Western metropolitan MP Bernie Finn has called on the state government to provide more funding for new infrastructure in Wyndham.
Mr Finn raised the issue in Parliament last week, following a report from Infrastructure Victoria which said that without immediate government investment, Wyndham’s population growth would outstrip demand for vital community facilities in the near future.
The report said that Wyndham and Melton would both require a new aquatic and recreation centre and a new library within the next five years.
Mr Finn said: “… without immediate government investment, the city of Wyndham’s booming population will continue to suffer.”
“Wyndham has one library per 60 000 residents, compared to the state-wide average of one per 41 000.,” Mr Finn said.
“The situation with aquatic and recreation centres is worse still.
“The report shows Wyndham has one such centre for every 149 000 residents, compared to the state average of one per 65 000 people.
“The Treasurer may have driven past the AquaPulse centre in Hoppers Crossing, that attracts over a million a year.”
Mr Finn asked the state Treasurer and Werribee MP, Tim Pallas, to “provide the cash injection called for” by Infrastructure Victoria.
Infrastructure Victoria chief executive Michel Masson said that rapid urban expansion means social infrastructure has “failed to keep pace” with population increases in new growth areas.
“It’s not enough to just plan and build housing in greenfield suburbs, all levels of government need to better integrate social infrastructure so that everyone has access to similar services, regardless of postcode,” he said.
