Hume/Moreland Leader | By Kate Swan

4th May 2011

Liberal government silent on funding Hume’s politicians have plenty of demands but little confidence that today’s State Budget will deliver what Broadmeadows and Yuroke residents need. The Labor strongholds have done well out of previous budgets when Labor was in power, with recent big-ticket successes being $80.3 million for the Broadmeadows Central Activities District, $62.4 million for the Broadmeadows Schools Regeneration Project and new train stations along the Broadmeadows line to Craigieburn.

But the new Liberal Government has been silent and made no promises about funding local projects. The area’s most urgent demand is to complete the Broadmeadows Schools Regeneration Project with a $9 million upgrade of Hume Valley School in Dallas, which caters for children with intellectual disabilities.

Broadmeadows state Labor MP wrote a last-minute letter to Premier Ted Baillieu on Thursday to urge for school funding.

“If you’re framing a budget around health, growth and prosperity you need to invest in Broadmeadows,” he said.
“We are not going to go back to being the forgotten people.”

Mr McGuire said he hoped to see the completion of the Broadmeadows Central Activities District, including a redevelopment of the railway station, funding for The Northern Hospital and the completion of the Epping Market, which would create jobs for Hume residents. Yuroke state Labor MP Liz Beattie said it was disappointing that the Liberal Government would not honour Labor commitments such as funding Hume Valley School and a 24-hour ambulance service in Craigieburn.

“I find that astonishing that they say that because it means they are going to pork barrel their areas while areas that desperately need money will miss out,” she said.
“The budget should be based on need, not on political criteria.”

Hume Mayor Helen Patsikatheodorou said she hoped the council would have just as strong a relationship with the new Government as it had with Labor, and that it would recognise community need.

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