Cade Lucas
More than $200 million will go towards opening, operating and accessing the new Footscray Hospital later this year.
The investment in the soon to be completed hospital was by far the biggest item of expenditure for the inner west in Tuesday’s state budget, the first handed down by Treasurer Jaclyn Symes.
The budget allocated $107,439,000 towards the opening and operation of the new hospital and $98 million towards the deployment of next generation trams to service the hospital and to improve tram stop accessibility along nearby Droop Street.
Footscray will also be home to a new Victorian State Emergency Service unit, with $14 million allocated towards its construction.
At the other end of the scale, $493, 000 has been committed towards upgrading existing facilities at Yarraville West Primary School .
In Hobsons Bay, $24 million for the delivery of essential maintenance works on the West Gate Bridge was the biggest expenditure, with the funding aimed at improving user safety, maintain serviceability and support freight movement.
Altona Green Primary School is one of 20 schools that share in $10 million for planning future school upgrades.
The walking and cycling network in Melbourne’s west, including in Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay, will benefit from $15 million to improve connections and safety on Victoria’s public and active transport routes.
Both municipalities will also receive some of the $1.4 million allocated to open up more after-hours recreational facilities at schools in Melbourne’s west.
But the biggest casualty in the inner west will be one of the state’s busiest fishing stations in Altona which looks set to close as part of savage cuts to the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA).
The Altona fishing station will be one of four across the state to be closed, while the number of VFA fisheries officers will be almost halved, with 33 of 69 frontline officers to be sacked.
Such cuts were foreshadowed in February when the Treasurer appointed Helen Silver to undertake a review of the Victorian public service.
“There will be some difficult decisions to make, but they are important decisions,” said Ms Symes in announcing the review.
“Some people won’t like some of the recommendations.”
