The Victorian Budget 2018/19 will deliver new skills, good jobs, more schools and better roads for every Victorian.

Local families will have good schools close to home, with nearly $1.3 billion invested in schools around the state.

This includes building and planning 28 new schools, and upgrading 130 existing schools.

Locally, land will be acquired for the new Wollahra P-6, while $23.7 million has been allocated to build a new primary school, Wyndham South (Riverwalk) P-6, to open by January 2020.

This school will be built to cater for 525 students, meeting the needs of this growing population and giving local families certainty about their children’s future.

Local residents will be able to get home sooner, with $10.83 million for four additional return shoulder/peak services every weekday on the Wyndham Vale Line. Residents will also benefit from upgrades to local bus routes.

This year’s Budget also includes $150,000 to undertake detailed analysis and planning, ahead of upgrades to the Wattle Avenue and Princes Highway intersection.

Cost should never stop someone from learning new skills, that’s why this year’s Budget includes $172 million to make priority TAFE courses free, giving more Werribee residents the chance to be able to train at TAFE and get the right skills they need for a good job.

30 priority TAFE courses and 18 pre-apprenticeship courses will be made free, while more than 30,000 new TAFE places will be funded across the state.

More local students will also be able to finish school qualified and ready to work, with the introduction of Head Start Apprenticeships and Traineeships in 100 secondary schools.

It means kids in our community will have the option to undertake an additional year of high school, and graduate with an apprenticeship or traineeship, ready to start work in a good job.

Werribee students will also get expert advice to help them make the right career choices, with career education in schools to be overhauled across the state and start from Year 9.

The Budget also includes $1 million for planning and design works for an expansion of the Werribee Open Range Zoo, while local families will benefit from a further $1 million for the Greening the Pipeline Project, which will transform the heritage listed Main Outfall Sewer reserve, along the Federation Trail bike path, into parkland.

Werribee residents will also get more help to make ends meet with a $48 million Power Saving Bonus to help Victorian families get a better deal from power companies.

To receive a $50 bonus, local households will need to use Victoria’s Energy Compare website between 1 July and December 2018 – the independent price comparison website helps the typical household save $330 on their energy bills in the first year alone.

Big power companies rely on people not having the time, information or knowledge to get a better deal. Energy Compare removes the complexity and time required to find the best deal.

Funding has also been provided to acquire land for the future development of a new Werribee court precinct.

This is a Labor Budget that delivers on the things matter most to our state. This is a Budget that gets things done.

Quotes attributable to Member for Werribee Tim Pallas

“From investing in local schools to local skills, this is a Budget that gets things done for Werribee.”

“We know there are better energy deals out there for local families – that’s why we’re stepping in to help them get the best offer.”