Reservoir, water works top local spending list

WORKS at Laanecoorie headline Loddon spending in this year’s State Budget delivered on Tuesday.

New Ripon MP Martha Haylett said the Government was delivering on its election promises and “investing in what matters for the people of Ripon”.

But Murray Plains MP and Nationals leader Peter Walsh says the Government’s ninth budget would make life harder for regional Victorians with funding slashed in key areas of roads, health and agriculture.

The Government has also introduced a 10-year tax on business property and holiday home owners to rein in rising debt from spending during COVID.

Funding has been included in Budget papers for a $3 million raw water storage and pump station at Laanecoorie.

The project is to be finished by June next year.

Another $4.618 million will be spent upgrading the spillway and outlet at Laanecoorie reservoir with Ms Haylett saying the Budget also has $800,000 for a new boat ramp at the reservoir.

Coliban Water has also had $1.6 million included in the Budget towards a new biosolids base on 10 hectares at the Dunolly Water Reclamation Plant. Biosolids will be trucked from other water reclamation plants in the region up to twice a week.

Biosolids are a by-product of the wastewater treatment process, organic material left over after sewerage treatment

The Government has funded its June 2022 commitment to build 50 government-owned and operated early learning centres “in communities that have the greatest need for more childcare and kindergarten places”.

Budget papers papers say the centres will offer “child care, three and four-year-old kindergarten and then transition to include pre-prep. In some cases they will be co-located with services like maternal and child health services and playgroups”.

The Government announced in the lead up to last November’s election that one centre would be in the Loddon Shire.

Ms Haylett said on Tuesday that Budget allocations provided clarity for consultation to begin on the location of the Loddon’s centre.

The Budget also includes the latest tranche of funds for upgrades announced in the 2022 fi- nancial blueprint at Wedderburn College and East Loddon P12 College.

Spending in this new financial year at East Loddon will be $6.345 million, half the total project bill of $12.754 million.

Work on the $12.886 million Wedderburn upgrade has been allocated $4.729 million for 2023-2024.

“We know education changes lives. With this Budget, we’re making sure students in rural and regional Victoria can get the world-class education they deserve, close to home,” Ms Haylett said.

And she said the Budget was “backing the community organisations that provide care, support, and services to help Vic-

In Brief

VFF chief appointed

Victorian Farmers’ Federation has announced Brendan Tatham has been appointed chief executive officer to lead the state’s peak agricultural advocacy organisation. Mr Tatham joined the VFF as Interim CEO last November and was successful following an extensive recruitment process which attracted a large pool of applicants conducted by Pacific Search Partners.

No flagpole funds

A VICTORIAN Government grant for InglewoodBridgewater RSL sub-branch will only be used to regild the archway to the Rheola memorial. Last week’s announcement said the grant would also be for a new flagpole but sub-branch secretary Bill Concol said official advice from the Government showed funding did not cover that cost.

Township plan torians when they need it most” with confirmation of $50,000 funding for Wedderburn Community House announced during the election campaign.

Mr Walsh said the regional development budget had again been hit, halved from $211.5 million to $106.6 million in this year’s budget. “Since 2020, it has been slashed by 80 per cent,” he said.

“Agriculture funding hasn’t escaped the axe either, down 34 per cent on last year from $687.3 million to $454.8 million.

“Under Labor, Victoria is broke, life is getting harder and regional Victorians are being punished for the Government’s incompetence. Victoria’s regions are being left behind.”

New station wait continues 10-year plan to fix flood-damaged roads

TWO years after funding was announced by the State Government for a new fire station at Serpentine, the volunteer brigade is still based in its old tin shed headquarters.

A spokesperson from the Department of Justice and Community Safety said: “The Victorian Government is continuing work to deliver a new and improved Serpentine fire station.

“Land acquisition was finalised in late 2022, with planning and design activities due to commence shortly. The Victorian Government will continue to work with the CFA to identify and support its infrastructure priorities and resourcing needs.”

THE Government says it will spend at least $6.6 billion over 10 years fixing flood-damaged and other roads across the state. The Government said: “We know the October 2022 floods had a devastating impact on roads across regional Victoria. That’s why, for the first time, we’re investing an extra $2.8 billion in road maintenance over 10 years to provide long-term certainty, as we substantially repair not just flood-damaged roads, but roads across our state – keeping communities connected and drivers safer.”

It says the Budget invests $677 million in ongoing flood recovery, building on the $1.8 billion promised last year to help communities.

CENTRAL Goldfields Shire has started a review of its township plans for Dunolly and Bealiba. The shire said early feedback had included that community awareness of the plans was low and there was a shortage of volunteers in communities to help deliver work in the plans.

Ward review

VICTORIAN Electoral Commission has confirmed enrolment figures released ahead of a Loddon Shire Council ward boundary review is drawn from residents on the state electoral roll. The VEC will review boundaries after the 10 per cent enrolment variation was exceeded between some wards. New boundaries will be approved for the 2024 elections.

Emergency tucker

VICTORIAN State Emergency Service hosted a barbecue in Wedderburn on Monday for local unit members, CFA volunteers and local police. Review cash risk

THE Federal Government’s Roads to Recovery program was at risk of being axed under an infrastructure funding review, said Mallee MP Anne Webster.