Star

Budget losers hit out

By Cimara Pearce

12th May 2009 11:06:16 AM

More money ... Sean Spencer, convener of Respect the West, is pushing for the Labor Gov¬ernment to invest more in the western suburbs.

BRIMBANK community groups say the West has been left in the dark once again following a lack of funding in the State Budget.

Last week’s budget saw billions of dollars allocated to improve infrastructure, create local jobs and boost the economy but Brimbank residents say they have been neglected.

Respect the West member Sean Spencer said the Budget had failed to deliver funding for the grade separation of the St Albans level crossings despite the high number of fatalities at the Main Rd West crossing.

“Once again the needs of the West are given a lower priority than politically needy Eastern suburbs with traffic needs placed ahead of the lives of residents,” he said.

Police numbers and a lack of initiatives to counteract were also crucial issues which had been ignored.

“At any one time, up to half of all rostered police in the western suburbs are either on leave or allocated to other duties meaning that we are chronically under-policed,” Mr Spencer said.

“The community is screaming out for more police and this has been ignored.

“Unemployment is set to rise to seven per cent but the western suburbs already has an unemployment rate that is well over the state average and youth unemployment in some areas is sky-rocketing.

“This is only going to get worse with no specific initiatives to tackle areas of high unemployment.”

But while Brimbank may have missed out on some funding, a continuation and a boost to the first home buyers grant is set to see more people buying houses in the West.

Premier John Brumby was in Taylors Hill last Wednesday to announce the continuation of the grant and revealed that high numbers of people had been taking up the grant in the western suburbs.

The Premier said that from 1 May 2008 until 21 April 2009, almost 1000 people had bought new and existing homes in Burnside, Cairnlea, Caroline Springs and Deer Park.

More than 500 people had taken advantage of the grant in Delahey, Taylors Hill and Hillside, while 445 bought homes for the first time in St Albans and Kealba.

The revised first-home buyers package will offer $22,500 for first home buyers purchasing a new home in regional Victoria, $18,000 for a new home in metro-Melbourne and $9,000 for an existing home as of July 1 this year.

The revised package will be in place for one year.