Tara Murray
Schools in Whittlesea and Hume are the big winners in today’s Victorian state budget.
Three schools in Whittlesea and two in Hume have received funding for upgrades, and in some cases, rebuilds.
Lalor Secondary College has received $26.2 million to rebuild and revitalise aging buildings, with many of them built in the 1960s.
Mickleham Primary School pupils will soon have new classrooms, with funding allocated to rebuild the school.
More than $21 million has been allocated in the state budget to acquire land and rebuild the school on an expanded site.
Mill Park Secondary College will receive $11.6 million to build a new 200-seat performing arts centre for the school.
The Jacana School for Autism received $10 million, while $8.2 million has been allocated to Peter Lalor College.
Land will be acquired in Hume for the building of the new Merrifield West Secondary College.
Health, transport and roads projects have also been funded in the budget.
Funding has been provided to acquire land and continue capital planning and design for the community hospitals program, including in the Whittlesea municipality.
The hospital in the municipality was announced in 2018, with work expected to begin in 2022.
The hospital will offer pathology, imaging, pharmacy services, dental services, mental health treatment and community-based palliative care.
As announced earlier this month, $868.6 million will be spent on mental health services.
Northern Hospital will receive a brand new standalone Mental Health facility delivering 30 additional mental health beds.
An additional $18.9 million is provided for 35 acute treatment beds.
The Mickleham Road and Aitken College intersection in Greenvale will be upgraded, but there was no funding for the duplication which Hume council is calling for.
Planning will progress further for the Bulla Bypass with $6.5 million allocated to help deliver the much-needed road.
There will also be funding to accelerate the delivery of a new bus service connecting Mernda and Craigieburn.
The suburban revitalszation and growth fund will receive another $20 million. Funding is being provided to continue projects at both Broadmeadows and Frankston.
The Plenty Gorge public space will receive upgrades, with $52 million to be spent on maintaining and upgrading visitor at parks and open spaces facilities across Victoria.
