Tuesday, 1 August 2023

Adjournment

Enver ERDOGAN (Northern Metropolitan – Minister for Corrections, Minister for Youth Justice, Minister for Victim Support) (19:38): I move:

That the house do now adjourn.

Flood recovery initiatives

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (19:38): (325) My adjournment matter is directed to the Treasurer, and the action that I seek is for the Treasurer to prioritise flood-affected regional communities when considering projects to be delivered using funding redirected from the now cancelled regional Commonwealth Games to deliver badly needed housing and sporting infrastructure in these communities and the proper repair of the road network in regional Victoria. The cancellation by the Andrews Labor government of the 2026 regional Commonwealth Games was a devastating blow to many regional Victorian communities. While the events themselves were to be held in five regional hubs, many other regional areas were anticipating reaping the economic benefits of increased visitation generated by the games being held in country Victoria. The state government had allocated $2.6 billion towards staging of the games, and much of this funding had been allocated to build temporary sporting infrastructure to hold events or complete large-scale redevelopment of existing facilities. With the games now cancelled and the temporary infrastructure and many other expenses no longer required, the Treasurer has an opportunity to redirect this funding and to prioritise communities that are currently doing it tough.

The October 2022 floods devastated many communities in my electorate, including Rochester, Shepparton, Mooroopna, Seymour and Echuca. The effects of the floods are still being felt in these communities, particularly in Rochester, where there are still around 300 households displaced from their homes. In Shepparton the floods reinforced the importance of a second river crossing between Shepparton and Mooroopna, and funding is required to construct stage 1 of the Shepparton bypass project that will deliver this crossing.

There are many sporting infrastructure needs in these flood-ravaged communities that, if completed, will benefit local competitions and provide facilities to be enjoyed for generations to come. Funding should be provided to help reopen the Rochester pool, which has suffered extensive damage from the floods, including to the pool shell, building and the pool pump. The upgrade of the Shepparton Sports Stadium has long been a priority project for Greater Shepparton City Council, and the Treasurer should allocate funding to make this important piece of infrastructure a reality.

Some of the housing provided from the $1 billion the government has already allocated should go to those communities that need it most, and flood-ravaged towns like Rochester and Mooroopna are in desperate need. The available funding will allow Labor to fully invest in the safety of Victorian motorists and get on with fixing our deplorable regional road network. The 2022 floods made the substandard roads even worse, and I call on the government to invest wisely in regional communities to deliver a legacy for all Victorians.