By Peter Douglas
Among the Yarra Ranges winners in the State Budget 2017-’18 are the Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC) and the Olinda community, with the injection of funds into vital community projects.
Though, there are a few hitting out at the lack of funding support.
This year, this includes a lack of consideration for education and crime, according Yarra Ranges’ MPs Cindy McLeish (Eildon) and Brad Battin (Gembrook).
For the ECLC, the Victorian Government has announced a funds boost for critical family violence and legal support.
Under a $1.9 billion investment in family violence prevention and response services, an additional $50 million will be directed to legal help, including $4.6 million for duty lawyer services to assist women seeking intervention orders at court.
ECLC chief executive officer Michael Smith welcomed the news.
“Every day, ECLC sees the significant positive impact of providing free quality legal help to women and children experiencing family violence, at the courts and through the centre’s early intervention work across Melbourne’s East,” Mr Smith said.
“While we await further details of funding allocations, these investments will allow this vital work to continue and develop further, to keep families safe in our communities.”
In other announcements, the Victorian Government has committed to the construction of a new park with a playspace and sports oval at the Olinda Golf Course, giving families a great place to enjoy the outdoors.
Member for Monbulk James Merlino on Wednesday 3 May announced the Victorian Government is investing to create more opportunities for families to get active in Victorian parks.
Key features will be park infrastructure, an oval and sports facilities, as well as a state-of-the-art playscape.
This $4.47 million commitment means many new facilities such as tracks and trails, community barbecues, shelters, seating, gardens, landscaping and car parking.
Meanwhile, Ms McLeish has slammed the 2017 Budget, which she said failed to deliver new funding for school upgrades in the Yarra Valley.
“Daniel Andrews has once again refused to fund desperately needed projects in our region despite raising taxes on local households,” Ms McLeish said.
Ms McLeish said she was bitterly disappointed that schools in the region had missed out again.
“Despite Daniel Andrews claiming to build an education state, he has not delivered one penny for Yarra Valley schools over the last two budgets,” she said.
“Our region is facing significant challenges with a lack of job opportunities for young people,” she said.
“Our kids need a top education to give them a strong start, but our schools are having great difficulty delivering because of outdated facilities.”
Gembrook MP Brad Battin said the Victorian Government had failed to address soaring crime in the region, with the budget failing to deliver any funding for new police infrastructure and resources.
“Daniel Andrews’ 2017 State Budget has only neglected and taxed the Gembrook electorate,” he said.
