What's in the federal budget for Ballarat?

A key program for regional councils, Roads to Recovery, will receive more funding to help local government areas keep up with road maintenance.

Ballarat MP Catherine King said the four councils in her area, Ballarat, Hepburn, Golden Plains and Moorabool shires, will receive $45 million more over the next five years.

Ballarat council will receive $13.5 million of this over five years.

In July all Ballarat residents will receive a $300 credit on their electricity bills and eligible small businesses will receive $325.

Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton said he welcomed the "significant" tax relief which comes at a time when our community is "feeling the pinch".

"We can argue it, but at the end of the day, they've been able to deliver a balanced budget and provide some fairly substantial ... relief, so that should be welcomed."

Additional support is available for accessing medications and rental assistance.

These were called for by Ballarat services including Uniting Vic homelessness senior manager Adam Liversage.

Mr Liversage has been reporting an increase of presentations to services in Ballarat across 2023 and 2024, particularly from people who have not needed support in the past.

Mr Poulton said he recognised the investment in housing but wanted to see action.

"You have to build it if you want them to come," he said.

"There is pressure on the three layers of government to make this happen."

A lack of certainty in the planning process at all levels of government is the biggest set back, he said.

"Two to three years delay in planning processes is what slows down [housing] as much as the cost of building itself."

Prior to budget night the government announced a $1 billion spend on crisis housing.

In the Grampians region, most crisis housing is full and support agencies report they have nowhere to send people in need.

Central Highlands Homelessness Alliance coordinator Michelle Twigger told a Commonwealth Games inquiry that agencies have no other option but to hand out tents or swags to teenagers and families.

"We place some people including children in unsuitable hotels, motels and lodging house accommodation - this exacerbates the trauma and depletes limited emergency relief funding," she said.

"These are not solutions nor are they safe or acceptable forms of accommodation."

There will be an additional $18.7 million for Ballarat's intermodal freight hub, which is in the Ballarat West Employment Zone (BWEZ).

Ms King said the additional money was needed to complete all of the project.

The freight hub will connect Ballarat airport, freight train lines and key roads like the Western Freeway to businesses in BWEZ.

The state government staged a "sod turn" marking the start of construction on the project in 2022 but little progress can be seen.

Ms King said this additional money means they can make the hub "a reality".

"That means that we're locking in the investment into BWEZ, but taking the rail line so you can get rail freight in and out of there."

Mr Poulton said the rail is important for companies like George Weston Foods' new flour mill.

"[They are] really reliant on rail to ensure their product can be moved efficiently to and from the new mill," he said.

Ms King said she has already had conversations with state government ministers to "see that construction of the intermodal freight hub becomes a reality".

Liberal senator Sarah Henderson said she felt the budget failed Ballarat with the government not giving "new investment to any major projects".

"The member for Ballarat, Catherine King, has turned her back on local residents at a time when regional Victorians deserve better," Ms Henderson said in a statement.

"It is a big-spending, big-taxing con job which does nothing to help local residents get ahead and restore their standard of living."