Budget woes: Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas delivered the 2024 state budget on Tuesday afternoon. While there was some relief for cost-of-living pressures, there was concern about a lack of regional projects. Photo: AAP/Joel Carrett
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JOEL CARRETT
A ‘cost-of-living’ state budget has left little money for new Campaspe-specific projects over the next financial year.
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For regional families overall, the budget has delivered a once-off $400 School Saving Bonus. This is to help parents cover the cost of uniforms, excursions, sports and other school extras. The payment is available to every government school student, and those doing it tough at non‑government schools.
The government has also said it will be tripling the Glasses for Kids program — reaching an extra 74,000 young Victorians across the state — which provides free vision screening and prescription glasses for kids who need them.
New premier, new budget: The recent budget was the first with Jacinta Allan as premier. There were a handful of local projects included like the Rochester police station and sewer augmentation in Kyabram. Photo: AAP/Diego Fedele
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DIEGO FEDELE
Locally, however, there are few projects for residents to look forward to. The ones listed in the budget, including those that are new or that have already been started, are:
• Funding for a new permanent Rochester police station. The budget lists the estimated completion date as mid-2026.
• Rochester and Heathcote VICSES Emergency Hub will get $6409 in the next financial year for repairs. A further $13,047 has been designated after this.
• Rochester water treatment plant will get $4099 worth of upgrades. This is expected to be completed in mid-2027.
• Kyabram P-12 College will receive $7479 in the next financial year.
Work in progress: A temporary Rochester police station was fitted late last year. A permanent one is expected within the next two years. Photo: File
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Michael Lloyd
• Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the 441 Allan St sewer augmentation in Kyabram will get $1050 for the first stage over the next two financial years and $1950 for the second stage. Stage 2’s funding will be delivered later and the estimated completion date is mid-2031.
• Gunbower’s water treatment plant has received $1576 in upgrades. $350 will be delivered in the next financial year and $1226 will be delivered after that.
• A Tongala waste management facility will receive $1830 for additional winter storage and irrigation area.
Regional Cities Victoria’s (RCV) chair and City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali described the Victorian budget as a modest for regional Victoria.
“It’s a budget that does what it has to, but not necessarily what it needs to for regional Victoria,” Cr Sali said.
“There’s a lot we’ve been asked to look back on, but not that much to look forward to.”
Cr Sali acknowledged modest investment in regional areas across health, transport and education as well as emergency recovery and road maintenance.
Unimpressed: Regional Cities Victoria’s (RCV) chair and City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali expressed concern about the lack of future investment in regional Victoria. Photo: Taylah Baker
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Taylah Baker
However, he said RCV was concerned about the lack of future investment opportunities in community infrastructure needed to meet the growing number of people who want to live and work in regional Victoria.
“We are disappointed the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund has not been reinstated, because for regional Victoria there is no pathway for future projects beyond the existing pipeline currently under construction.
“Local infrastructure projects are a vital part of any regional community. They not only improve the liveability of regional cities and towns but also contribute to the local economy and create local jobs,” Cr Sali said.
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