The Victorian Government is getting on and delivering a comprehensive $2 billion package to ensure regional Victoria receives all the legacy benefits that would have been facilitated by hosting the Commonwealth Games - and more.
The Premier was joined by the Deputy Premier and the Minister for Regional Development today at the accommodation hub at Maryborough District Health Service to announce a new initiative that will increase the supply of workers' accommodation in regional Victoria.
We will invest $150 million in a Regional Worker Accommodation Fund to provide new housing options for regional communities where key workers are struggling to find affordable places to live.
We know there's no more important issue anywhere in the state right now than housing and we want to make regional workers jobs more secure and make it easier for businesses to find and keep staff.
We will consult regional employers, workers, housing providers and councils on the program design to ensure that it meets the needs of the local communities. Some organisations will be asked to provide matched funding contributions for their projects while for others, the grant may fund their entire project. Guidelines will be developed detailing eligibility and other requirements.
Ahead of the Housing Statement to be released later this year - and in addition to our Big Housing Build - the regional package includes a new $1 billion Regional Housing Fund to deliver more than 1300 new homes across regional Victoria.
The main reason we agreed to host the Games was to deliver lasting benefits in housing, tourism and sporting infrastructure for regional Victoria.
Celebrating the very best of what our regions have to offer is so important, so we're investing $150 million towards the Regional Tourism and Events Fund which will showcase new events, new attractions, and more accommodation.
The fund includes $60 million for Regional Tourism Infrastructure to attract visitors to key destinations and to support tourism businesses like wineries, breweries and distilleries to add much needed accommodation to their offering.
We want to continue to bring events that give to our regions, which is why we'll invest an extra $70 million in Visit Victoria so they can bring even more visitors and dollars to communities right across the state.
To assist Victorian primary producers and ensure that the rest of the world gets to experience our clean and green produce, we will also invest $10 million to grow our food and fibre exports and encourage more Australians to buy Victorian.
We know Victoria's regional cities and towns need the best skills, workforce and capacity to help regional tourism businesses grow and thrive and $5 million for Regional Tourism Industry Development will deliver that.
We will also invest $5 million for Regional Multi-Cultural Festivals to support towns across regional Victoria to hold multi-cultural festivals such as Tet, Chinese New Year, Nyepi.
The $60 million Regional Community Sport Development Fund will encourage regional Victorian families and children to keep physically active, including $35 million for Regional Community Sport Infrastructure and $25 million to deliver Community Sport Programs for football, netball, basketball, cricket, soccer, golf and shooting.
These projects will guarantee new aquatic centres, indoor stadiums, lighting upgrades and walking and cycling paths.
To honour the central contribution of Traditional Owners were making to the Games, the new $20 million Aboriginal Economic Development Fund will support Aboriginal business and employment programs and support Aboriginal cultural tourism initiatives.
A $10 million investment in Tiny Towns will mean more projects that will provide better public places and spaces to Victoria's smaller cities.
We know how hard local governments have been working to support delivery of Games events in their regions and a $25 million Council Support Package will ensure that work and the ideas generated don't go to waste. This will also mean councils are still able to deliver their planned revitalisation and other projects for the benefit of locals.
As stated by Premier Daniel Andrews
"Nothing is more important than finding your own home and this package is delivering real and lasting benefits to Victorians by helping more of them live where they want to live."
"This is about celebrating what our great state has to offer and we'll work with the regions to get the best outcomes for them - with the greatest benefit."
As stated by Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan
"We will deliver every one of the permanent facilities we said we would - delivering the lasting benefit too."
"We know how hard it is to find affordable housing in so many parts of regional Victoria - that's why we'll deliver more than 1300 new homes with a new $1 billion Regional Housing Fund."
As stated by Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing
"Finding a place to live is one of the biggest challenges in attracting and keeping workers in the regions - building workers' accommodation is just one way we want to help."
"This is about creating secure jobs, helping businesses to grow and attracting even more visitors to regional Victoria."
