General News
10 May, 2024
A few wins for the Wimmera
The state government's 2024 budget released this week by Treasurer Tim Pallas holds a few good-news items for Wimmera residents despite massive statewide cuts and delays.
The state government's 2024 budget released this week by Treasurer Tim Pallas holds a few good-news items for Wimmera residents despite massive statewide cuts and delays.
Driven by a background of soaring state debt, expected to hit $188 billion by June 2028, the ageing and diminishing Wimmera population was unlikely to hope for much mention.
But among the good news is a $2 million upgrade for Natimuk Primary School and allocation of money for wastewater projects, including at Dimboola.
Another plus is a $13.7 million statewide boost to the popular Rural Financial Counselling Service, a free confidential service to farmers.
Other Wimmera budget items include $151,000 for the second stage of Goroke's sewerage scheme and $30 million for East Grampians' rural water supply project.
Another headline announcement was a one-off allocation, through a School Saving Bonus program, of $400 per child attending a state school, as well as for concession-holder parents or carers of children in non-government schools.
The government has pushed back on its plan for extended hours for most pre-prep children. Hindmarsh and Yarriambiack shire kindergartens will be among a few to access the extended hours next year but Horsham kindergartens could wait until 2036.
Extension of the Western Highway duplication project from Ararat to Stawell failed to attract funds but bypasses for Ararat and Beaufort will continue.
Edenhope College and Stawell West Primary School missed out on money for upgrades along with 27 other schools.
However, $60.5 million - including $28.5 million from the federal government - will fund a regional roads four-year program which includes upgrades to Western Highway bridges at Dimboola and Dadswells Bridge.
Grampians Health will receive $5.4 million for a mental health, alcohol and other drugs emergency department at Ballarat Base Hospital, but planned statewide walk-in mental heath clinics are on hold, one of the issues being that an additional 2500 psychiatrists and mental health nurses are needed.
Member for Lowan Emma Kealy said $496.6 million had been allocated for agriculture but in reality this was down almost 30 per cent on last year's allocation. Road maintenance funding is also down 16 percent on 2020.
Ms Kealy declared the budget a "brutal reality" for the people of Victoria.
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers is set to release the federal budget next week.