The Eastern Metro Bugle THE LATEST NEWS FROM YOUR STATE LABOR MEMBER FOR THE EASTERN METROPOLITAN REGION, SONJA TERPSTRA MP 2021 WINTER EDITION CREATING JOBS AND CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY IN THE EASTERN METROPOLITAN REGION The Andrews Labor Government is The Mental Health in Primary Schools The State Budget also provided funding intervention, more intensive support for creating jobs and caring for people in the pilot will also be expanded to include to 12 women’s health services across those who need acute care, and more Eastern Metropolitan Region. 90 government schools and 10 non- Victoria to meet growing demand for help for families. government schools. gender responsive healthcare, including The Victorian Budget 2021/22 will This Budget invests $141 million to prevention of family violence support support an average of 38,000 jobs every $20.5 million in funding will be provided deliver 5 new Youth Prevention and services, women’s mental health and year over the next four years, while for Tech Schools which are building Recovery Care (YPARC) units across sexual and reproductive health services. also investing in the care, services and students’ STEM skills and connecting Victoria, including one in the North This includes Women’s Health East, infrastructure our community needs. them to the jobs of the future. This Eastern Metropolitan region.. This which addresses the social, cultural, initiative will expand on-site and virtual investment will deliver sub-acute care, economic, political and environmental delivery capabilities of existing Tech with support tailored to the needs of our factors impacting on the health, safety Schools and pilot a mobile Tech School young people. and wellbeing of women. With this Budget, we’re creating jobs delivery model for students in remote Jobs and caring for Victorians. areas of Gippsland. Not only are we delivering the mental $15 million is provided to improve health system Victoria needs – we’re access to school facilities for students also supporting around 3,000 new with disabilities and additional needs. Our mental health system is broken. jobs. From doctors to nurses, support Education Facility modifications may include But with this Budget we’re delivering staff to peer workers, this investment is providing ramps and handrails, We are upgrading 52 Victorian schools in a landmark investment that will creating new opportunities for thousands alterations to toilet and shower this year’s Budget, including: of Victorians. To train and recruit this facilities and adjustments for students transform how care is offered in our critical workforce, we’re also funding • Birralee Primary School, with $4.16 with vision or hearing impairments. state. new scholarships, job placements and million to replace relocatable buildings continuing our Free TAFE courses. with a new permanent building; $10 million is also provided for the Inclusive Schools Fund to continue to Multicultural Community • Croydon Primary School, which will provide school infrastructure such as receive a $1.35 million upgrade and playgrounds, outdoor sensory areas and We’re investing $8 million to continue the Mental Health modernisation to the art room and the quiet re-engagement spaces. multicultural seniors grants to assist these toilet block; and This Budget also includes a once in a groups provide immediate assistance Sport for multicultural seniors to continue • Warrandyte High School, with $3.54 generation investment to build our mental engaging with their local communities, million to upgrade and modernise the Our local sporting clubs are the heart health system from the ground up. $3.8 which will help reduce social isolation, school’s Art and Craft building and and soul of our community. The Budget billion will transform the way mental communicate health advice and engage undertake landscaping works. is backing their future, delivering better health support is offered in Victoria, with with recovery strategies. pavilions, changerooms, grounds and early intervention, a dedicated stream of Not only will this give our students new courts so all Victorians can get active. care for our kids, and the recruitment of In addition there will be $1.1 million to learning spaces, it’ll create good jobs This includes up to $290,000 towards thousands of new workers. expand the Multicultural Festivals and for Victorians. Across the state, our the installation of drainage, irrigation Events Programs and $4.25 million for investment in more and better schools An investment of $954 million will and drought tolerant grasses at Town multicultural community infrastructure is expected to support 3,500 jobs. $20 deliver 22 reformed area mental health Park Soccer Field, Croydon grants for community organisations to million is provided to continue the Minor and wellbeing services to replace current continue to provide vital work they do in Capital Works Fund which provides the Health services. These services will have more supporting vulnerable members of the opportunity for schools to seek funding capacity to treat and support Victorians This Budget will also allocate $1.2 Victorian community. for minor