With the return of a Morrison majority government now confirmed in what many voters consider to be a surprise election result, people across the nation are busy analysing what this means for them, for their local community, and for the country more broadly.
It's no different in Ballarat. Some people are elated, others disappointed, many are still processing the result. No doubt there will be recriminations, soul searching, and lessons learned, but it's not too soon to move on, to stop over-analysing the outcome. Instead we need to seize the opportunities a newly invigorated federal government could bring for Ballarat.
Congratulations to a re-elected Morrison Government.
Congratulations also to Catherine King who has been returned for a seventh time to represent the people of Ballarat as our Federal Member. She has been rewarded for her hard work and strong and loyal representation over many years. Her commitment to our city and its region is commendable. We hope to continue to work closely with Catherine to deliver projects and initiatives for Ballarat and region.
During the election campaign both sides of government dealt with our region differently, with some similar funding commitments. The reality is the ALP was very generous in its promises to Ballarat during the campaign. Unfortunately for Ballarat the election outcome meant these funding promises did not become commitments.
As Mayor it's my job to lead the charge on behalf of Council and the community to ensure the federal government commits to funding for priority infrastructure projects.
Council will follow up all campaign announcements and all funding avenues rigorously, we will retain our focus and our confidence. We will negotiate even harder to secure the funding needed to provide the infrastructure our city requires as it grows at a rate not seen since the gold rush. We will fight for Ballarat to be the recipient of the very next Regional City Deal.
I will work with members of the federal government to persuade them to commit money for accessibility and safety works at Her Majesty's Theatre. We know our community loves Her Maj and is anxious about its future. I'm confident that now the Morrison Government has a fresh mandate it will look again at this important piece of Australia's heritage and take heed of the thoughts of the thousands of people who have signed petitions calling for funding support.
The case has been clearly and publicly made that critical upgrades are needed at the Ballarat airport to make it able to better connect our city with the region and the rest of the country. I know the federal Coalition government has a keen interest in this space. The pre-budget announcement of a $100 million Regional Airports fund, combined with assurances by government members, gives me confidence our renewed funding approaches will be well received. We will pursue our case vigorously in Canberra and at a state level on this one. Upgrades at the Ballarat Airport are about a lot more than regional passenger transport - it's also about jobs, lives, safety and emergency response.
Funding of $10.1 million for Sovereign Hill's Beyond Fifty is assured - great news for this much-loved, award-winning, community-based Ballarat institution.
As a Council we welcome all investment in sporting infrastructure, particularly where it aligns with Council's Active Women and Girls strategy. I know the Morrison Government shares this interest and hope the funding promise for female friendly change rooms at City Oval will be matched, in line with the funding grant recently announced for Russel Square.
The BIRCH health research collaborative involving our city's universities and hospitals is in part designed to secure pathways to attract medical professionals to live and stay in the regions. I have confidence that when Federal Cabinet members have settled into their new roles projects like this will be looked at again with fresh eyes.
I know it will take a lot of work from Ballarat and its stakeholders to make our voice heard in post-election Canberra. I'm prepared to put in the work - and to call on existing strong relationships with the Hon Dan Tehan, Senators Bridget McKenzie and Jane Hume, and with the Hon. Sussan Ley. I know we will have the full support of Catherine King in pursuing our agenda for Ballarat.
Together with some of my fellow Councillors, I will be in Canberra next month representing Ballarat as Mayor and in my capacity as Chair of Regional Capitals Australia. We look forward to meeting with as many Ministers and Members of Parliament as possible to advance our case for a greater share of federal funding and to argue for the very next Regional City Deal, right here in Ballarat.
- Ballarat Mayor Samantha McIntosh
