Lisa Neville

Last week I had the pleasure of opening new facilities at the Barwon Heads Cricket Club — I joined club president Paul Summers and a number of junior players to open a new shade shelter. The shelter is the result of a $100 000 election commitment from the Andrews state government. A number of the club members contributed in terms of the architecture and design and some of the works, and I want to thank them for that contribution. The club has gone from strength to strength in recent years and now boasts 11 teams, a junior development program and growth in female participation. Well done to all at the Barwon Heads Cricket Club.

Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville MP today officially opened the newly completed Portarlington Safe Harbour, paving the way for more boats to dock at the pier, and more visitors to the Peninsula. The Victorian Government invested $15 million in the project to improve recreational and commercial boat access to the pier. Major infrastructure upgrades include: two rock breakwaters to the east and north of the pier, a new 190-metre long concrete commercial berthing area and 27 commercial berths serviced with water and electricity. The harbour will bolster the region’s aquaculture industry, promote tourism and accelerate economic growth across the Bellarine Peninsula. Ms Neville said, “This project supports the Bellarine Peninsula’s growing aquaculture industry and will help boost economic development in the region.” The completed harbour will provide all weather access for commercial fishing, recreational vessels and passenger ferry services as well as a range of marine industry access upgrades. Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food production sector and is set to overtake capture fisheries as the major source of seafood. It is a crucial industry for the local area and is celebrated every year with the Mussel Festival. Ms Neville said, “This investment by the Victorian Government integrates the broader Victorian community with the unique cultural and natural experiences that the Bellarine Peninsula has to offer.” The Bellarine is now easier to explore than ever before. Victorians can now head down to Portarlington on the Port Phillip Ferry from Docklands, which connects the heart of the Melbourne to the Bellarine Peninsula. “Already these works have seen increased visitation to the pier, allowing more people to enjoy this beautiful spot.” Ms Neville said.

A new light tanker is helping Mannerim Fire Brigade keep the Bellarine Peninsula safe thanks to a $200,000 Victorian Government grant. Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville officially recently handed over the 1400-litre tanker and she congratulated the volunteer brigade for their dedicated service to the community. The vehicle is a welcome boost to the brigade’s firefighting capacity, both locally and as part of strike teams deployed across the state. The new vehicle also provides the volunteer firefighters greater safety when attacking fires. It can carry a crew of three firefighters, as well as the equipment needed to respond to fires and other emergencies. The total cost of the tanker was $236,000, with $200,000 provided courtesy of the Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP). Ms Neville said, “I congratulate the Mannerim Fire Brigade on its successful application for a Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) grant, which was complemented by its local fundraising efforts.” The VESEP funds operational equipment for volunteer emergency-service brigades, units, and clubs, including tankers, trucks, trailers, watercraft and minor facilities upgrades. The remaining $36,000 was sourced through fundraising initiatives organised by the brigade, including sausage sizzles, garage sales and generous community donations. Mannerim Fire Brigade was founded in 1943, and currently has 63 members. “Mannerim’s volunteer firefighters do a wonderful job protecting the local community, and this new light tanker is an excellent addition to its capabilities.” Ms Neville said. It has sent strike teams to some of the biggest emergencies in the state’s history, including the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983 and the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. More recently, it has provided support to surrounding brigades at major fires at the Bellarine waste-disposal site in 2016 and the Drysdale gas depot in 2017.

More people with a terminal illness living on the Bellarine Peninsula will be able to get the compassionate in-home palliative care and support they need, thanks to an Andrews Labor Government funding boost. Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville today announced Bellarine Community Health would share in $3.86 million this year to improve access to community palliative care services for people living in rural and regional Victoria. Ms Neville said, “We know most people want to die at home, close to family and loved ones.  This boost will give people with a terminal illness on the Bellarine more support to be cared for at home.” The Labor Government is investing more than $62 million in additional funding over five years to support more terminally ill Victorians to be cared for, and die, at home. In 2017/18, this funding boost will provide home-based palliative care for additional 1215 people and their families. Bellarine Community Health will receive $106,092 this year to expand its in-home palliative care services. That means more locals than ever can access high quality end-of-life care that relieves pain and suffering and provides empowering support to family, friends and carers, when they need it most. “Local end-of-life care services make a real difference helping people make the most of every moment as their life draws to an end.” Ms Neville said. In 2017/18, we are also investing $1.25 million to establish a 24-hour expert palliative care advice line, $3.9 million for additional palliative care physician or nurse practitioner positions in Regional Palliative Care Consultancy Services and $10 million in grants for end-of-life auxiliary support services. The Labor Government invests around $135 million per year on palliative care services, and has increased palliative care funding each year since coming into office. The Government has also delivered $5 million in equipment and infrastructure grants for community palliative care agencies to assist them to deliver care in people’s homes. “We’re supporting quality and compassionate end-of-life and palliative care that relieve pain and suffering, giving more people the support they need to die in their place of choice.” Ms Neville said. The end-of-life auxiliary support services grant is available to a wide range of non-clinical informal and ‘grass roots’ ancillary organisations that are providing practical and timely support for people with life-limiting illnesses and their families and carers.

The new home of sport in Drysdale is taking shape, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government. Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville today opened stage one of the $6.7 million project. The Drysdale Sports Precinct will be the new home for local soccer, football and cricket, including the Drysdale Hawks Football Club. The Labor Government made an election commitment of $3.5 million to deliver the new facility. “We’re proud to be building a new home of sport in Drysdale – helping our local clubs grow, welcome more members and boost female participation.” Ms Neville said. Sports participation has been booming in the area, but a shortage of facilities has forced clubs to train in local school sports halls. The first stage of the development has seen the construction and installation of a football/cricket oval, a multipurpose field, sports lighting, cricket training nets and practise pitches, and a relocatable pavilion. Ms Neville acknowledged the City of Greater Geelong for its commitment and significant contribution to the project. Projects like this are made possible thanks to the Labor Government’s $120 million Community Sports Infrastructure Fund. Ms Neville said, “The Andrews Labor Government is working hard to build the facilities our region needs to get more people active and playing the sport they love.” The fund helps councils develop sport and recreation facilities, and clubs rejuvenate tired grounds and ageing facilities

The Andrews Labor Government is making the trip between Geelong and Barwon Heads safer, with major improvement works currently underway on Barwon Heads Road. The Labor Government has invested $1 million to resurface and widen two kilometres of Barwon Heads Road to provide drivers with a smoother, safer and more resilient road. Barwon Heads Road is the major thoroughfare between Geelong and Barwon Heads, with about 23,000 vehicles using the road daily including commuters travelling to and from Barwon Heads and residents from nearby housing estates. Ms Neville said, “Anyone who uses Barwon Heads Road knows how badly these works are needed – so we’re getting with it, rebuilding entire sections of the road to give locals a connection they can rely on.” These works are vital to ensuring the road is strong and safe enough to cater to current traffic volumes as well as predicted residential growth in the region. Work has begun to widen and rebuild 1.2 kilometres of the road from 150m past Lake Road to 200m east of Lower Duneed Road. It follows the completion of Stage 1 works at the end of February, which involved widening and resurfacing 820 metres of the road from the roundabout to just before the Breamlea Road/Shaws Lane intersection. The existing culverts were also replaced. While Stage 2 works are underway, there will be one lane open to traffic through the construction zone. The entire road will be open to motorists at night. “When these works are complete we’ll all be able to enjoy a smoother and safer drive along Barwon heads Road.” Ms Neville said. Every effort will be made to avoid and minimise impacts on local resident and motorists, however there may be some delays. Stage 2 works are expected to be completed by mid- 2018.