By Lily D'Ambrosio, Mill Park MP
I am delighted to take this opportunity to update you on how the Andrews Labor Government is delivering on its promises and supporting our community in the Mill Park Electorate.
Firstly, I am pleased to report that in a few days, the new bridge over Darebin Creek will be officially opened to traffic, as a part of the Andrews Labor Government’s upgrade to Childs Road.
Childs Road has been a key upgrade we have been able to deliver for our community. Right now, construction is under way to duplicate the road from two to four lanes between Beaumont Crescent and Prince of Wales Avenue, slashing congestion for more than 25,000 vehicles that rely on this key arterial road each day. The new lanes will open to traffic in mid-2022.
Our community has made clear to me the pressure some are under with cost-of-living expenses. In February, I was excited to announce the extension of the $250 Power Saving Bonus, which has helped more than 7000 families across the Mill Park electorate with their electricity bills in the past year.
There are still many local households who are eligible to claim this Bonus who have not yet applied for this payment. I encourage all those eligible to apply for this one-off payment as the program is set to end on 0 June 30.
Eligible households include those receiving payments through the Pension Concession, JobSeeker, Austudy, Abstudy or Youth Allowance programs, or those who hold a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card. This payment provides immediate financial relief for those struggling to pay their power bills and if you haven’t yet applied to receive it. You can apply through the Victorian Energy Compare website: compare.energy.vic.gov.au/
I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate every child who has started school and begun their education journey in our community. This is an especially exciting time for the first cohort of children starting in three-year-old kinder in the Mill Park electorate. The Andrews Labor government is proud to be investing in early education, investing $5 billion over this decade to deliver 15 hours of three-year-old Kindergarten a week. This will be available in both standalone kindergartens and long daycare (childcare) centres.
I would also like to welcome all the Wollert Primary School community to their brand-new state of the art school. In the past seven years, the Andrews Labor government has invested more than $10.9 billion towards the building of new schools and more than 1700 school upgrades, and Wollert Primary School is one of 14 new schools and campuses that have opened their doors in 2022. This commitment to our children and schools has resulted in 13,500 jobs in construction and associated industries.
We are also making sure that paramedics in our community have the facilities they need to continue to save lives. With shovels expected to be in the ground shortly, a new multi-million-dollar ambulance station will be constructed on McDonalds Road, Epping. The new 24-hour, two-storey ambulance station will feature a five-bay garage for ambulance vehicles, training facilities, and increased security. All this is to ensure paramedics are safe and supported as they do the vital work for our community.
These are only some of the great investments our government is making in the Mill Park electorate. There is more to come, and I will be updating you regularly through this column. If you have any questions or need assistance with state government issues please feel free to contact me via email: lily.d’ambrosio@parliament.vic.gov.au or phone: 9422 5171.
