The Andrews Labor Government has welcomed the work of Melbourne’s Metropolitan Partnerships, which have provided invaluable advice on key issues affecting local people.
Minister for Suburban Development Marlene Kairouz said the work of the six Metropolitan Partnerships over two years had brought together residents, businesses, community groups and councils to provide input on priorities within individual areas and more broadly across Melbourne.
Partnership members were officially recognised at the annual Metropolitan Partnerships dinner at Parliament House last night.
Labor Government initiatives have addressed many Partnership recommendations, including:
- Unprecedented investment in road and rail projects to get people where they need to go quicker and with less fuss, including North East Link, Melbourne Airport Rail and the Suburban Rail Loop.
- Landmark investments in world-class hospitals and health facilities, including a new $1.5 billion Footscray Hospital due to open in 2025.
- Assistance for the homeless with new investments including $3.5 million to provide a 24-hour refuge for young rough-sleepers in central Melbourne.
- Funded three-year old kinder introduced in the Victorian Budget 2019/20 under the most significant reforms in early childhood education seen in the state.
- The equivalent of 170 Royal Botanic Gardens in new parkland, walking trails, bike trails, pocket parks and dog parks to be created under a $154 million program to boost relaxation and exercise options in the suburbs.
Metropolitan Partnerships engage with communities through annual assemblies, business and youth forums and online via the Engage Victoria website.
The 2019 Partnerships process is taking place across Melbourne now, providing groups and individuals with the opportunity to engage with state and local government and to advise on priorities for jobs, services and infrastructure.
The six Metropolitan Partnerships are: Inner Metro, Inner South East, Western, Northern, Eastern and Southern.
For further details on the work of each of the Metropolitan Partnerships, visit engage.vic.gov.au/metropolitan-partnerships.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Suburban Development Marlene Kairouz
“The six Metropolitan Partnerships have become important bodies in helping to identify priorities for communities across metropolitan Melbourne.”
“The government knows that local people understand better than anyone the key issues in their region.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020