By Alesha Capone
A new court will be built, schools will be upgraded and a key intersection will be made safer as part of the state government’s budget spend in Wyndham.
The 2020-21 state 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 contains $15.27 million to widen the Point Cook and Sneydes Road intersection, including the installation of traffic lights.
Upgrades to local schools will be funded, with $10.1 million for Hoppers Crossing Secondary College, $10.7 million for Woodville Primary School and $8 million for Warringa Park School.
Funding has also been set aside for land acquisition for future schools including Truganina North Secondary College and Holyoake Parade , Lollypop Creek , Riverdale East and Tarneit Missen House primry schools.
New bus connections for Almanda College students living in Wyndham Harbour have also been funded.
In public transport, $2 billion has been allocated to the Geelong fast rail project to reconnect Werribee to Geelong.
Funding to acquire land for the future Point Cook Community Hospital is another feature of the budget.
Wyndham mayor Adele Hegedich said the budget “has delivered in spades for Wyndham”.
Cr Hegedich thanked residents, council staff and the Point Cook Action Group, who have spent years campaigning for an upgrade to the Point Cook and Sneydes Road intersection.
“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,” Cr Hegedich said.
Point Cook Action Group president Bob Fairclough said the group was “delighted” with the funding announcement.
Mr Fairclough said PCAG would like to thank former Wyndham councillor, Kim McAliney, for her advocacy efforts to get the intersection upgraded.
The budget will also deliver a $5.3 billion Big Housing Build to construct more than 12,000 new homes throughout Victoria.
The investment will deliver 9300 new social housing homes across the state, including replacing 1100 old public housing units.
Wyndham has been identified as one of 21 priority areas under the Big Housing Build.