capital projects that are a experiencing severe and complex billion towards our public hospitals, priority for their school. mental health challenges, in their own which includes a community hospital communities. Pictured above: From left to right: Vicki Mental Health support for Schools in Eltham, planning for the expansion of the adult Emergency Department at Young Victorians are at the heart of our Ward MP, State Member for the Eltham, Recognising the key role of schools in Maroondah Hospital, and building a new reform, with $842 million in mental Gayle Tierney, Minister for Skills and supporting the wellbeing of our students, emergency department zone dedicated health and wellbeing support for children Training, Sonja Terpstra MP, State Labor this Budget also invests in a new School to children at Maroondah Hospital. The and young people. This investment will Member for the Eastern Metropolitan Mental Health Fund. This investment will see two separate streams of care created paediatric emergency department alone Region, Colin Brooks MP, Speaker of allow schools to choose and implement will create 300 Victorian jobs at the peak – one devoted to infants and children the Legislative Assembly and Member mental health and wellbeing programs of construction. and one devoted to young people. This that best meet the needs of their students. investment will deliver more early for Bundoora. 2 THE EASTERN METRO BUGLE THE EASTERN METRO BUGLE 3 ELECTION COMMITMENTS AND FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE EASTERN METRO REGION. ELECTION COMMITMENTS AND FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE EASTERN METRO REGION. INDEX LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS Budget 2021/22 Page 1 North East link Project Update BREAKING NEWS: Coolstore Rd Croydon Infrastructure Page 2 & 3 Works on the North East Link are ahead of schedule, and a preferred level crossing to be removed! contractor has been chosen to complete the tunnelling work. Education Page 4 & 5 North East Link will connect the M80 Ring Road to an upgraded At the end of July, Premier Daniel Andrews announced another 10 dangerous and congested level Eastern Freeway, slashing travel times by up to 35 minutes, taking crossings to be removed by 2025, bringing the total to 85 level crossings gone for good. Health & Aged Care 15,000 trucks off local roads. Page 6 This includes Coolstore Rd in Croydon, as well as the remaining crossings on the Lilydale line, making It will link key growth areas in the north and south-east, providing an the Lilydale line level crossing free, allowing more trains to run on the network, more often, without Environment efficient connection for up to 135,000 vehicles each day, and allowing frustrating boom gate delays. Page 7 travel from Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs to the airport without stopping at a single traffic light. The announcement included crossings being removed along the Lilydale, Belgrave, Pakenham, Domestic & Family Violence Cranbourne, Frankston, Sunbury and Mernda lines, allowing for improved safety, reducing congestion Page 8 A big focus is on creating local jobs for local people, with more than and creating 4000 new jobs. 10,000 jobs on the project and 10 per cent of total work hours to be done by apprentices, trainees or cadets as part of the Government’s Crossings will be removed at Coolstore Rd Croydon, Dublin Rd Ringwood East, Cave Hill Rd Lilydale Energy Local Jobs First Policy. and Bedford Rd Ringwood, as well as 5 new/upgraded train stations, including at Croydon and Page 8 Ringwood East. Spark has been selected as the preferred bidder to deliver the Sport tunnelling package. Spark comprises WeBuild, GS Engineering For more information on the crossing removals, visit https://levelcrossings.vic.gov. Page 9 and Construction, CPB Contractors, China Construction Oceania, au/media/news/10-more-level-crossings-to-go-by-2025 Ventia, Capella Capital, John Laing Investments, DIF and Pacific Your Local Partnerships. Page 10 & 11 To find out more about the project and any local Electorate Update disruptions, visit: https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/ Level crossing removal in Mooroolbark Page 12 north-east-link-project# to be completed before Christmas Works are ahead of schedule for the removal of level crossings at Lilydale and To find out more visit: https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/projects/ Mini tunnel boring machines on the move Mooroolbark Stations. manchester-road-mooroolbark Works on the North East Link project are continuing to power ahead, Prefabricated station buildings have been made offsite which allows the construction To follow the progress of the level crossing removal and the build of with multiple sites well and truly underway on the major road project. of the rail bridges and the stations to occur simultaneously, cutting disruptions and the new station, check out the Mooroolbark Level Crossing Updates speeding up build time. Facebook Group. There’s a great collection of photos and videos from Three mini tunnel boring machines have begun work to re-route the locals keeping track of the project.