Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has welcomed new funding to upgrade Dromana pier and plan for a cross-Peninsula bus service, announced in the Victorian Budget.
Council has advocated hard for better public transport connections and more funding to maintain its foreshore infrastructure, especially its much-loved piers and jetties.
The announcement of funding to plan for a cross-Peninsula bus service linking Hastings to Mornington will lead to a reduction in the travel time between these two towns and unlock more opportunities for residents to access employment, education and healthcare.
The community is delighted at news of a $10 million funding package for Dromana pier. Council and community groups have been advocating for over a year for urgent funding to repair and upgrade this iconic attraction.
Funding for a new comprehensive women’s health clinic at Frankston Hospital is also welcome and will benefit many Peninsula residents. However, funding is urgently needed to upgrade ageing infrastructure at Rosebud Hospital.
The community deserves a modern hospital with more specialist services to deliver community healthcare needs closer to home, the council said.
A minimum 45 minutes to travel to Frankston Hospital for acute and emergency care puts people’s lives at risk, the council added.
Of most concern in the budget is the move to slash the Growing Suburbs Fund from $50 million to $10 million. This will have a big impact on the Mornington Peninsula and the 15 other councils which share that fund.
Having access to the Growing Suburbs Fund has enabled council to fund many of our community’s most urgent infrastructure needs, such as the new Alexandra Park pavilion and the Southern Peninsula Youth Hub.
The slashing of this fund will make it even harder for Council to secure funding to tackle our community’s growing infrastructure needs.
