Wednesday, 3 December 2025

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:09): I would like to update the house on some major milestones from the Allan Labor government’s Regional Worker Accommodation Fund and how it is providing homes for workers right across regional Victoria. In Hopetoun the community are ready to welcome vital healthcare workers, with the completion of four worker houses for Rural Northwest Health, which can now host up to 12 medical professionals and their families, including four nurses who are moving in just this week. The project is already paying dividends, with available positions filled during a recent recruitment drive and the health service able to reopen its urgent care centre because of the arrival of additional staff. The houses were largely constructed offsite in Swan Hill by modular construction business Swanbuild, spreading the economic benefit outside the original intent. In Kyabram we have marked the completion of two one-bedroom units at Kyabram District Health, and they have already been allocated to staff and visiting health professionals. In Irymple we have had the completion of eight units, with 28 bedrooms ready for workers and their families. The houses were built by local company MCBG Karadoc. Construction is underway in Omeo, Robinvale, Shepparton, Beaufort, Wangaratta and Wonthaggi. These are just some of the more than 50 projects being delivered across regional Victoria through the Regional Worker Accommodation Fund. The projects are unlocking around $370 million of investment in worker accommodation across industries that need it most, like health, agriculture and tourism. It will provide more than 1750 bedrooms for thousands of key workers and their families. The fund is just one of many examples of the $47 billion investment in regional Victoria since 2014. The Labor government obviously continues to invest in regional Victoria, as we always have.

The PRESIDENT: I am really pleased to acknowledge in the gallery honourable members and staff from the County Assembly of Bomet, which is in Kenya. You are very welcome. Thanks for visiting our Parliament and sharing your knowledge with us.