Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle and Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison welcomed the expansion of the Regional Rail Revival Design Challenge 2050 competition into local schools.

Almost 500 jobseekers enrolled in the Andrews Labor Government’s Free TAFE initiative at Federation TAFE last year, making rewarding career pathways a reality for thousands of Victorians.

New pedestrian-operated traffic lights at a busy Ballarat intersection have been switched on, keeping hundreds of school students safe on their journey to and from school. Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison said the new lights at the intersection of Sturt, Russell and Morrison streets are part of a broader $4.8 million investment by the Andrews Labor Government in boosting safety along the western end of Sturt Street.

The Andrews Labor Government is supporting regional Victoria’s recovery from the COVID pandemic by investing in local jobs and stimulating the regional economy. Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle today announced $300,000 for a Resilience and Innovation Program for small businesses across Ballarat and the Grampians to be run by Commerce Ballarat.

The Andrews Labor Government is investing $49.2 million to build 162 new supported independent living homes, ensuring Victorians living with mental illness have the security and stability of a home. This includes a project in Ballarat West, delivering 16 new supported independent living homes in Redan for people living with mental illness, as part of the nation-leading Big Housing Build.

The Andrews Labor Government is bringing more AFL games to regional Victoria with Greater Western Sydney set to take on the Gold Coast Suns at Mars Stadium in Ballarat this Sunday 11 July.With support from the Regional Events Fund, the match marks the first home game of an interstate team to be played at Mars Stadium and adds to the suite of home-and-away matches played by the Western Bulldogs at the venue. 

Federation University will build the nation’s first wind turbine training tower to prepare Victorian students for jobs in the booming renewable energy sector.Minister for Training and Skills and Higher Education Gayle Tierney and Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio today turned the first sod at the Mount Helen campus, the gateway to wind farms across Western Victoria.

A new and expanded mental health and well-being support hub has opened in Ballarat, giving locals the care and support they need on their doorstep, thanks to the Victorian Government.Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health Steve Dimopoulos today opened the new Cooinda Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub, which will provide an array of health and social services including children’s assessments, counselling, and family violence support.

The Andrews Labor Government is supporting multicultural and multifaith communities in our community to tackle racism through funding for anti-racism initiatives in our region and the establishment of a new state-wide Anti-Racism Taskforce. Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle and Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison visited..

The Andrews Labor Government is delivering the largest ever investment in housing across regional Victoria, ensuring our most vulnerable have a safe and secure place to call home in their local community.Minister for Housing Richard Wynne today announced at least 150 social housing homes will be built in Ballarat creating 100 direct and 350 indirect local jobs.

Playtimes for students at Invermay Primary School are being shored up, with the Victorian Government looking to secure a vital piece of playground space.Member for Wendouree, Juliana Addison MP, today announced that the Victorian Government is seeking to purchase a parcel of land adjoining the school at 187A Swinglers Road, Invermay from the City of Ballarat.

Today, Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison and Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle welcomed the announcement that Victorians will get the mental health support and care they need, with the Andrews Labor Government to provide additional funding as demand for services increases during current restrictions.

The Victorian Government is taking immediate action to keep people who live in residential disability settings, private aged care residents and staff safe with a vaccination blitz to ensure workers in these vulnerable settings are protected against coronavirus.