By Cam Lucadou-Wells
The 2018-’19 State Budget has delivered an election-year splurge on roads and schools in Casey.
Narre Warren South MP Judith Couacaud Graley labelled it as “one of the best budgets in Victoria’s history, especially for those in the outer suburbs”.
Hampton Park Secondary College has been allocated $2.6 million over the next three years for upgraded classrooms, shared spaces and gymnasium.
It would make the school a “shining example of what modern education in the outer suburbs should be like”, Ms Graley said.
Many of the facilities would be accessible to the community, she said. The first $84,000 has been allocated in 2018-19.
Narre Warren South P-12 College scored $400,000 for a “world-class” orchestra pit – the “cherry on top” of their redeveloped auditorium.
Principal Rob Duncan said the orchestra pit would ensure the school could host top-class performances and enable students to flourish in a first-rate facility.
Berwick Secondary College’s community hub for wellbeing and mental health received the first $50,000 towards a $1.3 million State allocation over three years.
Kambrya College, Fountain Gate Secondary College, and Berwick Fields Primary School also received funds for new and existing upgrades.
Pound Road West will be widened with upgraded signalised intersections at Abbotts Road and South Gippsland Highway and a bridge over rail to connect to Remington Drive, Dandenong South.
Thompsons, Hallam North and Narre Warren-Cranbourne roads will also get upgrades as part of a $2.2 billion upgrade package for 13 suburban arterials over the next five years.
Stage two of the Monash Corridor widening project received $712 million. It includes extra lanes between Clyde and Cardinia roads, links to a duplicated O’Shea Road and smart on-road technology.
Roads Minister and Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan said that it was a “Budget that gets things done” with investments in new schools, better sports facilities, roads and bus routes.
“This is the single biggest investment in suburban roads in Victoria’s history – it will fix local roads and get people home sooner.”
