By Ethan Benedicto
The Victorian State Budget was recently announced on Tuesday, 20 May, bearing a swathe of investments in the City of Casey.
To begin, there is a strong, $1.2 billion ‘Road Blitz’ that builds on the 19 projects and upgrades to roads across the state, including Berwick-Cranbourne Road, Clyde Five Ways Road, and the Pattersons Road intersection upgrade in Clyde North.
The duplication of Evans Road between Duff Street and Central Parkway in Cranbourne also comes under this investment, alongside the Western Port Highway upgrade.
There will also be some resurfacing allocated for the Princes Highway and Harmer Road in Hallam, and Princes Highway intersection upgrades in Brunt Road and McMullen Road in Beaconsfield.
Clyde Road has a $277.7 million estimated total investment that saw a rise of $34.02 million through additional Commonwealth Government funding.
By the same token, the estimated expenditure to 30 June 2025 is $112.370 million, with the completion date set for Quarter 1 of 2027-28.
There is also an estimated investment of $279.921 million into the emergency department expansion program for Casey Hospital, alongside Werribee Mercy Hospital, which is set to finish in Quarter 4 of 2025-26.
While not explicitly stated on the Budget papers, Cranbourne Community Hospital was coined as part of $643.3 million in estimated investments for eight other hospitals in their opening and operation.
The overall financing that includes Cranbourne Community Hospital also applies to the much larger investments on the new Footscray Hospital, with an additional $305 million, and for the Frankston Hospital Redevelopment, with an additional $165 million.
Taking a look at Narre Warren North, Belinda Wilson MP announced that the Budget is investing up to $165,000 for lighting upgrades at the Barry Simon Reserve.
Speaking on her region of Narre Warren North and surrounds, Wilson said that ”this Budget is all about delivering one of the things that matter most to families, whether it’s real help with the cost of living, or improving school and community sport facilities”.
Narre Warren South MP, Gary Maas, also celebrated the Budget’s contributions, with $250,000 for lighting upgrades to the KM Reedy Reserve, as well as Hampton Park’s new CFA satellite station.
“Families across Narre Warren South love their community sport – and we’re proud to be backing Hampton Park United Sparrows FC with new lighting at KM Reedy Reserve,” he said.
“From help with the cost of living to more investment in frontline services – this is a Budget that’s focused on what matters most to families in Narre Warren South.”
Further on the emergency sector, an estimated total of $18.4 million has been allocated for additional CFA stations in the state, including a satellite station in Hampton Park.
Casey has also been coined as one of the series of municipalities part of the estimated investment of $237.4 million on land acquisition for future schools and new campuses for existing ones.
The growth areas infrastructure contribution (GAIC) revenue, which Casey and neighbouring Cardinia are part of, is also expected to be $223 million in 2025-26, and is expected to grow by 3.8 per cent.
A total of $14.1 million has also been allocated to run Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury train line services through the five new underground stations at Arden, Parkville, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac Stations.
More on trains, a fleet of 70 high-capacity metro trains has been delivered, with trains operating on the Pakenham-Cranbourne corridor as well as Sunbury.
Bus services from Merinda Park Station to Clyde North were also part of a $9.3 million investment for improving bus and ferry services.
The Narre Warren Police Station, which recently closed its physical facility for refurbishments, and a new police station in Clyde North were part of a state-wide infrastructure budget of $153.134 million.
These two stations, alongside a new facility in Wollert, also increased the total estimated investment by $89.987 million; estimated completion is set for Quarter 4 in 2027-28.
