State Budget 2022/23: Melton Hospital, Melton Highway, WIFT and local schools
Melton City Council has welcomed the inclusion of more than $900 million to build a new Melton Hospital in the Victorian State Budget 2022/23, among several key announcements on Tuesday.
The State Government has announced that the new Melton Hospital will include a 24-hour emergency department, more than 100 medical and surgical beds, an intensive care unit, maternity and neonatal services, more mental health services, interventional services and ambulatory care.
On social media on Wednesday, Premier Dan Andrews joined Member for Melton Steve McGhie to confirm that the new Melton Hospital will:
provide 24/7 emergency care
include 395 points of care including more than 100 medical and surgical beds
support approximately 130,000 patient presentations each year
support 60,000 emergency department presentations
deliver more than 100 surgical beds
The hospital will also include:
a new intensive care unit
maternity and neonatal services
mental health services
interventional services
ambulatory care and a full range of clinical supports.
“The cutting-edge hospital – which will be Victoria’s first all-electric hospital – will also use new models of care, building upon virtual healthcare and increasing capacity and scope for hospital in the home programs,” Mr McGhie said.
• Artists impression of the coming Melton Hospital
Funding has also been allocated towards Melton Highway partial duplication works, planning for the Western Interstate Freight Terminal, and several much-needed new and upgraded local schools.
Local projects funded in Tuesday’s budget announcement:
Melton Hospital: $900 million - $1 billion towards a new Melton Hospital in Cobblebank
Melton Highway: $14.9 million to duplicate a section of the road in Plumpton
Western Interstate Freight Terminal: $6.1 million towards planning
Local schools: New Aintree Secondary School, new Aintree Specialist School, new Brookfield Primary School, Staughton College upgrade, Aintree Primary School next stage, Diggers Rest Primary School modernisation, and Cobblebank Secondary land acquisition.
Public transport: New bus services for Diggers Rest
Growing Suburbs Fund: Council will have the opportunity to apply for funding from a $50 million pool available to support all growth areas to fast-track infrastructure projects.
“We’re thrilled at the exciting news delivered in the State Budget for the City of Melton and we extend our appreciation to Victorian Government for recognising our needs as one of Australia’s fastest growing areas,” City of Melton Mayor Cr Goran Kesic said this week.
“This level of funding will truly make the Melton Hospital a reality. It will provide much-needed healthcare locally and will create quality local jobs. It’s a credit to our whole community who campaigned and advocated strongly with us for this vital facility.
“We’ve been advocating for a commitment from the State Government to make our roads safer and reduce commute times, so it’s fantastic that part of the Melton Highway will be duplicated.
“The Western Interstate Freight Terminal is vitally important for Melbourne’s outer west. It’s a project that will create thousands of ongoing local jobs, reduce truck congestion on our roads, improve freight movement across the west, and support commercial investment.
“The Melton Hospital and Western Interstate Freight Terminal are transformational projects that together will help attract commercial investment and unlock 100,000 jobs by 2050.
“We look forward to learning more details about all the projects funded for the City of Melton and working with the State Government to meet the needs of our growing community now and in the future.”