News Alert |

Ballarat Mayor Cr Samantha McIntosh has congratulated the Liberal National Coalition on its election victory and taken the opportunity to renew her call on the Morrison Government to deliver its next Regional City Deal to Ballarat. 

“I will be writing to congratulate the Prime Minister today, and to seek a meeting to put our case – once again – that Ballarat should receive the next Regional City Deal from the Federal Government. 

“Securing a Regional Deal for our city has been in the Ballarat City Council Plan since 2017. The City of Ballarat and its community know we need investment in regional infrastructure. A Regional Deal that supports Ballarat’s rapid growth and long-term capacity to provide jobs, services and infrastructure that match our growth, is essential”, Mayor McIntosh said. 

“We will continue to push for Ballarat to get our fair share of funding support and work with our regional counterparts to secure a Regional Package that takes account of our needs in terms of integrated transport, and continued investment in health, education, the arts and essential community-building infrastructure.  Investment in these projects is essential for the health, wellbeing, liveability and prosperity of this city and its residents. 

“With the election now decided, and both state and federal budgets soon to be confirmed, we will ramp up our advocacy on behalf of the people of Ballarat. As a Council, what is best for Ballarat is first in all we do.  And that, in part, means viewing the re-election of the Liberal Coalition Government as an opportunity to be first in line to access funds provided through federal Financial Assistance Grants, Regional Airport Funding ($100M), Building Better Regions Fund and the extremely important Regional City Deals.  All were announced and welcomed by the City of Ballarat in the recent April federal budget.” 

“Putting election campaigns aside, we remain confident that Her Majesty’s Theatre which requires a further $5 million to make it safe and accessible;  a $14 million upgrade at Ballarat Airport to improve regional connectivity,  and BIRCH, a  collaborative health research project involving the local hospitals and universities, are well positioned for federal government attention and support in upcoming and available funding streams. We will continue to work tirelessly to secure these projects. 

“We are delighted to see that $10.1 million for Sovereign Hill’s Beyond Fifty expansion project is assured”, Mayor McIntosh said.  

 Cr McIntosh also congratulated Catherine King on being returned as the Federal Member for Ballarat and promised to continue to work closely with her to deliver projects and initiatives for Ballarat and region. 

“Catherine has been a strong and loyal representative of the community and I have every confidence she will continue to work in partnership with Council and other stakeholders to pursue Ballarat’s case in Canberra”, Cr McIntosh said. 

“Equally Ballarat can call on its strong relationships with the Hon Dan Tehan, Senators Bridget McKenzie and Jane Hume and with Sussan Ley, to pursue funding opportunities, and to argue our case for a Regional City Deal. 

I will be in Canberra next month representing Ballarat as Mayor and in my capacity as Chair of Regional Capitals of Australia and I look forward to meeting with as many Ministers and Members of Parliament as possible who can help advance our case for a greater share of federal funding”, Mayor McIntosh said.