With election day nearing, Eildon voters are weighing up their options for who will be the candidate to represent them.
Here are the specific election pledges made by Victorian Labor and the Victorian Liberals and Nationals that will support projects in Eildon as well as Victoria as a whole.
Current Eildon MP and Liberal candidate Cindy McLeish said the last four years have seen the state move further in the wrong direction.
“The cuts to the roads budget have resulted in our roads being in the worst state many people can remember – they were bad before the floods and now they are abysmal. We will invest $10 billion over 10 years to fix this, we have a health crisis and the government has responded by cutting $2 billion from the health budget and Federal Labor cutting $1.4 billion from Victorian hospitals,” she said.
“Too many times calls to 000 have gone unanswered leaving people in vulnerable situations. The Inspector General of Emergency Management linked the deaths of 33 Victorians to delays in the state’s 000 service since December 2020. We will divert the $35 billion allocated to the Suburban Rail Loop to fix this health crisis.”
Ms McLeish has also promised the following projects specifically for Eildon:
Installing electronic 40-kilometre speed signs on the Warburton Highway outside Wesburn Primary School
$200,000 upgrade for the Yarra Junction shopping strip
$4 million for an upgraded pavilion at the Wesburn Junior Football Club
$2 million for upgrades to the Queens Park facilities in Healesville
Ms McLeish also said the state’s finances are in a woeful state with Victoria owing more money than New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania combined.
“Every time the interest rate goes up by .5 per cent the state budget takes a $2.7 billion hit. That is money that can’t be spent on services we need – roads, education, mental health, and housing. The major credit agencies have downgraded our ratings. We will put a debt ceiling in place and stop the waste and mismanagement,” she said.
“The extended lockdowns have left an enormous scar on many with businesses and so many children struggling. Never before has there been such a compelling reason to change the government.”
Labor candidate Jane Judd said the last week of an election campaign is probably not the finest hour for political analysis as we are awash with promises.
“The major difference between my opponent and I is that if I am elected, I will have a seat at the
table, a member in the strong Andrews Government with a direct impact, not another 4 years of a member in the opposition, on the backbench with none,” she said.
“Victoria has a fiscal recovery plan in place. We will be back in surplus by 2025-26. We have the best infrastructure-led economic recovery of any State but the latest political propaganda in my mailbox suggests differently. According to Commsec, Victoria has overtaken Tasmania to be Australia’s best-performing state economically. The Liberal party has promised three times what Andrew’s Labor Government has according to the Parliamentary Budget Office tracker. It’s easy to make promises when you don’t have to deliver.”
Ms Judd has announced funding for three projects and groups in Eildon:
$55,000 to support the YAVA Gallery and Arts Hub
$50,000 to support the projects of Yarra Valley ECOSS
$60,000 to support the Healesville Core
Ms Judd said we are blessed to have a vibrant community and a diverse range of community groups, driven by purpose and a vision for a better world.
“The “Big Build” means doing what matters most. There is a long list of our local primary and
secondary schools that have had priority works completed or underway. The Eildon Primary School is getting a $4.8 million upgrade and joins huge investments more recently in our children at Upper Yarra Secondary College and Woori Yallock Primary School. More is planned,” she said.
“We know the rising cost of living is making it harder for families to make ends meet – that’s why
Victorian Labor has a real plan to help with free kinder, the $250 Power Saving Bonus and Free TAFE. We’ve introduced the Victorian Default Offer, which can save families hundreds of dollars on annual power bills, and our Utility Relief Grants provide up to $1,950 for households that are doing it tough to pay their bills.”
“The Federal Budget shows we finally have a genuine partner in Canberra focused on delivering the infrastructure and services Victorians need. More than 150,000 Victorian households have used the Government’s Savings Finder, accessed through the Service Victoria app, accessing more than 60 discounts, rebates and savings.”
