On Thursday, nine Ballarat organisations came together to launch Ballarat. Now and Into the Future 2022.
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Ahead of next month's federal election and the state poll in November, this campaign is a call for state and federal government investment in six transformational projects for our city and the western region, projects that will deliver multiple benefits now and for generations to come.
The nine organisations represent a broad cross section of our community from our health, education, tourism, local government, business and infrastructure sectors.
Together, we are united in our resolve to secure funding support for these projects and the generational impacts they will have on our community and economy. And because our community is so connected, we know when any one of these projects secures state or federal funding, all of us win.
The benefits they offer our city and region address multiple areas of challenge and opportunity across our community, as a brief glance at them will tell you:
- A recent survey found mental health was a key concern for Ballarat residents; a purpose-built Community Mental Health Facility will help meet this urgent need.
- The announcement this month that Ballarat will be one of four regional hubs for the 2026 Regional Victoria Commonwealth Games, with key roles for Mars Stadium and Selkirk Stadium, underscores the importance of further investment in our Major Events Precinct.
- Sovereign Hill Master Plan Phase 1b will deliver the next phase of a 20-year plan for Sovereign Hill, with a package of new entry, exhibition and education facilities to help attract new visitors and encourage them to extend their stay in Ballarat and the region.
- Ballarat Link Road Next Stages will improve transport connectivity for Ballarat West Growth Area residents and boost safety and freight movement across Ballarat's local road network and onto the four regional highways that converge on our city.
- The Ballarat University Town project offers increased opportunities for Ballarat's tertiary sector, and by locating thousands of students at the SMB campus, will act as a catalyst project for the further enhancement of our CBD.
- A Circular Economy Precinct, anchored by a Materials Recovery Facility, will enable the local processing and sorting of household recyclable materials from our region, which will divert waste from landfill, create streams of re-usable products and support a potential further $270 million investment from circular economy businesses looking to co-locate.
These six projects will ensure Ballarat's economy is reinvigorated, jobs are created and the infrastructure we need to support the sustainable growth of our city and region is in place.
They will inject $372 million into the Ballarat economy, creating 1762 direct and indirect jobs and $315.6 million in economic activity for the city and region during construction.
Ballarat. Now and Into the Future 2022 will build on and amplify the great advocacy work our organisations have already undertaken ...
They also reflect Ballarat's position as the regional capital of Western Victoria. We are a business and jobs centre and a key provider of services not only for the 113,000 people within our municipal boundary, but also for the 300,000 residents of the region from here to the South Australian border. And with our recent population growth, one quality still sets us apart from, say, a similar-sized urban growth area of Melbourne: how genuinely interconnected our community and our region is.
For instance, right now you can probably think of one or more people among your friends or family who work in one of our key employment sectors in education, health, or manufacturing. Or, if you are a more recent arrival in Ballarat, you soon will!
It is precisely this strength that the Ballarat Now and Into the Future 2022 campaign, launched this week, taps into, with benefits from these projects touching all parts of our community.
It is important to emphasise that the transformational projects supported through this campaign will be of no surprise to politicians on all sides of state and federal politics. Each of the Ballarat organisations behind these projects has spent considerable time independently lobbying for them ahead of this year's elections.
Ballarat. Now and Into the Future 2022 will build on and amplify the great advocacy work our organisations have already undertaken on their own behalf.
As voters in Ballarat and western Victoria head to the polls in May and November, they will be looking to support leaders who share our vision and optimism for our city and region. These projects will help ensure Ballarat and Western Victoria continue to thrive - now and into the future.
