By Gabriella Payne
Local schools and roads are the big winners in the State Government’s 2020/21 budget.
Announced on Tuesday 24 November, the budget purportedly delivers the “single biggest investment ever in our schools”, according to the State Government, as students return to campus after months of online learning.Lyndale Secondary College is set to receive $10.8 million, to complete stage four of a $27.6 million upgrade that began in 2015.
The school’s acting principal, Pam Robinson, said they were “very excited” to hear the news and that “it was like Christmas come early”.
“Since 2015, the school has been transformed, including a state-of-the-art library with indoor and outdoor reading areas, STEM and arts buildings as well as a flight simulator for VET Aviation students,” Ms Robinson said.
“The latest stage will create a new senior school, middle-school and sports centre facilities,” she added, with works expected to be completed by 2022.
Three other local schools will also receive funding, with Emerson College, Carwatha P-12 College and Kingswood Primary School in Dingley Village set to share $24 million to go towards various building projects.
Member for Dandenong, Gabrielle Williams, said: “With new learning spaces for local schools, this budget invests in our kids and importantly – invests in their futures.”
Another key part of this year’s budget is funding for a “local roads blitz”, which will improve the metropolitan road network and create jobs in the process.
The South Gippsland Highway widening project will receive $12.63 million to “improve traffic flow and increase capacity” between Lynbrook Boulevard and the Dandenong Bypass.
A road bridge is also being built to remove the level crossing on the South Gippsland Highway and create a new, safer intersection at the Princes Highway – a crossing which 31,000 vehicles pass through each day.
“The new road bridge being built to remove the dangerous and congested South Gippsland Highway, Dandenong level crossing is beginning to take shape,” Ms Williams said.
Major construction began in August this year and the Government aims for the level crossing to be gone by the year 2022.
“With around 40 percent of Victoria’s manufacturing located in Melbourne’s south-east, this vital project will improve freight networks in the area, supporting the local economy and jobs,” she added.
The Webster Street level crossing will also be removed by the year 2025, as part of the Victorian Government’s $15 billion investment to improve the Cranbourne and Pakenham train line.
After a rollercoaster ride of a year, Ms Williams hoped that the announcement of the funding would help pave the way for a bright future for the local community moving forward.
“We want to not only recover, but to recover stronger and fairer. That’s what this budget will deliver for people in Dandenong,” Ms Williams said.
