Families in growth areas. Treasurer Tim Pallas has splashed $115 million for the Metropolitan Health Infrastructure Fund this year, and $66 million to acquire land in Cranbourne, Torquay, Pakenham, City of Whittlesea, Eltham, Point Cook and the inner south for community hospitals, as well as planning for three more.
Education
Students. A huge infrastructure spend of $3 billion in school upgrades will renew campuses and create jobs. There is almost $250 million for retired teachers to return to schools as tutors and $16.6 million to keep four-year-old kinder free next year.
Transport
Rail commuters. A total of $2.2 billion on the Suburban Rail Loop, $2 billion on Geelong fast rail, $660 million for the next stages of upgrades on the Shepparton and Warrnambool line. The government will also spend $276.5 million on the Dandenong corridor to allow for faster high-capacity metro trains to run and $5.5 million on track works around Caulfield station to enable the separation of the Frankston and Dandenong lines.
Tram users. A total of $1.48 billion will be spent on building 100 new modern accessible trams to retire the ageing A and Z-class trams. What will be the largest tram order in decades will include an order for new E-Class trams and possibly another variety, will also go towards a new maintenance facility in Melbourne’s north-west to support 1900 jobs.
Road users. A total of $1.6 billion in road network and infrastructure initiatives, including $2.5 million in the ‘Summer Streets’ program to provide traffic management during COVID safe outdoor events, $117 million package of road and intersection upgrades across Melbourne and $411 million to resurface, rebuild and maintain 1700 kilometres of roads.
Housing
Social housing residents. A total of 9300 new homes, including 2000 for those with a mental illness, have been announced. There will also be 2900 new affordable and low-cost homes for low-income earners so they can live closer to where they work. A quarter of this funding will go towards regional Victoria.
People at a high-risk of COVID-19. New funding to protect public housing residents from coronavirus, with the money to go towards testing, cleaning and security.
Small business/jobs
Job seekers. More than $620 million has been pledged towards a new program aimed at connecting people looking for work with a job that will suit them, including face-to-face support and mentors to help Victorians back into the work force.
Regional Victoria
Domestic tourists. Those wishing to visit regional Victoria will benefit from improved facilities at tourist hotspots like the Grampians, Wilsons Promontory and the state’s ski fields. And the government will spend almost $30 million on vouchers to encourage intrastate holidaying.
Environment
Clean energy. In total $1.6 billion has been committed to clean energy, including $797 million last week for heating and cooling efficiency. New today is $540 million for six “renewable energy zones” in places such as sunny Mildura and the windy east coast.
The economy
Businesses. Businesses that hire new staff will be able to pay less in payroll taxes, and the threshold for paying payroll tax has increased.
New home buyers Up to 50 per cent of the stamp duty cost on homes valued up to $1 million will be waived.
