,000 people to more than 280,000 since these law courts were built, and as such, it is failing to properly service the community.”
Cr Hegedich also thanked the residents, council staff and the Point Cook Action Group after funding was received to improve the “notorious” Point Cook and Sneydes Road intersection.
“Funding for widening and installing lights at the Point Cook and Sneydes Road intersection is the culmination of dedicated advocacy by Wyndham City in partnership with Point Cook residents and the Point Cook Action Group,” Cr Hegedich said.
“This funding will finally alleviate one of Point Cook’s worst intersections and make the drive for residents easier and safer.
“About 35,000 vehicles use this intersection every day, yet a lack of traffic lights makes turning right onto Point Cook Road extremely difficult and dangerous.
“There have been multiple collisions resulting in serious injuries at this intersection, so it’s great that the State Government has listened and will upgrade this notorious blackspot.”
The Point Cook Action Group president Bob Fairclough posted about the news on its Facebook page.
“The Point Cook Action Group (PCAG) is delighted that this project has been funded as it is considered by residents to be a very dangerous intersection with a history of accidents,” the post read.
“This project has been one of the major advocacy initiatives undertaken by the PCAG. The most noteworthy was the campaign which involved sending 500 postcards to the Minister of Roads and Safety.
“We are looking forward to the upgrade of this intersection which is urgently needed.”
Werribee MP Tim Pallas said the $10.66 million upgrade for Woodville Primary School in Hoppers Crossing would help to modernise Block A and Block B.
The $7.97 million upgrade for Warringa Park School will deliver the next stage of the school’s masterplan.
“We’re investing in local schools and planning for an even better Werribee Mercy Hospital for local families,” Mr Pallas said.
The budget will also deliver a $5.3 billion Big Housing Build to build more than 12,000 new homes throughout Victoria.
This package will boost the state’s social housing supply by 10 per cent in four years.
The investment will deliver 9300 new social housing homes across the state – including replacing 1100 old public housing units.
A further 2900 new affordable and low-cost homes will be built to help low-to-moderate income earners live closer to where they work and provide options for private rental.
Wyndham has been identified as one of 21 priority areas under the Big Housing Build.
Altona MP Jill Hennessy said: “Investing in safe and secure housing benefits our whole community and it is big projects like this that deliver the jobs boost we need to rebuild our local economy.”
Tarneit MP Sarah Connolly said: “Everyone deserves a safe and secure place to call home – this record funding will deliver exactly that.”
