Melton City Council has announced its latest advocacy priorities calling on a whole-of-government investment approach to meet the needs of its rapidly growing community.
The priorities were unveiled by Mayor Cr Lara Carli at an event last Friday in Fraser Rise, one of the fastest‑growing areas in Australia, and featured a keynote address by Dr Johnathon Spear, CEO of Infrastructure Victoria.
With the City's population set to double over the next 20 years, the advocacy priorities identify the community's current and future needs and outline how the Australian and Victorian governments could partner with Council to deliver them.
The advocacy priorities are aligned to six key themes: Employment and Investment Attraction, Transport, Education and Skills, Health and Wellbeing, Environment, and Financial Sustainability.
Each theme outlines the investment needed to create opportunity, support liveability, attract investment, and sustainably manage a rapidly growing city.
Key priorities include:
- fast‑tracking the development of employment precincts to help create 100,000 jobs by 2050
- improving public transport, including delivering the electrification of the Melton rail line by 2030 and building three new train stations
- major upgrades to key arterial roads across the city
- boosting business attraction initiatives to support more local jobs
- more local schools, expanded TAFE options, and establishing a university to create pathways into future careers, and
- improved access to local health, wellbeing, and education services.
Council acknowledges the significant investments made to date by the Australian and Victorian governments, including the new Melton Hospital, Melton TAFE, new schools, level crossing removals, and the $1 billion upgrade committed for the Western Highway.
Council is also making major contributions towards the City's infrastructure needs, by delivering projects such as the Community Services Building in Cobblebank, the Aquatic and Leisure Centre in Fraser Rise, new road connections, community facilities and active open spaces.
