By CASEY NEILL
GREATER Dandenong wasn’t a big winner in last week’s State Budget, but the future is looking bright.
The municipality’s CEO John Bennie said the finer details of the funding announced for the 2014-’15 financial year were still to come, but the city had missed out in some areas.
Level crossing removal was one area he was hoping to see cash for, but he noted there was funding to plan and investigate removing at least three in Noble Park.
“Which pleases us, but we’re looking for the commitment to implement,” he said.
“We go into these processes with a lot of optimism and a lot of expectation but are also realistic and need to understand that some things can’t always be satisfied and responded to.
“Our wishes and aspirations have not been satisfied, but the government is putting itself in a position to fund them during this or future financial years.
“We see that as a positive.”
Mr Bennie said the State Government had generated a $900 million budget surplus.
“When a state government is in a strong financial position it’s much better placed to fund infrastructure going into the future,” he said.
“The buoyancy of the state economy would assist business growth and development potential.
“Greater Dandenong stands to benefit from anything that would improve business growth and economic growth in this region.”
Mr Bennie said the council was hoping for money for the Dandenong West, Dandenong Park and Springvale Rise kindergartens, and had put aside cash to co-fund proposed projects.
“We do note that money has been allocated for kinder upgrades, and we’re hopeful Greater Dandenong kinders might be recipients of some of that,” he said.
Among more definitive budget wins for the municipality, Mr Bennie said, was the $38 million allocated to the western section of the Dingley Bypass, from Westall Road through to Warragul Road.
“That would then complete that western section and facilitate travel from South Road and Warragul Road in Moorabbin right through to the South Gippsland Highway,” he said.
“We then only need, and would look for the final bit, between the South Gippsland Highway and Monash Freeway to be completed.
“That completes a really important east-west connection.”
He said a reduction in payroll tax would benefit the region’s business community.
“They need all the support they could possibly get,” he said.
And the budget included additional funding to combat family violence.
“We would be hopeful that some of this funding might be available, if not to this council then to this region,” he said.
Mr Bennie said the Pakenham-Cranbourne railway line project would assist Greater Dandenong commuters and those travelling into the municipality for work.
