STATE Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell has said today that Greater Shepparton will miss out on funding for critical infrastructure as the State Government raises taxes to spend big on metropolitan Melbourne projects, according to the Victorian Government Budget 2024-25 released today.
“The budget is a huge disappointment for Greater Shepparton families who will pay more tax and receive less services and no new infrastructure as Labor continues to chase votes by pork barrelling projects in metropolitan Melbourne.”
“Labor can’t manage money. They have run up massive debt and will spend more each year on interest payments than they will on education, or on families.”
“Less than 1 per cent of the estimated $216 billion cost of the Suburban Rail Loop could deliver all the major projects that Greater Shepparton residents were hoping for, but the Labor Government has let down the regions once again.”
She said Shepparton residents will pay more as the Treasurer Tim Pallas increases the fire services levy and the waste management levy, while forcing cuts to health services and delaying regional projects, in order to continue funding big ticket Melbourne infrastructure.
Massive increases in taxes will hit Shepparton residents hard with the fire services levy set to soar from $847M in total to $1.433B in total, and the waste levy set to more than double from $64.55 to $169.79 per tonne, as of July 1, 2025.
Unfortunately, taxpayers won’t see any increase in service delivery for the extra taxes. Instead, the budget slashes funding for vital services, including:
· $207M cut from Public Health
· $79M cut from Early Childhood Sector Supports and Regulation
· $286M cut from Tourism and Major Events
· $19M cut from Road Asset Management which is now 16% lower than spending in 2020
Greater Shepparton will wait even longer for projects as completion dates have been delayed, including:
· Funding for the Early Parenting Centre in Shepparton has been delayed, and the completion date pushed back until 2026 as the government prioritises other projects.
· Stage 3 of the Shepparton Rail Line Upgrade which was due to be completed in 2023 now has no firm completion date, as the project stalls over signalling works.
· Redevelopment of Goulburn Valley Health is now listed as complete, as the Government abandons Stage 2 of the project and will not deliver the full hospital upgrade that the Greater Shepparton region needs.
Financial mismanagement and cost blowouts mean Victoria’s debt will rise to its highest ever, reaching $188B by 2028.
By 2027-28 the State’s interest bill on its debt will reach $26 million dollars every single day, over $9B every year.
Because of Labor’s financial mismanagement, Greater Shepparton will miss out on funding for crucial regional projects, including:
· Shepparton Sports and Events Centre
· Stage 1 of the Shepparton Bypass
· Clinical Health School
· Regional road maintenance and upgrades
· New school crossing for Kialla West Primary School
