Wyndham City is calling all political parties to invest in opportunity by investing in Wyndham and:
- support local jobs and create economic opportunities
- build better transport connections to make it easier to move around Wyndham
- build better communities through equitable funding for growth areas, planning and partnerships.
This call is part of Wyndham City's pitch to all political parties in the lead-up to the Federal Election on 21 May.
Council outlined significant opportunities to invest in Wyndham, including the long-awaited activation of the East Werribee precinct.
"Wyndham has the strongest growth in Melbourne, and we need to create a strong commercial hub in the heart of Wyndham," Cr Maynard said.
"The Federal Government needs to invest in Wyndham to support existing community needs, absorb future population growth, and build a more prosperous, productive and sustainable Wyndham."
"The East Werribee precinct will create 60,000 jobs and provide us with the opportunity to build a different sort of hub, one with forward-looking transport systems, green construction practices, appropriate housing and a wide range of jobs which are easily accessible."
"Activating East Werribee will help ease the congestion challenges for Melbourne, boost employment options closer to where people live, generate new industries and learning opportunities, and deliver more health and community services for the western region."
Other key projects include:
- Wyndham Westlink - to relieve high levels of congestion in Wyndham's west and boost productivity.
- North and West Melbourne City Deal - a 20-year proposal of projects and investments for the region to respond to the pandemic and reform our economy for the future.
- Opportunity Wyndham - supporting successful employment programs providing equitable access to local jobs for local people.
- Sports Infrastructure - critical sports and active leisure facilities supporting Wyndham residents to be more active more often.
- Finance for Growth Areas - providing a strong, reliable and equitable flow of Federal funding into local infrastructure and services.
"These are all important investment priorities. We urge both major parties to commit to investing in Wyndham," Cr Maynard said. "Our residents did it tough through six lockdowns, and we need Federal Government funding to help in our recovery."
Council has also called for funding for the Western Intermodal Freight Terminal - in Truganina and Outer Metropolitan Ring Transport Corridor, which were both funded in the Federal Budget 2022-23.
"Thank you to the Federal Government for listening to what the industry said it needed and what Melton and Wyndham City Councils have been advocating for."
Wyndham has also supported calls for the establishment of a Federal Ministerial portfolio for Growth Areas.
Wyndham City Mayor Cr Peter Maynard said the need for a Growth Areas Ministerial portfolio was urgent.
"These are the communities of essential workers that saw us through the pandemic, and to date, governments have failed to understand their needs," Cr Maynard said.
"Years of underestimating the population and potential of growth areas has created mounting economic, mental health and infrastructure issues in Australia's fastest-growing communities, including Wyndham."
"Wyndham City has a population of more than 300,000, and we're still growing."
"We're part of 5.2 million Australians who live in outer urban growth areas."
"An urgent national response to growth area inequities and Covid recovery needs to be led by a Minister for Growth Areas. And that needs to happen now."
