{"id":8347,"date":"2023-05-23T11:11:32","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T11:11:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gabriellewilliams.com.au\/dev\/budget-2023-2024-doing-what-matters-for-dandenong\/"},"modified":"2024-08-06T07:51:01","modified_gmt":"2024-08-06T07:51:01","slug":"budget-2023-2024-doing-what-matters-for-dandenong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gabriellewilliams.com.au\/dev\/budget-2023-2024-doing-what-matters-for-dandenong\/","title":{"rendered":"BUDGET 2023-2024: DOING WHAT MATTERS FOR DANDENONG"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Andrews Labor Government is getting on with delivering on its election promises for our community <\/span>– <\/span>investing in what matters for the people of Dandenong.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We <\/span>haven\u2019t<\/span> wasted a day delivering the services and projects that matter to Victorians. With the <\/span><\/span>Victorian Budget 2023\/24<\/span><\/span><\/i>, <\/span>we\u2019re<\/span> getting on with doing what we said <\/span>we\u2019d<\/span> do.\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Every Victorian should be able to get the healthcare they need, when they need it, close to home. That\u2019s why we\u2019re investing <\/span>in an upgrade to the Dandenong Hospital.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This Budget will get started on service and capital planning and early works, to ensure the new and upgraded facilities meet the needs of our growing south eastern suburbs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Victorians remember the State Electricity Commission (SEC): it meant a fair deal on your power prices and good, stable jobs for workers.\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s<\/span> why <\/span>we\u2019re<\/span> bringing it back \u2013 to drive down power bills <\/span>and <\/span>create thousands of jobs in renewable, government-owned energy.\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An initial<\/span> $1 billion investment in the SEC will help deliver 4.5 gigawatts of power \u2013 the equivalent replacement capacity of Loy Yang A \u2013 through renewable energy projects.\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bringing back the SEC <\/span>won\u2019t<\/span> just mean more renewable energy, lower power bills and reduced carbon emissions \u2013 <\/span>it\u2019ll<\/span> also help create 59,000 jobs.<\/span><\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As part of a more than $2 billion investment in schools across Victoria, this year\u2019s Budget includes $116 million to open six new cutting-edge Tech Schools, including one in Dandenong.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We know many apprentices scrimp and save as they start out in their careers. But when you rely on your vehicle to do your job every day, costs can quickly add up. We\u2019ll ease the cost of living pressure for our hard-working apprentices, making rego free \u2013 saving eligible trade apprentices up to $865 every year.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With 90 per cent of a child\u2019s brain developing before the age of five, early education has the most profound impact on how our kids develop.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s why we\u2019re delivering Free Kinder for three and four-year-olds, establishing Pre-Prep, and upgrading or providing new equipment to kinders across the state to make sure Victorian kids can get the best start for the best life.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll give more families across Victoria access to local, affordable childcare \u2013 investing to establish the first of 50 government-owned and operated, affordable integrated childcare centres, which will open in 2025.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Women and girls make up half more than half of our population \u2013 but for too long, their healthcare concerns have been seen as a niche issue.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll invest more than $153 million to establish 20 new women\u2019s health clinics, an Aboriginal-led clinic and a mobile health clinic, nine new women\u2019s sexual and reproductive health hubs, scholarships to expand the women\u2019s health workforce, an inquiry into women\u2019s pain management and 10,800 extra laparoscopy surgeries.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

CFA volunteers work hard to keep our community safe. We\u2019ll make sure they have the facilities and equipment they need to stay safe, too. We\u2019re investing in planning for an upgrade of Keysborough Fire Station so our hardworking volunteers can continue keeping Victorians safe.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ll keep backing the successful Noble Park Suburban Revitalisation program, building on previous funding that has already seen improvements to the Noble Park Community Centre, better lighting and public seating, tree planting and the popular \u201cNoble Park Big Day Out\u201d festival.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Community events like the <\/span>Tamil Festival Australia<\/span> help Tamil Victorians stay connected to their culture, traditions and heritage. We\u2019ll support the Tamil Festival with an investment of $100,000 per year for the next four years.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Every community deserves great spaces to come together to celebrate and share in culture and tradition. We promised to build, upgrade and renovate community infrastructure and we\u2019re doing just that right across Dandenong and the South-East, including:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n