State budget: Symes, Allan ignore Geelong leaders, limited investment in region

The state budget ignored local leaders in a budget surplus hell bent on keeping the state’s debt under $200b in coming years.

Victorian Treasurer Jaclyn Symes. Picture: Eamon Gallagher.

The state government has ignored the wishes of Geelong leaders as Treasurer Jaclyn Symes delivered her first budget on Tuesday.

Pleas from local advocacy groups for Avalon precinct funding, and for forgotten projects such as Geelong fast rail went unanswered, but the “responsible” budget – as Ms Symes labelled it – was not without a sprinkling of cash for the region.

The budget was headlined by major investments in the health sector, with Geelong hospital to receive a portion of a $634m fund to build and upgrade nine facilities statewide.

While it’s unclear how much Geelong hospital will get, the money will go towards an emergency department upgrade.

This is on top of the $20m promised in September towards a new pediatric emergency care centre.

The budget set aside $48.2m for Medicare urgent care clinics, one of which is in Belmont..

Premier Jacinta Allan. Picture: David Crosling.

Geelong will also receive a share of 30 new beds at youth prevention and recovery centres, as part of an $8m investment.

Investment in rail was a key theme of the budget, headlined by the move towards free travel for children, and for seniors on weekends.

The Geelong line will receive extra CCTV cameras to increase customer safety as part of a $270m spend on regional rail, which also aims to make services more reliable.

Funding for regional roads also featured, with $28m set aside for upgrades.

A pair of local schools scored some funding, with Belmont High getting $11.2m and Lara Secondary College part of the $25m capital works fund.

Regional Development Minister Gayle Tierney with Belmont High School principal Josh Baker and school captains Eliza Turley, left, Angus MacRae and Poppy Nivarovich. Picture: Alison Wynd

The Gordon secured part of an $11.1m investment into select TAFEs across regional Victoria.

“I know the real difference our frontline services make to regional communities, that’s why we’re investing more in our regional hospitals, schools, road, and rail,” Premier Jacinta Allan said.

The government will invest a further $11m into Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, which is set to open its doors in 2026.

$6m of funding for the Great Ocean Road also featured, which comes on top of the $60m the iconic tourist attraction will receive next year for the previously announced Great Ocean Road Renewal.

Other funding for the Great Ocean Road will come through the Geelong City Deal, which itself received $59.3m, almost $2m less than forecast.

There were no new taxes beyond the controversial emergency services levy, which caused a large number of Country Fire Authority volunteers to protest on the steps of parliament – just 200m from where the treasurer addressed media.

The region will also benefit from the $727m spend on prisons, announced in Lara last week, that is expected to bring an extra 300 jobs to Geelong.

Ms Symes said: “The budget is focused on helping families in every corner of the state, ensuring regional Victorians can better access the healthcare, education and regional services and infrastructure they need.”

Originally published as State budget: Symes, Allan ignore Geelong leaders, limited investment in region