The school, transport and health projects in your area being delayed
The impact of a tough state budget will be felt across all areas of Victoria as Treasurer Tim Pallas hits the brakes on a huge list of projects and programs to help spread out the government’s spending.
Pallas argues the adjustments to the government’s massive infrastructure program timeline will “better reflect workforce capacity” and manage a 22 per cent increase in construction costs.
Treasurer Tim Pallas delivers the Victorian budget in parliament on Tuesday.Credit: Getty Images
But across every department, the final completion date for more than 100 projects have been adjusted, including signature initiatives such as level-crossing removals and the Big Housing Build sign-ups. Here are the projects whose timelines have been pushed back.
These tables list the project, the completion date in last year’s budget, their revised date and the length of the delay.
EDUCATION
Nearly two dozen school upgrades have been delayed by “revised project schedules”.
Not included in this list is the four-year blowout to the completion date for the government’s Best Start, Best Life initiative, which intends to expand government-funded kindergarten hours.
HEALTH
Upgrades to regional hospitals and residential aged care facilities are among those delayed in the latest budget.
The timelines for replacements of engineering infrastructure and medical equipment in the sector have also been revised.
TRANSPORT
An election commitment to remove eight level crossings in Brunswick and Parkville by 2027 is now expected to be completed in 2030.
Early works on the Suburban Rail Loop East are nine months behind schedule, but this is not yet expected to impact the timeline for the full project.
HOUSING
The Big Housing Build, a major program to build 12,000 new social and community homes will be finished by the middle of 2028, rather than in 2027.
A family violence refuge in Horsham is also two years behind schedule.
WATER
Dozens of rural and regional water projects have had their timelines adjusted.
They range from new water mains and refurbishments to water treatment plants and sewerage upgrades.
EMERGENCY SERVICES
The Country Fire Authority will have to wait a year longer for the end of an upgrade program to their fleet and buildings.
New money in the budget went towards providing Fire Rescue Victoria with five new pumper platforms, which are useful in responding to blazes in built-up areas.
JUSTICE
A program of critical police infrastructure is now expected to be completed three months later than expected.
Acoustic upgrades for VCAT hearing rooms was meant to be finished already but is now expected to be completed in 2025.
CEMETERIES
A small collection of projects at Melbourne cemeteries will now be completed later than scheduled.
An expansion to the Northern Memorial Park in Fawkner is now likely to be completed two years later than forecast.
OTHER CATEGORIES
In other categories, tourism projects along the Great Ocean Road and in the Alpine region have been pushed back.
The boardwalks and viewing stands for the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island will be finished in the next financial year, but six months later than first planned.
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