The Victorian Government will get shovels in the ground and thousands of people back to work, building the projects that matter to Victoria – and creating the jobs that matter to Victorians.

As we face the biggest economic challenge in generations, and as industry and business find new and innovative ways to adapt, the Victorian Government is rolling up our sleeves and playing its part to drive new economic activity – and with it, creating thousands of new jobs across the state.

Last month, the $1.7 billion Economic Survival Package was announced to help businesses through the worst of the coronavirus crisis – with tax refunds, grants for businesses and opportunities for workers to get back into jobs.

Now, the Government launches the first part of our Building Works package, which will provide $2.7 billion towards shovel-ready projects – big and small – to get thousands of people back to work.

The package will create 3,700 direct jobs for construction workers, painters, plasterers, gardeners, engineers, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, maintenance workers, administration staff and many others. Thousands more jobs will be created across our supply chains, including manufacturing, logistics, transportation, warehousing and retail – while also pumping extra dollars back into our economy.

Here in Werribee, the Building Works package will see the community and visitors to the Werribee Open Range Zoo benefit from a $2 million investment in the Werribee Recycled Water Expansion Project in Partnership with City West Water. In addition to boosting the future visitor economy, this investment will support the expansion of the Zoo and improve the health of the Werribee River.

The package also includes $2.57 million to be used to improve the Werribee Court Specialist Family Violence waiting area, providing greater support and a safe environment for victim survivors of family violence.

At the centre of the Building Works package is $1.18 billion in education infrastructure projects that will create space for more than 21,000 extra students in Victoria’s education system and create more than 1,600 local construction jobs. We are building ten new schools, delivering a further four stages of new school projects, upgrading or modernising 57 schools, purchasing and refurbishing relocatable school buildings, making modifications for students with disability, as well as carrying out fast and job-creating maintenance on schools and TAFEs across the state.

Beyond school infrastructure, Building Works includes hundreds of projects that have been selected because they can get underway as soon as possible, meaning shovels in the ground – and boots in the mud – within a matter of weeks and months.

The key requirement for these projects is workers who are ready to get on the job and the ability to get going right away, with companies required to find new employees through Working for Victoria in the first instance.

While creating solid jobs, these sometimes small projects will also mean the world to those who will benefit from them. Now, more than ever, ‘home’ means security, stability – and staying safe. It’s why this package also includes a big boost for public and community housing, with half-a-billion dollars to upgrade 23,000 dwellings and build 168 new homes across the state, all while creating new jobs for Victorians.

Travel and other restrictions have hit Victoria’s visitor economy hard. To help our tourism sector bounce back bigger and better than ever, the package includes $382 million in upgrades, maintenance and new experiences at tourism destinations across the state.

Funding is also included for local sports facility upgrades, work to improve our waterways and coastal areas, and revitalisation and maintenance projects from tree-planting to graffiti removal in communities across the state.

The transport network also gets a big boost, with $328 million for resurfacing and patching roads, around 300 kilometres of regional track improvements, repairs at more than 15  train stations, more maintenance on our trains and trams, and local pier upgrades along the coast, adding to Victoria‘s $107 billion job-creating Big Build.

The Government will also invest more than $100 million for the critical upgrades of CFA and SES stations, disability accommodation, mental health and aged care facilities across Victoria – ensuring that just as we’re building our state, we’re making it safer and fairer too.

But we know this is just the start – as Victoria continues to recover from the coronavirus pandemic over the coming months, there will be hundreds more big and small jobs to do that require the planning now so they can get under way as fast as possible.

That’s why the Government will also establish a $180 million planning and acceleration fund, to keep the momentum going as we continue to build our recovery.

Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews

“We’re getting to work on hundreds of new projects across the state, meaning shovels in the ground – and boots in the mud – within a matter of weeks and months.”

“From upgrading our roads and rail, to critical maintenance for social housing and new projects for our tourist destinations, this package will create jobs for our local tradies and so many others – and support local businesses all over Victoria.”

Quote attributable to Treasurer and Member for Werribee Tim Pallas

“We’ve always said Victoria is the engine room of the nation – with this package, we’re cranking the engine and kickstarting our economy.”