By Callum Ludwig
With the Australian Government set to deliver its budget on 25 March and a federal election due by May, Yarra Ranges Council put forward a pre-budget submission for federal funding at the Tuesday 25 February council meeting.
The submission will be presented to candidates for the electorate of Casey and sent to relevant government and shadow ministers to help influence their decision-making for the electorate, and specifically in the Yarra Ranges.
Yarra Ranges Council called for funding to address issues across five specific subjects: Resilience and Sustainability, Vibrant Townships: Tourism and Sustainable Economic Growth, Community and Recreation Infrastructure, Roads and Integrated Transport Infrastructure and Health and Wellbeing.
Deputy Mayor and Chirnside Ward Councillor Richard Higgins said the document took some time to put together as it sought to cover a good, wide spread across the municipality.
“Some of the things that we can’t deal with ourselves due to the extensive costs involved, which obviously ur state and federal government have a little bit more money to spend and hopefully within our municipality,” he said.
“It’s very timely at this time with the looming federal election, and I’m not going to go through the whole document, but having read it a couple of times, it covers off on everything that we can possibly hope to cover off on.”
The first requests put forward in the submission are for the federal government to restore Financial Assistance Grants to at least 1 per cent and ideally 2 per cent of Commonwealth taxation revenue via a phased approach, having reduced to about 0.55 per cent in the last three decades.
Secondly, Yarra Ranges called for telecommunications improvements including;
Identifying telecommunications as an essential service.
Improve mobile connectivity in the Dandenong Ranges, Hoddles Creek, East Warburton, Steels Creek and Fernshaw.
Upgrade NBN services to fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) in areas with slow broadband service
Strengthen network resilience against power outages and emergencies
Consider crucial sites for funding through the Mobile Network Hardening Program (Warburton, East Warburton, McMahon’s Creek, Kalorama, The Patch, Macclesfield, Silvan and Belgrave)
Expand peri-urban eligibility for the Peri-Urban Mobile Program, the Mobile Network Hardening Program and the Mobile Black Spot program to be within 4km of a Major Urban Boundary to ensure high-risk areas in the Dandenong Ranges aren’t excluded
Billanook Ward Councillor Tim Heenan said the need for funding in the shire is great and it’s getting even greater.
“We have such a diversity of things that exist in the Yarra Ranges, and I know that looking at the document and in particular, obviously, my eyes go straight to the stormwater offset program, implementation of $120,000 and the flood mapping and mitigation projects of $3.72 million, not to mention all the other very, very worthy recommendations that have been made in this document,” he said.
“But the important thing to understand is in this day and age, local government can’t just act by continually charging ratepayers larger rates and even if we did that, we still would not have enough money because of the diversity, the complexity and how big our shire is.”
For Resilience and Sustainability, Yarra Ranges Council has asked for a total of $32.01 million (including funding which would be spread over multiple years) to help fund projects including but not limited to:
Place-based resilience in planning in key localities
Establishing a Regional Resilience Hub
Enhancing the Cultural Burning Program
Supporting the Greening the Suburbs program
Supporting the Biolink and Invasive Species program
Supporting the Zero Emissions Facilities transition, Fleet and Plant
Establishing a Community Climate Adaptation Program
Implementing a Stormwater Offset Program and do Flood Mapping and Mitigation projects
Ryrie Ward Councillor Fiona McAllister said not a single thing on the list is unworthy.
“Every single piece that is mentioned, from black spot funding to the flood mapping and mitigation, and something very close to my heart, advocacy for urgent care,” she said.
“All of these are important, and if we were in a different funding scenario, than some of these we wouldn’t need to be asking for, but they’re all critical for our community.”
Under Vibrant Townships, Yarra Ranges Council is seeking a total of $84.415 million for projects including but not limited to:
The Warburton Mountain Bike Destination, Yarra Valley Trail and ngurrak barring projects
Wandin North Pedestrian and Streetscape improvements
Upgrades to Community and Recreation Infrastructure, including sports, aquatics and early years education facilities.
Melba Ward Councillor Mitch Mazzarella said hopefully bringing this document to the election and the budget will see these worthy causes get funding.
“There’s a few things I’m disappointed to see didn’t make the cut, particularly with the McDermott Avenue reserve, it would have been nice to just have a little bit in there, considering we’ve got an election announcement this morning from (Casey MP Aaron) Mr Violi for about $375,000 for that,” he said.
“Very happy to see stormwater is on there, it’s so important and such a crucial issue in our local communities and of course the sealing of roads has been a big issue across the shire…and the other thing. I’m quite surprised is in here for a good reason is the duplication of the Lilydale to Mooroolbark train line.”
Under Roads and Integrated Transport Infrastructure, Council is advocating for:
$23 million to help Yarra Ranges Council seal their top 12 identified roads to support emergency access or egress
Improvements to the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail to enhance cyclist and pedestrian safety
The duplication of the Lilydale Line between Lilydale and Mooroolbark
Under Health and Wellbeing, Council is advocating for projects regarding Housing and Homelessness, Mental Health and Urgent Care including:
Identifying and releasing suitable Commonwealth land for social and affordable housing, as well as funding and delivery pathways to help deliver it when Councils contribute suitable land
Undertake a comprehensive review and increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance
Provide targeted funding to the Victorian Government to urgently increase social housing and crisis accommodation
Collaborate with the council to design and fund a homelessness outreach case management service and a drop-in service in Yarra Ranges
Expanded resourcing for mental health services, including headspaceLilydale and support to integrate mental health services with general health service provision
Allocate funding for either a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic or a Rural Urgent Care Centre to be developed in Healesville.
