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What’s in the budget?

What’s in the budget?
Sean Car

The State Government’s 2018/19 State Budget delivered some benefits for the Southbank community, predominantly around arts, planning and education.

Released on May 1, the budget included a number of welcome funding injections for Southbank’s Arts Precinct, with $82.7 million allocated to revitalise galleries and museums, such as our beloved National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).

The next phase of funding for critical works to Arts Centre Melbourne was also included. Our world-class performing arts organisations will be able to develop links with international institutions with $2.9m to host the Australian Performing Arts Market in Victoria for six years.

$590,000 will fund new exterior design standards to make sure new apartments are built with the highest quality of materials and sustainability. These standards build on the State Government’s Better Apartment guidelines released last year. $25 million was also included to help fight combustible cladding (story pg 10).

No new first home ownership initiatives were announced as part of the 2018/19 budget.

The budget also allocated $1 million for the development of an online portal, which will provide access to better information on public land; $9.7 million will be allocated to processing planning permits faster and $3.5 million will help speed up local councils’ assessment processes for new subdivisions.

Fishermans Bend received a $4.8 million planning boost, with $3.8 million allocated for planning a new secondary school (story pg 10) and $1 million to develop a business case for active transport and tram connections between Fishermans Bend and the CBD.

The government has also provided $18.8 million for stage one of a new primary school in Docklands, which would include Southbank, South Wharf and Montague in its catchment area.

To find out more visit budget.vic.gov.au

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