Tuesday, 1 August 2023

Western Victoria Region

Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (14:28): (291) My question is for the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure and concerns the Commonwealth Games cancellation’s impact on Ballarat. Use of the saleyard site athletes village for post-games housing was a major Labor boast before the humiliating axing of the games. Minister Allan told me repeatedly at PAEC the investment would bring forward housing on the site by ‘years and years’. Yet despite the Premier’s claim regional infrastructure investment would be maintained, use of the saleyard site is now in doubt. The members for Wendouree and Eureka refer non-specifically to housing investment, the federal member for Ballarat claimed ‘investments remain in Ballarat’ and mayor Des Hudson says he is quite comfortable that what we get will be a better outcome, without knowing what is planned. So, Minister, do you commit to the development of the saleyards site in Ballarat for housing as repeatedly promised in the past?