The Andrews Labor Government is more than doubling the capacity of Victoria’s Youth Prevention and Recovery Care (YPARC) network, giving more young Victorians access to the mental health care and support they need. Acting Minister for Mental Health Colin Brooks today announced the sites for new YPARC centres in Heidelberg, Traralgon, Shepparton, Ballarat and Geelong.

The Andrews Labor Government is continuing to support Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative with the infrastructure it needs to grow and thrive. Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle today announced three separate grants for BADAC to support the organisation’s work with local Aboriginal artists and community.

Victoria’s strong economy is continuing to drive a dynamic labour market with the regional unemployment rate at a near all-time record low – and the lowest of all the states.  Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures released this week show that the regional unemployment rate is 2.9 per cent, while the national rate sits at 3.1 per cent.

The Andrews Labor Government knows that Ballarat and the surrounding region provide a significant contribution to the Victorian visitor economy. The area provides a growing variety of vibrant and diverse tourism offerings, attracting visitors from across Australia and the world.

Works will begin on lighting up Ballarat’s iconic Lake Wendouree so locals can enjoy the precinct for more hours of the day, all year round thanks to support from the Andrews Labor Government.

New mums and dads across Ballarat will soon have better access to early parenting support in a state-of-the-art facility, with a site selected and works starting for the new multi-million-dollar Early Parenting Centre in Ballarat. Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas, Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle today turned the first sod and released the first designs of the new centre at 10 Fawcett Rd, Lucas.

The new trains will be manufactured in Dandenong and assembled in Alstom’s Ballarat factory later this year, bolstering the Labor Government’s commitment to support jobs across our state and continue the pipeline of local manufacturing.

Ballarat is set to enjoy a a four-day whole-of-community Pride festival of LGBTIQA+ events this Summer as part of Victoria’s Pride – a statewide celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer (LGBTQIA+) communities.M ember for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle today announced that Ballarat’s Frolic Festival will receive a $10,000 grant to support the running of the 2023 Frolic Festival program.

The VRI Delacombe Cricket Club can now ramp up its training and development thanks to a new cricket training facility at its home ground at Doug Dean Reserve in Delacombe. Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison today officially opened the new training facility, made possible by a $100,000 investment from the Victorian Government’s Community Cricket Program.

The Andrews Labor Government is investing to make the state more inclusive for all Victorians, making popular tourist destinations and community facilities more accessible for people with disability. Today Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle and Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison announced that Ballarat Group Training at Barkly Square will receive a grant $100,000 as part of the Labor Government’s Changing Places and Universal Design grants program, aimed at making it easier for all Victorians to take part in community and social activities.

I am pleased to hear of the positive impact of the Government’s investments across the Ballarat region.  The Government’s investments have contributed to Ballarat’s growing economy and boosted local job opportunities.

I thank Ms Addison, Member for Wendouree, for her question and interest in the historic $5.3 billion Big Housing Build and other social and affordable housing projects in the electorate of Wendouree.

The Andrews Labor Government is helping Ballarat kindergartens to upgrade and improve their centres, giving every Victorian child the best start to life. Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle today announced that two Ballarat Kinders have joined the ranks of over 100 other Early Childhood services to benefit from the Building Blocks Improvement grant program.

This is an important moment in the history of early childhood education and care in Victoria: one that means better educational outcomes for children, including those in Wendouree.

More students will be able to catch a school bus next year as the Andrews Labor Government rolls out the first in a suite of additional school bus services across the state, including Ballarat. A new school bus service being introduced in 2023 will link Cardigan Village and Lucas with Lucas Primary School and Ballarat High School for the first-time making access to school easier for primary and secondary-aged students in these growing areas.