MORE money for the Nepean Boulevard project will be a focus for Frankston Council during this year’s federal election campaign.
The 2025 federal election is likely to take place in April or May. Dunkley is expected to be hotly contested – Jodie Belyea defeated Liberal candidate Nathan Conroy by a margin of just 2.7 percent at the March 2024 by-election. Belyea and Conroy have both been preselected to run again this year.
With an election date announcement looming, Frankston Council has named its top priorities for federal government funding. At a meeting last week, Frankston councillors agreed to ask for money towards projects listed in the Nepean Boulevard Master Plan.
The plan to convert the Nepean Highway into a bustling boulevard includes the signalisation of the Overton Road and Nepean Highway intersection, the beautification of the Kananook Creek Park and Gateway site, activation of the Comfort Station, and pedestrian and cycling connections to Keys Street, the Frankston Foreshore, and Plowman Place.
Frankston councillors have also agreed to ask the major parties for $3 million towards the Bruce Park Pavilion redevelopment, $500,000 for emergency relief providers like Community Support Frankston, and $350,000 to provide support service professionals at Frankston Station. Council is also seeking a federal government contribution towards its $11.7 million plan to improve walking and cycling pathways across Frankston’s city centre.
Frankston mayor Kris Bolam said council had made an effort to confirm its priorities well ahead of the federal election. “In the psychological battle stakes, we are stripped down and ready to go,” he said. “Each of the projects we have identified for council-led advocacy directly reflect what our community has asked for and aim to achieve positive outcomes for our residents, workers, students, and visitors.
“Frankston, as a suburb, is undergoing enormous growth. In order to keep at pace with this growth, it’s vital that the city council vigorously advocate for state and federal monies to flow unabated into all parts of the municipality. Council has struck the right chord with these election priorities. For many of them, council will either offer matched funding or has already provided generous funding support in the past. So it’s time for the federal government, and the federal candidates, to do their bit.”
Council’s $11.7 active transport project includes the $2.5 million Peninsula Link to Baxter Trail, $1.6 million for Frankston-Dandenong Road between Boundary Road to Thompsons Road, $1.5 million for Baxter Park to Peninsula Link, $3.63 million for Eel Race Road from Station Street to Patterson River Secondary College, and $2.5 million for Fletcher Road from Beach Street to Baxter Trail. Bolam said “I look forward to sharing more information about each of these projects in the coming weeks and months.
“Council has an important role to play in engaging with members of Parliament and political candidates in an effort to influence decision-making and secure funding contributions that benefit our local community now and into the future.”
First published in the Frankston Times – 28 January 2025