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Peri Urban Councils Victoria urges major parties to invest in growing communities ahead of election

Peri Urban Councils Victoria urges major parties to invest in fast-growing peri urban communities, calling for $230 million in funding. They highlight infrastructure needs, housing demands, and election commitments impacting their priorities.

By news@gippsland - 28th March 2025 - Back to News

Peri Urban Councils Victoria (PUCV) has called on the major parties to act promptly and invest in fast-growing peri urban communities as political hopefuls make their pitch to the electorate. PUCV Chair Cr Moira Berry said with more than 72,000 houses needed to accommodate more than 162,000 new residents in the next 15 years, fast action was required to ensure peri urban communities remained connected and liveable.

PUCV urges the next Australian government to invest $230 million in peri urban housing, liveability projects, and renew funding for the Peri-Urban Mobile Program to support growing communities

Infrastructure for growth

Cr Berry said, "We've been advocating strongly over the past 18 months to ensure all major parties understand the unique pressure urban councils are under and what they need to grow and prosper in a sustainable way. As smaller councils we can't get the sewerage, water and other services in place to make sure houses can be built."

"Our municipalities want to be part of the solution to the housing crisis but we also want to make sure any growth in our towns is backed up with roads, community centres, pools and libraries. Investment in this sort of liveability infrastructure makes growing communities places where people want to live, not just deserted communities with houses people can afford," Cr Berry said.

Fair funding for peri-urban

PUCV has called for the next Australian government to:

• Invest $230 million to fund housing enabling and liveability projects in peri urban communities
• Provide new rounds of funding for the Peri-Urban Mobile Program

"Peri urban communities deserve a fair share from the Federal Government to ensure the towns and new communities under development remain liveable and grow sustainably, while protecting valuable agricultural land and the character of our towns and smaller communities. Putting peri urban communities front and centre in this election will go a long way to achieving this outcome," Cr Berry concluded.

Budget highlights and tracker

Items from this week's Federal Budget of interest to PUCV included:

• Roads: $1.1 billion for the Western Freeway
• Housing: $49.3 million for prefabricated and modular housing construction and $800 million in additional money for the Help to Buy program
• Health: $7.9 billion to strengthen Medicare including Urgent Care Clinics and General Practitioner and Rural Generalist training pipelines
• Tax: income tax cuts over two years with the 16 per cent tax rate dropping to 15 per cent in July 2026, and again to 14 per cent a year later

Items from the Opposition's budget reply speech last night of interest to PUCV included:

• Health: $9.4 billion investment into health, including funding incentivise junior doctors to work as GP and boost Medicare bulk billing
• Housing: $5 billion for essential infrastructure to get stalled housing projects underway
• Tax: $6 billion commitment to halve the fuel excise for 12 months
• Energy: $1 billion for a Critical Gas Infrastructure Fund and introduction of an East Coast Gas Reservation to secure more gas for the domestic market

PUCV will maintain a register on its website of election pledges made by the major parties during the campaign. The register, or tracker, will help people stay informed and monitor how the parties compare across PUCV's priority areas. It will soon be available on the PUCV website.

