Ms VAGHELA (Western Metropolitan): My constituency question is directed to the Minister for Local Government, Minister for Suburban Development and Minister for Veterans, the Honourable Shaun Leane. The Victorian government will upgrade and expand pavilions, playgrounds, community centres and other infrastructure in Melbourne’s fastest growing suburbs, developing the facilities that locals need and supporting jobs and business through the coronavirus pandemic. Funding of $25 million from the newly expanded Growing Suburbs Fund has been announced. The investment will help deliver $90.3 million worth of new infrastructure, with investment expected to create more than 700 jobs, kickstarting our economy and supporting local tradespeople, businesses and suppliers. The investment will also improve and expand children’s centres, skate parks and a range of other local projects that will be needed as the communities grow. My question to the minister is: can the minister outline how the funding will benefit constituents in my area of Western Metropolitan Region?
Reply:
Ms VAGHELA (Western Metropolitan)
Mr LEANE (Eastern Metropolitan—Minister for Local Government, Minister for Suburban Development, Minister for Veterans) (30 October 2020):
I would like to thank the Member for Western Metropolitan Region, Ms Kaushaliya Vaghela, for her strong advocacy for the Growing Suburbs Fund and its benefits for her constituents.
The Growing Suburbs Fund supports the critical infrastructure needs of our fastest growing communities. The fund is positioned to respond quickly to the pressures being experienced by growth communities by bringing forward local projects that will make a big difference in the day-to-day lives of outer suburban families.
Since its establishment in 2015, GSF has invested $275 million in funding 221 community projects. This has created more than 7470 jobs and leveraged more than $755 million in investment. In 2020-21, the Victorian Government announced an additional $25 million to continue the GSF to support the infrastructure needs of interface and peri-urban communities. Twenty-eight new projects have been funded this funding round with a total project cost of $90.3 million to support community infrastructure projects.
From the Western Metropolitan Region electorate, Hume, Melton and Wyndham City Councils are eligible for GSF funding.
In the 2020-21 GSF funding round, Hume City Council received $575,000 towards four projects, including the DS Aitken Reserve Skate Park Upgrade ($210,000), Melba Avenue Streetscape Upgrade ($105,000), Coopers Hill Drive Reserve Upgrade ($142,500) and the Kirwan Park Upgrade ($117,500). In total, Hume City Council has received $25,350,491 towards the delivery of 26 projects from the GSF since 2015-16.
Melton City Council received $2.5 million from the 2020-21 GSF funding round towards the Diggers Rest Community Pavilion. In total, Melton City Council has received $31,650,000 from the GSF since 2015-16 to deliver 28 projects.
Wyndham City Council received $2.5 million from the 2020-21 GSF funding round to deliver the Tarneit North Masterplan Implementation project. In total, Wyndham City Council has received $27,575,850 from the GSF since 2015-16 to deliver 20 projects.
I look forward to working closely with local councils to ensure the successful delivery of community infrastructure projects funded under the GSF, including projects that received support from the GSF in Western Metropolitan Region.