Existing projects in Ballarat will rise in cost, after the Allan Government handed down their first state budget yesterday afternoon.
The Ballarat Base Hospital redevelopment will now cost an additional $54 million, due to the expansion of the women’s and children’s hub.
$5.4 million will go towards a new mental health, alcohol and drugs emergency department hub at the hospital, whilst $2.1 million will be spent on opening a transgender and gender diverse clinic in the city.
A Ballarat Train Station upgrade will cost an additional $1 million, with the Lydiard Street level crossing upgrade pushed back to late 2025.
Intersection upgrade project Keeping Ballarat Moving will now cost $70 million in total, an extra $11 million more than expected, due to issues including weather conditions.
Upgrades to Woady Yaloak Primary School will also increase by $2.1 million due to market escalation in the construction sector.
Member for Ripon, Martha Haylett, says costs have gone up significantly since COVID.
“That’s just a reality that we have to deal with, and we’ve factored that into this state budget so that we make sure we can still deliver all the projects we said we would,” she said.
“All of us members of parliament, locally in Ballarat and beyond, will always be fighting for the regions [and] we’ll continue to do that.”
