THE delayed State Budget was handed down last week with an aim to re-spark regional economies and job growth after a dreadful year afflicted by Coronavirus outbreaks and restrictions.
Features of the State Budget which affect Shepparton include:
• $80M committed to the Shepparton Rail Line Upgrade Stage 3 (as part of a $400M package which includes Federal funding) to see nine daily return passenger services from and to Melbourne
• $119M confirmed for the Shepparton Education Plan, which includes funds to continue support for the merger of four secondary schools to create the Greater Shepparton Secondary College on Hawdon Street
• $45M for social housing in Greater Shepparton
• Upgrade funding for the University of Melbourne’s Dookie campus from the Agricultural College Modernisation Fund
• $34.7M for external works for the Shepparton Art Museum
• $3.686M for Strathmerton Primary School for upgrades
• $1.5M for upgrades to Currawa Primary School
• $800K for Waaia Yalca South Primary School
• $2.4M made available for upgrades to GOTAFE as part of the $55M TAFE maintenance fund
The Independent Member for Shepparton District, Suzanna Sheed, welcomed the announcements and credited her non-alliance to a political party for the outcomes of the budget.
Ms Sheed is one of only three independent MPs in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, along with Independent Member for Mildura, Ali Cupper, and Independent Member for Morwell, Russell Northe.
“Only an independent local member, working hard with and on behalf of the community, has been able to deliver investments on this scale for Shepparton District, which had prevously been overlooked for decades,” Ms Sheed said.
“Independent MPs are delivering for communities right across Victoria.
“Instead of being bound to a party system, Independent MPs can concentrate on what matters most, representing their communities with integrity, focus and grit and fighting for what communities really need.”
