Wednesday, 21 September 2022

 Ms ADDISON (Wendouree) (10:05): In 2018 I promised that I would work hard every day for the electorate of Wendouree, and that is what I have done. The Andrews Labor government has delivered for our community in spades, including $500 million for the Ballarat line upgrade, which delivered a second platform for Wendouree station and an additional 100 services per week between Ballarat and Melbourne. We have also transformed the Ballarat railway station precinct with the restoration of the Ballarat Goods Shed as well as constructing a new bus interchange for our city’s buses. Just a block away is our iconic GovHub, which created hundreds of construction jobs and relocated state government jobs to Ballarat.

We have delivered for local sporting clubs with the redevelopment of the Alfredton and Wendouree rec reserves as well as upgrades to sporting facilities at Russell Square, White Flat, Delacombe and the Ballarat Regional Tennis Centre. We completed Selkirk Stadium and continue to make Mars Stadium even better for AFL games and the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Games. We have funded upgrades at primary schools across Ballarat, including Black Hill, Macarthur Street, Forest Street and Ballarat North, just to name a few. We have invested in new builds at Mount Rowan Secondary College and St Patrick’s College, upgrades to Ballarat High School and $10 million for the Ballarat Specialist School. We are creating manufacturing jobs at Alstom building trains, and we are also redeveloping Ballarat Base Hospital. We have upgraded intersections to keep Ballarat moving. It is an impressive list, but there is so much more to do to make Ballarat even better.