| By The Editor
Bendigo benefits from budget
FOR most people, budgets are boring affairs, analysed to within an inch of their lives by droll commentators with grey ties.
When it all comes down to it, people simply want to know what is in it for them. From a Bendigo point of view, Tuesday’s state budget was quite generous, in financial terms.
The government will spend almost $65 million in Bendigo next financial year, in three big projects – the Bendigo Education Plan ($41m), the redevelopment of the Stella Anderson Nursing Home ($13.6m) and the redevelopment of the Bendigo hospital’s emergency department ($9.5m).
All these projects are ratifications of promises made at the state election in 2006, and far be it from anyone to criticise governments who deliver on their promises.
Another bonus will be the grant of $3000 to anyone buying their first home in regional Victoria. Detractors have said that will only push up house prices by $3000. If that’s true, that is not a big price to pay for a plan that could stimulate economic, population and employment growth.
While $65 million may seem a lot, and it is definitely something to be thankful for, it is nothing compared to what needs to be delivered in 361 day’s time, on May 5, 2009.
Then, the government will be judged on whether or not it really is committed to the total redevelopment of the Bendigo hospital, as it says it is.
Needless to say, we won’t be keeping as quiet in the lead up to that budget as we were with this one.
Cash flows for lake
We also report this week the City of Greater Bendigo council has come through with about $200,000 to fix the Lake Neangar island in next month’s budget.
The council and its staff should be congratulated on this plan. It is positive news on two fronts. Firstly, the Borough deserves to have some beautification money spent on something other than flags, planter boxes and wider footpaths.
Secondly, beautifying the lake has been on the agenda for at least four years, and it is time Lake Neangar itself comes out of the funding shadows of Lake Weeroona and Kennington Reservoir.
The area can now start to be promoted as a tourist destination in its own right.
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