Wednesday, 31 August 2022

Regional investment

Ms CRUGNALE (Bass) (19:24): (6525) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Regional Development in the other place, and the action I seek is an update on investment in regional Victoria, particularly in my electorate of Bass. Our Andrews Labor government’s 2022–23 budget provides an outstanding $5.7 billion for regional initiatives, taking the government’s total investment in regional Victoria to, would you believe, more than $36 billion since 2015—five times more than the previous Liberal-National government. A myriad of funds were reinvested in, including the Growing Suburbs Fund, the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund, the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund, the tourism fund, the country football and netball fund, the Regional Events Fund, a new Energy Innovation Fund to kickstart offshore wind in the Bass Strait, and the list goes on and on and on. I am keen to hear more about our $300 million injection to upgrade regional hospitals and healthcare facilities across our state, including Bass Coast and South Gippsland. It is the largest regional health infrastructure boost since we created it.

The Big Housing Build has a minimum $25 million for Bass Coast. Of the $5.3 billion, 25 per cent is allocated for regional Victoria, and that totals up to $1.25 billion. Our 2022–23 Victorian state budget was the second-largest investment in regional Victoria in our state’s history and allocated 35 per cent of the new asset investment to regional Victoria. The Department of Treasury and Finance analysis confirms that regional Victoria will receive 35 per cent of new infrastructure investment in this budget—yes, 35 per cent, which totally usurps the Liberal-Nationals commitment of 25 per cent and totally counterargues their stating our government has only allocated 13 per cent. Their commitment of 25 per cent would be a cut to the current Labor investment. The 13 per cent claim of The Nationals has no basis in fact. Their analysis excludes smaller projects and contributions from the commonwealth, all to understate the level of investment that is occurring in regional Victoria. I really look forward to an update from the minister.