Pictures from Peri Urban Councils Victoria website.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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  Melina Bath urges Minister Dimopoulos to reinstate paper-based licence renewals, ensuring hunters aren’t excluded and focusing on hunting competency over digital skills
• Melina Bath criticises Labor for six-year delay restoring Thurra River Campground after 2019-20 bushfires
  Eastern Victoria MP Melina Bath criticises Labor’s six-year delay restoring Thurra River Campground, highlighting unsafe facilities, limited capacity, and urgent need for infrastructure replacement to support local families and tourism.
• Danny O’Brien says July-September 2025 data shows Labor continues failing Gippsland’s critical emergency response
  Ambulance Victoria data shows Gippsland response times well below targets, with urgent calls for the Allan Labor government to improve staffing, resources, and performance to protect regional communities.
• Melina Bath honours Wonthaggi Rotary Club for 32 years recognising volunteers and strengthening Eastern Victoria
  Melina Bath recognised Wonthaggi Rotary Club in parliament for 32 years celebrating local volunteers, presenting over 250 awards, and strengthening Eastern Victoria communities through service and dedication.
• Melina Bath launches e-petition urging Labor to enforce gun laws properly and protect law-abiding firearm owners in Gippsland
  Eastern Victoria MP Melina Bath and firearm owner Ryan Weeratunge launch e-petition urging Labor to enforce existing gun laws, avoid rushed changes, and consult law-abiding owners to ensure community safety.
• Coalition demands Albanese government regulate veterans’ advocacy sector after damning Senate committee report release
  The Coalition urges urgent laws to regulate veterans’ advocacy, citing unethical practices, rising commercial providers, data risks, and unmet Royal Commission reforms to better protect vulnerable veterans and their families.
• Serious crime rises reflect community concerns, worsened by Labor's cuts, weakened bail, reduced youth programs, says Melina Bath
  Crime in Eastern Victoria has reached a 20-year high, with Melina Bath condemning Labor's soft approach, police under-resourced, and The Nationals vowing stronger laws, prevention programs, and community safety reforms.
• West Gippsland CMA’s annual report showcases environmental achievements from mountain headwaters to coastal waters
  West Gippsland CMA’s Annual Report highlights major 2024–25 achievements restoring rivers, wetlands and habitats, supporting communities, protecting wildlife, and strengthening catchment health from mountain headwaters to the coast.
• Tim Bull criticises Labor government for mismanagement, volunteer cuts, and inadequate fuel reduction ahead of high-risk summer season
  Gippsland East MP Tim Bull warns communities face extreme bushfire risk this summer due to Labor’s volunteer cuts, ageing CFA fleet, inadequate fuel reduction, and failure to implement Royal Commission recommendations.
• Tim Bull says locals and community groups want stronger enforcement as illegal campers leave areas unkempt
  Tim Bull urges Environment Minister Dimopoulos to act on illegal campers along the Snowy River, balancing public access for tourists with enforcement and welfare oversight to protect local businesses.
• Kay Abude appointed lead artist for Women's Public Art Program in Wonthaggi honouring Miners’ Women’s Auxiliary
  Contemporary artist Kay Abude has been appointed to create a major Wonthaggi public artwork honouring the Miners’ Women’s Auxiliary, with community workshops and Victorian government support celebrating local history.
• Tim Bull encourages local groups to apply for grants supporting veterans, preserving war memorials and heritage by 3 February 2026
  Tim Bull urges local organisations to apply by 3 February 2026 for grants supporting veterans and conserving war memorials and community heritage.
• Danny O’Brien calls for clarity on free children’s public transport amid Gippsland V/Line concerns
  Danny O’Brien urges Labor to clarify free children’s public transport rollout, warning Gippsland families face confusion over youth myki requirements, online access, and unmanned V/Line stations from January 2026.
• Danny O’Brien warns Gippslanders to stay alert as fake government email and text scams increase
  Danny O’Brien urges residents to stay vigilant against sophisticated government-themed email and text scams, verify messages using Scam Safe Check, and report suspicious activity to protect the community.
• Danny O’Brien says South Gippsland Highway receives constant patch-ups instead of proper, long-term investment
  Danny O’Brien criticises South Gippsland Highway constant patch-ups, highlighting 169 maintenance tasks since July, calling for proper investment and long-term repairs instead of short-term, wasteful fixes by the Labor government.
• West Gippsland Landcare awarded $337,250 to transform landscapes, protect species, and enhance community green spaces statewide
  West Gippsland Landcare volunteers received $337,250 from 2025 Victorian Landcare Grants to restore landscapes, protect endangered species, enhance waterways, plant 30,000 trees, and engage communities in conservation projects.
• East Gippsland residents urged to foster dogs as Animal Aid Bairnsdale faces unprecedented influx and resource strain
  Animal Aid Bairnsdale urges East Gippsland residents to foster dogs as rising numbers strain shelter capacity. Support, resources, and costs are provided, ensuring dogs receive safety, love, and a chance at adoption.
• Latrobe City events drive tourism, economic growth and community engagement across the region
  Latrobe City hosted major sporting and cultural events in 2024 - 25, attracting over 27,000 attendees and generating $23.5 million in economic impact, reinforcing the region's growing reputation as an events hub.
• East Gippsland Council reminds pet owners to register pets, ensure safety, cleanliness, and enjoyable public spaces for everyone
  East Gippsland Council urges pet owners to register animals, ensuring compliance, quick safe returns, and supporting responsible ownership for cleaner, safer, and more enjoyable community spaces.
• Sale’s burnt police station must be cleared and redeveloped after 11 years of government inaction, says Danny O’Brien
  Nationals MP Danny O’Brien urges Allan Labor Government to clear and redevelop Sale’s old police station site after 11 years of inaction, following its recent deliberate burning.
• Melina Bath condemns Allan government, warns emergency services tax delay is political, not scrapped
  Melina Bath condemned the Allan Government for misleading regional Victorians, warning the emergency services tax delay is political, not scrapped, and calling for its full abolition to protect farmers and communities.
• Danny O'Brien visits Gippsland schools honouring Anzac Legacy by planting 100 lone pines across Victoria
  Gippsland schools joined the "100 Lone Pines Project," with Danny O’Brien delivering seedlings, connecting students to Gallipoli history and honoring the Anzac legacy through planting descendant pines across Victoria.