GSEM welcomes Victorian budget

Greater South East Melbourne (GSEM) welcomes the Victorian Budget strategy centred on growth to help get the state out of debt.

GSEM is the fastest growing region in Australia’s fastest growing city, with more manufacturing jobs than western Sydney.

Greater South East Melbourne Chair Simon McKeon said:

“The GSEM region is an important economic driver for Victoria. Better direct budget support to help the region’s growth would have been a good budgetary investment.

“GSEM understands the need for sensible economic management to address state debt, however growth cannot occur without the foundational building blocks of community and transport infrastructure.

“It is disappointing that there is not greater direct investment in the Greater South East Melbourne region.

“GSEM welcomes a number of initiatives and projects across the southeast including:

·      The continuation of the Pakenham roads package

·      Improvements to the intersection of Stud Road and McFees Road in Dandenong

·      New schools and school upgrades

·      $535 million Monash Medical Centre redevelopment

·      $5 million for the Growing Suburbs fund

·      $17 million to continue planning and designing a renewable energy terminal at the Port of Hastings.

“Relief for families is welcomed – but more needs to be done to support residents of Greater South East Melbourne.

“The investment of $555 million into TAFE and training system is welcome, however, at our Jobs and Skills Summit last week – which had more than 200 regional leaders in attendance – it was made clear that more needs to be done to ensure that this investment is getting to those who need it.

“The $71 million to support young people complete their secondary school education at TAFE is a welcome initiative. Providing as many pathways as possible for young people to finish their education is important.

“We would have liked to see increased investment in critical transport infrastructure.

“We appreciate that hard decisions have had to be made but, nonetheless, we must prioritise policies and projects that provide jobs and economic growth.

“With the GSEM region set to grow to nearly two million people within a decade, our roads and public transport needs to be fit for purpose and ready to accommodate that growth.

“The Greater South East Melbourne region is a key state economic driver – to see further growth and prosperity, the region needs government and budget support.”