Hannah Hammoud
The state government has continued to dodge calls for clarity over big ticket infrastructure projects as it handed down the 2024-25 state budget on Tuesday.
The future of the Calder Freeway improvements project remains uncertain, with the state government confirming it has paused the project as it works with the federal government to “understand the impact” of its decision to withdraw federal funding from the project last year.
The Melbourne Airport Rail project has been hit with further delays of at least four years as both Melbourne Airport and the state government continue to butt heads over the location of the station, with the state government preferencing an above ground station but the airport holding firm on its wish to construct it underground.
The budget provided no details on funding in 2024-25 for either the Sunshine Station Masterplan or the Albion station upgrade
Victoria Police will receive $6.6 million to continue its Youth Crime Prevention and Early program in Brimbank and Wyndham – and expand it to more suburbs and regional Victoria.
Treasurer Tim Pallas released his 10th state budget on May 7, with education funding- including a $400 bonus for eligible students- a focus for the upcoming financial year.
Schools to receive funding in the area in the next financial year include $6.162 million for St Albans Heights Primary School, $3.124 million for Sydenham-Hillside Primary School, and $2.580 million for University Park Primary School.
Plumpton primary school (interim name) is one of 16 new schools that will share in a pool of $948 million funding in the 2024-25 budget as part of the government’s commitment to build 100 schools by 2026.
The estimated completion of stage 5 and 6 of the Keilor Public Mausoleum has been postponed to 2030-31 to “prioritise inventory development that meets community demands”.
Leading up to the state budget Brimbank council detailed its projects and priority areas which require state and federal government funding, including the construction of the Melbourne Airport Rail, the implementation of the first stage of the Sunshine Station Masterplan, construction of high quality pedestrian and cycle crossing points under Ballarat Road and across the railway in Albion Quarter, upgrading Foundry and Harvester roads for pedestrians and cyclists to create a high quality CBD streetscape and link to Albion Station and Albion Quarter, and the creation of a co-working/arts hub at Sunshine Technical School.
