MONEY promised by the federal government for major local projects has been locked in.
The federal Labor government has released its first budget. The budget papers confirm that taxpayer money will be spent on establishing a new public urgent care centre in Frankston and building the suburban rail loop, which starts on the Frankston line.
The federal government will spend $235 million in the next four years on the roll-out of urgent care clinics across the country. It has set aside $2.2 billion for the controversial rail loop.
Dunkley MP Peta Murphy says the budget also reaffirms the federal government’s commitments towards work on Emil Madsen Reserve, the Frankston Basketball Stadium, Carrum Downs Regional Park, and the Frankston Regional Arts Trail. She also says the federal government will provide money for upgrades and equipment at Mount Eliza Secondary College, Patterson River Secondary College, Lyrebird Community Centre, Langwarrin Community Centre, and Langwarrin Skate Park. Sikh Volunteers Australia in Langwarrin and Nairm Marr Djambana will receive funds to expand their services.
“I look forward to working with local councils, community groups and organisations as we deliver on these commitments for Dunkley. Investment in our health, schools and community services is so important, and I wish to thank all those who advocated for these projects,” Murphy said. “The Medicare urgent care clinic is very welcome. It will fill a major gap in primary health care in Dunkley. This clinic will help with minor emergencies, like when your kid falls off their skateboard and breaks their arm or you have a very deep cut that needs stitching.”
The eastern section of the suburban rail loop will start at a new Cheltenham Station built using public land at Sir William Fry Reserve. The station will be roughly half a kilometre from the nearest Frankston line station at Southland.
The Parliamentary Budget Office has estimated the cost of building SRL East, which will link Cheltenham to Box Hill, to be $36.5 billion. The completed rail loop will link every rail line to the airport. The PBO estimated that building the loop from Cheltenham to the airport could cost $125 billion.
Infrastructure minister Catherine King said that the federal government’s first budget of its term “will honour the pledges we made to voters, while also managing the economy in an uncertain global environment.”
The state opposition has pledged to shelve the rail loop if it wins this month’s election.
