By Charlene Macaulay
Seven new schools, planning and construction for three new Regional Rail Link (RRL) train stations and a raft of community safety measures have topped Wyndham council’s 2019-20 state budget wish list.
The council’s pre-budget submission has called for:
•Building five primary schools across the city, and secondary schools for Truganina and Tarneit;
•Fast-tracking construction of the Sayers Road RRL station to capitalise on the council’s successful bid for an A-League team in Tarneit, and planning for proposed new stations at Black Forest Road and Davis Road;
•Bringing forward the Hoppers Crossing level crossing removal to coincide with the Cherry Street and Werribee Street crossing removals;
•Upgrading several dangerous and congested road intersections, including the Point Cook Road and Sneydes Road intersection in Point Cook and the Duncans and Edwards roads intersection in Werribee;
•More train services on the Werribee line and another station on the western section of the government’s proposed Suburban Rail Loop;
•Funding to establish the Wyndham Justice Precinct, including a new multi-jurisdictional court, new police complex and support services;
•A family violence support and safety hub in Tarneit in line with recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence; and
•Delivery of the East Werribee Employment Precinct and associated Australian education city.
The council has also called on the government to pour at least $50 million into its growing suburbs fund for the upcoming financial year, which will go towards infrastructure projects across Victoria’s growth areas.
Wyndham mayor Mia Shaw said the budget wish list, which had been guided by feedback from community leaders and organisations, called for Wyndham’s fair share of funding as one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia.
“It’s time to deliver real solutions for ongoing problems,” she said.
