Thursday, 3 April 2025

Regional infrastructure

Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (18:07): (1586) My adjournment is for the Premier. This week we had the Select Committee on the 2026 Commonwealth Games Bid inquiry report released, and it showed a failure of planning, a lack of transparency and significant waste of taxpayer funds. Following the cancellation of the games, we were all advised that there would be legacy projects. It has been nearly two years since the cancellation. I do note Engage Victoria on their website in March invited community feedback about the Bendigo stadium project and the Bendigo showgrounds project that closed on 3 April, so it seems very brief indeed, and I did receive correspondence from a constituent that said:

If you want an example to show that state government planning processes are a farce, this is it.

No public or user group consultation on major works before the planning application was submitted and tender shortlisted, no application process for the funding, no right to object to or appeal any of the planning decisions, fake consultation when works have been set in stone … No funding amount has been disclosed – the latest information available puts the project at $20 million to $30 million.

I know in Bendigo at the site that was meant to have a lot of additional housing built in Flora Hill there is still temporary fencing around it, so we are yet to see much progress.

There are a number of projects that were talked about – expanding the Bendigo stadium to include a new two-court annex and upgrading two existing courts, the Bendigo Bowls Club and Bendigo Croquet Club, four bowls greens and two croquet greens will be refurbished. I know they were meant to close down. I heard on the radio this morning on ABC Central Victoria they were talking about shutting down for 18 months, but we would appreciate further details. We also heard about the multipurpose pavilion at the Bendigo showgrounds and the redevelopment of the arena and upgrades to all four entrances and perimeter fencing. The showground is still waiting for works to commence, but they talked about ‘a prime venue for cultural and agricultural events for years to come’.

On the Regional Housing Fund, with the cancellation of the games the government talked about $1 billion and they talked about 1300 additional social and affordable homes. Over a year ago I was advised that confirmation of the locations and the types of new homes to be built under the Regional Housing Fund will be made in due course. So I am wanting to get an update from the Premier on the progress of each of these projects – on the cost of each project, on the completion date of each project – and certainly when it comes to delivering hundreds of new townhouses I am keen to know how many will be built in northern Victoria and their locations.