Bunbury MLA John Castrilli has welcome funding for local projects announced in the 2016-17 WA state budget on Thursday.
Mr Castrilli said the last budget he will participate in as the local member sees funding across a range of portfolios continuing to build on the raft of achievements and projects underway in the Bunbury area.
Funding committed in the 2016-17 Budget includes:
- $24.9 million for the first stage of Transforming Bunbury’s Waterfront including an $8.6million upgrade to the Dolphin Discovery Centre (an overall $12.3million project)
- $4.6m for the Department of Parks and Wildlife headquarters and public facilities to be created on the Koombana Drive site
- $4.1m for the Bunbury Mental Health sub-acute “step-up, step-down” facility
- $2.67m for the new Bunbury Fire Station, with construction already progressing
- $3m for works and $1m for road upgrades at the Port of Bunbury
- $1.4m to continue the upgrade of the Bunbury Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Bunbury will also benefit from wider investments such as the Regional Film Fund and Creative Regions Program
“I am pleased that funding has been included in the Budget to continue progressing key projects including the Parks and Wildlife headquarters, mental health sub-acute facility, and the Koombana Bay Foreshore phase of the waterfront project,” Mr Castrilli said.
“Bunbury’s health infrastructure is the strongest of any regional area and I welcome the fiev per cent boost to the state’s overall health budget, which takes it to a record $8.6 billion,” Mr Castrilli said.
Mr Castrilli said while nobody disputes we are facing tough economic times, it is heartening to see funding directed towards helping vulnerable people.
“Services to assist people facing alcohol or other drug addictions, or with mental health issues, are a vital part of helping our community move forward and become stronger,” he said.
Earlier this week South West MLC Adele Farina questioned what had happened to Bunbury’s sub-acute mental health facility which received $4.6 million worth of funding in the 2015-16 budget.
“Last year’s state budget clearly states that the Mental Health Commission has been provided $13 million from Royalties for Regions for [projects including] the construction of the sub-acute mental health facility in Bunbury and that the facility will open in 2017,” she said.
Mental Health minister Andrea Mitchell said “the project remains a priority for the Mental Health Commission and I understand work is progressing to secure the necessary approvals."
“Yet there is no evidence of any work being done on the project – even the sign erected to advertise the project has been taken down.”
Mr Castrilli said since 2008, Bunbury has benefited from an influx of state funding for facilities such as the health campus, the new emergency rescue helicopter, the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre expansion and multi-million dollar road network improvements.
”I am pleased to see that our city’s needs continue to be recognised,” Mr Castrilli said.
Andrew Elstermann
Email: andrew.elstermann@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Email: andrew.elstermann@fairfaxmedia.com.au
