Tuesday, 30 May 2023

 Michael GALEA (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (13:44): I am pleased to inform the house that the state budget has delivered in a big way for locals in the south-east and in the Berwick electorate. Two new primary schools were announced: Clyde North Primary School and Thompsons West Primary School. A new secondary college, Clyde North Secondary School, was also announced. All of these schools will be opening in 2025. Of course this is on top of Alexander Boulevard Primary School, which is already under construction and will be opening next year. The budget also delivers the respect, focus and funding that women’s health deserves, with a new women’s health clinic at Casey Hospital, which will provide care and support for women’s health issues, including endometriosis, pelvic pain, polycystic ovary syndrome, perimenopause and menopause.

This budget will fix an essential intersection thousands of locals use everyday – $70 million was announced to upgrade the intersection of Thomsons Road and Clyde Road. We are also delivering on our commitment to community sport and cultural festivals for locals in the Berwick area, with $1.2 million going towards a pavilion upgrade at Grice Road Recreation Reserve, a vital upgrade for the Berwick Churches Soccer Club that I know they are very appreciative of, supporting the next generation of our sporting greats. Community events received support, such as the Tamil Festival, which will help the Victorian Tamil community connect to their heritage and traditions, with $400,000 in funding to back in the next four years of their festivals. This is a budget that delivers for the south-east; this is a budget that delivers for Berwick.